WHAT'S MINE IS MINE

CHAPTER SEVEN

"No?" Kahoko shook her head.

"Okay, okay." Kaji smiled. His best friend sure is secretive about her love affair. "What is he like?"

"You really won't give up, would you?" Kahoko leaned on her chair.

"Yes. And trust me, I am as curious as an investigator. Its actually normal." Kaji leaned on the table. "The last guy whom you actually had your eyes on was Len Tsukimori, and that was during high school."

"He's out of my league." She shook her head. "He's handsome and he's pretty talented though."

"You secretly liked him back then. You freeze when he's around. You blush when you hear him play the violin." Kaji chuckled. "And you never told me that you actually liked him. I figured it out on my own."

The two are in a restaurant downtown, working on some documents and now reminiscing about high school just because Kaji is so curious about Kahoko's love affair.

"Okay, I liked Tsukimori. There's so much about him, but what can I do? He's out of my league and there's no way that he would actually like me." Kahoko took her strawberry smoothie and took a light sip.

"There is. Trust me." Kaji tilted his head, focusing his eyes on her.

Kahoko felt her cheeks burn. "There's none."

"You're really nice and you have a soft heart. It is hard not to love you, you know." He smiled sweetly.

Kahoko's lips parted. 'Stop it.' She then turned to her smoothie. She doesn't want to look at him in the eyes for she fears that she might actually drown in them.

"And we don't know, he might have liked you too." He kept his stare. "Hey... did you know that I actually liked you back then?"

In a flash, she turned to him, wondering on what had gotten into him.

"You did?" She managed to say.

"Yes. Like I said, its hard not to love you when in fact there's so much about you." He looked so sincere. Well, Kaji is an honest man and he always say what he thinks. "Why do you think did I offer to walk you home after school before?"

Now that he mentioned it, Kahoko's mind drifted to the olden times when they were high school, young and innocent. "Maybe because you like taking the long way."

"Of course not, you silly." He smiled. "I like being with you. You're such a comfortable companion."

"You make it sound as if you felt something more." She joked since she couldn't think of anything more to say.

"I actually fell in love with you."He no longer had a smile on, but his expression was soft.

"Why are you telling me this now?" She was dumb-founded.

"I don't know. I just thought that its time for you to know." He shrugged.

"What changed?" She can't comprehend his message but his words are clouding inside her head.

"Kahoko, I am thinking... If I told you that I actually did, would it make a difference?" He lowered his gaze.

'I do not understand. Just answer my question.' She thought as his words actually ached her. The love of her life... the guy whom she thought never looked at her the way she did to him, actually loved her. "Well, maybe?" She does not know the right words to say.

He chuckled.

"What?" She uttered with curiosity. She wanted to understand.

"I will conduct you home." He turned to the waiter and asked for the bill. As soon as he paid the bill, he stood up and offered his hand for her to take. Kahoko wondered if she must take it, but she always do so she took it anyway.

Inside the car, everything seemed so awkward. No one uttered a word.

'If you liked or loved me as you claimed, why did you not tell me? What caused it to change? Did you realize that I am not who you want?' Kahoko was staring at him through the window. She wanted to understand things but she can't just ask him. She does not have the courage. But inside her, she felt something squeeze. She wanted to cry. As thoughts of them flashed in her head... his sweet ways towards her in the past, she could not help but frown. She never knew that he liked her. To be honest, she did not feel that she actually loved him until the time that they saw each other again after college, the time when he offered her work.

She figured that its hard to fall for a friend. Its hard because telling them that you love them may cause them to drift far from you and that's what we're actually trying to avoid. But what if that was what Kaji had also thought of in the past? She do not know. All she had in mind are assumptions.

When they arrived to her apartment, Kahoko wondered on what would be the best thing to do. She hesitated to look at him but leaving him without looking at him would probably be the rudest thing in the world, considering that he's her best friend. When she looked at him, he was already looking at her. He did not have a smile on but his face was really soft. Or was it his eyes? To think about it, she never saw him gaze at her with anything but softness.

"I have to go." She said in such a low tone, as if she was dismayed or anything. He nodded. She was about to open the door when she turned back to him. "Thank you for tonight." She opened the door and placed her other leg out she was ready to go out but then he held her hand. Kahoko stopped and looked at his hand.

