I know I said this would be the last chapter folks, but I've got a short epilogue to come. Hope you enjoy.

-0-

Misaki never wanted to hurt him, but she couldn't stay if her heart didn't wish it. Her mind was set, the decision was made before he entered their apartment but that didn't make the process any less difficult.

At first he was angry. He blamed Igarashi, he wanted to know if there was something between them. She told the truth - she cared for the other man but not nearly as much as she cared for him. Regardless, this wasn't about Tora. After that, Usui's face crumpled. Gently, he began to plead with her, he dropped to his knees in front of her and begged her to reconsider. He apologised profusely for being ignorant, he told her she didn't have to follow him, that he would always support her. Misaki held him close while he cried and stroked his hair soothingly for hours.

She sobbed for hours after he left for his business meeting the next morning. Usui gave her a tired, but caring smile and told her that he would always love her, even if just as a friend. He kissed her forehead and thanked her for the best years of his life. His voice shook and she noticed tears forming in the corner of his eye as he departed. When she was alone, she cracked and her knees buckled beneath her. Part of her was in agony at the thought of waking without him beside her. She so desperately desired things to be as comfortable and easy as they had been when they were younger, but knew that it was an impossibility. The past could never be brought back. Her thoughts drifted briefly to Igarashi, then shook her head. The man had caused nothing but trouble in her life but she lingered on his last piece of advice to her.

"Personally I think you are wasted on either of us. You have so much you wish to do, people like us would only hold you back."

The only thing to do was prepare for the murky future and appreciate the blissful memories of what had passed. She stood on shaking legs and stifled her cries, alone.

-0-

They were 28 the next time they met.

Across the years, Igarashi kept a vague eye on her from afar, reading articles about the cancellation of her engagement, her pro bono work and her move to a Tokyo law firm. It never seemed appropriate to contact her, though he thought of her often. It wasn't that he didn't wish to but would rather leave the choice up to her. He saw Usui Takumi regularly, their respective companies often engaging in business deals and offering advice on shifting markets. The men were amicable between one another, much to Tora's surprise. He presumed she had kept the kiss they shared that day a secret and he was more than happy to stay silent if that was her wish. The Walker Heir had since been arranged to marry an English aristocrat, though from their brief talks Tora gathered he wasn't keen on the idea. It had taken a long time for Usui to come to terms with her leaving him, though he seemed to understand why and he seemed to support her decision despite it tearing his heart in two. Tora wanted to slap him whenever he spoke fondly of her - he would never have let her go so easily had she been his partner, not without fighting first. He never bothered with pity, though he did sympathise with the other man slightly. Misaki had left an aching void in both their lives.

Though his Father had passed three years ago, the Igarashi Conglomerate was booming. It seemed his years of hard work and little rest had paid off tenfold. Satisfied with the reach of control he had, he chose to delegate work to other figures within the company, easing the pressure from his own shoulders. The relief had been great, he slept for two days straight after his most successful deal was confirmed. Over time, he started to take care of himself again. His hair was still a vibrant blonde, though he chose to wear it smoothed back these days. He slept well, he ate regularly, he invested time in fitness. From the flocks of enamored people that surrounded him, he could tell it was paying off. The night happened entirely by coincidence. The Igarashi Group had received an invitation to an evening hosted by a clinical company with whom they had shares. Normally, he would have sent some other representatives, but he was already in the area and he could do with a party after a month of travelling around Japan. It never crossed his mind that she might be there.

It was eight o'clock, at a gothic banquet hall on the outskirts of the city. Igarashi arrived alone, his co-workers were already inside. He was dressed in formal black tie, hair slicked back away from his face, trademark cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. The hall was beautiful, coloured with plummy reds and rich golds. Four tables took up most of the space at the far end, each one set with fifty places for dinner. The entire chamber was filled with the pleasant smell of the food that would be served later. Tora felt his stomach grumble and moved into the room in search of canapes. The front half of the hall was filled with people, each holding a flute of champagne and dressed to the nines. They were talking happily amongst themselves, milling between the open bar and the area where a classical band were quietly playing. He finally sourced a waiter and happily accepted a glass of champagne. He moved further into the crowd, frowning slightly. Still no damn canapes, he thought, taking a drag from his cigarette. Carelessly, he tapped ash out onto the floor.

"Still as ignorant as ever," came a sharp voice from behind him.

