Suspicious

It already few days after that incident but Ryouhei still worry if Aria still affected with that. He remembers that girl is intense cry-baby when they were kids and know she will never grow up from that even already become an adult. He pass-by an accessory shop and found something interesting in there. His mind says, “I’m sure she will be really happy with this.”

Ryouhei buys something from the shop and walks to Aria’s workplace. He just in mood to see that girl working in that shop even he rarely goes to the shop in order to cover-up their relationship. She smile to watch her working and let out tiny chuckles when witness her almost trip over something invincible as that really show up her clumsy side.

He quietly walks into the shop without grab any customers’ attention. Old workers in that shop already know his relationship and willing to act like nothing happen. His blood boils when see a male customer slyly hold up Aria’s hand when she want to give the shopping bag. He could see how that girl wants to break off but that guy really persistent.

He quietly get near to them with intention to pull that guy off from his childhood friend while silently clutches his fist. He quickly hides behind something when the shop manager appears to control the situation. He tries to figure out the right timing to appear but then, surprise when the shop manager appear just next to him and says, “You can go to meet her at the staff room.”

He carefully walks to the staff room to search for Aria and she turns when sense someone else in the room. He hears that girl mutter, “Ryo-chan…”

He could see that girl at brink of tears and abruptly pull her into his hug to calm her down. He slowly whispers to her ears, “You already do your best to stand it. No one will bash you.”

“I hate it! I really hate it! It feels really disgusting just now!” Aria begins cries in his arms and hold on him. Ever since kids, she really hate some strangers casually hold her because of some trauma.

Flashback~~

Aria can’t stop crying when she accidentally gets separate from Rin and Ryouhei when they go for festival. It’s not she cry because afraid but a group of drunken guy chasing behind her with ill intention.

“Don’t get near me!” shout Aria.

One of the guy drunkenly says, “You don’t have to act like good child and we will show you the way for you to become a great woman.”

She trip over stone that make her fall to the ground and hurt her knee that make her can’t move. Her tears are already pouring out from her eyes while hoping that moment is just a scary nightmare. She could see dirty hands slowly creep towards her body and she closed her eyes.

She tense up a bit when a pair of arms wraps her but relax when knows it is Rin. She hears Ryouhei scare those guys by threating to report that incident to police. Since that day, she always creates distance with everyone including people that close with her but that slowly recover with help.

End of flashback~

Ryouhei just let her in his arms to her calm down but he surprise when it only last for few minutes; he thinks that too short to calm down. Aria is the one that break off the hug and he could see tiny smile on her face to show everything’s okay. He tells her, “I will wait for you at the back of the shop until your shift end.”

“It’s cold outside. You can stay here but just don’t do anything weird in here.” Say Aria.

“What about other workers? Won’t they freak out to see me here?” ask Ryouhei as he really wants to avoid trouble. The last thing that he wants to do is to break that girl’s heart and ruin everything.

Aria casually says, “They don’t really get in here at time like this. They only walk into pantry when they only want to eat… usually at afternoon. Ah, I need to return back to work.”

He make phone call to Rin as he want to invite her to join them but he can’t reach her phone. He feels weird as he knows that girl never switch off her phone no matter what happen. He decides to check on place for them to eat that is nearby since he sure they will be hungry after that.

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

After two hours, Aria returns back to the pantry after make sure everything close except for back door. She really surprise to see Ryouhei still awake as she thinks it will really bored to wait there for long time. She says, “Wow! You’re awake!”

“If I was asleep, what you will do?” ask Ryouhei.

Aria takes out her phone and says, “Of course I will take picture of you sleeping and make some doodle on it or I should doddle on your face.”

“You little…” Ryouhei ruffles her hair into mess that make her whine, “Mou~! You ruin my hair again!”

Ryouhei only chuckles before fixes that girl’s hair and says, “Let’s go somewhere to eat. I found a good place and you must be really hungry.”

“Yatta!! It really hard to cover my grumbling stomach and others just keep make fun of me.” Say Aria with pout.

Ryouhei remember that he has something for her and says, “But before that, I need you to close your eyes first.”

“What I have to do that? Are you going to weird thing on my face?” Aria become scared if Ryouhei will prank her again as he always does that that sometimes with help from Rin. She closes her eyes after he ensure he is not doing weird things and flinches a bit when feel a tiny cold metal on her neck.

“Okay, you can open your eyes now.” Ryouhei tells her before pull her to stand in front of small mirror in that pantry to let her to take a look of his gift.

Aria really surprise with that necklace and carefully touches it. It has silver chain and the locket shape in butterfly, something that she really likes. She hears, “I hope this necklace will give some courage to handle annoying customers.”

