BITTER SWEETS

a JUNJOU ROMANTICA fan-fiction

starring the DYNASTY couple! a.k.a MizukiXKaoruko

characters introduced in ch2.

Misaki Takahashi- (21) Kaoruko and Mizuki cousin Akihiko Usami's roommate and lover.

ch 2.

STORY OCCURS after Kaoruko and Mizuki leave the airport in Junjou Romantica 3 ep 3…

[IN A LAVISH SUITE AT A 5 STAR FRENCH HOTEL]

The walk to the police station had taken her maybe 5 minutes. Her wait at the station was maybe another 20 before a man she knew to be called Sebastian* arrived to pick her up. The ride from the police station to her current destination had taken a little less than half an hour and when she wasn't delivered to her own apartment, Kaoruko was admittedly concerned (considering the luck she'd had on this particular day).

Sebastian had calmly explained that after the hardships she'd experienced, her Uncle Fuyuhiko thought she needed a bit of relaxation time and had booked a suite in a very posh hotel. Upon entering she was immediately fond of her surroundings. The room was a perfect mix of western and Japanese decor. Uncle Fuyuhiko knew her tastes so well. Despite her initial hesitation she rationalized that a few days here as opposed to her apartment would be a pleasant change of pace till her confection courses resumed the next week.

She was also relieved to find that there had been a large number of deliveries made to the room, which covered most of her basic necessities. Uncle Fuyuhiko had not only been so kind as to have her passport and other lost documents replaced but also stocked the room with a new wardrobe and numerous bouquets of her favorite varieties of fresh flowers. Along side her documents Kaoruko also found a new phone. As she turned the phone on she was surprised to find that although her nook library had been filled with lists of her favorite books (and a few new ones she'd been meaning to read) her basic phone contact lists had not been added.

She sighed realizing that the archaic chicken scratch Mizuki had given her was still her best connection to the outside world. Frustrated by the prospect of having to speak with her short-tempered cousin twice in the same day, Kaoruko sighed as she yet again retrieved his number from her obi.

[OUTSIDE OF THE AIRPORT TERMINAL ROISSY AIRPORT PARIS FRANCE]

Feeling extremely jet lagged, Mizuki Shiiba was finally standing on solid ground after what felt like a full week in the air. He breathed a sigh of relief just as a familiar ding alerted him to a new message.

[TEXT] Misaki Takahashi: Kaoruko hasn't mailed to let me know she made it home yet. Tried to call but her phone must be dead? Wondering if you'd heard from her? Just hoping she's safe. Thnx!

It annoyed Mizuki hearing from Takahashi-kun. Especially when the first thing he asked about was Kaoruko. What gave that shorty the right to be so openly worried about her? Mizuki quickly shoved his phone back in his bag and trudged to baggage claim. It killed Mizuki: this ridiculous feeling of inferiority. In any competition in the world there was no way he could possibly loose to someone like Misaki, but it seemed like that was exactly what he'd managed to do.

What was it that Takahashi had that he didn't? From the time he was barely a teen, Mizuki had been grooming himself to be the most efficient man he could be to be worthy of Kaoruko: He'd received his education from the finest Universities. He'd worked his way up from the bottom rung of the corporate ladder, already at only 25 he'd gained the trust and business of some of the heaviest hitters in the financial world. He was cultured. He was fluent in 7 different languages! What had he been doing wrong? What was it she wanted from him? How could he make her love him the way she loved that idiotic Takahashi? No, even being loved the same as Takahashi wasn't enough. Mizuki was too competitive for that and wanted more from her than what she was willing to give to Takahashi.

Mizuki made his way to a small café inside the airport terminal. Grabbed a bottle of wine. He was in France. She was in France. Takahashi was in Japan. There was something to be said for small miracles. Mizuki hadn't thought of confessing his feelings to her yet but at least her could trouble her for a bit of her time? He'd ask her to dinner, they'd share a glass of wine or two, maybe sitting down without any interruptions Kaoruko would be able to see more of the man he'd become. Maybe they could have a conversation that didn't end in slamming doors, or abruptly ended calls.

Mizuki exited the airport and hailed a cab, just as he'd settled himself with the driver, Mizuki's phone rang.

Mizuki: (leisurely) "Cela est Shiiba [this is Shiiba]

Kaoruko was once again surprised to hear Mizuki answer the phone in French. She'd known he was quite the linguist but hearing him speak French surprised her because it seemed to suit his voice better than she would have imagined. It would have appealed to her ears even more if he didn't always sound so bitter.

Kaoruko: (surprised) "Do you always answer your calls like that?"

Mizuki: (mean) "Yes. When I receive calls from France, I tend to answer them in French."

Kaoruko: (under her breath) "Could you be anymore impolite?"

Mizuki: (frustrated) "What can I do for you today Kaoruko-sama?"

Kaoruko: (short) "Uncle Fuyuhiko replaced my phone but I still don't have any of my contacts."

Mizuki: (Agitated) "And…?"

Kaoruko: (short) "I was wondering if you might send me his number?"

Mizuki: (frustrated) "Is that all?"

Kaoruko: (surprised) "And also Akihiko Nii-sama's? And Misaki's! He'll be wondering if I made it home alright…"

Mizuki: (mean) "I don't have Takahashi's number."

