Home Isn't Home

The sky was clear, there were almost no clouds to be seen. The sun began to scorch the earth, as the Monday afternoon lived on thanks to the rain, that fell just this morning. Yai and Tetsu were walking up to his house. It was still 5 PM, there was time to kill at home, before they were to go anywhere. Kill time with what, that was another question. 

As they got to his house, they really couldn't decide what the best method to waste their time would be. And so, they argued and wasted 20 minutes. That was one way to use their time. They finally settled on watching TV, but they couldn't agree on what channel they wanted to watch. Another 10 minutes in arguing flew away.

These arguments and activities kept switching places every-so-often, until the clock hit 7PM. It was time for them to head out to the railway. The wet asphalt was slowly getting warmer and warmer, and the rain puddles were disappearing, one after the other. Yai and Tetsu finally went out later than usual and started walking up towards the rails.

They reached the now green and lively bushes. For sure the rain helped them refreshen after such a long drought. The rails were wet and shiny. That wouldn't last however, because they would soon rust even more. Maybe if more trains came, they wouldn't be so rusty. Yai and Tetsu walked to the station and sat on the platform, with their legs swaying above the railroad. The sun was setting. Why would it run from its responsibilities to heat up the earth after the storm? No one would know, since the sun doesn't talk.

Yai was sitting with her knees drawn up to her head, with was resting on her right knee. She turned to Tetsudo with an intrigued gaze. He caught her looking, but she didn't look away.

"What?" he asked.

"Say... Where do you think I'll go after I finish my stay here?" Yai muttered quietly.

"Home," Tetsu answered quickly.

"And what if I don't want to go home? I like it here and I want to stay."

"You can't and you shouldn't stay here. You know that," Tetsudo said bluntly. "So, you'll have to figure things out..."

Yai's eyes looked down and away from his face. She didn't have much longer and there was nothing she could do. That's it? Is there nothing better than to just leave?
Tetsudo glanced and saw her defeated look.

"...But if you'd like, I'm willing to figure things out with you."

Yai's head rised from her knees and her eyes lit once again like that time in the forest. She smiled slyly.

"Do you like me or something? Hehe~"

"No!" Tetsu said defiantly to Yai. Her smile didn't go away, however. He got red to the ears and looked away. "But..." he started with hesitation a new sentence.

"I like... having you around. It's a somewhat... nice change of pace."

The two sat there for a few moments in silence. Tetsu turned his face towards Yai again - she looked confused, but happy. Her sly smile was gone and, in its place, stood a shocked, red face.

"Is... is that true?" she asked.

"Y-yeah..."

Yai clenched her fists and put them in front of her red face and started to dance while sitting. Her eyes were glowing like never before. The sun kept slowly setting down.

"Ehehe~!" she giggled the whole time. Tetsu just watched her with a smile.

When she stopped dancing, she stood up and bent forward towards Tetsu, until her face was only a few inches away from his.

"I'm glad you like having me around. I like being around you too."

"Well, I am happy to hear that..."

Silence grew once again around the train station. The sun's final red rays were not reaching Yai and Tetsu anymore. The moon took over the sky and around the station little fireflies lit up their triumphant and tired faces. The little bolts holding the rails to the tracks started trembling. A train was coming from far away. The headlights could be seen from where they were sitting.

"The night is so quiet..." Yai said. Tetsudo looked at her - her face, lit up by the fireflies, was turned to him.

"Do you like it when it's quiet?" he asked her.

"Hmm," she thought for a second. "It's not that, I just... like the daytime more. The late afternoons and dusks, it's where I feel the most at peace."

"Why's that?" she looked at Tetsu for a moment, then turned away. The light from the train's headlights got brighter and brighter.

"That's the only time I'm not alone."

The train passed, not stopping at the station and not slowing down. Their hair waved around for a moment by the sudden gush of wind. The hundreds of fireflies, that were here just a moment ago, were nowhere to be seen. The station was dark again. Before Tetsudo could get a word out, Yai stood up.

"Let's go home. We don't wanna be too late now, do we?" She started walking towards the black bushes. Tetsudo, without saying anything, stood up as well and followed her. 

The moon was hiding behind the empty forest on the other side. The town was lit up, but it didn't feel like it was shining at all.

*

The morning came once again unannounced. The little sun began to peak out of the horizon and the clouds started to disperse. Yai and Tetsu arose for another school day.

"Tuesday... Three more days and I'll have to leave..." thought Yai, as she used the spare brush to wash her teeth. She then tied her hair in a ponytail and got dressed in the spare clothes Tetsu's mom gave her, which were a bright-blue shirt and a long grey skirt. The colors didn't match at all, but Yai liked the contrast they created together as well with her black hair.

Tuesday... Three more days and she'll have to leave..." Tetsudo thought as he got dressed in his school's summer uniform, which to him was very uncomfortable. Even with this being a summer uniform, he still sweated a lot and had to wash the shirt every day. He didn't dislike summer; he didn't like sweating a lot. Same with winter - he didn't dislike the season; he just didn't like getting cold.

Both had breakfast and left the house. They walked together for a while in silence.

Something was bothering Tetsudo about Yai. Why did she really leave home? There was no way in his mind that just because she didn't like her friends and family, she would run away. Her close ones probably feel the same way. But he wondered if he asked her again the same question, would she respond the same way two times? Probably. He thought for a few minutes while walking in silence. He finally lifted up his eyes.

"Yai?"

"Hm?" She turned to him.

"What are your parents like?" he asked.

"Well..." she thought for a second how she should answer. "They are rich, but also very busy. They didn't have time for me or my brother, when we were growing up. We were watched a lot by relatives. Only on holidays would our parents come home. Eventually even these holiday visits became sparse. It was on one of those empty and lonely holidays, I..."

Yai stopped for a second.

"... decided to run away."

The silence resurged again for a few moments.

"I never knew you had a brother..." Tetsu said.

"You never asked."

"True," he looked at Yai's face - it had gotten all dull and numb, unlike usual. "but wouldn't he be worried about you?"

Yai for a second shuddered.

"Yes... I worry about him sometimes too..." she looked like she was about to burst into tears, her voice was also shaken up. "When I tried to run away, he actually tried to stop me, saying things like 'They'll come next time!'... I knew he said out of desperation, but..."

Yai quietened again.

"Don't you think you should see him again?" Tetsu asked.

"How could I? After I ran away?" Yai whimpered.

"You owe it to him."

She turned to Tetsu with a purple face.

"How could I face him? After all I put him through?!" she yelled at him and buried her head in her hands.

"Doesn't matter how, all that matters is that he's your brother and you have to." Tetsudo said calmly.

Yai stopped her sobbing and turned to Tetsu again, this time with a relieved face.

"You," she sniffed twice and continued. "You're right. Sorry for my sniffling and sobbing."

"It's alright. By the way, is he your younger or older brother?"

"Older."

"Oh, so you're screwed."

"Eh?! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing..." Tetsu smiled.

"Hmpf! You're so mean!" Yai began to lightly punch him on the shoulder.

They both walked to the school and said their 'in a bit''s, and went on their ways. Tetsudo walked into the school, where he met up with Hiraya. They went to class together.

Yai went to the cafe she was at yesterday and instead of ordering anything, she sat outside on the street and watched the people on the crossroad.

The time will pass by either faster or slower. Friday will be here before or after they know it. Until then the Tuesday sun will shine tirelessly, and the green mountains peaks will scrape the blue sky and turn it yellow. Until then the railway will shine and rust at the same time. Until then the wires will simmer around the warm electric poles. Until then it'll all be just normal...