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‘Let’s get some coffee and catch-up.’
A simple request, one You happily agreed to. Afterall, it was Riko asking for her time, anyone else and she might’ve thought twice. Possibly given an excuse of jet lag or even simply ignored the text. Never with Riko though, even after so long.
You had been away for years, taking flights across the world after graduation to high level competitions. She chased the thrill of beating her previous records and often lost herself in the fast pace environment she was constantly in.
Now then, she couldn’t say that she didn’t really miss her old life either. Especially each time a photo was sent her way, it was always of all her old high school friends gathering together. You often would search each picture for her red-haired beauty. It was a little crush she was sure she’d get rid of after distancing herself, but it seemed it only made her grow fonder of Riko.
If You was home for even a single week of the whole year, whenever she was with Riko, it was like not a single day had passed.
Finally, after torturing her heart for a bit too long, You decided that this trip back home would be it. No more flying across the country; now was the perfect time to get an apartment and see what roots she could plant here.
So as You sat at the café Riko suggested, sipping at an orange beverage she could barely pronounce, she finally took a breath. Riko sat before her, nothing had changed. Not even the tenseness she often had whenever they first locked eyes after months of being deprived of one another.
However, as You opened her mouth to finally say more than a simple peasantry to the beauty in front of her, Riko cut straight to the chase.
Immediately, right next to the egg sandwich Riko ordered, the red-haired girl placed a paper on the table and slid it to You.
You stared in front of her, scanning just what she was handed. Riko's name was already signed at the bottom. It was as neat as always. But at the top it had exactly what Riko was here for,
‘Marriage Certificate’
Only one thing ran through You’s head… since when was Riko getting married? As far as she knew, Riko was single and not so ready to mingle. She was quiet and reserved, focusing more on her own peace than anyone else. If Riko was here to brag about finally finding the one when You had thrown her more than enough signs then she might as well book the next flight out of Japan.
“Do you remember?”
It was the first thing Riko asked after a grueling few moments. You just tilted her head like a lost puppy. Riko’s previously tense shoulders deflated, instead showing a slightly disappointed look upon her face. Playing with the ring upon her finger, she avoided eye contact,
“We promised to get married, that is if we were both single by 25.”
Riko tucked her hair behind her ear that was now a tinge red, a habit she hadn’t lost. Oddly enough, the motion ticked something in You’s head.
It was the same nervous habit that really solidified in You’s memory many years ago.
-
You stood beside Riko in the empty music room. They were shoulder to shoulder, a common sighting as of recently with the two girls spending nearly every second together.
The day was long and boring, one their teenage mind could barely stand for. Many people were studying for tests, and Chika had to pass this coming one or she’d be grounded for another week. That left just the two girls alone to waste the rest of their lunch time.
They watched the courtyard in front of them from the open window, seeing their fellow classmates find ways to entertain themselves outside.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but is it time for class yet?”
You asked in a bored tone, Riko only shook her head though as she replied in the same voice,
“We still have 15 more minutes.”
“Ugh.”
You groaned as she slumped against the window frame like a melted ice-cream. Riko looked downwards with a sympathetic smile.
“Why don’t you go out there? I’m sure it’d be more entertaining.”
You shook her head though, mumbling her words,
“No, because if I leave, then you’ll be bored alone and I can’t have that.”
Riko rolled her eyes playfully before giggling to herself,
“I don’t get bored here. I mean, usually when I’m not playing the piano, I’m watching people, and that’s pretty entertaining.”
You tilted her head, now eyeing Riko with curiosity. You was pretty sure the last time she heard of someone ‘Watching people’ for fun it was in a murder documentary.
“How so?”
Riko motioned her head up, causing You to stand up as Riko pointed over towards two girls off alone.
They sat beneath a large tree, obviously in an attempt to hide from the intense sun. Yet, with so much shade, the pair were side by side. Both with their own books in their hands, lost in their small world as life went on around them.
“You see them?”
You followed the line of vision, allowing her bad eyesight to adjust before realizing just who the girls were,
“Hanamaru and Yoshiko?”
Riko leaned in, lowering her voice as if they could hear them,
“They’ve liked each other since the beginning of the year, but maybe longer, who knows? At first they would just bicker but now watch them a little longer.”
You looked at Riko questionably but she did as she was told. And just as if Riko were some type of wizard, the two girls sneaked a free hand from their books to each other. Fingers intertwined, Hanamaru and Yoshiko held hands with their faces blushing red. You’s eyes burst open widely as she looked up at Riko, who was just as smug as could be,
“Wait, they're dating?!”
