In a dark room, Rihito had been sleeping for a whole day, the continuous buzzing of the phone made him peek out from his blanket. He lazily opened his eyes as he stared at his switched off phone, the noise continued, following the noise, he turned his head to the side, there was a loud beep noise which startled him when he looked ahead, he heard the voice, "How long are you planning to hide?" The voice scolded him.
"You scared me!" Rihito shouted at the voice. "You found me sooner than expected." He added rolling back on his bed.
"Was threatened by my wife. Teresa's going to kill you, you know." Ryouma warned him.
"Ah, tell her I'm sorry that I tricked her," Rihito mumbled as he pulled on the blanket.
"You think she wants your sorry? She wants you, alive or dead, should I add that?"
When he didn't reply, Ryouma continued, "She's got a message for you, 'remember I told you One can't make others happy unless he's happy themselves, so how long are you going to drown in your sorrow and leave my best friend crying here? She's your wife, you better take care of her, I can't do anything, you're the only one who can make her smile, so return asap' that's what she says."
"So, dear brother, how long are you going to drown in your sorrow?" Ryouma mimicked Teresa.
"I know, that's why I ran away, I'd have made her cry more if I was there, she found her, she met her and I couldn't do anything, I was wrong to drag her into this, I shouldn't have started anything with her," He sighed.
"Why did you then? You can't run away Rihito! You need to take responsibility for leading her on, you can't just say sorry and disappear," Ryouma scolded him.
"I know, I just came here to get some strength to fight off my sorrows. You know why I'm here right? This is the only place where that woman can't find me." Rihito replied. "She threatened me." His voice choked. "She told me to stay away from her if I wanted to see her well."
"Is that why you're staying away? Just because that woman told you to, just a word Rihito and we can dispose of her for you, you're the only one who can drive her away, our hands are tied because of you," Ryouma heaved a sigh. "So what do you plan to do? Break up with her? Not seeing her forever, is that okay for you?"
"As if." He shouted back. "I'm already unable to function without her, it feels like something's stuck on my windpipe, I can't even breathe, I feel so suffocated, I can't live without her." He confessed. "But I don't know, I just don't know what to do, I need some time to sort this out, so please let me be."
"Time? Let's see how much you're going to suffer brother just a reminder return asap before things get out of my hand, take care." He then hung up.
Rihito went back to his slumber.
****
"You asked mom to hide my things, didn't you?" Ryouma scolded his wife on the call. "back to your childish methods again?"
"you see, my babies' brains they're connected with mine so yes I'm back to my childish self." Teresa laughed. "Tell me, did you get a hold of him?"
"Yes, I talked to him and relayed your message too, just give him some time and when are you coming back?" He asked.
"Easy for you to say, my best friend needs me right now, you're protecting your best friend, I'm protecting mine and if you're really missing me so badly, you send your best friend then Rina's going to send hers, fair trade." She stated.
"Give him some time to sort things out." Ryouma plead.
"Okay then, give me some time too, I want to spend it with my best friend. Bye." She hung upon him.
She glared at her phone and threw it on the bed. "You know what? Time? My foot!" She rolled her eyes, she then hurried over and picked her phone and dialed a number.
***
"Okay, enough of this waiting! Time for some action!" Teresa announced.
"He said he'll be back, give-"
"What time? It's been a week already." Teresa shouted at him, "I'm losing my patience, I can't see my best friend crying every single day."
"he's at a critical point, let's not force him." Ryouma tried to make her understand.
"Wow! You're acting as if only you care, listen, I love him too, she loves him more." Teresa pointed at Rina. "And you're right, this is a critical point so let's strike at the right moment. He needs to make a resolve, let's help him make it quicker."
"But-"
"Let's not argue ourselves and let the person in question make the decision, we'll ask Rina, whatever she decides, I'll follow. Do you agree?" Teresa narrowed her eyes at him.
"Rina?" He looked at her direction. They both waited for her to answer.
"I'll go along with Teresa's plan." She replied.
"See? I win now no more arguments." Teresa smiled contentedly.
Ryouma sighed in defeat.
"Look, it's not just me, I know he's hurting too, in fact, he's hurting more and I just can't sit doing nothing anymore." Rina tried to convince him.
"Fine." Ryouma gave them a nod.
"Good." Teresa fished her phone out of her pocket and dialed the number, "Grandy, they finally gave in." She replied on the call. "Yes, we're on, send him."
"that's a lot of pre-planning." He looked at her in horror. "You'd have gone with it even if we disagreed?"
"I'd have eventually made you agree." She shrugged.
"Of course you and that man, who could've stopped." He shook his head in disbelief. "And who is 'he'?
"Oh just wait and see." She rubbed her hands together.
