Rosa went home during lunch break to get her workbooks. She was about to rush back to school when she noticed something white on the windowsill. Picking it up, she saw the words “I’m sorry. -- River” written in the ugliest handwriting she had ever seen. Almost chuckling at the doctor stereotype, she unfolded the paper.
Dear Rosa,
We’re sorry we never told you we’re not humans. We never anticipated you’d know anything about the Hidden City so we thought we’re protecting you from the truth.
The Hidden City is a vast underground society of yokais for hundreds of years. Ice and I are yokais born and raised in the Hidden City. Our clans are working with the government as agents to deal with human-yokai concerns including oozesquitoes.
I have been trying to contact you since you saw us but you never replied. I’ll wait for however long it takes until you are ok with talking to me again. We will tell you everything you need to know.
With love,
River
‘Trying to contact me?’ she wondered as she took out her phone. There were no such attempts since Donnie rejected River's call that day in the Hidden City. She called his number.
“Rosa! I’m glad to hear your voice again.”
“Um… Hi River. Sorry I didn't find your letter until now. I've been staying with friends. I could meet you after school today.”
“I can pick you up from school, Huntress right?”
“Yeah, I’ll see you then.”
~💜🐢~
Donnie felt his phone buzz and was shocked to find what the notification was about. The apps he made effectively blocked all attempts of River contacting her. This means it was Rosa contacting him. “Why??” he wondered in anger. He must do something.
~💗🐢~💜🐢~
“Donnie?? W-what are you doing here?”
Donnie stood at the gates of her school, evidently waiting for her, “Surprise! Let's hurry, I’ve made reservations and bought tickets.”
“Today? But… I need to go somewhere,” Rosa countered nervously.
“It can't possibly be any more important than our monthsary??”
“‘Monthsary’?”
“Yes! It’s been exactly one month since we got back together,” touching his snout to her nose, “Remember?”
His girlfriend blushed as she looked down to smooth out her uniform. Oh, she remembers all right.
“Sooo, reschedule your little trip,” he dismisses with a wave, ”Whatever it is.”
“Um… ok,” she took out her phone to call River.
The purple hoodied turtle leaned in to peek in her screen, “Oh, there are updates by the way, I’ll need to sync your phone to mine along with my brothers’... dad’s too.”
“Oh sure,” Rosa handed him her phone as she was used to, finding it sweet how he maintains everyone's devices in the Hamato lair including hers on a regular basis.
With a quick series of keystrokes he modified the program to remove the blocks for any new communications from River, while keeping her devices open for him to peek into at his leisure. “Done! You can make your call now, my dear Rosa,” handing back her phone.
~💛🐢~
River was so happy to finally hear from Rosa again he immediately bought a bouquet of pink roses to give her when they meet up. He was walking out of his room to the outside of the Hayashi clan compound when Rosa called.
“River? Sorry but I need to postpone our meetup. Donnie picked me up from school and surprised me with a monthsary date.”
“‘Monthsary’? You and Donnie...?”
“Yeah… River…”
“OH! You guys made up?? That’s great!" the yellow turtle tried to sound as happy as he could, "So you don't need cheering up, anymore…” he tossed the large bouquet to a garbage bin at the compound gate.
“Would um… Thursday work for you?”
“Sure! I’ll see you then. Have fun on your date.”
“River, I’m sor-”
“No worries! I’m happy for you. Really.”
She tried to say more but the line went dead.
The yellow turtle put away his phone, absently staring at the roses.
“Why are there flowers in the garbage bin?” Ice asked as he opened the gate to get in.
