AU

R&R

Final chap! yes finally.

Rain

6

Michiru Parallel

Michiru’s POV

Touring around was fun… That’s what it should be, but I never did felt happy at heart. During the tour, all I could think about was her. Her face, her hands, her eyes, her lips, the way she speaks, almost everything that revolves around her.

I’m being unfair about this. I’m being selfish.

My thoughts were disrupted as soon as arms encircled around my waist and a body pressed against my back. I looked to my side and he suddenly kissed me. I gently pushed his shoulders and stepped away from him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, worry all over his face. “You’ve been acting strange all day. Like you’re not even here.”

“Nothing. I’m sorry... I’m just tired.” I replied. I was still taking in the kiss he suddenly gave me. The kiss surprised me, but even if it did, somehow I thought I would feel something. The feeling most people get after receiving a kiss from someone. But I felt nothing…

“Don’t you love me?” he asked me.

“I do!”

“Then say it.”

“I do. But-” but what? What’s stopping me from saying it?

“I’m going to the bathroom.” He sounded disappointed, He was hurt. It was acceptable. I brought this upon myself and I’m hurting him even more…

This is my choice. I’m happy with it. I am.

I tried hard to convince my mind about this, but can I still keep on convincing my heart?

I heard my phone beeping. I grabbed my bag and searched for my clam shell phone. I looked inside and saw a text message from Sakura.

Haruka’s leaving! She’s leaving Japan tonight!! She’s firm with her decision!!

-Sakura-

Leaving Japan? No... No. This isn’t true. She can’t. I can’t. I don’t want her to. Haruka... I gripped my phone tighter.

“What’s troubling you?” I turned around and saw Take drying himself off with a towel. I walked towards him, showing the message I had received.

“Haruka’s leaving Japan!!” I said frantically. “I have to go!” I grabbed my bag on the floor and ran towards to the door. “I have to see her.”

“It’s raining hard outside. You can’t leave now.”

“If I wait for it to stop, I may not be able to catch her. I have to go right now or I may never see her again! I don't want to regret anything anymore!” I opened the door only to be stopped by the man behind me.

“Is she that important to you?’ he looked at me squarely in the eyes. He want answers. He wants to know. I want to know as well.

“What will you do when you get there? Tell her you love her as well? If you’re doing that because you don't want her to leave, then it will hurt her more! If you really want to go there, then break up with me!” I was frozen in silence. Never did Take raise his voice to me. This is the very first time I saw him this hurt, this vulnerable. “Look at me. Look at the person who’s in front of you, Michi. Don’t look at her.” He leaned down and tried to kiss me. I closed my eyes and moved my head away.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered. He pulled back and stepped away from me. I opened the door and finally left the room.

Sakura Parallel

Sakura’s POV

I was surprised to know what my father’s offer was. It was a deal for Haruka to race in another country. And the worst thing about it is that she’s leaving this evening! So this is what she meant when she said she was moving on.

“This is too soon Haruka!” I informed her “What about Michiru? What would she feel about this? Did you even think about that?”

“I always think about Michiru’s welfare. It’s time to think about mine, Sakura. I have to do this.”

“It’s because of what happened earlier, right? Then you really are a coward! You’re running away!”

“Call me a coward or whatever you want. But I’m not doing this because of that. I’m doing this because this is my dream. I wanted Michiru to know how I felt and to know her answer before I left. And I finally did. So now I have to pursue my dreams.”

“Argh! You’re so stubborn!”

“And you aren’t?” she cocked her eyebrow at me. She was right I’m being stubborn about this. About their situation. But I just can’t leave it like this. I just can’t.

“I’m going home now.” She said as she walked out of the office, heading for home.

