"I have always loved his novels. He paints with his words and gives the reader a beautiful sorrowful feeling. I understand why he killed himself in the end." She sighed while staring at the small river with a bitter expression on her face.
There it was again. One of her mood swings. But he did not mind it. Not one bit. He loved her for her melancholic side. It made him feel needed. Her dependency and frail state attracted him.
"Yasunari Kawabata hm...It never occurred to me how sad his life was..."he answered coolly. To tell the truth as much as he love romance novels he hated Japanese literature and usually skipped those classes in high school, so he had no idea what she was talking about.
He put his hand around her shoulder and embraced her, no words being needed in that moment. The bridge where they met was empty and they enjoyed each other's presence.
"Shall we go, my dearest?" He asked, taking her hand already walking beside her towards her place.
Since he met her he calmed down, his efforts to look and behave cool were tamed, although his leather jacket and sunglasses remained his signature.
Suddenly his phone rang. He fished it from his jeans and answered, being startled by his brother's relieved voice.
"He's ok...God he's ok! WHAT THE FUCK YOU SHITFACE YOU SCARED US ALL WHEN YOU RAN OUT WITHOUT SAYING A WORD!" Osomatsu yelled. At this point she watched him with a questionable look on her face. He motioned to assure her everything is fine and continued talking.
"Calm down, big brother. I...I had something I needed to do urgently I won't come home. Do not worry ab-"he was interrupted.

"Oh so you ok? Ok bye." And his brother cut the line. Karamatsu sighed, put his phone away and watched his girlfriend's facial expressions. She was adorable, he thought.

"You didn't tell them about me." She stated quietly, looking at one spot on the ground. She was dejected.

"If I told them they either would not believe me or come and bother you. Since you were Totoko's rival in high school they'd bully you. I do not want that. I know my brothers are ruthless when it is something about her." They continued walking in silence and she chuckled.

"Rival…I never understood that girl. I just wanted to be left alone by those boys but they'd come to me and bother me with nonsense. I needed my space back then, but she kept thinking I was an attention whore because I was polite to everyone. Especially the drama club members. I was never attracted to acting itself but I've always loved movies and theatre criticism. "she laughed dryly, remembering those times.

He knows high school was a drag for her. Out of everyone she would usually seek him for advice, since she admired his attitude. His bravado and masks he always wore not to make anyone suspicious or worry about him. He knew what she was talking about. Totoko was the opposite of her. She always seeked attention, made a drama out of everything and had him and his brothers around her fingers for a long time. He realized how manipulative she was when it was too late. Fortunately, she came back into town. The girl whose mentor he was in high school. And she paid him back for his kindness back then.

They arrived at her apartment and entered the small entrance hallway. The door closed and whatever happened after that changed him more. Even his clueless brother realized he had matured a bit.