Hello! Please, enjoy what you read at your own will, within reason and respect. Thank you for reading.
Disclaimer: I do not claim nor own anything. All rights are reserved to their respective owners and no copyright infringement intended. This fiction is for pure entertainment only and not for commercial purposes.
Dinner was somewhat fine as they talked, chatted and joked about. It had surprised Mikoto with a welcoming atmosphere, as though she was their friend despite being a stranger. Either way, they indulged Mikoto with their own experiences and it interested her to listen. Mikoto did not have much to talk about really, so she just listened instead. Moreover, they did not interrogate or ask Mikoto about her incident, involvement or privacy. Perhaps it was the simple joy of eating with friends on the table, dissipating any want of discomfort or distress.
Maybe it was because of Mai, her broad, warm and joyous smile that has caused it. Mai would look brightly at either Kei or Mikoto, and talked to them with a voice that warmed and eased their hearts. As if, Mai had possessed a natural aura that was unknown to her. Then again, Mikoto might have dwelled far into it, as she enjoyed the gathering of three and a delicious pot of soup.
Once they had finished the soup, with a slight competitive streak going on between Kei and Mikoto. It was already a couple of hours past noon, and Kei had to leave. Kei gave Mai a big, warm hug and Mikoto a firm handshake with the medicine given before she left.
Now it was just the two of them in the apartment. Mai remembered the soaked clothes that were not yet dry, including the belongings left inside them. Mikoto on the other hand was not too sure, whether she should ask to stay for the night, or to leave and continue running. Mai gently interrupted the decision with a soft tap on Mikoto's shoulder. Mikoto turned to Mai, greeted with an abashed smile and lightly flushed cheeks.
"I'm sorry about your clothes, but you should look through them and see what you can salvage." Mai has not looked through hers, but she wanted Mikoto to do it first.
Mikoto blinked her eyes, and then a look of understanding dawned on her face.
"Why don't we look through them together? It's Mai's house and Mikoto wouldn't want to be a bother." Mikoto insisted sincerely, and was now aware of her untied-hair as she tugged on it.
Mai tilted her head for a short moment, and then laughed inwardly. Mai had gone about things complicatedly.
"If you say so, then please." Mai waved a hand to the bathroom and went ahead to slide open the door.
A comfortable silence ensued between them as they entered the bathroom. With a permissive nod from each other, they rummaged through their slightly dry clothes. Thankfully, Mai did not carry much but a waterproof wallet, a gift from her little brother. Whereas for Mikoto, her coins were easy to dry off, but a bunch of banknotes were damp and slightly torn. Left with only a dozen banknotes that were salvageable, she sighed upsettingly.
Mai heard the sigh and paused midway through the inspection on her wallet. They were intact anyway, so Mai looked at what was on Mikoto's hands. In one hand were a handful of banknotes that were surely useless and torn; while the other hand held a dozen banknotes that require drying. Curiously, the torn banknotes prompted Mai to think Mikoto was a rich girl running away from home, as they were quite a hefty amount. Mai pushed away such assumptions, as it was unnecessary to be nosy.
"I have a fan, you can dry them there." Mai said as she closed her wallet.
Mikoto turned to Mai with a sheepish smile, "Thank you, I'm so sorry to bother Mai like this."
Mai looked to Mikoto firmly with a light frown, "There's nothing to apologise about. And if you're going to apologise again, then you and I are going grocery shopping." She chided softly.
Mikoto blinked, and then she grinned broadly, "Yes ma'am." She saluted and earned an amused brow from Mai.
"Go on ahead and dry them. I'll take the clothes to the laundry." Mai waved Mikoto off as she turned to the basket.
Mikoto gave a thankful smile and nodded, leaving with the banknotes in both hands. Frankly, it did not bother Mai that Mikoto felt intrusive. Mai could have actually brought her to Kei's clinic instead, but it was a spur of the moment. Then, something hit Mai and have just realised this. Why would Mikoto avoid hospitals? Moreover, why was Mikoto's shoulder hurt when she was seen drowning? Mai was very sure there was nothing that looked like injuries on Mikoto's bare back.