I stood in the middle of my father’s office, feeling hopeless. I can’t convince her to stay. She’s determined to leave. Not me and not even Michiru can stop her. But texting Michiru is the right thing to do. I want them to at least see each other for one last time. I just hope she makes it. Please let her…

Chisato Parallel

Chisato’s POV

-7:00 pm-

I’m already feeling sleepy. So I decided to skip dinner and sleep instead. I was about to go to bed when my phone rang loudly echoing all over my apartment. I walked over to the phone and answered it in a grumpy voice.

“Hello?”

“Chisa-san.”

“Michiru? What’s wrong?” I asked when I heard her sobbing on the other line.

“Haruka’s leaving.”

“You knew?”

“Sakura texted me while I was having a trip with Take...”

“And?”

“It’s over. I hurt Take so bad. When I read Sakura’s message I couldn’t think properly. All I could think about was not being able to see Haruka again.”

“So what are you planning to do?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know anymore. But... I want to see her...”

“Then you’re already decided.”

“What?”

“Your heart is honest with you. You left Take and want to go to Haruka, right? Then I think you should go before it’s too late.”

“…”

“No more second thoughts, Michiru. Be honest with yourself.” I hung the phone up as soon as there are no sounds coming from the other line. Michiru... I pray and hope she’ll be true to herself.

Michiru’s POV

Chisato is right. I can’t lie to myself anymore. I can’t keep pretending who I like or who I love. It’s clear right now who I want. She’s been there forever. It just took me Sakura’s message to realize that I love her. The saying ‘you’ll never know how much you truly love the person until that person leaves…’ it’s true. I didn’t know how much I loved her until I realized I wouldn’t be able to see her again.

The one I love is right there all along. So close to me that my eyes couldn’t even see her. So now I'll close my eyes and let my heart see it for myself. It’s her. A clear image of her…

“Michiru.” Take walked out of the hotel and walked towards me. I ignored him and started running away. “Michiru!”

“I’m going to see her. Only now do I realize how much she means to me when I might lose her.” I told him honestly, my back still facing him. “I love that coward! I’m sorry for not noticing it sooner.” My heart already knew the answer, my mind just had to catch up..

“I came to see you, hoping I could still convince you of staying with me. That I could decide this one for you.” he said, looking at the stoned pavement. He then looked up and gave me his gentle smile “But your heart has finally decided for you. Go on.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry. I’m fine. Just think that you’re leaving a really nice guy and won’t ever be as happy with your decision as you are now. Now go before it’s too late.” I gave him a smile, a very grateful kind of smile. I ran onto the rainy street and towards the train station.

Take’s a really nice and really wonderful man. If my heart wasn’t taken by her, I would surely fall deeply in love with him. But she has been here for a long time. I was just afraid to accept that fact, so I ran away from her, from what I was feeling. I was worried of losing her, and I decided to be safe. In that way I wouldn't get hurt. I was afraid of getting my heart broken. I won't runaway anymore. I'm tired of being afraid. As long it's her, then I don't mind getting hurt. So please wait for me. Haruka...

Haruka Parallel

-Haruka's POV-

I finally arrived at the airport. Aside from the luggage I'm carrying, I have a nagging friend walking beside me. No matter what reasons I gave her, she won't stop pushing her own. I wonder if she really understood what happened earlier and what it means to me or another one of her ideas to satisfy herself from all of these. Either way it's kind of irritating. The only thing I want right now is her telling me that I'm making a wrong decision.

“So this really is it?!” she asked me, the tone in her voice clearly telling me that she's aggravated by what I'm doing “Can't it at least wait for tomorrow or at least wait for Michiru to come back from her trip!”

“You're not really dropping this topic off, aren't you?” I kept walking, hoping I could get away from her. Technically being a persistent and stubborn she was, she kept up with my pace

“I can go on and on with these if it would make you realize how wrong this decision of yours is!” I stopped and dropped my luggage on the floor. She bumped into me and I can hear her complaining. I turned my body around and saw her rubbing her nose. She paused and looked at me in disbelief.

