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Author Topic: The Lake - Part 3 of 4 (AtsuYuu) 9/3/16  (Read 5967 times)

Offline calista_castro

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The Lake - Part 3 of 4 (AtsuYuu) 9/3/16
« on: January 09, 2016, 04:09:45 PM »







Characters


Oshima Yuko
Maeda Atsuko
Akimoto Sayaka



Pairing


Main and only: AtsuYuu


Description


Four parts story about mysterious lake and Oshima Yuko going back to the place where something very important happened, something that changed her life completely.



Parts


[PART 1]                 [PART 2]                  [PART 3]                  [PART 4]
« Last Edit: September 03, 2016, 09:11:57 PM by calista_castro »

Complete
Just Tell Me It's Not The End (Kojiyuu)  [2015]
Consequences (MaYuki, JuriYuki, JuriMayu)  [2015]
Money Can't Buy You Happiness (WMatsui, Atsumina, MaYuki) [2015-2016]
New Love (RinoRie, MaYuki + Others) [2015-2016]
OS Corner + Other Short Stories [2015-2016]
- My Rommate From Hell, Literally (KojiYuu) + How I Fell For My Idiot Roommate (sequel)
- Searching for Happiness (WMatsui)
KitaRie dedicated OS Collection [2016]
Angel of Death (Atsumina) ~Oneshot~ [2016]








On-Going
Dating Game (Multi-Pair)
Psychotics (Multi-Pair)
All I Want Is You (Kojiyuu, JuriAnnin + Others)
The Lake (AtsuYuu)
Randomness: Cal's Stories Based on Prompts (Various)
You're the Worst (WMatsui + Others)
Running with the Wolves (Multi-pair)




~All of my on-going stories will continue in September~

Offline calista_castro

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The Lake - Part 1 of 4 (AtsuYuu)
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2016, 04:17:17 PM »
The Lake


Part 1


10 years is long time, enough to face my demons and visit this place for the second time. My therapist told me that the best and the only possible way to move on is try to fight my demons where they started.

I was uncertain at first. Leaving my home. Leaving my safety blanket, job and other responsibilities behind. Yes, I’m going there only for three days. One weekend… but even during this short period of time a lot of things can happen.

Its not like I’m leaving people behind… actually, after everything that happened to me back then, I only had one friend that stayed by my side.

Sometimes one friend is enough if that’s a true one. Akimoto Sayaka stayed by my side through tick and thin but she doesn’t know that I’m going to the lake again.

I doubt she would agree or even if so, she would probably go there with me, giving unnecessary distraction. Its not holidays, I’m not going there to have fun, for camping, fishing or roasting marshmallows. That’s what people do when they are young… or when they go with a bunch of friends and relatives.

In my case… I’m going there all by myself without much of an expectations, only with hope that after this… life might turn a little bit better.

My therapist told me “You need to change the place you’re staying at. Just for a short time. Few days if that’s all you can manage. The best way to move on from something is going back to the same place where everything started. Nothing comes easy in this life. If you believe that you’re truly ready, its now or never. Be brave enough to move on”.

I remember something that Sayaka told me few years ago too. It didn’t have much influence to this exact moment but her words open my eyes back then… I wasn’t ready to change the way I deal with it, I kept doing things my way, but her words sting like a bee no matter what.

Till this day I can still recite her words in my head: “I’m trying to make you react. Show emotions. You have a lot of them. You keep them inside because its safe. You want to see people around you happy and you forget about yourself. When someone smiles you do the same. When someone’s sad you’re reminded to be sad too. But you don’t do these emotions yourself. You don’t chose how to feel. If you have a good day… you’re full of energy, you want to see the world dancing, you run around, you don’t stop smiling even if that’s a fake smile, after all no one knows the difference… because that’s the only smile you have. You get used to it. You don’t know how else to smile. You don’t know how to smile when your cheeks hurt and your eyes scream happiness. You forgot all about that. When you have bad days… you lock yourself in. You ignore your feelings by ignoring other people. The things they might see in you. You play it safe. You wait until its over and then you reappear. As if nothing happened at all. You keep on like this… but the truth is… at some point you’re going to explode”.

