"Hey! Hey, buddy, wake up!"
Shuhei grunted and stirred. He rolled over with a grumble and attempted to find a more comfortable position so he could drop back off the sleep.
"HEY! Wake up, you pervert!"
"Ow!" he yelled, feeling a sharp pain in his side. Opening one eye, he looked up to see a man in a suit standing over him.
"Wake up, sleeping beauty. You're under arrest," the man with short white hair and angry dark eyes informed him.
"I'M WHAT?"
"So that's it?" Detective Muguruma asked, staring at the dark haired young man after reading the four page written statement. He set it to the side, pulling another pile of paperwork in front of him.
"Yeah. That's it," Shuhei answered, staring at his hands.
"All right. Well, you're free to go. Even if we don't believe you, all you did was get into the mall and make a mess including those fur coats. You'll have to pay a fine in court. You'll have to pay those stores for anything you stole or broke. It will also be necessary to pay for the cleaning of those coats," the cop informed him, sliding the stack of paperwork over to him.
"Yeah. Okay," he agreed, signing the paperwork for his release. Cleaning? He remembered what they had done on those coats. "Couldn't you get a DNA sample off those coats and test it? Not only would that prove I was not there alone, but you might be able to find the identity of that woman."
"We don't need DNA for a case like this. Besides, it's really not that big of a deal. Just pay the hundred bucks and whatever else. Go on with your life," Muguruma encouraged him, grabbing the papers and walking away. He had paperwork to do.
Shuhei continued to sit for a long befuddled moment, thinking. Who was she? Why had she left him there alone? Where had she gone?
Tempest looked at herself in the mirror. There were no longer any blue streaks in her black hair because the shampoo had washed it away. Gone was the pale make up and excessive black eyeliner. Her eyes were just a plain, dull gray, the color of sadness. She was thinking of Shuhei; the handsome man she had left sleeping in the fur coats after their wild night. The sadness she felt surprised her because she was not supposed to feel anything but tired after last night.
"Maeko?" her father called on the other side of the door to the bathroom.
"Yes, Daddy?" she asked, getting dressed to go out to a nightclub.
"Don't stay out late tonight," he requested.
"Okay." She could hear him on the other side of the door. There was more he wanted to say. She hoped he did not ask her about last night. She had done something very stupid last night. Not that breaking into the mall was the most intelligent thing to do, but she had done something far worse. She had fallen in love. Besides, she had made it a habit of breaking into the mall on a regular basis over two months ago. Her father would kill her if she ever got caught.
"Sweetheart, open the door please. I need to talk to you," he said, his voice sullen and low.
"Just a minute," she replied. She pulled on her old tattered bathrobe to hide the short red dress she was wearing. Pressing her hands down on her thighs to hold down the wide skirt, she opened the door hoping she did not look like a pink terrycloth cupcake.
He was upset. She had caught him with one hand raking through his white hair while his other massaged his forehead that was wrinkled with worry.
"Maeko, tell me the truth," he began and she held her breath. She knew what he was going to ask. "You don't know anything about that Mall Ghost or whatever they call it do you?"
"That silly Mise Rei thing?" she laughed hoping it did not sound as hollow in his ears as it did in hers.
"Yeah. That. This isn't some of your mischief is it?" he queried, his gray eyes that were like hers boring into her. "You're getting too old for this and so am I. I can't protect you any longer."
Maeko took a deep breath, steeling herself for the lie that she was about to tell her sweet daddy who loved her so much. "No. It's not me."
"Maeko Muguruma, you better not be lying to me."
Maeko sat in the corner of the club, smoking a cigarette and sipping slow gin fizzes. However, she wanted to get drunk fast. The music was so loud it felt as if it was vibrating her brain inside her skull. She was not here to dance; only to drink and fade into the background. She had no idea someone was watching her.
Shuhei stared at the woman in the corner. She was too pretty to be by herself, but he was not in the mood for company. Instead he was content with drinking his beer and staring at her. There was something familiar about her but he could not quite place her. She had long straight black hair and no real defining features. Her red dress drew attention to her but her attitude was an unmistakable air of 'leave me the hell alone.' With a sardonic grin twisting his face, he realized she must feel like he does. Well, they say misery loves company so he was about to test that theory. Finishing off his drink and stopping to order one more at the bar, he made his way through the gyrating crowd on the dance floor to her table tucked safely in the corner.
"Shit. It can't be" she muttered to herself when she saw Shuhei making his way to her table. She thought he spent all of his time at that Black Quill place. That was where he had been hanging out for the past four weeks she had frequented the club. It had become apparent early on that he was a heavy regular there and one of the more popular poets, especially with the ladies. After her one night stand with him, she needed to find a new haunt. Then she would repeat the process: hanging around until she finds a man there to have a literal whirlwind romance with before moving on to the next club, bar, or whatever. She impatiently stubbed out her cigarette, hurriedly lighting another one. Maybe that would turn him off and make him go away.
"Hi, do you mind if I sit here?" he asked, waiting for her answer.
Dammit. No such luck. "Suit yourself," she responded curtly without looking at him. She made sure to keep her long bangs pulled down over her eyes. Her eyes might be the one significant feature he would recognize.
"Would you like another drink? I'll buy you one," he offered, staring at her.
Had he grown suspicious and thought he recognized her?
"You can if you want. Just don't expect any paybacks on my back. You know what I mean?" she snapped, taking a long drag from the cigarette and blowing it in his face.
