Chapter Ten. Another Day in This Town.
With that day done and over with, the whole world was being pitched into a whole new light, I was finally happy to fall asleep that night. Ryuunosuke-sama did have a tad bit problem with me installing the newest member of the council so quickly. So he did get Keiichi to check out Masuyo-chan's background. So far, everything looked good. Masuyo would just need a donation to the school from her parents and then, it was settled. I began to think things for me were looking up.
Setsuko bit down on her lower lip as she secured her tie in place and pulled down on her deep indigo uniform colored skirt. Every year the color changed slightly, she remembered seeing Haine's old uniform before, it was a cherry colored red and with little rustic twinges. Maybe slightly is the wrong word. Setsuko stared out her room window, expecting Keiichi any second.
He never came and just maybe, she thought he was upset about Kichiro being kicked off the council. And that Masuyo Tsujimiya was taking his place. Setsuko skipped downstairs, deciding to forget Keiichi and have breakfast with her loving family. Before entering the grand dining room, she peaked through the almost open French style doors.
"How could you?" Takanari snarled and his face contorted with anger.
"How could I what?" Haine sourly retorted and her chestnut hair flying in all sorts of directions. Even at her age, her mother was still gorgeous…she always reminded Setsuko much of Maika-obaasan. She knew in her earlier life, mom always loved obaasan.
"Talk to Shizumasa like that?!" Takanari critically cried, referring to Setsuko's Uncle Shizumasa, who had recently returned once getting his second degree from university and living in England. "You know…you're my wife." Takanari accused.
"I know…b-but…dar—Takanari-sama, you know how it is," Haine explained.
"Morning, parents," Setsuko decided now would be the time to make her entrance as she burst through double doors leading to the dining room and cuing the attendants that stood at the door. So much for loving, Setsuko mused to herself.
"Oh…," Haine's face turned red. "Hi Setsuko-chan." Her expression went from the mortified red to cutesy, hello-greeting.
"Setsuko," Takanari grumbled, Setsuko thought he was more upset that she had interrupted his and mom's dispute.
"I'll just take some money and head out. Stop for breakfast somewhere," Setsuko shrugged, taking a fourth of this week's allowance from her seat the table. "I'll even drop off Seiji for you guys, okay?" Setsuko fake smiled and grabbed her brother, who was half done with breakfast. "Now you can go back to your feud." She said haughtily, reminding herself of how her Aunt Komaki would act when Uncle Kusame would screw up.
"Bye now!" Setsuko smiled, slipping through the still-open doors and heading toward the incredibly large foyer at the front of the Togu mansion.
"She's like you," Takanari suddenly said and Haine snapped her attention back to her husband, away from her sudden daze. "Incompetent woman." He murmured before swiftly gliding past her. Haine bit the inside of her cheek, hearing Takanari's last words. Setsuko sighed as the usual dark black with extra tinted windowed Rolls Royce limo pulled up and around the circular driveway.
"Go on in, Seiji-kun," Setsuko said as her younger brother stared up at her with huge, silver eyes.
"Why were mommy and daddy upset?" Seiji asked with his breakfast toast still hanging out of his mouth. "Aah." He let go of the slice of bread before sliding into the car.
"Dunno, Seiji. Sorry," Setsuko shrugged sliding into the seat next to him and buckling his seat belt. "Wanna go grab breakfast somewhere, Seiji-kun?" She asked despite her brother still chewing on his first breakfast.
"Nah thanks," Seiji shook his head, swallowing the last of his breakfast. "Just school, 'suko-chan." Seiji said in that cute, intoned fourth graders' voice as he wiped any stray crumbs off his school blazer and tie.
"Hey…Seiji, do you have a girlfriend?" Setsuko asked, peering down at his tie. The driver sped down the empty road and even past the flickering street lights.
"Yeah, you can call her that," Seiji nodded his cute little blue haired head. "She's one of my special friends! And, yes…she has my ribbon." Seiji plucked his tie from under his navy school blazer. Setsuko blanched, not knowing what to think.
"Oh, here's your school," Setsuko saw the elementary Imperial Academy come into view through the passenger windows.
"Seiji-sama," the driver came immediately and opened the door for Seiji.
"Well, bye 'suko-chan! See you later," Seiji waved as he rushed out and thanked the driver. Setsuko even saw Seiji walk toward the school entrance with a cute, wavy blonde haired girl in a similar uniform and a ribbon twirled around her neck.
"Kids these days," Setsuko mused as the driver headed back to his seat and darted into traffic, straight for Imperial Academy.
"Breakfast still, Togu-sama?" The driver encouraged although they were darting in the direction of the Academy.
"No, I'll just get something at school," Setsuko sighed as she gazed out her window and the public school kids going across the street in their nylon uniforms. Setsuko somehow wished her life was that simple as she saw a random boy and girl, about her age, holding hands and talking as they crossed the street.
"Life..," Setsuko murmured and her car ended up right in front of Imperial Academy's gates. She blinked, hesitating as the driver opened the door and the morning, out door light seeped in. "Oh." She gasped and scooted over toward the sidewalk where the door was open.
"Have a nice day, Togu-sama," the driver bowed his head and Setsuko nodded her thanks as she pulled her bag over her shoulder and stared at the school. It sure was something.
