September 2, 2020

"You're going out again?" Rio asked with disapppointment evident in her voice. "You haven't been home at all for the past week..."

Ryosuke sighed and continued to pack his bookbag. "I told you already that I have dinners to go to with my co-stars. It's important to build this connection."

"I understand that, Ryosuke. I really do..." Rio replied, taking off her gloves and setting it down on the kitchen counter. "It's just that I've been taking care of all the chores around this apartment for months already. You're not the only one with a busy career.."

Ryosuke furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What are you trying to say?" 

"I just feel under-appreciated." Rio confessed. "I feel like I'm the one who always holds more responsibilities in this household. You get to come home whenever you want and relax-" 

"Is that what you really think?" 

"It's not what I think.. You've been doing exactly that! I feel chained to this apartment while you get to go out and hang out all night with that girl you kissed in that drama! You might even be cheating on me and I'm here acting like an idiot just scrubbing the floors.."

"Do you really think that low of me?" Ryosuke raised his voice. "Do you really think that I'm cheating on you with that girl?" 

"How can I not? 

"Well if you feel chained then lets just break up! I'm not holding you down in any way!" Ryosuke blurted. However, as soon as he realized how impactful his words were, it was too late. 

"Rio, I'm sorry... I didn't mean that." 

"Yes, you did." Rio replied, feeling tears swell up in her eyes. She averted her gaze and turned her back towards him. "I didn't know how easy it is for you to just give up on us like that." 

Before Ryosuke was able to utter another word, Rio swiftly walked over towards the door and opened it, stepping aside so that he would have room to leave the apartment. "You have somewhere to be, don't you?" She asked, still refusing to meet his gaze. "I don't feel like being around you right now." 

After a long hesitation, Ryosuke grabbed his bag and slowly began to walk out the door. "I'm seriously sorry... I didn't mean any of that." He insisted, feeling an overwhelming amount of regret.

"We'll talk tomorrow. Leave me alone." Rio concluded before closing the door on him. 

Ryosuke glanced up at the beige ceiling and released a heavy sigh. "What the hell is wrong with you, Ryosuke?!" He cursed himself under his breath. As he proceeded down to his car, he texted his coworker telling her that he needs to cancel their plans for tonight before beginning to drive towards his best friend's place. 

"Ryo?" Daiki answered the door. Immediately, he caught Amu's attention and the girl quickly greeted him as well.

"What happened?" She asked after noticing his sorrowful expression. 

"I screwed up." Ryosuke paused, taking a step into the apartment. After closing the door behind him, he finally confessed. "We got into an argument and I told her that we should just break up." 

"EHHH?!" The two exclaimed.

"I didn't mean it! It just came out because I was really angry... She told me that she didn't feel like being around me and that we'll talk tomorrow." 

Within the next few seconds, Amu ran back into the bedroom and after a couple of seconds of quick shuffling, she re-appeared with a duffle bag.

"I'm going to check up on her while you two talk it out. Yama-chan, feel free to sleep over if you like. I'll spend the night at your's." 

"But she said she wanted to be alone." Ryosuke replied, reminiscing their conversation earlier. 

"When a girl says she wants to be alone, you do the exact opposite.." Amu sighed before whacking him on the shoulder. "Mou.. How long have you two been together?! Don't you know that she has a tendency of overthinking everything?" She lectured him. 

"Anyways, I'll see you two tomorrow!" Amu added, slipping on a pair of shoes. "Oh and please don't drink... Nothing good ever happens when you combine alcohol with AriYama..." 

As soon as Amu left the apartment, Daiki shrugged and checked his wallet. "Well if you want to get a couple of drinks, it's on me.." 

"Lets do it." Ryosuke agreed and Daiki grinned. 

It wasn't long before the two made it down to their usual bar down the block. After ordering one drink, they sat on the bar stool and began to chat.

"I still can't believe that Rio was under the impression that I was cheating on her... and with my co-star! I mean... Rio is thousands of times better than her. Why would I ever give my girlfriend up like that?" Ryosuke explained, twisting the glass in his hand. 

"I don't blame her, honestly." Daiki replied, taking a sip of his. "You have no idea how many times I thought Amu was cheating on me with Chinen. I think the most difficult part for Rio is that she feels guilty speaking to you about it. It probably took her a lot of courage to express her insecurity about you and your co-star." 

"I screwed up didn't I?" 

"I wouldn't say you screwed up.." Daiki bluffed, finding the right words to say. "...I just think uhh..." 

"Dai-chan, just admit it." 

"Y