Is This Love? 「この愛はある?」

Chapter 1 - Back Home

~Hey Guys! ^^ this is my first novel on WattPad. I felt like starting it as a regular romance novel. Hope you all enjoy. Thank you for your support! c:

"Haruu! Wait up!" I yelled across the park to my friend Haru.

"Bleh! You're such a slowpoke Rin." He yelled back sticking out his tongue.

Tears started coming to my eyes. I've always been a crybaby especially when Haru teases me. I tripped over a rock while running and my tears bursted out.

"Uwahahahhhh!!"

Haru stopped running and ran back to me. "What's wrong Rin?!" He asked wide eyed.

I wanted to tell him that I really hate it when he teases me but I couldn't due to my tears. Then, I felt his warm hand on my head and he started patting me. My tears were instantly gone. Looking up at him he looked like a prince protecting a little girl like me.

"Sorry Rin. I hurt you again. I'm sorry." Then he sinked to the ground slowly and looked like as if he was about to cry too for a moment. I raised my hand and patted his head and he looked up with bits of tears in his eyes.

"It's fine Haru. Even if you hurt me at the end you always come back to apologize. It's alright Haru, I'm not hurt." Then I gave him a warm a smile. He looked at me for a second and replied "Thanks." And smiled back. Then together we raced in the park but this time we ran together side by side. That day was also the same day when we made our promise...

"..hey! Wake up!"

I slowly opened my eyes slightly. My messy chocolate colored hair was in my face due to my sleeping. But in front of me was a boy, probably my age. He had gorgeous emerald eyes and ruffled hazel hair. He was wearing a high school uniform too and looked like a gentle person. His eyes gave me a comfortable feeling, like Haru's.

"Are you getting off? We're in Akishima, Tokyo. It's the last stop."

My eyes flew open. "Oh! Omg! Thank you for waking me up. I could've missed it. I got to go now. Thanks." And I raced out the train exit.

Behind me a heard a small but loud "You're welcome!" I bet it was that guy just now, the thought of this made me smile a bit.

I took a taxi to my house. It was an old house but not that damaged. It's just an everyday house you would see in Japan. I moved to Kyoto when I was five due to my father's job. My mother died in a car accident on her way to work a few years after we moved. My father is thinking of getting remarried soon too. Without my mother we've been having financial problems and one day my father asked if I wanted to move back to Tokyo while he stays back. And of course I agreed. I didn't want to put stress on my father. He offered to send money each month but I refused and told him I'll find a job. So that's why I'm back in Tokyo to our old house. We didn't sell this house when moving to Kyoto because it had all our memories in it. It was the place my parents first lived in, where I was born, and the place I met Haru. I took out the old key out of my bag and unlocked the door. Slowly it opened.

I walked in the house, it had a different smell, our house always smelt like lavender, it was a nice smell. My mother would always love lavender and bought everything lavender related. Like lavender perfume, sprays, candles, flowers, and more. Our house always smelt like lavender but this time it smelt like pine. Like how old houses would smell like. I guess the lavender smell faded. Right in front after I entered was the dinning room. It bought back many memories when we used to have good times, sitting and just eating. But all of that is gone. Right next to the dinning room was the kitchen. I traced my fingers down on the granite counter. It wasn't dusty... Wait. Why isn't it dusty? I walked over and ran my fingers on the dinning table, it was clean and polished, not a speck of dust. I ran to the living room, even the old tv and sofas are clean. How? It's been 10 years since we left. I ran upstairs bringing my luggage up. I only carried a backpack and a small suitcase, it wasn't much. I opened the door to my room. Everything, just as I left it was still there and neat. I wondered how though. I had a small room. The bed on the left with its pink covers and white pillows, the balcony in the middle, the empty cabinets and bookshelves on the right, and the old white study desk and chair I used by the closet in the corner of the room. It was a nice room. I always liked it since I was small. I was always fond with the balcony though. Haru and I would always come to each other's rooms that way. We had a big board of wood connecting our houses so we would always crawl over to each others places. I remember Haru's hand when he stretched it out to help me crawl over. I felt really happy then, to have Haru be there for me whenever I needed it. I went over to the balcony and opened it. The spring breeze blew in my face, my long brown hair flying back. I closed my eyes as the breeze ran through my blouse and skirt, making me feel the tingling sensation of the wind. I wonder if Haru's still here? I remember the promise we made when we were kids. He would stay at his house until I came back, but that was when we were children. I don't think he remembers, he probably already forgotten and moved.

"Hey. Who are you?"

My eyes instantly flung open. It was a boy. He was standing on the balcony of Haru's house and was directly facing me. He had silky black brown hair. His eyes were sharp and and were carmel colored. He had on a grey t-shirt and black sweats. His eyes pieced through me, looking at me questioningly. It got me scared for a bit. This guy isn't Haru.

"Oh, um, nice to meet you. You're probably the new neighbor living in this house. Nice to meet you I'm Rin."

The boy's eyes widened a bit, he turned and faced his side and replied to me, "Please leave."

I felt a feeling of pain rush over me.

"Huh?" I said pissed.

"Leave." He faced me and looked at me in the eye, "No one's lived in that house for years, now that your starting to live here I have a feeling you'll be a nuisance."

I felt like my whole world cracked. My feelings were hurt. I think I'm returning back to my crybaby side but I was also pissed.

"What?! This is how you treat your neighbor?! Go die in a hole you bastard!" I turned around shut the balcony window, and closed the curtains. I felt like I was going to cry again. So this is how it feels to get rejected.

"Arghhhhhhh!!!" I screamed. I'm no longer a kid, I will not cry anymore. I ran downstairs, if he wants me to leave, fine by me. I grabbed my stuff and headed out the door steaming with madness. As I left I could feel his gaze on me from the balcony. Watching me leave, with his lonely eyes.