I Will Always Be By Your Side

Chapter 22

"Rena-chan!" Jurina called as she entered Rena's room but to her dismay, she saw nothing but the neatly folded sheets on her bed.

"N-no... It can't be..." She said as she turned around and run outside of Rena's room. She run towards the nurse's station. "Excuse me." Jurina said as she catches her breath. "Where's the patient at room 46?" She asked. "Ah, Matsui Rena? She has already been discharged just almost half an hour ago."

"What?!"

------

Five days ago

Rena was reading the book that Yuki has lent her, when she heard a knock on the door. Thinking that it was the midget inspector again, she sighed. "Come in." She said lazily.

To her surprise, instead of Inspector Takahashi, someone familiar entered the room which made her heart skip a beat.

"Jurina?"

"Hi..." The younger girl said shyly. "What brought you here?" Rena asked. Jurina looked around as she sat on the chair beside Rena's bed. "So this is what your room looks like." She said then she stopped when she looked on Rena who was still waiting for an answer from her.

"Oh, uhm.. I... Uh just want to see you." Jurina said without looking at her.

"Eh?"

"I mean, I'm just curious as to how I am as a high school student. And I thought that maybe you can tell me since you are my classmate." Jurina explained.

Rena looked at her unable to say a single word. A part of her tells her that the Jurina in front of her, though she lost her memories, is still the same Jurina that she has met a couple of months ago. The Jurina that she has grown to like.

Jurina looked at her with hopeful eyes, waiting for Rena's answer.

"Rena-chan?" She said.

"Huh?" Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted the moment she heard her name.

"What would you like to know? And why me? You can just simply ask your best friend instead of me. I believe Mayu will be more than happy to answer all of your questions." Rena explained.

Her heart clenched the moment Jurina's face saddened after hearing her explanation. Jurina was quiet for a few minutes which scared Rena because she has never really seen a quiet Jurina - most of the time Jurina will always be all cheerful and full of energy.

"Jurina?"

"Alright. I understand. I'm going now. Sorry to disturb you." She said then she walked towards the door without looking back to Rena.

-----

"What?! You turned down Jurina?" Yuki asked in surprise. "Are you out of your mind? You know she doesn't remember a thing and then you turned her down just like that?"

"Well, I didn't exactly turned her down, you know?" Rena tried to reason out but Yuki is not having it. "It's just the same Rena. Really, those Yankees should've called you Black instead of me. You are more black hearted than me." Yuki said which made Rena give her a death glare.

-----

"Maybe Rena-san, didn't mean to turn you down." Mayu said after hearing from Jurina about her conversation with Rena. "Maybe she's just surprised. I mean, who would've expect that you will lose your memories after what happened to you and now you are suddenly asking her about your present self as a high school student. It could be that she's just caught off guard." She continued.

"You think so?" Jurina asked, looking at her sheepishly. Mayu pats her head and then she smiled. "Yeah. So don't think too much about it."

------

Mayu let out a sigh as she lay down the bench at the rooftop of their school. "Is something the matter?" Yuki asked as she put down her book when she noticed that Mayu was looking upset as she lie down the bench where Rena used to lay down before. Mayu turned her head towards Yuki. "Nothing. It's just that I don't know what to do with those two anymore."

"You mean Rena and Jurina?" Yuki asked. "Uhn." Mayu nodded. "I mean, one was about to go to jail and one has lost all her present memories and has no clue that her friend was about to go to jail in a few days."

"I think we should just let them be. Rena knows what she's doing and regarding Jurina, just let her be. I think Rena knows what to do with her. I know her, she's only doing this for your best friend's sake." Yuki explained.

"I hope you are right, Yuki." Mayu said before she looked up at the sky. "I hope you're right."