Look how fast I posted between chapters hahaha!
Chapter 14: What I Deserve
The boys and I sit dumbfounded as if wondering if we heard correctly or not. The only sound is Neko's slurping as she polishes off her rice bowl then her whimper when she realizes it's empty. I try to catch the look on the Black Dog's face. He is staring at the Silver king with his jaw slightly dropped. He looks as if he had just stopped himself from springing to his feet. The look on his face shows how betrayed he feels. Finally the Silver King lets out a sigh. "Nagari had to be defeated through the destruction of the slates, that much is true."
"So, are you saying he is still alive?"
"No. He's gone and so was the power of the slates. The slates however, although powerless, still remained intact. When I came back to life, I knew there had to be an explanation. I went back to the site of Damocles Down a few weeks ago and felt the power growing again. It was making new life. That's what brought me back to life. That's why some powers are trickling back to the clans."
"What about our first king? If you came back to life, could we see Mikoto-san reappear?" Bandou asked somewhat hopefully but the Silver king shakes his head.
"No. I'm sorry. Since he was killed mortally by Munakata's sword, he can not return."
"Weisman?" I asked, butchering the pronunciation.
He smiles, "Would you prefer to call me Yashiro Isana? I may not have his body but it would make things simpler."
"Please."
"Proceed," he says with a nod and I continue , "Thank you. Shiro… What about the green king?"
"He was solely dependent on the slates so it would make sense for him to return. But since he hasn't, it could be that I returned to life simply because I am the creator. I have the strongest connection to the slates." His eyes drift to his still silent clansman. "You're quiet Kuroh."
"You lied to me."
"I didn't lie. I just didn't tell you."
"Which is just like a lie."
"Tell me about it," Shohei adds and the white clan looks at us confused.
I look between them before confessing, "I didn't tell my clan that my powers had returned. In fact that's what made them almost lose me for good. Kusanagi also didn't reveal that Anna had been having prophetic dreams again. All that being said… the boys are a little bitter. HOMRA doesn't keep secrets like that."
"Oh? I thought you all kept to yourselves." Shiro says in a sing-songy voice.
"Not as a clan," I argue politely. Just then my pager beeps. I smile widely. That lovely sound of someone calling me is such a relief considering that not too long ago I thought my clan was dead. "Kimiko-desu."
"It feels so good to hear your voice on the other end of this," Anna's sweet voice says.
"King!" I smile. "Everything alright?"
"…"
"King?"
"Who are you with?"
"Shohei and Bandou, you knew that."
"You're at the school." She says matter-of-factly.
"Yes."
"With the white clan. Neko and Kuroh-san?"
"Hai…"
"But someone else is there…"
"Yes. You're not going to believe me but it's-"
"The Silver King." All of us look up and Shiro who has his eyebrows raised, impressed.
"Told you her foresight was back," I say to him smugly. Shiro didn't know what to say so I talked back into my PDA. "He's here, Anna." I hear her breath and picture her standing in awe. She probably is just as surprised as we were. "Anna? Is there a reason you called other than to check on us?"
"Come home."
I look at the boys and they both shrug. "We're safe, King."
"I know, but a package arrived for you, Kimiko. It's from the bad man in my dream."
"What man?"
"I just know it's from him. I can feel it. Come home." Then she hangs up and I glance up.
"Forgive us, Isana."
The silver king holds up his hand as if to say my apology is not necessary. The boys stand and we give a bow to thank them for the food. "Yashiro. I expect to see those slates soon," I say leaving little room for argument. He nods and we hurry back to the van.
HOMRA bar...
Sure enough, there is the package when we arrive back at HOMRA. It's the first thing I look for when I enter. "It's smaller than I expected." The box looks smaller than a shoe box. It's light blue with a silver bow. The label has "To 'Kimiko'" written on it. Kusanagi has his arms folded on the bar and stares at it as if trying to mentally make it open. When he hears the door he looks up at us. "Did you really see him? He's alive?"
We assume Anna had told him about the Silver King and nod. "It's a long story."
"Right," he nods. "Well, one thing at a time, I suppose. Let's open this first."
As I walk to the bar, I glance at the empty couch. "Where is Yo-san?"
"He woke up finally. He's upstairs using the shower to get all the dried blood off."
"And his arm?"
"A flesh wound like we thought. I found a sling for him in the first aid kit," Kusanagi rolls his eyes as he says it. "He won't go to the doctor though. Says if he never steps in a hospital again it would be too soon."
"That makes two of us," I say as I plop onto the bar stool and look around more. "Where is everyone."
"The blues when back to SCEPTER 4 to make preparations should the Yakuza find out you're here and come for you. I made the rest of our boys get some sleep. They deserve it."
"I concur. Out all night looking for the idiot who got herself abducted," I mumble.
"Don't be so hard on yourself," Shohei says. "Where is Anna?"
"I sent her to rest too. This box upset her so much. She thinks it's from the man in her dreams."
"She kept saying that. What did it mean."
"When you were missing, she had a nightmare that some terrible man had you in his arms. She said he was tall and dark with dark eyes."
"Rincon-" I mumble but they don't hear me.
