A/N: Thanks for the reviews.
Chiyo And Osaka Fan: The last words of Ritsu's grandpa would make sense in this chapter ^_^
Hayaku: It really is hard to choose between the two. I wonder what to choose. ^^
Fools Rush In: Where Angels Fear To Tread
Chapter 7
After Effects
"We always believe that our first love is our last, and our last love is our first."
A humming young Ritsu walked into the busy reception area of the Tokyo Medical University Hospital. She was wearing a white collared shirt under her opened dark blue blazer paired by a light blue mini skirt.
"Ricchan!" a young woman in her late twenties called out to her. "School's finished already?" she asked as she jogged towards the 15-year-old brunette.
"Shou-san!" the brunette stopped to look back at the young intern. "Just now. Wow, you're still working hard." She grinned as she noticed the slightly rumpled dress shirt underneath the long lab coat of the young doctor.
Shou shyly smiled as she tried to smooth her rumpled clothes. "Well, there are a lot of kids today as you can see." As if on cue, a young girl bumped into her. "Ooof!" Shou huffed before looking down at the small girl. "What's wrong?" she asked the toddler, bending slightly.
"Sensei!" the girl tugged at her shirt, wrinkling it once more. "Toilet!" she cried as she pointed towards the hallway.
"Ahahaha." Shou shyly scratched her chin. "Sorry, Ricchan but I need to go now." Shou apologized with a smile. "If you're looking for your mom, she's at the usual room."
The 15-year-old Ritsu nodded. "Yeah, thanks! See you later. Thanks for your hard work!" She waved at Shou before heading towards the east wing of the hospital.
"At the lab, huh?" Ritsu muttered to herself before popping a caramel sucker on her mouth. Turning to the right, another personnel greeted her.
"Taicchan!" this time, a woman in her mid-twenties greeted her. She was wearing a skirt that extended just right above her knees. Stethoscope hung around her neck as she carried a clipboard on her hand.
"Whoa! What happened to you, Ayumi?" Ritsu asked when she noticed the hassled look on Ayumi's face. The young medicine student has very visible under eye circles.
"Iya… We've been doing all-nighters lately. Man, your mom's such a Nazi inside the lab." Ayumi sighed whilst shyly fixing her appearance.
"Hahaha! Well, mom's like a medical super otaku you know." Ritsu grinned before patting Ayumi on her shoulders. "I bet you're gonna be a great doctor, though!" Ritsu suggestively winked at Ayumi, making the older woman colour.
"Honestly, you're just in high school and you're such a flirt." Ayumi playfully punched Ritsu on her arms. "If you're looking for Yuki-sensei she just got called out to supervise some first years that are doing classes here." Ayumi pointed to her left.
"Seriously?" Ritsu frowned before popping out the sucker from her mouth. She had thought that her mother would have finished her business at the hospital once she got there.
"AHAHAHA. You're such a mommy's girl. You don't have to come here everyday, you know." Ayumi teased, making the younger brunette blush.
"Shu-shut up. I just have nothing to do." Ritsu mumbled. "Well, just tell her I'll be waiting at her office." Ritsu waved her sucker before continuing to another wing of the hospital where her mother's office was. Ritsu walked into the silent hall of the hospital, the only thing that could be heard were some beeping sound the machines were emitting. That was until a "code blue" PA system announcement was made. Ritsu watched as group of doctors and nurses hurriedly ran inside one room, bringing carts full of their equipment.
Ritsu shuddered slightly before continuing to her destination. "Hospitals are really creepy." The young brunette sighed in relief when she reached the less morbid part of the hospital. She walked passed by a group kids playing then to a couple sitting on the waiting area. Ritsu was skimming through her song list when she passed by a sniffing young girl.
"Eh?" Ritsu stopped just a couple of feet ahead the crying girl before turning back. "What's wrong? Are you lost?" She asked as she crouched down to the weeping girl. "Hey, are you okay?" Ritsu asked softly as she tried to wipe the wet face of the 4-year-old girl before her.
"B-b-blo-blood." the young girl stammered in between sobs.
"Eh? Where?" Ritsu asked as she observed the young girl. Ritsu noted the girl's black hair that was neatly tied into twin tails by a white ribbon. Ritsu took the girl's arms as she searched for this blood.
"Here," the girl whimpered while pointing at her right knee—that was in fact bleeding.
"Ouch," Ritsu winced when she saw the wound that stuck like a sore thumb on the girl's white skin. Big wet eyes looked at Ritsu, crying more when the older girl reacted to her wound. "I-I mean—! Let's go wash it, okay?" Ritsu asked, earning a small nod from the little girl. "Here," Ritsu turned her back towards the crying girl. "I'll give you a piggy back ride. Is that okay?" Ritsu smiled when the black-haired girl shyly nodded. "Let's make the boo-boo go away~" Ritsu happily trudges through the halls as she tried to cheer the little girl up.
