The Road to the North
Title: The Road to the North
Characters: The Asada family, Tatsuya & the rest of the gang
Rating: G
Word count: 1238
Domestic Bakaleya AU, Spring 2014; everyone has graduated from Makada and is starting their new lifes after high school. Tetsuya has been accepted into the Hokkaido University.
A/N: I shamelessly admit I put several of my own thoughts into Tetsuya’s head when writing. I’ve been planning this fic for the whole summer but until now I just waited for the proper writing feels. Now, after having helped a few friends to move and with my own moving so close, it finally felt like the right time to put this thing on paper.
- - -
It’s unbelievable how much stuff a person can own, Tetsuya thinks as he closes the last cardboard box in front of him. No matter how he actually doesn’t own much at all the entire meagerness of his belongings requires ten cardboard boxes and two sports bags and he’s already spent three whole days packing his things.
He isn’t going to take everything with him; the boxes full of outgrown clothes and old toys will be left in Tokyo, packed into his room’s cupboard. He’ll only take the sports bags into the bus, and the five cardboard boxes will follow him in a few days by the post. Luckily the dormitory apartment in Sapporo will be furnished.
He hears his mother’s steps already before she stops at his door and opens it.
“The dinner is ready,” she says softly and glances across the room that used to reflect the life of an eighteen-year-old boy. The room is clean and tidy now, somehow empty as if it had already been left behind even though Tetsuya is still sitting on the floor.
“Thank you,” he says and stands up, “I’ll carry these downstairs first. Is dad home from the walk yet?” Even after three weeks it feels weird to ask such a thing.
“He just came back but he’s in the shower now. Shall I ask him for help after that?”
“I think I’ll get these down on my own before he’s ready - it’s only the five boxes after all.”
His mother nods and leaves him alone for a moment, for which he is thankful. It’s not like it’s going to be his last time in this room but somehow he still feels like he needs this moment.
- - -
“Thank you for helping us out,” Tetsuya’s father says with a deep bow when the boys have lifted the cardboard boxes on the cargo area of Tatsuya’s small pickup truck parked in front of the house. “I would take him to the bus station by myself but, you know... I’m not allowed to drive yet.”
“No problem. I would have come anyway, and this way we can take the boxes to the post office at the same time,” Tatsuya says cheerfully and grins at Tetsuya who smiles back at him. Tatsuya knows, of course, about their family circumstances and Tetsuya is glad he has such a cool best friend who doesn’t mind such things.
He turns to look at his parents who stand by the doorstep side by side, and suddenly there’s a bitter lump in his throat. He has no idea what to do or say but his mother saves him from the awkward situation by stepping closer and closing him into a tight hug. He’s a good five inches taller than his mother but for a moment he feels like a child again.
“I’ll miss you,” she whispers, tears in her voice, and Tetsuya presses his face against her hair, taking a deep breath. He’s not going to cry now.
His father’s handshake is strong as ever.
“I wish I could have given you a better home,” he says and Tetsuya knows how much effort it takes for him to let the words out.
“I know you always gave me the best you could. Thank you, dad,” he answers and he really means it. He doesn’t blame his father of anything anymore.
“Take care.”
When looking at the wing mirror he sees his parents waving after them until they turn to the main road and if Tatsuya notices how much his best friend feels like crying he acts like he hasn’t noticed at all.
- - -
Everyone is already there when they arrive at the bus station and Tetsuya glances at Tatsuya who flashes a sheepish smile and pushes his hands into his pockets when they walk to the platform where the five guys are waiting for them.
“I just thought you might have forgotten to tell them what time your bus leaves,” he says and Tetsuya rolls his eyes at how well Tatsuya knows him.
“It’s not such a big deal,” he defends himself, “I’m just going to go to school.”
“You’re going to go to school in Hokkaido,” Shohei points out, “You won’t be here with us anymore. It is a big deal, moron.”
“Of course we would want to come here to say goodbye,” Satoshi says and the others nod at his words.
“Stay as a man,” Maya wishes and pats Tetsuya’s shoulder.
“Never give up,” Makoto says in strongly accented English, and Yuuki frowns.
“That was my line!” he retorts and everyone laughs at them.
