Yay new chapter!!
I hope this will be informative enough to the readers about what happened to TakaGaki. I'm sorry this update took too long. I'll try to be quicker next time.
CHAPTER 5Just like the few days before, I didn't get the chance to rest after work. Instead, Ai-chan literally pulled me into her car with Junjun to go get some ice cream and crepes. I guess she was in the mood for desert, but like the lunch she had before I'll have to be paying for not just her treat too, but mine. Junjun was kind enough to bring her own money.
I don't know if this is an attempt to get me to speak with Junjun, but all I can think about is just sleeping the rest of the day away. Unpredictably, Ai-chan began to calm down and just remain silent to herself, lost in her own thoughts. She's more focused on the ice cream I've bought her. I don't really get that worried about her sudden decision to be quiet because she was annoying me so much at work before that I wanted to just knock her unconscious.
But...if she's quiet that means that I'll have to be left talking with...Junjun. I stare at my own ice cream, hoping that I'll be able to avoid that type of conversation. Maybe, if I eat it fast enough I'll be able to get out of here. No, Ai-chan eats way too slow. Crap.
“Tanaka-san?” Junjun softly calls.
I cringe. It looks like I'll have to speak with her. I wonder if I stay mean to her she'll just back away. She can't be that stupid or as thick as guys. I lift my head and look across the table to her.
“Are you...mad at me?” Junjun questions.
Did she have to talk in some type of sad voice as if I've been ignoring her for days!? She's a damn stranger for cryin out loud! What am I supposed to do?
Open my heart to someone I met probably just two days ago?! I silently stare at her, trying to keep myself from yelling at her. I glance at Ai-chan. She's still not saying anything, probably pretending that she doesn't hear anything.
“What are you talkin about?” I sternly ask.
Junjun puts on a sad face and I'm not sure if it's supposed to make me feel bad for her or to just find it cute, but it's annoying me. I glance at Ai-chan one more time. She's still eating her damn ice cream. She's just going to leave me in this by myself. I lean back into my chair with my arms crossed.
“Well...you aren't very...kind to me.” Junjun explains.
Her supposedly cutesy voice is even painful to my ears! I cringe. Can I just leave?
I don't have time for complaints from a baby. How old is she anyway? I stand up from my seat.
“I'm outta here!” I grumble.
I stomp away from the table, not worried about Junjun's protests. Ai-chan is still quiet, but I'm sure she's aware of what I did. I'll just let her do the comforting.
I have better things to do. I'm too tired to be consulting some little kid about their feelings. I let out a yawn, looking forward to finally catching up on much needed sleep.
***
Strangely, after the incident and me furiously storming off, I haven't heard or seen Ai-chan since. It's been about a week now. I've mostly been debating with myself to either call Ai-chan or stop by her place to check on her.
I know that when she gets into her sulking mood, she is more than likely to get angry at me for bothering her. It'll probably be more humiliating if I go in person and she does that than when I call her. At least if I call I can have some dignity after rather than being kicked out of her house.
But as a friend, I know I have to check on her. Making up my mind, I gather my belongings and walk out of my house. I'll just have to take the risk of being humiliated.
Sometimes, Ai-chan just needs someone there with her physically when she's down. The good thing about Ai-chan's new place is that not only does she live on her own, but she is closer to me. I don't have to drive I just have to walk a few blocks.
I enter the apartment building, taking a few deep breathes to brace myself before I get to Ai-chan's door. I have to be ready to try and calm her down when she's too busy sobbing. Planning out how to console Ai-chan, I don't pay attention in front of me and feel someone's shoulder slam painfully into my chest.
“Hey! Watch where the hell you're goin! Other people walk here too, ya know?!” I yell, turning around to face the idiot who slammed into me.
My eyes quickly open wide in shock and my whole body runs cold. Of all the people that I have seen come by here, I did not expect her to come here...not ever! How... Why is she here?!
“G-Gaki-san?!” I choke.
I don't know if I should be happy to see her or maybe just come over and give her a big slap to the face for leaving Ai-chan how she is now. I'm filled with two opposite emotions at the same time. This leaves me frozen in confusion to figure out what else to say to her. Gaki-san looks back at me and opens her mouth, but then quickly closes it and turns away. Is she...crying?
