–YURI's
The air felt cosy and dreamlike, as if I were floating in a soft haze. YURI slowly opened his eyes, taking in a deep breath before sitting up straight. He quickly realised that he and AKANE had fallen asleep on the sofa together the night before. Glancing over, he noticed that AKI was already awake, lounging nearby. With a sleepy voice, YURI murmured, "Sorry, I guess I cramped you up a bit."
"No big deal," AKI responded, but it was a thing, at least for him. Every time YURI had moved in his sleep, AKI could feel it, each breath YURI took elevating on AKANE's body that he found oddly comforting. In fact, AKI was hoping YURI would sleep a bit more.
YURI, still trying to shake the sleep from his body, stretched all of it. Meanwhile, AKANE, who already was fully awake, adjusted himself and stood up, gesturing to YURI that he was heading to the bathroom first. YURI watched him go, then laid back again, staring at the ceiling in silence, lost in his thoughts.
"That was not as bad as I thought it would be," he told himself. "I expected myself to be miserable for days."
He jumped up from the sofa, shaking off these thoughts, slapped his cheeks cheering himself up , only to realise AKI was watching him with a confused look. YURI gave an awkward smile and laughed, scratching his head. AKI, still confused, let out a sigh, then, with sudden intensity, rushed towards YURI.
"Oi!" AKI's tone was sharp, and YURI instinctively took a step back. "I have had enough of this. I have been trying to figure out if I have done something wrong, but I can not think of anything. What is going on? Just tell me!"
YURI blinked twice, caught off guard. "I am sorry, I did not mean to—"
"Why are you apologising? You did not do anything wrong," AKI interrupted with a sad voice. "I just want to know if I have upset you somehow. You have been acting so... so distracted lately."
YURI hesitated, struggling to find the right words. "It is not you… I... I guess I have just been... distracted, like you just said. But it has nothing to do with you."
AKI sighed, running a hand through his hair to his neck and stopped right there "Alright. when you want to talk about it, just let me know, yeah?"
"Yeah, I will," YURI replied, in relief.
AKI smiled softly and nodded, walking off towards the kitchen to prepare breakfast. YURI watched him go. He had known AKI since they were little, and AKI had always been a person who looked out for others around him. YURI could not imagine what life would be like when they eventually go to different universities, their paths inevitably diverging. It was a thought that really scared him. Though it might be unrealistic, YURI could not help but wish they could all go to the same university and never grow apart.Spend time together ,studying together and having fun late nights all together. Getting projects done,worrying about school-works dues, Sleepovers and movie nights. Living the same life but as grownups.
After the brief confrontation, YURI busied himself while AKI was in the kitchen. He cracked a few eggs, scrambled them, and made sure to squeeze a bit of ketchup onto YURI's plate—just the way YURI liked it.
YURI, now fresh from a shower, wandered back into the living room, still feeling slightly odd. His heart had been broken, but somehow, a strange sense of calm and peace had settled over him. "I liked FUYU, but... I do not know if it is worth fighting for something that feels so small now," he thought to himself.
The smell of breakfast drew him to the table, where AKI was already packing up some things, preparing for the trip,as they should head to the gathering point to catch the bus that would take them to their destination. "What about your stuff?" YURI called out.
"That is what I am packing now," AKI replied with a glance over his shoulder.
"You'd better give me back my hoodie," YURI teased.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," AKI muttered, rolling his eyes.
YURI sat down at the table, picking up a fork and sampling the scrambled eggs. He immediately began critiquing AKI's cooking skills, poking fun at every little detail. AKI, though mildly annoyed, could not help but enjoy the back-and-forth Teasing. Eventually, they both sat down together, exchanging jokes that were equal parts silly and cringe-worthy.
YURI started staring at AKI, suddenly feeling serious, though he tried to hide it. After a moment of hesitation, he finally gathered the courage to speak. "Hey... I want to ask you something."
With his mouth full, AKI mumbled through his food, "Whaff?"
"I... I like someone," YURI admitted, his voice softer than usual.
AKI almost choked on his eggs, quickly grabbing a glass of water and taking a large gulp. He looked at YURI, wide-eyed, as though trying to process the revelation. "HA..WAIT—WHAT?!"
"You are Making me feel like an idiot," YURI said, half-laughing. "Is it that weird that I like someone?"
"No! No… it is not that…. It is just... who is it?" AKI asked, still recovering from the shock.
"I can not tell you that," YURI replied, dodging the question.
"Then the fuck you bring it up?!" .
"She rejected me," YURI said quietly.
