Sekai Romantica: After Story

"Hi, Mom."

Ritsu POV

Today was another exhausting day in Marukawa Publishing. Today was the end of the cycle though, so tommorrow shouldn't be as bad. Then I felt Takanos famous ruler hit my head. Geez, we're dating now, so cant he stop hitting me all of the time?

"Onodera!! Were going home!!!" Said Takano. I just let out a big grunt of annoyance. I am too exhausted to even move from my desk.

"ONODERA!!" Screamed Takano. He then walked up to my desk and leaned into my ear. I was already half asleep to notice he leaned in.

"Do you want me to carry you?~" Said Takano, seductively. I immediately blushed. I attempted to get up, but I simply just fell into Takanos arms. I wasn't going to get anywhere with this fatigue, so I then nodded, allowing him to pick me up. I hid my face into his chest to hide my increasingly red face.

Then, Takano picked me up bridal style. I continued to hide my face, but now I was hiding in his shoulder. The only thing I can do is hold on to him like there is no tommorrow. My heart was beating so fast that it hurt. Eventually, I turned around to look at his face. Instead of looking into his eyes, I was greeted with a pair of lips. I can kiss those lips all day. Ring. Ring. In surprise, Takano lost his grip on me, but he grabbed me again before I hit the ground. I answered my phone. I started walking.

"Hello?"

"RITSU!! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO MARRY AN-CHAN?!" Mom. Great, another thing to add to my exhaustion. She was yelling so loud that Takano whipped his head around shock. I mouthed that is was my mom, and he nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"MOM! THE ENGAGEMENT GOT DISSOLVED, did you forget?" I screamed at her on impulse, but then I lowered my voice, knowing that she doesn't like when I yell at her. Really, she yells at me all of the time. It is not fair that I cannot raise my voice.

"... don't you raise your voice, mister. And anyways, we have to find you a new girl since you will have to eventually carry out our family name." Said my mom. No, not this again.

"I ALREADY HAVE SOMEBODY!" I screamed. Shit. I said it. Takano was facing me with his eyes wide open. What the hell did I just do? I felt my face getting warmer by the second.

"... What is her name?" Said my mom. She seems to have accepted the fact that I found somebody else, but how will she react if 'my new lover' is a guy. I saw Takano looking at me, obviously waiting for my next move.

"He, actually. " I said it. Now all I have to do is wait for her reaction. Both mine and Takanos heartbeats are moving a million miles an hour. We are so scared.

"...what?" Asked my mom. She sounded confused. So I took a deep breath, and got over my nerves once again.

"I am dating a guy." Now here comes the moment of truth.

"Hahahahaha. Stop joking Ritsu." She said. Ok, I was getting pissed off now.

"IM NOT JOKING, MOM! YOU RAISED A GAY SON. DEAL WITH IT!" I snapped. I almost hung up if my mom hadn't kept talking,

"Break up with him then." Said mom. She obviously doesn't care about my feelings. I felt tears forming in my eyes. After everything she did to me, this was the one thing that absolutely sent me off the edge. I started to silently sob. I hid my eyes in my sleeve, not wanting Takano to see. Too late. He already grabbed my phone out of my grasp. He was walking away. I quickly caught up with him. He looked back at me and smiled. I heard my mom calling my name over and over again. Takano put my phone to his ear.

"Ritsu, you better answer the phone now, or I swear I'll-" My mom began. She was furious.

"Hi, Mrs. Onodera." Takano said. He didn't sound nervous at all. Its one of those things that I love about him.

"Who is this?" I heard my mother say. For the first time in my life, I wanted Takano bring out his gentlemany self. Luckily for me, he did.

"This is Takano Masamune, Ritsu's boyfriend." Said Takano. I was desperately holding onto him.

"Well, it is nice to hear your voice. I have a favor to ask you. Please break up with my son." Said my mom. She is so persistent.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, ma'am." Said Takano. Hes really fighting for me. I love that. I feel kinda helpless that he is doing all of this for me. I mean, I should do it, ya know?

"And why is that?" Asked my mom, kinda sarcastically. She is not going to give up until she gets what she wants.

"Because I have been in love with him for the past 10 years." Takano said, matter-of-factly. I blushed when he said that. I can't believe he said that to my mom.

"You didn't even know him for 10 years." Said mother. She sounded very confident about her answer.

"Actually, Mrs. Onodera, yes I did. We were dating in High School, but then we broke up due to a misunderstanding. Both of us didn't take it too lightly. So, now, 10 years later, he just happened to be my underling. He is also my next door neighbor." Said Takano. He sounded confident that he convinced her. I'm sorry, Takano, you said way too much. I know her way more than you do. She is probably going to make me quit, and make me move.

"Ritsu is going to move back home tomorrow, so make sure he packs his things. And, he is now no working under you." Curse my correct judgement. Takano looked horrified. He was done playing around now. He took a deep breath, and started to scream at my mom.

"THATS IT! I tryed to be nice to you, but my patience has run out. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOUR SON TO COME BACK INTO MY LIFE! AND NOW THAT HE IS FINALLY BACK, I AM NOT LETTING HIM LEAVE ME AGAIN! IT WAS TOO PAINFUL!!! AND EVEN WHEN HE DID COME BACK, HE KEPT SAYING THAT HE DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAY ANYMORE! IT BROKE MY HEART INTO A MILLION PIECES, BUT EVEN THAT IS BETTER THAN NOT SEEING HIM AT ALL! AND NOW THAT HE FINALLY IS MINE, I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE HIM AWAY IF I DIE!!!!!!!!!!" Takano was out of breath by the time he was done.

"Well, if it took him long like you said he did, he must not love you as much as you think he does." Said my mom. I felt a nerve break in my brain. I snatched away from Takano.

"THE ONLY REASON I TOOK SO LONG IS BECAUSE I DIDNT WANT TO BELIEVE THAT HE BROKE DOWN MY WALLS THAT I SPENT 10 YEARS FIXING! BUT HE DID, AND NOW THAT HE DID, I AM NOT GOING TO LEAVE ANYTIME SOON! I LOVE HIM MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY!!!" I was absolutely furious with my mother.

". .. is this Ritsu?" Asked my mother. I almost laughed out loud at the irony.

"Yes, this is Ritsu." I replied.

"Well, I am still coming down tomorrow because I haven't seen you in how long. I would like to meet your boyfriend then. And then we'll talk. Ok?" She said, calmly. YES! WE CAN DO IT! WE CAN CONVINCE HER!

"YES! ... I mean, um,... *clears throat*.. yes, see you then. I love you, mom." I replied. I got too excited there. HAHA. I DONT CARE!! SHE AT LEAST GAVE TAKANO A CHANCE!!! We gave each other the tightest embrace ever. We aren't completely off the hook yet, but I wasn't about to ruin this precious moment by saying that. I think he knew. Wow, so that might of been my last day in Emeralds Editorial Department. And this may be the last day with Takano...
Its all about tomorrow... we were both scared to absolute death.