[Chapter 15 - The Broken]

"Papa? Mama?" Risa acknowledged as she opened the banging door. She was surprised by the sudden visit from her parents. "How - how do you know that I'm - I'm  here ?" Risa question, with fear growing within her. She kept swallowing her saliva, trying to moisture the throat that was turning dry from her nervousness.

"Risa!" Retora grounded out, grabbing Risa by her collar. "What are you doing? Are you trying to tarnish the family's reputation? What's with this?" Retora demanded, reading aloud the tabloid magazine that he was holding on the other hand. "Renowned enterprise Niigaki Corporation's only daughter entering the latest uprising singer competition and won the grand prize.  This is even ridiculous 'Successor of Niigaki Corporation caught kissing her girlfriend after the competition, after dedicating competition to her.' What have you been thinking, Risa!" Retora continued reprimanding. A tug on his arm had stopped him from voicing out rude words.

"Someone's around. Not now." Renni whispered into Retora's ear, causing Retora to loosen his grip at Risa's collar.

Sensing the attention of Risa's parents on herself, Ai stood up awkwardly from her position. Her body could not stop trembling with fear. The fear for Risa's parents. Retora's body language was threatening.

"Who are you? What are you doing here alone with my daughter? You looked familiar. Aren't you the girl in the magazine. What are you doing here? Trying to seduce my daughter?!" Retora retorted as he tramped towards Ai.

"Papa!" Risa over ran her father, resisted as she wrapped her body protective around Ai. "Daijobu ka" Risa asked gently towards Ai. Ai nodded her head lightly. That was then Risa turned back turning offensive towards her father. "Papa! What are you doing?"

"Anata, calm down. Mind your words. Remember, your reputation." Renni tried to coaxed the over fuming husband of hers. "Risa-ko, mind your attitude towards your papa." Renni then turned towards Risa and spoke with her gentle.

Realisation filled in Ai. 'That voice. . . That voice that sang lullaby to me to sleep every night in my dreams. That voice. . . Mama . . .' Tears started building in her eyes. The people who she contemplates to wish to meet again all these while was standing right in front of her. 'You're kidding me. That means.. . ' Ai looked up slightly at Risa who was holding her protectively. 'You're that little girl. That little girl who's image is getting clearer and clearer in my dreams each night. How ironic is that. How typical can things get to. Is that why . . . I am able to relate to you about so many things? '

"Get out now. Don't you dare to be involved with my daughter. Out." Retora ordered, retaining back his high authority disposition.

Risa tighten her hold. "No, stay with me." Risa whispered gently before turning to stare at Retora. "Papa! Why can't I chose who I like? Why can't I chose the way I want to live my life? Didn't you said that I have a year of freedom, that I'm allowed to do anything that I like?" Risa refuted.

Ai wriggled out from Risa's hold, stopping Risa from continuing to express her displeasure about her life.

(Stop, Risa.)

"Ai. . ." Risa was shocked that Ai had intercepted her, stopping her from going on.

 (We should stop too, Risa. I don't think we should be carrying on as well. That was what I wanted to tell you just now.) Ai lied.

"Ai . . . "

(I have thought about it. In the end, I don't think I can trust my heart to anybody else except myself, Risa) Ignoring the gapping pain inside her heart, Ai continued. (Tell them, they will not have strings tied with someone who can't talk. I'm leaving, Risa. Sorry for stepping into your life. Perhaps . . .Things would be better if we have not met in the first place. You're their perfect daughter. Be there. Don't disappoint them.) Ai signed sadly with tears brimming at her eyelids, ignoring the sharp stares Risa's parents were shooting at her. 'Be the perfect daughter they wanted that I can't fulfil them with, Risa.' (Gomen) 'Sorry for being a selfish person, Risa. I'm really sorry, Risa. ' With that, Ai grabbed her backpack that was lying on the coach and dashed out of Eri's apartment through the opened door.

"Ai!" Risa shouted, wanting to chase after the love that had just ran away.

"Risa!" Retora grabbed Risa at her collar, stopping Risa from chasing after Ai. Risa struggled a little, attempted to squirm off the grip that was holding onto her on her collar. The grip did not loosen. Instead, it was tightened. "Stay where you are, Risa. You are not going anywhere." retorted Retora.

"Papa!" Risa groaned in disagreement. Risa stared at discontentment at her father.

