Frenzy
Scraping wood. A small breath. Ryou hung on each of these minute sounds, the only stimulus his panicked mind could pick up under Kimiko’s orders. What did she want? More importantly - when did she want it? How would she want it?
His thoughts followed Kimiko’s every perceived move. He felt her warmth, the smile on her face etched into his mind. Her hands took his, guiding them to her lap, her right unusually clenched. Ryou scrunched his eyes. His experience with the cinema told him that something romantic would follow this, but all that came was an odd pressure on his hand and cheek. His eyes fluttered open for but a moment to see Kimiko’s face a mere heart-racing millimetre from his. They slammed shut until another, larger weight found its way into his hands.
Kimiko’s notepad. “Take this,” it began, as Ryou tried to juggle reading her words and examining the gift. A necklace, leather strap and silver charm, dangled between its fingers. It wore years of use, shimmering slightly less than brand new jewellery would.
"A-ah, I can’t accept this!" Ryou said, voice hitching in his throat, "It’s er, really personal and I’ve known you for, like… less than a day. This is something you give to a super close friend, or… um… Why are you giving this to me?"
Kimiko's finger found it's way to the boy's lips, placing it gently upon them to silence him for a moment. She shook her head a bit, her hair swaying with the motion, that same soft smile still on her face. She picked up her pen and began writing again. "I have my reasons, which someday you may find out. However, for now, just accept the gift and think what you will. I am sure they are along the same lines anyways." She slid off the desk then and winked at him, a sly smirk on her face. She stood just in front of him now, her posture straight, her eyes locked with his. She was curious what his next move would be now. She thought about how this could be some sort of challenge, smiling in the back of her mind at the thought of winning. What she just thought hit her then and she realized how horrible that was. Her smirk faded and she looked down towards the ground, slowly walking to her bed before sitting on it, her fists clenched. Even when she was happy she couldn't shake the grasp of her parents. Her thoughts were still not her own and she hated it. She hated how they controlled her, even when they weren't anywhere near her. Her fists began to shake as she clenched her fists tighter.
Kimiko tried to hold everything back. She tried to keep it all in. She tried using what they had taught her to do. She looked up at Ryou, tears forming before she closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to try and calm herself. She didn't want this night to end like this. Not in front of Ryou.
This was how exactly how it all began to fall apart the last time...














