Once more, I apologize for the long wait. I would like to thank each review, fav, and follow that helped me push on when writing these chapters. Thank you for the 100th review and for being close to reaching 11,000 views for this story!
I do not own Maid-sama, Netflix, Frozen, or the dress stated in this story.
(Yes I know, short authors note.)
I apologize for spelling errors.
April 27th, 1999
The continuous rhythm of the machine echoed out across the silent room, serving as a permanent reminder to the guest that loitered around the small bed. It was as if the droning sound of the heart monitor stationed near the curtain-drawn window was mocking them, telling each individual what they desperately tried to ignore.
The pale, white walls mixed with the equally shining floor only caused more grief to the company as they huddled together, some talking in low hushed voices while others momentarily excused themselves to head to the downstairs cafe.
The adults that were present tried to block out the faint humming of each machine, tried not to allow their wandering eyes to drift towards the multiple I.V bags that hung lifelessly from their stands, though failed miserably.
They weren't relatives, only close friends and business partners that became acquainted over the years. Some only arrived to drop off expensive flowers before heading back to their companies, while others caught wind of the numerous camera crews that were stationed outside of the hospital. Had they housed a generous bone in their body was still a mystery.
The silence continued as few cleared their throats, becoming uncomfortable after standing around for so long. They had lives to attend to, had papers to sign and money to spend. Almost everyone present held little to no remorse.
All but two young children that sat together on a singular plastic chair.
Takumi shifted soundlessly on the side edge of the seat, his shaky fingers tightening around the small bouquet of flowers that were slowly falling apart, the dried-up petals falling shamelessly onto his lap.
He brought with him pink carnations, his mother's favorite type of flower. He remembered giving it to her the first time she was admitted to the hospital, seeing her face light up before giving him a loving hug and a motherly peck on his nose.
He ignored the growing mess on his pants, though, instead only focusing on his mother who was currently breathing in a deep pattern.
Gerard spared a glance towards his younger brother, taking in the watery eyes that were seconds away from spilling. He inhaled with a slight shake, mentally cursing himself when showing a sliver of emotion.
He was taught to hide everything and anything, especially when in the presence of others. Having just turned eleven a few months prior, he took it upon himself to look after his only sibling. His father was often at the company, though Gerard was no fool when seeing some of his female clients stumble out with smeared lipstick and ruffled skirts.
He often visited with his grandfather, the one to first build the now infamous Usui Corporation, mainly to check on the product income as well as the tax management that changed periodically once every month. If his grandfather saw his son-in-law's irresponsible behavior, he made no move to correct it.
The oldest child was ashamed to call him 'father', to know what actions he took when behind doors. His mother was barely breathing through a tube and yet he found much more importance in the company of other women.
A small sniffle alerted the pondering boy, causing him to look to his left. Takumi quickly wiped his tears away with trembling hands, a small pout now occupying his lips.
The golden-haired child focused his gaze on his mother, ignoring the voices laced with pity that filtered throughout the room. He didn't want their pity, to see compassion fill up their eye-sockets until they bursted with the telltale truth.
His mother had cancer. Brain cancer.
And by the looks of it, she did not have long.
He remembered hearing his father talk to one of the numberless doctors that were in charge with her recovery. He found she had a tumor called 'Glibobla'-something growing at a slow growth rate. he couldn't pronounce the large words that were thrust into each sentence as the two men talked, his father sometimes nodding his head when asked if he understood.
It wasn't until he asked Gerard a few hours before they visited their sleeping mother did his confusion clear up.
"She's dying, Takumi." He stated bluntly with dull blue eyes.
"B-But she said she was fine!" Takumi fumbled with his fingers, a slight stutter engraved into his voice, "she said she was going to take us to see that movie, remember? Right, Gerard? That really cool movie I wanted to see!" He prayed to anyone that was listening that his older brother was lying, that he would break out into a cheesy smile and nod his head before telling him it was all a lie. His mother would be out of the hospital soon and return home to resume making those chocolate chip cookies she promised him.
Gerard shook his head before placing a hand on his younger brothers shoulder. "Takumi," his voice rasped out, "mom's really sick. She has a very evil bug in her head right now that's eating up her brain."
Takumi shoved his arm away, his brows knitted together, "you're lying! Mom has Gliob...Glibo…" His words got tangled together as the green-eyed boy allowed his anger to surface. He didn't want to be treated like a child, especially by his older brother. He knew there was no 'evil bug' destroying his mother's body and it began to irritate him when being kept in the dark.
"Glioblastomas Multiforme," Gerard finished, slightly hurt when seeing his only brother push him away.
Takumi carried on, "and-and its hurting her cerebran hemi…" Once more, he was at a loss for words.
"Her cerebral hemisphere… Takumi, do you know where that is?" Gerard watched his brother slowly shake his head. "It's found mostly in the Frontal and Temporal Lobes. So, here" he pointed to his forehead, "and here," he pointed to his side temple.
Takumi swallowed the glob of saliva that formed in his throat, wet tears starting to roll down his cheeks. Gerard frowned before stepping forward and wrapping both arms around his younger brother.
"It's okay, Takumi. I'll be here." He began to soothe the youngest Usui child, only to be caught off guard when Takumi quickly shrugged his way out of his hug.
Gerard moved to once more reassure his distraught brother, only to stifle a dry cough with the back of his hand.
"You're lying again! You're not a good brother, you're mean!" He rubbed his tear-stained cheeks once more before taking off towards his mothers room, ignoring Gerard's calls.
Shuffling around the room aroused Takumi from his thoughts, realizing his father had entered the room. Most of the unnamed guest quietly gave their condolences before excusing themselves, leaving only the Usui family alone with the ongoing machines.
Gerard quickly stood up before inclining his head in a polite manner. He watched his fathers eyes dart towards Takumi, who was still stationed on the chair.
Muttering under his breath about the 'disrespectful child', the older man made his way towards his sleeping wife, an unemotional look etched upon his face.
Before any words could be uttered, Takumi and Gerard felt hands grip their shoulders. The two glanced up, seeing their grandfather nodding his head towards the door that lead to the hallway. Understand the silent command, Gerard grab Takumi's hand and began to drag him out of the room.
Takumi haltered for a moment, pulling his hand away from his brothers grip, before backtracking towards his deserted chair. With a last look of longing towards his ill mother, Takumi placed the wilted flowers on the hard plastic, a look of angst forming in his orbs.
He returned to his brother's side then and took his outstretched hand before the two soundlessly made their exit.
"Takumi," Gerard alerted his younger brother. When meeting deep emerald eyes, the oldest son offered a small smile, "happy birthday."
Present Day
"But I love you, Henry! I gave you everything!" The brunette sobbed while dropping her umbrella, allowing the rain to stream down her face and mix with her tears.
