TIMELESS

Weather Changes

The bell on the door to the small shop chimed as Takemichi entered. He looked around before his eyes settled on Hina behind the counter writing some things down. He held his breath before walking over to the counter and clearing his throat. Coming back to the future meant him having to break things off with Hina all over again. But this time he'd do things the right way. He'd tell her the truth from the start.

"Takemichi? It's rare for you to come to my job. Is everything ok?"

"Not exactly.. Uh do you have a moment?"

"Sure. Let me just tell my boss I'm heading on break," Hina headed into the back room before coming back up front and leaving her apron hung up behind the counter. She followed Takemichi out, finding a bench for the two of them to sit on. Takemichi took a long inhale and held his breath for a moment before releasing it. The sky above them was gloomy, which was fitting for what was about to happen. The gray clouds were somewhat ominous, and the unsettling feeling grew in his eyes as they landed on the green charm dangling from Hina's neck. A flash of memories hit Takemichi's brain like a wave, the memories of him always being her hero, the memories of her never leaving his side, the memories of her support of him. But as he reflected back on those moments they began to blur into black and white. Everything grew fuzzy. Yet all of a sudden the memories were placed with more colorful ones.

The bright smile on her face as they waited in line for the rollercoaster at the fair. The way her fingertips wrapped around her headphones as she pulled them off to listen to whatever Michi had to say. The way her hand wrapped in his as they drove their way home after their one date. The latex dress that hugged her body tightly, the jealousy he felt seeing her with someone else. Her finger tips gently touching the tattoo he once had. Those same fingertips getting tangled in his black hair while he was deep inside her. Every time she had died. Every time he had fucked things up, and tried to restart. Takemichi didn't even realize tears began to form in his crystal blue eyes. 

"Takemichi?"

"Hina, I have jumped one too many times to avoid a future that I thought was wrong. But it's so right and now I've fucked up. I woke up next to someone else a-and I felt so guilty for everything we ever went through, I loved you so much and I thought it was wrong. But I met her in the past, and I don't think that future was wrong. You can hate me. You can be mad at me. You can beat me up. I fell so hard for her and I just couldn't help it.. I want to fix things, I want everyone to be happy. I can't lose her again. But I also don't know If I can forgive myself if I hurt you," Takemichi covered his face with his hands. He was too embarrassed and ashamed of himself to even look her in the eyes. The two sat on the cool bench in a silence Michi too afraid to do anything else or say anything else. His head sat up as he felt a hand pull one of his hands off of his face.

And there was that smile.

"Takemichi it's okay. How many times do I have to tell you to worry about what makes you happy? If in our future we aren't meant to be, if in your future you're happy with her then find that happiness. You're beating yourself up so much Michi. Give yourself a chance," she squeezed his hand. He nodded absentmindedly. 

"I'll always be around for you Michi. You know that. Girlfriend or not."

"Thank you Hinata," he gave her a tight hug. It was probably the tightest hug he could have ever given her, as he figured it would probably be the last. They said their somber goodbyes before Takemichi stood from where he was and pulled out his phone to check the time.

- 

Groaning as he threw his cards across the table and crossed his arms over his chest, Mikey sat angrily on his couch in his bedroom. The girl in front of him laughed as she gathered the cards up to clean them.