T A K E U C H I   M I Y U    X    T A K A D A   K E N T A

__________________________________________________

I just need him to be where I can see him
Just as always, with those charming eyes, gestures, words
He just needs to exist, that’s all I need
- One-Sided Love, 2013

PLEASE... JUST STAY

To have someone older by your side, taking care of you has always been the most comfortable situation you could ever have. Knowing that there will be someone who will always stay by your side and you could totally rely on them, made life easier. But what happened when one day, they told you, they're going to leave? Will you be glad by the sudden news or holds him back so that he couldn't go anywhere?

"You're here again?" The taller guy ruffled the girl's hair who was currently sitting on the chair, with a book widely opened in front of her as she intensely stares on it. He occupied the vacant seat beside her and settled down, "Have you take your lunch yet?" He continuedly asks. 

The girl lay down her pen on the table and shifted her attention towards the boy, "What are you doing here?" She asked in an annoying tone as the boy always there whenever she tried to focus on her study. It wasn't like she couldn't when the boy is nearby but... how can she ignore his charming face, imploring her to stare it for the whole day instead of completing what she should have done? 

Ever since Miyu realized that she has liked the boy more than just a brother, she tried frantically hard to get over her feelings because she knows Kenta saw her not more than just a little sister. Plus, it was virtually impossible for them to be in a relationship when both of their parents were currently dating each other. 

Though at first, both Miyu and Kenta against their relationship but after realizing that it might be the best for their parents who have been taking care of them since they're a child; alone without any companion by their side, so they ended up respect their decision to marry each other. 

Soon, Miyu and Kenta are going to be nothing but step-siblings but what can Miyu do when there were additional feelings attacked her, saying that she likes Kenta more than she thought she would be? Definitely, it would be a lie if she said she wasn't grateful to have Kenta by her side because he has always been considerate to her. 

When the girl didn't have any umbrella while the rain heavily poured down, Kenta would appear out of nowhere, offered a protection for her. Everytime her stomach growling, demanding for foods, Kenta would bring various kinds of lunch boxes with him to feed the girl. Kenta had consistently unnecessarily been there for Miyu. 

He always did something he wasn't obliged to do.

"Of course, because I'm concerned over my little sister," Kenta flashed a beatific smile, flustering Miyu a little bit. The smile had always looked normal to her so since when it managed to flutter her heart? "You always skip your meal whenever the examination week around the corner," He notified and Miyu hates the fact she couldn't deny it at all. 

A sudden realization came across her mind when she hasn't taken anything ever since yesterday. She barely eats the breakfast, and that's only after her mother forced her to at least take a bite of the sandwich she made for her. Miyu appreciated what her mother prepared for her so she simply grabbed it, though at the end she only eats like half of the bread before it finally ended up being a snack to the stray cats she found in the middle of the road. 

Miyu looked at Kenta with a pair of weary eyes, "I just want to study," She declared but Kenta wasn't convinced by her words. He knows if he ever leaves Miyu alone, she might die at this rate. She hasn't eaten anything and keep studying, other than Kenta could feel Miyu has been avoiding him lately. 

He has been starting to wonder if the girl hates the fact they're going to be step-siblings soon. If the girl actually loathes him to be a part of her family? Those questions played in his mind for the past few weeks but he didn't mention it to the girl as he was afraid it might be drifted them apart.

"Let's go and grab something to eat," Kenta insisted when she won't budge from her seat, "Takeuchi Miyu, listen to me or else I will drag you out from this place," His voices came out sterns and Miyu knows when Kenta said he would do something, he's being serious over it and there will be no way Miyu could prevent it from happening. 

She heaved out a sigh, obviously sounds as if she's frustrated with the situation, "Okay," Miyu rolled her eyes before her hand started to stack the books she utilized for studies and hefted it up to put those on the space provided but Kenta suddenly clutched the books away from her hand, "I can do it," She glared at him but he was at present miles away from her, carrying the book away from her. 

