A/N: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING
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#19. He had everything in the tips of his fingers; or so he thought until he get to meet her. Now, more than ever, Usui Takumi wanted nothing more but to possess that amber-eyed woman who, literally speaking, came crashing into his word like a falling star. But can a love so untimely and not destined turn into something... fateful?
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Here I am waiting; I'll have to leave soon.
Why am I holding on?
We knew this day would come, we knew it all along.
How did it come so fast?
—Daylight, Maroon 5
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Spoiler:
"I guess that's what happens in the end. You start thinking about the beginning."
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Twenty Five:
Takumi watch in silence from a distance as Aoi and Suzuna—she was indeed with them—assisted Misaki out of the wheelchair since it seems she had a problem with walking and carefully supported her towards Aoi's car that awaits them into the front parking lot of the hospital. However Gerard was able to track them down when he just recently found out that they were hiding under a false name was way beyond his knowledge. But even before the earlier centuries, the Walkers have been always known on the Business Industry as a family that uses underhanded and devious tactics to get whatever it was they want. They have vast control on everything—both the upper and underground world of the Business Industry… and some more on the Recovery facility.
He set aside his Walker issues and continued staring at Misaki. She was so pale, and she's been holding onto her stomach as though she was protecting something inside her. Takumi had the strong urge to step out of the darkness where he—along with his and Gerard's men—was hiding and approach them so he could take her away. But Aoi warned him, and he would be unable to get to her without having to go through Suzuna as well, and Gerard had also advised him to stay away from her for a few more days because she was still emotionally unstable. With the way she looks now, only a split second of seeing him might send her back and confined to the hospital. She looks so damned fragile and he wanted to kill himself for doing all these to her when all she simply did for the duration of their wedding is love him.
Aoi's right. He's a fucking bastard—he deserved everybody's hatred.
When Misaki was finally safe inside the confines of Aoi's M5, his little brother darted a quick glance on where he was secretly standing a throw a dangerous glare at him. Takumi stared back at Aoi as he glared at him and from beside Aoi, Suzuna was staring in confusion at his little brother. Before Suzuna could even see him, he step back into the darkness and walked towards the back trail that leads to the back parking lot of the hospital where Gerard, Tora and Maria awaits him. He frowned at the sight of Tora but when he remembered his relationship with Misaki, his heart somehow softened and he thought he could temporarily set aside all the things he had done against him which included making him look like an extreme fool.
His top priority right now is to make sure Misaki's fine and that he could talk with her as soon as possible so he could explain himself.
"How's she?" Maria inquired anxiously and crosses her arms over her chest. "She's fine, right? The nurses we've spoken with told us they've run a full series of blood test on her. They said something about dehydration and blood transfusion. Is she sick? Was she terribly sick?"
"Maria." Gerard reprimands, and stares back at Takumi in inquiry. "How is she doing? I didn't want to go and check her out. I'm afraid if she sees me; she might start freaking out, too."
Takumi shakes his head; his shoulder slumped down in disappointment before running his hand through his messy blonde hair. "I don't know what happened. She… I couldn't get to her—not when Aoi and Suzuna are barricading her."
"You want me to pull strings? I could send them away."
"No. No, I don't want that." he shakes his head again. "She needs them and if their gone, all the more she would refuse to see me. And besides, she looks so sick. I'm sending in a medical team once they reach their destination." Takumi darted a glance on one of Gerard's men who was holding a computer and nodded at him. "Where are they headed?"
"Back to Tokyo, Sir Takumi." He answered. "They were taking the super highway back to the city."
"I see. Keep them on check."
"Takumi, what are your plans? You know I could do whatever to keep Misaki confined in the same place with you so you two could settle matters—"
"Fuck, Gerard, you think I'd fucking agree with that?" Igarashi finally said after staying silent for a long moment. "That's my sister you're going to incarcerate—and she's fucking sick. I don't care whatever means you resort into doing to have those three under surveillance. But if she doesn't want to speak with that jerk, I think it's high time we respect her decision. Because after all, she wasn't the one on the wrong." He glared at Takumi who was simply watching him as he spoke out of hatred against him. "I really, really wanted to punch you right now, Usui Takumi. But if I do so, I might end up doing more than that. Aoi should have done more damage considering the fact that you destroyed my sister. You can go to fucking hell if you want."
He jumped off Gerard's Jeep and towards his own car, and while muttering expletives, he sped away.
Takumi remained quiet. He did not care much about anything anymore—in fact, he could care less of what people would say to him. Gerard had taken care of everything ever since the news of Kaon Umekoji and him flooded the internet. Rumors escalated, too, about an imminent divorce but Gerard was quick as he made actions with regards to their marriage. And a few hours from now, a formal comment about his marriage with Misaki would finally be released into the press to make sure no further gossip and news would reach her ears. That pain on a certain spot on his head started hammering his skull again and the thing he wanted to do is burrow in his bed to make the headache go away. But he couldn't because there was that one person he needs to prioritized because if he loses her, too, he wasn't sure anymore if there is a chance he'd be able to recover from all these.
Without Misaki, Takumi would be nothing.
Takumi glanced down when he felt Maria's small hand touch the exposed skin of his arm. "Takumi, you need to rest. You look really awful."
He brushed her off and started walking towards his car. "I'm going back to Tokyo."
.
