Chapter 07: On That Night...
�NO WAY!� Reina shouted when confronted with the looping beast, a ride affectionately named the Dragon. �No way, no way, no way! Not unless you give me ten THOUSAND yen, Takashi!�
�I�m not that loaded,� Takashi said bitterly.
�I have an idea!� Miuna piped up. �Who really, really wants to go on the Dragon? Raise your hand.� She and Takashi raised their hands. �And who doesn�t care either way?� Toshiro raised his hand. �And who is deathly afraid of this coaster, and that�s okay, really?� Reina sheepishly raised her hand. �Then it�s settled. Toshiro, you can stay behind with Reina. Takashi and I will ride and meet you at the ride�s exit when we�re done.�
�Is it okay if we go ride something else in the meantime?� Reina asked.
�Sure, it�s okay. We�ll wait here outside the Dragon.� Miuna smiled. �It�s okay, Reina, to be afraid of this. It�s a really scary coaster. Maybe next time?�
�Yeah, maybe next time,� Reina said, still sheepishly.
�See you soon!� Miuna said cheerfully, waving, as she turned towards the ride�s entrance, Takashi trailing behind. As soon as the two were out of sight, Reina groaned loudly and smacked herself on the forehead.
�Hey, don�t do that,� Toshiro said. �What�s wrong?�
�I�m not doing what I should be doing, that�s what�s wrong. I need to be giving YOU and Miuna some time alone, not Miuna and TAKASHI!� Reina cried. �I�m failing at the only job I�m programmed to do!� Her eyes filled up with tears.
�Don�t cry, don�t cry, you�ll ruin your makeup. It�s okay.� Toshiro patted Reina�s shoulder. �Takashi�s a pervert. A girl like Miuna won�t want to stay with him for long, even if they get together.�
�Are you sure?� Reina asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
�Pardon?� Toshiro asked, unable to hear Reina above the typical amusement park din.
�Are you sure?� Reina repeated, louder this time.
�I have a gut feeling. You should hear how he was talking to me in the locker room when you two were out of earshot.� Toshiro wrinkled his nose in disgust. �It was disgusting.�
�There�s another good point about you, Toshiro. You�re a decent person.� Reina smiled.
Miuna waited in line awkwardly, standing just in front of Takashi, staring dead ahead at the people in front of her. She was too nervous to even think about turning around. Sure, she wanted to see him smile at her, but her heart was beating too much and she felt weak. She wouldn�t be able to look at him for long and she knew it, so she decided to play hard to get. Soon enough, a load of happy people staggered off the Dragon and for the exit, meaning that a new load would come on and that the line would move. Miuna shuffled forward, along with the other people before her, but someone in front of her suddenly realized that they had to tie their shoes before getting on the ride and crouched down to do this, jamming up the rest of the line. Miuna managed to stop quickly, but Takashi stumbled forward (an action that he swears was only halfway premeditated) and crashed into Miuna from the back, which caused her heart rate to shoot up into the stratosphere.
�Oh, sorry!� she said, flustered, as she turned to face Takashi.
�It�s okay. It�s not your fault,� Takashi rapidly answered, but just looking at how embarrassed Miuna genuinely was made Takashi want to grab her and kiss her, right here in the long line for the Dragon. He spent a few moments staring at Miuna until she smiled nervously and whirled around to face the front of the line again. Another load of people took off from the station, so the line stopped again. Miuna yawned.
�Look at me,� Takashi commanded. Miuna complied, looking confused. �What do you think about me?�
�I�� Miuna faltered, her mouth gaping open as she struggled to find the words. �I think you�re really cool. I�m sad that you�ll be leaving Kanpeki soon, but happy that you know what you�re going to do after you leave.� The entire time she said this, she was too shy to look Takashi in the eyes.
�Why can�t you look me in the eyes?� Takashi asked, not meaning to sound aggressive. �I hope that didn�t sound aggressive.�
�N-no, it didn�t. There�s a reason I can�t seem to find the courage to look at you,� Miuna said to the ground. �That�s because I really like you.� Takashi�s lips curled into a smile.
