𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔 | K. AKINORI [rewriting]

zero

S i x   y e a r s   a g o . . .

"Aki!"

Konoha looked up from his book as you plopped down beside him on his bed.

"Oh, hey, (Y/n)." Konoha smiled, half turning to face you.

As the Konohas' next door neighbors, you and Konoha grew up together, forging a special bond with each other. The two of you roamed around the neighborhood, playing hide and seek in the park just down the street. You would stay up all night to exchange flashlight messages with Konoha through your bedroom window, which directly faced his. When your parents were out working, you would spend the day over at the Konoha residence, and vice versa. As the two of you grew older, you and Konoha did homework together and helped each other with studying before a test. People who'd just met Konoha would assume you were his sister due to the close relationship you shared with him, and sometimes, the two of you did act more like siblings instead of good friends.

"What're you reading?" You asked, peeking over his shoulder.

"Nothing much, just a manga I picked up at the store."

"I see." You smiled. "Hey, isn't that the Tokyo Skytree?"

Konoha glanced at the page you were pointing to. "Yeah, the main character of this book lives in Tokyo."

"You know, Aki, I've always wanted to live there." You said wistfully. "It must be really nice in Tokyo, with all the bright city lights and activity all around. It's nothing like this boring old town."

"And all those tall buildings too. I bet the volleyball gyms there are really cool." Konoha added. "It would be awesome if we could play in one of those huge stadiums one day."

"The let's do it. Let's go to Tokyo one day." You suggested, your eyes sparkling with excitement at the thought. "We'll go there together."

Konoha grinned at your enthusiasm. "Yeah, of course." 

Gazing at your smaller figure, completely enraptured by the pages of his book, Konoha made a promise. A promise to you but more to himself. 

I'll be with you forever, (Y/n), no matter what happens.

-~-~-

Konoha waited patiently for you to come home so he could play volleyball with you. You were out of town with your parents for a few days, but you promised that when you got back, you would practice with him. Volleyball was a passion you both shared, and more often than not, the two of you would practice together under the shade of the ancient oak in the center of the park.

He bounced the ball against the side wall that separated his house from yours, occasionally scanning the road for your family's black SUV. Today was the day you were supposed to be returning, and he couldn't wait to see you again.

But as the bright glow of the sun slowly faded, Konoha couldn't help but feel restless and fidgety. When were you going to be back?

The streets were silent, which was typical but disappointing. He listened for signs, the engine of a car, the rumble of its wheels, but there was nothing.

"Akinori, time for dinner." His mother called from the doorway. Strangely, her voice sounded off, and Konoha thought he heard her voice crack on the last word.

"Okay, mom." Konoha glanced at your driveway once more, only to be greeted with an empty space where the SUV was usually parked. Reluctantly, he headed inside.

The first thing he noticed was the lack of noise and activity inside the household. There wasn't any of his mother's usual chatter, nor the sound of the TV channels his father watched everyday. When he entered the dining room, he found his parents already seated around the table. He couldn't see his mother's face, as she was looking down at her plate, picking at her food absently, but his father's eyes were pained and sorrowful behind his glasses. Neither of them said anything as Konoha took his place at the table.

"What's wrong?" Konoha asked, confused. The atmosphere in the room was oddly glum and melancholic.

At his question, his mother lifted her head, and Konoha was startled to see her eyes rimmed with tears and puffy from crying. Strands of her hair fell loose from her ponytail, and the light makeup she wore was badly smudged.

"What's wrong?" He asked again, more urgently this time. Something was amiss, and he could tell. His parents were usually cheerful and optimistic, so this type of behavior from them was peculiar and especially out of the ordinary.

"The (L/n)s," Konoha's heart sank instantly at his father's words. "They're not coming back."

-~-~-

Konoha stared at the window of your old room, the curtains drawn shut. The vacant house was eerily silent with the absence of its former residents. His heart clenched painfully at the thought that he wouldn't be able to see you again.

You were gone.

He gritted his teeth, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from falling.

Soon enough, he too would move away from this isolate little town, leaving behind all his childhood memories.

He felt as if his heart had shattered into pieces when his parents informed him of the incident. On their way back to town, the (L/n)s' car had collided with a truck. Your parents had been badly injured and died on the scene. Luckily, you survived, but was sent to live with a relative in the south.

The news of the accident had been upsetting for the entire family. Konoha's parents were extremely close to your parents, just as you had been best friends with him. From that day on, their house was no longer filled with lighthearted laughter or bright smiles like before. The gloomy and desolate mood that now shrouded the household was almost depressing itself.

A knock sounded at his bedroom door, and Konoha looked up immediately, only to remember that you wouldn't be the one there.

"Are all your things packed?" His mother asked, opening the door to survey the stacks of boxes on the floor.

Konoha nodded.

"Good. I'll let your father know that it's ready to be loaded."

Konoha heard the muffled thumps of his mother's footsteps as she made her way back downstairs.

He touched his forehead to the cool glass pane, wishing it would relieve the burning ache deep inside of him.

"Goodbye..." Konoha whispered, his breath creating a small patch of fog on the window. Sighing, he pulled away and stood up.

I'm going to Tokyo, (Y/n)...

It was something he had always dreamed of, his one ultimate goal. But it wasn't just his. It was yours as well. It was theirs.

He knew it wouldn't be the same without you by his side.