Author's Note: -sobbing hysterically-

Alba: Uh...you okay, Shima?

Shima: P-p-p-people are so NIIIICEEE!

Alba: …

Shima: Oh my GOSHNESS, you guys! Your reviews were so lovely and beautiful and they made me cry. I'm so glad to have so much support already so early! THANK YOU SO MUCH~!

Alba: Ohh. That's what you were crying about.

Shima: I shall now respond to your reviews!

loverofallanime: OMIGOSH HEEEEEY! You reviewed before I could even get the second chapter up, haha! What, were you waiting for me to post something? XD It's been too long~ I'm glad that you still think of me sometimes! And since I'm so impatient, I decided to post a day early. That and everyone's reviews motivated me!

SEE, you guys? The more reviews I get, the more impatient I'll be to post new chapters, so I might end up posting a day or two early! :D So the more you review, the happier I'll be, and the faster you'll get chapters! Anyway, moving on...

kotoko-kurosaki: Aww, thanks! I love you too, I greatly appreciate the review~ And yes, you're right, this fic will be full of feels. For sure. SHHH Albatross is everyone's OTP. And hey don't worry about your English, sounds fine to me! Please be sure to give more feedback so I know how I'm doing in making your heart explode. ^_^

Ros: Sadist.

Shima: LOOK WHO'S TALKING!

Alba: She has a point...

Guest-chan: Did the warnings give everything away? XD Ahh, I'm glad I was able to make the story have such a feeling! Thanks for leaving such a kind review! I hope to hear from you again! :)

Ali-chan: Sorry, but he's never comin' back. Nah, just joking! I'm not gonna spoil anything, you'll just have to wait and see! Thank you! Haha, you'll probably want to stab me by the end of this. More is coming your way! I hope you'll give me more feedback in the future!

Alright, now that that's overwith, presenting a new chapter! This is probably one of my favorite chapters in the entire story, since it was so much fun to write! And I got so impatient for Tuesday so I decided to post a day early. I just couldn't wait any longer to see you guys' reactions! Okay, disclaimer, Alba?

Alba: Shima doesn't own Senyuu!

Ros: Roll the chappy!

Shima: HEY, WAIT! I'm not done yet!

Chapter 3

Message Sent

The next few months passed slowly, almost painfully. Alba seemed almost empty now, his eyes having lost their lively glow, his conversations straight and to the point, his interactions with friends limited. He withdrew into himself, choosing not to talk to anyone, see anyone. It seemed as if he was becoming the old Ros that everyone had once known, the recluse, the anti-social teen.

They didn't know why he was acting this way. It hadn't been the first time somebody they knew had moved away or graduated or left them in some other manner. They couldn't understand it.

Rchi could, though. She knew, she knew how close Alba was to Ros. She saw everything that happened between them, knew about the hidden emotions and tightly bottled feelings they kept inside. She knew Alba liked Ros. No, maybe even more than liked him, maybe Alba even loved him. It was easy to see that Alba was suffering from major heartbreak. It would be hard enough if Ros had told him upfront that he was leaving, but, no—he'd left without a word, and this made her very angry. She wished there was some way to show her old friend how much Alba was suffering without him. She wished that Ros had told Alba he was leaving, so at least he could have time to prepare and steel himself for the loneliness he was going to experience. But now it was like a tsunami, something he couldn't stop, couldn't fight against, no matter how hard he tried. He'd told her one day, when he was slightly more stable, more clear-headed: "It's weird, like...there's this huge hole in my heart now. I can't stand walking home. Not without him. Just looking there, at the place where he used to be...it...it hurts, Rchi."

She felt horrible, she really did. But she didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to get him out of this rut. His friends tried to help: Foyfoy, Ares, Hime, Janua, Sanejima, Teuffel. But nothing they did made any difference. No, it just seemed like they only helped in making things worse.

It was the same routine. Wake up, eat breakfast, walk to school, ignore everyone and everything that reminded him of Ros, walk home, try to call him, text him, give up, do homework, shower, eat dinner, try to call him again, give up again, and then cry himself to sleep.

He hated it, really. But he himself wasn't sure what to do. What could he do? He was depressed. He didn't know where to go, who to talk to. Rchi was always there for him, but there was only so much she could do. He was alone. Alone, without Ros. Without his best friend. Without the person he cherished most in the world...

Message failed to send.

"..."

Message failed to send.

"..."

Message failed to send.

"..."

"We are sorry. The number you are trying to reach no longer exists. We apologize for the inconvenience."

"..."

"We are sorry. The number you are trying to reach no longer exists. We apologize for the inconvenience."

"..."

No more. Bedtime again.

Alba curled up under the covers, holding his favorite stuffed animal close. He was surprised to learn that tears wouldn't come this night, as they usually did. So he just sighed and lapsed into a couple of dry sobs before drifting off to sleep.

Ros...Ros...come back...please...

I need you. Please...

Come back to me.

Message failed to send.

"..."

Message failed to send.

"..."

Message—

Ros: Whaaaaat?

Alba screamed and fell over in his chair.

He lay there on the floor, dazed.

No, this couldn't be happening.

He was dreaming.

He had to be.

It had been months. Almost five months since Ros had left, five months Alba had had to walk home by himself, five months that he'd tried to text him and had received no reply.

It just wasn't possible!

...Was it?

