Heartburn • Rin x Miku

Chapter 39

"What about my brother?"

I shivered, hearing the icy tone that Miku used to say that. This heated battle makes me so uncomfortable. Miku is right- things were never like this, and things will never be the same. I brace myself for what is to come.

"He, alongside your mother, are coming back a few weeks early due to your hospitalization." Annika says with meloncholy, her arms folded and eyes closed.

"No! No, no, no, no! Tell them not to come!" Miku says, making her heart monitor speed up. "They're your family, Miku. And family sticks together," Annika says, but Miku wasn't having it. "I refuse to see them! And besides, I'm fine! Besides from the intense pain waves, I'm totally okay!" Miku argues, but I knew it was futile. "You're going to be staying in the hospital for a while, Miku. You're not fine- you heard the doctor. With your spinal issue and your failed pregnancy, we need to see if you are okay physically." Annika says, making Miku sniff and tear up.

Actually, I felt bad myself. This whole day just keeps getting worse and worse. I almost want to sumbit myself into the hospital as well. "I'm sorry Miku, but they are your family. Whether you like it or not," Annika says, and from there Miku breaks down crying.

"I don't want them to be," she says through weeps, breaking my heart some more. "They're horrible people," she continues, "I'm not one of them... I'm not a monster," she cries harder, making me rub ber back for comfort. "Miku, honey..." Annika says, walking to the other side to comfort her as well. She sets a hand on her loose hair, giving it a rub and scratching her scalp softly.

"You know they are better people now, don't you?" She says, but Miku just shakes her no, refusing to believe that. "They hurt people, Annika... They hurt my dad..." Miku whines, like a child. At that point, Annika just looks at me, hoping I could convince her otherwise.

"Don't worry, Miku. I'll prove to you that Mikuo is innocent, and you'll forgive him again! I know that sounds farfetched, but you can mend things with him! And with your mom, she... She did physically hurt someone, true, but she was also under the influence. Not to justify her actions- but like Annika said, she's been in rehab for a long time now. She's a better person." I say, making Miku look at me through her tears.

"Just like how I forgave you when you hurt me, remember?" I say, smiling, hoping she would. Miku nods, and looks at me as if she wants something.

"Right, like Rin said, as well as I won't be with you forever, my dear. Once your mom comes back officially, I have to move on with my career. As much as I love you and enjoyed seeing your improvement," Annika says, tears forming in her own eyes. Despite that, Miku just kept looking at me.

She has so much vulnerability that it's killing me. And I love it.

"I promise I'll protect you from any harms way, even if it's with your own family," I say, leaning foward and giving Miku a kiss. She kissed back, prompting me to set my hands on her cheeks. "I believe you," Miku says, looking at me with such a weird intensity that it makes me blush again. She has such a way of making me do that.

"I'm going to get a move on, on that," I say, turning to leave. "But I love you, Miku, don't forget that!" I say, walking to the door.

"Wait, Rin?"

I turn around, and Miku shows a smile to me.

"I love you, too, Rin."

And from there on out, I felt confident in myself and in my life.

~~~•~~~•~~~

I decided the first thing I would do is find Mikuo's number and call overseas. I'm going to have to dig for it, apparently, because I misplaced it. I'm pretty sure he wrote it down somewhere, I just don't know where I put it.