Here's the second part! Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: ONLY THE RING FINGER KNOWS does not belong to me. All elements below belong to Kannagi Satoru and its proper copyrights. The only things I do own are my original characters.
Note: These are not, I repeat, these are NOT the actual events of the fourth novel. This is what I guess you could call an alternate storyline. Please do not rely on this fic for information about the fourth novel or on any of the books, although I will be borrowing some scenes and events that took place there.
THE UNTOUCHED RING
Chapter Thirteen: Break Point
Wataru next found himself standing in a record store browsing and listening through a few CD's. It would've been a normal, everyday thing for him, if not for the odd stares the other customers were giving him. It's probably attributed to the presence of his companion.
"Say, Fujii-kun," Sayuri chirped, ignorant to the stares of adoration directed at her (and jealousy at him). "What do you think of this one? Is it good?" She held out a CD album for him to observe, which he did. Upon seeing the cover, his eyes suddenly snapped open. "Are you kidding?" he blurted. "That's Kotane Kinya. He's got a good voice—very mellow and smooth."
"You seem to know about it…"
"My sister listens to his songs all the time. He's also very popular among the girls, which is why I'm quite surprised that you don't know about it."
"Oh," Sayuri mumbled with a guilty expression her face. "The only music I've ever listened to is the classical ones. After all, my family specializes in classical dance so…"
"Um…" he drawled. "Do you want to listen to it?"
The twinkle in the young girl's eyes was very hard to miss. Wataru led her to one of the head phones on display. He gently slipped it on her ears, picked out a track, and let the music flow. A soft melody soon invaded Sayuri's ears, and the sound of a man singing shook her to the core. Clutching the phones closer to her ears, she strained to listen to the music even more. All the while, a look of pure and absolute fascination spread on her face.
When the track ended, she shifted her gaze to Wataru who had the look of utter delight. Realizing what kind of face she must have showed, she immediately took off the phones and scoffed, "It's not bad! I'll admit that I like it…!" Wataru chuckled. She's really not honest with herself. He hadn't expected to spend the entire morning with her. But he couldn't help but feel that she was beginning to warm up to him even a tiny bit.
Even though she'd never admit it openly…
When noon came, they both felt their tummies grumble, and decided to eat at McDonald's. There weren't a lot of people, which was strange since it was a weekend, but it suited them just fine. Sayuri had been complaining that she preferred to go to a restaurant since she didn't want to eat at a crowded place. But Wataru had persuaded her, saying that he doesn't have enough money to treat her to any fancy dining (since she did claim it to be his treat), so they'll just have to make do with what he can afford.
When they sat down at the table, Wataru was half-expecting her to grumble and whine about how the food looks so cheap and tastes dry, or something like that. But he was truly surprised to find her complying and eating her portion quietly.
The way he was staring at her caught her attention, so she decided to ask, "Are you mesmerized by my beauty or something?"
"Pardon?"
"Why are you staring at me like that? It's gross…"
"Uh, sorry… It's just… I didn't expect you to… behave so well…"
"What am I? A child?"
"……"
"You may think that I'm a childish person, Fujii-kun, but I'll have you know that I'm very mature. I know how to act civilly, and that's exactly what I'm doing. Besides, can't you see how people have been looking our way since we entered? It'd be bad for my rep if I acted childishly and someone I know just happened to walk in."
Wataru glanced around the establishment and, true enough, everyone practically had their eyes on them. When he became aware of the attention they were getting, he couldn't help but feel self-conscious. He never denied Sayuri's beauty, or the popularity she might have because of her class and elegance. But he never imagined that he'd be caught in it as well.
"What a pretty girl!" one of the murmurs reached his ears. "Do you think she might be a model or something?"
"Probably a celebrity," came another whisper. "But look at that guy with her… Doesn't he look a bit plain to you?"
"Yeah, you're right. He doesn't stand out at all. Is he her boyfriend, I wonder?"
"No way! As if someone as common as him could be with someone so gorgeous!"
Wataru could feel a vein throbbing and ready to pop somewhere. But seeing Sayuri's composed manner made him sulk a bit. It's not like he's not used to getting lots of attention when he went out with Kazuki. Even then he was scrutinized by murmurs, but this was a different case since he was out with a woman.
