Meiko sat in the corner of the cafe. She impatiently tapped her foot as she stirred the cream in her coffee. She was waiting on Luka. She received an emergency text earlier in the day stating that she was to meet her here at five-o'clock sharp. Luka rarely sent her emergency texts so this must have been very important.
As important as it may be, Luka couldn't have worse timing. Meiko had planned to give another attempt in confronting her students. Those two were really starting rile her chains. Both of them gave little to no effort in their work, and there was nothing she could do about it, no thanks to the "body guards" that would get in her way. Just by looking in their eyes she knew that the wouldn't hesitate to seriously harm her, or worse. Especially those yakuza's.
Meiko was strong, but she wasn't strong enough to take on a dozen armed men. Today however, she had decided on risking it all, she was going to finally take a stand. This suspension situation was getting out of hand. Meiko's duty as a teacher had caused her two students to become seclusive. From what she heard, neither had left their rooms for over a week!
Meiko sighed as she took a sip of her coffee. Her motivation for finally going against those annoying bodyguards and reaching out to her students had disappeared. She had felt so confident deciding to go the distance, but that was until she received Luka's text. Of course the regular Meiko could have just called her and said she couldn't make it, but she knew the current Meiko had deeply relied on her friend's comfort and support over the past couple weeks. It was about time Meiko be there for her.
"Meiko!" She heard Luka call.
Meiko got up from her seat to greet her. "Hey Luka━"
She froze.
Meiko noticed a familiar figure holding her friend's hand. Similar to her, he wore a shocked expression.
It was Kiyoteru.
Meiko shifted uncomfortably in her seat hardly listening to Luka as she bubbly explained her first encounter with her new boyfriend. Kiyoteru could barely contain the look of strain pressed onto to his face. It was obvious he didn't want to be here. Meiko's presence bothered him.
When Luka finished talking Kiyoteru excused himself to the men's room, and the two women were left in each other's company.
"So." Luka chimed. "What do you think?"
"What do I think?" She repeated.
"Yes. About Kiyoteru."
"Well...I'm thinking a lot things right now."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh I don't know...maybe out of all people you had to date it had to be Kiyoteru?"
"I don't understand what you're saying."
"Are you making fun of me? Is that it?" Meiko yelled.
"Meiko..."
"Even after I told you everything about that monster, you go behind my back and date him?" Really?"
"No way." Her voice quivered. " Don't tell me the Kiyoteru you talked about and my Kiyoteru are the same person?
Meiko rolled her eyes. "As if you didn't know. Kiyoteru isn't exactly a common name."
"Well when he introduced himself to me I did think of the Kiyoteru you talked about, but I never thought they were the same person. He's different from how you described him to be. He's kind, and sweet. I've never met anyone else like him."
Meiko was angered. She hated the loving look Luka had when she talked about him. "So now you're taking his side?"
"Meiko━"
Kiyoteru came back from the bathroom and sensed the tension between the two ladies. "What's going on?"
Meiko's eyes traveled between them. Her eyes stopped to meet Luka's deep blue ones. Tears were starting to form in them. She quickly tore away from them as she started to gather her things. "I wish you two all the happiness you deserve." She spat.
"Meiko." Luka yelled after her, but she ignored her as she exited the coffee shop.
Meiko paused by the coffee shop's window giving a sideways glance at couple. Luka buried her face in her arms as her upper body trembled from her sobs. Kiyoteru embraced her doing the best he could to comfort her, but it was no use. Luka continued to cry.
Kiyoteru felt he was being watched. He turned around noticing Meiko looking at them. His eyes met with hers. He shot her his iciest glare causing Meiko to flinch. She turned around continuing to walk. Chills ran down her spine. Never had she felt so afraid from a mere look before. His eyes were like daggers. They seemed to pierce her soul.
As Meiko walked, regret seemed to weigh heavy on her shoulders. The weight seemed to get heavier with every step she took. What had she done? She vowed to be there for Luka after all the support she'd given her, and what did she do? She accused her of betrayal. Meiko had told Luka a lot about Kiyoteru, but that didn't mean she personally knew him. She didn't even know how he looked like. How could she have known her boyfriend was her enemy?
