After All These Years (Iwaoi)

It's Not Goodbye, It's See You Later

He said his goodbyes.

"I hope to see you again soon Iwa-kun! I'm getting too old for this. You better come visit me young man." With his red nose and puffy eyes, 33 year old Hajime Iwaizumi waved goodbye to Mrs. Nakano and left his home.

Going back to the place he merely lived. This apartment. 431...

That was home. Home was with Oikawa.

10 years. And Hajime Iwaizumi had never spent a day without thinking about Tooru.

....

Aki greeted a dark circled, tear streaked version of his owner.

1:23 am.

Iwaizumi sat solemnly on the couch.

10 years and I have to wait until sunrise to see you? Only you would be this stupid to lead me on such a chase.

But suddenly it dawned on Hajime that he had yet to receive what he assumed was the final letter. Exhausted, he pulled himself up from the couch to walk out onto his porch.

The night air hit him and he took a deep breath in. How could there possibly be another letter in his mailbox when he had just checked this afternoon?

He reached inside expecting to find another neat envelope with a pretty red seal, but instead...

Empty.

"FUCK!" Iwaizumi kicked the post of the mailbox. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? IS THIS A JOKE?" He yelled out to no one. "I-IS THIS SOME KIND OF S-SICK JOKE?" He screamed until his anger dissolved to desperation and he drove a fist straight into the box.

A single piece of paper fluttered out.

Hajime stopped. He stated at the piece of paper and ignored the sting of blood on his knuckles. Slowly, he bent down to retrieve it.

1:27 am.

My dearest Hajime Iwaizumi,

At long last. You're home. I've led you on this wild chase to find my letters and here you are. Back at the start.

It was late.

Iwaizumi was exhausted. He didn't care about his reputation. He didn't care about his job. He didn't care about the stupid time.

1:28 am.

I know you're drained. Physically and mentally. Because I know YOU, Iwa-chan. Did you forget that I've known you since I could barely recite times tables?

Iwaizumi laughed a sad laugh through his streaming eyes.

I have one more stop for you. I promise I'll let you be done soon.

Iwaizumi choked back a sob. He wasn't going to see him... was he...

I love you Hajime Iwaizumi. I love you, which is why I can't see you.

Iwaizumi held a hand to his mouth, shoulders heaving with suppressed cries.

Go to the bridge. You know which one. The one that I love. Behind the school. That we'd sneak out to and watch the stars. The river that flows so gently it's almost still. The little white flowers that look like a fine layer of snow in the spring.

1:30 am.

Meet me there at dawn.

With love forever and always,

Tooru Oikwa

And that's when he broke down.