Sayuri took a glance at him as she continued chewing her food. "Hey," she spoke, calling his attention. "Don't let what those people say bother you. They're just jealous that they're not dining in the same table as an elite beauty such as yours truly."
It may have been an arrogant statement, but Wataru figured that it was her way of cheering him up. In the entire day he's been with her, and also the few other encounters he's had with her, he could only come to one conclusion: She's not good with person-interaction. Sayuri can handle herself in a crowd, she can also get along well with others, but when it comes to personal matters, she probably doesn't have a clue what to do. Like earlier in the record store, her reluctance to express her emotions freely showed that she wasn't used to spending some time with others, or going on an outing with friends.
"Sayuri-san," he voiced his thoughts. "Don't you hang out with friends over the weekends or something?"
A long pause followed his query. She had even stopped eating her food. Wataru wondered momentarily if he had stepped on a landmine or something. A look of irritation appeared on her face before she scoffed, "The only friends I've ever had or ever will have are those who are interested in my looks, money and popularity. So, no thanks. I don't need to hang out with a bunch of leeches."
"Eh…"
"They're all so rude and annoying. None of them fit the category I'm in."
"Category…?"
"Of course. It's all about the social hierarchy. You're in high school, Fujii-kun. Surely, you know what I'm talking about."
Wataru tapped his chin a bit, as if in thought about something, and finally answered, "You mean student labels like the jocks, nerds, cheerleaders…"
"Spare me the extra labels," she interrupted, after taking a bite from her burger. "In school life, there are only two categories: Populars and Regulars. Those two, though of the same student body, exist in entirely different worlds. Get my point?"
"…Yeah…"
Wataru found himself in another uncomfortable position. Somehow, that remark was making his insides burn, and he couldn't understand why. He also knew of the social hierarchy among students. After all, he had always considered himself as a perfectly regular student—no way in the same league as elite people such as Sayuri or Asaka or…
"…Kazuki…" Sayuri's voice cut into his thoughts. He perked up, surprised and somewhat worried that his emotions might be too overly displayed. "Kazuki is the name of the person you're dating, right?" she continued. "Would he, by any chance, be related to Kazuki Shohei?"
"Shohei-san?"
"I heard that Masanobu-sama does some work for him. It's almost like he's an assistant. I'm just curious if perhaps they're related."
Yes, women are definitely perceptive. Denying it would be too much trouble, so Wataru just nodded and weakly answered, "Yes. His name is Kazuki Yuichi—Shohei-san's younger brother."
"Brother!" she exclaimed. "I'm amazed! You really can attract the gorgeous ones, Fujii-kun! I've not met both brothers in person, but I've heard they're quite attractive and the epitome of every woman's fantasy!"
"Y-Yeah…" he mumbled, feeling himself shrink in size.
"Kazuki Yuichi, huh… Never thought that he'd be your lover…" she commented, mostly to herself, but somehow the words stung Wataru. "I mean, no offense but, you look very ordinary. To think you'd snag a hotshot like that and turn him gay… And here I thought the only one you influenced that way is Masanobu-sama."
"Your point…?" he drawled, sensing the conversation drift down to an ugly route. "You want to say something, right? What is it?"
"The point is…" she said after taking a sip from her cup. "Being in a relationship with someone that well-known not only invites pressure, but also scandal."
"Pressure…?"
"Think about it… Don't celebrities go through the same ordeal? They have to live every single day of their lives having other people pry into their privacy—wondering who they're dating, etcetera… But they can handle it because that's what they are. They're used to so much attention. Why do you suppose celebrities fall for fellow-celebrities? Because they know how to shake the presses. But if they were to get involved with a regular person, that person will collapse from pressure, and it would just result in a nasty break-up."
"……"
"Now, unlike you, I'm pretty used to the attention. Comes with the territory of being a beautiful and elite student. So there should be no reason why Masanobu-sama would want to be with you."
"…So this is about Asaka-san after all…" he breathed, slightly relieved with that piece of information (though he wasn't quite sure why).
"…Yet he's still after you…" she uttered, ignoring his comment. "Why is that…? What's so special about you…?" The way she had uttered the words didn't sound like something arrogant. Rather, it had a tinge of awe, meaning she was genuinely fascinated by this. "Even someone like Kazuki Yuichi wants you… despite the difference…"
"…What…?"