Misaki shut her eyes closed as she sunk down on the bathtub with the faucet switched on and the warm water continually running, filling the tub with warm water, engulfing her with nothing but comfortable warmth since she's been feeling so cold ever since she's gotten out of the hospital some three days ago. And in that short period of time, all she did is find some apartment where she could stay. She doesn't want to continually bother Aoi and her sister—not when they have lives of their own. But they were pretty persistent—and insistent—so she would allow them to help her around when she's finally moving out of Aoi's place. As for her things, she didn't know when or how it happened but she just found them filling out the living room of Aoi's home. She figured out he must have sent them there so her decision to move out became firmer until she found this very cheap studio type apartment near the main commercial town and had made things easier for her since she was not allowed to move or even drive around.
She really hated being incapacitated.
As for Suzuna and Aoi, they were unusually enthusiastic about her pregnancy. They started buying baby clothes and formulas—and cribs—and some toys and when she mentioned that the gender of the twins were still unknown, they looked extremely dejected since they almost wasted thousands of bucks buying those things for her. But she didn't want their efforts to head straight to Waste Land so she decided to build a mini nursery on the corner of the bookshelf where she had kept everything—from baby books, to toys and clothes to cute little shoes. Suzuna wanted twin girls while Aoi insisted boys would be a lot better since they could help her around once they grew up. And then,, they just started fighting over the gender and next thing she knew, they were making a mess in her home.
She didn't really understand but she could almost sense some sort of small spark between those two—and had they decide to get together and settle things out, she wouldn't really hinder the two of them.
Aoi had been frequenting her almost every day as soon as he gets out of Maria's fashion center. He tells her everything's that's been going on in the renovation and after too much reasoning with him; he finally agreed to allow her to go hands on, too. She wanted to move around. She wanted to keep herself busy because if she stays idle for another day, she was almost certain she would start thinking about that again and her depression would start piling up. She's pregnant—one month, to be exact—and whatever she feels, her babies were feeling it, too. The morning sickness has lessened—thank God—and Suzuna's been adamant on bringing her formulas and medicine that would help keep both her and the babies safe. She was thankful that they were around to help her because had they not been present, she wouldn't be sure on where she would start. Slowly, she was beginning to fix her broken self but other than that, everything was still the same. She was still a mess.
Just another more month and when the long-awaited divorce is over, she'd be gone here as fast as she could. He didn't even have to know that she, by some cruel twist of fate, conceived his child, because she was quite certain he wouldn't want to do anything with them. She was aware of his aversion to children and having kids of his own. She could only take so much rejection and if he rejects her twins, too, she might not take everything anymore and really end up killing herself.
Her pale and bony fingers traced the small nudge on her stomach and she sighed in dejection. There goes that numb and aching feeling on her heart again that was almost identical when she would wound herself when she was younger. The pain was always sharp and incapacitating and Misaki wonders if this kind of pain was part of the pregnancy. She hasn't been pregnant before so she had no idea at all on how it feels to be carrying a child—to be specific, twins.
Misaki was happy, and she was happy that she was able to share this kind of pleasurable delight to people she loves. But she still felt incomplete and broken—and she didn't really want to know why. Everything was just so… so incapacitating. Suzuna and Aoi are always around to cheer her up and keep her busy by bringing a lot of books to her about babies and getting pregnant and caring for one self, but her mind were still filled with blank and empty spaces. It was like, ever since that night, a huge piece of herself was taken away forcibly. And she hated that feeling because it just makes her vulnerable and feel more exhausted than before. When her heart began to throb violently again, she set aside the bad thoughts and instead, tried to think of happy ones.
She imagined fraternal twins—because she really wanted a boy and a girl—and she imagined watching them as they run around a field of stray grass and wild flowers. She smiled as a flash of brownish blonde hair came into view. She could almost see her children with the same brown-blonde hair, the same tantalizing deep emerald green eyes, the same inhuman and perfectly flawless face, porcelain skin and the same playful attitude. She imagined them happy and contented as they run around, playing with each other. She could almost see them being carried around by that man while he looks so ethereal and beautiful himself, and happy and definitely contented because their family was complete.
But then, Misaki saw that woman and her beautiful imaginations were immediately warped into something dark and ugly and scary. She saw a room—a small room—and she saw her dear twins along with that man when he was still younger trapped in that same dark room, scared and hungry and… emotionally scarred for the rest of her life.
Almost immediately, she snapped her eyes open when she felt water flooding her mouth and entering her nose. Misaki realized she was drowning and swiftly, she reached out for the edge of the tub and pulled herself up, breathing heavily because she had unconsciously fallen asleep while bathing. She was still heaving in deep breathes—and dripping like some half drowned cat—when she stood and wrapped the towel around herself and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn't risked to get sick so she swiftly got dressed for the evening and walked carefully towards the little playground-slash-nursery she had built along with Aoi. Her children… they would be the most spoiled children that would ever exist in the planet. She would give them whatever they want so they would have to feel that there was something else missing in their lives—someone else vital to their existence. Her children would probably be living with her in Madagascar—or Macau—or they could go to different places if it would mean staying away from the sight of that family because there was a greater risk that they would be taken away from her.
Obviously, they might need heirs and heiresses, and she would never allow those people who ruined her to casually take her children away. They would live as Ayuzawas and they would never know the existence of the Walkers. She grabbed her futon and pillow and laid down on the rubber mat before she reached out for a huge life sized doll and hugged it tightly, wishing her children would grow up soon so she could finally break free from these painful chains that binds her from her ugly past.
Maybe, if her children are around to keep her busy and loved, she would eventually forget Usui Takumi. She only wanted one thing from Takumi, but it seemed like he was too busy with his empire to give her what she wanted so they could finally settle things and put an end to everything.
With that thought inside her head, she fell asleep on the nursery while clutching her stomach protectively.
.
