Career plan

After a boring summer, we were back. I barely got to spend barely anytime with Akio because she was away. I just stayed up playing games all night. What was a guy like me supposed to do?

"Tatsu-kun - morning!"

Akio's smile was as wide as ever. What was she happy about? We had to come back here.

To hell.

"Oh, morning, Akio, did you have a good summer?"

"America was so good - I did ask you if you wanted to tag along, but you said no."

"Hey, don't make me feel guilty... You, of all people, should know how I am in new environments.

My head lowered.

"Plus, i dont think I'm ready to meet your family again."

Akio said nothing.

She just listened.

Her grin grew wider.

Akio's voice softened.

"You're so cute when you act nervous, Tatsu-kun."

It was the start of the term, and Akio was already on her teasing A-game.

My ears drown it out.

"So... anyway, Akio, have you heard - we are getting our career plans in homeroom."

"Oh, really?"

Akio's face drooped.

"It's becoming real, huh, Tatsumi?

What was she going on about? The only "real" thing here is that she constantly teases me.

I stay silent.

"It's no longer wishful thinking... we are really leaving this place."

"Cmon, don't be so sad, we still have what - 7 months? That's loads of time."

"Its gonna fly by, do you realize that? Soon, these halls we walk about in, people we talk to...all become distant memories."

"Hey, at least that's a memory I'll remember."

Akio just laughed.

"Yo-your not-phhh."

"Pretty sure it helped."

"Thank you Tatsu-kun"

I smiled.

Homeroom started, and we all braced for the career plans to be handed out.

"Would anyone like to share their plans?"

I could feel a presence next to me - Akio...no.

"Hey, teach, Tatsu-kun, and I are going to an acting school together, isn't that great?"

"They do say young love prevails- I'm happy... for both of you."

"Yeah, thanks or whatever."

We had to bring it to the faculty office by the end of the week, so they could assign us for the entrance exams.

Great, entrance exams.

After getting home, I lay down in bed -alone with my thoughts.

Acting school with Akio, huh? How we've come full circle.

I was still not sure whether I even wanted to, I mean, it had been 4 years since I "quit." Plus, due to the accident and my own inability to remember, I've long since forgotten how to act. I get that I should be there for Akio, but I'm still on the fence about getting back out there.

Who am I kidding? I'd be letting Akio down if I decided to bail on it. This had been our dream for so long, why am I getting cold feet now?

There was a knock on my door.

"Tatsumi, dinner is ready!"

It was Mom, maybe I should ask her for advice.

We all take our places at the dinner table. Katsu curry filled the air.

"Mom, I've been meaning to tell you something."

"What is it tatsumi?" Mom said, with a questioning look on her face.

"Well...we kinda got our career plans for college today, and Akio...well, we want to start acting again."

Silence filled the room.

All I could hear was mom not trying to hold back tears.

"Ryusuke would be so proud of you both; you have mine and Ryusuke's approval all the way." Mom said.

The tears followed suit.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this day, Tatsumi...so long."

Crap, how do I tell her I'm on the fence about it when she's this into it?

Ryoko must have noticed I had something else to say.

"Mom, I think Tatsu-ni has something else he'd like to tell us," Ryoko said, with a worrying look on her face.

"Thanks, Ryoko. Mom thing is, is that I don't know...about acting - if it's still in the cards for me...after all this time away, I don't know if I'll be able to perform. I'm just going to support Akio, but I don't know about it myself.

Mom stayed silent.

This was sure to upset her, I knew that.

"Tatsumi...no matter what path life takes you down, I will always support you. Even if it's not acting, just know I love you unconditionally."

These words lifted any lingering guilt I had.

I smiled.

"Seriously, thank you, Mom, you have no idea how much it means to hear you say those words."

"I'm still interested in acting, it's just I don't know if I'm ready."

Mom's voice steadied.

"When the time comes, you will be. You were always good at performing under pressure."

"Yeah, but that was me back then-"

"You're still the same person, are you not?"

Mom was right. I was just scared to move forward.

"Yeah, but my-"

"Tatsumi, let me ask you something. When you had your accident, what actually happened?

"My hippocampus-"

"Exactly, just your hippocampus. Luckily, no other side effects from the crash were identified. Your brain might not remember...but your heart surely does."

Mom was right. All this time, I had just been making excuses to take the next step forward. Always talking about the past, the past doesn't matter anymore; what matters is the me who is in the present moment.

My voice steadied.

"Thank you, Mom, seriously."

"I don't need your thanks, Tatsumi, it's what we Moms are here for."

I signed the paper right there and then. I was going to stop running from the future that was in front of me.

The next day at school, I rushed to the faculty office.

The paper that would allow me to continue with Akio is in my hand.

"Sensei, I'm here to drop off my career plan."

"Already Kyoshiro-kun? You must really love Akio to follow her like this." The teacher said, looking displeased.

"Don't worry, sensei - I'm not doing this for anyone but myself."

The teacher raised a brow.

"Is that so? Well, it's none of my business anyway. I'll contact the acting school to let them know your intrested."

I couldn't hide my smile - it felt as if my life was finally about to go somewhere. What could go wrong, right?