Chapter 17

“Hey...” he said, his voice full of worry. He glided towards her immediately and held her hand the moment he reached her by her bed.

“What's wrong?” Yuto's eyes searched her face and stared lovingly at her.

Guilt.

That was what Miyu felt as she saw him. He loved Mirai, she knew. Everybody knew, because it was all obvious at how he looked at her. But Miyu felt guilty that she seemed to take the person he loved away from him. She felt guilty that she couldn't even remember who he was. And she felt even more bad that instead of him, she was now madly in love with someone else.

It was really crazy. If Mirai and Yuto did love each other so deep like how everyone is saying then why did it had to happen like this? Why did she have to forget him and why did she have to fall for someone else? It would have been easier if she would also fall in love with Yuto again so that she wouldn't get to hurt him.

Miyu, though void of any memories of the guy in front of him, still felt attached to him in all ways possible. She felt the strong desire to take away the pain and sadness in his eyes. She felt the need to protect him from getting hurt. And she felt that thud in her heart that ached to make him smile.

But what she didn't feel was the love equivalent of how he's feeling for her.

I may love him, I can feel it, but clearly not the kind of love he has for me... Miyu thought as she stared at Yuto's face carefully.

Slowly and gently, her hand  went to touch his face as she smiled sadly. She saw how he force a smile before he closed his eyes and held her hand that was on his face.

“Mirai...” he said with so much love evident in his voice. And this seemed to pain Miyu more, for her eyes were immediately flooded with uncalled tears.

“I'm sorry...” she said as her tears begin to drop one by one down her flawless cheeks.

“Are you happy?” he asked her with a slight yet pained smile on his lips. The question ringed through her ear. And her heart shattered all the more because of his question.

Unconditional... she thought. That was how much Yuto loved Mirai. He loved her unconditionally. That even when he was hurting so bad, her happiness still comes first.

“Are you happy right now? Here? With him?” he asked her again. Now he was looking at her directly. Staring at her dark orbs that were drowned with tears. He laughed softly as he wiped her tears gently.

“I guess it's a yes, huh?” he said as tears were already clouding up his own vision. He breathed in hard before he placed a feathery kiss on her forehead.

“You never change... With or without your memories, you still can't lie to me...” he said as he laughed lightly, still touching her flushed face.

“Yuto...” it was all she could say. Her heart was bleeding for him. He's such a nice guy that even if her mind can't remember him, her heart knew that he was important to her.

“I was your bestfriend before I became your fiancee, remember? And I still am your bestfriend, Mirai. So, you can't hide anything from me.” he sat on her bed and pulled her in a hug. Again, she felt safe in his arms.

“Stop crying and stop feeling guilty about not remembering me...It's okay. I'm here to help you out anyway. And I want you to know that I'm always gonna be here for you, even if it hurts me, even if it kills me... I'll still be with you.” he said as he hugged her tightly.

“I guess my heart does remember you. I don't even know why, but I always feel safe whenever you're there.” she said as her eyes fluttered tiredly.

“Because it knows that I'd always protect you, and I won't ever leave you alone.”

“Thank you... and I'm so--”

“Shush... No more apologies. That's what best friends are for, right? To be there for each other without asking for anything in return. Being here beside you is enough for me... As long as I'm sure that you're safe and that you're happy, then I'll be okay.” he said with all sincerity he could give. And he just smiled when he saw that she was already sleeping comfortably in his arms.

“Like always...”

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“She's in love with someone else, Ryo... And eventually, her heart will remember the person she loved most. And it's not you.”

“My sister is in love with Yuto... ever since. He's the only love she knows. And I know, we all know, that when she finally wakes up from this crazy mind-unwinding that she's having... She'll still go back to him. So don't expect her to leave everything just for a make-believe romance you have.”

Ryosuke could still hear Mariya's voice saying the things that he so much as to denies himself. He doesn't want to acknowledge the fact that Miyu is really Shida Mirai... and that said Mirai is in love with Yuto.

Until when will she be Miyu? Until when will she stay with me? Until when will she love me? Those were the questions that he doesn't want answered. Because he was scared that the answers might not be in accord with him.

He wanted to believe that he could fight this through for her... because of her. But just looking at it, it was already a lost battle to begin with.

Ryosuke then sighed before he smiled faintly. Lost battle it may, he knew he couldn't stop himself trying to win her. She was worth changing for, she was worth fighting for, and she was worth everything he could ever give.

She might not remember who she is, but he knew that it was everything she is that he fell in love with. He loved her entirely, and that is without question.

“I'm even ready to get hurt again, if it's with you.” he whispered softly as he held the doorknob to her hospital room. He breathed in first before opening the door, only to find Miyu in Yuto's arms.

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