THE GAP BETWEEN US

5. YOU’RE LEAVING?

She went upstairs when her feet suddenly stops because she saw Ryota standing at the side of her room with his arms across his chest and seemed like waiting for her. Their eyes met and they stared at each other. He pulled himself away from the wall and stand tall, putting his hands in the pockets of his pajamas while his gaze is not leaving hers.

“I believe you have something to say to me,” he huskily told.

Veni gulped the lump in her throat as nervousness strike through her entire body. “I...um...I... I gotta get dressed first,” she stuttered.

She continued to walk going to her room when a vise of hand took her wrist that turned her over. Their eyes met again and then, she glanced down at his hand but he didn't let go of her and just gazed at her seriously.

“Tell me the real reason why you were sleeping in your elder brother's house. I want the answer now,” he demanded because of what happened earlier at the dining table.

While she exhaled and slowly, she released her wrist from his grip and faced him completely and bravely. "You were right that night when you asked me the first time. I was avoiding you. Why? Because I was embarrassed by you,” she straightforwardly responded.

“Embarrassed of me?" He turned his feet directly to her.

“Why wouldn't I be embarrassed? You rejected me for the second time around. What do you expect? That it'll be just nothing to me? I have feelings too, you know,” she told her heart out.

On the other hand, Jen and Oba-sama are both listening down the staircase while the two were talking. They looked at each other amusingly because they never thought that Veni would confess her love to Ryota and that there is tension between the two.

“Why do you have to lie to me about the term paper?" he asked more.

“I gave you that reason because I don't want you to think that I am avoiding you—"

He cut her off. "Which was true."

She became silent after he finished her sentence and then, she gave him a fierce look saying to herself that she can face him with full of confidence in her. "I'm sorry if I lied but I wouldn't apologize for avoiding you. I have feelings too and because you rejected me, I have all my rights to avoid you. That's my defense mechanism. And maybe...I'll just forget about you since you never appreciated all the things I did for you,” she confessed.

“What do you mean you did? That you following me wherever I go? Is that what you mean you did?" he countered, to be frank.

She gaped surprisingly at what he said. "You know what, you're such an asshole,” she frowned.

He clenched his jaw after hearing her, like he doesn't like what she said but then, he pressed his lips as he restrained himself. She anyways is just staring at him and waiting for his response.

“That's good then,” he replied.

She got surprised because she thought he would say something to make her stick around him but, it seems like he is happier without her around.

“You must find a guy that is much more suited to you and not me. You are still young. Don't just waste your time on me. You and I aren't meant to be,” he stated clearly.

Pain is all that she can describe to the feelings she has at the moment. It's not just rejection but a complete refusal. She smiled bitterly at him that he seems not to care as she noticed. “You don't like me? Fine! I'll find a man that is better than you! You're horrible! I hate you!" she burst madly.

And she runs inside her room, slamming the door angrily whilst, Jen and Oba-sama looked up to see Ryota's face which has an unexplainable reaction and then, he went inside his room too silently. Meanwhile, Jen and Oba-sama are standing at the bottom of the stairs facing each other.

“What we just witnessed up there was surprising. I didn't know that your daughter, Veni, likes my grandson, Ryota." Oba-sama gaped dumbfoundedly.

“I didn't know it, too, Oba-sama. I just know it now. That's why my daughter seemed like acting strange lately." Jen snickered at the thought she has in mind after discovering her daughter's secret. "My daughter is becoming a grown woman. What do you think, Oba-sama?"

“She is, Jen." Oba-sama smiled. "Do you think your Ojii-sama would be happy if I tell him about the two?"

“I don't know, Oba-sama." Jen shrugged off her shoulders. "How about you, Oba-sama, do you find them both suitable for each other?"

“Yes, " Oba-sama answered and also nodded. "Even Ryota is six years older than your daughter. Age is just a number anyway. I think they'll be a perfect couple. But..." She looked down as she thinks. "I don't think Ryota likes Veni." She looked up at Jen. "Didn't you hear what he said to her up there? He rejected her."

Jen chuckles. "Oba-sama, Ryota is just like my son, Yuki. He might say he doesn't like Kyoko right in front of Kyoko's face but every time he turned around, he found her beautiful and admitted to himself that he likes her very much. And don't you see his feet a while ago, Oba-sama?"

Oba-sama's eyebrows collided in confusion. "What about his feet?"

“I've read and based on psychology that when a guy speaks in front of the woman they like, they turned their feet directly to her and if they don't like, they turned away their feet. A while ago, Ryota turned his feet to face Veni so that means, he likes her too. I had noticed that too in my son every time he talks to Kyoko and my husband too, Jero. Ryota just doesn't want to admit it to her,” Jen told accordingly.

“So you're saying that Ryota likes Veni too?"

Jen nodded assumingly. "Yes, Oba-sama."

Afterward, everyone is eating again at the dining table.

“By the way, Ryota, when are you going to go back to New York?" Ojii-sama asked.

Ryota glanced at Ojii-sama. “By the end of October, Ojii-sama,” he answered politely.

“You're leaving?" Kyoko butted in.

Although, Veni got taken aback by the news she heard because her long-time crush will be leaving next week without her knowing. “Is that the reason why he said to me last night to look for someone else other than him? It's because he's going to go back to New York?" she said subconsciously.

“Yes. I already submitted my resignation letter to the hospital last week. And I have to go back there now because my stay here is done. My visa is going to be expired,” Ryota said with honesty.

“Why don't you stay here for good?" Kyoko queried.

