Special A Fanfiction: Part 7

‘We were engaged,’ Ryuu laughed ironically while picking on the grass with his long fingers. Kei sat next to him under a tree, the woods busy with the sounds of birds. ‘Our fathers thought that it’ll be good for the business. It still is if I weren’t so stupid,’ he frowned. Then smiling at the memories he added, ‘We knew each other since young’.

‘At first we didn’t know what they were up to. I remember my mother always encourage me to play with him,’ Ayano lay down on the grass, telling their story to Hikari. ‘I didn’t mind playing with him, it’s fun to see him handling all those weird looking animals,’ she laughed. ‘He was caring and kind too, like a brother. But then I found his gentle demeanor charming and attractive. We were 14 then’.

‘And we fell in love’ Ryuu smiled. ‘It was all very new to us but our parents are really supportive of our relationship and I guess you can say we had a perfect first love. We were very happy back then but – ,’ he trailed off.

‘It all changed one day when he told me that the engagement is off. He said it wasn’t fair to me and that I’m free now and he wished for my happiness,’ Ayano dropped her gaze and laughed bitterly. ‘I was confused and angry. It was all so sudden, so I demanded to know why. He just said he’s sorry and we can’t be together anymore,’ she sighed. ‘Till this day I still don’t know the reason. My father was furious at him of course. I guess it is hard for him to see his only daughter being in a zombie state for weeks. So I took off to our London based home the following month and I never returned here until last month’. Ayano finished her story. Hikari was silent all the while and she was torn between wanting to defend Ryuu or help Ayano give him a punch in the face.

‘It was because of Jun and Megumi. Aya-chan never knew this because I didn’t want her to think that I choose them over her and that she wasn’t that important to me. I’d rather she see me as irresponsible and hate me,’ Ryuu bit his lips and continued, ‘She was right, I am a coward. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to care for the three of them and make her happy at the same time. I didn’t want her to feel bounded by me because of my sense of responsibility towards the twins. I was wrong,’ he fisted the roots, feeling angry at himself.

Kei thought for a moment and asked, ‘Why don’t you tell her the truth? Perhaps she will understand more than you know’.

‘She won’t. She’s still mad at me,’ Ryuu looked sadly towards the greenhouse.

‘Do you still love her?’ Kei asked.

‘Does it really matter if I still love him?’ Ayano replied to Hikari’s question. ‘The other day I ran because it reminded me of that day. I don’t want to be rejected again,’ she said softly, touching the grass beneath her. She smiled, ‘He was sitting here just now, I thought if I sat here too I would remember the warmth of his body and our memories together but – it’s still the same. It’s always the same’.