"Even though we walk on the same pavement and breathe the same air… the truth of the matter is that we live in two different worlds—worlds that never meet… Yet someone so plain and common like you… can easily influence elite people like Masanobu-sama and Kazuki Yuichi…"
The wonder present in her voice was very much noticeable that Wataru was having second thoughts whether or not to point out the rudeness of her observations. He had never seen her so pure and honest in her curiosity before, but he couldn't also deny the fact that her words affected him greatly.
"Kazuki…" he muttered, not knowing he said it aloud. "It's really difficult now…"
Sayuri's curiosity was piqued. She was about to inquire about his statement—one he didn't realize he had said—when a voice called out to both of them, surprising them with its owner's presence.
"Eh?? Wataru-kun? And Hongo as well… What are you doing here?"
"A—Asaka-san!!"
"Masanobu-sama!"
Wataru was truly and definitely surprised by the appearance of the older man. But then, memories of the bold declaration came to him, and he couldn't stop himself from averting his eyes. Asaka, on the other hand, studied both their features before raising his brows in a peculiar manner. "What's this?" he asked. "Are you two out on a date?"
"D-Date?!" Sayuri stammered. "Masanobu-sama, never…! I would never date anyone—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Asaka had cut in, directing his statement to Wataru. "That makes me quite lonely now," he said, locking his gaze on to the young boy. "Especially after I've said those things to you, Wataru-kun…" He lifted his hand to touch Wataru's chin. But the moment the young boy caught a glimpse of the hand nearing him, he immediately jolted out of his seat and set a distance between himself and the other two.
"I… I'm sorry…" he stuttered, his mind going in a panic. "I… I suddenly remembered that I have very important things to do! I'm sorry, gotta go!" With those parting words, he dashed out of the fast-food restaurant before anyone could even blink an eye.
Asaka gazed at the boy's hastily retreating back, a dark look glossing over his face. "Wataru-kun…" he muttered under his breath. "Looks like he's going to ignore my confession in the mean time…" Sayuri glanced at him curiously then squeaked as she saw the elder man punch the table angrily with a balled up fist.
"This is ridiculous," she heard him speak. "How long do you intend to run and hide…? Wataru…"
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Wataru ran. He had no idea for how long or how far he'd been running, but he kept running as far away as he can. Of all the awkward things to happen—to meet with Asaka on the day after he'd made that bold declaration in front of the entire school! This was just too much for him to handle.
He finally came to a stop at the intersection, and slouched down to catch his breath. The atmosphere was already cold, but he felt intensely hot—like he had run a marathon (which he technically did, considering the distance he covered). Once he calmed down, he reinforced the conclusion he had come to long before any of this had happened.
Asaka-san is not good for the heart…
As he straightened himself up, his eyes caught something red on the end of his scarf. He immediately took hold of it, and held it closer for inspection. Did he get ketchup on it? That scarf was his favorite! Even though it had a tacky design such as red, white and green checkers, he was still fond of it. As he observed the blemish carefully, he realized it was only a tiny blotch—easily removed by washing. He sighed with relief at the thought of his favorite scarf saved from being tarnished.
Wait… he thought for a moment. What am I doing getting worked up over a scarf?! There are more important matters than this!
He growled at his own silliness, and shook his head violently to clear his thoughts of that. But as he did so, passers-by began looking at him with a reproachful look. When he became aware of this, he blanched and stepped away, pulling out his cell phone from his pocket, and tried to carry on normally.
That was embarrassing…
His face was still a burning red color, but to divert his attention from that, he began to tinker with his phone, opting to check for any missed calls. Kazuki's name came up on the list and he flinched in surprise. He wasn't in the best of moods to handle the elder boy, especially the events that transpired the night before. But nevertheless, he opened the voicemail message left for him. A moment later, Kazuki's cool voice reached his ear, and he almost melted at the sound.
"Wataru, listen… I'm sorry about last night… I know a lot of things have happened, and I would really like to listen and understand all of it. I also want you to listen to me. I don't want to have this kind of talk over the phone, so let's meet up. I'll meet you at the park where the hydrangeas bloom. Five o'clock. I'll definitely be there. I'll wait for you… even if it means waiting forever…"
Kazuki's voice was serious, but also slightly trembling. Wataru felt his heart clench at the sound of his beloved's voice. Even as he heard the beep of the message ending and an empty tone following after, he couldn't stop hearing those words echoing in his ears.
