Disclaimer & AN: Yes, I know it's been forever! And I'm so sorry! (I bet this sounds really repetitive) I've been so busy with school, my mock exams and everything, and I haven't had anytime to write. I have however planned the rest of this story to the end since I don't want to drag it on any longer than it already is! There's going to be 50 chapters in total, so we still have a few more to go.
In the meanwhile, please continue supporting this! Thank you so much!
Please R&R!
Shinjuku Park, 12:24 PM
"You're so slow..." Rika complained as she suddenly felt her swing move.
"Sorry!" Ryo made a face, pushing her lightly. "So...?"
"So?"
"You skipped school, young lady." He joked, pretending to put on a stern face.
"No, technically I was excused."
"Did you meet with your dad?"
"Mm-hm." She nodded, swinging her legs to propel herself forward as well.
"How did that go?"
"I'm not sure..." There was something in her voice that made him stop pushing her instinctively. The swing drifted back and forth until it came to a stop...
"What do you mean?"
"...I...well...I don't hate him anymore..."
"That's good..." Ryo murmured, knowing there was something else. "And...?"
"I think...I...I'm going to go stay with him for a while..." She said, afraid to look at him.
Originally she hadn't meant to, she was going to refuse, but...after all these years...after he left, for years she would dream of his return, how he would apologize and explain to her that he got held up at work unintentionally, that he never forgot about her or mom for a second, she would dream of how they would be reunited again, returning to being the happy family they once were...
It never happened...and she forced herself to wake up from those fantasies, to wipe away those tears. It was better than being in constant disappointment...so she chose to forget. To stop hoping...but that dream remained inside of her, embittering her...she remembered she use to look at other families in anger, resenting them...because they had something she didn't have...
Andrew changed things, he made her life happier, brighter...and he taught her that you didn't need a whole family to be content. His parents' situation weren't better, perhaps even worse, and he was constantly stuck in the middle of feuds and fights. For a while she was grateful they had each other...until he had to leave...and when he did, it only reminded her of when her dad left.
And then with Henry, Alice and Jeri...she found they accepted her for who she was, even with the cruel insults and sarcasm. With her friends, she felt that...for a bit she had been acting quite immature with her previous attitude. She let the grudge she held for so long fade away, but she took a new approach, she became wary and defensive towards new people who tried to enter her life. Like Ryo.
There was nothing else she needed to say about Ryo...he changed her too.
Just a bit.
"...For how long?" He asked, his voice soft and calm. She forced herself to look into his eyes, he was staring at her intently, she looked back at him...there was a moment of silence. They had no need for words, everything was exchanged by the emotion in their eyes.
"...Long enough to build a new life with him..." She said quietly. He swallowed, hard.
"Okay...how long is that?"
"I don't know..." She looked away, fighting the tears. "I...I called you here so I could tell you myself...you were right, this is the only chance I'll have...to create a new relationship between us..."
"So...you're really going." He said, half wanting to laugh...hell he didn't know how to deal this at all, he wished someone would come out and yell 'Happy April Fool's!" right now.
"I made...my decision." She said, clearing her throat to fight her voice from breaking. "I... maybe it's all pointless. Maybe I won't be able to stand him, and I'll come back disappointed..."
"...Will you come back?" She winced internally, hearing the hurt in his voice as he asked that question. That only made things worse for her...she had no way of...
"I...I don't know...I can't promise you anything, Ryo. It might be...3 months...the remainder of this year...we're headed off to University soon...maybe I'll stay there for that..."
"I...see."
"Ryo...I'm sorry! I'm so selfish! I know I said we had forever..." She said, wiping away the tears angrily but they didn't help. It was always like this...every time...except this time, it was her...she had no one to blame but herself. She was the one breaking the promises, leaving him. He didn't deserve this, she really didn't deserve him...
"Don't apologize!" He said, his back facing her. "I was the one that told you..."
"Please...don't...be mad at me." She said, now openly crying. He turned back towards her in surprise, he never expected to see Rika Nonaka, the toughest girl he's ever known, to be there in front of him, openly crying.
"I'll never be mad at you!" He said, fighting the tears threatening to fall. How stupid. Why was he crying? "Rika...look, I told you I'd let you go if that's what you wanted me to do..."
"No..." She shook her head furiously at the thought. "I'm not asking you to let me go...but I'm not going to ask you to wait for me though, Ryo." She said, getting up, forcing a smile on her face. "I won't ask you to...that's not fair, and you...you deserve someone better."
"You-I-what?"
"That's all I have to say." With that, she ran off, because she needed to cry this off alone, because she had no idea what she had just said or why she had said it. This was her decision, her choice...and she didn't want to see him in pain, or let him see how much she was suffering herself.