Mai blushed furiously as she remembered Mikoto's half-nude form embracing her. Mikoto felt soft and fluffy, yet strong. Mai shook her head and pushed away such thoughts, surely any female body would feel the same. With an irritated sigh, Mai took the soaked clothes and put them in with the other clothes in the laundry basket. After that, she took the laundry basket over to the washing machine, just by the living room and beside the balcony.
As Mai went outside the bathroom, Mikoto was at the counter placing the damp banknotes in front of the fan, while the torn banknotes were in the waste bin. Mai looked worriedly as Mikoto leaned on the counter with arms folded on it.
"Mikoto, please don't lean, your shoulder has not healed yet." Mai said, slightly anxious that she was being overbearing to Mikoto.
Mikoto looked to Mai with an abashed look, "Sorry, Mikoto's habit." She said and put a hand to one of the chairs at the dining table.
"May I sit down?" Mikoto asked and earned a gentle smile from Mai.
"Yes you may. And if you need help with the medicine, please let me know." Mai warmly said and smiled.
"Thank you very much, and pardon my intrusion once again." Mikoto said with gratitude and bowed formally to Mai.
Mai bowed back with the basket in hand, "Not a problem. Make yourself at home."
As they both leaned upright and made eye contact, they froze temporarily. They had more to say, but the words could only gnaw at the back of their minds. So, they simply smiled at each other and allowed them to their own business.
Mai went over to the balcony near the living room. Mai wondered what it was that she had to say, but she tried not to think much of it. Perhaps it was the adrenaline and panic of saving the girl that has caused the agitation.
That was until Mai glanced at a statue of a cat, its pair of golden-eyes shining whilst sitting on top of a shelf. It looked familiarly like Mikoto's eyes, except hers was more vibrant and lively. Mai sighed agitatedly, delving too deep into it once again and decided no more of it as she set herself on cleaning the laundry.
Meanwhile, Mikoto sat on the chair with her back straight and feeling awkward, even without anyone looking at her in the kitchen. Still, Mikoto had to remind herself that she was hurt, and needed a week to heal her shoulder.
Kei had warned Mikoto about overdose of painkillers, to take only one in the mornings and the nights. The other medicine was for Mikoto's back and shoulder that require rubbing or massaging. Mikoto was puzzled on how to do it on her own. Kei answered amusedly and said to let someone else do it for Mikoto.
Mikoto was sure that she can rub the medicine on her own, but that could actually risk hurting herself more. Mikoto would have to twist her arms to reach the back, and there might be spots she could have missed. Mikoto hummed and cupped to her chin, thinking of ways to do it. Suddenly, a ringing noise from the hallway disturbed Mikoto's thoughts.
"Mikoto! Could you kindly answer the call? Thank you and I'm sorry!" Mai yelled from across the living room.
"Okay!" Mikoto replied warmly, laughing silently as she heard something clattered and a pained hiss from Mai.
The telephone was hung on the wall along the hallway, beside the kitchen. At the second ring, Mikoto picked it up and answered politely.
"Hello, this is Mai's residence." Mikoto cheerfully answered and heard a warm giggle in the living room.
"Hello…" A mildly surprised voice replied, "Is Mai there? It's her brother speaking." He eagerly added.
"Yes, let me call her." Mikoto lowered the cordless phone from her ears to call Mai, not hearing the panicked voice on the other end.
"Mai! Your brother-" Just as Mikoto shouted and turned, she yelped and threw the phone up into the air as she jumped back.
Mai caught the phone right after Mikoto threw it, giggling amusedly at the shocked look on Mikoto's face. Blinking a few times, Mikoto grinned and glared at Mai with amusement in her eyes. Mai amusedly apologised and thanked Mikoto with a silent gesture of her lips. Yet, Mikoto found herself looking into beaming violet-eyes and then to those happy lips; it was a very different kind of happy then it was during dinner. Mikoto giggled and gave a short nod to Mai, heading back into the kitchen with a joyous smirk.
