Miyuu: Nee-chan! Nee-chaaaannn!

Mirai gasped when she realized Miyuu has been calling her.

Miyuu: The froth on your coffee is already spilling.

Mirai: Oh no! Sh—!

She immediately put down the metal frother cup and pulled the kitchen towel and wiped the mess.

Mirai sighed when she realized she messed up the coffee.

Miyuu: What’s wrong with you? Lately you have been spacing out.

Mirai: Huh? I-I am not. I am just preoccupied with the opening of the shop. It’ll be in two days. Anyway, thank you for taking care of the hiring process. I’d want to meet with the crew for briefing tomorrow.

Miyuu was not listening as she continued.

Miyuu: Eversince Yamada Ryosuke-niisan went back to Tokyo, you started getting all over the place like you don’t know what to do. Did something happen?

Miyuu narrowed eyes as she observed her older sister while Mirai kept cleaning.

Miyuu: Don’t tell me you—

Mirai: What?!

Mirai exclaimed in tension.

Miyuu: You miss him.

Mirai: (sighs) No. I don’t.

Miyuu: I really mean to say this for quite a while but I think he likes you, nee-chan.

Mirai just continued making the coffee, ignoring Miyuu.

Miyuu: Haven’t you notice the way he looks at you? (grins) I don’t know but I am totally convinced he likes you.

Mirai: (sighs) He can’t be. We will never ever happen. Especially now that he’s back in Tokyo he will find more prospect—more options—better ones at that.  He also deserves to choose. After all, he’s done it before.

Miyuu turned to her sister, confused. Apparently, she had never talked about what happened to her and Ryosuke during the early years.

Mirai: (scoffs) He was my first heartbreak.

Miyuu just continued looking at her sister unblinking.

Mirai (laughs) It was a long time ago. He was sorry. We were young.

Miyuu: He was the one who gave you that ring?

Mirai: Huh? I don’t remember telling you about that?

Miyuu: You never had to. I saw it. You put it on a necklace and you’ve been wearing it…until you stopped.

Mirai: I returned it.

The feelings were coming back to Mirai as she smiled nostalgically and sighed.

Miyuu: (sighs) Wow. Now I don’t know what to feel about it.

Mirai: That is why, not Yama-chan. (smiles) He’s better off with someone else. He’ll find someone who will be perfect for him. And it’s not a divorced woman.

After that, Mirai walked in the kitchen only to stopped halfway when she remembered how wrong was that kiss.

*****

It was after the rehearsals, Ryosuke sat on the couch and wiped the sweat in his face. suddenly, the kiss popped in his head making him breathe deep and long.

Inoo: Hey! Hey! Hey! What’s up with such low tension?

Yuya: Seems like someone’s not happy to be back.

The two guys started teasing him.

Ryosuke: Idiots! (laughs) That’s not it. Of course I am happy to be back.

Chinen made a teasing look as he joined the teasing.

Chinen: It seems like someone prefer baking cakes than doing the dance rehearsals, eh?

Ryosuke felt defeated as he just looked at the guys, transferring his eyes from one to another.

Yuto’s laughed echoed in. He sat next to Ryosuke on the couch.

Daiki: Oh, oh. Is this about the fan sightings? So, what was that really?

Chinen: Well, apparently it was just Mirai-chan.

“Eeeeeeehhhhhhhhhh???!!!” The guys synchronized.

Hikaru: Shida Mirai-chan? (laughs and smirked) It this some kind of a dirty work?

The guys laughed.

Ryosuke: Idiot! (smacks Hikaru’s head)

Hikaru: Oi, oi, oi! No head-smacking senpais!

Chinen: Well, Ryosuke assured everything’s okay. Nothing to worry about.

Yabu: That should not become a problem.

Chinen: Don’t worry, I am sure Mirai-chan will never have an affair but I don’t know about Ryosuke.

The guy smirked and the rest the other guys laughed except for Ryosuke who has to take the teasing.

Ryosuke: Okay. Okay. That’s it! Stop making fun of me.

Yuto suddenly wrapped his arm around his shoulder.

Yuto: How’s Mirai, anyway. Haven’t heard of her eversince her retirement.

Ryosuke: She’s a lot better now.

Yuto: A lot better?

Ryosuke bit his tongue as he realized he shouldn’t be saying more. Nobody knew about her divorce yet. He thought he shouldn’t be the one to disclose the thing about her personal life.

Ryosuke: Hey! Anyway, how’s Yuko-chan?

