"I'm going to miss you so much Papa." Sakura says as she hugs him tightly her eyes watering as if ready to cry.
"See you later Father." Mina said as she graced him with a warm embrace.
When it got to Misaki's turn the air changed from a bubbly childlike atmosphere to one of personal tenderness.
"See you later Misaki." He said holding her closer to him, his finger interlaced in her silky hair.
"Bye Takumi." She said in a smile while her voice hinted her sadness.
In a whisper close to her ear, Takumi insolently asked ,"Can I kiss you?", a boyish smile sprinkled across his lips.
This time, Misaki had the pleasure to smirk, after all this time it had to be impossible to be surprised at how perverted he is, even at a time like this. Strategically she tapped her cheek, giving him only one option rather than many that will all led to the choice Misaki wants him to pick in the first place.
Takumi smiled brightly and kissed her cheek without any sense of urgency taking into consideration that his flight leaves in an hour.
"Oh come on?!" Said Mina as all this mushy gooey stuff was not for her.
Tugging at the bottom of his shirt Sakura meekly said, " I want a kiss to..."
This only feed into Takumi's fatherly ego as the child who technically is not his, loves him spite that simple fact, "Which cheek, the left or the right."
"Mmm...the right one, like mommy." She said, gushing with happiness.
As Misaki looked at the scene unveiling in front of her she sighed out of relief and happiness as the pieces in her life are falling back into peice. Sure the pieces are not what she expected but-
Misaki nudged Mina, "Go give him a kiss honey, I know you want to." She said in a motherly tone as she stroked her blonde hair.
Mina childishly mumbled under her voice how much she didn't want to do what she was told while doing what she was told to do. Obediently she walked over to her father and hugged him tightly and gave him many kisses on his cheek almost like ripping off a bandaid and went back to Misaki's side immediately.
"Well, we are going to leave now before you become late for your flight." Misaki smiled softly for the last time before they parted ways, leaving Takumi to settle into the airport.
"Are we still going to school?" Asked Sakura as they walked towards the car of their chauffeur who patiently waited for them to return.
"No...I don't think so. Unless you want to, it's still not too late to drop you off."
"Nope! I would rather go tomorrow."
"It's just for today, okay?", Misaki warned.
"So we should play all day, let's play with my dollhouse." Suggested Mina.
"That would be a fine idea young lady." Misaki said as she pinched both her cheeks.
"Misaaakiii..." whined Mina as she did not like it when anyone pinched her cheeks.
"You been to England before, how is it?" Inquired Misaki as she wanted you know more about this foreign place.
"I only know about the castle of the Grand Duke, but I will try to explain it to you in detail. Umm...it's big and the food is good."
"Why do you only know about the castle? Shouldn't you also know about what's surrounding the castle, other cities?"
"Nope, we almost never go to England unless summoned by the Duke, also we do not live there so there is almost no point."
"Is the Duke mean?" Asked Sakura
"To me he isn't, but to father he is." She replied
'Was Takumi summoned by the Duke?' "Mina, honey? How do you get summoned by the Duke?"
"Uncle Gerald calls to us and we have to go."
"Do you know if your father got summoned?"
Mina shook her said, " I am not sure, but, most likely. We have businesses in England as well, so, we get summoned twice a year."
"You said 'we' why didn't you go?"
"I wanted to stay with you guys and besides, it doesn't really matter if I go or not."Mina said as a matter of fact as Sakura leaned on Mina's shoulder nodding off to sleep.
Sitting in first class as Takumi breathed in and out.
'Am I really ready for this? I love her, I know I do but, how can I be sure that she won't turn out to be like Maria. Does thinking these kinds of thoughts make me a bad person? I know I shouldn't doubt her, especially because of who she is but no one can truly be sure. Shut up Takumi she loves you. '
He closed his laptop and concentrated on the clouds outside the window trying to ignore that little voice in his head that weighs him down like a rock.
'She didn't want to sleep with you…Maria did the same thing and look, she cheated on you.' a voice that scratched at his neck as it devilishly whispered in his ear, 'All of the woman you slept with, they loved you. They demonstrated their love for you with their bodies filling that bottomless pit Maria left when she stopped loving you and Misaki is just one of those woman, she is just a harder nut to crack.'
In order to quiet that voice's awful mouth he reopened his laptop and made a new document and made a table comparing the two.
Maria
1)Sociable
2) Sexy
3) Confident
4) Adaptable
5) Agreeable
6) Cheerful
7) Clutz
...
