Chapter Twenty-Five: What The Future Holds

"Can you set the table, sweetie?" My mom asks, swiping at suspicious beads of sweat forming under her hairline. "I need a break."

A break from what? We ordered takeout.

But I wisely hold my tongue and I rummage through the silverware drawer, searching the cabinets for our best dishes. I could have cooked dinner tonight under normal circumstances. But I had to spend most of this afternoon mentally preparing myself and talking Kyo off the ledge in regards to the invitation to dinner.

Its not like it came as a shock that he tried to back out of something like this. Even though it was something my mom proposed to support me and thank him for being there for us at the funeral. Dinner with the parents of your...girl...person...just screams relationship. And even though things seemed to be different between us, they weren't different enough.

"A little more to the left please," my mom requests, fanning herself with the Thai food menu. "Very good. And don't forget to set a place for your father. He'll be joining us."

"Really?" Try as I might, its impossible to disguise the surprise in my voice. "He told you that?"

She pauses, her green eyes searching the room. For an out or for the man in question for fear of him eavesdropping, I don't know. But all of a sudden she looks angry.

"Yes," she confirms through clenched teeth, rising up to busy herself with retrieving a bottle of chardonnay from the liquor cabinet. "He did."

Then why does she sound so annoyed about it? I know they aren't exactly the happiest couple out there, but they still loved each other. So what gives?

"Oh," I say instead, rolling up a napkin at the head of the table for Satoshi. I ensure that it hides the oatmeal stain on it from breakfast three weeks ago. But it doesn't take my mind off the possibility I feared most; another divorce.

My fingers tremble then, making it more difficult to loop the next napkin through its ring. I grab my wrist to try and keep it from shaking, continuing with my task of setting the table as if nothing is wrong.

And fifteen minutes later, Satoshi leaves his study, a face full of stubble and crow's feet pulling at his dull eyes as he takes his seat at the head of the table. My mom comes around with a box of fried rice and scrambled eggs, scraping it onto one of the many dishes scattered on he tablecloth.

"Did you wash up for supper?" She asks him, keeping her eyes on what she's doing instead of her husband.

"I don't need you checking up on me," he answers, curtly. "Or did you forget that I'm capable of taking care of myself?"

"Apparently you can't if you didn't remember to shave," she retorts, raising her eyes to glare at him. "Or to support me through everything. Have you forgotten the vow you made to me? For better or for worse. Or do you just remember what's convenient for you to remember?"

He slams his fist onto the table, causing the dishes to jump. "That's enough!" He glances over at me, schooling his harsh expression to a blank one as if me being in the room saved them from this conversation. "We have a guest coming over. Now is not the time to talk about that."

And for some reason, its as if that single statement sucks the oxygen out of the room.

Because it was familiar to me.

Like an old lullaby; a song I'd heard once before.

The same one my father sang before he left my mother, relocating to Okinawa.

I finish placing the napkins, before making a mad dash out of the room without any words of explanation. I close the door to my room behind me and rest my weight against it. I slide down to the floor, gripping my hair and squeezing my eyes shut as I try to not think about it.

I just need to stop thinking about it.

Yeah...that's all.

I won't be left alone.

I won't be left alone.

I won't be left alone.

I continue saying this to myself over and over again until I'm calm and can stand again. With a deep breath in, I exit the room and return to the table, waiting for Kyo to arrive.

...

"Bing. Bong," the doorbell chimes, announcing his arrival.

"I'll get it," my mom says in a pinched voice, forcing a smile to her lips as she makes her way to the door.

I tap my foot against the table legs, focusing on the motion instead of the strife coursing through the room, until I'm jolted out of limbo by the new presence of a familiar body next to me. I keep my eyes trained on the meal in front of me until I'm able to collect myself enough to not let my mood show, before I manage to lift my gaze to rendezvous with his.

But what I see throws me off.

He looks...almost...concerned.

Was I that obvious?

"So," my mom cuts in, seating herself across from us, "Kyo, how are things going for you at school? Are you doing well?"

