A/N: I'm not in a good condition now. I'm sick. So, I'm sorry if this chappie didn't satisfy you all enough. (_ _)
"Stay"
"All pain is a punishment, and every punishment is inflicted for love as much as for justice." -Joseph De Maistre
Chapter 11: Worse Than Before!
"My name is Mio, Akiyama Mio." The black-haired girl politely said as she bowing down in front of the shorter girl. "Dozo yoroshiku oneigashimasu."
The younger girl gasped in shock while she can't keep her eyes off of the black-haired girl. After a few seconds, she snapped back to the reality and gave a warm smile. "H- hai. Uhm… Come inside, please. We're just about to have our morning breakfast-" She stopped once she caught that frown on the taller girl's face. "-Well, we waited for our other friends to enjoy the breakfast together this morning." She quickly added.
"Hey, whose villa is this again? I can hardly remember…" The guy scratched the back of his head in a slight of nervous.
"This is Mugi-senpai's villa. I've told you about this before Iss—" She caught him flinched and quickly corrected her word. "—Rizuki-senpai."
They keep walking to the direction of the dining room. All the while, the shorter girl noticed that she's really can't make any difference on this taller girl. Oh gosh, they're too look alike. I can hardly find their difference. How would Mio-senpai react towards this? Moreover, I still don't know why this girl using Mio-senpai's name and why is she so similar to our Mio-senpai?
"So…" A guy's voice interrupted her thoughts. "You and her staying over the night since… last night?" By 'her', the younger girl can see the person he mentioned.
"Actually, we all staying over. None of us got enough sleep though." She innocently said and followed by a gasping voice of someone from inside the dining room. "Oh, here we are." The taller girl noticed someone she knew was standing there- looking at her direction- in a lot of disbelief look.
"Mio…?" That was the only word came out of a certain brunette's mouth.
Ritsu-san…? What was she doing here…? She thought, but can't manage any reply yet when another person in the room spoke up before her.
"Eh? Mio-chan was dressed and all prepared already!~ How fast~" The other brunette whined in a cheerful tone as she look at the taller girl who just entered the dining room with sparkling eyes.
The oldest women frowned, "Are you going somewhere?"
She gasped when she knew that most of the people inside the room recognized her already. "U- uh… N- no, but… how did you know my name…?" They may act as if they know her, but she can't hide the fact that she doesn't know anyone inside the room except for these certain two people.
"Hold on… S- she's not Mio-senpai… I- I mean-"
"…R- Ritsu-san…?"
"She's my girlfriend." The conversation went fast and they stopped once they heard the word 'girlfriend'. Moreover, it came out from the only guy who stood right next to the black-haired girl.
"Shut it. Before I hear any explanation, I would like to talk with her." The brunette expression changed into a serious one. "Come with me." Walking without any hesitation, the brunette grabbed the black-haired girl's hand and dragging her straight to the kitchen. No one in the dining room could say a word about it.
No wonder, everything was too confusing.
"You know, this is a truly shocking morning. But before we have another shocking moment, let's just sit and have our breakfast." The curly-haired girl said as she sat back down on her seat. "Azusa, you better introduces that guy now and quickly joins us here."
"Jun's right. C'mon, Azusa and-"
The guy and Azusa took their seats. "Rizuki." He added when the woman had no idea how to call his name.
"Alright, sorry for all the shocking events early this morning." She lowered her head in an apology manner, but she raises it back and starts to introduce her friend. "Well, this is my senior in my Uni. He's also a friend of Mio-senpai."
"Hy there, everyone. My name's Isshi Rizuki Minamoto, people used to call me 'Isshi' but… I would like you guys to call me 'Rizuki' instead when there's my… uh… my g- girlfriend." The others raised their eyebrow in confusion.
The mature brown-haired girl seemed to notice something odd. "Why's that?"
"Long story. I will explain it all later." Unfortunately, it was not Rizuki who answered it.
"Well, not me. I'm not that interested to know. So yeah, you want me to call you 'Rizuki' then so be it." Casually said, she frowned and starts up a question she's been wondering about. "But I have something to ask, if you don't mind. This has something to do with… your girlfriend."
