Rin's P.O.V:
I stood at a shiny navy-blue door, my hand reaching out for the silver knocker in the shape of a lions head. But I took a moment before knocking.
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He probably didn't even live here anymore? Apparently this was where he resided before the war was declared, and that was like, what? Seven years ago?
We'd been part of the same regiment and we trained together at the very beginning. Not that there had been much training time and we were almost immediately thrown out into the gunfire. We were basically headless chickens, both of us. But we eventually got the hand of it, got used to it. It was scarring and horrible but the fact I'd formed a friendship almost kept me going.
There was about 9 of us that formed a pact. A pact that we would find each other if we were ever split up. When you're spending 24 hours a day for weeks on end with people, you tend to form a close bond.
But we........we formed an even closer bond. No matter how many times we were ripped apart from each other, we always found our way back together.
We did until the third year.
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My hand grasped onto the cold silver handle, bashing it three times against the door. I wondered what he would say if he was even here? How would he react?
The war had ended just over a year ago and I felt a pang of guilt that I had ever lost hope.
I had searched for a few months but nothing came of it and I had fully convinced myself that the worst had happened and that there was no point in continuing my search that I'd always promised I would.
But I struggled and I knew I would always struggle if I could not have closure. I needed closure. I needed to be free of this guilt that was keeping me from being free.
Suddenly I could here some footsteps coming towards the door from inside.
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It was the third year.
Our group was part of about a hundred men called out to battle. But we weren't phased by this beforehand, it was just the day to day ritual. We were used to it, we were prepared.
But this battle seemed to prove extremely fatal. I was left with only two, of my previous group of comrades, by my side. Momo and Haru. We'd been separated from the rest of the group and we had absolutely no idea wether they were even alive or not.
Bodies were strewn across the ground, blood staining the grass and mud. But none of the bodies belong to our group. Sure, I recognised a few, but no one I was close to or had talked to more than once.
I almost wanted to find their bodies just so I knew what had happened. Just so I could have the closure all three of us desperately needed.
I like to imagine Rei and Nagisa were together and found their way somehow.
Haru eventually gave up with us and demanded he leave to find Makoto. I'm sure he did, I feel it.
So it was just Momo and I against the world. We stuck by each other, knowing there was nothing that could be done until after the war was over. He told me he knew a house address but, as you're constantly on the frontline, I never got a chance to take a note of it until I ran into him after the world had settled down again.
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A petite and frail woman with long, flowing blonde hair answered the door. Her hazel eyes looking straight back into mine.
"May I help you sir?" She asked as she slid a piece of hair behind her ear with a smile.
I felt more heart breaking by the second. It was evident this woman had no idea who I was and I had no idea who she was. He probably doesn't even live here, I kept repeating in my head.
"Oh,...uh, I was wondering....I was wondering if a Mr Aiichiro Nitori resides at this address still? I believe he used to live here once" I said, knowing that his was all a waste of time.
The woman stared at me for a few moments, wiping her hands on her already stained apron.
"May I acquire a name, sir" The woman said politely, clearly confused as to who this random man was on her doorstep.
"I'm most sorry. I'm Rin Matsuoka." I said and was met with a nod.
"I shall be just one moment, sir" she replied, leaving the door wide open.
She hurried down the corridor, in the opposite direction of me, and entered through a doorway to her right.
My heart started to beat a little quicker. I wasn't entirely sure what was happening.
A few seconds later and I was met with the noise of a glass shattering and wait, was that? No! It couldn't have been!
A man barged out of the room, but it wasn't just any old man.
His blue eyes looked up at me and instantly he knew. I knew.
Our bodies hit with such an impact that we toppled down a few steps and landed in a heap on the pavement, yet it didn't even hurt.
"Ai! oh my gods, Ai is that really you?" I almost shouted, not letting go of him for even a second.
He lifted his head, his blue eyes and near silver hair both shining in the sunlight. Those very eyes began to cloud with tears, as did mine.
"It's...it's me...Rin, Rin I thought you-you were dead" Ai replied through sobs.
"Shhhhh" I said before putting a hand underneath his chin, our faces only inches apart.
Then, for just a few moments, the world around us seemed to stop as my lips met his.