Misaki rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. Not only was the girl acting like a total dipshit, but she was practically begging for her asshole of a cheating ex-boyfriend to be her 'one and only' once more.
"I'm sorry, Clair," he looked away and closed his eyes, pausing as the dramatic background music began to increase in volume. "But I've found…."
Cue shitty music volume to increase to an almost hair-splitting shrill.
"... Somebody else."
Misaki huffed when seeing the young girl drop to her knees, shouting out a garbled "no!" for added effect. How she found herself watching some Hollywood B-rated movie was beyond her knowledge.
Perhaps it was the boredom that began to slowly eat at her brain.
She learned that it was now the twenty-sixth day since she started 'living' at Takumi's estate. Almost a month and yet she still would find herself lost when treading the enormous hallways.
She stretched her arms above her head and allowed a small groan to escape her lips, feeling her muscles ache after sitting in the same position for so long.
Allowing a slight yawn to bubble up from her throat, the brunette lowered the volume with the remote that was built-in to one of the numerous theatre chairs.
It was going on the fourth day now that Takumi began to distance himself from her, as if her presence alone was not worth his time. She was bewildered with his change of attitude, especially after the humiliating scene that took place in his kitchen, a memory that still made her cringe with embarrassment.
'There had to be something wrong with his mental state', a recurring phrase that began to flood her mind every few minutes. No person could change their personality daily and not have a valuable excuse for doing so without any medical explanation.
After that… rather eventful night, Misaki found herself wake up to an empty bed and a maid ushering her out of the room so she could clean it. She was utterly confused the whole day, trying to grasp Takumi's peculiar mood swings, though came up with little to no clarification.
She spent the next few hours in the library, a place she began to visit almost daily. Chapter after chapter of endless words did little to help ease her troubled mind as the brunette found herself peak glances at the nearby grandfather clock that was stationed a few feet away from the masonry fireplace.
She ignored the maids that strolled in with the announcement of lunch, as well as dinner a few hours later, her sluggish eyes burning as the ink-filled pages began to blur as one.
Just as it neared ten in the evening, Misaki closed the bulky book with a defeated sigh before placing it on the nearby oak table. She returned to her own room with the intention of falling into a deep sleep, hopefully for a few days.
Nobody woke her up with small kisses, nobody interrupted her dreams with the ill-intention of using her body-something she despised with a passion. The same schedule carried on for the next three days, although Misaki tried to entertain herself by switching her usual everyday routine with something new.
Now, as she rubbed the sole of her foot on the carpeted floor, due to a rather irritated itch, Misaki found herself completely out of ideas. Never would she imagine the urge to see Takumi, much less talk to him, increase to a near breaking point.
She despised the loneliness that began to form in her heart after being reduced to seeing the same few people day in and day out for the past month.
At the beginning, she wanted nothing more than to be left alone, keeping herself hidden from the world in the sanctuary of her covers.
Now, however, she ached for conversation, the need to voice her rambunctious ideas and honest opinions. She was always surrounded by giggling girls, excluding Honoka whenever she was in her 'dark' mood which involved a handful of criticisms directed at each worker. Maid Latte had such a friendly environment that, after working there for so long, Misaki felt a portion of her heart crack when having to face the eerie silence that dwelled in Takumi's house.
Just as the credits began to roll, Misaki heard the double doors to the spacious theatre room open, a wave of light temporarily blinding the surprised brunette.
"What are you doing in here?" A smooth, velvety voice flowed through the air as Takumi closed the door behind him. Misaki opened her mouth before closing it, her blinking eyes never straying from his inexpressive face.
"I will not ask again, Misaki." He shoved both hands in his business suits pockets before taking a slow step forward, "Why are you in here."
"I… well-um," she fumbled with her words, a slight tremble forming in her pale fingers. 'I just didn't know you would actually come home since you've been M.I.A for the past four days.'
Yeah, like she could say that with the zero ounce of confidence that surged through her body. Not going to happen…
"I stated before the rooms you were allowed in, Misaki. Did I not?" He scowled down at her as a parent would to a disobedient child.
She nodded her head, "y-you did."
He blinked once, "and what are the rooms."
"What?"
"The rooms, dammit! The fucking rooms that I allowed you in!" Takumi snapped out and trudged forward, slipping one of his hands out of his pocket to grasp Misaki's upper arm. He hoisted her off of the seat, forcing her to stand, and leaned in close. "Well."
"T-The library, backyard, the sitting r-room, k-kitchen, the gym, and-and," she grimaced when feeling him squeeze her arm for taking too long, "pool! The indoor pool!" Misaki ushered out.
"Then why the fuck," he tugged her until the two were nose-to-nose, "are you in here? Are you incapable of following roles? Do I need to punish you for being disobedient?"
Misaki shook her head at his words, her heart increasing in pace as the business man grumbled incoherently.
He was acting like the Takumi she dealt with at the beginning of her imprisoning, the same man that took pleasure when controlling her every move.
"I'm sorry, Takumi! I was bored and-and I just…" Her mind shut down completely, her words slowly dying as she realized how invalid of an excuse her explanation was.
Takumi only stared at her, his unwavering emerald eyes taking in her trembling figure. He couldn't control his flaring anger that was, mainly, directed towards the damned fallthrough that would have gained Usui Corp. an extra branch. The same branch the Igarashi Group was aiming for as well.
He was painfully exhausted after countless bickering between himself and that bastard Tora while being confined in the rather small meeting room for the past four days. Minutes turned into hours which slowly crawled into days as the head of the electronic branch, a rather annoying yet intelligent man by the name of Gōda Masaru, listened to their arguments on how to improve the failing company.
Takumi knew he was seconds away from gaining another branch to his already multi-billion dollar company, he even began shoving his arms through his suit sleeves, waiting for the document in front of him to be signed in permanent ink.
That was, until, Gōda Masaru decided to open his mouth and permit a death wish.
"The gala is next Saturday, is it not?" He glanced at both men to confirm his question. Takumi merely nodded, his foot tapping impatiently on the marble floor.
"Yes, the fundraiser to extend a hand to starving children of this country." Tora eased out, a hint of bitterness ebbed into his voice. Knowing Usui Corp. was to gain yet another branch over his own had him purse his lips in agitation.
"You will be attending with Sato Chiyo, yes?" The head of Gōda Marketing leaned his elbows onto his thighs, his dark eyes alight with curiosity.
"I am…" Tora drawled out, his eyebrows slowly pulling together as a frown began to overtake his lips.
Masaru snapped his fingers in mock defeat. "Well damn, I was hoping you'd have cast her aside by now, Tora! A pretty girl like her on the arm of anybody would make the paparazzi's go crazy!" He laughed outright, missing the furious look Tora was giving him. Without a second thought, Masaru leaned towards Takumi, a spark of hopefulness once more taking over his features.