"Can we open this already?" Izumo asks impatiently. I give him a look before carefully opening the box. Everyone readies themselves as if expecting something to jump out at me. All that's there is an old corsage. A navy blue ribbon with dead white roses rests inside. I pull it out and recognize it.
"W-what is that?" Shoehei asks.
"It's a corsage, dumbass," Bandou mumbles.
"No duh! I mean what does it mean?"
"It means they know I'm here," I interject. "I wore this to my school dance when I was 16."
Kusanagi leans forward to look at it. "What's that stain on the ribbon. Is that-"
"Blood…" I say. "It's dried blood." My blood. Just a couple of drops. Rincon and I had been forced to go together that night. We knew we would eventually get betrothed so father often sent us on outings together. I guess you could have called them dates. That night, Rincon had spiked the punch and practically drank half of it himself. We were one of the first couples to leave. I stormed out of the ballroom and up the corridor to get away from him. "Kiyomizu! Stop!"
But I wouldn't. "No! You humiliated me!"
"How?"
"How?!" I whirled around, my navy gown swishing as I spun and faced him in his half-drunken state. "You punched that poor boy I was dancing with."
"He shouldn't have come near you."
"It's a DANCE, Rin! That's what you do!"
"Not with my fiance."
"I'm not you're fiance! I'm your superior, damn-it. I am the heir of Kiyomizu group. You will respect me and not disgrace me like that. If I dance with a million boys and never glance at you then you will honor it." I saw in his face that I had angered him so I turned to walk off. We didn't get far though. He reached out and grabbed me by my pinned up curls, yanking me back before hurling me against one of the hallway pillars. I cried out as my head crashed against it and started to bleed. Looking back I saw him with strands of my hair between his fingers. He grabbed me by the throat to lift me to my feet.
"You are my superior? In case you've forgotten, a woman can't solely lead the Kiyomizu group. You'll have to marry me. If I were you, I would honor your husband. You will respect me one way or another, Lavina. Don't forget that."
I shook my head in his grasp. "No. I won't let that happen. I won't marry you. I'll find someone who really loves me. Someone who takes care of me."
He laughed. "Why? You don't deserve better than this." He then dragged me out to our waiting limo and tossed me roughly into the back seat. At the end of the night, he paid the driver to act as if he hadn't seen anything or heard my screams from the back as Rincon prevented me from fleeing the car every time it slowed down. He even had us stop at the flower shop to give me roses. A sad apology gift for his behavior.
Now, looking down at the corsage, it is a reminder of how weak I was back then.
"So weak…" I say aloud.
"Eh?" Izumo says. I look up and see everyone staring at me.
"The corsage is a message. It means they know I'm here."
"Then why haven't they come for you yet?"
"I don't know. I guess they know that if they were to take me again, you boys would come find me."
"I wonder how long it took them to plan that hospital bit," Shohei says smugly, obviously proud that HOMRA had foiled the Yakuza's plans.
Izumo notices I'm staring at the flowers. He rests his hands on mine which are holding the box. Caring. Concern. Gentleness. "Shall I throw this out then?"
I pull my hands away and leave him holding the box. "You can burn it for all I care." I pivot in my stool and quietly walk to the stairs. Rincon is some kind of genius. He knew that corsage would send more than one message to me. It also means he thinks of me still as his. He thinks I deserve to be his. I make it halfway up the steps and try to gulp down the lump in my throat. I hear the shower squeak off upstairs. Yo. All I've seen of him since my rescue was him half-asleep on the couch, still weak from the gunshot. Even then we had to be careful what we said or did because anyone could have walked in. But now I just wanted to hug him and let him tell me that he was truly going to be alright. I made it to the top of the steps and knocked on the door of Izumo's bedroom.
"Hai?" He said clearly. I opened the door and saw him walk out of the bathroom. It was clear he had just finished showering because the belt on his jeans was unfastened, his shirt was a mess and he was still rubbing a towel on his head. I looked at his arm. It's in a sling and I feel guilty about it.
"Yo?" He lets the towel fall from his head and he sees me. "Hey…" I walk in a couple steps and he starts towards me. "How are you feeling?" He doesn't answer. He just quickly steps forward and passes me. I turn to see him close the door behind me and lock it. The moment he finishes he turns and wraps his free arm around me to pull me close and kiss me. I wrap my arms around his neck and run my fingers up his hair. He kisses me as if it was the first and last time. I feel myself carefully pressed against the wall. He is so gentle with me as if I'm made of porcelain. He's so warm. My heart races with happiness from how warm he is and it causes a tear of joy. He must have felt it on his own cheek because he pulls away from me slightly.
"What's wrong," but as I open my mouth to answer he kisses me again then pulls back.
"I don't deserve you."
"What?" Now he truly pulls back and looks at me.
"I don't, Yo-san. I didn't deserve Totsuka either. I don't deserve HOMRA."
"Who told you that?" He wipes the tear away and I shrug.
"Doesn't matter. I just don't."
"You're right. You don't deserve me… you deserve so so so much more than me."
I smile at him. "Not possible." He smiles and brushes my hair from my face then kisses me once more.
To be continued...
So the Yakuza know Kimiko is at the bar but are biding their time. What could they be plotting next. ALso, review if you like KimiYo!