He flinched when the curly-haired girl mentioned Mio as his girlfriend. It can't be help; he's the one who claims it that way.
The two arrived at the kitchen and the brunette quickly closed the door behind them. "What the hell are you doing here, Mio? Moreover, with the news that you're his girlfriend? Since when and how in the world you can get together with him?" Pressing the question even more, the brunette seemed to be a lot more nervous and… jealous?
"I could ask the same question, Ritsu-san. To be honest, we're not together and why did you act like this? It's not like it's a bad thing if I really going out with him." Mio defended herself. She heard a sigh and Ritsu ran her hand to her head, making her noticed a thing on one of Ritsu's fingers. She's frowning and tilts her head a little to the side, "So… you're engaged already?"
Ritsu's heart stopped beating for a second. She turned back to Mio who was still frowning. "Well, how to say this… remember that time when we- I mean, when I accidentally bumped and spilled the drinks on your dress? The time when I said that you looked like my friend." She nodded and started to recall what happened in the first event they met.
She finally gets it. "Don't tell me… she's…" The brunette nodded.
"She's actually my girlfriend back then."
"I'm guessing… that-"
"No." Ritsu quickly added, "No one knows yet, except for my friends and you, even your boyfriend." She muttered at the last comment. Sadly, it doesn't sound low enough for the other girl.
"How many times should I tell you? We're not together."
Not yet. Ritsu raised one of her eyebrows, and then think why that thought could cross her mind. She shook her head and back to the thing, she needed to tell Mio. "Anywho, back to the case, you and my Mio are totally look-alike-"
"Wait, her name is also Mio?" Ritsu realized that it was a slipped tongue.
"Uh… yeah… it's also 'Mio'…" There's no way she can lie, they will found out about it anyways. "Well, you know that coincidences do happen, right?"
Even the most awkward coincidence. She added mentally and brushed it off right after.
"-You will need to explain to my friends about yourself. I actually don't want it to be this way; I mean… it will be too shocking for now. However, there's no other way and about my engagement, please be shut about it. None of my parents knew, well… I've told them about the plan, but they had no idea I proposed last night. It should be a surprise though." Ritsu scratched the backside of her neck in nervous.
"Anyways, our last name must be different. So, it wouldn-"
"No- I mean…"
"Ritsu…?" Came another voice, more familiar voice for the brunette's ears. She turned around to see a girl in her white shirt stood there, tilting her head in confusion and slowly walking towards her. "You… you're the girl from before?" This was the one and only fiancé of Tainaka Ritsu.
Akiyama Mio.
"Mio?" The two black-haired girls turned their heads to Ritsu. She felt this is somewhat awkward, because the way she called their names, both can't hide the fact that they do felt Ritsu was calling her names. Both girls' names. "Uh… Okay, this needs to be set-"
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Ritsu! What the heck are you thinking talking with someone's girlfriend in a locked kitchen! ? Get out of there now or we'll break off this door by force!" The voice from the other side of the door said. Well, it really seems odd when you just dragged someone's girlfriend to a kitchen and locked the door to talk privately inside there.
Ritsu sighed in both annoyance and tiredness. "Dammit…" She cursed softly. "We'll be outside in a moment!"
"You must be Ritsu-san's fiancé, right? My name is Akiyama Mio; it's a pleasure to meet you personally." She smiled, bowing down and politely offers the other Mio to have a handshake.
Mio, on the other side, was confused and shocked. Either way, this was not the right time to be like a dead-statue. Mio smiled back at her and accepted her hand, "Ah, yes. You… you are the girl that I met in the cafe. I've asked Ritsu and it was really a rare coincidence to meet someone who has the same… same given name with me."
After finished the handshake, she took a glance at Ritsu, who looked rather troubled by all the things. "Well, I guess we better be go to meet the others now. I don't want to cause Ritsu-san more trouble."
