Recap

"I'm sorry Rima but he(Mr. Mashiro) hurts you," Nagi said.
"I know. Both of them do. I just wish the fighting would go away," I said.
"I know Rima," he said. The thing we didn't know is that my dad was listening the whole time
-Rima's POV

"There's two options. We can go to therapy, or we can divorce," he said.
-Mr. Mashiro

"Nagihiko, boys don't get so hot that they sweat as much as you are. I want you to go straight to bed. You aren't going to school tomorrow," she said.
-Mrs. Fujisaki

"Baby, we're going to go to therapy, all of us. We want to be a family again like we used to be. Is that okay?" she asked.
-Mrs. Mashiro

"Rima, you go ahead and go to bed. We'll be up in a minute to tuck you in. You're not going to school tomorrow," papa said.
-Mr. Mashiro

Chapter 5 A Mother's Bond

*Nagi's POV*

I wasn't feeling hot anymore and I wasn't really sick but here I was being dragged to the Mashiro house by my mother. She told me that Rima was sick too and that this would give the moms some girl time too. She also mentioned something about me getting Rima sick and that I had to take care of my future wife.

"Nagihiko, we get to skip school today!" Rhythm cheered.

"This is bad Rhythm! They think Rima and Nagi are sick. We need to find out why they keep getting hot and cold. This is no time to relax!" Temari yelled.

"I didn't think about that," Rhythm said. I'm just glad my mom can't hear them. If she found out that I was hot and Rima was cold then she would go on and on about how that our souls are made to balance one another out of something like that. Even worse, she might think its hormones like Rei thought. That would be embarrassing.

"Nagihiko, your face is a little red. Are you okay?" my mother asked.

"Yes, I still feel a little warm," I lied. I didn't have the hot flash like I usually get. I managed to make myself blush since I thought of embarrassing things my mother could do.

"We're here," she said. She knocked on the door since we were here a little early. This would be around the time that I would pick Rima up. Why are we up this early? You can ask my mother.

"Hello Mrs. Fujisaki, hey Nagi," Rei greeted us at the door.

"Hello Rei," Mrs. Fujisaki said. Rei let us in.

"Hey Nagi," Aarin greeted me.

"Hello...um."

"Aarin this is my mother. Mother this is my friend Aarin," I introduced.

"Hello...uh Mrs. Fujisaki," Aarin said not sure how to greet her.

"He's American," I informed my mother. She understoood that his manners were very far from hers.

"Hello Aarin-san," she greeted.

"I'm sorry to leave but the healthy kids have to go to school," Rei said getting Aarin out of the awkward situation.

"Goodbye," Mrs. Fujisaki said.

"We'll tell all the others that you two are sick. Also we'll bring your homework home," Rei said.

"I thought you would be out late," I said.

"Not when Rima is sick. Family comes first," she said. For some reason Rei seemed more cheery this morning. I know she's a morning person but she is acting different.

"Did something happen?" I asked.

"You could say that. I bet Rima will tell you when she gets up," Rei said with a giant grin on her face.

"Rei, Aarin, you two don't want to be late do you?" Rima's mom asked as she came down the stairs. Mrs. Mashiro seemed a bit happier too. This is not the reaction I expected from her. Rei I could understand since she knew about Rima's cold flashes but Rima's mom didn't know.

"We're heading out. Auntie, can we use the bikes we used the other day? We would get there faster," Rei said.

"Sure," Mrs. Mashiro replied. The two pop stars left hoping to not be late for school. They already had one detention this year and they didn't want another one.

"Mrs. Mashiro, is Rima okay?" I asked.

"She's sleeping right now. I'm sure she'll feel better since she slept like a baby all night," she replied.

"Nagihiko was the same," my mother said.

"Until she woke him up so early," Rhythm added.

"Nagihiko, would you like something to eat?" Mrs. Mashiro said.

"Yes please," I answered. Mrs. Mashiro was about to walk into the kitchen but she heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Dear I'm off to work. I'll try to come home as soon as I can for Rima," Mr. Mashiro said. He was in a suit and held a briefcase. Oh no! They were going to fight with my mother here. My mother doesn't take fighting couples well.

"Don't worry about us sweety. We aren't going anywhere," Mrs. Mashiro said and gave her husband a peck on the cheek. Are they getting along? I've never seen Rima's parents show any sign of affection for the year I've known them. To be honest it looked weird.

"Hello ma'am. I believe we've never met. I'm Mr. Mashiro, Rima's father," he introduced himself to my mother. It was a better introduction and greeting than Aarin's.

"Hello, I am Mrs. Fujisaki, Nagihiko's mother," my mother bowed as she introduced herself.

"Nagihiko is such a gentleman," Mr. Mashiro said. I would be lying if I said I wasn't shocked. Mr. Mashiro didn't like me and I didn't like him. He suddenly had a change of heart?

"Thank you, I have raised him the best I could," mother said.

"I'm sorry to cut our conversation short but I need to get to work," he said.

"Go right ahead," Mrs. Fujisaki said. Mr. Mashiro left pretty quickly. Mrs. Mashiro went into the kitchen to make me food like she offered.

