The walk back to the shoe store where Riko was waiting impatiently for me was slow and heavy.
I barely knew him, but the words he spat hurt me. I looked up from the ground and saw Riko's face as she was almost worried, but also angry.
"Where have you been? I went over to the bookstore but you were gone! And I called your phone and you won't pick up." She took a deep breath before looking away from her frustrations and then asked worriedly,
"You're okay? Did something happen?"
I wanted to tell her, but I didn't want her to get unnecessary things on her mind so instead, I shot her a smile and told her everything was fine and that I tried to find a bathroom and my phone was dead.
She nodded understanding before she happily linked her arms with mine and said cheerfully,
"Let's get something to eat before it gets too late." We strolled to the famous restaurant just a few blocks from the shoe store. We each ordered some noodles with meat and a coke at the side.
"So delicious!" she took a sip from the coke before taking a big portion of noodles.
It was quite spicy so I was changing between sipping the coke and eating.
She laughed at my weak taste buds.
"You'll be alright, just try to ignore the pain."
I nodded, lowkey thinking of the incident with Taka.
"Who said we were friends?" 
The awful feeling in my gut came back and I tried to push it away with taking a big amount of the spicy mixes and as soon as they touched my lips and tongue, it heated up in a millisecond and I quickly found my glass of coke and began chugging it down my burning throat.
Riko looked at me as if I was crazy and told me to take it easy.
"This is too spicy for you, want something else." She said between laughs and I chuckled and told her I'll live.
The thing was, the coke did not help at all and in the end, I had to order a glass of milk so it could calm down my suffocating mouth and stomach.
The only thing that Riko did was to laugh at my fail attempts.
Afterwards, I watched Riko peacefully eat the rest. It didn't take a long time for the food to disappear and she wasn't even done with her drink. I looked at her, amused by what I saw.
She noticed my dumbfounded expression and grinned before she gave my head a pat.
"I will learn you someday."

We parted ways and I went straight home, missing my bed and covers.
As soon as I opened the porch door, Takeru stood by the window, waving.
I waved back and quicken my pace towards the house.
"Welcome home." dad said like usual, not taking his eyes off his new iPhone. Takeru stood beside and tried to explain to him how he can save stuff onicloud and so on.
I went over to them and gave them both a quick hug and went straight to my bedroom.
I ran the short distance from the door and to the bed and jumped in, hugging my pillow.
I looked back at what happened today and I felt a strange urge to not give up on Taka. I was tired to step back and watch people be in pain and not daring to do anything about. I might never felt a heartbreak before, but he was still in pain and I knew pain.
The next day I decided to run down to the bookstore after school and hopefully, he would be there and I can try to talk to him again.
As soon as the clock clung, I was already packed. I started jogging towards the exit, quickly changed my shoes. Riko came to the scene at me struggling with putting my feet in my shoes she laughed and asked cheekily,
"Why such a hurry?" 
I looked at her surprised and quickly lied,
"Takeru is waiting for me at home, we are going to the city."
She nodded, understanding. She looked like she was wondering about something and then mouthed 'ah' and got closer to me.
"Can I tag along?"
Oh no...no no no no
I laughed awkwardly and was about to try finding out an excuse, but she suddenly interrupted and muttered,
"Shoot I can't. I promised Ryota to help him with something..."
"Next time!" I relieved said and she nodded.
I grabbed my bag and told Riko goodbye and she answered with a bye and I jogged.
Hoping she didn't watch me jogging away so she doesn't notice I am jogging the other way from home.
It didn't take long before I arrived at the bookstore. I walked through the door, panting from all the running.
The owner gave me the same puzzled look he has given me before he greeted me. I bowed politely before asking carefully,
"Are the boy from yesterday here?"
The old man sighed and gave me a quick nod and I felt somewhat at ease. 
"Where?"
He waved his hand and told me to follow him.
He went to the back and I closely followed behind.
I faced a big room filled with boxes of cardboard where there were stacked on top of each other. The room had a door on the other end I looked over at the owner and he just let out a sound that I guess meant 'yes he's in there'.
I bowed and thanked him. I made my way to the door before I suddenly realized what I was doing. He probably going to think I'm extremely weird and annoying.
I took a deep breath and tried to think this was for the band's sake. I am rooting for them and I can't let Taka ruin it.

'EARLIER THAT DAY'
"I can't reach him. It's like he's vanished." 
Toru cursed under his breath and placed his chopsticks down on the table.
"I'll find him and make him regret ditching our rehearsals." Tomoya grabbed his uniform and dragged him back down in his seat as soon as Toru stood up.
"Dude, we should take the hint. We've been calling him, his parents and even his little brother 10 times each, but they all had no idea he was even missing."
Riko looked at me, concerned and I gave her a soft smile, patting her back.
I wanted to tell them he was hanging by the bookstore, but it seemed that Taka wanted to be left alone. 
The thing is, I think I can get him to get back if the whole band aren't on his back the whole time. But I should maybe tell Toru since he's his best friend.
———
I bit my lower lip and gently knocked on the door, but no answer. I knocked on the door one more time, a bit harder. But still no answer.
I leaned my ear against the door and tried to hear something, but not a sound.
Hm? Is he there?
I pulled down the handle and pushed the door and it was open.
When I fully opened the door, I immediately saw Taka snoring on the couch with a Yamazaki bottle in his hand.
He laid there with his black hoodie on and a pair of sweatpants. He seemed to be knocked out from drinking again.
I walked over to him, quietly as possible and grabbed the bottle from him and placed it on the floor.
He had a guitar resting against the wall beside the couch and tons of papers where he has scribbled a lot of verses.
I could hear him mumbling under his breath and I looked over at him, but he stopped.
I focused back on the songs that he has been trying to write. 
When I stood up and tried to find a blanket for him, my phone suddenly tried to let out a huge noise and I, in full panic, pulled out my phone and tried to decline the call of whoever that tried to reach me. I begged he didn't wake up but I guess god hated me and I could hear curse words.
"What the ? Aoi?"
I turned my head in full surprise. He was already on his feet, scratching the back of his head.
He looked...
I quickly shook the thoughts away and tried to come up with an excuse of me holding a blanket in one hand and the phone in the other hand. 
"You can't stay away, can you?" He seemed to be still a bit drunk.
He scoffed as he had a smug smile on his face.
"You into me, Aoi?" he started to walk closer and I backed away. 
His smile disappeared and he stared at me with his cold eyes.
"If not, then go."
He pointed at the door and then turned around and picked up the guitar.
I was scared, nervous and confused by how he acted, but I felt sorry for him too.
"I'm not leaving until we have talked."
I had honestly no idea what I had planned for this to go. The only thing I had planned out was to get to him.
He looked at me as if I was stupid.
He gave me a look before he just shook his head as he was in despair.
"Talked about you being disrespectful for not minding your own business?"
He spat and I looked down, trying to find the confidence that I just lost.
He started strumming on the guitar, not caring what I had to say.
And that's when I decided to not use words, but action.
I had picked up my last resort of confidence and went over to him, grabbed the guitar from him, placing it on the sofa and went in for a hug.
He didn't respond, but just stood the speechless of what I was doing.
"It's okay to be sad and angry when you feel pain. It's okay." 
I hugged him tighter and that's when I started hearing small sobs and a pair of hands wrapping around my neck. When I thought he didn't want me to hold him anymore and When I tried to pull myself away, he pulled me closer and held me tightly, not showing any sign of wanting to let go.
He smelled the mix of alcohol and cologne.
I closed my eyes, telling him it was okay.