JC: I can't believe I finished this chapter in just one hour. It would usually take me a few hours to get all the scenes right in my head. Well, I was so excited to write this one anyway. This is where the plot would start rolling. We all know that Cagalli is not going to end up with Yuuna. She's going to prove to her uncle that she isn't a pushover. She won't let him control her.
Disclaimer: I don't own Cagalli Yula Athha, Athrun Zala, and all the other characters of Gundam SEED. All rights belong to Sunrise.
Summary: When their mother died, Cagalli and her twin brother were taken in by a man who claims to be their uncle. Since they had nowhere else to go, they decided to live with him in his mansion. But there was something dreadfully suspicious about their uncle. He seemed to be so fond of the twins, going so far as to arrange a marriage between Cagalli and a rich business associate. Because of this, Cagalli is determined to escape her fate—even if it means running away from home and dealing with a handsome yet clever agent. Athrun Zala's job is to bring Cagalli home. But as things start to get more complicated, he finds himself falling for her.
Her Kind of Love
Phase 03: A Dream and Her Decision
Vacation came and went before the twins could spend a whole week at the villa. Because of the stupid engagement set by her uncle, Cagalli and Kira no longer had the mood to enjoy themselves any further. It was such a shame to leave the beautiful sea and the splendid villa. Cagalli couldn't stop thinking of ways to cancel her engagement. It was absurd to think that she will get married to the purple-haired guy in the future. Her brother was also against it too. Though she hoped Kira would be able to convince their uncle to reconsider, she had the feeling that their uncle won't listen to him either.
So there she was, back in her extravagant bedroom, lying on the bed while staring blankly at the ceiling. There was complete silence around her until her cell phone rang. Sighing, she hopped off the bed and grabbed the phone from the study table. The caller was her good friend, Miriallia Haww. "Talk to me," she said, answering the phone.
"Cagalli, I just heard the news from Kira," Miriallia said, sounding a bit frantic. "He told me that you're engaged to Yuuna Roma Seiran."
Once again she sighed. "Unfortunately, yes… I'm so against this, Miriallia," she said, taking a seat on the chair. "The guy is rich and all, but he's not exactly good-looking. I also have a bad feeling about him. He doesn't seem to be your average gentleman. You can tell by looking at him."
"Yuuna Roma Seiran, CEO of Seiran Corporation, is one of the most successful businessmen in ORB," Miriallia explained. Cagalli could hear her typing on her keyboard fast. "He's a bit too old for you, Cagalli. Plus, there are some bad rumors about him. I don't want him for you."
"I don't want him either, Miriallia," Cagalli said with an exasperated sigh. "Talking to my uncle about this will do me no good. What do you think I should do?"
There was a short pause before Miriallia spoke up. "Do whatever you think is right. It's all up to you. Just remember to never give up, okay?"
A small smile appeared on Cagalli's face. "Pretty simple advice… But it's helpful," she said with a giggle. "Thanks, Miriallia. It's good to know I have a friend I can count on. "
"I'm always ready to help out, you know," Miriallia said.
After hanging up, Cagalli took a moment to look at her cell phone's wallpaper. It was a picture of her and Athrun at the beach. The picture was taken by Kira. It has only been two days and she already missed him. He was really a nice guy, she thought silently, as she brought her cell phone near her face. She wanted to look at him closely. She kind of felt lucky to have a friend like him. She wished to see him again, to get to know him better. She wondered if they'll ever go back to the villa. If it weren't for the engagement issue, she should be spending time with Athrun by now.
A maid knocked on her door and asked her if she was ready for the party. The mere mention of the word 'party' made her sick to her stomach. The party her uncle had organized was a celebration of her engagement, much to her utter dismay. She was required to wear a gown and make-up, and to look presentable to the guests. Gilbert had specifically told her to act like a refined lady, especially towards her so-called fiancé. Since it was taking her long to answer, the maid knocked and asked her again.
Cagalli grunted and abruptly stood up. "I'm not done," she said in a controlled voice. "Actually I have no intentions of attending the party. Please tell uncle that I'm going to sleep."
