Emi Epilogue - Stopping Short (UPDATED 5/25/2015: CHAPTER 5)

[brythain]

I'm sure Emi is well aware she's likely to outlive Hisao by potentially 40 years or more, and likely doesn't like being reminded of that, not that I can blame her.

I'm not sure where everyone gets that idea:

"Compared to other heart problems, people with your condition usually tend to live long lives.

Sure there is a risk, but this is Emi's route, so that is probably a lot smaller than in any other.

I don't think it's an idea that's necessarily a personal belief; it makes for a nice dramatic plot-hook if you like that kind of thing.

[azumeow]

I don't think it's an idea that's necessarily a personal belief; it makes for a nice dramatic plot-hook if you like that kind of thing.

I get enough of that bullshit from reading your fics, don't need it here. Meant with love! <3

Also, enjoyed this chapter as well. The two weeks thing was probably a decent idea, all in all.

[scratchminus]

Also, enjoyed this chapter as well. The two weeks thing was probably a decent idea, all in all.

Thank you! I'm glad Mirage suggested it, otherwise I would have never even thought about it.

And if you liked those two chapters, you'd better get your lemons and feels ready for chapter 3.

[azumeow]

Thank you! I'm glad Mirage suggested it, otherwise I would have never even thought about it.

And if you liked those two chapters, you'd better get your lemons and feels ready for chapter 3.

Oh god, my lemons and my feels?! I don't know if I can handle that much...

[HoneyBakedHam]

Hold onto your butts...

[scratchminus]

ERMERGERD, CHERPTER THRER

Took a bit longer this time, but I'm extremely excited to bring y'all chapter three of my Emilogue fanfic. I hope y'all enjoy the lemons and the feels! Feel free to leave feedback, suggestions, or critiques below! After all, that is how I improve. ;P

*NOTE* This chapter does not contain actual lemons.

Stopping Short - Chapter 3

The shrill shrieks of the train's brakes ring out through the car as it grinds to a halt. I look down at Emi, attempting to gauge her mood as she stares blankly out the window.

Oh man, what if she doesn't like the surprise?

Any semblance of worry is completely wiped from my face as I spot the corners of the small girl's mouth tilt upward ever so slightly. Her hand eagerly latches onto mine as we file off of the train, making our way through the crowd and hitting the sidewalk with a brisk pace.

"How long until we get there?" Emi asks impatiently.

"Hmmmm..." I pretend to ponder, scratching my chin and looking upwards for emphasis. "We'll probably be there right abooooout...now!"

In one quick motion I cover her eyes before she can look ahead and see what stands only a few yards away.

"Aw c'mon, Hisao!" Emi pleads, bouncing up and down slightly. "No more suspense! Show me!"

"If you wish, Miss Ibarazaki," I say in a sarcastic manner, removing my hands from her eyes with a flourish.

Not a single sound emits from Emi's mouth as her bouncing ceases, leaving us in a very sudden silence.

I gulp quietly as I slowly glance towards Emi, hoping that I didn't make the wrong decision. Her eyes stay locked on the enormous sign towering overhead, proudly pronouncing the land beyond it to be "Adventure Park". Not a single feature on her face moves as her gaze stays fixated on the colorful words. I'd be a liar if I said every part of my body wasn't clenched in an anxious anticipation for her reaction.

"Uh, Emi-"

My words are immediately halted as I'm tackled by the pink haired girl. The force causes me to stagger backwards, but I manage to remain standing as Emi begins to practically yell into my chest.

"Omigosh thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou, Hisao! You're the best!"

I release a small sigh of relief, returning the fierce embrace. "You're welcome, Emi."

She kisses me quickly before grabbing hold of my hand once more and practically dragging me towards the entrance, clearly wanting to waste no more time outside of the park. However, something causes her to stop dead in her tracks and spin around to face me.

"But wait, Hisao!" Emi says, wearing a concerned look. "What about your heart?"

Oh shit.

I actually didn't even think about that. Or at the very least I did and the thought was just overshadowed by my desire to take Emi on an amazing date. Either way, I refuse to let what could be a great day go to waste.

"I'll be fine, Emi," I assure her (and myself). "Let's just ride some of the more casual attractions first. I'm sure after those I'll be able to handle the bigger stuff."

"If you feel any pain AT ALL we are leaving," Emi declares, locking eyes with me.

"You have my word," I respond. "With all the extra exercise you and I get, I'm sure I'll be fine."

Emi looks absolutely unconvinced, but I meet her gaze firmly and nod my head, confirming that I'll be alright. Shaking off her concern, Emi takes my hand again and we move under the archway together. I quickly pay for both of our tickets and escort my girlfriend through security and into the amusement park.

Her eyes light up instantaneously at the sight of all the incredible attractions. Emi's current state could most easily be described as the equivalent of a kid given $100 in a candy store and told to go nuts. The sight of her excitement removes my doubts about my heart and I allow a smile to take hold of my features.

