Kaoru's POV:
Ryu was about to win the game. The crowd was pumped out, including me and Miyako. Suddenly, I saw Murasaki passing by. I didn't pay attention to her because I wanted to see Ryu playing. But then, she pushed me to the ground. Obviously I fell. Fortunately, I didn't get hurt, except for my dignity. I saw Ryu running towards me. He was sick worried. All I could think about was that he missed the goal for my fault. I was so useless that I couldn't even stand up for myself. I felt so helpless and weak. I hate feeling so.
"Kaoru! Are you alright?!" Ryu asked me, really worried.
"I'm okay!" I replied to him, trying to stand up alone.
I didn't want to see myself weak in front of anyone, much less Ryu. Then I saw how his gaze changed. It became bleak and full of rage. Ryu approached Murasaki, clenching his fists. I didn't think he was able to do it, but he did. He pushed Murasaki to the ground in front of everyone. We were all shocked. Her eyes filled with fear and tears. Ryu glared at her as he contained his anger. No one dared to intervene, not even his brothers.
"Don't come near Kaoru again! If you put a single finger on my girl again, I will not mind if you are a girl, I'll break your face!" he warned her in a devilish tone, "is it clear to you?!"
"Ryu! Enough!" the coach scolded him.
The coach kicked Ryu out of the soccer field, while Miyako helped me to stand up with the help of Yûsuke. Murasaki was devastated. She began to cry inconsolably and ran away from the field. She got what she deserved.
"Did you got hurt?" Miyako asked me.
"No" I denied.
"I'm going to check out on Ryu" Yûsuke told us before leaving the field.
Yoshito followed his older brother too. Then, Momoko approached us.
"Are you okay, Kaoru?" she asked me.
"Yes" I affirmed.
"What the hell is wrong with that girl?!" she changed into an angry tone.
"I don't know, but she did take a good scare from Ryu" Miyako said.
"That girl is always behind Ryu, but he keeps rejecting her because of me. Maybe that's why she's so mad at me" I explained.
"I don't blame her, I would hate you too" Momoko joked.
"But that doesn't solve anything! She only managed to earn Ryu's contempt!" Miyako told us.
"Wise words, as always, Miyako!" Momoko smiled.
"And you, aren't you supposed to be with Homare?" I rolled my eyes.
"He sat there with his friends" she responded and pointed at that jerk.
"Whatever" I snorted.
Yoshito's POV:
"Are you stupid or something?! How do you think of pushing a girl?!" I heard Yûsuke claim Ryu.
"She pushed Kaoru!" Ryu tried to justify himself.
"But that was not correct! There are other ways to solve it!" Yûsuke insisted.
"You would've done the same for Momoko" Ryu crossed his arms.
"Yûsuke is right" I intervened when I saw that Ryu had shut Yûsuke's mouth, "It's not right to hit a girl. Kaoru can defend herself."
"She's wearing crutches" Ryu reminded me.
"Yes, but she also knows how to defend herself with her mouth!" I added.
"Wearing a cast doesn't mean that Kaoru is useless. Don't treat her as if she depended on you" Yûsuke spoke again.
"She needs me" Ryu looked at him.
"But she isn't your property. Give her space and let her try to do things alone. She will ask for help if necessary" Yûsuke raised his voice.
Ryu left the locker room, furious. I knew that basically Yûsuke said it from his own experience, because he didn't dare to intervene between Momoko and Homare. Even when he has feelings for her and knows that Homare will hurt her. I would like to be as mature as Yûsuke. So I could have the right words for the right moment, just like him and Miyako. That afternoon, we all headed to the professor's lab, as always. Even Ken noticed the tension between us. Ryu was mad at Yûsuke. Yûsuke was disappointed. Miyako was worried about Momoko. Momoko couldn't stop talking about Homare. Kaoru was frustrated because she couldn't do anything. And me, well, I was worried and sick of everything.
"Kids, I think you should all take a break today. You seem like you need some rest" the professor told us.
"But we're good, professor" Miyako said.
"We just had a tough day" Kaoru added.
"For me it's important that all of you are well and motivated. And today you don't look motivated at all" the professor crossed his arms.
"We're really sorry, professor. We promise to work hard today" Yûsuke finally spoke.
"Speak for yourself" Ryu growled.
Yûsuke glared at Ryu.
"Let's face it, you're discouraged, Miyako is discouraged, I'm fed up, Yoshito doesn't even know what year we're in, Momoko just thinks about that jerk-!" Ryu continued complaining.
"-and I'm disabled" Kaoru interrupted him, "Thanks for cheering us up, Ryu! Better save your comments!"
"That is not what I was going to say" Ryu clarified to us.
"But that's what you meant!" Kaoru claimed to him.
"Why do you put Homare into things that have nothing to do with him?! What has he done to you?!" Momoko protested.
"Oh, please! Now it's all about Homare with you!" Kaoru told her, "can't you see that he's only using you?!"