The walk was extremely quiet when there's no one trying to initiate the conversation between them. Miyu wanted to offer a cold treatment to Kenta while Kenta thought Miyu just stress with study and life. The two of them precisely didn't understand each other, huh? Why did they keep hurting each other like a fool?

"So, Miyu, I have something I want to tell you," Kenta finally muttered something, attracting Miyu's attention but she decided to disregard it by taking out her phone and scrolling over her notifications since she would say this would be the first time for today, she took a look at her phone. 

When she saw something interesting, she clicked on it and smiled upon seeing it, "Kenta, mum said we will be having a family dinner tonight to celebrate my birthday tomorrow," Miyu informed him, "But wait, why should we celebrate it today when my birthday is tomorrow?" She frowned, couldn't perceive the situation.

"That's what---," Kenta tried to announce something but Miyu quickly cut it, notifying them that they're already reached the destination. 

Miyu walked to the door but when she noticed Kenta wasn't there by her side, she turned her head around, looking for the boy and when she regards him, both of her eyebrows lifted, "Aren't you going to come in?" One of her hands holding onto the bar on the door.

"Let's go," The latter took over her place and entered the cafe before she ever did. Kenta secured the only vacant seat in the cafe as it was lunchtime and the place originally a famous spot for students and workers to grab their quick meal, so yeah. 

The girl took a sit in front of the boy, having a casual smile plastered on her face, "Is there anything you want to tell me, Kenta?" Miyu sought, but Kenta quietly jerked his head causing the girl to shrug her shoulders, "What do you want to eat by the way?" She offered the menu list towards the boy, and he received it with a slight smile on his face.

"Let me have the same food as yours," Kenta informed and it startled Miyu quite a lot because he would routinely have his own preference when it comes to food and he never really like Miyu's choice. 

But then Miyu thought maybe he's trying to be nice since it's her birthday tomorrow so why not right? He waited for the girl to come up with a decision on the food they should eat while allowing his eyes stared at the girl as there's no tomorrow for him. 

Miyu found it uncomfortable when Kenta accomplished that though she knows she's the one who typically did that to him, "Why are you looking at me like that?" Miyu asked when she had done flip the menu, already making up her mind on the meal they should savour today. Kenta's lips curved upwards, passing a mysterious smile to her. He absolutely retains something that he wanted to tell her, "Are you sure you don't have anything to tell me?" Miyu curiously asked. 

"Why are you avoiding me lately?" Kenta ambushed her with a question, rejecting her prior one. He could have just answered her direct question but why he wanted to make things complicated between them? 

Wasn't it enough with Miyu tried so hard to sort out her feelings, denying the fact she essentially has a crush on her future step-brother? Sigh. Why does he need to make things messier? 

She flashed her eyes towards the waiter not too far from them, raising her hand up, calling for her to put up their order, "Give us two Aglio Olio pasta, one of it make sure there's no pepper included and two apple juices," She closed the menu and conveyed it back to the waiter, "Thank you," Miyu smiled. 

"Just give me the same menu as her, include the pepper as well," Kenta briefed the waiter and Miyu frowned upon listening to it. 

She tried to prevent the waiter from going, but Kenta already let her go, "You can't eat spicy food," Miyu furrowed her eyebrows, questioning Kenta's decision. Why would he do something he wasn't usually doing? What the hell is wrong with him? Sigh, "Takada Kenta, I know you're mad at me because I've been extremely harsh to you lately but just understand me. I need to improve my pointer if I ever want to continue with my study. I completely understood that you were a genius and could probably graduate at once but I am not," The latter rambled on nonsense things. 

She scarcely identifies what kind of trash she has been spouting out for the past few minutes. She was merely... trying to repress her feelings so hard. 

Kenta heaved out a sigh, gnawing with his lips, "I know that wasn't the real reason why you've kept your distance from me," Kenta claimed, "You actually dislike the fact that our parents were getting married soon right?" He cautiously asked because he wasn't sure if that's the true reason behind her sudden change of behaviour but he could feel it's one of them.