"OmigoshHisaowhereshouldwegofirstoohovertherethespinningteacupsthoseareacasualattractionrightc'monlet'sgo!"

Refusing to allow me a second to respond, Emi is already pulling me along as she speed walks through the throngs of people, making a beeline for the teacups. I don't think I could match this girl's enthusiasm if I tried.

==========

Ride #13.

Haven't died yet, so that's good, right?

Surprisingly, my heart has been holding up rather well throughout the day. There have been a few rides that pushed me beyond my comfort zone, but nothing worth worrying Emi over. She seems to be having even more fun than I had predicted, so the last thing I want to do is ruin that by having a stupid heart attack or something.

As the ride we're currently on climbs towards its peak, my heart drops into my stomach and I feel my entire body tense up. Man, something about rollercoasters just always makes me so nervous, but I suppose most people feel that way. Well, most people except for the dark-haired girl in front of me and her light-blue-haired friend, both of whom are idly chatting as if nothing else is going on.

Huh, the girl's hair almost resembles Hanako's. Though it's a bit too short and not quite the same dark purple. Oddly, it almost looks familiar, despite the fact that the girl's social nature with her friend clearly disproves any sort of Hanako theory. But then how come...

My pointless curiosity surrounding the girl is forgotten as we reach the apex of our climb. I grab onto the not-so-safe safety bar as well as Emi's outstretched hand as we ever so slowly go over the edge.

Y'know, why is it that the cart takes so long to actually go dow- HOLYJESUSHWHYDOPEOPLEACTUALLYENJOYROLLERCOASTERSLIKETHISISTHATANOTHERLOOPWHYDEARGODWHY.

The ride is over relatively quickly. Regardless, I still feel as though a fraction of my life has been drained from this experience alone. I hear the blue-haired girl in front of us ask her friend if she enjoyed the ride and-

Wait, what did she just call her?

As everyone unloads and flows out of the ride I find my feet automatically carrying me towards the two girls. Snippets of their conversation come to me as I catch up to them. There's no way I'm right. It can't possibly-

There! She called her that again!

I brace myself, a torrent of confusing emotions telling me both to continue forward and to escape while I still can. Curiosity wins out. I have to know.

Before I get a chance to speak up, the two girls take notice of me, my hand raised and my mouth hanging awkwardly open as a magnitude of words get stuck in my throat.

"Oh...o-oh m-m-my..." the dark-haired girl stammers as we stare at each other, neither of us daring to move.

The blue-haired girl chimes in, breaking the silent tension that hangs thickly in the air. "Hm, what? You know this guy, Iwanako?"

My mouth is sandpaper, unmoving as the weight of my entire past hits me like a freighter. Every possible emotion wrestles for control of my brain, waging an internal war of monumental proportions.

Iwanako's gaze remains cold and distant. I can see a battle of her own roaring behind her eyes as both of our brains are undoubtedly drudging up unpleasant memories of the past. Finally, something breaks the silent spell.

"H...Hisao?" Iwanako whispers, as if questioning whether the sight before her is a figment of her imagination.

I swallow the lump in my throat and push out the first words that I can muster.

"Y-yeah...it's me, Iwanako."

Iwanako covers her mouth and makes a very quiet whimpering noise as her friend's eyes widen in realization.

"Oh dang, so THIS is that high school sweetheart that couldn't get with you?!" she blurts out. "Well what are you doing? Go spend some time with the poor bastard! I bet he's been missing you for the longest!"

Iwanako's friend pushes her towards me with enough force to send the poor girl tumbling over. Fortunately, I'm close enough to stop her fall and stand her back upright, checking to make sure she's alright. My words don't really seem to register with her, though. The dark-haired girl scans my eyes, almost as if she's searching for something within them.

Suddenly, she yelps. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Hisao, I'm being so rude! How have you been since..." Iwanako's voice trails off, obviously in an awkward attempt to dodge the topic of my heart attack.

I chuckle lightly and give her what I hope is a sincere smile. "Heh, it's fine, you can say heart attack. Honestly, I've been doing alright."

"So you like the...new school, then?" Iwanako inquires, still seeming a bit cautious of her word choice.

"Yeah. Met some interesting characters, made a few good friends. I'm actually enjoying Yamaku way more than I thought I would've."

My response seems to finally put the girl at ease, the tension in her body visibly dissolving as she lets out a sigh of relief. "That's great, Hisao. I'm really happy for you."

"So what exactly are you doing out here?" I ask as casually as I can. "We're at least 3 hours away from your hometown."

Iwanako almost looks shocked at the fact that I'd ask such a question before responding. "Oh, well this is the best amusement park in the area, and my friends have really been wanting to come here for some time. So we decided to pay for a hotel nearby and stay up here for the weekend, that way we could visit the park for a long time and not have to worry about driving back too late."