Yuto: She’s doing okay. She’s still in the early stage of her pregnancy so a little bit crucial but she’s getting the hang of it.

Inoo: I can’t believe we are dads now…except for Yamada-san of course.

Ryosuke: Oh so, should I be insulted for being called too formally?

Inoo: You deserve to be addressed formally coz you are single.

Ryosuke: I don’t know where you get your logic but it’s really pissing me off.

Everybody laughed with the childish banter.

Chinen: Anyway, I have to fetch my son from school today. His mom transferred him to this new school which is really expensive and really far from home. I think she’s punishing me.

Yuya: (laughs) Don’t tell us you have to do it everyday.

Chinen: Of course not. It’s just that Fridays is my schedule. Anyway, Ryosuke! Can you give me a ride? I don’t have a car with me.

Ryosuke: Oh that’s cool…(glares) What if I say no?

Chinen: You never say no to me.

Daiki: Chinen’s got a point. (shrugs)

Ryosuke just sighed coz, where’s the lie?

*****

The moment Ryosuke and Chinen got in front of the school, Chinen got out of the car while Ryosuke waited inside.

Not too long a seven-year old boy came running excitedly to Chinen. He got Chinen’s curved lips and small face. “Papa!”

Chinen: Hey, buddy.

He took his hand.

Chinen: How’s school, Ren-kun?

Ren: (smiles) Good. I did very well in class.

Chinen: That’s my boy. So, you wanna go and eat out? Ryo-chan is with me today.

Ren with a smile peaked on the car and Ryosuke waved at him.

Ren: But mama said I should go directly home today.

Ren said as he hopped inside the car and gave Ryosuke a high-five. Chinen sighed and got in the back seat with Ren.

Ryosuke started driving.

Chinen: Anyway, how’s everything going at home.

Ren: It’s okay. Jin-san told me I can call him ‘dad’.

Chinen was surprised but he kept a calm face and nodded.

Chinen: So what did you say?

Ren: I am not sure. It’s confusing if I have two ‘dads’, would it?

Chinen smiled awkwardly and Ryosuke can see that from the rear view mirror.

It was a 45 minutes ride when they arrive and Umika waiting outside the door at a huge modern house. What to expect from a real estate entrepreneur?

Kawashima Umika is married for 2 years to Shirasu Jin, one of the youngest successful real estate investor in the whole country.

Chinen got out of the car, leading the little boy out. The boy walked closer to her mom and she took his little hand.

Umika: Have you said your ‘thank you’ already?

Ren: (smiles) Thank you, papa.

Chinen: (leans) You’re welcome, Ren-kun. (smiles)

Ren: Thank you, Ryo-chan! (waves to the guy on the car)

Umika was surprised to see Ryosuke got out from the car.

Umika: Yamada-kun! (smiles) Hisasshiburi~

Ryosuke: (bows) Long time no see, Umika-chan. Ah…anyway, thanks for the sake. My dad had drink them all in just one night.

Umika: (laughs) You’re welcome. I am happy your dad love them. Mirai told me you had been seeing each other, so…

There may be something wrong about what she said when Chinen eyed Ryosuke and Ryosuke got a little shocked,

Umika: You know unn… see and—(sighs) Anyway. Thank you (looks at the two men) for sending Ren home. Do you wanna have some tea in?

Ryosuke: Oh, we’d love to. But it’s fine, Umika-chan.

Chinen: Yeah, will probably go now.

Ren: Bye, papa! Let’s go on a dolphin show again next time, okay.

Chinen: (smiles) Like promised. (looks at Umika) We’re heading now.

Umika: (nods) Have a safe drive.

Chinen nodded.

That was when Ryosuke realized both Umika and Chinen remained awkward ever since they had a child.

Umika happily walked Ren inside the house while the two guys got in the car.

Chinen: That was the first time she offered a tea.

Ryosuke: (laughs) Did I blew the chance when I declined the offer?

Chinen: (scoffs) Idiot. (sighs)

Ryosuke: So, you’re still awkward with each other, huh?

Chinen: Yeah. We haven’t really talked… We have but it’s for Ren’s sake.

Ryosuke: I don’t know about you guys but Mirai and I got things patched up before when the stupid younger me broke her heart. (shrugs) Yuto and Suzuka too. When they broke up after high school, they never even fought and remained friends. Got back for a while and broke up and still remained friends. And oh, they broke up three times.

Chinen: Well, you guys don’t have a child with them. Umika and I have a son. It just probably feels weird to be in good terms with her while I have a wife. I think that’s what she thought too.

