Bon’s POV:
I looked down at the phone, at a loss for words. She went-she went through all of that, and still could smile so brightly. She saw so much blood-so much gore, yet she still shoved Omu rice in her face each day, bringing a sweet smile and a weird, rainbow-spitting ‘I-ta-da-ki-masu!’. How? How could she be so scarred yet be so carefree, so happy? So-so loving, when she didn’t have a family-no, wait. She did have a family. Rin. Yukio. Shiro. Haru, the animals, and so many more. They were all her family. Even if she lost her family by blood, she never lost the family of her home.
I get up, and run a hand through the bleached part of my hair. I remember one time, Nat had asked me why I had bleached some of my hair. I told her that I wanted to bridge myself from my family; that I wanted to show that I was different from my family-the family I distinctly said I hated. Seeing that sad little smile on her petite face, and then hearing her say with a calm, dangerously quiet voice, ‘I’m sorry that you do. When the time comes, maybe that can change.’ I didn’t know she meant this.
“Yo, guys. I’m gonna go and...you know...just...go.” I say quietly, pushing myself out from the chair and pulling on my shoes, trudging out of the dorm and to the train station. I have to make it up to her. Somehow, someway. I don’t know what’ll happen, but… I let out a soft breath, the summer rain humid and not exactly comforting.
“One ticket to...etto...what does it say here?” I squint my eyes, and blush from embarrassment as I slowly pull my reading glasses from its case and daintily place it on my nose. “Aha.” I squint a little more, then smile with satisfaction. “‘Eien no kibo no ji’. The land of eternal hope.” I chuckle a little with bitterness on my tongue, thinking of the horrid pun that came with it. “One ticket to this place please.” I say quickly, hearing the screech of the train clawing against the tracks. Taking the ticket in my hand, I shook off my soaked hair and jacket before hopping into the train as it started to chug towards the north; towards Nat.
Koyalee’s POV:
I sat there, my eyes wide as I stared blankly at the phone, then letting out a yell and throwing it across the room. I felt my fingers trembling, along with my lips as I started to wail. I crawled to Yukio, my fingers hidden in fists as I started to pound on his chest, starting to cry. “Why? Why didn’t she tell us earlier?” I protested, my fists stopped by Yukio’s gentle hands as he pulled me into his chest, calming me by rubbing my back in soothing lines.
“Sh...sh…” He mumbled against my head, kissing my head smoothly and pulling me closer. “It’s hard to say as it is. You’re lucky to know this stuff now, because now you can comfort her. She didn’t tell us until almost a month afterwards, when she went back to check on the animals.” He said quietly, and then shook his head, just resting his forehead to mine and holding me close. I nod, though my cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. I closed my eyes, letting his thumbs stroke my cheeks to brush away my tears.
“Alright. Thank-Thank you.” I sputter, and lean against him, feeling the slight sharpness of the glasses burrow in my brow, making me smile a little at its familiarity. Snuggling into him slightly, I let out a soft sigh. “Will she come back tomorrow?” I ask, looking up at the boy with confused yet yearning eyes. I missed her. I missed Nat.
With a nod, he pecks my lips lightly blushing, as if wanting to do that but cowering back at the last moment. “Yeah. I promise you she will. And if she doesn’t, we’ll-we’ll bring True Cross to her.” He smiles a little, and so I nod, my cheeks still heated like a radiator in my dorm.
“Okay.” I nod, and smile a little happily as I let out a content sigh, leaving my head against his shoulder.
“Okay.”
Nat’s POV:
Sitting next to Hoshimi as I nibbled on the Omu Rice, I let out a soft sigh, dropping my utensils in frustration and awkwardness. “Are we just going to sit around the table and just not say anything or are we going to actually talk?” I asked, shifting so I was sitting with my legs tucked out. “I get that my past is screwed up, and I get that I shouldn’t be acting the way I act now. I just-I just-” I couldn’t say anything, so I only let out a weary sigh. “How’s the Omu Rice?” I ask Hoshimi, picking up my chopsticks.
“It’s good, not fresh from the pan Rin style good, but I’m flexible.” She says with a clipped tone, looking down at her blue and silver kimono. I look to Akiko, who was wearing a golden vine, with amber, crimson, and drops of sunshine colored leaves dancing over her yukata. I shove a piece of flabby egg into my mouth angrily, casting a narrow glance to the wall in front of me.
“I suggest I tell you why I-” She was interrupted by Hoshimi, who had a scowl on her face.
“Goziamasu. I’m done.” She says with a low growl, her look like a cornered animal’s, daring either of us to object, to try and make her stay in this great heart-warming dinner we were having. Akiko only shrugged, starting to shovel egg, sauce and rice, along with veggies into her mouth. I nod slowly, feeling a little concerned but letting it go. She had been that way since Lolita had passed, but today seemed even more so down.
Getting up quickly, she plunks the plate in the sink, a look of satisfaction as I flinch ever so slightly. “I’ll be in my room.” she says, and retreats to the downstairs as the bell rings, along with fierce, demanding knocks on the door. I look out the window, seeing it was pouring out rain, lightning striking in vines of white. I quickly started to the door, Akiko still sitting-as if bored- at the table, now playing with a spoonful of rice, flinging it across her plate with a muffled sigh against her fist.
Opening the door, I look up to widen my eyes, them filling with unwelcomed tears.
“Hey. Can I use a coupon?”
