Author's Note: Okay. Please read and review. Thank you so much! :D
Chapter 15: Is This Goodbye?
The next afternoon, Rika was at the office so she could formally say goodbye to her friends, officemates and the family she first considered after she graduated in college. She was already wearing a green long sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans together with black flat shoes. Before she could not even step at her cubicle, a lot of hullabaloos were already going on. Employees were talking about her as she could figure out.
"Rika's resigning?!" one employee asked. "Pigs must be flying!"
"That's so sudden! She's even the candidate for the promotion of the associate editorship!" another feminine voice replied.
"Impossible! She's also named employee of this month!" another employee seconded. "How come Rika will resign after two years!"
"Poor Rika," Mimi's voice was heard already. "Something must have happened to her that's why she resigned very suddenly."
Eventually, Rika decided to go inside and investigate what was going on. When she stepped inside her cubicle, she was only quiet because she knew she was the subject under the hot seat. As she walked and entered her very vacant cubicle, she suddenly felt weird because she saw the employees smiling at her unlike before that they used to raise an eyebrow towards her.
What's happening to them? She thought as she saw put on a fake smile to her fellow workers and reached her cubicle already.
"Rika, is it true that you're going to resign?" Mimi spoke up as she approached Rika. She was clad in a white blouse and black slacks and a pair of black wedged shoes and her hair was tied into a ponytail.
Rika smiled deviously. She knew that the news had spread like wildfire with courtesy to Mrs. Naomi Kitara and Zoe Orimoto. But she decided to be plain towards it.
"Uh… Yeah?" Rika answered hesitantly. "Why?"
Mimi threw her arms around her officemate affectionately. She broke away after she hugged Rika for a moment.
"It was evident in your cubicle, silly! Why would someone pack up all her things and vacate her cubicle all of a sudden?" Mimi said, pointing to the cubicle where Rika stood.
"Oh…" Rika mumbled as she realized that she thought wrong. Gosh! I thought they found it out already!
"And… Mrs. Kitara already informed us way ahead of you," Mimi continued and looked at Rika seriously. "Rika, why didn't you tell us that you had the plan to go to leave?"
Rika snorted. "It's a land of all-of-a-sudden trips, Mimi. I don't even know why my Mom decided to petition me at a time when I was supposed to get promoted to a higher position."
Zoe also appeared at Rika's cubicle and smiled wryly. She felt sad because of Rika leaving so suddenly.
"And, she wanted me to follow right now. Six years was already long for us to be separated," Rika explained. "I feel sad for my mom because she left me and missed me too."
"Awww…" Mimi said in awe as she found out that Rika was really looking after her mother after all. "Anyway, how about we have some snacks later?"
Zoe only smiled at the suggestion. "I'm in if you'd let me in!" she added.
"Of course, I'm going to count you!" Mimi protested playfully. "You're my best friend, for Pete's sake!"
Eventually, Rika turned to face her fellow workers. She decided to have closure with the ones she had hurt at work because of her crude personality.
"I'm sorry everyone but I had to leave very soon. Forgive me for this but I'll still remember you when I leave," Rika spoke with her officemates as her audience.
"We forgive you, Rika," the first employee named Kazumi replied. "We know that you're actually warm inside the heart. But please minimize your iciness, will you?"
Rika only smirked as Kazumi's remark about her began trailing through her mind. Eventually, she saw Mrs. Naomi Kitara who was with a short-haired brunette dressed in corporate attire. She saw that the young woman beside her boss must be her replacement for this job.
"Oh, hello, Rika!" Mrs. Naomi Kitara remarked as she saw Rika and introduced her companion. "This is Takako Matsumoto. She'll be taking over your place from now on."
Rika only nodded as she saw the young woman. She was never friendly whenever different people were around so she only shook the replacement's hand.
"Hi! It's so nice to have finally met you!" the brunette, identified as Takako, smiled. "Ma'am Kitara has told me so many good things about you!"
"Thanks," Rika said casually.
Rika was already at the ground floor of their office when she saw something. It was a familiar black convertible with the car hood towering above it. She deduced that it was Henry's car that was parked nearby.
"Zoe!" Rika called to the blonde. "Let's eat later when I get back, okay?"
"Why, Rika?" Zoe asked curiously. "What's the matter?"
Rika snorted. Why does she have to be so nosy with what I'll do?
"I'm just going to talk to somebody," Rika answered casually. "I need to run because it might be too late for me to catch him."