Once more, Miyu couldn't deny the fact that is one of the reasons why she has been distancing herself from Kenta since if the two of them ever become step-siblings, then that's mean Miyu needs to completely get rid of her feelings towards Kenta. It's hard right to do so?

"Why would you think so?" Miyu raised both of her eyebrows as she urged that, "I told you right, it's solely because I'm busy with my study and I don't have any other time to think about something---,"

Kenta abruptly uttered something as she was talking, "Or do you perhaps hate me?" He asked, leaving the girl speechless.

Why would I hate you, Kenta? She let those words in her mind, "No way," Miyu denied his nonsense statement immediately, "Why would I hate you, Kenta?" She choked over her drinks when she suddenly let the words came out loud and clear though it was supposed to stay inside her head.

"Then, why?" Fortunately, Kenta doesn't derive the words seriously, and it managed to calm Miyu down a little bit, "Tell me the reason why Miyu. You know I couldn't stand when someone I love giving me such treatments? You're one of those persons I treasure the most, Takeuchi Miyu," He confessed.

But how she wished the word 'love' itself means something else and not as a younger sister but what was she expected? Kenta has invariably marked her as his sister from the start.

When she was about to answer, her phone ringing, indicating someone is calling for her, "It's mum," Miyu informed with a smile, "Let me go and accept the call for a while," She excused herself and went outside the cafe to get a clear conversation, "Yes, mum?" She picked up the phone.

"Where are you now? You read my message right?"

Miyu virtually nodded, "Yes and I'm currently having a lunch with Kenta now," She disclosed to her mother.

"Oh, you're with Kenta? That's great! Spend an enjoyable time with him, okay?"

She couldn't help but frown to her last statement, "What do you mean by an enjoyable time? I think we've repeatedly spent our time together, almost every day," Except, lately, she guessed.

"Kenta hasn't told you yet?"

The latter frowned, even more, her eyes darted to the boy who was currently allowing his eyes on the phone in his hand, "Is there anything I need to know regarding Kenta?"

"He's leaving to Korea soon,"

The news she got from her mother struck right into her heart, "Ken---Kenta is leaving?" The words came out stuttering as she couldn't believe it. There will be no way for Kenta to leave her behind right? There's no reason for him to do so...

Miyu rotated her body around to find for Kenta in the cafe but she's already gone from her vision. Her eyes wandered around just to note the boy was currently standing not too far from her. Upon catching a glimpse of his face, Miyu couldn't help but burst into tears. 

Crystal-clear liquid escaping her eyes, running down her cheeks. His teeth gnawing her lower lips, trying to suppress the pain she felt deep in her heart at the moment as if someone currently piercing it wielding the most serrated knife in the world, "Tell me it wasn't true," She said while sobbing, but Kenta decided to stay quiet, "Takada Kenta," Her right fist clenched, "Tell me you're not abandoning me behind,"

"That's what I have wanted to tell you for the whole day," Kenta told her, "You've been acting so cold towards me lately so I don't have any chances to inform you about it. I'm sorry, Miyu for the drastic decision. I got a scholarship from a well-known university in Korea and accepted the offer," He continued talking, but it stings him to see the girl he cared, crying in front of him.

Kenta walked, heading towards Miyu before hauled the girl into a comforting hug, most likely the last hug for them, "But why," Miyu still in the state of crying, worrying Kenta even more. He silently  the girl's hair while his other hand on her waist, trying extremely hard to calm the girl down.

"It's not like I'm going forever okay? It's just only for two years," He murmured the words into her ear in hope it could assure her that everything going to be absolutely fine.

But how am I supposed to live without you by my side? I could barely stand a day without glimpsing your face and now I wouldn't see you for ing two years? She kept the thought by herself, "Please... just stay," Miyu muttered under her breath, pleading for some mercy from the boy though she knows there will be no way for him to undo his actions.

At the end, it's nothing but Miyu and her one-sided love.