Withering away with you

XVII) The Grave Secret!

Yurika followed him at a slow pace to a nearby restaurant from her cafe. The restaurant was an old one but the atmosphere was homely. Soon a middle-aged guy came to take their orders. Both of them agreed to have chilled beer to cool off their stressed brain. Their orders arrived in a little while. Yurika almost immediately started drinking as soon as the drinks arrived. Hirotaka understood she must have been under humongous pressures to deal with.

"Ahh, finally some inner peace!" She expressed her satisfaction with the drinking.

"Yurika slow down! Don't need to rush!" Hirotaka was a bit concerned about her.

"I should speed up Hiro-san! I fear, my happy moments don't last much longer!" She conveyed her feelings in a sad voice.

He didn't utter anything while watching her with close attention.

"Don't you think, life has been too unfair with both of us?" He asked her in a deep voice.

"Unfair? Life sucks! I don't have any intention to continue living this disrelish life! But I have a son to look after! I can't live him alone like his father!" She spoke with a melancholy voice.

"In that case, I am lucky enough! Ayame didn't leave behind anyone after her! I am free all alone!" He was looking all down while drinking.

"Why did Ayame-san left you? I mean, someone has desperately prayed to God for staying with you, but only she was fortunate enough to stay by your side! After all this, how can she think of dying--"

"Did you pray to God to stay by my side?" He intervened her suddenly. She was in jolt for a moment.

"Ye-Yes! I prayed to have you in my life forever on our Christmas date! But I think God had already planned for a miserable life of mine." Her eyes seemed to be lamentable while answering.

Hirotaka gently held her hands, "you know Yurika, the moments we spent together were the only reasons for me to live with this tragic life... Sometimes I thought of giving up on this shitty life, but the hope to meet you again gave me the courage to continue living... You are the only sole reason behind my life..." His eyes looked very pitiful. Yurika was staring at him with an intense gaze. She was a bit drunk, her eyes were dazed.

"If Myobi-san hadn't come to my life...maybe I have been still waiting for you today Hiro-san!" She was unsteady while answering, he understood that she is drunk.

"Um, Yurika, let's stop drinking. You look all flustered!"

"Nope! I want to drink today till I collapse Hiro-san! I am afraid I won't get this moment with you again!"

His eyes looked in pain while staring at her silently for some time. "Our fate is so cruel, even though I want it but still I can't promise to stay by your side forever. I know someday I have to atone for my sins..." He answered looking all dejected.

"Why? Will you leave me again Hiro-san? Let me go with you then!" She was still woozy.

Hirotaka chuckled while hearing it from her, "you want to accompany me? Then what about your son?" 

Suddenly Yurika's face looked shabby. With a deep voice, she asked him, "Hiro-san? Do you want to know a secret?"

He looked very curious while nodding his head.

"I- I visited Kanazawa once with Myobi-san! I even went to our school with a small hope to see you once but I couldn't go inside to meet you... I didn't have the courage to face you...So I stood outside the gate for some time and walked away... I had to walk away selfishly.." On the spur of a moment, she started sobbing. Hirotaka was looking at her very helplessly. He couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth!