I couldn't help but be completely dumbfounded by Rima's sudden change in attitude. Not five minutes ago, she'd been so quiet and reserved. But now she was completely different—her eyes sparkled with excitement and her lips curved up into a smile as she glanced around the amusement park I'd brought her to.
"Where to first?" I asked, unable to hold back my own smile at the thought that she was so happy. The way her eyes gleamed, she reminded me of an energetic child. Rima opened her mouth to reply, but the low growling of her stomach cut her off before she could speak a word. She let out an exaggerated sigh, and I chuckled.
"Alright, good idea," I said, agreeing with her stomach. "Lunch sounds good."
Rima shook her head quickly, her golden curls bouncing around. "I'm not that hungry," she insisted stubbornly, and I figured that she was just anxious to decide what we should ride first. "Besides," she said quickly, "you shouldn't eat a lot before you get on the rides." I couldn't argue with that, so I glanced around the park and noticed a taiyaki stand.
"Will you at least eat a taiyaki?" I asked, hoping that she would be reasonable. "You didn't have breakfast, and it's past lunchtime." To my relief, she nodded her head after a brief hesitation, and followed me over to the stand.
I paid for the taiyaki, ignoring Rima's annoyed insistence that she could buy her own, and handed one to her. She let out a defeated sigh and thanked me, sitting down on a bench. I sat beside her, and not five minutes later, I was shocked to discover that she had already finished eating. "Are you still hungry?" I asked, trying to keep myself from gaping at her in astonishment—I'd never seen someone eat that fast, especially not Rima, being as little as she was. She shook her head, and I finished my taiyaki quickly, trying not to make her wait too long.
She jumped up from the bench and I laughed at her expression—she really did look like an excited child on Christmas morning. "What do you want to go on first?" I inquired, and she adopted a thoughtful expression.
"I don't know," she admitted, and I couldn't help but laugh at her indecisiveness.
"We've got all day," I reminded her. "So why don't we just ride the first thing we come across?" Rima nodded, and walked by my side through the amusement park while we looked for something to ride.
I kept glancing down at Rima, who was wearing a huge smile—I'd never seen her smile like that and mean it, and it made me feel good to know that for now, at least, she was happy. She could smile all she wanted and forget about her troubles for a while. After everything she'd been through, she deserved to be able to let everything go and enjoy herself.
"Earth to Nagihiko!" Rima's voice broke into my thoughts, and I jumped, startled.
"Yes, Rima-chan?" I replied, trying to act as if I hadn't been spacing out for the past five minutes. Somehow, I didn't think it worked.
"Oh, good, you're awake," she observed, lifting an eyebrow. "Now for the third time, can we ride the teacups?" For an instant, I wondered why she would want to get on the teacups, of all things. But I decided that it didn't matter—I had brought her here to enjoy herself, so I fully intended to let her ride whatever she wanted.
"Of course," I responded, smiling down at her. She smiled back—something that, up until now, I though could never have happened. Rima scampered over to the line, which wasn't long at all, and I followed, standing next to her. It wasn't long before the teacups stopped spinning and several people exited though the gate on the other side of the ride. There were about five people in front of us, and all of them boarded the ride; Rima and I were the last ones to get on, and we got into the first empty teacup we located—coincidentally, it was purple and yellow.
Rima looked at me, and I smiled at her; suddenly, the smile was gone from her face, replaced by a discontented frown. "You're alright with this?" she questioned, and I tilted my head in confusion. "This isn't too childish for you?" she elaborated, and I shook my head.
"Whatever you want to ride is alright with me," I assured her, and she gave a tiny nod, still not looking entirely convinced. The teacups began to move, spinning slowly at first, but picking up speed. Rima seemed to be enjoying the ride, and I was content just watching her laugh. I wondered how long it had been since she'd really been able to let go and laugh like this. Before I knew it, I was laughing with her.
After several moments, the motion of the teacups began to slow, and eventually they stopped altogether. Standing, the two of us exited the ride, Rima still smiling and giggling. "Did you have fun?" I asked, and she nodded.
"But this time," she said, her tone switching to an abrupt seriousness, "it's your turn to pick the ride."
I blinked. "We're taking turns?" I inquired, and she nodded.
"I would feel selfish if I chose every ride we went on," she pointed out. "So you're going to pick some, too." The way she said it, I didn't have much room to argue. However, I figured that if she was going to force me to pick a ride, I might as well have a little fun with it.
"Alright," I said, hiding the grin that was threatening to appear. "Come on, then." I lead her in the opposite direction of the teacups, and she followed closely, looking around every few seconds at the unfamiliar grounds of the amusement park.
Finally reaching my destination, I stopped in front of the ride and looked down at Rima, wondering what her reaction would be. As I expected, it wasn't favorable. The little blonde's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the ride I'd chosen, and she let out a little squeak. "You've got to be kidding me!"
"You told me to pick," I reminded her, and she shook her head furiously, her curls ricocheting off her face.
"I didn't think you'd go crazy!" she shrieked, staring at me in shock. "Are you completely nuts?"