"Oh! You're here, Erika-san. Can I borrow your first aid kit?" Ritsu asked as she entered another room that was divided in two. A sight of a hard working doctor greeted her.
"Yeah, it's over there on the left cupboard." Erika responded without tearing her eyes off the monitor screen. "Why are you hurt Ri—" Erika started as she swirled around on her seat to face Ritsu. She paused when she noticed a young girl hanging on Ritsu's back. "Who's that?" she pointed warily as if Ritsu was oblivious to the fact that there was some kid on her back. "I just didn't see you for a day and you already got a kid, Ritsu?" the eccentric 37-year-old physician stated with eyes as big as it could get.
"What! I'm 15, how could I get a kid this old?" Ritsu looked at Erika as if the doctor had declared the stupidest thing on the world. Ritsu knew the peculiar doctor since she was a kid. But oh boy could she never understood what's going on at the doctor's mind.
"What? You can't blame me! Your mother's some kind of a mad scientist." Erika stated as she fiddled madly with her hands. "Maybe she did that to you!" Eriko accusingly pointed at Ritsu before laughing frantically.
Ritsu could not help but laugh herself. "I think you both should stop hanging around each other so much. You and my mom are starting to act similarly." Ritsu placed the still sobbing girl on the blue sofa.
"Great minds think a like, Ritsu!" Erika stated confidently, pumping her fist to the air.
"Let's patch up your wound, uhm.. What's your name again?" Ritsu asked the sniffing girl, effectively ignoring the odd doctor in the room.
"Oi! Don't just ignore me."
"A-ak-aki—!" the 4-year-old girl tried to say in between hiccups.
"Aki, huh?" Ritsu cocked her head to the right as she pulled out a cotton and antiseptic from the kit. "I'll call you Aki-chan, okay?" Ritsu asked earning another nod from Aki. "Ja, it may sting a bit so put up with it." Ritsu softly told the girl before gently applying the antiseptic with a cotton ball.
"I-itai!" Aki yelped, instinctively jerking her knee away from Ritsu's touch.
Erika sighed as she watched the two from her chair. "That's no good, Ritsu. Don't bully the poor little kid." She stated, shaking her head to Ritsu.
"I am not bullying her, Erika-san!" Ritsu irately berated the childish doctor. "Here, let me." Ritsu tenderly took Aki's knee and carefully blowing into it. Ritsu took out the band-aid before carefully patching up Aki's wound. Ritsu looked up at the girl. Her eyes softened when she saw the teary-eyed Aki.
"Mama," Aki mumbled as she rubbed her right eye. "It hurts."
Ritsu smiled before kindly kissing Aki's hurt knee. "There, it's all gone now. I kissed the boo-boo away."
"Re-really?" Aki asked as she slowly looked into Ritsu's amber eyes.
"Un!" the brunette happily nodded. "Oh!" Ritsu bellowed, startling Aki. Ritsu laughed before digging into her book bag. "Here! This is your price for being a brave girl!" Ritsu handed a caramel sucker to Aki.
"Th-thank you."
"You should be a doctor, Ricchan." Erika commented as she watched the whole exchange, earning a laugh from Ritsu.
Ritsu and Aki was sleeping peacefully, sharing the blue couch, after spending the past few hours playing all over the hospital park. The room was silent despite the few random expressions Erika was saying in front of the computer.
"Ara! It's my baby girl," a 37-year-old Tainaka Yuki beamed as she looked down at her sleeping daughter. "Did she wait long, Eri-chan?" Yuki asked the busy body before hanging her lab coat at her own chair.
"Well, she's been here since school's out." Erika replied with a pencil on her mouth. "She's brought some kid with her too." Erika turned to look at Yuki before pointing at the sleeping bodies on the couch.
"I noticed. Who's she?" Yuki asked, earning a shrug from her colleague. The oldest Tainaka giggled before walking towards her daughter and mischievously taking out a digital camera from her purse. She squatted in front of the blue sofa. "Ahh, my Ricchan's really cute." Yuki breathe while poking her daughter's cheek. She giggled when Ritsu crinkled her nose adorably. "And the kid with her is super cute too."
*shutter*
"Stop obsessing over your own daughter, please." Erika casually stated as she frantically typed on her computer.
Yuki gasped while looking at Erika intently. "Are you jealous, Eri-chan?" Yuki placed her right hand on her cheek as she tantalizingly stared at Erika. "Tch!" Yuki clicked her tongue when Erika suddenly ignored her. "You're so cold, Eri-chan." She mumbled.
