Note: Sorry about the long delay! But here it is the final part of chapter 7. So... yeah... this won't be pretty
olive29: Thank you very much for your kind words.
This chapter is heavy on the emotional front as well so I hope you like it.
Mashioou: Mariko does seem to like affectionately trolling Sayaka doesn't she?
I like Kojiyuu too, don't worry, I just like Mariharu a little more haha.
Yuuyu: Yeah... Rena's going through the wringer this time
... Thank you very much for reading.
Again, thank you very much to everyone reading this fic. I hope you'll like this one as well.
Chapter 7
Final Part
: : : :
Rena watches her hands clumsily fasten that one stubborn button on her coat, shaking slightly from the cold, as the blue cloth gradually gets spotted by white. Rena blinks, and the spots had become spots of a darker blue before being covered by the falling snow once again. Failing again with that one button—it was a whole history of battles that she had never won since she bought that coat in her first year—she pulls the sides of the wool beret that she was wearing in slight irritation, causing her fringe to cover her eyes farther.
She tries to watch the world through the strands of her hair for awhile in curiosity before swiping them away. The whole campus before her was succumbing to winter, green gradually being covered by the steadily falling snow, leaves disappearing under a precarious canopy of white, the space before her dotted with the physical representation of the falling chill. Rena watches as students lazily make their way to classes, pulling on their coats and rubbing their hands together, the path that they had taken remaining long after they had left.
The gloves that she had placed beside her on the wooden bench feels cold when she pulls it on, Rena yawns and closes her eyes for a moment, imagines the History class that she had missed because of being here, imagines Yuki looking oddly at her empty seat.
This isn’t something that a friend would do.“Rena-san!”
Rena opens her eyes to a ball of snow exploding in her face.
Jurina didn’t look sorry at all.
It wasn’t right to think it but she was missing her already.
: : : :
Jurina drops down next to her, shrugging off the snow still on her hair from Rena’s retaliation, still so enthusiastic even in the lulling cold morning. Rena reaches out a hand to help her... thinks better of it and pulls it back quickly to tangle in her own hair before the younger girl notices.
She notices the big backpack seated in between them and looks disbelievingly at Jurina. “This is all you’re bringing?” she asks as the other girl noisily zips up her leather jacket.
Jurina nods absentmindedly as she finishes her task before facing Rena with a smile again, “Yup! Is there something wrong?” she asks, but from her tone Rena knows that she’s just baiting her.
“Ok then.” She answers plainly, watching as Jurina instantly frowns at her.
“There clearly is. Aren’t you going to ask why I brought only this much?” she follows up almost with a whine and Rena turns a little to hide her smile.
“You don’t seem to be bothered by it...so—“
“—Rena-san~”
Rena allows the smile to graze her face as she turns again to finally ask Jurina why. To her confusion, the girl only blinked back at her for awhile, staring until Rena could feel the warmth on her cheeks successfully chasing away the encompassing chill, until Rena feels embarrassed for
both of them and waves her hand in front of the other girl.
Jurina acts like nothing has happened, and like how things have been between them lately, they both smile determinately and glosses over that ‘irregularity—anomaly’ in their
friendship.
“We’ve agreed to go backpacking across Arizona! Tomu said we were all insane and that she wants better friends and Annin contemplated not coming but they were overruled by the majority. It’s better to travel lightly, you know.”
Rena agrees with Tomu and Annin, whoever they maybe... and wonders how Shinoda-san had allowed her sister to leave the country on ‘a chase for the sun’(Jurina’s words, not hers) only with that puny—well it wasn’t really—bag. She was about to say so when Jurina glances at her wristwatch and jumps off the bench, sinking slightly as the the built up snow gives way under her feet.
“Well... I have to go, I’m picking up Annin to make sure she doesn’t actually ditch us.” She says as she stands there almost expectantly in front of Rena.
“Okay, I’m pretty sure you guys won’t be smelling nice when you come back but have fun anyway.” Rena answers, tightening her hold on the edges of the wooden bench with both of her hands, and forcing a teasing smile at Jurina. Jurina sticks out her tongue in revenge for a moment but still stood there, holding on one of the straps of her dangling bag with both hands.
