salut et quoi de neuf (hi and what's new)! here is my first oneshot of the year, i think! it was heavily influenced by the music of 'Owl City' (a local artist that is simply my favorite!) the first was "Saltwater Room" from Owl City and "The Technicolor Phase" during a bit of the end. read, review, and enjoy, s'il vous plaît!

The Mind's Hourglass

By MistyRose14

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Tu ne te souviens pas...

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You don't remember...

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Mais je t'aime trop, t'sais ?

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But I love you too much, you know?

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How long has it been?

A few weeks?

Six months?

One year?

Perhaps two?

Time has never been my strong point. The hours pass by monotonously until I bother to peek up at a clock. Yet I don't think that I'm simply oblivious now. Somewhere along the line, I think that I might have just let it go, tired of endlessly waiting.

I wonder how it used to make sense – temporarily, that is. How each brief second with you would automatically race through my veins, sending me into something of an insulated high, and I could still make it to through my daily routine on time still confounds me. It goes against every natural instinct of me that I am familiar with. I knew that I had responsibilities waiting in the back of my mind to keep in touch with reality, as I stumbled through my initial awkwardness with you. But would losing you really throw my sense of perception off of balance that much –

"Akimoto-san!"

I broke out of my reminiscing, turning my head instinctively towards the sound of my manager's voice as I sprinted out of the break room up to the front of our café. Someone had to be out here, ready to order for the early morning. Otherwise, she wouldn't have yelled so loudly.

"I'm coming," I called back politely, neatly tying the back of my light violet apron before I came to an abrupt stop at the front register. "Good morning," I greeted fluidly, punching in a few numbers on the register to activate it for the morning. "What can I get for you today?"

There was little response, at first. Normally, that was what we got in the morning at this café – barely awake citizens, contemplating the best pastry and coffee pair to awaken their taste buds and minds. I paid more attention to my register, assuming that the customer simply wasn't sure of what he wanted.

He tapped his fingers on the counter, staring at me – or maybe even the specialty board – but I refused to look up. Next, I sensed his eyes study me closely, this time making some connection within his recollections that I was too terrified to be curious of. It sent a deliberate, invisible, thrill through me. I couldn't recognize why, but it felt daunting and pleasurable all at once.

I cleared my throat timidly, gesturing to the case of baked goods beside me while I focused my attention harder on my register. It was getting uncomfortable now. "So...is there anything here that you would like?"

He chuckled, leaning further over the counter. "Akimoto Masuyo. You honestly can't identify me anymore? It's only been three years."

Inhaling deeply, I swayed back, bringing my eyes up to his for just an instant. That was all I would allow myself. Life had moved us into separate directions so rapidly, that I couldn't allow myself to linger on the misty memories that resided in my head.

What he assumed was mostly true. I couldn't see the same boy behind those business-like glasses, or sense the same optimism in his grin. Beforehand, I knew that we had both grown differently. He was a man, a professional. And who was I? I wasn't sure that I had quite moved on to a point like that yet.

He shook his head, clearly amused at my visible shock. "Ah, Masuyo-chan, did I really change that much?"

I dully nodded my head, stepping back while I directed my gaze to the lazy morning traffic through the wide café window behind him. Honestly, I couldn't tell whether or not to answer. I didn't know how to respond, when I didn't fully comprehend who was here – and why, for that matter.

"Anyways, Masuyo-chan," He continued on, filling in my long silence, just like the way he used to before. "I just wanted to stop in to say hello. I heard from a few of our old friends that you worked here, so thought I'd check in." Pulling a business card out of his sleek, charcoal suit, he set it on the counter, giving me a half-wave before leaving. "See you around, Masuyo-chan."

As soon as I was sure that he had passed out of the café and turned the corner, I exhaled, pressing both hands on the counter to steady myself. It didn't bother me at all that the first boy I had ever really loved walked in, seemingly out of thin air. Yet the fact that I let the man of my dreams for the past three years walk out did.

.

I was vaguely sure that it had been a week since I last saw him. There was an odd anticipation that lingered in my veins as I woke up each morning, wondering if he would stop in again – and sometime fairly soon. Judging by the company logo on the business card, he was probably here for the precise reason that I had suspected his return. This was a business trip. It would take much more for him to leave the company headquarters in London.

It was a little depressing at first, coming to the realization that he was here for work. Somewhere in my dreams, I had always hoped that he would return for me, only me. Leave those business-heavy cites to spend an entire day with me, reminiscing and enjoying the tranquility and quiet that characterized our relationship. Yet I knew that it was always his dream to travel the world, to be a part of something bigger than our close-knit community, our outstanding school, our intimate dyad...

"This is just the beginning,"I could clearly remember him telling me over and over while we sat in the courtyard of our school during lunch on days that he would skip out on school council meetings, just to spend time with me. I was too spoiled by him.

