Hello, this is my first henrika! Hope it's good…Oh, and be warned, the story before you is 45 pages of Microsoft Word. Take it easy. Oh yeah. There's ooc-ness, and a lot of fast paced stupidity. Not that good, but it's my first fic… T.T
Disclaimer: I don't own digimon, so don't you sue me!!!!! shakes angry fist (or the Offspring)
Well our visions of glory have spiraled down the drain
The best of our intentions comes crashing down in flames
The depths of our despair we are unable to contain
It's shallow living (The Offspring, The Noose)
Longest Road
Rika walked down the street, fast and with purpose. She received many looks from the occasional(or every) guy, but ignored it. She didn't need their admiration, praise, or petty confessions of love. It wasn't love, anyway. More like lust. Indeed, she was pretty, with shoulder-length chestnut hair, a thin frame, dainty build, and large, lilac eyes, but her aura was more violent, and angry. Or at least lonely disguising itself as such.
'Stupid useless good for nothing idiots. What are they doing? Shopping. Feh. What a waste,' Rika thought manically.
Rika was walking rushed for a reason. She had someone to visit. And not just someone. Ryo. Her heart fluttered at the thought of his name. His personality, granted, was very different from hers, but hey, opposites attract, right?
So intent on pushing her 18-year-old way through the bustling, anxious crowd was Rika that she barely noticed the blackish-blue haired boy waving at her. He was tall, dark, and handsome (though she could not see him competing with Ryo) with warm, steel eyes, and his arm guarding gently a skinny girl with long, curly brown hair, and bright, amber eyes. While the girl remained unfamiliar, the boy(or was it man?) was one of the many from the 6-year-ago adventure with the Digimon.
"Hey Henry," she smiled guardedly.
"Rika, long time, no see. How have you been?" Henry huffed.
The girl smiled uncertainly. She looked from Henry to Rika to Henry again. "Who's this?" she demanded in a voice that was disguised with sweetness.
Rika began walking again, just realizing she had stopped to wait for her old, it's easy to say, friend. Although, she never waited when it came to Ryo. Never for him, never to get to him. 'Hn…'she pondered inwardly, but shrugged such meaningless things off.
"Just an old friend," said Henry, in his slightly exasperated tone that reminded Rika of how he handled Suzie.
"Exactly," she said with a nod. "So, who's your new little friend, Henry?"
He blushed a little. "This is Miyu. She's…We're…It's like…Yeah. We're together."
Miyu pouted at his embarrassment. "Henry, what's wrong with you? I never knew you to get so flustered over a girl, especially since you're dating," Rika drawled.
Instead of being grateful to Rika for speaking up, Miyu gave her a dirty look. "Don't flirt with MY man," she muttered inaudibly.
Keyword "inaudibly." Rika didn't hear it, and Henry asked, "So, where are you hurrying off to?"
Rika smiled. "Ryo."
"Ah. Well, that's the rush. You two want to come visit me sometime?" Henry asked with a tinge of hope.
"Sure," Rika replied.
"Here, call me," he offered, scrawling a number onto a scrap of paper.
Rika took the paper and turned it over. It was a street hand out exclaiming the second coming of Jesus. "Nice," she said dryly.
As she strolled away, Miyu called out, "You can call US and visit with US, ok?"
Rika nodded, her shiny hair shimmering with the bobbing of her head.
The tall apartment building towered over Rika's fairly small form. It didn't scare her, though. She pushed her way through the swinging doors, and bullied her way past a young girl into the elevator. Almost jogging down the hall, she stopped and caught her breath before knocking on Ryo's apartment door.
He appeared, in all his glory, and nothing but his boxers. "Hey, babe. I was expecting you," he leered.
Rika rolled her eyes. "I hope you had some pants on when you were thinking of me."
Ryo blinked, then laughed. "Be right back. Sorry, I just got out of the shower. Gotta keep my excellent physique clean, right?"
"And we all know how hard that is," Rika teased, pushing her way in.
She looked disdainfully at the dirty dishes resting on the counter and in the sink. She sighed and yelled, "I don't come here for two days and you've got a whole dining set completely filthy! For Heaven's sake, you've got a dishwasher, Ryo!"
"Yeah, but it's just so fun seeing you so distraught. Who'd have thought the great Digimon Queen would have an aversion to dirty dishes?" Ryo called back.
"It wouldn't be so bad if the food wasn't floating," she muttered while disdainfully plucking the filth from the sink and placing it into the dishwasher.
"Do you wanna see my dirty clothes?" Ryo grinned, stepping into the kitchen, fully dressed.
Rika almost melted. His black dickies and blue tee shirt just looked soo good on him. "Sure," she grumbled.
He took her by the hand, and lead her to the washing machine. In front of it stood a mountain of wrinkled, dirty clothes. Rika slowly picked up a shirt. "This one's not even dirty, why is it here?"
"Oh, I decided not to wear that, but I think it should be washed again."
"You are such a girl."
"With looks this good, how can I resist not dressing perfect?"
"You could just grab something and hold it up before soiling it."
"But I can't be sure it would look right."
Rika sighed. "You know I think you look good no matter what, right?"
Ryo smiled genuinely and pulled her into a close hug. They embraced for a few minutes before he said, "But everybody else has to think I do, and it takes me a while to get the 'perfect' image just right."
"Whatever," Rika muttered, pulling away. Her boyfriend could be so superficial.
She sorted the laundry with quick ease, then stood. "You ready?"
"Yeah, let's roll baby." Ryo laughed self-mockingly.
Just before he opened the door, Ryo turned to Rika. "You're wearing that?" he asked dubiously.
Rika looked down. "What's wrong with it?"
With raised eyebrows, he said, "nothing. It just…don't you think you should wear something a little more girly and stylish?"
Rika's heart fell. Ryo'd been acting more and more like her mother as of late. 'Be more girly, Rika.' 'That's not exactly fashionable, you know.' 'don't you want to look good for once?' 'Jeans again?!'
In fact, Rika's outfit was one of the most feminine articles of clothing she owned. A purple screen tee with a black rose on it, white jeans, and high heeled dress boots adorned her nicely proportionate figure. She didn't see what was wrong with it.
"Yes, I'm wearing this. You got a problem with it?" she demanded.
"Ok…"Ryo said, and let it go, but his disapproval hung darkly in the air.
They walked in silence through the apartment complex until Rika jammed her hands into her pockets and felt a foreign piece of paper. "Oh yeah. You'll never guess who I ran into on my way here!" she chirped, forcing herself to be happy.
"Who?" shrieked Ryo, with exaggerated enthusiasm.
"Henry!" Rika beamed.
"Henry…who?" Ryo said with suspicious, narrow eyes.
Rika gaped in disbelief. "You know, Henry Wong? His Digimon was Terriermon… we fought against the D-Reaper with him…?"
"Oh, yeah! Henry! So what's that jerk up to?" he laughed.
"He's not a jerk. He was always nicer than you," sniffed Rika with what she hoped sounded like pretend hurt.
"Yeah, yeah. So, what's that unbelievably, incredibly nice guy been up to?"
"Nothing much. He has a new girlfriend. She's pretty cute, I guess."
"Cute?"
Rika regretted her choice of words. Even though he was obviously with her, Ryo was still such a flirt. It annoyed her, but she was in love, so she let it go. But she decided against telling him about meeting up with them.
"Yeah."
Suddenly miserable, Rika trudged after a bouncing Ryo, so hung up in himself that he swaggered and leered at pretty girls other than Rika on the street.
Upon finally reaching the little noodle hut, Rika felt herself almost ready to just leave, and go home. She didn't though, and listened to Ryo brag and whine and just talk about himself while she thoughtfully slurped udon.
After lunch, a movie, some shopping for Ryo, and pushing through some rabid girls blatantly flirting with Ryo and no consideration for Rika, he walked home with her. He leaned in for a good night kiss, but all she could manage was a peck on the cheek. Ryo frowned and wrapped his arms around her. "C'mon, Rika. Let's go into your room," he offered in a low, seductive voice.
However, Rika had had a really bad day, and didn't fall for it. "Good night, Ryo," she said as she pushed him through the doorway and slammed the front door in his face.
"Hi, honey," Rika's grandmother called from the kitchen.
"Hi," she grunted back.
Her grandmother frowned, wiped her hand on a towel, and wrapped her arms around Rika's slender shoulders. "Something wrong?" she asked worriedly.
