[Fanfic] Wait For Me [Chapter 8]
Title: Wait For Me [Chapter 8]
Rating: T
Disclaimers: I do not own any of the characters used here. They belong to their respective owners, namely the creators of Eyeshield 21.
Summary: A sequel to my earlier fic, Gravity. Time is moving faster than before, and one question will be on the mind's of both Hiruma and Mamori. How long is too long?
Notes: I'm sorry for how long this took. These past two months have been... well... pretty tough on me and I was struggling to keep my head afloat. But I'm back and am glad to be writing again! Especially for this fic which was abandoned for way too long. -___- I'll do my best not to abandon this fic again!
Writing this one was a bit tough though, cause it's kinda short, and I haven't revealed a lot of what's really going on cause I'm saving that up for the upcoming chapters. And yes, Hiruma continues to be a jerk here and I apologise for that. Everything will be cleared up soon, but for now, I present to you more conflict.
~*~
Mamori stared at the passing streetlights blankly, a sigh resting on her lips. A part of her could not stop worrying about Hiruma, while the other part felt totally indifferent at this point.
"Do I go straight on, Anezaki?"
Yamato's voice broke through her thoughts. She quickly surveyed moving scenery out the windows and said, "Ah, yes... Just keep going on for now."
Yamato nodded with a simple smile on his face, glancing at her before focusing on the road before him. "You've been pretty distracted since I offered to take you home."
Mamori shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I... suppose? I'm sorry Yamato-kun. I just have a lot on my mind right now."
"I don't blame you, you pretty much had a long, rough day," Yamato nodded in understanding. "Yet I hope you don't mind asking but... Are you disappointed that the person you were waiting for didn't come in the end?"
She knew she shouldn't be surprised; he did wait with her after all and was vaguely aware of her situation. But regardless, she felt her face become hot. She didn't reply, worried that she'd probably say too much at this point. She wondered if she had poured her heart out a little too much to him today, even if he was a good friend and now ex team member.
So they carried on in that awkward silence for a moment. Mamori was glad that it was dark now and that Yamato probably couldn't see her expression at that moment. Mamori was tempted to reach for her phone in her purse once more, curious to see if Hiruma had at least sent her a text and that she just hadn't notice it...
"Can I change your mind about the party tomorrow night?"
"Eh?" Mamori instantly replied as she looked at Yamato. "I thought I said back at the cafe that-"
"I know you said you didn't want to go," Yamato quickly added. "You have your reasons, I understand. But I can't help but think you really need to live a little while you can. Promise me you'll think about it?"
Mamori was tired of his words at this point. She didn’t want to think about anything really as she stared at her phone. But Sara and Ako's words suddenly filled Mamori's mind. Live a little, stop staying in one spot, nothing will change...
Stop waiting.
She took the advantage to check her phone, pretending to check her schedule for tomorrow, despite it being obviously so. There were no signs of a text message or even a missed call.
Mamori finally released the sigh she had been keeping in for a while. Looking out the window to stare at the passing streetlights once again, she replied, "All right. I'll think about it."
Mamori wasn't sure what had gone through her mind that night at the cafe. She was very sure she had told Yamato clearly that she had no interest in the party, regardless of the kind words he’d used to convince her to come. Yet somehow, she found herself abandoning her wait for Hiruma and hitching a ride back home with him.
She tried to recall the factors of why she opted to do this. Was the shop closing? There was still another 10 to 20 minutes, she was sure. Did she do it out of guilt for rejecting Yamato's invitation? That could be it, though it sounds silly upon further reflection.
... Was she tired of waiting?
As she sat up on her bed, contemplating what was going on, this question bothered her the most. A part of her felt certain that she could have waited a little longer... but she was also tired and so confused with the possibilities before her that she just wanted to get away. Yamato had probably taken notice of it, and offered her a ride home.
Although she had just woken up, sleep had done little to calm her thoughts. While the image was a lot less vivid, she was sure she’d dreamt of Hiruma and how he was so far away from her. But this time, instead of chasing after him, Mamori had stood still...
And watched as he disappeared before her.
Taking a deep breath, Mamori got out of bed and began her morning ritual of breakfast and then a bath, all the while planning on what to do today. Hiruma still wasn't responding to her calls and texts, and she couldn't deny that she was worried. Something must have happened to him if he hadn't bothered to contact her until now. Memories of the times she'd find him injured flashed through her mind and soon she found herself thinking of a list of places where he might be.
