Will Ryo Leave Again?

"I heard that girls become prettier after they've been in love."

"...Emi, you're not meeting Karuizawa today, are you?"

Yuko, who was naturally rather timid, had been watching Emi's expression for a while before finally asking hesitantly.

"Yep. It's been ages since I last saw Kei, and I've really missed her."

Emi Eura smoothed back her hair.

"Besides, I'm guessing she's wearing a white sleeveless dress today."

Yuko and Sayu exchanged a glance, seeming unwilling to believe what Emi had said. After all, Emi had been the first in their class to actively urge them to bully Karuizawa Kei. Yet now she was acting like a close friend waiting to meet her bestie. The contrast sent a chill through the two girls, and they didn't dare say another word.

"Hmm."

Emi Eura guessed it was almost time. Leaning against the wall, she glanced at the two girls as if it were nothing.

"Be careful in a bit. It's best if you don't say anything."

After they nodded to assure her they would, Emi Eura leaned quietly against the wall and continued playing with her nails. A bag hung from her shoulder, making her look no different from any ordinary woman out shopping.

Sure enough, just two minutes later, Karuizawa Kei appeared in their line of sight.

Emi Eura stretched and stepped out. The blazing sunlight cast her enormous shadow on the wall, like a bird of prey spreading its wings before the hunt.

"Kei, over here."

The enormous bird of prey flapped its wings.

"Oh, sorry, sorry. I'm not late, am I?"

Just as Emi Eura had expected, Karuizawa Kei was indeed wearing that white sleeveless dress today.

She jogged over to the three of them and instinctively apologized first.

Emi Eura looked down at Karuizawa Kei with a trace of satisfaction. She could feel the other girl's anxiety and fear nearly spilling over, and those feelings only excited her more. Almost brazenly, she rested a hand on Karuizawa Kei's shoulder and said:

"It's fine. We haven't been waiting long."

"Your outfit looks great today, Kei. But won't white get dirty easily? If you get splashed with water or something else gets on it, it must be hard to wash."

Then, as if she'd just realized she'd said something wrong, she made a show of apologizing:

"Kei, don't worry too much. Once everyone's calmed down, I'll talk to them."

Emi Eura took her hand and led her warmly toward the mall.

"You must be tired from running over. There's a great coffee shop on the mall's lower level. Let's go get something to drink."

Karuizawa Kei couldn't think of anything to say. The other two followed Emi Eura inside like puppets on strings.

"One iced Americano and three pearl mango lattes."

Once they entered the coffee shop, Emi Eura took it upon herself to order drinks for all four of them. Only after placing the order did she turn to Karuizawa Kei and say:

"The iced Americano here is definitely worth trying. Sayu, Yuko, and I had some last time, so we won't order it this time. You should give it a proper try, Kei."

Karuizawa Kei hurriedly agreed.

"Oh, okay."

The four of them took their receipts and found a table. The polished tabletop shone like a mirror, clearly reflecting everyone seated around it. For Karuizawa Kei, the last time she'd had an experience like this had been at least two months ago. So much so that she felt a long-lost sense of novelty and awkwardness.

The shop prepared their drinks faster than Karuizawa Kei had expected. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, a server brought over all four drinks. The iced Americano, different from the other three, was quickly placed in front of Karuizawa Kei.

The dark brown liquid was mixed with clear ice cubes. Karuizawa Kei had never had an iced Americano before—or, rather, she'd always disliked bitter things.

She couldn't bring herself to take a sip. Emi Eura showed no intention of drinking her own beverage either, while the other two drank cautiously, not even daring to make much noise through their straws.

"This place is pretty good, isn't it?"

Emi Eura turned her gaze toward Sayu and Yuko. At her words, the two quickly nodded, and the sounds of their sipping grew louder. They drank one after another, as if eager to create a lively, cheerful atmosphere.

Seeing Emi Eura's gaze shift toward her, Karuizawa Kei hurriedly put her lips to the straw, intending to force herself to take a sip.

She held the cold glass in her hand. The chill and bitterness seemed to have already seeped through its thin walls and into her veins.

"Ah, doesn't Kei dislike bitter things?"

Emi Eura clapped her hands as if she'd suddenly remembered, making Karuizawa Kei freeze.

"Sorry, sorry."

