17x24 AU mykr, 08

[ 08. ]

Claudine just feel that she finally woke up after sensing how heavy her head is. She disliked how it throbbed, enough that she wanted to hit her head with an object to make it calm down. It is given by how many drinks she took last night, she knew it, but a hangover is not anything pleasant as it is coming. She couldn’t even lift her head, or force her body to sit up, this soft pillow beneath her head is the only solace she had for now.

Claudine blown several shared aged wine and ordered some Martini (or was it Whiskey? Claudine thought she was blabbing her orders in random). Her fellow friends--Claudine didn’t know that Futaba brought Karen with her to the bar--passed out after the third bottle of shared wine. Claudine chugged the fourth on her own and Futaba watched her in amusement until she lie her head on the table, unable to take another glass.

Wait. Claudine held her breath. Last night, she only remembered when Futaba helped her in the car. The blonde told her boss where to drop her off. Futaba asked a few question after that, Claudine did answer everything she heard but past from the car’s conversation, she didn’t recall anything else.

Did she arrive at home safely? Was Maya still awake? What happened last night? If Maya is asleep, how Futaba can get Claudine to her room--

As realization dawned her and the headache become bearable sting, Claudine realized that this is not her room and a soft snore is coming from above her.

Claudine splayed in strange position in the couch and she used Maya’s lap as a pillow. A bottle of yoghurt, a glass of water and unopened blister of painkiller stood in silence by the coffee table, waiting as the morning has yet to peek from the curtains.

Just … what happened?

“... Maya?”

Claudine tried to reach out. She forced herself harder to be up, though unfortunately the pain shooting up again. She was about to roll away to the floor when Maya’s hand kept her in place. Her lilac eyes are looking groggy from the sleep, but she put her great effort not to let Claudine fall.

“A-Are you okay, Claudine-san?”

“Just my head.” she replied. “Sorry, you can go now. It looks like I’ve bothered you all night--oww.”

“You are not a bother.” there her usual formal speech stayed, but less hostile, less cold. “Let me help you to sit, then, take some water.”

Claudine tried hard not to shift her weight to much on Maya, but her attempt ended up futile. Her figure might be small on Claudine’s impression, though the brunette had no qualms on lifting Claudine up to sitting position. Maya then took the glass of water--was it sitting there all night? Who knows--and helped Claudine to get her sip until she’s able to drink on her own.

“What do you want for breakfast?” Maya asked.

“Oh, right! Breakfast! You’re going to school--”

“It’s Saturday,” Maya noted, no indication on jeering. “So, umm, what do you want for breakfast, Claudine-san?”


“Let me recover for a bit, I will--”

Maya took Claudine’s hand instead, squeezing it a little as if asking for an affirmation. “No. Please let me do it. You’re in a bad shape, I can manage to make you something.”

[She is no longer the small Maya anymore, Claudine, she’s--]


.


Took Claudine a bit long to recover from the coming pain. Mainly, she’d close her eyes and listen to the only voice belonged to the kitchen while Maya made something for both of them. Luckily, there’s no urge coming from her to throw up, which may adding a list of worst morning hangover she had after a while.

The last time she had experienced this drunk is when she was in a campus party -- they had a nice Rum-based cocktails and nice Lager, how Claudine didn’t want to miss those. Aside that times, Claudine wouldn’t opt to overdone herself, as she should work on her assignments and side jobs.

Claudine would love to ask cold towel but she felt like she shouldn’t bother Maya at all (though Claudine didn’t know what she’s cooking in there, or whether the brunette just made an easy toast).

When she heard of an approaching steps to the coffee table followed by the sound of plate (or bowl?) is set on the table, Claudine opened her eyes, seeing Maya’s back.

“Are you okay now?” was Maya’s first question as she turned to see Claudine.

What Claudine saw on the table is two bowls with something creamy white, mixed with chopped bananas and what Claudine can recall as canned fruits from the fridge.

“I heard that yogurt and banana are good food for hangover so - we have this for breakfast.”

After showing the content to Claudine, Maya handed one of the bowls and getting her own share. Strangely enough, Maya took her last position, right beside Claudine on the couch, no more seeking refugees on an armchair or somewhere more far.