"Ahhhh, I see," I mumble, trying to think of anything else to say. Her friend seems to have run off already, so there are little to no crutches for me to lean on right now.

Before our conversation can devolve into the impending train wreck that approaches, a high-pitched shout of my name rings against my eardrums.

"Hisao! Where did you go?!"

I'm a fucking retard.

"Why? What did you do?" Iwanako asks, sounding worried.

And apparently I said that out loud without realizing it.

"What? I mean, you did, but what are you talking about?"

...goddammit.

"Hisao? There you are!" Emi's voice stands out among the din of the amusement park.

I turn around and sheepishly rub the back of my head, just now remembering that I simply ran off without her after the ride ended. Before I can even mutter an apology Emi is already marching up to me, an angry glint in her eyes.

"What the hell, Hisao! Why did you just storm off and leave me by myself?!" Emi pouts and yells at the same time, sending me a variety of mixed signals. Although she seems a bit more pouty than put off, so that's a good thing...I think.

"I'm so sorry, Emi! I just-"

"You just what, huh?" Emi's yelling slowly quiets down, forming into a sort of fake pout with her bottom lip jutting out. "You just wanted to leave poor little Emi by her lonesome and have fun on your own, didn't yo-"

Emi cuts herself off mid-sentence as she takes notice of the girl standing next to us, who seemed content to just watch the scene in front of her unfold. Iwanako hesitates for a moment when we both look at her, but soon flashes a small smile towards Emi.

"Hello," Iwanako greets her simply.

"Uh, hi," Emi responds, somewhat confused.

"I see you know Hisao as well, right?"

Emi rolls her eyes and huffs a bit before replying. "Yeah, unfortunately. This dork has no clue how to treat a lady."

Iwanako giggles. "Hehe, yeah, I can see that. Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't even introduce myself! I'm Iwanako. I used to go to school with Hisao before he transferred to Yamaku."

Emi's body stiffens as she recalls the name, knowing full well who this is and everything I've told her about her. For a moment I fear that Emi will do something rash like attempt to bash Iwanako's skull in, but after an awkward pause she returns the introduction in kind.

"I'm Emi. It's nice to meet you, Iwanako!" Emi puts on a cheery smile that I swear looks so fake that it could be made of plastic. "So I assume you're the reason Hisao wandered off on his own?"

I feel the heat of blood rushing to my face as I attempt to justify my actions. "S-sorry. I just thought I saw someone familiar while we were on the ride and I wanted to say hi if it actually was an old classmate."

"Oh, speaking of classmates," Iwanako begins, checking her phone as she speaks. "I should really catch up with my friends, they're probably waiting on me."

"I dunno, with the way that one girl pushed you I don't think they were expecting you back any time soon," I joke. That is, before I realize what I just said and that Emi is right next to me. "I mean, uh..."

"Well hey," Emi interjects. "If your group wanted you to catch up with an old friend I think it's only right for you to do so. Wanna tag along?"

I flinch as Emi suggests this, a movement which Iwanako practically mirrors. Why would Emi even consider such a thing?

"O-oh no! I c-couldn't possibly intrude like that!" Iwanako stutters, taking a small step back.

"Yeah, her friends are probably already waiting on her," I argue, looking down at Emi. "We should let her go ahead and get back."

My eyes lock with her own and I give the small girl a questioning look, but she seems determined. But why?

"No," Emi states forcefully. "I insist that you stay with us. Friends don't just leave friends alone, right?"

Iwanako and I both share a look that is equal parts anxious and fearful before the dark-haired girl obliges.

"Okay," Iwanako agrees softly, beginning to smile. "I guess I can stay if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Emi assures her, grabbing both of us by the arms and leading us towards the next attraction that catches her eye. "Now c'mon! There are tons more rides and plenty of daytime left!"

==========

You know, what are the first words that come to mind when you think about spending hours at an amusement park with two really cute girls? Probably something along the lines of amazing. Or maybe heart-warming. Adorable and flirtatious, perhaps?

How about "more awkward than getting pantsed in public before realizing you put on your polka dotted boxers this morning"? No? Well damn, it sure describes how I'm feeling right about now.

The past couple of hours have kind of just...happened. I recall eating some weird food you can only find in amusement parks at one point. I think we rode some rollercoaster with a ton of loops at least 3 times at Emi's request. And I'm pretty sure we witnessed some guy lose his lunch as well as his phone and wallet on a ride that hung upside down for some time. But as a whole, the entire day seems to be blurring together, as though I've spent it in some sort of stupor. At least I can clear my head now.

I'm sitting on a bench a couple of yards away from the restrooms, watching the doors as I wait for Emi and Iwanako to return. Considering how long it usually takes girls to use the restroom in groups, I imagine I'll have quite a while to gather myself. I lean back slightly and sigh, beginning to run through the events of the day before my thoughts are interrupted by the movement of the gray door. Iwanako steps out of the opening, followed by...no one. Huh.

