A WARM HEART

Disclaimer: I don't own any Maid-sama.


CHAPTER 8

Misaki came out of the shower cleaned and fresh. She went to her bedside and looked troubled at a picture on the counter of a shelf by her bed. It was the picture of her parents and her, when she was five years old.

She picked it up and looked at it long and hard. There was pain in her eyes as she whispered for her mother to help guide her, as she was alone in a house who didn't want her here.

。。。。。AWARMHEART 。。。。。

No one was around when Misaki picked up the phone to call Dr. Kenji again and inform him of Takumi's mistake and her desire to work with the child.

To her misfortune, Dr. Kenji was out. Sad, she came out of the house to find Cedric cleaning the car again. Cedric looked nervous as he saw her.

"Will you be going out, Miss," He asked her quickly.

"Where can you take me, Cedric?" she asked him, knowing he was staying away from taking her to the clinic.

"I can take you to see the city, Miss," he replied with a smile.

Misaki smiled. It had been a long time since she hadn't seen the city. So she nodded her head and allowed Cedric to open the door for her.

。。。。。AWARMHEART 。。。。。

Cedric left her at the bustling outdoor markets. He told her to return at 4, for he had to pick Mr. Walker up. Misaki then told him to leave without her and return when he had finished picking Takumi up.

Cedric hesitantly obliged and left her alone there. She had no money, so she only went through all the markets, observing how fascinating and exciting the place was. There were so many people and foreigners there.

Unexpectedly, she bumped into a man, talking to a bunch of foreigners. He turned to look at her and his mouth dropped.

"Hello," he greeted in English.

"Hi," she returned it with the same language.

He looked surprised at her, and as she left, he followed her.

"Wait!" He came up to her and continued, "Are you from around here?"

She looked un-trustingly at him.

He extended out his hand and said, "My name is Jim, and what is yours?"

Misaki only looked at his extended hand and tried to leave.

"I'm a tour guide. Perhaps you are new here. I can help you out," he said.

Misaki finally smiled.

"Is that why you were speaking English to me?" she asked him.

He nodded.

"What is your name?"

Misaki finally told him her name and he seemed to be happy. She also told him that it'd been a long time that she haven't seen the city. So she was here alone to do some sightseeing on her own.

"My tour ends here. Perhaps I can help you get to some beautiful places." he said.

Misaki looked at him carefully, and after a moment, seeing that he was sincere, she nodded her head.

。。。。。AWARMHEART 。。。。。

Kaon Umekouji, a beautiful, sexy woman, held tightly onto Takumi's arm as they entered the house. Cedric stopped by them after he'd placed Takumi's briefcase in the library.

"Will you be leaving for anyplace tonight, Mr. Walker?" Cedric asked.

Takumi shooked his head, uncomfortable with the hands on his arm.

"Then I will be going to pick up Miss Ayuzawa," Cedric quickly bowed.

Takumi looked surprised at him.

"Where is Miss Ayuzawa?"

Cedric looked nervous.

"She is at the flea market, Mr. Walker. She told me to leave her there and pick her up after I picked you up," Cedric quickly replied nervously.

Takumi's eyes narrowed.

"Fine," he remarked, "Go and bring her back."

Cedric nodded in relief as Takumi dismissed him and left with Kaon to the back room. Cedric was about to go when Bua came by.

"Miss Ayuzawa just called," she said. "She said she'd get home by herself. She doesn't want you to pick her up."

Cedric scratched his head in confusion.

。。。。。AWARMHEART 。。。。。

"Why do you try to stay so far from me, darling?" Kaon asked, coming to hold his arm again as he stared out of the window to the backyard where some servants were working on the plants and his dog was running around.

He turned to her.

"I am a very busy man, Kaon. I don't have time to fool around," he replied, rather tired.

She laid her head on his shoulder.

"You know I love you and I will always be here for you. I am still waiting for that marriage proposal," she smiled charmingly.

He frowned.

"We've known each other for five years, Takumi. When will you ask me to marry you?" She questioned him sweetly.

He looked at her sarcastically.

"You know I am not the marrying kind. Beside, I am not the right man for you, Kaon. I would bore you to death," he remarked.

She smiled seductively.

"You know, I only smile when you are around," she began. "You are my life."

She reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Who is Miss Ayuzawa?"

Takumi frowned at the name.

"She is a new member of the family. You'll get to meet her very soon."

"Why is she here?"

"She is here under my father's guardianship. Unfortunately, that guardianship is passed to me," Takumi said drily.

"Is she a relative?"

"She is neither a relative nor a close friend."

"Then why do you keep her here?"

"It is my father's wish, Kaon."

"But your father is no longer living," she replied sympathizing. "Would you also not marry me, if that was your father's wish?"

He looked at her and smiled elegantly.

"Any men would have done anything for you, even go against the wishes of their father," he replied charmingly at her.

Her face brightened up and she kissed him on the cheek.

。。。。。AWARMHEART 。。。。。

Takumi and Kaon came out with her still holding onto his arms. They found Cedric busy dusting the car.

"You're back already, Cedric?" Takumi asked his chauffeur.

Cedric stopped his dusting and looked at him nervously.

"Miss Ayuzawa called earlier and said she will be coming on her own, Mr. Walker," Cedric replied nervously.

