Twenty-Nine

Aki-chan had kicked up quite the fuss when it had come time for us to leave. We had been slowly preparing her for it but when I finally got out of the house with my bag, she couldn't play brave anymore. She had clung to my legs and started crying, saying that she did not want to be left behind. She wanted to go home with me.

I had wanted to bring her back with me too.

The only reason I was able to hold onto my composure and my sanity was that Hiro-san was mediating. Kaori-nee's mother was too but I don't think I would have been able to deal with her desperate cries had Hiro-san not been there to step in whenever I found myself at a loss for words.

In the end, we had started much later than we had initially planned. The ride beack home was largely silent too. Hiro-san had let me hold on to him without question for as long as I needed it. By the time we had gotten to my apartment and I had walked up to the front door, the turmoil within had dulled been dulled t