Lila"s one-word response made him worried. Sure enough, when he looked up and saw the expression in his face. Kiryu looked away. Of course, she reacts that way. All those songs he wrote for her contain his feelings for her. For the past ten months, since she went on her journey, he wrote a song nearly every day. On the days he missed, he would write more the following days.The atmosphere was tense, and Kiryu was thinking of ways to leave. But the entire time, Lila didn"t let go of his hand. Eventually, Lila pulled back.
"Sorry. We can"t do this. Being embraced or held tightly by you, consoling you, anything more than that is a no, and even then, that"s being generous of me. I married the person I love, I became his wife, and I want to treasure the name he gave me."
Kiryu is speechless at the girl"s words. He didn"t expect this speech.
"But, I"ll always care about you, Kiryu."
There"s no point in that. He knows that she"s always going to care about him. But just caring isn"t enough for him. Kiryu wants them to go back to how things were before. He wants her to return his love. Despite the confidence, he held at the beginning.
Kiryu wasn"t stupid; he knew that Haruka would be a threat. He understood that well. After all, when they were dating, she was already interested in that guy. Whether or not she realized that her interest was more affectionate love than friends.h.i.+p. He saw it and became incredibly desperate.
"Please, Lila, don"t say that. Please," he doesn"t know why he is begging her. It"s not like she outright told him no.
"Kiryu, you see, I..."
"Why wasn"t it me?"
"Don"t ask me why! You put your hand on your heart and think about it. You always decide things yourself. You didn"t ask me anything. You decided yourself then that it would be best we broke up, you practically made me say those words even though I didn"t want to. You wouldn"t listen to anything I said and just kept repeating," It has to be this way. "If you kept on saying something like that, of course, I"d have to go along with it. How could I possibly say no to you?"
The girl"s sudden outburst and fury surprised him. Kiryu didn"t think that she was thinking about it anymore. After all, he"s seen how happy she is when she is with Karas.h.i.+ma. He saw with his own eyes, and that"s why...
"You hurt so many people, not just me. When I finally forgot you once and for all, you just had to do something that made everyone worry about you. When I could finally move on to a new relations.h.i.+p, I started hearing rumors about you being depressed."
Kiryu"s eyes went wide at the black-haired girl"s words. It hadn"t dawned on him then, that even if her feelings were changing, that she would have remained in a relations.h.i.+p with him. He didn"t think of such a possibility, especially since he saw there was already someone else she was beginning to care about deeply.
No, in the back of his mind, that possibility was always there. But he was always afraid to face it. If they stayed together, and she fell out of love with him and broke up with him, he wouldn"t have been able to bear it. However, if they break up with her feelings the way they were, then one day, they could get back together. In the back of his mind or the forefront, he"s always been thinking of it. That one day, he and Lila could come together under a mutual understanding.
To have her s.n.a.t.c.hed away from him was something that didn"t cross his mind... Why would it? He didn"t think anyone but him could deal with her.
Lila continues, "You told me when you came back, that you"ll s.n.a.t.c.h me away, that we can start all over. But this entire time I"ve been thinking, "what do you mean start over?" Even if we get back together. The moment the opportunity arises, you will let go of my hand again."
Kiryu says nothing and pulls her into his arms. Kiryu knew that this entire time, she held back her tears, but when he held her in his arms. She started bawling like a child. His s.h.i.+rt turned damp in seconds.
The truth was, he already knew, even before Lila returned to Star Town with Haruka to help him. He already knew that she wouldn"t return to him.
"Kiryu, you can let go of me."
Kiryu shook his head, "No can do."
Lila mumbled something about him being stupid, but eventually, she relaxed in his arms. "Kiryu, you didn"t come to see me right away... So I thought you really didn"t care anymore."
"The moment you were hospitalized, I wanted to rush to your side. But then I heard about what Haruka did. He endured that painful process for you. So I thought I"d leave you two alone."
"Haruka is very kind to me, Kiryu," Lila nodded.
"Yeah, I can see that. He"s very good to you."
It actually surprised him how good Haruka treated her now. Did Haruka have a change of heart? He recalled their conversation not too long ago. Haruka did say that incidence made him realized things he didn"t before.
....
On his way to find Haruka, Kiryu noticed the TV on the hospital floor was playing Devils" recent festival live. Kiryu stood frozen for a bit.
"I want my voice to be a voice that will reach everyone on earth. "
"Look, look, this is the part where it really hits you hard. Lilchan"s feelings."
"I didn"t know she could sing and play the guitar."
Kiryu singing his eyes. Indeed the image of the girl singing solo on stage with her guitar was still imprinted in her mind. There was a moment where Lila did a mini solo.
He will never forget it — the last 20 seconds of that song, the moment where Lila"s sh.e.l.l was stripped away. There was a reason why she was ranked above them before. For sure, that girl is far more amazing than the rest of them; if he had returned to her side sooner, then she would not have gotten into a slump. He understands it very well; her feelings.
They"ve always been so very clear whenever shes singing. Even when she writes music for other guys, he can see her feelings for him in everyone"s songs. To be loved so deeply by her, he never once thought of it to be possible. He still has his hesitations about many things like Haruka. But after seeing that stage, those hesitations seem unnecessary.
On his way back, Kiryu saw the staff trying to restrain somebody from entering the floor.
"I don"t care, Teras.h.i.+ma Lila is here, right? Let me meet with her."
His ears perked up at that comment. Whenever anybody mentions Lila, this happens unconsciously. Kiryu glanced over and saw a badly injured woman. Her entire face had scars; the doctors were talking about how this woman had a car accident recently.
"Mei!" an angry voice bellowed across the hallway. Kiryu looked over and spotted Haruka; behind him was a tray of food which he placed aside.
"Mei?" Kiryu looked over at the disfigured woman. Is this Aizawa Mei? But the girl looked completely different now. Haruka walked over to her, and the nurses and doctors moved away.
"I told you to stay in your room."
"I can"t stay in that place; everyone is looking at me like I"m some kind of monster...I hate it."
Haruka bit his lip, "I understand, I"ll move you to a private wing. Don"t come here."
"Why? I thought you reconsidered, but you only came to see me because Lila is in the hospital, too.."
Haruka said nothing, but he wrapped his arms around Mei and patted her back. "Alright, you, I"ve had enough already. I"ll come and see you later. Stay put," his words were harsh. But Kiryu could tell he wasn"t angry at her. He seemed confused.
"Haruka, I..."
"I"ll control the rumors. Don"t worry, okay?"
Mei nodded, "Okay." The fiery girl from moments ago had turned into an obedient little girl. While Rosalia was different in front of him, too, she didn"t hide her dislike for Lila.