"My lady, Master Gilbert will not be pleased by this," the maid said, and the she barged into her room. "Forgive me for the intrusion, but I'm only doing my job." She had a menacing aura surrounding her as her eyes glowed suspiciously in a comedic manner. Cagalli was more than a little surprised at the maid. And before the blonde could mutter something, the maid locked the door behind her and in a split second, she charged towards Cagalli.
"Eh? Stay away!" Cagalli yelled, evading the maid's attack. "You're crazy. I told you that I won't attend the stupid party!"
The maid showed her a cunning smile. "I'm aware that you're against Master Seiran. It must be hard to get married with someone like that. I somehow feel sorry for you, Lady Cagalli." She had a handkerchief in her hand as she pretended to sob. "But if I don't get you downstairs soon, Master Gilbert will scold me. I've been loyal to him ever since I started working here and I don't want him to lose trust in me." She went to Medusa-mode, freaking the hell out of Cagalli.
"DON't COME NEAR ME!!!" were the last words of Cagalli before the maid devoured her completely. The maid was brutal to the point that she almost ripped Cagalli's shirt off. She forced the dress into Cagalli, with much struggle from the latter. Once the dress was in the maid heaved a sigh of relief.
"What the hell is with this dress?!" Cagalli exclaimed, showing her iron fist at the maid. "Who can move in such a thing?!"
The other woman clucked to herself as she fussed with the material. "This dress suits you perfectly, Lady Cagalli. Didn't you know that Master Gilbert had a renowned fashion designer to choose this dress for you? The master wanted you to look splendid for this party. He's happy about your engagement to Mr. Seiran."
Cagalli shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, I'm not happy with it at all. Spending a life of eternity with some rich and cocky guy is not on my wish list."
"Hmm… I have to admit that Master Gilbert is being inconsiderate," the maid said, taking a brush from the dresser top. "It's clear to me that you don't love Master Seiran, yet Master Gilbert is forcing you. It's strange, because Master Gilbert is really an understanding person." She then politely asked the blonde to take seat in front of the mirror, so she could work on her hair.
"Uncle was kind enough to take me and Kira into his custody when our mother died," Cagalli said, sitting down and lowering her gaze to the hands on her lap. "But he's actually not being kind to me right now."
Nerves struck her as Cagalli slowly descended the stairs. The crowd shifted their attention to her and they were mesmerized by her presence. The 'oohs' and 'aahs' of the audience were enough to make her face a little flushed. She was used to attention at school, because she was well-admired there. But it was her first time to be admired by high-class people. They were concentrating on her and the dress she was wearing. With the clever mix of blue and pink, it has been created from blue taffeta and covered with pink tulle. The ruched bodice has a flower appliqué detail across the front. The dress made her look like a princess, much to her dismay, and it hugged her curves perfectly. Her hairstyle featured plenty of volume with elegant curls at the bottom.
Her uncle was waiting at the end of the stairs, looking at her with eyes of admiration. Cagalli almost felt like Gilbert was proud of her or something. As she reached the last step, Gilbert put out his hand and greeted her in the most gentlemanly manner. Cagalli was almost speechless. Almost trembling, she took his hand, and then she was led towards her purple-haired fiancé, who was grinning widely. Cagalli knew she had to put up a good face in front of the people. She can't show any frowns, so she gave Yuuna a fake smile.
"Ah… My eyes have been blinded for a second when I laid my eyes on you, my lovely wife-to-be," Yuuna said, sounding cheesy as usual, but he didn't seem to realize that. "You are as beautiful as a goddess, more radiant than the sun, and more blooming than a flower. I feel very lucky to have you as my fiancée, Cagalli."
Those lines were the corniest lines she had every heard from a guy, Cagalli thought bitterly, controlling the urge to beat the living daylights out of him. But she mentally reminded herself that she had to be a lady. "You flatter me too much." Her voice sounded a little flat. Now why don't you get out of my face, you cocky moron!!!
