CHAPTER 10: THE MORNING AFTER

The ball has long since ended. F4, Tsukushi and Tsubaki are all relaxing in the luxurious presidential suite of the hotel.

Tsukasa, however was none too happy. His sister had practically glued herself to Tsukushi since meeting the former earlier. After several attempts of getting Tsukushi back, his sister refused to let the younger girl go and was happily chatting up a storm with her. This is not playing out the way he envisioned.

What a night! Talk about baptism of fire, Soujiro was shaking his head, still processing the past events.

Tsukushi, how did you like your induction to our society? Akira asked.

Everyone looked at Tsukushi. All wanted to hear her answer. She worried her bottom lip, frowning her brows as she search for the right words to say.

Have you ever rode in a roller coaster? She waited until all nodded. Well, it was like that. You know it was thrilling, dangerous even, you'll feel all kinds of emotions whist on the ride, fear, exhilaration, thrill, nausea, but at the end of the day, doesn't matter if you like the experience or not, you know that it was something you can brag about over and over and you can even give yourself a pat on the back for having gone it.

Same thing with tonight's experience. I know the intentions were good and I'm grateful for it. Its not like I came here tonight expecting everyone to welcome me with open arms. I do have my own doubts and reservations, but I ignored them all for the heady feeling of being with you, in your world, Tsukushi was explaining exclusively to Tsukasa now.

And then I met your mother. All the doubts, insecurities and reservations I had, once again surfaced. However, when they, she smiled at the F3's direction, gave me their quiet support and you defended me, she looked tenderly at Tsukasa, I gained back my courage and I knew that whatever else happens, I'm glad to have shared this night with you.

There was a long silence at the end of her speech. Then a blur that was Tsukasa appeared, picked her up from where she was sitting, murmured and almost incoherent I love you upon her lips, before kissing her deeply.

Tsubaki let them have their moment. She walked to the bar, motioning for the other three to follow. They came back with glasses and a bottle of expensive wine. They effectively broke the couple apart when they gave each their own glass of wine.

Here's to love, Rui raised his glass for a toast.

To friendship, Soujiro's toast also raising his glass.

To family, although mine isn't all that great, as you have just found out, but hey, consider the perks, was Tsubaki's toast

To faith and hope, these from Akira, saluting the embracing couple.

Cheers, all toasted each other, raised their glasses in the air and drank.

Tsukushi, content in Tsukasa's embrace, caught the time on the wall clock. It was already 2 in the morning. Oh no, she wailed. My mom's going to kill me. I told her I'll be home by 1 am! I am so dead….she frantically went around the room gathering her belongings.

Tsubaki and the F4 watched in amazement at the panicked girl. She, who had triumph over red tag (the most vicious prank ever invented) and Kaede, (The Dowager of the business world) was now quaking in fear of her housewife mom. Where did the fearless warrior girl go? What happened to the smart mouth, tough weed? Someone out there is scarier than Domyuji Kaede?

I have to go, she was out of the door. Moments later, the door opened and she dashed back to them, giving Tsubaki, Soujiro, Rui and Akira a hug. Then reaching up to kiss Tsukasa, she turned again and run out. This time the door remained closed.

HUH? What?……where?…..how?…..where is she goiiinggggg…..Tsukasa finally realized that Tsukushi was gone. He took off running after his erstwhile girlfriend, not even sparing a glance at his other companions. Hearing the guffaws of laughter from his friends, he muttered, I'm so whipped. Getting off the elevator, he once again took off running towards the hotel entrance. Spotting Tsukushi quickly, he breathed a sigh of relief that he was able to catch up with her.

Before he can call out to her, an man suddenly approached her. From Tsukushi's expression, it was apparent she knew who the person is. The man was gesturing to someone behind him. Peeking around him, Tsukushi must have identified the other person as all of a sudden, she jump into the man's waiting arms.

Tempers flaring hot, he bulldozed his way to them intent on beating the man to a pulp. By the time he reached them, the unseen third person, who was shorter and to his surprised, younger, has joined them. Still smiling happily, Tsukushi turned and grabbed the shorter guy into a hug. When Tsukushi started kissing his cheeks, Tsukasa lost it.

Crack, thud, whack, blag, blag where the sounds that dominated the early morning noise. Tsukasa let fly a series of punches to the shorter guy and even managed a kick or two when the guy fell down. Thankfully, Tsukushi and the other guy acted quickly and held Tsukasa off before he can do more damage.