In the line for the bumper cars, Reina�s stomach suddenly sank like a stone, and she openly groaned because of it.
�What�s wrong?� Toshiro asked.
�I just got a feeling that something very bad is happening with Miuna,� Reina reported, clutching her stomach.
�Are you okay? Do you need to sit down for a minute?� Toshiro offered.
�A little sit down wouldn�t hurt,� Reina said, her face blanching. Toshiro nodded and led her out of line, which bothered a few people in the line until they saw how distressed she looked. He led her over to the nearest bench, which she promptly slumped down in. �Something really bad is happening,� she whined. �And it�s all my fault.�
�No, it�s not,� Toshiro said reassuringly, a statement that was met with a glare of death from Reina. �Like I said, even if Miuna gets together with Takashi, she�ll soon realize how much of a pervert he is and she�ll break up with him, or he�ll leave for Tokyo. Logically, one of those things will happen and they�ll become ancient history. So, why are you physically distressed by what might be happening?�
�I�m supposed to get this way so it�ll motivate me to get back to my mission,� Reina explained. �If something really bad happens, I feel it in my body. I�ve heard of girls like me nearly having heart attacks because something terrible has happened that doesn�t fit within the guidelines of their mission.�
�That�s terrible! What sadistic person would knowingly allow that?� Toshiro growled.
�My creator would,� Reina replied glumly. �Uuugh. I�m sorry this had to happen.�
�Takashi is scum,� Toshiro declared. �Do you want me to get you something to drink? Whenever my stomach hurts, I drink some Coke and the bubbles help me feel better.�
�I believe you. I�ll try a Coke.� Reina smiled at Toshiro as he went to look for the nearest snack vendor. �Miuna was right. He is nice. So, how come she�s eschewing him for the pervert? There has to be something appealing about him, even though he is a scumbag that�s making my stomach feel like it�s riding the Dragon.� Reina grimaced.
�So, you�re serious. You really do like me?� Takashi asked as he hoisted himself onto the bars separating one row of the line from the next.
�Serious as a heart attack,� Miuna said with a nod. �Ever since the beginning of this school year.� She shrugged. �I�ve never had the guts to say anything �cause you�re always with someone, most of the time someone female, and I figured �why bother?� because I thought you were always, you know, with them, like in a relationship.� This made Takashi laugh.
�That�s so cute.�
�Thanks, I guess.�
�I got tired of those class 3 girls quickly, I�ll tell you. They�re all the same.� Takashi sighed.
�Then why didn�t you try coming down to class 2 and looking for me?� Miuna argued.
�Didn�t have the courage.� Takashi shrugged. �Even I don�t have the courage sometimes. Besides, I always thought you had this long-standing thing with Toshiro.� Miuna bit her tongue. �What, do you?�
�No. No, I don�t,� Miuna declared, not knowing that this answer was causing Reina physical pain. �He�s just a friend to me.�
�He�s a great guy. Don�t get me wrong. He�s nice to everyone he meets. He just doesn�t act on his feelings like he ought to.� �Early bird gets the worm�or in this case, the young, innocent girl, Toshiro,� Takashi thought to himself, smiling, as the line inched closer to the station.
Reina downed half the Coke in one gulp and wiped the remnants from her lips as she stretched out on the bench, her stomach still doing flips.
�Thanks for the Coke. I owe you one,� Reina said to Toshiro, who shook his head vigorously.
�No, you don�t owe me for the price of one measly Coke. How are you feeling?�
�Still pretty bad. I wish I knew what was happening up on the Dragon, but my stomachache hasn�t let up since you took me out of the bumper cars line.� Reina sighed. �I�m ruining a perfectly good night.�
�Nonsense. The Superpark isn�t going anywhere. We can always come back, especially without Takashi. Do you want to go home now? You can sit on something more comfortable than this bench,� Toshiro offered. Reina sat there, her eyes shut, as she pondered how to answer.