"I'll wait for you… even if it means waiting forever…"
Without hesitation, he sprinted off, hurrying to the place where they first confessed their love.
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A year ago—almost two—Wataru had gone dashing into the park to learn Kazuki's true feelings. He was past the swings when he had heard Kazuki's voice stopping him. When he turned around, there was Kazuki revealing himself from behind the hydrangeas. It was a sight he could never forget for as long as he lived. Everything had happened in slow motion afterwards. The way Kazuki swaggered towards him—stopping mere inches away from him—cupping his face and pulling in close to place a sweet and tender kiss on his lips as opposed to the hungry and passionate one they had in the student council office.
After that, Kazuki had whispered ever so faintly 'Do you love me?' Wataru did not fully trust his voice to answer properly, so it took him everything he had to utter 'Yes'. Then, he was pulled closer into the older man's arms, sharing their first tender and loving moment.
Looking back at it now, it seemed like an eternity ago rather than a year. The hydrangeas weren't in bloom due to the season change, and he felt his hear ache wondering what else has changed. He adjusted the neckline of his jacket again, shuddering at the cold. He mentally scolded himself for arriving one hour earlier before the appointed time. It made him look excited.
As he made his way through the playground, he caught sight of someone sitting on the bench. It wasn't Kazuki, that's for sure. The figure was female. As he came closer, he let out a surprised gasp.
"Mi… Mizuho-san?!"
The older woman glanced up at him, curious at first, before finally coming to a realization. "You…" she spoke. "You are… Yuichi introduced us at the worksite, didn't he? You're his kohai, am I right?"
Wataru flinched at the mention of the word 'kohai', but shrugged it aside as he leaned down to level with the seated woman. "Mizuho-san, what're you doing out here?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be indoors? It's freezing here. It's not good for your health."
"Eh… Sorry…" she apologized. "I just… wanted to see someone… that's all…"
"See someone…" he repeated. "Are you referring to Kazuki?"
Mizuho looked at him curiously again. "You're very familiar with Yuichi," she said. "Come to think of it, you seem to be very close with him as well. Yuichi's never hung out with anyone younger than him before. Why do you know him so?"
"Well, I…" he honestly didn't know how to respond. Then he noticed the older woman's physique and couldn't ignore the way she shivered. Without a second thought, he took off his scarf and placed it around her, earning a surprised and questioning glance from the woman. "You're already cold," he spoke gently. "You should put on more warm clothes if you don't want to get sick."
"…Th—Thank you," she uttered, apparently dumbfound by his concern. She ran her hand across the fabric and smiled ever so gently. Wataru, himself, couldn't resist smiling back. "Sorry…" she spoke again. "You remember my name, but I can't remember yours."
"Oh," he sputtered. "Fujii… Fujii Wataru. You can call me 'Wataru' if you like, since that's what everyone calls me…" He had probably meant it as a joke, but Mizuho nodded and accepted that term. Afterwards, she motioned for him to sit beside her, which he did obediently.
When Wataru had gone into that park, he hadn't expected to meet up with his boyfriend's ex. This was their second meeting, but the first one wherein they were alone.
…And it was getting awkward for him…
"Wataru-kun," she spoke. "Are you meeting with Yuichi today? Perhaps, here…?"
"Eh?" he was taken aback. "W—Why would you think that?"
"…Because I overheard him saying he was going to meet someone here."
"Eh?"
"We were in Touko's shop earlier. They were in Touko's office discussing something. But when Touko came out and Yuichi didn't, I went in to fetch him. When I did, I overheard him talking on the phone. I didn't get the first part, but I heard him saying 'I'll meet you at the park where the hydrangeas bloom'. This is the only park within the vicinity of his home where hydrangeas bloom so I thought the meeting place would be here."
"I'm afraid I don't understand…"
"I was wondering if whether or not he was going to meet with his girlfriend," she admitted, causing Wataru to mentally exclaim, WHAT?!
"G-Girlfriend?" he stuttered, trying to compose himself. "U-Um… Kazuki doesn't have a girlfriend."
