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Chapter 36
'Rage... is something that transform us in things that we can't even recognize in a mirror.'
The next day, Friday, Rito woke up normally, while he was dressing, remembered that the two girls last night were very anxious about the festival that would happen tomorrow afternoon and after wearing the uniform, he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth when he saw Lala already dressed and already on the doorstep.
"You are already going to school?" He asked surprised that she already was going. "We still have some time left yet, no need to rush."
It's all right, I want to go even sooner!" Lala said cheerfully. "I need to sort some things out."
Rito shrugged and kept going to the bathroom. Lala hurried to school, she could hardly contain herself anxious to start the plan. 'First thing I need to do is talk to Saruyama and invite him to go to the festival with us. And then when the two meet, I make them stay together during the festival... While the festival is taking place, they will start having fun and forgot they were angry with each other. Hehehe.'
She laughed a little, not even bothering with the cold that the fall was doing. She arrives at school, an interesting fact is that since Lala was wearing Peke as clothes, she doesn't need to keep any shoes in the closet since that Peke did disappear the shoes, so Lala lost less time on it. She goes into the room where Saruyama studied, but doesn't find him, seeing that she came too soon she decided to wait for him. Unfortunately, what Lala endeavored to arrive earlier, Saruyama did almost the opposite. He eventually reached nearly 10 minutes before starting the class. But Lala was not angry or upset, she knew there was a chance of that happen and luckily for her, he did not arrive in the nick of time.
"Saruyama, good to see you. I need to talk to you." The princess said in a humorous tone.
Saruyama was surprised and happy. Normally... Or rather, he always was the one who chased after her.
"I'm listening Lala-chan." He said smiling foolishly.
Would you like to go with me tomorrow at the festival?" She asked.
Saruyama's face turned red as his heart began to beat faster. For him, it was almost a statement saying that she liked him... If only he knew what she was planning...
"H-hai ... But of course! I'll be happy to go with you!" He said smiling.
"Great then later I'll tell you where we'll meet." She said happy that she was one step closer for her plan to work. "Now I need to go, I don't want to be late."
"Sure ... And Lala... Today you want to have lunch with me...?" He asked a little embarrassed.
"Oh sorry, Saruyama. I'm having lunch with Rito and probably with Yui. You know he seriously injured his right hand and if he needs help I'll be there." She said a little sad to him.
"You always being charitable... Well, okay then let's set the other day." He said making a fake smile.
"Hai!" she said before going to class.
Saruyama saw her go and then headed for the desk happy.
'I never imagined that, my Friday is starting so well. Lala-chan invited me to a festival. I could not be happier. I'm getting closer to making her my girlfriend ...' He thought smiling foolishly.
But when he sat the smile was exchanged for a serious expression.
'But first ... I have to solve some issues with a certain someone.' He thought.
Later at lunch, Rito and Lala went to lunch together, Yui said she was going to use her lunch hour to do some things at the disciplinary committee and be able to leave school early. They arrive on the terrace and Lala starts looking around. "I think I understand why you like to have lunch here, Rito."
"Yeah?" He said raising an eyebrow.
"This place is so quiet, has a beautiful breeze and best of all has a view of the whole school." She said while looking at the school from above.
Rito's eyes widened at what she said. In fact he only came here to eat alone or at least not have unwanted guest while eating lunch, listening to what Lala said was a surprise since he never thought about.
"Uh... You are right... Very accurate actually." Rito said.
She smiles at him and sits beside him.
"So… What are our plans for tomorrow?" Lala asked wanting to plan her next move.
Rito puts his index finger and the thumb on his chin to think. "We should leave at 5 hours pm from home, should take a half hour to get there and we must stay until the fireworks."
"There will be fireworks? "Lala asked joyful surprise.
"I think so ... At least it was written in the announcement." He said still with the index finger and the thumb on the chin, remembering the things written in the announcement.
"Cool!" She said throwing her arms in the air.
Lala had never seen fireworks before, all she heard about were in their history books in Deviluke. They said they stopped using it in festive events because they were just colored lights in the sky. Even after what they said, Lala always wanted to see because her mother said that there was something special in those lights in the sky.
"Anyway, did you manage to do what you wanted in this morning that you had to leave earlier?" Rito asked picking up the sandwich made by Mikan.
"Yes, and don't ask what it is because it is a surprise!" Lala said already warning the boy not to ask.
"... Okay ..." Rito answered a little surprised at her response.
Lala ate her lunch happy with the information that Rito had passed to her, it would be easier for make them find each other. After that, there was not much conversation, the down side of going to the same places and live in the same house is that you hardly had much news to tell. They continued with lunch, Rito thinking about things related to school and boxing while Lala was plotting the next step of her plan.
