Found (DaiSuga)

Pull me along

"Can you take us with you?"

"What?"

Tanaka looked down at the ground sheepishly. "Never mind, forget I said it, it's stupid anyway-"

"Why do you want to come with us?"

I finally spoke. "What makes you want to drive across the country with two complete strangers?" Tanaka responded, "It's just...everyone here seems to hate me and Chikara, and we feel out of place. We'd pay for ourselves, and we wouldn't be trouble either! And if your car breaks down again, Chikara can fix it! He's a great engineer and mechanic!" I tapped my fingers on my leg in contemplation. "You'd have to quit your job, and there's no guarantee you'll find another one." "I know," Tanaka sighed. "I know all the risks, but this place...just isn't our home."

I pulled Sawamura aside. "They can put in their two weeks," he whispered, "And we can stay in a hotel." His face was more shocked than anything. "Are you...are you sure? We barely know these people. They could be robbers...they could be hitchhikers!" "It'll be fine," I reassured him, and we walk back to Tanaka. He looks up at us anxiously. I nod my head.

His face lights up.

"Chikara! Chikara!"

"What?!"

"We're gonna go to Miyagi!"

He dropped his tool into the car's hood on accident.

Thunk.

"What?!"

After a brief explanation, I say, "You'll probably have to put in a two-week resignation form if you work full time. If you don't, then take as few things as possible and shove them in a backpack."

"What about our apartment?"

"Sell it back to the landlord, and get rid of your stuff in a garage sale, I guess."

"That'd take a couple weeks to sell," Ennoshita mumbles to himself.

"We've got time," I assure him.

He looks at the ground for a moment. Then, he pulls me into the biggest bear hug I've ever gotten. "Thank you," he whispers. He's crying, but I don't draw attention to it. I've been in that place before. I think everyone has.

If not, they're either a liar or a masochist.

Or a two year-old.

"We'll book a hotel," I say, "And you'll work on getting out of here in one piece. But first, I need to pay you for fixing my car."

"I'm not done yet, and you don't have to pay!"

"Nope."

"But-"

"No buts. Here's your money."

"Guess I better finish then. We don't have a car. That's a rental from the mechanic company."

"It's probably a good idea then." I laugh. "Once that car is fixed, drive ahead of us and we'll follow you home." Ennoshita pats me on the shoulder, and stands up to finish repairs.

An hour later, we're at Tanaka and Ennoshita's apartment. It's a quaint two-roomed place, with a little dining table right in the middle of the room as we walk in. "I know it isn't much," Ennoshita begins, but I cut him off. "This place feels more like home than anything in my life."

He blushed and changed the subject.

"Anyway, in a few days I'll get my paycheck and sell my stuff and then we can book it out of here. Tanaka only works part time, so he can quit on the spot if he has to."

Tanaka looked at the ground. "It was once! And my manager was a bitch!"

"Yeah. Sure. Anyway, make yourselves at home. This is where you're gonna live for the next three weeks."