'Bitch. No wonder she's alone. She's about to be again,' he thought to himself.
"All right. Well, you've made it uncomfortably apparent how you really feel. Have fun being by yourself," he retorted, picking up his drink.
Without thinking, Maeko brushed the hair out of her face and struck her lighter to light another cigarette. The flame illuminated her face and glowed in her dark gray eyes. She froze when she saw his mouth drop open and his narrow black eyes widen in surprise.
"Tempest," he gasped, staring at her in disbelief. His glass clattered onto the table as it fell from his slack hand, spilling its contents but not breaking.
Releasing the lighter as it burnt her finger, Maeko pushed away from the table to avoid the tidal wave of beer headed her way. She slid off the stool, maneuvering around the table on the far side from him and immersed herself in the crowd on the dance floor in hopes of eluding her dark haired pursuer.
"Tempest!" Shuhei managed to bellow over the music and roar of the crowd.
Maeko pushed her way through, receiving many shouts of rude remarks. But she did not care. She had to get out of here. She would have a lot to answer for if he caught her. Her proverbial jig would be up, and she would be screwed in a very unpleasurable way. The door. Freedom. Almost there. She hit the push bar at a dead run releasing the door so she never had to slow down.
"Tempest! Stop or I'll stop you!" he yelled as if it were a warning.
"Let go!" she shrieked when his strong hand clamped onto her arm.
"Please, stop! I just want to talk to you!" he shouted, pulling her into his arms.
Maeko tried to push him away as his mouth covered hers in a wet, sloppy kiss due to his inebriated state and her struggling to free herself. She slapped his face when he moved back. A scream escaped her when he bear hugged her, holding her arms firmly to her sides. Her legs were immobilized by him pushing down on her so firmly she thought he was going to plant her in the ground.
"Please, talk to me," he begged, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke.
"I have to leave. We could both get into a lot of trouble. You have to let me go," she said in an unnervingly composed and tranquil voice.
"No. I won't. I never thought I'd see you again," he responded, kissing her cheek and working his way to her lips.
"Shuhei, it was never supposed to be like this. We were supposed to have our fun and go our separate ways." She wondered what the hell was wrong with men. When you want them, they run like hell. If it's the woman that runs, well, she's the one who is meant for him and no else will do. This was why she avoided relationships. It was always bullshit of varying degrees with a constant 'the grass is always greener on the other side' mentality. The grass might be greener but it still has to be mowed.
"Tell me your real name, and I'll let you go."
"No. Let me go anyway or I'll scream."
"Oh? And just what will you do if the cops are called?" Shuhei challenged, gradually loosening his grip on her.
Damn. He had a point. Maeko straightened her dress when he released her from the bear hug. She gasped when he slipped his arms around her waist to embrace her, leaving her arms free to respond as she saw fit. It had made her heart stop beating to see him again. Her arms slid around his shoulders as her head nestled into the crook between his head and neck.
"Maeko. Maeko Muguruma is my name," she said, feeling him flinch in her arms.
"D-did you s-say your last name is M-Muguruma?" he stuttered, his eyes were as round and big as saucers.
"Yes, why?" she inquired apprehensively. "Oh, no. You got arrested and it was by my father."
"Yes," he answered, lowering his head. Anger suddenly welled within him and his head snapped up. Glaring at her, he demanded, "How could you just leave me there? Why did you leave me there to get arrested?"
"I thought you would wake up before people started arriving for work. Besides, I didn't want you to see me go," she explained, turning away from him. Digging for her keys in her purse, she started walking to get to her car.
"Can I see you again?" he called after her.
"You're seeing me right now. Enjoy it while you can," she responded without turning around.
"Can I take you home with me? I want to make love to you again!" A slow, lecherous grin spread across his face when she halted in her tracks.
Maeko turned around to look at him. "I'll follow you there."
After another fabulous lovemaking session with him, Maeko stood up to get dressed.
"Don't go," Shuhei requested, watching her intently as she pulled the dress over her head.
"I have to. My dad is expecting me home. I can't make him worry," she said, feeling like a sixteen year old again. Guilt consumed her because she knew she already gave him too many reasons to be worried.
"What's wrong with you?" His already narrow eyes were even narrower with irritation as he glared at her. He had never met anyone so stubborn. So why did he insist on continuing to pursue her?
"What?" She stopped, standing at the end of the bed with one shoe on and one shoe off.
"Why are you being so cold emotionally? Would it kill you to feel a little something?"
But she already did and that was what made her come here in the first place. Maeko knew she would be abusing herself and possibly him by coming here and having sex with him. She was right. How aggravating. She thought she had picked a self-centered, egotistical bastard. He had even said in his poem that there was nothing worthwhile about relationships but sex.
"You're so full of shit," she muttered, shaking her head and sliding on her other shoe.
"What?" he asked, wrapping the sheet around him as he got out of bed.
"Do you even believe any of that crap you write? Or is it just dramatic drivel for you to spout on stage?" she inquired, snatching her keys and purse from his nightstand. She looked up at him, silently shaking her head in disbelief. "You're just a sad desperate little man who won't admit what he really wants to himself or anyone else."
"I guess you would know all about that since you're the same way. You can lie to yourself all you want but I've seen something different in your eyes when you make love to me." He smiled when she visibly winced at the word love. "Can I take you out Friday night?"
Maeko sounded like a hissing snake when she released the long sigh of frustration. Damn. Of all the men she could have picked…