APRICITAS [ENG] || Johan Liebert || Monster

Chapter 3 - The journey begins

A few days after Emiko told Ren about her decision, she shared her brother's story with Mika and Risa, who had been her closest friends since high school. Both girls were worried about it, but supported Emiko in her decision - if only her presence could help her brother in some way, she had the right to leave.

The next four months were spent by young Tenma on running errands at the university and the work she took to earn extra money. She had no idea how much she would need for the whole trip, so just in case she decided to protect herself. She wanted to be sure that she could afford everything she needed to live in in Germany.

A few days before Emiko's scheduled departure for Europe, Risa and Mika met with Ren to discuss the current situation. Both girls were a bit worried about the young man because they knew how he felt about Emiko and how her decision to leave, had affected him.

That evening, they decided to talk to him about their decision, which they had made after their earlier discussions. According to them, it was the best thing they could do now for him.

"You're crazy, aren't you?" Ren asked, looking at his friends who had come to visit; not believing what he had just heard.

"Misa and I made a decision. We know how you feel about Emiko-chan!"

"Exactly, Ren-chan." Mika nodded. "We will say goodbye to her the evening before, and you go with her to the airport in Tokyo.

"But all three of us should go with her!" The boy still didn't want to give up. "She shouldn't be alone at that moment, should she?"

"You, lovely Cupid, you will be with her." Misa smiled, rocking her chair slightly. "You will say goodbye to her when she leaves, as the only one, Ren-chan, maybe you will even confess something to her? You know what danger Emiko-chan wants to expose herself, I think it's time for you to finally be honest with her..."

"It... It has nothing to do with this! I..." Risa shook her head to express the hopelessness of his argument as it was slowly starting to irritate her.

"You know very well that her parents are going on a business trip again. And let me tell you something. We will go to say goodbye to her the evening before and if you don't go with her, she will have to go alone. Is it okay for you?" Ren clenched his fists and turned his back to her.

"You're both stubborn as donkeys!" The young man ruffled his hair with both hands to hide the flush on his cheeks. "Okay! I'll go with her! Happy?!"

"Lovely, Ren-chan. You don't have to thank us~" Mika smiled at him again, at the same time winking at Risa, who at this gesture also grinned broadly, at his, finally right decision. Luckily Ren didn't notice the gesture, as he was still standing with his back to them.

"Gods, go finally, I'm busy!" He exclaimed when he noticed that although the girls had stopped talking, they still remained in his room and stared stubbornly in his direction. He almost felt like a hole in his back was burning by their eyes, and he didn't like it very much; at the same time, he had no intention of admitting that he was extremely grateful to them for the decision they had made. In fact, Ren only feared two things in his life: sudden death and... confessing feelings to someone he loved very much.

****

As they previously announced, Mika and Risa came to say goodbye to Emiko the evening before her planned departure to Germany. When they entered her room, they noticed that by the bed there was a large suitcase still open, and on the table by the window there were still some unpackaged little things.

"I'm sorry for the mess... You can see what happens when a man is gettng ready on such a long journey..." Emiko said apologetically, inviting her friends inside.