APRICITAS [ENG] || Johan Liebert || Monster

Chapter 2 - Ren Yamasaki

The sun was slowly hiding below the horizon, and many lanterns were hung around the largest park in the city. Slowly, but successively, people from all over the city began to come to the cherry blossom festival - some came with their families, elsewhere were groups of school friends, and even happily in love couples. There was a buzz and general cheerfulness. Among this crowd there was also a certain tall young man with black hair slightly combed to one side, a little too long bangs partially covered his dark blue eyes - like the night sky. He walked down the main alley, looking side to side over and over so that it felt, as if he was looking for something... or looking for someone. Finally, at the end of the road, he stopped and frowned. He looked back again and sighed.

"She's not here? " He thought in disappointment and clenched his fists. He headed for the park exit, but just before the gate a girlish voice called him.

"Ren-kun!" The boy with a smile turned back... But the smile quickly faded from his face again.

"Ah it's you, Risa-san..." He didn't even try to hide his bad mood. Before him stood a young, laughing girl of medium height wearing a yukata, accompanied by two tall boys.

"Are you looking for Emiko-chan? She's not here?"

"I thought, she would come here with you..."

"And I thought that with you..." The girl was a bit sad "I suggested her yesterday to join me and my cousins at the festival today, but she said that she isn't sure if she wants to go... It's all because of you, Hiro!" She screamed reproachfully, then hit one of the guys she came with, right in the stomach. The blow must have been quite hard, because it bent him in two.

"Riiiisaaa!" He shouted with a grudge "Not so hard, crazy woman!"

"It's because you keep teasing Emiko-chan! That's why she didn't want to come with us!"

"Well, because she..." Although the boy was holding his stomach, he fully smiled "...she behaves so interesting when I'm teasing her..." He didn't finish his sentence however, because he received the second hit from Risa, this time with redoubled strength.

"You know what, Ren-kun." The girl began, completely ignoring the groans of her cousin's pain. "Maybe you better go get her? It is a pity that she would have missed such fun... Even if you two wouldn't join us, it would be worth for her to come."

"Why would we not join you if we did manage to come together?" He asked innocently, but quickly regretted the words he had spoken, when he saw Risa's sly smirk.

"I know you're in love with her for a long time, Reeen-chaaan~ Don't you think an evening spent watching fireworks would be very romantic?" Ren turned red as a peony in an instant.

"W-WHAT?! It's not your business, you vile woman! I-I'm going for takoyaki...!" After these words, he turned his back to her and walked towards the stalls. Hiro got up from the sidewalk, still sore from the blows from Risa.

"How I envy him..." He began, sadness in his voice.

"What?" Risa said. "That he has such good contact with Emiko-chan?"

"Nooo... that he can buy a takoyaki. I didn't take my wallet..." Risa hid her face in one of her hands in embarrassment. She knew that Hiro was a person she probably would never fully understand.

****

Emiko was curled up on her bed, lost in thought. It was dark around her as all the lights in the room were off. But she couldn't say that it bothered her... more so, in this darkness she felt somehow better than during the day, when the sun was shining and the whole world was waking up to life because of spring; in the darkness that surrounded her, she felt one with the night and she was comfortable with it. She was lying there staring at the wall, when suddenly she heard a single tap on her room window. She decided to ignore it.