"Excuse me, Yuki-sensei?" A knock on the door was heard before a head peeped through the small space.
"Hai?" Yuki looked at the door. A young man in his mid-twenties entered. His hair was neatly cut that complimented his professional look. "My! Jin-chan! You're still here? I thought you went home already." Yuki stood up from her position, pocketing the small digital camera.
"Well, I wanted to finish this first." The young man named Jin handed a thick folder to Yuki. "I was wondering if you could take a look at it." Jin shyly scratched the back of his head.
"Is this your thesis?" Jin nodded meekly as he looked around the room shared by the two notable doctors in Asia. "It looks good."
"Ah!" Jin yelped, pointing at the sleeping bodies on the blue couch.
"What? What's wrong?" Yuki asked, following Jin's finger. "Oh. That's my daughter. Isn't she cute?" Yuki proudly asked as her eyes started to sparkle.
Jin shook his head. "HA? What do you mean 'no', Jin-chan?" Yuki wrathfully asked making the busy Erika turn into their direction.
Ritsu innocently groaned in her sleep. "Mom?" she mumbled while rubbing her eyes.
"You shouldn't have said that Jin-kun. That's divine retribution for 'ya." Erika mumbled.
"No! I mean—that's my daughter right there." Three pairs of eyes looked down at the still sleeping little Aki.
"Ah. Ritsu's up."
"Really?" Yuki inquire as she looked at Aki, Jin, and then back to the small girl once again. "You don't look alike."
"She took after my wife." Jin answered, walking towards Ritsu and Aki. "Thank you for taking care of her." Jin thanked the still groggy Ritsu before taking the small girl into his arms.
"No problem at all." Ritsu muttered as she eyed the sleeping girl on Jin's arms.
"Well then. I better go now since this little kid needs to be in bed now." Jin smiled before heading to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow Yuki-sensei."
"Yeah," Yuki mumbled, still studying the father and daughter in front of her.
"You too, Erika-sensei." Jin waved before closing the door.
"Agh." Ritsu groaned whilst stretching at the couch. "What took you so long?" Ritsu addressed her mother that was still staring at the door. "Mom?" she called out once more.
"Heh? Oh! I got held up with the first years." Yuki tore her eyes off the closed door. "Where's Mugi-chan?" she asked as she looked around her daughter as if the short girl could hide what she was looking for. "Did you two have a fight?" Yuki instinctively asked. Whenever Ritsu was, expect Mugi to be there, or vice versa. It was like an unwritten rule around.
"What? No! She's got piano lessons today." Ritsu answered as she casually reached for her book bag. "Let's go home?"
"I see. That's fine that you two are not fighting then. Let me get my purse first." Yuki agreed before grabbing her purse by the door. "We'll go ahead, Eri-chan!" Yuki happily waved at her busy co-doctor.
"See' ya."
"Shall we get Mugi-chan on the way?" Yuki opened the door for her daughter.
"Yes please."
A lone girl wearing leggings underneath her black mini skirt was sitting around the public fountain. Her tank top proudly hugged every curves of her body. Envy was evident in her eyes as she watched couples after couples passed by her. She blushed when her eyes fell upon two college students necking just beside her. She immediately looked away with a light blush across her perfect smooth skin.
Sigh. I wish I could be lovey dovey with Mi—
"Did you wait long, senpai?" Mio asked in between huff. The obsidian haired girl was wearing a casual mini skirt paired with a printed, long white v-neck shirt that was precariously deep.
"Mio-chan!" Hazel eyes flickered as it fell upon Mio's body. Sokabe Megumi blushed when her eyes noticed Mio's exposed neck. She immediately diverted her eyes away from dangerous features of the well-endowed girl in front of her.
"Senpai!" Emi and Yuko chorused as they stepped out behind Mio.
"Eh?" Megumi gaped; baffled at the two girls she did not expect to see. "You're here too?" Megumi mumbled in shock. She was expecting to spend this nice Sunday alone with Mio and to say that she was surprised by the two's presence was an understatement.
"I invited them too. That's fine, right, senpai?" Mio asked, oblivious to the other girl's predicament.
"Ehehe," Megumi awkwardly laughed before nodding slowly.
"Yay!" Emi beamed as she linked her arms with Mio. Yuko and Megumi watched whilst the two happily strode towards the ticket booth.
"I'm sorry, Sokabe-senpai. I know you want to be alone with Mio but we wanted to see the movie too." Yuko grinned at the defeated Megumi.
Megumi sighed before smiling back to Yuko. "It's fine." There goes my date with Mio-tan down on the drainage.
The sun was pompously shining at its highest point of the day. Every person inside the Tainaka family house was up and about except for the still peacefully sleeping brunette.
