In Our Corner of the World || y.h.

chapter eleven ; visitors

The night took forever to pass by. Misaki and Yuzuru were both in their own homes, pondering about one another, each filled with guilt and confusion.

Yuzuru went home late last night after a long walk, causing his mother to be filled with worry when he came in at three thirty in the morning.

"You had me worried sick!" She told her son, "Why weren't you answering your phone?"

"I had it put on silent. I'm sorry." He answered, his voice irritated by trying to keep calm.

"You had no idea what I thought was happening to you. I thought you were being chased by people, robbed, or even had a bad asthma attack. Yuzuru, you can't scare your mother like that."

Yuzuru simply shrugged his mother's worries by promising that he will inform her next time. Going up to his room, he found himself opening the drawer of his desk and finding his old photo album from his highschool days.

There were a few pages where Misaki was present in them. There were pictures from their trips to cafes with their friends and from their school trip. But the pages afterwards were merely of normal school activities.

Days were better with her around. He realised that, and he had just gotten her back. He wasn't prepared to lose her.

The very moment the sun was up, Yuzuru rushed over to the house he had thought was haunted all those years ago and knocked on her door.

He began thinking of a thousand ways he could apologise to her, even by getting drunk despite being allergic to alcohol himself was worth it. But when the door opened, it wasn't the face of the person he was expecting, but it was another famous face.

"Good morning, can I help you?" The person asked.

Yuzuru tried to keep his composure, "Is Misaki home?"

"Yeah, she's just getting dressed. You're Hanyu Yuzuru, am I right?"

"I am, yes."

"I'm such a big fan of you!" The man said, "I know you were Misaki's friend, but I didn't think you two still kept in touch. This is such an honour. I'm Yamazaki. Yamazaki Kento."

Although majority of him was furious at the moment, it was awkward of him to be admired by the boyfriend of the girl he loves. Keeping a smile, he thanked Kento and responded by saying he's seen some of his movies before and that he was a much talented actor.

Kento invited him in and he noticed the furniture in the house hasn't changed a bit. Everything was still in the same place it had been before.

Misaki then came downstairs, a white blouse on with a black skirt. Her face all prepped, she stopped in the middle of her sentence when she saw Yuzuru in the living room.

"Kento, was there someone at-"

"Hi." Yuzuru greeted her, and she fell silent, but then greeted him back.

"Are you going somewhere?" Yuzuru asked.

"The two of us were just going to go watch a movie." Misaki said.

"I'll wait for you in the car." Kento said, kissing his girlfriend's temple before walking out the door with the car keys chiming in his hand.

As the door closed, Misaki and Yuzuru were both facing each other in the most intense silence. Each not knowing what to say to the other.

"Kento came in last night when I got back." Misaki explained, "He just had a break from filming so he's just here to visit me."

"That's great." Yuzuru said, "That's really great. He seems like a nice guy."

"He is. It's been great being with him." Her words sounded as if she were trying too hard to convince him that she was indeed in fact, in love with Kento, but it was just too convincing to the point it didn't seem real.

"Misaki, I'm sorry about what I said yesterday. I really shouldn't have. I mean, you're happy now, and I shouldn't disrupt that and I'm sorry for putting all of that on you." He apologised.

"It's fine, Yuzuru. Really. It is. I just hope we can remain as friends."

"Of course we can." He assured her, although on the inside, it felt as if he was going to melt right there and then.

Yuzuru and Misaki walked out of the house, and she got into her boyfriend's car, as Yuzuru watched them drive off. He watched her drive off with the man that she loves, and that man wasn't him.

-

"You okay?" Kento asked Misaki as he drove her home, "You seem a little distant today."

"I'm fine. I'm just tired. I haven't been able to sleep these past few nights."

"Misa, you know you don't have to lie to me." Kento said, sounding calm despite knowing exactly what was on her mind, "Is it because of Hanyu?"

"No. It's not. Sometimes I  just wish I could leave that past behind and enjoy myself right now to the fullest with you."

"Darling." He called her, "It's not easy letting things go. You have to know I understand that, and knowing that won't make me love you less."

Misaki smiled at her caring lover, as their hands intertwined, but in the back of her mind, the picture of Yuzuru still burned brightly with all the emotions.

-