"Morning, Setsuko-chan," Keiichi appeared behind her as he came out of a black car.
"Where were you this morning, Keiichi?" Setsuko asked, her eyes narrowing.
"No where," Keiichi glared suddenly at the personal question.
"Well, I'm starved. Mom and dad were fighting about Uncle Shizumasa, so I skipped breakfast," Setsuko rolled her eyes and ended up explaining.
"Oh…him," Keiichi nodded, thinking about the blue haired Togu uncle. "Yeah, mom mentioned him this morning. Something bizarre like a kagemusha." I just side glanced at his questioning face as we headed up the stairs and the usual council-fan girls 'oooh-ed' and 'ahhh-ed' at us. Setsuko and Keiichi headed to the usual on-campus bakery and breakfast eatery before the council room, in the West building.
"Friends!" Ryuunosuke Ishitaka said with friendly intones. "Look at our newest member." He gently grazed his hands on Masuyo Tsujimiya's shoulders.
"Wow, I really like your uniform," Setsuko earnestly said as she touched the deep indigo coloring on the council-style uniform dress. "It suits you." Setsuko noted from the puffed bell sleeves, to the heart shaped neckline and all the way down to its knee length hem.
"Thanks, Setsuko-sama," Masuyo nodded gratefully.
"So, here's the list of things for today…These things are what Narimiya Kichiro used to do," Ryuunosuke passed Masuyo Kichiro's usual agenda.
"Great. I'll go get started since I have this free period," Masuyo chirped as she exited the emperors room, and went to the separate council room.
"She's cute, koutei-san," Setsuko noted, very politely.
"Koutei—san?" Ryuunosuke raised a brow at Setsuko's words.
"I felt like being polite, you dummy," Setsuko murmured.
"So much for polite," Ryuunosuke grumbled at the other comment. Setsuko could not help but feel a twinge of guilt when Ryuunosuke mentioned how Masuyo would be taking over Kichiro's position. She still felt like it was her fault and she couldn't fix what she had done. Kichiro was still a silver-student, except he was not on the council so Setsuko noticed, during her first period class, he was dressed in a normal school uniform and same school emblazoned ribbon.
"Ki—Ki—chan!" Setsuko tried to call after him. He seemed to be ignoring her as he speed walked down the wide hallway and crossed corners a different way than usual. Maybe it was harder to get Kichiro back as her friend than she thought. Reluctant, Setsuko knew there was a charity event tonight, of which the Narimiya family would be attending. She knew he would have to talk to her there. She just knew it.
†CROSS†
"KYAH!" Setsuko cried as she fell forcibly one of the faux suede couches in the emperor's private office. Ryuunosuke had pushed her down and attacked her neck with butterfly soft kisses.
"Ryuunosuke-sama," She pleaded as he hovered above her and looked into her gray pupil eyes. He looked at her in a way she wouldn't expect from him. It was not a way a girl having an affair with an emperor should be looked at. If Setsuko didn't know better, she would have mistaken it for love. Impossible, though, truly impossible.
"You shouldn't address me with the 'sama' honorific," He told her in a raspy whisper before he smashed his mouth hard against hers. His hands wandered and sometimes, Setsuko could not believe a girl with her standards and her grades would let some indolent man take advantage of her. Especially the player, known to kiss and leave emperor of Imperial Academy. He may have won the hearts of the students, but Setsuko knew not to give her heart the school's local player. Setsuko let out a mewled moan as Ryuunosuke's hands wandered toward her lower abdomen area whilst their kissing.
"No," Setsuko muttered, slipping her fingers and winding them through his. "I…I have some work to do." She sputtered, detangling herself from his grip and climbing off of the touchy emperor.
"Like what?" Ryuunosuke spoke back as he sat up on the couch, adjusting his uniform shirt and ribbon.
"Just…stuff! God, you're so…nosey," Setsuko screamed and slammed the door shut while getting the hell out of there. Her words were so clipped and did not speak a word of the truth, therefore made no sense at all.
"She's…a dummy," Ryuunosuke mumbled inside his sound proofed walled room.
"I'm such an idiot," Setsuko inadvertently agreed before she stormed off to go find some actual council work to do. Even as she found work to fill the void, all she kept thinking about was being with Ryuunosuke. Whether it was just doing student council work with him or making out with him, Setsuko could not get the emperor out of her mind. He was definitely keeping a hold on her and she could just replay every touch and kiss. She bit her lip, conscious for once of everything that was going on.
She had to stop this. It had to be stopped.
Continuing would mean she would just end up falling for Ryuunosuke Ishitaka. That was unacceptable. She could let him touch her and kiss her, and do all those things but never could Setsuko Togu give such a man her heart. She had sworn not to fall for such a man the day she agreed to join the council. It was a day she remembered oh so well. A day she could not forget, even if her life depended on it.
A/N – Well I conjured up a cliffy for all of you. I know I stink. Especially for not updating in so long. It's been a nice relaxing summer… But school approaches. Not exciting, of course. So I don't know what course I'll be taking in this story.
Furthermore, it will be updated, for sure. Just not as frequently, I suppose. Time will, only tell.
By the way, coming up next time…a flashback chapter! (I think I'll do Setsuko's POV entirely, for once.) We will get to see the first encounter of our two unlikely lovebirds. As well as the rest of the council in their younger years.
For now, ja ne!