-5-
The dorm was unusually quiet that afternoon.
Yukari and Junpei had gone out with friends, while Akihiko and Mitsuru had some business to attend to. Ken was in his room, as he usually was, Koromaru was lazily resting in the lobby, Fuuka was upstairs on her laptop, most likely recording the progress of their last visit to Tartarus, and Aigis was, probably, in her room getting charged up… or whatever.
The only ones left, sitting in the lobby and watching TV, were her and Shinjiro.
The stoic teenager was busy taking down notes from the cooking show that was on, while Keiko, bored as hell, watched on. The concentrated expression on his face was so cute that it had somehow captured all of her attention.
"And, voila! Look how perfect it turned out! Hopefully, it came out the same for you" the TV chef chuckled. "Well, that's all from me for today! Keep cooking!"
The credits rolled for a split second before the program changed to a news broadcast.
"Good afternoon. I'm… Tonight, we'll have an exclusive interview with mega-idol Kujikawa Rise. Our entertainment journalist sat down with Miss Kujikawa during her brief visit to Port Island earlier this month."
"Kujikawa Rise" Keiko repeated.
Shinjiro looked at her, an eyebrow raised. Keiko smiled at him.
He rolled his eyes and turned away. "Tch. Another spoiled brat who thinks she's the shit."
"Someone's bitter" she mumbled, shifting in her seat.
"Ten years from now, no one will even remember this girl" he muttered darkly.
"Sounds like you're going to murder her, Shin-chan…" Keiko laughed.
The first few times she'd addressed him that way, he'd been annoyed, but eventually, he'd gotten used to it, though he warned her only to use it in private.
Besides, the smile she used after she called him that was so cute.
There was silence for a little while after that. Keiko thought of somehow lightening the mood, but she found no opportunity.
"So, Rise, who was your first love?"
"Haha, what an odd question! But, I guess I'm a little too young…"
"Aragaki Shinjiro" she murmured.
"What?" he grunted.
"I answered the question."
Shinjiro rolled his eyes. "You're such a weird girl."
"I know." She leant over to look at him in the eyes, their faces dangerously close.
"Tch."
He didn't get the chance to say anything more before she kissed him.
"That's a very good choice. Most men don't have a clue when it comes to flowers. Are these for your girlfriend?" the shop attendant asked.
"When it comes to being in public, just be polite, alright? Come on, for me?"
"…Yeah, I guess."
"Well, she'll be very happy with these, trust me. What kind of girl is she?"
'None of your business' he mentally groaned.
"She's weird. Always happy. And stupid, too. She likes to help people, but she's not very good at it… Oh, and I guess she's cute" he muttered, looking down at the flowers he'd picked out.
"I-I see. Well, um, why don't you come to the counter and you can pay for those."
'Tch. Teaches me to follow Keiko's advice. Note to self: find a different flower shop.'
After leaving the flower shop, flowers in tow, he walked up to the station in silence.
The clouds were heavy with rain by the time he got there.
"Why's she gotta be so damn far away…" he sighed.
He stepped off of the thin road and onto the deep green grass.
The sakura trees surrounding the place set a scene that was beautiful, a fitting backdrop for the cheerful girl.
"Hey, Keiko" he muttered, setting the flowers down. "It's been a while, huh? Tch. Sorry, I guess."
Her headstone was a little smaller than the others, but much more extravagant, with bouquets of flowers surrounding it. It was somehow beautiful.
He dug his hands in his pockets.
"Looks like you've had a lot of visitors. Not that I'm surprised" he chuckled.
His expression turned dark quickly.
"Hey, you remember what you said to me? What'll you be doing in two years?" he sighed.
"…When you asked me that, I immediately thought I wasn't going to be around. But when I was with you…I guess I was happy that I was spending the time I had left with someone like you. Don't get me wrong, you're annoying… But you've been through so much shit, and you still had that smile on your face every day."
"You're a weird girl… But that's what I like about you. You're different. Shit… Why've you gotta make me say shit like this…"
He raised his gaze from the layers of flowers on the ground to her stone headstone.
OHMOTO KEIKO
BORN 1992
DIED 2010, AGE 17
-LIVE ON IN THE HEARTS OF EVERYONE.
REST PEACEFULLY. WE WILL PROTECT YOU.-
"Did Kirijo commission this? Tch."
He knelt down amongst the variety of flowers, caressing the headstone lovingly.
"I'm waiting for you. So let's meet again."