[Fanfic] Love Hurts Chapter 11
Chapter 11
The next day had passed by in a blur. Ashley's mind was absent and she even failed to be irritated with Daiki. In fact, each time he teased her, or even just spoke to her, she'd either answer 'Hai...' or her cheeks turn into a delicate shade or pink. Kyoko noticed, as did everyone else, and she wanted to say something out loud at first, but decided against it. Daiki, on the other hand, was taken by surprise at Ashley's sudden change of behaviour. At first, he continued to tease Ashley and tried to get her to snap out of it. However, everything he did seemed hopeless and Ryosuke was giving him steady glares, so he retreated to talking to her politely. Even that made her react in an odd way. What is WRONG with this woman?! They all thought, including Ryosuke. Suddenly, Ashley had just sat up straight in her chair and was glancing towards the entrance. Ryosuke was chatting away, and then Daiki noticed Ashley's change of mood and elbowed Ryosuke sharply in the ribs.
"ITTAI! What was that for?!" Daiki jerked his head towards Ashley then pointed discreetly towards a person. He seemed to be walking towards them, his palms up and facing outwards, a grim expression on his face. He was staring fixedly as Ashley who was looking right back at him with a blank face. As the man reached their table, Ryosuke instinctively reached for Ashley's hand, but to his surprise, she twitched her hand away. He was taken aback but was silently relieved that no one seemed to be paying attention, as they were all looking up at the stranger. That was when Kyoko spoke up.
"Taiki-kun! What brings you here?" The 'Taiki' guy turned to her and his expression lightened as he saw Kyoko's entertwined fingers with Keito's. Keito looked apprehensive and squeezed her hand, but said nothing.
"Well hello Kyoko-chan. Nice to see you again." He smiled, his teeth gleaming in the sunlight. Kyoko smiled back.
"So what's up?" She asked. Taiki sighed and looked at her with sorrowful eyes. Kyoko frowned.
"Oh, nothing really. I can see you seem to still have that pink aura...Ah, it's glowing even brighter now!" Keito exchanged confused glances with Kyoko but Taiki had turned to Ashley again. The glint from his eyes had disappeared and his brow furrowed.
"You must end it." That was all he said. Then he took a quick glance at the positioning of Ryosuke's hand and then he looked at Daiki. Taiki's eyes widened and he looked back at Ashley, who was now staring blankly at the table.
"Sou ka. So that is the case. Well, I find that writing letters get the message out quite effectively. Ja." With that, he left and everyone sat in a stunned silence. Keito was absentmindedly stroking Kyoko's hand and Ryosuke drummed his fingers on the table.
Daiki fiddled with the salt shaker, but something about the Taiki guy was bothering him. Why did he look at him like that? But somehow, Daiki knew the answer but he didn't want to admit it to himself. Ashley, on the other hand, was as pale as a ghost. Her face remained quite blank but she was having a silent debate with herself.
No, I should wait. Maybe things will get better and I'll forget about this feeling.
What are you talking about? Obviously you'd have to do it soon! Someone else may come in and ruin it.
But I don't want to ruin what I already have.
Ugh, but it's already in ruins. On my end anyway...
Ashley slumped over in her seat and took her hand off of the table. Daiki watched her with mild curiosity and Ryosuke swallowed. He looked at Daiki who was now gazing at Ashley. He felt his stomach turn and he sipped his drink quietly. What's happening? He thought to himself. But deep down he knew, that all that he came to love was crashing down all around him.
Ashley's POV...
I can't do this. I don't want to do it. But I have to do it. I sighed and looked down at the blank piece of paper. My lamp was my only light and I glanced across the room to see Kyoko sleeping peacefully. She had told me what was going on and I couldn't help but to feel empathetic. I swivelled my chair to face my table again and I clumsily picked up my pen. I took a deep breath and began to write.
Third person POV...
Ashley cried silently as she sealed the envelope. She curled into a ball on her chair and buried her face into her knees. Her eyes couldn't register much except for the salty liquid that just couldn't seem to stop. They felt puffy and at last she stopped. She stared at the envelope and looked at the name she had written twice. Once in romaji and once in kanji. She stretched out her hand and touched it. It hurt much more than she could describe but she kept her hand there and she uncurled. With her hand still on the envelope, she crossed her arms on the table and rested her head on to them. She fell asleep, her hand touching what was left of her love. She fell asleep on the letter that hurt, with the envelope saying two things in romaji & kanji: Yamada Ryosuke.
The next day...
"Read it. Onegai!" Ashley bowed and looked directly into Ryosuke's eyes. He was pyjama clad and he only wore an undershirt. He looked at the envelope and then at Ashley. She gave him a pleading sort of look, as if she didn't want him to open it. But she said nothing and looked at him with eyes that pierced Ryosuke's heart. He drew in a sharp breath and nodded.
"Goodbye." She said and turned away.
"Ja..." Ryosuke watched her retreating figure. Then, he opened the envelope and took out the letter.
