Chapter 10- The Ball in Motion
*Kabukicho - is an entertainment and red-light district in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Kabukichō is the location of many hostess bars, host bars, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, and is often called the "Sleepless Town"
Hisana told Byakuya absolutely nothing of her intention to resign and she mentioned it to no one else either… well except for lulu-chan who had readily barked in agreement. She sat down at the meek little table within her apartment that very same evening and began penning out her resignation letter. Byakuya would just have to stuff it and start looking for another assistant again. It was perfectly impossible for both of them to continue working together anymore and she could no longer bear the humiliation or rejection that she suffered upon his hands. She had shamefully exposed her emotions for him upon their intimate encounter earlier that day and had probably given away more than just the physical attraction she felt for him. It scared her to think though that all he had to do was just utter a soft command like "Stay…" and she would never again leave his side or the fact that he just had to reach out and touch her and she would transform into a hopeless puppet helplessly beneath his control… Oh, but she really couldn't afford to let those things happen; they were dangerous, so very dangerous…
He would be arriving at work rather late tomorrow because he was visiting one of the factories where the hybrid car was being test driven. That spelt the perfect opportunity for her to drop in her resignation letter, take her lunch break and see about some other business that needed some urgent attention…
She had it all planned out and she could not afford to have her plans thwarted. She would humbly remove herself from Byakuya's life whilst simultaneously removing Kaien from her own life as well. Men were enough trouble as it were for they only created unnecessary emotional woes and she was certain she really was perhaps better off without them in her life; not that she was going to become a lesbian or anything like that, God no, she loved men (who didn't?) she would just admire them from afar and stay away from any emotional entanglements. Besides those rock stars and movie stars were nice to look at and she could always immerse herself in a good romance novel or a good shojou; always imagine a romance that could never be hers and die her death a miserable and bitter virgin… Yep, life couldn't be any better.
Well in any case, she had a big day ahead of her tomorrow and she was proud to know that to some extent she was actually doing something about it… even if one half of it included running away, even if one half meant running away from something that she would actually hold close to her heart forever and for always…
ooooOOOoooo
(Next day at the office and it is 11:30 am)
Hisana wearily closed the door to Kuchiki Byakuya's office and heaved a tired sigh. Even though she could have presently fainted from all the tension and nerves that were bearing down upon her she felt somewhat relieved, for one half of her mission had been completed. She had neatly placed the envelope with her resignation letter upon his desk so as to ensure it was the first thing that caught his attention when he came into his office later during the day. The faster the entire thing happened, the better for everyone involved.
She sighed then as she slowly made her way towards her table. She had already neatened up atop her desk and she had already packed her handbag. The only thing that was left to do was to make the calls to the right persons and get the second part of her mission on a role.
She closed her eyes for a minute in an attempt to bring the typhoon of emotions that were whirling within under her control. She then stretched forward a somewhat trembling hand and picked up the phone. She carefully dialled the numbers that were distinctly visible upon the small, crisp white card before her and listened as the telephone rings ensued. After about 30 seconds a voice answered,
"Kaien Shiba, how can I help you?"
Hisana nervously bit her lip and closed her eyes upon hearing his voice. Well she might as well get this thing started. She took a small breath and softly began to speak. "Kaien?"
There was a surprised pause for a minute before the man's voice also softened and he silkily returned, "So you decided to call me, Hisana…"
"I-I yes… I um wanted to meet you today…" she shyly whispered.
"Really?" he incredulously asked.
Hisana took a deep breath and made an attempt to coquettishly whisper, "Yes…*Kabukichō, can you meet me there within the next forty five minutes…?"
She heard as Kaien made a low whistle and then murmur, "You mean business don't you girl?" he purred.
Hisana could have puked from her present course of action but she forcefully grimaced as she continued her soft whispers, "I-I missed you…" she gave a low giggle and waited for him to respond.
"You're willing to go all the way now Hisana…? I mean, I couldn't even get you into bed when we were engaged."
Hisana shyly giggled again and whispered, "Well… I've been thinking about what you said in the Maldives and I thought… it would be fun…"
"Oooh, I'm likin' this- but- how did you change your mind so readily…?" he curiously queried.
Hisana bit her lip in confusion as she quickly tried to ascertain a plausible reason to explain her present action. "I-um I've been thinking about us and well… I really do miss you. It's been pretty lonely these past few months…" She gave a nervous gulp as she awaited his response.
There was a quiet pause for a few seconds and then, "Well it's about time you started thinking straight girl."
Hisana stupidly laughed at his answer.
"Hey! What about that boss of yours, wouldn't he-?"