Later after the end of class, Lala said goodbye to Rito and her friends and ran out of class. For a minute, Mio and Risa thought that Rito had done something to her at lunch and was running away from him but put that thought aside, after all they thought that Rito didn't had the guts to do something. Meanwhile, our fearless hero ... Okay ... Not so much... He did what he always did, only this time he was less time looking out the window and walked away with his the backpack. He was quiet, walking the halls toward the exit when...
"Hey Yuuki Rito!" A boy shouted a boy from Rito's behind.
Rito takes a scare, but does not demonstrate, he turns to see who it is.
'Oh great. Him!' Rito thought as he rolled his eyes seeing who it was.
"What you want, Saruyama?" He asked to his ex-best friend.
"Ah I'm glad you asked." Saruyama said approaching him. By now, people were looking to see what was going happen. "It's a simple thing that I am going to ask: Stop hitting on Lala. She is mine!"
"What?" Rito asked arching an eyebrow not believing what he was hearing.
"That's right, you heard!" Saruyama said already with his hands closed. "I do not know if you are doing it for some kind of revenge from the beating I gave you, or whatever thought you have in your crazy little head, but please don't involve Lala in this! She is too pure and I will not let you hurt her."
"... I cannot believe what I'm hearing" Rito said putting a hand on the face. "I have nothing against you and I'm not involving Lala in some sort of plan. You are crazy."
"HA! Look who's talking. In my opinion the only crazy here that I'm seeing is you!" Saruyama said mocking Rito. By this time there were several people watching what was happening. "It was not me who took anti-depressants and it was not me who tried to kill himself... But I'm willing to forget all this in the name of our old friendship and of course the fact that you will also stop hitting on Lala."
"Friendship? FRIENDSHIP? You stopped being my friend when we ended up staying in separate class, when you said you had no more time to talk with me. And worst of all... When I needed your help, someone to talk to... you did the opposite." Rito said clenching his left fist. "... I really thought maybe you had changed... or, at least, you would be better with someone else... But I fear for Lala to be with you..."
Upon hearing this, Saruyama can't stand it anymore, he goes and tries to punch him, but without much effort Rito holds the punch with his left hand.
"It will not be as easy as last time." Rito said while holding his punch.
Saruyama tries to punch him with the other hand as he couldn't hold with his right hand; however Rito lets go Saruyama's fist and jumps back. The anger inside of Rito began to bubble and the eyes of anger, that he managed to calm down with boxing, began to return. Fortunately the people who were watching decided to act, two guys hold Saruyama's arms and other guy holds Rito's arm.
"You two stop fighting!" the guy who was holding yelled.
"If you two keep doing this you'll get into trouble!" Another said.
Rito deep breaths trying to calm himself, he releases his arm that was being held and turns back.
"That's right! Run away you coward!" Saruyama shouted making Rito stop. "That's why no woman will like you!"
Rito had to use all his self-control to not turn around and attack and probably annihilate the former friend. But that didn't prevent that his anger increased, he walks away from there and downs the stairs to the ground floor where he meets a certain girl we all know who has long black hair who somehow knew the fight without even seeing.
"What story is this, Yuuki?" Yui asked a very angry. "Now you decided to start to brawl?"
"Please ... Kotegawa ... I just wanna go home." Rito said trying to control himself.
"Oh no you don't! You will stay and hear me!" She imposed, much to his displeasure. "You think now you can fight and everything will turn out good? Look, if I see you fighting again, you will end up being expelled or worse... It will end the moral of this school!"
"SHUT UP!" Rito said punching the wall with his left hand scaring her and everyone around her. "I do not care for the moral of this school, I do not care for this school and I do not care for most people at this school. The only thing I want now is to go home, then leave me be!"
He tramples over her and rushes out of there. Everyone who saw the scene was amazed. No one had ever yelled at her like that, because everyone was afraid of her when she was mad, even the headmaster. Any normal girl would get mad or scared by the way he acted. But Yui was intrigued, she had already spent some time to get to know him, and was studying in the same class that year and he never saw him acting that way. Yes, she knew that sometimes he was kind of shameless, but she never saw all that anger and with those eyes, she just could not understand what could have happened. For reasons that she was unaware at the time, she goes after him to try to understand and perhaps help him. Everyone that saw her chasing after him was sure that she went after him to yell at him again.
'Poor guy...' Everyone thought.
