Bel Canto

Chapter 5 - Bel Canto

Amaya looked around the neighborhood as they came to a halt.

“We’re here,” Haruto said.

The group reached an ordinary apartment complex one would find anywhere in Tokyo. They didn’t have to go up that much since the room they were going for was on the first floor. As they entered Haruto’s apartment, Michi spoke up:

“By the way, Haruto and I are step-siblings, so I live here as well. Make yourselves at home.”

“O-okay?” Amaya was confused at the sudden reveal, and probably everyone else was too. Michi speedily disappeared into a room, while Haruto just facepalmed.

“The bathroom is at the end of the hallway; feel free to use it. We’ll be back in a bit,” he said, following Michi.

“I’ll go to the toilet then,” Emiko stated.

“Same,” Chang-min joined her.

They’re going together!? Huh?

That left Amaya and Akiko alone in the living room. There was only one window, so they made sure to block it with a cupboard, and then they both sat on the sofa.

“What was your dream, Amaya-chan?” Akiko started.

“Well, it doesn’t really matter now, does it?”

“I would still like to hear it. Maybe we can still do a part of it.”

“I wanted to make video games. One way or another. I wanted to contribute to making something great that people would enjoy.”

“Yeah, that would be tough to do now, with how the world is.”

“Told you.”

“Why not sing with me? We could make great songs at least.”

“That was my plan anyway. I like singing quite a bit.”

“And we could still learn how to make games, but I don’t know if we’ll be able to make one in a year. Not sure how that works.”

“Something great in a year? With two people? I don’t think so.”

“Yeah, maybe…”

“Did you play any games?”

“I actually played a couple of visual novels, but not many.”

“That’s surprising. Usually visual novels are more of a niche, rather than something people get into first; it’s more so that they find them after delving into something else.”

“My dad had a bunch of books and a couple of physical copies of them, so I naturally grew interested.”

“I see. I hope he is all right.”

“He passed away before I moved here, from a car accident. Never knew my mom.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s okay, not your fault. What about your family?”

“Well, they’re just ordinary, I guess. My parents are divorced, and I was gonna start living with my mom this year, but I guess that’s outta the window. Not like I liked either of them as people; it was more of an obligation that I had to be with them.”

“Seems we both had it rough.”

A sudden silence erupted between them, although it didn’t feel awkward in the slightest. It felt more like two kindred souls who both understood what it meant to struggle had come to a mutual admiration.

“I don’t think I struggled as much, compared to others.” Amaya spoke up.

“Suffering shouldn’t be measured like that. You shouldn’t invalidate your feelings. It all should be valued. Regardless of the intensity, pain is still pain.”

“Thanks…”

Out of nowhere, Akiko started nudging closer to Amaya on the couch. Amaya noticed, but she didn’t point it out as Akiko closed the gap between them. Akiko then gently wrapped her arms around Amaya’s waist and rubbed her face against Amaya’s shoulder.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Cuddling you.”

“Why now?” The embrace was quite different than one just out of gratitude. It was deeper than that, perhaps a bit more intimate. The meaning behind it left Amaya perplexed, her expression a clouded mess.

“They say physical contact can ease the mind and activate the happy hormones. And thinking about it, you’re my only friend in the whole world, so I just wanted to…”

“Uhum…” Amaya didn’t know how to react.

What does she mean? Is she implying more, or is she just oblivious and clingy with her seemingly first friend? Because friends normally don’t hug this way. Yeah, I’m just confused. That must be why my heart is beating so fast.

After her inner turmoil, Amaya ended up just patting Akiko’s head when, luckily, Akiko suggested they practice playing music together. That came as a relief to Amaya, and thus she took the offer naturally. As her mind and heart both calmed, Amaya returned to her collected self and sang to Akiko’s playing.

******

Haruto followed Michi to her room. She had just revealed their secret. A month ago she had just made Haruto swear that he would never tell a soul. And now here she was, blabbering about it like it’s no big deal. Haruto was frustrated, if nothing else. 

Both of their parents remarried the other’s, making them step-siblings for over a month now. They promised each other that they wouldn’t interfere with the other person’s life and that they would keep their distance, but then the disaster happened.

 Wherefore did Haruto care about Michi so much? Questions of whether their parents survived or not still lingered in his mind; however, his first and foremost goal was protecting Michi right now. Haruto couldn’t just forsake his step-sibling, especially when his mother cared deeply for her already. Was that really the only reason though?

Michi sat on her bed, looking downwards at a picture frame in her hands, sobbing. Haruto slowly approached her, but he didn’t sit next to her; he just stood a couple of steps away, leaning against the wall. Weirdly enough, seeing Michi so down in the dumps, rightly so, made all his anger completely vanish. Haruto himself found it weird that he was so foolish just moments ago. 

The world was over. There was no society or people to please anymore. No pleasantries or formalities to keep up. Meaning that their petty little squabble wouldn’t mean anything either, along with their former secret.

“They aren’t here,” Michi muttered, referencing her and Haruto’s parents.

“Yeah…”

“Do you think they are still alive?”

“I hope so. They didn’t pick up when I tried calling them, but they were at work, so…”

Michi’s crying intensified. Haruto decided to sit down after all. Then Michi leaned against Haruto’s chest, which caught him by surprise.

“It’s okay… I’m still here. Remember how we first met?”

“During Christmas?”

“Yeah. Our parents’ timing was interesting, but it must’ve taken them a lot of courage to do that. Even though they knew there was a chance we wouldn’t accept it, they went through with it.”

Michi nodded.

“What I’m trying to say is that they’re strong. I’m sure they are alive out there somewhere.”

“Thanks… Haruto.”
“No worries! Rest up a bit. I’ll cover the window just in case, and we’ll be in the living room.”

“Okay. Thanks!” Michi smiled for the first time in a while, making Haruto blush and stop in his tracks.

Geez, what am I even doing?

After that, Haruto walked out to join the others.

******

“Do you think it’s weird for us to go to the toilet together?” Chang-min asked.

“No, we’ve done it a couple of times before, remember? During the track and field tournament last year, and the one before that as well,” Emiko answered, “It’s not like we’re in the same room doing it at the same time; you’re just outside, and we’re just talking.”

“True, we were just getting weird looks, so I was wondering. Hey, were you able to reach your family?”

“No. I think they’re dead already.”

“Why?”

“Both of my parents work at a zoo, mainly outside, so…”

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be. We’ll all follow them soon, so it’s not as painful.”

“...”

“What about you?”

Emiko finished and swapped places with Chang-min in the meantime.

“It’s just my grandma back home. I hope she’s fine, but I don’t think she has a big chance, considering her frail body and old age.”

“She seemed fine when she was jogging after us last year.”

“Yeah, well, her bones suddenly just gave out, I guess.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“Before you start thinking that, it’s not your fault, okay? I might’ve come to Japan because of our promise, but I came on my own volition, and I would’ve been an exchange student no matter what. If we didn’t make that promise back then, the only difference that would’ve been caused is that maybe I would’ve gone to a different country.”

“I wasn’t going to, but thanks!”

With both of them done, they walked back to the living room.

******

After everyone regrouped, they decided to try sleeping during the day, although Akiko was having trouble because of the heat. Haruto had a ventilator that somehow still worked, which helped the others, but Akiko just stayed up and pondered for long hours.

What’s next? What should we do? We have this heavy mood going on right now, rightfully, but maybe we should try having some fun?

A couple more hours passed with Akiko just staring up at the ceiling and thinking about the next activities they could do, and when everyone was awake and together again, she presented her first idea.

“Why don’t we go batting?”