Work Text:
Emu came back from work earlier today.
She had a really long day at the park. Since the day her brothers made her a co-owner she had a big pile of paperwork she needed to do everyday. Of course, her brothers helped her a lot, they changed a lot during those four years. It was extra boring and sometimes made no sense, but Emu promised a certain someone that she will do everything to keep the stage park alive.
She left her office for a while, to walk around her park and look how much it changed. Actually, it didn't change for the worse! Her family bought the area around the theme park, and expanded it even more! That's how they were able to make more profit with new attractions, and also keep the old ones loved by both kids and adults. For those four years they didn't demolish even one attraction!!
Well, okay they demolished only one. But she prefers to not think about it now.
She adored how the work of her friends allowed this place to take such a turn. Even her brothers admitted that the park changed for the better. She was proud of her work. She fulfilled her promise to her grandpa. And she will work even harder, to make it even a better place!
She came back to her office, humming a song lost to time that only four three teenagers scattered around the city remember, when she found a yellow envelope laying on her desk.
She knows exactly what it means. Work can wait untill tommorow.
That's how Emu ended up leaving work early, running home as fast as she could, holding the envelope in her right hand, like if she was scared someone could take it away from her.
"Emu, we need to talk."
"HMM?? IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT TSUKASA???"
She could see that his smile wasn't honest, she had an ability to recognize those type of stuff. He was worried. Concerned. Sad?
He took a deep breath.
"Emu, they accepted my audition. I am leaving the city."
Oh. Emu smiled.
"Wait, you aren't... sad?"
"I couldn't be even if I tried! It was always your dream, I knew this would happen one day."
She hugged him tight.
"I am so happy for you Tsukasa!!"
She could feel a tear flow down her cheek. She shouldn't cry, she was already prepared for this. She knew it would happen one day.
Then why did it still hurt?
Emu locked herself in her room, and dropped the envelope on her desk. Then, she jumped to her cabinet, and took out a medium-sized box.
Before he left, Wonderlands X Showtime made one last show. A musical. The best way for her troupe to bid farewells to their leader. Emu had a bad feeling about this, how are they going to manage without him?
Tsukasa left the next day. Emu hugged him for the last time in front of his airport.
"Thank you so much Emu. For everything. I promise I will stay in touch."
"Thank you Tsukasa."
I love you. Please don't leave me. She doesn't dare to say out loud.
..
Her feeling was right. Two months after Tsukasa left, the sales of their show suddenly started to drop. Well, Emu understood why. The quality of their shows dropped drastically. Because they had no one to follow, they were alone. Luck wasn't on their side, after five months no one wanted to see their shows anymore. Wonderlands X Showtime ceased to exist, and was officially shut down in December.
Tsukasa kept his promise. Every month his new troupe changed places where they are performing. In those 4 years he explored many different countries. And of course, told Emu everything about it. Everytime they changed the place where they were in, he kept sending her postcards, to share the beautiful looks with her.
Emu opened the box. She kept his every postcard, his every letter to her.
And of course, she kept replying to them, she talked about her life, how everything is going, how the troupe is holding and much. She talked about the life as a new co-owner of Phoenix Wonderlands, and of course told him about the disband of Wonderlands X Showtime, for a second she wanted to keep it as a secret.
Why? She doesn't want him to worry. He is happy with his new troupe, some gossip media's even say he has a girlfriend.
And for her sanity's sake she always ignores how that thought made her feel bitter.
She wouldn't dare to ruin it all for him. He is happy, so she is happy too. Making him worry about her problems would be a terrible thing to do. But thanks to Nene's encouragement, she told him. She expected him to be mad at her, that she didn't tell him earlier. But he said he feels bad for her and that he is very sorry that it happened. He really made a three page letter of an apology for being one of the main reasons why they had to disband.
She cried a lot that day, she didn't like that he blamed himself for it.
But well, the gossip media's also said that Tsukasa was a single child that decided to be an actor on his last day of high school, which was obviously fake. So there is no way he has a girlfriend, right?
She carefully opened the envelope, and took out a post card with The Colosseum on the picture. He is in Italy. She turned away the card, and saw the letter part.
Hello Emu!!
Greetings from Rome, Italy! We are here because we are doing a show "Antigone", maybe you heard about it!! The show is tommorow, and guessing how international mail sending works you will receive this around four days after I finish the show.
She tried to hold back her tears. It's like he didn't change at all, like if they were still teenagers. Like he never left the wonder stage, and it was all just a dream.
Well, the box filled with much more postcards was a reminder that it was all a reality, the wonder stage is no more.
Okay, maybe she was kinda crying.
