Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The first time I saw her, I was in my car. An obsidian black Honda, small and sleek. It was a stark contrast to her pearl white Cadillac. Pulled up next to each other, we must've seemed like an angel and a demon. She looked like that one girl from a band that was popular a few years back, what was her name? Ah yeah, Umi Sonoda. She was a pretty woman, but I didn't believe in love at first sight. Then the light turned green, and I thought nothing more of it.

It was at the supermarket the next time, a few days later. I almost didn't recognize her, but that little side bun in her hair was a dead giveaway. She was hastily pushing a stroller. I couldn't see the child inside, but I supposed they were just as beautiful as their mother. Whoa Chika, slow down, you just met this girl, I muttered to myself.

I followed the woman cautiously, more out of curiosity than anything else. This was my first clear look at her. She had long, silky dark blue hair. Her outfit was composed of a worn out leather jacket and a magenta skirt. On the back of her shoulder was a tattoo. It said RIKO in big, blocky letters. She stopped by a stall full of apples and bananas.

Her name was Yoshiko. I learned it from the attendee of the fruits stall. Hey, Yoshiko, how do demons clean themselves? With a Bathomet! I snickered quietly. They both looked at me funny. I pulled my hood down over my head and turned away. Yoshiko puffed on her cigarette and started talking to the girl behind the table again. See you later, my little demon Ruby , I heard her say. Her voice was very deep. She walked away from the stall without looking back.

I didn't expect to see Yoshiko at the post office. She was arguing with a blonde woman behind the counter. A sweater was in her hands, along with some money. I wondered if it was for that name she had on her back, that Riko. The blonde kept shaking her head and apologizing. Yoshiko was begging for her to package and mail it, but her efforts were in vain. She didn't seem to recognize me as she walked by. There were tears in her eyes.

I saw Yoshiko once more at a payphone downtown. Who even uses payphones in this day and age? I wondered if she didn't have a cell phone. She did seem pretty poor from her tattered clothes. Something obviously was upsetting, because Yoshiko was gesturing and yelling in another language. I didn't understand a word, but she seemed stressed.

I walked over to her and stood a few feet behind the payphone booth. A few minutes later, Yoshiko hung up and turned around. She looked up at me and jumped back with a little squeak. “What are-” she shouted an octave higher than the voice she'd used with Ruby. Then she cleared her throat and said, “Ah yes… You'd like to use the payphone?” in a lower tone.

“Are you alright?” I asked, taking a step forward.

A tear rolled down Yoshiko's cheek. “No,” she whispered

And suddenly, this woman was crying and pouring out all her emotions in front of me. “I just… I'm really depressed, y’know? I've never felt this alone in my whole life. My wife left and… and I don't think she's coming back. I miss her, but I have to make it on my own now, y’know…” she whispered. Her voice seemed to have gone up an octave again.

I took another step forward

“I don't need your pity… I don't need a shoulder to cry on… I don't need, I don't need your help…” Yohane mumbled into my chest. I patted her back gently.

“It's alright, Yoshiko…” I said quietly.

She pulled away and shook her head. “Call me Yohane.” I was surprised she wasn't bothered that I already knew her name.

I nodded. “Well, Yohane, I think everything will be just fine.” She stayed with me for a while, but it was all too soon when we broke apart.

“Hey… what's your name?” Her voice was hoarse and shaky. “I've seen you around but I have no idea who you are.” My heart felt warm at this. I couldn't believe she'd noticed me. Was she paying as much attention to me as I was to her?

“Chika Takami, at your service!” I replied. “As you can see, I'm a soulless ginger.”

Yohane laughed deeply. It was a pleasant sound. “Soulless, eh? I suppose you'd want to become one of Yohane's little demons?” she said in that lower voice.

I had no idea what a little demon was but the  correct answer was apparent to myself. “Sure! Why not?” I said. I figured it'd make Yohane feel better, and it did sound a little kinky. Damn, I really need to stop having these kinds of thoughts.

Yohane started to laugh, and I did too. I didn't really get what was so funny, but it felt good. It felt warm.

“Hey, do you wanna come over and see my son?” Yohane asked after we were worn out from laughing.

I smiled enthusiastically. “Sure! Sounds lovely.” I laced our fingers together and we began to walk down the street. It felt like the beginning of something special.

Maybe love at first sight is real after all.

Chapter Text

It was early evening when she left me. I had cried a lot, and just the memory makes me upset. Her excuses ranged from I just need some space, to I’m going to fight in the army, to I need to visit my sick mother.

That day, I realized something important. Underneath the idea of civility, there was nothing separating humans from animals. Whether we pretend to fall in love, whether we dress up in our best clothes and come together, all of us are just barely learning to crawl.

The state of the world is horrible. Hanamaru had once called it “troubling”. I had laughed and called that an understatement.

For a while, there was no point in living. I saw Ruby at the marketplace and Mari at the post office, but nothing they did every helped to ease the pain.

But that bright smile and those five words changed my life. “Chika Takami, at your service!”

I don't need Riko anymore. Not because I've replaced her, but because I was given the tools to realize the truth.

Maybe instead of being Yoshiko Sakurauchi, I can become Yohane, the fallen angel. I can become who I really am.