Takumi stood quietly outside the window of Misaki's studio type apartment located at the second floor of the four storey building where they bought her new pad. Thanks to vast information network, he was able to know she was looking for an apartment, thus, he immediately had an ad printed on the newspaper and had it delivered to Aoi's home. He handled everything from buying the entire building and making sure the apartments had cheap prices but would be comfortable enough for her to live on. He knew she wasn't keen on living on huge houses all by herself so he was thankful the plan worked and that she was still under the care of the Walkers—and for some reasons he did not want to know anymore, he actually felt relieved he was a Walker.
The cold wind bit his froze cheek but he remained standing by the parking lot that was right in front of Misaki's pad and watched the motionless room she was at. The lights were already out and he was certain Misaki was already sleeping. Aoi had come by around seven carrying a big bouquet of flowers along with Suzuna who had with her huge paper bags of necessities. And once again, he did not dare show himself. He knew his time was running out because Misaki would be expecting divorce come March but he didn't exactly know how to approach her. He never felt this scared his entire life. He's never been this scared before but now, he could almost taste her rejection filling the evening breeze.
He could almost imagine himself averting back to his old self again: cold, callous and cruel. And he did not want to return anymore. The only way for him to stay the way he is now is by having Misaki by his side to keep him attach to reality.
Was that too much to ask?
Takumi placed his frozen hands inside the pockets of his thick coat when he felt something warm touch his cheek. Startled, he looked down on that direction in time to see Aoi's figure standing next to him, still looking annoyed and irritated, but is holding out a can of hot coffee to him. His forehead creased. "What are you doing here?"
Aoi shove the coffee to him—and he accepted it—before he watch his little brother risked a glance on his watch. "Well, what can I say? Do you honestly think I could leave Misaki knowing there was a suspicious looking car hanging out every night in front of her apartment? And besides, I should be the one asking you that." Aoi finally darted his sharp and ice cold blue eyes to him. "What the fuck are you doing here?" his tone came out sharper than necessary.
He sighed. "So you knew."
"I know everything, Takumi." Aoi muttered, taking a sip on his own coffee. "I know that this building is yours and that newspaper was yours, too."
"If you knew, why did you allow her to live here?"
"Don't patronize yourself. I just knew she was safer on a place that belongs to our family. If she remains under our custody, nobody would be able to get through to her without having to get through all the bodyguards you've set around the area."
Takumi frowned. Damn, Aoi was really sharp. He knew he was good but he didn't know he was that good. Instead, he looked away and stared up at Misaki's pad again. "I never patronize myself."
Aoi snorted. "Well, fuck me." he muttered sardonically. "You know you shouldn't be here, Takumi. If Suzuna finds out that you're here, I don't know what she's capable of doing and I could happily assure you that I wouldn't stop her either if she suddenly pulls out a gun on your face."
"I deserved that." he answered through a broken whisper. "I deserved all this. And had Su really point out a gun on me, I'd be thankful if she'd shoot me straight on my brains instead of continuing this fucking miserable life without… without her." Takumi was uncertain why he didn't utter out her name. Was it because it was getting harder and harder to breathe now knowing that one day, Misaki is going to finally walked out of his life one final time?
"God, I hate you so much." Aoi shook his head, looking as though he was suffering from an unseen pain and without any warnings, he roughly shove Takumi that sent him sprawled on the ground since he didn't expect his sudden attack. He winced when the warm coffee spill on the exposed skin of his hand as his skin started to turn into an angrier shade of red.
Takumi gazed up at Aoi, stunned. "Fuck, Aoi? The fuck's wrong with yo—"
"I really wanted to sock you up, you asshole!" Aoi hissed as he sat on him astride and clutch the collar of his coat, violently shaking him. "Are you really for real?! You wanted her and yet you weren't even doing anything?! What the fuck is seriously wrong with you?! Instead of fucking standing here in the fucking cold, why don't you get your ass moving and talk to her?!"
Takumi remained stunned as he stared at Aoi's dark and obviously annoyed face. He was never one to throw in tantrums but ever since that incident, he's been pretty violent and physical on him. He snaps easily and gets mad at him and then he starts acting hostile and now, he was actually yelling at him again to get his ass moving and speak up with Ayuzawa?
Aoi looked brutally annoyed as he stared back at Takumi's stunned expression. "What? Are you just going to fucking act like some psycho stalker until your Divorce day arrives? You can talk to her if you try pulling on some strings! I've been waiting for you to do just that and yet you've waited three days to act up? You really are a bastard—"
He didn't know what happened but Takumi know he needed to settle things with Aoi, too, thus, his fist automatically moved and next thing he knew, he had punched his little brother he had loved most before Misaki which sent him crashing next to his car. Takumi gasped. "Fuck, Aoi, I'm sorry—"
Aoi was immobile for a moment before he finally started moving and wipes the blood off the corner of his lips. "Fuck, are you planning to fucking kill me?! You're fucking five years older than me. How could you punch me that hard?!"
Takumi sat up, too, alarmed and was still clueless. "Aoi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It was… it was an automatic defense reaction."
He spit out blood on the ground and glared back at Takumi. "Well, fuck your defense reaction. You nearly break my jaw, you ass." He licked his lips again, wincing a little when his tongue run over the cut on his lip and glares back at Takumi. "You're fucking forgiven."
Takumi stilled. "What?"
"I forgive you already." He repeated and stands. Takumi, though, remained seated on the floor. "I didn't exactly know the root of your fight. I was only mad because you didn't explain yourself which nearly killed Misaki because of that fucking vaginal spotting." He smirked sardonically. "But you're my brother—you were… everything to me. And I think hitting you once was enough to rid myself from this blinding anger I've been feeling for you ever since that day. After punching, I feel a lot better. But Suzuna? Yeah, you better watch out for her, too. She's more hot-blooded than I am and I was serious when I told you awhile ago that she wouldn't hesitate on pulling the trigger with the gun on your face if it would mean avenging her sister you ruined."
