[Chapter 3] - The price to pay

[Chapter 3] - The price to pay

"Tell me, why am I here with you again?" Risa asked dejectedly as she sat beside Eri behind her allocated desk in the classroom.

"It's to pay back for the favour that I had helped you, Risa." Eri answered with her attention fully focused on the teacher in front.

"It's only to deceive Ume-san that you have not seen me, and that's all! Why am I dragged to have lessons with you, Eri? I hate sitting in classes, you know that. I would rather go out there for a run, swim or even singing, and not lessons." Risa argued back, pouting slightly at her best friend.

"That's the reason why I asked you to be here. . . It's to TORTURE you." Eri replied jokingly.

Risa rolled her eyes  at the answer Eri gave her. "You love me too much that you won't bear to torture me ne, Meme-chan." Risa joked, sending shivering sensation down Eri's spine.

"Stop being disgusting, Risa. If you continue doing that, I bet you are going to stay single for the rest of your life." Eri insulted, scooting slightly further away from Risa.

"The two of you over there, if both of you are not interested in the lesson, please get out. If not quiet down and listen carefully." The teacher directed the whole class attention to the two of them and scolded them.

Eri bowed her head to show her apology while Risa remained as who and what she was. When the teacher had direct her attention to the projector screen, Risa leaned towards Eri and asked, "Why are you learning sign language?"

"Is there a rule that says 'Kamei Eri is not allowed to learn sign language' going around?"  Eri replied cynically.

"Yes." Risa answered the one that Eri did not expect. "You never showed any interest in sign language before. So why the sudden interest?" Risa asked once again.

"Work requirements." Eri answered curtly as she was trying to pay attention to what the teacher was teaching.

"Work requirements?" Risa repeated, being not satisfied with the answer Eri had just given. "If it's work requirement, they would have place sign language as one of the core modules in Psychology major." Risa reasoned.

"You know what, Risa? You should really shut up before I decide to call Ume-san here to drag you back to Kyoto. Since I've said that it's work requirements, it means that it's confidential, Baka." Eri insulted, successfully shut Risa up.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Your phone is ringing, Meme-chan." Risa stated as she walked beside Eri down the neon illuminated night street of Tokyo. She stuck both her hands in her pocket as she walked, waiting for Eri to answer her call. She turned her attention around, glancing at the sign boards that we hung outside the shops. They had just finished their 3rd lesson of beginner sign language lesson and were looking for a good restaurant to settle their dinner before heading home.

"Hello?" Eri answered her phone after a few moments of frantic rummaging of her bag. "Ume-san? Hai! You're looking for me?" Eri spoke out, looking at Risa with her eyes bulging out. Risa stopped at her steps when she heard that it was Ume who had just called Eri. She turned around to her surrounding, checking to see if there any 'suspicious' personnel she should avoid before looking back at Eri.

"Eri-chan? I somehow managed to convince Retora-san about Risa's disappearance. He mentioned that he will give Risa a year time to do the things she wants to do. A year later, she has to come back." Ume sounded from the other end of the receiver.

"Really?" Eri, still focusing on Risa at the moment, responded with joy.

"Yeah. Can you help me inform Risa as well? If you get to see her I mean. Meanwhile I will try to contact her as well." Ume reconfirmed, obviously had knew that Risa was with Eri and had saw her at the foot of the building that day.

'Sheez. He knew . . . ' Eri thought with Risa trying to climb on her, attempting to eavesdrop the conversation. Eri brushed Risa off her and replied, "I will tell her so . . . If I get to see her. Thank you Ume-san! Have a nice evening." With that, Eri hung up the call.

"What did Ume-san say? Did he knew that I am with you? Is he near? Should I hide?" Risa bombarded frantically once Eri had peeled off the phone from her ears.

Eri said nothing. She shone her best smile to Risa.

"What's behind that smile?" Risa asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at Eri.

"You owe me one big thing. Ume-san as well." With that, Eri continued walking down the streets, with Risa chasing after behind her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ai sat on her bed, with covers over her legs and eyes on the book she was holding on. On the bind of the book, it was engraved with gold lining, 'Anatomy of Neurology'.  That was what she was doing until she heard the vibration of her phone at the bedside table. She placed the book on her lap and picked up her mobile phone.