"Who? Byakuya?" Hisana quickly interrupted, "My life-my life doesn't concern him…"
"You're serious…? So you want to get naughty this evening do you girl?"
Hisana giggled once more and silkily murmured, "Yes Kaien… yes I do… married men are so much more… exciting…"
She heard as he gave a low laugh and murmured, "Which love hotel, which do I meet you at?" he softly murmured. Hisana rolled her eyes as she called out the name of a prominent hotel.
"Can't wait… Kaien…" she purred. (she was by now almost disgusted with herself)
"Me neither baby…"
She swiftly dropped the phone then and started coughing in mock disgust, "Eww, that bastard is so nasty, the Gods knew why I was never supposed to marry him! That was a blessing in disguise." She heaved a somewhat relieved sigh and closed her eyes for a minute thereafter. She hadn't expected Kaien to agree so readily especially after all she had told him back in the Maldives. But she supposed it were true that some men really did think with their lower region after all…
Hisana shook her head in disbelief, opened her eyes and took another deep breath as she scanned the other number she had found and written down earlier that morning. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and heaved a deep sigh.
"Well…" she mumbled, "here goes nothing...again."
She dialled the second number and patiently waited for someone to pick up. After perhaps the fifth ring she was pleased to hear the soft, feminine undertones of another woman.
"Shiba's residence, how can I help you?"
Hisana couldn't help it as she wickedly grinned and quietly asked, "May I speak to a Mrs. Shiba Miyako please?"
"This is Miyako."
Ah what luck!
"Um, hello my name is Hisana and I was wondering if you would be able to meet me down at Kabukichō within the next thirty minutes?"
"Kabukicho!" the young woman surprisingly exclaimed. "Whatever for and who on earth are you?"
Hisana took another deep breath and slowly began to explain the situation at hand to the young woman.
This was going to be a rather interesting evening…
ooooOOOoooo
(11:55 am at the office.)
Kuchiki Byakuya tiredly walked into the office from the elevator, his head somewhat fuzzy and his mind a tiny bit unstable. He suspected the hopelessly reckless drive he had experienced earlier that morning had something to do with the nauseating feeling that was presently overwhelming his senses and he wanted nothing better than to just take a small break and indulge himself in some strong black coffee.
As he walked deeper into the office, he unconsciously began calling Hisana's name. He quirked an eyebrow when after the third impatient call there was no answer. That was odd; Hisana usually appeared just after his first beckoning… something was wrong, very wrong. A small frown graced Byakuya's lips then when he perceived her perfectly neat and tidy desk. Her bag wasn't there which indicated that she had probably taken lunch out of the office today… but she usually alerted him at the times she did such things. That wasn't right, Hisana was supposed to tell him about these things; she couldn't just whisk away and leave whenever she felt like it. That's why such rules were in place. What if he needed her for some urgent purpose; what on earth was she thinking?
Byakuya felt his scowl deepening at her blatant disregard for the system and he sourly made his way into his own office. He would deal with her insolence when she returned...
He shrugged off his jacket then and lamely sat down on his chair as he unsuccessfully tried to curb his dizziness. He loosened the tie from around his neck before leaning back in his chair and absently staring down at the insurmountable pile of paperwork that was heaped upon it. Another low hiss escaped him as he noted the work load and just as he was about to ignore the entire thing an unusually stark white envelope caught his attention. He cocked an eyebrow at the out of place paper and curiously picked it up between his fingers as he began to examine it. His name was neatly penned across the front and there was an official stamp planted beneath it that spelt "URGENT"
Byakuya inquisitively flicked the envelope open then and pulled out a crisp sheet of white paper. His scowl immediately began to deepen as his eyes scanned the first few lines of the letter. However, before he could even finish it he began to tear the offensive thing into two. He watched with a somewhat satisfied scowl as the paper helplessly fluttered to the ground before rising to his feet and briskly making his way out of his office.
How dare Hisana even consider something so unthinkable, God damn it, didn't she realise that he practically owned her by now…? There was absolutely no way he was giving her a resignation and what exactly for anyway? Fickle things called emotions? Byakuya angrily swung open his door before stopping at her desk and swiftly scanning the contents neatly placed upon it. There wasn't even a note to indicate where she had gone and he had purposefully forgotten home his cellular today to avoid answering some rather annoying callers. Well in any case Hisana's cell wasn't even working right now either so he couldn't have called her… what was he going to do now…? He needed to talk to her and regardless of where she was in Tokyo he was going to ensure that he did just that; after all he always got what he wanted and there was no way in hell he was going to allow her to leave him like that; for both corporate and personal reasons…
It was then that he remembered that Hisana shared a friendly enough relationship with that young receptionist, Hinamori Momo… maybe she would have told her where she had disappeared to? Byakuya hastily picked up the telephone upon Hisana's desk and connected a call to reception.
