DISCLAIMER - WE DO NOT OWN ARISA.
Yay one review! I feel accomplished! Hahah, just kidding. But uhh...yeah, don't own Arisa. Never will. Thanks for reading :) - Ariah
It's been awhile since I've seen Manabe. He really hasn't changed at all.
No wait.
His hair is probably slightly longer, but the look he gives me is still the same.
Geez, I just wanna hug em' tight and tell him how much I've missed seeing him!
I find myself grinning lovingly at him and he stops talking to look back at me.
"What's with the creepy look?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.
I beamed at him and-not being able to hold back- I threw my arms around his neck.
"It's so good to see you again!" I exclaimed, making him lean forwards from the difference of our height. "You're a bit taller now but I'm so glad you're still the same ole cocky Manabe!"
I pat his head and let him go only to find his gaze set on the ground.
"Oi, Manabe." I said, leaning down to peer into his face. "Y'know, usually you'd be..."
Suddenly, his hands reached out and grabbed my face, cupping it upwards towards him.
"huh?"
I stared back at his eyes and he closes them, his face coming slowly towards mine.
"Wait..."
The flashback of Midori suddenly pops up in my mind and then...
BAMM!
His forehead slams into mine and he lets go of my cheeks, making me crumble to the floor.
"Payback." He says, leaving me on the sidewalk as he walks ahead. "What? What'd you think I was gonna do? Kiss you?"
I looked up at him and he smirks at me, shrugging his shoulders as he turns back around to continue walking.
"Wh-Wh-What the hell?!" I yelled, getting up on my feet and running to catch up to him. "I know I'm cute but you really didn't have to tease me like that!"
"Since when were YOU cute?" He shot back, looking at me with that same expression he has on every time.
"Um, hellooooooo blonde hair like a dolls!"
"Looks more like a delinquent to me."
"Oh, shut it!"
Tsubasa and I finally arrived at the orphange that Shizuka went to a few weeks back. A lady greeted us and took us inside to her room.
"D-do you think she'll recognize me?" Tsubasa asked, making me mentally face-palm.
"Don't act stupid, of course she would." I muttered back. Anyone would...
We entered a room and spotted Shizuka on the ground playing some sort of strange card game with a few other kids.
"Akira! Tsubasa!" She exclaimed, using a chair to support herself off of the ground. "I'm so glad you're here!"
"Shizuka!" I yelled out worriedly, jerking forward to help her. "Your legs!"
"I'm fine now!" She assured me. "I told you that I would practice walking again. I'm learning little by little."
Hesitantly, I breathed out a sigh of relief and smiled at her.
"Well, like I said over the phone...take it easy and don't push yourself." I told her.
"I know," Shizuka replied. "You don't have to keep telling me."
I shrug my shoulders and turn towards Tsubasa, who had been quiet this whole time.
"Oi, how come you're so quiet?" I asked her, making her look away and scratch the back of her head. "Usually you'd be; 'Shizuka!' 'Tsubasa!' 'Shizuka!' 'Tsubasaaaaa!' 'Shi-'..."
"What the heck is up with your stinkin' imagination?!" She yelled, cutting me off. "It's not just yelling each other's names, it'd be running in the sunset towards each other WHILE yelling out our names!"
Shizuka and I exchanged stares before looking back at her.
"Sounds gross..." I commented, turning away to shiver at myself.
"I can't run yet..." Shizuka added.
"Damn it! We should totally change our names! I'd be Juliet or something!" Tsubasa joked, obviously not wanting it to get too awkward after her outburst. "Or maybe Tanya is a better name..."
Seeing this, Shizuka joined along.
"No way, No way! I think something like 'Bridge of my nose' would be a better name!"
Is this how they greet each other...? I think, eyebrows twitching at each name they come up with. ...I don't think I'll ever understand girls...
Manabe left the room and it ended up just being Shizuka and I in her room. Well... to be exact, he was kicked out. We wanted some girl-talk. Oh, Dang! I never thought I would ever say that! I guess this is just how it feels to have 'girl'-friends!
We chatted about our lives and she was surprised to find out who the king really turned out to be.
"I didn't trust him...but Arisa still does..." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "She really loves him."
Shizuka stared blindly at her legs and frowned. I knew that there was no way for Shizuka to forgive the King, much less Arisa, but...
"...I know what it feels like..." She finally said, taking in a few deep breathes before locking her gaze onto me. "...Akira has protected me, and he's been on my side the whole time just like he promised. If there was anyone who threatened to hurt him...I might've done the same thing too..."
A pain shot through my chest and I took in a breath before nodding my head at her and throwing on a smile.
"Thank you!" I said, lowering my head towards her. "Thank you so much for forgiving Arisa!"
Shizuka responded with a smile and muttered a few words that I didn't think I would ever hear from her.
"...Well, we're friends...aren't we?"
Suddenly, the same pain shot into my chest once more and I left her room so that Manabe could talk to her alone.
Alone.
Alone.
They were alone together. But why would I care? How come it bugged me so much?
I swear the pain was only temporary because I was happy that Shizuka had forgiven Arisa but...
But it wasn't going away.
I wanted it to, but it didn't, and I cried.
I hid my face and walked off away from the orphanage and cried. I don't even understand why.
And then...it hit me.
This was the last time I would see them.
The KING was solved and over with. I didn't have a reason to be with them anymore. This was the last time, and that meant...
Manabe's face popped up in my mind and I shook my head. I didn't feel like this the first time we separated to our normal lives, so why did I feel it now?
Why did it hurt so much to say goodbye?
Ugh, shoot. I gotta think positive. Think positive Tsubasa! Think!
I flipped out my cellphone and sent out a text to him.
Ariah: Well, there's chapter two! More to come and much much more afterwards! Hahah, look forward to it! Hope you liked! R&R! xD