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— Intentions —
29# - Merry Concerns
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"Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up."
― R. W. Emerson
―
— U. Takumi
Did I trust her? Of course I did. But not without clear judgment, and my own pride wasn't allowing me to remain clueless to my own whereabouts.
Glancing across the wide hall, I found her standing near the bench where Gerald was sitting on. Looking prim and proper in her sharp business suit, I couldn't help but be reminded of her gasping moans and the adorable blush she had sported this morning...
I mentally slapped myself. After wise consideration, I shouldn't have gone there, in my memories... Not in a public area, knowing how my body would eagerly respond. Clearing my mind of any lewd remembrances, my gaze focused back on the present.
She bent down, intently listening to Gerald's words with a sincere glint in her eyes.
How could she be such a great actress?
I felt more at ease already after knowing that it was only her, putting on a goddamn show. Yet, the possessive man that I was still didn't want her anywhere near that prick; a prick that —unfortunately— was my blood-related brother.
"Usui," Sotaro sternly called. "Will you sign that paper or would you rather wait until your conviction is addressed?"
"Mhm..." I vaguely hummed, apposing my name on the label in a quick scrawl. "What is it for, anyway?"
He sighed dejectedly. Clearly, I was being such a dork with him, and he even came close to being accustomed to it. "Don't start this meaningless discussion with me. Time is precious, and it is not to be wasted."
"You're so strict," I grinned, before heading to the interview room we had reserved. "Anyway, I read them already, just wanted to know whether you'd tell me the truth about them or not."
"That's precisely why I told you not to lose your time asking futile things." He said, and adjusted his glasses upon his nose with a precise flick of his fingers. "I always tell the truth... and we will win this case."
A faint smile painting my expression, I cast a last glance at Gerald's permanent scowl before disappearing into the corridor with my unique —but who needed more than a decent one anyway?— lawyer.
—
"Your trial is set in three days. Do you feel confident about it?"
My lawyer, Sotaro, began to pace around, perusing me with his pointed gaze. It was already the fourth time we were rehearsing, and honestly, I didn't even think I'd make it through the second time.
"I guess," I nonchalantly said. He gave me a pointed glare, making me gulp back my half assed answer. "Very much, I meant."
Only two persons could glare at me that way and elicit any reactions from me. That was my lawyer and my lover. Through I liked my lover's glare considerably more than this strict and expectant one. At least, I could kiss her scowl away, whereas Sotaro's... No. Just no.
"Are you guilty for involuntary manslaughter?"
"I merely wrote an article."
"Are you aware that you ended someone's life by doing so?"
"You're supposed to claim 'leading question' right now. And in the case it is overruled, which will most probably be —as you told me the Jury would be corrupted, then— I did not end anyone's life."
"Are you aware that somebody's life ended by means of your article?"
"Not until I was falsely accused of such."
Sotaro slowly nodded. "Correct, do not ever say that you are responsible for the murder. You are not guilty." He cleared his throat, his eyes skimming on the layers of paper covering on the table. "Moving on. We will forgo the basic introduction questions."
"Do you know who Gerald Walker is?"
"Apart from being my sibling, he also is working for the Walker Corporation, I believe."
"Are you aware of his standing in the Walker firm?"
"I am not."
"What is your name?"
"I believe I have already stated it."
"What is your name?"
"Usui Takumi."
"Please, state your name, as in written in your birth certificate."
"Walker Rachester Usui Takumi."
And it went on and on. Minutes stretching to hours, just as the past weeks had flown away. Relentlessly, he asked me all kind of questions, to the most basics one to the trickiest, passing in between the sensible ones or the awfully average variety.
"Do you resent the Walkers for neglecting you over your younger years?"
I tiredly sighed, stretching in my seat. "You've asked me this question thrice already."
"This is a variation. You have to be ready for all kind of insensitive."
"I'm tired, I want to go home..." I yawned.
He glanced at his sleek wristwatch. "There is forty seven minutes left until our appointment comes to a conclusion. You will be free afterward."
Forty seven minutes until I could see Misaki... It was forty seven minutes too long...
His eyes narrowed, as if aware of my resilient thoughts. "Go home, and I won't show up in three days."
