As soon as Kei leaves, I switched my phone on to see that Ryota had texted me to contact him if the coast was clear. Seeing him really sad back then really bothered me, so I really had to help him.

This has nothing to do with me loving him, but I really want to help a friend, especially when they're in this kind of state. It just crushes my soul to know that they've gone through something bad and maybe I could, you know, help them out however I can?

A few minutes after texting Ryota, he called me. "Hello? Yuiko?"

"Hey Ryota! Wanna talk about it now?"

I heard him sigh over the other end, "Yeah... I want you to hear me out. Is it too much to ask for?"

"No... I want to help you out if I can."

"Thanks..." he paused then slowly began to tell me everything, "In the afternoon, Koizumi invited me over to talk to her parents over tea about us having a future together and asking for their blessings if they'd approve of us. It wasn't easy though, because her parents were strict, especially her grandmother."

(...Flashback, Ryota's P.O.V. ...)

I was sitting in a Japanese formal style, wearing a classy traditional yukata, inside a very huge traditional room with eye-capturing sliding doors, and a very relaxing tatami floor. This simple, yet beautiful room was located in one of the many rooms of Hinako's (A/N: Koizumi's first name) great Japanese traditional mansion.

I already knew she was rich, but I didn't know she was this rich. This was my first time inside her home. The place, and even the atmosphere, made me realize how far apart we were on social standards. Maybe this is why their parents didn't want her to marry me. I thought I led a wealthy life too with successful parents... But I guess I'm still too far away from that compared to Hinako.

The clothes I am wearing right now aren't even mine. They were prepared for me by Hinako so I could present myself more elegantly to her family.

Her family consists of her grandmother, who is the head of the Koizumi household; her father, who is a famous pianist; her mother, who is a famous designer in traditional clothing; her elder sister, who is a successful nurse and is married to a half-Italian lawyer who currently works in Japan; her elder brother, who is in college studying media arts; and there's Hinako, studying music to become the world's most famous violinist.

Just how can I compete with this family? I mean, my family's not bad either! My dad's a successful architect; my mom's a well-known surgeon; I have an older brother who's already a chef now who's working in France; and I'm currently in my last year of high school, but I want to proceed to college and take up business.

My family isn't so bad. But somehow... Hinako's just seems so much more dazzling than mine.

I had a long conversation with Hinako's family. But it mostly felt like I was being interrogated the entire time. Hinako sat beside me throughout this entire demeanor, while her family sat in front of us. I felt very intimidated, especially when her grandmother is talking to me. She was a strict woman, like the rest of the family members were just in the palm of her hands. Hinako looks very formal and behaved herself, like she's scared to make her grandmother angry.

Time went by, the talk went on for hours. Until her grandmother finally said, "That's enough for today. It was nice meeting you Ooshiro-kun, but I don't think you are suited to marry my granddaughter. Hinako is much too valuable to be given to a little boy like you. True, you have the looks and the attitude. And even though Hinako isn't the next heir, I just think you don't have the talent to carry her well in today's society."

(...Back to Present...)

"It just hurts so much knowing that her grandmother sees me as talent-less and doesn't want to accept me and Hinako being together." he genuinely sounded so helpless, like Koizumi-senpai really meant a lot to him...

If only you had loved me, you wouldn't have felt this pain you know?

But I can't think like that. I have Kei right now, and I don't want to betray him. All I can do now, is shove some positiveness in Ryota and cheer him on. It still hurts a little bit knowing that my first love loves someone else so much that he'd get this depressed over it... But it can't be helped.

"Ryota... I'm sorry to hear that her grandmother had said all these mean things about you..."

"No, no... She wasn't being mean... She was telling the truth... I could feel that she really was reading me, inch by inch."

"I see... So? If she sees you as talent-less, then maybe you can prove it to her otherwise?"

"Prove her wrong? B-But how?"

"Well... What I have in mind is for you to work three times as hard as you did before and succeed in almost everything!"

"Are you telling me to be perfect?" he sounded doubtful.

"I'm not telling you to be perfect, but if Koizumi-senpai's grandma sees it that way, then you need to work your hardest. Maybe graduating as our batch's Valedictorian will be one step in proving to her grandma that you are really worth it after all~!"

"Yeah..." even though he was mumbling it, but I could tell he was really fired up, "I mean, I can't promise anything, but it's not impossible!"

"Right?!"

"I just have to do my best in everything that I do from now on! Thanks for the advice Yuiko! I really owe you one! I love you!" he yelled into the phone.

"H-Hey! You should be saying those things to Koizumi-senpai! Not me!" I whined over the phone, but if he saw me right now... I was blushing my cheeks off.

"But it's true. I do love you! I love you as my little sister! I just wish I could hug you right now, cause I'm super happy~!!!" he beamed through the other end of the line.

I just laughed at him, "Is that so, huh?"

"Yep~! ... WAAAHHHH!!!"

He suddenly screamed with another noise mixed in the commotion, and my soul nearly escaped it's vessel! "Ry-Ryota?! A-Are you alright?! What happened?!"

"Phew! That gave me a heart-attack! Stupid mutt scared the sh*t outta me! It just appeared from out of nowhere!" he said and laughed it off awkwardly.

"A dog? ... Where are you?!" I was getting worried again.

"At the park near my house, just sitting on a bench for the last few minutes of talking to you." he said nonchalantly.

"You mean... You were outside the entire time?! At this hour of the night?!" I yelled, I was getting worried for him. Just because of one reason that only me and my friends know about.

"Yeah? It's alright, I'm a guy! And besides, it isn't even that late yet."

"But still! You have to get home right now!"

"Geez Yuiko. I said I love you as a little sister, but that doesn't mean for you to act like my mom~."

"Yeah... But listen to me Ryota... I don't want anything bad happe-"

"Hey! My phone!!! Give it back thief!!!"

"Ryota? Ryota!" all I could do was scream at my phone.

"Wait a minute. Haha! It's you! Alright, alright... Give me back my pho-" Ryota didn't even finish his sentence, but the call was terminated. Ryota talked to the person who stole his phone so casually, but I couldn't help but feel like something was up.

I have to investigate!

_____________________

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