He turned, raising an eyebrow in question. Ayuzawa stood in front of him, arms folded across her chest. She was bedecked in a floor length black dress that clung to her body in a very pleasing way. It was a simple garment which tied around her neck, leaving her back bared to hip level. Her hair was twisted in an up-do, though unruly, wispy strands had already started to fall around her face. Tora blinked twice, as if he were convinced he was imagining her, then a wide smirk spread across his face. His stomach dropped but he kept up with his cool facade.

"Miss Ayuzawa," he greeted, giving her a small bow. "You look ravishing."

"Shut it."

"Why?" he asked, tone overly polite. "I am simply offering a compliment."

She scowled. "Drop the gentleman act, Igarashi. It's not becoming."

"As blunt as ever. Still, I suppose I don't owe you any courtesy," he chuckled, straightening back up. The man stepped closer to her and leaned down to speak softly in her ear. "You look incredibly fuckable in that dress."

Misaki's face flushed a deep scarlet. "Shut up, people I work with are here."

Tora raised a brow and stepped back from her slightly. "You work for MSD?"

"Not directly," she answered. "I'm a clinical negligence solicitor with an external firm, but we do work a lot with them."

"I see," Tora said, taking a sip of his drink. "Congratulations."

"Congratulations for what?"

He stared at her blankly. "You were studying to become a lawyer last time I saw you. So, well done on actually getting there."

"Oh," she answered, giving him a smile. "Thank you."

The pair of them looked out at the crowd of people behind them and Tora jerked his head toward the French doors that opened up onto a balcony.

"Let's go outside, it's too fucking noisy in here."

"Agreed."

It was a warm night and a tumescent, pockmarked moon was a pale stain on the navy sky. Misaki took a seat at one of the many small tables that had been set on the balcony and began to fan herself with her clutch purse.

"My feet are already killing me," she moaned, leaning down so that she could rub the back of her foot. As Tora took a seat on the other side of the table, he caught a glimpse of the strappy heels that she was wearing. He laughed derisively and jammed his cigarette back in his mouth.

"Such elegant shoes for such a clumsy oaf. You'll break your ankles before the night is through," he commented, with a smirk.

Misaki glared at him then sat back up straight and held out a hand. "Give me a cigarette."

"Say please," he responded, airily.

"Please," she growled.

"Say please, Master."

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Give me a cigarette or I will put out your eyes with my lipstick."

Tora grinned and reached into his jacket inner pocket for the packet. He held it out and she took one with an irritated sigh.

"When did you take up smoking?" he asked, tucking the packet back in his pocket. He held out his lighter and sparked the flame into life. Misaki leaned in and placed the end of the cigarette into the fire. She took a long drag, then sat back in her seat. Tora flicked his lighter shut and set it on the table. "And when did you start wearing lipstick?"

"When I became single," she answered, ignoring his obvious insult. He glanced over at her. She didn't look upset, instead her face was set in a passive expression. "It was stressful and smoking calmed me down. But it gets you hooked, doesn't it?"

"You're telling me," he said, as smoke started to plume from between his lips.

"You're kind of like smoking, aren't you Igarashi?" she said, turning her head to look at him. She gave him a bitter smile. "Maybe not the calming part."

"Then how?"

Misaki laughed lightly. "You're bad for me and you're addictive."

Tora furrowed his brow, confused. "Addictive?"

The woman nodded and leaned back in her seat. A cloud of smoke emitted from her mouth and began to dissipate around her. "Why do you think I kept saying yes?"

"I see," he replied. As he observed her, he couldn't help but notice the change in her. She had always been brash but now she made no effort to hide her disdain. "I've never heard you speak so easily, Misaki."

She rolled her eyes. "I tried lying to myself and look where that got me. There is little point in being dishonest to anyone, least of all myself."

Tora nodded. He drew in a breath and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray on the table. "What happened that night, I-"

"I guess I should thank you, really," she interrupted. He shut his mouth, surprised by her calm reaction. "If it weren't for you highlighting my doubts, I never would have had the courage to call things off."

"Doubts?"

Misaki nodded and took a short sip of her drink. "The fact that I would consider cheating on Usui made it clear that I wasn't ready for marriage- well, clear to me at least. I needed to pursue my own goals and, at the time, I couldn't do that and be by his side."

"Have you spoken with him since?" Tora asked, curiously.

"Yes," she said, with a smile. "Obviously things were difficult at first but he seemed to understand. We are still friends."

Tora hummed thoughtfully and took a long sip of his drink. "How strange."

"How is that strange?"

