Ryosuke POV

 

Sakura brought me back to her apartment, and she’s cooking again. I feel calm, I feel I’m normal when I’m with her…

 

“Here you go, curry rice, you’ll regain energy from this.” Sakura served me with a big smile on her face.

 

I feel so fortunate, and my heart is pumping non-stop since we hugged. It’s pumping so hard I find it hard to breathe… I… think… I fell in love with Sakura… Though, it feels like I already fell for her long time ago…

 

“Sakura…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Do you have magic?”

 

“......?”

 

“Why do you know what I like, why do you know what I am thinking of, why do you know I am calling for you…” I don’t get it, I really don’t.

 

“....................I…………..”

 

“............” I kept silent for Sakura to continue saying.

 

“You might not believe this, but my life is tightly bonded to yours…” Sakura gave a sad face again.

 

“What do you know about me…??”

 

“..........Can you give me some time….? I’ll tell you when I’m ready…..”

 

“.............Is it that hard to say it?”

 

“................um…..”

 

“........Then promise me, you’ll tell me once you can do it.”

 

As much as I want to know it now, I don’t want to force Sakura to tell me, at least not when she’s showing such a sad face…

 

“Alright, Ryosuke, I promise you…”

 

I smiled, “Itadakimasu~!” and started eating the curry rice.

 

“WOW!!! It’s so delicious!!!!!!!!” It really is, I really really love Sakura’s home-made food, it’s full of love and warm.

 

“Eat it slowly.” Sakura smiled at me and patted on my head.

 

“I wanna eat two plates!!”

 

“No problem, there’s a lot, hehe~”

 

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Sakura POV

 

Ryosuke… I’m so sorry… I’m not prepared to tell you the truth yet… Especially not now, just after you were feeling so upset… It’s weird too, I can sense that you were yelling for me… Thus I quickly got your number from Yuto and called you to see if anything happened… I guess… Our lives are really bonded together, I can feel you, and you can feel me too…

 

Seeing your satisfied face eating what I cooked for you makes me really happy. But I seriously wonder how long this happiness will continue? Will you grow to hate me when you find out the truth…? But I’ve decided, even if you hate me, I’ll protect you, from far away, I want you to stay happy....

 

“Ryosuke…”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Mind telling me what just happened? Of course, if you don’t want to it’s perfectly fine too…”

 

“.......... It’s my mother…”

 

“...............” I guessed so…

 

“She’s controlling my life too much, she even planned for who I will marry…” Ryosuke looks really upset…

 

“I don’t understand… Why doesn’t she listen to what I want… Ain’t I her son?”

 

“............ Ryosuke… what I am going to say now, might not be what you would like to hear…”

 

“...........What is it…?”

 

“Your mum loves you, it’s just that, she might be doing it in the wrong way…”

 

“I don’t think she loves me……”

 

I held on to Ryosuke’s hands, “Ryosuke… trust me… You are not alone, you are protected and loved by people around you…”

 

They are your mother, Naito-san, and myself… Yet I can’t say them out…

 

“...........Who are they…?”

 

“One day you’ll realise it… Just trust me for once… ok?”

 

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愛について - KinKi Kids

 

聲かけたり 心配したり してくれる人に對し 無視するのは

Ignoring those who truly care for you

愛乏しき人のすることなんだ

Is something that people who lacks love would do

そんな 悲しい人には ならないで欲しいあなたには

I hope you won’t become such a miserable person

 

愛せば愛はもっと 亂反射して輝きましてゆくよ

When you try to love more, the love would shine brighter than you think

忘れないでいて いつでも誰かが

Please don’t forget that in your surroundings

見守ってくれている　どこかで

There is definitely someone protecting you, somewhere in the corner

 

自分を守るために 誰かのこと傷つけたりしないで

Please don’t try to hurt someone just to protect yourself

あなたにはそんな 愚かな人には なってなんか欲しくはない…だから

I don’t wish to see you becoming such an ignorant person, so...

 

形はないけれども 心の奧でちゃんと感じていて

Even if there isn’t a definite shape, I hope you can use your heart to feel

離れていたって いつでもあなたを

Even if they are far apart from you, there are many people

愛してる人達がいること

Who is loving you

 

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Ryosuke POV

 

What’s with Sakura… She seemed like she really knows a lot about me… And she doesn’t sound like she’s lying… But… I am protected and loved by people around me…? Who are they exactly…? Is Sakura… one of them…?

 

“....Alright… Sakura…”

 

“Yes…?”

 

“Can I stay over tonight too…?” I don’t want to go home yet…

 

“... Alright, but you must go home tomorrow, ok? Don’t make your mother worry too much.”

 

“She won’t worry for me…”

 

“Ryosuke… she will…”

 

“...........” I found myself unable to refute what she said…

 

Sakura is capable enough to make me believe in what she says… And she doesn’t have any motives for lying to me too...

