InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Not Another High School Fanfic ❯ PreCal Papers, Orphans, and Motels ( Chapter 19 )

Chapter 19: Together Again

 

Aoi's POV

It had been a whole week since he spoke those touching, yet still painful words to me and I found that they were all I could think about since then. Especially on the day I was packing my stuff for the trip…they kept replaying in my mind over and over…I couldn't get it out of my head.

 

"I remember what you said before…about us not being together…but honestly…I still love you…and even if you're not with me…I just want you to be happy…for my sake…"

 

I kept trying to tell myself that he didn't mean it…that he was just trying to `woo me with his words'. But at the same time…I didn't want to believe that…

 

What about his ex-girlfriend, that girl named Kame? I suddenly thought. Looks like he was trying to get back with her…

 

She's a nasty piece of work, broke the guy's heart not too long before he met you. I guess she somehow found out about the two of you and was trying to get back with him, which I highly doubt will happen. Kagura's voice rang in my head like a reminder.

Look, I don't know all of the details or whatever, but I think that maybe you two still have a chance. As much as I hate to actually admit it, you two were kind of a...cute couple.

 

But…what if she's wrong? I thought. What if he does go back to her? What if we don't get back together?

 

I think, maybe, Bankotsu feels bad about what happened too. Maybe, if you two just talked… Hana's voice spoke up.

I stopped packing for a moment and sighed.

 

I don't know what to think anymore…I thought. Everyone thinks I should get back with him…but I don't want to get hurt again…

I continued packing, though that one thought laid heavily on my mind…

 

What should I do?

 

Bankotsu's POV

I couldn't deny that I was happy. Even if Aoi didn't really want to go with me I was still happy she didn't turn me down completely. As I packed my stuff, my thoughts kept drifting back to the night we broke up…I still couldn't believe it happened…

 

I felt like shit, Plain and simple. If it wasn't for Jakotsu I wouldn't have gone back to school at all. I would have had him take the ticket to school for me and give it to Aoi so she could go with someone else. But things didn't work out that way…

The night Aoi and I broke up I came home angry, pissed…pick a negative adjective.

I went in my room, slammed the door shut, and ignored Jakotsu while he yelled for me to come out and eat.

I knew it was my fault we broke up. While I was so caught up with fighting Naraku and his gang I didn't bother to think of the promise I made to Aoi or how she would feel if something were to happen to me. I couldn't look beyond myself…

“You know I don't even know what the hell your problem is! Why do you even care about what I'm doing when I'm not with you?! It's not like it's any of your business!”

 

Why did I say that? I thought.

 

“Why do I care? I care because I love you! And if you got badly hurt, or got killed because of something unnecessarily stupid, I'd be devastated! I figured you'd understand that by now, but it looks like you don't! And if that's the case...then maybe we shouldn't be together!”

 

Maybe…she's right… I thought…but then found myself feeling…well…devastated at the very thought of us not being together. I sighed in frustration while I sat on my bed and watched the rain beat against my window. After Aoi left I stood there in the pouring rain, in a daze for about half an hour before finally going in the house and isolating myself to my room, sitting down on my bed and not caring that it got wet.

As I sat there, I couldn't help but consistently think of the way Aoi looked before she left. It was a look of pure sadness and pain. I even saw a few tears fall from her eyes before she got in the car.

I buried my face in my hands and groaned. I fucked up big time. I thought.

I lost someone precious to me because of my stupidity. And the worst part was…I didn't know if I would get her back….

I barely noticed at first, but eventually my chest tightened and my eyes started burning. I wiped my eyes, they had been wet.

I had been crying.

It felt odd because I could barely remember the last time I cried. Was it when my mom died? That had to have been at least four years ago. I didn't even cry when Kame dumped me, and she was the first girl I ever loved (well, who I thought I loved). Kame may have broken my heart…but Aoi...when she broke up with me…it felt like she took my whole heart with her. Without her I felt empty…

Reluctantly after an hour of crying by myself I came out and told Jakotsu what happened. He yelled at me (like I thought he would) and said it was my fault. But I didn't argue with him because I knew he was right…

He was somewhat understanding though, since he let me stay home the next day. He said it was my `time to think'. I just called it my `time to sulk'. But the following day he said I had to go back and stop avoiding my problems. I didn't feel like arguing so I just went.

