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Ichinose was feeling incredibly homesick.
He laid there in his bed with his head resting on top of his hands, staring up at the ceiling while his longtime teammate and now roommate, Mark, quietly sat across the room reading a comic book. They often sat in silence in their room together after long practice days, as it allowed them to both cool down without bothering the other. Ichinose felt very grateful towards Mark and his peaceful nature at times like these.
The love of his life had only gone back home a couple weeks ago and yet he wanted so badly to be by her side. She had visited him in New York over the winter, staying for the entire month of March just so the two could spend some more time together- but it still wasn’t enough. As thankful as the boy was to be where he was, finally able to play soccer again and live his dream in the pro league, his heart often ached for Aki- if not every moment they were apart.
Ah, Aki.. Ichinose thought to himself, shutting his eyes closed.
He had known the girl almost all his life. He knew he loved her since the very first time the cruel fates struck them apart and he felt an overwhelming emptiness in his heart. Even when he was just a child, it pained him to think he might never see Aki or Domon again. After all, they had started on the path towards soccer together.
Then they reunited, and everything felt right in the world. Ichinose still wasn’t able to tell her how he felt for years to come, as he felt he could never find the right time. There were too many insane things happening during their time in junior high, and by the time they reached high school, Aki felt so out of reach that the boy felt pathetic confessing to her then.
Ichinose smiled to himself. He was reminded of the day he finally told her. The day he let his heart speak for once, unleashing the truth to the girl before him without holding back. Aki was so unfazed by his words that he considered running away right then and there to avoid anything she might say that would break him.
But she didn’t. Instead, she took his hands in hers and let out a deep breath. She looked up smiling at the sky, and revealed to him that she already knew. She had known all along but didn’t have the courage to ask him about it, thinking she might damage their unrelenting friendship by mentioning such a thing.
Once that was all said and done, they never left each other's sides- until it was time for Ichinose to return to the states, that is. The two said their goodbyes so reluctantly that even their old friends from Raimon who endlessly cheered the boy on to pursue his professional soccer career, were suddenly begging him to stay there with Aki. They belonged together, that much was clear to everyone around them.
Ichinose and Aki had been apart so many times in their 18 years of living that it shouldn’t have been anything new to them- but it was different this time. No one knew how long Ichinose would be gone for, or perhaps, if he’d even come back to live in Japan at all. Aki was halfway through her university studies, and was unsure if she’d really want to leave her hometown any time soon either. On the surface their future was so uncertain, it was strange that the pair were completely okay with it.
They had been through enough together to know that no matter what happened, they would always stick together. Sure, there were days they longed so desperately for the other to physically be there by their side, but it had been 6 years and counting since the day Ichinose left, and they were perfectly content with the way things were going.
Though, today was one of those days for Ichinose. After the hardcore training his team had gone through for the past week, the boy wanted nothing more than to snuggle up into Aki’s arms and hold her close before they fell asleep to the sound of the other’s heartbeat. Ichinose would usually pretend to be asleep, opening his eyes a little later into the night to marvel at the girl’s peaceful expression as she slept. He admired her all the time, but so close that he could feel her warmth was often too much for Ichinose- he just loved Aki so much, he still felt butterflies after all these years.
The boy didn’t notice, but he had been smiling from ear to ear for the past few minutes just thinking about her. Aki would have told him to get a grip, to which Ichinose began to laugh at the thought of, alerting Mark to look up from his comic book.
“Man, you are sooooo helplessly in love,” Mark teased.
“I don’t even know if love is the right word” , Ichinose pointed out, blinking up at the ceiling.
“Oh yeah? What’s deeper than love?”
“Hmmm….,” the boy paused and thought about it for a second. Love really wasn’t enough to describe what he felt for Aki, it had always been way more than that. He looked over at his friend, “You know? I’m not actually sure.”
Ichinose trailed off again, turning his focus back to the ceiling. Mark put his book down, sighing. He got up and made his way towards Ichinose, passing him his cellphone.
“Why don’t you ask her?” Mark said, as he headed towards the door, leaving Ichinose to ponder on his own.
I guess I could… but she probably only just woke up, I shouldn’t bother her so early in the morning… she has to make sure Tenma gets out early today as well, she did tell me he was trying out for Raimon’s soccer team…
Ichinose had to stop himself right there. Why was he overthinking calling Aki? It was Aki. He flipped his phone, and clicked the 1 for speed dial- the spot reserved for the girl who placed first in his heart.
Within moments, she picked up. “Ichinose-kun? Shouldn’t you be having dinner right now?” Aki asked with genuine concern in her voice.
Ichinose smiled. He had called Aki just this morning at their usual time, but he never got tired of the sound of her. He could listen to her talk about anything at all for hours on end, and never find himself getting tired.
“Ah, yeah, soon. I just wanted to ask you something. What time is it there?”
“You called me to ask the time?” Aki replied astounded, “it’s almost 6am, the sun should be rising soon…”
Ichinose hummed. “Up so early as usual… Did Tenma get to sleep on time last night?”
