Ryo didn't say anything for a few minutes. Rika was watching him in the mirror, he was watching the floor. She hated herself for being so damn dramatic but at least she knew that Jeri would love that. If she ever tells her about it.
'Rika .. I ...' Ryo finally mumbled something.
'See!? You ARE just a stupid player!!' she yelled at him. 'You don't even remember that, you bastard!!'
She went to the bathroom door to leave him behind.
'I always liked you with the pony tail, you know ...'
'What ..?' Rika turned around and Ryo was watching her, smiling.
'I knew you'd come. I saw you in the back, when that girl took my blindfold away.'
Rika went a step backwards.
'Satoshi told me, you were looking for me and that you left the gym. I knew you were leaving.'
'Why ...'
'I caught you in the last moment and .. your hair was .. you had a ponytail.'
'I ...' Rika turned away from him. 'WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!?'
He went to the doors and she stepped away from him. He unlocked them and opened the door.
'Remember what you said when I told you about .. my feelings?'

'Don't be stupid, Ryo ... I ...'
'I'm sorry.'
'You're drunk, Ryo!'

'I love you, Rika. I'd never want to lose you or your friendship, that's why I lied to you. I remember every single moment of that night.'
And he left. Rika was watching him leave as long as the door stayed open. She never felt that stupid in her entire life.

She took a taxi to come home that night because she couldn't find Ryo anywhere. She did see Ran and that make her a bit happier. She went straight to bed, even though Jeri asked her to call her as soon as she gets back. Rika didn't have any nerves left to listen to Jeri's excitement and she wasn't in the mood to talk about Ryo or what just happened. She lyed in her bed for hours before she felt asleep and when she finally did fall asleep, she had a dream about him.

Next day she went to Jeri's house. She wanted to talk about it with someone, she thought she'd feel better now that she knew he meant what he had said, but she felt even worse.
'Hi, Jeri.'
'Rikaa! You didn't call me last night! Come on in! Tell me everything!!'
Jeri was a good listener. She didn't say anything except 'ooh, that cow!, are you serious!?, no way, ooooh, oh my goood!', while Rika was telling her what happened last night. When she completed the story, Jeri still didn't say anything smart for a few minutes.
'What are you going to do now ..?'
'I don't know .. that's why I came to you, Jeri!'
'I can't help you, not right now! You alone must decide whether to love Ryo back or not.'

She didn't hear from him for two weeks. She didn't see him at school or at work, she even called him once but he didn't pick up the phone. School was coming to an end and Rika's trip to Europe was planed for tomorrow. She decided to go there alone, even though she could bring someone with her. She wanted to forgive about past few weeks and she felt that Germany would be a good oportunaty to do that. Too bad that she didn't win a ticket to Paris, the city of .. new .. love.

Her, Jeri and Takato went on a dinner the last night she was in Tokyo.
'So you'll be gone for a month?' Takato asked her and she noded.
'Yeah, I can't wait to see Berlin. I read about it yesterday and it seemed quite interesting!'
'That's nice, Rika. Don't forget to send us a postcard!' Jeri smiled at her and stuck a fork into the meat.
When Takato went to the bathroom, Jeri could finally talk about more interesting things. 'Ryo called Takato yesterday.'
'Why's that?' Rika acted cool but her heart was beating faster.
'He wanted to know when you're going to Germany,' Jeri said and ate another piece of her steak.
'Why didn't he call me? I called him once you know but he didn't answer the phone.'
'No idea, I just wanted you to know!'

The day of leaving came but Rika didn't hear anything from Ryo. She, her mum and granma went to the airport two hours before the departure.
'Be good, ok? Send me a message as soon as you'll be there, ok? Don't make me worry about you! And don't go anywhere with any suspicious strangers!!' Mum was hugging and kissing her.
'Stop it, mum, you're embarassing me!'
The three women were waiting for the plane and the time for goodbye finally came. Rika's mum hugged her one more time and Rika was checked by security. One of the security guys thought her D-Power looked suspicious but she managed to convince him it was just a regular tamagotchi. When she was allowed to go find her plane, she went past a big screen and almost had a heart attack when she saw Ryo on it.
'Welcome to Tokyo Airport! I, Ryo Akiyama, wish you a good flight!!' Ryo said.
'What the hell? He did a commercial for Tokyo Airport??' Rika blinked twice when the commercial repeated itself for the third time. 'That jerk!'
She went away because the pain in her chest started to grow and she didn't want to feel hurt. Not now. She finally found the underground train that lead to her plane, when she went past another Ryo-screen. She clenched her fists and pulled her suitcase so clumsily that she overturn it.
'Damn!'
'Welcome to Tokyo Airport! I, Ryo Akiyama, wish you a good flight!!'
If Renamon was there in that moment, she would made him blow up the stupid screen.
'First I have to thank Tokyo Airport for letting me send this message.'
Rika picked up her suitcase.
'I'm sorry I didn't contact you in last two weeks.'
Rika turned to the screen. Did Ryo-screen just say something more than just wishing us a good flight?
'I went back home, to Kyushu I mean, for a few days. I'll be here for the holidays but I'll come back when you're finally home.'
It wasn't just Rika who was now watching Ryo's message.
'I'm sorry, if I hurt you.' Ryo on the screen blushed a little. 'I'll .. I'll wait for you and .. well, I'll be there, when you come back.'
A few women giggled at his broken speach.
'So have fun in Germany and don't forget to send me a postcard! Heh ..' Ryo said and sent her a kiss with his hand.
'Jeri made me do it .. I mean the kiss!' was the last thing he said before the screen went black.
'Oh sooo sweet!!' said a girl behind Rika. 'I wonder who he was talking to! I wish it was me!!' Her friends looked around in hope to recognise Ryo's secret crush.
Rika was still watching the blank screen. If anyone would look her closer, they would immediately recognise her as Ryo's secret crush. Her eyes and mouth were wide open (again) and her suitcase was - again - lying on the floor behind her. She stood like that for at least five minutes and then she finally picked up the suitcase. She then turned around to the train: 'What a fool! Sending me a message like that!'
When the train came, she went .. with a happy smile.