The two dark-haired girls heard a sigh from Ritsu. "We'll talk later." She unlocked the kitchen door and opened it. Mio was the first one to walk out of the kitchen, followed by Ritsu. She stopped all of a sudden when she felt a hand holding her sleeve. Turning around to see her fiancé shook her head. "What's wrong?"
"I need to talk to you." She quietly said and Ritsu understands. Mio bit her lower lip, "Actually… I was just wanted to tell you to not over thinking it."
Ritsu chuckled at Mio's concern, "It's okay, Mio. I'm totally…-" Blank. Everything went black in seconds.
"Ritsu…! Help! Everyone, Ritsu's collapsed!" Mio's voice was so low to her ears. It echoes in her mind, but she could only look at the sight with half-lidded eyes. Too dizzy, too much pressure.
Ritsu slowly closing her eyes and let herself collapse in Mio's lap.
Tainaka Ritsu was drinking a glass of water. No, it's actually not hers, but Mio's. "Thanks, honey." She said jokingly after she finished drinking. Mio had a slight blush on her face and everyone in the room started to sniffles their laughter. A cell phone ring cut off the act; Ritsu pulled it out of her pocket and press the green button. "Yo Doc, sup?" She casually said.
"Ah, nothing much. Well, can you give the cell phone to Akiyama-san? There's something I need to talk about with her."
Ritsu frowned. This is kind of rare, because usually, the doctor would just go straight talking with Ritsu. Even about Mio's matters. "Why don't you just call her cell phone then?"
"I've tried, no one answered."
"Oh, alright. Hold on a sec-" Ritsu gave the cell phone to Mio. Even Mio got a little confuse with this. "-Hello?" She greeted carefully.
"Akiyama-san, I want to tell you something, but please, just between us. Don't let Ritsu knew about this."
Hearing that, Mio excused herself from the others and goes to the kitchen. Since the kitchen was big and has a few rooms, she goes even further inside the kitchen to make sure that no one will hear her conversation. "Okay, I guess I'm out of the others' ears now. Is something bad happened?"
"No. Well, actually, not yet. It's about Ritsu's condition. She's not getting better, not getting any better. I got a report from her private body-guard that she's been working way too much. Her energy decreasing and now it's under the normal tension. I need to ask you, does she have enough rest after she took the three-days off?"
"As far as I know, she's been taking a good rest. She always came back to the apartment and sleep for one or two hours. But I admit, she always got home over-midnight."
"Yesterday, I heard she doesn't take any rest in the afternoon. Woke up early, goes to work and meetings in different places without rest, and then drove her car up to the mountain at night. Last night's weather is not so friendly and thank God she made it to the villa. I didn't blame you if her health got drop all in a sudden, but I blame her. She never listened to me, no matter what."
"Then I'm sorry for her stubbornness."
"It's okay, I got used to that. Now, tell me how late she goes to sleep last night?"
"We both go to sleep so late last night. Around three-thirty or four am."
"I accept it for now, because last night was Christmas Eve. But I beg you, Akiyama-san, she only listen to you. So please, for the sake of her health, get her to have a good rest."
"I will, don't worry. I'll make sure she'll get enough rest."
"One last thing, don't let her think too much."
A sigh, "Such a big-headed… never listened to anything I said… always do what she wants… doesn't even care about her own health." The man shook his head a little and done checking Ritsu's recent condition after she collapsed. He stood up from the bed, "I need close relatives. Call Kotobuki-san and…" He looked at the ring on Ritsu's finger and let out a little smile. "-Tainaka-san's fiancé." He finished.
"As you said, Doctor." The black-suited guy nodded and hurried to the door, once he opened it, people started to approach him in a lot of worried expression.
"How was Ricchan? Is she okay?"
"Can we see Ritsu-san now?"
"Let me in, I need to see Ritsu." Mio almost pushed the bodyguard away from the door, but before she does that forceable action, the man noticed the same ring on one of Mio's fingers.