Hard tone and razor-sharp glare, I had seemingly no choices but to surrender... I sighed once more, and braced myself for the next inquiry assault. Examinations with him were like a damn battlefield, where I was left bombarded with his merciless questions.
Forty six minutes left until I get to hold you, love.
—
— A. Misaki
The sound of the front door closing stirred me out of my thoughts. Sharply chopping down onto the poor tomato beneath my fingertips, a faint squish resounded in my kitchen before I felt warm palms curl around my waist. A characteristic cologne wafted to me, making my lips lift in a faint smile.
"What are you up to, sweetheart?" He left a quick kiss on my cheek before his head leaned over my shoulder. His arms wrapped around my waist in a loose embrace.
I arched an eyebrow, and resumed my tomato cutting. "Can't you see it? I'm cooking."
An husky chuckle rasped my ear. "Sorry to disappoint, but... What you are doing isn't cooking. It's more like... Tomatoes torture..."
I wordlessly kept chopping the red pieces dry. The juice smeared all around, leaving none on the battered slices.
"Nonsense."
"What are the charges for tomatoes-slaughter? You're a threat for the tomatoes wellbeing... Persecuting their tomatoes rights to be cut beautif—..."
Shoving the knife down, a low growl spilt free from my lips.
"Oh? Don't tell me that law-talk makes you hot, Misa-chan..."
When I turned around, my eyes met with his bold gaze and he slowly grinned with his casual handsomeness. Something on my face must've pleased him... I started to scowl, before realizing that I already was scowling big time. My expression only went even sharper, making him lean back and slide his hands away —away from my body.
"Yeah... Totally makes you hot," he bit down on his bottom lip, trying not to laugh. I licked my own lips, trying to find a snarky comeback. His gaze zoomed onto the gesture, his eyes darkening with hunger. I immediately took a step back with preemptive precaution.
"Whatever you're planning to do... Don't." I wasn't sure anything I could do would deter him, especially in this situation where he road-blocked me against the counter. But still...
"And what am I going to do?" he purred like a cunning tiger would, his fingertips clenching around the kitchen island, enclosing me into his space.
"Usui, we just... this morning..."
He slightly shifted, his crisp dress shirt brushing on my skin. Tingles of awareness shot through me.
"We just?... What did we do, Misaki?" he innocently asked, softly tilting his head on the side.
His sandy blonde hair swayed with the motion, looking all fluffy and appealing. All I wanted to do was run my hand into it. Still, he made a point not to touch me anymore, so I wouldn't either.
"We were doing... uh... something." I blurted before pointing at one of his arm. "Now let me pass through, I need to get some stuff."
Expectedly, he didn't let go at all.
"Tell me, can't you be more specific at all?" he arched one eyebrow with a mocking grin. Bending down, his mouth hovered an inch over the base of my neck. "And then, we are also absolutely doing something right now, aren't we?"
His voice was very much suggestive. And the suggestions made me very much squirm into place. I restrained my body from its free will, stilling anything that would betray me. Abashed, I stared at him with a grossed out face.
"Don't start with me! We're talking right now. Just talking!"
His head tilted all the way to the other side. Now wearing his smug smile, his emeralds sparkled when he dipped closer. I began to fall back, arching my back upon the counter but he merely reached past me to take something behind me.
"What are yo—..." He slipped a piece of tomato into my mouth, cutting my sentence right in the middle. Just like I had somehow cut the tomatoes, I thought, slowly chewing as his fingertips rested on my lips.
"Are we still talking now? Or are we doing something?"
"Takumi! I'm trying to cook your meal, right now! Like, seriously!"
He quietly stared at me, his gaze intense and his smile as if frozen in place. A long minute flew by, my confidence slowly decaying as he stood there with his consuming forest eyes. Then, it all whisked away, and he leaned back with a playful expression smoothing back his sharp lines.
"I was just messing with you," he mirthfully laughed, dragging his body to the nearest stool. "And I'm starving," he added, slumping onto it.
Seeing that I was still suspicious, not exactly knowing what being starved meant for him, he put his hands up in surrender.
"The normal starving, not your favorite-perverted-next-to-be-husband's one, sweetness." He sagged down onto the cold island marble.
