"What?! Ruka! With who?!" Aki blurted out before anyone could even catch a breath. Her voice practically echoed off the pizza shop walls.

"Yeah, it freaks me out too," Miko chimed in, leaning forward on the table. "I never even heard you had a boyfriend. I thought you and me told each other everything!"

Ruka lowered her head apologetically, fiddling with the edge of a napkin. "I'm sorry, Miko… and Aki. I wanted to, but everything happened so fast. He’s a high school friend of Keiko and Ryusei."

Wait. What the hell—

I choked on my soda. Did she just casually drop my real name out loud?!

"Huh? Who's Ryusei?" Aki blinked.

Miko frowned too. "Yeah… that sounds kinda familiar."

Keiko, ever the composed one, stepped in smoothly. "That’s my husband."

"Ohh… I see." Miko nodded like it suddenly made sense. Thankfully, neither of them dug deeper. Crisis avoided.

But Aki, being Aki, wasn’t done. "So what's this guy’s name then? How’d you meet him?" She was basically poking Ruka’s shoulder, hungry for drama.

Ruka sighed but answered. "He came to the restaurant a while back. You might remember… kinda scruffy, awkward, not exactly charming?"

"Uhh… that guy…?" Aki squinted. "Oh god. Seriously? That dude?"

Even Miko made a face. I wasn’t sure if I should defend Junpei or just sip my drink in silence.

Miko’s detective mode kicked in. "Wait a sec… it’s been, what, a couple of months? Why the hell are you jumping into marriage so fast?"

Damn, this girl was sharp.

Ruka bit her lip, hesitant. Then, quietly, she admitted, "I’m pregnant."

BOOM

Both Miko and Aki instantly turned into synchronized goldfish.

Mouth open. Eyes wide.

Miko even stood up, hands on the table.

“WAAAHHH! WHAT THE HELL!”

Aki reflexively tried to stand too — but her injured foot sent a sharp jolt through her, and she flopped right back down with a yelp.

“I swear, Ruka! Are you trying to give me a heart attack tonight?!” Aki groaned, clutching her chest dramatically.

I tried not to laugh, but it was kind of hilarious.

Aki pointed an accusing finger at us. “And you two aren’t even freaking out! What’s wrong with you?!”

Keiko casually shrugged. "I'm the manager. I knew. And you heard that Junpei was my high school… acquaintance.”

Notice she didn’t say friend. Damn, cold.

Aki squinted at me. "And you? How about you? How could you know already?”

Crap. Quick, Ryusei, think.

"Uh… I saw them once at the mall. I kinda figured something was going on. Hehe…" I let out an awkward laugh and scratched my cheek.

Aki rolled her eyes. "Of course you did."

Miko stayed oddly quiet after that, still digesting the bombshell as she poked at her pizza slice like it betrayed her.

Conversation mellowed a bit after that, though Aki kept sending side-eyes to Ruka every time she reached for another slice.

We celebrated my birthday half-heartedly after all the drama. I thanked them all for coming anyway.

Ruka even apologized to me. “Sorry for stealing your spotlight, Ryuko.”

I waved it off. “Relax, it’s fine. Just… take care of yourself, alright?”

She nodded softly.

---

Earlier, I’d sent a quick text to Junpei telling him where we were. Figured he should pick her up before she melted from guilt or we all exploded from awkward tension.

Sure enough, not long after, Junpei arrived at the restaurant’s entrance.

Aki and Miko’s faces were priceless.

“Holy crap, he’s real,” Aki muttered.

Junpei gave us a polite smile. “Thanks for looking after Ruka. I’ll be taking her home now.”

And just like that, Ruka turned into a blushing, awkwardly shy schoolgirl. I swear I even caught her twisting the hem of her sweater.

“Dude, is this the same Ruka?” Miko whispered.

“Maybe she’s possessed,” Aki added.

They left, and silence fell for a brief moment.

“I swear,” Aki huffed, stretching her leg out. “Ruka’s changed. Or we’re all imagining it.”

“Nope. Definitely changed,” Miko said, slamming down her drink.

Then, of course, came the issue of Aki’s swollen foot.

“Damn it. I can’t walk home like this,” she grumbled.

Keiko and Miko exchanged glances.

I sighed, already knowing where this was headed.

“I’ll call a taxi,” I offered.

Aki flashed a smug grin. “Or you could give me another piggyback.”

I groaned. “I literally just recovered from carrying your monkey ass earlier.”

“Come on, birthday girl. Consider it your punishment for making me fall into a sewer.”

I glanced at Keiko, hoping for a miracle.

She nodded.

Damn it.

“Fine.”

Aki giggled. “Be careful though! I ate four slices! Gotta see if you still got it, birthday girl!”

“Since when do monkeys eat pizza?”

She smacked my shoulder and hopped onto my back. And so began my second piggyback marathon of the night.

Aki chatted non-stop on the way, half-teasing, half-roasting me alive.

“Hey, Ryuko, admit it. You love this, carrying me like your princess.”

“Only if my princess was Keiko instead of an annoying, loud gremlin,” I grumbled, shifting Aki’s weight on my back.

“Oi!”

She smacked my head lightly. I thought about dropping her in a bush twice. It was equal parts comedy and torture.

But about halfway, my legs started to give out. I stumbled.

Aki yelped.

And I straight up fell forward, face practically kissing the pavement.

“AH, SORRY AKI!”

She toppled off my back, landing right on top of me.

“I can’t… I’m dead… can’t carry you anymore…” I panted.

Aki went silent and didn’t move, her weight pressing down on me, and it was starting to feel heavy.

“Oi… get off. You’re heavy,” I muttered.

But she didn’t move. In fact, her grip tightened.

“I don’t want to,” she whispered.

Wait. What?

I tried to roll, and she reluctantly slid off — only for me to look over and see tears on her face.

What the hell?!

I sat up, completely caught off guard.

“Aki… are you crying?”

She wiped at her face roughly. “Shut up.”

I stared at her, confused. This girl who was all mouth and mischief… looking like a total mess right now.

I didn’t say anything. Didn’t know what to say.

Damn it. What the hell happened just now?