Meiko wasn't stupid. She had known that when she yelled at Luka. It was common sense afterall. But...then why was she so frustrated with her? She had no reason to be angry at her. It wasn't like she was jealous of her relationship with Kiyoteru. She had her own forbidden love-interest.
She stopped walking.
Wait. Was she jealous? No! That was preposterous. Meiko hated Kiyoteru. Ever since the day he had found out about her feelings for Kaito. He made her feel like garbage, like she was nothing. Meiko was not jealous. She was just feeling a bit uneasy, that was all. The feeling would pass soon enough.
Meiko turned back and ran as fast as she could. She was going back to the coffee shop. Kaito and Miku would have to wait, she was going to apologize to Luka for her previous outbursts first.
Meiko arrived at the entrance of the cafe tired and out of breath. She scanned the room looking for her friend, but all she found were strangers and empty tables. She sighed, regret took a tight grasp of her heart as she exited the shop.
"You're a real piece of work you know that?"
She flinched. It was Kiyoteru. He leaned by the wall of the shop with his arms crossed as he glared at her.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
"Waiting for you. I knew you'd come back eventually."
"And so you were going to wait here until I did?"
"Maybe."
Somehow hearing him say that made her a bit happy. Happy? Oh no, no, no! She wasn't happy. She knew the sudden confrontation with Kiyoteru was nothing to be glad about. In fact, she should have been scared out of her wits end, especially after their last confrontation. She should have ran for dear life, instead she found her feet firmly planted to the ground.
"What do you want?"
"Luka wanted me to tell you she's sorry, even though she has no reason to apologize to you."
She clenched her fists. She was guilty and felt so very embarrassed. Meiko was the one who had taken out her frustrations out on her yet Luka was the one apologize. Meiko was a failure as a friend and as a person.
"Where is she?"
He shrugged. "She said she wanted to be alone for a while." After a pause he said. "I wouldn't suggest meeting her right now, if that's what you were planning."
"Fine." She started to leave.
"Oh, and Meiko?"
She turned around. "Yes?"
"You were right. Kaito and that Miku girl make a wonderful couple."
She rolled her eyes. "If this this is your way of trying to make me angry it's not going to work."
"Whatever you say."
Something in Meiko snapped. "What's your problem? Why do you hate me so much? Is loving Kaito such a big crime, if so, why do you even care?" Meiko yelled.
She had made him angry. As much as he tried to restrain it, she could still see the darkness in his eyes, and the uncontrollable twitching of his brows. "Because he's━"
He gasped, quickly stopping himself from continuing.
"He's what? A part of the yakuza? I already know that."
He glared at her. "You. Know. Nothing." He spat. "You have no idea how saying one simple sentence has changed everything for Kaito, or for your students."
"My students?"
He smiled, but it wasn't a happy one. "Kaito told me about it, though he didn't have to. Just one visit to your school and I knew."
Meiko was confused as the readers. "Knew what? What are you talking about?"
He huffed a laugh. "It's sad really. How blind you are, or maybe you unconsciously choose to ignore it, but I pity your students the more. The poor things don't even have a teacher they could open up to."
Meiko blushed. She had a complex about that. She knew her students saw her as a tough conniving monster of a teacher, and hearing that from Kiyoteru didn't make her feel any better.
He sighed."Well, Luka's friend or not, I hope I don't have to see you anytime soon." He said leaving.
Ignoring his insult, Meiko was left deep in thought. What did Kiyoteru mean by what he said, she wondered.
It seemed everybody knew something she didn't. What exactly had Meiko caused when Kaito and Miku's suspension had been finalized? What exactly was she blind to? So many questions she wanted to ask, but there was no one that could give her the answers.
Meiko groaned. There was a lot she needed to do. She had to apologize to Luka, investigate the school and her students, and attempt to get through Kaito and Miku, somehow.
"One step at a time." She muttered.
