Selina woke up early next morning to find Jiro out of bed. After brushing her teeth, rinsing her face, and changing into some new clothes she went downstairs not wanting to anticipate the feeling of seeing him in the kitchen. Plates of food were set out on the table and Jiro was getting two cups of water.

“Good morning,” he said with a smile.

Silently Selina took a seat at the table without glancing at him. Jiro took a seat across from her and they sat in odd silence.

Jiro smiled his old smile, “I’m sorry for not coming yesterday. I had wanted to call but some things came up. Take this food as an apology?”

“Uh huh,” was all Selina was able to make out but inside she was fuming.

‘He thinks that he can stay out all night and make me wait like a fool and come back saying sorry. How much repeats of that word do you want to tell me over and over again? I am tired. I don’t want to hear it. Stay out all night and don’t come back then!’ Selina shouted from inside her mind.

“Selina? Selina?” repeated Jiro.

“What?” questioned Selina.

“Are you ok?” Jiro asked.

“Oh yea. I’m great. You know I stood outside waiting for hours. It was cold the air was just perfect,” Selina said then quickly snapped shut. She had not intended on saying that.

Jiro’s worried face disappeared, “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to.”

“You know if you can’t make it you should call me no matter what instead of wasting my time,” Selina snapped unable to control her feelings.

“You’re angry?” Jiro questioned.

“Am I not supposed to be?” Selina demanded. “Why? Where were you? What were you doing? How come you didn’t come? You could have called. No matter what you should have called. I was worried sick!”

“I already said sorry, what more do you want?” asked Jiro starting to get annoyed.

“Sorry. That’s all you say. That’s all we say,” Selina told. “I need some air.”

Selina got up from the table and walked away and within seconds Jiro could hear the front door open and close. He stared at the food in front of him and rubbed his hair in frustration.

Selina stopped outside and glanced back at the house placing her hand to her forehead.

“You idiot! Why did you explode? Why?!” she shouted at herself.

Selina turned around to look at the door and forced herself up the stairs. Filled with guilt she made her way into the kitchen to find Jiro still sitting alone.

“I can come in right?” Selina asked poking her head in the kitchen.

Jiro turned around startled not replying. Taking that as a yes Selina made her way in.

“I’m sorry,” Selina apologized. “I didn’t mean to blow up at you.”

“Strange since when did you start to use words like blow up,” Jiro questioned.

“I know things are hard for you and I really am sorry,” Selina repeated.

“That is really the only thing we can say to each other,” Jiro told sarcastically.

He pushed his chair back and got up on his feet walking pass Selina. As the front door closed Selina could feel a deep despair fill the kitchen.

“I wanted us to eat together just one more time,” Selina said aloud.

Jiro stopped in front of the house and stared at the street then kicked the ground. He felt angry at himself for bringing himself into this situation. He knew he should have just kept his promise to Selina no matter what. He regretted staying until Mod fell asleep. He should have left when his chance came. Jiro gritted his teeth until his cell phone rang.

“Jiro where are you?!” a voice demanded. Jiro recognized it as Eric’s.

“I’m at home,” Jiro responded.

“Get over here quickly! Mod is breaking down because of you! Why didn’t you stay with her last night?!” Eric questioned then Jiro could hear someone else talking in the background.

“Jiro?! Where the hell are you?! Get over here quickly! Before I come drag you and I will never forgive your wife!” Pat shouted and hung up.

Jiro stared at his cell phone with a large frown wondering what exactly was going on. He stared back at the phone debating the decision between Selina or Mod. Once more he stepped away from Selina.

_*_*_*_*_*_

“No it’s wrong! You can’t do this Pat!” Wu Chun shouted.

They were crowded in Wu Chun’s small dining room engaged in an unstoppable argument. Mod was weeping by Eric who was trying his best to comfort her. They’d found her by the door in the morning desperate and weak.

“Don’t tell him to go! Get Jiro back! Get him back here!” she begged through her tears.

“Is Jiro coming?” Eric asked. 

“That bastard better be,” Pat said. “He’s not making anything fair. I mean he met Mod first and fell in love with her but he chose someone else over her. His wife isn’t even as good as Mod. Can’t Jiro get it into his head?! What is wrong with him? Look at how Mod is suffering over him!”

“Hey watch what you’re saying!” Wu Chun warned. “You don’t even know Selina. You don’t have the right to judge her!”

“Oh I don’t? I saw her at the birthday party didn’t I? Maybe having a pretty face is all she is using to hold onto Jiro! Other than that she is nothing!” Pat argued back.

Flared with anger Wu Chun jumped at Pat.

“Whoa! Hey stop it! It’s not going to help using your fists!” Aaron shouted jumping in between them. He hated it when they argued. Wu Chun stopped and glanced at Aaron.

“You’re on my side aren’t you?” Wu Chun questioned. “You don’t hate Selina. You liked her the first time you saw her. I know you do.”

Aaron just stared at Wu Chun with unsure eyes. He didn’t want to take sides. Taking sides in an argument was the worst thing to do.

“I’m not going to answer on that,” Aaron replied.

“Aaron!” Wu Chun shouted.

Pat laughed, “You see Chun Aaron doesn’t like her either.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Aaron explained, “I don’t have anything against her. Why should any of us hate her?”

“You know very well why!” Eric interrupted. “Look, Mod has been a very good friend to us for years! If she’s hurt, it hurts me too!”

“Isn’t Jiro our friend too?” Aaron asked. “I mean if he is and he makes a decision shouldn’t we back him up on it and be happy with him? Getting married was something he did himself…it’s not like we could have done anything…”

“Shut your trap!” Eric shouted at Aaron.

“Hey don’t shout at Aaron! You’re just angry because he’s telling the exact truth!” Wu Chun defended Aaron.

“Truth? We don’t know the truth!” Eric exclaimed.

“That’s right no one knows the story between Selina and Jiro,” Pat told, “maybe they were forced to marry and Jiro just turned it into an illusion of loving her. He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

“How can you say that?” questioned Wu Chun. “That’s not the actual truth! Don’t you understand? Mod is the past!”

“Don’t you say that about her!” Eric warned grabbing Wu Chun’s shirt.

“What are you doing?” Aaron questioned putting his hand over Eric’s and pulling his hand off of Chun’s shirt.

“Don’t think you can make yourself seem so innocent by being a peacemaker!” Eric told grabbing onto Aaron’s shirt this time.

“What’s going on?” questioned Jiro as he entered through the doorway surprised to see his friends pulling a battle between each other.

Mod looked up toward the voice and ran to Jiro grabbing a hold of his arm.

“You left! Why did you leave?” questioned Mod through her tears.

“Thanks to you she’s having one of her breakdowns!” Pat scolded.

Wu Chun glared at Pat as Eric let go of Aaron.

“I didn’t go anywhere,” Jiro told. “I already promised I’d stay. Could you leave us for a little while?”

Mod stared at Jiro a little longer and walked down the hall into the bathroom. As the door shut Jiro turned to the four of his friends.

“What is going on? What’s with this yelling?” questioned Jiro.