roubai | i. wakasa

二十三

Struck with a horrible dream of ending their relationship, Wakasa now finds himself sitting in front of the window of his apartment, watching the midnight lights illuminating through skyscrapers, how distant sounds of dogs barking, the wheels of midnight trains colliding with the rail tracks and honking sounds from cars.

The city especially looked different at midnight - calm, peaceful and relaxing.

Situating a cigarette stick between his lips, he props his arms up on the railing of the balcony, admiring the city while trying to let the cold breeze remove the indistinct dream from his mind. All the while he admires the view, he felt arms wrapping around his shoulders, one hand holding onto a lighter while the other covered the fire coming out.

"Why are you up?" Wakasa asks after letting out a smoke, one hand placed on top of her arms.

Rini hums sleepily, nuzzling her cheek on his back. "Bed cold." She responded at first. "Couldn't sleep without you."

Taking a hold of her wrist, Wakasa dragged her inside the room, sitting down on the head of the bed as Rini situates herself to lay down on top of his chest. He could feel Rini's breathing stabilize and her weight on top of him get heavy as she fall asleep, and just like the universal rule, Wakasa stays frozen on his spot, in fear of waking her up. 

He didn't know how and why, but to feel someone loving him despite his reputation of being a feared former gang leader that assembled twelve small organizations in the East Kanto region and now as a well respected founding member and captain at a top delinquent gang, everything feels nice. As if everything is in place.

In the still quiet and tranquil of the midnight morning, he wrapped both of his arms around her frame, afraid that she would leave him just like what happened in his dream.

. . . . . . . . . . ♡

"Are you two doing okay in there?" Rini asks, popping her head into the kitchen as she checks in on Senju washing the dishes and Haruchiyo placing them back in their original places.

"We are!" Both children chimed at the same time, making Rini smile to herself, when out of nowhere, the doorbell to their home suddenly begins to ring.

"I'll go get it." Rini announces, popping out from the kitchen to head over to the living room door, holding onto the knob and twisting it open.

"Huh? Waka, what happened to you?" Rini asks, concern clouding on her face as she examines the wounds and scratches on his face. "Come inside and let me patch you up." She tells him, parting the door open wide. "And where is Omi nii?"

"He went with the other two to eat or something." He shrugs his shoulder, entering inside their home.

"I'm sorry if I don't have any decent band aids, these were the only ones I found left. I hope you don't mind them." Rini mentions, wiping the cuts on his knuckles with an antiseptic wipe.

"Not really." Wakasa responded, lifting one hand close to his face, looking at the pink Hello Kitty design bad aids.

"So...what happened?" She asks, her hands halting and her head lifting up to look at him. "Did you four get into a fight?"

"Hardly." Wakasa responded. "Someone was mocking Shin's hair and that person deliberately bumped his shoulder against him. And then you can guess what happened after that." He adds, leaning his back onto the couch.

"Did you think I'd lose in a fight?" Wakasa asks.

Rini shook her head, a small smile painting her lips as she resumes cleaning his other hand. "Nope." She responded to him. "I know you can handle the situation, no matter how many they may come or be." She adds, raising his hand closer to her lips, placing a kiss.

. . . . . . . . . . ♡

Speeding down Yamate Tunnel, the breeze of the cold night sweeping past them, minus the presence of a helmet, the air kissing their skin as they ride around Tokyo. Swaying the bike left to right as it is the only the two of them on the road.

"You aren't slowing down are you?" Rini asks, lunging herself at Wakasa's back, wrapping her arms around his shoulder while her head rest on top of her arm.

Wakasa grins, shaking his head no in response. "Where's the fun if I slow down?" He tells her.

With no police nor their cars are in sight, Wakasa took advantage of speeding away a bit and over the limit. Bright lights shining among the darkness fading away before another bright light flashes on their faces. In their eyes, the city looked colorful; as if it is only the two of them.

"Summer's about to end." Wakasa begins to say. "And autumn is about to start. Is there something you want to do?"

Upon hearing his question, Rini slowly shook her head, the bright and various lights of the buildings flashing and illuminating in her eyes. "I don't want to do anything that there isn't you." She responded. "But I want ice cream." She adds, giggling a little.

A snicker escapes Wakasa's lips. "You just had your second ice cream earlier."

"But ice cream is so good." Rini presses, quickly placing a kiss on his earlobe. "I love ice cream." She continues. "Back when me and Omi nii were children, an ice cream truck would always pass by our house and I'd always wait for the ice cream man every afternoon. I'd get sad if he didn't." She chuckles. "I still wait for the ice cream truck to pass by our house every afternoon."

"What about you, Waka? Autumn is about to start. Is there anything you want to do?" She returns to question to him.

Pulling over at the gas station, slowing down at the mini mart and getting off, Wakasa shook his head. "I don't want to do anything that there isn't you." He responded to her. "Under the same sky at the same time and place with you is already enough for me. Let's do that forever, yeah?"

Inside her head, she hoped that the spring and summer of their love wouldn't end, that neither of them would grow cold on each other as seasons pass them by. And instead of responding to his question, Rini leaned in, eyes closed and sealed the promise with a kiss.