Takumi swallowed when he realized Aoi was dead serious. But with Suzuna's personality, he never really doubted she was capable of killing someone if it involved hurting her sister because, after all, they went through a lot together. And because of his stupidity, he had mentally and physically injured Misaki.
Aoi frowned at Takumi's dumbstruck expression. "What? Do you plan to sit there all day until Suzuna arrives here and kills you? Start making your moves, Takumi—you're running out of time, need I remind you of that?"
He was running out of time—Takumi froze as he stared up at Aoi. "How did you know we're getting a divorce?"
Aoi rolled his eyes. "Dumb bastard. Who the fuck do you think I am? Did you honestly believe I believed you when you first said you wanted this woman you were supposed to marry? I knew something's going on the moment you said you're marrying someone but since it already involved Misaki, I decided to simply shut up about things and observe them as they unfold. I just didn't expected that we'd reached this kind of situation." He scowled again. "If you wanted to see Misaki again, you better talk with Suzuna beforehand because I swear I wouldn't take your side if she sees you and starts going into a killing rampage."
"I thought you've already forgiven me?"
"Takumi, I've forgiven you but it doesn't mean I would still take your side. You used Misaki to free us—yes, I know it so stop giving me that ugly look—and I would never be able to forgive myself knowing we were free because she sacrificed herself for us. You're my brother but with what you've done that nearly had her killed, did you honestly think I would still take your side?"
"How did you know that?"
"What, that stupid contract you had with her?"
Takumi flinched, now that he realized the situation he's in, the contract really sounded stupid and childish now. "Yes, that stupid contract I was so foolish to do to free us both. Did she tell you?"
"No, she didn't. I found it out on my own—thanks to Gerard pulling some strings."
"Gerard—" Takumi cursed. "That stupid traitor."
"Hey, don't get me wrong. As much as I hate you right now, I still hate Gerard more. But he did the right thing about telling me these. Because if he didn't, Misaki would never have anyone by her side to comfort her. Even Suzuna knows about the real deal between you two."
"She knew the contract?!"
Aoi rolled his eyes. "If I tell her that, your already minimal chance of being forgiven would unfortunately reduced into zero. I might have hated you for doing this to Misaki but I know you did that for me so, no, I didn't tell her. I don't mind if you weren't forgiven at all. But I don't want your blood on my hands."
Takumi was still confused again. "So, what should I do? I don't know what to do and where to start. She hates me and if she sees me, she might end up freaking out again and start, what was that again? Vaginal what?"
Aoi rolled his eyes. "Vaginal spotting."
"What kind of PMS is that? Is she in grave danger because of that?" his heart suddenly accelerated painfully at the thought of Misaki in danger. "Is it, what? Cancerous? Would it affect her heart? Would she have the same blood infection Sakuya had?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You said she's suffering from something called Vaginal Spotting." Takumi pointed out, getting irate now. "What do you mean by that? Was it a cervical cancer or something?"
"Fuck, I can't believe you were this stupid."
"What?" he hissed. "Will you explain to me what's going on? Is she terribly sick?"
Aoi had this strong urge again to punch Takumi on the kisser because he was starting to act dumb and what he hated most are dumb people. Who would have thought that someone as powerful as Usui Takumi didn't know the meaning of Vaginal Spotting? "She isn't sick, you big, big, super idiot."
"Then what?"
"She's pregnant with your child."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"And you two are having twins." Aoi stared at Takumi as his pale skin tone started changing into sickly green to purple to pink to red to grey to yellowish and finally, back to his normal skin tone again. He would have laughed at him had they been into a more normal situation. But no, Misaki was still mad and there was a great risk that Suzuna might really shoot Takumi's brains out before he could even say "Surprise!". He observe Takumi more closely because he looked like he was going to throw up and when he seemed to have finally returned from whatever planet he's been into, he arched an eyebrow at his stupid brother. "What?"
"I'm… I'm a father now?"
Aoi snorted. "Well, congrats, Dad. You should have brought some blue balloons." And the news must have been quite a shock to him—since he didn't know he was now a friggin' Daddy—because next thing he knew, Takumi collapsed down on the floor unconscious. Footsteps immediately echoed around as men clad in black rushed towards them. He recognized the team leader as Takumi's loyal guard dog.
"Sir Aoi, what happened with Sir Takumi?! Has he been harmed?!"
"No, I think he was just going into shock."
"S-Sir?"
"He's gonna be a father soon."
Usui 'friggin' Daddy' Takumi? That was epic.
.
"Why are you up so early?"
Suzuna got inside Misaki's pad hastily as soon as she saw her sister up and about, all dressed up casually and looks like she was about to go out. It was a good thing she decided to come early. She didn't have classes today so she decided to drop be her sister and inform her that she wouldn't be able to visit her for two days due to the mock exam she'd have for two days. And besides, she needed a lot of time reviewing study materials and cases. Who would have ever thought becoming a friggin' lawyer was this difficult? Had she known something like this would happen to Misaki, she wouldn't have taken Law and get something easier instead so she could take care more of her sister.
Misaki, after stuffing all her sketchpad and necessities inside her trusted bag, smiled at Suzuna warmly. "Good morning to you, too, Suzu. I was just about to go out. Help yourself with something." Suzuna darted a quick glance on the small dining table for three and saw that she must have gone up only God knows how damn early to make food for her.
She turned back to her sister. "Where's Aoi? Does he know you're going out? And where are you going? You know you're not allowed to walk around."
