Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Cove ❯ Ryuji's Vow of Love ( Chapter 62 )

"What do you mean?" Ryuji asked. He had a confused look on his face. Kasumi looked down at her hands.

"I have some history with him," she said in a quiet voice.

"What do you mean?" the boy asked. Kasumi turned her head.

"That man," she said. "He was my teacher."

"What?!" the boy asked.

"I know," Kasumi said. Her stomach dropped. Reliving this story tore her up inside. Ryuji slowly put his hand on her shoulders. It didn't take him long to put the pieces back together after remembering the conversation that Kasumi and Haruko had a few nights ago.

"It's okay," he said. "I can take it. Trust me." The older woman looked into his eyes. How can he say that before she said the words? Kasumi dropped her shoulders.

"It's more complicated than that," she said.

"How do you mean?" the boy asked. Kasumi took a breath.

"I didn't have parents when I was young," she began. "So I had to stay with my uncle. While I was there, an older boy lived with us. He worked for my uncle back then." She stared at Ryuji as she stared back, listening to every word.

"What about him?" the boy asked. Kasumi closed her hands into fists on her lap. Ryuji placed his hand on top of hers. She looked at him with big, confused eyes. The woman couldn't read the emotions on his face.

"I heard you talking to nee-san a few nights ago," he said.

"Ryuji-kun..." Kasumi said. He shook his head.

"I don't care what kind of past that you had with him," Ryuji said. "I just care about the you right now."

"But..." Kasumi said. He gently put his finger to her lips. She stared at him looking so confused. The boy pulled her hands to his chest.

"I want to help you defeat him and find that Cove," he said.

"Ryuji-kun..." Kasumi said. The next part just came out of nowhere for him but it just felt so right for the boy to blurt this out.

"I love you, Kasumi-san!" he said. The woman drew back her hands as the color drained from her face. She slowly shook her head. Ryuji started to frown.

"Kasumi-san?" he asked.

"I can't," she said.

"Too soon?" Ryuji asked like a little child who just lost his puppy.

"Yeah," the woman said uneasily. The boy rose to his feet.

"It's settled then," he said. "Let's find the Cove and defeat this Karasu-guy. And then I will confess to you again." She started to speak again but Ryuji put his finger to her lips. He took a moment to look deep into her eyes.

"Don't say anything right now," Ryuji said. "Think about it until then." Kasumi's eyes shifted back and forth as she tried to think of something to say. But then she jerked her head to the right. The woman jumped to her feet.

"There's somebody out here," she whispered. Ryuji turned and looked ready to action. The pair listened as three pairs of footsteps grew closer in the brush. Kasumi gritted her teeth as her heart raced in her chest.

"Who's there?" Ryuji asked aloud. The pair braced themselves as the footsteps grew closer.

Chapter Sixty-Three: Ryuji's Vow of Love