For myself, for my best friend who still believes in me… I need to find myself for the second time.





I took only the necessary stuff, mostly food and clothes that I will need during this short journey. I didn’t wait another second knowing that if I consider it long enough, I might not leave my home. That happened about a year ago… I was already considering the opportunity of going there… but I decided to sleep on it. Next morning all my courage from the last night disappeared.

This influenced me to rush this time. I went through the door knowing that when I get back, everything might be different, that’s a false hope maybe… but you know what they say about hope… if you’re foolish enough you might just make it.

I drove back to the lake with my own car, leaving it next to two more that stood in parking spot. You can’t drive your car next to the cottage so I had to carry stuff on my own. Now I’m glad that I hadn’t taken more stuff with myself.

This lake… and this place was always somewhat different… Through the years people came there because they wanted to get lost and hide from the rest of the world. I’m not exception… I did that ten years ago…I’m repeating it now.

There are no people running around you and asking if they can help you with your luggage or asking if you’re going to eat breakfast, if you need a wake up call in the morning. When you reach this place… you’re disconnected from the rest of the world. You might as well lose yourself and never come back. That’s how addictive it can be.

I know that there are few more people in this place because of cars but if I will see any of them… is a big question. Somehow people here rarely meet up. I remember it being more popular tourist place back in the day… overcrowded parking space and empty shore… even cottages are far away from each other…

If you were a criminal and wanted to escape law… I’m pretty sure you could just hide near the lake for the rest of your life. Police wouldn’t consider searching here… even if they do… there’s 10% chance of them actually finding you.

The sad reality is… you can’t find people that you’re earning for in here either. If you let them out of your sight… that how it ends. I know it might have changed after so many years… but somehow I doubt it. I don’t think that anything changes near the lake. I believe time stops…

I’m not overreacting while mentioning it. The last time I believed that I had I spend about two or maybe three months by this lake. When I got back everyone told me that it was only a couple of days. They couldn’t understand how a person can change so suddenly… they never understood my reason of pushing them away. Eventually, they gave up trying to stay in touch with me.

Everyone except Akimoto Sayaka. She’s also the reason why I chose this weekend to come in this place again. She’s working in the other city and when she’s busy with work we stay out of touch. That’s just for a couple of days but if knowing what this place do to people… maybe I will be gone just for a day in real time… or maybe just for a couple of hours. Sayaka won’t need to find out about it at all.

There is no wifi connection here, no electricity so consequently you end up being disconnected from the rest of the world and the things that are happening there.
That’s the lake for you.





I finally reach the cottage I rented for this weekend. Unconsciously I even smile… its not too big, not too small either. Just what I needed.

One more thing about the lake and the people who take care of everything… somehow they know what you want and need. They don’t ask you what kind of place you want, away or close to the lake… they just tell you the house number where you have to go.

When you come and stop in front of the mentioned cottage you feel like that’s indeed your choice… that there can’t be better house for this occasion. This is a mystery to me but I don’t overthink it. I like it instead. Don’t people want to believe that some sort of magic exist in this world? Maybe that’s something we all need sometimes.

Feeling like there’s a place that we belong in, where we don’t need to fake smiles and pretend, where we can be our true selves, without unreasonable expectation from the outside world… is that’s why I didn’t want to leave the lake first time?

I have forgotten how addictive this could be… that when the lake grabs you… it doesn’t want to let go. Without someone pulling me out of here… will I manage to leave it? I haven’t thought about it before coming but now I’m concerned.

The concern disappear as suddenly as it appeared when I turn around and look back at the lake. Once again a forgotten real smile creeps back into my face. I need to figure out myself… that’s the reason I came here. I won’t leave until I manage to do that.





Few hour later, I got comfortable and decide to head to the shore. I looked around impressed, for the first time I curses over my breath realizing that I would actually love to go fishing… why I thought I would hate it? Right… probably because that would be just a distraction…

“Hello”.

I’m cough of guard. I have mentioned that its almost impossible to meet other people in here, even when the lake is full of them. How did I manage to run into another person? A girl almost the same age as me… I think she’s younger… maybe a couple of years difference? Oh… and she’s fishing. What a strange coincidence.

“Hello”, I smile back awkwardly still lost in my own thoughts.