"See you tomorrow." He bid and let her hand go.

"Ahhh, ye-yes." She stuttered then immediately left the car. She made her way to her apartment without looking back at him. She feared it. She might look like a dumb retard, finding it hard to move if ever she would.

When she entered her apartment, she bombarded herself with so much questions. She had so much 'what ifs' in mind and she knew that it was wrong, all so wrong. It was all that's left for her now and it does not feel good. It does not feel right.

She was leaning on her front door. She does not feel well. She needs to get out of there. She took her purse, searched for her phone and immediately dialed Yunoki Azuma's number. She brought her phone to her ear and waited. It rang for like... forever until she heard his voice.

"Kahoko." That voice which told her that he's actually busy.

"Are you somewhere?" She wondered. She then mentally scolded herself for being a nuisance.

"I'm in the office." He answered.

"Can I come?" She was hesitating but she would die if she won't.

She rode a cab and headed straight to where he is. The building was already empty, except for the guards wandering around. She was being assisted to his office. It was located at the topmost part of the building. The entire floor was his office. When she was already at the door, the man in black suit knocked thrice.

"Master Azuma, the lady has arrived." He declared. He was Yunoki's personal body guard.

"Send her in." said Yunoki from the inside.

The guard opened the door for Kahoko and she walked in, bowing to the guy.

The room was dark but the city's view illuminated the place somehow. She looked around and saw a huge table in front of the huge glass window which overlooked the city and from there, she saw a silhouette chair and immediately, she knew that he was there, seated.

"Come closer." He said as the chair turned around.

Kahoko came closer. She then stopped a meter before the table.

"Closer." He looked at her, delighted for her visit.

She took a few more steps until she was inches from the table.

"When I mean closer, I mean, come to me. Come close to me." He stood up.

She went in front of him. He stared deep into her eyes. Her eyes spoke of pain and confusion. Something must be wrong, he figured.

He held her arms.

"What brought you here?" He did not like the aura around them.

"He loved me." She lowered her gaze.

So it was him? Yunoki's gaze tightened. Not again.

"What else?" He wondered.

Kahoko embraced him. She wanted to cry in his arms. "He told me he loved me but that was before."

"Does he know you love him?" He en-clasped his arms around her.

"No." She shook her head. "He started asking about you, my love affair and then of the times before and it came to a point that he told me that its hard not to love me."

Yunoki somehow agreed. Its hard not to love her... This innocent lady in his arms. But somehow, there was a particular squeeze in his chest. She was speaking of him again, running to him and telling him about Kaji and on how he's breaking her heart.

She once asked him to make her forget about Kaji Aoi and up until now, he wasn't able. She needed him, not that she loves him but because she has no one but him and he's sick of it. He doesn't want it that way.

"What's hurting you? The fact that he loved you once or the fact that he does not love you the way he did?" He asked as he released her and moved closer to the window.

Kahoko then realized what she had done. It was so wrong. She was acting stupid in front of the guy who was actually fond of her. She might not know how serious he is of her but somehow, she knew she was wrong. She must not act like this in front of him.

"You're an idiot." He said, catching her full attention. "Are you that dumb, eh? He doesn't love you because he only thinks of you as his friend." He turned to her. He was mocking her. "And you came to me because you need a friend, simply because you can't share your feelings with him but me?" He smirked as he closed his eyes. "How pitiful."

She does not like what she was hearing. He was making fun of her. He was hurting her feelings.

"How long are you going to have it that way?" He opened his eyes and turned to the busy streets. 'Perhaps for her I am just a fucking friend. Damn it.'

She was now crying.

"Crying because there's nothing left for you to do? What a fool." He looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

"I do not want it anymore!" She exclaimed.

"Really? Why don't you resign!" He lost his cool.

She snapped. The main reason why she cannot move on in the fact that she gets to see him everyday.

"You're weak." He said. "You actually asked me to make you forget him but you are doing the opposite."

Kahoko looked at him. She is thinking that he probably hates her now.

"Are you going to leave me now?" She found herself asking.