A strange wave of relief washed over AKI's heart, though he would never admit that to YURI. But just as that relief began to settle, YURI asked, "Do you think... Will I try again? Or should I just give up?"
AKI stared at YURI for a long moment, feeling as if a weight had settled on his chest. He managed a smile, though it did not reach his eyes. "Are you being serious? What do you mean? would you want the person who likes you to ever give up on you??''
The words left AKI's mouth, but they were in themselves a confession—a declaration of his own decision to give up on YURI, the person he had secretly loved and admired for so long.
YURI's face brightened, and he laughed. "You are right! I am not a loser. I mean, I have had loads of confessions before. Guess I am more attractive than I thought, eh?"
AKI forced a laugh, trying to match YURI's energy, but his chest was heavy. For YURI, the conversation was just another moment in their friendship, but for AKI, it felt like the quiet end of something much more.
–QUINN's
QUINN was undoubtedly the most excited about this trip. He could barely contain himself, eager to get away from his house and its suffocating atmosphere. The dynamic at home was the complete opposite of QUINN's own vibrant, joyful personality, most people could not quite imagine how he have managed to keep up the act—how he could always seem so carefree and fun-loving soul when, in reality, his home life was anything but that.
Today was a bonus,a lucky day, too. His father was not home. QUINN did not even bother to guess where that old man had gone, but he had a good idea. 'Probably off somewhere, drinking his bloody ass off,' he muttered under his breath, feeling a big wave of relief. At least his dad would not be back for the weekend, and the most important, QUINN's mum would not have to put up with him for that time, not while QUINN is away. That was always a blessing, although it did nothing to ease the guilt he felt for leaving her behind.
QUINN was an only child, stuck in the middle of his parents' mess. He had learned to adapt to it, to live with the chaos. But deep down, all he really cared about was getting out of there, getting himself through college, and then helping his mum leave too. He blamed himself for her being stuck, as if her whole miserable life was somehow his fault,just for the sole reason of him existing.
As he laced up his shoes, his mum appeared in the doorway.
– 'I packed you some lunch for today,' she said, 'and here is some cash for tomorrow.'
QUINN sighed, glancing up. "Mum, I told you I have already got enough. Put it away, alright?"
–'Just take it,' she insisted, pushing the money into his hand. 'Even if you do not spend it.'
He finally took the cash, stuffing it into his pockets. He felt guilty, like he would always do, for accepting anything from his mother. She gave and gave, but never seemed to receive anything . He wished she would take better care of herself. Maybe then he would not feel so bloody responsible for the way her life had turned out.
His mum was not exactly what you would call a great parent—far from it, if he was being honest. 'She sucks at being a mum,' QUINN often thought, though he never said it aloud. But he also believed, or at least hoped, that she had been a great person once, someone who he would love to be friends with. Before his dad met her. Before QUINN was born and added another layer of burden to her life. He had spent years telling himself that if she could just get away from this place, from his father, maybe she would go back to being the person she used to be.
–'See you, Mum,' QUINN said as he slung his bag over his shoulder. 'If you need anything, just text me, yeah?'
– 'Yeah ,yeah,' she replied with a weak smile. 'Now go on, you will be late.'
QUINN turned and hurried out of the flat, rushing down the stairs as if he was escaping from captivity. The second he stepped outside, he felt the weight lift from his shoulders. He began walking with a spring in his step, humming a tune as he made his way to meet up with his friends. The trip ahead was all he could think about—getting away, even if just for a little time. No nagging thoughts about his dad, no worrying about his mum. Just a break from it all.
But then, just as he glanced down the street, something caught his eye. At first, he was not sure, but he turned back to look again. It was his father, staggering down the pavement, clearly drunk, heading in the direction of home. QUINN's face tightened, the brightness that had been there moments before vanishing as resentment bubbled up inside him.
'Fuck.what now,' he muttered. His fists clenched instinctively. He hated the man—hated him with every fibre of his being. How many times had he wished his dad would drink himself into oblivion and never come home? Or at least be so pissed that he could not find his way back. But there he was, swaying on his feet, slowly but surely Making his way towards the flat. QUINN knew what would happen next. If his father managed to stumble through the front door, his mum would have to deal with the usual shit—his dad brings. the arguments, the inevitable chaos that followed.
QUINN stood there, rooted to the spot, torn between two choices. He could turn around, head back home, and try to shield his mum from what was coming. Or he could keep going—leave her to face it on her own, as he had done so many times before, it is not a first.