The girl leaves her fishing rod behind and comes closer ready to greet me “I’m Maeda Atsuko…you can call me Acchan…”

“Yuko… I mean… you can call me Yuko… my full name is Oshima Yuko…” I hear myself stuttering a bit.

She smiles at the sight of that. Adorable smile… a true one… I love it how it makes her eyes catlike when she does that. “Somehow I feel like maybe I have heard your name before…but I can’t recall it. Isn’t that weird?”

“I guess…”, I whisper with a wonder. I haven’t thought about it before she mentioned it… but for some reason her name sounds familiar too. Maybe that’s a common name? I doubt I have actually met her before. How could I… you never meet the people from the lake again… I have learn it the hard way first time… but what have I lost back then? I can’t remember anymore. Especially while this stranger is still smiling at me with some sort of expectation.

“Oh… maybe you would like to join me… I don’t have another fishing rod… but you could watch or… we can work in turns…”

“I’m not really into fishing”, I remember all of a sudden, but at the same time I don’t want to say ‘no’. “But I wouldn’t mind staying and watching… I came down to look at the lake…”

“Your cottage is around here?”

“Yes… on that mountain… very close… I like the lake. It calms me. Where are you staying?”

“I…”, it looks like Atsuko is thinking of an answer. Maybe she just doesn’t want to tell me. I probably spoke up too early… people just don’t tell others where they live the first time they met them.

“Around here… not that far away too… but I spend a lot of time on this bridge… and I like walking in the woods”.

“In the woods?”

“Yes, you haven’t been there? Its magnificent… Honestly…for a tourist… I think its easy to get lost… but I know every corner of it so that’s not a problem for me… maybe you could join me some day? I could show you around”.

I smile apologetically “unless this happens during the weekend. I’m not staying for longer”

“Ah…I see..” I hear some disappointment in her answer, once again confused of such reaction. “If you like… we can go tomorrow… the time is not a problem for me”.

“How long are you staying near the lake?”, I feel the need to ask. Maybe she came here for a week or for a couple of months. Especially, if she’s so confident about walking around the woods. I haven’t considered it even once… isn’t the woods the place everything started… it should help me remember it.

“I live here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I lived here all my life and most likely I’m staying here from the rest of it. I don’t want to leave and…”

“I don’t get it…”, I smile awkwardly this time… because honestly… I DON’T GET IT… no one stays… everyone leaves… no one is born here either. No one told me this information but for some reason I know it either way and I have no doubts about it.

Atsuko squinted her eyes slightly, looking at me like I’m crazy. Maybe I do sound and even look like a crazy person. I’m attacking the girl without knowing better. “This is my home. I don’t know how else to explain it”.

She turns around facing her fishing rod, probably tired of discussing it with me. Silently I sit down on a bench, trying to concentrate on the lake and magnificent beauty of it, but my thoughts still come back to Atsuko.

“Am…Atsuko…?”

“You can call me Acchan… have you forgot?”, she laughs shortly, without looking at me but sincerely meaning it.

I cough still feeling some comfortableness but trying to relax as well. “Acchan…”

I lose my thoughts though… I knew what I wanted to ask just a second ago but that laughter… suddenly I find myself lost for words.

As if sensing it Atsuko comments “so…are you ready for tomorrows adventure?” obviously meaning our planned trip to the woods near by.

The truth is… woods surround this whole lake… they’re everywhere where you look… as curios as I am to walk through them… I also realize that its impossible to go around them in just a day… or maybe it is… isn’t everything here possible?

I feel fear and uncertainty but still hear myself answering “I can’t wait”.





