Five years has passed… Everything changed around Ryo’s world, after his last entry on the journal. He tried to move on, slowly but surely. Not wanting to regret his choice. He was never the same. Even him, he did change. He was not the out-going Ryo anymore. His friend called him, the ‘misanthrope’. He always shuts his self on the other side, silent.

Five years has passed… Even his love story changed.

---

-May 2013-

“Ne… is it your final decision? You really don’t want to come with us?” Ryo asked in a soft voice, as they walked publicly, in the streets of Tokyo. Holding her hands—Leah Dizon’s hand.

She stopped and bit her lips. She faced him with an apologetic look, “I’m sorry. You know how much I wanted to be with you. But I can’t. It was a sudden work.” She touched his face. She immediately removed it and were even more shock. “Ryo. You’re sick. You’re running with high fever.”

He held her hand miserably and says, “Leah. Don’t worry. I’m fi---”

She was frightened to see Ryo, lying down on the streets. People started to cluster around them. “Ryo! Wake up!!!” she said, shaking him.

---

“Oh my god! What happen to my Ryo?” Mrs. Nishikido scurried closer to his son, who was unconscious sleeping at the hospital bed. Leah was startled to see his parents. She rapidly stood up, and tossed the book she was reading.

“Konbanwa otou-chan, okaa-san.” She greeted them, with a happy face. His dad look at her and back to his son. He huffed and greet her back, “Good evening, Ms. Dizon.” Hearing the way his father address her, breaks the happy smile on her face.

“Otou-chan, Okaa-san. I’m going to get you something to drink.” She said and started to walk slowly towards the door. When she reached outside, she accidentally eavesdrop on what his mother said.

“If only our Ellie is here. She wouldn’t let Ryo got sick like this.” His mother said in a throaty voice. She was starting to get teary eyes sitting beside his son and husband.

“Okaa-san… It’s been five years already… I know you miss her… And I miss her too… But we should move on… it’s much painful to see our son… suffered these past few years…”

---

Leah sat beside him. He was still sleeping. She held his hand to her face. Tears started to flow on her eyes, “I know deep inside of you, you still haven’t get over her... It’s painful for me too, loving you throughout these past two years... I’m convincing myself almost every day, that you’re not using me just to get over her... Because would you stay with me for the last two years if you really don’t love me, right? I’ll just believe on that fact… I know you’re parents don’t like me. It’s hard to race in their hearts too... To tell you the truth whenever I saw your parents, your other dog or just dropping by at your apartment; it makes me think that she’s still here and she really has some special impact to you and to everyone else… That no one can’t get over her, even your friends everything changed when she came; they’re not the same… I mean… we talk, but there’s a gut feeling of ‘distant’… The worst part of it is, I’m competing with a girl who doesn’t fight back, yet she’s winning all over again… I hope someday, I would get everyone’s blessing, especially your parents and I hope they would accept me as their future daughter in law.” She said in between her tears.

“Ellie?” Ryo asked softly. It busted her heart, hearing him calling her name even in his delirium state.

---

-ONE week after-

“Are you sure you don’t want to leave akachan and…” Leah asked Ryo, who was standing in front of her. They look downward—Ryo akachan and Ellie’s leash were entangled on both of his hands. “Her to me?” she continued.

Ryo make a half-smile on his face. “It’s okay. I can handle them both. Besides I miss akachan and her very much.” A glimpse of pain pierced her heart. She knows what he’s trying to imply on the word ‘her’— he was taking about the real Ellie.

“HAWAIIIIIII!!! Here we come!!!” Tesshi yelled cheerfully as he walked closer to the new couple. Soon, his other friends huddle them.

“Finally! The much await