“Don’t miss me too much, okay?” she finally says with a voice that almost breaks at the end, erasing the teasing manner she initially adopted to say it. Her smile looks pained for a moment and Rena feels that sinking in her stomach again... she feels ill again. It would only be two weeks and Rena shouldn’t think that she’ll miss her this much.
“Just come back soon, so I won’t.”
: : : :
Masana was staring at a group of middle school students chatting on the table next to them, gliding her finger on the screen of her phone on the table absentmindedly, that wistful smile never leaving her face. And Rena wouldn’t really have noticed since she was becoming increasingly befuddled and sleepy from the text on her book if only Yuki wasn’t pointing at Masana disbelievingly with large exaggerated hand movements.
None of them were really even in the realm of progress in their studying. Churi—Takayanagi Akane—sitting next to Rena and taking pictures of them, had long surrendered, her constant clicking only interspersed with yearnings for vacation.
“Masanya... we’re going to get reported, please stop.” Rena tries, throwing a fry her friend’s way. Masana blinked once and colored immediately.
“Give me that, Churi! Don’t tag a picture of us with #lolicontime... what is wrong with you? The Watanabes are going to fire me if Mayu sees this!”
“Watanabe-chan’s not a loli anymore...” Masana says in contemplation almost regretful and Rena chews on her melon pan feeling a headache coming at the absurd conversation happening around her. Her phone vibrates and Rena opens the e-mail to Jurina’s dirty face.
___________
Subject: Almost got killed!
From: Jurina-chan <3-------------------
Rena rolls her eyes and contemplated changing again the name that Jurina used to input her details on Rena’s phone.
___________
I tried to tease Annin a little while we were trudging around the Grand Canyon(Picture coming up!) earlier but she pushed me so hard I almost fell off! That near death experience only made me realize that I miss Rena-san a lot!(^o^) How’s your studying going? I find it helpful to look at cute panda videos once in a while to clear my head. This method is Mari-chan approved!______________
Rena glances sideways at Yuki, clamping her lips tightly to prevent the amused smile that she knows is coming. Her best friend was still inspecting Churi’s photos for incriminating pictures and tags, Masana and Churi both lamenting every deleted picture—Rena lets a quiet smile slip pass and settles farther in her seat, clutching her phone with both hands.
Jurina had been gone for almost two weeks and Rena had found herself—like how she did that week that Jurina ignored her—anxious for...contact. That weight in her stomach falls heavier whenever she receives these playful messages and those increasingly haggard pictures, she feels oddly lonely seeing Jurina’s smiling face.
She’d always been a little bit selfish... just great at denying it to herself most of the time.________________
Subject: Soap
To: Jurina-chan <3
--------------------------
You don’t seem to be that worried about almost dying though, Jurina-san. Please remember to take a bath once in a while.
Our studying...is not going. You did seem to be having a lot of fun watching those videos instead of studying. Let’s watch them together when you get back.--------------------------
Rena closes her eyes and pushes a drawn out sigh through her teeth...
she shouldn’t have included that last part. Her phone vibrates again and Rena almost didn’t want to read Jurina’s reply.
-------------------------
I want to go back now then. 
-------------------------
Yuki had her lips pursed staring at her when Rena averts her eyes from the screen and from the way her friend was looking at her, Rena didn’t need the warmth rapidly migrating to her cheeks to know that she was blushing.
Yuki wasn’t smiling teasingly at her though... they both knew that it was a problem.
: : : :
Haruna would have probably laughed at Minami’s face if the situation was different—
she had never turned down an opportunity to laugh at the shorter girl. Her friend looked so scandalized and confused, pushing herself to the edge of her seat and almost sliding off of it to disappear under the table, her eyes shifting from every person in the table. Haruna tries not to follow Takamina’s gaze though when she directs it in the general vicinity of Mariko, instead looking the other way only to be met with Sayaka’s equally confused face and Atsuko’s almost displeased expression, her fork still raised and the pasta gradually slipping off it.