His heart got heavier in his chest. He felt sick. The guilt swallowed him. If he left, he would feel like a coward, like he was abandoning her. He could not stop his dad. He never could. And yet, the thought of leaving her to deal with him on her own made him feel like shit.
He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to block out the image of his dad stumbling through the street. He could hear his father's slurred voice in his head, the shouting, the insults that would inevitably follow. It was always the same, always a bloody nightmare.
Then, with a deep breath, QUINN made his decision. He stepped forward, away from the house, away from his father. He did not look back. He could not. If he did, he might turn around, and if he turned around, he would be dragged right back into the mess he was so desperate to escape.
–MAKI's
MAKI was shaken awake by the sound of his mum coming back from her night shift. His head felt foggy, muscles stiff from too little sleep, but he forced himself out of the bed. His mum hovered by the door for a moment, likely waiting for the right time to tell him breakfast was ready. Without a word, she headed back towards the kitchen, and as she did, she called out over her shoulder, "MAKI, wake up HANAMI and tell AKI and YURI to come down."
MAKI wanted to complain, but he was too tired to even bother. He dragged himself down the hallway to HANAMI's room, already feeling the weight of the morning. When he opened the door, he saw her as usual—completely sprawled out, half off the bed. 'She could never manage to stay in her own bed, ughhhh does she?' he thought, rolling his eyes.
"HANAMI," he muttered, shaking her shoulder, but when she did not respond, he gave her a tougher shake.
HANAMI groaned loudly, pulling the blanket over her head. "Ughhhhaaa… stop it. Go wake up AKI first."
"AKI did not spend the night here," MAKI replied, growing impatient. "Get up, for God's sake, or Mum will not drop you off."
HANAMI groaned again but barely moved, her voice muffled by the duvet. "Fine... just a minute, brother."
MAKI left her to it, knowing she'd be in no rush, but as soon as the shadow of her mother darkened over her body, HANAMI's eyes shot open.
"Morning, Mum," she muttered, trying to sound innocent but failing.
"Get up, now. You will miss the bus unless you have decided not to go?"
HANAMI bolted upright, all sleepiness vanished in an instant. "No, no! I am ready, totally ready!" she said, suddenly wide awake and bouncing out of bed.
MAKI shook his head and muttered to himself, 'HANAMI being HANAMI. Always so bloody annoying.'
He left her to get dressed and went off to the bathroom to freshen up. He would be heading out with them, but he was not going on the same trip. While they were off on their weekend plans, MAKI would go to the library to study. He figured his mum could do with the house to herself for once. She rarely got any peace, and MAKI was determined to give her what little break he could manage.
Once he had washed up and dressed, he grabbed his phone and texted AKI to come down for breakfast. The reply came quickly:
{Alr had it, bro.}
MAKI sighed.
{u should come down anyway.}
{Bruh, fine.}
{We r waitin.}
{kk.}
Tossing his phone onto the desk, MAKI headed to the kitchen to see if his mum needed any help. She was still in her work uniform, moving around the kitchen as she finished prepping breakfast.looking at what she is doing for a minute till his mum realised what is his intention
"Here," she said, without even looking up. " warm the bread. grab the tomatoes and cucumbers and slice them up''
MAKI nodded and silently followed her instructions. He grabbed the vegetables from the counter and started slicing, glancing at his mum every now and then. She hadn't even had time to change out of her uniform yet, and he felt that familiar pang of guilt.
"Brush your hair will ya," she added, noticing the state of his messy locks.
"Oh… right," he mumbled, running his fingers through his hair in a half-hearted attempt to tame it. He caught his mum's eye, waiting for some sign of approval. She gave a small nod, amused by her silly son's half-effort.
"I will need to get it chopped off," he thought to himself as he went back to slicing vegetables.
The house slowly started coming to life. The doorbell rang, and MAKI went to answer it. Standing there were YURI and AKANE, backpacks on and an empty tote bag slung over AKI's shoulder.
"Hurry up," MAKI said, stepping aside to let them in. "Your bus leaves in an hour."
YURI smirked, "You seem to be more stressed about this than we are."
"It is more like he can not wait for us to get out of his sight," AKI jokes, kicking off his shoes as he rushes inside.
MAKI gave his brother a look of mild annoyance, then turned back to YURI. "Everything going alright YURI?"
YURI shrugged, his casual demeanour masking something MAKI could not quite place. "Yeah, everything is fine."
"Alright then. Come in and make sure you have got everything you need," MAKI said, stepping aside as YURI and AKANE rushed in. MAKI stood by the door for a moment longer, lost in his own thoughts. 'I do not think I will ever fully understand those two,' he mused before finally heading back to the kitchen.
