When We Were Young || JJK

13.

Hana waited for the text from her friend to come through, tossing and turning impatiently in bed as she watched her phone, flipping it open and closed over and over again. The screen finally lit up, letting Hana know Nanami was finally back from his mission, giving her permission to come by and talk in his dorm. And Hana did just that. She knocked on the blond boy's door, rocking back and forth on her heels as she listened to the footsteps get closer, the door swinging open and revealing the other teen.

"Hey, Hana. Come in." Hana nodded, stepping inside and surveying the room. It was covered with books. Books that were open, books that had dust collecting on them, books with bright covers and flamboyant titles, books with muted colors and ratty pages.

"Damn, 'Nami. I knew you were a nerd, but not this much of one." Hana joked, trying to lift the tension she knew she was about to create.

"I enjoy reading as a hobby. You can be transported without actually going anywhere."

"Ah, so travel for an introvert like you, got it." Hana chuckled, noticing a soft smile on her friend's face as she ran her fingers over some of the covers, picking up a few that she herself had previously read, making minor comments about them.

"So, what'd you want to talk about? You said it was important?" Nanami asked, sitting down at his desk while Hana stood, shifting uncomfortably.

"Uh, yeah. I've got some... News. I don't know if it's good or bad, so you can decide!" Hana's nervous laughter filled the room with an anxious feeling, the two teens becoming tense.

"Okay. Are you sure you want to tell me? You seem uncomfortable." Nanami pointed out, noticing Hana's neurotic behavior.

"Um... I'm not staying here. At Jujutsu Tech, I mean. I talked with Yaga and my family, and we all decided it was best for me and my health that I go back home and continue high school as a 'normal kid'." Hana put air quotes around the last words, wondering what a normal person actually was. Nanami was silent, his eye lids drooping slightly.

"Oh." The room was filled with silence, the quick breaths Hana was taking in blaring in her ears as they fought against nothing in being the loudest noise.

"I just... after what happened this year, with Yu, and Riko, and... Geto. I need to leave this place. Hopefully I'll be back one day, but I don't know when that's going to be." Hana admitted, rubbing the scar she had on her arm from her days with Riko.

"I understand." Nanami nodded, standing and walking over to the door, opening it for Hana to exit through.

"You're kicking me out?" Hana asked, puzzled by the boys reaction.

"No, I just thought you were done talking." Nanami didn't realize how standoffish he sounded while stating the fact, not wanting to admit that part of the reason he wanted the girl to leave was so she didn't see him throwing himself a pity party.

"I mean, I guess I was, but I wasn't expecting to have to do the walk of shame." Hana joked awkwardly, wandering over to her friend at the door.

"The walk of shame?"

"It's when- you know what? It doesn't matter. Promise you'll come see me up in Shibuya, yeah?" Hana gave the boy a closed eye smile, patting his shoulder as she walked out of the door, a pair of green eyes following her as she started to walk away. 

"Hana, wait." Hana stopped, turning around to see the final first year approaching her. Without warning, she was wrapped in a warm hug, taking a moment to adjust to the feeling, hugging back as she thought about leaving her friend behind. She didn't want to leave him alone, especially after what they'd been through, but it wasn't good for Hana's mental health, as had already been shown during her earlier months at the school.