100) Cheater
Misaki
1) Motherly
2) Difficult
3) Strong
4) Mature
5) Reliable
6) Allocentric
7) Proud
...
100) Cheater 100) Blushing cheeks
'She is different and I am willing to lose everything if it means I get to be happy.'
"Can you brush my hair mommy?" Sakura said putting on her shoes.
"Misaki, where are my shoes?" Mina sat on the couch putting her socks on.
"Mommy, I can't find my backpack!" Sakura hastily looked around for it as she knocked over a plastic ornament from a shelf.
"Misaki, is breakfast ready yet?", Asked Misaki as she tied her hair with purple ribbons.
Overwhelmed, she missed Takumi. Although his call from last night reassured her that he arrived safely at his destination she still missed how good he is with handling the morning routine.
"One at at a time, okay? Sakura, I can brush your hair, backpack should be on the hook in the closet. Mina, your shoes are in the closet on the bottom shelf and breakfast is not ready." Misaki said, unable to get ready herself for her shorter than usual days at work.
Focusing on her work Misaki's mind drifted to other things, 'I already notified Tora of my early leave this week. He probably took it easy because his head was in the clouds because of his wedding. Marriage... ' She stopped paying attention to the words on her computer and drifted off in thought her elbow on the desk with her hand on her cheek and traced her bottom lip with her pinky. 'Takumi...I miss you…'
Her flower scented thought bubble popped by Tora.
"I need you to cancel my appointment with the head of Heo Galleria at 10:00, Chiyo suddenly said we need to talk and to be honest, I am afraid."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Misaki said genuinely wanting to help Tora.
"Yes, come into my office."
"Do you need anything more, Sir?"
Takumi shook his head, "It's late, you should retire for the night." he said to a blond haired maid who was being very attentive to Takumi's every need.
"Yes, Sir." The maid retired as she closed the door behind her.
'Damn old man didn't want to talk to me tonight. He is so annoying, he should just get this over with so I can leave from this hell-hole and go back home. Damn it.'
He looked over at his phone with soft eyes and half smiled, '1 hour'.
"Hello?" Misaki said as she answered sleepily.
"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"
Misaki flinched and tore the phone away from her ear, checked the caller ID and rapidly placed it back to her ear, "Takumi!?"
"Good morning? I know it's late over there, I just wanted to say I landed safely and i'm at my hotel."
Technically he was at the castle in his designated room but that counts as a hotel since it provides meals and such in addition he is tourist as he is only visiting for a short while.
"I'm glad you arrived alright, stay safe and pay attention at the meetings." Misaki said shaking her head knowing that he is unable to be serious.
"Remember that Mina takes centuries to get ready so do not give her the luxury and Sakura's very grumpy in the morning so give her time to wake up."
"I know. You don't have to tell me, I took care of them for a long time already, and Sakura is my daughter so I know how she is. So tell me, how was first class Mr. CEO of Walker corporations?"
"Misaki?" His tone soft yet pleading for something.
"Yes?", she said concerned about his tone of voice.
"Do you love me?"
"I love you, Takumi are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to hear it come out of your lips." He said as he brushed his index finger along his lips reminiscing about last night. It has only been 11 hours since he has seen her and it is like he hasn't even left his bed. He could still feel her hair in his fingers and her lips on his chest.
Misaki traced her tinted lips, "About last night I-"
He interrupted her, "You don't. You don't have to explain." Afraid of what she would say, afraid that she would say she wasn't attracted to him, afraid to hear, she loved him but not like that.
"I know, but I want to. You deserve an explanation." She bit her bottom lip, nervous. Sure she didn't know why at the time but, with an entire day to reflect, she had to. At least she had to tell him.
"Okay..." He hid his face in the crook of his arm afraid if his own emotions. Grandfather, Gerald, and the voice, they ran through his brain. 'Were they right? Just a short fling.'
"I was afraid. I knew you weren't going to hurt me but, I was afraid."
"I know you had plenty of experience with different women but, I have only been with one man and... it sounds silly... I know it does...but, I didn't want to disappoint you...and, and you were rushing it! All of this is your fault for being so attractive!"
Pitter patter, the sound of the raindrops tapped at his window. Pitter patter, the sound of Takumi's heartbeat as the words she spoke hit him like a Dodge ball to the face. Pitter patter, the quiet sound of his tears hitting the desk as he opened his mouth to speak.
"I'm sorry..."
"Takumi. Takumi, honey, are you crying?"
He nodded as if she was able to see him and as he remembered he was alone, he voiced it in a quiet whisper.
"Aww honey, why are you sorry?"
