[Fanfic] Like We Used To (Chapter Fourteen)
Author's note is at the bottom 'coz I don't want to spoil. ^^
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Sakurai Sho dashed his car back to his apartment, beating every red light he met along the way. Good thing that it’s already past midnight on a Sunday night, there’s not much car on the road anymore.
After fifteen minutes, which took forever on Sho’s watch, he pulled over his apartment building and rushed up to his house. Once he opened the door, he heard Rina laughing at the DVD their watching, Aki is just smiling quietly in the end of the couch.
“It ended early?” Aki asked, he sent her a message two hours ago saying that he’ll go out with the rest of Arashi that’s why she called Rina to accompany her.
“I left early.” Sho replied. He saw Aki’s puffy eyes, she been crying. Those tears are definitely not from the DVD, unless she cries over comedy movies.
“Why?” Aki asked nonchalantly.
“Rina-chan, is it okay if I talk to your sister for a moment?” Sho didn’t answer her question. “Alone?” He added, trying not to sound rude or anything.
The two sisters look at each other and Aki gave Rina a face which means okay.
“Sure.” Rina smiled. “I’ll go ahead then.” She got up from her seat.
“You don’t need to go, Rina-chan. I just need a few minutes.” Sho assured her.
“It’s fine, Sho-kun. Looks like you’re not the only one who needs to talk.” Rina eyed her sister. “She’s got something to say too.” Sho glanced at Aki who obviously looks troubled now.
“I’ll see you soon, sis.” Rina waved at her sister and closed the door behind them leaving the two people in pure silence.
“What is it that you want to talk about? Aki broke the silence, she can’t look at him in the eyes.
Sho came over to sit beside her in the couch. “I don’t want you to go at all. I want you to stay with me.” He uttered. She was about to say something but he stopped her by talking again. “And then the guys made me realize just how selfish that was.” He was looking at her teary eyes. “I’m scared, because I lost you once and I don’t want to lose you again, I’ll go crazy if that happens. But then the words trust, faith and love began to play in my head until I realize that if we have those in us, everything is going to be okay no matter how far we are from each other.” He took her hand and gently squeezed it on his, a small smile appears on that sad face of hers.
“I want you to go after your dream. I want you to feel that certain sense of achievement until you’re strong enough to scream to the whole world that you’ve reach this far, you’re not a nobody anymore.” Sho smiled at her, brushing off the tears in her cheeks that fell along with the words he said.
“Rina just made me realize that I made the wrong decision of leaving you.” Aki softly said, it was Sho’s turn to listen to her. “She told me that I’m running away to a different place because I’m a coward for not facing the problems I left here in Tokyo. Now here you are, telling me to go. I don’t know what believe anymore, Sho.”
“Do you really want to go?” Sho wanted to confirm.
“I want to.” Aki honestly respond with a smile.
“Then go. If that’s what your heart wants, then go. Don’t think about what others will think or say. Follow what you want.” Sho insisted, squeezing her hand as he speaks.
“What about you?” Aki asked.
“I’ll support you with all my might.” Sho said with a warm smile.
“Rina?” Aki thought of her sister.
“How many times do I have to tell you, Rina-chan is big enough to take care of herself.” Sho pointed out.
“My parents?” Aki asked in a tiny voice than usual.
Sho thinks first before he speaks. “What do you want to happen with them anyways?”
“I want to fix it before I go.” Aki stated.
“Then do it.” Sho urges her. “You still have a few days.”
“How about my friends?” Aki opened another topic.
“You mean our friends?” Sho confirms. He’s been asking her to meet up with them for days but she always declines.
Aki just answers with a nod.
“There’s no problem with them at all. They all want to meet you. You’re just being a chicken for declining to meet with them.” Sho let out a small laugh.
“Will I be able to fit all those things in eight days?” Aki asked.
“If you start early you will and don’t worry, I’m here.” Sho pulled her closer to him, letting her body to rest on his arms.
“Do you really want me to go?” Aki murmurs.
“If that’s you wanted I will let you go.” Sho answered.
“Thank you.” Aki mumbled, a feeling of relief rushes through her body after hearing Sho answering her sincerely.