I turn to her, attempting to convey how intrusive that was without speaking, only to find myself ignored for the sake of his answer.

"Yeah, I'm doing alright," he says, picking up a bead of rice with his chopsticks. "Your daughter helped me out with some of it," he continues, letting his leg rest against mine beneath the table.

And for the first time, I notice how nicely he cleans up when he wants to. He was wearing one of his black button downs and matching slacks that were probably reserved for special occasions.

Did he think this was worthy of that?

"That's wonderful," my mom bubbles, dabbing at her lips with a napkin. "Gina doesn't help just anybody with that. Though I just don't understand why she would be ashamed of that IQ of hers."

"Mom," I say in warning. "Please...drop it."

"You know your mother," Satoshi drawls, his tone injected with false sweetness. "She just can't let anything go."

Her chopsticks clatter against the plate, slipping from her grip. "And you seem to have a poor memory as it was you that told me now's the wrong time and place for this."

I run my hands down my face, feeling beyond mortified.

This is not happening right now.

"The food is really good," Kyo says, his eyes darting from me to my mom. "I guess Gina must have learned how to cook from you, ma'am."

I choose to cling to the hope that he just rescued this evening from dangerous territory, only to find my efforts to be in vain with what comes next.

Satoshi snorts at the compliment, snagging a bite of grilled fish. "If she knew how to cook, I'd say your theory was founded. Sorry to disappoint, son. But its baseless as her food is tasteless."

"That's it!" My mom snaps, standing abruptly. "I need to see you in the other room, Satoshi...now."

He follows her into their bedroom, not protesting for once, leaving Kyo and I alone together.

And its then that I hide my face behind my hands. Because everything was falling apart right in front of my face and there was nothing I could do to stop this. Once again its powerless, weak Gina that can't save her parents from each other. Unable to keep her own family from splitting up.

"Hey," Kyo prods, tugging my arm to remove one hand from my face. "Ki- Gina?"

I let out a shaky breath, allowing him to pull my other hand away to leave me open.

"What?" I gnaw on my lower lip as everything flashing in front of me threatens to crush me beneath its heel. "You can always leave if you want. I didn't force you to come here."

He scoffs, making me look at him directly with his finger under my chin. "Like I'd back down. I don't walk away scared of anything. Especially not...this..." His hand drops to my lap, turning in his chair so that my legs are between his. As if he's trying to lock me in place and keep me from running away. Because leaving this situation behind me was the first thing I wanted to do.

"You're not gonna let me win, are you?" He asks, interlacing our hands together. "If I stick this out, then you have to. Or else you lose to me. And I know you can't stand losing a fight."

I squeeze his hand, needing something to hold me down as I consider his words.

And I come to the single conclusion that he was right.

I wouldn't...I wouldn't walk away this time.

Or hide.

I will see this through, even if it turns out to be a nightmare.

Because through it all he makes it tolerable.

Its us against the world.

Satoshi decides to turn in early for the night. At least that's the excuse my mom gives.

She says that we'll redo this dinner another time. But we should continue as there was no sense in the food going to waste.

And I decide that its okay. Because Kyo never once lets go of my hand, even as we eat, and the cumbersome absence of my step-dad tapers off into the background.

...

Friday

"Will you sit still?" He asks, laughing despite himself as he attempts to pin me to the mattress and take what was his.

"Mm-mm," I say, shaking my head and holding the documentation out of reach, squirming my way up the bed as he swipes at me again. "Not until you say it."

"No way in hell."

"Kyo," I wag my free finger at him, leaking reproach into my tone. "Say it..."

For a moment, I think he might just admit that I'm the better fighter. But I realize my disillusionment a millisecond too late when he's already sprung into action and lunges at me.

"Ah!" I yelp, feeling smothered under the sudden addition of a masculine body on top of mine. "Was that really necessary?"

"Yeah," he says, plucking the papers out of my hand before jamming them into his back pocket. "Was stealing the deed to the place worth me getting on top of you?"

I can't help but smile deviously as my mind takes that statement and twists it.

