*Fast Forward*
"So then you knew this person?"
"Of course I did..."
"Were you close?"
The woman hesitated for a few seconds before answering.
"He was the man I fell in love with..."
The interviewer then stared through her big glasses before nodding slowly.
"What happened?" She asked.
And the lady then sighed before leaning further in her seat. She glared at the ceiling for a few minutes, lost in her thoughts and memories, as she answered with a smile:
"Many things dear..."
"Were you happy?"
She then smiled again with all her teeth, before landing her wrinkled hands on her knees.
"Utterly... but life is something beloved. Even though I loved him with all my might... to my core... Love was the only thing he could never give... but he never gave up, he tried, and we loved every second of it."
"So then did he?.... Love you?..."
She smiled again in a sigh.
"I know he did... he just could never say it like it was... love was his sworn enemy." She chuckled.
"Then do you regret it? I mean... meeting him?"
The woman chuckled slowly before staring at the bright diamond ring on her ring finger.
"I loved him. And till this day I still do... if I were asked if I would change the past and never meet him, living a normal life... the answer would be no... " she finished, with a smile. The interviewer then stared again for a few moments before nodding and writing down what she just heard.
______
"Kanna!!" Yui screamed as she noticed her friend gazing at the void, again.
She then dramatically sighed before taking a sip of her coffee in front of her.
"Sorry Yui... what were you saying?" She asked with a fake smile on her face, but she wasn't having it.
"That you should stop thinking about this dude already okay?!" She said while glaring at her scornfully.
Kanna then ran her fingers in her hair, in a sigh before also taking a sip of her coffee.
"I should..."
2 months had passed already and she still couldn't get him out of her head. The last time they saw each other they made love and she realized how much she had really fell for him.
He finally showed to her a side of him that he never showed to anyone. Vulnerable Reo... a powerful man who was desperate, like any other human being... she realized then, just how much of a complicated soul Reo really was...
He hated affection... he hated it whole, but he also very much loved it... he actually needed it. His world just didn't allow it, who he was just didn't allow it at all... so then he just couldn't. That was the burden that came along with bearing this title, this name, this much power...
By the way they loved each other that night, she knew just how much he wanted her, how much he needed it... he just needed someone. He was lonely and misunderstood, but he was scared of it... And even though 2 months had passed, she didn't lose hope. She knew he would come back, eventually. She still noticed a few of his men around, watching her every move and following her and Yui around at night.
They always followed... and it had started to piss her off, to know how Reo was clearly avoiding her but didn't mind watching her... this freak...
Time had been going really slow but she still managed to get her shit together. With the help of Yui, she was able to find a Newspaper company that needed editors. The pay wasn't all that but it felt good finding work in her sector of interest. She could still write articles one day if promoted.
"I was saying we should get a dog!"
The statement pulled her back to reality as she almost choked her Latte.
"Yui you're allergic to dogs, what are you talking about?" She said between loud coughs.
Yui then rolled her eyes.
"Then a hamster? I don't really like cats... they freak me out."
"You're literally scared of everything that has claws." Kanna added on a mocking tone and they both sat there, enjoying their breakfast.
It was the weekend and Yui invited her out on a Goukon (Japanese term for group dates). She wasn't interested in meeting guys actually, but she knew Yui's severe anxiety problems around men so she gladly obliged.
"They're late." She spit, a frown drawn on her face.
Kanna then laughed.
"You're really looking forward to this date huh?"
She laughed again as she saw her friend's cheeks go scarlet.
"Shut up."
"Hello! Sorry we're late! There was so much traffic!" A voice said behind them.
They both turned around and noticed two young men. The one speaking had dyed brown hair, nice looking eyebrows and his height was okay while the other one had the height of a basketball player and bangs hiding his eyebrows. He had a nice looking face though. They were both handsome and totally Yui's style, even if she would never admit that.
"We've already ordered drinks though." Kanna said as they both sat down.
"It's okay, I would feel really bad if you were starving yourselves waiting for us." He answered.
Yui then suddenly laughed and she could tell that one was definitely her type.
The whole lunch went on pretty smooth. They discovered both their names, the talkative one was Sanko Ryuji and the basketball-height one was Mazaguchi Hiro. Yui and Ryuji got along well. They were filling the table with jokes and different conversations. Kanna barely needed to say a word and she actually felt at ease about it. She wasn't planning on being over friendly with these dudes. They were cute and nice but she didn't her mind was too absorbed on one dude right now.
While lost in her thoughts she didn't realize Hiro's eyes on her the whole time. He stayed laid back, he wasn't stuck up but they could tell Ryuji also dragged him to the Goukon to help. That was funny.
When they were done with lunch, they started walking down the roads leading to the metros. Yui had refused to take her car because she didn't want to seem like a show off and that was a good move. Most 24 year old Japanese didn't have a car so that was humble of her.
While walking, Yui and Ryuji were in the front still joking and laughing while Kanna was staring at the roads, her hands in her jacket's pockets.
"You seem distracted." She heard behind her.
It was Hiro, he was smiling as he started walking closer to her. She totally forgot about him. He wasn't that talkative, so he kind of went unnoticed even though they were only four.
She chuckled
"No, I'm just trying to understand what I'm doing here." She answered and he joined her in a chuckle.
"Same here. I don't really understand why they were both so anxious about coming to this date alone. They get along so well." She added
"That's true. It's been a while since I'd seen Ryuji with that big of a smile on his face. The last time was when he finally was able to have a car."
She turned to him, shocked.
"He has a car?"
"Yeah... his parents are kind of well off. But he didn't want to show off so we had to-
Kanna then laughed. Surprised, Hiro just stared, so she explained.