 

That had to be worst mistake I ever made. But I wasn't depressed anymore. Now, I was determined.

I couldn't give up on Aoi that easily. I was given an opportunity to make things right with her and I was not going to screw it up.

 

A Day Later…

 

Aoi's POV

 

Here we are, I thought.

 

 

It's not going to be bad! Hana responded. Stop being so negative!

 

On the day that Bankotsu and I left for Okinawa, Hana, Aunt Risa, and Jakotsu came to the airport to see us off.

 

“Oh I can't believe you're going to an island all by yourself!” said Aunt Risa looking close to tears, “You're so grown up now!”

 

“Aunt Risa, I used to live there remember?” I said to her.

 

“Oh, um, right.”

 

“My widdle brudder!” Jakotsu exclaimed trapping Bankotsu in an unnecessary death hug, “I'm going to miss you so much!”

 

“No…you're not…” Bankotsu said, struggling for air, “Let go…!”

 

Jakotsu finally released him and said, “You're right! I just thought I should at least act like I would miss you. I'm going to paarrttyyy! Whoo!”

 

“Of course, just try not to hit those gay bars too much now! You might overwhelm the other dudes with your profound smexiness!”

 

“You shut up!” Jakotsu said hitting Bankotsu on the arm. Hana laughed while Aunt Risa looked simply disturbed. I don't think she'd ever seen someone so openly homosexual before.

 

“What time is it?” She asked, I'm guessing, to change the subject.

 

“Almost time for you two to board.” Hana said pointing to me and Bankotsu after she looked at her watch.

 

“Well in that case we'd better wrap things up here!” Aunt Risa grabbed me and hugged me as hard as she could, then Hana joined in just for the heck of it. They both then did the same to Bankotsu.

 

“You two lovebirds have fun, okay?”

 

“M-hmm…”

 

“Yeah….”

 

I hadn't told Aunt Risa about what happened with Bankotsu and me. When I came out of my depressed phase, I told her I was just really sick.

 

Bankotsu and I waved back to Hana, Jakotsu and Aunt Risa one last time as we headed towards the terminal. I just happened to connect eyesight with Hana and that's when she started talking to me.

 

I bet you two will be together again by the time you come back.

 

Whatever, no we won't.

 

Okay Aoi, just remember, have fun, make good choices, and `no' means `no'.

 

Shut up Hana.

 

I love you, twin!

 

 

It had already been two hours since we boarded the plane. Since we hadn't crossed over water yet, I figured that we still had a long way to go.

 

Man, I forgot how long it took to get between Okinawa and Tokyo. This is taking forever…

 

Bankotsu had barely said anything to me since we got on the plane. The whole time he just looked out the window.

 

Not like it's bothering me at all… I thought.

It was getting extremely cold on the plane, but no attendants had come to give out blankets or anything so for a while I sat rubbing my bare arms trying to warm myself up, to no avail. I even tried sitting in a fetal position, which still didn't work. Bankotsu looked at me fidgeting around in my seat and asked me, “Aoi-chan do you want - ?”

 

“Don't call me that anymore!” I snapped.

 

“Aoi,” he said correcting himself, “You wanna wear my jacket?”

 

“No!”

 

At first he jumped back in surprise, but then he just shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the window and whatever he was looking at.

I didn't know why I had been so quick to respond with `no'.

I figured that if I went to sleep, I would no longer notice how cold I was. So I turned around in my seat and tried to take a nap.

I think I had almost fallen asleep when I felt something drape over my shoulders. Whatever it was, the scent of it reminded me of Bankotsu, a peculiar smell of motor oil and Axe. I opened my eyes slightly and saw why that was. It was because he had just given me his jacket as a blanket. I glanced at him to see him staring out the window, again.

