M.A.R.

Chapter 23

“Ami, why aren’t you in your uniform? Are you feeling sick today? It’s raining. I brought an umbrella.” Ritsuka smiled warmly at the girl, hoping to walk her to school this morning.

Ami shifted on her feet uncomfortably, not knowing how to break the bittersweet news to him. “Ritsuka, I kinda…” she heaved a sigh, feeling her heart sink to her stomach.

“Kinda what, Ami?” the blonde asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Ami gulped, looking away and stepping into his warm embrace, hugging him tight.

“A-Ami, what’s wrong?” Ritsuka pulled her into his chest worriedly, knowing she only avoided the question if she were really afraid of answering.

She took in another deep breath, burying her head in his chest. “I’m kind of…getting adopted to the mainland.” She slurred out quickly, just wanting to get this finally over with.

Ritsuka went frigid in her embrace, his breathe caught in his lungs. His heart suddenly stopped breathing in his chest. Had he heard her correctly?

Ami chewed on her bottom lip, looking up at Ritsuka as if she were a child that just confessed to sneaking a cookie from the jar last night. “R-Ritsuka…?” she whispered to him, trying to break him out of his trace.

Ritsuka shook his head before looking down at her, his face growing pale. “Uhm… When…  When are you leaving?” he managed to ask.

Chewing down on her bottom lip, she turned to the floor and answered, “Sometime today…”

“And you’re just telling me now?!”

Ami jumped at his sudden outburst, creating a gap between their two bodies. Ritsuka glared at her, his brows in angry slants and his nostrils flaring. “I-I’m sorry, Ritsuka, I just didn’t know what to say…” she admitted, her heart pounding in her chest.

Ritsuka groaned, letting his hold around the girl go limp. “You didn’t know what to say? Ami, that’s stupid! You should have just told me! I’m not some kid who can’t handle the truth, you know! I thought…” he looked back at her, his face twisted in hurt agony. “I thought you trusted me more than that, Ami…”

“I do trust you!”

“Then why didn’t you tell me as soon as you found out?!”

Ami’s chest fell as her breaths become uneven and staggered, trying to will the tears away. “I was afraid, okay…? I was afraid of telling you…” she confessed, turning away from him.

Ritsuka sighed, understanding why she was afraid. He did get kind of angry at her. Pulling her into his arms and kissing her forehead, he leaned his cheek against her head. “I’m sorry for getting so mad like that, Ami… As angry as I sound that’s just the way I cover up the way I feel…”

“H-how do you feel then, Ritsuka?” she asked shakily, her cheeks warming up at his kiss.

She felt him sigh against her skin, his breath sending tingles down her spine. “I feel…scared, Ami… I’m scared that…you’re just leaving me…for this other guy…”

Ami stayed quiet, holding on to the sob that slowly grew in her throat. Just the mention of Mitsukuni made her heart pound because she hadn’t told him the news either. “Th-that isn’t true, Ritsuka… I’m not leaving you for him.” she whispered. At least she wasn’t lying. With her moving to the mainland, she’d have to leave both Ritsuka and Mitsukuni.