A Life Worth Living (Aizawa x OC)

44 - Reunion

Another notebook, this stupid piano for adult beginner's book, a soppy love story for ... bedtime reading, a bit of quality sci-fi ...that should be everything. I really hope my peabrain didn't forget anything important.

It's Sho-...Aizawa's fault. He's the reason I can't think straight. Stupid. Urgh.

Opening the bag in my hands, I grabbed the books from the counter and carefully put them into it, flashing the cashier a friendly smile before I turned around to take my leave, heading directly to the door of the small bookstore, more than ready to finally head home after everything that had happened or almost happened today.

Obviously, a lot of things were currently occupying my head, but they had started to fade into the background since I'd entered this store.

I haven't been here for what feels like ages, which is actually sad considering that this small store, hidden in one of the quieter side streets of Musutafu, will forever have a special place in my heart.

As I got closer to the door, my eyes automatically darted to the aisle directly opposite of the entrance and the corners of my mouth quirked up at the sight of the place where I'd first met Kai back then.

Holy shit, that was almost 9 years ago. Fuck me, I'm getting old.

"Hima?"

I know this voice. And the fact that I know whose voice just cracked a bit while saying my name caused my blood to freeze in my veins. I immediately stopped in my tracks and the faint outline of a smile that had been sitting on my lips while I'd been reminiscing my first encounter with Kai disappeared as quickly as it had originally found its way on my face.

Fuck. My. Life.

"Himari? Is it really you?"

Unfortunately, yes.

Concluding that bolting through the door like a lunatic was rather an ill-prepared plan than an option, I grimaced before I put on a poor excuse of a grin and turned around to face the most unfortunate random encounter I had never ever expected to happen. Especially not here.

It's a small world, huh.

I forced my eyes to look up, where they were immediately welcomed by warm amber-coloured orbs, not allowing me to thoroughly scan the appearance of the giant opposite of me - tanned skin, the usual heavy stubble, and a lazy half-bun sitting on top of his head, probably a desperate attempt to tame the auburn mop of chin-length wavy hair.

There was no doubt.

Standing in front of me was no other than Tadashi Kaji, Kai's best friend since middle school. Before Kai and I became a thing, the two of them had been basically attached to each other's hip. Back then, I'd seriously wondered if I would have to surgically remove Tada from Kai before we moved together because they'd been inseparable.

Eventually, Tada had considerately informed me that I had his official approval to be with Kai, emphasizing I would have to accept that our relationship wouldn't change the nature of their bromance. He had given us his blessing, so to speak, and I had immediately taken that dorky curly-head to my heart.

Tadashi had been the person that came closest to family for Kai since he'd lost his parents back then and later also for me. That's why his name was on one of the numerous lists in the chaos of my research documents. The list that contained all the people who had been close to Kai and me. The list I had started to neglect out of frustration after what had happened with that bastard Sugimoto. The list that should help me to find out how our sudden disappearance from our daily life had been justified.