Warning: Rated T for sensuality.   ______________________________________________________________________________________________   Nestling stealth on perfectly carved hunks of his inconspicuous muscles, she drifted, agile, into such fitful times. Amidst the revolution of the world or the tilt of the sun to a melancholic vanish; he, brooding not a thing but the daring gossamer delicate soft skin under her dress of sheer white lace. Her face with silvery sheen and tints of roses, his tongue trips in cowardice, hearing only the silence of the dark whilst sheets of white veil them two. Like visual the un-visual, her scent is abstract looming out of the murky four-walled space, on soft four-sided polygon of cottons and feathers.

 

More than just movements. Nor kisses under the orange light.

 

No munitions can stop—bombs nor shells nor guns. Abashed not with the silhouetted .

 

Abated by time.

 

He buttoned his school uniform. Fixing the tie, tightening it then loosening it. Stand from sitting on the edge of the bed and ran a finger through his hair.

 

“You’re leaving already?” Mirai jumped from the bed, her white dress bounced.

 

Ryosuke nodded. He watched her for a couple of seconds before making careful steps towards her to button up the first three buttons of her dress. “You should at least know how to button up.”

 

“You’re the one who them anyway.” She said after Ryosuke buttoned her dress and the guy had just to sigh.

 

He looked down at the floor to find where he dropped his bag.

 

“Why don’t you stay for a couple of minutes more?”

 

“I can’t. It’s mom and dad’s anniversary. They want me to eat dinner with them.”

 

“Hmmmp…” She pouted.

 

He almost whacked himself when he found his bag just sitting on Mirai’s study table above the piles of books and notes. 

 

Mirai sat back on her bed while Ryosuke froze after he wiped a book above a sheet of paper. He completely saw the entire scribbling on the paper—a lousy sketch of a figure of a woman floating. No. Hanging would make more sense. The woman was hanging while another figure of a girl stood below her.

 

His flesh started shaking as the sight of the school nurse flashed in his memory. That was an incident a year ago but he can still picture vividly the sight of Miss Ichikawa hanging through a tight rope from the ceiling of the clinic.

 

“What’s wrong?” Mirai asked, confused.

 

He looked intently at the girl. Never thought he’ll be able to pull a breather to relax the terrible dribbles of his heartbeat. “N-Nothing.”

 

She smiled and heads him outside her room.

 

Ryosuke is now using the front door. He never has to climb in the terrace again nor rappel down to leave.   

 

  *****     Chinen has been spending more time in the visual room than usual. The investigation for Nishiuchi Mariya’s death is still going on. And Ryosuke is afraid of the truth.

 

“Where’s Nakajima-kun and Chinen-kun?” Haruna roamed her sight around, following Ryosuke in going out of school gate. 

 

“In the visual room.” Was his answer.

 

“Aaahh~” Haruna nodded continuously, staring at his broad rimmed shoulders. “Mariya-chan eh?...You’re not helping out?”

 

“I am…” He tried to find the right word to say. “…busy.”

 

“B-Busy with what?” She bit the lower part of her lips. “Yamada-kun is…being distant. I mean, you don’t even attend morning practices…The whole soccer team is really disappointed.”

 

“I’m sorry…I’m patching some things up.”

 

They continued walking along the streets; still the girl is behind him. Veiled by cowardice to be right next to the guy.

 

She was surprise when Ryosuke a different direction. “Yamada-kun.” She called.

 

Ryosuke turned halfways to look at Haruna.

 

“Where are you going?” She pointed on 12 o’clock direction. “This is supposed to be…your way home, right?”

 

He briefly looked down at the ground before landing his eyes back on Haruna. “I’m dropping somewhere else before going home.”

 

He’s been going to Mirai’s house after school to meet up with her. That was not supposed to be his schedule—he used to visit her late at night but because she wanted him to make it up for her after being passive few days before and after Mariya’s death, there was a sudden change of his schedule.

 

“I’m going now.” He said, straightening his face on his direction to take a step.

 

“Yamada-kun!” Haruna called out for him again. “P-Please be at the practice tomorrow.”

 

He didn’t answer, turning his back again.

 

“Yamada-kun!” 

 

“What is it really that you wanna tell me Kawaguchi-san?” He turned again to face her completely.

 

“I..I’m worried.”

 

“I’m fine.” He sighed. “Sorry that I have to skip practices.”

 

“It’s not that.” Haruna took a very deep breath, clasping her fingers together. “Yamada-kun…” Like gathering all courage she has, she stared at his face. “…I like you.”