"Mr. Seiran, everyone is waiting for your announcement," Gilbert said, smiling his casual smile, as he gestured his hand towards the audience. "You mustn't keep them waiting."
"Oh, thank you for reminding me," Yuuna replied as he faced the audience with flair. "This is the perfect chance to introduce your wonderful niece as my fiancée."
Yuuna made lengthy announcement about his engagement to Cagalli—even stating his sheer amount of happiness which people found entertaining to hear. Gilbert was pretty pleased with his speech as well. Cagalli wanted to puke after Yuuna said that he'll marry her at the age of eighteen and bear lots of children with her. She was able to not snap at him when he asked her to dance. It was an accomplishment for her, considering she was the hot-tempered type. During the dance, Yuuna kept complimenting her and telling her stories about himself. She found him annoying, so arrogant and idiotic. Yuuna, of course, was having the time of his life at the party, while Cagalli was masking her true expression.
But no mask was able to hide Cagalli's true feelings from Kira. As her only twin brother, Kira could read her like an open book. He could sense it whenever she was troubled or not. So, when it was Kira's turn to dance with her, she immediately leaned her temple on his shoulder. The music had shifted to a much slower one, which was perfect for Cagalli's mood. The twins started dancing at a snail's pace. She kept quiet for a while as she thought about her uncle's decision again. Releasing a deep sigh, she looked up at Kira.
"Even though you look so elegant right now, you're like a lost child, Cagalli," Kira said before she had the chance to speak. "I understand your feelings." It was natural for him, because his heart was connected to hers. Twins have a stronger bond than regular siblings. He always had a firm connection with his sister.
"Kira, I hate this," she muttered under her breath. "I hate this. I won't have much of a future with that guy."
"We still have time," Kira said, as they both stopped dancing to the music. "We still have time to fix this problem. There's always a solution to everything. You can still have your future, Cagalli, so don't give up no matter what happens." He held her face between his hands and placed a harmless peck on the temple. Their mother used to do that whenever one of them was troubled. Now Kira was doing the same thing to comfort her.
Cagalli gave him a beautiful yet grateful smile and embraced him. "Thank you, Kira…" she said in a soft voice. "I'm really glad you're my brother." Yes, a brother who she can rely on in times of need, a brother to love and care, and a brother that will love you back.
The party ended at 11 o'clock. Since it was over, it was time to retire to her room and forget about her stupid fiancé who was full of hot air. She could finally take off the uncomfortable dress, though she admitted that it was gorgeous. She wasn't a fan of exquisite and elegant dresses and she rarely wore such things. She has a boyish taste when it comes to fashion. T-shirts and shorts were much comfortable for her.
She went into her room and slowly dressed into her night attire, which consisted of a dark-green shirt and tan shorts. She sat on the bed for a while, wondering if she could sleep properly tonight. She didn't exactly enjoy the party—even it was for her. She only got tired from listening to Yuuna's blabbering. Speaking of Yuuna, Cagalli could hear her uncle talking to him outside her bedroom, but his voice was too low to make out the words. Quietly, she approached the door for curiosity's sake and pressed her ear against it.
Yup, Gilbert was talking to Yuuna but through his cell phone. Of all places, why did her uncle have to speak with Yuuna in front of her bedroom? She pondered about it until she heard her uncle saying "I gave you my niece, as promised. I'm expecting you to keep your end of the bargain." Her eyes grew wide in surprise. Did she just hear him correctly? "A marriage between you and Cagalli will benefit both our companies, isn't that right, Mr. Seiran?"
Cagalli didn't dare to eavesdrop any further. She finally learned about her uncle's true disposition. He was nothing but a money-hungry man. He only had eyes on Seiran Corporation, which was the reason why he arranged a marriage for her. She was her uncle's ticket to more wealth. "I feel so stupid to trust him." With that she climbed into the bed and buried her face in her pillow. "Uncle, how could you…? She closed the lights and lay in the dark, feeling sorry for herself, until she fell asleep.