She pressed her hands together and apologized to Karuizawa Kei with a smile, looking both sincere and remorseful.

"Why don't you switch your iced Americano with mine, Kei?"

Emi Eura kindly pushed her own drink toward the other girl.

"Oh, okay. But can you drink this, Emi?"

Karuizawa Kei was more than happy to agree, and did so almost immediately. But she quickly sensed something was wrong and watched Emi Eura from the corner of her eye.

"I really can't get used to it. Honestly, I think it tastes awful."

Emi Eura suddenly changed her expression. She tapped the table with her long nails and raised an eyebrow at Karuizawa Kei.

Karuizawa Kei felt herself go cold all over. The iced Americano she'd been about to push toward Emi Eura now seemed like a frozen river swallowing her whole. Trembling, she hurriedly replied:

"Right. Then I'd better drink it myself."

Karuizawa Kei quickly put the straw in her mouth and took two big gulps, as if trying to prove that her earlier action had been a lie and that she'd never intended to pass it to Emi Eura.

"Actually, it's pretty good."

Karuizawa Kei answered like this.

"Really? Then I'll try some too."

"...I've already drunk from it, so maybe you shouldn't."

Emi Eura seemed unhappy with Karuizawa Kei's somewhat considerate response. She straightened up and leaned toward her, as if about to take the iced Americano herself.

But just as her fingers touched the glass, which was still more than half full, Emi Eura gave it an apparently accidental nudge. The glass and its dark brown contents tipped backward toward Karuizawa Kei.

"Clatter."

That was the sound of the fallen glass hitting the tabletop.

The ice cubes rolled across the floor, while coffee poured out and stained the seat cushion brown.

Someone pulled Karuizawa Kei away. Though they moved quickly enough, a few drops of coffee still splashed onto the hem of her white dress.

Kitagawa Ryo stood in front of her.

Emi Eura's reflection filled his pitch-black eyes. His lips pressed into a firm line, which quickly broke as Kitagawa Ryo smiled at her, revealing his white teeth.

His left hand was gripping Karuizawa Kei's arm tightly, while his right hand slowly rose, palm turned into a blade.

Then he made a throat-slitting gesture.

"You're dead."

Kitagawa Ryo silently declared.

Will Ryo Leave Again?

After moving away, Karuizawa Kei lost contact with Kitagawa Ryo. That lasted for about six months. She put a photo of herself and Kitagawa Ryo in a frame and placed it on the desk in her room. It was a picture of them at their elementary school graduation ceremony, both wearing black-and-white uniforms.

About two months ago, Karuizawa Kei had moved the photo from her desk to her bedside. During the worst period of the bullying at school, she had almost needed to look at it—or even hold it—to fall asleep. In the long nights, the Kitagawa Ryo in the photo seemed to take on a life of his own, becoming a statue or perhaps a section of city wall. He stood there silently, protecting Karuizawa Kei, day after day.

Those two months had felt longer than any other period in Karuizawa Kei's life. When cold water from a bucket was dumped over her head, in the few seconds it took for droplets to roll from her hair to her feet, she could relive every moment of her elementary school days. It was as if the time when Kitagawa Ryo had been by her side half a year ago were a long-abandoned road, slowly growing over.

Karuizawa Kei felt as though she had once walked along that road, holding Kitagawa Ryo's hand. But now it had been completely swallowed up. The moss of time had filled every crack in her memories, splitting them into one fragment after another.

Until now, when Kitagawa Ryo stood before Karuizawa Kei once more.

Just like before, and after far too long apart.

"Emi Eura, I remember you."

Kitagawa Ryo bent down, his back and shadow obscuring Emi Eura's figure. He lowered his voice.

"Once I understand what happened between you and Kei, I'll come find you again."

The sound of the glass hitting the floor had already drawn the attention of several customers and servers in the coffee shop. No matter how angry Kitagawa Ryo was, he couldn't lash out in public here. After all, to everyone who didn't know the whole story, this looked like nothing more than an accidental spill.

Kitagawa Ryo looked again at the girl who was so startled by his sudden appearance. Emi Eura's eyes were full of disbelief. After waiting an entire semester, she had finally become certain that there was no one named "Kitagawa Ryo" by Karuizawa Kei's side anymore. If he were still around, he couldn't have stood by while Karuizawa Kei endured about a month of bullying at school.