"Oneechan? Are you awake?" There was a knock accompanied by the husky voice behind the door to Ritsu's room. "I'm coming in." The soft creaking sound of the opening door echoed throughout the spacious western room.
A young handsome man in his early twenties slowly made to the bed in the middle of the room. "Oneechan?" he asked, softly stirring his sleeping sister. He sighed when the only reaction he got was a groan. He walked towards the window, widely opening the curtain of the room.
"Wake up!" he shouted whilst pulling the thin sheets away from the sleeping woman. He smirked when a curled up Ritsu greeted him. "Oneechan~! Wake up!" he shouted once more.
Ritsu shuddered. "Ungh. What is it, Satoshi?" Ritsu asked as she sloppily sat up on the center of the bed. "Why is it so bright in here?" She lifted her left hand over her face, blocking the heated rays of the sun.
"It's already noon. You've got to wake up." He said before grabbing Ritsu in the arm. "Come on! Lunch's all ready. You're the only one we're waiting for. And I'm already hungry." As if to prove his point, his stomach growled on cue.
"You could've eaten without me." Ritsu groaned as she let her younger brother drag her out of bed and into the hallway. She was still wearing her sleeping clothes while her bed hair comically stuck to every direction.
"Dad's here."
"Ehhhh~" Ritsu whined before entering the dining area of the house.
"She's here!" Satoshi announced once they stepped near the table.
Ritsu watched her brother took the seat beside the family head. "Good morning." Ritsu yawned before sluggishly taking the seat beside her mother.
"'Good morning?' It's already afternoon, Ritsu." Ritsu looked at the man sitting at the head of the table. He was wearing a white long-sleeved polo that beautifully flattered his yellow necktie. Ritsu stared at her old man. He watched as the famous figure of the TNK Mousiké elegantly took a sip on his tea. Ritsu inwardly jerked when her father's sturdy brown eyes met her amber orbs. "You better stop acting so carefree. You're not a child anymore. You've got a lot of responsibilities in your hand."
"Sorry." Ritsu automatically mumbled as she looked down at her own lunch. Ritsu idly poked her chicken Diane in front of her as a sigh escaped from her mouth. She glared at her left when she heard her mother snickered discreetly. Of course, her mother would love to see her eaten alive by her father. Great.
"So, how's work, Ritsu?" Tainaka Souichiro asked his only daughter. His deep voice could almost cause the whole room to shake.
"It's fine." Ritsu mumbled softly before taking a mouthful of chicken. Blegh. It doesn't taste as good as how Mio does it.
"That's it? 'Fine?' I heard you're substituting at your old high school. And please stop poking your food. It is unbecoming."
Ritsu sighed again. "Yes. Just for a couple of months. Five months top." Ritsu took a bite of the steamed asparagus.
"I don't see why you are wasting your time in there." Souichiro sharply commented, making Ritsu wince. "Can you even guide these students when even your own life is a mess?" Ritsu winced once more. His father sure is not in a good mood today.
Satoshi, in pain, watched in the sidelines as he looked back and forth from his father and sister. He sweated nervously when he noticed his father glower at his older sister. Satoshi anxiously watched Ritsu as he prepared himself to get in between the two in case his sister decided to pounce on their old man. "Da—"
"Maa, Sou-chan." Yuki intervened just before Satoshi got the chance to do so. "It's only temporary. And I think this would be a good life experience for Ricchan." She soothed her husband.
"Hn." Souichiro sneered at his daughter before standing up. "It's fine then. She could use all the experience she could get to straighten her life." He finished before throwing his napkin over his unfinished food. "I need to go now. I have a meeting in half an hour." Souichiro spared another glance at his daughter before exiting the room.
"Have a safe trip!" Yuki cheerfully sent her husband off before looking to her right. "That went well." She smiled at her daughter.
Ritsu sighed for the nth time since waking up in not even half an hour ago. "Yeah, sure." Ritsu pushed her plate aside as she rested her head on the table. "Dad sure is into me so early in the morning." Ritsu glance at her brother and smiled when she saw Satoshi released the breath he did not know he was holding.
"Maa. He's just worried about you." Yuki assured her daughter.
"If that's how he gets worried, I don't want him worrying for me at all." Satoshi commented before biting onto his chicken breast.
"You can't blame him—us. You two are living so far away from home." Yuki pouted. "And you barely visit us anymore. You won't even go unless I don't stop pestering you into coming." Yuki looked at Satoshi then to Ritsu. She smiled when she noticed her children's guilty faces.
"This is not our home. Tokyo is." Ritsu mumbled. "You guys are the one who left. Not us."
