Ririka had to move fast while Damien and Kirari were still busy talking at the basement. She quickly entered her sister's bedroom, rummaged through her side table drawer for a blindfold then ran to her bathroom to steal her perfume. She sprayed copious amounts of Kirari's scent all over her body, hair, wrists, and hands. She did her hair in Kirari's braided pigtails fashion. Then, quickly painted her lips blue and slipped on Kirari's disposable blue artificial nails to cover her pink ones. She stole Kirari's keys for her red ferrari. She disabled the tracker on her phone and went to Sayaka's room. Soon, the two of them were driving towards Hyakkaou and to the Tower of Doors with Ririka at the wheel. She put on the radio to ease Sayaka's fears and it played "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" by Tears For Fears.
Sayaka looked bewildered, still dressed in her white lace nightgown. She wanted to take her cellphone but Ririka had convinced her that it would just be a quick trip and that they needed to fix some malfunction on the Tower of Doors. They both walked up the spiral staircase after Ririka had used her master key card to open the building.
"Open door #5, Sayaka," Ririka requested and Sayaka did as she was told pressing the right number. The full moon came into view in a starry sky. The field of lilies glowed reflecting its light.
"Kaichou, nothing wrong with door." The wind howled through, blowing at her hip-length dark violet hair. Ririka noticed that her hands were shaking in fear. Ririka opened her third eye and read Sayaka's aura before she moved to door number 6 and opened it with her master key card. The wind blew her own silver-white hair as soon as it was open, "Why are we here, Kaichou?"
"Oh nothing, I was thinking of bringing Yumeko up here for a date and wanted to make sure all the doors would work."
Sayaka looked crestfallen, tears filling her eyes. Then she hugged herself, looking downcast. The words came out in between her sobs, "You...love...her...not...me..."
"I'm falling in love with her, Sayaka. Mainly because I don't think you ever loved me at all. I think its just my power you want. If I had lost the election, you'd have probably resigned and moved on to the next big fish that would take over the school. Someone like Mary Saotome."
She sunk to her knees, her arms hugging her legs, crying. The pitch of her voice was so low as she whispered, "Not true."
Ririka continued her farce. She needed to gauge Sayaka's capacity to accept defeat and heartbreak.
"You see, Sayaka, when you had a meltdown, I've been patient with you. But now I realize that this isn't the real me. The real me looks down on the weak. I know that the weak ought to be exploited because they deserve the state they're in," Ririka's heart hurt from saying the words, knowing how much they would hurt Sayaka. She steeled herself into looking haughty and domineering as Kirari usually was.
"Yu-yume-ko Ja-bami must die!!!"
"Why should she die, Sayaka? She's an exotic fish. The perfect predator. It would do me well to get close to her as she's a winner too, just like me. You're a loser, Sayaka. My complete opposite. Just as I always win, you will always lose. I think I am rid of my fascination for you," Ririka could hardly breathe now. She knew she was killing Sayaka's spirit, sending her over the edge of sanity.
Sayaka cried, then she started to scream, holding her hands over her own ears. Then, after her screaming fit had ended, she stood up. Her eyes were blank now, just as blank as it had been when she had her first meltdown. Her nose started to bleed and it dripped down her lips and chin and onto the floor. Her tears were also streaming down. Her sobs came in hiccups. Then, she walked slowly to Ririka, her stare completely blank. She wiped her own nose and face free of the blood that dripped with her right arm. Her skin was smeared with red blood trails.
She kept going until she reached Ririka who was blocking the way to door number 6. This door would lead to instant death.
"Move, Kaichou," She told Ririka.
"Why should I move? I'm having such a good time destroying you," Ririka imitated Kirari's chuckle and favorite pose.
Then, Sayaka's eyes looked out into the night. There was a long silence. Nothing could be heard except for the wind.