"No," Rika replied, shrugging the concerned shoulders off.
She stomped away and slammed the sliding doors to her room shut. Throwing herself onto the floor, sitting at the kotatsu, and resting her head on it, Rika let out a sob. The tears fell just for a minute, and then, she wiped them away, but wished desperately for Renamon.
For what seemed like just a few minutes, but was actually hours, Rika lay there with her head on the table. She didn't rage, she didn't cry, she didn't even hardly think. She just rested. Eventually, she stood up, changed into her pajamas, and rolled out her futon bed. Crawling under the covers, she thought of Calumon coming, six years ago, and cheering her up when she was fighting with Renamon.
Rika wondered if the only people who cared about her were Renamon and her grandmother. At least they'd accepted her for who she is. Her mother wanted a girly-girl daughter, Ryo wanted a girly-girl girlfriend, and everybody else just thought of her as a bitch.
Years ago, she'd had friends. Jeri, Takato, Henry, Suzie, Ryo, and even Kazu and Kenta. Not to mention the Digimon. But time changes all things and all people. Jeri was still very sweet, but Takato was her world. It was nearly impossible for her to go a paragraph without mentioning him. And Takato wasn't much different. He was still the same gentle, innocent soul, but he was obsessed with getting back to the digital world, no matter that it had almost killed them.
Suzie was such a little girl since Rika had last seen her, now she was thirteen years old, and a slave to cutesy-girly fashions. Still brave enough, but more grown up now. Kazu was still the self obsessed moron with immature delusions of grandeur. Rika was desperate enough to try talking to him, but he hadn't been that open to her after the Digimon left.
That was another problem. The Digimon were all gone with little hope of coming back. Her dad, too. He'd gone off when she was four. Abandoned her just because he couldn't get along with her mom. She had his number and address, but it was only retrieved from the phonebook. He still had hers, for sure. And yet he never called. Rika despaired. Was it her own cold, independent, and yes, even mean personality that drove everyone away?
Kenta was a soccer star, finally coming out of his low self-esteem shell. Ryo was in love with himself, and Rika was in love with him.
Then there was Henry. He'd sort of gone off on his own after the Digimon left. Angry at his dad, angry at the Digimon, and angry at the Tamers. He didn't talk to any of them, not even the ones at his school.
It pained Rika a little. He'd always been so nice, even when she was a jerk. After she'd dropped her vendetta against being pals with her partner, and opened up to the guys, they'd always gotten along. But after seeing him today, it was obvious that he was over the hump and back into being his optimistic self.
Rika pulled the covers over her head and slowly drifted off to sleep.
"Rika, sweetie, wake up. It's the phone for you. Ryo," her still youthful mother said gently, pushing Rika into consciousness.
"Ugh," she grunted brightly.
"Yeah, good afternoon, sunshine," Ryo's voice laughed.
"Ugh," she repeated.
Rumiko departed from her daughter's room. Rika was grateful.
"So, you sounded kind of upset the other day," Ryo said.
"Other day? You mean last night…"Rika muddled.
"No, it was almost two days ago. Your mom said you slept all day yesterday."
"Oh man."
"Yeah. So do you want to talk?"
Touched, Rika smiled. "You just calling makes me feel better."
"Yeah, well, I was worried about you."
"I'm ok."
"You sure?"
"Yeah," Rika beamed.
"In that case, you want to come over? I was thinking we could, uh, y'know…hang out?" Ryo slyly hinted.
"Yeah, ok," Rika agreed, not catching Ryo's point.
"I'll let you clean up first."
"Ok, see you in an hour. Bye."
"An hour? I'll be here!"
"Love you," whispered Rika.
Silence, and then the dial tone. Rika frowned, but pulled herself together, and showed up exactly when she said she would.
"Pass the pop corn," Ryo ordered dully.
"Sure thing," Rika handed him the bag.
He popped some into his mouth, then wrapped his arms around Rika. He kissed her face, her neck. She closed her eyes, but not in ecstasy. She let him rub his hands against her stomach and legs, and kiss her as he did, but when his mouth traveled down, getting closer and closer and then onto her chest. She sighed, and shoved him off. He fell over and off the couch. Looking hurt, he sent her a questioning look. "Not now," she said shortly.
Ryo hunched his shoulders, then pulled away completely. "Ok," he said, "I understand."
"Clearly you don't!" Rika yelled, almost in tears, and heading for the door.
"What's wrong with you, Rika?! You've been all weird lately," Ryo shouted back.
"I've been weird?! You're the one who's- never mind," Rika grumbled.
"I'm the one who's what, Rika?!" Ryo's anger was clearly not diminishing.
"You're the weird one. You want me to be all girly and feminine and preppy and all that, and it's just not me! You want me to be a way that I'm not! You didn't used to do that. You didn't used to act like I'm not freaking good enough for you!" she exploded.
"Is that what you think?" he retorted, his face red.
"It's what you act like! Is that what you think, Ryo?! That I'm not good enough?!"
"Of course not, but you're such a spoiled brat that you can't even see how lucky you are to be with me!"
"EXCUSE ME?!"
"Just shut up, Rika. Shut up and leave," Ryo growled darkly, pointing to the door, but Rika was already gone.
He blinked for a minute, then grabbed his coat and keys, and was outta there.
No one was home when Rika got there. 'So much the better,' she thought bitterly, refusing to cry.
She stripped down to her underwear and threw herself into a cold shower. Hot water spewed out after a moment, and she scrubbed her skin and hair till it was almost painful. Then she jumped out and scrubbed her teeth with massive amounts of toothpaste. Mouth numb and gums bleeding, she stormed out in nothing but a towel. She threw on a tee shirt and pair of jeans with holes in some very indiscriminate holes. Grayed, fraying, filthy tennis shoes, and wet, barely combed hair flopped with her into the den.
Her mother looked up from the fashion magazine she was reading. "Hey, I like your shirt," she said with a sincere smile.
Rika looked down. It was a little baggy, and had an advertisement for Rika's favorite comic store. She probably liked it because of the happy cat proclaiming the greatness of the store. She forced a weak smile. "Thanks Mom."
Rumiko frowned. "Something wrong? I thought you were going to Ryo's."
Rika stuck her lips out in an angry pout. "I did. And he's a jerk!"
Sighing, Rumiko pulled her child close. "All right, what happened?"
"He just…"Rika groaned, and saw no way out. "He wanted to…you know, and-"
"He WHAT?!" Rumiko yelped.
"Yeah. And I did not, so he got all mad and asked why I've been weird. I told him he's been really superficial, and he said, 'you're lucky to even be with me.' So then I left."
"Oh, honey…"she murmured, hugging Rika close.
She didn't say anything, but Rika knew it had really hurt her mom when her dad had divorced her.
Dry and ready to go, Rika smiled at her mom, and pushed open the door. "Thanks." She whispered.
Rika looked at the address in hand, copied hastily onto a piece of pink notebook paper. Then she looked up at the house in the suburbs of Shinjuku. A dog barked in the small front yard, and a child about ten years younger than Rika giggled. She couldn't help but smile. The child glanced up at Rika, and she gasped when she say his face. His eyes were the same purple as hers. A young woman, not even thirty, came out with a baby on her hip. She smiled down at the child, then he pointed at Rika. The woman looked up, furrowed her brow. The baby had wide, purple eyes and thick, straight hair, just like Rika.
That was it. She bolted, and ran to the bus stop. She clambered on, gasping, and flung herself onto a seat. Across from her, a young couple was shamelessly making out. "Oh, please," she grumbled.
The bus stopped by the park where the Tamers used to hang out. Feeling reminiscent, Rika got out. She followed the old trail to Guilmon's hut. The inside was repaired, but a tiny plaque commemorated his existence. She pushed the rusty gate door open. It creaked horribly.
Never the less, Rika sat down in the dirt. She smiled slightly. At least Ryo hadn't shared some of her best memories here.
Ryo. Rika sighed. Maybe she had been a little harsh and spoiled. She still loved him. It didn't occur to her the way he'd just hung up when she confessed it.
She got up, and left the little hut to itself again.
On her way back to the street, still on the secluded path, Rika looked at the ground. She bumped violently into a guy. Her first thought was that he was a molester, but his voice was worried and soothing. "Are you ok?!" he asked. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I'm sorry, are you ok?"
"I'm fine," Rika said wearily.