When bus finally arrives at the station Tetsuya hands his sports bags to the driver who starts lifting the passengers’ luggage into the cargo hold, and turns around to say good bye to his friends.
For a moment everyone is patting Tetsuya’s back and shoulders, wishing him a safe trip to the north and telling him to mail them from the road and especially when he arrives at Sapporo. When the others step back Tatsuya stays next to him, looking into his eyes and Tetsuya is secretly relieved to see he’s not the only one who has difficulties to talk.
“Uh, so. Take care, mate,” Tatsuya finally lets out and Tetsuya nods.
“You too,” he manages to say and smiles a little.
“Friends over classes,” Tatsuya reminds him. His voice is thick but he grins widely at the same and Tetsuya can’t help answering with a similar smile.
“Always.”
- - -
The landscapes keep changing all the time and the sun crawls closer to the horizon until it finally vanishes behind the mountains. After the long day of having been surrounded by people it feels good to relax all alone for a while. Tetsuya leans his head against the cold glass and closes his eyes when the only thing he can see outside the window is street lamps along the dark road.
In the morning he’ll be on the other end of the country. The next night he’s going to sleep in his own little dormitory apartment. In a few days he’s going to see his new classmates and the new school. (He still calls it “school” even though it feels rather childish now that he’s a university student.)
He feels scared and excited at the same time. He wants to be there already and wants to go back home. He wishes he had someone to talk with and he’s glad he doesn’t need to say a word.
The silent music playing in the bus radio is relaxing and Tetsuya is just about to fall asleep when his phone buzzes and he fishes the small device from his pocket.
[You’ve hardly been gone for four hours and I’m bored to death already! ヽ(￣д￣;)ノCome on, entertain me!]
Tetsuya stares at the bright screen, wanting to laugh and roll his eyes at the same time. Suddenly the strange weight that has been pressing his chest for the whole day is gone. He’s not going to die and it’s not like he isn’t going to go home every now and then; on holidays at least. And his mobile phone hasn’t suddenly stopped working - Tatsuya’s messages will get through to him as quickly as they did back in Tokyo.
He’s going to be all right. Everything is going to be all right.
- - -
Characters: The Asada family, Tatsuya & the rest of the gang
Rating: G
Word count: 1238
Domestic Bakaleya AU, Spring 2014; everyone has graduated from Makada and is starting their new lifes after high school. Tetsuya has been accepted into the Hokkaido University.
A/N: I shamelessly admit I put several of my own thoughts into Tetsuya’s head when writing. I’ve been planning this fic for the whole summer but until now I just waited for the proper writing feels. Now, after having helped a few friends to move and with my own moving so close, it finally felt like the right time to put this thing on paper.
- - -
It’s unbelievable how much stuff a person can own, Tetsuya thinks as he closes the last cardboard box in front of him. No matter how he actually doesn’t own much at all the entire meagerness of his belongings requires ten cardboard boxes and two sports bags and he’s already spent three whole days packing his things.
He isn’t going to take everything with him; the boxes full of outgrown clothes and old toys will be left in Tokyo, packed into his room’s cupboard. He’ll only take the sports bags into the bus, and the five cardboard boxes will follow him in a few days by the post. Luckily the dormitory apartment in Sapporo will be furnished.
He hears his mother’s steps already before she stops at his door and opens it.
“The dinner is ready,” she says softly and glances across the room that used to reflect the life of an eighteen-year-old boy. The room is clean and tidy now, somehow empty as if it had already been left behind even though Tetsuya is still sitting on the floor.
“Thank you,” he says and stands up, “I’ll carry these downstairs first. Is dad home from the walk yet?” Even after three weeks it feels weird to ask such a thing.
“He just came back but he’s in the shower now. Shall I ask him for help after that?”
“I think I’ll get these down on my own before he’s ready - it’s only the five boxes after all.”
His mother nods and leaves him alone for a moment, for which he is thankful. It’s not like it’s going to be his last time in this room but somehow he still feels like he needs this moment.
- - -
“Thank you for helping us out,” Tetsuya’s father says with a deep bow when the boys have lifted the cardboard boxes on the cargo area of Tatsuya’s small pickup truck parked in front of the house. “I would take him to the bus station by myself but, you know... I’m not allowed to drive yet.”
