Invisible@rnd: Eri is almost always the "poor thing" huh. Why do I like to emotionally abuse her and physically abuse Risa?
@Kuro-san: *bawls* ERI!!! *sobs* Nowadays I can't look at her name and not cry
@Kuji: Where did you go girl!??!? Come back from wherever you are hiding. Lol! You really wanna make this go full circle don't you
Doki Dorky 1@mode107: Seishun Academy sounds good! I'll keep that in mine when I have to write about the school name again. And thanks for supporting this fic
@Hashire-san: I'll be looking forward to my updates too
Only problem is I have not completed the next chapter of it
@rnd: I can't wait for more B&B as well! Though I'm guilty of falling into lurker mode recently. But I still luvz your writing! Please abuse AiGaki more
@Kuro-san: Thank you! I loves me AiGaki
@Sukoshi-chan: How can anyone who looks like Ai not have everyone entranced?
Oooh Aidoru High is good too. Can I have 2 names for this school? As for now, I still don't know how to fit Reina in. I'll see if it's feasible to have 07 as the janitor.
@BS: Hey! I can do happy fics ya know...although it might be a little hard. You should tell AA to stop giving me incredibly sadistic ideas. That girl is good at those. Ai is just nervous, no speech problems. Did I ever tell you I had an Eng teacher who thought I had speech problems?
@Thor87: Gaki is a smart bully
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3285"Where are you now? Are there any buildings you see?"
"I don't know...I don't recognize anything."
I snapped my cell phone shut but my smile lingered on as I recollected how you sounded in the call. Your voice was a little lost but it was still incredibly cute. I wondered if I was the only one who thought this way, that everything about you was cute. Unfortunately I knew that was far from the truth. Because although you refused to admit it, there were quite a number of people after you. Who could blame them? For you were the most perfect person I know.
As I retook my place on my bed, I thought about what you were doing right now. Were the directions I provided enough for you to find your way to the venue of your appointment with your high school classmates? They had come to Tokyo for a visit and regardless of your busy schedule, you were obliged to meet them tonight.
In actuality, you didn't tell me in detail what you were doing after work today. It was only when I texted you did I realize you were headed to a restaurant. It was a good thing I had messaged you or you would never have sought help despite being lost. It was almost always like this, I had to message you first before we could have any contact. Sometimes I wished you would take the initiative to reach out to me. Am I childish to think like this?
*beep*I jumped at the melody emitting from my phone and flipped it open excitedly, expecting to see your reply. Maybe you were going to talk about the restaurant, the food or fill me in on the recent happenings related to your friends. However, it was none of the above.
Heyo Gaki-han! Wanna have dinner with me and Sayu tomorrow?With significantly less enthusiasm than before, I typed swiftly on the keypad of the gadget.
Sure. Just tell me the place and time after you guys have decided.Though the KameShige pair and I have agreed to have meals together at least once a month, deep in my heart, it was really you whom I wished to spend more time with.
Giving up on you texting me anytime soon, I fell backwards onto the mattress and closed my eyes, thinking that I could rest for a while before going to take a bath. It had been a tiring day for me as I had completed a ten hour long radio recording just an hour before. Unfortunately, sleep didn’t come immediately as my mind wouldn't stop functioning. Images of you kept appearing and I could do nothing to stop them. Your face, your smile, and all the little things you did.
~Flashback #1~"Do you know what day is today?"
"Thursday 26th August 2010?"
Staring into your wide and genuinely clueless eyes, I wondered if you were teasing or did you really forget. Forcing a smile though I felt somewhat dejected that I didn’t get the answer I was hoping for, I pushed on.
"Nope. Guess again."
"Erm...the second day of your.... menstrual cycle?"
You whispered the ending of your sentence softly, as if afraid that someone would overhear our discussion of this sensitive topic.
Observing your beautiful face filled with graceful features, all of which I had memorized in detail for the last nine years, I realized I
couldn't roll my eyes nor blame you in spite of how hurt I felt at the moment. In fact I almost laughed out at your adorable response.
"It's our ninth anniversary silly."
Jerking your head up in astonishment when you heard these words, your doe-like eyes searched mine.
"Already? Nine years?"
Nodding slowly at your obvious bewilderment, a bright smile spread across my face.
Nothing has changed, I still love you as much as I did the first time I saw you.~End of Flashback~-----
The continuous vibration of my phone lying next to my head woke me up. I must have drifted off to sleep while waiting for your message. Sitting up groggily, I rubbed at my weary eyes for a moment before turning around to pick up my phone. Flicking open the device, I grinned when I read your message.
I'm so bored! And it's so cold in here!In my mind's eye, I could see you sitting quietly at the table, not knowing what to say or do. I predicted you were possibly fidgeting
with your hands.
Mou...Ai-chan, why didn't you bring a jacket? Order a warm drink. NOW!I chuckled to myself, imagining your expression when you received my reply. Would you smile? I hoped you would, because when you were happy, it made me glad too.
Are you bullying me? Risa-chan is mean I froze when I read your reply, unable to believe that you had indeed referred to me as Risa-chan. It was the second time today. The first was when you called in and spoke to me live on the radio show I was hosting. It had been a long time since you last used this name. It had always been Gaki-san in the recent years.
