Ryosuke heard voices from outside and the rushing steps came nearer, but he could not avert his eyes from staring at the person on his bed.

Mirai...? How could she...

He could not even begin to describe his feeling. Once he realized that it was her, there was a burst of emotion ignited that his arms went up reflexively to reach out to her. He wanted so badly to hug her just to make sure that she was real, but before he could move closer, she screamed and kicked him out of the bed.

His heart was still pounding hard by the sudden turn of event, but he was unable to move, just looking at Mirai from the floor. The happiness in his heart as though frozen once he saw how she stared back at him... with obvious fear.

“What’s happening?!”

The question came at the same time the door of his bedroom was opened.

“Ryosuke?”

He turned to the door, seeing Chihiro stood with Mika at her side. They were the nearest to his bedroom so they’d always be the first to appear.

“Eh? Mirai-neechan?!” suddenly Mika exclaimed.

Chihiro snapped her gaze to the bed where Mika was looking at, and both of them widened their eyes in surprise. Then in sync, both his sisters turned to him, and after that looked back and forth between him and Mirai.

Noticing the horrified look on his sisters’ face, he caught on what they might think about the circumstance, so he leapt up to stand on his feet, quickly said, “Don’t get wrong perception. Nothing happened!”

“But,” Chihiro looked in daze. “You and Mirai-chan in one room...and.. and you wore no shirt at all.”

“Niichan,” Mika pointed an accusing look. “Did you do something ert to Mirai-neechan?”

He widened his eyes, gasping in panic, “NO WAY! I didn’t even know that she is here!”

“But—“

“He didn’t lie!” suddenly Mirai spoke up.

All the siblings turned to her, and at that instant Mirai seemed to shrink behind the shield of blanket she grabbed onto tightly.

“Ryosuke... didn’t do anything. It’s... my fault... I shouldn’t be here,” her voice sounded distant.

“What are you talking about?” A new voice was heard from behind them.

He turned to see his mother and father standing at the door of his bedroom, just behind his two sisters.

“Mom!” he exclaimed in relief, hoping to clear the misunderstanding soon. “Please, help! They think I did something nasty to Mirai. I didn’t even know that she was sleeping in MY ROOM!” He emphasized the last phrase.

His mother looked at Mirai then to him; the latter was accompanied by a sigh.

“Ryosuke, get a shirt,” the instruction came from his father before his mother started.

He was almost startled, but silently dragged his feet to his closet in the other side of the room.

“I asked Mirai to sleep over here,” he heard his mother explaining while he rummaged to get a clean shirt. “We just arrived a few hours ago, and you two had been asleep, so I asked her to sleep in Ryosuke’s room.”

“I’m really sorry for imposing,” Mirai immediately added.

When he finished putting on a shirt and turned around, he saw Mirai bowed to his family and then soon made a way to climb down the bed.

“I think I’ll go home now. Forgive me for causing a disturbance to your rest.”

He wanted to prevent her from leaving because he noticed she looked so out of her usual self, but his mother moved faster than him.

His mother rushed to Mirai’s side, holding Mirai’s arm gently, saying, “Just stay.”

His sisters sent him a questioning look, but he only shrugged his shoulder for he himself was confused about this entire situation.

“Kids, let’s go out,” it was his father who calmly commanded them, signaling them to follow him.

He was reluctant, he wanted to stay with Mirai, but his father’s look did not let him to.

“Ryosuke, did something happen between you and Mirai?”

As soon as they were outside of his bedroom, the question was asked by Chihiro.

“Now kids, is not the time for that,” his father interrupted. “You two better go back to sleep.” His father instructed Chihiro and Mika.

When his sisters protested, his father answered, “There’s still tomorrow to talk about it, and Ryosuke is tired. Give him time to rest.”

At this, his sisters relented. They then bid him and his father good night and returned to their respective bedroom.

**********

Ryosuke glanced at the clock on the wall of the living room. It was only a couple hours after he arrived at his family residence and only a few minutes after the incident with Mirai. His mother was still in his room, possibly persuading Mirai to stay in their house longer.

“Here.” A cup of coffee was held out before him.

He accepted the coffee cup his father made for both of them. “Thank you, Dad.”

He sipped the warm coffee meditatively, trying to make an assumption of what was currently going on.

“Your mother told me,” his father started, and he looked up to pay attention. “About you and Mirai, and your relationship.”

He couldn’t say nor reply with anything.

“Your sisters haven’t known about it yet, and we think they don’t need to know.”

“I don’t even know what happen,” he helplessly confessed, putting his cup down the table.

“Did you notice a kind of change in her recently?”

“No,” he was hesitated. “At least, I don’t realize what’s wrong that she did that.”

“When your mother brought her home a few hours ago, Mirai looked not so well. Your mother only told me that something bad happened to Mirai in Sendai.”

He turned sharply to his father, “Wh-what?!”

His father shook his head once, gesturing that he did not know the detail either.

“Your mother might tell you later,” his father said.

He slouched back on the couch.

“Ryosuke.”

He immediately straightened his back when he heard his father called out.

“When you decided to make Mirai be a part of your life, you sure you were ready to accept all of her?”

“Yes.”

His father patted his shoulder, “Man never back out from a promise.”

“I won’t.”

His father smiled, “I know you, son. So, you should be more patient with Mirai. You know well how she was so afraid of relationship. Your wedding may still scare her.”

“But she seemed alright everytime we discussed about the wedding.”

“Women are difficult to be understood, Ryosuke. They may smile in front of us while inside they are crying. Just make sure your mind is clear when you make a decision.”

He nodded.

Silence stretched out after that. His father enjoyed his coffee while he was drawn into his own thought.

...something bad happened to Mirai in Sendai...

He could not stop that line from repeating, again and again. What could possibly happen to Mirai? Was she hurt?

“I’ll leave you two,” his father suddenly stood up.

He looked up and found out that his mother had showed up in the living room. His mother and father exchanged look before his father returned to their bedroom.

“She is sleeping,” his mother told him even before he asked. She took a seat beside him.

“Mom, you said you’ll text me when you found her,” he complained.

“Sorry. The circumstance didn’t allow me,” she replied.

He eventually sighed then asked another question, worry was obvious in his tone, “Is she alright? Dad said something bad happened to her.”

His mother put a weak pressure on his shoulder, “Ryosuke, I’m sorry. Mirai asked me not to tell you nor anyone. She will tell you by herself when she is ready.”

“When is that?” He had been impatient for not knowing anything.

“Give her time a little longer. What happened in Sendai was something difficult for her to tell. That’s why I persuaded her to stay here, for I’m worried that she is still traumatized by that.”

“Mom, the more you tell me, the more you torture me, don’t you know?” he protested. “I’m worried sick about her, and now you told me something had traumatized her, but then I should wait to know what exactly it is. I can’t!”