"Its about time you took control. I shouldn't always be the one doing all the work...setting the pace," I drawl, running my finger over his lips, wanting my lips to take its place.

His eyes go back and forth between mine, like he can't quite decide which is his favorite, before they close and he dips his head. And when he slides his lips over mine, I forget everything else but how insane this made me, and all the ways I could make him go crazy.

But before I can make any of it a reality, he draws back first, his hand drifting behind him once more. Only this time, he waves the prize in front of me. Like he's baiting me to try and grab for it again.

"If you're good, I'll tell you what's in this," he teases.

It was cute of him to think I wouldn't rise to the occasion.

Keeping my eyes locked with his, I pop open the buttons of my blouse, one by one by one. And I take his free hand, placing it over my cleavage with a smirk of my own. When he swallows and shifts a little...I know the ball is in my court.

"Are you sure that's what you want from me?" I cluck my tongue, shaking my head in disbelief. "You and I both know that you want your little bad girl, Kitty around." I draw his hand toward my mouth, circling the tip of his finger with my tongue, before withdrawing it. "Am I wrong?"

He licks his lips, looking away. "S-Shut up...I'll just tell you anyway." He folds his arms across his chest, like a pouting child that didn't get their way. And its hilarious to me. "I've been given the rights to the dojo by Kazuma...dad, I mean."

With this news, we both sober up, and he looks to the ceiling as he recounts the story for me.

"My old man decided to get his will taken care of and he signed it over to me as the beneficiary in case..." he clears his throat, pushing past the crack in his voice over that statement "...in case something happens to him. Or he retires. He says I can take the first two years out of high school helping him run it if I'm not ready for college, or if its what I want to do with my life. But I already know what I want to do."

"Oh?" I say, feeling my own letter begging for my attention in my front pocket. "I assume you want to help with the dojo?"

"Of course I do!" He confirms, pumping his fist into the air. "Can you imagine me teaching people how to do what we do? Fighting until their last breath! It'll be just like my dream!"

At this I pause in getting out my own folded up paper, curious. "Dream? What are you talking about?"

All of a sudden, he looks embarrassed. He's quick to change subjects, crouching down and most likely pretending to be searching for something under his bed. "You said you had something you wanted to tell me."

I roll my eyes, unable to keep the smile off my lips very long as I finally take out the single paper my entire future depended on. Okay. Scratch that. Thinking about everything hanging in the balance was making me feel petrified.

"I'll tell you if you get up here and sit beside me." I tease, poking fun at his bribe from earlier. "I need my Kitty-Kat for moral support."

As expected, this snaps him out of his former shame, and he climbs onto the bed where I wanted him to be. "Seriously, Kitty?"

"Yes, Citrus Boy," I throw back, sticking my tongue out. "Do you want to find out or not?"

He narrows his eyes, fixing his face into a near grimace. "Fine."

I smile, deciding to throw caution to the wind and I lay my head on his shoulder, feeling a lot less afraid of reading this while being so close to him.

"This will determine if I got early acceptance to a University I've been wanting to go to since I was in middle school," I explain, beaming now that he's pulled me even closer, regardless of the tremors of my hands. "Its says...Dear Miss Hiyashi, congratulations on your admission- ah! I got in!" I squeal, throwing my arms around him, causing us to fall backward.

But I don't care. Because something good was actually happening.

"I didn't doubt they would take you," Kyo says, a smile in his voice as he strokes the back of my hair. "They'd be stupid if they rejected you. Even I know that."

"Aww. I never knew you were so sweet."

"Stop."

"But seriously, this is huge for me," I continue, sitting up on my elbows. "Now I'll actually be able to start interning at this private pediatric clinic I was looking into. I'll be shadowing the doctor, learning how to work with the patients, and I get to do the basics like checking for vitals and things."

"Really?"

I nod, finally relieved of one weight on my chest. "Yeah. I'm just...I wonder if its normal to feel weird that things are working out so well. Sometimes it feels like I don't really deserve to be happy."

His brows furrow, followed by the cant of his head. "Are you kidding me? You've never done anything wrong or pushed someone away. You're..." he drops his head, fidgeting. "No one in their right mind would hurt you on purpose. And I doubt you would either."

