The Tears that Finally Fell

The plane ride was quiet and heavy. Akari didn't look at the window once as if in denial of their destination. Jun had brought her books to read but she only stared at the same page. Jun's chest tightened as he wasn't sure how to help ease her anxiety. 

Finally, Jun took a pair of earphones out of his bag and carefully slipped one in Akari's ear.

The movement brought her out of her trance. "What are you doing?"

He put the other earphone in his own ear. "Thought it would help you relax. It does for me."

Jun hit shuffle on his playlist. A soft ballad began to play, carried by a voice Akari knew all too well.

Akari stared at him, surprised and confused. "I thought you didn't know about me as a celebrity...?"

"I didn't." He relaxed against the seat. "But after getting to know you, I looked into your music. I wanted to understand a part of your world..."

"You didn't have to do that..."

"I know." His voice quiet but steady. "But I wanted to."

"So..." Her fingers tightened around the book. "What do you think...?"

"It's beautiful." He glanced at her. "You have an incredible voice."

She had been told that many times before but somehow coming from Jun it pressed deeper with a weight against her heart that she wasn't prepared for. "Thank you..."

"Just wish you had more songs like this. Ballads suit your voice much better than those pop songs..." He mumbled more to himself, but Akari heard it nonetheless.

"The ballads didn't sell as well so I didn't get to continue making them..." She rubbed the edges of her book. "But honestly... I did prefer them too."

His eyes softened. "It's a shame. I could listen to your voice like this for hours."

"Maybe one day..." She whispered under her breath.

"Huh?"

"Nothing." A small smile tugged at Akari's lips. "You know, I didn't expect you to be a ballad fan."

"And I didn't expect you to sing a song meant for children."

"W-what? How'd you know about that one?" Embarrassment made its way into her voice. "It was for a commercial in the beginning of my career..."

"The title sounded like a ballad, so I checked it out." He smirked. "Shall we listen to it now?"

"No." Akari groaned. "It's too embarrassing."

Jun chuckled lightly. A feeling of relief as he noticed Akari feeling more comfortable than before.

-

Once they arrived at their hotel, Akari collapsed on the bed, the weight of coming back settled in harder than she expected.

Jun came in through the door that conjoined their rooms. "Rest for today. Tomorrow will most likely be a long day." His voice carried a sense of doubt, as if questioning his idea to bring her here.

When Akari didn't respond he lingered for a moment before he hesitantly left the room to let her rest.

Akari lay on the bed staring aimlessly at the ceiling. Was it really a good idea to come here...?

-

When Akari awoke it was nearly noon. She didn't realize she was that tired to have slept so long. 

She made her way to the door that connected her and Jun's room. She knocked and waited for his response before she entered. "I'm sorry I slept so long."

Jun shook his head lightly. "It's fine. You needed the sleep. You've been holding too much stress in you lately."

"But you had plans for the day."

His smile was gentle. "The plans revolve around you, so it's whenever you're ready." He got up from the bed and grabbed the hotel phone. "I'll order some food if you want to wash up while we wait."

Akari nodded and went to prepare for the day.

After they ate, Jun looked over her carefully. "Do you mind if I pick out something for you to wear today?"

Akari tilted her head. "All the clothes I have are from you anyway, so I don't mind."

Jun picked out her clothes - a simple black dress that matched the black outfit he chose for himself. The coordination was subtle but deliberate.

Akari held up the dress to her. "Black for both of us?"

"Looks good don't you think?"

A small smiled tugged at her lips as she went to go change, though she couldn't help but wonder why the matching black outfits.

Once they were ready, Jun drove them to the destination for the day. Akari stayed quiet most of the ride - the familiar scenes outside the window pulled at her heart. Jun noticed her silence but didn't say anything, he wanted to let her process at her own pace.

Then, as the car took a turn, Akari's breath hitched as her hand tightened around her seatbelt.

Jun followed her gaze to the sign that made her freeze:

Higashi

The town she was born in. The town she grew up in. The town that she had to run away from.

As they drove further in to the region, the buildings, the narrows streets, the little park by the small convenience store, the path to the beach - it all looked the same, yet every detail was stained with memory.

Jun knew this would be difficult for her, but he also thought it would be important. He glanced at her, keeping his voice soft. "Akari, are you okay?"

Her voice caught in her throat. "W-where are we going...?"

