Chapter 10: Confession

                                    

                                          

[Third Person]
                          
Miko and Miki stood in the agreed spot as Ryo and Akira approached.
                          
"So? Spill." Miko stated.
                          
Ryo raises his eyebrows. "Coulda eased into it, with like, a conversation or something. Like, wow, I heard it was gonna rain tomorrow. How crazy is that?"
                          
"Probably not as crazy as what you're about to tell us."
                          
He sighed. "Alright, straight to the point then. Me and my parents are moving."
                          
Miki seemed unfazed. "Where to? Maybe we'll still go to the same school! Think we can get there by bike?"
                          
Ah. I left out the "America." Stupid.
                          
"No, I don't think you can get there by bike. Since it's across the ocean. I also don't think you'll be going to the same school as me."
                          
They both stared at him.
                          
"America. I'm moving to America."
                          
They both remained silent. Miko seemed as if she was trying to say something, but it just wouldn't come out.
                          
Finally, Miki said something. "..America?" She whispered. He'd never seen her so glum in his life. 
                          
Miko motioned to a bench. "Let's sit."
                          
When they all settled, Miko sighed and began talking as if Ryo hadn't said anything. "I remember when I first met you, Ryo."
                          
"Yeah?"
                          
"Yeah. I was playing all by myself in the playground, pretending I was doing some obstacle course. But when I was on the monkey bars, some older kid pushed me off and I face planted onto the wood chips." She let out a little laugh. "Pretty pathetic. I started crying, but before they could do anything else, I heard one of them scream. When I turned around, you were beating the shit out of them, even though they were twice your size! It was quite a scene. And because of that, I got to meet you and Miki and Akira, I found my love of running, and I've had the best years of my life. I've always looked up to you, Ryo. Ever since that day."
                          
She smiled fondly, recalling those sweet, childhood memories. 
                          
"I remember first meeting you too." Miki spoke, looking into the distance. "I had just eaten lunch, and decided to go outside and play. But before I started, I saw you in the street, picking up cans. I thought it was kinda funny, like you had some can obsession, so I found one and thought that maybe if I gave you a can, you'd become friends with me. When I found out you were collecting them for money to buy Akira that necklace, I was kind of jealous. But I also thought it was admirable. You'd been going out every day collecting cans instead of playing. And so I helped you, and we became friends."
                          
She leaned against Miko's shoulder, voice cracking a bit. "You were my first friend."
                          
Akira looked down and shuffled his feet a bit. "The day we met I remember like it was yesterday. I had just gotten out of the car from moving, and my legs were all wobbly from sitting down for so long. I ended up tripping, but you caught me." He bit his lip. "You were there for me before we had even became friends. And then you and Miki took me out shopping; with parent supervision, of course. I remember laying eyes on a certain necklace. It was beautiful. Then you guys bought it for me. I felt so happy, I remember tackling you both in a hug afterwards. And look," Akira reached down his shirt and pulled up the necklace. "Still close to my heart."
                          
Ryo was speechless. He expected them to be sad, of course, since they were all quite close. But he didn't think that he had impacted each of their lives so much. "Y-you guys.."