TO BE CONTINUED

Complete
Just Tell Me It's Not The End (Kojiyuu)  [2015]
Consequences (MaYuki, JuriYuki, JuriMayu)  [2015]
Money Can't Buy You Happiness (WMatsui, Atsumina, MaYuki) [2015-2016]
New Love (RinoRie, MaYuki + Others) [2015-2016]
OS Corner + Other Short Stories [2015-2016]
- My Rommate From Hell, Literally (KojiYuu) + How I Fell For My Idiot Roommate (sequel)
- Searching for Happiness (WMatsui)
KitaRie dedicated OS Collection [2016]
Angel of Death (Atsumina) ~Oneshot~ [2016]








On-Going
Dating Game (Multi-Pair)
Psychotics (Multi-Pair)
All I Want Is You (Kojiyuu, JuriAnnin + Others)
The Lake (AtsuYuu)
Randomness: Cal's Stories Based on Prompts (Various)
You're the Worst (WMatsui + Others)
Running with the Wolves (Multi-pair)




~All of my on-going stories will continue in September~

Offline shanju

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Re: The Lake - Part 1 of 4 (AtsuYuu) 9/1/16
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2016, 07:50:56 AM »
Wow atsuyuuu >,<

Hmmm, acchan is real?
Haha, because i feels weird,
So what happen to yuko before
Im waiting your update,
Thanks for making kojiyuu and atsuyuu :)
 :mon thumb:
« Last Edit: January 11, 2016, 12:21:12 AM by shanju »

Offline sasshirie

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Re: The Lake - Part 1 of 4 (AtsuYuu) 9/1/16
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2016, 05:30:25 PM »
Atsuyuu FF? I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!  :inlove: :inlove: :inlove:

I like the mistery of the lake, wonder what it means! waiting for more!  :hiakhiakhiak:

Offline calista_castro

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The Lake - Part 2 of 4 (AtsuYuu) 5/13/16
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2016, 04:54:24 PM »
@sasshirie, yes it is for Atsuyuu (and it involves the 'mysterious' lake). All the secrets will be revealed eventually.
@shanju, I can't answer the question, I guess you will have to figure it out eventually? or it will be revealed before you do guess what is the answer. Hehe...  you're welcome and don't need to thank me. I love writing.


A/N: sorry for the longest wait! I don't forget my stories though so yeah! Finally updating this one!




The Lake

Part 2


Next morning, or at least I’m pretty sure that it is the second day. Saturday. I woke up earlier than I ever did back at home. I can’t check the clock and confirm it, but I have a feeling that it is just the beginning of the day. Maybe 4AM or 5AM. The reason for my waking up so early is probably that girl and smile that I can’t forget.

We spend almost all day together. Talking a bit or just staring at the lake ahead. I think Atsuko was the first person that I felt so comfortable with, we didn’t need words, just another person presence was more than enough. It scared me a bit that after a couple of hours, It felt like really knowing someone from the inside and out.

The way Atsuko smiled, her eyes lingered on me, how she started the conversation, or sometimes took silence breaks and just stared into my face and eyes, letting me know that she feels the same. She hasn’t actually voice it out loud. No. Neither of us said:

“I think I know you”.

“I feel really comfortable with you”.

“I want to spend as much time with you as possible”.

No. We didn’t say these phrases out loud, but it felt like I still can hear them in my mind, and most importantly, in my heart. I don’t know how or why I had no doubt that this younger felt just the same way. It was a different kind of comfortableness. We didn’t talk about our life outside this place, about our parents or friends.

Our school that we went to when we were teenagers or work that we attended now. Actually, it was the last thing on both of our minds. You might start wandering what else to talk about with a stranger and that we can’t just talk about the weather and feel so comfortable, but I can’t explain this either. All I can say, we did cover our hobbies, our passions, our dreams. We also share the same admiration for this place, the woods, the lake — everything that surrounded us.

It was unexplainable, but so addictive. Even when we stopped whatever conversations we had, I could still remember Atsuko’s smile. I have a feeling that I even dream about her.

About us.

Here.

Also, I had no doubt that I want to see her as soon as possible. That’s why sleep was the last thing on my mind and I woke up so early. I left the cottage I was staying at the moment and walked out deciding to admire the daybreak. After walking out and practically bumping into Atsuko that just stopped in front of my home and looked at me a bit surprised and taken back, I knew that she couldn’t sleep either.

It was the confirmation I needed, to realize that just like me, Atsuko just couldn’t stop thinking about me. Whatever that meant.





We spend all day running around the woods. Atsuko or Acchan, that’s how she insisted I should call her, didn’t lie when she told that she knew every corner of the woods. I don’t know how she had the time and patience to walk around, but she obviously did that before I came and now wanted to bring me to all of her favorite places.