Zoe agreed and smiled. "Okay. I'll text you where's the restaurant, Rika. See you!"
Eventually when she saw that Zoe was already out from her sight, she saw that the car began to move fast. With this, she also began to run as fast as she can. She was lucky that she was wearing a pair of flat shoes while she was running. She deduced that it was hard to chase Henry's car because of its fast speed.
Even if Henry's car is so hard for me to chase, it's fine, Rika thought as her sweat began pouring all over her face. As long as I get to talk to him…
Rika was already running even if she felt that she might trip somewhere. She needed to do this!
"You can do this, Rika! You can do this!" Rika cheered herself. "You're going to talk to Henry then that's it!"
However, she was already close to the car when she saw an oncoming car. Fortunately, she was agile enough to avoid it and resumed to chasing the car.
"Few more, Rika Nonaka!" Rika said to herself patiently.
Luckily, the car stopped and she saw that it parked in a vacant space. Rika felt that this was an opportunity to talk to Henry.
"HENRY! HENRY! PLEASE TALK TO ME, HENRY! I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!" Rika yelled after she ran towards the rear of the car.
Then, she saw that the driver of the car came out. When he got out, Rika saw a spiky-haired and wiry young man. She was agape when she saw that it was Ryo.
"RYO?!" Rika exclaimed in disbelief. He's using Henry's car? Where's Henry?
Ryo was surprised that Rika was nearest to Henry's car. He was even surprised to why Rika was following him.
"Rika! What are you doing?" Ryo asked in surprise. "It's me Ryo!"
Rika became pale as she realized that she made a big mistake right now.
"Uh… Ryo, where's Henry?" Rika began. Where are you, Henry?
Ryo was glum when Rika asked that question. He felt sorry for his friend Henry and Rika at the same time.
"Henry?" Ryo answered reluctantly. "He's in Hong Kong right now… I don't know when he'll be back… I'm just using the car that he lent me."
"Oh…" Rika mumbled sadly as she heard Ryo's answer.
"He might probably get back here in Japan for his wedding with Aimei," Ryo answered sullenly. "I'm so sorry, Rika…"
Rika only nodded and composed herself once again as she exhausted her body and ended up with nothing.
"Anyway," Ryo continued as he saw that Rika was fixing herself. "Henry's been telling you to attend his wedding. He really wanted to see you there. The wedding's on Sunday… June 8…"
Rika fell silent at Ryo's remark. She wanted to tell him about her plan on not attending Henry's wedding.
"Oh no, Ryo…" Rika said sullenly. "I can't go."
Ryo became aghast with what he heard. "You're not going? Why?" he asked.
"I can't go… As much as I wanted to, I can't attend the wedding because it's my flight to America on that date." Rika sighed.
Ryo's eyes widened with what he heard.
"You're going on a vacation?" Ryo asked in surprise.
Rika shook her head. "My mom petitioned me so I could join her and my grandma in America. Don't get me wrong but the plane ticket was already issued to me before Aimei gave me an invitation to her and Henry's wedding. I'm not bitter with their upcoming marriage. In fact, I'm happy for them even if it's an arranged one. At least, Henry would be happier with someone else."
"I'm sorry, Rika…" Ryo answered sadly for Rika. After hearing what Rika told him, he did not even know what to do right now.
"I've got nothing to do anymore now, Ryo," Rika answered with a weak grin. "Don't tell Henry about my absence on that date. He might get even depressed during his wedding when in fact he should be happy because he found his lucky girl."
"Rika, I…" Ryo trailed off.
"Just only tell my ex about my congratulations for him. That's the best thing you could do for me, Hotshot," Rika replied in conclusion. Thanks, Hotshot. You're the best.
Eventually, Ryo threw his arms around Rika in sympathy. He definitely knew what Rika was feeling right now and what his friend Henry was also feeling. He wanted to tell Henry about Rika's leaving but it would not make it seem right. What would be his benefit if he told Henry about Rika leaving anyway?
"Okay." Ryo promised as Rika broke apart from him. "I will send Henry your congratulations, Rika. And Bon Voyage as well…"
"Thank you," Rika answered with a tinge of embarrassment after hugging Ryo. "I have to go. I'll see you around. Or probably never…"
Eventually, Rika walked away from Ryo and left Ryo in state of shock. The older young man wanted to tell Henry about what he heard but he promised Rika that he would not tell Henry about her leaving. Rika was right. Henry might get depressed if Rika would not be present at his wedding.