“Don’t get me started on that,” Aki laughed. “He was so excited about joining the team he nearly hurt himself jumping up and down on his bed!”
Ichinose let out a soft laugh. He had never met the young boy, but from the way Aki talked about him, he sure sounded a lot like an old soccer freak friend of theirs.
“I did get him to calm down though,” the girl continued, “I told him if he didn’t have his lights out in the next 5 minutes I’d talk to Haruna-chan and make arrangements for him to be the team’s water boy.”
“Whoa, threatening the poor boy! How cruel.”
“Hey, what else was I supposed to do? And anyways, it worked, so it’ll be all thanks to me when he makes the team.”
“You sound so sure he’ll get in.”
“He’s always wanted this since… I don’t even know how long, but it’s been forever! He practiced his dribbling every evening after school for the past year. If his determination alone isn’t enough to get him a place on the team I’d be surprised.”
“You’re right,” Ichinose responded, “that kid has a bright future ahead of him, doesn’t he?”
“Yup!”
There was silence for a few seconds, but a comfortable one.
“Sooo…,” Aki started, “What was the real reason you called?”
“Ah, right. That.”
“Get on with it Ichinose-kun, you need to eat soon!”
“Okay okay,” Ichinose said defiantly, “It’s just sort of… something I’ve been thinking about- or well, Mark started it but—“
“Ichinose.”
The boy sighed. “I can’t find a word to describe how I feel about you.”
Silence, again, but not at all awkward.
“Hm?” Aki sounded confused.
“Well, you see. I love you, right? But I feel like love isn’t the right word.”
“I get what you mean actually,” Aki replied.
“Really? It’s weird, right?” the boy exclaimed. Of course he could count on Aki to understand, she always did. “So what exactly is this feeling? Because love seems like a pretty lame word in comparison to it.”
Aki laughed, the boy never failed to make her do so. “That’s definitely a first, but I agree. ‘Love’ feels a bit cheesy, doesn’t it?”
“Exactly! You get me Aki.”
The pair contemplated it for a while, neither coming to any revelation of what the word might be.
“Ichinose, how do you feel right now?” Aki asked.
The boy was confused, but answered nonetheless. “Homesick, I guess.”
“That’s it! Home.”
“Sorry?”
“Home, Ichinose-kun! That’s the word.”
“Okay…I home you?” Ichinose said. He had to admit, he didn’t get it.
Aki sighed. “No, you idiot, you-are-my-home. You feel like home.”
“Whoa.”
“Yeah, I’m a genius, I know.”
Ichinose sat up ecstatically, his smile larger than life. “Aki you’re right! You’re my home. Not Japan or America, or any other place in the world, it’s you!”
The boy was so happy he found his answer he was surprised he hadn’t realized it before. It wasn’t being back home that he longed for, it was Aki. Wherever she was in the world, was his home. That was where he belonged.
Suddenly Ichinose had a thought. It was something he had always known but he wasn’t entirely sure of it up until this moment, but he still needed to ask Aki for her permission. Only if she agreed.
“Listen, Aki,” Ichinose could feel himself trembling, but he couldn’t back down now. “I can’t say for sure how soon it would be but…” he breathed in, “Would you marry me?”
Silence fell between them, but somehow it was still comfortable.
“Sure.”
With that one word, Ichinose was over the moon. “Really? You’ll wait for me?”
“Actually, that’s exactly what I wanted,” Aki said with a small laugh.
“Akiiiiii… you’re too much for my heart. I think I’m going to explode from happiness right now.”
He was not lying, it quite literally could happen with the life threatening effect she always had on him.
“Calm down mister ‘I home you’, this isn’t happening right now.” Ichinose cringed at the new nickname, but let her continue. “Right now, you need to get downstairs and have your meal and I need to go check on Tenma.”
“Always a realist,” Ichinose pouted, which Aki could practically see through the phone. “Alright, I’ll head down now…”
“Good, I’ll talk to you later then.”
Ichinose reluctantly got up from his bed, almost turning the phone off, but he paused as he suddenly got a mischievous urge to mess with Aki.
“Wait, Aki?”
She sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day. “Yes, Ichinose?”
“I know you used to have a huge crush on Endou.”
“Ichinose?! Wh-“
“Sayonara!” Ichinose said in a teasing tone as he ended the call, putting his cellphone away.
He opened the door to his room, turning off the lights as he made his way down the stairs. His heart should have been beating up and down and around after what he had just asked Aki, but instead it was calm. Ichinose now felt at ease knowing his future with Aki was set. It was what he always wanted, and she felt the same way. That was enough to drive the homesickness away and keep him going.
He stepped into the dining room, waving at his friends as he pulled out his chair. Once he was sitting down, he noticed Mark looking his way. The blonde haired boy mouthed the words ‘I home you’, while clasping his hands together dramatically, revealing that he had eavesdropped on their conversation earlier.
Ichinose was speechless as he sat there staring back at him with his mouth hanging wide open. Mark was never going to let him live that down- and it seemed that neither was Aki.