Shinichi and Ryouko

"Make believing that we're together. That I'm sheltered by your heart.
But in and outside I turn to water like a teardrop in your palms"

Shinichi and Ryouko had known each other since their first year in Toryo High School when they were both sophmores. And Ryouko has been in love with him since then, although she never told him. When she was dating Kijima, it was really Shinichi that she was interested in. And through all those long years they had been together she had kept silent.

When she found out about Shinichi's relationship with Meiko, it obviously broke her heart but she accepted it. Thinking that Shinichi was going to be fired because of it, it was her that asked the principle if he could let Namura-sensei stay. But to her surprise it was Shinichi that chose to leave. She told him that he should stay and don't give up on his teaching career. He told her that he was leaving because of Meiko.

Then during Christmas, Ryouko visited him in his office in Hiroshima. And told him what she was feeling. She started to cry because she knew that he already loved Meiko but she knew that for all those nine years she had waited for him, it was already time to tell. Shinichi told her he had never noticed her feelings for him but maybe deep in his heart he did. He didn't want to accept it because Meiko was already in his life. He also told her that he couldn't accept her because of Meiko. "I'm ashamed for it. Please forgive me..."

Namura made her go along with his lie about them dating each other when Meiko had found them together. He thought it would be easier that way to let her go. Ryouko was stuck with an angry Meiko who thought she was betraying her....

And though it was she and Satoshi that lost out on love, it was her that told Meiko that Shinichi loved her very deeply. She told Meiko that he lied about dating her because he saw that Meiko was already standing on her own and he didn't want to pull her down....Everything he did and everything he said was for her sake.

{Lyrics from Roxette}