Rika's very special to Henry, Ryo thought. That must be the reason when Henry told me that Rika seemed to be avoiding him because she wasn't answering his calls. Now I know why. Rika was fixing her requirements so she could leave for America… and now she's leaving for good!
Because she only saw Ryo instead of Henry, Rika sullenly walked back towards her office. Luckily, it was not far from where she cornered Henry's car and Ryo. There, she saw Zoe who was still standing there.
"I thought you're in the restaurant already!" Rika said with a snort, trying to hide her feelings as of this moment.
"Well, Mimi was the slowpoke among us, you know?!" Zoe pointed out as Mimi stood beside her. "Look here! She just showed up!"
Rika snorted as she saw Mimi Tachikawa with Zoe. "Okay! Come on! Let's go!"
The three girls eventually went to the nearest restaurant located a few streets away. Rika could not concentrate because of what she heard from Ryo and if telling Ryo about her leaving would make things right.
God, I just don't know what to do anymore! Rika thought sadly. The last chance that I'll get to have a closure is gone!
Meanwhile, Alice and Jeri were in a mall and were shopping for clothes when they saw Rika who was walking towards their area.
"RIKA! YOOHOO!" Alice called out her friend.
And luckily at that time, Rika was finished with her lunch with her former officemates. She recognized the voice and saw two ladies. One was blonde and the other was a brunette. She approached them but she decided not to tell what was she feeling or her sudden flight to America.
"Hey, Jeri! Hey, Alice!" Rika greeted as she got in proximity with the two.
"Hey yourself!" Alice remarked. "You alone?"
"Yeah," Rika replied. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Isn't it obvious that we're shopping?" Jeri replied with a chuckle.
Rika smiled sheepishly. She did not know if Jeri wanted to shop until she dropped.
"Uh… Sorry about it…" Rika replied with a smile.
"Come on, Riks!" Alice cheered. "You can go with us! I only asked Jeri to accompany me in shopping because I'm already bored stiff in my hotel. It's been a month since I've been here and I think I'm decided to settle down here."
"That's good!" Rika praised the blonde. "At least, Ryo won't be complaining because of your long distance relationship!"
"Oh… Baby Boy…" Alice mumbled.
"So, Alice… Mind repeating to Rika what you've been telling me earlier?" Jeri teased.
Alice's humor was restored when Jeri brought that thing up.
"What is it, Alice?" Rika asked, suddenly felt intrigued.
"Well…" Alice said. "It's about our favorite Ryo Akiyama."
Two nights ago, Alice was already sleeping in her hotel when she heard her phone calling. She decided to answer it because she wanted to sleep peacefully.
"Hello?" Alice said.
"Hey, Alice!" Ryo said from the other line. "Are you in the mood for shum akshun?"
He's drunk, Alice thought. Why else would he be slurring like this?
"Uh, Ryo… Get to sleep… I'm sleepy…" Alice answered.
"Come on, Alice! It's going to be fun!" Ryo said.
"Get a whore to spend the night with, idiot," Alice answered. "I'm not in the mood!"
"Come on, Alish! It's not that bad!" Ryo replied back.
"MAN-WHORE!" Alice remarked and ended the call.
However, the next day, there was something she did not expect. It was Ryo who dropped by at Alice's hotel and began to hug her.
"Ryo, are you drunk?" Alice asked him.
"No. I just got by with my hangover. Why do you ask?" Ryo asked.
"You're saying random stuff about getting laid last night. How'd it go?" Alice asked.
"I only fell in my bed then that's it," Ryo answered.
"If I told you that I'll have sex with you at this moment, will you agree?" Alice asked.
"Of course not! I respect you and your body," Ryo replied with conviction. "I'll do the deed with you when we get married! I'll do it with you 24/7! How's that?"
"You're such a pervert!" Alice exclaimed and slapped him playfully.
After that sharing, the two other ladies only laughed.
"It's your fault for having a boyfriend who runs the head located below the belt!" Rika commented with sarcasm. "But it only happens when he's drunk!"
"I think I'll have to undergo a lot for him!" Alice replied with a laugh. "That's why I told Jeri if she knows a lot about this. But I think we're the same when it comes to boys!"
"You're definitely the same!" Rika commented straight to the point.
"Come on! Let's go shopping!" Jeri replied with a laugh because of what Rika told about them.
Eventually, the three girls went inside the mall so they could continue shopping. Rika was the one who was silent at that point because she did not know how she would feel if she said goodbye to her best friends.