Kaoruko: (frustrated) "Yes you do! I watched him give it to you at the airport!"

Mizuki had really hoped she hadn't seen that.

Kaoruko: (surprised) "Try to keep your jealousy in check for five minutes and stop being so selfish."

Mizuki: (mean) "Fine but I'm working right now so it may be a while before I can have time to send them."

Kaoruko: (irritated) "Fine."

(dial tone sdfx) Bzt Bzt Bzt…

As he heard the dial tone that signaled the end of their second phone call, Mizuki realized that both calls had ended in one or the other hanging up.

Mizuki, annoyed by his repeatedly unsuccessful conversations with Kaoruko, tightened his grip around the neck of the wine bottle. If their conversation had ended better this bottle might have had a much happier end. As it were he promised himself he'd only have a glass with dinner but Mizuki was no good at keeping promises with himself. He was half way through the bottle before he even made it to his hotel.

Kaoruko slammed the phone against the receiver in frustration. Mizuki was infuriating. It was like every word out of his mouth was a challenge. He riled her like no one she'd ever met before. She couldn't wait to get back to her normal day to day. As soon as she got in touch with Uncle Fuyuhiko she'd vent her Mizuki frustrations. But until then she suddenly felt the room around her had become stifling. She remembered there were some necessities she needed to pick up (Uncle Fuyuhiko had stocked the room but was too much the gentleman to make assumptions about her undergarment preferences) so she left the hotel room without another thought of her and Mizuki's conversation. She was convinced an afternoon of shopping would calm her nerves and leave her feeling less hostel.

By the second bottle of wine, Mizuki was drunk. Unlike Kaoruko all he'd been able to think about since their earlier conversation, was her. It seemed everything he did annoyed her. His tone of voice even seemed to bother her. Could she not have bothered to at least tell him she'd made it safely to her hotel? Or where all her considerations saved solely for that Takahashi pipsqueak? Takahashi. Takahashi. Takahashi. All anyone wanted to talk about was Misaki Takahashi: Uncle Fuyuhiko, Akihiko Nii-san, and to his most desperate chagrin, Kaoruko. Someone really needed to talk her out of continual pursuit of that kid. It was obviously never going to become more than what it already was. Which was nothing. Why couldn't she just give it up? Why couldn't he just give her up? That was aside from the point though, someone needed to tell her what was what and with as much liquid courage as he'd ingested, he was more than willing to do just that.

Awkwardly reaching for his phone he dialed her number and crashed onto the couch of his hotel common area.

Kaoruko answered the phone.

Mizuki: (drunk/loud) "Kaoruko!"

Kaoruko: (surprised) "Mizuki?"

Mizuki: (drunk) "Let me ask you a question…"

Kaoruko: (silent) "- alright?"

This should be interesting. He's obviously drunk. Mizuki didn't seem the sort to drunk dial people, Kaoruko figured it was better he'd called her, rather than one of his clients, if he was going to make a fool of himself she should probably just let him do it.

Mizuki: (irritated) "When did you first realize it wasn't gonna work out with Takahashi-kun?"

Kaoruko: (surprised) "-"

Mizuki: (mean) "I mean realistically, if I know… You know right?"

Kaoruko: (silent) "-"

Mizuki: (frustrated) "Uncle Fuyuhiko must have-"

Kaoruko: (hurt) "He did. And I know."

Mizuki: (silent) "-"

Kaoruko: (hurt) "But knowing doesn't make it any easier to accept that the person you love, loves someone else."

Mizuki thinks to himself:

Mizuki:

(internal monologue)"Yeah I should know."

Kaoruko: (sarcastically) "Good evening Mizuki."

(dial tone sdfx) Bzt Bzt Bzt…

Without another word Kaoruko ended the call.

She wasn't sure what she felt. She couldn't decide if she was more angry or hurt. Who was Mizuki to remind her of what she already knew? Yes Misaki was gay. Yes Misaki was in love with her cousin. Yes she knew she had no chance of being with him. It still hurt. Just as she had decided to let herself cry, there was a knock on the door.

Kaoruko opened the door and was greeted by one of the hotel's porters. Despite the late hour, the porter delivered yet another package. Kaoruko opened the large box only to find the most beautiful kimono she'd ever seen. It was a red, fiery, passionate color but for some reason it also reminded her of the innocence she associated with strawberries. The fabric spoke to her in a way that almost seemed like there was no way her uncle could have sent it to her. It seemed almost romantic.

Kaoruko shook the silliness of her thoughts away. Although Mizuki hadn't yet sent her Uncle Fuyuhiko's contact information she knew there were other ways of contacting him. She searched the Internet and sent an email to one of his business accounts.

The reply she received would change her life forever.

Mizuki was tired of being hung up on. He was tired of overthinking a relationship that would never come to fruition. He was tired and he was gonna get drink. Its not like he'd have anything to do the next morning anyway. Might as well spend the rest of his Parisian vacation hung-over, maybe that would improve his mood. Looked like nothing else would.

end ch 1.

Sebastian*- I couldn't help it! Apparently all the 'hired help' in the Usami universe are called Sebastian!? Except for Tanaka= who I love btw…