As she strides over to me I look at her quizzically. "Hey, where's Emi?"

Iwanako stays silent as she sits next to me, her head directed towards the ground. Her face is well hidden behind the curtain dark hair, but I can just barely see her eyes as they start to glisten.

"Iwanako? What's wrong?"

Tears begin slowly leaving her eyes and trailing down her face. Quiet sobs break the still atmosphere surrounding the somewhat secluded bench. I open my mouth to ask again, but Iwanako beats me to it.

"I'm so sorry!" she sobs, still staring down at the ground.

"I...what?"

"I'm so so so so sorry, Hisao! I know you're probably happy now and maybe what happened can be considered a good thing but that doesn't change the fact that I still ruined you and the guilt is killing me and I-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, Iwanako, stop," I plead gently. "It's okay, just calm down."

"No," Iwanako mutters under her breath. "It's not okay. I almost killed you. That won't ever be okay."

"Iwanako, it wasn't your fault. My heart would've been set off eventually. It was only a matter of time before something else would've caused my first heart attack."

My words seem to fall on deaf ears as Iwanako stays silent, her muffled sobs causing her body to shake. I scoot closer and begin to wrap my arms around her in an attempt to comfort the girl, but without warning she swings her head up and meets my movements.

Apples.

She tastes of apples.

Soft, warm, and delicate pressed against me.

Is this what I missed out on in that snowy field months ago?

It's so...intriguing.

No.

NO.

I wrench myself away from Iwanako's kiss, sliding to the opposite end of the bench as quickly as I can. Iwanako gazes at me, a hurt look in her eyes and tears still fresh on her face.

"Why did you do that?" I ask quietly, not quite sure how to interpret the situation.

Iwanako refuses to answer me, instead opting to wipe at her face while looking away.

Fear suddenly strikes me as I remember where we are; my head swivels around slowly towards the bathroom doors, my eyes locking onto...

Nobody.

I heave a sigh of relief. No pink-haired girl. Not a single witness. But still, the thought nags at me and I realize that I would almost prefer facing Emi's wrath rather than coping with the guilt that begins to set in.

A whispered sentence from my right pulls me back to reality. "I should really get going."

As Iwanako says this, I see the door to the female restroom swing open and Emi bounds out, completely unaware of what just happened.

"Sorry about the wait, you guys," Emi apologizes, stretching her legs out. "Had to fix my prosthetics."

Iwanako puts on a smile. "Oh that's alright, Emi. My friends actually just texted me, so I was about to get going."

"Aw, alright!" Emi responds, sounding genuinely disappointed. "Well I had a great time, we should definitely do something like this again!" She rushes forward and wraps the girl in a tight embrace, which Iwanako clumsily returns.

As they separate, Iwanako turns to me and gives me a small, sad smile. "I guess I'll see you around, Hisao."

"Er, yeah, of course," I say awkwardly. She moves towards me and wraps me in a light hug, which I return in a way that I hope doesn't come off as either too hesitant or overly enthusiastic. "Goodbye, Iwanako."

"Goodbye, Hisao."

We break apart and Iwanako walks off, giving us both a small wave before turning her back on Emi and I, melting into the distance with each continuous step.

"Well, you ready to go?" Emi asks cheerily, as if she doesn't know what-

Oh. Right.

"Y-yeah," I respond, unable to form any other words.

Emi doesn't question my odd reaction, but instead takes my hand in her own and leads me towards the front of the park, entirely oblivious to the fact that her boyfriend just waltzed with the enemy.

==========

Every bone in my legs screams in protest as I climb the steps of the male dorms. The events of the day have drained me both physically and mentally, making me feel like a lifeless zombie as I trudge towards my room. Even the presence of the bright and cheery girl next to me does little to improve my chaotic emotional state.

Despite the flurry of emotions spiraling through my head, one specifically takes precedence over them all: guilt.

I didn't pull away quick enough.

I hesitated.

I let Iwanako have me.

In that one instance, I forfeited my promise to Emi on that hilltop. Another girl stole my lips from her, claimed me as her own.

My self-loathing must have gone on for longer than I thought, as I find myself standing before my bed, slowly moving to sit on the mediocre school mattress while Emi locks the door.

"Welllllll..." Emi murmurs, stepping towards me with a sly look in her eyes. "How would you rate today, Hisao?"

I immediately shove everything to the back of my mind and attempt to focus solely on the girl in front of me. The only thing that matters right now is Emi.

I allow a sarcastic grin to sneak across my mouth. "I say a definite 10/10."

Emi places her hand gingerly against my chest and pushes me to the sheets. She plops down on my lap for a moment to remove her prosthetics and drop them to the floor, quickly turning herself over and pressing her entire body against mine.