Claudine couldn’t help but to stare at Maya, and to the bowl. Maya is taking a spoonful of yogurt in.

“... Did something happen last night?”

A pause. Maya really is never good at hiding things, glad some things just don’t change.

“You came back drunk. Your friend helped you to go in.”

“And?”

Maya sighed. “It’s …” Claudine felt her throat clenched out of sudden. Did she done something bad, like resorting violence? Or she loathed something so bad that makes Maya feel unpleasant?

“You apologized to me, a lot, Claudine-san.”

“Oh.”

All that Claudine could response is a simple ‘oh’. It is the truth, after all. She sensed that she’s in a fault for leaving her for all those years when she needed a friend the most. It is unforgivable for such little girl to say a promise that can’t be kept.

Claudine waited for Maya to tell her more; not negating the statement nor adding a glaze of sweetness to cover things up.

“Why did you have to apologize?”

Huh.

Huh? That’s one that Claudine didn’t expect coming from Maya.

“Because I had to leave you alone.” Claudine repeated. “It’s not like I’m here right now to atone my sins. If I’d come back here but not happened to be your guardian, I’d still come to you and apologize.”

Maya had her eyes wide open. Claudine picked up the silence as a cue to continue.

“But I know, it is unforgivable. I mean, I did promise you back then that I want to be your friend but I just left because my scholarship. I—I shouldn’t speak of a promise that I can’t keep.”

Her tears, it is falling. Claudine wanted to blame herself for being a bad-looking adult to cry in front of a high school girl. She should’ve be strong as she’s apologizing to the little girl who’s now bearing a grudge, a strong hate towards her for being irresponsible. Alas, her tears didn’t stop.

“Claudine-san, I …”

Maya’s voice pulled her attention up to seek the little girl—no, Maya is already grown up now. She is no longer a little Maya. But she is the same Maya that Claudine knows. The little Maya who’s bright, who’s easily excited about new things, who’s being so positive despite her own loneliness.

Or it’s just Claudine that hoped for Maya stays the same. It’s a mere disillusion. Maya has changed to be a lone wolf because of Claudine. And their separation had broken a children of the idea of promises.

“I should be the one who’s apologizing for my childish behavior.” Maya said clearly. “I was the one who made you miserable. You’re not the wrong one. Our separation that day shouldn’t be bad. I could always say a goodbye to you in friendlier manner, yet I—”

Claudine blinked.

Maya has been thinking about that day too, seven years ago, just like how she carried it with her life?

She is … not blaming her for leaving? Maya wasn’t? Maya isn’t?

“Geez, how can I blame a child for being childish?” Claudine tried to wipe her eyes. She must’ve looked ugly, beat with hangover and crying like an idiot. “Err. Before you get any ideas, no. I’m not blaming you at all. It was natural for you to behave like that. So I’m sorry.”

“But I’m sorry too, Claudine-san—“

“Alright! This would be endless. How, how about we call it a truce?”

“Truce?”

“Yeah. We’re both at fault. We knew our faults. And we will leave it to the past. Now, we’re /starting/ over.”

Claudine put a punch to her last line. Starting over. It shouldn’t be late for that. Well, it’s no use crying over spilt milk; at least they could restart the way they have been living, to mend the relation that has been severed for seven long years.

The blonde then offered her hand as a prompt of handshake to seal the deal, eventually biting her lips as she was being so daring to speak of such moves.

Maya took her open hand after deliberate minutes – and it looks like a good sign.

.


“Still, sorry, Maya-chan.”

“I think it’s not the right age to be calling me Maya-chan anymore, Claudine-san. And didn’t you say earlier for no more ‘sorry’?” the brunette glared.

“I don’t mind being called Kuro-neechan though. It was a cute nickname.”

“I-It’s not the right age for me as well to call you that!”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s just eat our yogurt now. I want more sleep.”

“You dodged the conversation. Oh well.”


.

Though, should Claudine say, she should be careful as always. As nobody knows if storm ever dare to come, while everything seem to be alright by a glance.