Chapter 2 – Rescue

"So…Takaki-kun," said Kyou as she smirked, she could already see Akari blushing "wanna tell me more about him?"

"He was just a childhood friend," said Akari looking away.

"No way he was just a childhood friend, so what is he?" Kyou sat down next to Akari against the wall.

"He was…," started Akari but began remembering the past, remembering the feelings she had for him and suddenly a thought hit her.

'Was he like that because of me?' tears started to swell up and she didn't even notice them, all she could think about was the feeling of betrayal and sadness that she inflicted onto him.

"Hey are you okay? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I was just curious, you two seemed really close," said Kyou putting a hand on her friend's shoulder.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

"Hello?" Kyou said answering her friend's phone.

"Ah Kyou, good so Akari is at your house," said Yuuchi with a tone of worry "is she okay?"

"I don't know you tell me, is she okay?" said Kyou with a condescending voice.

"Listen, tell Akari to come home right now."

"I'm taking orders from you now?"

"Don't make me come over there," said Yuuchi with a threatening voice.

"Come over here I double dare you, I will beat you so hard your mom wou-," yelled Kyou before her hand was clutched by Akari as she shook her head.

"Don't worry I won't let him come near you," said Kyou as she hung up the phone. Then a light bulb seemed that have turned on in Kyou's mind "Do you still have Takaki's number?"

"I should," said Akari pulling out her phone "why would you need his number?"

"I was going to invite him over today but I first wanted to know what happened between you guys," said Kyou dialing Takaki's number "but we can leave that for later for now we should get a man here before Yuuchi shows up."

Takaki laid on his bed, for the first time in a very long time he felt like sleeping but he was bothered by the fact that Akari seemed to be down. She was always a very brave girl, never letting others get to her through their cruel words, but the Akari he saw today was different, she seemed defeated. Suddenly his phone rang, a strange phenomenon that hasn't happened for a very long time, he quickly sat up and reached for his phone.

Akari calling…

"H-hello?" he said quickly answering.

"Hey you bored at home?" said Kyou watching her blushing friend.

"Alright then see you later," said Kyou after finishing her conversation with Takaki.

"Kyou, don't you think it's a bit too much to ask a guy I haven't seen for almost a decade to come and comfort me?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure he doesn't mind, plus he sounded really excited when I told him to come," said Kyou elbowing her friend.

Akari looked outside and watched as a snow storm started, "He's probably not going to come; look at the storm outside, cars would probably have a hard time moving."

She wanted him to come like he always did when she needed him but right now it was just unrealistic, right? Then she heard the door knocks and her face lit up.

"Looks like we have a visitor," said Kyou smiling at her friend. She went to open the door and standing there was Yuuchi. She couldn't react fast enough, he pushed her against the wall and her head hit something knocking her unconscious. He then grabbed Akari's wrist and dragged her outside towards his car.

"Help!" yelled Akari.

"Stop struggling and come, nobody is going to help you," said Yuuchi as he pulled her.

"Help me...," she whispered as she was almost inside the car "Takaki-kun."

"AKARI!" yelled Takaki punching Yuuchi out of the way.

"Takaki-kun," said Akari tears building up, he was here saving her again.

"Go inside!" he said, she nodded and got out of the car.

"Son of a…," Yuuchi got up and punched Takaki back. He wobbled and Yuuchi pushed him to the ground and started kicking his stomach. He felt weak; he regretted not eating and sleeping for such a long time.

'I'm finally able to protect Akari, am I going to fail now?' thought Takaki.

"Go to sleep," said Yuuchi raising his foot on top of Takaki's face.

"Takaki!" he opened his eyes and saw Akari crying, why did she cry for someone like him? Couldn't she see that he was a failure?

'No I'm not going to fail not when she needs me and is counting on me!'

Takaki rolled out of the way of the stomp and jumped up bringing an uppercut to the jaws of Yuuchi. He breathed in shots of wind and looked at the man lying in front of him groaning. Thoughts of rage came to him, 'Why did she choose him over me? He doesn't deserve to be with her' every cell in his body wanted to get on top of him and beat him till he was half dead. Then he looked at Akari and remembered that he was fighting to protect her, not fighting to hurt someone else and walked away.

"Takaki," said Akari with a smile her voice shaky.

"Sorry I beat up your fiancé," said Takaki looking away.

"Ex-fiancé," said Akari taking off her ring and throwing it at the body "you can keep that ring! I don't ever want to see you again!"

Takaki smiled but his body finally reached its limit, and he started collapsing.