"This is ridiculous... they both have a car and now we have to walk to the station because they wanted to be humble."
He looked surprised for a moment before nodding his head in disbelief.
"I'm really wondering where is my place in this."
"Same." She laughed.
He then turned to her with a smile.
"We're in the same situation then? Got dragged here for no reason?"
"Yes, absolutely." She smiled
"So do you guys live together?"
"Yeah... I moved with her a few months ago"
"That's cool. Are you also a lawyer?"
"No, omg I could never with all the laws I'd have to memorize." She chuckled and he followed.
"True"
She then turned to him.
"And you? What do you do?"
"I'm in med-school. Studying neurosurgery."
"Wow... you must have been really brilliant in maths." She adds, admiration flashing through her eyes.
He laughed.
"Yeah... I liked them!"
"Haha I could never."
"So then what do you do if you're not a lawyer?"
"I'm a columnist, journalist you could say."
"Oh wow, that's amazing. You must've been really good in lit- then."
"Yup. I liked them." she quoted him, and they both smiled at each other.
After that, they remained silent for a moment before shyly talking about random things. Yui and Ryuji then glared at them when they noticed them walking slowly. The walk was calm and when they reached the station, both Kanna and Hiro stared at the funny couple who was acting like they didn't know what to do.
Then Hiro rolled his eyes before putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Yui-San! Ryuji here was wondering if you would see him again? Could you like, stay in touch with him?" He said with a mocking voice imitating Ryuji's
And Kanna did the same, hand on her friend's shoulder, she then answered for her.
"And Ryuji-kun, Yui right here would absolutely love it if you could hang out one of these days. Especially next week, on Thursday, when she finishes earlier and does nothing but watch dramas."
"Kanna!"
Yui and Ryuji were both embarrassed but the trick worked and they walked away for a moment, planning their next date.
"These two..." Hiro said while chuckling and Kanna followed.
"They're cute though."
"Yeah and you too."
"Yeah...- wait what??!"
She turned to look at him and he was already laughing. She blushed before also laughing. He was funny, he was really cool actually.
"But it's true, I kind of want to see you again."
He added, on a serious note, looking right at her with confidence.
Inside, Kanna was cussing herself out. He was cute and funny, everything she loved and he was even tall. So why wasn't she jumping on the opportunity?
Oh... she knew why.
Her smiled faded as, just right behind him, she noticed another one of Reo's man. And anger filled her immediately. She hated this.
Walking past Hiro and straight to her fling's minion, she gripped him by the collar before glaring in anger.
"You guys really need to stop fucking following me! " she screamed as people around stared at them and the man didn't do anything.
"Kanna!" Yui screamed as she rushed by her side. When she looked up, she realized what was going on and sighed.
" let him go... it's okay..."
"No Yui! They need to leave me the fuck alone!"
"Calm down!!" She whispered but Kanna was angry, not just at him, it frustrated her that he would send his men to watch her as if she was his thing, but literally sneaked out on her and never came back...
"Tell your boss to forget about me. Forget everything. And tell him to stop sending his minions to spy on me. I'm tired of you people goddamnit!" She screamed and after that, the man saluted and walked away.
Calming down, Kanna realized all eyes at the station were on her. So she walked away.
"I'm sorry Yui." She said before running up the stairs and going back to the streets.
Reo was just selfish. And she knew it from the very start, but it was extremely annoying to know that despite how much they both liked each other, he decided to play hide and seek. He clearly knew where she was. Could definitely come by but never did. Why? Because his selfish self didn't need to at the moment.
As she was walking down an empty road a hand pulled her back and she almost screamed but stopped in her tracks when she noticed it was Hiro. He pointed out another man in black on the other side of the road probably looking for her.
"Are you guys like secretly working for the government or something?" He said jokingly and she sighed before leaning down the wall.
"If only it was that simple. And don't mix Yui... she's not involved in my mess."
"What's going on?"
She looked up to him, he looked too nice and full of life to be involved in all of it. So she fake smiled.
"I just messed with the wrong person, so I'm getting followed everywhere by his minions."
"Wow..." He said before bending down
"You okay?"
"Yeah... they spy on me but would never hurt me... I caused a scene because I'm kind of tired of this already... it's been 2 months."
"Wait- is that why you moved in with her?"
"Yeah..."
"Your life is...
"A mess I know... Did Yui leave?"
"I don't really know... when I saw you rush out I just followed right after you..."
Kanna looked up, quite surprised by the statement. He was smiling, quite laughing at himself.
She stood up with a smile.
"Thank you."
"No problem."
They then walked out of the alley. He took her back to the station. Yui was still there, worried, and when she noticed her, she snapped.
"Kanna where-!?"
"Sorry! Let's got home please." Kanna said quickly before rushing inside the train. As they both were inside and the doors were closing, Kanna could feel Hiro's eyes on her, but she resisted. She didn't want to leave him with high hopes, with how much she was confused right now. Her love life was a mess, she was someone's woman but she also wasn't...
But as the train started, she threw a quick look behind her shoulder. And what she saw left her frozen.
Ryuji and Hiro were still standing there, Ryuji was waving at Yui, and Hiro had both his hands in his pants staring at her with a small smile. That wasn't bothering her. What was, was the familiar five men in black suddenly surrounding them. These were Reo's men... What were they gonna do to them?
"No! We gotta get out!!"
Yui who also noticed started to freak out.
"They're not going to hurt them right?!"
"I-
She didn't know... how far could Reo really go? What motivated him ? Jealousy? Then why hadn't he shown his face for two months?