"President...you cannot destroy me. Love is forever. And I love you. You will always have my heart. I will step out this door and show you. If it makes you happy, I will die. And you and...and...Yumeko can be happy together. I'll die to make you happy. I disappointed you. I am not good enough for you. I will be the leaf, that decomposes. Do not bury me. Nor make me a tomb. I am not worthy. Just leave me to rot by this tower. Let my body nourish your field of lilies. But remember me, Kaichou. When you come here at night. Remember me in your lilies. Remember me when you look up at the moon. Remember me, the one who loved you more than my own life," Sayaka's tears streamed as she looked right into Ririka. Her eyes were so soft as they started to glow bright purple. The light in them was dazzling. And she was smiling. A smile coming straight from the heart that beats with a pure and perfect love. She held Ririka's shoulder and tried to push her out of the way.
Ririka saw her aura, and how beautiful it looked, filling the room with the purity of her emotions. She quickly pulled Sayaka to her and lifted her off the floor under her arms. She was so light, as if her spirit and her soul had already departed the room and was in the clouds, soaring. Ririka ran with Sayaka in her arms all the way to Door #5 and with eyes wide open, she pushed them both out as they fell five floors down. Ririka didn't scream even though she was terrified of heights. She held Sayaka tight to her and pulled back to look into her eyes. There was no fear in them. Only love. Her eyes were so soft. And she was smiling. Not at her, but at her own resolve. Her own decision. Her arms instinctively reached around to hold Ririka to her.
Their bodies hit the mat. Ririka on top of Sayaka. And Sayaka's head bumped nastily against the crash mat and against Ririka's neck. Because Ririka was not Kirari. Kirari had put her own hand over Sayaka's head protecting it when they both fell off the Tower of Doors while her free hand never let Sayaka's fingers go. Ririka was not so keen. It took a while for Sayaka to recover because of the nasty bump to the head. But she felt her entire body vibrating. Ririka was shaking from sheer fear and excitement. Her body felt so alive. She had never taken a risk like this, overcoming her fear of heights. Her breathing was labored as she looked down at Sayaka. She was completely between between Sayaka's legs, her arms around Sayaka's back. Sayaka was looking right at her. Her purple eyes glowing and she was smiling. She reached up and stroked Ririka's silver-white hair, looking directly into Ririka's soft blue eyes and she whispered, "Vice President?"
How in hell did she know? Ririka thought, astonished. Then, she realized that Sayaka was touching her. She never touched Kirari like this, boldly. Sayaka's hands wandered down her hair and undid her braided pig-tails. Ririka shook her head to let her hair fall down. Sayaka's hands slipped into Ririka's hair as she combed them free from being entangled. Her touch was like a drug to Ririka. Then Sayaka's hands wandered back to her cheek and she thumbed at Ririka's lips in blue lipstick. Ririka's skin was hot, she was always several degrees hotter than Kirari's in body temperature. Sayaka knew, she could feel Ririka's body heat as she lay between her legs. Ririka kissed her fingertip, tears streaming down her eyes. It felt so good to be touched by her...simply because by nature, she was shy. For her to reach out like this made Ririka's heart beat loud in her ears. She was also completely happy that Sayaka could see her apart from her twin, "I'm so sorry, Sayaka. I didn't mean to say those things in the tower. I'm not my sister. I just wanted you to come back to me. To come back to us. Please don't think too low of yourself. You deserve everything beautiful in this world. You are the most beautiful person I know. Inside and outside. And I need you to know that no matter what happens, you aren't alone. There's no reason for you to kill yourself, for anyone or anything. You only have to look behind your shoulder and I will always be there to help you pick up the pieces. I'll always be behind you. I love you, Sayaka Igarashi."
She blinked several times, smiled, then said, "What are we doing here?" She whispered back.
"Don't you remember?"
"I remember the election. And Yumeko Jabami challenging the president. Why are we suddenly here?"
Was this an after-effect of all those Inbami-based drugs that Damien was talking about, Ririka wondered. And to think that Ririka had given it to Sayaka twice now.
"Sayaka...you've been traumatized. Psychologically. You've been seeing a doctor named Doctor Soleste Sasaki for several days now. All three of us have been in therapy together."
"Oh...right, its all coming back now. I guess my head isn't all there yet. Is it bleeding?"
Ririka checked, "No. For a minute there you had me worried. I thought we'd have to start all over again for your therapy."