It was supposed to be a fun night out for all of them though the ‘out’ part didn’t really come into fruition since both she and Sayaka were already tired from the rehearsals that they had done earlier for the fashion show and they both had absolutely no will left to walk around. Minami and Mariko was then bullied—
Mariko, more bribed that bullied really—to cook dinner for them and it was going around so smoothly: Minami was telling a story that no one was even vaguely interested about except Mariko who was laughing probably more at the storyteller that the story and Sayaka had already roped all of them to a karaoke session the next Saturday; Atsuko gobbled down the food and only stopped to embarrass Minami as usual and Mariko threw random puns—stolen from Jurina, definitely—at random times whenever Sayaka was saying something, her grin widening the more the other girl got irritated.
The conversation came into a painful halt however after Haruna asked Minami whether she wants to go to the mall with her, adding in a joke that she’ll try to fix her wardrobe, the next day since she had no one to accompany her. Mariko then asks—and Haruna really should have expected it—if ‘Nyaro’ had forgotten that she had already agreed to come with her.
Haruna had not forgotten... but she had not forgotten as well what almost happened that night in Ohori-san’s office and neither had she forgotten Sato-san’s message still sitting there in her inbox asking her if she wouldn’t mind if Mariko cancelled since he had just arrived from his office trip and wanted to spend more time with his girlfriend. That was how he phrased it—and people had always called her a bit of an air-head but even she could read the obvious possessiveness in that message.
Mariko went from smiling at her, mildly amused at her ‘forgetfulness’, to blank-faced, withdrawing from resting her chin on both her hands, as Haruna explained as casually as she could that she thinks that since Sato-san had just arrived yesterday Mariko should spend the day with him. She had pushed her plate suddenly the moment Haruna said Sato-san’s name, her hands balling up immediately almost to rein her frustration in.
Haruna watches as the older girl closes her eyes and breathes out a little, one hand coming up to run through her curled strands once before muttering a breathy apology and then remained silent staring at her lap. Haruna averts her gaze and the situation stayed like that for awhile.
Mariko was unfair. Haruna thinks as she watches Minami try to open her mouth before closing it again.
This wasn’t how a normal person in a relationship should be acting. Mariko was acting so negligent of Sato-san and Haruna, as her best friend, has to help her realize that... has to know her place. She won’t placate her because she wasn’t wrong this time.Atsuko surprises her when she grabs her own plate with one hand and Minami with the other. “Please,
please talk it out.” She says as she makes Minami grab Sayaka and marches them out of Mariko’s unit.
Haruna turns to Mariko, expecting her to say something—Mariko had always been the one who likes scolding her—but Mariko just continued staring at her lap and Haruna after playing with her utensils for awhile decides to break the silence.
“I’m not going to apologize.” She says firmly, wanting to quickly do the opposite after Mariko finally looks up, her eyes lined with unshed tears.
Mariko despite her personality had always been a bit of a cry baby. Haruna turns her attention to the utensils again and continues, “I—I think you two should spend more time together. You’ve been cold to him, Mariko—Sato-san’s... right... you shouldn’t be prioritizing me. I’m not young anymore, Mariko, I can take care of myself now. Sato-sa—“
“I don’t care about him!”
“Mari—“
“I know I’m selfish.” Mariko interrupts, smiling derisively at herself after, “I’ve always been—and I don’t care about him if you’re part of the equation. You know this... no matter how many times you or anyone else say that I’m too invested in you...it’s not going to change. I won’t care about anything else in a situation that involves you, Haruna.”
Haruna passes the spoon that she was holding from one hand to the other, bowing forward to allow her hair to fall a little and cover her face. She hears Mariko sigh in frustration and she grabs the spoon tighter to stop herself from turning just to see the look on the other woman’s face. “It’s not normal.” She says then, barely audible to her own ears. “I’m just your friend... Sato-san’s your boyfriend.”
“Haruna, would you at least look at me.” Mariko says, then scoffs a little when Haruna refuses with a shake of her head. “You’re my...best friend—“
There was that pause again, Haruna thinks as Mariko trails off for a moment,
What does it mean Mariko? What do you want me to say when you pause like that? Why can’t you just say what you mean, you know I hate puzzles.“—my best friend, I won’t put someone else above you when I’ve known you almost all my life... you say that I hardly spend time with him. I hardly spent any time with you when you moved out and became scarce all of a sudden—“
“It’s my fault now then, Mariko, huh?” She hears the bite in her words, this had really gotten old very fast and she never had that much patience to begin with.
