CHAPTER 12

"Hino? Are you okay?"

Kahoko looked up from her pasta absentmindedly then blinked twice when she realized that her and Tsukimori's faces were inches apart.

"Huh?"

"You've been staring at your food and not eating it. Is there something wrong with your pasta?" Tsukimori asked, leaning back to his chair.

"No! It's good. I'm just a little tired." Hino smiled faintly.

The previous night, Kahoko saw Tsukimori inside a French restaurant with a pregnant woman. Since then, so many questions had been going into her head that needed answers. She wondered if that woman was the 'Claire' Tsukimori was talking to on his phone yesterday at the parking lot. It was highly possible since the name was foreign and the woman from last night was noticeably a foreigner. She could guess that she was an American who was around her age and was about four to five months pregnant.

Kahoko was itching to ask Tsukimori about this 'Claire' woman but something was stopping her. She didn't want Tsukimori to think that she was snooping on him like a paranoid girlfriend and also because a big part of her was afraid to know the real relationship of Tsukimori with this woman.

"Are you sure you're okay? You seemed like you're worrying about something." Tsukimori leaned in closer across the table.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Uhm, so what were you saying earlier?" Kahoko asked, trying to change the topic.

Tsukimori shifted on his seat uncomfortably as he took another sip from his drink before he answered her question without looking at her in the eyes. "I have to leave the country this Saturday."

"Oh. Where are you going?" Kahoko asked instantaneously, unable to hide the shock and disappointment in her tone.

"America." He answered simply.

Kahoko was waiting for Tsukimori to elaborate more but she can sense that Tsukimori didn't want to say anything more about it.

"How… how long will you be gone?" She couldn't stop herself from asking. Well, she guessed she has the right to ask that. She was his girlfriend after all.

"A week or two. 'could be longer." He replied casually.

"Why—" before Kahoko could finish her question, Tsukimori's phone rang.

Tsukimori took out his phone from his pocket to check who the caller was then he excused himself to take the call somewhere else which surprised Kahoko since Tsukimori used to answer his calls in front of her no matter who the caller was.

After five minutes or so, Tsukimori returned to their table with a hint of annoyance visible on his face.

"I'll be leaving tomorrow and not on Saturday anymore." He informed.

"What?! Why?" Kahoko almost screeched in surprise.

"Something came up." He said briefly without bothering to go into details.

It was obvious to Kahoko that Tsukimori was keeping a secret from her but she didn't want to nag him about it since it was pretty clear that he didn't want to be questioned further.

Kahoko and Tsukimori finished eating their meal together and as soon as they were done, they left the restaurant. Tsukimori drove Hino to her house but didn't stay long,

Alone in her room, Kahoko was getting more and more restless. She was usually not the type who would get suspicious then would think of the worst scenario but Tsukimori was definitely keeping something from her.

The pregnant woman must have had something to do with it. It was not impossible if something intimate had transpired between that woman and Tsukimori. It was also not impossible if her boyfriend was the father of the child that woman was carrying.

Just the thought of it make Kahoko's heart sank.

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Kahoko woke up later than usual that morning. She had a hard time sleeping last night because thoughts of Tsukimori and the pregnant woman wouldn't leave her alone.

It was already nine o'clock when she woke up and Tsukimori's flight schedule was 10:30am. When she checked her phone, there were six missed calls from him. She was planning to go early to his house and go with him to the airport but he was probably on his way there.

Kahoko hurriedly fixed herself. She was just gonna go straight to the airport to see Tsukimori before he boarded the plane. She decided to use her car so she can just take the shortcut and avoid the traffic. She tried to call Tsukimori on his phone but he was not picking it up.

When Kahoko arrived at the airport terminal, she went directly outside the boarding area. Kahoko could see the people inside through the glass window. She scanned the place rather desperately. She wanted to see Tsukimori before he can get into the plane. But then, a familiar pregnant woman caught her eyes. It was the same woman she saw at the restaurant with Tsukimori. After a few seconds, a tall man approached her. Kahoko looked closer and realized that it was her boyfriend.

Kahoko's knees weakened at the sight.

She quickly pulled out her phone from her handbag and dialed Tsukimori's number without taking her eyes off him and the woman. Kahoko watched Tsukimori as he took his phone from his pocket to answer her call.

"Hino. I've been calling you earlier. I'm already at the airport."

"S-Sorry, I was gonna go to your house early but I woke up l-late" She stuttered.

"It's okay. I'm about to board the plane."

"T-Tsukimori…"

"Yeah?"

"Are you leaving alone or do you have a-anyone leaving with you?" Kahoko tried to keep her voice to sound as casual as possible.

Tsukimori was silent for a moment on the other line.

"No, it's just me."

Kahoko's grip on her phone tightened.

He was lying to her.

"Hino, I've got to board the plane now. I'll call you when I get to the hotel."

"O-Okay… Bye," She mumbled.

"Bye."

Kahoko stood there in disbelief as she watched Tsukimori and the woman entered together a door leading to the plane. Her entire body felt weak. She wanted to cry. Tsukimori must've gotten the woman pregnant before he came back to Japan. It just made sense because why else would he act so strangely these past few weeks then lie to her if he wasn't guilty of anything?

Ugh. I want to cry. T.T

It feels like I suddenly forgot how to write. I haven't updated for four months and then this is what I give my readers?! This is crap. =.= Oh well. Anyway, next chapter would be the LAST one. I swear the final chapter would be, if not great, at least better and definitely longer than this one. I will not upload it until I'm satisfied with it.

Now, would you guys mind leaving a review for old time's sake? I miss my old reviewers. =)