Yui quickly wears the shoes and got out of school. She vaguely sees where Rito went and tries to follow him. She runs after him for a while. She tries, she really tries, but eventually she loses sight of him not knowing where he went. Tired from running, she also gets angry. 'Damn you Rito, I just wanted to help...' Yui thought trying to regain her breath. 'Now I'm all sweaty and tired... This is what I gain for trying to help a boy.'
She turns away, seeing no more reason to stay. But standing in front of her there were three rather large adults. They Did not seem to be very strong but seemed dangerous. With a tense and cautious voice, she asked "Um, what do you want?"
The three laughed at her, and the one closest to her replied with a smile. "What makes you think we want something?"
"Well, then let me through!" She replied trying to brush past them. She tried, but the closest guy grabbed her arm.
"Ah, ah, ah. We never said we did not want anything." The same one said.
And in a fast move he holds her in a full nelson.
"L-let me go!" Yui shouted angry at the same time scary from what they were planning to do.
"Do not be like that... We just met." One of the other guys said coming next to her, leaning down and beginning to stroke her legs. "What good looking legs."
Kotegawa's eyes widened, in one swift motion she kicks the guy who was stroking her and starts yelling."PLEASE! Help! SOMEONE H-" But her mouth was covered before she could finish.
"You do not want to end the fun, right?" The third guy who was covering her mouth said smirking.
'How could they do this? Why would they do that? Why-?' Kotegawa's thoughts were interrupted when the man who was kicked, slapped her in the head.
"Stupid girl!" The guy who was kicked said furiously. "You think someone will suddenly appear and save you? There aren't many people in this neighborhood and even if it had another person here, I doubt that he would fight against us."
The two guys start to stoke her legs, Yui still dizzy because of the slap, begins to lose consciousness.
'That's it. I cannot resist, I'm helpless, I ... I ...' she thought before passing out.
Seemingly just as quick as she fainted, she woke up. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she moaned as the light streamed unwelcome into her eyes, sparking a sharp pain at her the base of her head. When trying to adjust, she remembered and shot up, much to the detriment of your headache. She realizes she's in a bed, in a room with white walls and an armchair beside several other beds. Not recognizing the place, her heart cringed, imagining the worst, like the guys had kidnapped her. Feeling desolate she sits on the bed, put her knees close to her, embraces it, puts her head between her knees and starts crying.
"Do not worry... they haven't done nothing to you…"
Yui's eyes widen as she recognizes the voice.
"Y-Yuuki-kun?!" She said with tears still streaming down her cheeks.
Rito seeing that she was crying felt bad for not being with her when she woke. "You are in the clinic of Mikado-sensei... I'm sorry; I did not know where to take you." Rito said a little downcast coming next to her.
"Wait! It was you who saved me?" She asked surprised and happy that she was saved.
Rito nodded slowly as if something was wrong. She does not care, she jumps out of bed and hugs him. "Thank you, thank you!" Whispered in his ear as she cried except that they were of happiness now. "I do not know what would I do without you!"
Rito did not know what to do after the kind gesture of her as his cheeks turned red. Not that he felt bad to be hugged, to tell the truth he liked, but deep down he felt was not worthy of such affection, so he gently pulled her arms that enveloped him.
"What?" Yui asked not understand.
"I'm sorry ... But I do not deserve this." He said as he walked away from her, pacing back.
"Why not? You were a hero!" Yui said excitedly and trying to cheer him up.
But it didn't, he was feeling ashamed of what he did.
"I'm not a hero ... never was and never will be." He said with a look of sadness. "... Mikado-Sensei called your house and someone must be coming for you. Excuse me, but I need to go I cannot stay here anymore."
He left there running sad, Yui tries to go after him, but as he leaves the room shortly after Ryoko enters the room and prevents her. "Please let he go. I think best thing now is to let him solve his problems alone."
Yui did not, but soon after they put her in bed while she was still unconscious, Rito had to wash his hands, they were full of blood... and it was not his blood. He did not tell Ryoko what happened, but she saw in his eyes a regret for what he did.
Soon after he left the clinic started to rain a little strong so watering the boy who did not care about being wet or rain but what he had done.
'It's raining... I guess it really suits my mood.' He thought as he walked through the empty streets.
He looks to his right hand, and then closes the hand, making a face of regret.
'What have I done? What just happened couldn't be called protect someone, or boxing or anything like that. I just remember feeling anger and hit as hard as I could with my fists.'
Flashback from what he recalls.
Rito was running not specifically to some place but just to forget everything that had happened. After 10 minutes running, he stops and sits on a bench trying to calm down.
' I need to calm down. Need to calm down. Come on deep breath' He thought taking a deep breath.
It was then when he heard a scream which he knew.