“No! Haruna!” Mariko sounded on the verge of really crying, her words shaky despite its volume and Haruna finally turns to see Mariko angrily wiping her tears away. “This is so frustrating! I hate that Shinji’s meddling with us like this. Just—just what do you want me to do, Haruna?”
I want you to say what you actually want to say, instead of asking me what I want you to do all the time. The spoon clatters on the bowl as she lets it go to lean over the table and wipe some of Mariko’s tears away for her, she tries to smile gently despite the burning in her eyes. “I want us to stop acting like this. I hate fighting with you—we’re best friends right, Mari-chan? Let’s act like friends, huh... like how you act with Sayaka and Minami and Atsuko. I want you to go out with Sato-san tomorrow and act like a girlfriend. This way...this way... we won’t fight as much anymore.”
Mariko stares at her for awhile as Haruna lowers her hands, no longer crying, her cheeks slightly flushed and her lashes still wet and Haruna thinks, not for the first time, that Mariko was sometimes so pretty that it
hurts to look at her. She places her hands on the table and starts to move away.
Mariko grabs her and pulls—and Haruna thinks first before every thought is obliterated:
Mariko really never listens to what anyone wants—meeting her halfway as she rises slightly in her seat in a clumsy kiss that was every bit of that first kiss that they never had when they had dated as kids, not a thought given to technique just overwhelming emotions and the need to get closer—just a little bit closer... and Haruna knows that Mariko had answered her questions finally.
“Let’s be friends then, Nyaro.”
: : : :
Her heart was going to leave her chest the rate that it was going, Rena thinks, and closes her eyes as the dizzying panic overwhelms her again, her hands shaking as she tries to wrap it around her knob and pull...it was locked and Rena rattles it anyway wildly before almost dropping her clutch bag in her frenzied search for her keys.
The door opens and Rena takes shaky but hurried steps inside, giving up on the lights when she fails to locate the switch by touch once, and dazedly she makes her way to her bedroom, stubbing her toe so hard on an unknown furniture that tears sprang in her eyes almost immediately.
She can’t be bothered with it though as she continues, throwing her bedroom open and slamming it close. Her bed sinks down under her weight as she sits down at the edge of it and Rena doubles over to steady the whirring filling her ears and the unsteady ocean in her head. She takes up the frantic search of her clutch bag once again and her phone’s screen illuminates her face as she finds it.
Rena takes in calming gulps of air as she searches for her contacts.
The ringing raises her anxiety to almost impossible levels and Rena feels like being sick from the worry that takes over her.
“Moshi moshi? Rena-san?”
“Jurina-san...”
Shinoda-san looked for all the world like she had really just met Rena for the first time, offering her hand with a polite greeting, if only Rena hadn’t noticed the slight hardening of her jaw. Matsui-sensei calls her Mariko-chan, almost patronisingly, and didn’t seem that particularly pleased to see her and Shinoda-san kept her polite smile so well that Rena couldn’t tell if the sentiment was returned....Rena couldn’t really tell anything anymore since her heart started to palpitate so hard that she could hardly stay seated at that table.
It wasn’t so hard to guess who the connecting factor between them was.
The conversations in that restaurant started to become one loud, continuous buzzing that was making her head hurt and the sight of Shinoda-san talking about...Jurina... with her...father made Rena want to stand and run away.
Matsui. Matsui Jurina.“Hai? Did you miss me so much to actually call me?”
“I want to see you...I want to see you, Jurina.”
[TBC]
Final notes haha: Have you guys seen the Mae shika mukanee film ver. Jurina and Mayu were giving off severe Nezumi/Center vibes to me haha, well Jurina more than Mayu.
Lastly, Happy 17th Birthday to Jurina!
Topic: Just Missed my Stop- Chapter 8, part 1 (Wmatsui, MariHaru) 23/03/2014 (Read 22325 times)