“I love Michiru. I love her that's why I'm letting go of her. I can't hold onto someone who doesn't want to be hold onto. So please understand Sakura, I have to move on. I have to live my life. Start anew.” she walked closer and leaned onto my chest. I hear her sobbing and hands gripping my dress shirt. I placed my palm on top of her head and stroked her hair gently.

“You don't have to cry. It feels like I'm doing something bad to you.” I joked, letting out an uneasy laugh. “I'm fine, Sakura. I'm fine... besides, I don’t have anything here for me.”

She released her grip and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. Slowly, I cupped her cheeks with both of my hands and lift her head up. She looked up at me, her eyes still sparking with her tears, and gently, I placed a kiss on her forehead. “Thank you.”

She smiled then giggled afterwards. I pouted. “I know drama isn’t really my calling…”

“No, no. not that.. It’s just that you have dirt under your eyes.” She explained while still maintaining her giggling voice. I pouted once more. Somehow, I’m wondering where I got the dirt.

She lifted her hand and rubbed my face, just below my eyes, with her thumb. She giggled once more “Close your eyes Haruka so I can remove the dirt properly.”

And as told I closed my eyes.

The next thing I felt was the warmth of Sakura’s palms around my cheeks and the softness of her lips against mine.

I opened my eyes and saw Sakura smiling as compassionately as ever. “Wha-… I… Wha-…” I tried to speak up but I can’t seem to find my voice. I sweet taste of Sakura’s lips still lingers in my own.

She playfully tapped me on my shoulder “Now you have something here waiting for you. So come back, ne?”

Michiru Parallel

-Michiru's POV-

I finally arrived at the airport and ran as fast as I could inside. No more regrets. She’s there. The person I have loved all along is there and if I don’t make it in time I might lose her forever, and I can’t accept that. I’ve made a wrong decision for not noticing my feelings sooner and I don’t want that to happen anymore. I have to make this right.

Amidst the crowded area, her tousled sandy blonde hair, her charming smile and her piercing green eyes, stand out, gaining my full attention. A smile finally found its way out of my lips. I slowly took steps towards her. I stopped as soon as I found Sakura’s palms cupping her cheeks.

My heart suddenly skipped a beat when Sakura placed a kiss on Haruka’s lips. Why?

I felt tears forming around my eyes. I turned around and quickly hid behind one of the pillars. That wasn’t supposed to happen. I was supposed to be there. I was supposed to be the one. It was supposed to be me… supposed to be… me…

Then it hit me. I was late… I never made it…

My heart slowly started breaking apart. It hurts. The pain is unrelenting. There’s no greater pain than this when you know in your heart that it should have been you… it was supposed to be you… Just a mere second earlier; just a mere realization of these feelings any sooner; just a mere feet closer; then everything would be different. Just a mere ‘one more’ earlier, just one, would make a difference.

If I was courageous enough to admit this…

But even if…

I was too late…

It's amazing the things you realize when you lose someone: you get mad at yourself for not saying the things you could've a million times, you take for granted the days spent doing nothing when you could have been with them. Anyone can be taken, at any time in our lives, but we always wait until they're gone to say the things we never had the courage to before.

Then why? I kept asking myself this over and over again.

Why do we wait until it is too late? Why do we let someone else have what we were too scared to reach out and take?

I walked out of the airport and looked up at the sky, letting the rain wash over this emotion. Over the months, rain had been a witness to every beginnings and endings. Rain have watched every passing day I lived and loved. And once again, small droplets of water poured down unto me as I cried out the pain vastly engulfing my heart.

As this season ends, a new season will begin. No matter how sad the rainy season was, there will always be new sprouts in spring.

Spring…

Blooming of new and exciting chapter of your life

A sweet and yet heart-wrenching chapter we called

Love…

The end! Thanks for reading!

Not a happy ending right? lol

Everything will be explained in Spring... but not any time now. If you want the happy ending for this, just tell me.

and for those reading blue, terribly sorry. I promise to update this this week, since i've written half of it already. sorry again.