Riko nodded her head, almost bursting with excitement as she jumped upwards,
“Yes! The build up to get to this point was so intense but it paid off so well! Now they just hide in the shade and hold hands all break period.”
Riko cleared her throat in an attempt to compose herself.
“It’s nice to see others flourish, especially with the ones they love.”
You watched as Riko’s gaze fell back to the young couple. It was an odd look You couldn’t quite distinguish, almost distant. As if Riko were some elderly woman telling a tale of her youth she’d never be able to relive.
You bumped her shoulder against Riko, giving her the best reassuring smile she could muster,
“Hey, one day you’ll get there.”
Riko laughed a bit. It was forced and cut short.
“I kind of doubt it, You. It’s not like I have admirers bursting down my door like you.”
You blushed, looking the other way to hide her embarrassment. Sure girls liked her, but that didn’t mean she was some player. Besides, none of them were a second year transfer student whose voice soothed her troubles away as she got lost in her golden eyes. No, nobody could ever come close to Riko’s place in her heart, and honestly You really hoped no one would ever take up any space in Riko’s if it wasn’t her.
And with such a selfish thought, hatched an even more selfish idea. Without even thinking, You burst out,
“Well, how about this? If we both don’t find someone we love by the time we are like 25, we could just get married to each other?”
Riko’s eyes widened. Her face flushed red, nearly choking on air from such a sudden idea.
You was definitely known for saying outlandish thoughts out loud, but none of them were of that type of nature. Especially when as far as Riko was concerned, no one knew of her small crush on the diver.
But yet, Riko couldn’t even sputter out an excuse as that was quite literally the best solution to her problem. She’d marry her crush and her love life would be saved.
You knew she had Riko too as the diver straightened her stance and grabbed Riko’s hands. You said a quick prayer to any god that was listening to ensure Riko couldn’t feel how sweaty her hands were. Riko was too busy trying not to faint from such sudden emotions hitting her at once though.
“It’d be great! We’re both friends so it won’t be awkward, plus it’s the best way to not die alone, I think.”
You excitedly beamed with energy, completely ignoring the last tidbit of information. Riko wanted to push a thousand excuses her way, give every single reason why they were polar opposites and how they’d easily divorce within a year, especially since they’d be in the ‘High School Sweethearts’ data sheets she had read before.
Yet, the way the wind pushed the white drapes around the two young girls, creating a perfect little world for just the two of them, it wiped every doubt from Riko’s mind.
Riko looked down at their interlocked hands, causing her hair to fall in front of her face.
“So, what do you say?”
Riko looked up, catching You’s bright blue eyes. Her cheeks were slightly tinted red now, nowhere in comparison to Riko’s though.
Taking one hand back to tuck her hair away, Riko gave a gentle smile before nodding her head,
“Sure.”
-
You blinked the memory away as she looked down at their table once more. Riko’s signature stared back at her, waiting for a reply.
"We don’t have to.”
Riko spoke up. Fiddling with her ring instead to ease the tension.
"It was a dumb promise, plus we were kids."
In hindsight, Riko was correct. They were much younger and unknowing to what the world would later throw at them, but You was one to stick true to her word. At least, that’s what she told herself.
"No, I made a promise."
Riko widened her eyes. She hadn't expected a yes. Matter of fact, every second that You took to grab a pen and put it to the paper, Riko expected to wake up from this dream she had to have been in.
Yet, You signed her name and Riko’s world was still there.
You hadn't thought when she woke up that morning that she’d be married before dinner but things happened. As she put the pen down she looked at Riko, who still looked in utter disbelief.
“Should we have gone ring shopping first?”
All the red that was in Riko’s face soon went pale as a ghost’s before she quickly scattered to find a substitute of some kind. You could only laugh as she watched Riko tear apart her entire bag for anything. Tissues and an assortment of food wrappers went flying with every crevice she checked.
That was until Riko stopped and simply took the ring off of her own finger. She presented it proudly and boasted out,
“Here! But, I only have one.”
You looked at the ring before grabbing it. She laughed as she moved her chair, pulling it right beside Riko.
“That’s okay, we can shop for mine later.”
You extended her hand,
“May I?”
Riko placed her left hand in You’s. You smiled ear to ear, only slightly shaking as she placed the gold band onto her ring finger,
"How many years has it been again?"
Riko’s gaze softened, looking at the ring before You once more. She had grown up so much, yet behind those ocean eyes was the same girl who had changed her life forever staring right back at her.
"Too many."