Ryosuke: (nods and shrugs) Well, you have a point. (sighs) I just thought, what if you did not carry on with your wedding. It was the same year when Umika-chan came back to Japan with a two-year old child with her which happens to be yours.

Chinen: (scoffs) She did not let me.

Ryosuke: What do you mean?

Chinen: I tried getting back with Umika but she thought it’s selfish. (nods to himself) She’s right. I was selfish, I never thought of the consequences if I choose her despite being already engaged. But when I saw her and Ren, I have never thought of that. All I ever wanted was to be with them.

Ryosuke looked at Chinen and thought if Chinen has any regrets, just like him.

*****

Ryosuke immediately drifted on his bed. He just arrived from the second blind date his mother and sister set her up for. This time it’s to a 23-year-old model. She was very young, Ryosuke thought. And little too hyped for the date. She was cute but it feels like babysitting.

He lifted his back up and went to the fridge to get a can of beer. He popped it open and sitted on the counter table when he realized tomorrow's going to be the coffee shop’s opening. He got an invitation thru mail from Miyuu but he didn’t hear from Mirai.

Ryosuke: (sighs) Could she be mad because of the kiss?

He jumped from the counter and threw the empty beer can on the bin when suddenly his phone rang. It was his mother calling.

Ryosuke: Hey, mom.

Yamada-okaasan: So how’s the date?

She beamed excitedly.

Ryosuke: She’s cute.

Yamada-okaasan: And?

Ryosuke: She’s…cute.

Yamada-okaasan: (sighs) She’s not your type.

Ryosuke: Not that.

Yamada-okaasan: The first girl was also too tall. Since when did you care?

Ryosuke: Mom. (sighs) I just have not felt any connection to them.

Yamada-okaasan: I get it. Well, there’s still three more girls. Anyway, I’m going to Mirai-chan’s coffee shop opening tomorrow, are you coming?

Ryosuke: I don’t think I can. Mirai said it’s okay anyway.

Yamada-okaasan: Of course, it’s not! She’s just being so understandable but she prefers if you’d come. You basically helped her during the whole reopening thing. You’re an important part of it. I’m sure that’s what she thinks.

Ryosuke had got thinking as he got silent.

Yamada-okaasan: Anyway, I gotta hang up. Bye! Have a good night, Ryosuke!

Ryosuke smiled and closed his phone when his mother hung up.

Now that he thought of it, he did not regret kissing Mirai. He had enough with tripping in cowardice when it comes to Mirai.

*****

[2021]

Chinen picked his phone when he realized Ryosuke was not there yet. He called his friends to meet up that night in his and Yabu’s newly-owned restaurant for a seemingly special event. He told everyone they can drink and eat what they want. Apparently, it was his treat—which is considered a miracle because Chinen never treats.

Chinen: Hey Ryosuke. Where are you? You better be in a jiffy, anytime I’d be announcing an important matter. Hurry up! Everybody’s here already.

When he put his phone back to his pocket, Umika who has been fidgeting since she came approached Chinen.

Umika: Chinen, I have something to tell you.

Chinen: What’s that?

Umika was skeptical and nervous.

Chinen gave her a playful look.

Chinen: Wait, this is not a love confession is it?

He laughs teasingly but Umika was just silent and looking tensed.

Chinen: Save it for later, okay?

The guy went to Yuto and Suzuka who started dating again for the 3^rd time and decided to tease them.

Umika went back on her seat next to Mirai. She immediately noticed Umika’s unusual tension. Her hand fidgeting and her breathing deep like she’s nervous. She’s kinda pale too.

Mirai: Umika? Are you okay.

Umika: (forces a smile) Yeah, I am fine. Don’t worry.

As for Mirai, this had been a miracle her husband allowed her to go out with her friends. Ever since marrying, she barely joined meetups like this except if she’s just meeting up with Umika or Suzuka. So it really bothered her how Umika was acting.

Suddenly, Saaya, Shuhei and Kamiki joined them.

Kamiki: Oh good gracious son of the gods! You’re here!

Mirai: (laughs) Yeah I am here!

Saaya: I thought we’d never ever see you just like this! (hugs Mirai)

Shuhei: It’s not like Mirai-chan went somewhere far, Saaya-chan. But you have a point. What’s up with you, Mirai-chan. We missed you!

Mirai: I’m sorry, you guys. Just got a little busy, you know. I am juggling things with my career and with my married life.

Kamiki: You’re three years married Mirai. It’s never new to you. Plus, you barely accept any work. I heard you even turn down one main role.

