The H!P Saga

This is a preview. I'll write more if I get good comments on this. So please tell me what you think.

Chinami stood there silently, staring out over the destruction that lay before her. Her tired arms were folded across her stomach; she felt a little sick whenever she recalled what had happened to cause this mess. Her eyes swept across the endless rubble that was once a beautiful, busy city busting with happy, vibrant people with regret and guilt. If only we had listened to Goto...she thought miserably to herself. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice two things; the cold empty breeze that blew through her hair and the sound of careful, slow footsteps approaching her. It was only when the footsteps stopped beside her did she notice the presence standing beside her. This person was looking at her, Chinami noticed, eyes brimming with tears. The guilt she felt doubled instantly inside her, and she couldn't bring herself to look the girl in the eyes anymore. She just hugged herself tighter and looked back towards the rubble.

"Chinami-chan, what are we going to do?", her voice that was trying very hard to be strong asked.

"I don't know, Tsuji-chan. I just don't know...". Her voice cracked on the last word, and tears began to escape from her eyes. She cried freely for three things; the guilt she felt for causing this destruction, the millions of people they had damned, and for the fact that she had finally lost it. She knew she had lost it because Tsuji was here, standing right beside her, and Chinami knew that Tsuji was actually gone, lost, just like everyone else who had once lived where this rubble now laid.
Here in Tokyo.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please tell me what you think, and if you like it I'll continue it on!

Okay, if I can persuade two people to like this I'll continue on!
Btw I'm trying to use all the Japanese words I know (not many of them) in this so if I get it wrong please point it out to me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Weeks Left Till Destruction : 5
Day : 1 ; The Unnoticed Warning

"You can't be serious!," Abe exclaimed tearfully. When she received no reply she asked "But why?" with pain clear in her voice.

"I just feel it's my time to go," Goto replied quietly. She looked up at Abe's confused, hurt expression for a moment, then returned her stare to her fingers which were resting on her lap. "I can't explain why, bit I know that I have to do this."
Abe stared at Goto as she recalled how, just ten minutes ago, she had been very happy just lying on her couch watching the performance of Koi no Telephone GOAL on the 2005 Natsu no Kayou Show -'05 Selection! Collection!- dvd, remembering the good old days. When her doorbell had rang she paused it and answered the door. Goto had stood there with a sort of sad smile set on her lips.

"Konnichiwa, Abe-san."

"Goto! What a surprise! Please, come in!"

Goto hesitated for a moment before entering. They made their way to the couch where Abe had been a few minutes before and sat facing each other. Nothing was said between the two at first and the atmosphere became a little awkward. Abe sensed that something was bothering Goto from the way her eyes remained down on her hands and the way her lips were pressed to a thin line. Worried, she asked, "Sore wa nan desu ka, Maki? Daijoubu?"

"Hai. Daijoubu desu." But...? "Demo, I have something to tell you. Something that...might surprise you."

And then she told her that she was leaving. Leaving the H!P label. Leaving the country. And Abe couldn't believe it. She didn't believe it. She wouldn't. But as Goto explained to her why she was going she started to. After a few more moments of silence Goto continued. " You're the first person I've told. I just decided today. I've been feeling this for a long time and today I finally figured it out. Please don't be upset, Natsumi-san. I know this is what I've got to do. What I need to do." She looked like she wanted to say more but she didn't open her mouth again.

"When...when are you telling Tsunku? And..and the others?"

"I really don't want to tell the others; it'll be too upsetting. Even now, here, I feel like crying. I couldn't tell them. As for Tsunku, well, I'm going to tell him right after I'm done here."

Abe was confused as to why she told her before Tsunku, so she asked her.

"I wanted to tell you first because I consider you one, if not the, closest friend I have in Hello! Project. So I needed you to know first," Goto smiled at her, "and I was sort of hoping you'd be able to tell them this myself, that it was too hard for me to tell them individually how much their friendships mean to me." Tears rolled gently down her cheeks, and as Abe replied she felt her own tears mirror Goto's.

"Of course I will. Though I don't appreciate being picked to be the one who has to endure all their tears!" she laughed, making Goto laugh too. Then their laughs turned into loud sobs as they hugged each other tightly.

When they got a hold of themselves again Goto rised from the couch and walked over to the door. Abe followed her.

"I'm sure we'll see each other soon," she paused, " I'll make a promise to you, actually. I'll come back and visit all of you when I'm ready to, I promise," she smiled. "You'll tell them that, won't you?"

"No I won't, Goto," Abe scowled, then smiled. "Just joking! Of course I will! It had better be soon too, because I don't want to deal with them when they start to miss you too much." They smiled at each other again, hugged, and then Goto left.

Abe sighed, and returned to the couch. Wow, she thought. Goto, gone. Hello! Project was going to be so different now. She sat down, deciding who she was going to tell first. She'd have to wait till she was sure Tsunku knew and made his official statement. Hello! Project would still go on for Abe, but it would always feel as if something was missing.

☆☆☆☆☆

That was hard, Goto thought to herself. I'm glad I don't have to go through that with everyone else. She winced as she thought of them, each of the faces that she would miss. As she exited the building she took out her phone and dialed a number. It rang once before it was answered.

"Is it done?" a husky, slow voice demanded.

"Hai," she answered cautiously, "I did exactly what you told me to do."

"Good. Meet me in the usual place in two hours. Don't be late."

The call disconnected. Goto shivered. She knew she was doing the right thing but the person that voice belonged to made her extremely nervous. She shivered once more as she dialed Tsunku's number.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sore wa nan desu ka - What is it?
Daijoubu - Are you alright?