---
The next day, Aki decided to go to Rina’s apartment to tell her about her talk with Sho last night.
“I guess I can’t stop you.” Rina said, after Aki told her that Sho and her decided that she’ll go back. Seeing a more bright face than yesterday, she knew her sister has firmly decided and there’s no stopping her.
“Don’t be so sad, Rina.” Aki tried to cheer her up. “You can come to New York for a vacation and we’ll go shopping, we’ll rendezvous around Manhattan sipping expensive coffee while waiting for celebrities to pass by and we’ll go watch plays in Broadway. More importantly, you’ll get to see me strut the runway.” She winks, her sister finally smiled.
“It’s a plan, then.” Rina smiled. Her sister looks happy, so she needs to be happy for her too.
“It is!” Aki enthusiastically said. “I can’t wait for that!” they both giggle with the thought.
“Another thing.” Aki remembers something. “I’m fixing everything with Otou-san before I go.”
Rina widened her eyes, she didn’t expect to hear this. “Wow. That’s… unexpected. Not that I’m against it but I didn’t think you’ll come up with that. But I’m happy for you, for our family.” She smiled.
“I know but what you told me last night, it’s true. I figured that before I go, I need to sort the issues I left here so that I can go back to New York without worries.”
“How about you and Sho-kun?” Rina tried to ask.
“He told me that the rest of the members made him realize that he’s being selfish and he finally came to his senses. We’re still together, we’ll make it work.” Aki assures.
“Yeah, I heard about that.” Rina is smiling to herself as she sips from the now cold coffee, she saw Aki’s eyebrow crossing each other. “Nothing.” She said, realizing that she had a slip of tongue.
“Hmmm, that Arashi member that I bumped into downstairs probably told you about last night.” Aki eyed her sister, grinning.
“Who? An Arashi member was here in this building? Who?” Rina tried to sound innocent but Aki knows her, she’s a bad liar.
“Doesn’t matter.” Aki shakes her head, smiling. “Anyways, I need your help with Otou-san.” She changed the topic. Whatever’s going on with her sister and another Arashi member, it’s their business that they don’t want to tell anyone yet, seeing how they both denied it in her face. Aki can wait.
“Well, he doesn’t really want to talk to me but he’ll come around.” Rina said with confidence.
“Your relationship with Otou-san is different now, isn’t it?” Aki curiously ask. Back then, Rina and their father are not really close, she’s closer to him that her younger sister but now, it seems like they are much closer than she ever was with him.
“I told you before, I kinda figured out how Otou-san is.” Rina answered with a smirk.
“Right. So I expect you’ll work that power over him once we talk, okay?” Aki smiled.
“I got you, sis!” Rina replied.
---
That night, Sho planned a night-out with their college friends, they decided to meet in the restaurant near Keio University where they always gather after classes back in college. Sho and Aki decided to drop by their alma mater before heading to the meeting place.
“Do you remember when we first set foot in this very place?” Aki recalls, looking at the big red-bricked building in front them.
“How can I forget. You were mad at me for being late.” Sho never forgets the first day of their college life. “But I still believe until now that it’s your fault.” He laughs, thinking how silly the things they fight over with are.
“Excuse me? It’s my fault?” Aki raised her eyebrows. Eleven years ago, they are also bickering in this very place.
“I can still remember that I made it clear to your mother to tell you that you should go ahead first because I have stuff to attend to before heading here.” Sho insisted his claim.
“And I can still remember that you told me many times that we’re going to our first day at university together. I hold on to those words of yours, Sakurai Sho.” Aki frowned.
Their eyes caught each other and they explode in laughter. Sho wrapped his arms around her and they started walking away from the building. They didn’t utter a word as they stroll around, they just reminisce in their hearts the four years they spent in this university. The laughter, the tears and most especially, the love that has developed between them.
“Who knew that eleven years later, we’ll go back to this place and we’re still together.” Sho said, sitting in a bench by the soccer field. This very bench holds another meaning for them. They used to sit here together, watching the soccer matches between Keio and Waseda, their rival school.