"I used to think I was the reason my dad left." I laugh, coldly. "When he came home one night - the only time he drank too much - he bumped his head on the counter. And, I was useless. I couldn't help patch him up. I didn't know something as simple as first aid.

"But it was the feeling of not being enough that made me aspire to become a doctor. I wanted to help others so that they'd never end up in the same position."

"Well..." he raises up on his forearms, his hands moving to my knees. "I guess we both win."

We both win.

Why did I get a strange feeling about that? Like it was another tune I'd heard before.

Deciding not to think too much of it, we celebrate the progress that was made. Holding a private festivity where no clothes were allowed and we always ended up caught up in each other, catapulted into the fray.

He uncrosses my legs, spreading them enough that he fits between them. And my pulse stutters as his hands move through my hair to tilt my head back, leaving me in the vulnerable position of him watching everything I felt in my eyes. But the same could be said for him. And like a reflection, the moment he drags his lips across mine in a kiss, we moan at the same time. And I feel heat building in my stomach and at my core. His fingertips trail from my knee to my thigh until they slip under my skirt and he cups my backside. I arch against his touch, secretly turned on by how aggressive he was when he saw what he wanted. And there was nothing sexier than being what a man wants and will do anything to get.

He smirks against my lips, his thumbs stroking my bare flesh, making my body hum at the attention. "No underwear?"

I move my hands to the back of his legs, bringing him forward so that he's pressed up against me. And I allow a small smile as I say, "I wasn't sure if you'd notice any time soon. But it shouldn't surprise you too much."

"Why's that?" He asks, adopting a lower tone as his tongue fearlessly roams down the column of my throat and he kisses his way to my shoulder.

"Because...you make me do naughty things," I say, wondering if its really me and not somebody else speaking for me. It was almost like I was becoming less like myself every day. But that's silly...I'm overreacting.

He groans, the vibrations of it sinking into my bones, as his hands glide back down to my legs to hook them around his waist. He lays me back on his bed and pushes up on me, hitting that spot that makes my eyes roll back.

"Its not fair..." I breathe, my cheeks flushed. "You always make me lose it first. Guys are usually the ones to finish first."

He slows the contact of our bodies, swiping his hair out of his eyes to see me more clearly. His gaze seeks out the view of where we were almost connected before sweeping back to meet mine. And a genuinely warm smile overcomes the tormented expression he normally wore.

"I want you to be pleasured first, dummy. But if you want me to stop being so considerate..." He trails off, noticing how much darker my face has become, fighting the smug grin tugging at his lips.

I flatten my hands over his back, thankful when his warm, tan skin is what I'm met with instead of a shirt that would only slow things down. Though I hide my approval behind a scowl. "You're a meanie."

He laughs, leaning into me to press his lips against the corner of my mouth, teasing me with his scent and his proximity. Before he retreats and takes the smell of spices with him. "Yeah. Sure I am. I guess me acting like that makes you hot if you're ready for me already."

And as much as I don't want to admit it...there's no lying or joking my way out of that. Its not like he can't tell. I was the one at a disadvantage this round.

"You make it sound one-sided," I respond, not louder than a murmur. "You've wanted me since I took your finger in my mouth earlier."

He blinks, his mouth opening and closing.

I smile, looking to the stars that hung over our heads. And I think about the telescope that sat outside my balcony every night. Though I imagine searching for constellations would only be enhanced if he looked with me, I was no fool.

We wouldn't go near the subject of dating with a ten foot pole.

And the more I pictured us being together and getting closer than we were already...

The more I thought about how bad it would be if it ended in a breakup.

I've already been through one divorce. And the thought of losing the only guy I like over an argument or a fight because we decided to be together, was a thought that murdered my confidence.

Between that and the fear of him getting bored of me, I progressively closed myself off as I found new things I liked about him. And the longer I buried Gina, the heavier it got.

And the more I became somebody else...

The more I lost myself in the end.

The secret admirer reveal is getting closer! I hope you all are ready for it. :D