Amore Mio || Sano Manjiro [✓ ]

⋆ ˚ 𖦹ْꓸ ⋆୨ chapter twenty-one ᵎᵎ

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪
╰┈➤ 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑 feeling strange. The room was very dark, the shades were drawn and it was unusually quiet. Outside were bustling noises of cars, and occasional sirens, not like the usual suburban apartment I was living in. I had an urge to call Mikey for a second, but my mind very quickly snapped back.

What the hell am I thinking?

I hadn't thought of Mikey in such a long time. After what happened in the past, Mikey disappeared, 12 years ago. Then my scrambled mind realized where I was. The strange feeling went away, leaving me feeling right at home. The odd uncomfortable sensation a few seconds ago had completely vanished, to where I couldn't even wrap my head around it anymore.

That's right, after that I was forced to move on with my life. I am an adult now, not a kid in love. Working to keep myself alive.

After getting my thoughts in order, I started to wonder what had happened to Sano Manjiro. I really did like him when I was younger, I thought we'd have maybe spent our whole lives together. It was a shame how things turned out.

It was as if the past was calling back to me, because my phone screen lit up with a notification from an unknown number. Quickly, I opened it and answered. A tinge of hope stung my mind, and my body felt suddenly excited.

Could it really be?

__ __

✆ "Hello? (Name)?" A familiar voice spoke over the phone.

"Ah, Takemichi is that you? I haven't heard from you in ages." I sighed, a little disappointed, yet still happy. After the incident from the past, all of us drifted apart. Maybe this was our chance to reconnect.

✆ "Yeah it's me! Say, do you want to meet up with Hina? Her brother, Naoto, is driving me now. We can pick you up if you want, it's on the way." The names of my past made my heart burst with nostalgia and excitement. I agreed to his offer immediately, hanging up and getting ready quickly.

__ __

Driving with them was slightly awkward. For one, I wasn't sure what to talk about with them. I hadn't seen Takemichi in 12 years, and I scarcely ever came across Naoto in that time. The atmosphere in the car was at least calm, so I instead looked out the window at the passing buildings.

Thankfully, we arrived to Hina's place not too long after I had gotten into the car. We were walking in the direction of her door, until Takemichi suddenly stopped.

"Actually Naoto, I don't think I'll be meeting with Hina after all." Both of us turned our heads, confused on why he was only now chickening out.

"What's the matter all of a sudden?" Naoto raised his eyebrows and shifted to face Takemichi head on.

"I saved her life, but it's not like she knows that. I'm just a complete stranger. If she can live a happy life then that's good enough for me." He started to turn and walk the other way. I had no idea what to say to him, but I followed him anyways. We were walking down the stairs, when he stopped again.

"Takemichi, I think you should meet with her, I'm sure she would be happy to see you."

"I appreciate you coming along (Name), but I'm just going to go back to my old life now. You can go meet with her-" Almost as if it was fate, a young woman bumped into the adult man.

Even if her hair was longer, and her appearance had changed with time, I knew exactly who it was.

"Takemichi?" She spoke in a very soft voice. Her expression was that of surprise and joy, just like I knew she would react if she saw him. She turned toward me as well, her mouth still agape. "And (Name)..."

Takemichi started to cry, nonstop. She asked if anything was wrong, but he denied it, still continuing to cry. She simply gave us a warm smile. "Takemichi, you're always showing up out of nowhere."

__ __

She took us back to her apartment room, but this got too awkward so Naoto suggested a drive. I sat in the back with Hina, while the two guys stayed in front.

I found it easier to catch up with her this way.

"So, how have things been?" I said, nudging her shoulder; eager to hear all the details I missed in those long 12 years.

"I have been good, it's great to see you after so long. You've grown to be so pretty." Hina giggled, touching my arm. "But hey... did you ever find Mikey?" Her sudden question made me pause.

"No..." I replied slowly. Hina let out a sad sigh, rubbing my arm in reassurance. "Enough about me though, you should catch up with Takemichi!" I whispered in her ear. She nodded, both of us giggling.

"Hey stop the car!" She said to her brother. Hina suggested that her and Takemichi take a walk, motioning for me to do so as well. I wanted to leave them be, I was beginning to feel like the third wheel anyways. So I took this time for myself.

I was in a state of contempt right now, a moment of peacefulness. Although I missed Mikey all of a sudden, I was so glad to reunite with Hina and Takemichi.

Maybe things could go back to old times?

__ __

I found myself by the bathrooms. Takemichi had come out of it, faced soaked in water. Then another tall man stopped him and they exchanged a few words. Takemichi seemed surprised suddenly, and he darted off toward the parked car. The ominous man starting walking off in my direction.

The man noticed me, and then started walking faster toward where I was standing. Out of fear, I began to run toward Takemichi, trying to catch up with him. We both made it to the parking lot, I was just a few feet behind Takemichi, far enough to where he could not see me. I would have continued running up to him, but I watched in horror as a big truck slammed itself into Naoto's car.

The last thing I heard was Takemichi screaming Hina's name. Then, the shadow of a tall man loomed from behind me, and I was falling toward the ground. Blood pouring over my eyes, and an immense pain at the back of my head.

•
•
•
┊
┊
╰┈➤ EDITED ♡