Exit Wounds X
Rise Kujikawa's eyes fluttered open with tears running down her cheeks, the memories rushing back into her head. It wasn't 2035, it was still 2015 and she was lying in her bed in the apartment she shared with her Grandmother above the families Tofu shop. She was lying in bed alone, there was no Seta Souji to cradle her in his arms and tell her that he loved her all because his mother…
Rise sat up in her bed holding her head crying, "No, it wasn't Souji's Mom, I lost faith in Souji, he did his best to protect me and I threw it back in his face just because he wasn't there when they tried to drown me." Rise knew deep down that if it hadn't been for Souji, Daisuke, Kou and Naoki may not have been there and she'd be dead right now. But her anger over Souji just accepting the situation with his Mother had boiled over and she had let out all her insecurities on him.
Rise needed to see him again, just once more, she needed to apologise even if it came to nothing, Rise needed Souji to know she didn't hate him. Rise loved him, Rise would always love him. Knowing it was still very early in the morning Rise decided to call the one person who might know where he was anyway, she'd deal with the payback later.
Rise sat in her bed waiting for the phone to pick up watching some late night trashy TV as she did, "Hello?"
"Hello Yosuke-kun, I'm sorry…"
"Who, Rise… do you know what…" Yosuke replied before becoming distracted with a commotion nearby.
"Are you talking to another woman? Now?!" A female voice announced moodily.
Rise blinked blushing, "Yumi?!"
The line went quiet for a moment, "Rise?"
"Um, Rise, I'm kind of in the middle of…" Yosuke began to explain picking up the phone again.
"Yumi?"Rise responded with an evil grin.
"RISE! A-anyway, I'm in the middle of some… don't do that! What is it Rise?!" Yosuke replied embarrassed and quite obviously fighting a horny Yumi off to try and maintain the call.
"I need to find Souji."
The other end of the line went quiet apart from the sounds of movement, after a moment Rise could hear Yosuke cursing quietly, "Rise, I'm not sure he wants to be found."
"I don't care, Yosuke I need to find him."
"The last time you two spoke, or should I say argued you made it pretty clear you never wanted to see him again. What's changed?"
Rise was silent for a few moments, "I realised what life would be like if I didn't."
Rise heard Yosuke exhale on the other end of the line, "Fine, we'll go see Dojima-san in the morning. The real morning not whatever the hell this is."
"The middle of the night?" Yumi teased, Rise blushed hearing Yumi squeal at being smacked on the ass by Yosuke.
"Goodbye Rise-chan."
Rise hung up without another word wrapping her arms around her legs resting her chin on her knees looking out into the night wondering where Souji was. Rise knew she'd made a mistake, she only hoped it wasn't too late to fix it.
Meanwhile Yosuke sunk back onto the bed tossing his phone onto the bedside table. Yumi eagerly mounted the fawn hair coloured teen playing with his face gently. "You're such a good friend."
Yosuke smiled up at her, "Yeah, too good sometimes."
Yumi lent down, "No such thing." She whispered before engulfing him in a kiss.
The next day Yosuke met Rise out the front of Marukyu Tofu, the young woman wasn't looking quite the pop idol starlet she usually did. The bruises Honda Kubo had inflicted were finally fading but dark circles had developed under her eyes from many nights of crying herself to sleep. Yosuke gently took her into his arms hugging his friend tightly for a few seconds before letting go.
Rise smiled, "Thank you Yosuke-senpai, I needed that."
Yosuke smiled nodded, "Me too."
Rise punched Yosuke gently in the chest, "Hentai, I guess Yumi has been a good influence on you."
"Thank you for saying so Rise-san." Yumi chipped in approaching the pair.
"Oh, Yumi-senpai, I didn't know you were joining us." Rise responded with a smile.
Yumi sighed, "Well, if I let this idiot try to bring Souji-kun back on his own again he's just going to screw up. Can't let that happen."
Yosuke's face dropped, "I'm standing right here."
Yumi grinned kissing her boyfriend on the cheek, "I know. I spoke to Kanji-kun's Mom, he's still refusing to see anyone. Apparently, all he does all day is sew those little toys."
"Aww, I love it when he makes those." Rise responded with a small squeal.