{I will see you tomorrow at the Mind's Café at 12 - - Kamei Eri }

'12 at Mind's? Not her office?' Ai thought for a while, before sending in her reply and placed her phone back to its original position. She picked up her book once again and immersed herself into the world of medical knowledge.

Once again, her reading was disturbed by another message sent to her phone. 'Who is it this time round?' Ai thought as she picked up her phone.

{Ai-chan! Are you working now? I'm having my semester break this week and I'm thinking about having lunch with you tomorrow! Are you free? We definitely have lots to catch up this time round. - -Asami}

'Asami-chan?' Ai thought for a few moment, before typing {I would like to, but I'm having a lunch consultation tomorrow at Mind's. After 1, is it okay with you? - Ai}

Almost right away, Ai had received her replied. {No problem! See ya tomorrow Ai! - Asami}

Ai smiled slightly at the message and returned reading her book until her bedtime at 10 pm.

"Ai-chan, call Mama" The lady in front of little Ai hoaxed, hoping Ai would make some sound out of her mouth.

Ai opened her mouth, but no voice came out. Sadness immediately dawned over the lady's face. Ai noticed it and brought the same sadness to herself.

"It's alright, Ai-chan. You can do it the next time." The lady encouraged as she ruffled Ai's hair, pulling the cover up to her shoulder, and kissed Ai at the forehead. "Good night, Ai-chan. . ."

"She's not a mute! She's just a special child. A special child that needs special attention. The doctor had said that her vocal cord is not damaged. There's no chance that she would be a mute. She's going learn how to talk bit by bits. She needs time. She needs us. Maybe we can move to a new environment." Little Ai stirred a little, opened her small eyes, revealing her beautiful orbs. The loud conversation in her parent's room had awaken her.

Don't go . . . Don't leave me alone . . .

Ai bolted up from her sleeping position, panting heavily to get enough air into her system. The dream she was having was suffocating her, draining oxygen away from her body each night. 'No, this is not a dream. This is a reality, a reality that I'm running away all these while.

Ai removed the covers from her body and got down on the ground. 'Another start, another day. . . What am I living for?'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Eri sat at the seat next to the full length window, watching people walking past and by her outside the window. It was a table of 4 people. She glanced at the watch for the third time. '1150 AM Just nice, it's gonna be a bad impression for people if I'm late for consultations.' Eri thought. She directed her attention to the main entrance of the café and saw Ai standing there with a thick book in her arm, looking troubled.

"A table for how many, Madam?" The waitress at the desk asked.

Ai looked down and licked her lips nervously. 'I need a paper. . . '

"She's with me." A third voice interrupted the one sided conversation that had been going on. Ai looked up and saw Eri walking towards them.

"I see. Sorry." The waitress apologised before walking in front of Eri, bring the two back to the seat that Eri had previously sat on.

"Thanks." Eri said politely while Ai bowed her head nervously. Ai placed down the book that she was holding on the adjacent table. Eri eyed at the title of the book. 'Medical book. She's interested?'

(Thank you) Ai signed. 'Oh I forgot, she does not understand sign language.'

"You are welcomed, Ai-san. It's always my pleasure to help you." Eri responded, as Ai looked surprisingly at Eri.

(You understood what I was signing?) 'I need to double check'

"Yes. I've taken some lessons and self study. I can pretty much understand a little bit of sign language. But I need more practice. If I don't get it right, please correct me, Ai-san" Eri replied as she took out the papers she prepared and placed it before Ai. "In case." Eri finished with a smile.

Ai smiled back at Eri, giving her the affirmations that she knew what Eri was talking about. (You're early. I thought I was being early, but you're earlier than me.) Ai signed as she glimpsed at the watch on her right wrist

"You are early too. It's just my habit to be early. And, I can't be late." Eri smiled as she explained with implied meanings in her answer.

Ai just nodded her head. (What do you want to know this session?)

