It's morning, I headed out of my room and made my toast. The semester isn't too hard for me, so it doesn't matter much.
"Rika, hurry up or you'll be late for school!" My mother said.
"Coming!" I replied.
I put on my shoes, and headed out to school. Yuuma isn't here today, is he already out? It's obvious that he felt awkward after looking at that message I sent last night. Well, perhaps he would cook up something for me, I'm so nervous... As usual, Maki waited at a crossroad with her friends.
"So you've come." Maki said. She usually raise her chin whenever talking to people. Today is a little different.
"I'm sorry for everything I've done to you!" Maki and her friends bowed down. I was surprised.
"Wait, what are you doing? Stop it!" I said. They wouldn't budge. What actually happened to them to the extent that they've became so sincere in apologising to me?
"No, I won't move until you've forgived me!" Maki cried, what a pain. It doesn't matter how she apologised, I will not forgive them at all.
"Please, forgive me!" Maki kept saying over and over.
"Yeah, why not forgiving them?" Yuuma appeared behind me. I gasped.
"Y-Yuuma, why are you here?" I asked, shockingly.
"Well, we lived next to each other, it's natural if we meet on the way to school." He said.
"You knew what I meant, I won't forgive them." I said before I continued walking. Yuuma said something to her and followed me, leaving Maki and her friends standing there.
"Yuuma, what kind of drug you've used?" I asked. He got surprised.
"Do you know if someone heard us like this I'll get arrested?" Yuuma said.
"W-well... You know, I met her yesterday. She was... Kind of being bullied." Yuuma said in a stern tone.
"Why...? She's so tough, she could fight back right?" I said.
"You could as well fight back that time, am I right?" Yuuma said. I got angry, before I could say anything, he stopped me.
"The whole school is after her, that's why I helped her. Knowing you were suffering alone over these years were painful to me. At least she offered to redeem herself, give her a chance to live a peaceful school life like us." Yuuma is sure weird today, I guess I'll tell them I'd forgive them then.
"I'm going back to them. At least giving them a piece of my mind." I said to Yuuma before heading back.
I went back to the place where I met with them, they are nowhere to be seen. I walked into the alleyway to check whether if they were there. Suddenly, I was being pin down on the ground. It was... Maki!
"Well, why?" Maki asked. She sounded like a maniac. Did my actions just now had driven her mad? She leaned over to my ears and whispered.
"I envy those who couldn't help themselves but to be kind... Can you just die?" Maki whispered to herself. What is she going to do next? I looked around, I saw two other girls lying down, what?! Is she mad?! I tried to shrug them off, but she's too strong, I barely moved at all.
"You've taken away everything I treasured... Yuuma-kun... Now he's not going to love me anymore!" Maki said. I closed my eyes, as she raised a razor blade, preparing to cut me with it.
"Wait!" Yuuma came, with some patroling policemen. Wait, you're too smart! The policemen captured Maki, she struggled as she were forcefully dragged out of the alleyway.
"Curse you! Mizuhara Rika!" Maki shouted.
"I believed in you, yet this is the side you've shown me. I'm sorry Maki, for turning you into someone like this." Yuuma apologised despite not being the one at fault.
"It's already this late, let's run." Yuuma suggested.
"I'm bad in sports." I said.
"Let's walk then." Yuuma shrugged. As we walked, Yuuma's face is gloomy, perhaps it's because of Maki. I couldn't say much, as I don't know what to say to him. We barely entered school before it was late, as we entered our class, we were swarmed by all other classmates.
"Yuuma-kun, Rika-chan, did you just walked to school together?" Some of the girls asked.
"Well, that's got to be true, Ricchan and Yuuma-kun are going out, of course that they walked to school together!" Haruno said.
"Umm, I'm not going out with Yuuma yet, and please go back to your seats, sensei will be mad if they saw us like this..." I said. I tooked a look at Yuuma's face, still as gloomy.
I returned to my seat. It was a long day for me even though it was still technically the start of the day. I drank some water, my throat feels dry after all those troubles. Hikaru turned around and looked at me.
"Rika-san, I heard from Yuuma that you wanted him to do it again." He said, I almost spill the water in my mouth.
"Ehhh? So he told you about that... It doesn't matter. I'll face him for real this time." I said with determination.
"Well, you're like a different person as you were yesterday, you've became slightly confident. It suits you so well, Rika-san." Hikaru said before turning back to his front.
Sensei entered the class, and began teaching, better pay attention in class. Classes went on without problems, it was lunch time, Yuuma and his friends headed out as usual, I stayed in class and had lunch with Haruno and friends. Ruri and Haruko dropped by.
"I'm quite envious that you get to share your lunch time with Rika-san." Ruri said.
"Well, I heard that you've changed slightly. Is it true?" Haruko said.
"Yeah, this world... Aren't bad at all." I said.
"Huh? Ricchan, what's wrong? This world?" Haruno asked, my best friend back then weren't as close as this before. I'm really glad that we even managed to stay friends in this world. Remembering the fact that I could manipulate the world and a lot of selfish thoughts, I tried to manipulate the room, yet nothing happened. I'm relieved that I lost that ability. Whether it was lost or sealed, it doesn't matter anymore. I don't want to use it anymore.
"Ruri-chan, you may join us if you wanted, come on Haruko-chan!" A girl invited.