"Well, I don't like idling around, too. I'd get crazy from boredom. I'm going back to work."
"What?! You can't go back to work! The doctor said you needed rest!"
"I think I've got enough rest now." She grabbed her ear mufflers since it was still friggin' cold outside and put it on before grabbing her coat and shrugged it on as well. "I can drive, too, thank you and if you tried to stop me, I'm going to kick you out. If you're so worried about the twins, why don't you come with me?"
"I'm not only worried about the twin. It's you, too. You worry me."
"I'm not that fragile. And besides, it isn't like someone's going to come up to me and suddenly shoot me." another sardonic smile. "Get off my back, Suzuna. I couldn't allow Aoi to work singlehandedly on that theme we collaborated. It's bad enough that the panels weren't done yet."
"The panels are done."
Misaki's forehead creased. "What?"
"I finished the panels. I volunteered to help Aoi-nii and Maria-san." When Misaki didn't answer, Suzuna decided to went on. "I didn't want you to work—not when you're… like this. Your stress and exhaustion might pile up again and I would feel very bad if something were to happen to you… and them. So, as soon as you were out of the hospital, I talked to Aoi about it and he asked me to make ten panel samples. They said my designs were pretty good so… I'm counted in to the group."
"What about your Law school?"
"I'm fairing well. I actually came here to tell you I wouldn't be able to come around for awhile since I've got mock exams. And then, this is what I see."
Misaki chuckled, before she decided to abandon her lucky pack and walked towards to Suzuna to pat her on the head. "Thanks, but I mean it, you need not to worry about me anymore. I'm fine. I just really don't know what you and Aoi are so anxious about." She sighed. "Is it about Takumi?"
Suzuna flinched. That was the one name they would never dare mention when Misaki is around, so, when she mentioned that jerk's name without preamble, it felt as though she's been punched into the guts. Suzuna ended up nodding. "Yes. It's about that guy, indeed."
"Takumi," Suzuna flinched again. Misaki swallowed. "—will come around. As you can see, we're getting a divorce this March. We've already talked about it. I think this kind of distance is good to make things easier. But I'm fine. I'm not going to go suicidal on you and Aoi—not when I have… this." She pointed out the small bump on her stomach with obvious and honest enthusiasm. "We don't have histories of twins in our family and I wasn't sure if Aoi had but don't you think it's a miracle that we'd finally get the chance to see twins? I've always like twin children. They're like… sunshine."
"Are you not lying to me?" Suzuna pressed. "You're really fine about all… these?" she didn't want to mention the word divorce. Not when Misaki looked like she's breaking apart while forcing herself to act happy. But she was trying her best to act happy and uncaring. If she wanted her to believe she's happy, then, Suzuna would believe she was really happy. "Did you not regret anything at all?"
Misaki smiled, and affectionately flicks Suzuna on the forehead. "Silly girl. Why would I regret anything? It wasn't like I was never happy during the time we were together. I was happy with him… but as you can see, there are some things that aren't just meant to be—and that is where Takumi and I enters. We're not… we're simply two different beings that wasn't supposed to fall in love."
"What about you? What about your feelings?"
Another sad smile, and Suzuna's heart almost crumbled into pieces as Misaki started shaking her head. "I'll be fine. As the old saying goes, time heals, right? Takumi will always remain as someone important in my life because, you know, he will always be. But other than that, there's nothing else left. But I'll be fine. I told you, didn't I? If it didn't work out right, at least we've tried."
"And now, you were carrying his babies."
Misaki laughed at that. "Well, that's the repercussions of indulging myself with casual sex." She laughed again, while Suzuna simply rolled her eyes. At least she was smiling now, unlike when she was wheeled away out of the hospital. She looked like she was ready to strike a knife to her heart that's why she and Aoi couldn't have the heart and courage to leave her all by herself. "But fine I will be." Misaki assured Suzuna again. "So, I think it's high time you stop worrying. Just focused on your Law school and maybe, we can help Aoi and Maria together on the fashion center."
Suzuna's eyes narrowed. "You need to rest."
"I need to rest on the first trimester but I will be fine. So, suck it up."
She exhaled. There really was no way she could talk Misaki into resting. "Okay. You can work—but not today!" she said hastily when she started beaming. "Not today. Give it another week. You can start working after my mock exams. If something were to happen to you during my test, I'm certain I would flunk all subjects."
"Which you shouldn't. Law school is expensive."
"That's why you should rest. If I fail, you're the one to blame."
Misaki glared at Suzuna heatedly, and when she realized she couldn't really engaged into a battle of reasoning against a would-be lawyer, she nodded in defeat and shrugged off her coat. "Okay. Fine. Meeting adjourned. I concede. This case is forfeited, dammit."
Suzuna simply chuckled but she secretly sighed in relief to know that her stupid and stubborn sister finally gave in to her request. "Good. Now, you stay here like a good child and I'd ask Aoi to come and do the grocery with me."
"Can we do it instead? You treat me like an invalid."
"Soon you will be if you start pestering me again. Get off my back, Onee-chan." She got her bag and pulled out a thick book about babies again and handed it to her sister. There was a book about Photography, too, since she was well aware that her sister loves everything related to taking pictures. "There, I saw that while I was on the way here. Read all that—especially the book about the babies—while I wait for Aoi outside. That guy's been giving me headaches all night."
Misaki snapped her head towards Suzuna's direction when she heard the word all night. "Are you and Aoi dating?"
Suzuna coughed. "What? Are you crazy!"
"Well, if you two aren't, why are you reacting that way?"