"W- wait a moment. The Doctor had ordered me to call Kotobuki-san and… apparently you, Tainaka-san's fiancé." The man's words had made Mio gave out a flustered expression. Mio lowered her head and nodded in a bit of embarrassment. Not long, he saw Kotobuki Tsumugi standing behind Mio. "Ah, you two can get inside now." He stepped aside, allowing the two girls walks inside the bedroom.
"That's not fair, I want to see Ricchan too!~" The air-head whined out.
The man bowing down in an apology manner. "I'm sorry, but Tainaka-san's currently still unconscious. She'll recover in about thirty minutes or so, until then, the Doctor don't allow anyone get inside. Exception for Kotobuki-san and Tainaka-san's fiancé."
When he's about to walk back inside, the other guy- a younger one- grabbed his sleeve to stop him. "Can you at least tell us what's wrong with her? I mean, from the way I saw her, she doesn't seem to be just tired. Please, all of us are worrying sick about Ritsu-san's condition." He begged.
The older man frowned, "You're a doctor." It was a statement, not question, because he knew it just by judging his point of view about Ritsu's condition. "You do realize there's something wrong with Tainaka-san. Unfortunately, it is not the right way to tell out her friends about her condition now. I hope you understand what I meant by that, Doctor Rizuki."
Rizuki could only stand still with his frowning face as the other guy leaves him and the rest of Ritsu's friends outside.
Meanwhile, as the only daughter of Kotobuki family and the one and only Tainaka Ritsu's fiancé, walks inside the room, the first person who approached Ritsu was obviously the black-haired girl. "I- Is she okay? How was she? She's not-"
"Do not worry, Akiyama-san. She's fine…" It doesn't stop there, "…for now." He finished with a hint of disappointment in his tone. "Well, I hope you didn't try to wake her up now, Akiyama-san. Because I need to tell you and Kotobuki-san about things you need to pay your attention to."
Mio and Mugi seemed taken aback with that. This is not a normal or easy task, they knew it, Ritsu's not getting any better. "You better take your time before she's back to her consciousness." The blonde-haired girl advised the doctor.
"As I said in my message and my call this morning, Kotobuki-san and Akiyama-san. Tainaka Ritsu is not getting better; in fact, she's the one who made it worse than before." His expression turned into a real serious one. "If next time he collapses again, that means she needs to be in the hospital for a better medication. Hans-san, come here." Giving a sign for the man nearby the door, he asked the man to approach him.
He nodded and walks towards the doctor. "Anything you need, Doctor?"
"Yes, I've said to you that Tainaka-san's anemia is a secret. So here's Akiyama Mio and Kotobuki Tsumugi who know about it." He bowed himself down in front Mio and Mugi.
"My name is Kuchiki Hans. I'm the right-hand of Doctor Crane here." He said after he finished bowing down.
"There are still two people who know. Tainaka-san's brother, Tainaka Satoshi and also her private body-guard- which currently not here."
"Shouldn't the body-guard keep on her side? It's just not-"
"I know that. Blame Tainaka-san if you brave enough. It was her order to not let the body-guard come along."
He couldn't help but ask another question. "Have you ever got other patient like Tainaka-san, Doc?" The doctor shook his head in denial. "Alright then… what do you want me to do?"
"Glad you're done with your questions. Now girls, from now on, this man will—twenty-four hours—looking after Tainaka-san. I trust him just like my own little brother, so don't worry, he'll do his job in a professional kind of way." He patted the other man's shoulder. "I hope you can give as much respect as you gave me to Tainaka-san and the rest of her friends—especially Tainaka-san's fiancé." He winked at Mio jokingly at the last part.
Smiling proudly, he nodded eagerly and said, "Thanks for all the trusts, Doc!"
A/N: Wow… yeah, I know… this was a sad chappie… but I can't help it. Anyways, I'm sorry for the long delay, right now I'm sick. Yes, I finished this fic when I'm in the middle of a bad fever (no, not #MitsuFever- but I surely am running outta Mitsu energy~ lol). Anywho, I still have those unfinished stories in my mind, I'm still going to update it as fast and as possible as I can.
I hope I get better from this fever soon enough. Thanks for all the blessings. 0:)
iDutchman | Signing Off