"Don't you 'Papa' me, Risa. When I agreed to you having a year of freedom, I meant it that you do not do anything foolish and just enjoying your life until you are asked to be back into the company, Risa. Not this. What is this about? Entering a singing competition? Getting into a publics' attention? Kissing a girl in the public? What had gotten into you, Risa?" Retora reprimanded heavily. "You are going back to Kyoto. Right away. First flight back with your Mama. No objections, Risa. You are not given any more choice. You ruin them in your own hands." With that, Retora pull Risa violently into the study room and locked her inside from the outside.

"No, Papa. . . " Risa tried to fight back, but the door was closed straight at her face. "Papa, Papa, let me out please, Papa!" Risa cried out as she bang her palm against the wooden door. "Papa!" Risa cried out once again.  Receiving no response by her parents who were at the other side of the door, Risa's leg gave in. She slid to the floor, allowing her forehead to come in contact to the door. "Papa, Mama, let me out . . . " Tears had flooded her face, blocking her nose that she could no longer breath through her nose. 'Ai . . . '

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'You got to be fooling with me.' Ai thought as she glance at the sky angrily. 'Is my life a joke that you had made to keep yourself entertain?'

Without stopping her feet, Ai kept her legs going, all the way from Eri's apartment and back in her own, the only place she had left in search for comfort and warmth. The tears that were once on her face were now gone, replaced by dried traces to represent that they had been there before.

'So it was her. . . The little girl in papa's arms. The look that she was giving, was that sympathy, or was that a sign of victory that she had won my parents away from me?' Ai questioned in her mind as memory from her dreams flooded her mind. Every single one. The times she spend together with her mother, the times where her parents quarrelled over her, the very last scene, where they walk out of her life came haunting her mind.

'It was her . . . she hadn't be truthful, hadn't she? She had never mentioned to me that she was an adopted child. Never. Did she remember who am I and was that the reason why she had stepped into my life?'

Ai could no longer control her body movements. She swapped all the photo frames that were situated at the table top onto the floor, causing them to break at the contact with the floor. Her body were trembling at its own call, causing Ai to drop down onto the floor. And her skin broke at the contact with the broken glass of the photo frames.

'Why was it that I had carried no resentment feeling towards her. Why can't I bring myself to hate her. . . And to think I thought . . . we could be together. . . This hurts a lot . . . The pain . . . is unbearable. . .' Reaching her shaky hands into her bag, she took out the familiar sachet. 'I can't do this anymore. . . I can't overcome this by my own will anymore . . . ' Pouring the full sachet into her palm, she engulfed all of them, and forced herself to swallow. She remained lying on the floor, shaking as violently, until the effects of the pills took in. 'If death can stop all these suffering, bring me there.'  With that, Ai passed out at the effects of the tranquilisers.

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Risa was still sobbing uncontrollably on the floor, occasionally calling out her parents, begging them to let her out of the room. Her throat had gotten hoarse after the hour of crying and shouting. "Mama, Papa, please . . . " Risa called out once more, and used her head to bang on the door.

'Ai . . . There are so many promises that I had made to her and are unfulfilled. I want to see her . . . Why did she compromised to them. Why ? Why ? '

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"Dear . . . Maybe we should let her out. Her voice are getting hoarse. Isn't this a little be too tough for Risa-ko?" Renni placed her hands over Retora's, and suggested.

"No. She's gonna go home with us. Stop spoiling her anymore." Retora retorted.

"But . . . "

"No more buts. My decision is firm. That's it."

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'ARHG! All these things are so heavy! How much things did Risa packed in her luggage? It's only a two night stay at the hotel and she manage to bring this one big luggage of things with her.'  Eri complained in her mind as she dragged Risa's luggage with one hand, and the other, carrying the food and cake prepared for the celebration.

Upon reaching her level, Eri realised that the main door of her apartment was wide open. 'What is Risa doing? Trying to invite thieves into my home?' Eri scolded under her breath.

As she walked nearer to her apartment, she could hear the faint crying of Risa. 'Did something happened?'  Quickening her pace, she stepped into her apartment and was welcomed by the most unexpected guest she thought she would had.

"Ah . . . Uncle, Aunty . . . Good evening" Eri managed to called out despite her shock.

"Ah, Kamei-chan. Good evening." Renni returned the greetings while Retora remain seated at where he was.

'Why are they here? How did they get in in the first place? Where's Risa?' Series of questions were formed in Eri's mind and she's not getting any of them answered. Her eyes were then caught by the magazine placed on the coffee table. 'So that was the reason why they came.'

