Separation (Part Two)

    Then I woke up. I looked at my phone, the clock waws around ten in the morning. I had slept for more than six hours. As I got up, I realized that I could hear faint breathing from the slide's side. Someone's there. It's strange to play hide-and-seek with someone who was sleeping on the slide. Speaking of which, is the coin case safe? I fumbled for the case, and then I felt it, relieved that no one had stolen it. If it was a weak-looking guy, I would get up and look down at him with a faint anger. The moment my eyes met the golden coloured irises staring back at me, I started to smile. She loosened her fists and smiled as well, "Did you finally wake up?", and lightly shook my shoulders.
Did I wake up? No.....what are you doing, Mari?

(Akane) "What are you doing?"

(Mari) "That's my line."


   Very funny, but I wonder what Mari is doing here. Mari has been my close friend for a while now. Even though I didn't want this kind of relationship, it was happening anyways. Even when I was about to die from my father's drunken beatings, she stayed with me.

    (Akane) "I was taking stroll, and decided to take a nap here."

    (Mari) "I tried pretty hard to wake you up." She looked towards the rising sun, as she made an annoying face.

    "It's kinda chilly out today isn't it? It's been a while since you've been at the coffee shop, you want to have a cup of tea?" Mari said while rubbing her arms through her thin clothes.

    "I guess, but it's fairly expensive isn't it? I only have five-hundred yen, and you're empty handed."

    "It'll be fine."

    "I'm worried about you, Akane."
I was shocked, my thoughts stopped for a moment. Mari awkwardly laughing at my face.

    I took a seat at the counter, which smelled of cigarette smoke, sipped a cup of coffee that was worth far more than four-hundred yen. I started to complain to Mari like usual. "I'm not going to stop." I don't want to show off, but I'm still doing it. What should I do? I want to stop my self. I was fascinated by my left wrist again,while talking in a fast and monotone voice. The wound is still a bright red colour. The nail polish that I bought because I liked the colour of, was peeling off of my nails. A Fall-Winter limited the colour of pomegranates. I had heard from other people that it's good. I don't know what to do. Mari didn't get upset and was quietly listening while staring at the wound with me.

    "I see." Her hand slipped into mine, though weak, it held my hand. Her was soft and surprisingly cold. "I think it's okay for you to calm down, but remember it's not all bad, there's a lot of good things out there, and it's all money." I felt Mari's words spinning gently in my mind as she spoke with a gentle voice, my tension gradually slipped away.

   "You're beautiful. You're fine as you are. I'll listen to anything you want to say, it's okay." If my friends keep telling me these things, I wonder if I will be able to sincerely face them if they keep doing this. The frozen ice of my mind melts, as Mari comforts me. I can't wait to go to bed.

    The girl sitting at the counter next to Mari was glancing at us, I wondered why she was, then I looked at Mari and came to an understanding. Mari never said it but she had a modest beauty like a flower blooming in the shade, she had a figure that walked straight with thin and flexible legs, that doesn't look back after she has passed. Mari didn't seem to notice it, but when I met the girl's eyes she looked away embarrassed. I felt a sense of deja vu, oh, it was the delivery girl who saw me when I was sleeping on the slide.

Why do they all react the same?

    When I sighed in melancholy, Mari murmured "Akane it's not funny," as if she had realized everything. I looked at her with surprise, Mari looked back at me and smiled thinly. How much does Mari know about me?, always smiling by my side. I've never loved anyone before, but I think I may love her. Mari smiles brilliantly. If only I could have been my parent. Speaking of which, I've heard a lot of stories, that she has a lover and lives with him, but I didn't know. Mari may have avoided it deliberately. It's fine, but I wanted to stay a bit longer. I looked her in the eyes "Thanks Mari." She just smiled sadly, "You can talk to me any time." It felt strange to see her sad expression that I had seen somewhere, but her hands touch was still there.

Part One
Table of Contents   
Final