THE GAP BETWEEN US

2. STALKER

THIRD PERSON’S

It's early in the morning and you can honestly hear already a blower being used and see hair flying in the air because of it while on the other side, a masculine chest with six perfect abs was exposed while he is putting on a white polo shirt. Then in a full-size mirror, Ryota wears his scrub suit with his embroidered name on his right chest with the title of 'Medical Physicist' like he's a model on a billboard for a magazine because of how good his posture, body, and face features are. Whilst, Veni straightened her white medical uniform and placed her nameplate on her right pocket in the upper breast where her name was written with signage of 'Radiologic Technology'. She smiled in the mirror when she got satisfied with her light-make-up look. Anyways, the family Yamashita and family Francisco were all sitting at the dining table with Ojii-sama and Oba-sama in the middle as the head of the family. The family Yuki too came in and they joined in with their twins who are both admirable lying down in their parent's arms.

“Let's eat, shall we?" Ojii-sama said.

And all started to eat.

“Kyoko, are you not going to work?" Oba-sama asked.

Kyoko lifted her head. "No, Oba-sama, I am not. I've decided to submit my resignation today because I want to be a hands-on mother to my twins."

“You're going to resign? Why? You can give me my grandchildren, my daughter so, you can work,” Jen suggested.

Kyoko smiled. "I'm gonna decline, Mama Jen. As much as possible, I want to be at my children's side. I don't like them to experience what I've been through before."

“I see. I understand." Jen smiled in return.

“Can you look after your younger brother as well, Kyoko? I have to work for us to have a living,” Yuta mentioned.

“No worries, Dad." Kyoko nodded in response.

Then, the table became quiet when Ryota pushed his seat to stand up.

“I'm done. I'm going now. Thank you for the food,” Ryota told in deadpan.

Because of that, Veni fastened her eating then, she stood up quickly after her meal.

“I'm done too. I'll go now or I'll be late for my class,” she said, excusing herself.

“Be careful on your way, sweetheart,” Jen reminded her.

“What's your course again, by the way, Veni?" Ojii-sama asked.

“Radiologic Technology, Ojii-sama,” Veni answered with a smile.

“Oh. What's that?" he queried.

“It's a course about radiation. We are studying the different types of radiation and their uses in everyday life. I gotta go, Ojii-sama. Sorry. Bye!" she hastily told.

Hurriedly, Veni got out of the house only to find that the car of Ryota has gone already making her sigh in disappointment because she wanted to have a ride with him for today but too bad, she didn't make it.

Soon, she attended her classes while Ryota is working in a Radiation Oncology Department where his profession is needed. He encountered so many patients today and that includes women that are younger and older than him and he got to see some of their body parts because it is part of the procedure but, he doesn't give malicious act on it because for him he is just doing his job as a medical physicist. Purely a professional act and no other meaning.

Days passed by and every after her classes, she always goes to his work and stare at him from afar, admiring him that whenever a girl will talk to him she will call him and ask him who is the woman with jealousy that irritates him but, he answered it anyway for her to shut up and stop messing with him.

The moon appeared in the sky when class of Veni finished and because of that, she was so tired of going home when she came face to face with Ryota on the staircase. She smiled happily just seeing him and his presence was enough to make her day.

“Hey,” she said softly.

He lifted his head towards her with no emotion. “Hey,” he responded dully.

But he didn't stop and just continued walking down the stairs while she became a statue in her position waiting for him to notice her and until they came across each other he didn't say anything so, she turned around to call him again.

“What time did you get out from your work today? I didn't get to visit you today because I had an evening class,” she explained even though he is not asking.

He, then, twisted to look at her. “6 pm. Why?" he answered huskily.

“I see. Tomorrow, same time?" She smiled.

“Yes. Why? You're going to stalk me again?" he seriously mentioned and rose his eyebrows at her.

Her smile was gone just because of that statement. "No, I di—"

He anyway cut her off. "I told you before to stop stalking me, didn't I?" he rudely said.