"That's partly true." Yuki agreed. "But isn't it that you two are the ones who did not want to come with us?"
"But mom! We've got our life in Tokyo. I go to med school there and oneechan works there. It's not like we could just come with you and leave everything back there." Satoshi reasoned. Ritsu nodded, in agreement, vigorously.
"That's true too. But I can't just leave your father alone here in Kyoto, can I?"Yuki asked as she looked at her two fully-grown kids. "Right?" She specifically addressed Ritsu. Ritsu gaped at her mother before timidly nodding. "And it's not like I could stay away from your father that long. Some people are adept to long distance relationships and some," Yuki paused before looking back at Ritsu. "And there are also some people who undergo self-destruction when their love ones are away for long periods of time."
"Yeah," Ritsu muttered in agreement to her mother's statement.
"But then again, it's not like you two could always stay and live with us, right? Besides, you two are already at the age where you create your own home with the people you love. Speaking of which," Yuki eyed her youngest child mischievously. "I heard someone's getting it on from a certain restaurateur." She stated, successfully changing the serious mood around the table.
"Mom!" the two chorused harmonically albeit the different tones. Satoshi stared at his mother with eyes as wide as the plate on the table while Ritsu had this 'seriously?' tone.
"Tha-that's so disgusting!" Satoshi shuddered as he looked as his mother disbelievingly.
"What's so disgusting about it?" Yuki's eyes sparkled at her son's embarrassment.
"This is—we are so not talking about my sex life!" Satoshi shouted, making the two women laugh their hearts out.
"Haa… Oh god. I can't... stop..." Ritsu said in between laughs as she clutched on ther stomach.
"I always liked the youngest Hirasawa. She's all a mother-in-law could ask—"
"Mom!" Satoshi rebuked, efficiently cutting her mother's more embarrassing remarks. "And oneechan! You'll die if you laugh that hard!" Ritsu raised her hands in defeat. She bit on her lips to avoid another course of laughter. "God!" Satoshi mumbled, his face was beet red.
"Hai. Hai. I'm zipping my lips now!" Yuki playfully zipped her lips.
"Excuse me, Yuki-sama." Another voice interrupted the humorous moment of the family.
"What is it, Akari-chan?" Yuki wiped the tears on the corner of her eyes.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, but Ana-sama is already waiting for you at the deck." Akari bowed before heading back to the kitchen.
"Great timing! Ana-chan's already he—" Yuki turned to look at her daughter only to find no Tainaka Ritsu in the chair. "Ricchan," Yuki ominously called her daughter. Satoshi smirked as she looked at his sister who stopped on her tracks. "Where do you think you are going?" Yuki turned around to face Ritsu.
Ritsu gulped when she saw her mother's ominous smile. "I, ah. I need to be somewhere." Ritsu poorly excused while pointing towards the door.
"No you don't." Yuki stood up and walked towards her daughter. "Come have tea with me and Ana-chan." Yuki immediately hooked her arms on Ritsu, preventing the younger Tainaka to escape.
Ritsu looked back at her younger brother as her mother towed her. "Help me!" Ritsu mouthed to her brother.
Satoshi smirked at his sister's dilemma. "You deserve that for laughing at me!" he mouthed back before laughing back in the dining table.
"I know! I squealed too much I think I'm losing my voice." Emi stated happily as they talked about the summer concert she'd seen. Yuko and Megumi eagerly listened to Emi's stories whilst Mio idly poke her velvety strawberry cake.
"Hm?" Megumi hummed, cocking her head to the right as she looked at the silent girl beside her. "What's wrong?" Emi and Yuko stopped talking and looked at their spaced out friend. "Mio-chan?" Megumi softly touched Mio's shoulder.
"Heh?" Mio looked up at the other three occupants of the table. "What did you say?"
"I asked if you're okay." Megumi patiently repeated.
"Ye-yeah, I'm fine." Mio stammered. "Why'd you ask?" She looked at Emi and Yuko.
"Mio-chin, you've been poking your cake for a while now. Did you not like it?" Emi asked as she pointed at the barely half-eaten caked on Mio's plate. Mio shook her head.
"Are you full?" Megumi inquired. Mio shook her head once more. To tell the truth, she hadn't eaten for the day yet, but somehow, her appetite left her.
"Diet then?" Yuko asked this time. "That's the only other reason I could think of."
"I'm not dieting either."
"But Mio-chin! That's your favourite cake! And it's really, really, REALLY good too!" Emi reasoned. Her face inched closer to Mio with every word.
"You can have the rest then." Mio casually pushed the plate away from her as she looked at the street outside.
Yuko dramatically gasped, making three pairs of eyes look at her direction. "My god! You aren't dying are you, Mio?"
"Mio-chin~!"