 

“Shall we play game?” Sakura invited me to play the game I like a lot when I was young. She knows me well, very well…

 

Soon, I got tired and gradually my eyes closed by themselves…

 

I feel someone was pulling me up and placing me to lie down… I felt comfortable, I felt warm, I want to stay like this longer…

 

………………………………

 

I woke up and found myself looking at the ceiling which doesn’t look like my room. I turned to my left and saw Sakura sitting on the floor, sleeping just beside me… Why is she sleeping like this…? I took a closer look at her face… She looks really fragile, different from the impression she gives others… She was always so strong and calm, yet now I could see is the side she doesn’t show to anyone…

 

I wanted to touch her face, I tried to move my left hand, and I realised I was holding onto something, and my hand was tightly gripped as well… I flipped open the blanket which was covering me, and I saw my left hand holding onto Sakura’s… What happened last night…?

 

I turned to look at Sakura… Did she held onto my hands the whole night? Or was I the one who grabbed her hands to sleep…?

 

*PUMPS*

 

My heart is pumping non-stop again… Sakura… I think… I really fell in love with you…

 

“...Ryo...su...ke…. I’ll…. protect….. you….. Don’t…. leave…. my…. sight…..”

 

………..!!! Sakura is speaking in her sleep! She will… protect me…?

 

I feel relieved… I feel if she’s with me I’ll not fear for anything… Even if I need to go against my own mother…

 

“Sakura… don’t leave me… ok…?”

 

“I won’t….”

 

!!!!!!!!!!! OH NO! Did I wake Sakura up? She heard me?!?!

 

“........................”

 

Seems like Sakura is still in her sleep… I took the blanket which was covering me to try to cover her up…

 

*RINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGSSSSS*

 

AH!! It was Sakura’s alarm clock!! My heart almost pumped out...

 

“...........Ryo..su..ke… You’re awake…?”

 

“Yeah… I’m sorry, I took your bed last night…” And Sakura had to sleep in such a weird position because of me…

 

“Don’t worry, as long as you had a good sleep, I’m fine…”

 

“Sakura… why are you being so nice to me…?”

 

“........... Because I want to protect you…..” Sakura blushed and looked away…….

 

I felt my face getting hot, and my heart is pumping even harder……… Out of control, I went near to Sakura and hugged her.

 

“!!!!!!!!! Ryosuke…?” Sakura got a shock from my move as well.

 

“.........Sorry….. I… couldn’t control myself…… Can we stay like this for a while more….?”

 

“..........Ryosuke…….” I felt Sakura’s hands moving up my back as well, and we hugged even closer.

 

Somehow I feel that Sakura is giving me all that she has… So much… so much…

 

I have no idea how long time has passed… We gradually let go of each other… While moving apart, I could see Sakura’s face closely, my hands went up to grab her pale cheeks… At this moment, I felt the urge to protect her too… I don’t only want her to protect me, I want to protect her, and keep her by my side…

 

“Ryosuke… I need to go for work…” Sakura held my cheeks and said gently.

 

“Alright… I’ll go with you then…”

 

“Ryosuke, didn’t you agree to go home today if I let you stay over last night?”

 

“...... I’ll go back after sending you to the convenience store…” I don’t want to leave Sakura yet… Just a while more…

 

“... Alright, I’ll go prepare for work first…”

 

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Sakura POV

 

Ryosuke… It hurts me to see you so upset… I really wanna help you, but there’s only so much I can do…

 

As we are walking to the convenience store, I decided to bring up the topic of Ryosuke’s mother… I know it might not be a good timing yet, but I have to…

 

“Ryosuke…”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Have you ever, talk to your mother about what you want?”

 

“............... Why are you talking about this again…”

 

“Ryosuke… I want you to be happy, and you have to do something to help yourself.”

 

“................ Everytime I talk to her about what I really want to do, she’ll just get angry, eventually we’ll end up quarrelling, and no conclusion is ever reached…” Ryosuke looked really sad.

 

“........... Can you try speaking to her again? I believe she will listen to you eventually.”

 

“........ Can we stop this topic? I’m sick of hearing things about her.”

 

“Ryosuke, she’s still your mother...”

 

“She’s not! I’ll send you up to here. See ya.”

 

“Ryosuke! Where are you going?”

 

“None of your business!!!” Ryosuke ran away, I sighed, he’s probably not going home again…

 

I went for my shift work as usual, but my mind was thinking of Ryosuke non-stop…

 

“Excuse me! You gave me the wrong change!” Ah one customer is shouting at me.

 

“So sorry Miss! This is the correct change. I’m deeply sorry for my mistake.” I bowed to the customer who looks kind of angry…

 

“Sakura-chan, are you alright? You look troubled…” Yuto came up to ask me if I’m alright.

 

“Ah I’m fine, sorry for the commotion caused.”

 

“Sakura… Is there anything I can help?”

 

“Yuto, thanks, I’m fine…”

 

“Alright…”

 

My shift work ended slightly before midnight today, I am still worried for Ryosuke. I don’t think he has gone home yet… I decided to search around the neighbourhood to look for him. I tried my luck walking to the playground where I found Ryosuke the previous time, I spotted one familiar silhouette, I took a closer look, it is Ryosuke!

 

“Ryosuke!!” I shouted out to him.

 

“Ah!” Ryosuke heard me and started running away.

 

“Ryosuke!!! WAIT!!!”

 

Ryosuke was running away very fast, and I followed behind him. While running up the stairs, my right foot had a trip, and suddenly I saw everything spinning…

 

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Writer’s note: Trying to portray a slightly childish Ryosuke in this chapter, a young lad who is still not good at managing his emotions.

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