"Don't treat this as a consultation session. Treat this like a normal lunch with a friend. I just want you to be comfortable, that's why I chose to meet outside office this week. This helps to relieve mood. And I think, we can be good friends." Eri suggested, remembering the very first lesson she had learnt. If you want to truly help someone, get to know them before even trying to tackle the problem because it was humans that a psychologist is facing. Make them to be comfortable with you, before thinking about going deeper into their mind. "What would you like to have for lunch?" Eri asked as she placed the menu before Ai.

Ai picked up the menu and glanced at it for a long while. (I'll have Katsudon.) With that, Ai placed the menu back to its original position and stared at the plate in front of her.

"Why are you staring at the plate? Are you nervous?" Eri asked after she finished ordering the food.

(A little. I seldom eat out. So . . .)

Eri nodded her head. "You should try to relax a bit." 'She seemed to be quite conscious about her surroundings.'

(I'll try.)

"So, how was your month? Have you got another job yet?" Eri tried to start a conversation, hoping that it would help to reduce the nervousness Ai was feeling.

(Not yet. I'm still looking around. But I do have an interview later in the afternoon.) Ai replied.

"Do you need some help in it? I may not know a lot of people in Tokyo, but I believe Nakazawa-san do. I believe that she would be more than willing to help." Eri suggested.

Ai shook her head immediately to show her objection against the idea. (No, don't tell Yuko-san. I don't want her to be worried for me. Please.)

Eri was slightly shock with the sudden agitation of Ai. She nodded her head slightly. "If that's what you want, I won't tell Nakazawa-san."

(Thank you.) Ai breath out a deep breath of relief. (I don't want her to be worried for me again.) Ai explained.

"You have good relationship with Nakazawa-san?"

(She's been with me since I was 4. She emphasized too much. That I think it's not good for her. She's taking too much of me into her life. I don't want to be a burden to someone else life anymore.)

'This is the first time she mentioned about her childhood life. I guess Nakazawa-san really affected her life a lot.' Eri thought deep in herself as she continued watching Ai signing. "Do you -" Before Eri could voiced out her concern about Ai thinking herself as a burden to others, a knock on the glass window interrupted her.

Both of them turned around to face the glass window and found no one standing out there. There was only endless of people walking past it. No one stood still.

(I guess it's just someone who had accidentally knocked against the window.) Ai proposed. 

"I guessed so too." Eri agreed. "As I was saying, do you -"

"Meme-chan!" The very familiar voice to the both of them sounded throughout the café. Eri looked up to the entrance and saw Risa, strolling towards the table. "You are such a meanie. When I asked you for lunch this afternoon after my auditions, you said that you have to work during lunch today. And there you are now, having lunch with someone else." Risa commented comically, stopping right beside Eri, with her back facing Ai.

"Shut up, Risa. Everyone's looking! Stop being an embarrassment!" Eri scolded, realising that the patrons' attention were all on their table, which was part of the reason for Ai's slight anxiety. The other part of Ai's anxiety was due to Risa herself.

"Can I join in?" Risa asked, turning to Ai who was seated directly opposite Eri. "Oh, it's you." Risa was shocked.

"I'm working, Risa!" Eri grounded out before Risa asked her second question. "You know each other?" Eri voiced out to the both of them.

Risa pulled out the chair beside Eri and sat on it. That earned Risa a dreadful stare from Eri. "I'm working . . ." Eri whined this time round.

Ai flipped her hand in front of Eri to get her attention. (Eri-san, I think it's alright. It's about time now as well. I think I will make my leave now. I will see you next month.)

"No wait!" Eri shout out as Ai prepared to leave. Risa grabbed Ai's hand, which was flat facing down on the table. "Am I interrupting anything? If I am, I'm sorry." Risa made out. "I'm sorry for the previous time as well. I didn't mean to do that, so, it's really an emergency. You can ask Eri about it. Anyway, I think I should leave now. See you tonight, Eri." Risa stood up from her seat.

"Ai-chan!"

Ai turned around towards the source of call while Eri and Risa looked up.

(Asami? You're early.)

Ami froze at her spot when she realised Ai was with others. She too had noticed the awkward atmosphere at the table.  "Hi. . . " Asami managed to choke out of her throat awkwardly.

