You and I [Completed!]

A short goodbye

The waves edged to the sand in a shimmer of white and blue.

He stepped away from her.

The kiss broke into something cold on their lips.

Arata ran a hand through his hair, brow furrowed, panicked. "I'm sorry– I... I didn't mean that."

Her eyes widened, and hands fell to her sides.

She did not look at him again.

In the distance, the moon slid out from behind a cloud lending milky light to the sea.

On the way home, Arata stared straight ahead at the winding road. It was two in the morning, and the world was still and quiet. Only his heart beat faster. Mind whirred like a bird trapped within the rafters of a house. He wanted to get out of the car and walk away from Hanami.

He made a mistake.

He shouldn't have done that.

It was not him. It was the goddamned sea, the stars and the wind, and the old wounds being scratched and assuaged at once, that made him do that. She was a friend. He couldn't let her be anything more.

Hanami was silent beside him. Arms crossed, lip bitten, eyes turned towards the blurry whoosh of scenery. He couldn't bear to look at her. Briefly, he wondered whether to put on some music, something to push away the uncomfortable silence, but eventually decided against it.

When they reached home, he looked neither left nor right, and retreated to his room. He couldn't sleep a wink.

Morning came with soft steps. It illuminated dark corners with pearly light, and colored the sky a blushing pink and gold. Arata dressed for the flight. A gray suit. Black tie. He wasn't especially attentive. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he browsed through his phone. Emails, calls, schedules checked. His gaze trailed to the door. He heard no sound. No good mornings, no smiles. Just a hush that told him he'd probably lost a good friend.

After a few minutes , he stood up. He opened the door, glanced at the closed one of Hanami's room, and trudged to the drawing room. Hanami was standing near the window. At the sight of her, he didn't know what to say.

"Going?"she asked.

He cleared his throat. "The flight's at nine."

Both stood in silence. He lifted the bag. She noticed it.

"Take care. Don't wander off somewhere like you do."

He nodded, and turned to the door.

"Take care as well,"he managed.

Hanami did not reply. Only bobbed her head. When he shuffled to the door, her footsteps followed him. At the threshold she stopped and whispered, "Good bye."

At the words he glanced back. Hanami lifted her hand in a weak, forced wave. He wanted to say sorry. That he didn't mean to hurt her. That he was a coward, and a heartless brute, but it all remained inside his chest as he gave her a nod, and hurried down the staircase.

He would not be seeing her for the next two months.

As she stood in the shower, alone in their home, Hanami sobbed.

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