“Fate brought us here.” Aki mumbled, her gaze is lost in the big field ahead of her. “If Rina realizes earlier that she doesn’t want to marry that guy, I wouldn’t have come back in Japan. We wouldn’t be here now.”
“Fate.” Sho is nodding as he speaks. “Trust, faith and love. Who would have thought that I would cling so much to those words...It’s crazy.” He’s smiling while looking at the night sky. “I guess loving Nakagawa Aki makes you crazy.” He laughs.
“It can only happens to Sakurai Sho, you know.” Aki smirks, gazing at his face.
There’s silence again.
“Do you remember the last time we sat here seven years ago?” Sho pondered.
“I broke up with you.” Aki answers immediately. She will never forget that moment, she told him she’s leaving and she ends their relationship. He never cried, even a slight sadness was never shown. “I always wonder why you didn’t cry or even show a sad emotion the whole time until I left.”
“I was being brave.” Sho laughs. “If I show you how sad I was I bet you will never leave. You were so dependent on me back then, remember?” He tried to tease her.
“I was.” Aki softly laughs.
“But now look at you, very independent. Now I’m glad I pretended to be brave back then, it pays off.” Sho softly pinched the tip of her nose.
“Thanks to you, then.”
Aki stare upon the night sky, Sho took her hand on his as he look up with her, thinking about the new challenge they will soon face. Unlike the last time they sat here, the love they share is more passionate and deep, they are much stronger than before and they knew this time, nothing can ever break them.
Okay, now for my author's note. ^^ I kinda started writing about Rina and Jun fic and that bit where Aki bumped into one Arashi member is written already. I just tried to put it here coz it's kinda relevant. (The truth is, I just wanted to write it here. lol)
On a more serious note, I think we are nearing the end for this fic. :( I'm thinking that maybe I'll write until chapter 16.
Ohh another thing, I researched a bit about Keio and I found out that they have this rivalry with Waseda. Cool! Before I was a suppppeeeeeerr big fan of V6 (still a fan though but not as crazy) and they make CMs for Waseda. Alright, enough of my fangirling. haha. Thanks for reading guys! Until next chapter. ^^
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Sakurai Sho dashed his car back to his apartment, beating every red light he met along the way. Good thing that it’s already past midnight on a Sunday night, there’s not much car on the road anymore.
After fifteen minutes, which took forever on Sho’s watch, he pulled over his apartment building and rushed up to his house. Once he opened the door, he heard Rina laughing at the DVD their watching, Aki is just smiling quietly in the end of the couch.
“It ended early?” Aki asked, he sent her a message two hours ago saying that he’ll go out with the rest of Arashi that’s why she called Rina to accompany her.
“I left early.” Sho replied. He saw Aki’s puffy eyes, she been crying. Those tears are definitely not from the DVD, unless she cries over comedy movies.
“Why?” Aki asked nonchalantly.
“Rina-chan, is it okay if I talk to your sister for a moment?” Sho didn’t answer her question. “Alone?” He added, trying not to sound rude or anything.
The two sisters look at each other and Aki gave Rina a face which means okay.
“Sure.” Rina smiled. “I’ll go ahead then.” She got up from her seat.
“You don’t need to go, Rina-chan. I just need a few minutes.” Sho assured her.
“It’s fine, Sho-kun. Looks like you’re not the only one who needs to talk.” Rina eyed her sister. “She’s got something to say too.” Sho glanced at Aki who obviously looks troubled now.
“I’ll see you soon, sis.” Rina waved at her sister and closed the door behind them leaving the two people in pure silence.
“What is it that you want to talk about? Aki broke the silence, she can’t look at him in the eyes.
Sho came over to sit beside her in the couch. “I don’t want you to go at all. I want you to stay with me.” He uttered. She was about to say something but he stopped her by talking again. “And then the guys made me realize just how selfish that was.” He was looking at her teary eyes. “I’m scared, because I lost you once and I don’t want to lose you again, I’ll go crazy if that happens. But then the words trust, faith and love began to play in my head until I realize that if we have those in us, everything is going to be okay no matter how far we are from each other.” He took her hand and gently squeezed it on his, a small smile appears on that sad face of hers.