“I-I...shouldn't be here. Goodbye Tanakacchi.” Gaki-san stutters, then quickly runs away.
She was crying...and she looked completely sad. Wait...if that means she's here then she...
Ai-chan!
I run through the halls, trying to reach Ai-chan's apartment door as quickly as I can. I knock on the door, but the first knock causes the front door to open just an inch apart. The door was unlocked. Gaki-san was here!
And she was in a hurry to leave. Ai-chan didn't want to close it, so it must mean she's inside crying as well. I open the door and let myself in, carefully walking through the apartment.
As my eyes scan the room, I notice that there are a bunch of items scattered around. I haven't seen Ai-chan anywhere yet. Thinking of the possible worse thoughts based off my surroundings, my heart goes much faster and my body starts to shake. Where is she?
“Ai-chan?!” I yell, zipping through the living room. “Ai-chan, where are you?!”
Please, please be okay! I check the kitchen and even the bathroom. That only leads me to her bedroom now. If she isn't here then she must have left. That makes me panic.
If Ai-chan is outside wandering somewhere I'll only become more scared. Who knows where she is or what type of trouble she can get into. How reckless of her to just go outside without thinking thoroughly about her actions! I don't bother to knock on the door when I get here. I just grab the knob and open the door.
The lights are off, but sunlight in her window gives me the light I need to see. Taking a close look to the window, I see that the curtains have been ripped off the window and thrown to the floor. Then that's when I see this room has the most damage done to it. There's even a dent in the wall.
I step farther inside, having enough of the messy sight and focus on the reason why I've came here. Ai-chan did this mess. She broke all these pictures and vases. I hear something crack below my feet and move my foot back to get a better look of it.
It's a picture frame, the glass is broken, but the picture inside is fine. It's a picture of Ai-chan and Gaki-san. She's had this picture with her all along. I thought she's thrown anything related to Gaki-san away, but this picture she's kept. They both look different, much younger.
It was probably taken when they were in grammar school. In this picture Ai-chan is smiling like she's won the lottery and Gaki-san is hugging her with the same expression. It's a picture of their memory together. I can understand why Ai-chan didn't have the courage to throw this out.
It was during their youth, their friendship, and they're start of a strong almost undefeated love. I step over the picture, not wanting to damage the frame anymore and continue my search. Come on Ai-chan where are you? I need to help you. I need to comfort you.
I see something move to the left of me and sharply make a turn. Right in a corner, sitting on the ground with bunched up knees to her chin, is Ai-chan. Her skin looks completely pale and the way her eyes shine I can tell she's crying. This doesn't look like the Ai-chan I know.
This person looks weak, crushed, and sickly. I carefully walk over to her to not startle Ai-chan. She seems to be in her own world when she sits there like this, like a statue. I decide to not touch her, concluding that it'll just be too much for her at this moment.
“Ai-chan?” I softly speak.
If I use a light tone she just might slowly come back from her daydream. Her hands tighten and she starts to sniffle. I'm scared seeing her like this I'll admit that. I've never seen her like this.
Yeah, she's cried in front of me a few times, but she's never destroyed her home or look like she's suddenly caught some deadly sickness with how thin she looks now. I wonder if this whole week she's just been starving herself.
“Ai-chan...please talk to me.” I encourage. “I'm here Ai-chan. I'm here to listen. You're not alone.”
I watch her, to see if I can find any signs of life in her since she's just sitting there. It's like she's become an icicle. What feels like hours, but I'm sure is only seconds, Ai-chan finally moves.
Her head lifts from her knees to reveal a red and wet face full of tears. Then she just stares ahead of herself again. So I wait, I don't have much I can do when she's like this. I can only wait for her to say something on her own. I gulp, feeling more nervous.
“Come on Ai-chan, talk to me.” I whisper.
“Y-You know...” Ai-chan croaks, her voice shaking. “I always thought...she would come around.”
I listen, hanging on to her every word, afraid I'll miss even the smallest detail if I become sidetracked.
“Today...she called me. After exchanging texts and phone calls for a week, she told me to meet her here.” Ai-chan explains, her eyes still fixed in front of her. “So I thought...she was going to finally accept me again. I never felt so happy from just a thought alone like that before.”