Before Math Class, 1:27 PM
"Ryo's not back yet..."
"Neither is Rika..."
Alice opened her mouth but was cut off by her cellphone vibrating...
"Hello?"
"Did you apply to withdraw from your school?"
"Grandfather..." Alice said quietly, turning away. "I...I'm in class!"
"That's okay, you're withdrawing anyway. Your emigration documents are ready, you should start packing soon."
"Grandfather...I've told you again...I don't want to change my life. This is my place here..."
"Your place is with your family." His grandfather said, "And your dad has already given his legal consent."
"You forced him to!" She hissed, "He would never have otherwise."
"Please remember to hand in the application, I've already informed your principal personally. We're leaving in a week..."
"You-what!?"
"I'll see you tonight for dinner."
Oh, hell no you won't. Alice thought as she hung up the phone angrily.
"Who was that?" Henry asked.
"No one important." Alice said, smiling. "Henry?"
"Hm?" He asked, tapping his pencil on his notebook.
"Are you parents home tonight?"
"Eh? Well my siblings are away at University, you know that....Suzie is...at a friend's house making chocolate's for tomorrow...my dad is away for a conference. Mom...is visiting grandma."
"Can I spend the night then?"
"Huh?" He dropped the pencil, "What?"
""Oh, come on, get your mind out of the gutter." Alice said, rolling her eyes. He laughed embarrassed, turning a dark shade of red.
"Sorry. It just sounded..."
"My bad...It's just I don't want to go home...so..."
"Yea, whatever is fine with you." He said. "What's wrong?"
"No. I just feel...we haven't gone out for a long time." Alice shrugged. "We need to make the most of time..."
"Alright..."
"So your today belongs to me." She demanded.
"If that's what you want. What about tomorrow? And the day after?"
"...I won't be able to have that..." She said quietly. He looked at her, as if realizing
"Alice-"
Luckily the teacher chose the right time to walk in.
"Everyone, settle down, take out your books and turn to-"
Nonaka Residence, 2:54 PM
"Mom..."
"Rika? How was it?" Rumiko asked, smiling tentatively at her daughter.
"It was..." Rika said, turning away to take off her shoes. As if revealing her decision to Ryo wasn't hard enough...how was she going to do this? She had been so ashamed, and for a moment, she almost regretted her decision...she knew it was going to be hard for her to leave this place, but she forgot how hard it was going to be for those around her, who also loved her.
"What's wrong, honey?"
"I...I accepted dad's offer and I decided to go live with him..."
"...And...you've decided?"
"Yes..." Rika wondered what her mom's reaction was going to be...she braced herself for opposition and tears.
"If you decided that...I'll support you, honey. I haven't lost you, have I? You'll still be my daughter? My baby girl?" Rumiko asked, nodding yet crying at the same time.
"No, you never will, mom." Rika said, crying as well, hugging her mom. Seiko came in and knew instinctively what the answer had been.
"Oh, honey." She said as she wrapped her arms around the two people she loved most. "It's going to be alright."
"No one's died, grandma." Rika said, half-laughing, half-crying.
"We're all going to be fine."
After School, 4:01 PM
"Alice-"
"Let's go!" Alice pulled his arm, she knew what he was determined to say. "I don't want to talk about stuff like this, okay? Please?"
"Alright, fine then...what do you want to do?"
"Anything, everything."
"It's your day today." Henry said, smiling somewhat as he followed after her. He knew that she had no hope of being able to stay here anymore, and that she was trying to make the most of her remaining time, but he wasn't going to let that happen. Somehow, he'll find a way to stop his grandfather...
She had said her grandfather had something against his father...Henry frowned. The Rob McCoy he knew would never give in so easily, not if it meant losing his only daughter.
Henry's own father had once mentioned how much Rob cared for Alice, doing everything he could to raise her properly, after her mother had died.
So what was it that made Rob back off all of a sudden?
[New Message] To: Dad
Hey dad,
Can you do me a favor? Can you search up anything related to Rob McCoy ten years ago?
I'll explain everything to you later.
Thanks.
---
It was Takato and Jeri who found Ryo alone at the park, his hands bruised, his knuckles bloodied and looking forlorn.
"Ryo? Takato, is that Ryo over there?" Jeri asked, frowning at the lonesome figure on the bench.
"Hey! Ryo! What's up?"
"Ryo? You look awful."
Ryo shook his head, refusing to look at them in the eyes. The couple exchanged worried looks. Something was wrong.
"What are you doing here?" Takato asked.
"Nothing." Ryo said, his voice hoarse.