(Why are you so early?) Ai asked. Risa watched Ai's action. She should had understood if she had paid attention during the classes she went to with Eri.

'So that's why Eri had decided to take sign language lesson.' Risa thought as she glanced at Ai empathically.

"I'm not early. I'm just on time. It's already 1, Ai." Ami replied before turning to Eri and Risa to introduce her own self. " Hi, my name is Konno Asami, Ai-chan's friend since elementary school up."

"I'm Kamei Eri over here."

"I'm Niigaki Risa."

(Shall we leave, Asami?) Ai asked, feeling a little uncomfortable with Risa around. She's always uncomfortable with strangers around. Eri was a different case as she knew that Eri's her psychologist. The weird first encounter with Risa had just intensified the uneasiness Ai felt around Risa.

"To where? You have not finish your food. We might as well have our lunch here. It's not like any day where I can meet your friends, Ai. " Asami replied as she took the seat beside Ai. Then, she saw her book lying on the table. "I knew that you are going to bring this to return it back to me."

(I just finished reading it yesterday) Ai smiled slightly.

"I got more for you." Asami replied, turning over to her backpack and took out a thick stack of magazines. "All these are the medical journals that I've finished reading. You can take your time with them." Asami informed with a smile. She then turned her attention to Eri and Risa. "How do you Niigaki-san and Kamei-san got to know Ai-chan?"

Eri gazed at Ai. 'Should I say my identity? or?' Eri thought for a long while.

(Kamei-san is my new psychologist.) Ai signed in response of Eri's questioning stare.

"I see." Ami nodded her head at the information given. "What about you, Niigaki-san? How did you know Ai?"

"I - How do I say . . . We met each other on the streets last month, and she helped me out in a great favour. But before I managed to show my appreciation, she's gone." Risa answer vaguely, not sure whether should she list out how the whole story had gone.

"What favour?" Eri raised her eyebrow in interest.

"I don't think I should say." Risa avoided.

"Come on Niigaki-san, I will want to know as well." Asami encouraged.

"Can I ?" Risa asked Ai.

(I think it's okay. Just do not go into details.) Ai replied defeatedly.

"What did she say?" Risa asked sheepishly.

"You should have know! You went to lessons with me, Niigaki Risa!" Eri retorted angrily.

"But Meme-chan, I've been sleeping through most of the lessons, you knew that."

"Risa-san, Ai-chan just said that it's okay for you to go into details," Asami answered Risa's question with her own agenda in it.

Eri looked surprisingly at Asami, knowing truly that that was not what Ai signed just now. Asami winked an eye at Eri, signalling Eri to play along with her.

"Yupps that was what Ai-san had just signed." Eri played along, causing Ai to be real frantic.

Ai took the papers Eri had placed on the table and began to scribble furiously on it. {THAT'S NOT WHAT I HAVE SAID! I SAID DO NOT GO INTO DETAILS!} . Ai flunked the piece of paper right in front of Risa, startling Risa to sit back and leaned on the back rest.

"I know . . ." Risa nodded her head a couple of times.

"Calm down Ai. See, you're much better now. You know I always do that to get you loosen up a little in front of strangers." Asami stated, as she pulled Ai's hands back across the table and to her side.

(Yah. And I wondered why do I still fall for it each time.)

Asami just smiled at Ai. Eri was amused by how worked up Ai had got into. 'The two of them must be really good friends then. Maybe I can get to know more of Ai from Konno-san' Eri thought. "So how did the two of you met?"

"Remember that day where Ume-san came to find you? I saw him at the foot of the building. Well then, there wasn't really a place to hide, so I pulled Ai-san back and hid behind her. That's all." Risa recalled vaguely, not going into deep details as what Ai had requested.

"So you were late for consultation because of this Baka?" Eri asked . Risa narrowed her eyes at Eri, who had made use every chance to insult her when she had the chance to. Eri brushed away the offending stare from Risa.

(Sort of? Sorry, I'm need the washroom. Please excuse me)  Ai signed as she pushed her chair backward and got onto her feet, proceeding towards the direction of the washroom.

"I need the washroom as well." Risa said out suddenly, jumping off her seat and went chasing after Ai.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Risa leaned against the sink as she waited for Ai to come out from the cubicle. 'I haven't apologised to her.'

