The walk home consisted of silence; complete and utter silence in which Nao was being completely ignorant to his surroundings while Anna was- she just was. She didn’t feel awkward, worried and definitely not sorry. The wind started to pick up a little and it sent chills down her spine. It was the end of summer so she guessed it was the time for cold and rain. Now that she thought about that, she was wondering how Rosie was doing on her own; probably in clubs by night, sleeping and trying to work by day. She suddenly got really curious and couldn’t wait to call her younger friend.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHH1Pz1RKhr
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When she was ready to walk the stairs to her apartment building, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her into a back hug.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPQJgzdYPz
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“I’m sorry,”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupv5sDKk2L
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Nao had a tight grip on her small body. Even though she had the force to get out from his arms, she simply stood still.
“I’m sorry I left,” He continued.
Anna’s eyes widened; even though he recognized his fault, even though he sounded hurt and sorrowful, it didn’t matter anymore. He should have thought about that when he left, that morning. 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxDOZpXDO9
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“You should have done this sooner. It's been four years, Nao. I can't feel anything since I can't remember how I felt back then. Your sorry means nothing now.” She spoke harshly, being fully aware how cold she was but it didn't matter because it was the truth. 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmp3OA5kY9i
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Anna struggled a bit to get out of his grip but she succeeded nonetheless. She walked inside without a second glance, leaving Nao in the same state he formerly left her: all alone. He sighed and and kicked the pavement in annoyance; it kind of hurt and he wasn't sure if it was his pride or something else.
The morning of a new day came too fast. The weather outside changed, just like the atmosphere in Anna's apartment; black clouds hovered over the sky, hiding the sun and the joy it brought earlier that week.
Thankfully, Anna had a free day so she could sulk in peace in her completely disorganized apartment. It was just her anyway so she didn’t see the point in cleaning up. Anyway, it wasn’t even that messy: the living room was pretty clean, except the books sprawled on half of the couch, the papers on the table and the mug; the kitchen looked like a tornado just passed by, leaving a huge mess behind. The sink was full of dirty dishes and the contents of the fridge were half outside and half inside. Her room, except the unmade bed, was clean and so was the bathroom.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHk6VCAIY3
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When someone knocked that morning on her door, she thought Takeshi chose to visit her; or maybe it was Mizuki’s date again, looking for more information about the surgeon. Fortunately, it was the land lady who looked troubled. Unfortunately, she started to talk about a man.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCsBFduwJw
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“Will you come and take a look at him? I found him early in the morning on the stairs. He looked cold so I brought him in. Right now he’s sleeping on the couch in my apartment.” The land lady started.
That was definitely a different way to spend the morning.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9T740QUul
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“You let a man sleep on your couch? What if he was a thief?!” Anna tried not to scream at the older woman and be polite. 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLsRExWFDs
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She didn’t mean to exaggerate but she started to have few ideas of who that man was and one of them was making her nervous. Mrs Tsubaki wasn’t a woman who would leave a problem slide easily so there was no way out of that one. Anna had to go and identify whoever that was.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmbGNrmnag
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“I was worried. He doesn’t look like a bad person,” Mrs. Tsubaki added while she dragged the younger woman to her living room. There was nothing wrong; the place was tidy and there was indeed a familiar face sleeping peacefully on the green couch.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUj8ztovnXS
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“Why did you come to me?” Anna asked the woman. She was really curious about that.
“I saw him a few years ago walking out of your apartment,” It all came down to Anna. It must have been when he left,“I remembered him because he looked really sad while closing the door. He hesitated at first.” That was new information but Anna wasn't sure how that could change the aftermath.
Anna rubbed her forehead and sighed. It was going to be difficult to ignore him. Silently, she walked closer to him and leaned in.
“You really are a pain in the ass,” She cracked a smile while saying that.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdLhJyBAWo
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Nao looked tired even with his eyes closed. She could just wonder how many sleepless nights he gathered but something was telling her that she was going to find out soon enough. One hand grabbed the pillow and the other the cover and with a bright smirk she pulled them.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvcw1fMD6r
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“Wake up Sleeping Beauty! You’re not in Kansas anymore!”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc92S0SN0to
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It ended up with a groaning and fussy Nao on the floor at her feet. 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6B9QjNorV
“Come on. I’m taking you to the dark side!” She was amused by how much he must have hated her in that moment. It was rather obvious he was swearing at her in his mind because he was glaring.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzYJmtDm0j
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After he thanked Mrs Tsubaki for the unthinkable act of taking a stranger in your house and letting him sleep in your living room, he followed Anna to her own place. She didn’t look happy but she didn’t look mad either. Nao was another story; he was dressed in the same clothes as the other day, his hair was stuck in every possible direction, his eyes were smaller than usually and the bags under his eyes were making him look like a drug addict.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdRVqAwFGS
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Without much thinking, he walked towards her couch while rubbing his back like an old man, making Anna chuckle, and got comfortable.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFv9YXNKaHm
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“I’m glad you got accustomed so fast to a foreign place.” She stated, though it wasn't meant as an insult.