Tick Tock. It was a pleasant sound. Tick Tock. It was the sound of a clock ticking. Cagalli's eyes jarred open and she sat up in bed. She felt strange, disconnected, as if part of her was wide awake while another part slumbered on. Then she saw someone coming out of the shadows. When his face became clear, Cagalli realized she was dreaming. She had to be dreaming, because there stood Athrun Zala, bathed in ethereal glow. He was dressed in a white polo-shirt and black pants.
"What the hell are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the villa? Wait a minute… First, tell me how you got in here? Are you some kind of stalker?"
"You're in danger." Athrun reached out to her. "Take my hand. I promise to take you somewhere safe."
She raised a brow. "I'm in danger? What are you talking about?"
"Please listen to me, Cagalli. I am here for your welfare. Your uncle has big plans for you."
Cagalli's amber eyes narrowed. "Athrun, would you quit fooling around?" she demanded.
"Just take my hand, Cagalli! You don't have much time."
She grabbed his hand and held it. "Now what?"
"Close your eyes and listen."
Cagalli didn't like the idea. But she did it. In fact, she was suddenly having a hard time keeping her eyes open. What she heard was the sound that had awakened her, only now it seemed to be making her sleepy. There was a voice, too, deep and oddly smoothing, trying to tell her something—something about time. She leaned back against her pillows and fell asleep again.
In the morning, the first thing Cagalli saw when she opened her eyes was Kira bending over her. He had a worried expression on his face. "You were mumbling something in your sleep," he said. "You okay?"
Cagalli sat up on the bed and rubbed her temple. "Yeah… I guess… I had the weirdest dream," she replied. "Hey, did I mumble anything strange? Perhaps a person's name…?" She did have a dream about Athrun and she would kill herself if Kira ever heard her saying Athrun's name in her sleep.
"No…You were just mumbling about stuff, that's all," Kira answered, and Cagalli sighed in relief. "Anyway, uncle already left for work and breakfast is ready. I'll wait for you at the table, okay?" He stood up from the bed and went to the door. As he reached for the knob, Cagalli called out his name, making him peer over his shoulders to look at her.
Cagalli had a perplexed look on her face. "I just remembered something…" she said as she thought about her uncle and the conversation with Yuuna through the phone. "You have to know this. Uncle is only using me to benefit him and his company. By inviting that idiot Yuuna into the family, he'll be richer and more powerful than ever. He doesn't care about me at all. I heard him talking to Yuuna through the phone last night." She clutched onto the sheets tightly.
Kira now had his body facing her. His eyes were as wide as marbles. "Are you serious, Cagalli?" he asked, and Cagalli only nodded her head in reply. Kira shook his head. "This is absurd. I never knew uncle is that kind of person."
"What should I do, Kira?" She lowered her gaze, gritting her teeth. "It seems like there's no way out of this." This wasn't right. Was it really her fate to get married to Yuuna? No, that can't be!
"We'll think of something," Kira said, reaching for the doorknob. "Don't worry… I promise you that I won't let you marry Yuuna Roma Seiran. The last thing I want to see is my sister being miserable. You deserve only the best." With that, he went out of the room and closed the door firmly yet carefully behind him.
"Kira…" She lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a while. She tried to imagine a life with Yuuna to screw her mind. Big mistake. Imagining things like that only made her sick to her stomach. She bet that no woman could stand Yuuna Roma Seiran, except if you're the type of girl who only wants luxury in life. Well, she didn't care about his wealth or power. However, if it was someone like Athrun then she would be fine with it. "Athrun Zala… I bet he's a total boyfriend mater—WAIT! Why the hell am I thinking about him?!"
She buried her face into her pillow, knowing that she was blushing furiously. "The pressure must be getting to me. I'm going crazy." She raised her head and stared down at her pillow. "But wait… The dream… He was in it. He was telling me to take his hand. I wonder what that dream was all about?"