He looked away from her and stayed silent. It would surely upset her to hear that Usui never spoke of her. She reached across the table and placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look back at her. They locked eyes for a moment, each searching the other's gaze for something that had been between them ever since the first night in his bedroom. He broke the atmosphere and shrugged her hand off.

"Are you seeing anyone presently?" he asked, curiously.

"No," she answered. "Are you?"

"No."

Misaki nodded and breathed a smoke-filled sigh. "I thought you'd be married off by now."

"After my Father died there was no-one to tell me what to do," he replied, picking up his glass. "I never found anyone interesting."

The woman smiled wryly. "Or perhaps you're too fussy."

Tora chuckled and raised his glass to his lips. "Perhaps."

The gentle hum of voices from inside grew louder as the party-goers devoured more alcohol. Misaki watched Tora sip his drink and placed it back on the table. He slowly turned to look at her and fixed her with a serious stare.

"I was waiting to hear from you," he said, frowning slightly.

"Why-"

"I didn't get in touch because you were obviously busy and miserable," he continued, his voice rather sour. "You had business to deal with and I had mine. Neither of us were ready to have the other barge into their life."

Her brows knitted together. "I-"

"Let me speak, for fuck's sake," Tora clenched his fist at his side, trying not to lose composure. Misaki leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest, gritting her teeth together so that she didn't snap at him. The man glared at her, his cheeks flushing slightly in anger. "Do you even realise how irritating you are to me?"

"What?" she barked, scowling.

"You're uncouth and so self-righteous it makes my skin crawl. You take me to task on every little thing and think nothing of throwing a glass of wine in my face or backhanding me," he continued, baring his pointed teeth as he spoke with such vitriol. "I fucking hate you but-"

Tora paused and let out a sharp breath. Misaki raised an eyebrow, confused by his sudden outburst. "But what?"

He glanced at her and the anger in his expression seemed to fade. "But I like you. A lot. I have for a very long time."

Misaki blinked, shocked. "You like-"

"And I want you," he interrupted. "All to myself."

Igarashi instantly chided himself for speaking so freely. Misaki seemed to slump in her chair and she looked down at her hands, avoiding his gaze. The man groaned inwardly - what a stupid idea, as if his partially-offensive ramblings would seduce her.

"Don't spoil-"

He let out an aggravated growl, silencing her. "I'm so sick of you saying that. Stop forcing me to censor my feelings for you."

"I'm not-"

"Fucking you is great, but it isn't all I want. Stop making me wait, stop making me a villain." Tora leaned closer to her, narrowing his eyes. He spoke lowly, aggressively. "I've been more than patient - just give me a fucking answer."

Misaki laced her hands together in her lap and swept her thumbs back and forth over each other. This had been a long time coming, hadn't it, she thought. Years of avoiding her feelings for the man had not lessened them, in fact now that time had worked to alleviate the pain of Usui, Tora often passed through her mind. The past few years she had focused on herself entirely - she furthered her career, she expanded her group of friends across a number of cities, she spent time with her family. She patched over the hole left by Usui with care and took time to love herself. Takumi was still in her life, they often had drinks together when they passed through the same city. The atmosphere between them was never awkward, much to her relief. The romantic love had definitely dissipated, even for Usui, but the strong friendship between them remained. She recalled the last conversation they had, only two weeks prior.

"You know Tora obviously has feelings for you," Usui said, leaning forward to take the straw in his glass into his mouth.

Misaki chuckled at the sight of him. He had ordered the largest Pina Colada she had ever seen and it was topped with a mountain of cream and fruit. She took a sip of her wine and placed the glass back on the table.

"What do you mean?" she replied, frowning.

"He mentions you all the time in business meetings," he laughed. "It's obvious that he's trying to avoid bringing you up in my presence but he just cannot help himself. It's very amusing."

Misaki rolled her eyes at the man across the table. He hadn't changed much - his sandy hair was still a mess around his face and his green eyes sparkled with the same mischievous glint as they always had. He still teased her relentlessly but she was happy that they could laugh together. She was truly grateful to still have Takumi in her life.

"Igarashi is an arrogant prick," she commented, pulling her bag off the floor to search for her packet of tobacco.

"Yeah, but that's why you like him, right?" Usui said, leaning forward to taste more of his absurd drink. Misaki giggled to herself when he drew back and she saw a large blob of cream stuck to the end of his nose.

"Uh, Usui you've got a little," she laughed, gesturing to his face.