"Alright, smartass," she says playfully, starting to move with very gentle hip motions. "I'm deducting 2 points for being a cheeky little boyfriend, though."

Emi leans her face closer, her bright green eyes staring lovingly into mine. Her breath tickles the skin on my lips as she continues.

"8/10," Emi purrs. "I think it's right to say that you've earned your reward."

I can't stop the goofy grin that plasters itself onto my face. "Alright then, Miss Ibarazaki. What's my reward?"

Emi brushes her lips against mine before firmly pressing them together, suckling ever so slightly at my face. The taste of appl- no, strawberries, fills my mouth, urging me forward. My hands begin to caress Emi's legs before working their way up to her rear and eventually to her modest chest.

Clothes scatter quickly and before long we're both clad in nothing but our respective underwear. Emi removes her bra as we begin to get even more heated, grinding lustfully against one another in our embrace. Suddenly, Emi's lips part from mine. As I open my eyes to see why she moved away, I find the pink-haired girl sliding her way down to my boxers and latching her fingers around the elastic waistband.

"So, Hisao," Emi whispers seductively. "Are you ready for your reward?"

Every part of my physical being is ready, yet the only response I'm able to produce is a slight nod of my head as my brain reduces itself to mush.

Oh my God, is she actually doing what I think she's doing?

My mind runs wild as Emi gradually slides the boxers down my legs, letting out a small "Ooh~" as an excited portion of my body practically jumps out of them and rubs against her cheek. The small girl grips my member with one hand while the other braces against my pelvis, starting with slow up and down motions. This elicits the smallest of grunts from my throat, causing Emi to smile mischievously.

"Yeah, you're ready," she breathes, her voice barely audible as she shifts herself and begins to lick me at the base.

There's no way this is real.

Emi's tongue slides up and down my entire length a number of times, building a wet trail that tingles in the best way imaginable.

I don't deserve this at all.

Emi brings herself back to the tip, poking and toying at it with her tongue. Her mouth is suddenly positioned directly above me, moving steadily closer.

But if I don't deserve this then why can't I bring myself to stop her?

These thoughts race through my mind as Emi's mouth inches nearer, her hot breath creating a new and exciting sensation on my lower region. The nagging voice in my head goes silent as Emi makes her final movement, pressing her lips against my tip and slowly encircling the head with her mouth. I gasp lightly, and Emi takes this as her cue to push onwards, gently thrusting dow-

-NOHMYGODI'MINSIDEEMI'SMOUTHOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGOD.

A long moan finds its way out of my lips, prompting Emi to gaze up at me. She begins to move, gently at first, keeping her eyes firmly locked onto my own. As she proceeds further and further down me, the warm wetness of her mouth begins to engulf my member, almost sending me over the edge instantaneously with pleasure.

Emi's head bobs up and down, picking up speed at a reasonable rate while her tongue caresses me inside of her mouth with each pass. Then, without warning, Emi thrusts down with an incredible force in an attempt to fit my entirety down her throat. This attempt fails, however, causing her to gag and come up for air momentarily before trying again. And again. And again.

This is honestly too good to be true.

I realize that I'm right as memories of the day flood back to me. Everything about this feels wrong, as though I'm being given a prize for some event that I never even entered.

Or an event that I cheated to win.

Emi eventually gives up on taking in my entire length and seems content to continue along at her previous quick pace. The sudden transition causes a reaction down below and I notice that I'm coming incredibly close to my limit.

But this just...it isn't right.

Emi can most likely sense that the finish line is in sight, as she speeds up even further, sending rippling waves of pleasure through my body. However, the guilt continues to gnaw at my mind, making me almost forget the sensual actions taking place at this very moment.

I have to stop this.

"...Emi..."

Her movements don't stop, either because she doesn't hear me or because she's refusing to listen.

"Emi."

Nothing. Her speed only increases, pushing me closer and closer to the edge.

"Emi, please."

The girl's movements take on an almost ravenous quality, as though she's ignoring me to satiate her own hunger.

"EMI."

Nothing again.

I can't.

I can't.

"EMI!"

This time she definitely hears me, but she only slows momentarily, assuming that nothing is actually the matter.

This can't go on any longer.

I'm done.

Without warning, guilt makes me burst.

"EMI, STOP! IWANAKO AND I KISSED! WE KISSED!"

The movements cease abruptly and the entire room falls into uncomfortable silence. My body teeters at its climax before falling back down, unfinished and unsatisfied, forgotten.

Emi lifts her mouth away from my privates and looks at me, unblinking. "What did you just say?"

I've said it now. There's nothing I can attempt to take back anymore. Everything's in the open.

"I...we...Iwanako and I kissed, at the amusement park today."

Emi's expression does not change, but I can tell she just faltered mentally for a brief second. "You...you kissed her?"