“I know we don’t have too much time. You’re leaving soon, right? But I will show you as much as I can. Would you like to join me tomorrow too?” she questioned hopeful and I knew there is no way I could say no to her.

I knew that I’m starting to lose myself. I couldn’t count the time anymore. Did I get here today? yesterday? the day before? last week? Honestly, I didn’t care that much. I should have panicked… the outside world waited for me.

My work.

My home.

My friends (yes, only one friend, but it still counts).

But I felt no fear. I didn’t fear the woods that at first looked so scary. At this point, I couldn’t wait until Acchan will show me a different secret hiding place that she discovered. I felt like a teenager sneaking out of my home and running around with a friend.

Except that… Acchan was not a friend. It felt like so much more.

Unreasonably at it sounds, it felt like love. I loved her cat eyes, they way she smiled and wrinkle her nose, I loved how she blush slightly while taking my hand and running around this spacious space, I loved how she hugged me really tightly while saying goodbye, I loved how her eyes light up after I agreed to join her next day, and next day, the day after that… how many days passed really?

Whenever I started wondering or remembering my true home, all of a sudden I got lost in Acchan. She was like an addition. The most perfect addiction that could exist. Everything about her attract me, everything kept me coming back for more, kept me in this place, clouded my mind and better judgment. I barely went to the cottage anymore or when I did, I felt like I’m just wasting time.

Whatever time spend without Acchan felt like time wasted. She consumed me.





All those times, I was never sure where Acchan stands with this. Something told me that she feels the same way, feels that same strong pull that held us both together, like we were meant to see each other and never separate afterwards.

We never voice it out and I was too scared to do it first, but I can’t begin to explain the happiness I felt when one of those days, before walking into the forest Atsuko turn around facing me. The moment was romantic, she was holding both of my hands, something that she kept on doing everyday.

She was the cuddling type, you wouldn’t have thought like that while meeting the girl for the very first time, but after spending more time… she revealed more and more of it. It didn’t matter what kind of touch it was, as long as I gave her the permission to touch me, Acchan smiled the brightest and used the opportunity.

“Can I tell you something? Make a confession? I wanted to say this… I keep on wanting to say this whenever we see each other. I’m a coward, because I didn’t dare to do it before… gosh.. I think I wanted to say it the first time when I saw you…when I was fishing and we talked about everything and nothing… I can’t hold it in anymore. Even if it might change things… I just can’t escape whatever I am feeling”.

I bit my lip nervously, but at the same time nod my head encouraging Acchan to speak up. Honestly, I couldn’t wait to hear what she wanted to tell me. Her eyes already spoke volumes, I could read them. I could feel the love that radiated from them, but still, we need words in life too — words that confirm everything — words that assure us — words that help us understand — help us relax — help us feel confident enough — help us not only feel, but also hear what other people think.

“I love you, Yuuchan”.

Words that can make us the happiest person alive. Was I even alive for real? I wasn’t sure about it, since it does felt like I was transfered to heaven. The happiest I can even remember myself being. Smiling the brightness, not because it is expected from me and not because other people smile too, but because I want to. I didn’t need to force myself for Acchan, I could sense that she loved every part of me. Just like I did with her.

“I love you too, Acchan”. I answered her sincerely and leaned in for a kiss. A short kiss, but why does it have to be long? Why it has to be passionate and end up with people pulling each other’s clothes away? Why it always turn into physical things instead of just enjoying the warmth of the other person?

It felt like we could read each other mind, feel comfortable enough. One short sweet kiss meant more than any sex I had in the past. All of it felt meaningless. Pointless. But not this. This meant everything.

Acchan didn’t have a problem with taking my breath away. It was so easy to get lost in her. In her eyes. I didn’t want to stay away. I wanted to stay here forever.





Some more time pass. I wasn’t sure how much, but you don’t really think about time when you’re truly-genuinely-sincerely happy. No. The time can stop. It can rush. It can disappear altogether. When you’re happy you don’t have to look at the clock and search for confirmation.

It is enough to see the sun rising up and then coming down at the end of the day.

Acchan and I watched the sun every day. Sleeping for a couple of hours through the night we woke up earlier than the sun and we went to sleep only when it was already gone. The sunset always fascinate me, almost as much as she did.

