Chapter 12

"You cheated..."

Moriko awoke, realising that she had fallen off the bed, Poker cards all around the room. She felt something ticklish on her back, and she attempted to get up, only to lie back down again from the weight. She looked back, realising it was Ryo's head resting on her back. There was a smirk written across Ryo's face, and Moriko knew he was awake. "Get up, Mr. Big Nose, you're costing me a serious bone break!" she complained, trying to shove Ryo off.

Ryo lifted himself off finally, sitting cross-legged opposite Moriko. He watched her get up herself, massaging her back. "You cheated!"

"You fell asleep when you said that, how'd you know if I did cheat?" Ryo challenged.

"You know it yourself."

"Did not cheat."

"You DID."

"Did not."

"DID SO!"

Moriko lunged at Ryo, trying to pin him down, but her palm slipped off his shoulder quite suddenly, leaving her to pin down only one of his shoulders, herself toppling over him. "Itai~" she groaned, referring to her back.

"Daijoubu?" Ryo asked.

"It's your fault!"

"Is not."

"It IS!"

"Well do you want me to make up for it?" Ryo asked playfully, but Moriko had not given him an answer, yet he had automatically, pulled her chin closer to him, engaging the two in a passionate kiss again. Moriko did not say anything after that, only giving her proud self away by blushing.

"Ne, Ri-chan." Ryo said, serious now. He tucked Moriko's black hair behind her ear, looking at her intently. "I'm sorry for last night."

Moriko smiled gently at him, a sign of forgiveness already. Yet perhaps Ryo might have to be the one who forgave her in the future.

Over breakfast in a secluded corner of a nearby restaurant, the pair were chatting about very random things.

"I like girls in miniskirts." Ryo commented.

"You didn't have to say that."

"I'm just hinting you." Ryo teased.

"I don't like miniskirts. Yuki-chan is the one who does." Moriko pointed out, slicing the knife through the sausage on the plate. Ryo had the playful side of him. It drove away the image of Ryo during the couple's first meeting.

"I like the number 9." Moriko suddenly said. "Because I was born on 9th of September, 1989, at 9:09am."

--

That had thus been their third day since she had moved into the hotel room. She had to move back home someday; she could not stay with Ryo forever. But the question was, when? Even though Ryo had said that Kusano had approved of them, yet, he and Moriko had not yet spoken a word to each other since Moriko had left home.

On the fifth day, Moriko decided to pull Ryo out the door. "Oh come on, I don't want us snuggling up against each other the whole time in the hotel room. Get some fresh air, Ryo-chan!"

Ryo had followed Moriko out, while she had been staring in the display windows of bridal shops. "Ah kirei, kirei." Moriko commented to herself, placing her hands on the glass window, staring at the gowns.

"You brought me out just to look at wedding gowns?" Ryo asked. He came up behind Moriko, overlappingher hands with his larger ones. A blush crept up on Moriko as she felt a little shiver going down her spine. "Or do you want to get married actually?"

"No." Moriko immediately answered. "I'm just looking at more options, you know. I'm trying to predict the outcome of-" But she had not finished her sentence, and someone had calledout her name in the mall.

"Oi, Riko-chan!"

Moriko turned round, then grinned at the approaching figure. He was a boy just slightly taller than Ryo, with large, curious eyes, and a warm, inviting smile that cheered everyone up almost instantly. Fujihara Ryu. A year older than Moriko, yet beyond his somewhat punkish outlook, he had a very thoughtful character inside. Tey had been childhood friends, and Ryu's brother was now known as Moriko's one-chan's boyfriend.

Moriko had thought to open her arms and hug Ryu, but then again thought of the Uchi incident, and immediately decided not to do it. Ryu and Moriko's palms slapped against each other's instead. Moriko grinned back at Ryu, watching his genki actions.

"Riko-chan~" Ryu repeated.

"You don't have to call my name so often!" Moriko laughed. "Uwa~ I haven't seen you for a long time, Ryu oni-chan!"

"Are? Hey you promised not to add that 'oni-chan' behind! You make me sound so old!" Ryu complained. "So? Looking at bridal gowns? Trying to predict already?"