"S-S—" Long and awkward silence. "Shut up!" Misaki was stunned, because not even once had she heard Suzuna stutter. She never stutters, not even when she reprimands her for being such a stubborn child. She doesn't even blushed—not ever. "Why would I date that spineless bastard?! God, is pregnancy affecting your brain, too? You're annoying! Get off my back!"
Misaki was about to say more when the door swung open, too, and Aoi came prancing inside carrying a box full of whatever it was he decided to waste money on again. He smiled at Suzuna too sweetly before grinning at Misaki. "Hello, my dear hummingbirds, I've bought something for you. They are silverwares since your plates here suck. Who the fuck bought that anyway? You know I'm allergic to cheap stuff."
Suzuna glared at Aoi. "I did. You got a problem with that?"
"You—You did? My, no wonder their so cute. What I mean to say is that I'm allergic to cheap stuff that Suzu didn't buy. I hope that clears the confusion." Misaki chuckled under her breath when Aoi winked at Suzuna. When the younger Ayuzawa didn't do as much as smile, Aoi's forehead creased. "What's up? Did your dog died or something? You look damn awful."
"Stay away from me!" Suzu hissed and grabs her bag before walking out. "I'll do the grocery alone!" she said and runs off.
Aoi was momentarily confused. "Did I do something?"
Misaki simply laughed. "Nah, I did. I asked her if she likes you."
He paused as that question perked up his interest. "You did? What did she say?"
"What's it to you?"
"Spit it out, you bastard." Aoi hissed with his blue eyes narrowing.
Misaki laughed again, and walks toward the dining to make food for them. "She said you're spineless."
.
"What are you doing?"
Aoi wanted to punch Takumi when he saw him again hanging out inside his car parked up front Misaki's pad while looking so busy reading that book he's currently addicted to. He reached out for another set on his dash and nearly laughed when he realized it's all about Babies 101—nearly. Seriously, his brother really needs a life.
"You're reading all these instead of brewing plans on how to come up to Misaki? You weren't even sure if she'd let you know she's pregnant."
Takumi froze flipping a certain glossy page and Aoi wondered if he had just delivered such a massive blow. "You're right. You're right." He set aside the glossy magazine on the backseat and suddenly got off the car; startling him. "You're right. You're right. I need to speak with her. We need to talk. We're having kids now and I couldn't divorce her—"
"What, you're telling her you couldn't divorce her because of the kids?" This time, he didn't just wanted to punch Takumi. Aoi started considering hammering him on the head, too, to deliver some sense into him. "Did you honestly think if you tell her that, she would drop everything she's holding, forget everything you've done to her and set aside the contract and come running back to you? Damn, here's what I think, tell her that you don't want to divorce her because she's pregnant, and I swear Misaki wouldn't hesitate smashing a table on your face."
He was silent for a moment before started walking towards the stairs leading to Misaki's pad.
Aoi jumped. "What the hell are you doing?"
"We're going to talk."
"In the friggin' middle of the night? Are you crazy? You really wanted to get killed, didn't you? Didn't I say you should speak with Suzuna first before you speak with Misaki. If you wanted to earn back her trust, you need someone backing you up."
"I don't need backers. I can handle everything just fine."
"Oh, okay. Don't say I didn't warn you." they stared at each other for a few more minutes before Takumi started walking back to him and collapsed down on the floor again.
"Damn, what should I do?" he groaned loudly. "I never felt this… hopeless before. This is so difficult. How am I going to approach Suzuna without getting myself killed?"
"This is so not like you."
"What should I be like, Aoi?" he snapped back. "I don't even think I still know myself. Everything's an extreme mess. If it wasn't for Gerard, WIC would have fallen into shambles. He has given me enough time to settle this and yet, I still couldn't do anything. I'm fucking useless."
He stared down at his brother and for a moment, Aoi thought his heart softened. Well, who wouldn't? This was Usui Takumi—his brother who had picked him up from the dumpsters when his family rejected him. He exhaled in defeat before he bent forward and pulled Takumi carefully on his arms. "Come with me."
"What? Where?"
"Suzuna's still on the center. I was supposed to drive her back to her dorm. Maybe, just maybe, she'd speak with you if you try to approach her calmly and explain yourself. She's a lawyer; she would never resort into doing violent stuff without having to hear your story."
"Well, what if she kills me?"
Aoi shrugged. "Then, say hi to Patricia for me." he ignored Takumi's pointed look as he pushed his own brother to his car while he ride on his own and sped off with Takumi trailing behind him.
.
Suzuna scanned through her law books while brainstorming about the design of the seating arrangement Maria keeps on complaining to Aoi about. She had seen the formation of the seats at Chiyo's gala and since they couldn't use the same pattern anymore, she decided to make her own designs—imitating the position of the chairs back in her classroom at the Law school—while, at the same time, memorizing rules and article numbers about violence without reason. Maria had been gone for some time now while Chiyo has just left a few minutes ago since Tora has finally yanked her out from work. She was about to leave, too, but that stupid Aoi suggested he drive her back to her dorm since taking the subway takes more hours from her supposed resting time.
And he even added she could sleep comfortably while she was inside the safe zone of his car. She remembered calling him a pervert thrice for no apparent reason and when she realized she's been thinking about nothing but Aoi for the entire duration of her day, she swiftly shakes her head and dumped Aoi into the nearest bin and started reading through her books again.
And then he remembered Usui Takumi and started thinking what she would have done had she suddenly see the guy simpering around women while her sister is pregnant with his child and is miserably locked inside her apartment because her pregnancy was so sensitive she could lost the baby anytime. She frowned, she never really like children. But somehow, she felt some sort of connection to her kids—maybe it was because somehow, she has some blood relation with them that she feels such maternal instincts even though she wasn't an expectant mother. But she remembered that her nieces would be growing up without a father and her blinding anger comes back and blinds her sense of reason again.