Yumi shook her head, "Yeah well he's not letting anyone see him so we should go to Dojima-san's."
The two other teens nodded and departed.
Meanwhile across town at the Amagi Inn, the female proprietor was knocking on the door to her daughter's room, "Yuki-chan, one of your friends is here to see you?"
"Who is it Mom?" Yukiko quietly not lifting her head from her homework.
"It's me Yukiko-san." An unusually contrite Teddie replied from the door to Yukiko's room.
Yukiko's blood ran cold dropping her pencil, "I-I don't think I want to see you."
Teddie stopped at the door to Yukiko's room looking at the floor, "Please Yukiko-san, please just hear me out."
Yukiko frowned and then nodded, "Ok, but just stay near the door."
Teddie stepped inside sliding the door closed, he then knelt down bowing before Yukiko resting his forehead on the floor, "Yukiko-san, I beg forgiveness for what I did the night of your birthday. I never intended to hurt you. Teddie is beary sorry."
Yukiko sat watching the former TV bear in silence, after a full minute Yukiko stood up patting Teddie on the head, "Y-Yukiko-san?"
"I-I'm sorry too Teddie…" Yukiko looked away as Teddie sat on the floor in front of Yukiko, "We did something really dumb, but it wasn't your fault. I… we… You're a jerk for spiking the punch but what happened after wasn't entirely your fault. I sent a lot of mixed messages that night, not all of them were aimed at you. But if I said they weren't all aimed at you I'd be lying. A part of me wanted you that night but when we were finished I was scared. I didn't know how to react and I lashed out and hurt someone I care about. You're a dumb horny bear but I love you as a friend. I don't want that to change."
Teddie smiled, "I don't want that to change either Yuki-chan."
Yukiko gave Teddie a small hug and a kiss on the cheek, "When you find the right girl you will make them very happy."
Teddie blushed, "Thank you Yuki-chan, when you finally confess to Chie-chan you'll make her very happy."
Yukiko's eyes narrowed, "Yosuke!"
Teddie ducked his head, "H-he was just trying to help."
Yukiko crossed her arms as Teddie sat beside her, "Fine, just don't tell Chie, ok?"
"No Ma'am!"
Yukiko smiled and the two friends sat quietly for a little while before Teddie spoke again, "Do you think Rise-san and Yosuke can save Sensei?"
Yukiko smiled putting an arm around Teddie ruffling his hair, "If anyone can, they can."
On the hill overlooking Inaba Naoki Konishi sat on a bench staring out at his home town, he'd been summoned by Daisuke to talk about the Soccer team but Daisuke was running late. As Naoki was debating whether to give him another five minutes someone shoulder bumped him as they sat down on the bench, he looked over to complain but frowned realizing it was Ai Ebihara. "Hi…"
"I guess Daisuke isn't going to show up." Ai surmised.
"I guess not."
"I suppose I owe you an apology." Ai started, Naoki opened his mouth to respond but thought better of it.
"I just wish I knew what set you off…?" Naoki asked.
Ai frowned, "I guess… well…" Ai exhaled, "When you said you wanted me to meet your parents I got scared. I've never had a guy who wanted to get that serious before. Most guys just use me and toss me. But you and Souji taught me a better way. You taught me there are guys out there that will love me for me. I should have remembered that."
Naoki ducked his head blushing, "I didn't mean to rush you Ai, I just… I care a lot about you, I, I love you."
Ai's face went completely red, "Wh-what?"
Naoki looked Ai in the face smiling, "I love you Ai-san."
"D-dummy, you can't just say things like that out of the blue-" Ai spluttered cherry red.
Naoki grinned, "Why not, I want to say I love you, I want to shout it so everyone in Inaba knows."
Ai's widened, "E-everyone!" She watched Naoki get up from bench and approach fence that stopped people from falling down the cliff to the floor of the canyon.
"I-if you don't feel the same…"
Ai ran up and kissed Naoki hard on the lips smiling and turning to face Inaba, "I LOVE NAOKI KONISHI!"
The young blond turned back to face her boyfriend who smiled, "I love you too Ai-san."
Ai giggled, "I should hope so."
To Be Continued…
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