A tanned hand reached for hers. She took it and let herself be pulled up. She found herself face to face with a very sullen looking Henry. He'd obviously been fuming. A rare thing that she'd rarely seen before, but when he was mad, it was blatant.
He did brighten, though, when he saw Rika. She must have looked a bit unhappy, too, because he asked, "Is something wrong?"
Rika smiled smally. "Yeah, but I'm ok. How about you?"
"I'm absolutely, a-ok."
"Yeah right. I know you, Henry. Or at least I did. You're still you, and when you're mad, it's really obvious."
Henry frowned a little. "Well, you know my girlfriend, Miyu?"
"Yeah."
"I think she's…it's dumb, really…but I think she might be cheating on me."
"Oh, Henry. I'm sorry. If she is, she's a fool."
He smiled wryly. "Your attempt to cheer me up was pitiful."
"But sincere."
Henry didn't say anything, so Rika began. "Henry, you're the nicest guy ever. I mean, yeah, we haven't spoken in a long time, but you're really nice. You never wanted to hurt people or Digimon. And you were usually diplomatic."
"'Usually?'" he echoed.
"Sometimes you were a little unfair with Suzie, but only because you cared."
A small smile flit across his face. 'His handsome face,' Rika thought.
They stopped, and were quiet for a few minutes, till Henry said, "So, you wanna do something?"
"Like what?"
"What do you want to do?"
Rika rolled her eyes. "Um…"
Henry brightened. "We could go look at some dresses, and admire some of the fashion models in Ginza. Then we could go and get you a manicure, my treat."
She didn't say anything to his idea, just gaped at him. He laughed, and said, "I'm just kidding. Would you rather go look at some manga or cds or something?"
"You jerk, I thought you were serious. It was my afternoon all over again," she laughed, giving him a playful shove.
He smirked sarcastically and said, "Yeah, I know how much you love all that stuff, so I thought I'd torture you a bit."
"In that case, can we also go instigate a bum fight and cause minor chaos throughout the metro Shinjuku area?"
"Sure. After we go to a fashion shoot."
They laughed, and continued back toward the street. Looking at the bushes, a mischievous grin slid across Rika's face.
"Uh oh," Henry said.
She led him by the wrist to a weak branch, crawled through the brambles, and tore a half dead branch bigger than herself off. "C'mon," she snickered.
Henry, feeling rather foolish, and Rika, in mean determination, plowed their way to a busy street, and hid behind the large, leafy branch. Passers by walked past, ignorant, until…"RAH!" Rika shrieked, laughing.
A formal looking woman in a kimono gasped in shock. A small child screamed. Other people laughed.
"Rika, what are you doing?!" the woman in the kimono demanded.
"Grandma!" Rika said in surprise.
Henry blinked. "Can you believe I actually got her to do this, Mrs. Nonaka?"
"For her, yes, this is a bit wild. But, that's ok. It livens up shopping for me."
Henry laughed. "Yeah. Well, we gotta get going. See you, and have a good one!"
"You too, Henry!"
As they walked away from the discarded branch, Rika said, "I can't believe you lied for me."
"Yeah, well. Maybe she would have been mad."
"Grandma? Nah. But she remembered your name."
"Yeah. Weird, huh?"
Rika sighed. "No, she usually remembers the names of my friends."
Henry turned his head to the side. "Remember when you didn't even want to see me or Takato?"
She smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. But at least it's all worked out ok so far."
He just smiled in return, and steered her into a small store. "They have some of the best comics ever here."
She wrinkled her nose. "Men."
"Yeah, well, what are you reading?"
"Just some Naruto!" she shot back defensively.
"Ah. Good choice." He grabbed a magazine and lead her over to some over stuffed bean bag chairs. "They let you read in here."
An hour and a half after being submerged in various comics and laughing over them with her friend Henry, Rika had forgotten all her problems.
That is, until her cell phone rang. "Hello?" she said into it.
"Rika! Where the heck have you been?! I was so worried!" Ryo yelled into the phone.
She sat up straight, suddenly angry again. "Oh, so now, after all these hours you care?"
"I was busy! I had work!"
"Yeah, right. I know your schedule. You don't work today."
"I had to go in for over time."
"Whatever."
"Don't you 'whatever' me!"
"Goodbye Ryo. I bid you good day, and by the way, I hope you do NOT have a good day."(a/n: thanks fez from that 70's show)
"Wait, Rika!"
"What?!"
"look, I'm sorry, ok?! I said a lot of stuff I didn't mean, and I love you. So just come over, please?"
"You mean it?"
"Of course I do, Rika. You're all I've ever wanted."
"Ok, Ryo. See you in a bit."
The phone clicked, and Henry looked up. "Going somewhere?"
Rika sighed yet again. "Yeah. Gonna go see Ryo. Thanks for being a good friend, and taking me out to forget my problems."
"No prob. Call me anytime, ok?"
"Ditto. Do you have my cell number?"
Henry shook his head, so she wrote it down on the only available paper: the scrap of pink notebook paper with her father's new address. He took it with a sad sort of smile, and Rika was out that door.
Ryo smiled warmly at Rika. She forced the same expression, but noticed immediately his slightly untidy hair, serene smile, and relaxed eyes. Not to mention his clothes askew.
Normally, such things would not be important, but it was Ryo. He was in love with himself. He would never let himself look this messed up. He was also very happy looking for having been 'so worried' and even if he was relieved, he wouldn't have that dopey expression. He milled around nervously, until suddenly, Rika turned to him.
"Hey, Ryo, remember what you wanted to do earlier?"
He jumped in surprise. "Yes…"
"well, I think now is a good time. You know, to make up?"
Ryo nodded eagerly. "Go into the bathroom for a few minutes while I can prepare myself, ok?" Rika instructed.
He dashed off. When the door clicked shut, Rika moved to the pile of filthy laundry. She dug around and found a shirt with bright pink lipstick on the collar. She shoved it under her arm, and moved around the couch. She felt around, until there! A lacy pair of hot pink panties. Next, the bedroom. Yep. A frilly, padded bra.
"Ryo, come out now."
He did, and gulped when Rika was in his face, waving the evidence madly. "What the hell is this?!"
Amazingly, Ryo looked ashamed. He said nothing.
"Fine. You know what? If you can't wait for me for that, then I'm not going to be with you any more!"
"But, Rika! I love you!" Ryo protested.
She turned to him with a dangerous look in her eyes. "If you really did, you would find me worth waiting for, worth remaining faithful to, and you wouldn't treat me the way you do!"
"But-!"
"But nothing Ryo. I'm done with you! And just for the record, YOU got dumped, and YOU were the one crying."
"Rika, I really, truly do love you! And I'm really sorry! I'll do anything to make it up to you! I'm really sorry…"
"No. Sorry just isn't good enough. So, go to hell."
Rika ran out the door before her tears could fall. She still loved him, but she wasn't going to take that.
In her room, with the lights out, Rika cried. She turned on a fan and the radio to drown out her sobs, but they still came.
Rika woke up with an itchy, salty face, burning red eyes, and a hoarse voice. She hummed a little to work it out, and then hoped into the shower.
She stayed there until the water ran like ice. And still she stayed.
Eventually, her grandmother pulled her out, dried her off, and put her under the warm covers of her futon.
Rika felt nothing after that. It was all pain, but she was numb. For two weeks she just lied around and barely ate. She slept a lot. She cried just a little. She felt dead. If being dead felt bad.
Then one day, she sat up. She looked at her kotatsu, resting on which was Henry's phone number. She picked up the phone, and slowly dialed the numbers. It rang twice before a girl's voice answered. "Hello?"
"Hello, is Henry there?"
"Maybe. Who's this?"
"It's Rika."
"Rika! I'll go get him, 'kay?"
"Thanks, Suzie."
There was a pause before Henry's relaxing voice said, "Yeah? Rika? What's wrong?"
Her voice cracked just a bit. "Nothing. I just wondered how you were. You know. With Miyu and everything…"
"Oh. Well, she wasn't cheating. But she sorta…dumped me. So, I've been a bit depressed and yeah."
"Oh, Henry. I'm so sorry."
"Thanks…So, now that you got that out of me, do you want to go screw around with Ryo or what?"
She choked a little at the sound of Ryo's name, and Henry's harshness. "No…He would rather screw around with some other girl, so…we broke up two weeks ago."
"Oh." Henry sounded stressed. "Sorry I freaked out at you, Rika."
"It's ok. It's ok. Is there anything I can do for you?"
