Chapter Twenty Three

Chieko's POV

"You betrayed me."

From the moment I saw those words form in Yoichi's lips, I knew I was doomed. I stared at him blankly, feeling nothing but the cold sweeping in my skin. The wind blew into my open window and I felt it wrap us both. It is as if time stopped in the most unfortunate moment. Yoichi hated me for loving another person but him.

He wanted me, but I didn't want him that way.

"What's wrong? Why do you look so torn?" Yoichi asked. I can still feel his steely gaze onto my face as I looked down and I felt myself go weak of all the sadness and shock. Yoichi never held me this way. He never looked at me this way. He never used this voice to me, ever. This isn't the Yoichi I went away with.

This isn't my friend anymore.

I feel him grip my shoulders a little bit tighter and he slowly shook me until I looked at him at shock. "Now tell me, Chieko. Have you developed any untoward feelings for my dear friend Soryu?" he silently asked. I couldn't bear to answer when he is so tense and so angry. It'd make everything worse. He shook me hard while he gritted his teeth and said "Have you? Answer me!"

"Stop it, Ichi! Ichi, stop you're hurting me!" I screamed. He kept on shaking me until I could feel my head rock back and forth from the force of his shaking. It is as if he is trying to shake out the admission out of me. He's hurting me and he is hurting himself more. I suddenly hear my door and I saw the twins enter and they are trying to stop Yoichi from abusing me. But he pushed them away and harshly said, "You stay out of this. This isn't your business." From the look of warning in Yoichi's eyes, the twins knew he needed to vent out his anger. The more he touches me, the more I feel resentment rise through me. I know were my loyalties lie, and falling in love wasn't a form of betrayal in any form or whatsoever but it seemed to me that he was trying to own when all the while he shouldn't.

I have never felt so deprived of my freedom.

He suddenly threw me on my bed with a force that left me bouncing as I landed on my mattress. I looked at him, feeling anger rise up in my system.

"How dare you, Eko? I gave you everything you needed and this is how you repay me?" he yelled. He stood there, fuming with his hands tightly curled up on his sides as he looked down on me and I stared back.

"You dare try to blackmail me with the favors you have done for me?" At this point, I knew my patience was at its limits. I slowly stood up and looked at him squarely in the eyes. "How dare YOU, Yoichi? You have no claim over me. Nothing. Not even my heart." I whispered. His eyes widened at my retaliation and I see the twins tense up behind us. "What did you just say?" he softly asked.

"I have a right to like someone of my own choosing. I have a right to live a life that is my own. I have a right and I am able to love Soryu if I can because I do and there's noth-" I said but what I was saying was cut short when I felt a stinging pain on my cheeks and the next think I know I am on the ground, holding my left cheek.

Yoichi have slapped me and the twins were there, looking at me wide eyed.

Yoichi never tried to hurt me this way. Whenever we had disagreements, communication was our primary resort. But I guess that rule doesn't apply to us now.

I stared at him in shock as I sat there, feeling the sting on my cheeks and I couldn't help but just stare at him dumbfounded. I wanted to say something, anything; but the shock of what he did remained such a huge surprise for me that I can't even find the words to say anything.

Yoichi, what monster have you turned into?