Jun didn't respond, he simply kept driving further through the town, silently navigating the narrow streets of Higashi as Akari's insides twisted with each familiar turn.

Eventually, they reached the far end of town, where the streets opened into a more secluded area. The car came to a stop and Akari's gaze fell on a place she didn't expect to see - the local cemetery.

Jun glanced at her. "If you're not ready to go, we don't have to. It's your choice."

She let out an unsteady breath. "W-why are we here...?"

A hint of uncertainty laced Jun's words as if doubting his choice. "On your list... You wrote you wanted to visit your sister... You scribbled it out, but I could still see it underneath. So, I looked in to where she was buried..."

Akari stared at him, heart pounding against her ribs. She remembered writing it last minute and then scribbling it out. She never thought Jun would see it, let alone act on it. 

Jun met her eyes, continuing gently. "I wasn't sure if bringing you here was the right thing. But I also didn't want you to keep carrying this inside of you..."

Suddenly everything made sense - the trip to Okinawa, the black clothes, Jun's awkward voice of uncertainty. The weight of it all gripped at her chest. "Her grave is really here...?"

Jun nodded, his voice quiet and careful. "Do you want to go?"

Akari turned her gaze to the path leading into the cemetery, heart beating so loud she felt like it was calling her. "I do..."

Jun stepped out of the car without another word. She heard the trunk open, the soft rustle of something, then the gentle thud of it closing. 

When he came back around to open her door, his hand held one bouquet of white chrysanthemums and another of white lilies. "Shall we?" He offered her his free hand.

For a second, Akari just looked at him - the flowers, the clothes, his steady presence, the way he stood close enough to offer support but not crowd. Slowly, she placed her hand in his.

His fingers wrapped around hers, warm and grounding.

The path stretched out before them, clear and orderly under the muted daylight. The trees gently swayed as if welcoming them.

As they entered the cemetery, the landscape changed. Rows of stone graves extended in neat lines, some adorned with flowers, others weathered and forgotten by time. 

Jun led Akari further in until his steps finally stopped. They stood before a single grave - simple, well kept, the stone a little weathered but still cared for. Someone had been there recently, a small bouquet of wilted flowers rested at the base, their colors faded from the sun and time.

Akari felt her whole body go still.

Jun glanced at her gently. His voice barely a whisper as if afraid to disturb the air. "This is it..."

Her heart clenched painfully. The name she spent years avoiding to speak to shield herself from the pain stared back at her carved in stone:

Hikari Oshiro

And beside it, a name she didn't expect to see:

Miu Oshiro

Akari's world seemed to narrow around her, sound faded away until all she could hear was the rhythm of her heartbeat.

Jun didn't move. He didn't speak. He simply stayed beside her - close enough to catch her if she faltered but far enough to give her space to process.

For a while, they stood there in complete silence. The air felt still as if the wind itself didn't want to intrude. 

Akari's eyes stayed fixed on the gravestone, her breath shallow, her fingers lightly trembling. She never got a chance to visit her sister's grave ever since she passed. She also never knew her mother had passed. Seeing their names engraved together felt like a cruel joke. 

Akari gently released Jun's hand and stepped forward. She knelt before the stone, her movement careful, reverent. From the basket beside the grave, she found the ladle and dipped it in the basin nearby. She stilled the shaking in her hands as she poured the water slowly over the gravestone to cleanse it. 

When she finished washing the stone, Jun stepped closer and offered her the incense. She took it with both hands, lit the sticks, and planted them gently into the holder. Jun then handed her the bouquets. She placed the white chrysanthemums and lilies beside the older wilted flowers, arranging them neatly so they sat well together. 

Then as a faint trail of smoke curled up from the incense, Akari crouched down and bowed her head. Jun also bowed beside her and offered his respects with quiet sincerity. 

When Akari finally lifted her head, her eyes lingered on the carved names again. A tightness painfully pressed against her chest as her vision blurred. "I'm sorry..." Her voice cracked under the weight of everything. "I'm so sorry..." The tears she spent so long avoiding finally fell - the grief, the guilt, the pain, the loneliness, everything she pretended to have moved on from poured out. 

After a moment's hesitation, Jun silently placed a hand on her back - light, steady, giving her an anchor she didn't expect. 

For the first time in fourteen years, Akari let herself grieve.