He heaved a sigh. "Yeah. Let's go to the park. Guilmon's hut."
"Ok, see you there."
Rika hurried into her clothes and ran to the park. She threw herself down, panting. A minute later, Henry appeared.
He sat down next to Rika, with the saddest face she'd ever seen. She put her arm around his wide shoulders. "You really loved her."
"Don't remind me," he groaned miserably.
"Henry, what good is it trying to forget about it?"
"It takes some pain away. Just a little."
"Yeah, but you won't be able to learn from this if it happens in the future. At least if you face up, you'll know you're strong enough to survive anything."
"Who can survive a broken heart?"
"You can, Henry. You're brave."
He buried his face into her shoulder. "No. I'm a coward. I couldn't bring her back when she walked away. She just left, and I couldn't go after her."
"You wanted to?"
"So, so, so badly."
Rika leaned her head onto his. Tears rolled down her cheeks into his hair. She didn't care that she looked weak; he did too. But somehow, she didn't care about that either. All that mattered to her was making sure her friend would be okay.
"You'll be okay, Henry. It…It just wasn't meant to be."
"Wasn't meant to be like you and Ryo weren't?" he said sharply.
She hesitated, but didn't want to fight with her already miserable friend. "Yeah. And you know what?"
"What?"
"It hurts so bad."
Henry looked up at her with the old fire in his eyes. "But we'll get over this."
Rika smiled weakly. "You think?"
He reached up and wiped away a tear from her face, and then his own. "I know so."
For a long, long time, neither one spoke a peep. But then the tears came down in torrents. Henry pulled his lanky body close to himself, and Rika slowly rubbed his back in a smooth swirling motion.
"Did she define who you were? Or at least, a part of your self?" Rika said, her voice breaking the silence.
"She was sort of spoiled, but she was my world. I loved her so much."
"Love."
"Huh?"
"You still love her. Otherwise, you wouldn't care so much. Ryo didn't care. He…He asked me not to go, but he didn't try very hard. It took everything I had just to leave. Maybe she still loves you."
Henry didn't say anything for a few moments, but then, in his strongest voice, said, "No. I don't want her to. It would make me hurt more for her to come back to me, and then she dump me again."
"Yeah. I would go back to Ryo, but if it means sleeping with him just to make up, then it's pointless. Besides, if I didn't, he'd just go off to some other girl, anyway."
"He wanted you to sleep with him?" Henry asked sharply.
"Yeah. Remember when we went to your comic store? Earlier that day, he'd…" she stopped in embarrassment, but took a breath and continued. "He tried to get me to sleep with him, but I refused to. So then he got all huffy and mad and we started fighting. Then I left, and then he called back later. He seemed high. He wasn't his perfect, self absorbed self, so I told him I would."
"You what?"
"I told him I'd do it with him. While he was locked in the bathroom getting ready, I looked around and found evidence. Really gross evidence. He came out all horny, and I just yelled. Then I left."
"If that's the way he was with you, then, don't get mad, ok?"
"Ok. I won't get mad. Promise."
"If that's how he treated you, it's good you broke up before he could, um, violate you."
Rika laughed. "Yeah. So, if it's ok for you to tell me, what happened with Miyu?"
"Well, she got mad at me for not trusting her. I mean, I couldn't help it! She always acted like she was trying to hide something. Saying stuff like, 'don't call me between this time and that time' and then I asked her if she was ok. She just started screaming that I don't trust her. And I didn't. So she said, 'I don't need this. Bye, Henry. Don't worry about me cheating on you. I'm NOT, but it's not even possible any more because you and I are through.' So I watched her leave."
"She acted guilty."
"Yeah."
"You had reason to be suspicious. If she was trustworthy, she wouldn't have freaked like that."
"I know, but it still hurts. I feel like I'm dying."
"Have you ever died?"
"No."
"Then maybe this is worse."
"Or better."
"Or better," Rika agreed.
They looked at each other. "If this is better than dying, then I am really not looking forward to it," Henry laughed.
Rika giggled a little, then reached up and brushed some of his loose hair out of his face. "How could she have ever been dumb enough to lose someone like you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're almost perfect. You have respect for everyone, and don't objectify women. You're a pleaser. Not selfish. Optimistic."
Henry blushed. "You really suck at that, Rika."
She smiled. "Your only flaws seem to be your inability to take a compliment, you're shy, and you are just too happy to be only friends."
"Yeah, well, you can't sing."
"Neither can you."
"True. But, I'm not drop dead gorgeous, so I don't have very many ways of getting attention. What's your excuse?"
Rika was about to respond, except, she caught herself. "You aren't drop dead gorgeous? Haven't you ever looked in a mirror?"
"Only once. Then it broke."
She gasped. "Same thing happened to me."
He inched closer to her. "Impossible."
"Well, it didn't happen, but I don't think your mirror broke, either. Unless it was a really jealous, male mirror."
"That's so lame," Henry laughed.
Rika pouted, but scooted closer towards him. Staring into each other's faces, just for a moment, the two forgot their woes. Slowly, they leaned in towards one another, their breath shallow. Their voices soft, they spoke each other's names. Then, all at once, they jerked back, and stood up. Neither one said their feelings. They just felt guilty, as if they were betraying Ryo and Miyu.
As she stretched, Henry stared at Rika in a whole new light. She wasn't perfect, far from that. She was mean, cold, tomboyish, sometimes violent and petty, and guarded. But, she knew how to be sweet, she was smart, and deep down inside, she wanted the same thing as Henry did. Her tomboyish personality was overplayed by her independence. She was so strong. She wouldn't change for anybody. And Henry didn't want her to.
Rika sighed. "Want to meet here tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Henry put on his best smile, trying to hide to goofy one he was starting to get.
He sobered in a hurry. He'd felt this way when he first met Miyu, only she was nearly the opposite of Rika. Probably for the best; he didn't need new love so soon after having his heart broken two weeks ago.
"Hey Henry. What's up?" Rika said into the phone as she made herself a sandwich.
"Nothing much. Got a new computer from my parents. Um, ate some ramen. Listened to some music. Then I called you," he smiled.
"Oh, I see. Any particular reason why?"
"Not a one. Well, although, I guess you could say it's payback for you doing the same thing yesterday."
She barked out a laugh. "Fair enough. Petty, but I suppose that's fair enough."
"Most definitely. So, you want to hang out today?"
"Of course."
"Will it be same time, same place?"
She paused, took a breath, and said, "I was thinking maybe we could do something else instead."
"Like what?" Henry tried to not sound too excited.
"I dunno. Maybe the comic store? Or the movies? Something!"
Henry thought for a moment. Then it hit him, and he burst, "Would you rather go to the aquarium that just opened up?"
"Yes, but Henry, that's in Nagasaki"
He didn't hesitate long before he continued. "Well, um, we could go for a longer trip and perhaps spend the night there before coming back."
"Are you sure your mom and dad would let you?"
"They'd just be glad I'm not moping around, with you or alone."
Rika giggled in a very girlish way, and then said gruffly, "Whoa, too much sugar in my breakfast. So, when do you want to go?"
"Is Monday good for you?"
"And get back when?"
"Maybe…Wednesday?"
"That's two nights."
"Yeah, but then we could just relax when we got there."
"Ok, then. Sounds good. Want me to look up tickets or something?"
"No need. I'm already checking. I have us booked for a two bedroom hotel in downtown Nagasaki."
"Isn't that expensive? Let me pay for half!"
"No, Rika, it's my treat."
"Henry, you jerk, don't be all noble. Let me pay for half!"
"Don't you dare."
"You're going to let me pay for half! My mom's rich, anyway!"
"So? You're not paying."
Rika sighed. "Then I'm paying for everything else. You'll be bound and gagged before you pay for anything else. Got it?"
Henry shuddered. "You're scary."
"Yup. So, now that we've got that all figured out, what do you want to do today?"
"What is today? Saturday?"
"Yes, Henry." Rika rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"Let's just go out to eat. Tomorrow we can pack."
"Together or separately?"
"Whichever."
"How about separately? We'll just call each other to make sure our outfits coordinate."
Henry managed a laugh. "Yeah. So, I'll meet you at the Kobe-An at six?"
"No way. That's too long."
"Well, you're eating now, aren't you?"
Glaring down at the sandwich, she drawled, "It was for my mom. I'm taking it to her now."
Rumiko gave her a confused look when she sat the sandwich down in front of her. 'I don't like wasabi' she mouthed. Rika made a slicing motion and mouthed, 'just take it!'