In my opinion, she was being overly dramatic. "Roller coasters aren't that bad, Rima," I pointed out, but she remained stubborn.
"No. I won't go. I refuse," she stated, and I sighed, rolling my eyes.
"You really won't go?" I asked, and she shook her head again, staying firmly rooted to the spot at which she stood. "You're really gonna make me go by myself?"
This time, she was silent; Rima didn't even shake her head—I wondered if her resolve was beginning to waver. "I don't want to..." she muttered. I could tell that she was starting to crack.
Taking advantage of the unsure note in her voice, I let out a little sigh. "You don't have to," I said in a slightly disheartened tone. "I guess I'll go alone. I just thought it would be more fun to go together." I turned away and started toward the end of the line, which was a bit longer than the one at the teacups.
Rima stayed where she was, though I noticed her casting hesitant glances over her shoulder every now and then. After a moment or two, she scampered over to me at the end of the line. "Yes, Rima-chan?" I asked innocently, and she huffed, muttering something incoherent. I arched an eyebrow in confusion. "You'll have to speak up."
"You owe me for this..." she said a little louder, and I laughed.
"I said that you didn't have to," I reminded her. "I don't mind going alone, though it would be nice to have you along," I added, somewhat contradicting my previous statement.
Rima still looked hesitant as she murmured, "I'll go with you." I could tell that she was scared half to death, though she was trying to hide it.
I suddenly felt bad for trying to guilt her into going on the ride. "Rima-chan," I said quietly. "You really don't have to go. If you're scared, it's alright. We can go ride something else."
She shook her head. "You want to ride this, right?"
"That doesn't matter."
"Look, Nagihiko," Rima huffed. "I'm riding the stupid roller coaster, alright? If nothing else, just to be able to say that I've ridden one." I blinked, shocked at her sudden change in attitude—Rima was a bit moody today.
"Alright," I replied, not really knowing what else to say. The line had moved up a bit during our little exchange; after the ride currently taking place, it would be our turn. I only hoped that Rima would be able to get past the "you must be this tall to ride" sign.
The roller coaster came to a stop, and the passengers exited the ride, some giggling, others looking a little sick. Rima was, in fact, tall enough to ride, exceeding the height standard by about half an inch. We sat down in the third car from the front and pulled the safety bar securely down; Rima looked terrified.
Hoping to comfort her, I touched he shoulder lightly. "It won't be that bad," I said soothingly, though my words did little to reassure the small girl next to me. Once every car was full, the train began its ascent up the first steep incline. Rima tensed next to me, and when I looked over at her, I noticed that her eyes were shut tightly. The murmurs of the other passengers could be heard over the steady sound of the train moving over the track.
As we neared the top of the hill, Rima let out a small whimper of fear and opened her eyes. "Why did I let you talk me into this?" she asked, and I rolled my eyes.
"I didn't. You're the one that said you wanted to come on the ride. I never said you had to." We were nearly at the top. "Just try to relax and have fun."
"Yeah, right," she scoffed. "Coming from the boy who made me jump out a two-story window."
"That's the spirit," I laughed, and Rima glared at me. Suddenly the train dipped over the incline, and Rima let out a loud, high-pitched shriek. I was, to put it bluntly, fearless when it came to this kind of thing. I enjoyed the thrill, the wind whipping against my face and blowing my hair back behind me.
Rima, however, did not. After a few seconds, she grabbed hold of my arm and buried her face in my shoulder, causing me to laugh. I enjoyed the rest of the ride, while Rima clung to my sleeve, praying for the whole, horrifying experience to be over. After a moment or two, the train slowed to a stop at the entrance, and the safety bar was unlocked.
"Rima-chan," I said to the blonde, who still had her face pressed firmly against my shoulder. "It's over. See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
"It was horrible..." came the muffled reply.
I laughed. "Glad you enjoyed it," I said. "Now may I please have my arm back?"
Rima, seeming to realize who it was that she was clinging to, let go of me and scooted away, blushing furiously. "Shut up." I smiled and helped her to her feet, stepping out of the car and leading her to the exit. "I'm picking the next ride, and we're never going on that thing again," she said firmly, and I nodded.
As I followed Rima away from the roller coaster, I noticed that she seemed to be looking for something in particular. She kept glancing around, shaking her head, and then leading me off in a different direction. Finally, she stopped in front of a ride that was even more unexpected than the teacups. She looked away from me, looking highly embarrassed as I studied her and asked, "The Merry-go-Round?"
Rima blushed, staring down at her feet. "It's something I've liked since I was little," she admitted sheepishly. "I used to ride it every time my parents brought me to an amusement park. But that hasn't happened in a long time..."
If taking Rima on the Merry-go-Round reminded her of the happier times in her life, then there was no way that I was going to stop her. "That's fine," I assured her, and she looked away.
"You're not embarrassed?" she asked. "It's a kiddy-ride."
I laughed at her logic. "Not at all," I replied. "If you want to ride it, then I'll come with you. After all, you rode the roller coaster with me." I smiled at her, and she smiled back.
