32 Who will marry you if I die?

"what did you say?" kiyohira asks in a low voice.

ren puts his hands in his pockets, looking smug. he has seen the way this man has been watching his rie chan. this man's eyes didn't leave her for a second. looks like she has attracted the bees when he was away.

"she confessed to me on my birthday. she even gave me a letter and this bracelet."

"is this true?" kiyohira glares at her darkly. she doesn't deny or answer him. before anyone can guess or react, she takes off her shoe and throws it right on ren's face.

"ow!" ren falls on his butt due to the impact. his nose is bleeding. he wipes the blood and looks up at her. his smile disappears when he notices the second shoe coming in his direction. it lands right on his forehead.

"that hurts." he massages his forehead. it's been eight years. her anger hasn't reduced one inch. "is this how you treat your boyfriend?"

"you lying fucker!" she puts her hands on her waist. "for the last eight years, i have been planning how i to kill you."

ren touches the bridge of his nose. is it broken? "who will marry you if i die?"

kiyohira has had enough. he clenches his fists and asks her in a dangerously low voice, "who is he?"

rie ignores him completely and takes long strides in ren's direction. she pulls his red hair without any restraint. she kicks him between his legs. he howls in pain. "woman, if you destroy my gear, it will be your loss."

"you think that i will ever marry someone like you?" she kicks him again. "you scheming fraudster! you lied to me that day. i purposely lost to you in the game. then, you shamelessly went abroad to study with the prize money."

kiyohira calms down when he sees her beating the red tomato into a pulp. but, they seem close. is he really her boyfriend?

ren grabs her hands and beams at her. "how have you been, my love?"

that's it. he has had enough. kiyohira grabs rie by her hoodie and drags her away from the redhead guy.

"what are you doing?" she frowns at him.

he looks into her eyes. "why is he calling you his girlfriend?"

***

why is he angry? i furrow my brows. i should be the one who is mad. anyway, i can be anyone's girlfriend. what does it go to be with him? i want to ask him these questions. but, he looks like he will snap if i do.

"he is an old friend." i give in. this guy is probably worried about kamiyama's family reputations again.

"lies!" ren raises his arm. "you gave me this bracelet as a symbol of our love."

"do you want to die?" i crack my fingers. "symbol of our love? you left just after i confessed to you. you never answered my confession."

"you confessed to him?" kamiyama's smile doesn't meet his eyes.

"i am replying now." ren pulls me toward him. "i like you too."

"screw yourself!" i try to lunge at ren, but kamiyama bastard doesn't let me go. "what the hell is wrong with you, kamiyama? let me go now."

"you love him?" he asks me, emphasizing the word 'love'. i take a deep breath.

"kamiyama, it's none of your business." i snap at him. "i assure you that my personal life won't trouble your kamiyama family's reputation again. anyway, i told you to resolve your shit as soon as possible."

he gives me a look. "you never told me that you have a boyfriend."

"he isn't my boyfriend." my head hurts.

"i am," ren yells at us. "i still got your letter as proof. by the way, why didn't you reply to my mails?"

"after everything that happened between us, you expect me to reply?" i glare at him. "kamiyama, let me go now. i have to kill this guy today."

"i told you to come with me, but you refused." ren walks to me and grabs my arm to pull me closer. kamiyama doesn't let go of me. he pulls me back harder.

"have you two lost it?" i shake my head at them. "i am a human being. do you want to tear me into two parts? let go of me now."

but, they aren't listening to me. they are quietly looking into each other's eyes, like a pair of lovers. ren is smiling like he is amused about something. kamiyama is showing a smile that is not a smile. so, it is like this.

"by the way, is this love at first sight?" i let out a low laugh. "if you like each other so much, you should get a room instead of pulling me like this. this sexual tension is too much for me to handle."

it works. both of them let go of me at the same time. ren shakes his head and says, "rie chan, you are the only one for me. i thought about you every day. i even sent you the ticket to come to me. but, you never came."

"i hate liars." i cross my arms and stare at him. "my confession isn't valid. besides, i was young and naive back then. else, how would anyone explain that i actually liked you once? something must have been wrong with my eyes. after you left, i found enlightenment. i have been blinded by you. my only true love is sakurano kano. i will see you tomorrow in the special round."

"are you sakurano kano?" he glances at kamiyama. "is she in love with you?"

"i am not." kamiyama frowns at me. "i am also interested to know who this sakurano kano is."

"he is my love. my enlightenment." i roll my eyes.

"wait for a second!" ren steps in front of me. "is that why you didn't reply to my mails or accept my invitation to come abroad?."

"you dare to blame me, huh? you were the first one to lie and run away." i pick up my shoe. "come here. let me beat you up again. my hands are itching."

"i will not give up. i will find this sakurano kano." he walks backward while waving his hands. "rie chan, i will never give up on you. you are the only one for me."

i throw my shoe at him again. but, he runs away before it can hit him.