yin & yang, ririka x oc

𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕟 / love for someone else

Three days later, and still no interaction. 

The silence was deafening to Ririka, as she sat on an onyx bench near the courtyard, bent over with hands clenching her knees. 

'I-I think I love you...'

The moment played over and over again in her head like a broken record. How many times until she had to be institutionalized? She wasn't sure. 

Her bottom was beginning to get cold from the stone bench, and as she sat up to walk away, a voice spoke.

"H-hello? Miss Vice President?" Ririka looked up abruptly, glad her mask was shielding her distraught expression. Standing above her was a blond-haired teenage boy with deep blue eyes. She guessed he was about a year her junior.

"U-uhm.. yes?"

"I-I-I-" The young man kept stuttering, his face taking on a bright pallor. He scratched the back of his head.

Ririka was beginning to get impatient. She was sick and tired of the stuttering. 'Why can't people just spit out what they want to say? Would they stop beating around the bush, jeez!'  She stood up firmly, intending to leave.

The guy got the clue. "I just wanted to say that... IthinkImightlikeyouI'msorryifthisiscompletelyrandom..." he paused, "Ijustthinkyou'rereallyprettyandIwanttogettoknowyoubetter!"

After a moment of silence, Ririka deciphered his line of gibberish. "O-oh! Uhm, that's..." To be honest, it was much easier to turn down confessions with the mask on. Her voice turned cooler and calmer- she certainly gained confidence with it on. "That's kind of you, but I don't feel the same, I-"

She what?  Ririka thought a lot of things about herself were quite clouded- she never utilized her talents, they were always kept inside of her. But one thing she knew for absolute certain was that her heart belonged to a certain e/c-eyed girl, whether she liked it or not.

"I'm afraid I'm in love with somebody else."

The words blurted out faster than she could register. 'N-no! Ririka, what are you doing? Telling a stranger all your problems, what is-'

"Oh, well, what is it?" The boy gave a kind smile, suppressing his own feelings of hurt. He sat down next to her. "You can tell me about it, only if you'd like." He set his bag down next to the bench, and dug out a wafer cookie. 

Crack. Splitting it in half, the caramel stretched out into a thin ribbon. He gestured for Ririka to take the other half. The platinum-haired girl hesitated for a moment, but reluctantly took the wafer.

'Pushing away his own hurt to help me. T-that's the nicest anybody's been to me.'  Ririka blinked quickly, staring at the guy in wonder.

The man bit into the wafer cookie, chewing thoughtfully.

"I really messed it up." He raised an eyebrow, looking over at her.

"Somebody confessed to me, and instead of replying back that I felt the same- I fucked it up." The guy looked surprised at the Vice President's use of profanity, but still tilted his head so she knew he was listening. "And now she's- uhm, I-I mean.. he-"

"So you're gay. Hmm, I never thought you would be..."

"O-oh! Don't tell anyone... o-or I'll give you a life plan!" Ririka commanded.

The boy simply laughed. "Your secret is safe with me."

Ririka continued. "And so she's very upset with me, and I don't know what to do. Now our relationship is completely strained."

The guy paused, and contemplated these words for a moment. Then, he spoke clearly and slowly. "I think you should just tell her, so that she at least knows how you feel. Whatever she chooses to do with that is up to her. But letting her know, and also apologizing, is the only thing you can do to try to mend her wounds."

Step-step-step... 

Both Ririka and the young man looked up. Walking from the door to the courtyard was none other than Yumeko Jabami and... Y/n?

Ririka was grateful her presence was hidden by the shadow of the tree she sat under.

Yumeko had a saddened expression on her face, and Y/n was talking with animated gestures. Ririka saw an extremely upset expression on Y/n's face, her expression contorted and features furrowed. Y/n's gestures began to slow down, and her arms dropped to her sides in what seemed like defeat.

The boy spoke calmly. "Is that her?"

"Y-yes... how could you tell?" Ririka turned to look at him.

"Just a guess."

Y/n's aggravated expression melted, turning into the saddest, most dejected face Ririka had seen. Yumeko's eyes widened, and she hugged the girl, Y/n's face in Yumeko's chest. Yumeko put her chin on top of the shorter girl's head, and pressed her lips into a firm line.

Y/n's hand covered her eyes, and by the shaking of her body, both Ririka and her companion knew she was crying.

Thump. Ririka's briefcase fell over, making a smacking sound on the pavement. Y/n didn't seem to hear in her misery, but Yumeko's face jerked towards Ririka and the boy. Noticing who it was, the red-eyed young woman's eyes narrowed and darkened.

Ririka knew that expression on the girl's face all too well. Disdain. The masked girl hung her head in shame, hair falling into her line of sight. Yumeko had every right to be angry, her friend was clearly hurt. And it was all because of her stupid, stupid  silence.

What to do, what to do?