"Kamei-chan, sorry for intruding your apartment without your consent." Renni apologised.

"It's alright." Eri replied.

"It will only be tonight. We will be flying back to Kyoto first thing in the morning tomorrow." Retora spoke up, after his moment of silence.

"But . . .She needs to be at the label company tomorrow. . . " Before Eri could finish her sentence, Retora interrupted.

"There's no way she would sign a contract to become a singer or whatever she wants, Kamei-chan. She's going back. That's final." Retora said firmly.

"But . . . Someone needs to be there to . . ."

"Ume can settle that." Retora explained.

Eri nodded her head. "Where's Risa?" Eri mustered the courage to ask the worrying question in her mind.

"She's in the room." Renni answered and pointed at the closed door.

"If I may talk to her?" Eri asked for the parents' permission.

"From the outside only." Came the decision of Retora.

"Hai. Wakarimashita."

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"Risa?" The faint voice of Eri calling her name could be heard in the study room. 'Eri?' A shimmer of hope glint in Risa's eyes.

"Eri?" Risa called out desperately.

"Yes it's me."

"Let me out, please." Risa begged, hoping Eri would let through.

"You know I can't Risa. . . " Came the reply, followed by a really faint whisper through the door. "Your parents are here. . ."

Risa let out a frustrated cry.

"Where's Ai-san?" Eri continued asking. "Was she here with you just now?"

Risa knocked once on the door. That meant yes.

"I need to go, Risa. Stay strong."

Risa knocked the door once again.

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"Uncle, Aunty, I have a patient who had just messaged me that she wants to talk to me. . . I will make my move first." Eri informed. 'This is bad. Really bad. . . '

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"Ai-san? Are you in there?" Eri called out as she knocked frantically on the door. 'Where else can she be besides being in her house?' "Ai-san?" Eri called again.

Retrieving her phone from her bag, Eri quickly search for the number of Ai and dialled the number. And just as she predicted, Ai's phone started ringing and it could be heard from Eri's position.

"Ai-san? Open the door!" Eri knocked again.

Trying her luck on the door knob, Eri found out that the door was not locked. "Ai-san!" Eri called out as she turned the knob.

"AI-SAN!" Eri screamed in exclaimation. Rushing over to the unconscious Ai on the floor, Eri kneeled beside Ai and shook Ai a couple of times. "Ai-san" Cuts could be observed on her forearm. Running her finger over Ai's neck to check for any heartbeat, Eri was relieved. Though it was weak, there were pulse present.

'She finished the whole packet of tranquiliser?' Eri thought as she observed the empty sachet on the floor. A few white pills were scattered on the floor as well. 'How many of them were there initially? She must had a very bad seizure, judging from the way the pills were scattered on the floor. This is really an emergency, Eri.'

Pulling out her phone again, Eri immediately dialled the number for the ambulance.

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"Risa-ko." A soft voice called out as the door of the study room opened, waking up Risa who had fallen into a light sleep with her head leaning onto the door.

'Mama . . . ' Risa stood up immediately from the floor. "Mama, please, let me out. Please. I don't want to go home, Mama. . . "

"Risa-ko. When Papa had decided on the things he wanted, there's no one else can change his decision. You know that very well right?" Renni whispered softly as she closed the door.

"Mama . . ." Risa cried out as she started crying again.

"I can't get you out, but I can give you this." Renni continued, passing Risa her phone. "I took this out from the luggage in the living room. I guess this is important for you, right?"

"Thank you Mama. . ." Risa grabbed the phone from her mother's hand and flipped it open.

{Ai-san, are you okay? - Risa}

Risa typed in immediately and pushed the sent button. Five minutes later, without having any reply from Ai, Risa sent another message to Ai.

{Are you back home yet? - Risa}

{Reply me, please Ai - Risa}

'Is that the truth that you told just now, Ai?'

{I don't want to go home, Ai, really Ai. I just wanna to stay with you. I don't need you to trust me. I just want to be with you, Ai - Risa}

{Ai, where are you? -Risa}

'Why isn't she replying any of my messages? '

(I have thought about it. In the end, I don't think I can trust my heart to anybody else except myself, Risa) Risa hugged her head onto her arms as she remembered what Ai had signed to her earlier on. 'If that was the truth. . . All the things that I had done all these while . . . it's useless isn't it?' Risa sobbed loudly and uncontrollably. 'It hurts . . . It hurts terribly . . .'