"Well, I mean, not exactly," I respond, quickly moving to hopefully fix some part of what I just said. "She kissed me. While you were in the bathroom she came out onto the bench and started apologizing for all the trouble she caused me. I moved over to tell her it wasn't her fault, but then she caught me off guard and she...yeah..."

"Did you, um...did you...reciprocate?" she asks cautiously.

"I-" Now it's my turn to falter. I find myself caught between sparing the girl's feelings by risking another lie and just telling the truth. I decide on the latter. "Well, not really. It took a moment before I realized what was happening, but as soon as I did I broke away from her."

"Oh..."

I rush to speak again before Emi can say anything. "I am so, so sorry. But I promise, Emi, I don't have any feelings whatsoever for Iwanako anymore. I'm not sure why Iwanako did what she did, but I know that the only girl I love is you, Emi."

"I...I forgive you, Hisao." Emi bites her lip before continuing. "As long as you didn't return the kiss and you're sure that you have no feelings for her, I'll be alright."

As if to prove her point, Emi slides up to meet me face to face, leaning in to kiss me but flinching when out lips brush against one another. She follows through, but the hesitation was unmistakable. These lips are no longer hers in Emi's eyes. They've been tainted by a past that should've long since been forgotten.

The kiss feels awkward and off, much like the entire predicament at the moment. As we break apart I suggest that we call it quits for the time being, a proposal to which Emi agrees. I get up silently and go around the room, quickly gathering up our discarded clothing. I return Emi's garments to her on the bed and we both redress hastily before sitting on the edge of the mattress together. The gap between us is only a couple of inches, but it may as well be a mile wide. It isn't long, however, before I break the silence.

"Emi?"

She glances over towards me but doesn't respond.

"Why did you seem so eager to let Iwanako tag along today? I didn't think you seemed too hot about the idea."

Emi turns her head towards me, a vacant look in her now dull green eyes. "Because I didn't feel that it was right to come between you and an old friend," she confesses. "Friends are important, and I wasn't going to let petty and, at the time, unjustified jealousy come between you and someone you used to be close to."

"Oh," I reply, unsure of what to say. "I'm really sorry, Emi..."

"I know."

We remain in silence for what feels like hours, not touching, not talking, barely even functioning. It almost seems juvenile, really. A high school relationship, the boy and the girl being pushed apart because of a past love interest. The two making it a much bigger deal than it needs to be.

This isn't like that, though. I'm the first boy that Emi has ever loved and trusted enough to allow herself to get close to. And what do I do? I betray that trust by harmonizing with the enemy. Not on purpose, mind you, but intent does not change what happened.

Both of us sit in a daze until the sound of a knuckle rapping against wood echoes through the room.

My first thought is that it must be Kenji, but I realize that the sounds were much too delicate to be his characteristic knocking. I lift myself from the bed and plod over to the door, knowing that if it isn't Kenji then there's probably actually an important reason for someone to be visiting me. Or at least, that's how I justify it, as I'd do anything at this point to momentarily escape the current situation.

The door swings open and...

Well I was right about one thing: definitely not Kenji.

In front of me stands Iwanako, still in the outfit she was wearing at the amusement park this afternoon. Her face is glowing beet red as she stands awkwardly in the doorway.

"I-Iwanako?"

Although I'm questioning why she's here in the first place, I guess I'm not exactly shocked, per say. Considering the fact that it's still rather early in the evening and that her hotel can't be far off, it's easy to imagine her simply getting a visitors pass and directions to my room from someone like Nurse. Regardless, I put my question into words to receive some form of confirmation.

"What are you doing her-"

Before I can even finish my sentence the dark-haired girl has already leapt forward, softly falling into me and wrapping her arms tightly around my torso. The unexpected weight thrust upon me causes me to stagger backwards into the room a little ways, just narrowly avoiding crashing to the floor.

"I had to come, Hisao! I had to!" Iwanako cries out, clutching onto me with a death grip as tears begin to flow down her face. "At the amusement park I didn't say anything because I was embarrassed, but the truth is..." She braces herself before confessing everything. "I still love you, Hisao! I love you and I miss you and I'm so sorry for all those days that I wasted in the hospital! I was just so afraid that I'd end up hurting you again that I didn't want to get closer to you and cause both of us even more pain, so I distanced myself from you thinking it would help but it didn't help! It didn't help at all! I'm so sorry!"

She's reduced herself to a rambling, sobbing wreck, and all I can do is stand there, trapped in her embrace like a rabbit in a snare. I struggle slightly to try and wiggle free, but the girl has a surprising amount of strength. Plus, the fact that I don't want to accidentally hurt her is keeping me from escaping her grasp.

I hate that I almost don't want to escape it.

I hate how, despite being an absolute mess at the moment, I can still recognize her as the girl I once loved. The girl who returned my feelings. The girl who started my new life for me. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have wound up at Yamaku when I did. Hell, I practically have her to thank for my current relation-

SHIT.