"Momoko, we're just worried about you" Miyako interfered.
"Well, none of you should worry about me or get into my life!" Momoko said and glared at Yûsuke, "especially you, nosy!"
"I am the one who has least got into your affairs" he said in a calm tone.
Ken and Peach looked at the professor, who didn't know what to do. They all started discussing. That was driving me crazy. We were supposed to be a team. I thought things would change, but it's just getting worse.
Miyako's POV:
I was tired of Momoko acting like a little child! She's blinded by that Homare oaf! I didn't noticed we were all discussing in front of the professor, Ken and Peach until I saw Yoshito leaving the dinning room. I stopped complaining and reached him.
"Yoshito! Where are you going?!" I tried to stop him.
"I'm going home. This isn't fun anymore" he said.
"But we-" I insisted.
"I'm tired of this!" he raised his voice, "I just want to have a moment of peace!"
I lowered my head and stopped following him. He noticed it and stopped too.
"I'm sorry, Miyako. I'll see you tomorrow at school" he said and left.
He was right. This isn't fun anymore. Not even my friendship with the girls is like before. I decided to return with the rest, on the verge of crying. They didn't even notice me until I took my backpack to go.
"Miyako, where are you going? Where's Yoshito?" Momoko asked me and the others stopped discussing.
"I'm leaving" I said and took off my belt.
I gave it to the professor and started crying.
"I can't be a Powerpuff anymore. I'm sorry. I hope you understand" I told the professor.
Everyone gasped with surprise. I could see Momoko about to cry.
"What are you saying?!" Kaoru asked me, "Stop playing with that, Miyako! This is not funny!"
"Do you think I'm kidding?" I asked her, giving her a serious look.
Kaoru gasped again and widened in shock. I turned around to leave the laboratory. I knew they all wanted an explanation, but I couldn't talk about it in that precise moment.
"You can't just quit like that! We're a team!" Momoko yelled at me.
I ignored her statement and continued my path. Honestly, this wasn't the first time I thought about giving up. After what happened with HIM, I was very scared. Since that day I've had nightmares and I haven't been able to get it out of my head. At first it was fun to be a superhero, but now it was becoming more dangerous. They will think I am a coward, but I don't feel prepared to face HIM again. As Yoshito said, this is no longer fun.
On the other hand, the girls and I have grown and matured. Our mentalities have changed and we tend to have differences because of that. I feel that our friendship could fall apart at any time. Especially now that Momoko is dating Homare and that Kaoru is starting to fall in love with Ryu. I am afraid they will forget me. As I headed home I realized that I had started crying. The tears in my eyes clouded my view. The rain wasn't much help either.
I went through the park where I met Takaaki for the first time. There was a strange figure, at the top of the hill. My eyes widened with surprise. I was sure it was him. It must be him! I ran to the hill to talk to him.
"Takaaki, is that you?!" I stopped by, realizing it was someone else.
"Mi-Miyako?" he stuttered with surprise.
"Yoshito? What are you doing here?" I asked him.
He lowered his head with a sad expression on his face.
"This is where I come when I feel sad or upset" he explained to me.
I didn't know what to tell him. I didn't feel like talking either. Then he looked at me again and realized that my belt was gone.
"Miyako! Your belt! It's gone!" he told me, obviously worried.
"Actually" I blushed and lowered my head, "I gave it to the professor."
"Why?!" he asked me with surprise.
"I quit" I admitted.
"You what?! Why?!" he yelled in shock.
"Because I'm a coward!" I started crying again.
Yoshito stood up and hugged me immediately.
"Miyako, you are not a coward" he told me, "please, tell me what's wrong so I can help you feel better."
I tried to calm down and sat next to him. I explained everything about my nightmares and my fear of HIM. He listened to me carefully until I finished speaking.
"I still don't think you're a coward" he finally spoke, "I fully understand that you feel fear. It is completely understandable after what happened to you. But-"
"But?" I interrupted him.
"We would never let anything bad happen to you" he assured me.
"Yeah, about that" I made a pause and sighed, "I begin to have doubts about my friendship with Momoko and Kaoru. I'm afraid that they forget me and leave me aside. I feel that nothing is the same, that we move further away from each other and that terrifies me."
I hid my head between my legs and felt Yoshito's wet hand on my head.
"Well, you and the girls are all very different from each other. However, being superheroes is what unites you" he said.
"Wow, I had never thought about it that way" I said.
Yoshito gave me a smile that made feel instantly better.
"So don't quit, Miyako. Being a superhero is what unites you, and now it also united me and my brothers to you" he added.
I stared at Yoshito, receiving a great dose of hope. My eyes began to fill with tears, but they were no longer sad but happy.
"Thank you, Yoshito" I cried and smiled to him at the same time.
************************************
What will happen now with The Puffs and The Ruffs? Will they break up? Will Miyako quit? Or will she change her mind? Let's find out reading the next chapter!