Author's Note:
Okay, it has kind of become a ritual in my chapters….Kahoko comes, sleeps with someone, and leaves in a hurry, more or less. All in one day!
Now, since I have rated my story with a big fat M, it has inspired me to write content to justify its rating. So expect more mature content, dear readers. Stay away, innocent kiddies…
P.S I was rated 'most likely to corrupt the minds of young children' on Facebook. I guess today, I proved them right. grins
Yes, and I have been meaning to ask the reviewers…what the heck is OC? Or OOC? OR OOOC? I figured it has something to do with emotional content, but I have no idea what it means. Does the increasing amount of 'O's stand for more and more melodramatic action? Most of my reviewers go "too OOOC…" and I don't even know what it means, exactly. However, look forward to this extremely OOOOOOC chapter…
It's funny how, when you feel helpless and emotionally drained, you turn to the one person you truly feel safe with, regardless of the past, in spite of what the action may lead to, or how the person would react….nothing mattered. The main aim was to fit security in the arms of the person. And to Kahoko, that person was Len.
In spite of what had happened that morning, Kahoko knew she needed Len with all her heart. She had never felt more safe and loved in his arms the previous night, and she wanted to—desperately needed to—feel that way again, or she might lose the will to live.
Pushing away the horrifying images, she ran through the street, desperately looking for Len. Azuma's house seemed like it was in the middle of nowhere, Kahoko didn't know where she was going, but she sure as hell hoped it was towards Len's house. People stared at her as she ran past them.
"Hey!" one of them yelled, as she pushed pasted him. Kahoko didn't even slow down.
Tears threatened to fall again, but Kahoko pushed them away. I have to be strong. I have to find Len.
Renewed hope flooded through her as she began to recognize the street. She remembered jogging on it just yesterday…wasn't it just yesterday? So much had happened since then…
Her run slowed to a fast walk. She walked on directly to Len's house, dying to see him. His house was only a block away now…
But it turned out she didn't have to go that far.
She saw him walking calmly down the road. He moved slowly, steadily, but seemed to be somewhat distracted.
On seeing him, Kahoko felt a surge of hope, and with it, a flicker of unease. But the word burst out before she could stop it.
"LEN!"
Len heard the voice, but couldn't react in time when he saw the girl run towards him at the speed of light.
Kahoko?
He hardly had anytime to pull himself out of his dazed state, and she was on him like a bull. She knocked the wind out of him, and he fell flat on the pavement, taking her with him.
Trying to compose himself, he felt even more confused when Kahoko wrapped her arms around him, her head resting on his chest. He thought she was going to attack him, instead.
She began to cry.
A weird sense of protectiveness, which he had earlier felt for her last night, arose within him when he heard her sobs. Instinctively, his hand moved to hold her tiny waist and pressed her to him. They stayed that way for a long time, and Kahoko continued to sob on his new shirt.
He didn't say a word, though he was itching to know what had happened. He sensed it was something really bad—her eyes had a distressed look, she seemed to tremble with fear as he held her, and she appeared to need comforting urgently. His other hand stoked her hair soothingly.
He grew worried with every sob, a sense of unknown and undiscovered fear cropped up within him… what in the world had happened to the happy, cheerful, mischievous girl he knew and loved? Why was she acting this way?
"Kahoko, what happened?" he asked, finally.
The girl just continued to sob inconsolably.
"Kahoko…"
Sensing that people were staring at them, Len slowly got up to his feet, helping Kahoko stand. Her entire body was limp, and she held on to him tightly, as if he was her only support.
He half carried, half dragged her home. He sensed that she needed rest and security.
Better than lying on the streets and displaying free entertainment to bystanders, he mused.
Finally, he was home. He held Kahoko gingerly by the waist by one hand, and with difficulty, managed to unlock the door with his key. As he dragged her to the famous coach, her phone began to ring inside her bag, which hung lifelessly on her shoulder.
"Aren't you going to pick that up?" he asked her gently, running his hand across her cheeks, wiping the tears away from her face.
She shook her head, mutely, hardly understanding him. Groaning, he found the phone in her purse.
"It says 'mom' " he informed her. "What do I do, Kahoko?" he was still close to her face.
Kahoko tried to form coherent words, but she burst into tears again.
Len impulsively hugged her tight, stroking her hair once again, trying to comfort her.
She's not even in a state to talk. He studied the clock…12:30 PM. Most probably, she was calling her back home. Len knew he couldn't take her home in this state, and he was not sure she even wanted to go home. Until he could get her thinking straight and tell him what exactly was wrong, she wasn't going anywhere.
He cut the call. He would use the trusted text message again.
He pressed 'New Message' on the mobile phone and typed…
'Hey mom. I'm sorry I can't be there for lunch, because….'
He thought about it. What could possibly allow a mother to let her daughter stay away without bringing the house down and calling her again, telling her "to come back home this minute?"
One word. Music. Her mother knew she loved music.
"…there is an extra practice session scheduled unexpectedly. Everyone's here, don't worry, I'll keep you posted. So sorry!"
Len smirked. I almost sounded like the cheerful, happy girl. Dismissing the thoughts that Kahoko's mom was now his new text message buddy, Len turned his attention back to Kahoko.
"Hey…" his hand came to brush away more tears, but Kahoko's hand unexpectedly pushed him away with force.
Confused and a bit hurt, Len knelt beside her. He studied her carefully for the first time. He ran his hand over a large, purple bump. He knew it wasn't from the pan, because he had carefully studied her for most of previous night. She seemed to be rather roughed up…her lips were torn and shallow bruises were on her chin. He then studied her hands….they had thin, deep indents on them, as if someone had bound them with a rope. He wanted to desperately help her, but she wasn't cooperating.
