Veiled Pain | Riki Nishimura

16. I'll be there for you

The next day Riki finally showed up to school. He didn't seem different, at least from outside. Though, nobody could know for sure since he was sleeping on his desk again.

Asami wanted to talk to him and ask him why was he absent for so long, but she didn't want to bother him if he was sleeping. But surely, she didn't need to be so worried anymore.

"Ms. Hirota, Riki is sleeping again." Misaki revelaed in the middle of the lesson. Ms. Hirota looked at Riki for a while, then smiled in a weird way. Not of happiness, more like sympathy.

"Let him sleep then." She said and kept writing on the chalk board. Everyone in the class seemed confused and shared glances to their friends. Ms. Hirota had never given a permission to sleep during her periods.

Something is wrong. And Ms. Hirota knows about it. What can it be?

Ms. Hirota gave the students work to do so now the class was filled with the sound of pencils rubbing to paper. She glanced to Riki's seat again. He haven't moved an inch and seems he isn't willing to do anything.

She then walked to his desk and crouched next to it for his hearing level. She tapped his arm few times, even though she knew he was awake.

"Riki, if you don't feel good being at school right now, you can go home. I do understand." She whispered, but since Asami sits in front of him she heard her clearly.

"I'm fine." Riki replied insensitively.

Ms. Hirota stayed there next to him for a brief while, then stood up and patted his back few times before walking back to her own desk.

Ms. Hirota is so gentle with him today. She usually isn't. I'm so sure everything's not alright.

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The lesson ended and Asami quickly packed her stuff and then turned around to talk to Riki, but he already left the class. She saw him just exiting the classroom. It's unusual. He usually isn't so fast, since he sleeps.

She stood up from her seat and went after him. "Wait. Riki." She called after him and took few running steps. He stopped his tracks and slowly turned to face her.

Now he didn't seem the same. He looked different, his expressions were frigid. His face was pale, and he looked like he haven't slept for a great while. His arm was still in the cast but it wasn't in the arm sling anymore.

Asami got a little taken aback that she couldn't say anything for a moment. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes. Do I not look okay?" He replied, his voice cold as ice.

She never broke the eyecontact with him and now shook her head slowly. He broke the eye contact with her by looking at the floor for a second. "Thanks for your care." He said and was about to walk away but Asami quickly took his wrist to prevent him from doing that.

"Riki. You're not okay. You can tell me if something's not okay. I know we might not really be friends, but still." She insured with worry in her eyes.

Riki gulped and gazed the floor again. "Tell me, Riki." She urged gently.

He looked up to her for a while and then around him before tightly grapping her wrist and taking her to the cleaning closet next to them. She felt a little weird of it but tried not to mind it.

They stood face to face in the dim cleaning closet, Asami now just waiting for him to open up. "My grandma.." He muttered while staring at the ground. "She died." He revealed shortly.

Asami got taken aback again. She didn't guess that for once. But now she could just see all the sorrow in his eyes. "I'm sorry." She said gently.

Riki frowned, like he was holding his tears in. "Asami, I-" He stuttered. It seemed like it was hard to talk for him. "I couldn't say good bye. I wasn't there when she lived her last moments.." He almost like whispered. His voice was full of sorrow and he even sounded quilty as he said the words.

"It's alright. You couldn't have done anything. It's okay." She spoke sweetly, trying to sooth him down because he was just on the edge of breaking down.

But guess her words were enough to overcome that edge, so he broke into tears. She took his hand lightly but he shook it off and wrapped his hands around her waist instead, pulling her into a hug.

She was taken aback by it for a moment, but then let herself get used to it and hugged him back. Because if what he wanted now was support and physical intimacy, she would give it to him.

He cried on her shoulder while she stroked his back softly. She had never seen him like this, he was so different that Asami felt like it was tearing her apart too.

"You can cry. Just take it all out." She whispered and with her other hand started to stroke his hair too.

Riki didn't let go of her for a great while. It was the longest hug she has ever receveid. He hugged her as long as tears weren't falling from his eyes anymore.

Soon they sat on the floor together. They didn't need to say anything anymore. They just sat there. The next lesson had probably started already, but Asami didn't care about that anymore.

It was all quiet before Riki broke it. "She was my everything. She was always there for me, even if she wasn't capable to do anything. But now I'm all alone." He said pretty quetly while his head was sunk between his knees and arm.

"You're not alone." Asami said and took his hand into hers. "Look around you, Riki. Even if your classmates don't show it, the do love you. And I can be there for you." She assured.

"You can?" He inquired.

"I will." She replied.

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