'Tis getting harder and harder to update. But I'm determined to finish this story. I'll finish it. Hopefully.
Disclaimer: If KWMS were mine, Maid Cafe would sell monkey-brain smoothies. Wait. Eww. That's too gross, even for me.
The Prisoner
Misaki and Hinata have been friends since elementary school. Misaki has never been a troublemaker, but she once took the blame for Hinata's mistake. She couldn't bear seeing Hinata get scolded yet again, so she told her teacher it was her who had eaten the raspberry cream cake the class had baked to share.
It was her first lie. She didn't feel as guilty as she would have if she had kept quiet.
Misaki had forgotten this particular event until a week after Hinata had moved back to the city. He talked about the episode like it was the most important thing that had happened in his life next to meeting Misaki. Suzuna, with her usual apathy, said bluntly that Hinata must've fallen in love with Misaki that day. Hinata protested, red-faced.
It was the first time Misaki felt proud of lying.
People have always called her a responsible person. She'll take the blame for every mistake she's made, but such mistakes are rare. She completes every task so well that it seems impossible for one person to do it to such perfection.
She's taken the blame, as representative, as school president, for a myriad of mistakes she hasn't made. But she never complains, because she thinks it's her fault for not being careful for the people around her.
Tora is sweating. She knows it. But Misaki will not take back her words. A white lie will never hurt anyone else, even if it hurts herself.
Misaki stood, her back straight, her face holding a strong, determined look, the one she had deemed dead. She looked straight at Tora, whose carefully crafted mask of indifference looked like it would crack any time soon.
Misaki smiled, even with the fact that she knew Usui was looking incredulously at her. She smiled wider.
They were done.
Something akin to relief spread over Misaki/'s body. She closed her eyes.
It was the first time Misaki had felt proud of herself in weeks.
The Observer
No. No. No, no, no, no, no.
Usui was sweating uncontrollably. This was impossible.
Even Kana looked a little pale. "So you slept with my client, solely because of amorous affection, not threatening, abuse, violence verbally r physically?"
Was Misaki smiling? "Yes," she answered, her voice confident and clear. Was this all an illusion? He looked back at Tora. Even the unshakable Igarashi was shaking, albeit slightly.
Kana looked at the Judge. "Thank you. That will be all." She took her seat.
Usui paled even more, if that were possible. How are you expecting me to save you if you're the one drowning yourself? He looked at Misaki, who was smiling. Smiling.
Do you even want to be saved?
XXX
Usui stood up. Beads of sweat decorated his forehead. Like before, he left his glasses on the desk. The last thing he wanted to do was to look at Misaki herself.
Judge Satou furrowed his eyebrows, clearly confused. "Usui-kun, I think your client's confused, or we all are. I know we shouldn't stretch this whole thing out, but let's continue this session tomorrow."
"Yes, Your Honor," Usui managed to say.
XXX
"What. Was. That. All. About," asked Usui quietly, though there was an undercurrent of anger in his voice. Misaki looked away, turning her eyes toward the window. Usui only saw the back of her head.
"Ayuzawa. Tell me what happened."
Misaki remained silent. He clenched the steering wheel harder. Maybe offering to drive her home wasn't a good idea, if prying answers out of her was futile. He sighed and kept his eyes on the road.
It was raining now, all traces of the beautifully blue autumn sky gone. Actually, it was raining quite heavily, enough to cloud Usui's vision. Usui frowned, remembering the cheery weather forecast this morning. Was a thunderstorm coming?
Like an answer, a streak of lightning, accompanied seconds later by a rumble of thunder, came, shaking both the car and Misaki. She did not turn, however, but continued staring out the window.
Wonderful. First Misaki's confused, then the weather is too. Just perfect.
He sighed. The rain was coming harder. Misaki continued her enthusiastic study of the scenery out the window.
Usui stopped in front of a red-lit traffic light. Misaki seemed to hesitate on something, even glancing Usui's way. Then she instantly opened the car door and climbed out, running out onto the sidewalk.
The light turned green before Usui realized what she had done. Cars honked from behind him, but he took no notice, shouting out the open door, "Ayuzawa!"
The drivers behind him started to honk enthusiastically, leaving Usui no choice but to drive. He closed the door quickly, made a U-turn at the next block, came down the road where Misaki had run off, and conveniently parked in front of a sign that read NO PARKING. He came out of his car and ran down the street, searching for a certain black-haired woman.
Usui could not see in font of him clearly, the weather impairing his vision. But he clenched his teeth and hurried down the street, looking for Misaki.
He passed shops and offices, people in umbrellas and those without, hurrying for dry shelter. Even though this whole situation was a crisis, there was something that nagged at Usui, though he couldn't name the reason. Usui continued down the sidewalk, turning this way and that for his runaway companion. There was no sign of Misaki. Usui groaned in frustration. Where had she gone?