"Thanks, Rika," Rumiko grumbled.
Rika turned back to the phone. "See? Now let's go at two."
"Ok. See you then."
"Bye, Henry," she grinned.
After the click of her hanging up, Henry sat the phone back in the charger. The same stupid smile was coming back. Suzie rolled her eyes. "You are such a dork."
He shook himself back to his little sister. "What was that?"
"Oh, nothing. So, who'd you get a date with?" Suzie inquired, though she already knew.
"It's not a date!" he replied, a little too loudly.
"Oh, so what is it then?"
"A trip with a friend."
"No, it's a trip with Ri-ka, therefore it is a date."
"Suzie, you know, just because someone is going somewhere with a friend who happens to be a member of the opposite sex does not mean they're dating."
"I know that! You're just going with Rika, so you're going to be dumber than usual, and she's going to be no better."
"Get lost, little sister."
Suzie walked away, shaking her head in shame. But, this was better. For the past two months, her brother had changed a lot. After he broke up with that Miyu girl, whom Suzie had never liked, he'd just been laying around moping. He went into his room and sat in the dark, probably crying. He barely ate, and he was just not into the judo he'd loved. She assumed that Rika had been much the same way since breaking up with Ryo, and misery loves company, so they'd hung out together.
Every day they talked to each other on the phone, laughing at dumb jokes, teasing each other, telling random, boring stuff into the other's eager ear. They claimed to be 'just friends' but Suzie knew a load of bull when she saw it.
Now they were going off onto a trip together. If they weren't together now, they would be soon.
Henry ate slowly, keeping pace with Rika. After all, he wasn't Takato, Kazu, Kenta, or a Digimon. The two didn't say much, but they smiled a lot.
Henry had to concentrate so that he didn't stare at Rika too much. With her shoulder-length chestnut hair pulled into a half ponytail, and her jeans with no holes, she looked very formal, for herself.
However…"So, Rika, what's the deal? Your clothes are so fancy."
She jerked up in surprise and gave him a pained look.
"It's nice. I'm just used to seeing you dress ultra-casual."
Her look didn't stop, so neither did he. "Well, you look good either way. I'm just saying it's a surprise."
The look finally disappeared, so she grinned her distant smile. "Yeah, well, I notice you didn't exactly dress like Beavis today."
"Well, it's a special occasion."
"What's that?"
"I got a new computer."
She rolled her eyes. Her lovely, lovely eyes. "Computers."
"It's good for school."
Rika stared at him. "School?"
"Yes, didn't you know that I'm going to be starting classes at Tokyo University in the spring?"
"Apparently I didn't."
"It's true. In three months, I'll be a full fledged college student."
"Wow. So tell me about it."
"Um. Well, I'm taking classes in computer science and engineering."
"You'll be good at that."
"I hope so. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to move closer."
"Move?"
"Yeah, it's a long commute otherwise."
Rika tried hard to look happy for him. "That'll be good, then. You got in fast."
"I guess so."
She sighed and put her chopsticks down. "I'm done."
"Something wrong?" Henry asked, worried.
"No, I'm just full is all."
The two fell into silence again. Rika paid for the bill, much to Henry's protests. She just shook her head, and handed the yen to the waitress. Then she took Henry's hand and led him back to the park. They sat there, talking in Guilmon's hut until the sun fell behind the horizon. After looking at the sunset for a few minutes, they slowly stood.
Henry walked Rika home, claiming it unsafe for a girl, even one as tough as Rika, to be alone at night. Outside her gate, he was waving her off, when she called, "Henry, wait."
He stopped, turned, and walked back. "Is something wrong?"
She nodded, and pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
"What for?" asked a very alarmed Henry.
"For this," she murmured, and kissed him.
He reeled for just a moment, then wrapped his arms around her small waist. "Don't be sorry."
"But, we can't be 'just friends' ever again."
"That is ok."
"No, it's not."
He bent down to her level. "Yes, Rika. It is. I…" he choked on his words, so they came out horribly mangled. "I love you."
Softly, she said, "and…I…You too. I love you too, Henry."
"Come on." He led her back to the park.
She sat on the path, and he flopped down next to her. They pulled each other close, and tears began to fall slowly from her eyes. "I just feel like…It's too soon, you know? But, then, I get this feeling that I've felt this way for a really long time."
"Yeah. And, I don't want to ruin our friendship, either. But I care for you so much; it hurts to be with you."
She reached up, and put her hands around his neck, and leaned her face into his shoulder. "Don't hurt anymore, Henry. Please don't hurt any more."
With his arms wrapped around her, he rested his head onto hers. A waste of time by any other means, but the pair couldn't seem to break away. Finally though, Rika pulled off. "Your parents will be worried."
"No," he whispered.
"Yes. We have to pack tomorrow, anyway. We're still going to Nagasaki Monday, right?"
He smiled. "Yes we are."
Again, Henry walked Rika home. At the gate, she kissed him again. "Good night, Henry," she said slyly.
As soon as Henry got in the door, Suzie narrowed her eyes. "You're awfully happy."
"Am I?"
"Oh, puh-leeze. I've never seen you so happy."
"Suzie, if your brother's happy, leave him be!" their father called from his computer.
She smiled at him. "I'm glad you are."
"Thanks."
"Hey, guess who's here!"
"Who?"
"Yuki!"
Yuki was their oldest sister's son. He was three, and, though sweet, very energetic. Henry groaned.
"Don't sound like that of your nephew."
"I'm just tired, and stuff."
"What happen, you finally confess your not-so-secret love for Rika to her?" Suzie asked teasingly, but seeing him blush and get angry like he did, she gasped. "You did!" she accused him.
"Suzie…"
But she ran up and hugged him around the middle. "I'm so proud of you!"
"Really?"
"Yeah. Rika's cool. No offense, but Miyu was stupid."
Henry didn't even flinch at her name. "Yeah. She was, I guess."
Suzie grinned her cutest, and Henry turned. There he was. Yuki. "Henwy!" he cried gleefully.
Henry bent to pick him up, wondering, 'does Rika like kids?'
The train rattled warp speed down its tracks. Rika was eating at her bento, and Henry had his arm around her shoulders. Occasionally, he'd pick at her meal, only to be smacked away playfully.
Finally, the train reached their stop, and they got off. Henry led Rika to the hotel, they checked in, and she gasped in amazement. "Henry, it's beautiful!"
He wrinkled his nose. "I've seen prettier things."
She glared at him. "Don't get mushy on me."
They both laughed when he threw up his hands in defeat. "So you want to go to the pool?"
"Sure."
Both took their luggage and selves into their chosen rooms. After a quick change into their swimsuits, they grabbed their towels and headed down. They playfully splashed water at each other, causing an older couple to move away. Oh well.
For a few hours, they played in the water, but then Rika's eyes began to flutter shut. She yawned, "I'm tired. Let's go back and get cleaned up."
Henry agreed, and almost fell over as he watched her wet, scantily clad for her) body drag itself out of the pool. "Eh heh heh heh." He laughed stupidly.
A young girl rolled her eyes and turned to her little brother. "Don't get like that," she warned.
Rika was first in the shower, and quick, too. She was cleaned and dressed by the time Henry had pulled himself out of the funk and followed her up to the room. In her pajamas, she flopped down onto the couch and flipped on the TV.
The water was clean, no chlorine, and Henry let it fall onto his face with pleasure. Finally, he grabbed the soap and began to scrub. When he was out, he found Rika asleep on the couch. He poked her until she woke up. Her smile was faint, and sincere, but she growled, "What?!"
"Sorry, but would you be more comfortable in bed than a couch?"
She groaned, and dragged herself off to her room, after a goodnight kiss.
"There's so many fish," Rika gaped.
Henry nodded. The aquarium was big, fancy, and expensive, but Rika had paid. He had wanted to treat her, but she almost killed him to let her pay.
"That one's pretty. It looks like one of those things in the digital world that grant wishes."
"Oh yeah, huh. It does."
Secretly, Rika wished that things with her and Henry would go better than they had with their previous boyfriend/girlfriend.
Trying in vain to hold her hand, he sighed, defeated. She glared at him, then kissed him. "Stu-pid."
Quickly, with his trained ease, he grabbed her hand and put it in his own. They laughed, and Rika said, "You've got to show me judo."
"I'll take you to my next training," he promised, kissing her forehead.