I don't need to ask who Ai-chan is talking about because I know perfectly well she means Gaki-san. Only Gaki-san can make Ai-chan feel so many emotions it overwhelms her. There isn't anyone else who can make Ai-chan feel a mixture of happiness, sadness, and anger all at once.
That was done just from the sight of Gaki-san I'm sure. I clutch my hand, bracing myself for Ai-chan to do anything like punch something out of impulse. A small laugh was released from Ai-chan.
“I never told you why we broke up, but it's because I was not only embarrassed by it, but because I always felt we would get back together again.” Ai-chan chuckles. “I was stupid to hold on such false hope like that, but...she said she would and I believed her because I loved her so much. I still love her.”
I can't understand what she's saying. If they didn't break up because of something the other has done to break their relationship, then why did they break up? Ai-chan and Gaki-san love each other too much to be apart. I can tell every time Ai-chan mentions Gaki-san. They haven't stopped loving each other.
“It was stupid of us to tell her parents about our relationship. They never approved. At first...they tried to act like they were okay with it.” Ai-chan frowns, and furiously wipes away fresh tears from her face. “They eventually confronted Gaki-san when she was alone. They forced her to break up with me! They threatened to disown her. She didn't know what to do. She loves her family and she's not ready to live on her own yet. I tried to understand...but it just ate me up inside each time I woke up with her not by my side.”
I'm starting to understand her now. She didn't want to not telling me because she wasn't at fault, but because she was always hopeful about the two of them being together as a couple. Every time I tried to ask about their break up I always kept reminding Ai-chan of the real fact that they may never be together again.
That would also explain Ai-chan's reason to need to spend a night with a different girl almost every night. She was alone and she hated it. The loneliness scared her. Slowly, I slide my hand over to hers to comfort her.
“I told my parents about us three weeks ago even thought we weren't together, but I felt they needed to know because my father always tried to set me up with men he felt were for me. Now...my father won't even talk to me. My mother is forbidden to see me. She secretly sends money to me and it's just enough to get me by for only a week.” Ai-chan continues, taking a few minutes to calm her breathing and collect her thoughts again.
“Ai-chan...why did Gaki-san come here today then?” I whisper, shaking as I wait for the answer.
Ai-chan suddenly yanks her hand away from mine and stands up. She's filled with rage, but I know that in the pit of all that rage she's in pain. Ai-chan is in so much sorrow it hurts her. It makes her become swallowed by anger. She feels weak and she hates that.
“Because she came to tell me to never see her again!!” Ai-chan screams. “She doesn't love me! She never did! She cares about her family too much!! I was just a phase for her. I was never something serious. I never meant anything to her!!”
Ai-chan rushes over to the night stand and chucks the lamp across the room. I hear the glass shatter and bites of glass rain down to the floor. Frozen in shock, I watch Ai-chan grab everything she can and throw it in every direction.
She flips over the nightstand and toss clothes everywhere from another nightstand. There are various glass items that follow the same action. I need to stop her before she hurts herself!
“Ai-chan! Ai-chan, please calm down!” I beg. “We can fix this! I'll...”
She turns around to me with the same amount of rage. I've never seen her so angry. I've never seen her look at me as if she wants to beat me to death. I take a step away and remain quiet.
“Get out of here Reina!” Ai-chan shouts. “I don't need you! I don't need anyone!! Just leave me alone!!”
There isn't much that I can do. I get this feeling that if I don't listen I'll end up getting a bunch of fist thrown at me, so I listen. As much as it bothers me to walk away from her in this state, I have no choice, but to do just that. I nod then carefully make my way out of her room.
What else can I do? I feel so helpless! I walk out into the hallway and never look back but with each step I think about Ai-chan and the suffering she must be in. I want to help her. I want to be there for her as a friend, but I can't.
I frown, feeling angry myself, but for a different reason. I feel so trapped. I feel weak that I can't help another. I don't know who else can help her.
Walking down the street, a sudden idea hits me. If Ai-chan won't let me come near here then I might know someone who can. I pull out my cellphone and dial down a familiar number I haven't used in what feels like a year.
If she can't get Ai-chan to calm down then I don't know who else can. She's known Ai-chan a lot longer than I have. The phone rings a few times then it stops.
“Hello?”
I freeze at the unexpected voice. What is she doing answering the phone? Where's Sayu?
“Eri?” I croak.