Cloud Chasers

twelve | ascending and descending [pt. two]

When they entered the apartment, they found Kuni heading toward her room. She side-eyed them but didn't say anything.

"Kuni, can I talk to you?" Joyce said with more confidence than usual.

Kuni sighed. "Again with this, Joyce? I told you, there's nothing to talk about."

"Please, Kuni," Chase stepped in. "Just listen to her. You don't have to do or say anything. Just hear what she has to say. Can you do that?"

Kuni grimaced. "You brought your boyfriend here to try to convince me?"

"He's not— look. I don't want to convince you of anything. I just want you to listen. Then you'll form your own opinions on it, alright?" said Joyce.

"Alright," Kuni said after a staring contest.

The three of them went to sit at the kitchen table. Joyce spoke uninterrupted. She was reluctant when the first few sentences came out. This wasn't like showing Chase her story. Telling Kuni everything felt like being interrogated by the police. Joyce would often turn to Chase as she talked. His mere presence brought a sense of tranquility to her.

When she was done, Kuni sat there staring down into space with her mouth open. She didn't say a thing for a while, making the air heavy around them.

"Wow," she finally broke the tension. "That's a messed up story."

"It is," Joyce said with a sigh.

"I can never forget the way you've acted toward me, Joyce," Kuni said, and a lump formed in Joyce's throat. "I can't forget the fact that you hit me. And that you didn't care about my cousin's feelings."

The air was as thick as Trevor's head, the tension sharper than the many knives Joyce was stabbed with in the story she'd just told.

"But unless you're moving in with Chase, I guess you could stay here. And with time, I will learn to forgive you," Kuni said.

Joyce's body felt lighter. "Thank you, Kuni," she said with a tight-lipped smile.

Kuni put on a tiny smile as well. "Now, go on. You two can go to your room without worrying about my presence inside the apartment."

"Really nice of you, Kuni," Chase said as they all stood up.

"You sure you're not her boyfriend?" she said to him and he blushed.

"I'm sure," he said, heading for the door to Joyce's room. Joyce was already inside.

"Why not, though?" Kuni kept prying.

He shrugged and disappeared behind the door.

"You weren't joking about her being nosey, huh?" he told Joyce.

"Now you know what I mean," she said.

"When did you buy those old pieces of tech?" Chase asked, pointing at the computer and typewriter on the desk.

"The typewriter I bought at the Lobby's Mall. The computer just randomly appeared when I came back from there."

"It happened to you too? I found some clothes in my room which I didn't buy at the mall," he said.

"I thought so. Why do you think that is?" Joyce scratched her head. "Oh, also, did you find the first edition of 'Dear Future' that I gave you?"

"Yeah, of course," he said.

She reached for her own first edition in the bookshelf and showed it to him. "Well, somehow I have one too."

"That's weird," Chase said with his brows knitted.
Joyce took a deep breath and let the air out as she sat on the bed. "Man, who knew my last days as a teenager would be this hectic," she said.