"Hello? Takumi?" Mai eagerly said as soon as the phone was next to her ear, awaiting patiently with anticipation of the long-lost voice.
"Er… Mai?" The tentative voice replied in a minute after; he was eager too.
Mai gasped, "Takumi! How are you? Is it alright there? Did they treat you badly? What about your frie-"
"Mai! Sis'!" Takumi grinned happily, as he tried to cut in; he still had some doubts and anxiety still.
"Oh! Takumi, when are you coming back?" Mai immediately asked, hanging up her hopes on having another gathering with a family.
Takumi winced and hissed, "I… I can't come back…" He answered truthfully, turning down his sister for the fourth time in three years.
Mai was silent and struck briefly by the answer, "Oh…" she simply said.
Takumi heard it, and regardless of how much he wanted to be there, work has constantly swamped over his schedule. Mai understood that Takumi was a prince; she had seen him become one right before her eyes. It was right after Takumi's graduation, and the small coronation was from their parent's will. The coronation was sudden and immediate, and Mai did not know anything about it.
Mai should have been angry, mad and hurt, but when she looked at her brother. There was sadness in Takumi's eyes, as though he wanted to quarrel and scold himself for the secrecy. So, Mai smiled brightly and warmly at him, as he stood up and looked at her just as the coronation ended. Takumi was shocked, and then he shrugged off the hands of his escort and ran towards Mai, embracing her and apologising almost infinitely.
Mai gently caressed Takumi's head and rubbed his back with soothing hands. Takumi would tell Mai what it was about when he can, because she entirely trusts him, she said to him that day. Takumi could not hug his sister a little longer as the escorts immediately asked for him. Mai gently pushed Takumi, looking into his glistening eyes that held back his tears, to be strong for her, and her for him.
Sparing little forlorn looks, Mai softly cupped Takumi's cheeks and placed her warm lips on his forehead. Then it was Takumi, gently pulling down on Mai's arm and kissing her cheek as she bent down. The escort asked for Takumi again with haste, placing a hand on his shoulder and dragged him away. They shared one more look at each other, smiling as they parted.
"Mai…?" Takumi called, suppressing a sigh from escaping his lips.
Mai leaned to the side on the wall with the phone to her ears, "I'm here Takumi." She replied happily and warmly.
"I'm sorry… I really miss your cooking. The chefs here kept sanitizing what I eat." Takumi whined and earned a giggle from Mai that made him smile, as he knew his sister was hiding her disappointment.
"You've scolded them, didn't you?" Mai smirked and amusedly asked, a little worried for Takumi's appetite and lack of actual food.
Takumi chuckled, "I didn't. Akira did it instead. She scolded them and then cooked for the whole staffs. She got an A-grade from the whole staffs and shamed the chefs." His cheerful voice replied, and the mention of his girlfriend brought a gladdening relief to Mai.
"Oh! Akira said she loves your cooking and hopes to join us sometime." Takumi had talked to Mai about his girlfriend from the letters to Mai.
"Then she is warmly welcomed to. I take it that she has been taking care of you in a long while." Mai felt relieved that there was someone by Takumi's side, and one that she actually trusts.
"Yup! She scolds me, and we fought and quarrelled sometimes, but I love her because she was thinking and taking care of me." Takumi's tone was gentle and warm as he spoke about his girlfriend.
Mai grinned broadly, "I bet you're thinking about her too." A shy laugh on the other end answered her.
"I am… four years with her, and she's the first girl to have scolded me amongst the others." Takumi wistfully said, remembering his first encounter and how he was at first disinterested and undesired about it.
"Anyway, I've got time to talk, and I wanted to talk to you since then." Takumi cheerfully said, as it had been four months since he had last called.
"I don't mind. I want to hear about your day." Mai stood upright and rubbed on her shoulder with a hand, agitated and slightly sore from leaning on the hard surface.
