As Long as I'm With You

As Asumi and I boarded the bullet train, we were still trying to come to terms with the recent events that had transpired. The train was crowded, and we were grateful to find two seats next to each other. We settled in and tried to get some rest.

Suddenly, an elderly woman woke us up, she was gentle and said, "Youngsters, we've arrived at our destination." I rubbed my eyes and realized we had fallen asleep during the ride. I thanked the woman, and she smiled at us before saying, "Ah, youth, how beautiful."

Asumi and I smiled awkwardly and got off the train, feeling a mix of embarrassment and gratitude. We stepped off the platform and took in the new surroundings, ready to continue our journey.

...

I woke up the next day feeling refreshed from the trip to Kyoto. I was looking forward to going to school, but I was also a little nervous about how Mrs. Nakamura would react to Asumi and I being absent for a day. As we walked to school, Asumi was holding my hand and seemed nervous too.

When we arrived at school, Mrs. Nakamura immediately called us to the front of the class. "Atsu and Asumi, where were you yesterday?" she scolded us. "You know you're supposed to attend school every day."

As she continued to scold us, I couldn't help but notice that our classmates were smiling at us. It seemed like everyone knew that Asumi and I were together now.

Keita, who was sitting behind me, leaned over and whispered, "Looks like you two are an official couple now." I couldn't help but roll my eyes and smile at his teasing.

Despite Mrs. Nakamura's scolding, Asumi and I had a great day at school. We were happy to be together and everyone was supportive of our relationship. And as the day went on, I couldn't help but think that our impromptu trip to Kyoto was worth it, just for the happiness it brought us.

As the lunch bell rang, a group of girls approached Asumi and I. They started asking questions about us, like how we got together. Asumi started to open up to them, telling them about our situation. The girls seemed to be very supportive of our relationship.

"So, how did you two start dating?"

"Well, it all started when Atsu helped me out when I was in a tough situation."

"Aww, that's so sweet of him!"

"Yeah, he's been taking care of me ever since."

"It's like a shoujo manga come to life! You're so lucky, Asumi."

"I know, I'm grateful to have Atsu by my side."

I smiled at Asumi, feeling happy that she was surrounded by supportive friends. And even though some of the girls were teasing me a little bit, I didn't mind it too much since they seemed to be happy for us.

Later in the day, Mrs. Nakamura announced that the school was going to hold a cultural festival and everyone in our class started discussing what we are going to do.

"So, what do you guys want to do for the cultural festival?" Mrs. Nakamura asked the class.

"I was thinking we could do a traditional tea ceremony," said one of the students.

"That sounds nice, but we could also do a traditional dance performance," suggested another student.

"What about a haunted house?" Keita chimed in with a mischievous grin.

"A haunted house? That's a great idea, Keita!" I agreed, joining in on his suggestion.

Asumi, who was sitting next to me, leaned over and whispered, "Don't encourage him."

"How about a traditional Japanese cafe?" Asumi suggested.

Everyone turned to look at her, nodding in agreement. "That's a great idea, Asumi!" Keita said, grinning.

"I don't know much about running a cafe, but I'm willing to learn," I added.

"Count us in too," the girls from earlier chipped in.

Everyone agreed and we started dividing tasks amongst ourselves. Mrs. Nakamura was pleased with our proposal and said she'd help with the preparations too. With everyone working together, I knew our traditional Japanese cafe was going to be a success.

But we still had a problem, Asumi's abusive stepfather still wanted to take Asumi back.

I remember the look of worry that appeared on Asumi's face when she told me about her stepfather. I could tell she was afraid of going back to her old life, and I couldn't blame her. We were all sitting in the classroom during lunch break, talking about the cultural festival when she brought it up.

"Atsu," she said, her voice low. "My stepfather wants me to go back home."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He says that my running away was a big embarrassment for the family, and he wants to take me back so that he can fix the damage," she explained.

I could feel my anger rising. How could anyone treat their own daughter like that? I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close. "Don't worry, Asumi," I said. "I won't let that happen."

The girls around us were listening intently, and one of them spoke up. "What are you going to do?"

Asumi and I looked at each other, both knowing what the other was thinking. "We'll figure something out," I said confidently.

And so we did. We made a plan and worked together to keep Asumi from going back to her stepfather. It wasn't easy, but with Asumi by my side, I knew that we could face any challenge that came our way.

Asumi and I decided to confront her stepfather head-on. That day, we paid a visit to her house. When we entered the house, her stepfather was sitting in the living room, looking at us with a stern look on his face.

***

I was feeling nervous as Atsu and I approached the door to my house. This was going to be a big confrontation, and I wasn't sure how it was going to go. Atsu was holding my hand tightly, and I was grateful for his support.

We entered the house and were greeted by my so-called stepfather. "What are you two doing here?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

"We're here to talk to you, Mr. Watanabe," Atsu said firmly.

"About what?" he asked, crossing his arms.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward. "About the insurance money from my mother's death," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "I know why you want to keep me here. But I'm not going to stay."

Mr. Watanabe's eyes narrowed. "And why is that?"

"Because I won't be a part of your greedy plan," I said, my voice growing stronger. "You can keep the money. I don't want it."

Atsu stepped forward, standing by my side. "And we won't let you control Asumi's life any longer," he added.

His expression grew furious. "How dare you talk to me like that! I am her legal guardian."

"That may be true, but it doesn't give you the right to use her for your own gain," Atsu said firmly.

I nodded, feeling empowered. "Atsu and I love each other, and we're not going to let anyone come between us."

Mr. Watanabe's expression softened slightly. "You two are just children," he said, sounding tired. "You don't know what you're getting into."

"We may be young, but we know what's important," I said, holding Atsu's hand even tighter. "And that's each other."

There was a moment of silence before Mr. Watanabe sighed. "Fine," he said. "But you better be ready for the consequences."

Atsu and I looked at each other, relieved that the confrontation was over. We left the house, hand in hand, ready to face whatever the future held for us.

...

As Atsu and I walked towards his apartment, I couldn't help but feel a weight lifting off my shoulders. We had finally stood up to my stepfather and told him exactly how we felt. It was a big step for me, and I was grateful to have Atsu by my side every step of the way.

We arrived at Atsu's apartment and he opened the door, gesturing for me to go in first. I stepped inside and took a deep breath, feeling a sense of comfort wash over me. This was Atsu's home, and he had welcomed me into it with open arms.

We walked over to the bed, and Atsu gestured for me to sit down. I did, and he sat down next to me, his arm wrapping around my shoulder. I leaned into him, feeling his warmth and comfort.

"Thank you, Atsu," I said, looking up at him. "For everything."

Atsu smiled at me and brushed a strand of hair from my face. "It's nothing," he replied. "I'm just happy to be here for you."

We sat there for a while, just enjoying each other's company. I knew that we still had a long road ahead of us, but for now, I was content to just be with Atsu.

I snuggled close to Atsu, feeling grateful to have him by my side. After what had just happened with my stepfather, I needed the comfort of his embrace. We lay there in silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company.

Eventually, Atsu broke the silence. "Asumi, I want you to know that I'll always be here for you," he said, rubbing my back gently. "No matter what happens, we'll face it together."

Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes. "Thank you, Atsu," I whispered. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Atsu pulled me even closer, kissing the top of my head. "You don't have to ever find out," he said. "I'll always be here for you."

I closed my eyes, feeling a sense of peace wash over me. With Atsu by my side, I knew I could handle anything that came our way.