�Okay,� she said feebly after about half a minute of thought. She rose to her feet, holding the other half of her drink. �Should we wait for Takashi and Miuna to get off the ride before we go?�
�I�ll call Takashi.� Toshiro took out his cell phone, opened the case, and dialed a number. Sure enough, at the very time Toshiro called Takashi, he and Miuna got onto the Dragon, so Toshiro left a message. �Hey, Takashi, it�s Toshiro. Reina�s not feeling too good, so I�m going to take her home. You guys have fun, all right? Call me if you want. See you later.� He hung up his phone. �Easy as that. Let�s get you on the next bus home.�
Miuna came off the Dragon with her face red from the wind and from screaming her lungs out at each and every hill, turn, and loop. She was nearly breathless but grinning from ear to ear, an obvious thrillseeker for whom a good ride on a roller coaster felt like one of the greatest things in the world. As soon as Takashi got off, he felt a sudden need to check his phone and found Toshiro�s message. He listened to it while he and Miuna left the ride and got back out into the open. When he closed his phone after hearing the message, he, too, was grinning from ear to ear.
�That was Toshiro. Reina�s not feeling good, so he�s taking her home,� Takashi reported.
�Oh, I hope Reina feels better,� Miuna said with obvious concern. �Maybe you shouldn�t have dared her to go on that water slide!� she joked.
�She enjoyed it,� Takashi insisted. �So, what do you want to do next?�
�I want to go on the other roller coaster,� Miuna told Takashi. �But there�s something I want to do on the way to the next roller coaster.� Instead of vocalizing what she wanted, Miuna simply tucked her hand into the fold of Takashi�s arm and was content to walk along like that, a touching little action that made Takashi smile and Reina clutch her stomach in a new bout of pain. Of course, Miuna had no idea what her actions were doing to Reina�she simply thought she was getting somewhere romantically with the person she liked.
The bus home couldn�t drive fast enough for Toshiro�s liking. He wanted Reina home as soon as possible and the lumbering Kanpeki Bus was going approximately 100 kph slower than he wanted. Plus, at one point, Reina cried out in pain, which disturbed the other passengers and embarrassed her. Thankfully, the stop closest to Sunshine Tower eventually came around and Toshiro yanked the cord above his seat like his life depended on it. However, Sunshine Tower was set away from the main road the bus traveled, so a few good minutes of walking was required to reach the building. As Toshiro helped Reina, who was pale as a ghost, off the bus, he realized how weak she was and didn�t want her to suffer anymore.
�It�s kind of a walk back to the building,� he explained.
�It�s ok, I can do it,� Reina said weakly.
�No, you can�t. Here.� Toshiro put his arm around Reina�s shoulders. �Can you walk this way?�
�Y-yeah.� Reina started limping along, but she was wobbling, so she grabbed Toshiro by the waist to stabilize herself. She felt a bit better when she got to the air-conditioned lobby and elevator, but she felt her best when allowed to lay down on her couch/bed. Toshiro went to get her another Coke as Rika emerged from her room, a pincushion held to her wrist with an elastic band.
�Hey, how�d everything go?� she asked before seeing Reina. �Oh, are you okay, Reina?�
�I just got a little sick, that�s all. I rode that really big slide there. The Hydro Fall, you know?� Reina said, squeezing her eyes shut.
�Yeah, I know that one. I�m afraid of heights, so I�ve never been on it myself.�
�I got a thousand yen from Takashi for going on it.�
�Ah, a bribe!� Rika joked. �Perhaps one you shouldn�t have taken?�
�Come on, Rika. You know you would�ve taken that bribe,� Toshiro said defensively from the kitchen. �We�re almost out of Coke!�
�I got thirsty after classes today and drank one,� Rika told Toshiro.
�But Coke is helping Reina feel better!� Toshiro barked.
�Don�t worry about it, Toshiro. I�ll just go to sleep now. Yes, sleepy sleep.�
�Damn! I wanted to watch a show,� Rika muttered.
�Oh, I�ll move over so you can watch it.� Reina wrapped herself in her duvet and rolled onto the floor. Rika looked to Toshiro for guidance, he blanked out, and she shrugged and sat down on the couch.
�I�ll go buy some more Coke at the Get In-Get Out,� Toshiro offered.
�Do you need some money?� Rika asked as she turned on the TV.
