Fear: Part Three
I can’t seem to get to sleep. I stare at the blank
whiteness of the ceiling above me and try to relax. It
is not working. I lift my head slightly at the sound
of someone moving around downstairs. I turn my head to
the side and glance at my alarm clock. It is late. I
don’t know who would be up at this hour. I slowly sit
up in bed and push the tangled sheets away from me as
I stand up and walk carefully to the door. I open it
cautiously and peer into the hallway.
Darkness greets me and for a moment I think that maybe
I am imagining things. I am about to turn back to my
bed when I hear a voice from downstairs. I can’t tell
exactly what the voice is saying, but he sounds angry.
I don’t know who it could be.
I freeze when I hear a voice respond. There is no
mistaking it this time. It is Aya. Is he just now
getting home? What has he been doing all night? Is
there someone down there with him?
I creep into the hallway. I am careful not to make a
sound as I tiptoe down the hallway and towards the dim
glow from the staircase. Moonlight pours from the hall
window and shines down the stairs in a jagged line.
There is a light on downstairs. It’s warm glow blends
into the coolness of the moonlight.
I strain to hear some sort of sound from below. I hear
footsteps. My heart is beating too quickly and I find
myself taking quick shallow breaths. I place one hand
on the wall in an effort to steady myself. I bend my
head and close my eyes until I am able to focus on the
situation at hand again. I wonder if I should return
to my bedroom. I shake off the urge to run and
continue to make my way down the hallway. I hear a
voice again. This time the words are clearer. They are
yelling.
“When did you start caring, Kudou?” The words are
bitter and anger. They hang like jeweled icicles in
the stillness of the night. I pause in my effort to
descend the stairs and wait for a response. I find
myself leaning closer to the sounds, hoping to hear
Yohji’s voice. I feel myself wanting to run down there
and put a stop to all of this. Somehow I can’t will my
feet to move any further. I am frozen to the spot just
five steps down from the top of the staircase. My
hands are shaking again. I lift them cautiously and
rake my hands through my hair. I shake my head and try
to make sense of it all.
“I don’t want to fight about this tonight, Aya.”
Yohji’s voice is calm and soothing. He is trying to
diffuse the situation. I find myself smiling at that.
I can picture him down there standing in front of Aya
with his hands slightly raised and his emerald eyes
sparkling with sincerity. I lean my head against the
cool wall and close my eyes as I wait for a reply.
“Damn it! I’ll do whatever I goddamn please and you’ll
stay out of it!” Those angry words pierce my heart.
They are words that I have heard before. He has
whispered those things in my ear as he ran his slender
fingers over my face and through my hair. He made them
infinitely clear as he clasped my wrists in his
delicate, strong hands and held them down against the
mattress. I clench my fists and fight back the images
that flit across my vision briefly. I don’t want to
think about that now. I don’t have to think about him
anymore.
“Aya, listen…”
“Leave me the hell alone!”
The door slams and I hear the sound echo throughout
the small shop. I clutch the edge of the stair I’m
sitting on with both hands and bite my lip. Did he
leave? Is he gone? I feel my muscles tense again as I
hear footsteps coming towards the staircase. Is it
Aya? Oh gods, what will he do if he sees me here?
Would Yohji walk out like that?
I press myself up against the wall and stare wide-eyed
at the emptiness on the landing of the staircase. This
is too much. I’m not ready to face him just yet. I
will be soon, but not right now. I’m so sorry. I
didn’t mean to eavesdrop.
I frantically push myself up against the wall in an
effort to make myself invisible as the footsteps get
closer. They are careful and measured as if the person
is uncertain about something. I don’t have time to
analyze that. I have to get out of here. I hear a sob
escape my lips and I start to panic. I can’t cry in
front of him. I can’t let him know what he does to me.
I don’t seem to be in control anymore as my arms and
legs rush hurriedly to hide me from his gaze. I bring
my knees up closer to my face and I stare with wide
eyes at the shadow that is slowly creeping towards me.
The silhouette is just about to round the corner. I
try to keep perfectly still. I do not even breathe as
the figure makes it’s way up the staircase. I fight
back a choking sob as the moonlight spills onto the
figure’s face and reveals light brown hair and a
familiar face.
Relief washes over me in waves as the face comes into
focus and I realize that it is Yohji. He bends closer
to me and whispers something about everything being
okay now. He tells me not to worry. He reaches out a
hand to help me up and I take it gratefully. We ascend
the rest of the stairs together and he leads me back
to my room.
There are so many things I want to ask him. I need to
know what they were fighting about. I need to know why
Aya was so angry. I need to know so many things, but I
can’t seem to find the words as I look up into his
gentle gaze and fall into an embrace. He holds me
close and brings one hand up to brush my dark bangs
away from my face. I lean into the touch. I want this
so much.
“KenKen…” I smile at the familiar nickname. I love the
way he says me name. I look down briefly at the floor
before I meet his gaze and feel my lips curving up
into something close to a smile. I see his eyes light
up at this and I know that I have done the right
thing. I smile a little more broadly and he reaches
out to wind one arm around my shoulder. He presses me
close to him and I lean my head into the space below
his chin. He rests his head on top of mine and we
stand like that for a few moments. I feel my eyelids
drooping and I know that I will be able to fall asleep
tonight. He pulls away and kisses me on the forehead
and then the cheek before he gestures for me to go
back to bed.
“Arigatou.” I whisper as he closes the door to my
room. He shakes his head and smiles. I guess that is
his way of saying that I don’t need to thank him. I
disagree. He has done so much for me. He has given me
back something that I never thought I would ever find
again. I lean against the hard surface of the door for
a few minutes and think about what all of this means.
I wonder how long it will last. I can still feel the
warmth of his breath against my neck and when I close
my eyes all I see is the comforting view of his gaze.
I take a deep breath and push aside the butterflies in
my stomach.
There is something unmistakably right about this. It’s
something that I can’t exactly explain, but I need to.
I need to let Yohji know what he means to me. I need
to tell him how much he has given me. I need to make
him see. I stumble back to my bed with these thoughts
dancing through my head and I do not worry about the
morning. I lay my head on my pillow and let myself
drift off to sleep with Yohji’s name on my lips and an
indescribable emotion swirling around in the pit of my
stomach. There is fear there, but there is also
something else. Something that I am almost afraid to
name, but something that I have admitted to myself a
long time ago. Now I will finally get the chance to
show him. I can finally tell him.
Kudou Yohji. Someday, I will thank you for all of
this. I will hold you in my arms without hesitation
and I will tell you that I love you in a strong clear
voice, but until then thank you for understanding and
being patient. I know that it can’t be easy for you,
but I am forever grateful. Aishitteru.
[Part Four]
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