Meanwhile Ryosuke was entering the premise when his eyes immediately landed on Mirai who was laughing as she calmed the sulking Kamiki.

Ryosuke froze when he never expected she would be there. She never comes in meetups like this. He was taken aback as he pulled himself back and turned around.

He leaned on the wall outside and took a deep breath. Ever since she got married, he avoided meeting her again.

When he finally decided to leave, he bumped into someone.

A tall, beautiful girl with beautiful brown eyes appeared in front of him.

A smile grew in her face when she found Ryosuke familiar. “You’re Yamada Ryosuke-kun, right? I’m Naomi.” She bowed at him.

Ryosuke: (bows) Unn..did we meet before?

Naomi: Not yet. (giggles) But I heard a lot about you.

Ryosuke was a little confused.

Naomi: Aren’t you getting inside? All your friends are in there, right?

Ryosuke: Unnn…No. I am leaving. Got uuh—an urgent thing to do.

Naomi nodded and bowed once more as she got inside the restaurant.

Ryosuke heard Chinen’s voice calling the lady’s name. He decided to peaked in. To his and everyone’s surprise, Chinen grabbed Naomi’s hand and gently pulled her in front of everybody.

Chinen: As my closest friends, I want you guys to be the first to meet Naomi. (looks at Naomi) My girlfriend. (smiles)

The fidgeting stopped when Umika just looked at the couple, frozen and confused. She felt the tightening in her chest and the urge to cry while everybody cheered for Chinen.

Suddenly, she felt like choking and the urge to throw up came running up . She slowly pulled herself from her seat and walked fast out to the balcony.

Mirai was worried and followed Umika out.

Mirai: Umika?

She found Umika gagging.

Umika wiped with her hand and turned to Mirai.

Mirai: Are you not feeling well?

Umika: Kinda. (stammers) I-I’ve been feeling unwell lately. But! Don’t worry, I c-can manage. (briefly smiles) Maybe, I just need a rest. I…I have to go, I guess.

Mirai: Okay I’ll tell everyone we—

Umika: No, Mirai. Stay here. Everybody was happy you finally showed up. So please stay.

Mirai: But…how about you.

Umika: I’ll take a cab.

Mirai: Are you sure? You’re really pale. I’ll be worried.

Umika: (holds Mirai’s arm) I’m okay. Just go back in. I’ll be out from here.

Mirai still looked worried.

Umika: I’ll call you when I’m home.

Mirai: (nods) You will call me, okay?

Umika smiled and nodded and started exiting from the stairs of the balcony. She was already out of the restaurant when she saw Ryosuke opening the door of his car.

Umika: Yamada-kun?

Ryosuke closed back the door of his car and walked closer to Umika.

Ryosuke: Umika-chan? Why are you out here?

Umika: Unn…(gulps) I just need to go home. Not quite feeling well.

Ryosuke noticed her wet eyes. Her cheeks were dry. She was obviously holding back her tears.

Suddenly Umika got out of balance and Ryosuke caught her by the shoulder.

Ryosuke: Are you okay?

Umika: I’m sorry. Just felt a little dizzy.

Ryosuke: Com’n I’ll drive you home.

While on the road, Umika suddenly talked.

Umika: Did you leave because you saw Mirai in?

Ryosuke was surprised.

Umika: I just feel like you are avoiding to meet her. For three years since she got married, it was just surreal you never met again.

Ryosuke: (scoffs) So did you leave because Chinen announced she’s dating that girl out in a blue.

Umika was quiet for a while before she nodded.

Umika: Un.

He was amazed by Umika’s bluntness. One thing he can never be.

Umika: For the longest time, he never considered calling me a girlfriend. He never labeled us. (scoffs) Now, I realized he never thought he’d be with me. (smiles with tears in her eyes) He finally fell in love and it’s not with me.

She turned to Ryosuke.

Umika: It’s the same reason why I stopped supporting you for Mirai. She invested years waiting for you just to get her heart broken. (forces a laugh) I did not realize I am doing the same. I am a lot stupider! Coz I stick to a guy who never even told me he likes me.

Ryosuke was just silent as Umika started crying next to him. As he listened to Umika’s cry, that made him remember how painful was it for Mirai when he did not live up to his promise. And Satoko when she realized, he was still in love with Mirai.

Since then, he was always afraid to be in a relationship. The regretful past always haunts him.

*****

Ryosuke sighed as he decided he can’t always be prisoner of his regrets. It’s time to move forward and be brave to do what his heart really wanted to do.

TO BE CONTINUED...