"How about you, Takumi. Who will be the lucky lady this time?"
Takumi gritted his teeth, offended with the lack of manners the man had. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "Ayuzawa Misaki will once more accompany me for the gala."
"Ah shit, I was hoping you wouldn't say that! Now that Misaki girl, that's someone I wouldn't mind getting to know."
Takumi flickered his eyes open, a slight twitch slowly forming on his jaw. "Is that so."
Masaru barked out another laugh and slapped his knee. "Quite! For somebody that has never been in the spotlight, she sure had heads turning during that banquet a week or so ago." He reached over and grabbed his pack of cigarettes before searching for his lighter. "You almost done with her, though?"
Tora glanced over, noticing Takumi's stiff position. Was this man out of his mind? Did he want to die early or was he just stupid? With a slight sigh, Tora leaned against the back of the couch, his lips, for once, closed.
Takumi, upon hearing his words, slowly straightened up. "Excuse me." He tilted his head to the side, eyes now ablazed with an unreadable expression.
Masaru, finding a spare match, quickly lit the tip of his cigarette before blowing out a cloud of smoke. He smiled with a predatory glint in her eyes, "you're almost finished, right? I mean, I'm usually not one to go for second-handed chicks, but someone with that kind of body can be made an exception."
Breathing in, Takumi worked to calm himself, feeling his fingers grip the leather chair in a painful clutch. Before he had to opportunity to speak, however, the brunette carried on.
"Important question, actually," Masaru leaned onto the palm of his hand, "how is she under the sheets? Is she more the slutty type or more-"
The screeching of a chair echoed across the room, startling both Tora and Masaru. The pair simultaneously glanced up, noticing Takumi's eyes turn dark.
"You speak of my Misaki like that again," he growled out, "and I will not hesitate to beat the fucking shit out of you. Do you understand me."
The brunette quickly nodded, his face growing pale as Takumi grabbed his briefcase. "She's mine, and if I see you lay your hands on her, I will destroy you and everybody around you."
The young business man trudged towards the glass doors, only hesitating when grasping the cool metal handle.
"Mr. Gōda."
"Y-Yes?" Said man trembled when seeing him look over his shoulder.
"You may hand the branch over to the Igarashi Group. I don't want nor need that failing company and after speaking ill of my girlfriend, I understand that you will not make it long in the business world." He swung open the door, his eyes still locked on the speechless man.
"You will also address me as Mr. Usui."
"...mi… um, Takumi?" Misaki's shaky voice broke through his trance, causing Takumi to release her arm. He stepped away from her before unbuttoning the first few notches of his jacket.
"Be useful, hm?" He tilted his head, signaling for her help. Almost instantly, Misaki rushed to his side and grabbed the area between his neck and shoulder, pulling one of the sleeves from his arm with a slight tug. After easing him from the other side, she drapped his jacket neatly over her arm.
With a dreary sigh, Takumi plopped onto the theatre chair, running a hand through his honey-gold locks.
"D-Do you need anything?" Misaki bent towards him, a frown marring her feature.
He looked up at her, dull green eyes staring into her own hazel ones. After a moment, he leaned his head against the chair and stared at the darkened ceiling.
"What I need is my head between your goddamn legs," he stifled a yawn with the back of his hand, "but I'm just too tired."
Falling silent, Misaki glanced nervously around the room, her mind still fixated on his unexpected words.
"H-How about… a movie?" She inquired, surprising both herself and Takumi.
"I haven't watched a movie in over a decade," he muttered out with no sympathy. It became silent as the two became lost in thought.
Finally, did Misaki break the tension.
"W-Well, no time like the present, right?" Misaki questioned before taking a tentative seat beside Takumi. She felt his eyes bore into her figure as she rifled through the ongoing-list of movies.
"You're subscribed to Netflix but you don't use it?" Misaki glanced towards the twenty-year old, who only shrugged in response. Taking slight notice of his distant personality, Misaki began flipping through the listings with stiff fingers.
She was afraid of upsetting him with any movement, instead choosing to sit with perfect posture and keep her eyes solely on the wide television screen. After scrolling through countless titles with no agreement, much less a sound from Takumi, Misaki scratched the back of her head.
'This isn't working and he's going to become restless...' Misaki bit her lip when thinking back to what he stated so boldly a few minutes ago. He was tired, right? So maybe he wasn't in the mood…
Mentally shaking her head at her foolishness, the hazel-eyed girl took a small glance towards her companion.
With one hand on his lap and the other cupping the left side of his cheek on the armrest, Misaki blinked in wonderment when witnessing the peaceful look that overtook Takumi's normally hard expression.
The slow, even sound of his breathing echoed out across the spacious room as the young man slept on. With a hesitant hand, Misaki allowed her fingers to uncurl from the armrest and lift her hand into the air.
She could escape, perhaps, if she was quiet enough. If he was to wake just as she was throwing open the enormous double doors that showed to her freedom, would there be any chance of her climbing the towering gates before he could catch up to her?
She was fast, yes, but after weeks of confinement in this house, Misaki knew without a doubt her chances of outrunning him was little to none.
So with a deep sigh of sorrow, the brunette brushed the sleeping man's bangs to the side, his golden-blond mane reflecting against the dim lights that shone overhead.
Misaki allowed a slight smile to grace her lips when seeing his mouth curl into a childish pout before he shifted around with a sleepy grunt. She retracted her hand and casted one more glance in his direction just as she tapped the play button on her armrest.
As the lights shut off completely and the intro song to the movie Frozen began, Misaki permitted herself to thinking, just once, she was on an innocent date with the man she loved.
Shaking Misaki's shoulder with slight force, Takumi allowed her to blink her sleep-hazed eyes before taking a step away.
"Be ready in twenty minutes." He stated with a blank face, watching in silent fascination as the brunette stretched her arms above her head with a cat-like yawn. Clearing his throat and shifting slightly, Takumi shoved his hands into his pants pockets and pursed his lips.
"Do you understand." He snapped when receiving no answer, his patience wearing thin as the disobedient girl nodded her head. "Words. Use them, you have a fucking mouth."
"I-I understand." She stuttered out and stumbled off from the bedsheets. Sparing her one last parting glance, Takumi turned on his heel and stalked out of the guest room.
Misaki didn't waste any time as she hurriedly made her way towards the luxurious en suite, taking brief notice of the stray maid that entered her room and began placing multiple layers of clothing on the oak table.
She took a quick shower, scrubbing her body with the wash that smelt of lavender before massaging her scalp with her fingers. Watching the conditioner build up around the shower drain, the nineteen-year old felt her curiosity spike when remembering the urgency in Takumi's voice. Were they going somewhere today? Was he taking her out or did he want her dressed up nicely for his own pure enjoyment?