“I want you to go after your dream. I want you to feel that certain sense of achievement until you’re strong enough to scream to the whole world that you’ve reach this far, you’re not a nobody anymore.” Sho smiled at her, brushing off the tears in her cheeks that fell along with the words he said.
“Rina just made me realize that I made the wrong decision of leaving you.” Aki softly said, it was Sho’s turn to listen to her. “She told me that I’m running away to a different place because I’m a coward for not facing the problems I left here in Tokyo. Now here you are, telling me to go. I don’t know what believe anymore, Sho.”
“Do you really want to go?” Sho wanted to confirm.
“I want to.” Aki honestly respond with a smile.
“Then go. If that’s what your heart wants, then go. Don’t think about what others will think or say. Follow what you want.” Sho insisted, squeezing her hand as he speaks.
“What about you?” Aki asked.
“I’ll support you with all my might.” Sho said with a warm smile.
“Rina?” Aki thought of her sister.
“How many times do I have to tell you, Rina-chan is big enough to take care of herself.” Sho pointed out.
“My parents?” Aki asked in a tiny voice than usual.
Sho thinks first before he speaks. “What do you want to happen with them anyways?”
“I want to fix it before I go.” Aki stated.
“Then do it.” Sho urges her. “You still have a few days.”
“How about my friends?” Aki opened another topic.
“You mean our friends?” Sho confirms. He’s been asking her to meet up with them for days but she always declines.
Aki just answers with a nod.
“There’s no problem with them at all. They all want to meet you. You’re just being a chicken for declining to meet with them.” Sho let out a small laugh.
“Will I be able to fit all those things in eight days?” Aki asked.
“If you start early you will and don’t worry, I’m here.” Sho pulled her closer to him, letting her body to rest on his arms.
“Do you really want me to go?” Aki murmurs.
“If that’s you wanted I will let you go.” Sho answered.
“Thank you.” Aki mumbled, a feeling of relief rushes through her body after hearing Sho answering her sincerely.
---
The next day, Aki decided to go to Rina’s apartment to tell her about her talk with Sho last night.
“I guess I can’t stop you.” Rina said, after Aki told her that Sho and her decided that she’ll go back. Seeing a more bright face than yesterday, she knew her sister has firmly decided and there’s no stopping her.
“Don’t be so sad, Rina.” Aki tried to cheer her up. “You can come to New York for a vacation and we’ll go shopping, we’ll rendezvous around Manhattan sipping expensive coffee while waiting for celebrities to pass by and we’ll go watch plays in Broadway. More importantly, you’ll get to see me strut the runway.” She winks, her sister finally smiled.
“It’s a plan, then.” Rina smiled. Her sister looks happy, so she needs to be happy for her too.
“It is!” Aki enthusiastically said. “I can’t wait for that!” they both giggle with the thought.
“Another thing.” Aki remembers something. “I’m fixing everything with Otou-san before I go.”
Rina widened her eyes, she didn’t expect to hear this. “Wow. That’s… unexpected. Not that I’m against it but I didn’t think you’ll come up with that. But I’m happy for you, for our family.” She smiled.
“I know but what you told me last night, it’s true. I figured that before I go, I need to sort the issues I left here so that I can go back to New York without worries.”
“How about you and Sho-kun?” Rina tried to ask.
“He told me that the rest of the members made him realize that he’s being selfish and he finally came to his senses. We’re still together, we’ll make it work.” Aki assures.
“Yeah, I heard about that.” Rina is smiling to herself as she sips from the now cold coffee, she saw Aki’s eyebrow crossing each other. “Nothing.” She said, realizing that she had a slip of tongue.
“Hmmm, that Arashi member that I bumped into downstairs probably told you about last night.” Aki eyed her sister, grinning.
“Who? An Arashi member was here in this building? Who?” Rina tried to sound innocent but Aki knows her, she’s a bad liar.
“Doesn’t matter.” Aki shakes her head, smiling. “Anyways, I need your help with Otou-san.” She changed the topic. Whatever’s going on with her sister and another Arashi member, it’s their business that they don’t want to tell anyone yet, seeing how they both denied it in her face. Aki can wait.