"Nagihiko, I know we are guests here but you are sick. You don't have to be a gentleman all the time," mother said.

"I know mother but I'm over here often. I always feel like I have to be on my best behavior," I admitted.

"No need." Mrs. Mashiro overheard me as she walked back into the living room. I was a little surprised she heard me.

"Nagihiko, you're practically family. You are always welcome here," Mrs. Mashiro said.

"Thank you," I said.

"Rima is welcomed at our house as well," my mother said.

"But let's wait for grandkids, right Mrs. Fujisaki," Mrs. Mashiro teased.

"Agreed," my mother said while laughing. Both women were laughing while my face was heating up. It wasn't a hot flash either.

"I'm sorry Nagihiko, I embarrassed you," Mrs. Mashiro said as she stopped laughing.

"Mama." It was the smallest and softest voice.

"Rima, you're up," Mrs. Mashiro said.

"Uh-huh," Rima said as she nodded. She wore an oversized sweater that probably belonged to Rei. It was purple and the sleeves went past her hands. She wore black sweatpants and her hair was a mess. She was rubbing her eyes to wake herself up a little bit.

"Morning Rima," I said.

"Morning," she yawned. She then stretched.

"Feel better?" her mother asked.

"A little," she said.

"Why don't you and Nagihiko sit on the couch, watch TV, and relax. Mrs. Fujisaki, would you like to help me prepare them some breakfast?" Mrs. Mashiro said.

"I would love to." The moms went into the kitchen leaving me and Rima alone.

"How long can we keep this up? They are going to start noticing something is wrong," Rima said as she sat on the couch next to me.

"I don't know. My mother almost took me to the doctor this morning but I convinced her that I probably had a cold or the flu and there was no need to see a doctor for something so little," I said. Rima snuggled up to me and turned on the TV.

"We need to find out why this keeps happening," Kusukusu said.

"We also need to find out why it's happening at random times," Temari said.

"The first one was early in the morning and lasted the whole day. The last one was at dinner time and it only lasted for a little bit," Rhythm said.

"There isn't a pattern," I said.

"We need to discuss this with all of our friends. I haven't had a chance to tell Rei that the cold keeps popping up since she's been busy. She only knows about the first time. I don't think anyone else knows," Rima said.

"On the bright side, you and I get to spend the day together," I said. Rima smiled and snuggled up to me a little more.

"You're warm," she said.

"Are you cold again Rima?" I asked.

"No." She looked up at me and smiled. I put an arm around her. We moved a bit and got comfortable. I was laying out on the couch and Rima was next to me. She was snuggling up to me. Her head on my chest.

"Nagi, I'm sleepy," she said.

"Then sleep," I said.

"You just want to be a pervert and watch me sleep like that night you kissed me in my sleep," I teased. Instantly his cheeks heated up.

"It wasn't me it was-"

"I was kidding Nagi," I said then giggled. He seemed a little embarrassed.

"Why don't you sleep too? You have to be tired since you came over really early," she said.

"You can blame my mother. I don't know why she couldn't let me sleep in," I said. She smiled at me.

*Third Person POV*

"It seems they were still tired," Mrs. Mashiro said as she and Mrs. Fujisaki walked into the living room. Both of the teenagers were asleep.

"I did wake him up pretty early," Mrs Fujisaki said.

"It's alright, I needed to talk to you anyway," Mrs. Mashiro said.

"Really?"

"Yes, can we talk in the kitchen?"

"Of course." Both women walked into the kitchen. Mrs. Fujisaki sat on a stool while Mrs. Mashiro leaned against the counter.

"The truth is that my marriage hasn't been very strong for a while," Mrs. Mashiro began. The other woman was a little confused. She saw how the Mashiros acted this morning. Mrs. Fujisaki assumed that was how it was every day.

"My husband and I...we've been fighting for about two years. It was a little fight here and there about things to do with Rima. Then it became something we did every day. It would be over the stupidest things. We never thought about how it would affect Rima." Tears began to form in Mrs. Mashiro's eyes as she tried to explain everything. Mrs. Fujisaki stood up and out a hand on the other woman's shoulder.

"Go on." Mrs. Mashiro seemed surprised. She didn't expect the encouragement to continue. She planned on telling Mrs. Fujisaki but she didn't think that the woman would listen or comfort her.

"My husband...he overheard Rima and Nagihiko talking. Your boy said he didn't like my husband and me because we caused Rima harm." Mrs. Fujisaki guided Mrs. Mashiro to the stool and grabbed a tissue box. Mrs. Mashiro was having a hard time keeping her cool.

"Thank you," she said then blew her nose. Mrs. Fujisaki grabbed another stool, sat down, and prepared herself for the ending of this story. It couldn't end well is what she thought.

"All Rima said was...was that she wished the fighting stop. My husband told me. Of course we had another fight but after he told me Rima's feelings, we stopped. We knew there were only two things we could do, try to rebuild our fragile family or divorce." Mrs. Fujisaki was a little afraid to know the answer.

