I forgot to mention before that the Hare Ame Nochi Suki song I've used for this fic is the version Eri sang in Hawaii. So it's not the whole song. I think she sang it beautifully
So Much – Hare Ame Nochi Suki Edition [Part 2]After witnessing the on goings in the room, Eri fled the building and ran outside into the streets where the sky had opened up in a matter of forty minutes. A massive storm was brewing and somewhere inside a cozy apartment, an impromptu newsflash program reported on the typhoon which had rapidly moved inland without warning. Heeding the authorities advice to stay indoors and take refuge from the unpredictable weather, most roads in the city were empty and the only sounds outdoors were of the rain crashing down onto the concrete pavements. As Eri sprinted further and further away from the theatre, her chest heaved strongly with every step that she pounded on the pavement. Running blindly ahead, she didn't stop to rest even when she felt the beginning effects of heartburn accelerated by her crying. Not wanting to remember how she lost her first kiss to someone on the same night that person kissed another, she was edged on by the sheer hope that the momentum would erase the happenings of what happened earlier. The heavens callously seem to want to add on to her agony as the rain didn't let up and temperatures dropped drastically low on this wet night. Raising her head to glare at the pitch black sky, she lashed out with fury.
"How could you do this to me Gaki-san? How could you play around with me?!"
With her shoulders sagging, Eri was a picture of despair as she stood in the middle of the street letting the full impact of the elements pelt down on her. She was totally soaked and water droplets dripped from the ends of her hair and clothes. The physical punishment seemed to lessen the anguish she was feeling if only for a bit. Eri didn't know how long she had been standing for but she finally dragged her lead laden body to a telephone booth a few metres away. Collapsing onto the floor of the small area, she lay motionless on her side as the salty taste of tears entered her mouth. In her purse, the clam model cell phone rang and the gadget vibrated and flashed rhythmically. Eri made no move to pick up the call but lifted her eyes to stare at her reflection in the booth's transparent plastic panel. In her current state, her hair was matted messily, the strands plastered to her head in wet clumps. The mascara had smudged from her lashes and her eye shadow had completely disappeared. But beneath it all, she was still pretty, she was still cute. Kamei Eri was an adorable girl, right?
Then why did she treat me like this? Why?Before long Eri's phone rang again. This time, she answered the white color device. As soon as the line connected, the voice at the other end cried out.
"Where are you?"
The voice was raucous but Eri recognized who it was instantly.
"Why are you calling? I don't want to talk to you."
She removed the mobile from her ear and was about to press the 'end' button when Risa called desperately through the speaker.
"Wait! Is it because of what happened? I'm sorry I didn't mean…"
"I know! You didn't mean to kiss me! I don't want to see you or speak to you anymore!"
While Eri was screaming agitatedly through the phone, unleashing all of her pent up jealousy and anger at being played with, a passing ambulance sped past, its shrill siren breaking the stillness of the night.
-----
"Well?"
"She's outside, I can hear the rain beating down."
"What? There’s a typhoon raging out there!"
Starting to pace the length of the room in her anxiety, Ai wrung her wrists after hearing the news about Eri.
"You better get home soon too Ai-chan, it's not safe in this weather."
Picking up the garment that had been draped over the back of the chair she was resting on before, Risa slipped her arms through and zipped the army green jacket all the way up.
"What are you doing?"
At seeing her friend's actions, Ai scurried crossed the room and latched onto Risa's arm.
"You can't be going out now. You're not even well!"
"I have to find her, I can't leave her out there by herself."
Placing a clammy hand over the smaller one of Ai, Risa patted it reassuring.
"I will be fine, Eri too. I'll get her home safely."
-----
At the entrance, Risa had to exert herself substantially to push through the giant revolving doors. Her strength seemed to have diminished greatly. Damn those pills she had taken in excess before the start of the musical to curb the unexpected fever. The side effects were drowsiness and dizziness. That would explain her short nap before Eri found her and why she was so devoid of energy now. A blast of rain and cold air assaulted her as soon as she stepped out onto the pavement. Looking both directions, she didn't know which way to go first until a piercing siren caught her attention. Rumbling at breakneck speed down the road was an ambulance splashing puddles of water into the air as its tires churned on.
That siren...Risa followed the route which the ambulance had traveled from and along the way, hollered and yelled for Kamei. The lack of replies didn't deter her and she preserved till her voice got hoarse from the screaming. Bending over and resting her hands on her knees, she coughed hard from extent of the effort. Her body was feeling the toil from the dreadful gale and freezing temperatures. Both her throat and chest burned and the incessant throbbing of her head made her eyes sting. Nonetheless, thinking about Eri all alone in the fearsome storm made her go on. She sunk her teeth into her lip to stop the chattering induced from the icy winds. The notes of the song set as the ringtone to her mobile jingled and the Japanese melody rose briefly above the howling of the winds. Removing her arms from around herself, Risa answered the call.
"Moshi."
"Gaki-san where are you?"
"I think Eri is somewhere along xxx street."
Slowly standing straight up again, Risa strained her ears to hear Ai's voice. The crackling of the connection was getting louder and it was harder to make out Ai's words. One or more of the telecommunication poles of the city were possibility destroyed by the massive hurricane.
"I've called Sayumi, we're coming to get you both. Can you hear me? Gaki-san! Gaki-san!"
After Risa had left, Ai got increasingly worried as she thought about it. Perhaps it would be better and more efficient to get another person to help. And so she called Sayumi. She had a good head on her shoulders and Ai knew she could count on her when the time came.
"Okay."