But Alice said that she's going to stay here in Japan for good, right? Rika thought. Or maybe I'm just getting silly…
That evening, Henry was at his house and was feeling a bit frustrated with what would happen in the next few days. He definitely did not want everything to push through. Now he felt truly incomplete because Rika was already gone from his life just because he was getting married to someone else.
His thoughts were ruined when he heard a door open. When he turned around, he saw that it was Aimei who just came in.
"Henry, we need to talk…" Aimei began as she sat down on the couch so she could face Henry. "As in seriously…"
"What is it, Aimei?" Henry asked with interest.
Aimei took a deep breath so she could compose herself. She wanted to say this ever since the stupid shit began.
"I'm calling the wedding off," Aimei replied seriously. "This is not going to work for the both of us."
Henry's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. He wanted very much to end this nonsense anyway!
"Why, Aimei?" Henry asked. That's good news! But why?
"First of all, I really don't like arranged weddings. I pretended to be interested so that my mom won't get mad at me. But lately, I realized that she was only just using me as a pawn so that she could have money for gambling," Aimei answered. "I found out that she wanted that scheme so that she also could have a share on the Shinjuku Industries and use the money only for herself."
Henry's blood boiled at that remark. Now he knew why he could not stand the fact of marrying Aimei. Aimei may be kind but something was not right. And it was actually her mother who was manipulating all of them as well.
"Is that why she demanded us to make it as soon as possible?" Henry asked, trying his best not to let his anger take over.
"Yes. When my father died, my mother became addicted to gambling," Aimei explained further. "Then, the worst had happened. She had been buried with debts."
Henry only became speechless with what he heard from Aimei. A former model became a gambler? He had heard from Rika that Miya used to be a model because she was Rumiko's co-worker as well.
"I can't believe this," Henry said as his hands began to clench into fists. My family actually made a deal with a gambler? And an arranged marriage for that matter?
"And second…" Aimei remarked. "I know you love my friend very much. I figured it out when our paths crossed when we had the dinner here in your home. You were reluctant at that time to follow their commands. So now, I will let Rika have you again."
Henry was surprised when Aimei mentioned Rika's name. But he decided to thank her for it.
"Thank you, Aimei," Henry answered.
"You're welcome, Henry!" Aimei replied cheerfully.
"You will let Rika have me again?" Henry asked somehow perplexed with the young woman's words. "What do you mean, Aimei?"
Aimei began to laugh at her former fiancé's words. She decided to spill everything on her mind once and for all.
"Of course. But I have a confession to make as well," Aimei added so that she could emphasize her trip to the Nonaka residence last time. "When I went to the Nonaka residence so I could give the invitation, it was Rika who got the invitation. She was there when I dropped by and not nobody else."
Henry became agape but decided to let Aimei continue.
"And, she told me that you were not her best friend. You were the boyfriend that she left because she got sick with a some sort of lingering disease," Aimei continued with the words she heard from Rika when they last talked to each other. "So when she accepted the invitation, she told me that I should take care of you because we're getting married already. But yeah… I called that kind of crap off."
"Why did she tell you that?" Henry asked, wanting to know why Rika was somehow telling Aimei a form of last will and testament.
Aimei decided to tell the truth. After all, she wanted everyone around her to be happy as well.
"Henry, as much as I hated telling you this but… Rika's leaving for America on Sunday," Aimei answered wistfully. "That's why she told me that she can't make it on Sunday."
This alarmed Henry the most. Rika was leaving for America! But why?
"Are you serious?" Henry asked as his heart raced in anticipation with the fact that Rika would be leaving him in a couple of days.
"Yes," Aimei answered seriously. "She told me that she'd be joining Miss Rumiko and Grandma Seiko in America as well."
Henry pondered on what Aimei just told him. Rika was leaving because of her mother who wanted her to join her that much. Unfortunately, this was the thing that he never heard from her.
"Thanks a lot, Aimei," Henry answered sincerely. "I'm sorry if you ended up with this mess. But what about your mom?"
"My mom can handle everything on her own, Henry," Aimei replied with a grin. "Trust me. She can manage without the Wong property. And besides, I don't force anyone who doesn't want to get hitched in arranged. I don't want to be like my mom also. She just married my dad because she got pregnant with me and she actually wanted the money as well."
Henry nodded but he did not expect with what Aimei would say next.