"Ririka...I'm feeling well now. I'm back. I checked out, but I guess I needed that. Serves me right for being so stupid. You can go back to Mary now. No sense watching over me a lot."
"Why would I go to Mary? Everything that makes me happy is right here," Ririka tightened her embrace. Sayaka smiled back and she cupped Ririka's face in her hands, "Keep touching me like this Sayaka and I'll just have to steal you away from Kirari."
She stopped and dropped her hands, "Sorry. The things you said earlier really hurt me. But I really was ready to die if that would make Kirari happy."
"Fuck, Kirari. She doesn't deserve your pure heart," Ririka said and she was about to kiss Sayaka on her lips when headlights suddenly illuminated the area and the sound of a helicopter filled the night sky. Kirari had arrived in a chopper. Armed guards disembarked before Kirari did and Ririka was forced to sit up. Sayaka sat up as well.
"I swear to Ama!!! I fucking swear to Ama!!!" This was serious. Kirari never acknowledged a deity, ever. In her own mind, she was a goddess of her own, "I swear to fucking Ama!!!" She kept repeating in anger and indignation, her fists clenched. Although Ririka wasn't sure if Kirari was referring to Ama which was Filipino for Father or if it was Ama for Amaterasu, "For fuck's sake 'Ika! I will kill you if something bad happens to my SAYA-KA!!!"
Sayaka's eyes met Kirari's and whatever it was that passed between them, Kirari's mood had suddenly changed. She ran towards the crash mat, knelt in front of Sayaka, and they embraced. Kirari was clearly shaking. And so was Sayaka. Kirari pulled back and licked all over Sayaka's tear-streaked face. Sayaka began to giggle and she pushed Kirari back, "President. You're being silly. And its gross. I know you haven't brushed your teeth yet."
"My one, are you hurt? Any bones broken? Why do you have blood on your arm and nightgown?"
"It's nothing, Kaichou. Just from a nosebleed," Kirari took her arm and licked the blood off, tasting it. Then, she took her hand and placed it on her cheek before turning her head to kiss her palm. Sayaka blushed again before she removed her hand from Kirari's lips.
"I swear to Ama, 'Ika. I will kill you--"
Her angry tirade was interrupted by Sayaka who raised one finger upright to stop Kirari from continuing.
"Kaichou, I'm feeling so much better. Somehow jumping down the Tower of Doors reminded me how much stronger I was back then compared to the election. I must have been too stressed to handle it at that time."
"I can't believe you're really back...and speaking so much. I missed your voice. I missed you so much, Sayaka, my ichiyou. My one."
"Ichiyou...ichiyo?" Sayaka suddenly repeated, having realized that it meant one leaf. Leaf! The very reason why Kirari always called her 'my one'...and then Sayaka remembered. Ichiyou was a Sakura blossom. A blossom!, "You can thank the Vice President. She pretended to be you and brought me all the way back up to the top floor."
The twins looked into each other's eyes for a long while before Kirari spoke, "Thank you, Ririka Momobami, for bringing my Sayaka Igarashi back to me."
"Wasn't for your benefit. I missed her a lot too. Now I don't have to do triple duties as vice president, nurse, and secretary."
"Lets go home," Kirari whispered to Sayaka as she touched her forehead to hers, then she looked at Ririka, "Not you. You're walking all the way home tonight, as punishment for stealing my Sayaka. And my Ferrari. Give me the keys," she held out one hand and Ririka fished it out of her pocket.
"I'm hungry, Kaichou," Sayaka said.
"Where do you want to go? We have the chopper. We can swing by any restaurant you like in the city. I'm buying, seeing as I don't want you getting down in a sexy bloody nightgown."
"I want some vanilla ice cream and...some pizza?"
"I'll never understand your craving for Italian food. Yuck."
"I want some seafood pizza and vanilla ice cream."
"I know just the place, my one," Kirari smiled as they made their way to the chopper. The guards stayed behind to give more room for the two and Kirari handed them her keys to the Ferrari which they drove back home to the manor, leaving Ririka alone in the crash mat with a field of lilies for company. Ririka threw her arms up exasperatedly and tumbled back into the plushy pad, looking up at the full moon. Later, she got up and tied her hair into a single pony-tail this time.
