Forced to Grow Up

Part 21

The day had unfortunately come, the day Suno was leaving. It was a bittersweet feeling for Masato. The school year had just ended and summer break would finally begin, however he would have to tell his girlfriend goodbye.

"There's just a few more boxes in the kitchen, if you could grab those please." Suno's mom told him as she continued to finish getting everything packed away in the moving truck.

"Yeah, sure no problem." He made his way through the bare house and into the kitchen where only few boxes were left. He stood in the empty room and looked around realizing the day was actually upon him.

He felt his heart tightening as the sadness crept in, though he was stopped as Suno walked through the archway and into the kitchen. "Hey you need any help?" She smiled, though obviously sad. Her brown hair in a messy bun and her crystal blue eyes red with exhaustion as they had been up packing all night.

Masato kissed the girl's forehead and told her no as he shook his head. "Oh, okay... Well thanks for helping." She sadly smiled as she followed him out of the kitchen.

"Yeah, no problem." He mentioned as he lugged the boxes through the already opened front door.

"I can't believe we're already leaving," Suno sighed, holding her hands behind her back as Masato finished placing the boxes into the moving truck. He turned around facing the sad girl, reaching his arm out to her and sliding his hand down her arm until her hand was in his.

Bringing her hand to his mouth he kissed it, "You'll be back with me before you know it." She looked up at him with big eyes as tears started to fill on the brim of her eyes, her breathing starting to become heavy. Masato noticed she was about to cry and sat down with her on the curb of the sidewalk. He brought her into his arms and held her tightly. "Please don't cry. We'll see each other again, I promise."

"I know... I'm just going to miss you so much." Suno said through muffled cries as her face was buried in his shoulder. Masato rubbed her back feeling his own heart shatter as he watched his girlfriend cry, but he knew he had to be strong for her. She had to know that everything would be okay and that that's what he believed.

"I'm going to miss you too..." Masato told her as he kissed her forehead.

"Masato..." She trailed off as she pulled herself off of the boy's shoulder.

Masato wiped away her tears and smiled, "What's up?"

She gave a small smile back to him and shyly looked away towards the ground, "I just want to say thank you..."

"Thank you for what?" He questioned, feeling as he definitely didn't do enough.

"For everything... Without you I probably would have still been that 'artificial mean girl' that used others for my own benefit." She frowned thinking over her past actions.

He began to rub her back as he held her close, "Suno..."

She let out a small laugh, "Without you, my dad probably would have taken me away already..." She frowned once more then shook her head back and forth quickly before putting on a small smile, "What I'm trying to say is, I'm glad you were there for me."

Masato looked down to the ground and slowly shook his head, "I wish I would have got back with you sooner... we could have spent more time together."

Suno shrugged, "How could we have known this was going to happen? That's right, we couldn't have. I'm just glad you took me back in the first place."

Masato wrapped his arms around the girl once more and just held her there enjoying the moment.

"This... isn't gonna break us... right?" Suno quietly asked.

"No, of course not. 3 years from now, I'll be right here waiting for you, because once we graduate, you're all mine." He nuzzled into her.

She gave a slight giggle and smiled, "I'll be counting down the time."

Suno's mom came walking out of the house with a few small bags as she closed and locked the door for the last time. "Hey sweetie," She called over to her daughter, "We're leaving in five, okay?"

"Okay." Though her demeanor was calm, she was gripping Masato's arm tightly.

They stood up and hugged once more, "Call me whenever you can, okay?" Masato held her tightly, taking in her essence for the last time for awhile.

"Of course I will." Her voice wavered as she spoke as she was on the brink of crying.

"Hey suck those tears up, no crying remember?" Masato joked with her.

She laughed through the tears and smiled at her boyfriend once more, "No crying."

"That's my girl." Her kissed her forehead and pulled away to hold her hands in his.

She looked at him with big eyes, saying not a word.

"What? Is there something on my face?" He questioned.

"I love you."

Masato froze, his heart beating through his chest, the first time she had ever told him her loved her. "I love you too." He placed her face in his hands and brought her forward for a loving kiss.

"Suno let's go!" Her mom called from the moving truck.

"Okay!" She yelled back, "I'll call you as soon as I get there, I meant what I said, Masato, I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you so much, have a safe trip, I'll be waiting for your call." He hugged her one last time before they parted so she could get into the truck.

"Thank you so much for everything Masato, you've been amazing, I'm glad Suno has you." Suno's mom said as she rolled the truck's window down.

"No problem." He slightly smiled and nodded his head.

"Bye... Masato." Suno sighed.

"Bye Suno..." He gave a slight wave as the window to the truck began to roll back up.

She mouthed to him, 'I love you' as the truck began to pull out on to the street. As it slowly began to drive away, Masato fell to his knees as tears cascaded down his cheeks. His breath caught as his sadness took over.

Suno watched Masato from the truck as they drove away, the view of him getting smaller and smaller. She shook her head as tears poured from her eyes, "Hyprocrite..." Soon they were out of view of eachother, both waiting for the day they could come back to eachother once again.