Stumbling Over Love | ✓

Chapter 57

_Chapter 57~ Right Here With You_

          I didn't head to school after that.

I couldn't find it in me to, really. Just the idea that I'd run into Daichi or Miyabi was something I couldn't bring myself to handle. Not after what happened, anyway.

            After a few days of saying I felt sick, my parents stopped prodding me to go to school. I guess they realized I wasn't actually down with the flu because they reminded me I could tell them anything and other parent-ly sayings. They still went to work and I'd heard them privately discussing my situation in their room at night but they didn't press me about it like I thought they would've.

            Ryu didn't go to school either. I felt guilty thinking it'd been my fault but he only insisted he was planning on doing something like this anyway to keep me safe. We texted and called and talked for hours and he only succeeded in cheering me up every time. But after we said our goodbyes and quiet consumed the house yet again, the solitude only became harder to handle.

            Even though Mortal Mania's new album came out, I couldn't reach to happily text Daichi to tell him which song was my favourite. I wasn't in the mood to bake or cook anything. And the idea of my rapidly approaching graduation and how behind I already was in my classes wasn't shaping up this home hideout to be any better. Even though I had Ryu and Erika who I still couldn't bring myself to properly respond to, I still felt as empty as I did last week.

             Ding-dong.

             The ring of the bell was like torture to my ears. Squinting, I lay still on the couch as the doorbell rang once again. Knowing that I was home alone, I heaved a groan as I pushed myself out from under my covers—taking a bit of time considering I was wrapped up like a cocoon—and connected my feet to the cold floor.

The lights were all off but I found it easy to maneuver my way towards the front door flipping on the light above as I reached for the handle. As soon as I unlocked and opened it, exposing the weary and dull sky beyond, I was more surprised to see him standing at my doorstep.

Unlike me who was most likely an utter mess, he was the opposite. Dressed charmingly in a burgundy t-shirt from underneath his winter coat as well as black jeans, Ryu Iwasaki flashed me a warm smile.

Somewhat feeble, I reached towards the back of my head, proving just how stuck up and all over the place my hair was. "It's you," I breathed out anyway.

"It's me," he said. He peered past me into the darkened household, quirking a brow at me as he did. "May I come in?"

I shrugged, craning my neck up. "May I get a hello kiss first?"

Ryu looked rather appalled that he would ever forget to do such a thing. With another smile, he bent over and planted a kiss on my cheek. "Hello, Reina. How are you?"

I smiled a bit as I extended out my arms for him to come inside. Ryu didn't hesitate to do so and I flicked off the lights before heading towards the living room. After slipping off his shoes, he followed after me.

"So why did you come over?"

Ryu hummed. "Do I need a reason to see my girlfriend?"

"When she's as much of a mess as this I'm going to say yes," I responded.

"Well... it was a trick question," Ryu said. "I didn't have a reason except wanting to see you."