�No, I�m okay. Thanks, though.� Toshiro checked his wallet to make sure he really did have enough money for a Coke and found that he had more than enough. �I�ll be back in a hurry, Reina.�
�OK,� Reina replied from within her duvet. Rika turned the TV to the channel she wanted, but she was still concerned about Reina, lying there on the floor.
�That can�t possibly be comfortable,� Rika pointed out. �Here, take the couch.�
�Are you sure?� Reina asked, her voice muffled, but Rika guessed what she was saying.
�Yeah, I�m sure.� Rika stood up and moved herself to the floor while Reina shuffled back to the couch and settled in.
Toshiro rode the elevator down to the lobby with a girl whose music player was turned up so loud that he could hear her song perfectly, even though she had headphones on. Because of this, he was stuck humming the song�and even thinking about the words�all the way to the Get In-Get Out, a 24-hour convenience store that was nearby.
�Though there�s nothing I can�t do, there�s nothing wrong if you coax me a bit/I�ve reunited with the person I�ve admired for so long/Gotta feel that it�s fate�or a lie,� Toshiro thought to himself. �Stupid girl group song! Get out of my head!� He opened the door to the Get In-Get Out and hummed his way inside, past the checkout counter laden with candy, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. He looked at the case full of prepared meals, most of which required only a minute�s exposure to a microwave to turn into a perfectly hot, perfectly delicious dinner. Both Toshiro and Rika were very familiar with these meals�their low prices made them accessible and they were incredibly easy to prepare. Toshiro shamelessly picked up a bowl of yakisoba, figuring he could eat it later on. As he walked over towards the wall of drinks, though, he bumped into someone who was rapidly headed the other way.
�Excuse me,� he mumbled.
�Excuse me,� Miuna mumbled. �Oh! Toshiro! Hi!� she suddenly exclaimed.
�Hey,� Toshiro said glumly.
�How�s Reina doing?� Miuna asked.
�Not so good. I�m getting her something to eat.� Toshiro shook the yakisoba bowl.
�That�s very nice of you,� Miuna remarked. She looked off to her left and saw Takashi standing in an aisle, waiting for her to rejoin him. �Oh, I have to go now. I�ll see you later, okay?�
�O-okay,� Toshiro replied, nodding slightly.
�Bye,� Miuna said sheepishly, waving to Toshiro as she walked out of his sight. He watched her walk away and return to Takashi, smile up at him and take hold of his arm again. Takashi noticed Toshiro looking and grinned at him before he went up to the checkout counter with a stout square box of something that Toshiro couldn�t see the label for. He shrugged and fetched a cold Coke for Reina, waited until Takashi and Miuna were gone, and went to the register. The shopkeeper, a kind old man, gave Toshiro his standard big smile because he knew both of the Tajima kids well.
�Your total comes to�� he began, but he noticed Toshiro wasn�t looking at his register. Toshiro�s eyes were aimed solely at the street, where he watched Miuna and Takashi walk away until he couldn�t see them anymore. When they were gone, he sighed sadly. �You okay, Toshiro?�
�Not really.� Toshiro saw the total and took out his wallet. �I like that girl, you know?�
�Well, then, perhaps I shouldn�t tell you what they were purchasing,� the shopkeeper said with a shrug as Toshiro counted out his money.
�Knowledge is power,� Toshiro pointed out.
�Okay, I�ll tell you, but don�t shoot the messenger, okay?� the shopkeeper asked.
�I won�t.�
�The boy was buying a rather large box of condoms.�
At once, Toshiro felt angry, depressed, and worried. Angry because Takashi was a filthy pervert who didn�t deserve Miuna, depressed because he wasn�t in Takashi�s position, and worried because he had no idea how this would affect Reina. His face dropped.
�I knew that would make you sad. I�m sorry, pal,� the shopkeeper said as he bagged Toshiro�s purchases and gave them to him. �I know how it feels.�
�Thanks.� Toshiro took his bags with a small bow and quickly left the store, resisting the urge to scream out loud, cry, and then go punch Takashi in his smug little face. To alleviate some of his stress, he ran all the way home.
CONTINUE to Chapter 08: The Crash
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