296 Chapter two, 2017, schism: 8 (1/2)
Noriko walked a few steps ahead of Urufu and Yukio. In the middle, torn between love and friendship, Kyoko hung as if she was strung up on a rubber band running from the boys to Noriko.
'If it had been Kuri you wouldn't have a problem,' Noriko thought. Then she regretted it. That bitterness was unbecoming, and Kyoko had done nothing to deserve it. Noriko silently apologised to her friend in her mind.
'What happened?' Noriko listened to the boys bantering behind her, or rather the man and the boy. 'In one year I made the best friends of my life, but it feels like we're breaking apart.' The question remained. 'What happened?'
”Noriko, wait for me!”
'So you finally solved that puzzle.' ”Oh, sorry,” Noriko said. She wasn't, and she wasn't above teasing Kyoko a little. However, she did wait. When her world broke down both Kyoko and Kuri were there caring for her. Kyoko still was.
When Kyoko caught up to her Noriko had slowed down enough for the boys to overtake them.
”How are you?”
”Huh?”
”I don't see you smiling much.”
Maybe that was true. Thinking of Nao hurt, and not thinking of him at all was impossible. Noriko clenched her fists and nodded. ”Haven't seen much to make me smile.”
”Oh come on!”
Noriko felt a hand grabbing her blazer and turned. Staring at Kyoko's cardigan she couldn't but help look at the bust filling it out. 'Maybe if I had more of those Nao wouldn't…'
”They hurt, and they're not the reason Yukio wants me.” Then Kyoko's face flared red. ”Not the only reason. I mean… oh shut it!”
'Oh! I forgot.' ”You and Yukio. At that resort.”
”Yes, and we told you already.”
”He saw you?”
Noriko received a glare in return. It would have been scarier if Kyoko's face hadn't been beet red.
”Of course he did!”
And impossibly enough Kyoko's face reddened even more.
”Hey, girls, what are you...”
”Don't look!”
”Don't look!”
Noriko glanced at Kyoko who had shouted the same demand as her, and they laughed together.
”Why can't...”
”Yukio, straight forward.” Urufu's voice. ”No looking. You heard them.” This time it came out strangely muted.
Noriko swore she could hear Urufu stifling a laughter, and the only reason she didn't see his shoulders shaking must be that oversized blazer of his.
He goes on about how lightweight he is, but here he's solid. Noriko caught herself staring at Urufu's back. 'I watched it when he saved me.' And with that thought came the memories of the assault and her crush on the troublesome foreigner with the funny hairdo.
They closed in on the Haven, and Noriko spent some time walking down memory lane. How she had fallen in love once again with the boy who saved her; this time not even knowing it was the same guy, and how she eventually had to give him up, because there was nothing coming between the fiery love burning between him and Kuri.
An arm hugged her closer and Noriko knew Kyoko understood what was going on in her head. 'Thank you. Kuri might be your best friend, but you're my best friend.'
As they drew closer to the entrance Noriko's memories chaotically surged around in her head. Nao chasing her, and her rejections of him. 'Should I have kept rejecting him. I wouldn't hurt like this if I had.' But she wouldn't have experienced that love neither.
'I promised myself I'd never regret what I did.'
With some of her self confidence restored she raised her head, tears be damned, and smiled. Her cheeks were a little salty when she licked her lips.
”Noriko, how are you?”
Noriko grinned. ”Fine.” And strangely enough she was. Remembering how much she had been in love with someone else than Nao made her feel fine. In a way it was like cheating a little on Nao, two timing him in her head if nothing else. 'Thank you for being there Urufu.'