"We decided that we can't do this alone. We had to get help so we're going to see a therapist. Our first session is this weekend. She wants to have a talk with us as a family and then she wants to talk to Rima alone." Mrs. Fujisaki was relieved that they chose the hard way instead of the easy way.

"My husband and I are trying our best to make Rima happy. The only time I've ever seen her smile since the accident was when she was with Nagihiko."

"What accident?" Mrs. Fujisaki said. Mrs. Mashiro tensed and her face was pale. She never talked about the kidnapping except when she was yelling at her husband.

"I don't mean to push," Mrs. Fujisaki said.

"No, you need to know. About two years ago Rima...Rima was kidnapped. Of course the police found her before they could hurt her but I always wonder 'what if'. What if I had picked her up from school that day? What if my husband and I weren't too busy with work?" Mrs. Mashiro finally cracked and began to cry. Mrs. Fujisaki couldn't believe something so terrible would happen to someone as young as Rima.

"Don't cry," Mrs. Fujisaki said as she held the crying woman.

"Can I ask you to do something for me?"

"What is it?" Mrs. Fujisaki asked with curiosity.

"If the therapy doesn't work then it's likely that my husband and I will divorce. It will devistate Rima after getting her hopes up. I'm going to really try to get the family back together but if it turns bad then I'd like for you to take care of Rima while we work out everything," Mrs. Mashiro said.

"Rima is always welcomed at the house," Mrs. Fujisaki said. Mrs. Mashiro smiled at her.

"Thank you. I know that Rei could go home but Rima, she would have no where to go except my brother-in-law's, Rei's father. I don't want Rima to move away and I don't want the family to know. Rei already knows since she's lives here with us but I want us to heal and forget about it," Mrs. Mashiro said.

"If things turn to the worst then I will take care of Rima. I treat her like a daughter since I've never had one...at home," Mrs. Fujisaki corrected herself.

"How is Nadeshiko? I haven't seen her since she helped Rima take care of Rei." Mrs. Fujisaki would have a talk with her son about using his female character to go under the parental radar.

"She's perfectly fine. She misses everyone here but she has a future in dancing. I've taught her traditional dance but if she really wants to master dance then she needs to learn all types," Mrs. Fujisaki said. There was a time she was angry with her son when he came home and asked to be a boy.

That all changed when Rima came around. She saw the way Rima didn't fall for Nagihiko's charm. Every friend that was a girl who Mrs. Fujisaki knew about was fooled by her son's outer character. Rima saw right through it. Ever since the two have dated, Nagihiko has become more passionate when he dances.

"Rima really has changed things for the better," Mrs. Fujisaki thought out loud.

"Has she?"

"Yes, my son was going through a phase. He wanted to rebel a bit from the family tradition. I have to admit we had a rough streak but when Rima came around he seemed more determined about the tradition," Mrs. Fujisaki admitted. She wasn't going to tell the woman the secret tradition but she felt guilty. Mrs. Mashiro came clean to her but she couldn't herself.

"We better brighten up. The kids will be up soon," Mrs. Mashiro said.

"I agree."

*Rima's POV*

"Rima."

"Nagihiko."

"Rima."

"What?" I asked half awake.

"You have to eat something." I opened my eyes to see my mom. Nagi's mom was next to her. Both held a tray with what looked like soup. They were both smiling. Why were they smiling? I'm going to be late for school. How did I get into the living room? I felt my head rise. I looked to see Nagi. He was looking down at me.

"Better get up," he said. It all came back to me. Our moms thought we were sick.

"Right," I said as I sat up. Our moms set the tray in our laps.

"We let you sleep for a few hours but you two need to eat something," Mrs. Fujisaki said. Nagi and I began to eat. The moms smiled at each other than left.

"Do you think something happened while we were asleep?" I asked.

"I don't know but it seems like they are friends. I wouldn't question it," Nagi said.

"Nagi, I have some good news," I said.

"Really? What is it?" he asked.

"Mama and papa said we were going to therapy. We're going to be a family again," I said. He smiled at me.

"That's great Rima," Nagi said with a huge grin on his face.

"I'm really excited. To be honest I snuggled up to Hikari all night. I couldn't wait to tell you," I said.

"Hikari?"

"The monkey you won me," I explained.

"Oh I remember that. That was before we were dating," he said.

"I'm really happy," I said with a big smile.

"I saw your father this morning and he wasn't staring me down like he usually does. Also your mom pecked your dad on the cheek. I was very confused this morning," Nagi said.

"I know that they are really trying," I said.

*Third Person POV*

"I don't think you'll have to worry about Rima. She seems on board with everything," Mrs. Fujisaki said. The two moms were listening to everything.

"I always worry about Rima. After all the scarring we must have caused her. She deserves this. I guess it's the mother inside of me that just wants to make all the bad things go away," Mrs. Mashiro said.

Kusukusu: Rima's mama just wants what's best for Rima

Temari: She seems like a caring mother

Rhythm: Enough of the sappy talk

Temari: If you're going to complain then at least do the question

Rhythm: Fine I will. Question # 6 How will Rima and Nagi stop these hot/cold flashes?

Kusukusu: Review pretty please.