Alba stared at his phone screen for a good three minutes before he realized that Ros was probably waiting on a response, so he hurriedly typed one in.

Me: Wait.

Me: Are you seriously here?

He waited.

Ros: What do u mean by that, hero? Ur weird

Alba stood up, straightened out his chair.

And then he screamed again.

He started dancing around his room, holding his phone close to his chest, joyful tears sliding down his face. He was so happy. So unbelievably happy. Ros was here...well, not here, but he answered his phone, finally.

He's back...I can talk to him again...

Me: What the heck?! Where did you go?! Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?! You IDIOT!

Ros: How dare u yell at me like that, hero? This is exactly y I didn't want 2 tell u

Me: I'm sorry.

Ros: That's better. And I'm not telling u where I went. I don't want u stalking me!

Me: I WOULDN'T DO THAT!

Ros: Hahaha, it's been so long since I've gotten 2 hear u freak out

Ros: I kinda missed it

Me: Yeah, well.

Me: I missed you, too.

Ros: Ewww, gross. I didn't say I missed u, hero. Ur always taking things the wrong way.

Me: YOU JERK!

Ros: C? I missed that, not u. Get ur facts straight

Me: I can't believe you...

Ros: So how is everyone? Have FF and Hime gotten together yet?

Me: No. Ares is working on it, though.

Ros: Lol sounds like her

Alba smiled, wiping away tears.

Me: Why didn't you tell me?

He waited. Ros didn't respond for a few minutes.

Then,

Ros: I didn't want u 2 get upset and get your gross tears on me

Me: UGH! Come on! Seriously, though.

Another few minutes of waiting.

Ros: I didn't want u 2 get depressed

Ros: Ur not as fun 2 tease when ur all mopey

Alba laughed quietly.

So, that's the best I'm getting out of you, huh?

Me: Alright...I'm still mad, though.

Me: It's been really tough without you.

Ros: Wow ur such a wimp hero

Ros: What, u can't even walk 2 school without me?

Me: :( I CAN TOO, thank you very much!

Ros: Cute emoticon. It suits u

Me: SHUT UP

Ros: Fine if u say so

Me: NO WAIT

Me: Don't you DARE put your phone away on me!

Ros: Lol hero yr u so clingy? Do u miss me that much?

Alba buried his head in his hands and moaned, cheeks a brilliant red.

Well, he's not here to see my reaction. Or kick me. Or punch me. So...

Me: Actually, yes. I do miss you.

He waited for a while, smiling.

He doesn't know what to say.

Ros: Hmm

Ros: I have 2 admit it's weird not having u around

Alba grinned, his heart beginning to race.

Me: By the way, what happened with your phone? I couldn't text or call you for a while...

Ros: Oh that's easy. I blocked ur number!

Me: WHAT WHY?!

Ros: I didn't want u bombarding me with texts like u r now

Ros: Seriously I'm gonna run out of texts pretty soon

Me: Don't you have unlimited data though?

Ros: Dammit I thought u would've forgotten

Me: SO YOU DO WANT TO STOP TALKING TO ME!

Ros: Hahahaha there u go again hero

Me: I can't stand you sometimes. Honestly.

Ros: So wait y are u still texting me then?

Me: Whatever. That's not important.

Ros: Ahh hero I gtg

Alba frowned.

Me: No! Why?

Ros: Sorry I have some things I gotta do

Me: Wait don't block me again!

Ros: I won't don't worry

Ros: I'm comin back 2 Japan eventually 2 get some stuff I left behind so we'll c each other soon

Alba's heart fluttered. He spun around in his chair a few times, squealing.

Me: Wait really? When?

Ros: A few days I think

Alba leaped out of his chair.

Yes!

Me: Seriously? That's great! We can all hang out together again!

Ros: We'll c

Ros: I can only stay 4 a day so it's gonna b a short visit, but yeah sure. But don't tell anybody about it, I want it to b a surprise. And if I wake up 2 find that I have like 70 text messages from u I'm gonna b pissed

Me: Haha I wouldn't go that far!

Ros: Alright I really gtg bye Alba

Alba flopped down into his futon, positively beaming. He was smiling so hard he was surprised his face hadn't started to hurt.

Ros...Ros is coming back to Japan! To see me! I can't believe it!

For the first time in a while, it seemed as if things were looking up at last. And while Alba snuggled into sleep, clutching his phone to his chest, he thought that nothing could ruin the moment of happiness he'd finally found in his five months of dreary sadness.

But he was wrong.

Shima: OHHHH SHI—

Alba: You left it on a cliffhanger, dammit!

Shima: Haha! You'll have to wait until Christmas to find out what happens! And, as my Christmas gift to you, my lovely readers, I'll be posting two chapters at once! Yaaaay! But this is the last time I'll do such a thing. Just sayin'. Oh, and Alba? The majority of my chapters end on cliffhangers, just so you know.

Alba: DAMMIT WHY?!

Shima: For suspense! And to hook in more readers, of course!

Did you guys notice that this chapter was actually quite lighthearted? It's a rarity for this story, so enjoy it while you can. There's only a few chapters that are like this, some that are neutral, and most are depressing and heart-wrenching. So, yep!

Please leave me a review telling me what you thought! Sorry that not much happened this time, but the chapters coming on Christmas are some of the biggest and most important in the entire story, so please look forward to that! -bows-

See you all next time!