I have some great news, I sent Rui and Nene a surprise for you, since I wasn't able to send a package to you without getting verified by your family and bodyguards, which well, would take too long.
A surprise, for her? I mean, he was right about sending packages to Ootori family being a really hard thing to do, there is no way she could receive her package without anyone checking what's inside.
I really miss you Emu, and I hope everything is going alright for you.
Okay, she is 100% crying.
"I miss you too, Tsukasa.."
She hid the letter in the envelope and put inside the box.
She's laying on her desk, crying to her sleeve. Not because she was really sad, she was angry at herself.
She could've stopped him. She had many chances, she could tell him she doesn't want to see him go when he first told her. She could tell her on their last show. She could run up to him and stop him with a hug when he was entering the plane. ANYTHING to make him stay.
But she didn't, and instead she lied to herself that she won't care and that will get over him. SHE CAN'T GET OVER HIM.
A ringtone.
She doesn't want to talk with anyone right now. Even if she had the energy to, she doesn't want anyone to hear her stutter because she's sobbing.
A ringtone, again.
Someone really doesn't want to leave her alone huh? She looked over to her phone, the person still didn't hang up. Is it so hard to see someone is unavailable right now? The call expired, it's quiet again.
...Not for long. Another ringtone.
She stood up, looking at who wants to talk with her this much.
Nene Kusanagi.
Alright, calm down Emu. She steadied her breath, so she won't figure it out instantly that she was just crying. She picked up the phone.
"Hello?? Emu??"
"Hello Nene!!! How are you??"
"Why aren't you picking up the phone?? I called like, three times!!"
"Sorry, I was busy with some paperwork, didn't have time!!"
"Alright.. Emu, did you get a letter from Tsukasa?"
Oh. So she wants to talk about that "gift". She could feel tears gather in her eyes.
"O-oh! Yeah I did!! Why is that!!"
"Well, if you did then you know about the gift he has for you."
"It already arrived?"
Then, Emu heard a silent "Hello, sorry I am late- no way." scream from another side of the phone. It sounded like Rui. Before she had a chance to ask, Nene screamed "SHUT IT IM TRYING TO TALK!!".
"Sorry about that, yeah it just did. You can come pick it up from mine and Rui's workshop, and I think you will love to see it."
Emu thought about Rui's and Nene's workshop in the middle of the park. Since the day that Nene decided to stay with Rui and help him improve Emu gave them a special workshop close to her office, so that when she has a break she can run over to them and spend some time with her friends.
But most importantly, she is currently a mess. Her eyes are propably puffy as hell, and she can't even speak without stuttering.
"Sure. I'll be there in an hour."
"Great, see you soon! H-HEY-"
But Emu didn't hear that, she was the one who hang up.
At this point, Tsukasa was sure he made a big mistake.
Three years after he started his big career he realized he hates his troupe. He loved being an actor, of course, but he realized he doesn't want with people around him. They're all so... stiff. Like dolls, they don't laugh around, they take everything he does seriously, and don't bring out their whole heart to their shows. He doesn't want to partner up with them. And if he could, he would leave immediately. But because of his contract he had to wait for another year.
That year was a torture. He was doing shows he didn't enjoy, with people who didn't even try. He wants to go back, to make his silly little shows with his old troupe.
Except, it doesn't exist anymore.
He was jumping from city to city, from a country to a country, no break time EVER. Yeah, the pay was great, but was it worth it? Not at all.
He was spending all of his days practicing and staying at his apartament looking up at the ceiling. Practice and daydream, 24/7. That's how his life looked like for whole four years.
Well, almost. Once a month, everytime they left for another country, Tsukasa kept sending Emu postcards. He wanted her to know he was alright (at least physically) and share the views he gets to see.
But he was more excited to receive a response from her.
There was no reason to deny it, he had a big crush on Emu, and only realized that after he stepped on his plane - when it was too late.
And receiving her letters made him feel better everytime. He spent his whole midnights reading her letters, god he even memorized one of them.
He would do much to cut the contract now so that he could come back to her.
But eventually, his contract ended. He instantly chose to not resume it, and finally after three weeks of formalities, and his last show in Italy, he was free. And Tsukasa doesn't know a better way to celebrate it, than to send Emu a gift.
"Nene? Rui!! I'm here!!" - Emu called their friends after entering their workshop.
"Emu?? You're here!! Sorry, but Nene left for a while to get your gift." - She could hear a deep voice from behind her, which startled her. She turned around, and saw Rui in his usual work suit.
"Rui!! Hello!!" - She came to him and hugged him like always. - "And what do you mean get my present? Nene said it already arrived."
