well, I know I should probably reply all the comments for the previous chaper, but it's late and I'm tired right now. Instead of that I'll give you all a bear hug and thank you for keep reading. Love you
Seeing that everyone was feeling bad about Eri's situation I decided to give her some love too and finish this 'oneshot' once and for all
Enjoy!
FriendsFrom a distance, that's how I'll love you.
It was my decision, the right thing to do, but that doesn't make me fell better at all. I guess it's my fault for being so naïve, for believe, although it was just for a moment, that you could forget her in my arms. What a silly girl. You've always loved her and always will.
At least, now you're smiling again and laughing and... to-touching-her-ass-in-front-of-everyone?
Ok, enough.
“Still, tiger” I turn and see Reina by my side, one hand on my shoulder keeping me from doing something stupid “You scared Ai-chan enough for the rest of her life last week, we don't want to see psycho Eri again”
“But... she just...”
“Everybody saw it, Eri, but you can't go and yell at Gaki-san for touching her girlfriend's butt if she wants to. Damn, even I would do it if Ai-chan was my...”
“You're not helping, Tanaka” I glare at her.
“Ok, sorry, that was inappropriate. The thing is, you wanted this, you knew what would happen if they ever became a couple... and you still helped them. You haven't got any right to be jealous now”
“But.., they're doing it in front of other people... what would happen if...” I complain. Reina have to see my point, it's not just me being jealous.
“There's not other people, just the group, and you should be thankful to Leader for stopping Gaki-san's advances when you're around, that girl seems incapable of keeping her hands to herself”
I sigh and stare at the happy couple again. They seem to be discussing something about the new song we're rehearsing and I can see Risa struggling with some of the movements, close to breaking point. Just the touch of Ai-chan's hand in her waist is enough to calm her down. I read something like 'it's ok' in her lips, just for Gaki-san to hear, because words spoken so softly can be just for the one you love. I can't hate Ai if she loves her so much...
“Earth calling mothership, can you hear me?”
“Eh?” now's Reina who's glaring at me, arms crossed and obviously pissed because I was ignoring her.
“I was saying if you could tell your fellow eriens to please return our silly turtle back, we miss her”
“Yeah, we miss you Eririn”
Wait, when has Sayu joined the conversation?
“You know? If what you need is Gaki-san to be yourself again we can, well,
make it happen” the bunny is dangerously clinging onto me and I don't like that look in her eyes, I don't like it at all “We'll take care of Ai-chan for you” And the scariest thing is that I know that she's not joking.
“Sayu!”
“What?” she looks at Reina with her best angelical face.
“Don't give me that look. Eri doesn't need anyone taking care of anything, and stop acting all gangsta here, that's my role!”
“Really, then why aren't you doing anything?!”
“Sayu, please...” I try to stop them. The argument is getting hotter and the others are starting to notice.
“I did it!” Reina answered, ignoring me “I told her about Ai-chan's feelings and Eri decided what to do. It's not my fault!”
“Maybe if you had told her
everything she wouldn't be so head over heels for someone who doesn't love her!
“Shut up!”
“No, you shut up!”
She seems ready to jump on Reina and punch her. Oh my God, I have to stop them or this is going to end badly. I'm going to step between them and say something when I hear Sayumi sighing deeply. What now?
“You know what?” she says to Reina “You're right, I'm taking your role over and I'm going to do something that you should have done years ago”
Sayu turns to face me. Suddenly she's too close. I have a bad feeling.
++++
“K...ei...an! ...mei-san!”
What happened? I see JunJun by my side and LinLin making sings in front of me with a worried expression on her face. Did I collapse? I don't think so... I'm still at the studio and everyone is still around. Maybe I've just spaced out for a minute. The last thing I remember is Sayu's face inches away and Reina's eyes widening with fury... Oh my God.
There's a flash in front of me, that must be Aika's camera.
“Oh my God!” I repeat, this time bringing a hand to my lips.
“Kamei-san? I hear JunJun again, this time clearer “Are you alright?”
“Sayu..., she...”
“Yeah, we saw it” this time is LinLin who's patting my shoulder trying to show some support. “Michishige-san is lucky that Koharu's been fast enough to hold back Tanaka-san. She was going straight to the face”
That's right! Before... what happened, Sayu and Reina were arguing with each other, although I'm still not sure about what. I look past LinLin and I see them still face to face, with the difference that now they're being held by Koharu and Ai-chan and Reina is wearing a very much scary expression on her face. Despite her looks, it's rare to see her angry but now.., I don't remember her being so furious before in all the years that we've know each other. Was it because of what Sayu said or... did? Was it a-about the k-ki-kiss? Oh...my...