Rats, I missed my window to kiss her, Ririka thought. Later, she walked all the way back home, stopping by the nearest American-inspired diner to get a meal in. The diner had a television mounted near the ceiling and it was playing Casablanca. She sat on the far end of the diner that was L-shaped. A waitress attended to her and she ordered a burger, fries, and a strawberry milkshake to go. She paid in advance and the waitress remarked that she would bring her change along with the food packed for take-out. Suddenly, she heard laughter at the far end, and a voice that sounded familiar. It was Mary. With Yumeko and Ryota, apparently. Ririka stood and tried to transfer seats so that her back would be to them but it was too late. Mary had seen her and stood up. More like marched to where she was, her hands on her hips.
"Are you stalking me, you imbecile? How dare you come to our favorite diner?! I told you before and I'll tell you again. I'll NEVER join your student council. You're a piece of shit!" Mary clearly mistook her for Kirari in this perfume, blue lipstick, and blue nails. How odd. After all those hours spent together watching horror movies. The hand-holding. The long nights of card-playing. What took Sayaka only a minute to figure out was taking Mary months.
"Mary..." Ririka lifted a brow playfully.
"Oh...its just you," Mary realized her mistake, "Sorry, 'Riri. Would you like to join Yumeko, Ryota, and I at our table?"
"No, I'm just getting food to go and eating at the manor. You can come by anytime you like."
Mary wrinkled her nose, "I don't think so. Sayaka doesn't like Yumeko."
"I didn't mean you can bring Yumeko. I meant you."
Mary regarded Ririka for a while, "I'll think on it. Seems like you got your hands full taking care of your stupid sister and your mental patient."
"Sayaka's okay now. I took her to the Tower of Doors and jumped us both out. That brought her back. She's remembering everything and speaking a lot more like herself. I'm pretty proud of what I did."
Mary's smile vanished and a sadness lingered in her eyes, "You and I have gotten out of touch, huh?"
"You were always welcome to visit me where I lived. For all you know I've been waiting for you to drop by back then when Sayaka was still unwell," Ririka's hints were a subtle accusation.
"Well, you know how I get around your sister."
"And that's more important?"
"You know where I live too. You could have stopped by anytime as well."
"I couldn't leave Sayaka with 'Rari alone for too long. If I did, I might come back home to find Sayaka's arms tied to the bed and 'Rari molesting her while she's still emotionally unstable."
The waitress interrupted their conversation bringing her take-out bag and change. Ririka stood up and Mary walked her out to the door of the diner. She opened the door for Ririka and stood with one hand on the handle of the half-opened door and the other on her hip.
"I'll think on it, 'Riri...coming to see you at your place. I'll need some time."
"Thank you, Mary," Ririka smiled and walked towards the street leading to the manor.
This is something most people never understood about her. Ririka had been silently begging all her life. To be noticed. To be acknowledged. To have the winning hand. But the dice did not choose her. She liked that Mary fought for her differences with Kirari, explaining what made them so different. As if she didn't already know. Sayaka had beaten Mary to it when she pointed it out on her first interview at the student council room. But in spite of it, Ririka no longer wanted to be the one begging for love. She didn't need to be the same person begging for scraps of affection from Mary. If Mary wanted her, this time, Ririka wanted to be pursued. It was owed her, after years and years of being ignored and underestimated. What change was there to be had in begging Mary for love?
It was going to be a long night. Thankfully, Kirari refused her elixir. Perhaps she would take it instead and drown her sorrows in long hot wet dreams. Tonight, she decided that she would direct her fantasies under the moonlit night...but as Leon Terranova with Kaya D'Amato. It was in that world where they were meant to be together, and not this one. Or, Ririka thought, she could also go the naughty route and dream she was back on that vast field of lilies by the Tower of Doors with Sayaka in her white lace nightgown, dazzling purple eyes, dark violet hair, soft pink lips that always hinted at her shy smile. If she could have such a dream, Ririka knew that she wouldn't ever want to wake up again.
Ririka walked home singing Phil Collins' "You'll Be In My Heart" with a smile.
[Up Next--Epilogue]