Sorry for making you all wait so long
Chapter 14
Hikaru felt a sudden surge of dizziness when his foot hit the firm tarmac of Hokkaido airport. The flight had been smooth and gentle, with clear blue, cloudless skies – quite the contrast to Hikaru's mind.
The first sight that he set eyes on was a group of people waiting for him, staring right back. He noticed that 3 were servants. They walked up to the plane and unloaded his suitcases. The other 2, a large and scary looking man in his thirties with black hair and a woman about the same age but pretty and with short brown hair beckoned him over. The woman looked like a kind-hearted children's nanny. He held his head up high and walked over, hoping he looked more confident than he felt.
'Hello.' The woman said. A warm smile crossed her lips. 'Hitachiin Hikaru, I assume?' She said, looking him up and down as if she were going to take his measurements and tailor his clothes. The woman continued when Hikaru nodded.
'Well, pleased to meet you. I'm Kazuko Hana. You can just call me Hana.' She smiled again. Hikaru tried to return it, but he couldn't help himself glancing at the burly-built bodyguard looking man next to her. She gave a hearty chuckle. 'That's Urundai Ekati. His bark is worse than his bite.' Hikaru wasn't convinced. 'Right Eka-chan?' For a fleeting moment, the pair reminded Hikaru of Mori and Honey senpai. He felt a painful pang in his chest. Ekati gave Hana a glare, and walked ahead towards the car.
'I think I'll stick to calling him Urundai-kun…' Hikaru said nervously. Hana chuckled again.
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Even in the limo ride to the house, Ekati was silent. Hana chatted animatedly to Hikaru about his 'learning and study timetable' for the best part of the journey. Hikaru stared at the floor.
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The servants took Hikaru's bags up to the house. It looked smaller than Hikaru remembered it. It only had three bathrooms, and one guest bedroom. Normally, before the Hitachiin's had sold the house to this odd couple, Hikaru recalled there were four bedrooms. He wondered what they had done with the other ones. He suddenly imagined Haruhi muttering 'damn rich bastards' and the painful pang returned.
Hikaru, Hana and Ekati reached the stairs to the house. On entering the entrance hall, Hikaru noticed that the décor had completely changed. He amusedly wondered if they had re-plastered the hold in one of the bedroom walls that he and Kaoru had dug one holiday with spoons. It had taken them the best part of 5 hours.
Kaoru…
Ignoring the sickening feeling in his gut, Hikaru followed Hana along the corridor to the sitting room.
Suddenly the door to the downstairs bathroom swung open, and someone stepped out, flicking their hair. They gasped when they saw Hikaru and Hana standing there.
A beautiful girl about Hikaru's age stood there in front of them, wrapped in a towel in which she grasped on to for dear life. Her brown, medium length hair was plastered to her face and neck. She was breathing like she was running from a knife-wielding psychopath. Delicate beads of water rolled over her flawless skin, over the top of her breasts, and sank into the towel. Hikaru's face flushed bright scarlet.
'I'm so sorry!!!' He yelled. He raced quickly past her, only to slip on the puddle of water she had dripped onto the tiled floor. Hikaru went flying backwards and cracked his head off the tiles. He reached up, swearing under his breath, then awkwardly realised that the way he was lying – face up on the tiles – gave him a perfect view up the girl's towel. He screamed again and curled into a ball on the floor on his side.
'Hikaru!' Hana yelled. The girl disappeared up the stairs. Ekati passed her, not paying her more than a second's unfazed glance, then continued on his way. Hikaru felt Hana's hand on the back of his head, but only faintly. By the expression on her face, he knew it was bleeding.
Oh crap. He thought. Just what I need – more embarrassment and more injuries.
'Ekati!' Hana yelled. The man walked over with a small white first aid kit. He started tending to Hikaru's head, without uttering one word to him.
'Nothing to worry about' He said. It was the first time Hikaru had heard him speak. His voice was deep and demonic. 'Just a cut.' He soaked a piece of cloth in some clear liquid and pressed it to Hikaru's head. It stung like his skin stripped body had been stuck in a vat of salt. He shouted out in pain. 'Shut up.' Ekati said bluntly. 'All for your own good.' After tending to him for a while, Ekati got up and walked towards the closet, muttering about a mop.
Hana helped Hikaru up.
'Are you ok to walk?' She asked, holding his arms to steady him. He nodded. 'And ok to find your room? It's upstairs, second to the right?' He nodded again, and walked upstairs in a daze.
Did that girl live here? He asked himself. Well, he'd take care not to walk into her room. After finding the second on the right, Hikaru knocked just incase. There was no answer.
As he entered the room, Hikaru was hit with a mixture of emotions and memories. This room hadn't been redecorated. There was still a soda stain on the floor from where he and Kaoru had spilled it in a play-fight. The curtains were still snipped with scissors at the corners.
God knows why we did that… Hikaru said to himself.
There was even the same double bed that there used to be, but now, Hikaru was to sleep in it alone.
After carefully closing the door, Hikaru collapsed onto the bed and buried his face into the side Kaoru used to sleep on, soaking the pillow in heartbroken tears.
Hey…meh don't really have anything to say (sigh)
Byeeee
Yamashita Miharu x