“Quick, Jun, hold her! She's going to faint!”
“Got her!”
I feel JunJun arms around my body, avoiding me from falling. I'm not fainting, though, I've just lost all the strength in my legs due to the shock. Reina? Seriously? With me? This situation is bordering the absurd. That would make four of us, five if we count Sayu in, but I'm still not sure about it. Is the whole group like that or what?
“Are you gay too?” I ask suddenly to the pandas, eyes focused again. Linlin looks at me as if she's just seen my mothership and Jun, well, she seems to be struggling with her answer. Oh God... Six and counting.
“Oook...” says Ai-chan finally taking part “Why don't we take Sayumi and Reina to get some fresh air. Let's call it a day, ne?”
I'm perfectly fine with that. I should probably take the opportunity to run into the first closet I'll find and forget that the last half hour ever happened.
“Risa” Leader speaks again before reaching the door “Could you stay with Eri here for a while and make sure that she's ok before going home?”
“No problem”
Eh?... Eeehh??!! No way! No, no, no, no! I can't be alone with Gaki-san right now!
“Why didn't you tell me?” Is the first thing that she says after everyone has left.
With the whole thing between Reina and Sayu I'd forgotten completely that Gaki-san was here too and, obviously, has seen and heard everything. You don't need to be too smart to fit all the pieces together after that. I want to run. I rather hide inside the darkest hole in the world for the rest of my life than face her with the truth.
“Eri” she insists “Why?”
“It'd had changed anything if I told you?”
I say, finally. Then I realize that, yes, maybe things would have been different . Maybe, if I'd have told her when all this started, I'd have had and opportunity. Now I'll never know.
She stares at her feet for a moment, meditating her answer.
“Probably not” Risa's voice is firm and doesn't hesitate before raising her eyes and meet mine “But it would have been nice to know”
“Then you'd never have come to me when you didn't know what to do with Ai-chan, because you'd have been afraid of hurting me. I couldn't let you all alone”
“And you've been the one alone, instead?”
“I wasn't completely alone. I had Sayu and...”
Reina... She's been feeling the same way all this time, right?
I hear a giggle and I see Gaki-san smiling. Am I making some weird faces or something? Instead of being angry, or sad, or whatever this situation requires, she's laughing at me?
“This is so weird” she says still trying to contain the giggle “Now we just need Koharu to fall for Sayu and Aika for her and the circle will be complete”
“You're forgetting the pandas” I laugh along.
“They're weird enough on their own”
Our laughs seem to loosen the air and clean away the pain a little. I begin to feel better. This is one of the things why I fell for her, Gaki-san's ability to cheer everyone around, the way she speaks always the truth, not being capable of hypocrisy... She's frank and honest, and that's why she's not apologizing for not returning my feelings or feeling pity and telling me sweet lies...
“Don't ever change, Risa” I tell her when we finally stop laughing. She understands what I mean and nods.
“And you be sure to keep that silly smile of yours or I'll get mad, deal?”
“Deal”
I nod in agreement, but then I remember something else.
“Ne, Gaki-san, now that we're ok and it's all clear between us... can I ask you something?”
“Anything you want”
I breath deeply. I hope she understands.
“Could you..., could you stop groping Ai-chan in front of me? It really bothers me”
Her mouth turns into a small 'o' and a slight shade of pink appears on her face. Wasn't she aware that she was doing it in front of us? But her shyness seems to last just a second 'cause she's now smirking.
“Well, why don't you ask Reina to
distract you instead of watching what I'm doing with my girlfriend? I'm sure she'll be glad to help”
She can't be meaning what I think that she's meaning...
“Or Sayu, she seems to
enjoy your company too”
“Gaki-san!”
My face is completely red and suddenly is too hot inside this room.
Well, I don't care (too much) that she's laughing at me like that. It means that we are fine, that we're still GakiKame, that we can still be friends and share our laughs, our crying, our life...
And that, it's what matters the most.
FIN (and this is the real one, I swear!)
Topic: Len's Notebook (Friends 01/10 -TakaGaki/Eri-) (Read 10424 times)