The man peered down at his nose, his eyes crossing, then let out a laugh. He quickly swiped the cream from his nose and stuck his finger in his mouth. After a moment he pulled it out with a loud pop. "You know usually I have to drink straight whiskey or gin, it's nice to treat myself to-"

"A heart attack?" she added, sarcastically.

Usui pouted at her. "Something a little fun. Anyway, stop changing the subject."

"What more is there to say on the previous matter? I don't like hi-"

The man rolled his eyes and let out a dramatic sigh. "Look Misa, think about it and contact him if you feel so inclined."

"Are you trying to set me up?" she asked, incredulously. "You of all people - with Tora?"

Usui smiled widely and shrugged. "Look, you know better than anyone I'm not the biggest fan of the guy. But he isn't the same lout he was when we were at Seika. You don't have to contact him, but I'm just asking you to think on it."

"You say you're not his biggest fan and - you're too nice, you know that?"

He gave her a wink and lowered his lips back down over the curly straw. "Just trying to help, Misa."

Misaki tightened the grip on her fingers. She wasn't certain if she was prepared to confront the thoughts she had hidden for such a long time, but it was unfair to keep him waiting. The woman drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. She cast aside her reservation and began to speak the first things that came to her mind. It would do no good to linger on her thoughts, it would only silence them. He had waited long enough, perhaps she had too.

"Would you need me by your side at all times?" she asked, quietly.

Tora frowned for a moment as her question sunk in then shook his head. "No. I wouldn't want that. I enjoy time alone - I know you do too."

"Would you be needlessly jealous?" Misaki said, looking back up at him. He would have thought she were joking were it not for the serious expression on her face.

"Why would I need to be? There's no-one to compare to me," he chuckled. He smirked, though his stomach was turning nervously. Where was she going with this, he thought to himself.

She stared back at him blankly. "Would you hurt me?"

Her question lingered in the air unpleasantly. After a moment of consideration, Tora opened his mouth.

"Not intentionally."

The corner of her mouth twitched into a half-smile for a brief second. "Honest."

"I've no reason to lie to you, Misaki," he answered.

She felt a shiver run down her spine at the soft way he spoke her name. "Do you love me?"

"No." Tora visibly stiffened. He caught her gaze and shook his head. "Not yet."

"Could you?"

"Yes," he replied, voice barely audible. He closed his eyes and gave a dark chuckle before opening them again. "What about you?"

"I don't love you," she said, smiling. "But I could."

Igarashi took a sip of his drink and looked out over the city beyond the balcony. The sound of cars speeding across the carriageway echoed faintly in the distance."An interesting development. I never thought we'd end up here."

"I know, it's aggravating," Misaki sighed, tapping the ash from the end of her cigarette. "Of all people, why did it have to be you? I fucking hate you."

"Well, you had a nice boy and you chucked him-"

"Shut your mouth, Igarashi."

"Can you call me Tora, already?" he grunted, scowling at her. "I asked you to a long time ago."

"Can you stop bossing me around, asshole?" she snapped, narrowing her eyes.

They glared at one another angrily until Misaki's expression dropped and she began to laugh happily. Tora smirked and gave a low chuckle. They sat in content silence for a moment, sipping their drinks and enjoying the evening air. As expected, it was Igarashi who broke the silence.

"You know I'm going to fuck you later," he commented, breezily.

"Not if I fuck you first," she replied, bluntly.

Tora felt his cheeks flush. "Don't say things like that, or I-."

"There's no real reason to stay, is there?"

He turned to look at her and a dark grin spread across his face. He stood up hastily and held out his hand for her to take. "Get your ass in the car - now."

She laced her fingers through his and fixed him with a playful, aggressive stare. "Yes, Master."

Tora felt his heart thud against his chest. Yes, he thought, it would be easy to fall in love with this woman.

-0-

Her apartment was spacious, clean - not that he really noticed, he was far too preoccupied by the naked woman whose thighs he was currently buried between.

"Fuck," she groaned, grabbing a fistful of his hair. "That feels, ah - good!"

Tora's fingers sank into the skin of her thighs, holding her legs apart as she came and they threatened to tighten around his head. He didn't wait long before lurching up over her torso and crashing his lips onto hers. Misaki grunted and raked her hands through his hair, tugging on it roughly. He leaned back, groaning happily.

"Fuck I love it when you-" he began. He was cut off when a hard slap landed on his cheek. Before he could look back, her fingers clasped his jaw and pulled his lips back down on hers. Tora moaned against her deft mouth, allowing her tongue to slide between his teeth. Eventually, she drew back, her head falling onto the duvet.