Takumi's eyes narrowed in displease.

"And how will she be returning with no transportation and money?" He asked Cedric angrily.

Cedric only shook his head fearfully as Kaon stroke his arm tenderly.

"Why are you so worry, darling? She is old enough to take care of herself, isn't that right?" She asked teasingly.

Takumi looked to her in annoyance then he looked back to Cedric.

"Cedric, I would like you to escort Miss Kaon home," he said.

Kaon looked up in horror.

"But it is only six, darling, and you haven't even treated me with dinner yet!" she exclaimed.

He pulled her hands away from his arm.

"Next time, Kaon, I'll bring you out for dinner."

He nodded to Cedric and brought Kaon down the steps. Cedric opened the car door and Takumi quickly brought her there.

She looked angrily at him, then asked, "Won't you even give me a kiss?"

Impatient, he kissed her cheek and she entered the car happily.

"I'll call you tonight, darling," she called out after pulling the window down.

Takumi nodded and waved as the car pulled away, then his eyes turned dark as he looked at the departing car and turned to go into the house.

。。。。。AWARMHEART 。。。。。

A toyota car parked outside of the Walker mansion gate at 9:00 pm and Misaki got out quickly. Jim's head popped out of the driver seat's window and he gazed at the white mansion in awe.

"You live here?"

"Just temporary," Misaki answered, trying to end their conversation quickly so she could go in. She knew it was quite late and she didn't want to make it look as if she was a late nighter. She knew Takumi already regarded her with very little decency.

"Call me when you need anything," Jim replied, handing her a business card. "I enjoyed your company very much."

Misaki nodded and waved, hoping he would leave.

He did after a moment, and slowly Misaki buzzed the gate. To her relieved, Cedric came and opened it up for her.

"Where have you been, Miss? We were worried about you," he said rather worriedly.

"I went sight-seeing, Cedric. I was fortunate enough to meet a tour guide who knew much about the city," Misaki replied walking in.

"I could have taken you around the city, Miss. I know it as well," said Cedric.

Misaki smiled to the kind chauffeur.

"Yes, you would know it, Cedric, but you are Mr. Walker's chauffeur and I don't think he would like me to use you for my enjoyment."

Cedric looked on worriedly as Misaki turned and walked toward the house. She was tired as she walked up the stairs and into the house.

Relieved that no servants or Mr. Walker bothered her, she walked up the stairs carefreely.

To her fear and discontempt, Takumi stood at the top of the stairs looking down at her. He was in his dark blue pajamas and robe. He looked displeased as he watched her climb the stairs toward him.

"Is this how you spend your days in the States?" He questioned her. "Is this why you didn't finish your schooling? Was all my father's money gone to waste on pleasure?"

Insulted, she glared at him coldly and tried to pass him, but he wouldn't let her pass.

"I assure you that if you have any lovers out there, you are free to leave this place and go and live with him," he began cruelly. "Also, if I find that you are spending my father's wealth on some lover of yours or on your own pleasure, I will have Mr. Jaglick know about this. He will cut you off my father's money. As you know, there is a clause in my father's Will that says that if you misuse the money, you will not be allowed to have any at all, Miss Ayuzawa."

Takumi knew he lied, but he didn't know if she knew anything about his father's Will, and he would make sure that Mr. Jaglick followed his orders if he did find her with a lover.

But Misaki didn't seem to care nor help herself from saying, "Rest assure, Mr. Walker, that I won't be like your sister."

He glared at her in disbelief and grabbed her roughly to him.

"How dare you speak of my sister!"

She tried to pull her arm away, but he wouldn't let her.

"For you, it's okay to speak unkindly of me, but if I speak of you or one of your family member, you think it is wrong and abuse me?" Misaki questioned angrily, trying to pull away from his hold. "Let me go, Mr. Walker!"

He glared at her as if she was anathema and released her.

"What I say is only true," he remarked coldly after a moment, calming his anger.

Misaki breathed in anger.

"No, Mr. Walker," she slowly ejected, "What you say is not true. You don't even know me and yet, you judge me like I am one of those people in your sister's circle."

He moved closer to her in anger.

"Who has been telling you these stories?"

Misaki backed away, nervously. She didn't want to tell him that the kind Yuudai had accidently told her.

"I met your sister and some of her friends on my first days here," she lied.

He looked at her suspiciously.

"And what difference is there between you and them?" he asked after a moment.

She bit her lips in anger.

"We are very different, Mr. Walker. Unlike your family, my parents have never taught me to dress so little like they do, nor act with such pretense," she slowly replied, happy at seeing the horror on his face. "Nor have my parents taught me to greet a stranger with insults and disrespect, as even you have done. Perhaps, education and wealth don't make everyone intelligent and mannered."

He sneered after a moment.

"You make yourself out to be so decent and proper, Miss Ayuzawa. I wonder what lies there are beneath those talks of yours," he countered back.

"If I lie, Mr. Walker," She began with an almost seductive smile on her face, "you'll be the last to know, for my lies are very deep and even for a man of your intelligent, you wouldn't be able to tell. Have a good night."

She turned and left him speechless once again. Though his face tensed with anger, his eyes found her shapely body as she entered into her room and locked it tightly.