Times like these, Misaki wished she could be by his side to comfort him, pull him close in a hug and rub his back like the many times he had done for her when tears escaped her eyes.
"I'm sorry for doubting you... I thought you didn't love me. I thought you were going to say that you love me like you do a friend. I'm just afraid that one day you will get tired of everything I am and leave me like Maria did...I'm sorry for comparing you to her..."
Misaki chuckled, "Do friends in England kiss each other on the lips?"
"No." Takumi cracked a smile.
"Takumi, I will never leave you. I am nothing like Maria, I will never cheat on you. I love you and only you. You're my stupid alien from the planet pheromones."
"What if...I lose everything, will you still love me then?"
"Depends on what we are talking about."
"Explain..."
Misaki placed the phone in between her ear and shoulder as she hugged the pillow beside her like a schoolgirl in love,"If you lose the softness in your voice, the gentleness in the way you hold me close, your stupid alien like powers, the kindness and understanding you have towards the girls, the positive attitude you have for life, your protective attitude...you have to promise me that you will never lose those qualities of yourself that I love so much."
"What about my money?" The question he wanted answered the most but was afraid to ask.
"Lose it." She chucked after she said it. "With or without that stupid mansion to big for its own good, I will still love you. Besides, I would much rather we work together to make money rather than you paying for my apartment, because I know that you are paying for it."
"Yet you still pay me for your housing." he said smiling as he ran his fingers through his hair,
"What are you doing with the money I give you?" she turned on the light and went to the kitchen for a glass of water.
"I put it in Sakura's college fund. I never found a right time to tell you so, surprise."Takumi unbuttoned his shirt all theway to the last button.
"Now you are going to make me cry..." Misaki said as a few tears slowly crept out of her eyes.
"My love, don't cry. I knew you couldn't do it since you were struggling so I did it for you. For her future, as a future Walker she needs a good education." Now it was his turn to calm her tears.
Misaki wiped her eyes, "Thank you for loving Sakura like your own. I know it must have been difficult to get used to dating a single mother."
"Not at all, it is my pleasure to love such a great women. Which is why I think we should move in together like we used to, separate rooms of course but, still together."
"I will have to think about it." Misaki smiled brightly.
"Don't think about it too long, I do not want to waste anymore time. I want to be with you everyday of my life." He slipped into his pajamas, "I'm sorry for waking you up at two in the morning,I wanted to hear your voice before I went to sleep."
"I'm glad you called me at two in the morning. I wanted to hear your voice seeing as I won't be able to see you for almost a whole week. Goodnight Takumi, I love you."
"I love you to." His cheeks lightly tinted Takumi laid in bed with his thoughts filled with her, some were of carnal desire while most were about her and everything she meant to him.
"Sir. Walker, the Duke has summoned your presence in the dining room." The same blonde woman from last night.
"Explain this." The Duke said as he threw the gossip magazine on the table.
"That's my girlfriend."
"Are you crazy Takumi? Misaki Ayuzawa, 29 years old, her parents, Minako and Sakuya Ayuzawa. A woman of manual labor and a man shouldering debt. Misaki graduated from Prestigious School A when she was only 22, surprising since her family are low class citizens but, I digress. She got married that same year to Hinata Shintani, a police officer. She worked at a law firm for a year and suddenly quit, a year later gave birth to a girl named Sakura Shintani. Years later her husband got laid off due to budget cuts and got sentenced to prison for 7 years to the crimes of minor child abuse and perjury. Is that who you want to bring into the family?"
"I applaud your thorough research, did you memorize all of that information? By the way, my answer is yes. I want to bring her into my family, unlike Maria I choose to be with her, I love her. If the problem is her social status, I do not care about that and neither should you since she will not be apart of your family at all. About her daughter, I care for her like I do for Mina and if you can not understand what that means just think about how mother would have raised me if only you didn't force her to be by Edward's side."
"Don't you understand!? You are exactly like your mother, failures, none of you could keep your respective other happy. Because of that, I own your life! Everything you have is because I gave it to you, including that daughter if yours because without me she would not have been born!"
"Are you sane old man? My daughter is not your property, she is a human being who makes her own decisions and I renounce everything you graciously donated to me. I do not need your handouts any longer. If that is what it takes to live my life peacefully then I no longer want to be a Walker."
The Duke closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, "Let's not be to hasty. 6 months, I will grant you six months to be by her side. After that, you end things and everything stays the way it was. I'm doing this for your own good, 'that' class of people are different than the ones you are used to. 'They' know how to manipulate you into thinking of them a certain way, the same thing happened to you mother. She fell under the poverty spell, she revolted the same way you did and that left her pregnant with a child your biological father did not want to take responsibility for."