There wasn't much of a line at all, save for a couple of parents waiting to take their small children on the ride. I held back a laugh at the thought that to any random passer-by, I would just look like someone taking his little sister on the ride—Rima could pass for an average seven-year-old.
When the ride stopped and the current passengers got off, Rima and I stepped up onto the platform. Staring at all the oddly-colored horses brought back memories of being a small child myself. Rima scrambled up onto one of the horses and stared at me, her eyes level with mine for once. I hadn't planned on getting on one of the horses myself, but the look she was giving me made me feel like if I didn't, I might hurt her feelings. So I jumped up onto the one next to hers, earning a smile from the little blonde.
The playful music began, and the ride moved slowly in circles while the fake horses bobbed up and down—I could see why children loved this ride so much. I watched Rima throughout the duration of the ride; she looked content, but as I watched, tears began to well in her amber eyes. By the time the ride was over, the tears had begun to spill down her cheeks.
I helped her down and led her away from the Merry-go-Round, sitting down with her on a bench and resting my hand on her shoulder. "Rima-chan, why are you crying?" I asked, and she shook her head, knuckling her eyes.
"I just wish I could come to places like this with my family like I used to," she sniffled. The tears she managed to rub away were replaced with fresh ones as she continued, "I used to be happy—everything used to be fun. Going on that ride reminded me of that. And even though I can't enjoy this kind of thing with my family anymore, I'm glad that I came today. I'm glad you brought me here. Thank you."
I smiled and hugged her gently. "Anytime," I whispered, and she succeeded in getting the tears to stop. It was getting a bit late, and I knew that I had to take her home soon. "We have time for one more ride," I suggested, and she nodded.
"It's your turn to choose," Rima pointed out, and I shook my head.
"Take your pick," I insisted, and she thought for a minute before pointing to the Ferris wheel. I smiled and nodded, and we both headed toward the center of the park.
Rima seemed to be lost in thought, but she looked up at me when we reached the Ferris wheel in the very middle of the amusement park. There was no line, so we sat down and waited for the ride to start up. After a moment or so we began a slow ascent, and I looked around, gazing out over the park.
Near the very top, Rima spoke up, though her voice was quiet. "Amazing, isn't it?" she whispered, and I nodded in agreement.
"You can see over the entire park," I breathed, and Rima looked down at the ground.
"All those people, just going about their own business," she said quietly, and I tilted my head to the side. "They all have somewhere to go, or something to do. That's the obvious thing. But how many of them have some kind of problem? How many of those people have something to worry about? How many of them are wearing a mask to hide their troubles, like I did? It's impossible to tell. It's impossible to know, just by looking at a person, what burdens lay in their heart, or what hardships they've faced. No one can tell, so no one can help them."
I was a bit caught off guard by what she said, and I could only sit there and listen as she continued.
"And even if someone does find out, there's a chance that they won't bother to help. My situation is similar—no one knew. Even my closest friend had no idea. Not even Amu could tell. I didn't want her to know. But you could tell, despite my efforts to keep it a secret."
From the start, I'd known that something was bothering Rima. I had wanted to ask her about it—I had wanted to help. But I could never find an opportunity. The truth was that if I hadn't come across her crying all alone in the girls' bathroom after school, we wouldn't be here right now.
"How did you know?" Rima asked, turning to me. "And why did you decide to help me? It wasn't your concern, but you made it your own problem."
I wasn't sure how to answer, so I remained silent for a moment. "To be honest," I began slowly, "I'm not entirely sure how I knew. You kept Amu in the dark because you didn't want to trouble her, am I right?" Rima gave a little nod, so I continued. "Maybe," I suggested, "I could see through your façade because I didn't consider it a burden—I wanted to help you in any way that I could. I was worried about you."
Rima was quiet for a while, gazing out over the park from the highest point on the Ferris wheel. "But wasn't it a pain?" she asked quietly. "Worrying about me like that must have been bothersome. What's the point of worrying about other people? If everyone handled their problems on their own, without burdening others with their troubles, the world would be less chaotic."
"You're wrong," I stated bluntly, causing Rima to look up at me in surprise. "We worry about others because we care about them—it's human nature. If every single person tried to take care of their problems by their self, how many of them wouldn't be able to handle it? Being able to share our feelings with others, whether sorrowful or joyous, is what makes us happy. If everyone kept to themselves, the world would be an awfully lonely place."
Rima stared at me, and a small smile played on her lips. "You're right," she agreed quietly. "I don't know if I could've handled my own pain for much longer. Having someone there to talk to makes it easier. Knowing that I could let everything go instead of holding it in when I'm around someone. Knowing that they won't mind if..." Rima's voice cracked a little, and I saw that there were tears in her eyes. "If I start to cry..."
I smiled and rested my hand on her shoulder. "That's right," I whispered, petting her hair as if I was comforting a small child. "I'm here. I promise that as long as you need me, as long as you need someone to talk to, I'll be here for you."
I had to admit that some may find it inconvenient to comfort another person the way I was right now. But this was a burden that I had willingly taken on. And a second or two later, when Rima smiled up at me through her tears, I knew that, to me, it didn't feel like a burden at all.