3285@AA: Who's the sadist? Not me?
@rnd: Ai's character is somewhat aloof? But I can see why the bean would still fall head over heels for her. When you meet the one, nothing can stop it ^^;
@Sukoshi-chan: Maybe Risa should have been a building engineer or something if not a singer
@Kuro-san: It's Ai who didn't realize it was their anniversary
@BS: You don't even appear often enough for her to bully
But yes she can be scary. What an abuser
Me? Fierce? Are you kidding?
@kR: I hope I see you around. Good luck with whatever it is you need to sort out
DD2 @rnd: The weight of a 1000 angry bunnies. I like that!
@BS: Hmmm, I wouldn't know *whistles*
@Sukoshi-chan: Throw Sayu into the fray and we have a nice little square. Won't that be interesting. Should I add the kitty too?
In Case It Rains ~ Part 1@Kuro-san: Really? First meetings aren't usually good? I didn't know that
@rnd: Ooooh right, garter. Thanks for telling me ^^; Normal AiGaki for a change. Not singers or celebs. Could be nice huh?
@Haruka: You prefer the title to be 'A Raining Day'? Gomen, I'm not good at coming up with titles >.<
@kR: Would you be so supportive of the aunt if you met one like that?
@Yume-chan: It's not the Rain fic, but you'll like this fic too right? *hopeful*
@Sukoshi-chan: Erm... I'm asking?
I didn't think of that bit! Lol, Ai with a brother complex would be...LOL
-----
I Have to Love You ~ Part 2“That girl! She has to know something!”
Snapping out of her daze immediately, Risa looked up from the box she was cradling in her arms and searched frantically for the stranger.
“Kamehan! Where did she go?”
“Huh? I didn’t notice her leave.”
Dashing out onto the road, Risa scanned both ends of the street till her almost perfect vision could see no further. Angry with herself for letting the mystery messenger slip away, tears sprang to her eyes once more and fell like rain onto the tarred granite.
“Saru-chan…”
-----
“Can you tell me what’s going on?”
Keeping pace with her childhood friend, Eri stared with concern at the one walking with slumped shoulders. Risa was a picture of absolute gloom and it seemed that nothing could brighten her up again.
“Kamehan…Saru-chan…”
Collapsing onto the pavement with her knees connecting to the hard surface first, Risa hugged the now squashed box in her chest and sobbed sorrowfully into her hands.
How could she begin to explain her story with Saru-chan? Wasn’t it ridiculous to tell Eri that her online companion meant so much more to her than just a normal friend? That she might have fallen in love with someone whom she had never met? And that every little detail about Saru-chan affected her much more than she could ever imagine?
“I just want to know that she’s okay, Kamehan. I just want to know that…”
As she watched her friend weep, Eri felt her own eyes grow moist. Squatting down next to Risa, she pulled her in for an embrace. There was nothing that needed to be said, nor did she know what to say. It was clear what was happening to her long time housemate. Risa had finally discovered that sensation called love.
Placing her chin on Risa’s head and patting her on the back, Eri tried her best to sooth the crying girl. The pain of losing someone is great and the road to recovery is long. But she will be there every step of the way to accompany her. That’s her promise that will hold for as long as Risa needed her.
“Gakihan…I think that’s her…that’s the girl who passed you the box!”
As soon as she heard those words, Risa instantly jerked her head up and glanced in the direction where Eri was pointing. Spying the raven-haired beauty across the road, Risa hastily picked up her possessions and raced towards her target.
“STOP!”
At the sound of her voice, the person with long straight hair and dark eyes started running. Alas she was no sprinter. Hence in no time, the shorter girl had caught up with her friend trailing not far behind.
“Tell….me….Wh---ere…Saru—chan…”
In between gasping for air, Risa struggled to get her point across to the captive presently caught in her hold.
“Gakihan calm down, you are asthmatic!”
Peering at the stranger trapped between them, Eri pleaded silently for her to relent. Just tell Gakihan, tell her what’s going on with this Saru-chan!
-----
“Where are you taking us?”
“Didn’t you want to see her? I’m taking you there.”
There was the entire conversation that transpired between the trio as they sat in awkward silence inside the traveling cab. Within 30 minutes, the vehicle pulled up to a looming structure standing on the junction of two roads. Without even looking for the name, Risa knew what the place was.
“Is…Saru-chan… working here?”
There was a nagging sensation in the back of her mind that told her that the person she was determined to find wasn’t an employee here. Despite that, Risa wished that her gut feeling was inaccurate for once.
