Disclaimer: I don't own the Wallflower or the characters. Just my OCs Kagami and Michiko (not to be confused with Machiko who Yuki dates in the manga. I swear I didn't plan the closeness of their names)
Kagami decided to explore the mansion and realized that Ranmaru made sure her room was far away from his. She found this out when she stopped by his room and heard him talking to someone on the other side. Her curiosity got the best of her and she decided to listen in.
"Dad, listen, it just wasn't meant to be," Ranmaru said. "Look, Tamao accepted it. Why can't you?...I don't care if you wanted her as a daughter in law. I like someone else…No dad, not 'all those married woman I've been dating.' I broke up with all of them…No dad, I did not get dumped. What the hell is your problem? Do you even care about my opinion? Tamao and I are just friends and that's all we can be to each other…You know what, I'm trying to be a decent guy for once. You should be happy I'm not planning on sleeping around anymore…No, I'm not playing you!"
He sighed. "I didn't call to get into an argument with you. I actually wanted to ask you for a favor. I have a friend that I'm trying to help…I can't really discuss anything without invading her privacy on the matter. I was hoping you could talk to Sunako's aunt. You're friends with her and convinced her to let me live here. I was hoping you could do the same for my friend." There was a silence for a few minutes. "You done?" Ranmaru asked monotonously. "Good. I'll take care of her rent if you can take care of part of mine. Please, dad, this is important."
Kagami was at a loss. She was obviously the friend he had been talking about. He was willing to help her when she had been so cold to him. Why? What did he have to gain? And if this was just another ploy to use her and go to one of his other girls, he was no longer with them. Kagami didn't know what to think. She was about to walk back to her room when Ranmaru exited his.
"Oh, hey Kagami," Ranmaru said acknowledging her presence. "Anything I can help you with?"
Kagami noted that he sounded much different than he did at school when he was flirting with her or any other girl for that matter. He sounded more serious and like…he was trying to prove something? But that couldn't be right. He couldn't have been talking about her when he said he liked someone else. They were two totally different people. Plus, even if he was trying to prove to her that he could change, it could still just have been an act. Kagami couldn't remember when she became so skeptical but it must have been between boyfriend number one and five, plus the current recurring boyfriend. She couldn't bring herself to trust him, even if he did change.
"No, Ranmaru-san," she replied formally. "I'm just looking around."
"Oh, well would you mind if I joined you? I could show you around this place. Although there are a ton of places we haven't seen yet."
"No, I can explore myself," Kagami insisted. She saw Ranmaru's expression sadden but it was quickly replace with…feigned perkiness?
"That's fine. I'm just going to get something to eat. I'll catch you later." Ranmaru walked away from a stunned Kagami. Sure, he laid it on a little thick, but he didn't want her to see his hurt. He knew she didn't trust him and that was affecting him more than he ever thought possible.
Kagami stood frozen for a short time processing the look Ranmaru had given her. He was hurt by her not wanting to spend time with him. Oh no, I AM the girl… she thought in a panic. This could not be happening.
A player had fallen for her and now he was trying to change even though she would most likely never let any man into her heart.
Downtrodden from her realization, Kagami decided to return to her room without finishing her exploration of the mansion. No one saw her for the rest of the night.
In the morning Kagami woke up early from a nightmare. It was boyfriend number four and he was a real sleaze. Kagami still saw him sometimes when she went to the mall with Michiko since he worked in one of the stores. It took her a minute to realize that she was not at her mother's house and that she was in the most comfortable bed she could have ever slept in. She was at Ranmaru's house.
Kagami groaned remembering that Ranmaru had feelings for her and that he was trying to help her for reasons that still remained unclear. It was then she realized she never called her mom to tell her where she was. Kagami took out her phone and quickly dialed her house number. Her mother had answered and asked Kagami why she hadn't come home. Kagami had to make up something fast.
"Ranmaru came over and we still had homework to do, but he had to go home so he suggested we go to his house. Michi's boyfriend and his friends live here. A girl named Sunako lives here too."
Her mother seemed fine with it. She had met Yuki before and Ranmaru seemed nice enough (if only she knew). She felt like she wouldn't have to worry about Kagami in their hands.
"Mom, if a guy you barely know starts to like you, what do you do?" she asked her mother even though her mother wouldn't understand her untrusting personality.
"If you barely know him, then try getting to know him," her mother replied. "Once you understand the type of guy he is, then you can make a decision."
Kagami had thought she knew the type of guy Ranmaru was, but her first impression of him was starting to collapse. Should she really give him a chance to prove himself? If she did, would she end up with a broken heart? Would he use her or try to take advantage of her like her mother's boyfriends?
What do I do?