“You saw that?” Aria gets surprise again and Ryouhei just take hold of her hand before both of them leave the shop. He doesn’t want to touch that topic again; fear that may bring up that dark memories.

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

Aria and Ryouhei really surprise when meet Keitarou and Rin in the diner when they walk in. Aria happily says, “Wow, you’re here too!”

“No wonder I can’t reach your phone. You’re with someone.” Say Ryouhei. He refers to Rin’s habit easy to overlook her phone when she’s with someone.

Keitarou casually invites them to join and they just order what they want. They chat about many things and sometimes it come with laughs. Aria doesn’t feel awkward to talk with Keitarou even she has tendency to ignore people that she’s not used to.

Aria tells what happen to Rin that make that girl says, “You shouldn’t continue working there. Just ask for transfer to another shop.”

“I don’t want to do that as it only means that I have to return back to that house. My mom really wants that happen and will use that chance for anything including make me get married with some strangers that I never want to know.” Whine Aria. She can only drink juice because none of her childhood friend let her order sake and she’s will handling vehicle.

Rin surprise to hear that and asks, “Isn’t too early for us to get married, right?”

“Not for my mom. She keeps saying how she already gets two children at her age.” Say Aria.

“What about your dad?” ask Rin as she knows Aria’s dad always at her side in everything.

She shook her head, “There is no way he will be at my side right now. He also really wants his last children to get married or he’s afraid that I will become old-maid.”

“You should do something before your mom gets idea to make you attend omiai.” Warn Rin that make Aria literally fall off. The guys could only listen to their conversation as they don’t know how to get into the conversation.

Aria says, “I will be dead by that moment. Maybe I should ask them to put me in full shift for these few months.”

“There is no way I would allow that. Your body isn’t that strong to handle that kind of stress.” Say Rin that only make Aria begin whine like a little kid.

Both of the guys could only chuckles to see that and Keitarou says, “I never know you have such an interesting childhood friends.”

“That makes us still close until today.” Say Ryouhei.

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

Few days after, Aria gets ready to go out and watch Rin’s play. Even she supposedly to go there with Ryouhei but that guy seem doesn’t give any reply to her. She smiles every time she sees the reflection of the necklace in front of the mirror.

She leaves the house and surprise to see that guy already wait outside the house. She asks, “Where are you going?”

“Of course to watch Rin-chan’s show. I already promise to Rin-chan that I will protect you especially after what happen yesterday.” Say Ryouhei. When Aria asks about his plan with his friend, he replies, “We kind of cancel it at last minute and I decide to join you since it would be waste if I didn’t use the ticket. Rin-chan already prepares ticket for us, right?”

While on the way to the theatre, Aria says, “Both of you work really hard to cover up our friendship while I can’t do anything.”

“We’re doing that because we don’t want anything happen to you that may cause by our fans. We don’t want you faint out like what happen when we in grade school again.” Say Ryouhei.

Aria surprise when know Ryouhei still remember that but it not cause her childhood friends’ fans, “But the day I faint out because of I’m too tired after long studying and then, suddenly stay under rains.”

“Yeah, that show how your body couldn’t handle too much pressure. We don’t want anything bad happen to you.” Ryouhei ruffles Aria’s hair.

Aria whines, “You really like to mess my hair but never allow me to touch your hair.”

“Because that really fun to do it.” Say Ryouhei that make Aria pout.

Both of them reach there and go straight to their seat since the show almost begins. When they on the way to their seats, Aria notice someone familiar that sits far from them but she can’t check again as the light begin fade out to tell the butai begin. She really enjoys watching Rin enjoy what she’s doing on stage.

She clutches her hands when think how weak she is that always depend on both of her childhood friend. Even they attend different middle school and high school, she keep annoy them just because she can’t make any good friend and always feel lonely. Ryouhei could see that and slowly reach for her hand and squeeze a bit; it seem like he knows what in that girl’s mind.

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

“Does something bothering you until you clutch your hands really tight?” ask Ryouhei when both of them on the way back home. He manages to see that when he steal glance on her and notice that gestures of hers.

Aria tries to cover it, “Nothing happen except the fact that place too cold.”

Ryouhei knows how that girl lies to him but he understands why she’s lying to him. He changes the topic, “That show really great. I never think Rin-chan could move that beautiful on stage.”

“It just you who has not watch she dances for long time. Her dance really great… Ah!” Aria remembers something and says, “I think I saw someone that looks like Keitarou-san.”

“He’s here? But he told me he has some kind of business that he needs to do…” says Ryouhei. Both of them begin wonder what actually happen between Rin and Keitarou. Keeping secret is one of strong point for those people; Rin knows how to dodge attention and Keitarou has reveal huge secret on TV show before.