During the day and before separating, Acchan always accompany me and kiss me while saying goodbye. She also came to greet me and waited patiently until I woke up. Never coming inside the cottage, but just sitting on the ground. Drawing in the sandbox that stood nearby. She looked like a little kid at those moments and I couldn’t help myself, but admire her.

As happy as I felt, I couldn’t help but wonder sometimes:

“Were do you say you live exactly?”

“Mmm… farther away from the lake and the woods, but close enough to come here as soon as possible so I could see your face again”.

“You don’t have to work?”

“I could ask you the same thing… You said you will stay here for a very short time, but… you’re still here aren’t you?”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“What? No! Of course not! But… I just don’t like talking about these things… I just like spending time with you, isn’t that what you want too?”

Acchan usually stiffened with these questions, I could sense that she felt uncomfortable and I didn’t dare to push it further. She also managed to push my curiosity away while rewarding me with a brief but sweet kiss. Leaving me defenseless every single time.


You just don’t question happiness. As weird as it might be, even when nothing makes sense. You don’t question happiness.


Not when Acchan is looking right back at you and saying “I have been waiting so long for you”.


No. You just don’t question it.


But you should.





TO BE CONTINUED

Complete
Just Tell Me It's Not The End (Kojiyuu)  [2015]
Consequences (MaYuki, JuriYuki, JuriMayu)  [2015]
Money Can't Buy You Happiness (WMatsui, Atsumina, MaYuki) [2015-2016]
New Love (RinoRie, MaYuki + Others) [2015-2016]
OS Corner + Other Short Stories [2015-2016]
- My Rommate From Hell, Literally (KojiYuu) + How I Fell For My Idiot Roommate (sequel)
- Searching for Happiness (WMatsui)
KitaRie dedicated OS Collection [2016]
Angel of Death (Atsumina) ~Oneshot~ [2016]








On-Going
Dating Game (Multi-Pair)
Psychotics (Multi-Pair)
All I Want Is You (Kojiyuu, JuriAnnin + Others)
The Lake (AtsuYuu)
Randomness: Cal's Stories Based on Prompts (Various)
You're the Worst (WMatsui + Others)
Running with the Wolves (Multi-pair)




~All of my on-going stories will continue in September~

Offline sasshirie

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Re: The Lake - Part 2 of 4 (AtsuYuu) 5/13/16
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2016, 11:33:03 AM »
:ding: :dunno: :farofflook: :frustrated: :shifty: :shy1: :sweat: :on woohoo: :on cny1: :on GJ: :on comhere:

Offline maeda yuko

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Re: The Lake - Part 2 of 4 (AtsuYuu) 5/13/16
« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2016, 03:17:49 AM »
 :mon fu: :mon fu: :mon fu:

Offline calista_castro

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The Lake - Part 3 of 4 (AtsuYuu) 9/3/16
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2016, 09:10:26 PM »
A/N: one part left after this.




The Lake

Part 3


Sayaka was gone for 3, maybe 4 hours. She went to the airport and waited sitting and playing on her phone. The girl had a tight schedule because of her job, but since she rushed a bit and woke up later then planned, she had to run in here without checking her belongings. Unfortunately, she forgot the most important thing that you need while traveling — her passport.

Cursing under her breath and trying to still stay calm, she bought a ticket for later flight and rush back to the apartment. That is the reasonable thing she thought of doing. Yes, her first option — calling Yuko and asking her to get to the airport as soon as possible, but for some reason that girl’s phone was turn off, and Sayaka had to try a different thing.

She get back after about and hour shouting “I’m back. Just for a couple of minutes. Don’t mind me!”, assuming that Yuko might be sleeping, since the girl looked tired when she left. What surprised her though was the reality that Yuko wasn’t there at all.

The apartment was empty.

