Meaning of true friendship
Friends ForeverMiku POV
"Chinen, where are you? can you meet me now?"
"I'm in the midst of my practice session. gomene Miku"
"but I..."
"Miku, I need to go. call you later"
"Chinen~" but the phone got disengaged.
the footsteps got louder and louder,signaling to me that whoever is tailing me is getting closer and closer.
I quickly got to a phone booth and shut myself inside.
I dialed my parents.... but there's no answer.
I dialed the next person on my call list, someone brave enough who will come to my rescue.
"hey Miku! what's up" Umika answered almost immediately with a cheerful voice.
"Umika, are you at home?"
"yeah why... you're panting"
"please accompany me. I'm at the phone booth outside school. come quick! I'll explain to you later" my hands are shaking so badly, I'm freaking out.
I have been feeling that people are tailing me for some time, ever since Chinen confessed to me and we are officially dating.
I'm not sure if these 2 issues are related but I guess it can't be. I initially thought I'm being overly paranoid, but today, I'm very sure that there's someone tailing me.
luckily I have Umika. she's always here for me.
...
almost 15 minutes past.
"Miku!" Umika was panting outside the phone booth.
I came out and hugged her.
"Daijoubu? what's wrong?"
"remember I told you I think there's someone tailing me these days... "
"yeah. OMG you mean now too? she looked around.
"I don't see anyone.. not even on my way here."
"but I'm sure there's someone out there"
"okay don't worry. lets bring you home now. it's already 10pm, there's no one on the streets" Umika held my hands and walked with me.
the silence is so deafening and frightening that I think even Umika couldn't endure any longer.
"by the way, how are you and Chinen doing..? it's a week since you guys started dating."
"it's great" I stammered as I hear footsteps from the back.
I turned around but I see no one.
"there's no one. stop scaring me" Umika said as she turned back after me.
but as we entered the quiet street leading to my house, the footsteps grew closer.
"who's that!" Umika shouted. we looked around and not one, but 7 shadows appear from the dark.
"none of your business girl. we are here to speak to Miku-san"
me?! Umika stood in front of me and shouted "why do you girls have to be so sneaky! whatever you need to say, say it to both of us!"
"that's so loyal of your friend, Miku-san... but we're here to punish you!"
"what? wait? who the heck do you think you are?!" Umika shouted back.
"Shut up !" one of the 7 intimidators slapped Umika hard, but she stood to her ground.
"Miku! we warned you to stay away from our Chinen, but you ended up dating him! you are seriously the ! "
"oh, so this is what it's about. please, your Chinen???!!! Chinen will detest fans like you girls!" Umika said sarcastically.
"you asked for it! grab her and give her a taste of our medicine" 4 of the girls close in and grabbed Umika despite her tough resistance. they started punching her body and slapping her face.
I dashed towards her, intending to shield her from the attacks but the remaining 3 girls grabbed hold of me.
"let her go!!! it's me you girls want! not her! stop hurting her!"
"I'm okay~ " Umika forced a smile.
"I know who you girls are~ students from Sky East High (just opposite our school)... you'll not get away with this" Umika struggled to speak above all the punching and slapping
"feel free to report us. we are graduating soon anyway, the school can't do anything to us"
"damn you!" she shouted.
the three girls holding me started to prick me with sharp needles "Itai!!"
Umika suddenly dashed towards me and knocked them away from me. she then used her body to stop the 7 attackers and opened a path for me to escape.
"Miku, go quick!!!"
"but~"
"Just go and get help!"
she couldn't hold on to the attackers much longer and there's no room for argument so I ran with all my might, ensuring that they don't catch me.
I cried as I recalled Umika's bloody shirt and swollen cheeks with blood dripping from her nose and lips.
I digged my pocket for my phone but I couldn't find it.
"oh no! I must have dropped it! my belongings are all left there!"
there's already no one on the streets! I intuitively ran towards her house. I was panting like there's no tomorrow... my thoughts ran wild on what is happening to Umika at this time... the longer I take to get help, the worst it is for Umika. I dragged her into this.
I rang her doorbell but there's no one.
oh no! her parents are out on a business trip... what am I going to do!!!
i immediately thought of yamada-kun. luckily I've gone to his house once, so I remembered the way.
I dashed towards his house and rang the doorbell, sincerely praying that he's already home from practice.
after a few rings, no one opened the door.
