As the last school bell for the year rang and resonated throughout the school hallways, students immediately got up from their seats, slinging the straps of their bags around their shoulders before leaving the room one by one, others were running in the hallways as the vibe of summer slowly creep into them.
"Any plans you guys have for the summer?" Nami asks, sitting on top of Ai's desk while hugging her bag in her arms. "My family wants to climb Mount Takao." She informs them, shrugging her shoulders afterwards.
"We'll be going to Hokkaido!" Kairi chimes in, going over to where Nami and Ai are, slinging her bag around her shoulder. "I'm really excited! I need a change of scenery!" She excitedly spoke before turning her head to look at Ai.
"What about you, Ai?" She asks the dark ginger haired girl. "Any plans for summer?"
Ai shook her head slowly but pulled out a piece of paper, showing it to the two. "I've decided that after I graduate high school, I will join Miss International!" Both Nami and Kairi peered into the paper and eyed the golden trophy and the crown.
"Go for it then!" Nami beams
"Okay but imagine!" Kairi begins to gush, "you're representing Tokyo and you become the first title holder! You better start working on stretching those arms and legs! It'd be funny if they place you at the back and people can't see you!"
"...That's so mean of you." Ai comments, placing the paper back inside her backpack. "Let's just go. I wanna get out of here already."
As the friend group of three walked out of the school building and into the streets, the year is 2009 and just a few more months is Ai's moving up from middle school to high school. Nothing much has changed, the seventeen year old still looked very much the same. Everything is still the same, however, there was one small thing: both Ai and Mitsuya had called it quits last year.
During the time they broke up, there was nothing much Ai could do but accept the fact that what wasn't hers will never stay as her. It was like the saying she once read from a book: if he's for you, nothing can make him leave; but if he isn't, then nothing in this world can make him stay.
But nevertheless, she was still thankful for the memories that she and Mitsuya shared, even if it was short.
As Ai got home, she was surprised to see both Hakkai and Yuzuha at home. Hakkai lounging in the living room while Yuzuha's ears were covered with her headset.
"How did your profile shots went?" Ai asks, removing her backpack as she slumps in down on the floor, sitting on the available spot besides Hakkai.
"It went well." Hakkai responded, hair untied and placing his phone inside the pocket of his pants. "Hey, I gotta go to Takemichi's. Heard they're playing a the latest game and I wanna see it for myself!" With that, Hakkai placed a hand on top of Ai's head, taking long strides to the front door before closing it behind him.
As Hakkai left their home, he held the handlebars of his bike and walked backwards, getting his bike onto the road. As he sat on his seat and was about to start the engine, Hakkai was greeted with a familiar face before him.
"Hey" The person greeted him, a small smile on their lips. "You're heading to his house too, right? Cool. We can talk on the way there!"
Without much of a choice, Hakkai lets him sit behind him.
. . . . . . . . . . ♡
When the night has fallen and Hakkai hasn't returned home yet, both Yuzuha and Ai had dinner together before going to their respective bedrooms to do their night routine. Standing in front of her bathroom mirror while brushing her hair, clad in night gown, Ai could hear repetitive knocks on the front door.
"Can you get that, Ai?" Yuzuha calls from her bedroom. "My hair's all stuck in a comb!"
"Got it!" Ai responded back, jogging down the stairs. "Hakkai nii, I didn't hear your bike-" as soon as Ai opened the front door, it wasn't Hakkai standing in front of her. It was Mikey. Before her, he had a short black hair, a black tank tucked under a button cardigan with matching black pants.
Seeing him before her just made tears pool into her eyes. Without any words, Ai tries to shut the door but Mikey was quick to stick his foot in.
"Can we at least talk?" Mikey says, looking at her with desperation in his eyes. "I didn't come all the way here for nothing!" He reasons
Sniffling, Ai could only shake her head. "There's nothing to talk about." she spoke to him quietly. "Please go home." As Ai continued to push the door to close, Mikey, who stood on the other side, tried to keep her from closing it.
"Please." was all he said before turning his eyes to meet hers.
Ai wondered, if she listened to him, would he let her go? If they talked, would that just be all? Not wanting to damage their front door, she slowly loosened her grip and joined him outside.
Walking in the middle of the road, the two of them were quiet. Not saying or muttering any word. They didn't know what exactly to say first, it had been three years since they last talked and saw each other.
"Here" Mikey mumbles, unbuttoning the buttons of his cardigan to place it over her shoulders.
"Thanks" Ai mumbled back, slipping her arms inside the sleeves of his cardigan. While in the process of doing so, she caught a whiff of the clothing and the scent made her feel tingly on the inside. He smelled good.
As the two of them kept walking, their feet had led them to a familiar location - the playground. Pointing at the place, Ai turned her head to look at him. "Want to go there?"
Following the direction to where she was pointing, Mikey nodded his head. "Sure. Let's go there."
Enter the playground together, Ai happily ran towards the swing set. Sitting on one swing while her hands held the chains keeping it intact. "So" she begins to say, turning her head to look at Mikey who sat down beside her. "Why did you come?"
Mikey was silent for a second before responding, not facing her and just looking ahead. "I want to be forgiven."
"By who?" Ai asks, pursing her lips together
"By you" Mikey says, finally turning his head to face her. "No matter how much time has passed, all I could think about is you next to me." He pauses before resuming "I thought, back then, we were walking down the same path, I thought I was still beside you, but I've already chosen a different path."
"My emotions grew every day and every night. They were overwhelming, so I tried to talk to you to the moon. In the hopes that my words will reach you. But they didn't." He spoke softly, nodding his head. "If it possible and I'm too late, do you want to-" Mikey shrugs, "Only if you want to, go back to how we were."
Ai listened intently on his words, swinging herself on the swing while pondering about it. After two minutes passed by, did she finally spoke.
"Do you remember the abandoned building you took me?" She asks
"Yeah I do" Mikey responded "I just went there last week with Draken and Baji-"
"We can start by going there again with dorayaki's and green tea's!" Ai beams.
For the first time after three years, Mikey's heart fluttered again.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AN: Surprised? HAHAHAHAmetooHAHAHAHA-
Honestly, there was an overwhelming amount of readers who found this book sad. I also found it unfair that while I was planning on how to end my other book 'Attakai', I planned to write a separate ending for both Sanzu and Smiley. So now here it is, the ending that will finally help readers sleep better.