Most importantly, there was a note left on the table:

Hey. I think I’ll get back home sooner than you do. At least I hope so. But you know… just in case. (BUT I DON’T THAT THIS NOTE WILL BE USEFUL BECAUSE I DO PLAN TO GET BACK EARLIER)…still… just in case, know that I went back to the lake. Just for the weekend. I hope you won’t panic. I just need to visit that place one more time and organize my thoughts… maybe remember something from the past? I’m still not sure what I’ll find there, but after a lot of conversations with my therapist… well she didn’t suggest me going back there… but I think she implied it. So I’m going… once again, I hope to get back sooner than you, so I can throw this note away. I know you wouldn’t like this idea or you would go with me…or something… so yeah… sorry(?). If you get back sooner than I did: I hope you had a nice trip and see you soon! Don’t wait up!

Sayaka read the note for three, maybe even four times and instantly panicked. She wasn’t sure what to think about the situation and about the idea that Yuko suddenly had. Sayaka never forget how once, about a year ago, the girl also had thoughts like that but changed her mind. Even back then she already panicked because of her friend, since she didn’t think that going back to the lake is actually a good idea…

Yuko forgot everything for a reason… you wouldn’t just block certain events from your mind when they are pleasant. You only block things when it hurts too much and you can’t handle those feelings.

Sayaka considered everything only for a couple of seconds and decided to call the therapist first. She was unsure when exactly her friend left, but she needed to know what her therapist thought about the matter and if it is really a good idea to just go there and face her demons… especially alone.

Sayaka had to wait for a couple of minutes but Yuko’s therapist finally pick up the phone, slightly confused, but knowing the number, since she had few conversations with Sayaka before. All of them were short and involved Oshima Yuko, but still the therapist saved her patient’s best friend phone number. “Hello?”

“Hello, doctor… I have a question… well… I’m a bit worried… it is about Yuko…of course… Oshima Yuko… your patient”.

“Mmm… yes, she visited me yesterday. What’s the matter?”

“Well…she left a note… I will go straight to the point… she went back to the lake. I’m not sure when she left exactly, since I actually planned my trip and shouldn’t be home at all, but I forgot my passport and had to get back…wait…that’s not the point. The point is that I found a note where she states that she decided to go back to the lake and face her demons… in that note she also mentioned that you implied that is a good idea…”

“What do you mean…I…implied?”

“That’s how the note goes. I’m not sure what she means by it… but you know… Yuko might as well assumed things… especially if she made the decision to go back there… I’m…really…worried…”, Sayaka confessed unsure what to do anymore. Leave her friend alone back at that place and go on her work trip, or try to solve this issue and follow her… Hell, Sayaka didn’t even know all the things that happened there in the past, but it always made her worried… also, that ‘something’ that happened in the past left Yuko broken.

B-R-O-K-E-N W-I-T-H-O-U-T-H R-E-P-E-A-R… or so she assumed after so many years.

The therapist sigh and Sayaka assumed that it might not be a good thing… the tone of her voice just confirmed that Sayaka is worrying for a reason. “I have never suggested Yuko going back there… Honestly, as a professional… I wouldn’t have suggested her this… it could get dangerous. Yuko lost herself completely back there… That place might trigger a lot of memories or she might confuse reality and dreams… I don’t know how much Yuko told you, of the things that she remembers…”

“Not much… I know she has been there before… but only one time… it wasn’t a lot of time, but Yuko said that it felt like she spend eternity there and never wanted to leave…until the incident and…”

“Yes… until the incident when her best friend drawn… the tragedy that Yuko blocked from her mind… we had few hypothesis sessions… I can tell a lot because of patient doctor confidentiality, but I want you to understand the severity of this situation. Yuko can’t swim….she never learn… so she couldn’t help her best friend from drowning and got to witness that scene. It broke her… and she carried that trauma along with her… since it hit that hard… Yuko’s mind tricked her. She can’t really remember it… all she knows is that… something happened near that lake… it is like a magical place for her… she believes that time stops there and that pretty much everything is possible… it is better than Yuko doesn’t remember about it…

but those memories resurfaces time after time. You’re her friend so you probably remember how she wanted to go back there about a year ago. I have convinced her not to go… see… if she would remember everything on her own in the safety of her home, then maybe it would be a bit different and safer… but she hasn’t. Not yet… If she remembers things while she’s there… I can’t predict what might happen… but even if she doesn’t remember anything… still… she might start confusing real life…her choices… she might forget what is important…

I’m telling you all of this… I believe you need to get there as soon as possible. You know your friend best and you can’t find her and convince her to leave… she had difficulty leaving the place first time round, right?”

