*UNEDITED*Two hours later
Oh, it"s Teras.h.i.+ma Lila. Isn"t this song, the one she wrote for Haruka? It"s a very beautiful melody. Rikka quickly hid herself behind the door and watched Haruka walk over. "Wife."
Lila"s gaze sparkled, "Hubby! Why are you here?"
"I left something behind in this room earlier."
"Um, say...why do you keep looking? Please do something."
"The walls here aren"t sound proof. But, you just have to hold your voice back..." Haruka traced the girl"s bottom lip. "Indeed, we can do a lot now the marks have vanished."
The girls cheeks grew hot, "H--hubby.. Um, um...!"
"d.a.m.n, now she can"t leave."
Lila laughed, "Ah um, were not doing it?"
"I know you have work dearest. But, let me touch you a little."
After a few minutes of watching them - Rikka felt very uncomfortable. She could no longer keep herself hidden.
"Rikka?"
Lila quickly drew back from Haruka and fixed her clothes up. However, the girl seemed panicked - so she did it clumsily. Haruka reached over and fixed up her clothes.
"Clumsy."
"Ah-huh..."
Haruka turned to her, "Need something?"
"I was looking for you. We have another meeting at 1."
"Right, I guess we do," he glanced over at Lila. "Can we have lunch first? You can eat with us."
Haruka really doesn"t know how to be considerate. Still, Rikka didn"t want to leave the two alone. They"d be all over each other if she did.
"Lila, who are you texting?"
"Kiryu."
"Give me your phone. Don"t fiddle with it during lunch."
"Okay."
Just like that? Normally one would argue more. This is irritating, why does she have to watch this?
.....
Ever since she quit acting and singing. Rikka has been mentoring and supporting several groups. However, even then Rikka didn"t see a group as good as this one before.
"Kogami Yori, she"s good."
This is only the dance, and yet..
Haruka nodded, "Yeah. But when she"s next to Lila, you can see it more."
Now that Rikka thought about it. She understood what Haruka was talking about. Rikka made her way down with Haruka behind her. The second she arrived though, the blonde haired girl blurted out.
"Ah! Your her right? Lila"s new rival."
Ayase Kotori sweat dropped, "Yori-chan..."
"But, I"m serious. It"s her, the one who marched in during the first day of the main tournament. So she"s our mentor? What a surprise."
Jae-hee chuckled, "That"s because I asked her. Haruka rejected my offer, so why are you here?"
Haruka sighed, "Hey, you know I don"t mentor any groups..."
"Or so he says. But he joined DEVIL."
"Didn"t he do that to do perverted things with Lila?"
"Oi!" Haruka snapped.
Bright laughter escaped the blonde haired girls lips. "Jokes aside," she trailed off and turned to her. "Nice to meet you, I"m Kogami Yori."
"Likewise.."
Kogami Yori is exactly like the rumors. She"s cheerful, and has a bright and bubbly personality. However, Rikka watched as she gave instructions to the other two members. For Jae-hee not to be the leader or center - there must be something special about this girl.
"Did you actually come here to steal Haruka away?"
"Yes."
The girl laughed and yet nodded. "Well, I should have said something to you. Sorry about that."
"I"m still observing things."
"Is there any need? Those two are head over heels each other."
Is that how things are? Because they are so into one another, n.o.body doubts their relations.h.i.+p at all. Rikka knew there was no use feeling bitter, but she can"t control her emotions. Her thoughts broke off when she saw a girl with black hair peeking through the door.
"Lila!"
"Yori!" Lila rushed over and hugged her. "Sorry I came late."
"No your just in time."
"I missed you Kotori-chan."
Rikka watched her slowly greet people.
Is...Teras.h.i.+ma Lila going to join this group too? Rikka suddenly felt uncomfortable, "no way right?" She"s a member of the G.o.ddess4. She watched Haruka wrap his cloak around her. "Mmm, sorry, she can"t join you. She came here for me."
"Ah hey! Karas.h.i.+ma, your jogging her again!"
"I"m leaving in a few days, let me keep her for a bit."
Haruka glanced over at her and nodded. "I"ll come back."
He doesn"t even have to. Rikka didn"t want to see him right now. Her thoughts broke off when he wrapped his m.u.f.fler around her. "Make sure you don"t catch a cold."
"..."
"Hubby," Lila grabbed hold of his hand, "Let"s go?"
"Mmm? Sure."
"Is Lila actually scared you"ll take Haruka away?" Jae-hee observed as the two disappeared behind the doors.
"Huh?"
"I mean, she"s not usually like that."
"Like?"
Jae-hee whispered, "You didn"t see how uneasy she looked just there? I think the one who is more pain whenever you three are together is her."
Is that so? Even though those two always act affectionate in front of her. Rikka shook her head, she needs to forget it.
___________
Outside the building, at the back. Haruka found his wife clinging to him very tightly. So he brought her over to a quiet corner. A flood of memories came to mind.
He has yet to forget a single thing from those days; rather his memories of back then are even clear now than ever, and so the nightmares continues. Back then it was like they were naturally in tune with each other. It"s not like they had a promise or anything to go back home with each other from the studio. But for some reason, at the same time, at the same station on the same platform, in the same train car. By some unspoken agreement, on weekdays it was 9:15 train.
On weekends, the 6:15 one. Early morning where she would only be half asleep and unconsciously her head would rest comfortably on his shoulder. In summer it was ice cream and in winter it was oden. On sunny days they rode together on one bike; and he could feel her body pressed against his back. On rainy days they walked and occasionally got much closer, to feel each others warmth. He would take his chance on those days to provide her warmth, to unconsciously hold her in his arms.
When they started dating they not only made love with each other everyday. Whenever they could, a alleyway, behind the vending machines, in the dressing room, or briefly when the director wasn"t looking they"d share affectionate kisses. On set when they are recording, their hands would brush against each others under the table and they"d relax. They"d share affectionate and sweet moments with each other, those kisses that were neither pa.s.sionate or intense and yet for the two of them it was enough.
That was until they came back to j.a.pan. Haruka already knew why Lila was trembling like this. Once again, he made her uneasy.