Chapter 16: — “Draft”

Mika still hadn’t moved from the couch.

The TV played some old re-run in the background, but her mind was a thousand miles away. She hugged her knees and leaned her cheek on them, eyes cloudy from the swirl of memories still lingering like a fog in her head.

Another flashback crept in.

They were in her backyard, Mika’s house had a small patch of grass and a rusted swing that creaked whenever anyone sat on it. Riku didn’t care. He was on it, swinging as high as he could while Mika clapped and laughed nearby.

“Higher, Riku!” she giggled, hopping up and down.

“If I go higher, I’ll fly into the sky,” Riku called out, his feet kicking into the air.

Mika ran over and gave the swing a big push from behind.

“Ahhh—! Mika-chan!!” he shouted, laughing.

They played until the sky turned soft orange. Eventually, they sat side by side on the grass, watching the clouds drift lazily by. Mika plucked a blade of grass and wrapped it around her finger.

“You know what I wish?” she asked.

“What?”

“That we never grow up.”

Riku tilted his head. “Why not?”

“Because when we grow up… people leave. People change.”

Riku looked up at the sky thoughtfully, then stood up and offered his hand.

“I won’t change. I’ll stay Riku. Your friend.”

Mika’s small hand reached up and grabbed his.

“Promise?”

He nodded. “Promise.”

Back in the present, Mika felt her throat tighten.

She hadn’t thought about that day in years. It was silly, wasn’t it? A swing, some clouds, a pinky promise.

But now it meant everything.

She clutched her shirt over her heart and closed her eyes.

“He kept that promise,” she whispered. “Even after everything…”

Another flashback hit.

It was raining hard. They were no older than ten. Mika had forgotten her umbrella again and was soaking wet under the school gate.

Then came Riku.

He ran up to her, panting, holding his umbrella.

“You dummy! You always forget!” he yelled, but smiled through it.

He handed her the umbrella and started running back into the rain.

“Wait! What about you!?” she cried.

He turned and grinned.

“I’m fast! I’ll beat the rain!”

He didn’t beat the rain.

The next day, he showed up to school with a cold and a stuffy nose.

But he still smiled when Mika offered him her lunch.

Mika opened her eyes. She couldn’t cry anymore, she already had, silently, in between these memories.

All she could do now was smile softly and mutter under her breath:

“Idiot…”

The front door creaked.

Riku had returned from the grocery run, plastic bags rustling in hand.

Mika quickly wiped her eyes and turned toward him with her usual teasing smirk.

“Finally! Did you buy the whole store?”

He blinked at her, a little surprised. “I… just got what you asked.”

She chuckled and stood up. “About time. I was starving.”

As she walked past him toward the kitchen, she whispered to herself.

“But I’ll wait for you, Riku… even if it takes forever.”