ai | s. manjiro & m. takashi

にじゅう

Ai woke up to puffy eyes the following day and had no plans in cooling her eyes the moment she got up from her bed. If she was going to school with swollen eyes then so be it.

From this day forward, things were going to become rough on her. The pressure she constantly faces in the ballet academy (as there was only a few days left before the actual day of the show), the loss of her two closest friends to her and Taiju now being home.

Ai always felt free whenever Taiju was away. She felt free to do anything she pleases, but now, it felt like even her breathing was suffocating her.

"Are you going to school now?" Taiju asks in a soft tone when he saw Ai descend down from the staircase, only nodding her head to answer his question.

"What happened to your hair tie? You used to tie your hair into a ponytail. Did you lose your hair tie? I can always buy you new ones." Taiju offered. However, Ai shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes even. She knew that he was trying to make amends with her, but she wasn't prepared for it yet. 

"Here you go." Taiju spoke once more, handing her crumpled up 5,000 yen papers into the palm of her hand.

Even when she was on her way out of their house, she refused to meet his gaze and just headed straight to the door with Yuzuha and Hakkai. Once out of the house and in the corner of their neighborhood, Ai took out the crumpled paper money and divided it again into the three of them.

"Don't ask again. Just accept it." She spoke quietly, lifting her head up to look at Hakkai. "Hey nii san"

"Hm?" Hakkai hums, pocketing the money she gave him.

"Where's Hanagaki san's house?" She asks

"Three blocks away from us. You'll probably get there in fifteen to twenty minutes." He says, "Why'd you ask?" It was his turn to ask her.

Smiling a little, Ai tilted her head to the side. "Just thought that I should pay him a visit."

As the three of them were about to go into their separate directions, Ai slowed down in her walking pace, tilting her head back to see if Hakkai and Yuzuha were far enough from her before turning to walk into a different direction. Towards Takemichi's house.

And just like Hakkai's words, it took her fifteen minutes to his house, seeing the house that says 'Hanagaki residence'. Slowly, she raised her hand and knocked on the door thrice.

"How may I help you?" A woman who looked like in her forty's said, smiling at her.

"I'm a friend of your son, Takemichi." Ai beams, "Is he home?"

"Nice to meet you, darling. He's in his room upstairs with a few of his friends as well." She said, opening the door for her.

"Thank you so much!" Ai takes a step inside, removes her shoes by the doorway and heads upstairs. Following the sounds of voices, it came from the room in the end of the hallway. Walking closer, she knocked on the door.

"Mom we're fine. We don't need- Ai?!" Takemichi gasps, jumping back as he sees her in front of his door.

"Hi! I thought I should pay you a visit!" Ai smiles

"Is that Ai? Idiot, Takemichi let her inside!" Makoto shouts

"Don't keep the girl waiting!" Yamagishi backs up

"I swear these two only act like this when Ai's around" Akkun sighs, slowly shaking his head. Takuya was the only one among the four of them who couldn't speak up when she's around them, afraid that he would stutter in front of her.