MEMORIES
"Afarid?" Kaede sputtered. "Why should I be afraid?"
"I don't know," Kourinne said. "Maybe you're afraid of what people will think about your dating someone new."
Kaede got up, his fists clenched in anger. "That's crazy."
"Is it?" Kourinne replied. "I think you're terrified of what Aijana will say if you start seeing someone new."
"Kourinne!" Serika exclaimed, shocked.
"I don't care what Aijana says," Kaede spat out. "I can do whatever I want!"
"Then why do you keep avoiding Kari now, after you've had some good times together?"
Kaede slammed his fist on the counter. "I've told you, Rin, stay out of it. I'll live my life the way I want."
"OK," Kourinne said. "But remember—Kira's got one advantage over Ahyumi. She's alive."
ONE
"Kaede! What's wrong?"
Hiro Rukawa looked up from the book he was reading as his son streaked by the master bedroom. Then came the sound of Kaede's bedroom door closing with an angry slam.
Yuna Rukawa gave her husband a puzzled look. "What do you think could be the matter?"
Hiro Rukawa and his eighteen-year-old son were both tall and had the same dark hair and eyes. Right now Mr. Rukawa wore the same troubled expression that Kaede had been wearing on and off for weeks. "I don't know," he answered, rubbing his forehead. "Kaede has been so much better lately. I was sure he was beginning to let go of Ahyumi's memory. I hope that's not the problem."
But that was the problem. Kaede had forgotten about Ahyumi Haneoka, at least for a while, and now, as he lay staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom, he felt horrible about it. Memories of Ahyumi, his beautiful girlfriend with her halo of strawberry blond hair and her shining blue eyes, washed over him. Death had taken Ahyumi from Kaede several months ago, but he had vowed always to keep her in his heart.
In spite of his family's love and support, Kaede had mourned for weeks following Ahyumi's death. Lately he had begun to recover from his depression, though Ahyumi was always in his thoughts. His sister Kourinne kept offering to fix him up with dates, and his friends were always telling him he shuold get out more, but that weekend had been the first time he had felt like being with people.
He had agreed to go to a party that Hikari Park was throwing. Hikari went to school with her twin sisters, Kourinne and Serika. He had called up Ahyumi's older sister, Aijana, and asked her and her boyfriend, Akira Sendoh, to come along.
Tha Parks were one of the welthiest families, and any party held at their estate was an event. To his amazement, Kaede had actually begun to have a good time. This was not because of the lavish surroundings, but because of Kourinne's friend Kaminari Nakajima, who had made sure Kaede enjoyed himself. Kourinne had once fixed up Kari and Kaede, and the evening had ended disastrously. Then, the afternoon of the party, Kaede had run into Kira and discovered she, too, had been having problems and that she had changed. That night at the party Kira had made Kaede relax and smile.
That changed suddenly when Kira and Kaede were dancing. Aijana Haneoka left Sendoh at the buffet and went up to Kaede. Kaede and Aijana had been finding comfort in each other's company since Ahyumi's death, but Aijana's eyes were blazing.
"Having a good time, i see." she commented icily.
"Yeah, it's a nice party," Kaede had answered, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.
"I'm surprised at you, Kaede." Aijana lashed out, her voice shaking with anger. "I thought you really loved my sister. But the minute another girl starts looking at you, you forget about all about Ahyumi!"
Kaede felt as though he had been punched in the stomach. He didn't know how to respond to Aijana's accusation. Before Aijana could say another word, Kaede had rushed off the dance floor and raced to his car, without bothering to say goodbye to Kira.
Now, lying in the dark, he could see that Aijana had been right. Why should he be out enjoying himself when his beloved Ahyumi was gone? Tears welled up in Kaede's eyes, and he turned his face toward the wall.
I may have betrayed Ahyumi's memory once, he told himself, but i will never, ever do it again!