Emi Eura instinctively rested her left hand on her shoulder bag. She was even somewhat relieved that Kitagawa Ryo had shown up before she could act. If he'd arrived an hour or two later, she really would have carried out her plan to...

After saying this, Kitagawa Ryo pulled the still-dazed Kei straight out of the shop, leaving behind three girls who didn't know what to do.

As soon as they left the coffee shop, Kitagawa Ryo felt Karuizawa Kei embrace him.

When she raised her head, Kitagawa Ryo saw tears gathering little by little in her blue eyes. It was as though she were a devout believer who had finally seen her god. Karuizawa Kei pressed against Kitagawa Ryo's chest and began to sob softly.

Kitagawa Ryo had once seen Karuizawa Kei cry when she was six or seven. Back then, she'd been a child who cried easily. Even something as small as getting sand in her shoes and worrying that her mother would scold her could make her pout and cry.

When people were happy, all they had to do was smile, lifting the corners of their mouths. It took almost no effort; many people even made a habit of smiling. But no one kept tears at the corners of their eyes all the time, because crying took hundreds of times more effort than smiling.

So Kitagawa Ryo could only hold Karuizawa Kei tightly in his arms. For the first time, he felt that Kei was still just a child. Even her sobs against his shoulder had a childish quality to them. That made Kitagawa Ryo feel both heartache and sorrow, so he could only stay there, holding her.

At that moment, Kitagawa Ryo seemed no longer to be Karuizawa Kei's childhood friend of the same age. His place in her life had suddenly risen far above that. Realizing this, Kitagawa Ryo quickly took a tissue from his pocket and gently held Karuizawa Kei's face as he wiped away her tears.

It's okay, it's okay. I'm back.

He almost instinctively used the sort of voice he'd use to soothe a child, but in the end, Kitagawa Ryo held back. He took Karuizawa Kei to sit on a nearby bench. Two pairs of high school couples sat nearby, but perhaps they'd seen scenes like this often enough. After glancing over, they went back to gazing lovingly at each other.

"Can you tell me what's been going on with you, Kei?"

Kitagawa Ryo waited a little longer, until Kei had completely calmed down, before asking.

"...Ryo, you shouldn't have started by asking that."

Karuizawa Kei had managed to stop crying, but her eyes were still red. She sniffled, her right hand still clasped tightly around Kitagawa Ryo's left.

"You should have said, 'I'm back,' and then I should have said, 'Welcome back.'"

"Are you really that attached to rituals, Kei?"

Kitagawa Ryo reached out to smooth her messy hair. Just as he finished and was about to pull his hand back, Karuizawa Kei pressed her left hand against it.

"Keep petting me."

Karuizawa Kei leaned her whole body against Kitagawa Ryo's shoulder, resting her head against his chest.

"You can stop when I tell you to."

Kitagawa Ryo didn't remember Karuizawa Kei being this clingy before. He assumed she was like this because they hadn't seen each other in half a year. Feeling a little helpless, he continued gently stroking her hair, as if petting a large, docile dog.

"Ryo."

"Mm."

"You can't say 'mm.' You have to say 'I'm here.'"

"I'm here."

"Ryo."

"I'm here."

"Good."

Karuizawa Kei closed her eyes and curled herself into a tiny bundle like a baby. She hid in Kitagawa Ryo's arms, not wanting to move or go anywhere.

"Ryo, I wish I could grow up quickly and become an adult. I don't want to be at school anymore."

She sounded just like a little child, talking about a daydream.

Kitagawa Ryo had already guessed that, over the past six months, Karuizawa Kei had probably been bullied at school just as she had before. He pressed his lips together and listened to her.

"I hate school. I hate dealing with people. I just don't want to be bullied, but whether I want to or not, people always bully me in the end."

"If you hadn't come back, I'd probably have been bullied for another two years or so. Then I'd graduate and go to high school. What would it be like then?"

"I don't know. I'm scared. I don't dare think about it."

Karuizawa Kei's gaze grew distant, as if she'd remembered something unpleasant. She swayed a little as she looked straight at Kitagawa Ryo, then hugged him again.

"I'm sorry."

She whispered in Kitagawa Ryo's ear. Then Karuizawa Kei gently kissed his neck.