Struggling to get free, Tsukasa wanted to kill the fallen guy. Suddenly, his head snapped back from the slap Tsukushi just gave him. With the rage leaving him, he managed to focus on Tsukushi, standing furious in front of him.

Idiot. She screamed at him. What are you doing? Do you go around beating innocent people up? Do you realize what you did? Tsukushi was poking his chest now.

What am I supposed to do, huh? He countered. He wasn't only hugging my girl, he was also kissing her….Tsukasa's temper is rising again.

You really are an idiot, Tsukushi told him with considerably less heat, I was the one doing the hugging and kissing. You should have hit me instead.

Tsukushi's anger cooled off somewhat upon hearing his explanation, realizing that he acted out of jealousy, and not of insane madness or arrogance. Cupping his cheek where she hit him, Tsukushi just shook her head at him then went to kneel down beside the other guy to tend who was already tending to his fallen friend.

Watching Tsukushi tenderly administer to the fallen man, Tsukasa is having a hard time controlling his jealousy. Turing his back on the scene, he was about to head back inside the hotel when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Turning, he narrowly missed the fist approaching his face. Luckily, it only connected with his jaw, or else his nose would have been broken by now. That was a powerful punch, very solid and hard enough to lift him off his feet and land him on the ground.

As again, Tsukushi played the mediator. This, time she was raising hell at the other guy. The man backed away, hands up in surrender while busily spouting excuses.

Men, Tsukushi muttered in disgust. This time she turned around and administered to Tsukasa. Helping him up in a sitting position, her arms around him, tenderly dabbing at the blood oozing from the cut on his lip.

The other man was joined by the now perfectly fine younger guy and both looked on while Tsukushi was fussing over him. Both don't look happy and in fact was shooting daggers at him with their eyes.

While all of these is happening, the hotel manager, who was atwitter with all the problems the events of past night has caused, has already informed Tsubaki of the situation. She and the rest of the F4 came just in time to see Tsukasa being laid low by another guy.

Time for explanations later, she said. Let's all go somewhere private first and properly tend to the wounded. The procession was quiet as they all meekly followed Tsubaki to the suite.

After all cuts, bruises and any other injuries were attended to, the group sat in a semi circle around the living room, with the F4 squared off to one side and on the opposite sat the outnumbered two new addition to the group. Tsubaki, with Tsukushi anchored to her side, imperiously said, Who wants to go first?

Silence. No one said a word, all parties involved content on glaring deadly daggers at each other.

Oh for Gods sake! Tsukushi finally had enough. She's tired, she's drained both physically and emotionally and all she really want is crawl into bed and sleep. She still has her parents to contend to later and she needs her batteries FULLY charged for that.

It's that perm head bully's fault, the youngest of the group yelled while pointing at Tsukasa. He started attacking me out of nowhere. Before I knew it I was on the ground being repeatedly kicked by this bastard…really, kicking a man when he's already down, so uncool…

You were being intimate with my girlfriend!!! Tsukasa yelled back.

I wasn't being intimate with him…interrupted Tsukushi, also yelling in an effort to be heard thru the ongoing shouting match.

Girlfriend???!!! Since when? No way in hell! I wont allow it! Over my dead body! The younger guy was now standing up. You are not allowed to see her again! Understood!! Never!!!!

Oh yeah! You and whose army is gonna stop me?!!!! Tsukasa was also standing up by now and looks like about to do some more heavy bodily damaged. Only the hands of his friends and the knowledge that Tsukushi might get mad at him again restrains him…..just barely…but at least he is really trying.

Tsukasa, once again Tsukushi tried to diffuse the situation before it escalates into full scale battle, please be quiet and speak calmly.

Why me? What about him? He was the one who started first…complained Tsukasa like the spoiled brat that he is. Make him stop, he ordered her arrogantly.

That's it! You are transferring schools but until then you will not go back to that school. In fact, you are not going anywhere without me… the younger guy exclaimed once again infuriated with Tsukasa's attitude towards Tsukushi.

The oldest guy in the group, the other unknown person, cleared his throat loudly to gain attention.

Maybe an introduction is in order first, he suggested calmly when all eyes turned his way.

I am Amatsuki Kin, Tsukushi's uncle and this gentleman here, he pointed towards the young man, is Makino Susumo, Tsukushi one and only sibling.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Thank you to everyone who took time to read my fiction.

Special thanks to daydreamer for her pointers and encouragement. Although I know that dialogues are supposed to be in quotations, I am just to lazy to do it. I will make the necessary corrections later when I have enough time.

As always, please enjoy.