END
The next day had passed by in a blur. Ashley's mind was absent and she even failed to be irritated with Daiki. In fact, each time he teased her, or even just spoke to her, she'd either answer 'Hai...' or her cheeks turn into a delicate shade or pink. Kyoko noticed, as did everyone else, and she wanted to say something out loud at first, but decided against it. Daiki, on the other hand, was taken by surprise at Ashley's sudden change of behaviour. At first, he continued to tease Ashley and tried to get her to snap out of it. However, everything he did seemed hopeless and Ryosuke was giving him steady glares, so he retreated to talking to her politely. Even that made her react in an odd way. What is WRONG with this woman?! They all thought, including Ryosuke. Suddenly, Ashley had just sat up straight in her chair and was glancing towards the entrance. Ryosuke was chatting away, and then Daiki noticed Ashley's change of mood and elbowed Ryosuke sharply in the ribs.
"ITTAI! What was that for?!" Daiki jerked his head towards Ashley then pointed discreetly towards a person. He seemed to be walking towards them, his palms up and facing outwards, a grim expression on his face. He was staring fixedly as Ashley who was looking right back at him with a blank face. As the man reached their table, Ryosuke instinctively reached for Ashley's hand, but to his surprise, she twitched her hand away. He was taken aback but was silently relieved that no one seemed to be paying attention, as they were all looking up at the stranger. That was when Kyoko spoke up.
"Taiki-kun! What brings you here?" The 'Taiki' guy turned to her and his expression lightened as he saw Kyoko's entertwined fingers with Keito's. Keito looked apprehensive and squeezed her hand, but said nothing.
"Well hello Kyoko-chan. Nice to see you again." He smiled, his teeth gleaming in the sunlight. Kyoko smiled back.
"So what's up?" She asked. Taiki sighed and looked at her with sorrowful eyes. Kyoko frowned.
"Oh, nothing really. I can see you seem to still have that pink aura...Ah, it's glowing even brighter now!" Keito exchanged confused glances with Kyoko but Taiki had turned to Ashley again. The glint from his eyes had disappeared and his brow furrowed.
"You must end it." That was all he said. Then he took a quick glance at the positioning of Ryosuke's hand and then he looked at Daiki. Taiki's eyes widened and he looked back at Ashley, who was now staring blankly at the table.
"Sou ka. So that is the case. Well, I find that writing letters get the message out quite effectively. Ja." With that, he left and everyone sat in a stunned silence. Keito was absentmindedly stroking Kyoko's hand and Ryosuke drummed his fingers on the table.
Daiki fiddled with the salt shaker, but something about the Taiki guy was bothering him. Why did he look at him like that? But somehow, Daiki knew the answer but he didn't want to admit it to himself. Ashley, on the other hand, was as pale as a ghost. Her face remained quite blank but she was having a silent debate with herself.
No, I should wait. Maybe things will get better and I'll forget about this feeling.
What are you talking about? Obviously you'd have to do it soon! Someone else may come in and ruin it.
But I don't want to ruin what I already have.
Ugh, but it's already in ruins. On my end anyway...
Ashley slumped over in her seat and took her hand off of the table. Daiki watched her with mild curiosity and Ryosuke swallowed. He looked at Daiki who was now gazing at Ashley. He felt his stomach turn and he sipped his drink quietly. What's happening? He thought to himself. But deep down he knew, that all that he came to love was crashing down all around him.
Ashley's POV...
I can't do this. I don't want to do it. But I have to do it. I sighed and looked down at the blank piece of paper. My lamp was my only light and I glanced across the room to see Kyoko sleeping peacefully. She had told me what was going on and I couldn't help but to feel empathetic. I swivelled my chair to face my table again and I clumsily picked up my pen. I took a deep breath and began to write.
Third person POV...
Ashley cried silently as she sealed the envelope. She curled into a ball on her chair and buried her face into her knees. Her eyes couldn't register much except for the salty liquid that just couldn't seem to stop. They felt puffy and at last she stopped. She stared at the envelope and looked at the name she had written twice. Once in romaji and once in kanji. She stretched out her hand and touched it. It hurt much more than she could describe but she kept her hand there and she uncurled. With her hand still on the envelope, she crossed her arms on the table and rested her head on to them. She fell asleep, her hand touching what was left of her love. She fell asleep on the letter that hurt, with the envelope saying two things in romaji & kanji: Yamada Ryosuke.
The next day...
"Read it. Onegai!" Ashley bowed and looked directly into Ryosuke's eyes. He was pyjama clad and he only wore an undershirt. He looked at the envelope and then at Ashley. She gave him a pleading sort of look, as if she didn't want him to open it. But she said nothing and looked at him with eyes that pierced Ryosuke's heart. He drew in a sharp breath and nodded.
"Goodbye." She said and turned away.
"Ja..." Ryosuke watched her retreating figure. Then, he opened the envelope and took out the letter.
END