"But this is too wonderful,"I reminded him often, enjoying the carefree life that I could float by in. "How could you want any more?"

He would give my his charismatic, aspiring grin, always taking my hand or giving me a polite peck on the cheek if no one was watching. "Because I know that we can have more."

Sighing at how far-away the memory now seemed, I pulled my tan trench coat tighter and secured the belt as I shivered at a gust of frigid air that brushed against my neck. Taking the path across a park from the café to my apartment was much faster than walking around in town. For spring, it typically remained warm. But murky grey clouds warned of a night of showers.

As expected, the park was emptying out – mothers encouraged their children to run home, teenagers retired to nearby hangouts, and young couples decided to find another date spot. I didn't increase my pace as I wandered through the park. I had a small umbrella in my purse if I needed it and I didn't have anyone waiting at home who was afraid of the thunder. It didn't matter to me when the rain came down at all. Nothing would really change too drastically.

Once I was almost out of the park, I paused, noticing that there was somebody else, relaxing on a bench, remaining outside. A newspaper was up in front of his face, with only the bottom of his dark green graphic tee, vivid white tennis shoes, and his frayed blue jeans the single visible details to me. I didn't want to venture too much closer since he seemed to be like a foreigner. However, I knew that newspapers weren't the best protection against the rain. And it was starting to drizzle as the thought crossed my mind.

Taking a deep breath, I strolled up him, trying to appear concerned but not overbearing. "Um, excuse me?" I began, stepping to the side of the bench.

At once, the newspaper came down. And I felt my heart leap at that grin that seemed imprinted in my memory. "You never called. Was hoping to contact you by telephone too impersonal, Masuyo-chan?"

"I-I, well, that's not...um..." I stuttered hopelessly, finding it impossible to break my stare from him. What he had assumed days ago was so correct – I couldn't recognize him the way I did before. It was all too alien, too sudden.

He moved over on the bench, motioning for me to sit by him. "Come on, I'm not going to kill you, or something," he joked.

But the rapid acceleration of my heartbeat would, I thought in reply as I gingerly accepted the seat. I didn't know what else to do but obey his suggestions.

"Are you wondering what I'm doing here?" He guessed, folding up the newspaper and leaving it on the other side of the bench.

Trying to salvage my side of the conversation, I happened to muster up a few words. "Y-Yeah, that'd be nice to know."

He laughed, brushing a few raindrops off of his arms. "I've had a change of heart, I suppose. Spent a year in London, two months in Sydney, five months in Rome, eight in Paris..."

I nodded to encourage him to continue, barely able to feel bothered by the rain. I could feel it dampen my hair, soak through my own jeans. But I ignored it entirely. He captured my heart before, and held that same control over my attention.

"I kept thinking about when you asked 'How could you want any more?'. About the times when I felt unsatisfied with my window of the world. When I thought that I could have so much success and adventure that I'd be truly fulfilled." His breath began to form a cloud through the shower, keeping me mesmerized.

Goosebumps formed on my skin and I leaned closer to him, longing for more warmth than my saturated clothes could provide. If my memory proved correct, that comfort would still be there no matter what.

"And it was great for a while. Until I realized that in reaching for more, I gave up too much. I lost someone truly valuable to me." He glanced down to meet my stare. "I see everything that I have ever wanted with one pair of eyes, and wish that yours were there too."

"Itsuki...kun," I breathed out, wondering how I could possibly take in everything that I was hearing correctly.

There may have been three years between the day that he said good-bye as he left for his internship abroad, and now, when seemed ready to trade it all for me. Here he was, spoiling me again. I didn't deserve that much from Hamano, Itsuki – the boy that I was sure had enough ambition to make it anywhere he wanted after graduation. Who was I? The girl content with a daily routine, the person that never got too worked up over the small things...a boring existence, compared to him. Why did he possibly want that in his life?

"I miss you, Masuyo-chan. You're always home for me."

Without as much as a warning, he did exactly as I wished would eventually happen – collect me in his straightforward embrace. It was as if my wish for us to fall in love was coming full circle in just one instant. And I was contentedly kept speechless while it came true.

"So I'll stay – or you can go. It doesn't matter. But I don't want us to forget each other." His whispers in my ear were exceedingly reassuring as the warm breath spread across my skin.

"I don't either," I admitted gripping him tighter. "And I won't – because I love you too much. I won't worry about missing you anymore."

"Because we'll have forever," he completed for me.

I nodded, closing my eyes as I absorbed his words with the fresh water that seeped into my skin. We could have weeks, months, years, as long as we still needed each other. And something in that embrace told me that we would stay like that for quite a while. Longer than any time that I could ever want to imagine.

random babble... there we go. probably a bit sugary-sweet, but that's how i roll with some oneshots. merci et à plus (thanks and later)!