"Did you get into trouble?" Jeri asked, looking at his hands. "What happened to your hands? Did you get into a fight?"
"No, it's nothing."
"You shouldn't do that to yourself. You'll make Rika upset."
"She'll be pissed off!"
"Mm..."
"Okay man, this is weird, even for you." Takato said frowning, "You haven't been like this since that party incident with Rika way back then."
"Not everything I feel is about or related her!" Ryo snapped, his tone bitter and suddenly cold. "Just go away!"
"So you're saying it's not about her?" Takato asked, a doubtful look on his face. "Because you see Ryo, you're generally a very easy-going, friendly and optimist guy. So for you, to be hurt, sitting here by yourself at this time and being emotional, clearly it's about her."
"Ryo, we're worried about you. You left at lunch and never came back. We haven't heard anything from Rika either. So please tell us what's wrong?"
"Rika's leaving."
"Leaving!?"
"She's leaving?" Takato asked. "As in leaving what?"
"That's a joke right?" Jeri said, her smile faltering.
"..."
"It's not?"
"She's leaving me, she's leaving all of us, and there's nothing I can f--king do about it, okay!?" Ryo exclaimed, clearly distressed.
"Leaving? Why is she leaving?" Jeri asked frantic, looking around as if hoping to see Rika so she could demand for a clear explanation. Takato laid a hand on her shoulders gently, reassuring her with his soft smile, telling her not to worry because things will turn out all right and that even if it doesn't, he'd always be there for her no matter what. Jeri smiled back at him.
"Ask her yourselves." Ryo said, shaking his head before walking off, feeling sick to his stomach. He felt resentful at them for being always so blissfully happy together while his relationship...
The throbbing pain in his hand was just a distraction for what his heart felt. This feeling of numbness from the overwhelming pain was almost relieving because he didn't want to feel anymore.
He didn't want to feel again because of her.
Takato was right. It's always because of her.
Always.
---
"Alice? Alice?"
"I'm here, Jeri. Relax, what's wrong? You sound uptight."
"Do you know anything about Rika leaving?"
"Leaving?" Alice frowned, glancing at Henry who overheard. An alarmed and confused look appeared on his face. "Wait. You're saying Rika's leaving?"
"That's what Ryo said! I don't know!"
"He did? No way."
"I don't know, you don't think she'd actually...right?"
"It's unlikely for her to lie to Ryo." Alice said, this all didn't make sense, and most importantly, if she was leaving, why would she go?
"Wait, what else did Ryo say?"
"Nothing much...he doesn't seem to be doing well..."
"I think it must be really true." Alice grimaced at this, if he didn't want to talk about it then...
"I don't know, I haven't seen or heard him like this since...well...you know..."
"I can imagine...I'll ask Rika." Alice said. "She has to tell us." Henry nodded beside her, grim and serious-looking.
"Tell me when you find out please."
"Will do, Jeri." Alice comforted, "Don't worry." She said before closing her phone. Henry stood beside her, puzzled and deep in-thought. She sighed, looking at him. "How can I tell her not to worry when I'm worried myself?"
"It's okay. If it's true, we're going to find out sooner or later, right? So we'll know. She can't hide this from us. I just don't understand. Why would she leave? To where?"
"Rika's not the type to make irrational decisions, we all know that."
"Even with her temper." Henry said, a brief smile came across his face before it disappeared again, "Unless...you think..."
"Unless what?"
"Do you think her dad might have something to do with this?"
"Her dad?"
"I mean, we know he's in town and trying to contact her...maybe..."
"Really? But surely she'd refuse...I mean...."
"It's a possibility..."
"But this doesn't make sense. Why on earth would she even forgive him in the first place?" Alice scowled, crossing her arms.
"Maybe we should just call her." Henry said, taking out his phone, ready to press the number. "We're not getting anywhere just by deliberating."
"No. Wait." Alice said, stopping him. "I have a better idea."
---
[New Message] from Alice:
Emergency meeting S. Park. Come ASAP.
"Did something come up, honey?" Rumiko asked as watched her daughter glance down at her phone. A frown coming across her face.
"Alice is calling for an emergency meeting. I bet it's a ploy."
"You should go, even if it is. Your friends will miss you too."
"I haven't told them yet." Rika said shaking her head.
"Aw honey," Rumiko said, shaking her head lightly as she looked at her daughter with a comforting look. "I know it's hard, but you owe them an explanation. They need to know."
"I know." Rika said, turning away, refusing to face her mom. She didn't need to be told that.
"They'll understand." Rumiko said, Rika didn't miss the hopeful tone despite the positive reassurance.
"Yea..."
