rewrite, if I can ⌮ watanabe haruto

4 | newspaper

Haruto~

"Okaa-san?" I was a bit surprised to see my mother once I opened the door. She lives in Fukuoka, and it would take her at least two hours to get here by plane. "You flew all the way here?!"

"I miss my only son!" She started crying and gave me a big embrace. "I felt so lonely there without you and your sister. How is she?"

"She's really smart and gets along very well with the other kids." I reassured her.

My parents divorced twelve years ago after my younger sister was born. Things didn't work out anymore, both sides wanted superiority over the other. I lived in Tokyo for a while, then moved back to my birthplace, Fukuoka. Now I'm here in Hakone, working as a interpreter for the Korean and Western tourists.

"I'll make you some food, don't worry! She laid down her bundle and handed me a stack of ingredients and side dishes. "Let me guess what you want..."

"Meat-sauce spaghetti?" We both said at the same time and ended up laughing.

"You're okay here, right? You must be exhausted from work all the time." She turned on the stove and started boiling the noodles.

"It's fine here. At first I thought I was going to be lonely, but the neighbours are kind and always give me free food, also the tourists are very friendly." I told her and she sighed in relief.

"You read the newspaper, right?" Her mood suddenly shifted.

"I haven't had time too. Anything interesting?" After I said that, she accidentally let go of the cooking utensil. "It's okay, I'll clean it-"

"She's back, you didn't know?" Mom's eyes started to shake.

"Who came back?" I took a paper towel and started wiping off the tomato sauce on the ground.

"Lee Subin."

"That keychain..." I mumbled under my breath.

It really is her.

"If you ever see her again, just be careful. Don't do anything that could get you in danger again- that family can do anything." She warned me while mixing all the ingredients in the pot.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." I decided to help her with the dishes.

Six years, Subin.

I haven't seen you in six years.

__________________________

Yumi~

"Why is everyone suddenly cancelling their services?" I asked my father on the phone, since our hired interpreter just backed out.

"Maybe there's a strike or holiday? I have no idea- just go find a new one. I'll talk to you later, someone's calling." He hanged up the phone just like that.

I looked through the phonebook and dialled the first name on top.

"Hello?" A deep voice suddenly answered the call, but it was very choppy. I decided to go outside to get better signal.

"Hello, are you willing to interpret for the next few weeks? I'll double the pay- just please, we're desperate. Korean and English would be fine." I said with my very limited Japanese.

"Where is this call coming from?" I could hear the loud wind sound from his phone, meaning that he's probably outside too. I can relate on a spiritual level.

"Hakone."

"Oh, perfect! This is for whom?" Well, I don't really want to use my name for the bill...

"Wang Gunho." I chuckled.

__________________________

Haruto~

I knocked on the door to one of the nicest guest houses in Hakone- like seriously, this place has a clear view of Mount Fuji and amazing hot tubs.

"Hello, thanks for coming-" her eyes suddenly expanded as she saw me, and so did mine.

Seriously, out of all the people in this world it just had to be her...

Does she remember me?

"You're that guy at the train station! I saw you running a few days ago- what happened there?" She let me into the house, and I politely took off my shoes.

"Oh, I was just late for the train..." I tried to laugh but I couldn't concentrate. My mind has disintegrated into a pile of mush. "I'm Watanabe Haruto, nice to meet you."

"I'm Park Yumi, nice to meet you too!" She sent me a welcoming smile. A guy suddenly came out of another room, and his eyebrows furrowed as he saw me.

Wang Jyunhao.

"I see, we meet again." His eyes sharpened as he stared at mine.

__________________________

YGTB first eliminations happen in an hour asgwhwh I'm not ready:'(

Song: Noa Kazama — Not Thinkin' Bout You (prod. millennium)