Breakfast was nearly ready, and MAKI started setting the table, laying out the utensils while his mum called AKI and YURI to join them. MAKI, still feeling sluggish and detached from the morning's events, sat down at the table, barely noticing the food in front of him. His head felt foggy, like he was drifting outside of his own body, watching everything from a distance.
'Must be burnt out from studying,' he thought, though he knew deep down it was not just that. Something heavier was sitting on his chest, but he could not put it into words.
MAKI slowly began to pile food onto his plate, though his appetite hadn't caught up with him. He stared down at the spread—bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs—and wondered why something as simple as eating felt so overwhelming.
He picked up his spoon and began to eat, but it felt mechanical. He was not tasting anything, just chewing and swallowing out of obligation. Across the table, YURI and AKI were chatting away, their energy adding a lively vibe to the room. MAKI could not focus on what they were saying; their words seemed to blur together, becoming background noise.
'I just need everything to pause for a moment,' MAKI thought, glancing around the table. He looked at his brother, then his mum, then HANAMI, and finally YURI. They were all laughing, immersed in conversation, but MAKI felt completely disconnected from it all.
He knew that one day, he would want to relive moments like this—just sitting around the table with his family and friends, sharing breakfast and laughter. But today, with the weight pressing down on him and the fog clouding his mind, he could not enjoy it. He could not even fully participate.
He took another bite, chewing slowly as his eyes drifted back to his plate. The noise around him continued, but MAKI felt more and more like he was watching it all from a distance, unable to bridge the gap between himself and the rest of the world
–HANAMI's
"God, I look bloody awful... that is not great," HANAMI muttered to herself, staring at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She splashed some cold water on her face, trying to shake off the morning grogginess. Leaning on the sink, she let out a small sigh, feeling only slightly refreshed. She was not one to fuss over her appearance, but today she could not help but notice how tired she looked.
With a resigned shrug, HANAMI carried on with her morning routine. She brushed her teeth, then headed back to her room to get dressed. Feeling a small sense of accomplishment, she smiled—she'd picked out her outfit the night before, knowing full well that choosing something on the spot would only leave her feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
HANAMI had always loved wearing her dad's old shirts, along with any other clothes of his that fit her. Her mum often complained about it, saying it was not healthy to cling to things that reminded them of him. "It is best to let go," her mum would say. "If we get too attached, losing them again will only make it worse."
HANAMI disagreed, of course. Keeping her dad's shirts around was not about being obsessed; it was just her way of holding onto a small part of him. But she'd stopped arguing with her mum about it ages ago—it was exhausting to have the same fight over and over again. "Every conversation turns into a bloody wildfire," she thought.
She slipped into a baggy, pastel orange t-shirt, wearing it like a jacket over a white sleeveless top with a high neck. For bottoms, she picked a pair of oversized shorts that she'd altered herself—another one of her dad's old pieces. She was not fussed about whether the outfit matched or not; comfort came first. Besides, at this point, wearing her dad's clothes was not even a big deal anymore. Her brothers probably could not tell whose clothes were whose, and half the time she'd end up nicking something from their drawers anyway. She could not even remember the last time she'd actually bought something new to wear.
By the time she finished getting ready, everyone else was more or less set to go. HANAMI grabbed the car keys, slipping on her sandals as she called out loud enough for her mum to hear, "I will get the car started, I will be waiting outside!"
Without waiting for a reply, she rushed out, leaving the others still scrambling to put on their shoes. HANAMI reached the car first, predictably. "Front seat is mine," she muttered, pleased with herself as she climbed in. She turned the key in the ignition, lowered the window, and rested her arms on the sill. With her head leaning out slightly, she closed her eyes, enjoying the gentle morning breeze. It was just the right temperature—cool but not cold. "Perfect.''
A few minutes later, she heard the others approaching. YURI and AKANE, as usual, were practically glued together. "Those two idiots are inseparable," HANAMI thought, shaking her head with a small grin. It made sense though—YURI and AKANE were almost the same age, with barely a year between them, so naturally, they were close.
Once everyone piled into the car, MAYA spoke out "Seatbelts, everyone."
She rolled her eyes as she buckled hers. She'd hoped to lean comfortably against the window, but safety first, she supposed. The ride was quiet, the journey to the gathering point only about ten minutes or so. HANAMI spent most of the time staring out of the window, taking in the scenery. It was a peaceful ride, and for a moment, she felt genuinely pleased.
