Flashback (Day 14 Evening) - Outside the Hotel

 

Rina stood patiently in a zipped up jacket, waitng for her Rose to arrive after the late phone call Rina gave her to meet there.

//

 

She did not have to wait for long. After a minute, the Rose emerged from the first floor elevators. She was wearing a white coat over her pajamas. She poked her head outside and identified Rina before stepping fully outside into the chilly air. When she had given Rina her phone number, she expected any calls to be related to Aoi's condition. But Rina wouldn't talk about it over the phone, instead suggesting a meeting outside. Rose wrapped her arms around herself for warmth as she approached Rina. "Rina...? I'm here..."

//

 

Noticing a bright color pop into peripheral view, "! ..." Rina turned to the pink-haired teen, whose hair stood out in the light of the moon, and replied with a greeting. "Rose, hi...." The Ra girl's smile was very soft, the sort that seemed partially forced when confrontation, especially about something negative, isn't one's strong suit.

".... Uh~...."
Something was obviously not right from the get-go, but from the sound of her voice, it wasn't likely a dire issue. A yawn due to the night air, followed by an apology for it, came after.

Rina had glanced away to gather her thoughts.
.... ...There was a brief pause....

Catching on..., Rina closed her eyes in frustration over her own indecisiveness, clearly inadequately prepared.

"Mmmnnngh.... ...."
Real life seemed much more difficult than duel monsters for the Ra redhead. For her, in situations like this, it would have been much easier to be on the defensive side than to have to take the offensive.

She lowered her head and tried lightly, and repeatedly, tugging back on her side ponytail to help with focusing on what she wanted to say. ".... Uhhhm~.... .... ...." Needless to say, it wasn't working. The tugging ceased, though her grip remained. Throwing her head back towards the sky, with shut eyes, "Nnn~'aaagh..." she realized... "...I can't think of a good way to say it...." Rina sighed and opened her eyes. She released her orange hair, as well, pressing her index and second fingers from that hand into her forehead once the head was lowered, appearing as though she was still seriously thinking about something. Looking at the grass behind Rose, Rina said, "I'm having a hard time with this, so I'll... kinda come out and say it...." Here it comes, ...with enough strength to try to avoid directly asking the question.

"...." She still had yet to look Rose in the eyes a second time during this encounter.

"It's about Aoi.... .... And... it's about you, too...."
...The 'second time' happened here. Her lack of details in what she said could mean anything.

//

 

Rose waited patiently as Rina tried to explain her situation. Her eyes were focused intently on Rina as she slowly found the words. When Rina finally did look back into Rose's eyes, the pink-haired girl's surprise was apparent. She took a step closer to Rina and dropped her arms down to her sides. "N-no! We're not involved like that! I-I mean, sure, I talk that way sometimes, but it's just a joke!" She took another step forward and opened her hands. Her expression was now very concerned as she continued to explain herself. "S-so, I won't stop you! If that's how you feel about her, then please! Ask her out! Don't worry about me!" One of her hands raised onto her heart. She paused for Rina's response, continuing to look straight into her eyes.

//

 

"Huh?" Silence filled the air around her. At first, Rina had no idea what Rose was trying to clear up in her first few sentences. Several seconds passed before the redhead got the full story and understood what was said to her and why. The thought entered her mind; she blushed and quickly brushed the idea off. "N--! N-no, I--! --! Th-that's not what I wanted to talk to you about at all!"

Rina seemed flustered over it, though, trying not to give the wrong idea, while also making her best effort not to disrespect Aoi/Emily in any way. The images in her mind didn't quite disappear yet despite not wanting them there. Looking Rose in the eye would be difficult while this is the case.

//

 

It was now Rose's turn to blush. "Gah! I-I mean-!" She took another half-step forward before tucking her head to one side, embarrassed by jumping to a conclusion. "Well! Y-you're being really vague with everything!" The redness in her cheeks deepened. "W-what was I supposed to think you meant?" She kept her eyes averted from Rina, hoping that she would finally explain her concern.

//

 

".... .... ...." After silence for about 4 seconds, "...Aoi was... saying some things earlier...." She maintained her indirect gaze. "...I just wanted to... find out from you if there was any truth to it.... ...." Hesitation stalled her words. ".... ...Aoi... isn't satisfied with someone like me looking after her. She was upset about how things turned out. ...And that's when I found out... that I wasn't the first person that Miss Kim asked to look after her...."

Rina closed her eyes momentarily, gaining the courage to look Rose in the eye, once more, doing so. "She told me that you refused to take care of her. ...Is that true...?" Her eyes wavered, finding it difficult to maintain such focus on a person's eyes.((...>,>))

//

 

Rose let the silence hang for a few more seconds. The red color in her cheeks dissipated as she realized the serious nature of Rina's predicament. She had no choice anymore. She knew she had to give her answer. "Well... yes. I did." Rose had an equally hard time looking at Rina as she gave her confession. "But!" She forced herself to look back up into Rina's eyes pleadingly. "It's not because... well, I just couldn't! I-I can't afford to go to the Academy! And..." She tightened her hands into fists, now seriously upset. "And what do you mean, she's not satisfied!? You're her best friend!"

//

 

Rina seemed a tad surprised following Rose's words.

"I thought she was her best friend.... Wasn't I number 4...?" She may have misunderstood, but Rina didn't bring light to that.

Responding aloud, however, the redhead did say, "I think she's upset that I still don't know anywhere near as much about her as you probably do. ...I mean, she was distant before, but since then, ...it wasn't the same kind of thing.... More like she's mad at me...." Rina did realize that she, herself, was in the wrong. And she intended to try to make up for that as time went on.

"And she still doesn't remember me, so I can only guess it's like... her best friend 'dumped her onto someone else.' .... But I mean, Aoi could have probably stayed here with you even after we all return to the academy. That way, at least she'd be in the care of someone she knew and trusted. You wouldn't have to pay to go to the academy, this way. .... Did you talk to Miss Kim about that? I'm sure the people at the academy could come up with the money to transport her there once she recovers."

The blue-eyed Ra didn't like the way that came out, sounding as though she intended to pass Aoi onto Rose. ...She didn't know any other way to say it in such a short window of time. Either way, curious for answers, Rina continued on for insight's sake.

//

 

".... No... you don't understand..." Rose took a deep breath. She touched her left arm, where her duel disk would have normally been. "I... I had to sell everything just to get here. Years... years of collecting... So..." She looked back up to Rina's eyes. "So... I can't stay. I just can't. I barely have enough for this week. And..." She put her hands in her coat's pockets for additional warmth. "And I thought about what I'd have to do for her. There's a limit, Rina. There's a limit to how much I want to know about her. I don't want to have to... undress her or anything." Her eyes fell to the ground as she remembered that Rina had most likely had to do that at least once during the week.