If she sees Usui Takumi, she could swear to any God that she wouldn't hit him once—because he'd damn receive more than that!
When she heard the sound of tires squealing, she swiftly gathered her things and dumped them all inside her bag. Working and studying at the same time was really tiring. And not only that, she's been going back and forth from the city to her Law school which isn't located anywhere near the city at all and it was really and already taking a toll on her. But she didn't mind. Misaki's health and the twins preceded her more than anything else. There would be additions to their very small family now and she wouldn't allow anyone to take her sister and her children from her.
She heard the doors leading to the center swing open and soon on, Aoi's voice echoed all throughout the deserted place. "Suzuna, still here?" he called out. "I'm afraid of huge places and ghosts so could you kindly answer if you're still here?"
She frowned. Spineless bastard. How could Misaki think I'd be dating that guy?! "I'm here. I was just fixing my things."
"Oh. Good. Is there someone with you?"
"No. I'm all alone here waiting for someone to fucking pick me up."
His footsteps echoed behind her. "That's rude. By the way, someone's here to see you. He said he wanted to speak with you. Isn't that nice? You gained a new friend—ow!"
Suzuna rolled her eyes because of Aoi's stupidity before she slung her bag over her shoulder and spun around, her narrowed eyes lock on Aoi. "You're so noisy—" and then she saw him.
Takumi, looking more like a real jackass than necessary, stared back at her expressionlessly. "Suzuna."
And then she saw red—or black. She wasn't even sure what shade it was. But she knew it was something that represented anger.
She started walking towards him, her palms itching for the kill and she could almost see Aoi gazing at the two of them uncomfortably. He looked like he was torn in between stepping away to give them space to breathe and stepping amidst them to stop a fight from breaking out. Instead, he started talking—something he'd start doing when he's nervous. "Takumi said he wanted to speak with you—" he gasped though when her hands automatically lifted and reached out for both sides of Takumi's head and without any warning, she slammed her head against his, full strength. Aoi looked like he was choking. "Suzuna!"
.
Aoi was fast as he launched himself amidst Suzuna who looked like she was ready to kill and Takumi who was clutching his forehead because Suzuna had friggin' smashed her head against his face. That hurt, he was certain of that, because both sisters had done the same thing to him before and of course, he wouldn't simply stand by and let the two kill each other. He was Switzerland and right now, he wouldn't take sides. He brought Takumi here for the right reasons and they need to make up now before things get even messier because they were all running out of time what with March swiftly approaching.
And damn, its mid-January now!
"Suzuna, will you—oof!"
"Stay out of it!" Suzuna screamed and tried reaching out for Takumi's neck. But Aoi swiftly blocked her view of his brother and Suzuna's fingers wrapped around his throat instead. He coughed. Suzuna glared at him. "I'd wring your neck, too, if you continued taking that jerk's side!"
"Look, I know you're mad—"
"I am freakin' mad!"
"—but we need to handle this like civilized people—"
"I am not a civilized person!"
"—and this is another means of making your sister happy!" that silenced her for a moment, and when she seemed like she has calmed down, Aoi sighed in relief when she finally unlaced her fingers off his throat. He sighed. "Look, I know you're mad and trust me, I am, too. But don't you think this has gone on too far?"
Suzuna's eyes narrowed at Takumi's before she glared at Aoi again. "Are you telling me that it was Misaki's fault?"
"What—no! It was Takumi's fault, hands down!" he shakes his head again and tries to push off Suzuna for a safer distance. "Look, your sister and my brother need to make up. And you need to forgive him, too. If we continued getting mad at each other, where would that lead us?"
"I don't care where it might lead me. I wanted to damn kill that guy!" she hissed and eyes Takumi again who was still massaging his jaw. It seemed like her head hit more than one spot. Hah, suits him! But her anger and irritation was still blinding that she couldn't resist charging against Takumi and Aoi again. "Just let me hit you one more time before I start speaking with you again—"
"Whoa, calm down, okay?" Aoi grabbed her wrist and tried to settle her down on the floor and gazes back at Takumi. "This won't work if you didn't spit out what's living in your head."
"I'd kill whatever it was that's living in your head." Suzuna snarled.
Aoi frowned at her. "Suzuna."
"What the hell is this, Aoi?" she snapped. "What is that guy doing here when he's solely the cause why my sister doesn't want to see both of us? Why did you bring him here when he's the reason why she plans to go away for a long time?"
That caught Takumi's attention because he suddenly snapped out of his trance and finally returned from whatever planet he's visited. "What do you mean by she's going away?"
"None of your business, you jackass!" she screamed. "Stay the hell away from her, you understand?! Because if she starts panicking again and hurts herself, I swear you wouldn't like much what I'm going to do to you!"
He exhaled, and starts massaging his face again. "For starters, I deserved what you did. You could hit me more if you want but only after hearing my side. I didn't mean to hurt your sister."
"Yeah, you didn't. You just cheated on her with that ugly Kaon bitch and you married her for the wrong reasons I don't even want to know anymore because if I did, I might really end up killing you," when Aoi started speaking again, she silenced him with one sharp glare. "—along with you, so, shut up."
Aoi nodded. "Yes, yes, I will, geez."
"I love Misaki."
Aoi gasped while Suzuna ended up with her eyes rounding in surprise. But she swiftly concealed her expression and tried to look unimpressed. "So? Now you say that after hurting her?"
