She swiped it to answer.

"Midori, are you still at the same friend's place?" Aoi Xiu is too smart not to know her whereabouts. She just needed something to start the call. At the same time, she is still skeptical about Midori getting back together with the Zhou heir.

"Mom!" Midori bolted up to a sitting position. "Uhm...yes. I'm still at my friend's place." She looked at the clock. "It's kind of early to be up on a weekend."

"I'm going back to City T with Takagi-kun today. You will send us off, won't you?"

"What?! Your flying back today? What time?" She got up from the bed and hurriedly went to the closet.

"Seven. We're on our way to the airport. See you there." Aoi Xiu hung up. She laughed at the thought of how her daughter could mimic the flash in getting herself ready.

Midori took out a pink sweater and black jeggings from the closet, tossed them onto the bed and bolted to take a shower.

Before she could shut the door, Dan asked, "Where are you going?"

"To the airport." She slammed the door.

Though she tried to go alone, he insisted of driving her to the airport.

"Stay here." She told him before she shut the door.

She went jogging into the building. It did not take long for her to spot her family.

"Mommy, you're late!" Manta shouted, waving his hands for her to notice.

She kissed him on the forehead and sheepishly said, "Sorry."

"Midori." Aoi Xiu opened her arms to gesture for an embrace.

Midori hugged her. "Have a safe trip, okaasan."

Then she noticed the familiar figure standing near them.

"Ryuuji." She also gave him a hug. "Sorry for being unable to give you a tour of the city."

"Maybe next time." He smiled.

"Okay. Send my regards to everyone in the office." Indeed, she kind of missing the employees of the Igaras.h.i.+ group.

The paging system sounded. It was time for them to board the plane.

Aoi Xiu kissed her grandson on the cheek. Then hugged her daughter again as she whispered, "I know you're seeing him again. I don't like it, but you're not a kid anymore. I trust you, but I still don't trust him, especially his mother." She backed away so Midori would be at arm's length. "Call me often." She smiled gently.

They boarded the plane. After finding their seats, Takagi Ryuuji put on his headphones and his iPo* Shuff** and closed his eyes.

Aoi Xiu had not yet proven it but this young man seemed to harbor feelings for her daughter. However, she is not someone who bothers with such affairs so she let them be. But if she could choose, Takagi Ryuuji is a better choice than Verdan Zhou, for the fact that his background is less complicated and his contributions to the Igaras.h.i.+ group was exceptional. Also, he had been friends with Midori since she came to City T. It would be a good foundation for a relations.h.i.+p. Then again, it would be against her principles to force her onto someone.

Takagi Ryuuji was listening to his playlist, but his mind wandered to his memories with Midori.

He entered business school as a full scholar at the same time as Midori. He was also delayed for their family's business, a ramen shop, faced a food poisoning scandal. Though it was a setup, they still paid a lot to the lawyer to win the case.

On the first day of cla.s.ses, students tend to sit next to their friends. Since he was not from a prominent family, he did not have much friends. His close friends in high school took up other courses. When he finally spotted a vacant seat, he saw a cute girl sitting quietly, the boy next to her was noisily chatting with another guy. He sat on the other side, next to her seat, after asking if anyone was occupying it and receiving a gentle shaking of her head.

It did not take long for him to realize that she only opens her mouth when needed, as she was very attentive in cla.s.s and had excellent grades.

One day, he saw her sitting on a bench under the farthest cherry tree, eating from a bento box, with blossoms fluttering by. He clenched the anpan and canned coffee he was holding, one on each hand, and strode towards her. Even when she sat next to him, she ignored his presence as if she was in her own world.

He mustered all courage to say "Hi."

She did not respond with words. She stopped eating and looked at him for a few seconds, then resumed her meal.

He just sat beside her, slowly eating his bread and drinking his coffee.

After awhile, she replaced the lid on her bento and stood up. "It's time for the next cla.s.s."

She did not even look at him. She started walking away. He was not sure whether the statement was for him or if she was talking to herself. It was kind of interesting.

Little by little, with his small consistent friendly gestures and persistence of trying to talk to her, she began to reply normally, engaging in casual conversations.

On their second year, they were close enough for him to be able to ask about her past relations.h.i.+ps.

"I strongly believe you would be lying if you deny having a boyfriend." This he said, but was secretly hoping that she would be one of those girls who had never fallen in love.

"I did. He's not here. We broke up." She nonchalantly said.

On hearing the first sentence, he was a little disappointed of not being her possible first love. However, on further a.n.a.lysis, he was at least relieved that they had broken up.

"Was it because of the distance?"

"Nope." Her eyes became solemn. "He cheated."

Takagi Ryuuji furrowed her brows. For him, this girl had a great personality once you get to know her. Her looks was not too exceptional, but was very charming. He wondered what kind of as***le would cheat on her.

"Are you still mad at him?" Even he was not sure why he asked this. Maybe because she looked hurt and sad, but there was no sense of hatred in her eyes when she talked about her ex. Well, maybe.

"I can't stay mad for a long time. It's not good for oneself. I really just felt sad that it wasn't me whom he really wanted. I don't know. Maybe I loved him too much, so that I am incapable of hating him."

At that time, his desire to be the one she loves grew.

On their final year, he took her out to a fine dining restaurant. She could not help but fix his tie that was sloppily done by him who lacked experience. The way she did it was in a loving manner that it boosted his morale to continue his confession.

Ah, hai. His confession that was rejected. He could still remember her words.

"Ryuuji, I want to stay as your friend. If we try when I am not sure about it, and we break up, not only will I lose a boyfriend, I will also lose my friend. I don't want that to happen."

When she had to come back to City S, he was devastated, but he could not object. After all, what right does he have?