"Umika!!! I'm so sorry!!! whAt am I going to do now!!! " I cried loudly, not realizing someone just opened the door.
"Miku-san?"
I looked up and saw Yamada-kun looking at me in confusion.
"omg, what wrong with you. there are cuts on your arms. let me get my first aid kit here." he was about to enter his house but I grabbed him tightly.
"Yamada-kun!!! save Umika!!!"
Umika POV
I collapsed on the floor, feeling weak and pain all over my body. I see my blood stains all over my top.
"please... let me go~"
"now you are begging me... try to be hero for your friend heh. next time, don't be such a busybody."
I have no energy to retaliate anymore.
"we'll let you go, after this.... girls, rip her clothes!"
"no...No!!!" I hold on to my top but their force was too huge. they started tearing my top, revealing my skin beneath. they gave me a final kick on the stomach that send me rolling to the side of the street. and I finally lost my consciousness as my vision blackens.
..
Itai Itai! I wrenched my fist and grind my teeth... I feel a sudden blanket of warmth surrounding me. I opened my eyes and found myself lying in the arms of a guy. I looked closely, on top of my blurring vision, and realised Ryosuke hugging me tightly. he took out his jacket and wrapped me up tightly along with his tough arms. I feel the comfort already.
"you are awake~ are you alright?! can you say something? anything Umika, please speak to me" Ryosuke ran his fingers over my face and wiped my fallen tear.
I tried to speak but it is so tiring to even open my mouth. at the corner of my eyes, I saw my ripped clothes... tears ran uncontrollably as I thought about being seen by passerby.
Ryosuke seemed to read my thoughts. he held my head close to his chest and hug me tightly "don't worry, no one saw anything. you're safe with me now."
he picked me up and carried me on his back.
"I'll bring you to the clinic...we'll be there in a giffy."
"no... ~ I don't wanna make the issue big~ Chinen and Miku will get implicated as well~"
"heh?! Baka! why are you still thinking about others and not yourself! in fact, they were the ones who got you into this mess"
"please~ I can't speak anymore.~"
"okay okay... I promise you. I'll bring you home... is your parents at home?"
"no~"
"okay then I'll stay with you. I'll take care of you"
"is Miku o~"
"she's okay. she only got a few cuts. I called Chinen. He should be taking care of her now"
"Ryo~"
"don't speak anymore. everyone is fine except you!!! i insist you shut up and rest on me. leave everything to me."
he picked up his pace whenever I moaned with every sharp pain that comes.
..
he laid me on my bed and asked "which part of you is in pain?"
"everywhere~"
"okay, hold on... I go get the first aid kit" he left the room and rummaged through in search of the kit.
"Yatta!" I heard him shout.
he held me up and tried to the top that he put over me earlier.
I weakly stopped him by grabbing his wrist.
"Ryosuke~ yamette" I admit I am too embarrass to show that part of me.
"let go. didnt you say you trust me. I just wanna put on medicine for you" he released himself from my hands.
yes I trust him... but still... he is a guy... I am afraid... afraid to reveal my bare skin to him.
he gave a gentle smile to reassure me that everything will be fine.
he ed my top to the very last and removed it, revealing my bruised skin
he ran his fingers on my bruised skin and looked at me with teary eyes.
he rubbed the medicine on my skin gently and meticulously.
"Itai~"
"gomene... I'll be gentle."
he faced the front of me and I could hear him gulp.
he's just as nervous as me, I could tell. he's always shy when it comes to girls. for him to do this, and suppress his manhood, it must be really stressful.
"Ryo~it's cold" I called out weakly, barely with my eyes opened.
"ah. Gomen Gomen" he is called back to his senses.
he started applying medicine on my chest. his touch is so gentle, so careful, afraid of hurting me.
"Daijoubu ?"
"hai~"
he helped me put on a clean top and lay me in bed, pulling my blanket over me.
he wiped my hair off my face and said softly, "I won't let those people who did this to you go away scot free."
he stood up and was about to leave the room, but I didn't want him to leave. I feel like I need him here.
"Ryosuke~please stay" I grabbed his arm.
"can I?"
I nodded.
"I'll stay... so sleep well. no one will hurt you"
images of the attackers ran through my mind. I shook in fear and I could feel myself perspiring cold sweat.