Clearing her mind from such thoughts, Misaki twisted the metal knob to cut off the water supply. She stood there for a moment, her dripping wet bangs sticking to her pale cheeks as her unblinking eyes glared daggers at the tiled wall. Seconds later, a light knock came from the bathroom door, startling the girl.
"Ms. Ayuzawa, are you finished?" A feminine voice fluttered through the silent room just as Misaki wrapped a towel around her petite frame. She opened the door and nodded towards the young maid, allowing her arm to be pulled towards the nearby dresser.
"Excuse the rush but I must get you ready before Master Usui become impatient." She wasted no time in combing through Misaki's drenched locks, apologizing profusely whenever she was faced with a tangle.
Fifteen minutes later, Misaki found herself wearing a plain white t-shirt, she was thankfully allowed to wear a bra and panties, that was tucked neatly into the waistband of a pale pink skirt that ended mid-thigh. She touched a strand of her hair which had been curled only moments before just as the same maid appeared at her side, a slight smile playing at her face.
It was a simple outfit, something a girl would wear in hopes of catching the attention of a dubious boy. Misaki, however, found herself grinning when taking in the change. She had been used to large shirts and faded jeans since staying at Takumi's and before that, only ever wore hand-me-down's since the disappearance of her father, as well as their money, years ago.
She was never one for wearing girly things, nothing eye-catching to attract attention, during her high school experience. She now felt regret for her younger years though knew she had more important challenges than worrying about the latest fashion trends. Pretty clothes were expensive and Misaki never had the extra yen to spend on such insignificant things.
"Ms. Ayuzawa," she held up a pair of white heels and ushered them into her hands. "Now, I must finish your makeup, so please hold still." Misaki nodded as the young blonde went to work.
She was feeling excitement bubble into her stomach when thinking of leaving the house. It had been a while since the formal outing she attended with Takumi and the mere thought of being around other people made her feel dizzy with the unmistakable feeling of nerves.
Finishing her makeup and politely guiding her out of her room and towards the foyer, the maid watched in silent amusement as Misaki wobbled in her heels at first, her face a mask of concentration. As she descended the stairs, Misaki saw a nameless servant arranging a small bouquet of pink carnations on the glass table that sat nicely in the middle of the grand room.
Allowing her eyes to stray forward, she noticed Takumi waiting by the double doors, his back facing her as he spoke quietly on the phone. Watching the maid by her side bow deeply before turning on her heel, Misaki slowly took a few steps forward, catching a snippet of what Takumi was saying.
"... Collect the damn papers and make sure every minuscule detail is printed in clear detail." His rough voice grumbled out as the hazel-eyed girl awkwardly cleared her throat.
Stiffening on the spot, Takumi whirled around to meet Misaki's befuddled expression. He hung up without a word, his emerald eyes not once straying from her own.
"How long have you been standing there?" The urgency in his voice alerted Misaki's attention.
"Not long." She watched a frown form on his lips, the tense atmosphere only increasing as the seconds ticked on.
Casting her one last glare, Takumi spun away and pulled open one side of the oak doors. "Let's go."
The ride towards the city did little to ease Misaki's frantic heart, her worried-filled eyes traveling towards a silent Takumi every few few minutes. He was driving this time, a black Aston Martin Vanquish that, unsurprisingly, came out this year. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other grasping the gear stick, he held the appearance of a male model on those glossy magazines that teenage girls went crazy over.
"Misaki." Said girl blinked multiple times when seeing Takumi cast her a sideways glance.
"Yes?"
"Behave," he rasped out just as the car came to a halt. Takumi wasted no time in hopping out of the car, ignoring the store's servant that rushed forward to aid him and his companion. "You're dismissed," he bit out before walking towards Misaki's side.
He opened the door and extended a hand, his face void of any emotion. With a slight jumble of anxiety, Misaki enclosed her much smaller palm into his own. As the young blonde help her climb out, a slight brush of wind picked up, causing Misaki to shiver.
Without a word, Takumi wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his large frame blocking the sudden assault. The two quickly made their way towards a petite building made almost entirely from glass. It was quite a sight when seeing the rather unique store shouldered between two rather upscale-looking business firms.
Takumi pulled open the glass double doors, ignoring the greeting from a lady that stood by the entrance. He ran his hand through his hair, trying to pat it down from the sudden attack of the wind.
"Oh," he heard Misaki mutter before she walked in front of him, causing Takumi to glance down in curiosity. "Your tie…" She spoke quietly before she tucked the silk object back into it's rightful place.
Missing the wonderment that became noticeable in Takumi's eyes, she finished situating his suit before taking a slight step back, her hands now enclosed behind her back.
"S-Sorry…" The brunette looked away when realizing what she had done. No doubt his tie had come loose from the wind and Misaki found herself touching him without permission.
"Look who finally decided to show up!" A squeal from behind Misaki alerted the pair just as arms wrapped around her waist. "Goodness Takumi, she's so skinny!"
Misaki blinked once just as Takumi opened his mouth. Before he could utter a sound, however, the nineteen-year old was spun around and felt lips crash against the left side of her chin.
She backed away quickly, shocked at the sudden action, just as Takumi pulled her towards his side.
"Maria, dammit, what did I say earlier." He sneered at the busty blonde as she placed her index finger to her ruby red lips.
"Um, something about not touching her…" she trailed off before shrugging innocently. "I can't help it when she's just so adorable!" With that said, Maria began walking towards Misaki once more with her arms stretched wide, a cheeky grin in place.
"Stop," Takumi stated before flicking her forehead with his thumb and forefinger.
"Owwie," the young woman complained with a pout, her hand stretching up to rub her stinging skin. "You're not nice, Takumi."
"Never said I was," he sighed and turned towards a wide-eyed Misaki. "Now, Misaki, this is Miyazono Maria, she is the owner of this store and is engaged to Kamimura Shinji. Maria, this is Ayuzawa Misaki."
Nodding her head with respect, Miskai held her hand out for a polite shake when Takumi quickly interfered. "Keep a distance from her." He placed his hand over her own and gripped it by his side.
"No fair!" Maria whined and crossed her arms, effectively pushing up her breast. "Misaki, my fiancee is the CEO of the company Hishifune, do you understand what that means?" Her voice took on a more serious note, catching Misaki's attention.
"Um… I… no?" She quirmed around when seeing Maria's bright eyes bore into her own.
A second later, she was dragged out of Takumi's grip and into Maria's chest, "that I'm extremely lonely all the time! My bed is always so cold during the night!" She nuzzled the top of Misaki's head as a lover would do.
Takumi growled, his dark eyes glaring at the blonde's face. Striding forward, the business man gripped Misaki's shoulder while placing the palm of his other hand against Maria's head, pushing her away with slight force.
