WILDFLOWER [Ryunosuke Tanaka x OC]

Chapter 14 - The (Boy) Friend

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Reika Sato chose the worst possible day to try and make amends.

There was no way she could've known about Kano and Ryunosuke's not-falling-out, or that Kano never went to bed because she stayed up fixing her portfolio and frantically sent it off to like, six art schools. All Reika knew was that Kano looked dead on her feet at her shoe locker and, for once, there was no Tanaka in sight: the perfect opportunity to confront her ex-best-friend.

With one final lungful of confidence, Reika marched right over and set her mind to her mission. "Morning," she said softly, successfully sneaking up on Kano.

Lost in a daze, Kano jumped a mile at the familiar voice, clutching at her racing heart. She found Reika at her side, smiling sheepishly, but Kano had no patience for her bullshit. "Not now, Sato," Kano said, huffing and slamming her locker closed. Without looking back, Kano slung her bag over her shoulder and started beelining for class. And yes, she used Reika's last name on purpose, just to be a dick.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Reika called, jogging after Kano. This was not how she rehearsed it in her head at all. "Kano, please! Wait!"

Grumpy and exhausted, Kano continued to force her way through students, hoping to lose Reika in the tide. Go away, she willed, stop bothering me, traitor.

"I WANT TO APOLOGIZE!"

Despite her best efforts, Kano slowed as she processed Reika's words. An apology? After this long? What changed her mind? Why now?

A tug to the back of Kano's uniform stopped her completely. Reika hung on like a leech, unshakeable. "I need to apologize," she said. "Please, Kano."

Unsure if it was that little 'please' or Reika's tenacity that finally whittled her down, Kano rolled her eyes and jerked her head toward the nearest women's restroom. "Fine. C'mon."

Once in the empty bathroom, the two ex-best friends faced each other in silence. On the verge of falling asleep standing up leaned against the door for their privacy, Kano simply waited for something to happen. Reika gathered her courage yet again; Kano's piercing stare hadn't gotten any easier to withstand in the past few months.

"I'm sorry," Reika began, her eyes instantly flitting to the floor, heavy with tears. "I realize now that... that I should've chosen you, that you were telling the truth when I found you and Ushiwaka at the party. And I feel like an absolute idiot because I should've listened to you and not some hunky guy with zero personality."

Kano sneered at her. "Your little boyfriend isn't panning out so well, huh?"

"You don't have to be a dick about it, you know."

"Mmm, no, I kinda do."

The two fell into a hushed stalemate while both waited for the other to say something more. Unsaid things still hung in the air between them. Reika sniffled.

Too tired for catfighting or being 100% angry, Kano broke the tension first with a little sigh. "Well... sorry, I guess. About Ushiwaka. But... I'm more glad you finally figured out that he's an asshole."

Relief rolled through Reika like a sedative, instantly alleviating her tension and pain. Tears of relief rolled down her cheeks, cutting through the makeup she'd worn. "I should've figured it out a long time ago, Kano."

"Like, maybe when we were twelve?"

"Yeah... I should've known then."

A warning bell rang through the halls, signaling five minutes to class time. Reika grimaced, hiking her bag up higher on her shoulder. "So, are we...?"