Free! & Hope

HOPE 15

Free! & Hope

Akane glanced at the tanned female facing her with a wide smile, she stood almost emotionless.

Hyo: "Akane-chan! You've gotten tall! Ooh! Is that your boyfriend?"

Aka: "Huh!? Well..." Akane's cheeks showed a small shade of pink and looked away embarrassed.

Hyo: "Aha~ I knew you had good taste!" Akane's face reddened.

Aka: "WHAT!? Shut up!" Akane punched her arm lightly, she crossed her arms and looked down.

Hyo: "Hey, is your sister around? I'm sure she would be totally psyched to see me!" Akane frowns and nods.

Aka: "I know... She's at home, with Miss Shiro"

Hyo: "Miss Shiro?" Akane nods.

Aka: "Yeah, she was mom's nurse before she..."

Hyo: "Oh... I'm sorry I missed the funeral, mom and I have been busy and we live far"

Aka: "Then what brings you here?"

Hyo: "I wanted to see you guys so I made time to come back"

Aka: "That's... nice, well common, I know how bad you want to see my sis" Akane held her boyfriend's hand again with a tighter grip, he knew something was up. By the time they got to Akane's house, she knocked the door, and by coincidence, Edmichiro answers.

Edmi: "H-H-Hyori!?!"

Hyo: "Hi hi~!" Edmichiro runs out to jump at her long lost friend.

Edmi: "Hyo-chan! It's been a long time!" They sat outside and talked... and talked, and talked... And talked. Akane sat at the side of the house leaning at the wall and sat with her head buried to her knees.

Aka: "Ah, great" Haruka found her in this state and sat next to her.

Haru: "Spill"

Aka: "What?"

Haru: "I know you're not okay since she showed up, so spill"

Aka: "Don't take it the wrong way, Hyori's an awesome person but... I've changed allot during the years that I feel that something bad from the past is going to drag me back into the lonely pit... you know? I wasn't a talkative person back then, I didn't have any friends, it was usually me, and my thoughts, and no one else. My mom was busy with work until the point she was having high pressure and her body was beginning to shut down on her. My dad, he passed away in a car accident when we were still children. Watching Hyori now, I mean, her mother's was a dear friend to my mom. But since they moved away, mom was acting different, like if something else was missing, not as strange since dad left but... it was still bad. Oh, I don't know, am I overthinking things?"

Haru: "Stuff from the past will always come by, some things, stronger than the last, believe me I know... but that's when fixing comes in, you can't stay with those thoughts from the past, you didn't do anything to the person enough to make you feel guilty, have you?"

Aka: "... No, no not her..."

Haru: "Then I don't see the problem, here" he offered me a hand and I sighed and grabbed and he helped me up. I walked behind him, tugging onto his dark green jacket, Miss Shiro got out.

Shiro: "Okay, who's hungry?"

Hyo: "Ooh! You must be Miss Shiro, I'm pleased to meet you" she bowed politely.

Shiro: "You must be Hyori, you're Ryoko's child, correct?" she nodded.

Hyo: "Yep!"

Shiro: "Well, you're allowed to come in, make yourself at home"