"What! No!" Mio laughed softly. "I'm fine, really you guys." Mio assured her friends as she drifted off for the second time of the day.
"After you," Ritsu opened the door to Linden Café, playfully bowing her head when Mio walked passed her.
"My aren't you gallant, Ritsu." Mio humouredly complimented before stepping inside the café. "It smells really good in here."
"Right? Their cakes are really good here." Ritsu pointed at the far corner of the shop. "You go ahead and sit. I'll place our orders."
"I really like it here." Mio admitted as she looked at the cheerful kids playing across the streets. "Did you ever live here?" Mio looked at the woman in front of her. It was the first time Mio saw her teacher with her hair completely down. Ritsu's fringes of hair were touching the black rims of her eyeglasses. Mio slightly flushed when she met Ritsu's intense amber eyes. 'Why does she always look at me straight in the eyes?'
"Me? No." Ritsu shook her head. Her brunette bangs jiggled across her face. "I never lived here."
"Huh? But you said your family—"
"My dad's family's from here. But my mom's a Tokyo native and so do I. I just go here during vacations and holidays" Ritsu intervened.
Mio nodded. "I see."
"Here's your strawberry cake and tea," Mio looked up to the server. The girl, that was not much older than she is, smiled at her. She nodded her head meekly, taking the cake with a small smile on her face.
Mio observed around the café. It impressed her that eyes, men and women alike, were gaping at the server. 'What an eye-catcher. Everyone's looking at her. I bet Ritsu's looking too—' Mio thought before directing her attention to the teacher sitting in front of her. Mio's thought's halted when her obsidian eyes met Ritsu's alluring amber eyes.
"Wha-what?" Mio blushed when she realized Ritsu's gaze never left her. "Is there something on my face?"
"What? No, I was just looking." Ritsu grinned at her.
"Are you sure?" Mio cautiously narrowed her eyes on Ritsu. "There's nothing on my face that you would laugh about later?" Mio asked once again, completely aware of Ritsu's impish nature.
"No! Really. There's nothing." Ritsu laughed as she watched Mio look at her reflection on the back of her phone.
"Hi, I'm Maya. Here's your red velvet cake with a cup of tea, Miss?" Mio watched as Maya flirtatiously leaned forward towards Ritsu.
"Hm? Yeah, sure." Ritsu responded dryly.
Maya's eye twitched at Ritsu's lack of interest. "Is that everything you need?" Maya asked, adorably tilting her head to the right. Mio swore she just heard someone fell on their seat.
'Is she-is she hitting on Ritsu?' Mio looked at Maya then to Ritsu. Ritsu was idly sipping her tea, as if the young brunette does not care about the rest of the world.
"No we're good." Ritsu casually responded, not even bothering to look at Maya. "You don't need anything else, do you?" Mio mildly jumped on her seat. She slightly shook her head at Ritsu's question.
Maya sighed, squeezing the tray in frustration. "Enjoy your meal. Just call me if you need anything else."
Mio watched Maya walk away from their table it amused her at how many catcalls the young server had gotten from the short distance between their table and the counter."She's really pretty, huh?"
"Who?" Ritsu looked up from her cake.
"The girl who brought the cakes and tea." Mio answered before taking a spoonful of her favourite cake.
Ritsu sipped her tea. "Really? I barely noticed her."
"I figured that much." Mio mumbled softly before looking at Ritsu. "You have an icing on your cheek." Mio instinctively reached forward with a napkin on her hand.
"Thanks," Ritsu muttered when Mio wiped the said icing on her cheek. "Is strawberry cake your favourite?" Ritsu asked whilst watching Mio happily munching.
"Yeah!" Mio eagerly took another bite. "I can eat it everyday and not get sick of it."
"You're gonna get fat." Ritsu teased. She laughed when Mio suddenly stopped eating to look at her with big teary and unbelieving obsidian eyes. "I'm just kidding! You're fine just the way you are." Ritsu grinned. "Come on. Eat as much as you want."
Megumi curiously looked at the streets after Mio chuckled to herself. Was there anything funny?
Ritsu uncomfortably fidgeted under the gaze of her mother's best friend. She inwardly twitched when she heard her mother giggle. Why does she always have to laugh at my expense?
"I just didn't see you for a couple of months and you've grown to be quiet, Ricchan." Soft angelic voice filled the air.
Ritsu laughed awkwardly. "Well…" she trailed as she looked at her mother for help. Dammit, this old hag. She inwardly cursed when she saw her mother snickered at the back of her teacup. She let out a sigh of relief when Ana suddenly changed the topic and addressed the other Tainaka on the table. The two spent a good two hours of chatting until Ritsu decided she had enough sitting still. The impatient brunette was about to excuse herself from the boredom when her mother suddenly spoke.