And there was silence until he broke it with another question. "Is that what you want?"

She did not answer.

"Is that what you want?" He repeated but still she did not answer him. He made his way to her. He grabbed her and pushed her on the window. "Answer me."

She was crying. For pete's sake he does not like seeing her that way. Kaji had hurt her but he's the one making her cry. He wants to be in her thoughts... in her heart and not merely there when he's not around. He never wants to be anyone else's replacement.

"No." She managed to say.

'Damn it. What are we?' He thought. What should he do? All he wants is for him to forget her. He does not wish to hurt her but she's just too faithful and it drives him crazy. He's jealous. He wants her to be his and why is that difficult to do? Why is she so damn difficult to get when girls ought to bow on his knees, begs him to pay them attention.

"Then why are you still with him?" He questioned.

He could not bear seeing her cry. He wanted to kiss eyes and wash the tears away.

Why is she still with him? She could not comprehend. It kills her. She loves him still and it breaks her heart. Perhaps its time to stop. But how many times must she tell herself to stop until her heart will really do?

"Leave him and be with me." He kissed her lips. He's not kissing her like how he use to. He's merely pressing his lips on her lips. A lousy kind of kiss as what he would always describe it. He cupped her chin and lifted it a little higher. He then brought his lips to her cheek and licked her tears, a gesture which made Kahoko shiver.

"Be with you?" She mumbled.

"Live with me." He returned to her lips and traced its every side.

"Live with you?" She repeated, tempted to kiss him.

"Live with me from now on." He slid his tongue on her open lips, as if it was a key which made things set of in motion. He was now pushing her hard on the window and she was now finding it hard to stand still.

"Oh..." She moaned as she was laid on the floor. She could not remember how he managed to bring her down without her noticing it.

"Make up your mind." He said as he was trailing his lips up and down her throat.

There was fire. She felt her body on fire and there was this sensation which drives her crazy. She could feel his erection as his body was pressed against her. She was too small for him. He was too tall for her but she fits his body just right.

He was rash. He was forceful now. He sat up and he looked at her. Her lips were parted, the rising and falling of chest was rapid, her eyes were close and she was flushing. He likes how she actually looked like. Fragile and soft under him. She turned to him. His gaze was fixed on her. That topaz eyes which drives girls crazy, that lips which could make her forget the worries of the world and that face which shows two sides.

"And if I live with you?" She sat up on her knees, cupping his face on her hands.

"I will take care of you." He answered. His face showed no emotion and yet his eyes showed determination.

Take care of her. She liked how that sounded. No one cared for her like he did, no one wanted her as much as he wanted her.

He placed his hands on her waist then down to her bottom, down to her legs and way back up."And what would that make us?" She questioned.

"A couple." He replied.

'A couple.' She stared at his topaz orbs. He was serious and she figured that this is no longer a typical love affair or an open relationship or whatever there is to call it. He wants her to commit to him. "You and me...a couple?"

He lifted his head and met his lips with her own and whispered, "Yes."

A couple. Now that made them official. She's no longer single. She's taken. She's his with all its labels. He's claiming everything about her and that would make Kaji's existence inside her heart, illegal.

He took her blazers off and absent-mindedly ripped her button down office top. She heard its ripping sound but ignored it.

"I'm buying you lots of clothing." He kissed the valley between her breast. He was smirking.

"You better." She answered as she grabbed the back of his neck and brought his lips against her own. "Kiss me..." She made it sound as if it was a request.

"We'll do that." He kissed her fervently.

The two made love inside Yunoki's office. No holds barred, well, Yunoki holds no restriction with her. If he wills it, he gets it and she knows that.

Kahoko bit her lip. She was trying to hold off her moans.

"Let me hear it. Don't hold it." He told her. "They're for me to hear."

"Azuma, it hurts." She was crying.

He was pushing his way inside her. She was tight and it was painful for her but he's here to give her the pleasure and love that she deserves. He gave her a blow as soon as he could no longer hold himself, stroking in and out of her, diving deeper.

"Azum-ah!" She closed her eyes as her vision blurred. Their bodies were rocking and now she was no longer holding her moans. She was holding onto him, bodies wet with sweat. As soon as they came, he fell atop her, panting.