Then, in silence, they finished the aquarium holding hands.
When Rika arrived home, she, like Henry, had been bombarded with questions of the trip.
Each question grew more personal than the last, until her mother asked, "Are you going to marry him?"
"WHAT?!" Rika yelped.
"I'm just wondering. You guys go off on a trip together, you spend all your time together; it's only natural for a mother to wonder."
"I was with Ryo for three years and you never asked me that."
"Yes, but I like Henry. Besides, you're almost 19."
"I'm young."
"Old enough to get married."
Rika put her face in her hands. "Mom, I don't know."
"Oh. Ok, then."
Henry's problem was smaller and shriller, and no less subtle. "So, when's the wedding?" Suzie asked.
"What wedding?"
"Yours."
"WHAT?"
"well, you go off for two days with your girlfriend, which you never did with Miyu, so I can only assume you guys…" Suzie blushed and shut her mouth.
"We what?" Henry growled.
"You guys are engaged!" she blurted, hoping it sounded like what she really meant.
"Well, we aren't. I don't know if we'll get married."
"Oh."
"You sound disappointed."
"So do you."
"But it's my life."
"I like Rika, though."
Henry smirked. "Me too."
(March)
Rika sat in her room, crying silently. Her mother hugged her, and said, "Go see him."
"But-"
"Go."
It was Henry's last day in Shinjuku before he moved to his new apartment in downtown Tokyo. Rika would not be attending school there, or anywhere, and it was a bit too far to visit all the time.
She had loved Henry for six months, and had known he would be leaving for four. But it still tore at her. "Go, Rika." Her mother said again.
Rika nodded, wiped away the tears, and grabbed her jacket. She took the bus to his apartment complex. She knocked, and a sad looking Suzie answered. She brightened just a little. "Oh, hi Rika. Henry's in his room."
"Thanks Suzie."
Henry looked around his empty room. Everything had already been shipped to his new apartment. His D-Ark beeped weakly. The thing gently went into his pocket. He turned, heavily, and bumped into a teary eyed Rika. Nothing moved until he grabbed her tightly.
"Don't forget me," she whispered.
"I couldn't," he returned, kissing her for the millionth time.
"Henry," she began.
"I know, Rika, I know."
She tried to squeeze back as hard as he was, but couldn't.
"Come with me."
"I can't stay."
He turned his eyes down. "Maybe if…"
"If what?"
"If we were married…"
Rika trembled, and Henry caught her. "But-"
"Don't you want to?"
"Yes, of course I do. But it would be too expensive."
"We could do a small wedding. And you can work while I go to school. They'll let you stay."
"It's sudden."
"Yeah," he despaired.
She smiled sadly. "Well, we'll just have to do what we always do."
"What's that?"
"We wing it."
Henry gaped a little. "Does that mean…?"
She nodded, and Henry dug around in his pocket. "Ah ha!"
He produced a small, velvet box. Suspiciously, Rika glared. "Were you planning this?"
"To marry you? Yes. Now? No. Like this? No."
"This is so anti-romantic. I love it."
The box popped open, and Rika saw a simple ring, but it had a thin white gold band, and a polygon diamond. "It's lovely…"
"Now, let's go get married."
Rika laughed. "He's so eager."
As she was scooped up into his arms, he snickered, "So is she."
They were quiet just long enough to hear Suzie say, "Mom, Dad! Guess what!!! Henry and Rika are getting married!"
Henry dropped Rika and growled "That little…"
"Sweetie, don't make things up," Mrs. Wong said patiently.
"I'm not!" she protested.
"And why are you telling us this, and your brother isn't?"
"Because they'll get all embarrassed."
Mr. Wong muttered, "That's true."
Rika and Henry exchanged half hearted glances. "On the count of three," Rika whispered.
"One," Henry began.
"Two," Rika continued.
"Three!" they finished.
Door flung open, the couple found themselves face to face with Mr. and Mrs. Wong. 'Mr. and Mrs. Wong…Holy…That will be US soon…' Rika mused in her mind.
For a moment, the four just stared at each other, before Mrs. Wong said, "So. What's new, kids?"
"Nothing much," squeaked Henry.
"You sure?" Mr. Wong inquired delicately.
"Most definitely!"
"Really?"
"Really, Dad!"
Rika rolled her eyes. "Oh fine. We're getting married."
Suzie grinned triumphantly from behind the young couple. Though she'd had her sources, Mrs. Wong sunk to her knees in shock. "And there's number three."
Mr. Wong looked a little more pleased. Or a lot more. "Well, congratulations, kids."
This time Rika blushed, and Henry patted her head. "Thanks Dad."
His mother looked up. "Well, I think you're young, but I'm happy for you."
"Thanks Mom."
Suzie couldn't take the tension any more. "Henry! You're going to be late!"
He looked at his watch and jumped. "You're right!"
Pulling Rika by the hand, he ran to the impatiently waiting taxi. Before she hopped in, she yelled, "Wait! Don't you think I should wait here and get my stuff together before leaving?"
Her fiancée looked a little less than startled, but nodded. "I'll call you when I'm ready for you. Love you!" The driver glared, and drove off.
Rika watched it for a minute, then ran home as fast as she could, the morning's tears forgotten. She rushed inside, panting, and huffed, "Mom, Grandma!"
They came in frantically. "What's the hurry? What's wrong?"
Rika gasped for air, and continued, "Henry and I are getting married so we can be together. I'm going there when he calls me, so I need to pack clothes and stuff. He has furniture, I think."
Her guardians' jaws dropped. "You WHAT?"
Rika grabbed a suitcase and dashed off to her room, followed by her own confused entourage. She opened her closet and dresser drawers, and began weeding through for her favorite clothes and nice clothes. She grabbed all her underwear (something one really doesn't want to run out of!) a new toothbrush, a new tube of toothpaste, her brush, a new bottle of conditioner, shampoo, and soap. She also gathered a few of her favorite books, videos, a pillow, a blanket, and her walkman.
"We're getting married. It's going to be in a hurry since we haven't had time to plan it, and it's going to be really small since we haven't had time to save up."
"Rika, dear, are you sure this is the right thing to do? I mean, you're young and in love, but are you sure it will last?" her Grandmother lovingly worried.
Rumiko, however, had disappeared for a moment. She returned carrying a large black bag, and judging by the way she struggled with it, it was heavy. It must have also been important, because she handled it delicately. "You said you couldn't afford a big wedding, and it sounds really rushed, so if you want it, you can wear my old wedding dress," she offered hopefully.
Rika said nothing for several minutes and her mother's face fell. "Well, it was just-"
She fell silent when her daughter's arms were hugging her tightly. "Mom! That's awesome! Thank you so much!"
The not-much-older woman returned the hug, and her mother as well joined in. The three generations stood embracing, until the youngest stirred. "Do you think there's anything else I need?"
Rumiko looked around. "Take my credit card. Trust me, you'll need it. Just don't go crazy, ok?"
Rika nodded eagerly. "I'm so grateful, Mom. Thank you so much. Grandma, thank you for everything you've always done for me, too."
Her grandmother bit her tongue to push back the tears. "My littlest girl is almost all grown up. It's Rumiko all over again."
As Rika bustled out, dragging what she saw as essentials, Rumiko turned to her mother. "Do you think she's making a mistake?"
She smiled. "Even if she is, we shouldn't interfere, no matter how much we want to. She needs to learn on her own."
"But I wish them the best."
"I do too."
Suddenly, Rumiko squealed. "Rika!" she called.
The girl turned, worried. "Is something wrong?"
"No, no. Let me see your ring!"
"Ring?"
"Your engagement ring! You did get one, right?"
"Oh. Yeah, of course. See." She pulled the ring box out and opened it. "I didn't want to lose it, so I kept it there for now."
"It's beautiful!"
Rika smiled. "Yeah."
A loud, techno tune filled the 4 am air. Rika groaned and reached for her phone. "Hello?"
"Hi, Rika."
"Henry!" she sat up suddenly.
"Yeah."
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah. I'm coming to help you bring your stuff. The apartments' not that big, so don't have too much, okay?"
"I don't. When are you getting here?"
"In about half an hour."
"What?!"
"Yeah. Get cleaned up quick."
"I'd better."
"Ok, see you in a bit! Love you lots."
"Love you!" he said, and then hung up.
Rika rushed into the shower, stuffed some toast into her mouth, brushed her teeth and hair, and was pulling on a shirt (she'd been in a towel) just as Henry walked in. Upon seeing her pale belly, he flushed and spun around. "Sorry!"
