Toman's Little Sister

87 | Regret

If time told one thing, it told about regrets. Sometimes it takes just one second for regret to sink in. Other times, it takes years.

For Takemichi, he regretted almost his whole life. And suddenly, time gave him a second chance.

You gave him a second chance.

•••

"Oh, sorry." You turned, seeing the stack of boxes the person you bumped into held, tipping. You held your hand on one side of the stack. "You work at the record store, right?"

He poked his head out from behind the boxes. "Y-Yes..."

You flinched; you had never seen so much regret in someone's eyes. It was as if he were at a funeral.

"...Give me those."

"What?"

Your hands slipped under the stack of boxes he held.

"Oh, no, it's fi— Oh." He cut himself off, seeing you lift the stack of boxes with ease. "You're really strong."

"Mn." You sauntered into the store and placed the boxes near other boxes that you spotted. "I haven't played a record in so long."

"Did you like listening to them?"

"I used to dance with my big brother in the living room." You traced your hand over one of the records. Was it really regret you saw in his eyes?

When you glanced at him again, you saw him staring at his reflection with a frown.

"What's your name?"

"Huh?"

"Your name. What is it?" You asked again.

"I'm... Hanagaki Takemichi." He sounded hesitant. "You don't recognize me, so you?"

You shook your head. "Just the look in your eye, I recognize. But you're not who I'm thinking of."

The manager emerged from the back. "Ah, m'amm. Do you need anything?"

You hummed. "Damn Your Eyes, Etta James."

"Takemichi, go find it."

"Yes m'amm!"

You watched him scurry into the shelves and return with the record you wanted. "Thank you." He handed it to you and it slipped from your hands, making a slap to the floor.

"Oh, sorry!" He sank to the floor to pick it up.

"Why are you saying sorry? It's not your fault."

"No, I—"

You knelt down and picked it up yourself. "Don't sweat over it. Saying sorry doesn't rewind things, so just say sorry when you wish that you could." You slipped the record out of the sleeve. "See? It's fine."

As you paid for it, you saw the way his hands shook a bit, careful not to press something wrong or to drop anything. When he did, he said sorry again.