'That voice ... Kotegawa?' Rito thought stading up. 'If it's her, what is she doing here?'
He goes toward where he thinks it came the cry, wondering what she was doing here. But all his thoughts are taken away when he sees what is happening to her. He sees her friend being smoothed by two guys. His anger reaches the peak and his eyes become full of rage. He closes his left hand and then ... his right.
"What a good time for my hand to be healed."Rito said smirking.
He advanced to them with a malicious smile in his face.
…
…
…
…
And the next thing he remembers, is a man with a disfigured face and his hands covered in blood. He was breathless, he looks around and sees Yui unconscious on the floor and apparently without any bruise, the other two guys were also knocked out, but they were also with their faces disfigured. Rito starts walking backwards with fear and not believing what he had done.
'Oh my God ... What have I done?' Rito thought still terrified at the scene and with his hands.
End of flashback
Rito closed his eyes trying to forget what happened. He walks home, crestfallen. After a long day he wanted to forget, he finally arrives home soaked wet and shortly after he opened the front door he saw his sister with a phone in her hand.
"Rito... What happened to you? Why did it take so long for you to return home?"
He did not answer, just went up to her and hugged her.
"Mikan... Am I a monster?" He asked while some tears come out of his eyes.
She is shocked by what he said. With one arm she hugs him and with the other hand she strokes his orange hair. "No you're not ..."
She continues to comfort while thinking on the things that happened today. 'First Lala arrives at home, thoughtfully, not wanting to talk and lock herself at her room. And now we have Rito in this state!... What happened to them?'
Meanwhile, Lala was restless, indecisive and confused on her bed. Her thoughts could not calm down since she had the conversation with Saruyama.
Flashback of what Lala remembered.
Lala left the class and went straight to Saruyama's class, but he was not there.
"Did you see Saruyama?" She asked for one of the boys who was sited on his back to her.
He turns around and widens his eyes when see a pretty girl talking to him.
"For you my dear ... I could be!" He said in a flirty voice.
A question mark appeared over her head not understanding the meaning of that. "No ... I want the real Saruyama.
"He ran off the class soon after the end of the class. I do not know exactly where he went." Said a girl who heard what Lala asked.
"Okay! I will look after him. Thank you!"Lala said cheerfully before leaving.
And so she started to search for him on the school. After about 20 minutes, she found him, or rather, he found her because after the fight he had with Rito, he went looking for her too.
"Oh Lala-chan, it's good that I found you. I need to talk to you something very serious." Saruyama said pretty serious.
"Oh I needed to talk to you too, but you can start first, seems what you want to talk is much more serious."She said.
Saruyama took a deep breath knowing that he was going to say was something important.
"Lala ... I tried ... But I really cannot stand it anymore ... I really like you and I want you to be my girlfriend."He said with a red face of embarrassment.
Lala widens her eyes, surprise with what he said. But he wasn't over.
"But I do not want... Or rather I do not think it's good for you to keep seeing Rito.
"Huh?" She said wondering what he was talking about. "Why?"
"Because he's an evil person, Lala. He's just using you."He said, believing that Rito was just using her to get his revenge. "I've known him longer than you and I can tell he is a crazy, a coward, who doesn't do anything good for the others."
"No! Stop saying that!" Lala shouted angry with what he said. "I know him and I know he is not kind a person."
"Then you will have to choose between he or me."He said.
It doesn't take too long to Lala decide and her answer is:
"Of course I choose ... Him!" She answered.
Saruyama is wide-eyed and he feel his heart being broken in several pieces.
"... Then I see that I lost... But before I disappear from your life I have a question."
End of Flashback.
And after that question, Lala was restless since she left school and also made her think of things that have happened since she arrived on Earth and she never thought that way. And the question which was bothering her was:
'Do I Love, Rito?'
NOTE: And so Lala is stuck with her question. What she is going to decide: Friendship or Love? And what's going to happen to Rito? Find out next on the last chapter of the arc 2 of TLR:AR.
magic135: Thank you... And just between us it took all my control in this chapter in not making Yui jumping in Rito's arm and kiss him. Seriously I think it be a nice scene but I couldn't do for the sake of the plot. Thank you for your support.
CodeDxD: Hey CodeDxD thanks for your support and I hope that you liked this chapter. And I guess you will be very anxious for the next chapter.
Guest: I know that I'm slow... I mean for pete sake we are in the 36 chapter and we didn't have a kiss or major happen... But the answer for this is that I want to explore almost everything they launch on the manga and the anime... I mean I want to do an AU with what would happen if... Can't say spoiler.
Well... I think that's all what I can tell about
Until the next chapter!