𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐒 - 𝐒. 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐀

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

TWENTY-FOUR
_____

       Home. What is home?

       It could be a structure with its exterior and interior walls painted, with bricks or wood outlining the buildings. It houses living beings or maybe even just a single being that protects them from the different natural phenomena that occurs on Earth, with each sturdy wall and its ceiling serving as a barrier that cages themselves from the outside.

       Homes were lively, with each silent spaces of its insides are overlapped by joyful chattering that these beings create as they told stories about their own amusing experiences.

       Homes were filled with a comforting aura that hugged the living beings inside, lifting up the negativities that are weighing over their shoulders because it gave them the opportunity to ease up from the stresses of the outside world.

       Homes are where hearts always come back to, no matter how long they have gone away.
What is a home, when the house that Sayo lives in had cracked walls and ceilings that caused water to seep into its surface? Dusts rested over places that were never noticed and walked over – some of the liquids that had accidentally gone inside have combined to cover parts of the floors with a dirty substance.

       It was silent with no idle chattering and chatting happening besides the silent whistle of the wind that would flow by, and the birds that would fly over their houses that filled up the silence.

       It was silent but Sayo never really minded; she was not fond of loud noises anyway.
Though it suddenly turned a bit louder the moment when Shinsuke decided to enter her life. He was not loud – no, he was rather quiet most of the time, though he gave out honest words that at least contrasted the empty silence that resided within herself and it gave her the voice to turn herself around – it gave her the chance to be able to express herself even through the smallest ways.

       And for once in her life after quite a long time, Sayo was able to experience what a home felt like. It was not sad; it was not gloomy; it was not filled with dull grey's and blue's because all she could see was vibrant color; and it was not suffocating silence, instead it was a comforting one.

       It was the kind of quiet that could instantly utter to her with no words that 'everything is going to get better'.

       Sayo will always be thankful for Shinsuke's existence, though she would never admit that to him – at least, not yet.

       "Hello, Sayo." Shinsuke greets as he steps toward where they usually sat. Sayo missed the purple hues of the Wisteria flowers that now sat beside her, so she decided to eat at this place once again. Though, it was mostly for the sole reason of eating with Shinsuke as well.

       Sayo bit on her bottom lip before her eyes nervously made contact with his brown ones, unsurely bringing her hand up to give him a short wave and a greeting, "Uh, h-hey Shinsuke..."

       She immediately looks down once again and continues to stuff her mouth with fish crackers like she was previously doing before he got there.

       He furrows his brows as he sat down, bringing out his lunch to place it over his lap to begin eating. He then asked, "Why are you acting like that?"

       "Like what?" She asked dumbly.

       He motions towards her lips then answered, "Like that. You always bite your lip when you feel uncomfortable or nervous, and you also press your index and thumb together." He cocks his head to the side before straight-forwardly asking, "Is it because of our kiss last Saturday?"