Dream Star

After that, Lila didn"t know what to do. She felt a mixture of different emotions, but Kiryu knew what he was doing. He gently caressed her hair, "Ssh, lay down for a bit," he brought her down from the rooftop into a spare room. She was getting too worked up, and before she knew it, Lila felt very dizzy again.

"Stupid, weak body," Lila thought. Whenever something serious happens, she always ends up this way. By fainting and collapsing, does she think things will change? It always feels like whenever this happens, she is only escaping from the situation. But, more importantly, right now, Lila focused on the warmth of Kiryu"s hand.

His hands feel hot… It feels comfortable, Lila wondered when was the last time she felt this way. Unconsciously Lila leaned on to his palm, Kiryu, however, smiled, "Use me; however you wish."

"He"s stupid," Lila repeated the words stupid in her head. However, the more she did, the more she recalled the past. She supposes this part of him hasn"t changed at all. He"s still so very kind and gentle, at least when it comes to her.

"Say Kiryu?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you abandon me?"

Kiryu paused and nodded, "I guess you do have the right to know why I did what I did. Let"s see, well for one I saw how much you cared for Karas.h.i.+ma. I knew it was killing you not being able to respond to his feelings. We spoke about it then didn"t we? You couldn"t stay my girlfriend and care for Karas.h.i.+ma at the same time. While I didn"t mind it, Karas.h.i.+ma wouldn"t like it."

Instead of replying to what he just said, Lila directed another question at him, "Why do you care so much about Haruka, Kiryu?" a question she had wanted to know the answer to for a long time now.

"You noticed, huh?"

"Ah-huh, wait, are you in love with Haruka? Kiryu, you"re my rival now?"

He knocks her forehead with his free hand, the one she wasn"t nuzzling against, "Don"t be an idiot."

"But, you really do care about Haruka."

"I owe him a favor. He saved your life, and he helped me out when I was abroad too."

Lila wanted to inquire more, but since Kiryu left it off so vaguely, she knew better than to do so. He"s still hiding things from her. Maybe she should ask Haruka. If it"s Haruka, he won"t hold back that information correct?

"Tell me something; I know you have more to say. But the vows I made with you that day, did you forget?"

She was talking about that time after her legendary stage that lead to her becoming a number one idol.

"I haven"t forgotten, even now I meant what I said," he didn"t have to explain that to her, Lila has always known, this person feelings for her have never changed. No, they may have even gotten stronger. But that"s exactly why, exactly why she has to talk to him. Lila knew she still had a lot of things she wanted to figure out. However, this is probably the only time she can speak with him properly.

"Kiryu, can you help me up? I want to go somewhere?

...

The place she wanted to go to was one of the places the two of them considered as their secret hideout. An area behind the forest in the outskirts of town. A large stream of water, surrounded by gorgeous flowers, Lila stretched her arms, "I haven"t been here in a long time, nothing seems to have changed."

"Well, it is hidden away in a remote location."

Lila smiled, "Ah-huh, but," Lila stared at him, "You know it, I thought you"d be bringing girls here."

Kiryu sweat fell, "Hey, exactly how unloyal do you think I am?"

"It"s not that I think you"re not loyal," she shook her head. Lila knew better than anyone how loyal Kiryu is, after all, she loved him for thirteen whole years, "It"s more like I know how kind you are. You can"t leave people who are in pain alone, if they need help you"ll help them."

Kiryu smiled, "I only became remotely kind after I met you."

Lila does not reply to that and turned to the scene before her. They used to come here a lot together. After that day, somehow, it just seemed natural for them to meet up here.

"We met here again after the party didn"t we? At this spot. Now that I think about it. It certainly was an unusual meeting. But never once did I forget it," Lila said. Right after the party where she met Kiryu, Lila wanted to meet with him right away. So she tried to sneak away, but as a child who mainly stayed indoors and only went out to go to school. She quickly got lost. But it was only when they began Middle school where this place started to have significance, "Kiryu, you were always under the impression that I was watching senpai, right?"

Kiryu blinked, "Well, you did get pretty chummy with Oujiro quickly."

"Perhaps that had been the case. But you know whenever I watched senpai. My gaze would always linger past him. So who do you think it was that caught my gaze?"

Kiryu sighed deeply, "I really can"t win against you, can I?"

Lila chuckled, "You were trying too?"

"Yeah," he took a few steps forward before he wrapped his arms around her.

"I don"t mind getting your attention. But this I say is quite a bold move."

"Yeah. However, at least accept this last request of mine."

"That"s certainly selfish," Lila murmured. However, she didn"t push him away. Instead, she placed her hand on top of his. Being with him like this, being with him like this is all she has ever wanted.

If only they could only stay like this forever, then she knew she could give up everything else. But unlike before, something had changed. There is somebody more important to her. Somebody who plays a crucial role in her heart now. It"s painful, even now she cares about Kiryu so deeply, she can"t bear to think of him dating another person. But, she has to let him go. Because even now, when she is with him like this, in this perfect moment, Haruka"s face comes to mind. In her heart, she has already made a decision.

She has to tell him that.

"Kiryu, I said it before didn"t I? That everything in this world happens for a reason. Everything happens for a reason. The daily tragedies and misfortune that occur in our lives all happen for a reason. They all end with an ideal conclusion. With that in mind nothing occurs without a reason," Lila repeated her words from back then.

It was something she said to him a long time ago, yet Lila knew he wouldn"t forget. Indeed Kiryu nodded and confirmed her thoughts, "You also said that despite all the misfortunes happening, one day the outcome would be beautiful."

Say it now; this is the perfect moment to say it now.

"I did. Back then you answered me " Are you saying that the sufferings you"ve had to are justified as well." Truthfully speaking I was taken back by that question and answered you rather vaguely. Its because never once had someone said to me. I"ve quoted it plenty of times, but I have never heard such a response, so I was surprised."

He laced their hands together then, "Does that mean I"m getting bonus points?"

Lila laughs, "If you want," Lila trailed off, " Yeah, I never heard it before. But that may have been because I was rejecting everyone then. Rejecting everyone, believing that if they got closer to me that they"ll get hurt. Even now, that mindset of mine hasn"t changed. However it"s different now, I have people who are important to me. People who I truly do treasure and want to be with."

"So, this is more of an "I want to be with everyone," thing not an "I"ll abandon you for Karas.h.i.+ma?"

Lila"s gaze softened, "I wonder myself, right now. I like the way things are, and I want nothing to change."

"Lila, you know that"s impossible."

"Yes, I know," as each day goes by things change, whether it"s the people or the surroundings. But if she could at least keep it under control, then she would, "I know," Lila repeated as she tightened her hold on his hands, "But Kiryu, for me this is important."

"I know it is, and you probably don"t have it easy right now. Lila, do you remember how I said we could just be friends?"

Lila nodded, "Ah-huh, you suggested the impossible."

Friends with Kiryu? Lila wanted to laugh when he suggested it because the two of them both know that being friends is impossible. After everything that has happened between them, for them to become friends would be plain strange. But if they can"t be friends with each other, how would one defy their current relations.h.i.+p? How could they still speak with each other? If they weren"t friends, they would be strangers? Acquaintances?