"I know I was such a jackass and I deserved being called names or being beaten up by you because what I did really screw things over. But I mean it when I said that. I love her and I realized that a long time ago but I was just too stupid to admit anything because I'm afraid she'd reject me. I know your sister loved me, too, because she said so, but maybe, before she could even realized she loves me, I was already in love with her." he sighed, and a short period of silence stretched on as he lifted up his knees and placed his elbows on them, looking as though he was extremely defeated. "It was all my fault," Takumi admitted gingerly. "I screw this up—everything. And if I had just man up and asked your sister to marry me properly and screw our damn contract, this would not have happened at all. If I could take it all back, I would now. I didn't mean to screw everything. These are all probably excuses but I mean everything that I've said. I love Misaki, and I'm fucking stupid for not gathering enough courage to say that to her—and I would never forgive myself for doing this to her, for causing all these."
Another long period of silence, until Suzuna finally spoke. "You love my sister." what she said was more of a statement, and Aoi could almost notice that she's giving in. And he would admit that Takumi's confession had made him softer now, too, because he never expected to hear those kinds of words from his brother.
Usui Takumi, who was never capable of falling in love, just admitted that he's in love with Ayuzawa Misaki.
"I love Misaki." he says again, although this time, he looked damn miserable. "I love everything about her even when she's awkward or annoying or irrationally irate or unreasonable or simply being her. I love her whenever she's with me and I'm loving her more whenever she's gone to God knows where without my knowledge. I love how her hand fits mine easily because she makes it looked like everything about me is built only for her. I love her because she has given me enough reason to continue living and I loved her when she wordlessly yanked me out of my hatred of Gerard, Tora and the entire Walker family. I love her because she never thought of me nor Aoi as a bastard and I love her because it was her—and I would never bother to do anything like this unless it's her I'm doing all these for. I love her when she's trying hard to do anything and I love her when she thinks she couldn't please me when in fact, she does and my stupid heart just swells with too much happiness but I was fucking stupid for not admitting all that.
"We didn't meet the normal way but she arrived in my life like a whirlwind of smiles and I would do everything—even if it was no longer in my power—to keep that smile on her face. She saved me in every possible—and impossible—ways I could be saved and I'm glad I married her because she's probably the only woman better suited for me. And I wouldn't settle for anyone unless it's her. She's the place where my life begins, and she'll be where it ends, too. I love Misaki and I wouldn't allow anything to separate us. You're right; we married for the wrong reasons. Everything was fraud—but not my feelings. I love her even before she started loving me and if it wasn't her, then I wouldn't be happy. And I'm even willing to say all these to the entire world if it meant gaining her forgiveness."
Suzuna tried to look unimpressed as she continued faking a glare. "What about Kaon Umekoji?"
"That was nothing, okay?" This time, Takumi looked exasperated. "Had I known she was a crazy woman, I wouldn't have allowed her anywhere near me and Misaki. But I swear I never looked to any woman—nor touch other women—while I was married to her. You might consider me as a fucking rake but I never dare cheat on her. She's the only woman for me—Misaki, I mean—and I would never dare look at another woman even if she wasn't around. She's frustrating, all right, but she's Misaki and I love her even if she frustrates the hell out of me."
"If you have these stupid feelings for her, then why the hell didn't you admit it all? Why allow reaching this kind of situation?"
"What do you expect me to do, Suzuna?" he asked miserably. "I never felt this kind of thing before. It was scary and I fear her rejection. People—my own family, to be specific—had been trampling over me repeatedly as though I was some trash. I've been rejected my entire life and I've been told that people would continually reject me no matter what I do. That's why I became like this. I don't want people to reject me that's why I'm pushing them away. But your sister didn't reject me and it confused me. What she did is out of the normal situation I was usually placed into. It was confusing, being in this kind of situation and feeling all these complex emotions, that's why I tried to pushed her away as much as I could. And just when I was finally able to build up enough courage to tell her I love her, she had to see me on that kind of situation that crazy Kaon put me into. I wanted to explain things but she looked like she was going to jumped off the building to get away from me. And I couldn't explain things properly, not when Kaon's within her sight looking like some damned prostitute. Not when I was an extreme mess. I don't know what to do. I wanted to start over but I could only do that if you forgive me, if you help me get her back because I know I wouldn't be able to do that easily because she has already shut her heart close to me. My time's running out. Come March, she'll be expecting divorce and I don't want that. If I fucking lost her, too, I don't know where else I would go."
Suzuna sighed, that was probably the longest conversation she ever had with Usui Takumi, and now that he revealed everything that's been inside her messy head, she felt guilty for actually smashing his skull open. But he still deserved that because he had hurt her sister even after realizing he was in love with her.
She stared at his miserable figure before she fished out some key inside her bag and threw it on him. "That's her house keys."
Takumi's forehead creased. "Why are you giving this to me?"
"Well, don't you want to speak with her?"
"I… I do, but—"
"I'll be there to support you, stupid brother-in-law." She stands and smiled a small one as she pulled Takumi up and pushed him off to the exit. "Go home and get some fucking rest. I'll talk to my sister tomorrow."
But he still remained on his spot. "Was I forgiven?"
"Well, after hearing all that, I'm not really that cold hearted. I'm a woman, and I know when a man is lying to me." she finally smiled when Takumi suddenly charged against her and embraced her tightly. And then, she pushed him away, trying to frown even though she was having fun. "Go home and get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow."
He nodded, he seemed like he has finally breathed in some life before he nodded at Aoi and run off to the exit.
Behind her, Aoi whistled. "That was epic."
Suzuna grinned mischievously. "Tomorrow would be epic. Did you record everything he's said?"
While grinning, too, Aoi revealed the small camera he's been hiding amidst him and Suzuna while they were sprawled on the floor. "Every single word."
Andy