Veni opened her mouth to talk but then, she closed it because whatever she is going to say he will counter it, she thought. She wanted to stop stalking him too but her heart doesn't want her to. She listens more to her heart than to her brain whose yelling at her to go away from him but, she couldn't help it.

“Don't show up to my work. You'll just bother me,” he coldly told and he walked away.

While she frowned because he thinks that she will just bother him which is true, she thought. She won't deny that fact because whenever she follows him she always asks whom he is working with that bothers him. Whilst for Ryota, he found her annoying somehow because she always shows up at his work every single day but he cannot explain why he became worried whenever he didn't see her lingering around. And although he doesn't ask her, she already explains herself to him which makes his question answered, and don't worry at all.

The next day, Veni pushed the doorbell to the house of Yuki and Kyoko, and the door was opened by Kyoko who is carrying baby Sakura in her arms when they both heard a cry from baby Yuma and baby Kino. Veni runs inside and saw baby Kino in his playground crying so, she got inside and carried him which stops him from weeping.

“You're a good boy, right? Stop crying already. You want your eyes to get red and big?" Veni asked and baby Kino shook his head. "You don't want? Then, stop crying. Why are you crying anyways? Did you get hurt anywhere? Tell me, is something hurt to your body?"

And so, she checked baby Kino's body if there is something that might be hurting him but she saw nothing. Meanwhile, Kyoko smiled looking at her sister-in-law who is a big help to her because whenever Veni has time, she goes to their house and plays with her babies and baby Kino too while Yuki, her husband is working for them.

“You have nothing to do today, Veni? It's okay if you have something to do,” Kyoko told.

Veni glanced at her. "None, Ate Kyoko. Today is Sunday and I had finished all of my homework already so, I have nothing to do."

“Okay. Thank you for coming here every day." Kyoko smiled while lullaby-ing her baby.

Veni turned her head at her sister-in-law and grinned. "Don't mention it, Ate Kyoko. I love playing with my niece and nephew, and baby Kino."

“And they are having fun playing with you too. Most of all baby Kino. She loves you,” Kyoko commented.

Veni laughed. "Well, he loves me because we're playmates. By the way, Ate Kyoko, can I ask you a question?" she called out.

“You just did,” Kyoko humorously responded.

Veni laughed. "Let's rephrase it. Let me ask you a question."

Kyoko chuckles. "Yeah? What is it?"

“Did Kuya Ryota have a girlfriend before? Or, does he have now?"

“Yes, he had and I don't think he has a girlfriend now. Why are you asking?"

“Nothing." Veni shook her head in response.

Kyoko grinned. "I know you like him, Veni. I can see it in your eyes. You know, you can tell if a girl is in love by how beautiful they smile. While you can tell if a guy is in love by seeing their eyes shining and staring at the girl they love."

Veni smiled awkwardly and shyly. "Am I that obvious?"

“Yes, you are." Kyoko smiled. "And my elder brother knows it already."

“He sure does. I stalk him almost every day." Veni grinned.

“Oh. Really?" Kyoko laughed. "Like seriously?"

“Yeah." Veni scratched the back of her head embarrassingly. "And he always shoos me away. He even told me to stop stalking him but, I just couldn't. It's like a hobby for me. I cannot stop stalking him ever since I met him,” she admitted.

Kyoko smiled teasingly. "That must be love and not admiration anymore."

Veni stopped moving and looked at her sister-in-law seriously. "You think so? He always comes across my mind and I am always curious about what he is doing, and whenever I didn't get to see him in one day makes me go crazy. I swear, it drives me nuts."

“You should tell him that."

“Tell him what?"

“That you love him. So, he would know."

“Nah. I don't think he will acknowledge me. All he thinks of me is just a kid and not a full-grown lady or woman,” Veni pouted.

“Try it and see how he will react to it. You'll never know what's gonna happen unless you try it,” Kyoko advised.

Because of what Kyoko said, it makes Veni thinks of confessing her love to Ryota.

To be continued...