She laughed, straightened out the hem of the shirt, and said, "That's ok. How'd you get in?"
"Your grandmother let me in."
"Oh. Ugh, how can she be awake so early? If I was retired, I would sleep all day."
"I don't know. You ready?"
"Yeah, let me just say goodbye to my mom and Grandma."
"Of course."
Henry waited patiently as Rika said her tearful goodbyes.
Rika was nodding off and putting Henry's arm to sleep, but he didn't dare wake her. Not again. He'd woken her once, and she almost bit his head off. Rather than incur her wrath, he let it go.
However, when they reached his near-campus, Tokyo University run, apartment, he gently nudged her until she awoke. She blinked rapidly, and yawned. "Are we there?"
"Yes."
Lugging the luggage (no coincidence on the naming, is there?) to the room, Henry set everything in his arms down, and motioned for Rika to follow suit. She did, confused and tired. The door swung open, and Rika tried to peek inside, but Henry scooped her into his arms and carried her inside. She leapt down, and he wheezed, "For being so skinny, you're heavy!"
Sympathetically, she patted his shoulder. "You're just tired."
"Or weak."
"No way. You took that suitcase all the way up here without breaking a sweat!"
Henry didn't want to brag, so he just left to bring the rest of her belongings into their apartment. Rika handled the wedding dress with the greatest of care. Finally, everything else was in. The door closed. Rika and Henry sat looking at each other. "Now what?" she asked nervously.
"Now we sleep."
"Ah."
With a kiss, they both crawled into their currently separate beds. When Rika awoke several hours later, Henry was still snoozing. She moved quietly, and picked up the news paper. 'Want ads, want ads…' she thought.
"Ah ha!" she whispered in weak triumph.
Thumbing through them, she found several suitable jobs. Salesgirl at a punk rock type store, salesgirl at a bookstore, salesgirl at a department store, waitress, maid, and dog groomer, those were the options. Picking up her cell phone, and stepping outside, she called each one and set up interviews. Rika jumped a little when Henry came out with a cigarette.
"You smoke?" she demanded.
"Only about once or twice a day." He replied innocently.
"No way. That's so bad for you!" He cringed at the scolding.
"Sorry."
She sighed. "Don't smoke inside, or around me, please?"
"Don't worry, I won't."
Smiling, she yanked the cigarette out of his mouth, kissed him, and went back inside coughing.
Henry came back in just a minute later. "So. We need to talk, don't we."
"Yeah."
"What about first?" he said.
Rika shifted uncomfortably. "How about kids and stuff?"
She could relax just a bit when he laughed. "Get the hard stuff out of the way first? Ok. So what about kids?"
"Do you want them?" she asked looking him in the eyes.
He met her gaze with a small smirk. "I do, but if you don't, you have the hard part. So it's up to you."
"Yeah. I want one or two. Or three."
A bark of laughter. "You want three?"
She looked at the ground. "Maybe, yeah."
Henry reached out and ruffled her hair. "If you're up to it, sounds good to me."
"Yeah it 'sounds good' to you. You get the fun part."
"The fun part?" Henry echoed, trying to feign innocence.
"Sex, Henry. Sex."
"Yeah. What about that?"
Rika shrugged. "What about it? If we're married, won't we do it?"
A blush raced across her cheeks and Henry laughed. "I guess. I really hadn't thought of that," he lied.
She narrowed her eyes. "Liar. You are a guy, and you have needs. You're a guy, and I know guys think about that a lot."
"Some more than others, Rika," he sniffed.
She hugged him. "You, at least, have respect for me. Other guys I've dated have tried to get it on like dogs."
He didn't have to ask who she was talking about, but he was glad that she would be his to deflower. A heavy blush burned his cheeks. Rika didn't say anything, but laughed when he stood up and ran for the bathroom.
When he returned, she said, "Now that the hard stuff's out of the way, we should talk about money."
"What job are you going to do?"
"Well, I'm hoping for department store salesgirl, or a job at the punk rock store. I don't know, though. The others would be fine as well. What about a job for you? It'd be bad to go through all that college and then have no job."
"Don't worry. My dad said once I was through college, he could give me a job as an engineer and work with computers and stuff."
"Techno-geek paraphernalia?"
He nodded. "It pays well, too."
With a sigh, Rika said, "I would like to go to college, too, but school was never my 'thing' you know? I'd hate it."
"That's ok. I mean, you're smart, but you don't seem like you could sit at a desk all day, either."
"Got that right!" she replied.
"When do you want the wedding to be? It has to be within the next month, though."
"Why?"
"Because, for you to live here while I'm at school, we have to be married."
"Oh. Well, then, how about the 25th?" she suggested nonchalantly.
"25th is fine with me."
"Ok!" she scrawled the date in a calendar.
"Should we call a shrine or something?"
Rika wrinkled her nose. "My dress is Western. Plus, all the tradition- I'm not that religious. We could just get the certificate and have a small ceremony with a Shinto Priest there. Do you think?"
Henry nodded. "That would be cheaper, anyway."
"So…" they said simultaneously, uncertain of what next.
Henry spoke. "So we get ready to be m-married."
Shakily, Rika stepped away and began busying herself by rolling up her futon. She wondered briefly if she was not ready, but shook it off. She had no choice, really, anymore. Be with the man she loved, or go back to where everybody was a jerk? No choice. At any rate, he would wait for her if she requested it. Rika was certain of it.
Rika came home tired. She had gotten the job at the department store, which paid the most salary, at least, but worked like crazy helping foreign customers, stupid customers, and rude customers. The quiet ones who did not say anything when they needed help were often confusing, and she pitied them, but was glad when they just gave up.
Henry looked up from his book. "Hi honey," he called happily.
She made her way over to where he sat, pushed the book out of her way, and sat more or less on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her. "I need to study."
"I need sleep," she whined.
"Well, you know where the bed is."
"You have no sympathy."
He shook his head. "Nope. None. But, I'll make you dinner."
"You're a doll," she breathed.
She flopped down face first onto the bed, smiling inwardly. Henry and Rika had been officially married for two months. They quickly got over any shyness around each other, and had no inhibitions about wearing a towel out of the bathroom while running to get some forgotten article of clothing. Rika had kept her "monthly" (thankfully) so far, so no little bundles of money gone bye-bye were coming as of yet.
Rika looked up when Henry put a plate of food next to her face. She knew better than to ask what it was, but also knew that his skills surpassed hers. However, her home making skills were improving rapidly. She'd gone from 'it's good as long as you can find what you need' to 'wash this, clean this, cook this, take this to the laundry mat, get that stain out or lose those sheets before the in-laws see it' in a matter of 65 days.
Work was hard, but it kept her busy, and it brought in sufficient money, so her mother's credit card was rarely put to use. Henry enjoyed school very much. Learning was his passion (aside from Rika, that is.) and he eagerly studied his books every night. At times, she felt a little pushed to the side, but he always found ways to make it up to her. Rika didn't regret marrying him, as she'd worried she would.
It was ok that they hadn't gotten a honeymoon; they'd had a nice wedding. It was ok that they fought about something almost everyday, because they got to make up. Besides, it's natural for couples to fight, right?
Scarfing the food, Rika asked Henry about his day. He told her of all the things he had learned. She smiled, and told him to do his best. Then he went back to his book.
She frowned, and flipped on the TV. News, news, American show, Digimon. Rika paused there, watching in bemusement. Henry looked up, smiling. "Remember?"
"Of course," she sighed. She missed Renamon very much. She loved Henry, but Renamon had been her best friend. They'd been more alike than she and Henry were.
Half an hour later, the show was over. Rika sighed and trudged into the shower. The hot water soothed her, but she jumped a little when Henry poked his head in.
"Um, I'm going to bed, ok? I've got an early class tomorrow."
"Ok, good night."
"Night-night."
"Love you," she called tiredly, but he just shut the door.
Trying to hold back the tears, Rika put on her most comfortable pajamas, brushed her teeth, and put her hair into a loose braid.
The lights were off when she crawled into bed, but Henry leapt out from his side of the bed. "Surprise!" he chirped.
"What?" she grumbled.
He produced a small box with a shiny blue bow on it from behind his back. "You didn't think I really forgot, did you?"
She smiled. "Well, you sure didn't act like you remembered."
"I'm a good actor, huh?"
