Crossing Boundaries and Lines to Who knows Where

Getting off the subway, the air felt nice today. It's to be imagined when you ride the train for hours on end that any sign of freshness feels good. I wonder what Shin is up to? No, there's other things to do here. First things first.

RING

RING

RI-

"Hello, what do you want?"

"Just to talk, is Shin with you?"

"No, he's not."

"And you are?"

"Why doe-you know what? I'm done. With your little rabbit chase, and what you did to him. Even if he won't admit it, tell me right now, you got him fired from the university, didn't you?"

No point in lying to him now. "Yes, Ridge. I did. There's a reason behind it, one that you and him could only understand later."

"Is that supposed to be a satisfactory answer?"

"Hmph, you're a good friend. I was right to place my trust in you. He was going to get fired anyways by him. Seriously, where is he? All three of us need to talk."

"..."

"Hello?"

"I'm here. Why should I believe that? And if what you say is true, you need to tell him that yourself. I hope you didn't expect me to tell him, did you?"

It was the plan, yes. But after how Ritsika and my family has done me and perpetually leaving me in the dark, it's at least owed to him. "Because I'm telling the truth, Ridge. And I love him, for reasons out of my control. It's why you still hang around him too, don't you?"

"Hmph."

"But above all, I really do need your help. We're going to have to redirect a little bit. Let's meet, you and I. We can figure all the other details later, okay?"

She sounds sincere enough. I can see why that idiot is in love with her too. Two idiots in a pod, eh? "I'm in the Sukiyacho area or something like that. I feel like a total tourist."

"Hm-hm, it's because you are. Stay there, I'll be right over."

***

Upon further review, I really don't know why I invited her.

She's still sitting entirely too close to me. I swear she doesn't know any personal space. But there's a lot of things I want to know.

"I'm surprised you invited me to come with you. I didn't think you wanted anything to do with me. You didn't even send a message."

"I didn't. I'm sorry." Am I? Hm. I don't know what made me want to go all the way to Sendai, but I remember that Rin had mentioned that one of the plants, or ports, whatever you call them, was located here. Nagoya, Kochi, Sendai and the main office in Tokyo. Til the end, she crosses my mind. Where does she get off telling me that she loves me?  We've only known each other for a month or so, 33 days to be exact. How could you-

"Helloo?"

"I'm sorry, what'd you say?"

"I said where are we going."

"Sendai. Didn't I tell you before?"

"No, you just asked me how much I know about Sendai and I said not much outside of the fact that my father has or had business there."

That's right! "Your dad, Yamamoto-sama, he was or well, he does business with Rin's dad, no?"

"Did. Not anymore. I don't like to get involved with that stuff or even talk about it. If that's the only reason you invited me-"

"N-n-no, it has nothing do with that," I wave my hands but actually, it had everything to with that. I don't know why, but Rin has spun me in her web of lies that all of sudden, are starting to become truer by the day. If it was her who ignited me on this path, it's my own curiosity that's keeping me going. Does Shindo-san really believe we can live in a world like that? Let alone, believe that he can make it possible? Maybe I met her for reasons that I can't imagine.

"It's because, well," Don't lie, Shin! "I wanted to know more about you."

"That doesn't sound true. Why didn't you call me?"

"The phone and communication works both ways, you know? I would've answered you."

I love riding the train. Looking at the views, empty fields, kids playing and people passing by. I'm an adventurer. I came looking for a Yuzu and found much more than I expected. 

"That's not the point." She pouted. Aren't we the same age?

"What, is the guy supposed to always message first?"

"Yes. Or no, but it usually works that way. Hm-hm." She has a cute laugh. I'm really surprised she doesn't know. 

"Well, I'm not like every guy-"

"Here we go."

"What?!"

"It's just that every guy says that. And it's usually after they prove that they indeed are like every guy. Hm-hm. Not calling after sex is just like every guy. FYI."

"..."

"What? No response?"

She has a point there. "No, you have a point. There was a reason for that though..."

"Was it because of Rin?"

"Uh-well..."

"I knew it." She slouched a bit lower in her chair.

NEXT STOP: TOKYO STATION

It was noticeable, the relationship they had, between Ritsika and her sister Rin, who in a lot of ways I can't say I know exactly how I feel about her. They really are alike. The straightforwardness isn't something I expected, I'll be honest. Ritsika seems a bit more sensitive. 

"What is it that you like about her?" She asked me.

"Her adventuredness, -"

"That's a word? Hm-hm." 

"Can I at least finish, jeez." I smiled too. For some reason, it's always lighter with Ritsika. No dense feelings that mix up the clouds. "Well, her adventurous spirit, better?"

"Yup."

This girl. "Her straightforwardness, her mind, like the way she thinks and solves problems, there's a smile she always wears-"

"I know which one you're talking about. It looks so devilish."

"I was going to say mischievous, but close enough, ha. But above all, I guess it's her drive and curiosity to go beyond the surface. It makes you want to do more with your life."

"Unfortunately, I know what you mean." She muttered.

"But what do you mean by that?"

"It's a long story."

"The train ride is about 8 hours. We have time."

"8 hours? You didn't tell me that. Let's get off at Tokyo Station."

But I already paid for a trip? Huhhhhhh. "But I already paid the fare."

"I'll give you back the money for the fare and pay for the hotel. How does that sound?

***

Rich people, eh? Don't even think twice about the money they spend. The opulence, the lifestyle, I want it. Or at least I used to want to. Become a famous traveler around the world renowned for his knowledge of fruit. Truthfully, I've already done so much and the reason this thing bothers me so much, with Shindo, Rin's father (?), is really, yeah. If they're advancing on the idea of creating life stimulants to impart into people, with fruit, essentially with sentiments that would rob us of being human is...I would have to stop it. Even if it meant I had to destroy a fruit tree myself. 

"Where are we going? This isn't the way to Sendai."

"It's just a rest stop. We're going to stop here for the night and we can continue for the rest of the way tomorrow."

It's busy, or well I thought it'd be more busy. It's one of the last trains of the night and the straggling passengers are starting to unload like cargo from a boat dock. Poetic, eh. But who says she can make rules and change what I was trying to do? Why do I always go along like this?

"Why?"

She turned around. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I guess it doesn't make sense why you'd just up and stop the trip. It would've only been a few more hours."

"The same reason why you invited me."

"Which was?"

"Exactly! Why did you invite me when it's clearly Rin that you want to accompany you."

"No. That's not true. We're not really speaking for the moment."

Her face lit up, just a little bit. So predictable she is. "Oh." she says. Just OH!

"So why did you invite me?" She stepped towards me a little closer, her shoulder rubbing against mine. There's a lot of people around. Don't get the wrong idea. It's one of the busiest train stations in the world. People on their cellphones, walking diagonally, forward, straight-

"I thought it was because maybe you were interested in me too. And you had fun the last time we met."

Oh yeah. Ha. Maybe I shouldn't have invited her. Turning towards her, I did something I never usually do. Grabbing her shoulders, I stopped her in the crowd of people. "Look, I'll be honest. I think there's a lot more to your family that is just...how do I explain this-"

"What do you mean?" She asked, gazing.

"I think your si-or well, I think, hold on, ha, can't get my thoughts together."

"Spit it out." She immediately waved her hands. "I'm sorry that sounded so rude! It's just I feel like I know what you're about to say."

"What is that?"

"You need my help with Rin, don't you?"

Ha-ha, yes, I do. I'm falling in love, and I can't help it. 

***