Ai jerked backwards as she opened the door of the cubicle. (What are you doing there?)

"Huh?" Risa responded, being total clueless about what Ai had just signed. Risa looked around her to search for any writing materials, but found none.

(It's alright. We can talk when we are out there. Are you waiting for the toilet? You can use it now.) Seeing that Risa remained standing at the position, Ai sighed deeply and pointed at the cubicle, hoping that Risa would understand what she was trying to express.

"Do you have a phone? You can type in your phone . .. ' Risa suggested.

'My phone. . . It's lying on the bedside table right now. . ." Ai thought sadly, having to leave her phone at home.

Risa took out hers and passed it to Ai. "You can use this."

{I asked, what are you doing here. Are you waiting for the toilet. You can use it now.} Ai typed in fluently and shoved it before Risa's face.

"No. I'm not using the toilet. I'm waiting for you." Risa replied.

Ai pulled back her hand, backspaced the message she had type previously. {You're waiting for me?} After she had finished typing, she passed it back to Risa, more gently and politely this time round.

Risa read and nodded her head. "I'm sorry for that day. I wasn't thinking what was I doing. It’s not that I kiss every stranger I met. It's just reflex when I realise Ume-san was going to notice me. That's why I . . ." Ai placed her hand on Risa's wrist, stopping Risa's explanation. She took the phone from Risa and started typing in it.

{It's alright. You don't have to explain more. You had already apologised just now. That's enough for me. Whatever had happened had happened. It's just shocked me, that's all. Even though before today, I always thought that you are one pervert who goes around cheating people.}  Ai giggled silently at her reply before showing to Risa.

"So should I be angry or upset about it?" Risa asked rhetorically, causing Ai to giggle in her own way again. "You should smile more." Risa stated.

{Why are you running away from Ume-san?} Ai asked, changing the topic Risa had raised.

"Ume-san is my family chauffeur. He had watched me growing up."

Ai held Risa's hand. {You are not answering my question. Why are you running away from him? Now that you said that he's someone who watch you grown up, there's no reason for you to be running away from him} Ai analysed.

"I ran away from home, Ai-san. He was there to bring me home. I don't want to go home. Not at this moment." Risa answered truthfully.

Ai moved to the side of Risa, and leaned against the same sink Risa was leaning against at that moment.  {Why are you running away from home?}

“I’m tired of being at home. I’m tired of having all my future planned by my parents. I’m just tired. I want a world of my own. I want to achieve my own dreams.” Risa answered sadly, diverting her attention to the glossy marble floor, tapping her feet lightly on the ground.

‘Risa-san . . . At least you have a family. . .’  Ai looked away from Risa to prevent herself from tearing. {At least they cared for your being. For that you will know that they will always be there for you, no matter what happens.} Ai typed with the intention to cheer Risa up.

“I wonder . . .They never hear my will,  what I wanna to do in life. Everything is in their way of direction. Not mine. I wanted to major in music when I was in college, but they stopped me. They enrolled me into Business and Marketing instead. That was the first time I ran away from home. But I was being dragged home by Ume-san in less than 24 hours.” Risa started with a bitter smile. “Well at least there was Eri around to listen to my grumblings. After graduation, Eri moved over here while my parents started urging me to work in their company. It's just. . . I can't take it anymore. I guessed I'm not the perfect daughter for them." Risa continued. 'Why am I telling her all these? This is the first time I actually told someone so much of my own self. I never had the need to tell Eri. She understood everything. Why her?'

'Neither am I one to mine. If not . . . they would not have left me alone. . .' Ai thought sadly, looking at Risa this time round. {Well. . . At least they cared, at least they loved you. I guess they have a reason for that, and they do love you deep from their heart.}

"That's true.  . . As for now, at least I have a year of freedom . . . before going back to be the perfect daughter for them. That's call compromising." Risa finished, heaving one last sigh. “Ne, Ai-san, do you mind giving me your contact number? I felt comfortable talking to you. . . Maybe we can became better friends and together with Eri.” Risa continued with a laugh, causing Ai to smile as well.