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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUzwY3CzWV
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIR1KYRI962
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“I’m sorry,”830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeh7c1Gq6xk
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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. 830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf10ST37kxQ
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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. 830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSk1tFwMK26
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMu9rBb86rV
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6LNE9c2k9
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriUOTsyh5N
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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. 830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rZ8aDf6xi
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyrQeKZVSo
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJMMhYHV1d
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pJNE4HyyF
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNYCC9e1Mi
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“Wake up Sleeping Beauty! You’re not in Kansas anymore!”830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUNbB3u2us
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It ended up with a groaning and fussy Nao on the floor at her feet. 830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcijAeXyVxV
“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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOdkx8ylo7
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38us0clSCX
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6smXRrSNp
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHwbpYscjb
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“I like the dark side.” Nao continued, snuggling his face into the softness. 830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfNPqZpkKT
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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OjFhegfPx
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“Maybe I should go on blind dates,” She mumbled, turning the oven off.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8svqrwECiC
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCVShJ9T3y
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“What?”
Even if he wasn’t looking at her, he could feel the intense gaze she held on him.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ma8u4NDVi
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCeDtYGu7p
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3C8pTttD26
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“Continue,”830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAyxqOpwk1
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYWMD7jZ5I
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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,”830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fLJAsN8Rd
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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. 830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1u87LHHvNQ
“That doesn’t mean you have to take a break from it like a beggar.” She continued.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kong36xkq
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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,”830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGsz3SulDR
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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.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda8UCbDlhE
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“You’re a loser.” She mumbled, getting up and walking into her room.830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxwPnFgegn
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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.”830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVC2xjNEkz
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“I am.” 830Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMNJV79mAI
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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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