"We'll transfer tomorrow morning." He said.

'If I try and love him, would he stay until the end?' Kahoko enclasped him in her arms. "Yes." she answered.

As soon as it was morning, Yunoki took Kahoko to the condo which he had just bought. It was big and it was at the 21st floor.

"I know you would like a beautiful view." He took her hand and led her inside. Kahoko grasped upon seeing the living room. It was very beautiful. There was a huge flat inch TV, the sofas were huge and white, there was a glass table at the center of the living room with a white Persian carpet. The place itself was fully carpeted.

You wouldn't believe it but the living room had a fully glass window which overlooked the city.

"It would be pretty romantic at night." She said, amazed at the sight.

Yunoki grinned. "Let's check the kitchen." The kitchen was beautiful. It was very neat and the utensils were complete. "In this way, we'll see your prowess in the kitchen."

Kahoko looked at him. "I'm bad at it, I swear."

"We'll see about that." He then brought her to their room.

Their room was huge and it also had a fully glassed window that overlooked the city and it had a white and maroon curtain to cover it in the morning. Their bed was huge. Kahoko figured that there's too much space if they would lay on it.

"Its too big." Kahoko went to the bed and sat on it. It was white. Everything in the room was white but it also had some cherry red accents.

Yunoki stood in front of her. "Just so we would have all the space when we're on it." He was smirking. Kahoko immediately understood what he meant and blushed. "Wow..." She saw another huge television. Watching movies before sleeping would make it so convenient, she thought.

"Do you want to see the bathroom?" He asked.

Kahoko stood up and followed him.

The bathroom was huge. There was a jacuzzi, a raindrop style shower too. There was a white carpet just before the jacuzzi and everything was there. The oils were complete. There were candles too. It actually smelled so invigorating. The mirror was huge too. The towels and robes are neatly piled inside a sliding cabinet.

"We must use that soon." He whispered into her ear. He was referring to the jacuzzi. He was just into teasing her and seeing her blush. "Let's go." He dragged her out. He showed her the powder room and their walk in closet.

After their tour, Yunoki took her out for lunch. They dined at the new restaurant in town.

Their hands were locked together, showing everyone or to whoever will see that they are a couple. As they entered the restaurant, Kahoko froze at the sight of Kaji. Kaji unexpectedly turned to their direction and was shocked at what he saw. Yunoki held her firmly and neared Kaji. Kahoko was just too surprised that it seemed to him that he was dragging her to greet her best friend. Kaji stood up in recognition.

"Wow, this is unexpected." Kaji commented while glancing at their hands.

Kahoko looked at his companion. He was with his girlfriend.

"So you two are together." Kaji managed to chuckle. "I did not know. It was rather surprising." He looked at Kahoko then to Yunoki.

"We didn't expect to see you here." Yunoki let go of Kahoko's hand and placed it at the little of her back. "Its nice to meet you." He had his kind expression now.

"Kahoko, you look blooming today." Kaji noted. "Oh, let me introduce to you my girlfriend, Takashina Ayano."

Yunoki's was amused.

Ayano looked at him in surprise. "Yunoki-san." She stood up and bowed.

"Its great to see you Takashina-san." Yunoki smiled gently.

"You know Yunoki-san, Ayano?" Kaji curiously asked.


AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi! :) I've actually updated because I was really bored and got nothing to do. Tomorrow will be the official start of my summer class and I am afraid that I will again get busy. But I swear that I will update soon.

Back to the story. Now they are official. What do you think? I've made Yunoki so insecure because of Kaji. Well, who wouldn't? He actually has everything and here it goes, he can't actually have the girl he wants because she wants someone else. But you know Yunoki, we won't give up. Who among you have tried falling in love with their close friend or best friend? Well, I have and its really really difficult even if there is someone who's doing his best to show you that you can be loved.

Kahoko finally have transferred. They are now live-in partners. Hmmm, let's see what would happen. Takahashi Ayano is in the picture! :O

Please continue supporting me. I am open for opinions or criticisms. Please tell me what you think so I can improve myself. Your reviews motivates me. :) It makes me happy, really.

I will update Melancholy schmaltz soon ;)