Aqours: After The Sunshine

Falling for You

Another bright day along Numazu, the sun shining it's glorious blaze along the coastal city, to anyone looking in from the outside, this would be pure bliss, absolute perfection. To some others however, the visuals of the outside, is only secondary, to what is going on inside the lives of our former school idols.

Watanabe You takes her morning jog, wearing a pair of tight shorts, short socks, trainers and a low tank top, she takes a run around the coast, her run being accompanied by the soundtrack of the sea breeze, which hits hard, but it doesn't matter to her. She stays active as a member of a track team, since she finished as a member of Aqours, she harbours dreams of being involved in Athletics. You has always been into fitness, mainly swimming, but has recently gotten into running in a pretty big way, after being inspired by a glorious Tokyo Olympic Games back in 2020, she still swims here and there, but she's always been a very fast runner too and, watching the worlds best athletes on TV, lit a fire inside of her, she knew there and then that she wanted so desperately, to be called up for Team Japan for future meets.

But she is filled with thoughts, she stops her run to take a swig of her drink, she takes the lid off, takes a quick gulp, returns the lid and brushes her shoulder length hair to get some cool air on the back of her neck, as she's about to start some more running, a single tear drops from her eye as she once again, can't stop thinking about a talk she had with a friend 8 years ago.

You's phone rings, she wipes her eye and checks her smartphone, it's Chika

"Good morning You Chan!"

"Chika Chan! What a surprise, are you okay?"

"I'm okay, I'm sorry I haven't been in contact much lately, I've been busy at the inn with my family"

"No no, don't apologise I understand entirely" You let out a light chuckle "So, what do I owe the pleasure?"

Chika's voice goes into a form of excitement "Well You Chan, Since Riko moved house, I've been a little distant and once again I am sorry for that, but, I've been thinking, I want to see everyone again"

You felt her stomach turn "Aqours?"

"Yes" Chika replied "It's been so long and I want to catch up with them all, I wanted to ask if you'd be up for it"

"Of course I will" You practically yelled out, she too was wanting to see her friends again, she occasionally gets to see Yoshiko at her work, but as for the other girls, it's been longer than Chika.

"I'll make some arrangements You Chan, you're the first one I've told, I'll speak to you soon! Bye Bye!"

Chika hangs up, leaving You deep in thought.

The truth is, after Aqours disbanded, Chika and Riko were the only 2 that You would keep in contact with on a regular basis, there would be sleepovers, night's out, this carried on for quite a while, until Riko met Yuki of course, that's when You began to feel a change in the atmosphere between the trio.

Meals, Drinks, Gatherings between the 3 ended up being just between You and Chika, then after Chika started to gain responsibilities for being next in line to run Tochiman Inn, it left You alone.

As mentioned already, every now and then You might see Yoshiko, but never as a social gathering, instead it would be Yoshiko's place of employment, they will have conversations that will last about 40 seconds, if they are lucky, but for every other former member of Aqours, You hasn't seen the rest since the disbandment. And You can only blame herself for being so distant, but now after that phone call, she is hopeful now that she can make up for lost time, providing this big meet up can actually happen, but, of course it will, You thought, if Chika is going to try and get everyone together, I'm sure she can.