Sayonara, Koguma

Mamouru watched as Cassie closed the door. He was relieved. Adjusting his glasses, he smiled. "Hai. I would have been sad if I hadn't gotten to see you off."

"It's funny... How much happened between us... And how it's going to end. As simple and innocently as it started and..." He paused. "Well, from what I've heard, you're going to be much happier."

Mamouru sighed, pleasantly. "That's all I've ever wanted for you, Cassie-chan."

Cassie nodded, and made a cloudy face. She wondered if that was a pang of jealousy from Mamouru. Good. Serves him right.

She tried to be spiteful, but couldn't keep it up. She quickly relented and slumped her shoulders and knit her expressive brows together.

"Well..." She looked up at him with sympathetic eyes. "I hope, that... You don't screw up so badly with the next girl." It was kind of a joke, but she couldn't bring herself to laugh at it. "Or... Is that Aurora?"

Mamouru turned his head at Cassie's looks. He didn't come to trade barbs, and he was a bit surprised, but if that was it, he certainly deserved that much.

"Actually... Yes. I would say that, but really..." Mamouru took out his phone. He pulled up a picture of his daughter Megumi. "It's her... Megumi-chan. She's changed my life. I've never been happier and it's all because of her." Mamouru smiled widely.

Cassie looked at the picture and smiled. "She's beautiful."

She paused to consider all the implications of Mamouru's tiny baby girl, but it was too much to process whenever she thought of it. She decided that she was happy for him and that was it.

"So... What are you going to do? Are you still managing Aurora? Is she going to wrestle again? Are... you?"

"She is..." Mamouru said, still grinning. "She's the most beautiful thing in the whole world." He continued, then paused to think about Cassie's next question.

"I'm not sure what Aurora-chan is going to do yet, but I'm still managing. I may wrestle, I'm still not sure about that either. I do love it still, but I'm a little worried..."

Mamouru paused. "I'm taking it slowly, that's all I know for now. I guess we'll see what happens." He said. "What will you be doing when you move back home?" He asked.

"Ah. Well, I hope that everything goes... really well."

Cassie nodded. It was nice that Mamouru was... growing up. She was sure he'd make a good dad. Or that Megumi would make a good dad out of him.

"Ohhh, I'll be back to training, and I'll probably be able to do some teaching, now that I'm old enough," she looked off into space with stars in her eyes while she imagined finally being home again. "And I can help in mom's gardens and around the house while I look for a conservation job. I'll probably work with farmers and stuff, ya know, or... Other stuff. I love watching things and people grow and being able to help it happen. I guess... I'll sort of miss the excitement from wrestling, but... I'll get over it. I'll just really miss everyone."

She thought she had more to say, but she ran out of words and after a moment she closed her mouth with only a smile.

"Well, that's good..." Mamouru said and smiled. He looked around. It might have been the first time things were truly awkward between them. Mamouru found it pretty funny. This was the girl he had claimed to love more than anyone. He'd named his child after her, and now?

"I'm glad you're going to be happy Cassie-can. I mean it, but... I should... probably be going. They'll come looking for you pretty soon if you don't get bac and... if I come in, I... well, I've done what I wanted to do. So... take care of yourself, Cassie-san." Mamouru said and bowed deeply to the red head.

Cassie nodded, and her smile became stretched thin, as though it might snap and reveal what she really felt. She started to take a step forward to hug Mamouru, and she wanted to, but she quickly stopped herself. She just couldn't.

"Um..." She gave a small, nervous laugh, disembodied from the conversation. "I'm... sorry. For everything." She nodded. It didn't matter anymore who needed to be sorry for what, but she regretted the way things turned out. It was done now.

"Well... Goodbye, Mamouru."

She gave a smile, so sweet and sad in a way that only Cassie could manage. She lingered only for a moment, and then bowed her head and went back inside.

Nicole watched from the couch as Cassie came back in after a few long minutes. She smiled at her fellow red head and waved her over. "Oh, so, who was it, eh?" She asked with a rueful smile.

The door closed behind Cassie and nearly knocked the wind out of her. She wanted to lie down on the living room floor and sink down into the middle of the earth, but Nicole was there to keep her tethered to the surface.

"Huh?" She looked up and shook her head like Nicole had taken her by surprise. "It was... Just a friend. I'm glad I got to see them before I go. Have you seen Taylor?" She asked with her best smile.