Awareness of my surroundings quickly returns and I move to break free of Iwanako's bear hug once more, opening my mouth to call out to Emi. However, a familiar sensation halts me as the taste and scent of apples washes over my senses. The soft, dainty pressure conveys not only a feeling of love, but a feeling of determination.

This makes no sense.

I wrack my brain trying to imagine how Iwanako could be so shallow, attempting to steal me away from my current girlfriend. Unless she doesn't know we're dating. But that can't be possible, we were at the amusement park alone together before she showed up. She must know. She HAS to know.

Maybe she just doesn't care. Maybe the guilt and pain have been eating away at her, finally forcing her to cave upon seeing me today. Maybe she just wants to make me love her again.

But I can't.

I can't return these feelings.

As easy as it would be, I also realize how impossible it would be.

I don't love her.

I CAN'T love her.

The distraction of the kiss causes Iwanako to loosen her grip on me, creating a window during which I jerk backwards, violently ripping us apart.

So much for not hurting her.

Iwanako stands there, panting quietly while tears stream down her face. She finally allows her gaze to wander deeper into the room and her eyes widen in shock. She looks back towards me, an expression of pain and guilt smeared across her features.

"S-so...that's why you don't love me anymore...right?" Iwanako asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

She didn't want to believe it.

In the back of her mind she knew about this, but she refused to believe it and pressed on, hoping it wouldn't be true. I can feel every bit of her heart shatter as she stares into my eyes, unmoving.

I feel bad for her. I feel guilty and sorry and upset and terrible but none of that matters.

"You need to leave," I mutter, looking down at the ground.

"Good. I was just going."

The sudden voice next to me sends my heart beat significantly out of rhythm. Emi, who was silent throughout the entire ordeal, seems to have just gotten her prosthetics back on. She lightly steps away from me and past the furiously blushing Iwanako, sliding out the door and turning down the hallway.

Without thinking, I rush out after her, catching her in the hall and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Emi, please, stop. I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen."

Emi pauses but does not turn around.

"Let go of me," she says, her voice sounding lifeless and dejected.

"But Emi, I-"

"LET. GO. OF ME," she hisses, the final word being forcibly choked out.

Is she crying?

"Emi, please-"

But she's already continuing down the hall and towards the stairs. Her prosthetics make a light tapping noise against the floor as she goes.

I want to pursue her, to apologize and explain all of this mess away.

But I can't. We'd only argue further and then where would we be?

In fact...where are we right now?

"Oh my goodness, Hisao, I'm so sorry."

Iwanako.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, I promise. I didn't know that-"

I silently cut her off by disregarding her completely. My feet carry me slowly past the dark-haired girl and back into my dorm. I don't even bother to get undressed, opting to simply turn out the lights and fall into bed, drained. I lay there for a while, completely still before raising my head slightly and staring blankly at the door.

I stand up and shuffle over to it, looking down at the handle for a while, expecting it to move.

It never does.

The tumble lock mechanism activates for the first time in what feels like ages, shutting myself off completely from the world I thought I knew.

[HoneyBakedHam]

Awwww shit! Why couldn't we had Emi just beat the shit out of her? Would've saved me the feel trip.

[brythain]

Gah! Too much, too much. I'm surprised both Hisao and Iwanako (whose name you need to spell consistently) haven't died of mutual heart attacks by the end of this chapter. Or cherpter.

Somehow, my suspension of disbelief has crapped out on me, even at my notoriously high levels of tolerance.

[scratchminus]

Awwww shit! Why couldn't we had Emi just beat the shit out of her? Would've saved me the feel trip.

Hm, you make a good point there.
*begins writing alt. chapter 3 ending in which Emi bludgeons Iwanako except not*

Gah! Too much, too much. I'm surprised both Hisao and Iwanako (whose name you need to spell consistently) haven't died of mutual heart attacks by the end of this chapter. Or cherpter.

Somehow, my suspension of disbelief has crapped out on me, even at my notoriously high levels of tolerance.

Yeah, thanks for pointing that out (fixed 'em, btw)! I honestly typed a lot of this in the wee hours of the night, and her name always had little red squiggles under it, so I assumed they were all spelled correctly. My bad!

That was actually something I was questioning throughout the writing process. I figured that Iwanako's appearance, while plausible, probably wasn't exactly likely. In the end, I kinda decided to see if the community would call bullshit on it or not.
Out of curiosity, do you have any suggestions for ways to avoid straying beyond one's suspension of disbelief? Mine is obnoxiously high, so I tend to not question stuff like people appearing out of thin air when it happens.

[brythain]

Out of curiosity, do you have any suggestions for ways to avoid straying beyond one's suspension of disbelief? Mine is obnoxiously high, so I tend to not question stuff like people appearing out of thin air when it happens.