Risa could not reply more as she was overwhelmed by another round of violent coughing.
"Get shelter somewhere. Don't stay out in the open, a man was killed by falling debris. Risa, promise you'll listen to me."
Ai hardly ever called Risa by her full name. It was always Gaki-san, the nickname given by the host on a show years back that caught on. She hoped Risa would realize the severity of the situation by how she had chosen to refer to her closest friend.
"I promise."
-----
"I love you Gaki-san. How could you make me realize that then be so cruel to me? Why did I have to love you for what you are? Even when I know how important Ai-chan is to you?"
Muttering the words softly, Eri couldn't stop the tears that kept flowing endlessly from her puffy eyes. She didn't want to cry, she didn't want to feel so weak yet she couldn't help herself. Determined to not pine for someone who was undeserving of her heart, Eri made a promise to herself.
I won't cry tomorrow. I won't cry anymore. These tears will be for the last time. The door to the telephone booth whooshed open when Risa burst in after noticing the crying girl from outside. Helping Eri up to a sitting position, she checked the younger carefully for any signs of injuries that could have been sustained as a result of the journey through the squall.
"Are you hurt? Why aren't you home? Do know I almost went crazy worrying about you?"
"Don't pretend you care."
Pushing herself off the ground, Eri shoved against Risa and when the elder fell backwards, took the opportunity to escape. Realizing Eri was once again running away from her, Risa clamored up hastily and took off after the girl she had took such a lengthy time to locate. Tearing down the street after Eri, Risa begged for the figure leading ahead to stop.
"Are you mad that I kissed you? I didn't mean to scare you. Kame!"
"WHY DID YOU KISS AI AFTER KISSING ME?!"
Eri shouted back exasperatedly. It was apparent Risa didn't understand where she was coming from and it frustrated her so much.
"I never kissed Ai. Why would I when the one I love is you!"
"I saw it with my own eyes. You kissed in the dressing room!"
Risa didn't know if god was extending a helping hand or if Eri slowed down of her own accord but it permitted her to catch up with the distressed girl.
"Kame, STOP!"
Gripping onto her and refusing to budge, Risa gasped loudly to regain her breath so she could verbalize her thoughts.
"E-everything… between Ai-chan a-and me.. is innocent. We DIDN'T kiss. She was j-ust… taking my temperature."
"Why didn't you tell me if you were sick?"
Unconvinced by Risa's explanation, Eri remained rigid and she refused to look at the speaking girl.
"I didn't want to worry anyone. Ai-chan knew because she saw me taking the medicine."
The image of Eri standing before her started to get blurry and Risa blinked repeatedly to try and combine the fuzzy image of the person she loved wholeheartedly. On Eri’s part, she turned to face the shorter girl hesitantly.
"Is it really true?"
"I swear I only love you. If there was some way to prove it..."
Risa never got to complete her sentence as Eri seized her into a smothering embrace. This time it was Risa's turn to melt into her companion's arms. She was so drained she could barely keep standing if not for the feeble heartiness pursing through her veins at feeling the excitement of having Eri's head resting in the crook of her neck. The happiness she was experiencing at this moment surpassed all other feelings of joy she had come across in all her nineteen years of life.
"Will we always be together from now on?"
Drawing away from the hug and then lowering eyes to gaze apprehensively into Risa's concerned ones, Eri choked back her tears to ask the question which had been lingering on her mind. The wetness that had glazed over her friend, now lover’s eyes told her that Risa was more than willing to spend every moment of every single day with her.
A sudden deafening noise sounded and Eri felt herself being pushed forcefully aside. As she laid sprawled flat on her back, she felt the warm trickles of a liquid substance ooze from the rear of her head. Above her was Risa who had kept both arms wrapped protectively around her torso to shield her from the earlier threat. Struggling to shift but failing in her attempt from the weakness she was feeling, Eri could hear her own breathing get progressively shallower as the light from the nearby street lamp faded rapidly from her eyes. Less than one foot away laid the broken pieces of the neon signboard that had fallen onto them just seconds before.
A dark puddle of blood accumulated in a pool on the pavement around them contributed by the gash Eri suffered when she hit the ground and the numerous wounds on Risa. The immense shooting pain in her skull rendered Eri’s bodily functions useless in the current situation and she had to grapple to keep her thoughts coherent. There was so much she wanted to tell Risa, so much she wanted to say. But Eri knew time was running out and hence she could only settle for a few words. Managing to overcome the numbness that was engulfing her body for several seconds, Eri whispered with a contented smile on her face, the last words she would ever utter.
“You proved it Gaki-san."
Less than a street away from where they lay, were two young women dashing with all the strength and speed they could muster through the pouring rain to locate their dearest friends. Except that they would be too late...
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ringo-hime: Sorry it took a week for the second part to get posted
KonaKaga: I ADORE your sig!!
Is Eri the one who likes Risa?
Sukoshi: I LOL-ed at your Eri is running away from the taxi comment
strawb3rrykream: Yep, Risa is kinda out of character if she’s snapping at people like that. But in this case it’s cause she was didin't know how to behave around Eri after realizing her feelings for her
ShikyoxYaiba: The song lyrics is apparent only in part 2
JFC:
<-- Cute eh? Thanks for commenting
stefy: Wooo look who dropped by
Really? You actually liked GAKIKAME together for a moment?
meowz: It has been long hasn't it? But I'm so happy you're still reading my fics
I expect there might be a few questions after reading this. I have not decided if I should leave them open or explain it with another short piece. Which will it be? You decide
Topic: More Than One Story...[111016 Loving You Forever] (Read 236730 times)