Summer break is around corner for both Chie and Aoi. They are settling into a daily routine of talking about their classes, their schoolmates, who going with who, and enjoying each company.
“I can hardly wait for summer vacation, Aoi-chan,” Chie spoke. “I want visiting some places in Fuuka,” She sound very excited. “What you’re doing on break?” Chie is asking Aoi.
“I’m spending time with my family in Mishima and catching fireflies with dad,” Aoi is going to counting down the days that she’ll seeing her family again.
Aoi haven’t known Chie that well since they start in relationship. She never mentions about her family and want to learn more about her. Chie is like an enigma to Aoi, an unsolvable riddle can’t be figure out. They told each other some parts of their lives but Chie liked to pry others’ business; she is a very guard person when about her personal life.
“Chie you’ll pay a visit to your family?” Aoi hopes she’ll opening up to her.
“I don’t feel like it. They only care about appearances and sucking up to their conceit friends,” Chie was uncharacteristically angry. Aoi never knew this side of Chie before. “Especially mother she rather stuck in her goddamn fantasy me being the perfect daughter than blinded by the fact she in self-deny I’m don’t get a damn about her opinion of me liking girls I despise the heartless bitch I hope she dies!” Aoi is frightened by Chie’s angry outburst.
“Chie you’re scaring me, please calm down,” Aoi spoke with her voice quivering. Chie come with realization that she was scaring Aoi and feeling remorse by her actions.
“I’m sorry for my anger getting the best of me just thinking about my family making me reliving the past that I don’t want experience again,” Chie want purge the dark part of her life.
“I’m forgiving you Chie but next time please warning me of your incoming rant,” Aoi is sounding upset.
“Well you are opening an old wound when you suggest that I visit my ungrateful parents. I don’t like being within the vicinity of my mother I don’t want breathe the same air as her or seeing dad old and tired of the years being a faithful salaryman to his company. My life is hard and I hating part of myself living a false mask to impress phony people,” Chie is starting to cry. “Aoi hold me and comfort me I need you,” She whispers to Aoi.
Aoi is watching her girlfriend’s emotional breakdown and it unsettling even for her. “I am there for you Chie, I won’t let the bad memories hurt you,” It starting to rain and they realize they forget their umbrellas. “Oh no! I left my umbrella back at my dorm,” Spoke Aoi panicky.
“I’m the same boat as you, Aoi-chan. I am too caught up having a conversation of my favorite subject, gossip and wallowing in self-pity of my miserable existence called life,” Chie back to her usual self. “Let’s go to my dorm it on the other side.” They ran through until they reach at their destination.
When both Chie and Aoi enter her dorm, Aoi find more about Chie due what stuff on her desk. “Here is my domain, princess Aoi.” Chie was using her best prince charming impression. “The room is somewhat messy and you can move my dirty clothes from the bed,” Aoi is clearing some space for herself and sat down, while Chie went to the corner of her room looking for something.
The curiosity got best of her, Aoi needs to know what Chie was doing. “Chie what are you looking for? I can’t see anything because of pile of clothes,” Chie found she was searching for and Aoi scoot over after Chie got on the bed.
“Aoi this is my keyboard I practice with everyday I like writing songs sometime depend on my moods.” Chie is starting to play the keyboard with melancholic song with the rain in the background. Aoi is hearing the sadness within the song, feeling the pain and the sorrow. Chie is hitting few low-key notes reminding herself about how she have endure up to point of her life but now she found a friend and some more. Aoi was observing Chie and watching the girl finish her song.
“What the song call, Chie-chan?” Aoi asks wondering about Chie. Chie thought about it for moment before answering. “Loneliness of Sad Girl,” She replied to Aoi.
“Chie I want to know the real you underbeneath the gossiping person,” Aoi spoke fidgety. “And the reason why you’re alienate from your family,” Chie simply sat back on her bed and stare at Aoi. “You don’t wanting know the reason Aoi-chan,” Chie spoke coldly. “She’s sound so harsh that I don’t believe it same person,” Aoi is musing about Chie. “The rain stop so I’m going back to my dorm,” Chie didn’t response.
“Aoi someday you’ll understand the reason I hate my mother,” Chie want crawl somewhere to die. Aoi went back to her dorm and lay her head down while holding a teddy bear struggling with Chie’s anger that she witness today. Being young and kind in love making things more badly added seeing your best friend/girlfriend rather stay in dorms then repair her strain relationship with her family. This is the short school life for Senoh Aoi.
Almost every student from primary school to high school of Fuuka Gauken went back to their respect homes all over Japan for summer break except select few including Chie. She watched some couples taking walks into the forest and other areas around the school property. She so lost in her own reverie of burning youth and love, she didn’t her cellphone ringing. (She brought another one using the money they have sending to her after she broke the last one by violently threw against the wall) Chie expected her mother to belittling her again until she saw the number.
“Hi little munchkin how is school?” Ask the person on the other line. “Shinichi I hate that nickname besides you’re few reasons why I not completely estrange from my so-called family and you pretty cool big brother to me,” Said Chie.
“Thanks anyway I know how you felt about mom but deep down she really a nice person it you past the ice cold exterior from her. Since you like taking pictures as a hobby even you want be an investigative reporter when you grow up I brought a camera as present for your past birthday I forget last year,”
“Shinichi I’m very thankful for the present and by the way please don’t break any hearts while on vacation,”
“Chie you just a lady-killer yourself you probably have group of fangirls worshipping the ground you walk on everyday now plus your boyish looks making you girls fall over you,”
“Shinichi please don’t use flattery on me that won’t work on me anyway,” Said Chie deadpanned.
“You are truly special munchkin and Aunt Rin says hi,” He hung up on her. Chie is very appreciating of her brother not having life beating him down and smiling at adversity in the face. A little part of her want to reconcile her estranged parents but another part of her said fuck it because her mother too into pleasing people then encourage her daughter to follow her dreams. Reality isn’t like fantasy where decent people get rewarded with their hard work and assholes getting karma biting on their asses.
A month being separate from Aoi is unbearable even for Chie but worth it to stand point having a friend and confident ease up her loneliness and telling her secrets in near future. The first time in her short life she’s genuinely happy.
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