"Excuse me. I have to go make some more tea." Yuki said as she placed the bow empty teacups and teapot on the tray. "Ricchan, be a good company to Ana-chan while I make some more." She winked at her daughter before disappearing inside the house, making her daughter glare at her. Ritsu's glare intensified when she heard her mother laugh her out heart inside the house. What was so funny about being tormented by Ana's glances anyway?
"How are you doing these couple of months, Ricchan?" the soft voice snapped Ricchan away from looking at the door where her mother entered. Ritsu could not help but winced at the very familiar voice of the older woman in front of her, which, much to her disappointment resembles someone else's.
"I-I'm fine… I guess?" Ritsu muttered before scratching the back of her neck.
"Fufufu. You still got that mannerism of scratching your nape when your troubled, Ricchan," Ana mused as she studied the young woman before her. "You haven't changed since I knew you."
"You too, Ana-san," Ritsu could not help but smile at some of the memories she shared with the blond woman in front of her.
Ana immediately scowled at the amber eyed Tainaka. "I really miss the old you," Ana sighed as she uncharacteristically rested her head on her right hand. "You always used to call me 'okaasan' too."
Ritsu's eyes slowly widened at the older woman's remark. Red slowly crawled into her perfectly white face. "Wha-!Why-!" Ritsu spluttered gibberish, her arms flailing in half-embarrassment and half-frustration.
Ana gasped at Ritsu before laughing heartily, "Maa, Ricchan. You're still as cute as ever." Ana winked at the flustered brunette. "No wonder she fell in lo—"
"Ana-san!" Ritsu reprimanded the very playful mother.
"Hai, hai." Ana raised her hands in defeat. "Mou, I was just teasing since it's been so long," Ana pouted.
"I'm sorry." Ritsu mumbled, making Ana look at her.
Perfectly shaped eyebrows rose at Ritsu's apology. Ana pondered if the young Tainaka apologized for being away or some other reason she was quite aware of. "Ne, Ricchan." Ana turned her head to the right, looking at the flowers that decorated the deck. "When was the last time you've seen my granddaughter?"Ritsu's amber eyes looked at Ana for a few seconds before looking down.
The two spent the next couple of seconds in utter silence. Ana turned her attention back to Ritsu when she received no response from the 25-year-old. She observed Ritsu's eyes, looking deep for any emotions that her amber orbs reflected. Ana's eyes softened when she noticed the sadness in Ritsu's eyes. And was that a hint of discomfiture?
"Ricc—"
"Last year," Ritsu finally answered, her eyes still found the table interesting, "I saw Chiaki last during her birthday."
Ana looked at Ritsu in shock, she had no idea that it had been so long, considering the fact that little Chiaki was really attached to her. "You didn't see them on Christmas?" Ritsu shook her head. Ana noticed Ritsu biting her lower lip. "I see." Ana mumbled softly. "She's gotten quite big, you know." Ana smiled when Ritsu suddenly looked at her. "She had gotten pretty talkative too. Like someone I know." She winked at Ritsu. Ana's smile widened in recollection of her last meeting with her granddaughter. "I just saw her last week when Ken-chan and I visited them."
"Really?" Ritsu breathed.
Ana nodded. "Are you planning on visiting them sometime?"
"Yeah. I'll go see them when it's convenient for the both of us."
Ana smiled at the woman she treated like her own daughter. "I'm sure Chiaki-chan will be happy to see you." She paused whilst looking at Ritsu straight in the eye. "And I'm sure my daughter too."
"Yeah, I hope so." Ritsu could not help the small smile forming on her face.
"I guess I'll see you at school?" Megumi asked as she stood by the door.
"Yeah, thank you for inviting me today." Mio nodded.
Megumi looked at Mio for some more seconds before she started to speak. "Are you sure you're okay? You seem a little off today." Megumi studied the quiet girl some more. Mio had been awful quiet than her usual self. The obsidian haired girl would just suddenly stare off somewhere and would be absent-minded the next second.
"I guess I'm just tired." Mio smiled at the older girl in front of her.
"Okay, if you say so." Megumi smiled back whilst stepping away from Mio. "Bye."
Mio watched the brunette walk towards the street. She was about to go inside the house when she heard loud footsteps from behind coming near her.
"Mio!" Megumi huffed. "I-I forgot to give this to you." Megumi fished a small rectangular box from her purse before handing it to the obsidian haired girl before her.
"Heh?" Mio gasped at the box.
"I-ah. I got this souvenir for you." Megumi said shyly.