The corridors were endless and cold as the area was empty of visitors during this time of the night. Halting outside a particular door, the tallest hesitated before throwing the entry open. Stepping aside, she motioned for Risa to enter. When she did, she tugged the door close behind the bean and left her alone with the sole occupant of the room.
Meeting those dark orbs, Eri asked, obviously anxious.
“Will she be alright?”
Tearing her line of sight away from observing beyond the small glass panel of the door to stare solemnly at Eri, the one who brought them here said.
“My name is Michishige Sayumi. Do you want to hear a story….?”
“Kamei Eri.”
Completing Sayumi’s sentence with her own name, the turtle wasn’t the least bit surprised by the stranger’s presumptuousness.
“Let’s go sit by the vending machines. This tale will take some time to relate.”
-----
The atmosphere within the room was even colder than outside. Making her way to the plastic chair placed beside the bed, Risa sat down in it before reaching out with shaking hands. Clasping her fingers around the hand of the patient lying quietly in the cradle, she brought the frozen limp up to her mouth. Pressing her lips down against it, she whispered softly.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Baka...
[In the hallways]“This is really extraordinary. Contracting an illness whereby she can’t live beyond her 21st birthday.”
Breathing out in amazement, Kamei Eri leaned back against the bench, her mind whirling at a speed of 90 miles a minute, trying desperately to process all the information that she has just heard.
“I couldn’t it believe it myself when I heard it from Ai-chan the first time.”
Agreeing with the sportier female, Sayumi suddenly felt the urge to cry. Her closest friend in the world has been lying in a comatose state in this hospital for more than a month and she couldn’t do a single thing to help her nor alleviate her pain.
“Why am I so useless? I couldn’t do anything for her, nothing at all.”
Although they had never met each other prior to this day, this little detail didn’t stop Eri from wanting to comfort a person in distress.
“She wouldn’t want to see you like this. Just like how I believe she wouldn’t want Gakihan to worry.”
Nodding her head from her position snug against Eri’s shoulder, Sayumi replied.
“That was why Ai-chan didn’t want to meet her. But in actual fact, she did go.”
Rummaging through her purse, Sayumi fished out her cell phone and accessed the photo gallery function. Tilting the gadget at an angle, she showed the screen to her companion.
“I took secretly when Ai-chan went to pick up the present Niigaki-san left behind. I have never seen her beam so brightly. I think… she loved her.”
-----
“Takahashi Ai.”
Reading off the words printed on a card stuck to the wall, a sad smile formed on Risa’s face when she realized this was Saru-chan’s real name.
“You were always so secretive. Not wanting to tell me anything more than you should about yourself. Did you not realize that I wanted to know everything about you Ai-chan? Ai-chan…Ai-chan…”
Repeating her name and letting it effortlessly rolled off her tongue, Risa slowly bent nearer to the lying figure.
“Considering how this is only our first meeting, it might be a little fast. But I’ve wanted to do this for the longest time.”
Still not releasing their entwined hands, the younger pecked Ai on the lips, leaving her mouth over the patient’s for longer than necessary. It was only when she needed to come up for air did Risa pull away unwillingly.
“Takahashi Ai-chan, from this moment on, I’ll be your personal
baka, forever. Please open your eyes and look at me? I’m Niigaki Risa.”
Her heartfelt confession was interrupted when two persons entered the ward.
“Gakihan, we should leave. Takahashi-san needs to rest.”
“Please inform the company that I’ll be taking no pay leave indefinitely.”
Flabbergasted at what was being suggested, Eri stomped over to the bed and grabbed Risa by the collar.
“Are you crazy?! You would be fired!”
“I don’t care! I’m staying here. Ai has been in a coma since the operation done on her birthday. I can’t leave her alone now. “
Jerking free from Eri's clasp, Risa picked up the clipboard attached with sheets of papers and shook it in her friend's face. When her colleague cum friend took it from her, she promptly turned around and returned to sit by Ai.
“I’m never leaving her side again.”
Flipping through the pages of messy handwriting scrawled by the doctor in charge of Ai, Eri's eyes widened as she took in the numerous tests which she had been subjected to. Surely this must have been too much to take for a frail looking girl like Ai. Despite disagreeing with her friend's unwavering intention to destroy her own career, she realized she didn't have it in her to prevent Risa from sticking by her decision.