If he wasn't going to contact her, then she would have to go looking for him.
Taking her simple necessities of just her phone, wallet and keys, her first thought was to go to his apartment. But as she stood by the doorway, she received no response as she rang the doorbell. She rang a couple more times before discerning that he really isn't home. Her thoughts wandered as she looked at his apartment door, and remembered the time he entrusted the apartment key to her during a really busy period in college. She would often come over either to retrieve or return Hiruma's items and remembered she had once slept over upon working until five in the morning. He had allowed her to sleep on his bed again, and joked that he owed her double now. In embarrassment for how often she had slept over, she had returned the keys to him. And now a nagging part of her continually told her that she should have kept it, seeing that Hiruma had trusted her that much.
Shaking her head from such thoughts, she then went to the coffee shop where they normally bought coffee together as they walked to Saikyoudai... Memories of how they would both talk about Football strategies and upcoming games haunted her. Occasionally, one of them would crack a joke, leaving the other grinning not because it was funny... but because they allowed that small moment to reveal who they really were.
The memory caught her breath, causing her to run towards Saikyoudai's football field as she now followed the ghosts of her memories that seemed strangely distant now. The field was empty, but she remembered the team's practices, the gruelling training... the simple messages she and Hiruma would pass to each other through hand signals to remind each other that they were still there, supporting and willing to go on despite the exhaustion.
Her eyes now wandered on to the clubhouse, the place that became their second home since they enrolled in Saikyoudai. They would spend countless hours going through data and videos together, drawing out plans and strategies, or just taking a short break with Mamori cleaning it up as Hiruma surfed the web. That was where they would share glances across the room, confirming that they would see through this together until the very end...
All these memories... ever since they made that deal...
Mamori opened the door of the clubhouse and while she shouldn't be surprised, she found her heart leap a little at the sight of Hiruma with his laptop on his lap, legs propped on the table in the familiar pose she had seen for so many years. Yet something felt very different this time... Her heart was aching to the point that it became distracting and she forgot for a moment why she was there. Her eyes wandered on Hiruma's right arm and instantly noticed the bandage on it. A voice of reason soon began speaking in her head, but the words never reached her.
Instead, she swallowed and asked, "How long have you been here?"
Hiruma's eyes stayed glue on his laptop, though he lazily moved them to glance at the side of the screen. "Almost the whole night by the looks of it," he replied, his voice hoarse.
Mamori tried to swallow again, but her throat was dry. Something was wrong, very wrong... She hesitated, arms crossed as she stayed by the door. "... Even at the time when you were supposed to meet me?"
Hiruma didn't reply, keeping his face glued to the screen. It was unnatural, and unlike him to be this way. "... Did you forget that you were supposed to meet me at the City Café last night?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
She couldn't understand why he kept silent. But he soon opened his mouth and said, "I suppose I did. Got a lot of stuff to get ready for, Fucking Manager. Didn't think meeting up with you was that important."
Mamori bit her lip; her mind was lost in a sea of thoughts. "Get ready...? You mean... you really got accepted into an NFL team...?"
Hiruma finally tore his gaze away from his laptop to look at her. His grin was back in place now, his mask finally back on. "Looks like you got your own sources now, Fucking Manager! I'd ask who told you that, but that's the least of my concerns now. I have a whole bunch of documents to get ready, and I have a lot on my mind now."
"Did you hurt your arm, getting those documents?"
The tension in the air got thicker with Mamori's words. Hiruma glared at Mamori for a moment before cackling, "Why? Fucking worried now?"
Of course I am! A part of her screamed. But the words refused to come out. Instead, she allowed herself to let anger take over. "Stop avoiding the question and answer me."
"It's none of your fucking business, Fucking Manager," Hiruma replied, the tone of his voice now heavy.
Mamori took a step forward. "Is your old fracture hurting you again? Did you go see a doctor on that? Let me see it..."
"I told you, it's none of your fucking business!" Hiruma growled, losing his patience way too soon. "I can handle this myself, Fucking Manager! I don't need you to start fussing over me now!"
"Don't turn this around by saying I'm fussing over you!" Mamori responded angrily, though Hiruma's outburst kept her rooted to one spot. "I have a right to worry about you! I'm the Manager of this team!"
"Have you forgotten that you are no longer a part of the Saikyoudai Wizards seeing as you'll be graduating soon? Have you turned that dumb now that lessons are over?"