“No problem. I would have come anyway, and this way we can take the boxes to the post office at the same time,” Tatsuya says cheerfully and grins at Tetsuya who smiles back at him. Tatsuya knows, of course, about their family circumstances and Tetsuya is glad he has such a cool best friend who doesn’t mind such things.
He turns to look at his parents who stand by the doorstep side by side, and suddenly there’s a bitter lump in his throat. He has no idea what to do or say but his mother saves him from the awkward situation by stepping closer and closing him into a tight hug. He’s a good five inches taller than his mother but for a moment he feels like a child again.
“I’ll miss you,” she whispers, tears in her voice, and Tetsuya presses his face against her hair, taking a deep breath. He’s not going to cry now.
His father’s handshake is strong as ever.
“I wish I could have given you a better home,” he says and Tetsuya knows how much effort it takes for him to let the words out.
“I know you always gave me the best you could. Thank you, dad,” he answers and he really means it. He doesn’t blame his father of anything anymore.
“Take care.”
When looking at the wing mirror he sees his parents waving after them until they turn to the main road and if Tatsuya notices how much his best friend feels like crying he acts like he hasn’t noticed at all.
- - -
Everyone is already there when they arrive at the bus station and Tetsuya glances at Tatsuya who flashes a sheepish smile and pushes his hands into his pockets when they walk to the platform where the five guys are waiting for them.
“I just thought you might have forgotten to tell them what time your bus leaves,” he says and Tetsuya rolls his eyes at how well Tatsuya knows him.
“It’s not such a big deal,” he defends himself, “I’m just going to go to school.”
“You’re going to go to school in Hokkaido,” Shohei points out, “You won’t be here with us anymore. It is a big deal, moron.”
“Of course we would want to come here to say goodbye,” Satoshi says and the others nod at his words.
“Stay as a man,” Maya wishes and pats Tetsuya’s shoulder.
“Never give up,” Makoto says in strongly accented English, and Yuuki frowns.
“That was my line!” he retorts and everyone laughs at them.
When bus finally arrives at the station Tetsuya hands his sports bags to the driver who starts lifting the passengers’ luggage into the cargo hold, and turns around to say good bye to his friends.
For a moment everyone is patting Tetsuya’s back and shoulders, wishing him a safe trip to the north and telling him to mail them from the road and especially when he arrives at Sapporo. When the others step back Tatsuya stays next to him, looking into his eyes and Tetsuya is secretly relieved to see he’s not the only one who has difficulties to talk.
“Uh, so. Take care, mate,” Tatsuya finally lets out and Tetsuya nods.
“You too,” he manages to say and smiles a little.
“Friends over classes,” Tatsuya reminds him. His voice is thick but he grins widely at the same and Tetsuya can’t help answering with a similar smile.
“Always.”
- - -
The landscapes keep changing all the time and the sun crawls closer to the horizon until it finally vanishes behind the mountains. After the long day of having been surrounded by people it feels good to relax all alone for a while. Tetsuya leans his head against the cold glass and closes his eyes when the only thing he can see outside the window is street lamps along the dark road.
In the morning he’ll be on the other end of the country. The next night he’s going to sleep in his own little dormitory apartment. In a few days he’s going to see his new classmates and the new school. (He still calls it “school” even though it feels rather childish now that he’s a university student.)
He feels scared and excited at the same time. He wants to be there already and wants to go back home. He wishes he had someone to talk with and he’s glad he doesn’t need to say a word.
The silent music playing in the bus radio is relaxing and Tetsuya is just about to fall asleep when his phone buzzes and he fishes the small device from his pocket.
[You’ve hardly been gone for four hours and I’m bored to death already! ヽ(￣д￣;)ノCome on, entertain me!]
Tetsuya stares at the bright screen, wanting to laugh and roll his eyes at the same time. Suddenly the strange weight that has been pressing his chest for the whole day is gone. He’s not going to die and it’s not like he isn’t going to go home every now and then; on holidays at least. And his mobile phone hasn’t suddenly stopped working - Tatsuya’s messages will get through to him as quickly as they did back in Tokyo.
He’s going to be all right. Everything is going to be all right.
- - -