"Yeah, right," I carefully narrowed my eyes on his inert body laying there. The reluctance he was suddenly feeling was not lost on me.
"What's up? Did Sotaro bully you or something?" I asked, checking the boiling water pot on the fire. The spaghettis were smoothly cooking, taking their big and warm bath there.
Even I could boil freaking pasta all fine, geez...
He didn't answer as I turned back on him, my eyes trying to search for where he had gone to in his mind. "That would explain why you went all commando on me, uh?" I shyly smiled with blatant doubt in my voice, trying to lighten up the mood or anything.
He grumbled something under his breath, before he crossed his arms on top of the flat surface and buried his head into them.
"You're going to laugh if I tell you," he breathed, his speech coming out all muffled in his own hold.
Worriedly, I stepped up to him, before my hand automatically came to fondle his hair. Lovingly, because I loved him, no matter how childish he could be, or how... out of the weather he seemed to be, today.
"I promise I won't," I murmured.
"No, I'm sure you will. And it will definitely hurt my manly ego..." I snorted at his words and his absurd melodrama. Not willing to look at me, he snuggled his head harder into the crook of his arms, making a total overplay of the whole Naww-I-don't-wanna-tell-youuu scenario. I gently tugged his hair up.
"I won't, come on, I'm hell of curious now... Don't act like this now, Takumi."
It couldn't be that serious if he were acting this way, could it be? Yet, he apparently wasn't planning on telling me anymore than that, because he laid there, completely motionless as I patted his hair. Feeling the strands glide between my fingers, I soothingly massaged his scalp with my fingertips.
"Don't tell me you're sleeping... Now, Takumi, come on..." He didn't bulge an inch.
Fine. Leaning down to his ear, I blew a super cold blow, making him jump in stupefaction, his eyes wide open.
The look I gave him was like: 'Role inversing isn't so bad, huh, love?'
His copied signature smug grin plastered on my face, he gave me his own version of the cute pout. Even with this kind of expression on his face, he managed to look as adorable as a puppy, and as hot as the best model ever found on Earth. No way he would win me over this way, though.
"Tell me," I demanded.
I could almost see the puppy ears curling down with sweet plea. "But...But..." He softly whined, eyebrows down and his bottom lip sticking out.
"No buts. Tell me. Now." I cocked my eyebrows up with a seductive grin. "Else, you're not getting what I planned for you, tonight..."
I thought I saw his jaw hang open, but if it did, he closed it back in a flash. "Fine..." he grumbled and dropped the puppy act, propping up onto his elbows.
I forced myself to look impassive, though all I wanted was to let that wide and victorious grin light up my whole face. Good God, inversing the roles was so fun actually, I grinned, watching him comply to my words.
"Well, the truth is..."
My gaze urged him to go on as he stared at me, in his charming green eyes a glint of hope as if —perhaps— I could become his savior or something. But for what reason in the hell could this guy be insecure for? He was already gorgeous, charming, witty, funny, smart...ugh...
Perfection in a human being was impossible until he made it possible...
"It's that, you know, in three days..."
Three days... "Yeah? Your trial?"
"Yes. That..."
"Well?"
His gaze whipped left and right, before landing back on mine.
"Well... I'm..."
"You are?..."
Slowly, I saw his adam's apple bob up and down, the telltale sign of a nervous gulp. He looked down at his fingers, finding them outstandingly inspiring today, out of all days. Damn, even his fingernails were pretty neat and tidy. A shaky exhale after that, and he dove down the drain all the while staring back up at me.
"Well... I'm..." He anxiously whispered. "Nervous." His voice was low and full of sorrow, as if he had just confided his biggest sins.
Nervous.
The world froze for a second or two...
And I burst out laughing.
—
Author's note:
Fellow readers, my lovelies ;_;
I hereby announce you the official END of my holidays, so yeah... *puts back the dead flag upon the stories*
I won't be updating like mad anymore, but I was really glad you liked the last two weeks, —it means you liked my story so, I'm really... melting... Thank you people... ;v;
And yeah, See you, next update =) !
A huuuuge thanks to any of you, yeah, you! Thanks! :D