 

I sighed as I went back to sleep. Whatever.

 

Bankotsu's POV

 

A little after Aoi went to sleep I got up to go to the bathroom. When I got back I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks. The sun was starting to set and it was casting a warm glow on Aoi's face. The sight was simply…breathtaking. I smiled and without thinking I began to stroke her hair. When Aoi moved I immediately snatched my hand away but breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't wake up. I would have just stood there, staring at her but suddenly someone behind me asked me to move. When I sat down I made a silent declaration. I am NOT going to mess this up. Aoi you mean too much to me and I'll be damned if I have to spend the rest of my life without you. I'm going to prove my love to you. I promise.

 

Soon, I found myself drifting off to sleep. I smiled…with Aoi being the last thing I saw.

 

Aoi's POV

 

I woke up from what seemed like the fifth nap I had taken since I boarded the plane, and I was blinded by the late afternoon sunset that shone through the windows.

 

“Attention passengers, we have arrived at Naha Airport in Okinawa Prefecture, please exit the aircraft in an orderly manner. We hope you enjoyed your trip. Please travel with us again.”

I sighed in relief and whispered "Finally..."

 

“Ah, I can walk!” When we got off the plane I stretched my arms and legs. Sitting down for so long had given me cramps like you could not believe. Bankotsu was stretching too, and I found myself blushing when I could see his well-toned muscles through his white t-shirt. They flexed with each of his movements and I almost found myself drooling...

 

When Bankotsu looked at me I shook the blush away, or I thought I did, but it seemed that Bankotsu noticed because he flashed one of his smug grins.

 

I glared at him and said, "Don't get any ideas! I was not looking at you!"

 

He just shook his head and said "Sure. You just happened to be looking in my direction..."

 

I growled and said "Boy please, you are not even all that. Besides...it may have seemed like I was looking at you but I was just...daydreaming."

 

"You're a bad liar." he said simply.

 

"Shut up!" I said, marching off towards the bagging station. I hated how he could see straight through me...

 

After we got our bags from the luggage conveyer belt, Bankotsu and I headed towards the exit of the airport, even though the place was so big we probably wouldn't find it until an hour or two later. I very soon regretted packing so many clothes into one bag, because I was breaking my back trying to carry it along with a backpack I tugged along with me. I was close to collapsing when the weight disappeared from my shoulders and Bankotsu started carrying my bag for me.

 

Aww, he's such a gentleman, I thought, but then quickly shook the thought out of my head.

As we continued on our journey to the exit, Bankotsu and I shared some short, awkward moments. I looked at him out of my peripheral vision, but he noticed and threw me that stupid, smug smile of his, then I frowned at him and focused my attention forward.

When he noticed my efforts to ignore him he laughed at me.

 

“You're so annoying!” I snapped bitterly, folding my arms against my chest.

 

“And you're really cute when you're angry,” He said, still grinning.

 

“Ugh!” I groaned, sucking my teeth and rolling my eyes. I turned my attention away from Bankotsu and studied some of the other people in the airport. I spotted a regular family, a mother, father, son, daughter, and even a little cage which I assumed held a cat or a dog or something, I saw an old man hugging two smaller children, his grandchildren most likely, and I saw a young man with a girl about the same age as he. They were locked in a passionate kiss.

I looked at them, then I looked back at Bankotsu, who was no longer paying any attention to me, then I looked back at the young couple. For some odd reason, after I saw them, I felt an odd sadness.

 

 

Hana's POV

 

“I still don't get this, do you get this?”

 

“No, I am smart, but even I have to admit I am not that smart. This is supposed to be Pre-Calculus, not rocket science.”

 

After I left Aoi at the airport, I decided to get together with Sesshomaru and spend the rest of the day going over our Pre-Calculus Spring Break work. It was easy for us at first, but then the work just kept getting harder and harder. Both of us were ready to give up. Well, I was ready to give up.