"I want you to fuck me. Hard as you like," she implored, breathlessly.

Tora leaned away from her, falling back on his knees. He swiftly unbuttoned his dress trousers and pushed them and his boxers past his hips.

"Ask me again," he ordered. He took his length in his hand and began to stroke it slowly. The way she looked up at him, her warm thighs around him and her beautiful body on display - he thought he might burst there and then. "Tell me how much you want me."

Misaki stared at him silently for a moment, then her face broke out into a soft, genuine smile. The expression surprised him somewhat, he had been expecting some sort of flippant comeback. She reached up and grabbed the end of his tie, then used it to pull him back down on top of her. Her arms wound around his back and one hand settled into his hair. Tora sighed at the feeling of her beneath him, enjoying the intimacy of the comforting position.

"I want you, Tora," she said, voice low. The woman tilted her head slightly, then leaned up to press a soft kiss against his lips. "Not just for the night."

He smirked and thrust into her roughly, groaning as her wet cunt surrounded him blissfully. With his hands placed on either side of her head, he sunk down onto his forearms, wanting to place his lips against hers once more. His strokes were hard, as hard as she had imagined them to be, and deep enough to hurt slightly.

"I want you. I've wanted you for so-," he panted, rocking his hips up sharply to keep up the depth he was hitting. "Fuck this is crazy."

Misaki laughed lightly and dragged her nails across the back of his neck, causing him to gasp. He shuddered and bit down harshly on the side of her neck in return. The woman's hips rolled underneath him and she let out a loud noise of satisfaction, clearly enjoying the sensation. Her insides tightened around him.

"Oh God. Tora, I'm going to-"

"No - not yet. Hold it," he growled, one hand moving to encase her neck. Misaki whimpered, but tried her best to stave off the impending orgasm, concentrating on her breathing rather than the overwhelming pleasure. Tora smirked, kissing her forehead as he thrust into her harder. "Good girl."

"Please, ah, I can't hold on, I-" she panted, her fingers gripping the back of his shirt as if holding on for dear life. In a spurt of madness, she dragged her fist down the shirt, popping the few remaining buttons from their holes and leaving his pale chest open to her viewing pleasure. She ran her hands down it greedily, fingernails digging into his pectorals and leaving tiny crescent shaped marks in their wake. The man snarled and sat up slightly, gripping her thighs in his hands and hoisting her legs onto his shoulders. With her body at this angle, he now began fucking her cruelly, relentlessly hard, hitting her in the right place constantly. Through her foggy vision she gauged how handsome he looked - his body was lean but muscular, constantly tense as if he were ready to attack. His face was angular, shadowed in the evening gloom. But it was his sparkling, golden eyes that sent a shiver down her spine - they emitting such raw power, such devastating charm, that she couldn't help feeling in awe of him. He was everywhere, smothering her skin, forcing his way into her mind, biting down hard on her neck until she felt the skin break under his sharp canines. He drew back to look at her and smiled, her blood slathered over his lips and chin like the perverse, arrogant, lover that he was-

But there, ever present in his gaze was the careful, dedicated, intelligent man she fell for.

"Fuck, come Misaki, come right now," he demanded, feeling himself tip over the edge. As her sex began to clench rhythmically around him, her face twisted into a look of pained pleasure, mouth hanging open, eyes tightly screwed shut. He shuddered as he came inside of her, resting back down on his forearms, with his head nestled in her neck. For a brief moment, there was nothing but their satiated gasps, which grew slower and slower, until their normal breathing pattern resumed and their hearts stopped pounding at a manic rate. Tora rolled onto his side and rested next to her. Tentatively, he curled an arm around her stomach and rested his head on her shoulder. Misaki circled his shoulders and pulled him slightly closer, allowing him to settle on her chest. She smiled and threaded her fingers carefully through his hair, stroking it softly.

"This is absurd," she murmured. She felt Tora smile against her skin.

"Utterly ridiculous," he agreed, chuckling lightly. He peered up at her and his grin widened to reveal his pointed teeth. "But now that I've caught you I'm not going to let you run away again."

Misaki laughed and rested her head back against the pillow, looking up at the ceiling. Slowly, she closed her eyes . "I'm not going anywhere."

Tora watched her peaceful face silently for a moment, then kissed the side of her breast lightly and laid his head down, exhausted.

The pair drifted to sleep, both hoping that they would not wake up alone.