"Yame~yamette yo" I mumbled. I opened my eyes slightly and saw Ryosuke asleep beside me, and I felt more at ease. I have the urge to stick closer to him, for he really make me feel protected. I cuddled beside him and enjoy the warmth that radiates from him. I looked at his asleep face and can't help but reminisce the days when we were still in preschool where we were once accidentally locked in class overnight. He knew I was afraid of the dark then so he wrap me cosily in his arms.
arigatou Ryosuke for always being here for me.
.....
Yamada POV
"No...It's not going to help if we leave this alone. They will be back, and both of them will be hurt again"
"but Yamachan, this will blow things out of proportion"
"so what?! i don't wanna see anyone around us getting hurt! Umika already got implicated into this. you don't want more to get hurt because of your FANS right"
"gomenasai Yamachan..."
"Chinen, I'm not blaming you. but please stop running away from problems. this is serious. let me settle this. i'll talk to Johnny-san later"
"arigatou yamachan. how is Umika?"
"her whole body is bruised...those girls are downright inhumane. i'm not sure what exactly they did to her to incur such horrible bruises. It'll probably take a few days to heal. luckily her parents are not in town, or they will be worried."
"can i talk to her?"
"she's still sleeping. don't worry, i'll make sure she's okay"
"gomene yamachan."
"take care of Miku, she must be very frightened too."
we hung the phone shortly after.
what am i going to do. i wanna stay beside her until she gets well entirely, but my work commitment makes it impossible. the bruises on her bare skin pains me everytime i recall.
it reminds me of those days when we first entered high school and those fans of mine in school kept approaching her and bullying her. Though she's tough, she got injured many times and didn't tell me about it until Suzuka could no longer see her getting bullied, she came to tell me about it.
honestly, at that point in time, it ever crossed my mind that i should cut all ties with her so she will not get hurt because of me. i tried giving her the cold shoulders, but instead she comforted me and said those words that I'll never forget.
Ryosuke, you are my best friend. if anything is gonna hurt me, it will be none other than you saying you no longer wanna be my friend. so the hurt from your fans are nothing as compared to you ignoring me these days. You are in pain too right? let's face this together.
It's happening again... Umika...gomenasai.
"Ryosuke~" her awakening voice interrupted my thoughts.
"how are you feeling babe?" I ran my hands through her hair and pat her head.
"much better."
"thank goodness."
"Ryosuke, can you promise me something...?"
"anything. what is it?"
"please make sure this won't affect Chinen and Miku's relationship. Miku really loves Chinen. I hope their relationship will not end because of this."
"You are really silly Umika. Why are you more concerned about others than yourself?! You're always like this." I got really furious and raised my voice.
"Gomenasai Ryosuke. they are all my friends. i don't want anyone to get hurt" she looked down and teared.
"chotto. okay okay i promise you. don't cry" i wiped her tears away.
"you really do think alot for your friends... wonder if you will do it for me~" i murmured to myself, not expecting she will hear it.
"I will. i will be there for you anytime you need me."
"souka... arigatou!" i feel that fuzzy feeling again, and my heart skipped a beat.
"one more thing.... about yesterday.... please forget what you saw...."
"HEH?! ahhh i almost forgot." i blushed as i recalled myself changing her top.
"YAH BAKA! STOP THINKING!"
"I'll see your performance then.... if you stop hitting me, i'll tell my brain to forget about...." i stared at her body jokingly.
"what?! hidoi (terrible!)" and we both laughed. deep down, I am trying really hard to wash away those dirty thoughts running wild in my brain. im a guy too right~ she's my best friend, I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT THINK OF HER THAT WAY!
"Ja.. let's go wash up. can you get up?" I grabbed her arms.
"daijoubu. i can." she gently released myself from my arms. I can see her blush, or am i imagining.
"Ryosuke.~ you (um) do you have(um) work later?" she muffled her words as she brushed her teeth and it sounds hilarious
"yeah. I have. but if you need me to stay, i can push back my practice?"
"no no, i'm fine. don't bother about me."
"really?"
"yeah."
"i'll buy nice dinner back for you. don't go out for lunch. and those sky east girls won't hurt you again, i'll personally see to it."
"heh? what are you going to do?"
....
Umika POV
Ryosuke's subsequent words melts the core of my heart
"don't worry, leave it to me. since you love to protect your friends so much, i'll protect you.
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