Jiro didn’t give any reply but returned to his food. It started to get dark soon and I urged mom to go home. At last when she finally did a small rain started to come down. I walked around the empty neighborhood aware that Jiro was right behind me. I knew he was just making sure that I was safe and I hoped that when he wasn’t here a ert wouldn’t attack me.

“Don’t take my dad’s words to the heart,” Jiro said out of the blue, “he’s always been like that.”

“It’s not like I cried over it,” I said coolly sticking my hands into the pocket of my sweatshirt. “You should’ve told me you’re a millionare.”

“I’d rather not be one,” Jiro admitted. “It’s not so fun.”

I was about to give a laugh when someone called my name. When I looked there was Fluke standing a few yards away in front of me.

“Hey,” he said. “So do you remember what I said the other day?”

I began to take a step forward but Jiro’s hand suddenly clasped my wrist stopping me. I looked back at him.

“I told you he’s out to hurt you.” Jiro said. “Don’t you believe me?”

I looked at Jiro then turned to Fluke afraid that he heard it, but he was still smiling all the same.

“You believe him?” asked Fluke. “Do you believe the words of a classmate whom you’ve only known for a few days or do you believe someone you love?”

I was thrown off. Why was Jiro doing this. I thought he was ok with it—well at least that’s what it seemed like moments before. I opened my mouth but stopped.

“Selina listen to me,” Jiro said.

“Tonight’s the last night. If you don’t say yes you’ll never see me again,” Fluke threatened.

I gulped, I didn’t want to lose him. Why was my chance slipping away like this? It’s not fair! I watched as Fluke began to turn away.

“Fluke! Wait!” I shouted but he had already begun to go. “Jiro let go.”

“Selina,” he said.

“No, I don’t want to listen to you,” I told him, “I don’t want to believe you.” Jiro stared back. “This is mean but I barely know you. I don’t want to know what you think. I love him. Please let me go.”

“You really love him?” Jiro asked sounding kind of sad and hurt.

“Yes, I love him! He’s my everything! I only want him. Please let me go,” I insisted.

“What if I say…that I…like you too,” he asked. “That I like you a lot now.”

I froze. What did he just say?

“I don’t know why, but I always think of you…” he began.

“Stop! Shut up!” I shouted. “No! Not you!” I pushed his hand away from me and ran after Fluke. “Fluke!”

Fluke stopped and turned to look at me.

“I love you. Please don’t go,” I said throwing my arms around him. As I did so I felt a tinge of pain in my heart because I knew…I knew that from afar Jiro was watching. I didn’t know his heart was beginning to tear apart.

********************************

Jiro still remember Selina glaring at him yesterday.

“You should take this into consideration! It’s my business. I’ll do whatever I want! Stop butting in! So what if I want to love him! You’re nothing compared to him. I wish you’d just leave me alone!”

“I wish you’d just leave me alone!” That repeated itself over and over in Jiro’s head. He could feel his heart throbbing and closed his eyes tightly shut to stop any tears that would come out.

*********************************

The next few days Jiro really avoided me. Every time I look at him now I would feel guilt building inside me. Throwing him aside whenever I was with Fluke didn't matter because I was happy. It’s been a long while since I’ve felt like this…but didn’t I feel like this too when I was with Jiro?

A week…then almost a whole month had passed by. I’ve been with Fluke for a month now. That night he promised me that he’d show me someone very important. Would it be his mom? His family? I almost couldn’t wait. He told me that tonight would be our most memorable night together. I was happily excited.

He picked me up around nighttime and we walked hand in hand to a small club in the neighborhood. Rainbow colored lights were shining everywhere. Loud music was playing on one side of the club with plenty of people dancing on the dance floor. On the other side of the club was the bar and restaurant and one could see the smoke from cigarrettes floating into the air like a mist. A blue light bulb lit the whole room creating an alien feeling.

Fluke led me over to the bar side and left me standing by the chairs and came back with a girl, his arms around her. The two of them were smiling brightly. I watched as Fluke kissed her on the cheek then they kissed right in front of me. My smile dropped. I was confused and shocked at once. 

“Fluke…” I began.

Fluke turned to look at me as the girl leaned her head on his shoulder.

“Two years ago when you left me because you said you feel guilty towards your father I found that the dumbest excuse ever,” Fluke said, “how can you feel guilty towards someone who is already dead. Right Emma?”

His girlfriend laughed agreeing with him then Fluke turned back to me.

“You see I did truly love you but that was two years ago. I didn’t think you’d fall so easily for me,” Fluke told, “your classmate was right. My words to you were really corny but you took them all without thinking. This is my revenge to you.”

I could feel my insides shaking…falling apart but I could not show it. I could not let him be satisfied and I hated to admit that Jiro was right.

I forced an exaggerated smile on, “Good. I’m not stupid either. Jiro once said that you can’t expect a person to stay the same for 2 years. I…I do love you but it’s not like I’ll die knowing you were playing around. In future…I swear I’ll find someone ten times better than you. Wait…make that a million times better. Why don’t you two continue on with the show you were putting on earlier?”

I quickly walked out after I finished. I stopped by the wall outside leaning onto it to catch myself. I can’t believe he lied to me. I can’t believe I actually believed him. I felt angry with myself. I could not let my tears fall yet. I took a breath then made a run.

**************************************

Jiro glanced outside. He’d been very quiet since the night he watched Selina go into Fluke’s arms. It’s been more than ten times that he’d seen them together on the streets laughing happily. He even began to wonder if Fluke really loved her. It was quiet outside, the stars dangled on the black piece of paper that filled the whole world with night. To his surprise he noticed a shooting star. Wondering if there’d be another one he hurried downstairs and headed out into the yard. They were glittering in the sky and there were so many of them then he felt something wet on his face. He reached his hand up and found that it was a raindrop. He’d seen an illusion, a happy illusion. They weren’t shooting stars. Jiro sighed in disappointment and turned back to go into his house, but paused when the doorbell rang.

Jiro stared at the door from where he was and listened to it ring a few more times, “Who would come this late?”

Jiro hurried down the long concrete to the gates and unlocked the door. He stood shocked when he saw who it was. Selina. Before he could ask anything she’d thrown herself into him.

**************************************

I don’t know why…I don’t know why…I was at his house. I really ran all the way to his house. Was he really the only person I had left? The door opened and tears started to fall. Distressed and wanting some comfort I threw myself at him. I started to sob as I wrapped my arms around him hardly noticing the cold rain that was heavily pouring down.

“Sorry,” I said an hour later wrapped in a thick towel to get warm.

I was sitting in a small guestroom upstairs. Jiro wasn’t too far from me. He was in a thick black sweater looking cold himself.

“Seems there are some things you don’t remember about me,” he said.

“I know you don’t like sorries, but right now it feels like the only appropriate thing to say,” I told him.

“Did something happen? Why’d you come?” asked Jiro.

I could tell he was trying his best to restrain himself from worrying about me like he used to. I kinda felt bad now as I replayed the day when he had warned me for the last time.

I was silent for a moment, “I hate you when you’re always right. Fluke was playing around, I should’ve been more careful. When I think about it now he could’ve came back earlier but he chose not to. Why would he come now? Of course he’d want revenge for me hurting him.”

Jiro seemed to look at me with pity.

“He said human beings can’t feel guilty towards dead people. But was it my fault? When I was already in love with him I found out my father had lost his first love to his father. Of course I would feel guilty to date the person whose parent most hurt your father, I just couldn’t go on with it,” I said with tears falling again. “Was I not supposed to feel guilty?”