When Usui passed a piano shop on his search, he stopped in his tracks, finally realizing the reason why he felt strange on this street. This was the way to Seika High, six years ago! Usui smacked his forehead, understanding Misaki's frantic escape. It was merely a five-minute walk to Seika from here.
Usui quickened his steps, passing through countless people and even more numerous raindrops to his old high school.
Minutes later, Usui arrived at his destination, panting from the effort of getting here in the rain. The gates were still there, but the school had disappeared. Usui saw from the building that replaced the old Seika High building that it was no longer a school, but a construction site.
Usui ran faster, getting through the gates and circling the construction site, looking for his client. He clenched his teeth, frustrated. Where the hell was she?
He came to a corner of the site which used to be the soccer field when he stopped. Misaki was standing there, facing the sky as the raindrops mercilessly pattered on her face. Her eyes were closed.
"Ayuzawa!"
She seemed unable to hear his call. Usui approached her closer.
"Ayuzawa!"
Misaki made no move to respond to him. Usui grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him.
"What the hell are you doing? You'll catch a cold if you stay here!"
Misaki stared at him blankly, as if not recognizing Usui's face. He gritted his teeth, and tried again to reach her.
"Why the hell did you run away?"
Misaki sighed and closed her eyes. "Rain. I like the rain."
Usui stared at Misaki in disbelief.
Misaki continued speaking. "Rain will wash my pain away. Rain will wash my memories, my feelings, myself for me."
She opened her eyes. Misaki finally looked at Usui. Her golden eyes were penetrating. "Rain will wash you away too. Because you're the one that hurts me most."
Usui stood silent, his eyes wide. He shook his head. "Ayuzawa, you should get indoors. It's bad for your health, staying out here."
Misaki made no effort to move. Usui pulled her arm to get her to avoid the cold rain. She did not resist.
Usui took Misaki, in that awkward position, back to his car. They were both dripping wet, but Misaki didn't seem to care.
Usui locked the doors, in case Misaki tried to bolt again. He silently drove back to his apartment.
When they arrived in front of his building, Usui opened the door for Misaki, but she numbly stood up and just stayed there, again in the rain. She sighed, in what seemed like...pleasure? Pain? Regret?
Usui gently pulled her towards his home again, only to hear her remark from before. "Rain will wash me away..."
Usui shook his head, and took her wrist, pushing her through the glass doors and into the elevator. He quickly pressed the button to the top floor, worried that Misaki might catch a serious cold.
When they made it to Usui's floor, Misaki was shivering uncontrollably, drenched in the icy rain. He got her into his apartment and into his bed, pulling up the covers in an effort to stop her shaking. Misaki stopped trembling after a while, but she still looked cold.
Usui peeled off his jacket and let it drop on the floor. He got themselves a few towels, handing a white bathrobe to his client as well.
Misaki pulled off the covers. She looked at Usui, not minding her wet self, or the towels Usui had handed her. Usui felt strangely trapped.
Misaki stared at Usui intensely. They stayed like that for minutes, both dripping wet, on Usui's bed, looking at each other as if they didn't know the other. Usui was the first to withdraw, awkwardly getting the towels and reaching to dry Misaki's hair. She did not move. Usui continued toweling her hair. She did not move.
Misaki's expression was unreadable. Even as Usui's fingers went through her hair, she did not show any recognizable emotion on her face.
Usui stopped his ministrations on her hair, pulling back. Misaki was motionless as ever.
Finally, Usui spoke. "Why did you say you loved him at court?"
Misaki did not answer. Instead, she approached Usui, and asked a question of her own. "Why are you leaving me?"
Usui froze.
Misaki asked again, her voice monotone. "Why are you leaving me?"
The question was in present tense. Usui knew what she meant. He, however, decided to evade the real answer. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Misaki looked at him again, no traces of disappointment or fear on her face. Just blankness. "Why are you leaving me?"
"I'm not."
Misaki did not blink. "Why are you leaving me?"
"I'm not."
"Liar." Finally, the blank mask cracked, a single tear signaling the breakdown. "You're leaving me."
Usui kept his face void. "I don't know what you're talking about."
This was a pointless conversation, even Usui knew that. But he would die rather than face the truth.
Misaki's eyes were red, but her voice remained dry. "Then I love Tora."
Then? When the hell did a person love on a condition? "Liar."
Misaki smiled humorlessly. "So're you."
The Jailer
Fuck. Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.
Tora was, quite literally, unbelievably fucked up.
He clenched at his black leather couch, his fists leaving spiderwebs of wrinkles in its wake.
What the hell did that bitch think she was?
Tora snarled. He felt like breaking everything he owned right now.
The look on Misaki's face as she said those fucking idiotic words.
Pity. Pity. Sympathy, empathy those fucked up emotions as she looked at him.
Tora dropped a wine glass on his marble floors again; the sound of glass shattering made him happier.
The nerve of her! To look at him like that!
He'd show that bitch fucking pity.
Ugh. Tired. But reviews renew me :)
Sincerely hungry,
New Guinee