"One more time, Maria, and you'll find Hishifune losing one of its most profitable supporters." His icy eyes narrowed in challenge as Maria quickly nodded, all traces of her bubbly attitude now gone.
"Of course, I apologize." She bowed quickly, realizing she pushed Takumi one too many times.
"Ms. Miyazono!" A shrill voice echoed throughout the complex, causing the trio to glance towards the glass staircase. A young woman with light-colored hair and matching eyes sauntered towards them, a smile on her pink plush lips.
Her eyes landed on Takumi, not once straying towards the other two occupants as she halted in her three-inch heels.
"Hello, Mr. Usui," her plummy voice took on a sickly-sweet tone. She held her hand out and batted her eyelashes, cocking her head to the side. "My names Amy Hartson, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Takumi flickered his eyes towards her outstretched hand before shoving his own into his suits pockets.
He only nodded his head in response, watching with disinterested eyes as she slowly lowered her hand, a small frown forming on her lips.
"This is Ayuzawa Misaki, Takumi's girlfriend." Maria pointed out when feeling the atmosphere grow weary. Said girl nodded and gave a small wave, only halting when noticing the judgmental glare Amy directed at her.
"Hello," she muttered offhandedly before switching her gaze back on Takumi.
"Well then," Maria clapped her hands before ushering both Takumi and Misaki towards the upper portion of the store. She pointed to an arrangement of dresses that hung near a simple white leather couch, "here are some of my personal favorites." She turned towards Misaki and offered her a secretive wink, "don't worry, hun, these sizes will fit you perfectly."
Grabbing a few dresses of different colors, Maria wasted no time in ushering the silent brunette into the nearby dressing room, which sat just parallel from the couch.
"Now, any question?" Maria spoke up, watching Misaki open her mouth once before shaking her head. "Great! I'll be out here if there's anything wrong!"
Not a moment later, the perky manager slide the bright red curtain shut, just as Amy placed her hand on Takumi's upper arm.
Standing in the same position for what seemed like an hour, Misaki replayed the image in her head as a frown began to stretch across her lips.
'Why am I feeling this way? I have no reason for feeling… mad, especially when concerning Takumi.' Misaki furrowed her brows before sighing, 'no, I don't care. If anything, I should be happy that Takumi's with somebody else. Maybe he'll take more interest in her and cancel our
contract...'
"Misaaa," said girl jumped when hearing Maria's soft voice from the other side of the curtain. "I don't hear movement, are you stuck?"
"O-Oh, no I'm almost done!" She exclaimed while simultaneously grabbing a random dress from the pile.
"Do you need help?" Hearing that, Misaki could practically feel the small smirk woven into her suggestive comment.
"Uh… I'm alright, thank you." She zipped up the small attachment that was hidden discreetly on the right side of her ribcage, wiggling around the small room as she tried to loosen the tight corset that stuck to her like a second skin.
'Of all the damn dresses...' Misaki groaned when seeing her appearance through the spotless mirror.
With material made of soft silk, the pale blue dress gave little to the imagination. She glanced down, noticing the large slit that showed off the creamy upper portion of her leg. The dress had no sleeves, instead a sequence of white rhinestones trailed down both sides of the material which reflected brilliantly off of the lights. She turned around and glanced over her shoulder, grimacing when noticing the cheeky dip that displayed her entire bare back.
The dress itself was beautiful, Misaki could admit that wholeheartedly. However, all that mattered was Takumi's opinion whom, at the moment, called out her name with a tint of impatience.
Allowing herself one last glance in the mirror, Misaki journeyed into the main room, feeling an untraceable emotion well up in the pit of her stomach when noticing the absence of the worker, Amy.
She fumbled with her fingers, shifting her shoeless feet on the colorless rug as Takumi blinked several times, his lips slowly parting in first awe then confusion. He tilted his head to the side, going completely rigid, as Maria clapped her hands excitedly and bounced her way towards the shaking girl.
"Beautiful! I love it, I love it!" She crushed the silent brunette in a tight hug before pulling away, her shimmering eyes giving her a quick once-over. "The back!" She gasped and grabbed Misaki's shoulders, "the back is oh so daring!" She veered the young girl around, almost causing Misaki to stumble in the process, as Maria shrieked loudly.
"I'm speechless! You just fit this dress and of course you need to buy and I'll give you half off," the fashion designer rambled off whilst circling Misaki. "No no! I'll give you seventy-five percent off," she clapped her hands as the thought occurred, "because you look absolutely-"
"What the fuck is this, Maria!?"
Both girls swerved their heads to the direction of the stentorian voice, finding a fuming Takumi curling his hands into a fist as a scowl began to form on his lips. He narrowed his eyes when focusing on Misaki, who took a step back in startlement.
"Takumi," Maria pouted, "the dress isn't-"
"I don't give a shit," the business man yanked his ringing cellphone out of his pocket with a frustrated growl, his piercing gaze not once leaving the two, "take that off before I myself tear it off." He turned on his heel and made a hasty departure just as he began yelling into the phones transmitter.
It became quiet as both females stared at the empty spot Takumi once occupied. Finally, did Maria heave an over dramatic sigh and, with a roll of her eyes, began pushing Misaki back into the changing room.
"Well…" she trailed off and shrugged. She pointed her manicure finger towards the bulky pile that overtook a corner of the dressing room, "there are still others so, good luck!" Maria smiled brightly, her cheerful attitude once more making a comeback, before swiping the curtain closed once more.
No less than five minute later, Misaki found herself scowling at the mirror, a feeling of déjà vu overriding her frantic mind.
The dress was no better than the one prior, especially when it ended just before mid-thigh. It was sleeveless, again, and tightened around her waist to help push-up her breast in a provocative way. It was a midnight-black sequin dress that looked more suitable for a night in the city rather than an upscale charity gathering.
Mortified with her dauntless image, the brunette scrambled over to the mess of dresses and began rifling through them, muttering profanities when noticing how alike in style they all seemed. Mentally cursing Maria on her poor choice in clothing, Misaki began to pace back and forth in the petite room.
She felt powerless, a recurring feeling that began since Takumi stepped into her life. Never had she felt so nervous when concerning someone's opinion, a useless trait she disposed of when starting her first year in high school. Now, however, it plagued her mind every hour of the day.
Takumi was hard to please, that much she knew just by taking one glance in his direction. He strived for perfection and whenever he set his mind on something, he used every ounce of his willpower to reach it. She couldn't compete against him, she was no fool, and his quick change of personality sometimes scared her.
"Misaki," the very man she had been thinking about called her name in vexation. Gnawing at her bottom lip, Misaki brushed aside the blood-red drape to face the ever-watchful emerald eyes that occurred in her nightmares.
He took one glance at her, his eyes devouring her long legs and full breast before turning away with a sigh.