Rolling her eyes, she crawled onto him. "So, what'd you get me?"
"Open it and see."
She took the small box and carefully tore at the paper. Inside was a silver necklace with a circle pendent. "It's lovely," she murmured,
He took it, and hooked it around her neck. "It looks nice, especially on you, but it couldn't compete with you."
Blushing, he nuzzled her neck. Swallowing a moan of pleasure, Rika leaned into him. "Also, next Sunday, we're going out and doing absolutely whatever you want to. I won't mention school, and you won't mention work."
Henry suddenly couldn't take it anymore. He pushed Rika onto her back. She laughed and clawed at his pajamas while he struggled with her top, both too …excited… to remember that this is PG-13.
It was the middle of July. Cranky from the heat, Rika stomped over to Henry's after-lunch class. Farther away, she heard a high, flirtatious voices cooing, "Oh, Henry. You're so smart. How'd you get to be so good with computers?"
"My dad works with them sometimes," he replied.
"Oh, I see. Did you get your looks from him?"
"Don't insult my dad."
She laughed shrilly. "So funny! You're such a cool guy. We should go out sometime."
Henry stopped moving. He turned to face her straight in the face. "I don't think my wife would like that very much, Yumi."
The bitch called Yumi leered, "She wouldn't have to know."
"Yumi, don't. It's not happening, and I'm not flattered. So please, save us both some embarrassment, and never bother talking to me again. Got it?"
Rika smiled. It sounded like some one else was cranky, too.
Henry turned a corner and jogged up to Rika. "Why aren't you at work?" he asked.
"Nobody's coming by. So they let me go home. Should I go back?"
"No, no. I'm just having a sort of bad day. Sorry," Henry said dully.
Rika reached up to rub his shoulders, but he shrugged her off. "Don't touch me."
She pulled away and snapped back, "Fine. I won't try to help."
"Rika, no offense, but sometimes you trying to make things better just winds up making things worse."
"What's your problem? You don't work your ass off for 6 days a week, at home and at work!"
"You think school is easy?"
"It's just school."
"Yeah, well. I've got another test. And I got a 65 on the one today because I couldn't study because SOMEBODY insisted on talking her head off."
"Oh, one test. For a smart guy like you, you can make that up easy," Rika sneered.
"They don't let you make stuff up in college. You get a bad grade, you keep it. That's why I have to study today."
"Oh, so I'll just shut up, then. Fine. Not a peep."
"Good, that'll give you something to concentrate on!"
"Excuse me?"
"You whine so much, you don't have to be bored around the house. You'll be having a hard time keeping your little mouth shut!"
"Henry, you're being such a jerk today."
"It's my turn for once."
"So, I'm a jerk all the time?"
"Most of it. You're ok when you're sleeping."
The two bickered all the way into the apartment.
"So, if I'm a jerk, or a bitch, or whatever, why did you marry me?"
"I don't know! I'm beginning to think I messed up!"
"There would be a change. Perfect Henry admitting he made a mistake."
"Yeah, it's a pretty obvious one, too."
"Fine! I'll leave! Then you can have your stupid books and your stupid school, and won't have to worry about me any more!"
"At least my books are quiet!"
"Oh, yeah. So that's why you always give them more attention than me?"
"That would be it!"
Rika fumed, grabbed a pillow and swung it at Henry. He grabbed it with liquid ease. She tossed him a blanket, too. "You're not sleeping in this bed tonight, and I'm not making you dinner, and I'm not talking to you until who knows when!"
Henry shouted, "FINE!"
For about an hour, they just sent each other dirty looks and cursed under their breath.
Finally, Rika spoke. Softly, coldly. "Hey, Henry?"
"Oh, I see you're talking to me again. What do you want?" he snapped.
She stood, pulling on a coat. "I'm leaving. Going home. Mom'll come to get my stuff. I'll mail you the divorce papers, and just send them back signed."
Neither one moved for a moment, and then Henry stood. Rika brushed past him as she headed for the door. Eyes downcast, she stopped when she couldn't walk any farther without moving herself or Henry. He held her hand with determination.
Softly, he whispered, "I let Miyu go. I can't let you go. I won't make that mistake again."
"Again? So you wish you'd been with her?"
"No. Of course not. But I wouldn't live it down if you left."
"So, 'happened once, won't let it happen again.' Is that it, Henry? Just don't want to feel bad again?"
He paused, thinking of how to word his thoughts. "I don't want to. But more than that, I love you."
Rika snorted. "You loved Miyu, too. Let me go, you might find somebody better."
"I don't want 'somebody better' than you, Rika. They don't even exist. You're my life. Don't go."
When he began to cry, Rika pulled closer. "If you want to leave, though, then do it. I don't want you to be unhappy," he sniffled.
She said nothing, but wrapped her arms tightly around his chest. His knees wobbled, and he lost his balance. She caught him only enough to slow his fall to the floor. She fell with him. His hands gently at the back of her neck, he pulled her head close to his.
Both sat on the floor, crying into each other's shoulders. Neither moved, until Rika murmured, "You need to study for your test."
Henry shook, and nodded.
"Do you need help studying?" she offered softly and shyly.
He pulled back and held her face lightly. Smiling, with tears falling from his eyes, he said, "That would be great."
Slowly and shakily, they stood together. Suddenly, they started laughing. "That was a stupid fight," Rika giggled through sobs.
"Yeah. But not the last," Henry agreed.
"It was bad."
"But now we know we can get through it when it happens again."
"Learn from past experiences."
"That's how we grow, right?"
"Let's go study."
(a year and a half later)
Henry came home from a good day to find Rika at the table. A bucket rested at the foot of her chair, and papers were strewn around her on the table. She rested with her face in her hands. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Rika, what's wrong?"
She jolted at his touch, and gulped, like she was fighting intense nausea. Her voice cracked as she spoke. "It's too soon. It's too soon. We're not ready; we can't afford it, Henry. It costs 230,000 more yen than we make a month to have a baby!"
"Baby?!" he yelped.
"I went through all the budgets. I told the doctor to give me a list with all the things that you have to pay for a month, pregnancy through year three. It's 230,000 more yen than we make a month, at least! Maybe more, if one of us gets sick. It costs too much, and I'm not ready. I mean, I want it, I won't give it up, but it's not fair! It's not fair!" she babbled pathetically.
"Rika? Are you telling me you're pregnant?"
"YES HENRY!" she screamed in frustration, finally paying attention to him.
"That's wonderful!" he breathed.
"No, it's not! We can't afford this, at least not until you get out of school! And I'll have to take maternity leave from work, so there's less money," she moaned.
"We'll find a way, Rika," he assured.
"We'll have to. We have no choice," Rika said bitterly.
"I'll call our parents and see if they know what to do. Ok?"
"Ok."
"You're sure there's going to be a baby, right?"
Receiving the death glare, Henry backed away. She growled, "Two months late. What do you think?"
It took all of Henry's built up composure to keep from running around in insane glee. He picked up the phone while Rika furiously scribbled over scrap paper, old bills, budgets, and a calculator. She ignored Henry's happy voice telling their families the good news as she retched into her bucket. Idly, he reached out a hand and held her hair back.
She finished, then went back to her "baby budget." No solutions popped out at her, and her head pounded. Pushing the chair out, she took the bucked and dumped the contents into the toilet. Flushed it, rinsed the bucket, and crawled into the shower.
Eventually, she crawled out, drying and dressing as Henry brushed his teeth. He turned to her. "Rika, is your stomach big or something?"
She glanced down. "Not really. It'll be big enough in a couple months, though," she moped.
"It'll be a good thing, trust me."
"You won't think so when I have all those stupid hormones and mood swings. Just, don't leave me from this, ok?"
He hugged her tightly, and assured her he wouldn't. Then she burst out sobbing. "Henry, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I'm sorry!"
"It's not your fault Rika. Don't worry. No matter what happens, we will be ok. Don't get down about it."
"It's going to suck."
"Well, if it sucks, we'll suffer through it together. You, me, and the baby."
Rika groaned. "If you're going to be saying mushy crap like that, we're all finished."
Henry laughed. "Then prepare to be finished."
She left his arms and flopped heavily onto the bed. "Yep, we're done."
THE END!
Ok, there it was, my long, dragged-out one shot. I hoped you liked it. It took me about 20 hours straight to write. Luckily, I slept a lot before and after I was done. Happy new year and stuff. Let's see, 45 pages, words, 13,032. WHEW!