Chapter 10: Forbidden Love
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Fuuko takes a round to shops to look for a perfect gift for Riiya. She stares at a toy shop and sighs hard.
"So I'll get to see him again," she thought.
It's Riiya's 6th birthday. At least a week after she last saw Recca. She's doing her best to avoid seeing him, but it seems fate itself finds a reason for them to see each other again.
Fuuko is required to let Recca know that it's his birthday because he is, anyway, Riiya's father. She recalls the moment that she chased on him. Fuuko is blushing hard in front of him, she feels like she's a desperate lover trying to keep the forbidden affair working. Even though she's uncomfortable to that thought, she still thinks that Recca has to know.
"You should come...Riiya will be glad if you're there," she ended.
Fuuko sighs as she recalls her words.
"That was stupid. If I really didn't want to ever see him again, why the heck did I invite him to this party?" she thought.
Fuuko sighs. She sighs once again as she finds herself clueless of what to give Riiya.
"I don't have much time. I have to get home now or I'll have less time preparing for later," she murmured.
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"Mom, I don't remember inviting you here," Fuuko said coldly.
"And that's why I'm so disappointed with you," her Mom yelled and turns her back on her.
Fuuko sighs.
"So who invited you?" Fuuko asked.
"My good SON-IN-LAW, of course. I can't believe that my own daughter is cruel enough not to let me in my grandson's birthday..."
Fuuko's mother nags her more and more but her mind is all about Recca when she invited him to that party.
Recca stares at her as if she's guilty of being a suspect. Their pace is completely awkward. She told him why she was there. He didn't say any word. He just stares.
"I just think you should be there 'cause he's your son anyway," she ended turning her back on him and leaves.
Fuuko sighs. Her mother is still nagging her. Fuuko stands from her seat and approaches her mother.
"What are you doing? You're not good at this, stay away." Her mother scolded.
Fuuko remained silent.
Tokiya is watching from behind and Recca is looking at them from the living room.
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The party soon began when Fuuko decided to make Riiya blow out the candles. It is a child's party but the celebration seemed more like a gathering. Fuuko wanted it to be fun for her son but Riiya wanted it to be as simple as their reunion at Recca's house.
Fuuko is sitting in front of the TV, along with the others. Everybody is pretty noisy and all, except for Fuuko. It seems like she was just staring at the television. Recca sits at the long couch and beside him is Riiya and on his other side is Yanagi. Domon and the others prefer sitting on the floor while Shadow and Tokiya are at the dining hall.
Recca glances at Fuuko. Fuuko look bored. After some time, she stands up and leaves. Recca followed her with his stare.
Fuuko sits beside Tokiya and Shadow.
"I see...your job is really impressive, Mikagami," Shadow praised.
"Well, it isn't something that Recca can play around," Tokiya said.
Fuuko felt uninterested of what they're talking about and excused herself to the kitchen. She went there and got some water then went outside.
"Why the heck am I doing here again?" she murmured, holding the glass of water in her hand like some kind of props. She stares at it and decides to sit down, then she laid flat on the ground.
She stayed there, contemplating. Before she knew it, it's already late.
"Well, sorry for keeping you," Domon apologized.
"That's okay. I should be the one to thank you because you came," Tokiya said.
Fuuko followed their voices and got to the front yard. She sees Tokiya at the door talking to Domon with Kaoru and Ganko at his shoulders. Domon notices her.
"Oh Fuuko, where have you been?" Domon asked.
"Well...I was just..." she spoke lowly, trying to explain.
"Anyway...thanks for the night. We have to leave now or Ganko might get in trouble getting in her dormitory," Domon said. "We'll just see again later,"
"Ah, yeah," she replied, as if absent-minded.
Tokiya raises an eyebrow at her.
Fuuko raises a hand at Domon, signaling him her bid. And Domon finally left.
"Are you okay, Fuuko?" Tokiya asked.
"Wha-" she turned to him, with eyes looking so out-of-self. "Yeah," she said and gets inside.
Fuuko notices that Recca and Yanagi are still there, along with Riiya on his side and they're asleep.
"Riiya has to have a curfew for this week or he'll have trouble sleeping," Tokiya said.
"Yeah..." Fuuko agreed.
Tokiya approaches them. Fuuko is watching from behind.
Riiya rests his head on Recca's lap and Recca holds Riiya's arm gently and protective while Yanagi had her head on Recca's shoulder. Fuuko felt something in herself that's twisting her eyes and make it get teary.
Tokiya gently takes a hold on Riiya's body, so as to not wake him up. Recca strengthens his hold on him, alarmed. Recca opened his eyes and accidentally shrugged his shoulder, waking Yanagi up. It was like he's ready to fight to protect Riiya.
"What's wrong, Recca?" Yanagi asked.
Tokiya just stared at him, so was Recca to him. Recca finally lets him go. Tokiya takes Riiya in his arms and away. Fuuko is still watching from behind Tokiya. When Tokiya left, Fuuko followed.
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"Thank you for inviting us, Fuuko...Tokiya..." Yanagi said.
"No prob-" Fuuko said plainly, still with droopy eyes.
"Don't mention it. We should be the one thanking you for coming," Tokiya said.
Recca didn't say anything. He just stares at Fuuko. Fuuko is leaning on the threshold and had her eyes on Yanagi. Tokiya noticed.
"We have to go now," Recca broke off, turning his back and walking away.
"What's his problem?" Fuuko whined. Tokiya looks at her. Fuuko grins and murmurs, "Doesn't matter. At least I get to annoy him without even budging,"
Tokiya shakes his head, smiling.
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It's late but Fuuko is still at the kitchen, contemplating and Tokiya, as well, is still awake and doing his paperwork.