"Huh…? But I've been hearing a lot of things… especially from Shohei about how Yuichi's fixated on an audacious yet cute sweetheart."
Who's the audacious sweetheart? And why does everyone keep calling me 'cute'?! He mentally complained. "Uh… I don't know," he chuckled uneasily. "Shohei-san just loves to get under people's skin and tease them a lot."
"True," she huffed. "But you seem to be really acquainted with Yuichi's family. How did this happen?"
"W-Well… that's…" How on earth was he going to explain it? "Y-You see… I… I go to the same school as him. Then a girl from my sister's school asked if I could deliver a present for him for his birthday. He's really popular, you see. Well, I did, but people all thought that it was from my sister. But then Kazuki went and asked where she goes to school. He was going there to politely refuse that girl, but people misunderstood and thought that he was after my sister."
"Goodness… Rumors sure are easy to escalate… It must've been hard on you then."
"Yeah… somewhat… But the rumor eventually cleared out, Kazuki and I ended up… helping each other…"
"I see… But it's still unusual for him to have such attachments."
Wataru didn't know if the situation could get any worse. He hadn't intended on lying to Mizuho, but he felt that if ever she was to learn about the truth between him and Kazuki, then she should learn it from Kazuki and not from some stranger she just met. However, there is one thing that earned his interest…
"Mizuho-san, I do apologize for asking, but… Why did you want to meet Kazuki's girlfriend—if ever he had one…?"
She looked surprised then a look of melancholy washed over her face. Wataru was about to take back the question, but she spoke before he could do so. "I simply wanted to know what kind of person she is."
"Eh…?"
"Ever since I was a little girl, my health had already been poor. I was never good at extra-curricular activities because of that. But it's also because of that I've had this image of being a frail and defenseless woman. You know… the type that needs protection."
Tell me about it… he thought. In whatever angle he looked at, Mizuho really looked like the type who would fall apart if left alone.
"I don't know why, but I've been told that the image of me being a helpless princess was very attractive. Most of the guys who approached me had that reasoning. They say I'm beautiful, and I couldn't help but feel that was the only reason they ever bothered to come near me. But Yuichi was different…"
"……"
"Yuichi is very kind. He would never say immature things, but at the same time, he would never lie. When he confessed to me, I thought it was a joke, and brushed it aside. But then he argued that he was a much better choice of a boyfriend than the other guys who approach me for appearance's sake."
"……"
"He was only in junior high when he first told me about his feelings. I didn't take it seriously at first. Of course, why would I? He's eight years younger than me. I used to baby-sit him when he was little! But… he didn't stop. Everyday he would tell me he loves me. He would look at me straight in the eye and tell me honestly that he loves me. And each time he did, I felt smothered by those eyes."
I know the feeling, Wataru wanted to say out loud, but refrained from doing so. Each word and sentence uttered about Kazuki's past with Mizuho was painfully carving itself on to his heart.
"I tried to escape the growing feelings I had for him," she continued. "I kept saying to myself that it was wrong. But the more he persisted, the more my resolve broke. And finally, I gave in. On his graduation day, I finally answered his feelings."
"……"
"We spent two years together. And they were the happiest of my life. We couldn't go public with our relationship. But we knew we just had to be patient. Unfortunately, we let a moment of passion render us careless, and we ended up being discovered—by his parents no less."
"…What was their reaction?" Curiosity was truly getting the better of him.
"Shocked and surprised. They weren't completely against the idea of me and Yuichi being together. But they didn't like the fact that I was years older than him. Since Yuichi was still in high school, it wasn't a good image to date an older woman. So they forced us to break up."
"……"
"…Then Shohei brought up the idea of waiting until college, then his parents suggested that he go to T—U, then they'll give their consent. It's really a ridiculous notion. I told Yuichi not to let our relationship dictate the choice of school he had. But he boldly declared that he'll get into T—U no matter what."
Wataru slumped against the seat. He already knew that. He had heard it from Shohei, and now this woman was confirming it for him. "Kazuki's a real romantic," he commented, not really sure where that statement came from.
Mizuho smiled in agreement. "Even I'm surprised at how romantic he can be at times. But… as much as I loved him, I felt that we needed to end it for real."