Mamori opened her mouth, ready to tell him off once more, but soon the truth hit her, and another realisation dawned unto her. He was right... there's no reason for her to be concerned over him. Since they were leaving Saikyoudai, and thus the Saikyoudai Wizards as well, this would make them nothing more than just former teammates, classmates...
Is that all they were now?
Hiruma snickered at Mamori's silence, aware of what Mamori had just realised. "Do you have something to fucking say to me? Cause if you don't, then you can just go. You got a fucking party to attend, don't you?"
"What?!" Mamori blurted out, before she finally remembered that the Graduation Party was tonight. "... How did you know...?"
"Kekeke, are you still asking me that question?" Hiruma continued to grin, though it never reached his eyes. "So... seeing as I missed last night's meetup, you might as well say whatever it is that you wanted to say then now if you want. I’m here now after all…"
What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do? Mamori continued to stand by the door, transfixed at the sight of the blond demon who continued to stare at her with a strange look. There were so many things she wanted to say, the words were right there, screaming... "... Are you really going to America?"
Hiruma's grin slowly faded. "Yes."
"When?"
"Next week."
The feeling Mamori experienced next could only be described as being stabbed repeatedly in the heart. The words... where were the words she had told herself to say to him? He was right there, in front of her! There's got to be something she could say that could end this pain! "... So... we'll be going our separate ways then... we'll both be working towards our own dreams... We've done our best here in Saikyoudai..."
Hiruma's expression at that moment was unreadable to her. It was nothing but a blur. "Ah, I suppose we have," he replied, his voice cold. "We've done our roles well together... and now it's time we go down our separate roads and you can do what you've always wanted to do...
And you don't have to keep waiting."
Mamori couldn't stop that one tear from falling. He knew... he knew why she wanted to see him.
Was this his answer? "... You're right. I've done my role as your manager and supported you to the best of my ability. And I'm happy that I could be of use to you until the very end!" Mamori's voice began to tremble, she couldn't control her pitch. "I hope you continue to do your best in America, Hiruma-kun! You have my support all the way here in Japan!"
Mamori wiped her tears with the back of her hand, forcing herself to smile at him as he watched on with a stoic face. She finally swallowed all her emotions, stopping her tears as she turned her back to him and said, "Take care of yourself. I have to go get ready for the party."
And with that, she closed the door to the clubhouse without waiting to hear his reply.
Mamori was walking now, not caring where to exactly. She just needed to get somewhere far, far away from all the memories. She needed to keep her mind focused, her head above all the turmoil that was filling her inside. She told herself that she knew this was a possible outcome... that this was something bound to happen... It really made sense. There was no use waiting... in fact, it was a ridiculous notion to begin with! Honestly, it was obvious that everything would be over the moment they stopped being the Quarterback and Team Manager of Saikyoudai. What made him think that she should wait for him? And what made her believe that it was worth waiting? They were so naive to think that waiting was a good option for the both of them. They should have seen this coming, the point where they would obviously part ways...
By the time Mamori realised it, the pain in her heart had doubled. Her words of "comfort" had done the exact opposite. Mamori clutched her heart and bent over for a moment, trying to breathe as the pain reached her throat. She wanted to scream, to break right at that moment...
"Anezaki-san?"
Mamori looked up to find Karin right before her, jaw dropped in surprise. "Anezaki-san! Are you all right?"
Mamori tried to say something, but she wasn't sure what to say to assure Karin that she was all right. Tears fell instead, and it was enough to snap Karin out of her state of shock. While her other arm, held on to a rather large sketchbook, she grabbed Mamori's arm with her free hand and propped her to walk towards a quieter alleyway. Mamori stared at her, unsure of what was going on.
Karin took a quick look around and then pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket. "The coast is clear, you can cry all you want."
Mamori looked at the handkerchief blankly. "I-I'm sorry... I think you've mistaken..."
"Nonsense! You're not in a good state to keep it all in. And it's best to let it out before it continues to tear you apart, Anezaki-san..." Karin put the handkerchief on Mamori's palm. "I've been there, and as someone who's pulled through, I can assure you that letting it out is the best solution for now."
Mamori wanted to protest, that she was just crying a little and that there was nothing to worry about. Everything was fine, the answer was obvious. But a sob broke through, followed by another...
And soon Anezaki Mamori found herself crying into a now wet handkerchief, muffling the screams she had kept in for so long, with only a comforting hand on her shoulder to remind her that she wasn't alone.