When they finally arrived, YURI and AKANE were out of the car in a flash, barely pausing to say a quick goodbye to their mum, MAYA. HANAMI leaned into the window, looking at her mother. "Drive home safe, Mum. See you both later." She then turned to MAKI with a smirk. "Oh, and do not even think about touching the cheesecake in the freezer. That is all mine."
MAKI did not say a word, just nodded, and got out to ride with their mum.
As HANAMI headed into the crowded area, she scanned the faces, searching for QUINN and FUYU. Instead, she stumbled upon MOON-HAE. He greeted her with a shy "Hi," which she returned with a brief nod. They were not particularly close; in fact, HANAMI hadn't even known MOON-HAE existed until FUYU brought him into her life.
He stood there awkwardly beside her, clearly not used to talking to her either, but eventually broke the silence. "Are you looking for someone?"
HANAMI realised she should have asked him about FUYU straightaway. It was still strange, getting used to FUYU having a boyfriend now. "Yeah, I am looking for FUYU. You should know where she is, right?"
MOON-HAE glanced at his phone. "She texted me a bit ago. Her dad's dropping her off at the resort."
HANAMI felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. FUYU had told him, but not her. "It is her boyfriend, I guess," she thought bitterly. "But still... she was my best mate before this guy showed up."
"Alright, then," HANAMI said, trying to hide her irritation. "We should catch up with the others."
"I can not believe you are doing this to me, FUYU. Now I have got to introduce this idiot to everyone."
As they made their way through the crowd, HANAMI kept looking for QUINN. MOON-HAE noticed and offered, "If you are still looking for someone, I can help."
"Yeah, tall guy, red hair, tanned skin. Stands out a bit."
"Oh, QUINN? We are in the same class."
"Brilliant. Now use that height of yours to spot him."
MOON-HAE smiled awkwardly, slightly taken aback by how casually HANAMI spoke to him. He nodded eagerly and started scanning the crowd for QUINN. HANAMI watched him go, shaking her head. "What did you see in this guy, FUYU?" she wondered, amused.
Just then, the teacher started shouting, telling everyone to gather for roll call. One by one, students were being called to board the buses assigned to them. HANAMI fished out her phone and stared at the unread texts she'd sent QUINN earlier. He hadn't responded. She decided to call him instead, but there was no answer.
As the teacher called his name, HANAMI tilted her head, scanning the area for him. No sign. They called QUINN's name again. Nothing.
Finally, on the fourth ring, QUINN picked up.
–"Oi! Where are you? We are about to leave!" HANAMI barked down the phone.
–"Er…. I do not think I am going to make it."
–"What? Why? You could have told me. We could have picked you up on the way!"
–"No, it is not that. I just… do not feel up to it."
–"Why is your voice-,You are sick?"
–"Sort of. I am just tired. I am going to go back to bed. Sorry."
HANAMI's gut twisted. "Something is not right.''
–"Fine. See you next week, dummy. Get better."
–"Yeah, sure. Bye."
She hung up, sighed heavily, and headed towards the bus when her name was called. She ended up on the same bus as YURI, AKANE, and—of course—MOON-HAE, who was already seated, grinning when he saw her.
With 3 free spots left,no other familiar faces around, HANAMI sighed again and sat next to him. He beamed as she sat down, clearly happy.
"I hope we can get along," MOON-HAE said earnestly. "FUYU says you are her best mate."
"Did she?" HANAMI replied, smirking proudly. "Of course I am. But if you want my approval, you will have to try harder."
He laughed nervously. "I will do my best. Thanks for hanging out with me, though. I do not know many people since I moved here." He paused, then added with a self-deprecating smile, "Guess no one wants to be friends with the new guy who joins mid-semester, huh?"
Pathetic, HANAMI thought, though she could not help but feel a bit sorry for him. He was trying so hard to fit in.
"Yeah, no one wants to, except for me and FUYU, apparently," she said with a small grin. "I will just have to suck it up and deal with this sad, clingy idiot, she thought."
"MOON-HAE smiled, though HANAMI had no idea how much her words had made his day. He thought to himself, "HANAMI is really a kind person, isn't she?"
——————————————————————————————————————
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hello there, I am bildiairys or ( bildia ), the writer of what I would call a mini novel. It is not quite long enough to be a full novel, but a bit too lengthy to be just a story.
My aim is to write something that others genuinely enjoy, so if you are reading this and find it to your liking, I'd be ever so grateful if you could leave a comment. I know it might seem a bit rude to ask, but your thoughts, critiques, or anything you particularly liked (or did not) would mean the world to me.
I truly hope you enjoy reading this—thank you kindly!
love,
Snow