Awaiting Your Response

Welcome Back

The plane is landing and my mind is racing. This is it, I'm going to see Ash again. I'm so excited but also terrified. What if he doesn't want to see me again. What if he was ignoring me on purpose. No, I cant be thinking about that right now. I'm back in America. I'm back in New York. I need to be careful. Until I find Ash I'm all alone and vulnerable. I don't know the current gang situation and I'd rather not find out the hard way like last time. 

I rush off the plane, grabbing my luggage, and head outside the airport. Wait. Where would Ash be? I could ask around, but who here would talk to me? Let alone recognize me. I didn't really get phone numbers from anyone either. I guess I could check where I've been sending the letters to first. 

I call a taxi and tell the driver the address to the apartment we shared when I was living here.

"Are you sure about that?" the driver asks me.

"Yes? Why?" That was a weird question, but maybe they have to ask that every time.

"That building... it was torn down about a month ago, it's nothing but rubble now."

I can feel my heart drop. Where did the letters go then? Why didn't Ash tell me they were going to tear it down? He must have gotten the first few letters, but why didn't the most recent ones get returned to the sender? Unless Ash was still coming here to get the letters. But if he was why didn't he respond? 

"Hey kid? You're staring off, still want me to take you there?"

"Yes, please." I lean back in the seat and close my eyes as the driver leaves for the destination. So much is running through my head. Mostly fear and concern. Maybe Ash just moved somewhere else for safety. That must be it. Someone was after him and ordered the building to be taken down to force Ash to move and he's just hiding now. And he didn't want to respond and draw attention to himself. That makes perfect sense, that's what I want to believe. Ash please, be safe, I need to see you again. 

"Here we are."

"Thank you." I get out the US currency I have left over from last time I was here and pay the driver, "actually... could you wait here for a bit, I'll be right back I just need to check something."

"Take your time."

I get out of the taxi and walk up to what used to be the place Ash and I shared many memories. It's where we were able to be ourselves. It's where Ash was able to be vulnerable and share his soft side with me. I can't believe it's all gone. I check around for any sign of him, but according to the driver it's been a month since this place was torn down so I doubt there'd be anything to see. I feel the wind pick up a bit and-

Eiji

I whip around. I swear I heard my name. It sounded just like Ash. I must be hearing things because I miss him so much. Now that I'm back in America and I'm so close to seeing him again I must be going crazy. 

I walk back to the taxi and get in. "Take me to Chinatown please."

"Any specific place?"

"Yeah, there's this one restaurant."

~~~

"Thank you for the ride." I pay the driver again and get out of the taxi, standing in front of the restaurant Shorter worked at with his sister.

"Hello?" I enter the restaurant and Shorter's sister recognizes me immediately, bringing me over to a table and sitting down to talk.

"How are you doing man, it's been a while."

"Yeah, hey do you know where Ash is?"

"Ash, uh..."

"It's ok if you can't tell me, I'd understand."

"I don't think I should be the one to tell you, let me go find Sing..." She gets up and hurries away. That's strange, but I get it if she's not supposed to talk about where he's hiding, Sing is in charge of the Chinese gang now so it makes sense that he'd be the one to tell me.

Shortly later she returns with Sing following behind, he has a sad look on his face. "Eiji," Sing sits down across from me and grabs my hand, "I don't know how to tell you this but Ash is-"