the beauty of water: deep end | o. dazai ✔

chapter eighteen.

A day or two had passed since the Moby Dick crashed just outside of Yokohama. While the Agency and government were still dealing with some of the aftermath of the Guild's takedown, the citizens of the city were rebuilding what had been destroyed from Q's ability.

Some had assistance from the government, requested or not, while others took their businesses and homes into their own hands. (Y/n) got a firsthand view of the destruction the city had taken before and after the incident had been resolved. Now, after it was concluded, she walked along the somewhat clear sidewalk to a place she had once called home.

Memories of those two years flooded into her mind. Thoughts of the many times she had strolled along this road coming back to her as if she were making them all over again. Ranging from short-distanced deliveries to dragging Hinami back from the nearby bar after she had one too many drinks.

Rather than wear the basic uniform or fun outfit she wore on those past days and nights, she wore a gray plaid jacket over a black t-shirt and beige skirt with a pair of flats. She had her thigh holster hidden underneath her skirt. Her jacket was long enough to somewhat hide the bump that it formed, also hiding the weaponized letter opener within one of its pockets. While it wasn't her Agency attire, she and Yosano figured it would've been appropriate to wear when she broke the news.

It feels like almost yesterday I came here with Hinami to move into the penthouse above the Ripped Page, she thought as she avoided a collision with a family carrying various pieces meant to fix whatever building they needed to. I can't believe I'm coming back to tell her that I'll probably never return... Let alone that I almost killed her in the process...

(Y/n) hadn't even realized she had arrived until she nearly walked right into the door. She stopped herself, staring at the glass door as her eyes floated towards the bell right above. She eyed it, turning towards the window to her right as she realized that it had been almost completely shattered. Caution tape somewhat covered the hole, but a piece of cardboard fully shielded the store from whatever would fly through it.

She quickly opened the door, the bell ringing violently with her movements. She stepped inside, quickening her pace as she rounded the store, going in between each shelf to check the merchandise – both books and strange knickknacks.

"You don't have to do that, (Y/n)," Hinami said in her usual casual yet smooth tone. "I did that the second I got the okay to get out of bed."

(Y/n) swung her head towards her friend, spotting her behind the front counter. She was simply dusting the smooth surface, a clean white bandage tied around her head and holding down her long hair.

"Couldn't help myself." (Y/n) shrugged as she came out of the aisle, stuffing her hands into her jacket pockets as she approached the counter. "I thought you said that the store was fine."

"It was – until some dump teenagers decided they wanted to try and loot my store while I was down. Little did they know that even though a piece of my skull had literally cracked, I could still throw their skinny asses right back onto the street."

Her eyes fell towards the window. "Did... Did you throw a kid out the window, Hinami?"

"What? God no!" She chuckled, shaking her head gently. "One of the kids threw a rock at the window while they were running away. One more thing to clean up after the fight."

"By your tone, I'm guessing that you're feeling a lot better."

"Much." Hinami placed down the duster, rounding the counter as she got on the same side as (Y/n). "But I'm gonna guess that my wellbeing isn't the reason you're here."

(Y/n) felt her stomach do a backflip. Her chest tightened as well as her throat. Her mouth went dry. She wasn't sure what was worse – living with the fact that she was going to tell her friend she cracked her head open and was leaving, or having to tell her.