Personally, I try to establish a buffer of hidden backstory before such things happen. Then things seem more explicable to your readers, even if they're not quite happy about it, and you can also use that backstory to explain things explicitly if you feel your readers are owed more. In this case, Iwanako literally flings herself at Hisao when her tone throughout (at the beginning and in her letter) has been a lot more reserved. Is she overdosing on her meds or what?

I don't mind weird things happening if the genre appears to be a weird-things-happening kind. So fembots with weaponised prosthetics are fine if that's what you're doing. But in this case, I didn't expect the sudden descent into the surreal...

[scratchminus]

Personally, I try to establish a buffer of hidden backstory before such things happen. Then things seem more explicable to your readers, even if they're not quite happy about it, and you can also use that backstory to explain things explicitly if you feel your readers are owed more. In this case, Iwanako literally flings herself at Hisao when her tone throughout (at the beginning and in her letter) has been a lot more reserved. Is she overdosing on her meds or what?

I don't mind weird things happening if the genre appears to be a weird-things-happening kind. So fembots with weaponised prosthetics are fine if that's what you're doing. But in this case, I didn't expect the sudden descent into the surreal...

Ahhhh, okay, I think I get it.

I think part of it is stemming from the fact that I tend to formulate the story entirely in my head. I'll jot down a very general bullet point list of what happens in the chapter and proceed to flesh it out. I'm probably leaving a lot of explanations swimming around in my brain rather than effectively working them into the narrative so the reader understands everything that's going on.
That being said, I somewhat justified Iwanako's actions in my head as her being at a sort of breaking point when she sees Hisao again. However, I'm starting to see that I didn't really explain that at all, and her personality just kinda...jumps off the deep end, so to speak. XD

Advice noted, shall proceed to administer said advice to chapter 4 and beyond.

[HoneyBakedHam]

You should make that alternative ending. After all, Emi sees some girl that originally hurt Hisao hurt both of them this time. And you made Emi seem like the "Oh, I'm about to fuck you up" type in Chapter 1, so I was expecting Emi to go into a slapping frenzy on her.

[azumeow]

I'm gonna use the best reaction offered by Dragon Age Inquisition.

"Well........shit." Emi, pls no bby we luv u dun do dis.

[Mirage_GSM]

I think we rode some rollercoaster with a ton of loops at least 3 times at Emi's request.

You know, Hisao did kind of act stupid earlier, but I don't think Emi would try to outright murder him because of that - because that's what this amounts to: There's a reason those rides don't admit people with heart conditions.

"Why did you do that?" I ask quietly, not quite sure how to interpret the situation.

Uh, yes, good question. Can't really think of a reason myself.

These lips are no longer hers in Emi's eyes. They've been tainted by a past that should've long since been forgotten.

Why? She's had a previous boyfriend as well, so why should it matter to her?

"LET. GO. OF ME," she hisses, the final word being forcibly choked out.

So since she witnessed the whole thing, why is she mad at Hisao and not at Iwanako?

I figured that Iwanako's appearance, while plausible, probably wasn't exactly likely. In the end, I kinda decided to see if the community would call bullshit on it or not.

Oh, I don't think it's her appearance that he thought unlikely - just the characters' reaction to it.

Out of curiosity, do you have any suggestions for ways to avoid straying beyond one's suspension of disbelief?

Sure: Get into the head of your characters. Always ask yourself "what would character X do in this situation and why?"
In this case my suspension of disbelief insists that Emi has absolutely no reason to be mad at Hisao, especially since he's shown to be completely honest with her just a few minutes earlier.

[azumeow]

Out of curiosity, do you have any suggestions for ways to avoid straying beyond one's suspension of disbelief?

Sure: Get into the head of your characters. Always ask yourself "what would character X do in this situation and why?"
In this case my suspension of disbelief insists that Emi has absolutely no reason to be mad at Hisao, especially since he's shown to be completely honest with her just a few minutes earlier.

Well, I can see one reason for her being pissed.Remember chapter one, where Hanako fell on him? Maybe she overreacted a bit in getting so angry, but if, on the amazing date where your her boyfriend is trying to make things up to her, he runs off to hang out with the girl he used to love, who gave him his first heart attack, and who kisses him, the revelation of which completely ruined the mood between the two just a short time before. Then this girl follows him back to school, goes to his room, and kisses him again? Oh, I can see why she's pissed. And she did what she always does when something bad happens: she runs. We don't know if she went to the track and ran, but she ran right the fuck away from that whole situation, even when Hisao tried to stop her. Honestly, I find her reaction to be well within the realm of possibility. Do I think it's unreasonable? A bit, but god damn, this past week has been ugly for these two. She was all super happy, and this girl had to come and ruin it by trying to steal her boyfriend. And as per chapter one, she wasn't happy when she knew about what happened with Hanako and Hisao, even knowing that Hisao had no real affection for Hanako. This happened in her face, and even though Hisao told her he doesn't have any feelings for her any more...well, right now, everything is up in the air.