"Hello, Hisana…?" the girl curiously asked. Hisana wasn't supposed to be in work now, so who on earth was calling from her line?
"Hianmori Momo." Byakuya quietly stated.
"M-Mr Kuchiki?" she surprisingly exclaimed.
"Where did Hisana leave for lunch today?" he pointedly queried. Hinamori's eyes widened upon that question and she nervously blinked in confusion.
"I'm sorry sir, didn't she tell yo-"
"Where did she go?" he firmly demanded again. The receptionist gasped at his demanding tone and felt a quiver of fear run down her spine. She nervously gulped as she tried to remember what it was that Hisana had said. She paused for a minute as the answer came back to her.
Hinamori had been quite surprised when Hisana had said she was going to eat out at Kabukicho because they both usually ate lunch together. Hisana had mentioned something about wanting to complete some business and had left a confused Hinamori behind… well Hinamori respected that and she really couldn't do anything else but just warn Hisana to be careful out there…
And well now, now she was quite taken aback by the fact that Kuchiki Byakuya was demanding to know where his secretary had vanished to. She would have assumed that Hisana would have at least left a note for him to indicate her whereabouts. Those two really did have a strange working relationship.
"She told me she was heading out to… um… Kabukicho for lunch, sir…" the girl quietly murmured.
"What!" he angrily exclaimed upon that revelation.
"She said she also had some business to attend to…"
Byakuya immediately slammed down the phone, his head spinning in confusion. Why on earth would Hisana go out to that place? People didn't just go out there to have lunch, what on earth was wrong with her?
Byakuya immediately closed his eyes in frustration and ran his hands through his hair as he tried to gain control of his flaying emotions. It wasn't his concern in any case if she went there. Whatever she did was her own business, so he had no reason to be so… so unsure at this present moment. Besides there were some good restaurants there so maybe she could have gone to one of those, the place wasn't really all that tabooed…
Byakuya gave a low, agitated growl as he began to make his way towards his office once again. Hisana's life was none of his business and he was determined to ensure it remained that way.
He was stopped this time however by a small white card lazily lying on the ground before him. He quirked an eyebrow at the innocuous paper and swiftly picked it up between his fingers. It had been lying just beside the waste basket so maybe someone had tried to hastily discard it…?
Against all better judgement (and ignoring the promise of Hisana's life not being his concern) he curiously began to scan the paper. Ah, but the moment the words were seared against his eyes he felt his insides beginning to literally boil. The anger that unexpectedly flared was uncontainable and Byakuya angrily began to squeeze the helpless card between his fingers as his eyebrows immediately began to twitch.
The card was the unmistakeable one she had received with the bouquet of flowers yesterday and there were two numbers untidily scrambled upon it.
Byakuya wasted no time at all. That foolish woman…
Gone to lunch in Kabukicho his foot… what on earth was she thinking! It was then that the uncontainable rage that had reared mere seconds ago suddenly began to transform into an unexplainable wave of jealousy, slowly but undeniably fanning through his entire body. He furiously discarded the card that he was gripping between his fingers and felt his shoulders shaking with an uncontrollable rage.
'We could meet in a love hotel…' damn it, the evil words resounding in his head. What was wrong with Hisana? Was she throwing away all her common sense for that asshole? That was it, that was the final straw, how dare she affiliate herself with that good for nothing Shiba Kaien? What on earth could she get from Kaien that she couldn't get from him?
Despair and desperation was starting to set in by now and Kuchiki Byakuya was helplessly pacing the floor as the world of thoughts came crashing down upon his head.
He had been such a colossal, utter son of a fool… How could things have spun this out of control?
He had pushed away a woman that had meant so much to him, had pushed her away and reduced her to thinking that she needed to resign from his employment and go saddle herself with some loser who wouldn't have treated her the way she deserved to be treated. Hisana warranted so much more than just a few moments of pleasure; she deserved a life time of pleasure, a life time of love and a lifetime with someone who loved her, who cherished her for who she was… Hisana was one of the loveliest persons Byakuya had ever had the fortune of knowing and there was no way in hell he was going to allow another man to lay a finger on her chaste soul… She was… She was his.
And with that thought the ever reticent Kuchiki Byakuya was madly dashing his way through the office. In mere seconds he found himself furiously flagging down a taxi to Kabukicho. He had some urgent business to attend to…
I would assume Byakuya gets desperate where things concern Hisana… I mean, in the actual anime/manga she did make him cry after all and imagine that, Kuchiki Byakuya crying… what has the world come to?
Well Stay Tuned…