I recently read "Absolute Boyfriend" and loved it. So, even though it doesn't have a category, I wrote a little piece for it.
This takes place after the series ends, so there are spoilers for the ending. Yadda, yadda, whoo.
It's been a few years.
Riiko is out of high school, lives in the same apartment, and is working a job in order to save up money for college. She isn't really sure what she wants to be yet, but everyone's bugging her to prepare as soon as possible.
Soshi still lives next door to her. He makes food for her, cleans up after her, works at the same place as her. He says that he's saving up for college, too. When Riiko asks where he plans to go, his answers are always the same as hers.
Night's ring is still in a box, right next to Riiko's.
Riiko can tell that Soshi is trying his best—he does everything he can think of to do for her, just like old times. But no matter how hard he tries, Riiko's heart still belongs to another.
It still belongs to Night.
She knows that she needs to get over him. She knows that Night wouldn't want her to spend the rest of her life brooding over him. He was only a figure, anyway.
But no matter how hard she tries, she can't let go of Night. His face remains in her heart, attached like glue.
Soshi never brings up the subject, but Riiko can tell that it's hard on him. On the days when Riiko stares out the window remembering Night—the anniversary of his arrival, the day he died—he only tries harder. He tries to hide his worry, but Riiko can still see it.
She wishes that there was something she could do to make him feel better, but the only thing she knows—letting go of Night—is something that is impossible for her.
I'm sorry, she always says—in her mind, but never out loud.
One day, while she's sitting on the couch, staring blankly into space, Soshi walks right up to her and says, "You can't keep going like this."
Riiko looks up, a little startled. "What?"
Soshi sits down next to her and looks her squarely in the eye. "It's been five years. Five years, Riiko. You can't keep thinking about him like this."
Riiko looks away. "I don't know what you're talking about," she replies.
"You know very well what I'm talking about." Soshi's voice becomes gentler. "I told you this was going to happen. You knew that you were going to have to separate from him."
"And I told you," Riiko says softly. "I don't care. I didn't then, and I don't now."
"Riiko." Soshi looks desperate and pained. "I can't stand to see you like this. I can't stand to see you thinking about him so much. I can tell that it hurts you."
Riiko stands up. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."
As she starts to walk away, Soshi says, "I love you."
This gives Riiko pause.
"I love you, Riiko," Soshi continues. "I love you."
Riiko's hand involuntarily clenches into a fist.
"Why can't you see that?" Soshi asks, his voice raw with emotion. "You could be happy with me, couldn't you? You could be so much happier than you are now…Why can't you…?"
For a long time, Riiko is silent.
Finally, she turns her head slightly, and Soshi can see a tear glistening in her eye.
"Don't you understand?" Riiko whispers. "It's not that I can't, Soshi…it's that I won't. I don't want to be happy with anyone but him."
Soshi looks shocked.
"I'm sorry," Riiko says quietly. "Soshi…I'm sorry."
With that, she leaves the apartment, leaving Soshi sitting on the couch.
Yeah, I know, Night is a figure. But I can't help myself from liking Night x Riiko. I just can't bring myself to like Soshi, for some reason.
RRE.
