Years later – by preety_lady_serenity
Disclaimer: Aya Nakahara owns them all. So I must be a usurper.
"I …"
"….Am…"
"…. Sorry Risa …."
It was a warm morning. Atsushi Otani, age thirty-three walked down the street to the nearest department store. He was lonely and he had to shop some stationery for his classes. He had bended down to pick up some boxes of crayons when he heard someone calling him. He looked up and he saw a tall man looking at him with a bright smile.
"Suzuki-kun!" he beamed and shot up. He grasped the tall man's hands in a firm handshake, "How long has it been? Is it really twelve years since I have last seen you?"
"Yes, it seems impossible it was that long ago," Suzuki-kun assured with a faint smile, "How are you Otani-kun? How's your life here in Tokyo?"
"I've got a very nice teaching position, so I can say I am satisfied. But, let us discuss life over a cup of coffee."
-)-)-)
"So Nakao-kun opened a restaurant," Otani remarked, "This is nice."
Otani fell quiet and stared at his cup of coffee. He wondered if he could ask about her. It had been twelve years since their ways parted. Did she still wait for him? Did she still cry at nights?
"No, no! Please don't!"
"So," he asked hoarsely, "Do you ever get Risa's news?"
He did not know what he expected to hear. He somehow expected to hear Suzuki-kun telling him that she was single and speaking about him every once in awhile.
"You don't need to worry about her Otani-kun," Suzuki-kun answered after a pause of silence, "She got married two years ago and had a baby boy a few months ago."
The short man fell as if Suzuki-kun had punched him in the stomach. His heart thumped loudly for a few seconds as if the news of a great catastrophe were announced.
"Oh," he whispered, "I'm happy for her."
-)-)-)
Atsushi Otani found himself walking aimlessly. He could not understand why there was a pain in his chest. It was almost as if his heart was shattered to one thousand pieces once more.
He mused about what had led Risa and he split up twelve years ago. It was without doubt his doing. Twelve years ago at a time of personal crisis he told her that he did not love her anymore. He told her that this feeling would not change, that any attempt of trying to reverse his feelings back to love would be futile.
Risa cried for weeks. She tried to talk him out of his decision, but every one of her attempts was stopped. He dreaded to admit it but he had broken her heart. Two months after their break-up he accepted a working position in Tokyo and moved there ever since. He broke all means of conduct, even severing his ties with Nakao-kun and he never looked back.
So it was clearly his decision. Risa had every right to move on and get married one day. So why had this pain still inside his chest? Why did he feel so annoyed – so sad? It was as if his being was shattered to pieces and a heavy wave of regret swept over him.
He let out a bitter chuckle. Married with a child. A child that could have been his had things been different. So much pain, after so many years. Yes, he had loved her a lot once.
"I am sorry Risa."
"No, no…"
Even though I am a major fan of those two and want them to get married, have kids and grow old together, I started toying with this idea. By the way I never wrote something sad so any feedback is gladly taken.