"What are you talking about!? You pushed him away! You made sure he stayed away from us, you abandoned me to be raised by the Usui's until I was to be made of use to you!" He took a deep breath and collected himself.
" I do not take the offer, I am retiring to my room. We have work to do tomorrow."
"You are not leaving Takumi! You are staying until I have said everything I had to say."
"What more do you have to say? I already know every opinion you have of me and my family. What more do you want to say? I understand that for now I work for you until you can find a replacement, i would also like that to happen since I want to leave as soon as possible."
The Duke looked at him with calm and hateful eyes," You can leave all you want but Mina is still my Great Grand-daughter you can not limit my access to her."
Takumi wanted badly to cut every tie with him as possible but in one thing the all powerful Duke was right. The same blood running through that wretched old man also runs through his and Mina's veins.
"Why do you want Mina? Would you really stop at Mina? Would you keep going until one of my children turn out to become the perfect child you desire? Why do you pick on my child and not Gerald's children? Are we really that dispensable?"
The Duke raised his head in arrogance and pride, looking straight into Takumi's eyes. " You are a bastard child, Maria was your pedestal to importance until you let her astray. Mina is a perfect heir, with the time I spent with her she seems like a better fit than Gerald's children, those boys know nothing about what it takes to be on the top. All they ever know is how to beg and spend where-as Mina knows how to rule. You cultivate better rulers than Gerald seeing as he is so weak to begin with, so to answer your question. No, I won't stop at her, but, I do not want Sakura. She is not leader material, her values and her manners have been weakened by her mother. I heard that she is undergoing therapy, her state of mind is to fragile."
"What the hell?" Takumi looked at his grandfather in a confused manner. "Leader? Ruler? Cultivate? My daughters are not plants, they are beautiful and lovely girls. They deserve to live their lives the way they see fit."
" Tsh, your daughters? You consider that weak bastard child as your daughter?"
"I will not have you badmouthing her." Takumi brought his hands over his eyes and took another breath to calm himself. "I am finished with this conversation." Takumi said as he got up from his seat and walked to his room wanting to dive into his work as soon as possible
Xoxoxoxoxo
"How was school?"
"Good. Misaki is it okay if I miss class today? Father knows I hate that class so I'm sure he will be okay with it."
"I was actually looking forward to seeing you dance but, if you say so..."
Mina jumped in her seat and quickly composed herself "Never mind. I'll go."
"You always complain about ballet Mina, when it looks so fun!" Chirped Sakura.
"I hate it, the only reason why I do it is because Great-grandfather wants me to. I told him once how much I didn't like it and he got very upset so I stopped voicing my opinions on it."
"You told me that your Great-grandfather lives far away, how can he still tell you what to do?"
"He has a lot of spies, and that's how he figures out. It's really crazy."
"I can't wait to tell Papa about my painting!"
" You mentioned something about it but you never finished telling me, how was it?"
"Big." Sakura stretched her arms out as far as she could. " Papa helped me, and it was really pretty."
"I thought it looked like a bunch of scribbles but, I guess art is art."
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
"What have you decided about what we talked about yesterday Sakura?"
"I think that I should forgive him because Mina says that if I don't then I will be thinking about it all the time. So I just want to be happy and not sad. She also says that I shouldn't forget what he did because then that means that I let him do it again...do you understand me?"
"Yes, but do you want to forgive him?"
"Yes, my mommy and Papa says I should see him again when I'm older and not right now because I'm too little. I think so to because I'm still a little scared of him..."
"Were you ever thinking of telling someone if you ended up living with your daddy?"
"Nope, he said not to. He said no one would believe me, he said that he would do even badder things to me, I was scared."
"Are you scared now? Of telling anyone if that were to happen, of course."
"No, because it's really bad and they could get in trouble for doing those things, like my daddy cuzz he went to jail."
" Do you still wet the bed?"
Sakura said Sadly, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, "Yeah... but, at least no one yells at me anymore."
"Still have the dreams?"
"They never go away..." She said in a slight whisper
Exactly 3 more to go and then it's over, are you guys excited or sad for the end? I decided to add 4 extra epilogue chapters after the end because I have some fluff in my head that I want to write but I am also open to suggestions as well. I might add more depending on my ideas but no more than 10. Finally!
Stay tuned until next time for the next chapter of THE BABYSITTER!
Ciao :)