Chapter 7 | Chapter 9
Rating: T
Disclaimers: I do not own any of the characters used here. They belong to their respective owners, namely the creators of Eyeshield 21.
Summary: A sequel to my earlier fic, Gravity. Time is moving faster than before, and one question will be on the mind's of both Hiruma and Mamori. How long is too long?
Notes: I'm sorry for how long this took. These past two months have been... well... pretty tough on me and I was struggling to keep my head afloat. But I'm back and am glad to be writing again! Especially for this fic which was abandoned for way too long. -___- I'll do my best not to abandon this fic again!
Writing this one was a bit tough though, cause it's kinda short, and I haven't revealed a lot of what's really going on cause I'm saving that up for the upcoming chapters. And yes, Hiruma continues to be a jerk here and I apologise for that. Everything will be cleared up soon, but for now, I present to you more conflict.
~*~
Mamori stared at the passing streetlights blankly, a sigh resting on her lips. A part of her could not stop worrying about Hiruma, while the other part felt totally indifferent at this point.
"Do I go straight on, Anezaki?"
Yamato's voice broke through her thoughts. She quickly surveyed moving scenery out the windows and said, "Ah, yes... Just keep going on for now."
Yamato nodded with a simple smile on his face, glancing at her before focusing on the road before him. "You've been pretty distracted since I offered to take you home."
Mamori shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I... suppose? I'm sorry Yamato-kun. I just have a lot on my mind right now."
"I don't blame you, you pretty much had a long, rough day," Yamato nodded in understanding. "Yet I hope you don't mind asking but... Are you disappointed that the person you were waiting for didn't come in the end?"
She knew she shouldn't be surprised; he did wait with her after all and was vaguely aware of her situation. But regardless, she felt her face become hot. She didn't reply, worried that she'd probably say too much at this point. She wondered if she had poured her heart out a little too much to him today, even if he was a good friend and now ex team member.
So they carried on in that awkward silence for a moment. Mamori was glad that it was dark now and that Yamato probably couldn't see her expression at that moment. Mamori was tempted to reach for her phone in her purse once more, curious to see if Hiruma had at least sent her a text and that she just hadn't notice it...
"Can I change your mind about the party tomorrow night?"
"Eh?" Mamori instantly replied as she looked at Yamato. "I thought I said back at the cafe that-"
"I know you said you didn't want to go," Yamato quickly added. "You have your reasons, I understand. But I can't help but think you really need to live a little while you can. Promise me you'll think about it?"
Mamori was tired of his words at this point. She didn’t want to think about anything really as she stared at her phone. But Sara and Ako's words suddenly filled Mamori's mind. Live a little, stop staying in one spot, nothing will change...
Stop waiting.
She took the advantage to check her phone, pretending to check her schedule for tomorrow, despite it being obviously so. There were no signs of a text message or even a missed call.
Mamori finally released the sigh she had been keeping in for a while. Looking out the window to stare at the passing streetlights once again, she replied, "All right. I'll think about it."
Mamori wasn't sure what had gone through her mind that night at the cafe. She was very sure she had told Yamato clearly that she had no interest in the party, regardless of the kind words he’d used to convince her to come. Yet somehow, she found herself abandoning her wait for Hiruma and hitching a ride back home with him.
She tried to recall the factors of why she opted to do this. Was the shop closing? There was still another 10 to 20 minutes, she was sure. Did she do it out of guilt for rejecting Yamato's invitation? That could be it, though it sounds silly upon further reflection.
... Was she tired of waiting?
As she sat up on her bed, contemplating what was going on, this question bothered her the most. A part of her felt certain that she could have waited a little longer... but she was also tired and so confused with the possibilities before her that she just wanted to get away. Yamato had probably taken notice of it, and offered her a ride home.
Although she had just woken up, sleep had done little to calm her thoughts. While the image was a lot less vivid, she was sure she’d dreamt of Hiruma and how he was so far away from her. But this time, instead of chasing after him, Mamori had stood still...
And watched as he disappeared before her.
Taking a deep breath, Mamori got out of bed and began her morning ritual of breakfast and then a bath, all the while planning on what to do today. Hiruma still wasn't responding to her calls and texts, and she couldn't deny that she was worried. Something must have happened to him if he hadn't bothered to contact her until now. Memories of the times she'd find him injured flashed through her mind and soon she found herself thinking of a list of places where he might be.