Fuuko drinks her coffee. She remembers Domon tell her how unusual she is when he found her drinking coffee. She snickers remembering good memories with her friends.
"Can't sleep?"
Fuuko raises her chin and sees Tokiya standing by the threshold of the kitchen. She smiles.
"I just feel like staying up late," Fuuko said.
"Why is that? Don't you have a job tomorrow?" Tokiya asked.
"No..."
Tokiya stares at her.
"...I resigned. I had another stupid superior," she said.
Tokiya chuckles and sits with her at the table.
"Besides, I really like it when I sleep all day," Fuuko said.
"Why is that?" Tokiya asked.
"Well...one is I don't have to eat because I'm asleep and two is that I don't waste energy answering phone calls or answering the door and well...I don't have to go out or get paranoid because I'm locked up inside," Fuuko said.
Tokiya laughs. Fuuko watches him with a smile. She looks down. Tokiya looks at her. Fuuko is staring at her coffee.
"Tokiya," she called lowly, clearing up her throat and looks up at him wearily.
"I'm sorry," Fuuko ended and looks back down.
"What are you saying 'sorry' for?" Tokiya asked.
Fuuko hesitantly looks at him.
"For everything," she said, looking down. "I don't even think I deserve having you for a husband,"
Tokiya notices anxiousness in Fuuko; he reaches out and holds her cheek, making her face him. Fuuko looks at him with a sad face.
"What are you saying, huh?" he asked. He caresses her cheek. "What I do for you is just repay for everything that you've done for me and that's all,"
Fuuko drops a tear. She holds his hand against her eyes and starts sobbing.
"Hey...what's wrong? Huh?" Tokiya charmed.
"Why do you have to be so nice?" she whispered.
Tokiya holds her face with both hands.
"Tell me...What's wrong..." Tokiya begged.
Fuuko shakes her head.
"Fuuko..."
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." she said and stands up from her seat and leaves.
Fuuko walks out from the door. She is still crying and catches up her breath when suddenly, a hand covers her mouth and an arm drags her outside the yard.
"Fuuko?" Tokiya called as he followed Fuuko outside...but no one's there.
Fuuko tried to struggle but the arm wrapped on her waist is just way too strong for her. When they reached outside, Fuuko is still struggling; the man pushes her against a wall.
Fuuko is breathing hard with her head lowered, catching up her breath in so much fright. She have her eyes closed tight and her hands holding tightly together and clutched against her chest.
She then felt strong embrace around her and her head leaning on the man's shoulder. She knew that feeling; it is very familiar.
"Fuuko...why are you doing these things to me, huh?" he whispered.
Fuuko's eyes widened when she realized who is embracing her. It is, without a doubt, Recca.
"Re...cca?" she called with a shaky voice.
He loosens his grip and holds her face with both hands. Fuuko still had her face tainted with tears and still feels like crying. Recca wipes her cheeks.
"Why are you crying?" he asked.
She didn't say a word and, instead, pushes Recca aside and walks away. He grasps her hand and turns her to him.
Recca and Fuuko are staring at each other.
"If you don't let me go, she'll get hurt, too. Is that what you want? The one you protect is the one you'll hurt?" Fuuko said.
"I broke up with Hime once and that was the end of it all," Recca stated.
Fuuko's eyes widened. She brushes her hand away from him.
"You think you can fool me?" she said. "How can you be so close to her when you've already broken up?"
"You haven't heard of friendship? I'll tell you all about it," Recca said.
"You're lying! You once accompanied her to choose her wedding dress!" Fuuko said.
"Why? Does accompanying her to choose her dress mean that I'll be the one to marry her?" Recca said. "Hime had an acquaintance and was arranged to get married to someone else,"
"You liar!" Fuuko yelled.
"I told Hime what's been happening between the two of us and she understood,"
Fuuko's eyes widened. "What?"
"I also told her...that I'm in love with you, Fuuko..."
In so much surprise, she turned her back on him and walks away.
"Fuuko,"
Fuuko didn't respond.
"Fuuko!" Recca called and chases on her. He hugs her from behind.
Fuuko is too weak because of the mixed emotions she's feeling but she shoves him away from her. Recca looks at her.
"We can't keep this up, Recca...I'm married..." she cried.
Recca and Fuuko stare at each other with a space between them. Fuuko one again turns her back on him.
"If you can't fight for me, then I'll do it alone..." Recca said.
Fuuko heard but continues walking.
"...Whatever had happened between you and Tokiya is not my fault. I didn't decide on making you stay away from me," he ended.
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Fuuko hastens to the mirror house of an amusement park. It was sunset.
"Fuuko, you've got to stop Recca from fighting with Tokiya. They both might get hurt," Yanagi said to her, making her run fast to the amusement park. Where the fight all began between Mikagami and Hanabishi.
Fuuko's already late. The fight had started. No sound was heard from the walls. The people are struggling to get in the mirror house because it was unreasonably locked from the inside.
She has to get in.
She went behind the house and used her wind to get in. She knew it'd be risky because she might get killed once she lands from the roof, but she did it...to save those two men fighting with their lives. Fuuko, as she had expected, lands in between them.
Recca's fire blade was just an inch from her neck and so was Mikagami's ice blade. If it was too dark for them to see, they might've killed Fuuko in no time.
They lowered their elemental weapons.
"What the heck are you two doing?" Fuuko scolded.
No answer.
"Now I understand why you said 'sorry' last night," Tokiya said.
Fuuko turned to him, surprised. Tokiya had his head low. Fuuko drops a tear.
"Tokiya..." she called lowly, but Tokiya walks away.
"You won, Hanabishi. They're all yours," Tokiya said coldly.
Fuuko watches Tokiya's heart freeze right before her eyes. She falls out tears witnessing that.
Recca watches Fuuko cry from behind.
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