was torn to pieces to the last piece of paper I had left. Eli submitted to me as she told the story.

'Eli, I want to hear it.' With sadness and full of worry I requested. 'I don't want it to come from someone else's, not anymore, but I want yours. What happened?'

'In early… Tuesday of that week, I just finished my routine at the agency and was walking home. There was a voice in front of me, like about 5 metres ahead, calling my name. I ignored it for the first two until the third I looked because I didn't want to blow my cover. It was her.'

'And…' Eli cleared her throat. 'I stopped walking. I got nervous and I got the chills on my back. She said that she always recognises me, and that she was glad to see me after the years. I kept saying no in my head, but she persuaded me to have a talk with her. And Umi, I swore we only went to a coffee shop.'

'Where is it?'

'It's not far from the agency, the one with orange banner in front.'

'Okay. What happened then? What did you talk?'

'She kept… complimenting me. It was basically repetition she kept saying and I know they're just empty talk. But I don't know. I couldn't concentrate. I was barely listening. I only said thanks without even looking at her directly. She told me she's working now, as a receptionist of a hotel. And I said that's nice, that she got a job.'

'I disagree but go on.'

'Umi… Then she said that I'm nice and she missed me. She reached out to me but I moved away and said that I'm already with someone. "Is it Nozomi?" she asked. "No, it's someone else," I replied.' Eli paused. And I began to stand. I had my strength back and ready to hear the rest of the story. Eli began to shed as she told it.

'She began to compare things to you as if looking down on you, but she wasn't angry. A-and of course I defended you because I won't let anyone badmouthing your name. Then I said that we're done, and I'm going to leave. I also said I don't want her to disturb me anymore.'

'She wasn't done, was she?'

'No… She caught up to me a few metres from that café. She said that I'm better off with her and she promised to treat me nicely if she told the stories. If things don't go well, at least we would separate ways properly now. I somehow let her hug me to calm the already frightened me. She wanted to invite me to the hotel she works and explain things.'

'What!'

'I-I refused! Of course, I did, Umi. I pulled myself away. I told her to stop and… that I had forgiven her for what happened 3 years ago, it's either to leave it at that or else I won't forgive her for that day. It went fine, she got a little frustrated, but she got the hint. She offered me her business card and to contact her if I wanted to catch up.'

In Japan, manners stand above all else, and Eli had thrown it out the window just because of her fear…

In the eyes of regret and confession, she said, 'but I refused to take. I didn't even look at it.'

'Eli, no…'

'So you see what I did wrong?' Eli cupped her cheek after a strange smile. 'It fell to ground and nothing else happened… until I said something worse, something I said back then. Nobody knew what I said except now I reveal it to you. I said to her, "I hope your parents are happy to see you like this." I really made a mistake back then but this time I felt it's worth it. It's funny how I got hit twice in my life, both by the same person and both at the same place.' Eli tried to laugh but it turned to a cry. 'She finally gets the chance to insult me back, but she didn't.'

I hugged my girlfriend finally. Where was I when Eli got hurt and why hadn't I done this from the start? She needed me the most, but I was selfish all over again. She wept on my shirt and let her until she could finally breathe.

'Before… before she left… she picked up the card again crumbling it. I wished her a happy life ahead of her and that she'll be fine without me.' After she had calmed down, she pulled herself off from my chest and looked at me. 'What's wrong with me, Umi? I just prayed for the devil herself. I'm sorry I didn't tell you straight away. You were with your sister and I couldn't just ruin that day for you.'

'Tuesday,' I recalled. 'You were alone, weren't you?'

'I was. And I finally see what my life would be without you.' Eli removed herself from my arms and she tumbled to the door where she pushed it with all her weigh. She double and triple locked the door. Our keys, that we kept on a shallow wooden bowl above the shoe rack, she took both of sets and held onto it. Finally, she turned around with her back pushed against the door. 'So please don't leave this door, Umi. Promise me you'll have me for who I am.' Weakly stood on her own front door, she began to drop to the floor as she cried until she tucked her legs and her arms.

I rushed to my beloved who looked so scared and hurt. She needed me more than ever. 'I'm not going anywhere Eli.' I softly and gently opened her hand so I wouldn't scratch the sensitive girl, to get our keys back and put them on the bowl again. 'Could you imagine the work to load all my things back to the van?' I rubbed her arms before I slowly pulled her up. 'I don't know why you're being so nice to her while all she could do was…hurt.' I continued to lead her even carried her to the sofa. 'Well, I do believe you are a very kind person, Eli. Even when you're wounded, when you're a mess, you could still think the best for other people.'

Eli still was still secluded on her end of the sofa until I lifted her head and kissed her head. She began to open herself with her hands around me. Her cheeks were still wet and I tried my best not to make it painful when I brushed them, as I knew her cheek wasn't physically hurt anymore.

'They day I confessed I never told you why I loved you, because I thought you already knew.' With each intermission I kissed.

'I know, Umi. You make my heart at peace finally.'

I kissed her again and she no longer was crying as she was definitely at peace – I knew it when she replied my smile between our kisses. I pulled her down on the sofa. 'Thank you for sharing, Eli. Now that we are roommates, I expect you to share more of these things. As much as your story hurt me now, I'm here to listen and to take care of you. Our vow is what holds this apartment together, so from now on we are doing things together. My parents expect great things from you now that I'm, supposed to be, in your care. But it doesn't matter, because this story is more about you than it is about me. Be brave and let it live. Let me tell you, the ending to this story of yours: until stories of your child, or children, have been told, you will find your closure. But your story still lives on as they tell it, and only then I reveal it. I love you, Eli, no matter how the author of your story would tell it. I love you.'

END