"Well~ Let's say it's here, but Nene thought it will be a better idea to give you some privacy when you open it!~" - He said in his usual teasing voice. That never changed, the way Rui spoke. Even Emu stopped screaming from happiness after a certain someone left her life. Suddenly, she hears a door open.
"Oh, Emu! You're here!!" - Nene said, entering through the door.
"Nene!!!" - She ran up to her friend and hugged her, same way she did with Rui, almost making her fall down.
She hummed, and reciprocated her hug. Then, let go of her and looked her in the eyes.
"Wanna see your gift?"
Does she? She's gonna cry if she does.
"Of course I do!!"
Nene grinned.
"Great, I placed it near the Ferris wheel! Be quick unless you want someone to steal it! It's really big so people will obviously notice it!"
Hmm? What exactly did he got her? Something big, and Nene wanted Emu to open it alone. Tsukasa was some kind of a genius, she had no idea what he could've got for her.
But it was surely important if she left it near their ferris wheel.
"Thank you!! I'll head off then!!" - Emu said, once again hugging her friend, and stormed off the room. Nene and Rui looked at themselves, and shared a small smile. They hoped that she will like the present.
Finally, she reached her destination. The ferris wheel. There was one issue. She sees no big presents around. What is going on? She walks around the terrain and looks for a place where Nene could leave it, which doesn't have much people around. But nothing.
Maybe it's just her mind playing tricks on her? There is no way there is nothing here. She kept walking around the wheel, but she found nothing.
Maybe someone really stole it? Or even better Tsukasa pranked her and got her hopes up for nothing?!?
'No, you can't think like that Emu!' - She thought to herself, trying not to cry. It's here somewhere, she is sure. Take a small break, go sit down, take three deep breaths and look again!!
She tried not to spiral, it would make her chances of finding the gift nonexistent. She needed to calm down now. She should sit on a bench, take a small break, and run around the whole park.
One issue, all of the benches are taken by huge friendgroups or couples, waiting for the next chance to get into the Ferris Wheel. She won't go join some random friend group, and definetly won't join a random couple!!
Well, all benches are taken by a group of people, except for one, standing really close to the wheel. There was a blonde boy sitting there alone, busy in his phone. She should go ask him.
She walks up to him, and slightly taps his shoulder.
"I'm sorry sir, but mind if I sit here for a while? I am searching for something but can't find it but I am so tire-" - The blonde man stood up.
"...Emu?"
Oh
Oh.
OH!!!!
"TSUKASA!!!!" - She screamed and jumped at him to welcome him with a hug, already crying. This feels like a dream. Why did she not recognise him from the start? Same golden hair, the same height...That's when she realized a lack of his pink gradient in his hair, it seems he dyed it somewhere in his acting career. That's why she didn't realize from far away, and her teary eyes must've obscured her view when she was close to him.
"YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I MISSED YOU EMU." - He hugged her back, she feels like he is crying too. She could have expected the surprise being him going back for a small vacation, but never thought about it more. If he couldn't have a vacation for those four years, why now?
"You have no idea how much I missed you Tsukasa!!!" - She tried her best to not make her voice crack by accident. She is finally feeling happy again. - "YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN IT ALL TO ME NOW!!"
Ding ding ding!!
Both of them turned around, and realized that the ferris wheel will leave in a minute, a bunch of people getting into the line for tickets.
"Tsukasa? Wanna go on a Ferris wheel with me?"
He laughed.
"Of course, Emu."
A mix of feelings came through Emu when he explained everything to her from the beginning, from his troupemates, through his contract issues, finishing on him finally getting here thanks to Rui's and Nene's help. They promised to help him and bought him an entry ticket with Rui's name, so that Emu won't accidentally learn about his arrival beforehand.
But to be honest, Emu didn't care about most things he said right now. She cared that he is staying with her, he isn't leaving the city anymore. He explained that he realized he never felt happy far away from their hometown, and horribly missed his old friends, his family, he missed her. And he promised he will never leave her again.
Right now, they are watching the sunset. He is hugging her gently, and Emu is trying her best to not cry, this time from happiness. He is here, finally here. Once she gets to terms with this fact, she will even offer him a job here. Just so that they can stay close together, so he won't have to leave her anymore.
"Emu?"
"Yes, Tsukasa?"
Saying his name while he is listening is like dreaming. She feels like she is dreaming. But it's real, he is here, they're both alright.
"I love you so much."
She knows that, she realized it the second she saw his face lighten up when he saw her today.
"I love you too." - She hugged him tighter than before.
They both end up staying up all night, running around their city, and make up all that lost time they could've spent together. But it's alright, Emu isn't angry or sad at all. Tsukasa is back, and that's what matters the most.