TO BE LOVED ↳ vento aureo [ HIATUS ]

02

❝ gotta save someone, repay others
do you know what being right means? ❞

kagakushu, ado

From that fateful day forward, you and Abbacchio would grow even closer. At first, he insisted that you were only a temporary roommate -- you stayed in his guest room and helped around his apartment, and eventually found work at a library nearby -- but you would move out shortly when you had a stable enough income.

He said that every month -- "You can stay a bit longer, you'll move out anyway soon..." -- but, really, he didn't mean it anymore. He never meant it, honestly; he liked your presence. You were friendly, helpful, respectful -- a best friend.

It was now September 21st, 1999. You celebrated your 17th birthday a few months previous, just taking the day off from work and spending the day with your roommate. You went out to dinner and bought a small store-bought cake, accompanied by a glass of Abbacchio's favorite wine -- which technically you weren't allowed to have, but who cares? -- and spent the evening outside, stargazing.

So, you'd do for now -- you had time left before things started to pick up, so, why not spend it in an enjoyable way?

Who cares about all of that, anyway?

You hummed as you rearranged the bookshelf in front of you, placing a few books down before wiping your forehead with the back of your hand. You glanced at your watch, smiling a bit, and then moved your gaze to a book that was on display at the end of the shelf -- a plain white book with black accents, and big letters spelling out a few words in cursive.