"Maria," he stated calmly whilst shutting his eyes, "find me some fucking dresses that doesn't make her look like a goddam tramp." His voice began to shake with uncontrolled anger as the ditzy blonde pouted at his words.
"Aww but she looks so cute!" The older woman whined in exasperation as she crossed her arms. "I could just eat you up, Misaki!"
Said girl grimaced in reply, her gaze still locked on Takumi's trembling figure.
"Ms. Miyazono, if you don't find me a suitable dress within the next ten fucking minutes, I'll make sure you never witness another customer walk into this building again!" Whipping his head around, Takumi took slight pleasure when noticing the stunned look that crossed Maria's face.
She nodded rapidly, sputtering out a jumbled apology, before hightailing it out of the room.
It became quiet as the two stood only a few feet apart. Holding her breath in fear of upsetting Takumi, the young woman felt her heart pick up its pace when noticing his calculating steps in her direction.
Stepping back on instinct, Misaki felt the air become lodged into her throat as Takumi leaned towards her, their faces now only inches apart.
"Now, Misa," he purred out in a deep tone, catching Misaki off-guard. His change in character stupefied the girl as he reached up and gripped her chin, forcing her into a heated eye-contact.
"Y-Yes?" Her stutter caused Takumi to smirk, his eyes alight with uncontained desire.
"You're going to turn around and go back into the changing room," he tilted his head until his lips brushed the skin just centimeters from her ear. She shivered unconditionally as his hot breath fanned across her cheek.
"O-Okay," she obligated quickly and was about to turn on her heel, when Takumi pulled her back towards him, an eyebrow arched upon his perfect features.
"I'm not finished," he reprimanded and yanked her towards his body until there was but an ounce of space between the two. He nuzzled his head into her neck, ignoring her startled gasp, before pulling away with a devious smile.
"You're going to go in there and be a good girl while I fuck you against the wall," he smirked at her horrified look, only igniting his need for her. "Don't be scared, Misa dear. You shouldn't have put this dress on that left little to the imagination, I'm only doing this to teach you a lesson." The gleam in his eyes said otherwise, however, as he began pulling a shell-shocked Misaki into the cluttered changing room. If Misaki thought is was small with just her in it before, the room seemed to be non-existent with Takumi there as well.
She felt light-headed when he closed the curtain with a nasty grin, his green eyes never once leaving her jittery figure.
"But-But Maria-"
"Won't be back for a while," he interrupted with a careless shrug as he pushed her towards the floor-length mirror, causing Misaki to squeak out in startlement. She pressed herself against the cool glass, trying to place as much distance between the two as her eyes darted in all directions.
Nonetheless, Misaki's mouth went bone-dry when Takumi began to fumble with his belt buckle, his dark eyes boring into her own through his unruly bangs.
"T-Takumi, wait… please-" she was cut off as his lips came crashing onto her own, her orbs going wide as he wasted no time in gripping her upper thighs and wrapping them around his waist.
"Just shut the fuck up right now," he gasped out between breaths before plunging his tongue between her parted lips.
He tasted her thoroughly, feeling himself harden at the sound of her erratic breathing. With one hand still clutching her thigh, he began using his free one to yank off his belt, a growl rumbling between their lips as his fingers worked to disband the troublesome attire.
"Fucking hell," he pulled away and pressed all his weight against Misaki, effectively keeping her in place, as he spared a glance down at the leather material. Takumi cursed in annoyance when noticing it wedged between their bodies before tugging at the loop, his impatience rising with each passing second.
Finally, did he yank out the offended object, causing Misaki's heart to sink, before flinging it to the ground.
"I could be inside you by now and here I am, having trouble with a fucking belt." He muttered under his breath with annoyance.
Hearing his words, Misaki blinked multiple times before a snort of laughter escaped her lips, catching Takumi off guard. He glanced at her in confusion as she looked away, a ghost of a smile playing at her mouth.
"What's funny," he demanded and instantly regretted it when seeing her face pale at his tone. No longer was there amusement in her eyes, instead fear coated her porcelain skin. She stuttered out an assortment of words which fell on deaf ears as Takumi dropped his gaze to the floor.
She laughed, something Takumi never had the privilege of witnessing, save for the one time when he took her to the small banquet a few weeks ago. For a moment she was actually happy, even when being in his presence. He'd seen her smile plenty of times, in pictures mostly, but often when with her younger sister. The girls too, that worked at the small cosplay cafe usually helped lift her spirits up.
He liked it, the sweet chime of her voice, and mentally berated himself for taking away the lovely sound.
"Misaki?" The shrill tone of Maria's voice hushed the brunette from her rambling words. Takumi narrowed his eyes, all previous thoughts halting as he reached up and gripped Misaki's chin.
"Tell her you're getting changed," he snarled out through clenched teeth. For a moment, Misaki said nothing, her bright hazel eyes locking onto the drapery before shooting him a pleading look. She opened her mouth before closing it, an action she repeated multiple times before slowly nodding.
"Uh.. I'm in here, Maria," she squirmed in slight pain when feeling Takumi's grip on her chin tighten. "C-Changing," she added when realizing his silent demand.
The pair heard movement on the other side of the curtain as the manager shuffled about. After a moment, which felt like hours to Misaki, did Maria answer back.
"Well, where's Takumi?"
Said man leaned towards Misaki with piercing eyes. He grazed his lips over her own before shifting to the smooth skin of her cheek. "I'm taking a very important call, Misaki, and I may be out for quite a while."
He turned her face to the side, allowing access to her neck. Not wasting the opportunity, the blonde began trailing hot kisses down her throat, his tongue lashing out to caress her soft skin as he reached the edge of her collarbone.
Gasping an intake of air through her lungs, Misaki closed her eyes when feeling Takumi graze his teeth on a spot that was dangerously close to her breast. She felt her heart pick up speed as he left a stream of fire with his lips.
"H-He went outside to take a-" she muffled a shriek when feeling Takumi tug the top of her dress down, now exposing her chest. "P-phone call."
"Oh, well I have a few dresses that may appease the cranky businessman," Maria's voice turned bitter when speaking the last few words, "so whenever he comes back in, just show him the ones that are hanging on the rack out here. Of course, he'll probably still bitch and moan…" She muttered out the last part.
Takumi, upon hearing her words, rolled his eyes skyward. "Tch, loose bitch."
With that being said, Maria quickly excused herself when hearing the alarm for the entrance door go off. Misaki nearly fainted when realizing she was, once more, alone with Takumi in a cramped-up dressing room.
"Now that she finally decided to leave," the blonde grumbled out in spite before resuming his assault on her delicate skin. He heard her choke out a sound as he began focusing his attention on her supple breast, his large hands reaching up to cup each one.