After a few hours, the doorbell rang and as soon as Ryouma opened the door, they heard him yelling at someone, "Oh, he must be here." Teresa quickened to the door before Ryouma could kick her guest out.
"Hey, don't be so rude." Teresa patted her husband's back.
"He's the one you called?" He glared at her.
"Come on in," She smiled at her guest, he hesitated as Ryouma was shooting him death glares. She covered her husband's eyes, "Now, come in." She gestured with her free hand.
Seeing him every one stood up staring at each other dumbfounded.
"What is he doing here?" Aaron asked.
"I should be asking you that." Ryouma glared at him.
"Hey don't get mad at him, he couldn't have done anything, Grandy got him out 'kay?" Teresa defended him. "Anyway, we all already know him so no need for a formal introduction right?"
"Hi, Rina." He greeted her with a warm smile.
She just dumbfoundedly stared at her ex-boyfriend.
"Why're you all looking at him like that? He's no longer Eros the gross, he's a good boy now." Teresa patted his back.
She then sighed looking at her husband, "come on now, you're making him uncomfortable with your deadly glares."
"It's okay, It's reasonable, I deserve this." He said in a low voice. "I'm sorry, Rina, for all the things I've done, I was horrible to you, I can't turn the time back but I'll try my best to make it up to you so I want to help, will you please let me?" He knelt down as he asked for forgiveness.
Rina looked at him in shock, she hurriedly replied, "That's fine, Eros, you can get up."
She then pulled her best friend close and asked in a whispering tone, "How did that happen?"
"I know right, even I was shocked, don't know, something must've happened." She whispered back. "Anyway, let bygones be bygones, let's focus on my plan now." She cleared her throat and looked at her husband. "First, you'll call Rihito and tell him Eros is back and you've seen him around Rina. Eros, tomorrow you're meeting with his mom-"
The moment Teresa uttered those words Ryouma shouted out, "I refuse."
"Listen to me first-"
"Nothing you say is going to change my mind." He retorted.
"We're leaving you out then." Teresa sighed.
"You need me to contact Rihito." He smirked.
"You're trying to mess with me?" Teresa glared at him.
"You're the one who's messing with me." He glared back.
"First, hear me out, tomorrow he's going to meet Rihito's mom and he'll act like he wants revenge from us especially Rina, you'll tell Rihito that his mom and Eros met and they're planning something huge, Rihito comes out and Rina headbutts him to make him come into his right mind."
"For all we know, he could be acting in front of us and he really does want revenge." Ryouma shrugged, "I don't trust him, not at all."
"Why would he do something stupid when he's finally getting his freedom? He doesn't want to rot in Grandy's hell." Teresa tried to reason it out.
"No, means no." Ryouma shook his head.
"You can bug me if you want." Eros gave an alternative, "Put a listening device on me when I meet her. Put a tracker on me, you can monitor my movements if I even try to meet her in secret."
"We won't go that far." Teresa waved her hands trying to brush it off.
"Sounds like a plan to me." Ryouma nodded. "Let's do that."
"That's going too far." She scolded him.
"Either this or nothing at all." He looked at her.
"It's okay, Teresa, I agree to this." Eros smiled at her.
Ryouma shielded her as he glared at him.
"Okay, fine." Teresa sighed in defeat, "Now, excuse me." Teresa patted her husband's shoulder gesturing him to move away, "Now that we've agreed to your terms, call Rihito and do the 1st step."
After completing the task Teresa nodded in satisfaction, "Now, let's prepare for tomorrow."
"We need to talk." Ryouma pulled her into a room.
"What?" Teresa looked at him in surprise.
"I want you to promise me one thing." He cupped her cheeks. "Whatever it may be, you'll only watch it from afar, you won't get involved in it physically."
"I'll be fine." She tried to shake it off.
"No, promise me you'll stay away." he pulled her back, "You know you're a trouble magnet, she has seen you with me and Rihito, I don't want you near her, she's crazy, I'm worried she might do something, so please if not for me, at least think of our kids, please." He begged.
"Okay, fine, I promise." She nodded.
***
Teresa packed his bags for his business trip, "Here it's all set."
"I should take you with me." He looked at her.
"Come on, I've promised to stay home, haven't I?"
"I'll be back as soon as possible, so don't you dare go out alone." He warned her again.
"Yes, boss." She nodded.
****
"Yes?" Rihito answered the call. "Oh come on, if Eros was here, you'd have already dealt with him without even telling me."
"He met with that woman." As soon as Ryouma spoke the words, Rihito felt his heart sink. "That's..." he trailed off.
"I don't know what're they're planning, I'm having a bad feeling about it, you better do something soon or you're going t regret it." Ryouma warned him before cutting the call.
"Are we all set?" Aaron addressed everyone. "Yes." they all nodded.
"Just you wait, Rihito." Rina looked on determinedly.