"I really envy Rika so much…" Aimei remarked. "Despite all the things that happened, she still strives hard to live her life. And one tip, Henry… You better speed up before Rika jumps the plane on Sunday!"
"Thanks, Aimei! Thanks so much!" Henry answered gratefully and smiled.
Aimei just stood up from her seat and smiled at Henry. Henry stood up as well and led her to the door. When the woman went outside of his home, he took his phone from the living room and called Rika. However, like before, she was not answering.
There's the good news and the bad news, Henry thought as he looked at the number displayed on the screen. Good news is no wedding… bad news is no Rika. What am I going to do if Rika's not around?
However, the thought of Rika leaving for good sent him into anxiety. He did not know what to do if his beloved redhead would leave him again. It was bad enough that Rika had gone on exile before just because of her disease.
At that very moment, Rika was already back at home and flopped on her sofa. She was massaging her temples because of the headache that she had. Somehow, her goodbye to Ryo seemed to be killing for her since he was a close friend of hers. What if she would say goodbye to Henry? It would totally silence her forever.
Maybe I should reminisce once more… Rika thought. But I'm just making myself a masochistic person.
With this, Rika grabbed one of her photo albums and searched for some pictures. Technically, she was, and still, in love with the blue-haired young man even during the start, she did not feel it because she was an anti-romance person. Right now, she was seeing a photo of her and the blue-haired young man in their normal outfits: her wearing a turtleneck with a broken heart on it and a pair of jeans while him wearing his black shirt, orange vest and his brown pants. She remembered the day wherein she was grasping the fact that she was in a relationship already.
One day, as Rika was getting some things inside the locker, she felt two hands cover her eyes.
"Hey!" the voice said as she was seeing black.
"Henry!" Rika answered as she recognized the voice.
When the two hands were already away from her eyes, she eventually saw Henry who was standing right next to her already.
"What are you doing here?" Rika asked, surprised that he was with her today.
"Isn't it obvious, Rika?" Henry smiled. "I'm here to help you carry your books."
Rika scratched her head as she became confused with what was going on.
"The last time I checked, you're the guy who told romances to me," Rika answered with a snort. "And besides, I can do things on my own."
Henry eventually pinched Rika's face. In span of few days, he had been easily getting fond of her and finding himself to be more affectionate towards her.
"What kind of boyfriend would let his girlfriend suffer?" Henry pointed out.
Rika scratched her head once again as she took her books from the locker. "So, I'm your girlfriend?" she asked, trying to make things clear.
"Of course!" Henry answered with a smile while beaming with pride.
Rika eventually let out a shy smile as she tried her best to absorb the situation.
"Gee, thanks, Henry. Like I said, I'm only new regarding these kinds of things!" Rika explained.
"Don't worry about it. I understand. Feelings do take some time to grow," Henry answered with a smile. "Now come on, Rika, and we still have a class to catch."
Rika eventually smiled as she closed her locker door. She gave the thick books to Henry and carried the thinner ones. Then they walked towards their classroom in a subtle yet easily depicted couple.
Rika sighed as the events took a toll on her. She missed the events of her having a relationship. Well actually, she threw it by not telling Henry where she was during the time she got sick.
Oh great… Rika thought again.
But back to what happened earlier, she heard from the spiky-haired brunet that Henry would not come back until his wedding. It was so much for her plan to get a proper closure. Maybe she still had a lot of emotional baggage to carry to America and it sucked too much. It made it even worse when she remembered something else.
~ Cause I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all ~
And as if it was not truly enough, someone sent her a text message that was as long as this:
"We often fool ourselves
And say that its love
Only cause when its gone
We end up being lonely
So how are we to know
That it just isn't so
That we just have to let each other go
There were many times
When we shared precious moments
But later realized they were only stolen moments
So how are we to know
That it just wasn't so
That we just had to let each other go
If loving you is all that means to me
When being happy is all I hope you'd be
Then loving you must mean
I really have to set you free"
And you know who the sender was? it was none other than her friend Mimi. She decided to send her a reply as well.
"You sure look emotional with your text." – Rika
Not long after, Rika's phone rang and signified that she just received a text.
"I can't help it, Riks. You're resigning instantly!" – Mimi
"And by the way, your text looked too disturbing. You're really into girls?" – Rika
"Na-uh! I'm not a lesbo! I'm just a clingy person, that's all." – Mimi
"Thank you for being clingy. I'll gonna miss the two of you!" - Rika
"Me too!" - Mimi
Eventually, Rika closed her phone with her face totally amused.