Careless Whisper Chp. 24

     “Where do you think you’re going?” Romeo questioned stepping in Kiro’s path. “I get this frantic phone call from Yu to drive all the way out here and I don’t even know why I’m stopping you.”
    “Good, keep it that way.” Kiro answered side stepping around him.
   “No, I may not understand what’s going on right now, but I’m under strict orders to stop you.”
   “It’s for everyone’s own good that I leave. Now, move out of the way Romeo.”
   “I can’t do that.” Romeo answered moving back into Kiro’s path. “You’re either supposed to come back with me or wait until the others get here. Which will it be?”
   “None of the above,” Kiro stated pushing Romeo out of the way and heading towards the other train. “I have to leave.”
   “No, you have to at least wait until Strify gets here…,” Romeo objected. This statement caught Kiro by surprise.
   “Wait, what did you say?”
    “Yu said that Strify left before they did and might be here first. He also said something about him being slow and not showing up in time at the first station so he might be late…,”
   “He showed up at the last station?”
  “Apparently,”
   Kiro dropped down on the nearest bench. Strify had come to stop him after all. It didn’t matter that he’d missed him. The fact still remained that he’d tried and was on his way here at this very moment. That’s all it took. Kiro couldn’t leave now. Strify still cared about him, or at the very least he cared about keeping the band together. He’d know the real reason he came when Strify got here.
   “Ok,’ Kiro sighed. “I’ll wait to talk to Strify.”
   “Oh, good,” Romeo answered setting down next to him. “Now, could you explain to me what’s going on?” Kiro just smiled.
   “Thank God!” Shin exclaimed running towards Kiro and giving him a crushing hug. “You’re still here.”
   “Shin, I can’t breathe…,”
  “Oh, sorry…,”
“You little idiot, what were you trying to do?” Yu questioned ruffling Kiro’s hair. “You almost gave us all a heart attack, leaving like that.”
  “I thought it’d be the best thing to do at the time.” Kiro answered guiltily. “I thought you guys would be happier without me.”
  “Never,” Shin answered. “Cinema Bizarre isn’t Cinema Bizarre without Kiro.”
   “Thanks guys..,” Kiro smiled rising to his feet. “Let’s go home.”
   “Wait,” Shin interrupted as they all headed for the exit. “Where’s Strify? I thought he’d be here by now?”


     Strify unlocked the front door to his apartment and for the second time that day flopped down on the sofa. He’d made it halfway across town before he realized what he was doing. Running after Kiro like that was stupid. If he really wanted to leave, then why stop him? Who was he to keep Kiro from doing what he wanted?
   Kiro would be happier now anyway. It was tearing everyone apart, all the fighting. Even if he tried to tell Kiro how he was feeling and began to forgive him, there was no telling how things would end up. But…, what if things could be good again?
    They haven’t even tried to make-up yet. Strify was too busy being stubborn, he knew that. It still didn’t excuse Kiro’s whiney whoa as me attitude. They were both at fault in one way or anther. Maybe he should give Kiro a second chance?
   “No,” Strify sighed looking towards the phone on the Kitchen wall. “He doesn’t deserve it. All he’s done is beg and plead and…., suffer…,” Strify’s eyes filled with hot tears as he began to think about all the pain Kiro must have been going through. They had both suffered the last few weeks. It wasn’t until now that Strify realized why he’d been so miserable.
   “Ye, I was mad about what he did.” Strify stated rising to his feet and heading into the Kitchen. “But, the reason I hurt so bad was that I missed the midget.”
   With tremendous effort Strify removed the phone from the wall and dialed Kiro’s cell number. It rang only once before switching over to voice mail. “You’ve reached Kiro. Leave a message at the beep and I Might decide to call you back.” BEEEP!  Strify took a deep breath and began to speak.