 

“This isn't even fair, what is the point of giving us work during our break? It's clearly not a break if we're working!” I complained.

 

“Life is not fair, Hanako. That's just the way it is.” Sesshomaru said, paying me half of his attention and the other half to the complicated PreCal problem.

I pulled my chair closer to his and snuggled up against him.

 

“Sessho-chan...”

 

“I know what you're going to ask, the answer is no.”

 

“But please, can't we take a break from all this work? Can we go out somewhere? Please...?”

 

“We can go out after we finish this work, I promise you.” He said with finality. But I was far from finished with trying to get my way, I thought up as many excuses as I possibly could.

I got up out of my chair, walked over to Sesshomaru's bedroom window and yanked open the velvet curtains to let some light into the room.

 

“Ah, it's so beautiful outside, you know...” I said.

 

“Yes, I suppose it is.” He said while punching some numbers into a calculator.

 

“Well, today's your birthday! I mean it's bad enough you didn't even bother to tell me but you don't even wanna celebrate!”

That really did piss me off...

 

“Today is my birthday, but all that means is that I am no longer seventeen years old. What exactly is there to celebrate, Hanako?”

 

See, now he's just trying to be difficult, I thought.

I tried saying that going out would help me concentrate more later, that didn't work. I tried to convince him to at least take Rin out somewhere, surprisingly that didn't work either. At that point I decided to use my last resort.

I sat back down next to him, kissed him on the cheek, and said, making sure that I sounded really sweet and pitiful, “But I love you...”

He turned to face me and leaned in close as if he was going to kiss me back, but instead he said, “And I love you too, which is exactly why I don't want you to fail math.”

With that, he shoved my pencil back into my hand and slammed the PreCal paper in front of me.

I groaned, “You can be so, annoying.” It was odd because when I said `annoying', I thought I heard Aoi's voice in my head saying the exact same thing.

Aoi, wonder how she is... I thought. But then I just shrugged my shoulders and continued to work on my PreCal paper.

 

 

Aoi's POV

 

For a little while, just a little while after we'd arrived in Okinawa I was able to forget about Bankotsu and how I had practically forced myself to come. When we'd finally found the exit of Naha Airport, I was greeted by bright sunlight and clear blue skies. I breathed in and I could smell the salt from the ocean not too far away.

“Feels great to be home,” I sighed.

But I certainly didn't feel great for long, when Bankotsu enlightened me to the fact that we had no place to stay...

 

“What do you mean `we don't have money for a hotel'?” I snapped.

 

He shrugged his shoulders like sleeping outside was no big deal, “Just realized it. We only have money for food and not much else...what are we gonna do?”

 

“You think I know?” I yelled. As if on cue, the streetlight I was standing in front of blinked on.

 

“This is just great.” I said sitting down on the sidewalk with a plop. Bankotsu sat down next to me, looking completely lost in thought. But suddenly, he smiled.

 

“You care to lighten up the mood?” I asked sarcastically.

 

“Yeah,” he said standing up, then helping me up, “Let's go...”

 

“And where exactly are we going?”

 

He looked at me, smiled again and said, “We're gonna go find a hotel.”

 

Bankotsu's POV

 

Whether or not Aoi wanted to admit it was on her, but my criminal mind really knew how to solve a problem. After walking for what seemed like forever, we finally found a motel. Half of the letters on the neon sign were blown out and all of the people I saw walking in and out looked sleazy and dirty. It wasn't a place where I'd want to spend the night, especially not with Aoi. But it had beds and a roof, and Aoi and I had been walking for five miles. Beggars can't be choosers.

We walked inside and found that the motel `surprisingly' was even less appealing than it had looked outside. The walls were covered with chipped, yellow puke-colored paint, the carpet was an ugly maroon color, and only some of the lights worked. It only got better when we saw the man at the reception desk. It was a disgruntled-looking, middle aged fat guy smoking a cigar and reading a Playboy magazine.

 

“Bankotsu, what the hell are you doing?” Aoi whispered.

 

“About to get us a room,” I whispered back, “Just wait here a second.”

I walked up to the creepy reception guy, and with a lack of anything better to say, I said, “Hi!” as politely as I could.

The man acknowledged my presence for about two seconds and turned his attention back to his magazine.

 

“Um, my...sister and I...need to rent a room.”

Without looking up, Creepy Man held out his hand to me to collect the money I didn't have for him.

“Right, money,” I said, patting my pockets for dramatic effect, “The only thing about that is, we don't exactly have any money.”

 

“Oh,” Creepy Man laughed. I jumped because I was surprised when he finally said something to me. “In that case you can have our `special' room - the outdoor suite!” He laughed again except that time he had a vicious choking cough at the end.

I took the man's magazine and tossed it on the desk.

“What the hell-?!”

 

“Look, mister-!” I yelled, “Me and my little sister traveled all the way from Tokyo, by ourselves, to come to our Grandma's funeral! We're orphans so we don't have that much money...we simply thought that a kind soul such as yourself wouldn't mind us staying for a night...”

 

“No shit, well tell me this man, if you and you `sister' are really orphans with no money, then how did you afford to fly to Okinawa? And why don't you just stay with your relatives or somethin'?”

 

“For your information the orphanage paid for our plane tickets, and we were the only relatives Grandma had left!” I almost yelled, I tried to get a tear or two out for effect, but nothing was coming.

 

“Then why didn't you live with her-?”

 

“Does it MATTER?” I was shaking the man now, but surprisingly he didn't do anything. Just looked at me like I was insane, and it did seem like I was. “The point is our beloved Grandma is dead! All we want is to be able to get a good night's rest at this...lovely...motel before the day of her funeral. We promise that we'll have some money for you by tomorrow. Just please let us stay!”

The man reached beneath the desk and pulled out what seemed like the first key he could grab. He practically threw it at me.

“Here, man! Just take it! But I better have my money by tomorrow, or else...”

I bowed and thanked him at least twenty times before I grabbed Aoi by the arm and dragged her along with me to find our room.

When we were out of Creepy Man's earshot, I laughed and whispered, “Dumbass...”

 

 

Aoi's POV

 

I had to give Bankotsu his props. He was a pretty good actor. And we actually had a place to stay because of it. But I couldn't help but think of so many other things...

 

Where are we gonna get `some money' from if we both only had money to buy our food?

 

“You think we're giving that man our money? Please, he ain't gettin' shit outta us...we're gonna leave out early in the morning through the emergency exit.”

That was his response.

 

Well then what would we do the next night, and the nights after that until we were to go back to Tokyo? We couldn't keep going back to the same motel.

 

`We'll go to different places. Just repeat the same story over and over for all these suckers.” That was also his response.

 

Great, now he was trying to turn me into a delinquent.

 

Eventually we found our room on the first floor. It was...quaint. A small bed, a single chair, a television with three channels...weren't we just livin' the life?

 

I was exhausted. The combination of jet lag, walking for miles, and carrying your luggage around with you for all that time killed me. I was about to lay down on the bed, but Bankotsu beat me to it.

I looked at him...and he looked at me...and I looked at him...until finally I said, “What are you doing?”

“I'm...about to go to sleep.” He said confused.

“Um...okay.” I nodded, “And, where am I supposed to sleep?”

He patted the left side of the bed's mattress, “On this side.”

It was kind of mean of me, and I really didn't mean to, but I burst out laughing.

Bankotsu looked confused, so I decided to elaborate for him, “You actually thought we would be sleeping in the same bed? Oh wow...” I continued to laugh. I picked up his bag from the bottom of the bed where he had placed it and tossed it into the middle of the floor.

“But, wait a second...”

“That's where you're sleeping.” I said with finality. I tossed him a pillow and a blanket. Then I hopped in the bed, pulled up some covers, and turned off the lamp.

“Good night, Bankotsu!” I said sweetly. With that I went right to sleep, and surprisingly, without a fight, Bankotsu did the same.