With nothing else to do at home, Cagalli decided to visit her friend's house. She wore a black printed shirt, which showed a bit of her bellybutton and dark jeans with a black belt around, and silver chains on her wrists, and her footwear was a pair of sneakers. As she was walking towards Miriallia's house, a black limo pulled to a stop beside her. At first, Cagalli thought it was her uncle. Looking closely, she could see it belonged to an arrogant rich guy she knew. Hurriedly, she walked off to get away. But two men in black suits came out of the limo and grabbed her. Cagalli managed to kick one of them and she struggled to punch the other. Even though she resisted so much, the men still overwhelmed her by strength and were able to force her into the car.
She would love to give them a piece of her mind, she thought as they closed the door. Grumbling furiously, she tried to open the door, but it was locked already. She cursed under her breath and started looking for a way to unlock it.
"Try as you might, you'll never open that," a familiar voice spoke, sending shivers down to her spine. The man was sitting right across her. "Mr. Dullindal told me that you were tough, but I didn't expect you to be this tough. You gave my men a hard time." He poured wine into his glass and positioned the glass near his mouth.
Narrowing her eyes, she crossed her arms and shrugged. "What the hell are you planning, Yuuna?" she questioned. "Does my uncle know about this?"
"There's no need to inform Mr. Dullindal about our date," Yuuna said, swirling his glass with poise. "We are engaged after all."
"Date? What do you mean date?"
Yuuna smirked. "You are going on a date with me today, Cagalli," he said. "I can assure you that I'll give you a good time."
Cagalli rolled her eyes away. "I sincerely doubt it," she said. "Would you mind letting me off? I have plans today."
"No, you're going on a date with me whether you like it or not."
"Look, I never agreed to become your fiancée," she said. Her eyes were hiding so much rage inside her. "I don't want to be your fiancée. I don't want to become your wife in the future. And I certainly don't want you for a husband. Why don't you choose some other girl out there?! Besides, you're way too old for me and you're not my type." Those words came out like machine gun bullets. She didn't know how to control herself anymore.
Yuuna's face had turned from calm to angry. Clearly he was insulted by the things Cagalli said. Truth to be known, it was his first time to hear a girl talk to him in such a rude manner. He wasn't going to let it pass. "Don't you dare go against me, Cagalli," he threatened. "You'll only regret it."
"Whatever… I'm not afraid of you, Yuuna!"
He let out a maniacal laugh. "Not afraid of me, huh? We'll see about that." He grabbed her by the collar and pulled her towards his side. "I have no choice but to make you afraid of me, Cagalli." He pinned her down on the seat and started tracing kisses on her neck.
Not only was she surprised, she was also disgusted by his actions. "Get off of me, bastard!" she yelled, squirming and kicking. There was no way she would let him take advantage of her. She gave him a head butt and kicked his manhood pretty hard, making him curl up like a ball. Smiling in triumph, Cagalli grabbed his suitcase and smashed the window with it. After that, she stepped on Yuuna's face. "You picked the wrong girl to mess with, Yuuna." She kicked him one more time and jumped out of the window to the street.
People around were surprised at her stunt, but she pretended to act normal as she hurried off into the crowd. It's official. Being engaged to that sick guy is a big joke. She checked behind her to see if someone was following her. To her utter relief, there weren't any suspicious guys around. Still, she had to be careful. Because of what happened, I can't go back to uncle's mansion. That Yuuna will probably make up some story to make me look bad. For now, I have to get away from here. She stopped by at the park and sat down on the bench to think. She had plans on running away, but where would she run off to?
Her eyes shifted to the children playing at the swings. One kid there had midnight-blue hair, which reminded her of Athrun. Recalling the dream she had, she figured that Athrun may be the one who can help her with her problem. "That's it. I'm going back to the villa. I have to see him again."
To be continued…
JC: My favorite part here is when Cagalli kicked Yuuna's butt! I love it when a girl teaches a perverted guy a lesson. Although she was brutal here, she had every right to do that to Yuuna. In the next chapter, she'll get to meet Athrun again. Will he be her savior or will he lead her to trouble? Find out soon. Please don't forget to review this chapter. Don't give me flames! Constructive Criticism is also welcomed. See you later!