 

Ryosuke tried so hard not to pop his eyes in surprise.

 

“I like Yamada-kun.” Her hands, holding her bag is shaking.

 

She froze when the guy bowed at her. “I’m sorry.” And turned his back again to leave.

 

“Is it because you’re seeing someone?...Are you seeing someone, Yamada-kun?”

 

Ryosuke tried to ignore her question by taking few steps.

 

“I saw you went out from Mirai Shida-san’s house!”

 

His feet got stuck in the sudden utterance of her name.

 

“I saw you with her…” Haruna’s voice was sad whispers. “…I didn’t believe at first that it was you but I saw you again last night.” She swallowed. “And I saw her…I saw her kiss you before you left.”

 

He was facing her now while both hands in his pockets and his perfect face give perfect neutrality.

 

“Tell me!” Her voice is higher. “Tell me who is Mirai Shida to you?! Tell me the truth!!!”

 

“She’s my lover for seven years.” Unhesitant, those words slip off from his mouth with great honesty.

 

She gasped in terror as if she had just unraveled a mystery unbelievably existing. She back off, taking few steps behind with a tighter grip of her bag and ran so fast away from the guy who just flipped her feeling of love up-side-down.

 

Ryosuke blinked to glare at the pavement. “There’s no point of hiding, you idiots.”

 

Forcing a laugh, Yuto and Chinen revealed themselves behind the concrete wall on the side of the street.

 

    *****

 

  Haruna was cold to Ryosuke all day. She can’t even look at him. It was not a mere broken heart, to Haruna, what she knew was abhorrent—intolerable…unacceptable. Considering her abortive confession, she felt like drinking absinthe. Not that she really wants to.

 

But for Yuto and Chinen, it was a major success.

 

Absurd they thought was it. It was plain unbelievable.

 

“Of all girls in the world…” Yuto tilted his head in disbelief. “…Mirai Shida.”

 

Chinen nodded in agreement. “Who would believe that…” He looked at the brown-haired guy whose hair winding with the soft blow of cold air from the window of class 3-D. “Ryosuke could be this sneaky.”

 

The smirk in Yuto’s face grew into a smile. “And to think, seven years, huh?...If you’re nineteen now, minus seven so…” Stupidly he counted on his fingers.

 

“Twelve.” Chinen declared, confirming Yuto’s poor mathematical skills.

 

“Twelve!” Exclaimed Yuto as he turned to look at Ryosuke. “You dated her when you’re twelve?! How cool is that?!

 

Ryosuke ignored everything his two friends are saying despite the fact it is all about him. Plus…he never had really taken her on an actual date. Mirai hates too much exposure. Sometimes, isolation is what she likes. And Ryosuke is lucky enough to be able to penetrate that isolation.

 

They are lovers since twelve but he was more of a company to her—a comfort zone.

 

“She’s orphan, right?” Chinen asked, looking at Ryosuke for an answer.

 

“I heard that her mom died. Her dad ran away.” Yuto answered instead.

 

“So that means she’s leaving alone?” Chinen asked and Ryosuke did not have to answer an obvious question.

 

“That means you can freely visits her, correct?” The smirk in Yuto’s face says he’s thinking in a very nasty manner. “Ne, Ryosuke?”

 

“Stop that Yuto. You’re being too private.” Chinen snapped him.

 

Ryosuke glared at Yuto. “I visit her every night. Sleeps with her once in a while. What else do you wanna hear?”

 

Stunned, Yuto and Chinen looked at each other.

 

“You’re flushed.”

 

“YOU”RE flushed.”

 

“You!”

 

“You!”

 

The two guys argued like idiots and Ryosuke frowned.

 

“You’re too honest, Ryosuke. We didn’t ask for those VERY private things but…” Yuto winked. “You’re impressive!”

 

“Don’t you ever tell anyone or I’ll staple your mouth together…And don’t you ever talk to Mirai…I’ll break your bones.”

 

“Scary.” Yuto hugs himself.

 

“Anyway…” Chinen continued. “How about Haruna-chan?”

 

  *****    

 

Pulling his vibrating phone from his pocket, Ryosuke immediately read the message he confirmed from Yuto. He put the phone back on his pocket. Yuto was asking if the guy can help in assisting Chinen in reviewing all CCTV tapes. Ryosuke was curious enough to know about Mariya NIshiuchi but he can’t help those weirdos coz he has to be on Mirai’s door before the clock strikes 6.

 

And he is.

 

5:33 in the afternoon, Ryosuke Yamada is