Food. Food always helped ease depression.
"I'll make some coffee for you, alright?" he said patiently. The arrogant prick in him seemed to have gone on vacation, replaced by a sensitive, caring, and patient man. He didn't like to feel that way, but he knew he was doing it all for Kahoko. Until she was acting normally, anyway.
Coffee was the only thing he could actually make, which didn't turn into a mini-disaster. She remained silent. He got up to go.
"Len…" her voice was so choked and soft; he could only hear her because his entire focus was fixed on her. Her feeble voice tugged at his heart, almost making him scream with frustration and cry at the same time.
Calm down. He said in his head.
He bent down again. "Yeah…?"
Her arms groped his neck.
'Take me with you' the gesture said. Len wondered if he was misinterpreting it, but Kahoko didn't let him go when he stood up. She clung to him. Len felt slightly uncomfortable.
Why was she so frightened? What could possible scare her so much that she couldn't be alone even in the living room?
Len tried to dismiss the endless possibilities. His mind could go wild sometimes. He wanted the answer from Kahoko.
Len turned around, carrying Kahoko to the kitchen in piggyback ride style. He turned around and slowly dislodged her fingers from his neck after he carried her to the kitchen stool.
He noticed her shirt had risen several inches above her waist- line, showing a tiny navel and pure, white, and unblemished skin.
Colour rose on Len's face. He had, until now, managed to control his savage desires for her because the feeling of protectiveness had overshadowed them, but seeing her perfect waist made him think…
He roughly grabbed her shirt, and pulled it violently down to cover her exposed skin. Kahoko inhaled on impulse, her face paled as pain crossed over it.
It was the friction of the cloth of her shirt against the cut that had caused her to gasp.
There was concern, and some fear, in Len's eyes.
"Kahoko…" he said, for the hundredth time that night.
He looked pale, depressed, and worried. I have never seen him this way. she thought.
She wondered if it was justified, coming to Len's place. she hadn't been able to tell him anything. The only thing I was doing was agitating him and causing frustration. Maybe I should have gone home….
Len glance meaningfully at her stomach. She would have blushed, but she felt so emotionally drained…
A sense of firm decisiveness seemed to seize him.
"I'm lifting your shirt, just know that's it not…" he didn't complete the sentence, but his eyes conveyed the message.
He raised her shirt. she made no move to stop him.
He swore. Len never swore.
He seemed to be severely agitated, after that...he gripped at his hair and yelled.
"Who did this to you?" he shouted, shaking her by the shoulders. she stared back at him mutely.
The long, cruel red cut was still etched in his mind, and would probably remain there forever.
She didn't answer him. He was almost crying, but prevented himself. I have to be strong, for Kahoko. Now I have to face the truth…someone has hurt her, badly—how badly, I'll have to squeeze out of her. But he would give her her space. God knows, she needed it.
He rushed to the first aid kit and removed the antiseptic and a piece of cotton. Instructing her to lie on the kitchen counter; he was surprised to find that she complied without protest, as if she had lost her sense of reason. Usually, she'd look at him for several minutes, wondering why.
Pouring the antiseptic on the cotton, he hesitated, looking at the cut.
"This will hurt," he told her. his face was inches away from her's. Gently, he kissed her on the cheek before rubbing the cut with medicine. He had expected her to scream in pain, push him away….but she just lay there, as if she couldn't feel anything.
Disturbed, Ihe left her lying on the kitchen counter and began to make cold coffee. He checked if there was ice cream—there was, and cake, too. Apparently, mother has many old women as fans, who had nothing better to do in life other than cook for her.
He tasted both, making sure they weren't poisoned. Those old women could be simply envious of mother.
He was done in five minutes. Helping Kahoko off the counter, he sat her down on the kitchen stool. He placed and tall glass of coffee in front of her, along with a huge piece of chocolate cake and ice cream.
"Well…go ahead…" he said, warmly.
She looked at him and shook her head.
He understood.
"Alright…" he grudgingly filled another glass with coffee, and a plate with cake and ice cream. He sat down beside her with it.
"Let's gain weight…" he joked, reluctantly digging into the sinful treat. He could almost see a faint smile cross her face.
Several hours later, she had calmed down, almost her usual self again. Surprisingly, the dessert has really helped boost my mood. I still haven't said anything to Len; it was amazing how many things he had tried to get her to tell him. She knew she would, eventually.
She was still shaken up from the after effects of the incident. She always called it 'the incident'. She didn't want to remember what 'it' actually was.
Finally, she found herself telling him.
"You won't believe me…" she began, that was not a great way to begin.
"I'll swear, even if you tell me I'm the worst violin player in Japan, I'll believe you…" he said.Man, this guy still had his over inflated ego.
"It's Azuma," she said, flatly.
"He asked you out?" his fists clenched tightly.
She shook her head, afraid to tell him. He had very few friends; Azuma was probably his closest one.
He seemed relieved. she smiled, bitterly.
"Azuma Yunoki…he offered me a lift home after I ran out after….this morning…"
He held on to her hand, eyes fixed on her, silently pleading with her to get on with it.
"I accepted…and before I knew it…he…he…"
She couldn't go on. She squeezed her eyes shut.
"Did he do this?" he demanded, angrily, pointing at her stomach. His face was red from rage, fists clenched tightly, teeth gnashing against each other, breathing irregular.
She nodded. "He forced himself on me…,"she confessed, flatly. He punched my face and knocked me out….and next thing I know I'm…"she swallowed. "In his room..."
She slowly opened one eye and peaked at Len. He wasn't there anymore.
Author's Note: I edited it. Next chapter, if it doesn't come soon, will be long.