Eternal Melody

For the past few hours since Sano and Atsuro left, Yuhi couldn\'t help but cling to her. He would not let her go even for a moment. When she finally slipped away, she said something along the lines of personal space.

He gets it, and he was annoying.

Yuhi traced the girl\'s sketchpad, thinking. Sumire draws and paints very well. He wants to take her to France and study there. But she has a career here. A job that barely took off before that accident happened.

His thoughts broke off when Sumire re-emerged from the bathroom. Her hair wet and towel in hand. "So, do I have the honors of drying your hair?"

Sumire sighed and walked over to him. She looked bothered by something from the creases on her eyebrows.

He took the towel and sat her down on the bed. "You know, you should just tell me when I get too clingy."

"Well, about getting clingy, normally I won\'t mind. But I\'ve been feeling sick and terrible since earlier."

"You did cough out blood. Are you sure that was normal food poisoning?"

Sumire nodded. "It seems so, and they did another test."

So it came out as blood because she was pregnant? He does not get the science to all of this. Then again, science was never his thing. Yuhi felt her gaze on him, and he chuckles. "Need something?"

"Still needy. I think my hormones are going crazy lately. How is it possible to want you all the time, but when it comes to doing it, I stop you."

That is his question. "You want me?"

"All the time. Like there is something in my head just telling me to pounce on you."

This is the first time he is hearing what is going on in that pretty head of hers. But then again, he never asks her about her feelings for him. Yuhi plays with the idea that she is madly in love with him like he is with her.

Her amethyst colored eyes meet his, and he felt his heartbeat increase. Sumire extended her hand out and caressed his cheeks. "When Im eighteen, I can do whatever I want with these strange feelings. I can\'t wait any longer; waiting is killing me."

So dramatic, and yet he felt the same way about her. He wants to learn more things about her from now on.

"There are other ways."

Sumire tilts her head innocently. "Other ways?"

"Other ways, I could show you if you would like."

Yuhi knew he was talking crazy. What things will he show her? Is he out of his mind? But he couldn\'t miss how her lips curve to a shy sort of smile as she covers her mouth.

"I guess I have to rely on you there Yuhi-san, I don\'t know what other things you have in mind. But I will need your guidance; that\'s for sure."

Look at her replying, so politely, surely Sumire understands what he is trying to say? Yuhi looks at the girl, frustrated. "Your messing with me, aren\'t you?"

"Mm, maybe I am."

This girl is impossible. Yuhi sighs deeply. "I think you understand by now, Sumire, but I am very serious about you."

"Dating with the purpose of marriage in mind, right?"

"Yes."

Sumire nods. "You see, Yuhi, I don\'t mind that at all. But I just have a few things I need to settle first."

A few things, huh? "Why did you send Atsuro away, surely you wanted to speak to him?

Yuhi recalls what Shin told him and clenched his fist. Is the main reason why Sumire is avoiding Atsuro not because of Mamoru\'s situation but

"Look at that face. I guess somebody told you already."

".."

"It was nothing." She sighs deeply. "Well, I suppose it was something. There was a time where I could no longer take it when I was at the very bottom of hell. I just wanted the pain to go away. I missed Ru so much."

So it was something that happened recently? "Did you two..."

"At the start, it was only a bit of fooling around. Honestly, I couldn\'t tell at first. My emotions and everything around me seemed dead. But after a while, I realized what he wanted from me, and I just went along with it because it was too painful."

".."

"Does it bother you that I slept with him?"

Yuhi shook his head. "No, I just--"

It was hard to picture. He knew Atsuro liked Sumire, other guys like her too. But he never saw them as a threat. Why would he recognize them as a threat? Sumire made it clear that she had a cynical view towards love. She made it clear unless it was Mamoru; she did not intend to get close to anybody.

Atsuro has stronger feelings than he thought. Or does he only want her for that?

"I can\'t criticize you. I told you the story regarding my last girlfriend, didn\'t I?"

"Mmm."

"It was something like that too."

Still to think Sumire was in a sexual relationship with Kusaji Atsuro. No wonder she behaves that way towards him. He felt her defensiveness towards him was strange, but he did not say anything about it.

Sumire leaned forward. "But I have never felt this way towards Atsuro before, not even with Ru."

"Sumire.."

"Do you trust me, Yuhi?" She mumbled softly.

Of course, he trusts her. No matter what she does, he will believe her.

"I do, so don\'t hurt yourself like that again," Yuhi whispered as he took her hand in his. "Was it worth it? Sleeping with somebody you have no feelings for?"

"It wasn\'t worth it at all. I understood that. When I wanted to stop it, he stopped, but it was awkward. I didn\'t know how to face him after everything." Sumire trails off. "We stopped, but he kept getting close and overstepping some boundaries. It was a hassle. I was worried people would notice."

That man probably thought that nobody else other than him saw Sumire like this. He probably didn\'t see Mamoru as competition, since it only happened once. As a guy, Yuhi could understand what he thought.