Moriko nodded.

"Ahh~ Looking at bridal gowns, you'd look nice in one ne~" Ryu commented, nodding his head.

"Ahh gomen, Ryo-chan!! I forgot introductions... Ryo-chan, this is Fujihara Ryu, my childhood friend, and Ryu-chan, this is Nishikido Ryo, my..." Moriko said happily, then stopped suddenly, unable to curb another blush.

"I can see." Ryu laughed. "Your special someone!"

"Let's get something to eat, shall we?" Moriko asked, trying to shake off the embarrassment.

They headed over to a nearby fast food restaurant, and Ryo watched the two friends, amused at the way they agreed energetically with each other over what they had said, and joining in their conversation as well. He left for the washroom some time later, and Ryu asked, "So, how old is he?"

"21."

"ARE?! 21?? Hmm that's okay I suppose. He looks kind of... scary though. You know, like he has a sharp tongue and is easily overcome by emotions."

"Hmm I guess in a way yea, you're true. Especially about the sharp tongue."

Ryu sighed. "I still remember our childhood promise you know."

*flashback*

Ri-chan sat quietly on the sofa, watching Kusano and the rest of her siblings play with the Fujihara kids in the next room. She was left alone there, her hands on her knees, wishing she could join them, but she was too shy in front of boys, except for Kusano, to go join in the fun.

The younger of the two boys, Ryu, approached Ri-chan suddenly, a little lily held in his hand. He climbed up beside Ri-chan on the sofa, presenting her with the lily.

"I want you to be my wife when we grow up."

*end flashback*

"..I wanted you to be my wife when we grew up." Ryu recalled. "Ahh but it seems like someone has won you already." He laughed.

Moriko touched the faintly highlighted fringe of Ryu's, replying, "Ryu-chan. Suki desu yo!"

Ryu smiled, nodding. He would perhaps forever remain a brother to Moriko, just like Kusano. Ryo was some distance away, but he had overheard the conversation. He had wanted Moriko to be his wife?

But he never asked Moriko about it any further.

Moriko did not have a peaceful sleep that night. She had dreamt of arguing with Ryo over Ryu, and that he had overheard them, and was scolding her for being close to Ryu. Ryo had been about to leave, his back against Moriko, and Moriko helplessly trying to chase him back. When she woke up, she was afraid, and saw Ryo's figure next to her, his back facing her. She felt her tears escape the sides of her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away, slipping her arms around Ryo's waist, trying to fall asleep again.

--

Yet, on the ninth day, something happened. It was just like any other day, when Moriko had gone home during late evening from a project gathering. She had just been experimenting a new dish, chestnut cake, Ryo's favourite, and was eager to get back to share it with him. "Tadaima-" She widened her eyes.

"Uso. You cheated." Moriko said, her voice trembling in a whisper.

"Ri-chan, it's not-"

"It's not? You call that NOT?" She pointed to Yuki on the bed in Ryo's oversized clothes.

"Don't leave me..." Yuki said in a drunken manner, holding on to the hem of Ryo's shirt, oblivious to her surroundings.

"I can explain-"

"You don't have to. I can see for myself." Moriko said, tears already threatening to spill. Her calmness was scaring Ryo. Moriko walked over to where Yuki was, and pulled her arm up somehwat roughly. Ryo pushed Moriko away.

"Don't! You're going to hurt her like this!" he frantically said.

"She's more important than me now, isn't she?!"

"It's not like that-"

"Sou ka, you only wanted my body. You couldn't get mine, so you want my imouto's!"

A resounding smack landed on Moriko's cheek so hard, her ear stud falling out. She stared aside for a moment, overcome by the shock. Had he just slapped her? The pain did not derive from the reddish skin, nor the faint blood line from her ear piercing, but from her heart. There was no turning back for her impulsive tongue. Ryo glared at her, his eyes already welling up with tears.

"Don't leave me..." Yuki whispered again, reaching out for Ryo's arm.

Moriko took a last look at Ryo, then stormed out the door.

"Don't leave me..." Yuki cried. "...otou-san."