Ritsu sits down and puts both of her hands on Erii and Aiko's heads while stroking it gently.
"Don't fight, because you both are in the wrong and Aze as well. Erii, you slapped her and you know it's not right to do that because Norl-kun is in the wrong as well but you only vent your anger toward Hime-chan. Aiko, you kissed Norl-kun even though you knew he was Erii-chan's boyfriend, and you must treasure the person you know because it's not easy for you to have a friend, right?"
I come back and bring their ramens, I heard everything and I'm ready to get scolded by Ritsu. Ritsu looks at me and she smiles.
"You too, Norl-kun. You're in the wrong as well."
I nod then look at Erii.
"Erii, I regret what I did back there, and I know that it's wrong so I went to see you immediately to let you know. I was ready to accept the consequence for what I did, and I'm really sorry."
Erii nods.
"Hmm, I know you regret it. I'm not mad with you, I'm just disappointed in you, Aze."
Erii then looks at Aiko.
"Hasegawa-san, I'm sorry for slapping you earlier. I was furious when you said those things to me, and I had to do it because I didn't want to admit that you're better than me, I'm envious of you for who you are. I'm still angry with you, so please understand that while I'm trying to forgive you for what you did."
Aiko nods and hums with understanding.
"That's why I came to see you back there after school. I was planning to apologize but you didn't want to talk to me, so I had to do it to take your attention. I love him and I don't regret kissing him back there because this is the first time I have fallen in love with someone and I want to do anything to make him fall in love with me, but I admit it's my fault and I'm sorry that I destroyed your relationship with him because I never planned on doing that and I tried so hard to ignore this feeling but I couldn't. I'm really sorry, Erii..."
Ritsu sighs and looks at them both.
"You both are so bold with your words and it makes me who heard everything feel uncomfortable. I suggest that you both stop saying another word that could make everything worse, and I think it's better for you both to not get in touch with Norl-kun for now. If you need someone to blame, just blame him because he would prefer that than seeing you both like this, isn't that right, Norl-kun?"
I nod.
"Yeah because it's my fault in the first place, so seeing you both like this is really making me feel like a jerk. I know that Erii really likes Aiko, and Aiko looks happy when she was with Erii, but then everything changed after what I did. So please, don't fight."
Ritsu chuckles and shakes her head.
"It's not that easy, Norl-kun. Let them handle the situation themselves and let them have time to think. I do want these two to be friends but I can't force them to do that, and if I know only there's another way for them to be in a good term again, then I would have suggested it."
Aiko looks at Ritsu.
"There's a way and I think she wants that as well."
Ritsu and Erii look at her, Ritsu tilts her head and hums with curiosity.
"There is? What is it?"
Aiko looks at Erii.
"We vent our feeling by sparring. I realize there are things that are better left unsaid but showed it by action. I learned that when I saw Nii-sama and Aze sparred yesterday, and they both looked so tense but the tense disappeared when they fought. So, Erii, do you want to vent your anger in a match?"
Ritsu is looking at Aiko while chuckling with disbelief.
"What are you saying, Hime-chan?"
Erii looks at Aiko and nods.
"Yes, I want that."
Aiko is looking at her phone and then she looks at Erii.
"I have a photoshoot this Saturday and I will be free next week, so how about we do it on Sunday? I will give you the address, wait I don't think it's needed because Aze knows the place. You can ask him to take you there, how is that?"
Erii nods.
"Yes, that okay."
Ritsu is looking at them both back and forth then she sighs and shakes her head.
"I can't believe it, I might need a drink and at the moment I need one, I didn't bring it with me..."
I smile and then go to the back to grab a bottle of sake, and as soon as I come back with the bottle, Ritsu is surprised while grinning happily.
"You serve sake now? I thought you can't get those?"
I smile and shrug.
"Thanks to my auntie in town, I can get these in the restaurant."
Ritsu then grabs a glass and lifts it up.
"Please fill it full, please?"
I nod and pour the sake into her glass, and as soon as I stop pouring the sake, Ritsu chug them all in one shot and she's grimacing and sighs with relief.
The three of them are eating their ramens while Ryo and I are serving the other costumer, I steal a gaze at the three of them whenever I can and it seems that Ritsu is trying to make the two of them into a conversation and it goes well because I can see Erii and Aiko are starting to smile and look at each other. Ritsu is really mature and I can't say that I'm envious of Ren for having such a wonderful and beautiful girlfriend, now that I think about it, I'm curious how they both met and how they became together even though she knows who Ren is.
It's almost 9, and there's nobody else is coming into the restaurant so I put the close sign since I still have school tomorrow and I don't want to wake up tired tomorrow. I look at Erii and she seems to be preparing to leave, I tell Ryo to go home with her since it's late and I don't want something to happen to her, Ryo agrees to it and then they both leave the restaurant.
It's only the three of us left in the restaurant, Ritsu grabs a pack of cigarettes from her purse and she keeps the bottle of sake for herself, she starts lighting her cigarette and puffs it. Aiko is just staring at her and looks at the bottle of sake in front of Ritsu.
"Ritsu-nee, are you sure you're not drinking too much? You know I can't drive and if you're drunk we can't go back home, right?"
Ritsu smiles and shakes her head.
"Don't worry, Hime-chan. I'm a heavy drinker so this much isn't a problem, and even if I'm drunk, I won't drive until I'm sobering up."
I approach them and look at Ritsu.
"Miyazaki-san, can I ask you something personal?"
Ritsu is pouring sake into her glass while smiling and looking at me.
"Sure, ask away."
I sit on the chair on the other side of the counter.
"How did you meet Ren?"
Ritsu smiles.
"It's going to be a long story, and I don't think we have the time to talk about it, so, I'm sorry for that but I promise you I will tell you the story of how I met him later."
I look at the time and nod.
"Oh, it's alright, it can wait. Then I will prepare some snacks and a bottle of sake when the time comes."
Ritsu is chuckling and nodding with understanding.
"How sweet of you, I think Ren should learn from you how to please a woman. Oh, and maybe you can ask me something else if you're still want to know more about me?"
I shake my head.
"I don't have anything in my mind, but I guess we can have a small talk while waiting for you to sober up."
Ritsu chuckles and nods.
"Sounds good to me."
The three of us having a conversation, both Aiko and I are asking about Ritsu's day since I'm curious about her work, then from there, we are talking about random things while laughing at each other. I'm cleaning the tables and putting the chairs on the sides, then I'm cleaning the floor while listening to their conversation. They both look like sisters to each other, I think if Aiko keeps hanging out with her, she would become wise and mature like her.
I'm done cleaning the restaurant, Aiko is leaving the restaurant after saying her goodbye while Ritsu is grabbing her wallet and giving me the money for the food. Ritsu looks at Aiko outside the restaurant and then she looks at me.
"The night felt longer than usual, isn't it? I'm glad that they both managed to clear up the situation, but I feel a bit worried about Hime-chan's proposal to Erii, which surprised me."
I chuckle.
"Yeah, that was unexpected, but I'm glad that it's over."
Ritsu looks at me and scoffs.
"Yeah, me too. Good night, Norl-kun. Be careful when you're on your way home."
I nod.
"Good night, and you too Miyazaki-san."
Ritsu leaves the restaurant and immediately holds Aiko's hand while they're walking into the car. I hear the car engine and then they leave while I'm locking the door, and after I check everything for one last time, I go back home to get some sleep.