“I can't. My life is in New York and not here,” he spoke broadly.

Secretly, Veni was saddened while eating.

Later then, Ryota went to work and his co-worker knew about him leaving the country so, they gave their farewell to him.

“Wait. If you're leaving then, what about the girl who is always chasing you? Did she know it already?" One guy asked.

“She knew it already and whatever she is going to do or say, I'm still going,” Ryota answered in a serious tone.

“Ooh." Co-workers gaped.

Eventually, Akari, Jen, and Oba-sama were in the kitchen baking a cake when Ryota walked in to get a glass of water to drink.

“Grandson, can you taste this for us? We want to know if this suits your taste too,” Oba-sama asked for a favor.

“No problem, Oba-sama." He approached Oba-sama and tasted the cake while the three are looking at him.

“So... what can you say?" Akari spoke at his left side.

He looked at her. "Not bad. It's not too sweet for a cake. I like it."

While Oba-sama elbowed Jen for her to look downward to see that the feet of Ryota are pointing towards Akari which confused them both. Akari smiled anyway at Ryota.

Night came, and Veni is still awake in her room looking at the ceiling and thinking.

“I want Kuya Ryota to stay here. How can I stop him from going back to New York? I cannot think of an idea to stop him. Wait. What if I seduce him? Will he bite it? Nah. I don't think so because he doesn't have any interest in me. But...what if he bites it? All I wanted is for him to stay here and I'll do everything to make him stay here. Even if my virginity is at stake here. I love him and I am willing to surrender myself to him,” she mumbled to herself.

Meanwhile, Ryota just came out to the bathroom when he and Veni saw each other who also came outside of her room wearing only a bathrobe. Their eyes met which stops them for a moment but then, he looked away and walk going to his room when she talks, stopping him before he could twist the doorknob.

“Can we talk for a moment?" she spoke nervously and pursed her lips.

He turned to look at her again in the eyes seriously. "Yeah, sure. What do you wanna talk about?"

“I...um...do you want to go inside your room instead?" She smiled awkwardly.

“Inside? No. If you have something to say, speak here then. I'm going to sleep after,” he refused without a hint of emotion.

Because of that, her heart beats faster and more loudly just thinking of what she will do to seduce him. Her actual plan is to talk to him inside of his room and she will strip there in front of him and from that, she will get near him while he is zoning and kiss him passionately but unfortunately, it's not going to happen according to her plan and that is because he is not what she thinks of him he is.

“If you have nothing to say, I'll sleep now. Good night,” he informed her and twisted the doorknob to go inside his room.

But before he could close the door, she got to his doorstep to stop him and they looked into each other's eyes earnestly.

“Wait,” she spoke fiercely but at the same time, nervously.

He sighed and gave her a sullen look. "What now?"

She didn't reply and she glanced at her back to make sure that there was no one watching them and when she ensured that they are the only two in the hallway, she looked at him again and bravely, she took off her bathrobe and she tiptoed to reach for his face. She kissed him on the lips with her eyes close while his eyes are wide open because of what she did when he heard something downstairs. Because of shock, he pulled her inside his room and closed the door bringing her back against it without breaking their kiss and letting the robe outside of his door. He pulled himself out of her but she won't let go of him and just continued kissing him so with all of his might, he pulled her hands away from him and that's the time they stop kissing.

He looked at her angrily while she has a pleading look. “Are you crazy?! Are you that desperate?" he murmured in a husky tone, scolding her then, he let go of her both wrists.

“Yes, I am desperate already. I love you and I am willing to give everything to you. Just love me back,” she admitted directly into his eyes.

And again, she reached for his face but he caught her both wrists again which stops her from what she is about to do.

“Enough!" he yelled madly.

Her eyes widened at his sudden outburst because it was the first time that he increased his tone toward her which she didn't expect. She now feels disappointed and shy, and embarrassed in front of him.

“Don't you really feel the same too?" she inquired huskily as her eyes became watery.

“I don't,” he responded looking at her eyes directly.

After a moment of silence, he let go of her both wrists and stood tall in front of her who was naked now but his eyes were fixed on her face.

“Can you elaborate to me what are you doing?" he asked with his knitted eyebrows.

“I was trying to seduce you but as I expected, it didn't work,” she frankly replied and looked away sadly.

“Aren't you tired of following and stalking me everywhere?" he questioned furthermore.

She turned to meet his eyes once again. "I'm tired, actually. But what can I do, my feelings are superior to my brain. I cannot help following and stalking you. It's like a routine to me, to be honest."

“Routine? That you are stalking me every single day?" he curiously queried.

“Yes, just like I said." She shrugged her shoulders.

“Then, why did you stop stalking me when you confessed your feelings to me?" he snapped.

She was surprised by his question but then, she pressed her lips together before answering. "You rejected me, remember? What do you want me to do? To keep following you even though you told me for the second time around that you don't like me and that you don't feel anything towards me? I have feelings too just like I—"

He cut her off. "Who says that I don't feel anything towards you?"

She was dumbfounded by what he said and just stared at him who is standing tall in front of him by mere centimeters. His eyes anyways didn't leave hers.

“What do you mean by that?" she asked confusingly.

“How old are you now?" he questioned out of the blue.

Her eyebrows collided. "20. Why do you keep on asking me that?"

“Then, you are of legal age already. Do you think you're a lady now?" He kept questioning her.

“Of course, I am—"

And with that, he lowered his head to meet her lips and kiss her to let his feelings be exposed for the second time.

To be continued...