He squeezed each mound, angling his head down to clasp his mouth around her hardened nub. Feeling Misaki shudder at his bold intentions, Takumi quickly hiked up her dress to allow her pink panties to come in view.
"Fucking so sexy," he breathed out before darting his eyes to her own, a sinister smile growing on his lips, "but I prefer to fuck your pussy, sweetheart." With that, Takumi ripped her undergarment off, briefly watching the shredded garment fall listlessly to the ground.
"N-No.. I-" Once more was Misaki's voice cut off over the ruffling of clothes. Takumi, after unclasping his suit pants in a hurriedly fashion, pulled out his hardened length and shoved her body hard against the mirror, his lips breathing heavily into her ear.
"You. Are. Mine, Misaki." He panted between each word. Nipping at her ear and feeling her fear-induced body shiver in response. "You're never leaving me, do you understand? I'll kill anybody that gets in my way. Every aspect of your life belongs to me since the day you naively allowed me to walk you home. Your body," he grinded his pelvis against her own as he squeezed her ass to his frame, "your innocence, which I took the moment you let your guard down."
Tears began to cascade down Misaki's cheeks, her trembling lips parting ever so slightly. "S-Stop…"
"Every action-"
"Takumi…"
"Everytime you so much as think about trying to leave me," Takumi growled out through gritted teeth, "know that I'll find you and destroy your innocence all over again."
He positioned himself against her damp entrance, only giving her a spare moment to grasp his words, before thrusting into her.
Ignoring her cry of pain, Takumi heaved himself out of her before once more plunging deep within her most sensitive area. Releasing his hold on her ass, Takumi spread the palms of his hands against the cool glass, his body now mashing upon her own.
"You're so tight," he huffed out and increased his pace, the force of his member causing Misaki to unconsciously clamp her thighs around his waist shamelessly.
The sound of their battered breaths echoed against the walls of the room, causing a slight blush to spread across Misaki's face. She could feel all of him. His throbbing length, his erratic heartbeat, and his heated skin did little to clear her disorganized mind.
Allowing a slight moan to tumble from her lips, Misaki closed her eyes when feeling Takumi grip both of her thighs, his nails digging into her dainty skin.
She couldn't think, only feeling herself give in to what she hated most. How he could make her feel this way in such little time made the young girl curse her very being.
The pleasantly wet and warm sensation of Misaki squeezing around him had Takumi grow more rapid and frantic. He knew she was enjoying it, especially when she arched her back to allow him an even deeper access to her. With those thoughts in mind, Takumi felt himself begin to climax, his eyes closing in complete bliss as Misaki whimpered out his name.
"This time," Takumi rasped out as he leaned his forehead against the brunettes, "this time, I'm going to watch you fall apart, Misa."
At the dazed look on her face, Takumi carried on with his explanation. "I'm gonna make you enjoy this just as much as I do." It was both a threat and a promise as the young man began to slowly fuck her in a sweet rhythm, his actions precise in such a way that had Misaki feel every inch of his cock.
She could feel herself coming apart, her frantic mind both loving and despising what Takumi was doing to her. Never had she allowed her body to respond to him in the past, an action that was becoming increasingly difficult the more nights she spent with the emerald-eye man.
It didn't take long for Misaki to start feeling an electrifying sensation begin to develop near her lower regions; her grip, which became tangled in Takumi's hair at one point, tightened to an almost painful ache. Takumi, however, paid it no heed.
The build-up soared drastically and, all too soon, Misaki found herself shaking with the overwhelming feeling for release. She heard Takumi mutter incoherent words into her ear before dropping his head to lick at her budded nipple, earning a strangled squeal in response.
"C'mon baby," Takumi purred into her skin and with another heated plunge into her damped cunt, Misaki felt herself crumble apart.
She attempted to muffle her cry of pleasure although failed miserably. Her parted lips forming into a perfect 'o' just as Takumi let out a strangled "fuck".
The blonde dug his face into the crook of her neck, feeling her tight walls swell to an almost painful squeeze. Black dots began to invade his sight as he released his filling inside of her, his jagged breathing slowly diminishing as the pair simultaneously came down from their orgasms.
She felt hot, sticky fluid drip down between her parted legs as Takumi sucked on her sweat-drenched skin, his teeth skidding across her pulse point that had Misaki shiver in delight.
"Takumi," Misaki whispered out, catching the young man's attention. He glanced up, taking in her rosy flushed cheeks and sweat-matted hair, before slowly leaning in to plant a soft kiss on her lips.
With an assortment of care, Takumi pulled himself away from her pulsating entrance, noticing Misaki briefly flinch from his size.
He allowed her to plant her feet back onto the ground and, with glazed-over eyes, the brunette found the reality of their actions come crashing down.
She felt embarrassed, completely mortified for giving into her body's wants and needs. She could not place all of the blame on Takumi this time as, she too, enjoyed every aspect of what had happened.
Trying to steady her shaky legs with great effort, Misaki watched with silent eyes as Takumi buttoned his pants up before shoving his discarded belt back into its rightful place.
He flickered her dark eyes her way and cleared his throat. "I need you to get out of that dress," the husky tone of his voice sent shivers up her spine. "Now. Before you find yourself in the same position as before."
With a timid nod, Misaki spun toward the set of clothes she arrived with. Briefly noticing Takumi turn away to give her some much needed privacy, an act she was both surprised and thankful for, Misaki wasted no time in slipping out of the revealing dress.
Once changed, she called out to a patent Takumi and watched as he faced her to take in her appearance. He sauntered over, causing Misaki to fumble with her fingers in apprehension, and began running his fingers through her hair, patting down the mess that was caused from earlier.
They remained in a heated eye-contact as the young billionaire reached down to swipe his thumb over the smeared mascara that no doubt began to smudge from all the sweat she produced.
Misaki's face became inflamed at the thought, her embarrassment only skyrocketing when seeing a smug smirk form on Takumi's lips who quickly figured out her source of discomfort.
"Now then," Takumi cleared his throat and signaled towards the curtain, allowing Misaki to pass through first.
She was completely surprised everything was the same as how they left it, that there were no store employees lined up against the wall waiting with wide eyes for the pair who hooked up in the dressing room.
Not even a minute later, Maria came prancing through the arched doorway, a cranky frown planted across her face. Mentally sighing in relief, Misaki inwardly thanked her shit luck for the perfect timing. If Maria had been only a few seconds earlier…
"Well, that sale was a bust," the petite blonde huffed out before noticing the two pair of eyes watching her, one in curiosity and the other in boredom.
"Oh! Done with your phone call, Takumi?" she questioned, missing the slight upturn of his lips. Takumi raised both eyebrows before glancing towards Misaki, who kept her gaze locked on the floor.
"I am."
