Prologue
Tsukushi placed her hand on her lips to prevent Tsukasa from kissing her. She looked away and said, "Doumyoji, listen to what I have to say..." She took a deep breath and continued, "I have no confidence to live in the same world as you...no matter...no matter how much I love you."
He smiled on hearing the words "I love you" and replied, "Remember my words from before - that if you run, I'll chase; no matter where you are, be it in hell or the edge of the earth, I'll go and I'll find you." Tsukushi froze...
"Doumyoji..." she muttered quietly. Tsukasa took a step closer but stopped when he noticed her shoulders quivering. "Makino..." he called her gently. Tsukushi raised her hand to stop him from getting any closer to her. "Please...Doumyoji..." she pleaded, "Please...Please let me go..." Tsukasa clenched his fists at those words and glared at her small figure. "What do you mean!?!" he demanded, "Why do I have to let you go? Haven't I explained that there's nothing between Shigeru and me?!"
Tsukushi took a deep breath and fought back her tears before turning to face him squarely. A long silence followed as each stare at the other. Tsukasa could no longer contain his anger and lunged at her, gripping her shoulders tightly. "Why?!" he demanded more forcefully. The hurt in his eyes penetrated deeply.
Tsukushi looked away and placing her hands on his, she gently but determinedly pushed his hands away. "If your mom wants me away from you, she'll have her ways of getting that done," she said quietly, "Even if I stay and we start over again, she'll still have her means of putting a stop to it."
"Stay and we'll fight together," he replied, "I decide on my own happiness. Who cares about that old hag?!!" Tsukushi turned and looked him in the eye. "And then, what, Doumyoji?" she asked coldly, "And then, what? She'll not have me in her son's life and she'll make sure that I'm out. Don't you see? She has that power to harm the people I care about and love, including you."
"Makino..." Tsukasa's voice was desperate. "I want to go, Doumyoji..." Tsukushi's voice was cold and hard, "Staying will not change anything...I'm tired...I'm very tired." Silence fell again. "I get it...I get it..." Tsukasa replied finally as he made his way towards the door, "My love is not enough to make you want to stay and face the obstacles..." Stopping at her side, Tsukasa turned to glance at her. His eyes spoke of sadness and hurt. "I love you so much, Makino," he said quietly.
Tsukushi's heart pounded and she wants desperately to hold him. "I can't do that," she thought, "I'll bring him harm..." Getting no response from her, Tsukasa sighed and left. When the door closed behind him, Tsukasa dragged his feet down the stairs of her apartment and disappeared into the night.
Tsukushi's tears flowed freely as his footsteps draw away from her door. "I love you too, Doumyoji..." she muttered before slumping onto the floor and crying uncontrollably.
Tsukushi placed her hand on her lips to prevent Tsukasa from kissing her. She looked away and said, "Doumyoji, listen to what I have to say..." She took a deep breath and continued, "I have no confidence to live in the same world as you...no matter...no matter how much I love you."
He smiled on hearing the words "I love you" and replied, "Remember my words from before - that if you run, I'll chase; no matter where you are, be it in hell or the edge of the earth, I'll go and I'll find you." Tsukushi froze...
"Doumyoji..." she muttered quietly. Tsukasa took a step closer but stopped when he noticed her shoulders quivering. "Makino..." he called her gently. Tsukushi raised her hand to stop him from getting any closer to her. "Please...Doumyoji..." she pleaded, "Please...Please let me go..." Tsukasa clenched his fists at those words and glared at her small figure. "What do you mean!?!" he demanded, "Why do I have to let you go? Haven't I explained that there's nothing between Shigeru and me?!"
Tsukushi took a deep breath and fought back her tears before turning to face him squarely. A long silence followed as each stare at the other. Tsukasa could no longer contain his anger and lunged at her, gripping her shoulders tightly. "Why?!" he demanded more forcefully. The hurt in his eyes penetrated deeply.
Tsukushi looked away and placing her hands on his, she gently but determinedly pushed his hands away. "If your mom wants me away from you, she'll have her ways of getting that done," she said quietly, "Even if I stay and we start over again, she'll still have her means of putting a stop to it."
"Stay and we'll fight together," he replied, "I decide on my own happiness. Who cares about that old hag?!!" Tsukushi turned and looked him in the eye. "And then, what, Doumyoji?" she asked coldly, "And then, what? She'll not have me in her son's life and she'll make sure that I'm out. Don't you see? She has that power to harm the people I care about and love, including you."
"Makino..." Tsukasa's voice was desperate. "I want to go, Doumyoji..." Tsukushi's voice was cold and hard, "Staying will not change anything...I'm tired...I'm very tired." Silence fell again. "I get it...I get it..." Tsukasa replied finally as he made his way towards the door, "My love is not enough to make you want to stay and face the obstacles..." Stopping at her side, Tsukasa turned to glance at her. His eyes spoke of sadness and hurt. "I love you so much, Makino," he said quietly.
Tsukushi's heart pounded and she wants desperately to hold him. "I can't do that," she thought, "I'll bring him harm..." Getting no response from her, Tsukasa sighed and left. When the door closed behind him, Tsukasa dragged his feet down the stairs of her apartment and disappeared into the night.
Tsukushi's tears flowed freely as his footsteps draw away from her door. "I love you too, Doumyoji..." she muttered before slumping onto the floor and crying uncontrollably.