A Diary - Calling For You

Polaroid Lights

The world around me. It was just starting to take a sharp turn. Maybe it was the foreign air racing towards me. Maybe the tears of going away sliding down my cheeks. The Anli's laughter in my ears. Maybe your non-existent presence near me.

"I'll go talk to them," I whispered hoarsely. I was scared of them, fearful of what they would think about me. Terrified about what you'll think about me. What you were thinking about me, keeping the secret all this time. It was a horrible thing to do, but the right one.

.      .      .

I knocked on the door, to see the three of you cutting the cake, expressionless like you were just about to cry at the moment. "Guys, hey. What are you worrying about? We gotta have fun here, right? As planned, we'll have the time of our lives here, so that we make the memories, so that we can sit in a wheelchair, and tell our grandchildren about the adventure we experienced. You guys are such party poopers." I closed the door behind me and leaned forward. "Cheer up!" I patted Akira's back. "The last birthday with you, huh? I'm not gonna let that happen. You're not gonna let that happen, you'll visit us, right? You'll come and see us even annually, right?" You had your head facing down, the bed wet with your tears.

I looked at you with concern, knowing I could not, "Even with the valleys of the world, I won't have the joy you brought me." I whispered in your ear, leaning down and then up. I could see the belief in your eyes as you faced upwards, the faith of not believing me. My heart was pounding like never before.

"Why can't we just pretend to enjoy this trip?" Anli murmured, "For the sake of him, can we, please?" I was starting to be distant from her, but she was still supporting me, having my back. Like always.

Trust me, the next minute for which I hugged her was me imagining all the time I spent with the jolly Anli, the one who used to annoy me. The one who I loved like my own sister, I needed her back.

.      .      .

"Kids, time to get the ride of your lives!" Gorou Senpai punch-opened the door and leaned on it, tapping the button on the car key, holding it up to his shoulder.

I started to un-hate him.

"Come on, don't ruin the vibe. I'll meet you at the main gate." He closed the door behind him. "So, shall we?" You laughed through your tears.

Memories in making.

"Where's our ride?" I questioned him, rubbing my arms, and exhaling. "Look a bit around," He hovered his arm around, and then to the car he was leaning on to, or I should say, the taxi.

"Seriously?" I nodded in disappointment, "'The ride of your lives', you said?"

"I'm driving," he smiled, bowing. "Any other questions?" He asked.

"Nope."

"Am I supposed to be scared of a taxi? Because I definitely am." Akira said with his hands in his pockets. "Are you sure you're scared of the taxi?" I looked back to reply.

I crouched to sit, "Ah, here we go, again and for last." The taxi was vintage, I could tell by the engine's sounds, making me a little comfortable, not scared anymore. Just until I was stuck on the backrest. It took such a rapid start, I began to doubt if the taxi is even a year old. "COULD YOU SLOW DOWN SO THAT I COULD MAKE MY LAST WISHES?" Akira screamed.

Anli grabbed Akira's phone, "You're not playing songs, your taste is still too bad for it." I'm pretty sure she crushed it and had to buy him a new phone.

"Ugh," He groaned.

"WHERE DID YOU EVEN GET THIS TAXI FROM?" I shouted, facing Gorou Senpai. "Remember that creep? Kurisa Ai or something."

"Kurisu Aoi" I interrupted. "Yeah, him. He thinks I'm his soulmate or something, he's actually really clingy to me, so I exploited him just a little bit, and got this! It's a long story." 

"He owns...a taxi? In an unknown town? Weird." I looked to the other side and whispered. And that was the last moment, ever where I actually laughed with you guys, ever.

"That was...scary"

"Very scary"

"And fun." We stepped out of the taxi, spinning from the dizziness.

I had forgotten about everything that happened before with that, living in the moment, still having the aftermath of the 'ride of my life'. But then, "I need to talk to you, 205." You leaned over to my ear and then walked away, holding the key card up to your shoulder.

I looked over to Akira, giving him the you-know-what-was-that? look but he nodded in denial. I faced down and then up, walking towards the hotel.

.       .       .

I knocked on the door, twice to see if you were already there, "Come in," I opened the door as you said that from a distance, looked around to locate you, and you were there, standing near the bedside table, placing a photo frame, - the same photo frame, from the time when I saw it during the research days. - "Hey, you wanted to talk about something?" I asked, confused. She headed towards the vintage-themed Bluetooth speaker and turned on some calm music. "You know, you still haven't told me what's going on with your diary, you haven't told me your favourite drink, your favourite food, things you like, and whatnot." You leaned over to the writing table, looking down. "Do I even know anything about the person I shed tears for? Who even are you?" You looked up, leaned your head forward. "I didn't-"

"You know what, even I haven't told you anything about myself,  I'll go first,"

"Listen-"

"Hey, I'm Haramatsu Mihoko and I am 16, I love candies, for drinks, I like cold coffee, and I love movies. I love to stare at the skies, it's like I can stare at them for hours and days. I like to hang out with people but I don't click pictures, it's like wasting time when you can actually enjoy with them, or even look at the skies and get lost in them. I've not been a good student and I never even cared, my parents disowned me when I was 8." She stuttered and then stopped.

"You- what?" I started to shiver right there, she kept it from me all this time, "But, I saw some elders with you when you were shifting to our town."

"Those were my piblings, my aunt and uncle. I've lived with them ever since the incident and they're more like my actual parents." She did not stutter a bit between those words, not a single tear in her eye.

"And who's that boy from the photo frame? If I may ask." I pointed over the table, still looking at her. "Can you please be silent for a bit?" She held her palm with her other hand and took a sharp breath.

"This music? It was his favourite, he used to whistle it when he was sad about any silly things," She pointed her thumb over the speaker. "He was my younger brother, the only person who would care about me at all times. He would sit down, and pay attention to whatever I'm saying, he would comfort me when I'm crying after an argument with my parents, whistle the same music. He always used to say, 'big sister, don't cry please, it makes me sad and want to cry too. And crying also makes your eyes go red which does not look good on you!'"

Maybe I was too deep into my thoughts, maybe into yours, how you actually survived through all that and when you got separated from a loving brother like yours. "I have so many questions to ask you, but I won't, for that, I don't have any tears left nor the information that I can give you in return."

"You wanna know about the paper, don't you?"