"Good. Now," she waved the two towards a multitude of dresses. "I picked out a few more-"
"Reliable ones." Takumi cut in with impatience. Maria nodded with disappointment, only halting when seeing the pointed look from the young billionaire.
He nodded and escorted Misaki towards the bright white rack. The two briefly heard Maria excuse herself once more as they began shuffling through the onslaught of various colors and lengths.
Starting on opposite ends, both Takumi and Misaki took their time with the continuous selection. Sighing in frustration after only a minute of searching, Takumi flickered his gaze towards a preoccupied Misaki, who stood opposite from him.
She looked at each gown with a critical eye, her index finger tracing the unique patterns that were sewn into the expensive cloth. She kept her gaze strictly on the material when noticing small tags hang from each dress. Knowing the price of it was enough to feed both her and her younger sister for a few weeks, Misaki felt bitterness towards the wealthy. They had the money to help others and yet spent it on petty clothing. She would never understand this world…
Moving on to the next selection the store had to offer, Misaki continued with her silent search, occasional spotting a dress that would catch her eye before brushing the thought off with a slight shake of her head. She bit her lip when finding a few risque choices, her eyes going wide in disbelief when noticing just how much skin was made to be shown. If Takumi was angry with the few choices Maria gave her before, she couldn't fathom how he would react when discovering these gems.
The brunette nodded her head when finding a few she approved of and scrunched up her nose when observing a few unusual ones, not once detecting the pair of emerald-eyes that were focused solely on her.
Takumi parted his lips, blinking when watching a line of emotions parade across her features. He tilted his neck, causing honey-blonde bangs to brush against his forehead as Misaki bit her bottom lip in silent contemplation. He found himself captivated by how easily she could make-do with any situation, may it be in a positive or negative environment. It wasn't much of a surprise when the young man felt a pang of sympathy, as well as guilt, erupt in his heart when realizing Misaki's life, as young as she was, could be defined as 'over'.
He knew she still held a spark of hope to see the contract terminated and for her life to continue on as if she never met him, that much was clear considering the damn subject was brought about a handful of times. She could explain to her younger sister her reason for being absent for so long: a friend from another country had a terminal illness and Misaki needed to be there for her final month of life. Perhaps her deadhead of a manger gave her some last-notice vacation time that allowed Misaki to travel to a far-off land which, conveniently, held no reception.
Takumi mentally scoffed and brushed the ludicrous ideas away, his grip on the silky material tightening to the point of pain. He needed to stop clouding his frazzled mind with preposterous suggestions before he found himself opening the front doors of his manor and bidding her a farewell.
'It's not my fault her life is like this,' he glared at the ground in distaste. 'She's here for her own reasons. She signed the contract and she now has to pay the price. I own her pitiful life and that's how it will stay.'
"Takumi?" The sweet tone of Misaki's voice broke him from his self-loathing trance. The businessman flashed his cold green eyes in her direction, noticing a slight flinch when making eye-contact.
"What," he snapped out and released his grip from the now slightly-wrinkled dress.
He had little-to-no control over his spontaneous anger, a perk he took great care in using when dealing with his stressful job. People, however, were oblivious when concerning his short temper.
Seeing Misaki's large, hazel eyes blink at him in slight confusion, as well as trepidation, had Takumi let out a deep breath.
He was doing well these past few days when concerning Misaki. Of course, he had also been absent from her presence during the day. At night, he would silently climb under the covers next to the sleeping brunette, taking care not to rouse her from her deep sleep. It was a secret the businessman intended to keep to himself.
"The… I… I like these dresses," she trailed off and gnawed at her bottom lip, catching Takumi's attention once more.
'I just fucked her in a changing room not even ten minutes ago,' he closed his eyes and rubbed at his temple in slight agitation. 'And yet here I am, wanting to get between those perfect legs of hers once more.'
She was going to be a problem, that much was obvious.
After twenty agonizing minutes of trying on a clutter of dresses, each that ended with negative feedback from Takumi, Misaki could tell he was beginning to get frustrated. She herself felt exhausted despite the lack of physical work. It was only noon and yet the nineteen-year old wanted nothing more than to crawl onto her bed and sleep for a few hours.
"Last one…" She mumbled to herself while zipping up the back with slight difficulty. it was a simple dress, one she picked out at the last moment of desperation. Now as she glanced at her reflection, Misaki felt a satisfied smile take over her lips.
It was pure white and glowed brilliantly with her skin, a relieving sight considering she lost her tan hue after spending so many days indoors. It drapped down to her feet, another plus, and clung to her form in a more modest and professional way that would turn heads when entering a room. The dress held no design, no edgy ruffles or lace sleeves that would come off as daring.
The only setback was the slight dip that ended a few inches after her shoulderblades, showing off a portion of her upper back. Misaki discarded the back image of her reflection and instead focused her attention on the front, adoring the bateau neckline and long sleeves that fit snuggly around her wrists.
Stepping out, Misaki pursed her lips together in anticipation as Takumi arched an eyebrow, his eyes crinkled in slight thought. He cleared his throat and made a circular gesture with his index finger, signaling her to turn around.
Misaki did, albeit hesitantly, which confused the young man. He quickly realized the reason, however, when noticing the slight dip that showed off her bare back a portion of the way down.
He heaved out a sigh at her hopeful expression, knowing full-well this was the dress she wanted to return home with.
"Oh!" Maria, who only arrived moments before, clapped her hands in utter fascination, "The Lurelly Monaco Dress, an excellent choice!" She winked and shook her head with excitement.
Steering her attention back to Takumi once more, Misaki held her breath when noticing him step forward until they were only a few feet apart.
"I'll have to wear a white suit to match your dress when we attend the gala in a few days." he stated with no emotion evident in his tone. Misaki fidgeted, seeing him stuff both his hands in his pants pockets.
She was about to step back, to mumble out an apology and return to the changing room when his movement caught her attention.
"I suppose," he undug one of his hands from his pocket and brought it up to rub his chin in scrutiny, "a change of color would be… pleasing."
"Really?" she clasped her hands together and allowed a grin to overtake her face. Takumi sighed in defeat and scratched the back of his neck, nodding his head in slight reluctance. He briefly wondered why she was determined on wearing this dress.
For as long as he could remember, black was the color he wore to any and every outing. He didnt want to change, never had any intention to, and yet found himself agreeing to wear such a flashy color. It would catch more attention, this much he knew, which was something the young heir fought to avoid.
White. The symbol of purity. Of innocence.
Was he pure? Innocent?
Fuck no, the exact opposite even.
'But...' He looked on as Misaki gave a small twirl of appreciation in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror, a glint of pure adoration etched upon her face.
'...Just this once.'
Side note: Takumi and Gerard are fully related, not half-brothers. There is no Walker family, only Usui. Takumi does have English ancestors to help keep his appearance the same, but there will never be an important fact about it for the story.