He groaned, his face planted on the sofa.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RgZyiGTL9
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“I like the dark side.” Nao continued, snuggling his face into the softness. 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgW9XtoLt3t
Anna rolled her eyes and went in the kitchen. She wasn’t going to beat him out of her apartment because sincerely, she felt like those were the most relaxing moments he had in a while. Even though they got through some bad times, she didn’t hate him; at least, not yet.
While waiting for the water to boil, she started to think more about the script. Maybe she was too insensitive when she asked for some bits to be erased. The novel was about love and the hope people get from it.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkmj6MTBcz
774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwvs4xZqV2
“Maybe I should go on blind dates,” She mumbled, turning the oven off.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4USsiQmstR
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She poured the coffee in two clean cups and walked to Nao who just woke up, the hot beverage smelling heavenly. Anna didn’t feel like getting his feet off so she placed both cups and herself on the short table.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeUFEwINBD
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“What?”
Even if he wasn’t looking at her, he could feel the intense gaze she held on him.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgx9uRlLeO4
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Slowly, he sat up and grabbed his mug. The coffee went really well down his neck after he felt just how bad the weather became over night.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFaEyPy86q
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“Should I ask you why are you so tired or should I ask why you acted like an immature brat and spent half the night on the stairs, outside?”
He rubbed his eyes and groaned, “I prefer the first one.”
There was no response. Anna was patiently waiting for him to continue.
“I work as a photographer. I have a project here in Tokyo, that’s why I came in the first place. I need to take beautiful pictures of citizens. It’s part of a bigger international project. I first went to Australia and now I’m here. I have to take pictures of places too so I will have to leave for the countryside. It’s a lot of work and a lot of stress.” He stopped and sipped from his cup.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hIzXsoQOP
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“Continue,”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FbbD1uiJl
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She didn’t seem to have anything to comment, yet; she just wanted to know the whole reason. Work was not a good enough reason for her.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvsPJkp3uV
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“I’m in the middle of a divorce. My father wants me to reflect on this decision while my wife wants me to visit, for some reason.” He added, realizing that be never told her he was married. Nao completely forgot because for him it wasn’t a big deal and it wasn't information that she had to know.
“I know. Chris told me,”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgxkUNc8Ih
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Nao narrowed his eyes at her, trying to figure out what she was thinking. It didn’t really work because she was simply watching him, her green eyes getting him to simply stare at his reflection in them. 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDHpssHcU2
“That doesn’t mean you have to take a break from it like a beggar.” She continued.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSxKUSnWgr
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“I wasn’t,” He placed the cup back down and rubbed his neck, “No one ever made me feel like that. I never knew I could feel so miserable by just a few words. I wanted to think,”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkZRoZ3XFA
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“In the middle of the night, in front my house? You’re shameless.”
He scoffed, “Look who’s talking! I’m not the famous one who started to play with food like a 6 years old kid,”
That wasn't a good comeback and he knew it but some of it was true. Anna was the daughter of a big business man and she did bring just trouble to her father, be it in childhood or in her adult years. She skipped the times she could lose her cool long before they met.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFG8DnSwtq5
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“You’re a loser.” She mumbled, getting up and walking into her room.774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVJLeqDRfJ
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Nao blinked a few times, unsure of what was happening. While she took her time doing whatever, his eyes traveled around the small apartment. He couldn’t see much of the kitchen but he could definitely feel the books occupying half of the couch, his feet resting on them earlier, or the papers on the table.
He chuckled and shook his head, “If I’m a loser than you’re the most disorganized woman in the world.”774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9BDpb1KAn
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“I am.” 774Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefMiV4TLml
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He didn’t expect a response to his statement. Also, he didn’t expect the script thrown on his lap.
“Read it.” She ordered him, “You said you want to help right?” He didn’t have the time to respond before zhe crossed her arms in front of her chest, “You’re going to help me with my little impediment and I will help you take amazing pictures for your project. That way we will both have a benefit.”
“What’s my benefit? You don’t know how to take good pictures,”
She raised an eyebrow, “You don’t know anything about romance either. You’ve been caught up into loneliness all this time. You’ve never been in love but I’m not complaining, am I?”
Nao was truly amazed by her theory; it didn’t make sense at all. Her mind was working in a questionable way but he wasn’t going to back off; not now when he was finally making progress.
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