Chapter 8: How Are You?

[4 years later--Tokyo--Christmas Eve]

Roy stares at the window. (Another lonely Christmas. Another night without you, Aria. How are you lately? Are you also struggling or are you completely forgetting about me?) He sighs. He then walks out of office. He heads to the bar. He kept on drinking. Women tries to please him but he doesn't want them, he wants Aria. He pushes them away. He gets up and heads out. He bumps into a woman. "Ah." "Sorry." Roy tries to walk properly but couldn't. He then fall but someone catches him. He turns to see the person. "..Aria...you're back." He then pass out.

[in the hotel]

The woman puts cold towel on Roy's forehead. She touches his face. "You look horrible, Roy." A few minutes later, she decides to leave. Roy grabs her hand and pulls her close. "Don't go. Don't leave me. I can't stand this loneliness. Don't you miss me? Maybe just a tiny bit? I..I miss you like crazy, did you know that?" He hugs her tightly. He slowly kiss her on the lips. She didn't push him away. Soon he pulls her on the bed. They made love. Early morning, she puts her clothes back on, she kiss him on the forehead. Before she leaves, she looks back at his sleeping face. She smiles and left.

Next morning, he wakes up with a hangover. He sees his clothes is on the floor. He hears someone in the bathroom. He gets up and rush to the bathroom. He got disappointed. It wasn't her. The man in the shower said, "Wanna join me?" Roy ignores him and went to put some clothes on." The man comes out of the shower. "You dare ignore me?" "Get out." "You're the one who texted me to come here. You even throw up on me. Y also ruin my date with Sora." "I texted you?" "Yes you did. You said if I don't come here, you're going to reveal my secrets to Sora. You dare threaten your own brother?" "I texted you..? I don't recall." Mike toss his phone to Roy's lap. "See it for yourself. Hey, when did you change your number?" "I didn't change it." "You didn't...then....who texted me?" Mike then hugs himself. "I'm getting goosebumps." Roy thought for a minute and recalls what happen last night. (Aria..) He gets up and heads to the main lobby. "Hey. Where are you going?"

Roy walks up to the front desk. "Mr. Roy, how can I help you?" "Were you here last night?" "Yes." "Who took me here?" "Ah. It was a lady. She said you're too drunk to drive home. She said if one of the men can help her to carry you to a room." "Did she leave a name?" "No, sir." He bit his lip. He turns and notices the cameras. He turns to the employee. "May I take a look in your security cameras?" "Ah of course, this is your hotel." "Ah that's right." Roy forgot about that. "Hangover?" "Yeah." Mike then appears. "Hey! How can you ditch me like that?" Roy ignores him. "Roy." "She's back." "She..?" "Aria." "How can that be possible?"

[looking through the footage.]

"It is possible." "...Aria." "Let's go." Roy stays silent. "What's wrong? Let's go get her." "No need to." "Roy. You've been worried about her. Why not? Why not find her whereabouts?" "She's fine, so there's no need." Roy heads back to his room. "You haven't fill out the papers." Roy stops. "She's still your wife. By law, Roy." "Mike, enough." "Fine. If you won't find her, then that someone might take his chance to find her before you do. If she takes him back, you're going to regret it." Roy turns around and grabs Mike by the collar. "If he does, I will take her back and kill him." Mike grins. "So you do care, eh?" Roy lets him go and feels irritated. He heads back to his room.

Later that day, Roy then secretly search for her whereabouts. After the long day, he receives the news of Aria. He went to the Children's Hospital. He walks inside. He looks everywhere for her but couldn't find her. Soon he ran into some kids. "Sorry." He turns to his left and was about to go back but he paused. He looks at his left once more. He finally found her. Aria is wearing a white coat, helping kids with progeria. He smiles. Soon she checks the time, then she sees him. "Hold on a second." She exits the room. Roy then walks up to her. "Hi." "Feeling better?" "Yeah." Someone comes behind him. "Ah, sister in law. Hello." "I'm no longer your sister in law." She looks away. "Well..." He looks at Roy. Roy shakes his head. Mike blurted, "He didn't fill the paper or turn it in." Aria was shocked. "What?" Roy grabs him by the collar. "Mike." "What? It's the true. Would you like to tell her now or later? If later, you're doom. Think about it." Aria interrupts. "I'm sorry. But can you two leave already?" "Aria." "I'm busy. I don't have time to chat." Aria turns to her co-worker. "Stacy, escort them out." "Ah...yes." Aria left. Roy can only watch her leave. Stacy then said, "I'm rooting for you." Roy was shocked. "To be honest, I already know who you are." "Of course, my brother here is the CEO." "No. Aria always kept a photo of him." "She does?" "Yeah. It was a wedding photo. But whenever she looks at it, she looks sad. Anyways, good luck winning her back." She hits him. "Ah right, you better leave or she will scold me." Roy nods. Roy and Mike left.

That night, Roy was waiting for her. As she comes out, she notices him. He waves. She ignores him. "Aria. Let me drive you home." She stops. "Then will you leave me alone?" "Okay." Aria agrees to take his ride. The atmosphere is dead silence. "Just drop me off here." He pulls over and she gets off. She went inside of her apartment. He sighs and left. She then comes out and watch him leave. Once she couldn't see him, she was about to head back but someone calls her from behind. "Aria." She turns and it's Leo. Aria rush into the building. Leo grabs her. "Aria. Wait." "Let go of me." "I just want to talk. Please." She sighs. "Fine. Three minutes. That's it." Aria follows him to the cafe. She drinks her coffee. "What is it?" "I heard that you and Roy got divorce." "So what?" "Aria. Can we start over again?" "I refused." Aria stands up but she feels dizzy. She falls and Leo caught her. "Forgive me, Aria. You made me do this."

Aria opens her eyes and finds herself in the car, tied up. She then slowly grabs her purse and takes out her cellphone. She dials Roy. The door opens and she kicks Leo in the gut while holding onto the phone. She runs from his grasp. "Aria!!" He caught up with her. "Let me go." He hits her in the stomach. She fell. He then takes her back to the car. He heads to the hotel.

In the other end, Roy returns to the hotel. A few minutes he receives a phone call from Aria. He picks it up. He opens his mouth but he hears her screaming. "Leo, let go of me" Roy stands up immediately. "Aria?" He then heads out. He calls Mike. "Look up for Aria' number and tell me where she is." "What happen?" "Leo, thats happen." "Got it."