"Well, I'm on a diet. See you." Ruri said before leaving the class.
"An athletic figure of the school says she's on a diet."
"So weird!"
"Something's behind this!"
"Let's move out! To the mission to investigate Ruri-chan's real plan!" The girls including Haruno got very excited. Seriously, I joined them and started following Ruri.
Ruri walked to the cafeteria, but Haruko left her before even getting downstairs, that means she is heading to the cafeteria alone. Perhaps she is just lying being on a diet, in fact, she is a glutton. She bought a piece of bread, a piece of bread even for me is not enough to keep me full for the afternoon class. So the diet was real? Ruri headed to a table with guys, so she actually have guy friends?
"Wait, Ricchan! That's Yuuma-kun and his friends!" Haruno said. On a second look, it's really Yuuma, Hikaru and Kaito and several friends of his. Huh? What are they talking about? They looked stern... Are they planning something?
"Ricchan! I'll investigate this for you!" Said Haruno who marched forward. She sat next to Ruri and began asking questions, but then slowly she became stern and even joined them, is that a cult or something?! Oh my...
"Rika-chan, it's so dangerous, even Harukon joined them! Let's go back to class!" Said a girl, well, why not? I'm tired from following them around. We returned to class, and I received a message, it's from Yuuma.
"Meet me again in the courtyard after school. I have something to tell you." It says. Well, it's time again huh? I can't wait.
The bell rang, Yuuma and friends, including Haruko entered the class, they seemed like having fun teasing Yuuma. I wonder what happened. Haruno seems to be in a good mood, and why is she sticking so close to Hikaru? Classes started, sensei entered the classroom and started teaching. Hours of concentration has passed, though I'm fine with that, some of them aren't. Sensei kept teaching, perhaps most of them were already at their limit. At least sensei decided to do a quick briefing of the topic again in the next class. Well, it wasn't too tough for me at the very least.
The bell rang again for the nth time, where we all had lost track of how many times it had rung. The good news is it's finally the end of today's classes. Hikaru turned to me.
"Rika-san, remember to come to the courtyard." He said, before heading to Yuuma's seat they looked like they were planning something, is it something to do in the courtyard? Well, since I no longer have enemies, I think it's fine to accept his confession.
It took a while, for them to leave the classroom. I decided to head out first, but then Haruno caught up to me.
"Hey Ricchan, let's walk around!" She said. Haruko passed by, and told me something interesting.
"Rika-san, this world, is connected to everyone's consciousness. Which means, they carry over the memories in this world." Haruko said before heading off. It sounds reassuring, I continued to follow Haruno, I know she is supposed to be a part of the plan, since she joined Yuuma and his friends just now. Perhaps she is buying time for them to set up.
I literally followed her around the school, and finally she led me to the courtyard.
"I'm sorry Ricchan, they asked me to help them with something, so I wanted to help you!" Haruno said. Haruko mentioned earlier, people in this world is actually connected to the real world is it? I really wanted to keep being friends with them. If this world ends, then we will continue being friends in the next day. Thank you... Ame, for making a sudden wish of mine come true.
"Oh, here comes the heroine!" Kaito and Hikaru exclaimed. Between the two of them stands Yuuma. The two of them gave him a slight push. With that, Yuuma handed me a bouquet of flowers. Tey're pretty. So it was a confession, after all.
"Rika-chan... Or just Rika." Yuuma called me, with just my name, it felt familiar. Don't tell me... This is the real Yuuma...? I couldn't control the tears that accumulates under my eyes, ready to drop off like raindrops from a cloud...
"Is it you... Yuuma?" I asked.
"Though it sometime hurts, but I'm glad to see you again." Yuuma said, with a smile.
"Ahhhhh! Yuuma!" I couldn't control my tears, I leaned on Yuuma, this is a real reunion, with the real Yuuma that I've always wanted to see, I'm so happy.
"Rika, with this... Allow me to reenact our promise." Yuuma pushed me away gently. He held my hands. So warm... The same sensation back then, where he sacrificed himself to save me. It brings back a lot of memories... Yet they matter no more. If I only get to be with Yuuma for just a short while, let's cherish every second of them... No, it's milliseconds!
"Rika, I fully aware that I was ignorant back then, and I let you get hurt and distanced away from me. With that, I'm sorry. I couldn't keep my promise to protect you." He said. I shook my head.
"No, you've done well. I appreciate it." I said.
"I also fully aware that this world is a world generated from the special ability of the star. So it actually grant wishes in a weird way... Well, at least. I got to do this again. I won't let you run away again. Even if we are supposed to separate after this short confession, please live on. You'll eventually find your happiness." Yuuma said, with a voice he tried to keep himself from crying. I nodded my head vigorously. Being able to see him again, being able to accept his feelings is already enough for me be happy. I looked Yuuma in his eyes.
"Please allow me to accept your feelings again. I won't run away again. I promise." I said, with determination. Yuuma smiled and agreed.
"Rika, I've liked you since a long time ago. Would you like to be with me forever?" Yuuma said.
"Yes, gladly!" I said.
"Hoorah! Way to go! Yuuma!" Kaito shouted, it seems like everything has come to an end, yet an end is always a begining of another new journey. Let's continue on a journey, before this world crumbles.