"Eh?" the last part surprised him. Weren't they still in love? "End it for real… What do you mean…?"
"I was given a job offer overseas. Long distance relationships don't really work out—especially if it's put on hold. So I told Yuichi that we have to break up for real."
"H-How did he take it?" he needed to know.
"He was devastated. But I told him that it's for the best. He should carry on with a normal life. Meet new people, interact with them, and try dating a few other girls. And when the time came, we'd meet again. If, by then, the feelings remain unchanged, then we'll pick up where we left off. We'll be together regardless of what other people say—his parents included. But…" she stressed the last word. "Should ever we find someone else and manage to move one, then so be it. We'll just let our previous relationship be nothing more than a beautiful dream we've woken up from."
"Mizuho-san… You really… care about Kazuki, don't you…?"
"Naturally," she grinned. "Which is why I want to meet this girl he's dating… He seems to be rather serious about her. So I want to know just how serious she is about him."
"Pardon?" Wataru didn't understand that part.
Mizuho took a deep breath and resumed. "Yuichi is very precious—not just to me—but also to his family. Everyone has high expectations about him, and he has never disappointed any of them, not even once. He succeeds in everything he does, no matter how difficult the situation may be. He's also handsome, rich and intelligent. All of this adds to his popularity. I want his partner to be someone who is devoted to him as a person."
"Devoted to him as a person…?"
"That girl… should love and care for Yuichi as a person, and not because he's some celebrity or idol. If this girl indeed loves Yuichi with all her heart and turns a blind eye to all his fame and fortune, then I will happily give my blessings to them. But if she is only with him for shallow reasons then…"
"…??"
"…Then I will do what needs to be done to break them up."
"Mi…Mizuho-san…" Wataru gasped. "You'd go that far…?"
"We all go through great lengths for the person we love," she answered sincerely.
Wataru bit his lip. He could clearly see that, despite Mizuho's weak stature, she was definitely a woman with strong morals. Even as a man, he found himself attracted to her. Age gap or not, any guy would give just about anything to be her prince charming. And, somehow, the sight of her and Kazuki together seemed to paint a picture—a perfect picture. Little by little, he found himself believing in Shohei's words that Mizuho indeed was the perfect match for Kazuki.
"I'm sorry," the older woman spoke. "I began to tell you all these things… I must've been rambling on…"
"N-No, of course not!"
"…It did help me get it out of my chest though. I wonder though, if Yuichi has indeed moved on…"
"Eh…?"
"You might call me a hypocrite, Wataru-kun, but I am still attached to Yuichi. Even though I was the one who told him to move on…" as she trailed off, a look of melancholy appeared on her face, making any heart cringe with hurt.
"Mizuho-san…"
"The truth is… when I heard he made it in to the top 30, I practically leaped up for joy. I thought… he was still making good on the promise of going to T—U. I sent him a postcard asking about it, but he didn't write back. I thought perhaps he had forgotten about it, and I was ready to move on as well. But when my surgery came, I wrote him another letter. It was going to be my last try. If he didn't respond, I'll just simply conclude that he's forgotten about me."
"……"
"But he did more than just respond. He flew all the way to New York to see me. And the moment I saw him, I suddenly felt relieved. I said to myself, as long as Yuichi is here, I'll be fine… I was saved because of him."
Wataru became aware of the tiny beads dripping from the corner of her eyes and down to the side of her cheeks. "I really don't know what I'd do without him," she uttered as if not realizing the tears that were flowing. Wataru made no motion to stop her. He just sat there, listened, and gazed with awe at the crying maiden in front of his very eyes—all the while his insides clenching in unbearable pain.
"This is ridiculous," she stifled a sob. "I'm the one who urged for us to go our separate ways. I'm the one who…"
"You were only doing what's best for him," Wataru finally spoke from his long silence. "After all, you said it yourself. We all go through great lengths for the one we love."
"Wataru-kun…" Tears began to blur her vision, but she could still make out the gentle smile on the younger man's lips. A hand reached out to her, brushed away her bangs and dried the tears that were streaming down her face.