"Okay! Just give me a moment and I'll be right back!" Takumi said, as the phone made a soft clatter on some surface; the line was not dead though.
A gentle tap at Mai's elbow made her turn and look at Mikoto. A brow raised, an amused smirk and a knowing glare on Mikoto's face, made Mai give her a toothy, sheepish grin. Mikoto smirked as she put down a chair she had taken from the dining table in front of Mai. Mikoto waved a hand to the chair, and Mai looked to Mikoto's sincere eyes and mouthed a thank you to her.
"May I rub Mai's shoulder for a while?" Mikoto asked as Mai sat down on the offered chair.
Mai turned her head to Mikoto with a concerned look, "You might hurt your shoulder." It would require Mikoto to strain the muscles whilst massaging.
Mikoto shook her head, "Mikoto will use one hand." She confidently said with a warm and determined gaze.
Mai smirked and turned around with her back to Mikoto, "Hm-Hm~, I'll be in your care."
There was quite a bit of doubt that Mikoto could even massage Mai. Mai had taken serious blows and falls during her acting sessions, thus building up and hardening her muscles and bones. Even Kei had trouble massaging Mai's body. Mai would let Mikoto do a few rubs on her shoulder, and surely, Mikoto would give up after a few presses.
Mikoto did not know of Mai's durability, and had kept the thought that Mai was just a peaceful woman, living her life. Putting a hand on Mai's shoulder, Mikoto gauged the hardiness with gentle presses. Mai smirked after a few presses on her shoulder and then it stopped. It seemed like Mikoto has wisely chosen not to massage, or so Mai thought.
Before Mai could turn her head to Mikoto, the soothing kneading of palms and fingers on her shoulder stopped her. It felt small, yet precise, slowly rubbing in circles, and then sweeping side to side with the press of Mikoto's palm and fingers. The smirk on Mai's face faltered as she leaned back on the chair, and relaxed as Mikoto massaged her.
Mikoto grinned happily that Mai could relax, even though she was inexperienced. Mikoto gathered and used the knowledge of Kei's administration on her back and shoulder to Mai. Without seeing it or knowing the amount of pressure to administrate, Mikoto relied on feelings and instincts to help Mai. It was the most Mikoto could do to thank Mai for saving her.
"I'm back! Are you there Big Sis'?" Takumi's little voice, shook Mai from her blissful calm with a squeaked yelp.
"I-I'm h-here... Takumi." Mai stuttered in her reply, as Mikoto giggled behind her quietly and continued massaging her.
"What are you doing right now?" Takumi inquired curiously.
Mai glanced behind her for a short moment, "Well, I have just saved this girl, and she's offering a massage for me because I was leaning on the wall." She said amusedly as Mikoto rolled her eyes.
"Oh? It was on the news a few hours ago, and some of the people here said you're a bad influence. I bet against them that you saved the girl and bore no relationship with her." Takumi was proud and glad that his sister was both a heroine in a fictional show and in reality.
"It looked that way, and I haven't seen the news. In fact, I'm sure the girl I saved can assure you." Mai said and warmly smiled to Mikoto as she pulled the phone to Mikoto.
Mikoto grinned, "Hello! Mai really did save Mikoto!" She said with utter gratitude that brought a large smile on Mai and Takumi.
"She's very cheerful." Takumi stated amusedly, as Mai put the phone next to her ear, patting on Mikoto's hand on her shoulder with thanks.
Mai giggled, "What about you?"
The siblings cheerfully talked on the phone for hours. Mikoto did not mind and eventually, Mai patted and squeezed on the kneading hand to stop her. Mai smiled and looked at Mikoto with sincerity. Since they would talk a long while, Mikoto nodded and went back into kitchen, pleasantly smiling in this comfortable atmosphere.
However, Mikoto did not know that she had given away her haven. The echo of Mikoto's saviour and name has spread across the world in its digital form, listened into by specific people, people that have remained a secret.