"Oh!" Mio hesitantly took the box. If this had happened any other day, Mio would be elated. But somehow, she does feel something missing. "Thank you. I'm sorry but I didn't get you anything from Kyoto. I didn't have time to—"
"It's fine." Megumi interrupted the girl. "I'm not expecting for something in return anyway." She smiled.
"Thank you, senpai. I'll see you later." Mio smiled one last time before closing the door.
"Oneechan! Hurry up!" Satoshi shouted. "You knew we're leaving today and yet you chose to pack on the last minute."
"Just wait!" Ritsu shouted back as she sloppily pushed her things into her duffle bag. "Honestly, you're very impatient." Ritsu complained as she stepped out of her room.
"I want to go home as soon as possible. I still got an early class tomorrow." Satoshi reasoned, walking past her sister. "Let's go. Hurry up."
"Hai, hai." Ritsu casually carried her bag on her shoulder whilst tailing Satoshi towards the car. "Mom? What are you doing here?" Ritsu asked as she looked at her mom on the driver seat.
"I thought I'd see you off at the station." Yuki smiled at her children.
Ritsu and Satoshi looked at each other then to their mother. "Fine," they chorused as they elatedly enter the sedan car.
"Say," Yuki started as she took a turn on the very busy intersection. "Let's visit Seiji as a family before you go home."
There was an alarming silence as Satoshi instinctively studied her sister. Yuki took a glance to her left where her oldest was sitting. Ritsu had her head rested on her left hand as she idly look at the streets. "It's fine, I guess."
The oldest Tainaka parked the sedan to the nearest empty spot. "Here we go. Who's going to bu—"
"I'll go buy some flowers. You guys can go ahead." Ritsu interrupted her mother as she hurriedly opened the door and jog towards the flower shop near the entrance.
Yuki looked at her daughter's back with soft, caring eyes. "Shall we go, Sacchan?"
"Ee," Satoshi murmured as his eyes glued to her sister's back.
Yuki and Satoshi were walking on the green land of the lot as they looked at the different stones with names written on it. They both stopped at a certain spot, just in time when a running Ritsu caught up.
Yuki and Satoshi watched as Ritsu replaced a pot of Chrysanthemum on the ground before lighting some incense sticks. Ritsu looked down at the tombstone.
Tainaka Seiji
19**-20**
A loving son and friend that would always be remembered.
"Shall we pray?" Yuki asked the two who nodded. Satoshi and Yuki simultaneously closed their eyes while Ritsu remained on her position.
Seiji. Ritsu ran her fingers against the hard, cold stone.
"Ricchan~" a sweet whining voice called out from behind. "Come on, please?" Ritsu sighed before turning around to the woman peeving her for quite some time now. "Pretty please?" Ritsu inwardly winced as those big dark blue eyes stared up on her.
Ritsu sighed for the nth time. "Fine. But if Seiji asks I won't tell a lie, okay?"
"Yay! I love you!" The woman with long wavy hair pecked Ritsu on the cheek.
"Hai, hai."
Two pairs of eyes instinctively looked at the door when they heard someone gasped dramatically. Ritsu could not help but roll her eyes on her cousin. "What a traitor!" Seiji childishly pointed at his cousin. "I treated you like my sister and I get this?" Seiji faked a sob behind his hands.
The woman in front of Ritsu giggled. "Stop teasing your cousin, Seiji-kun."
"I was just gone for a while and you're hitting on my girlfrien—" Seiji did not get to finish his sentence as a slightly square pillow hit his face.
"Shut up, Seiji. That's so stupid." Ritsu laughed as she avoided the pillow Seiji was throwing at her. "This blond here is head over heels in love with you."
That bastard. Leaving just like that. Ritsu snapped back when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see her mother's soft understanding eyes looking at her.
"Let's go get you to the station?" Yuki asked her daughter.
Ritsu nodded as she looked back at the gravestone. "Yeah. Let's go." Ritsu stood up and followed her mother and brother. She stopped in her tracks to spend another glance at her cousin's tomb.
See you later, Seiji. I visited you already so don't visit me, okay? Ritsu thought humorously whilst chuckling to herself.
A/N: Some of the flashbacks are supposed to be included in Chapter 6. But as you all now, the last chapter was longer than I expected. That's why I made some adjustments and got longer than I intended.
So, what did you guys think? Oh yeah! Have some Oreo cookies for those who guessed that Seiji's dead! Good job! Lol. Anyway, I'm thinking of finishing this on 10 chapters. Let's pray that I could write the next chapter faster! Lol ^_-
Gonna leave a review? No? Just a little? No? How about you give me chocolate? No? Damn! ^_-
P.S. I have a poll on my account. If you have time, I would like to know what you think of it. It concerns some of fanfiction ideas, so.. yeah. Thanks for reading!