"I really…" the young boy spoke. "I really don't like seeing women cry. I think that any man who would make a woman cry is despicable." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a white handkerchief then carefully dabbed it against her cheek. "Thank you," Mizuho spoke as she took the cloth in her hands, momentarily smelling the clean scent of soap, and used it to wipe away her tears. Wataru did his best to calm the sobbing woman down, consoling her and reassuring her of things that even he did not want to believe.
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Wataru felt the prick of the air upon his skin and he shuddered. This bodily reaction did not go unseen, and it caused the older woman beside him to inquire about it. "It's nothing," he kept up a smile. "Just a little chill." He felt Mizuho touch the sides of his neck with her hands, and saw the frown mar her features. "Now you're the one the one who's cold," she said, and took of the scarf that he had placed around her earlier. She wrapped it around him nicely, until he felt his neck readjusting to the warmth.
As she did so, Wataru could not help but notice a chain of some kind shimmering around her neck. She took notice of his inquisitive glance and peeked down at the object in question. "Oh, this?" she asked, pulling out the chain to reveal the glistening silver locket at the end. "This is something Yuichi bought while in New York. I woke up one day in the hospital—some days after surgery—and saw this in a box next to the bedside table. The nurses said Yuichi had left it for me. Beautiful, isn't it?"
Wataru nodded, marveling at its quality. It truly seemed to be of some high expense.
"Take a look," she spoke again, and opened the locket for him to see. Inside was a compartment—a slot of some kind—as if something was meant to go in there. Then, engraved on the other side were the words 'Forever with you.' "Now that's pretty," he admitted. "With that present, how can you say he doesn't love you?" He was trying to keep a cheerful front, but in truth the presence of the locket tore him apart.
"I don't know…" she admitted. "Probably because he's never mentioned getting back together with me at all."
"He's just probably shy," he scoffed. But his mind was telling him something different.
"Yuichi? Shy?"
"Of course! People act differently towards the person they love." What am I saying?
"……"
"He's probably still madly in love with you; just doesn't know how to say it." Is that even me talking? What's wrong with me?
"Is that… Is that what you really think?"
"Of course, it is!" No, it isn't. That's not what I think.
"I see…"
Kazuki is… supposed to be… in love with me… not with anyone else… but me… and only me…
The minutes ticked by, and when he glanced at his watch, he saw that there was only little time before Kazuki arrived. Mizuho didn't seem like she was going to leave—not with the conviction she had of meeting whoever it was that had stolen Kazuki's heart. And though Wataru was rather eager to talk with the elder man again, he found it impossible to do so with the presence of the other woman.
The story he had just heard… the promise the two had made… and the existence of the locket… All of it was becoming too heavy too much for him to process. And it came to a point wherein he would definitely break down the moment he sees Kazuki.
How did Kazuki feel about him? And how did he feel about Kazuki?
He never thought that the day would come wherein he'd actually be asking those questions. And it was breaking his heart.
He turned to Mizuho and saw the tranquil nature she possessed. The elegance and feminine charm that he did not possess—the epitome of feminine beauty. Truly, she was more mature than him in more ways than one. She would never be too much to handle unlike him. She was also not an embarrassment, and she had the graces of Kazuki's parents.
She was everything he's not.
Amid all the rage and turmoil his mind was going through, he knew there was only one solution.
Only one…
0-n-L-y--t-H-3--R-1-n-G--F-1-n-G-3-r--k-N-0-w-5-z--t-H-3--u-N-T-0-u-c-H-3-d--R-1-n-G
Yuichi gave a grunt as he lifted himself from the bed. He felt groggy and under the weather. He felt his temperature and decided it best to take some medicine before his fever got any worse. Luckily though, it wasn't serious and he can still go about with daily life. But it didn't change the fact that he was feeling grumpy about something.
Yesterday, he had called Wataru out to talk and set to meet up at the park near his house. He arrived a little late (he attributed to his boss) so he was expecting Wataru to already be there. Not wanting the young boy to be waiting out in the cold, he had taken off at full speed—as fast as his legs could carry him. But when he got there, he was surprised to find Mizuho waiting there instead.
She was cold, so his instincts naturally kicked in to take her inside. Though he was concerned as to why she was waiting outside, he didn't question her about it, since he was in a hurry to meet up with Wataru. So he left her back in the house, along with his things, and hurried back outside. He didn't mind if the boy came late, since he always came anyway. There was nothing more wondrous a treat for him than the sight of Wataru running towards him, ears all red, panting and out of breath, like he had to get out of something just so he could meet up with the older man.