~Flashback #2~Gaki: And it seems we have a call waiting so… Hello~!
Ai: That you Risa-chan?
Gaki: EH?! Really?!
Ai: Was yesterday’s Korean food yummy?
Gaki: Wait, wait, wait, wait. Hold up... What? Aichan?
Ai: Hello, I’m Takahashi Ai.
Gaki: What? Why? No way! Why?! Eh, Aichan?!
Ai: Yes it’s me!
Gaki: Why?!
Ai: EH? …I just wanted to try calling.
Gaki: Eh~ Why is it Aichan~?! Ehhh~
Ai: Are you doing your best~?
Gaki: Hahaha and your accent came out, even the Fukui-ben too huh.
Ai: Uh huh. Do your best!
Gaki: Haaa~ A giant smile just spread across my face. I was very
nervous, but you cleared it all for me!
~End of Flashback~As soon as I snapped out of my daydream, I happened to catch a glimpse of my reflection in the dresser mirror. It was clear I was a picture of bliss and it only made me more certain that I was truly in love with my best friend. Someone whom I had secretly loved for so long.
“Ai-chan… Ai-chan…”
I sighed. Why do you have such a strong hold over me? Everything about you affects me immensely. I cry when you are down, I laugh when you are happy. But most of all, I worry about you. Are you eating well, are you resting enough and are you stressed out?
“When did it all start?”
Standing up and walking over to the dresser, I picked up a framed photo of the two of us. It was taken way back when we were still
children of 15 and 13.
~Flashback #3~“Mama doesn’t want us to meet up so often.”
I watched the tears slip from your eyes as you sniffed a couple of times. Raising one hand to brush away the falling droplets, I used my other hand to cup your cheek.
“Papa told me the same thing. He said it was the company’s orders.”
Although I was still young, I knew that the adults were plotting to keep us apart. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t stay with Ai-chan.
I liked being with her, and I think she felt the same with me. We made each other happy and that’s all that matters, isn’t it?
“Risa-chan…”
You started to say but I cut you off, my own voice so unwavering that I was shocked at the level of my determination.
“Let’s run away together. To a place where nobody can find us.”
~End of Flashback~Looking back on our past actions, it was undoubtedly a stupid idea to escape to the mountains during wintertime. We weren’t suitably dressed and the freezing temperatures did little to aid our plan. My memory has become a little fuzzy after all these years. But I do
distinctively remember that throughout the duration when we were hiding under a jutting rock, I never left your side.
*Buzzzzz*The doorbell rang, breaking me out of my reverie. Placing the photo back down, I exited my bedroom to enter the living room followed by the foyer. Peeking through the peephole, my eyebrows arched when I recognized the figure standing beyond the door. Unclasping the lock and swinging the front entrance open, I stared at you astounded.
“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at the dinner?”
“I got bored?”
You returned my dazed look with a smirk and pushed past me into the apartment.
“What was Risa-chan doing all this time?”
You flopped down on the sofa and kicked your shoes off, sinking comfortably into the seat. Going to sit down beside you, I asked.
“Are you sure it’s fine to leave your friends there? It’s barely 9…”
I wasn’t able to finish my sentence as a pair of hands had grabbed onto both sides of my cheeks to turn my face around from glancing at the wall clock.
“Don’t you want me here? With you?”
That was all you said as you leaned in nearer and eliminated the distance between us. I felt your warm lips crash upon mine and your
slightly cold hands slide down from my face to my shoulders. Wrapping my arms around your waist, I pulled you close, allowing myself better access to run my hands over your thigh.
I wasn’t sure how long we spent making out but I knew it wasn’t enough. I couldn’t keep my hands off you. I wanted every part of you
to myself. I wanted you to belong to me only.
“Ai-chan…”
I murmured in a low tone. Our foreheads were resting against each other’s as I gazed into your eyes.
“Are you sure?”
Smiling sweetly at me, you replied as a light blush colored your cheeks.
“I was convinced from that day nine years ago when you didn’t leave me behind in the mountains.”
“You remembered?! I thought you had forgotten everything after that fever you came down with when we were found.”
Gasping aloud at the sudden revelation, I was taken aback at the turn of events. If Ai didn’t forget our past, why didn’t she tell me that
she knew?
“I’m sorry I hid it from you all this time. But I wasn’t ready to take this step…until now. You’re not mad are you?”
Studying my expression with uneasy eyes, you held your breathe, unsure of what I might say next.
"I'm not mad. How could I ever be angry with you?"
Throwing your arms around me, you hugged me tight and laid your head on my shoulder, making me a promise that I could forsake anything and everything for.
“It's nine years late, but for the next nine years, and every nine years after this, we will always be together."
Lifting your chin with my finger, I pecked you on the lips again. Taking longer than necessary to end our kiss, I beamed.
"Happy anniversary Ai-chan, my love of a lifetime.”
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The radio show didn't take place on the 26th but for the purpose of this fic, let's pretend it was
Special thanks to Asianqueen for the translation of AiGaki’s phone conversation. I didn’t include the full transcript in the fic but you
should check out her blog. Cuz she has some amazing stuff there.
Thanks also goes to AA for the ideas that she suggested. It's rare she requested for a happy fic this time