If he wasn't going to contact her, then she would have to go looking for him.
Taking her simple necessities of just her phone, wallet and keys, her first thought was to go to his apartment. But as she stood by the doorway, she received no response as she rang the doorbell. She rang a couple more times before discerning that he really isn't home. Her thoughts wandered as she looked at his apartment door, and remembered the time he entrusted the apartment key to her during a really busy period in college. She would often come over either to retrieve or return Hiruma's items and remembered she had once slept over upon working until five in the morning. He had allowed her to sleep on his bed again, and joked that he owed her double now. In embarrassment for how often she had slept over, she had returned the keys to him. And now a nagging part of her continually told her that she should have kept it, seeing that Hiruma had trusted her that much.
Shaking her head from such thoughts, she then went to the coffee shop where they normally bought coffee together as they walked to Saikyoudai... Memories of how they would both talk about Football strategies and upcoming games haunted her. Occasionally, one of them would crack a joke, leaving the other grinning not because it was funny... but because they allowed that small moment to reveal who they really were.
The memory caught her breath, causing her to run towards Saikyoudai's football field as she now followed the ghosts of her memories that seemed strangely distant now. The field was empty, but she remembered the team's practices, the gruelling training... the simple messages she and Hiruma would pass to each other through hand signals to remind each other that they were still there, supporting and willing to go on despite the exhaustion.
Her eyes now wandered on to the clubhouse, the place that became their second home since they enrolled in Saikyoudai. They would spend countless hours going through data and videos together, drawing out plans and strategies, or just taking a short break with Mamori cleaning it up as Hiruma surfed the web. That was where they would share glances across the room, confirming that they would see through this together until the very end...
All these memories... ever since they made that deal...
Mamori opened the door of the clubhouse and while she shouldn't be surprised, she found her heart leap a little at the sight of Hiruma with his laptop on his lap, legs propped on the table in the familiar pose she had seen for so many years. Yet something felt very different this time... Her heart was aching to the point that it became distracting and she forgot for a moment why she was there. Her eyes wandered on Hiruma's right arm and instantly noticed the bandage on it. A voice of reason soon began speaking in her head, but the words never reached her.
Instead, she swallowed and asked, "How long have you been here?"
Hiruma's eyes stayed glue on his laptop, though he lazily moved them to glance at the side of the screen. "Almost the whole night by the looks of it," he replied, his voice hoarse.
Mamori tried to swallow again, but her throat was dry. Something was wrong, very wrong... She hesitated, arms crossed as she stayed by the door. "... Even at the time when you were supposed to meet me?"
Hiruma didn't reply, keeping his face glued to the screen. It was unnatural, and unlike him to be this way. "... Did you forget that you were supposed to meet me at the City Café last night?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
She couldn't understand why he kept silent. But he soon opened his mouth and said, "I suppose I did. Got a lot of stuff to get ready for, Fucking Manager. Didn't think meeting up with you was that important."
Mamori bit her lip; her mind was lost in a sea of thoughts. "Get ready...? You mean... you really got accepted into an NFL team...?"
Hiruma finally tore his gaze away from his laptop to look at her. His grin was back in place now, his mask finally back on. "Looks like you got your own sources now, Fucking Manager! I'd ask who told you that, but that's the least of my concerns now. I have a whole bunch of documents to get ready, and I have a lot on my mind now."
"Did you hurt your arm, getting those documents?"
The tension in the air got thicker with Mamori's words. Hiruma glared at Mamori for a moment before cackling, "Why? Fucking worried now?"
Of course I am! A part of her screamed. But the words refused to come out. Instead, she allowed herself to let anger take over. "Stop avoiding the question and answer me."
"It's none of your fucking business, Fucking Manager," Hiruma replied, the tone of his voice now heavy.
Mamori took a step forward. "Is your old fracture hurting you again? Did you go see a doctor on that? Let me see it..."
"I told you, it's none of your fucking business!" Hiruma growled, losing his patience way too soon. "I can handle this myself, Fucking Manager! I don't need you to start fussing over me now!"
"Don't turn this around by saying I'm fussing over you!" Mamori responded angrily, though Hiruma's outburst kept her rooted to one spot. "I have a right to worry about you! I'm the Manager of this team!"
"Have you forgotten that you are no longer a part of the Saikyoudai Wizards seeing as you'll be graduating soon? Have you turned that dumb now that lessons are over?"