-----
Some weeks later, Risa along with Eri and Sayumi were all sitting in Ai's ward chatting about random things. It had become a daily occurrence for Risa to be here and since Sayumi was Ai's best friend, it wasn't surprising that she too spent most of her free time accompanying her friend. What was though is a certain turtle turning up more often than she should. It didn't take a genius to see that Kamei Eri had taken an interest in the porcelain skinned youngster.
Seeing how well the two were getting along, Risa couldn't help but feel sad that she couldn't do the same with Ai. If only the sleeping girl knew how much she longed to see her smile and hear her voice again. On sudden impulse, she inched her hand closer to Ai's and linked just her pinky with hers.
I want to tell you that I love you. Please wake up so I can tell you how I feel.Realizing that Eri was asking her something, Risa looked away from staring at Ai's face to focus on her friend. But as Eri spoke, Risa could not pay full attention to what was being said. Feeling a tingling sensation jolting through her finger, she immediately dropped her head down. Not noticing her abrupt change in behavior, the 'middle manager' continued jabbering away.
“I think…I think Ai-chan’s waking up...”
Her voice was so soft that the other two girls did not hear her at first. It was only when Ai herself spoke did complete silence descend upon the room.
"Who are you?"
"Oh my god Ai-chan! You are awake!"
Scooting across the bed to Ai's side, Sayumi's tears fell in torrent like drops as she brushed her friend's fringe away from her eyes. Giving Sayumi a small smile to acknowledge her presence, she innocently repeated her question directed at the stunned individual.
"Who are you? Why are you so nervous?"
Sensing that Risa was in no condition to reply, Eri took the initiative to help.
"She's your girlfriend."
-----
[2 months later]“Shut up! SHUT UP!!”
Takahashi Ai and Michishige Sayumi giggled uninhibitedly as they observed the pair of childish friends chase each other around the ward. Currently it looked like the second youngest member of the group was having the upper hand.
“Come here you aho turtle!”
“Nah nah ni bu bu. I’m not
that dumb Gakihan! Why would I go over when I know you want to whack me?”
“GAH! Take back what you said about me being a puppy dog!”
“But you are one aren’t you? You are Ai-chan’s little beanie puppy dog!”
Sticking out her tongue at her infuriated friend, Eri ducked a low swipe aimed at her and grabbed at Sayumi’s wrist.
“Someone’s getting cranky. Sayu, we better escape!”
Allowing her girlfriend to pull her along, Sayumi rolled her eyes and bid them goodbye as she was dragged out of the ward. Satisfied that Eri was no longer around to tease her, Risa stalked over to where Ai was sitting on the bed. Propping up a pillow next to her, she slid in next to the elder and slung one arm around her tiny frame.
“She’s gonna get it the next time I see her.”
Wrapping her hands around Risa’s waist and leaning her head on her chest, Ai closed her eyes and did not speak. Noting her behaviour, alarm bells went off in Risa’s mind and she dropped all of her nonsense and paid full attention to the patient. Although Ai has been recovering well, there were still occasions where she suffered a relapse.
"Are you in pain?"
Shaking her head lightly, Ai still did not speak. Fearful that she was feeling ill again, Risa reached for the buzzer which would call the nurse in. Before she could activate the button, Ai mumbled.
"Risa-chan..."
"Yeah?"
Taken aback that Ai would call her in this manner, the bean tightened her hold on the girl who had started shivering slightly.
"Why?"
"Why?"
Not understanding where Ai was going with this, Risa repeated the single word as she furrowed her brows.
"Why are you so nice to me?"
"Stop asking."
Feeling herself flush, Risa bit on her lower lip and looked away.
"Why?"
"Stop it."
"I want to know why."
Heaving a sigh of resignation, the bean decided that she should just come clean about her affections. Isn't this what she had been hoping for? That Ai would wake up so she could confess? Mustering up her courage, Risa squeezed her eyes shut and leaned forwards before Ai could asked for the nth time.
"Wh..."
Breaking apart briefly to mutter these words, Risa reclaimed Ai's lips within seconds and smiled into their kiss.
"Because I have to love you."
So caught up in their kiss, the pair didn't know that two pairs of eyes were watching them through the slit in the door.
"Sayu..."
"Ehh?"
Not turning away from the extremely sweet scene within the ward, Sayumi was startled by Eri's sudden action when she placed both hands on her cheeks and maneuvered her head so that they now faced each other. A tender kiss soon landed on her lips and she closed her eyes to fully enjoy the experience.
"I have to love you too. "
Topic: More Than One Story...[111016 Loving You Forever] (Read 236731 times)