BILLIE JEAN ( eddie munson.. ) ✔

005. Before You Go-Go..

The tallest hill Hawkins benefited from was Barry Carter's hideout every Friday night. Him, and the portable radio station on batteries that Barry had put every ounce of his skill into during his work breaks. And if anyone knew Japanese, then they'd understand the conversation which made him break his numbness for sincere smiles went somewhere along those lines.

"... and you told them you're taking a longer shift?" Laughter broke from the other side, a girl's voice, "Don't they know you hate that stupid cinema job?"

"Apparently not," Barry replied, just as invested in making fun of the situation. "Everyone's too on the edge at home to notice anything about each other."

Everyone but me, Barry held himself back from telling his friend over the radio.

"No one would admit it," he sighed in continuation, "but the way we lost mom threw us all off. There's a crack in our family. Even in me."

"I thought you used those incense rituals in your room, like I told you."

"I did. But it didn't help with the nightmares."

There was silence on his friend's side, compelling the awkwardness of a forced smile to show on his features and into his tone.

"But these Friday's of catching up with you are a blessing and that's mine alone."

Once again, silence came from her end. Barry's right hand fired towards the antenna, but right before he disturbed the already miraculously good signal, her laughter came through, "Because God forbid your father finds out you're keeping in touch with your Takayama Ane. Then he'd know too well that you are not over Japan."

"Yeah...," Barry bowed his head, embarrassed, but aware he shouldn't have expected anything else but being perfectly read by Ane.

"Gee, Barry," Ane chuckled, "if I didn't already know your type, I'd think you and I were in the midst of a one-sided secret relationship." After she had her fill of laughter, her tone dropped, "How are you holding up though?"

Barry hesitated before sighing into the communication line, "I'm alright." He didn't even believe himself. So Barry chuckled shortly, "Dad's being an annoying absentee. He thinks I am back to stay and it shows. Devin's a prick to Sam and Billie..." There, he halted his words and hesitated a little longer, remembering his sister's try that morning to call him by the nickname from when they were younger. "She's stuck in the past," he finally coldly added.

"That's all nice, but I asked about you, not about them," Ane sighed.

"Tsk, you got me," Barry's laugh turned into a deep sigh and though she couldn't hear that, he shrugged. "I'm just focusing on my routines. Staying active, making sure they're all safe and ready that when this job gets me enough money, they'll be okay with me leaving." There, a melancholic smile built on his features. "I am positive I'll make it back in time for Christmas."

"Christmas is a whole year away, sweetie."

His face, scrunched in a grimace, begged for her not to remind him of that, but the radio showed none of these finesse details through its strangely steady connection. Ane couldn't know of his expression any less than how she could not possibly be aware at least five different species of bugs have touched Barry's skin as he sat in the grass. There was no way for her to tell that it was windy and warm and humid and he was sweating and freezing at the same time.

"Enough about me," he cleared his throat quickly with a cough, "tell me about Japan."

"Japan is and will always be fine," Ane monotonously answered. "Nothing changed here... Crime rates keep going up in the city and no one dares to talk about it," her ironic laugh slipped through, shivering. "As I was saying, nothing changes here."