“Well, he doesn’t really want to talk to me but he’ll come around.” Rina said with confidence.
“Your relationship with Otou-san is different now, isn’t it?” Aki curiously ask. Back then, Rina and their father are not really close, she’s closer to him that her younger sister but now, it seems like they are much closer than she ever was with him.
“I told you before, I kinda figured out how Otou-san is.” Rina answered with a smirk.
“Right. So I expect you’ll work that power over him once we talk, okay?” Aki smiled.
“I got you, sis!” Rina replied.
---
That night, Sho planned a night-out with their college friends, they decided to meet in the restaurant near Keio University where they always gather after classes back in college. Sho and Aki decided to drop by their alma mater before heading to the meeting place.
“Do you remember when we first set foot in this very place?” Aki recalls, looking at the big red-bricked building in front them.
“How can I forget. You were mad at me for being late.” Sho never forgets the first day of their college life. “But I still believe until now that it’s your fault.” He laughs, thinking how silly the things they fight over with are.
“Excuse me? It’s my fault?” Aki raised her eyebrows. Eleven years ago, they are also bickering in this very place.
“I can still remember that I made it clear to your mother to tell you that you should go ahead first because I have stuff to attend to before heading here.” Sho insisted his claim.
“And I can still remember that you told me many times that we’re going to our first day at university together. I hold on to those words of yours, Sakurai Sho.” Aki frowned.
Their eyes caught each other and they explode in laughter. Sho wrapped his arms around her and they started walking away from the building. They didn’t utter a word as they stroll around, they just reminisce in their hearts the four years they spent in this university. The laughter, the tears and most especially, the love that has developed between them.
“Who knew that eleven years later, we’ll go back to this place and we’re still together.” Sho said, sitting in a bench by the soccer field. This very bench holds another meaning for them. They used to sit here together, watching the soccer matches between Keio and Waseda, their rival school.
“Fate brought us here.” Aki mumbled, her gaze is lost in the big field ahead of her. “If Rina realizes earlier that she doesn’t want to marry that guy, I wouldn’t have come back in Japan. We wouldn’t be here now.”
“Fate.” Sho is nodding as he speaks. “Trust, faith and love. Who would have thought that I would cling so much to those words...It’s crazy.” He’s smiling while looking at the night sky. “I guess loving Nakagawa Aki makes you crazy.” He laughs.
“It can only happens to Sakurai Sho, you know.” Aki smirks, gazing at his face.
There’s silence again.
“Do you remember the last time we sat here seven years ago?” Sho pondered.
“I broke up with you.” Aki answers immediately. She will never forget that moment, she told him she’s leaving and she ends their relationship. He never cried, even a slight sadness was never shown. “I always wonder why you didn’t cry or even show a sad emotion the whole time until I left.”
“I was being brave.” Sho laughs. “If I show you how sad I was I bet you will never leave. You were so dependent on me back then, remember?” He tried to tease her.
“I was.” Aki softly laughs.
“But now look at you, very independent. Now I’m glad I pretended to be brave back then, it pays off.” Sho softly pinched the tip of her nose.
“Thanks to you, then.”
Aki stare upon the night sky, Sho took her hand on his as he look up with her, thinking about the new challenge they will soon face. Unlike the last time they sat here, the love they share is more passionate and deep, they are much stronger than before and they knew this time, nothing can ever break them.
Okay, now for my author's note. ^^ I kinda started writing about Rina and Jun fic and that bit where Aki bumped into one Arashi member is written already. I just tried to put it here coz it's kinda relevant. (The truth is, I just wanted to write it here. lol)
On a more serious note, I think we are nearing the end for this fic. :( I'm thinking that maybe I'll write until chapter 16.
Ohh another thing, I researched a bit about Keio and I found out that they have this rivalry with Waseda. Cool! Before I was a suppppeeeeeerr big fan of V6 (still a fan though but not as crazy) and they make CMs for Waseda. Alright, enough of my fangirling. haha. Thanks for reading guys! Until next chapter. ^^