Mamori opened her mouth, ready to tell him off once more, but soon the truth hit her, and another realisation dawned unto her. He was right... there's no reason for her to be concerned over him. Since they were leaving Saikyoudai, and thus the Saikyoudai Wizards as well, this would make them nothing more than just former teammates, classmates...
Is that all they were now?
Hiruma snickered at Mamori's silence, aware of what Mamori had just realised. "Do you have something to fucking say to me? Cause if you don't, then you can just go. You got a fucking party to attend, don't you?"
"What?!" Mamori blurted out, before she finally remembered that the Graduation Party was tonight. "... How did you know...?"
"Kekeke, are you still asking me that question?" Hiruma continued to grin, though it never reached his eyes. "So... seeing as I missed last night's meetup, you might as well say whatever it is that you wanted to say then now if you want. I’m here now after all…"
What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do? Mamori continued to stand by the door, transfixed at the sight of the blond demon who continued to stare at her with a strange look. There were so many things she wanted to say, the words were right there, screaming... "... Are you really going to America?"
Hiruma's grin slowly faded. "Yes."
"When?"
"Next week."
The feeling Mamori experienced next could only be described as being stabbed repeatedly in the heart. The words... where were the words she had told herself to say to him? He was right there, in front of her! There's got to be something she could say that could end this pain! "... So... we'll be going our separate ways then... we'll both be working towards our own dreams... We've done our best here in Saikyoudai..."
Hiruma's expression at that moment was unreadable to her. It was nothing but a blur. "Ah, I suppose we have," he replied, his voice cold. "We've done our roles well together... and now it's time we go down our separate roads and you can do what you've always wanted to do...
And you don't have to keep waiting."
Mamori couldn't stop that one tear from falling. He knew... he knew why she wanted to see him.
Was this his answer? "... You're right. I've done my role as your manager and supported you to the best of my ability. And I'm happy that I could be of use to you until the very end!" Mamori's voice began to tremble, she couldn't control her pitch. "I hope you continue to do your best in America, Hiruma-kun! You have my support all the way here in Japan!"
Mamori wiped her tears with the back of her hand, forcing herself to smile at him as he watched on with a stoic face. She finally swallowed all her emotions, stopping her tears as she turned her back to him and said, "Take care of yourself. I have to go get ready for the party."
And with that, she closed the door to the clubhouse without waiting to hear his reply.
Mamori was walking now, not caring where to exactly. She just needed to get somewhere far, far away from all the memories. She needed to keep her mind focused, her head above all the turmoil that was filling her inside. She told herself that she knew this was a possible outcome... that this was something bound to happen... It really made sense. There was no use waiting... in fact, it was a ridiculous notion to begin with! Honestly, it was obvious that everything would be over the moment they stopped being the Quarterback and Team Manager of Saikyoudai. What made him think that she should wait for him? And what made her believe that it was worth waiting? They were so naive to think that waiting was a good option for the both of them. They should have seen this coming, the point where they would obviously part ways...
By the time Mamori realised it, the pain in her heart had doubled. Her words of "comfort" had done the exact opposite. Mamori clutched her heart and bent over for a moment, trying to breathe as the pain reached her throat. She wanted to scream, to break right at that moment...
"Anezaki-san?"
Mamori looked up to find Karin right before her, jaw dropped in surprise. "Anezaki-san! Are you all right?"
Mamori tried to say something, but she wasn't sure what to say to assure Karin that she was all right. Tears fell instead, and it was enough to snap Karin out of her state of shock. While her other arm, held on to a rather large sketchbook, she grabbed Mamori's arm with her free hand and propped her to walk towards a quieter alleyway. Mamori stared at her, unsure of what was going on.
Karin took a quick look around and then pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket. "The coast is clear, you can cry all you want."
Mamori looked at the handkerchief blankly. "I-I'm sorry... I think you've mistaken..."
"Nonsense! You're not in a good state to keep it all in. And it's best to let it out before it continues to tear you apart, Anezaki-san..." Karin put the handkerchief on Mamori's palm. "I've been there, and as someone who's pulled through, I can assure you that letting it out is the best solution for now."
Mamori wanted to protest, that she was just crying a little and that there was nothing to worry about. Everything was fine, the answer was obvious. But a sob broke through, followed by another...
And soon Anezaki Mamori found herself crying into a now wet handkerchief, muffling the screams she had kept in for so long, with only a comforting hand on her shoulder to remind her that she wasn't alone.
Chapter 7 | Chapter 9