He had waited and waited, but there was no sign of the boy. The air became colder and colder, and the dusk was nearly set. But he still would not budge from the bench where he sat. Any moment now, he would keep reassuring himself. Any moment now he'll come running here. Then he'll apologize for being late. He kept waiting—even if it meant waiting forever.
He had slumped forward, elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands, and breathed out heavily. Could something have happened to Wataru? Did an emergency happen? Perhaps he should go in and call up their house just to make sure. But what if the boy comes while he's inside? Then he'd be the one waiting out in the cold.
More time passed by then he felt the presence of another person in front of him. A warm hand was placed on his shoulder. He looked up, hoping it'd be Wataru, but was surprised to see Mizuho instead.
"…Mizuho…? What're you…?"
Before he could finish, his cell phone was held out to him. He gave a quizzical glance before the woman's voice spoke out, "There's a message for you. I thought that it might be important." Yuichi took the phone in his hand and flipped it open. He opened the message and discovered he had received it the moment he had hurried back outside to wait for Wataru.
The message even came from the boy in question.
"Sorry. Something came up so I can't come."
Instantly, he felt something heavy drop inside him. He would've made a reaction of some kind, but was unable to do so when he sneezed the next moment. Feeling the cold brush up against him, he was urged back into the house by Mizuho.
He didn't know what had happened, but it was probably important to have prevented Wataru to meet up with him. If they couldn't meet yesterday then they'll do so today. He swaggered down the stairs and into the kitchen looking for some orange juice or anything citrus to help with his cold. If he was lucky, it'd just go away within the day.
As he opened the refrigerator, he heard his mother walk in, greeting him a pleasant morning. "Mizuho is still asleep," she said. "I'll just let her sleep in for today." He gave a hummed response, and was about to take a seat at the table when his mother called his attention again. "Yuichi, there's a letter for you."
"Letter?"
"Yes. There wasn't a postage stamp or anything, so it was probably personally delivered to our doorstep by the sender. Think it may be someone from your fan club again?"
"I don't want to be reminded, okaasan…" he drawled, having bad memories of his birthday last year when girls from his adoration circle came down in droves. "Where's the letter?"
"On the living room table."
He proceeded to the living room to retrieve the item in question. Once it was in his hands, it was indeed without a postage stamp of any kind. Suddenly, he began to fret that it might be from his fan club. Sighing, he opened the envelope, but as he did, he flicked his wrist a bit causing the envelope to rapidly sway. As it did, something small and shiny fell out. Catching his eye, Yuichi bent down to pick up the item and discovered it to be a ring.
Not just any ring…
A silver ring with a thin golden line at the center… His ring! But it's impossible! He thought he had lost it back in New York, yet here it is! Did someone find it and send it back to him? But that's even more impossible. How would anyone know that the ring belonged to him? Besides, the envelope had no postal date; not even a stamp! How could it then be airmailed back to him?
He was even more confused than before. He instinctively placed the ring on his left ring finger, but found it too tight on him. What the hell? Did the ring shrink or something? Or had he gained weight? No, that's not even plausible. Suddenly, I'm thinking like Wataru…
Wataru…!
A dreadful feeling swept over him. He took the ring and anxiously placed it on his right middle finger. And, like magic, it fit him perfectly. Now, he was absolutely shocked! He peered into the envelope and saw a folded sheet of paper inside. He pulled it out, opened it and froze at the sight of the contents.
There, in Wataru's handwriting, were the three words he never wanted to see or hear…
"Let's break up."
To be continued…
Cliff hanger!! And what the hell is going on?! Now, I'm even more confused?? Update soon, PLEASE!!
…Just guessing your reactions again…
I'll be taking a short break from this for a while. My dad needs the computer for some work, and god knows when I'll be able to get on it again. It depends on my dad's mood. He's a freelance writer, you see. Anyway, if he finishes early, I'll get to type up the next chapter. If not, then it's going to be a long wait. Or maybe I can squeeze in when he's not using it…
And no, Mizuho doesn't know that Wataru was the one Kazuki was meeting.
Review please!
Next chapter: One word that could explain what would possibly happen next… Eruption!