Sayaka was already breathing erratically, since she started panicking and searching for her car keys. “Yeah… she said that… it is the only place where Yuko can be herself…and be really happy…”

Another deep sigh from the therapist made Sayaka even more uncertain. “That’s why I didn’t want her to go back there… it is too late to think about that… she hasn’t been gone for long, right? Get there as soon as possible… convince Oshima Yuko to get back home…and drive straight to my office. I’ll stay here… I still have my patients but I will take you both in as soon as you get here… you should hurry”.

That therapist didn’t need to repeat it twice since Sayaka was already running out of the apartment, leaving pretty much everything except her phone and keys behind. Oshima Yuko was her priority at the moment.





It was another amazing day with Acchan. I couldn’t help but keep on smiling or even laughing. Some of her jokes, I didn’t understand, but still, whenever Acchan laughed out loud, I couldn’t stop myself and just laughed along her.

We spend most of our time holding hands and she mentioned, that we visited almost all the places that Acchan really liked. I have never thought that I could feel so secure in the forest… I wouldn’t have gone there on any other occasion and especially not alone. You could get lost and near the lake, there wouldn’t even be people who could help you out. I knew that it is a dangerous activity but spending as much time with Acchan as possible, was worth it.

I only wished that I could stayed there for the rest of my life. Who wouldn’t want to stay somewhere that they feel like themselves, where you don’t need to think about people judging you, responsibilities that you’re forced to comply with whether you like it or not. You don’t need to think about that when you’re near the lake. This place has that special affect.

After another special day, we went back to the bridge where I first met Atsuko and for the first time during the day she let go of my hand. Actually, it was also the first time during this day when I felt cold. Is it just because I couldn’t touch her anymore? I wasn’t sure… the heat got back when I noticed her throwing her shirt away and smiling cheekily at me.

“Come on. Let’s go for a swim!”

She didn’t wait for my reply and jumped into the water, splashing some of it outside, then re-surfing and swimming a bit further away.

Atsuko laugh at loud after noticing that I panicked slightly. I’m not sure why I did though… is that has something to do with the water? Maybe I just don’t want to get inside because it might be too cold?

“Join me!”

I smiled still nervous. I really wanted to go in. I even felt compelled to do so… but what is stopping me? Why I am standing frozen in a place? Why is Atsuko swimming so far away?





While driving the car Sayaka remembered one thing that she really wanted to ask, but because of all the rushing and panic didn’t get to do it before.
Without thinking about it she called the therapist once again, immediately speaking up before she forgets about again. “Hey… I’m on my way there… just… one thing… I have just realized that I didn’t know it and maybe Yuko had mentioned it to you…”

“You can ask. If I can… I’ll tell you”.

Sayaka cough while pressing the pedal and asked quite simply, not really thinking that much about it “maybe you know the name of that friend… the one who drawn 10 years ago?”

“Mmm… yes, Yuko actually mentioned it few times… during the hypnosis. I guess there is no harm in telling you it…
her name was…

Maeda Atsuko”.


Complete
Just Tell Me It's Not The End (Kojiyuu)  [2015]
Consequences (MaYuki, JuriYuki, JuriMayu)  [2015]
Money Can't Buy You Happiness (WMatsui, Atsumina, MaYuki) [2015-2016]
New Love (RinoRie, MaYuki + Others) [2015-2016]
OS Corner + Other Short Stories [2015-2016]
- My Rommate From Hell, Literally (KojiYuu) + How I Fell For My Idiot Roommate (sequel)
- Searching for Happiness (WMatsui)
KitaRie dedicated OS Collection [2016]
Angel of Death (Atsumina) ~Oneshot~ [2016]








On-Going
Dating Game (Multi-Pair)
Psychotics (Multi-Pair)
All I Want Is You (Kojiyuu, JuriAnnin + Others)
The Lake (AtsuYuu)
Randomness: Cal's Stories Based on Prompts (Various)
You're the Worst (WMatsui + Others)
Running with the Wolves (Multi-pair)




~All of my on-going stories will continue in September~

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