Chapter 10
" So, what do you want to do tonight?" Tokiya asked as they walked to his car.
" Don't know..." Fuko mused, smiling up at him. She clutched his hand tighter as they walked. " Probably go home, take a warm bath, and then laze in front of the television..."
" Would you still have energy for dinner then?" Tokiya asked. Fuko stopped and turned to face him.
" You're asking me out!" she asked incredulously... then she started to giggle. Tokiya stared ahead of her as he replied
" Not really, I mean since you've have nothing on tonight, and I don't have work, we could discuss..."
" Oh come on! You're asking me out, face it!" Fuko replied, laughing
" All right, yeah I'm asking you out. So is it a yes or no?" Tokiya looked down at her.
" Yes!" Fuko replied, her eyes sparkling.
Tokiya drove Fuko back home first, where they agreed to meet half an hour later. During that half an hour, Fuko took a quick shower and changed into a fresh set of clothes. She shampooed, conditioned her hair and scrubbed her body from head to toe.
Later on, as she stood in front of her wardrobe, she was about to take her blue suit out from its hanger, when she paused and lifted her hand. Her eyes traveled along the row of clothes before coming to rest on certain clothing. After much deliberation, she took it out.
It was black sleeveless knee length dress with a puffed neckline. She had packed it in her luggage for casual dining out. Now, this was the opportunity. Fuko surveyed herself in the mirror as she put it on. Black stockings completed the outfit. For accessories, she added a silver chain and matching hoops. As it was quite cold outside, she took along a pink scarf, along with her black coat.
Tokiya was already waiting for her outside when she arrived. Fuko's face blossomed into a smile as she saw him. Quickly, she hurried over to him
" Hi! Been waiting long?"
" I just arrived." Tokiya smiled backed as they got into the car.
" So where are you going?"
" Hmm, I thought that you would have guessed. Echini's."
" Echini's!" Fuko gasped. During their school days, whenever they felt rich, Recca and the others would always go there for a meal. It was a popular place among adults and students alike, therefore, Fuko always felt intimidated by the adults when she went there, but nonetheless, she always enjoyed the steamboat that was served there.
Tokiya smiled at her reaction.
" It's been a long time since I went there too, I wonder if the owner still remembers us?"
" Oh well, I'm sure we would. We used to create lots of trouble there. I kinda lost count of the times that we were thrown out of the store."
" Let's hope that this turn we won't be then." Tokiya answered.
" Oh my god! It's you! Fuko and Tokiya! Oh my, I haven't seen you in a long time." The owner of the store exclaimed when he saw them. Immediately, Tokiya and Fuko burst into laughter.
" Steamboat for two..." Tokiya said when he recovered. Chattering away, the owner led to a secluded area by the window, and promised to come back as soon as possible with the stock.
" It's still the same..." Fuko remarked as she took off her scarf and coat. " I simply can't..." she stopped when she noticed Tokiya staring at her in an odd way.
" What... is there something wrong with my dress?" she looked down the front, expecting something to see something out of the blue on it. Finding nothing, she looked at Tokiya...
" What!" she demanded.
" Nothing... it's just that you look so..."
" Feminine?" Fuko suggested when Tokiya couldn't seem to find the word, and Tokiya nodded. Fuko blushed at this and replied.
" Well, I could be if I wanted too you know..."
" But... it's just that, I've never seen you like this before, you just look so beautiful..." Tokiya spluttered and Fuko blushed again.
" Oh stop it!" she said, waving her hand at him. " It's embarrassing. Besides, you look quite manly yourself too." Glancing at him, she noted his usual black shirt and pants. However, in the restaurant, he had rolled up the sleeves and unbuttoned the top two buttons, revealing a glimpse of his metal chain round his neck. It was dim in the restaurant and the steam rising from the steamboat made it even mistier, but Fuko thought she could still see his silver eyes very clearly. She stared at his eyes, and he at hers. Silver orbs glittering at purple ones. It was like an instant magnetic attraction.
At that moment, the owner came back with the stock and a plate of food. The spell was broken and Fuko relaxed back in her seat. Once the owner had gone, Tokiya picked up his chopsticks and began dipping the foods into the steaming bowls of water. Fuko helped him and more than once, their hands touched, sending an electrical jolt through Fuko.
" So um, after this is over, will you be returning to New York?" Tokiya asked suddenly and Fuko nearly dropped her chopstick.
" Um, I haven't thought about it yet. Most probably." She replied, absentmindedly-poking food into her mouth.
" How's the agency life over there?"
" Oh well, it's not too bad... tough bosses, but the work's exciting."
" Same thing in Tokyo, no point going over to a faraway place just for the same excitement."
Fuko narrowed her eyes at Tokiya when she heard this
" Now, what is that supposed to mean."
Tokiya shrugged his shoulder nolchantly.
" Nothing, just making a general observation."
" The reason why I decided to go and work in America was because at that time, America looked like the place for me to run away from all my troubles. I thought that I could put everything back behind me when I came back, but now that you say it, I guess that I'll just have to confront it..." Fuko took a deep breath " I ran away to America because of you. You rejected me when I told you my feelings."
" So why did you come back?"
" Because of Len Larson."
" So why did you kiss me?"
This took Fuko aback. It took her some time before she could reply.
" Because I wanted to, I wanted to know how it was like." Then she added hastily " But anyhow, it didn't mean anything. I don't hold any more feelings for you whatsoever. That kiss was just something out of lust. I'm sure that you felt the same about it right?" she asked, smiling at him brightly
" Yep, I just wanted to clarify that. You and me are totally impossible." Tokiya answered almost straightaway.
Somehow, Fuko felt hurt when Tokiya had replied almost too quickly for her liking. However, she smiled at him and laughed
" All right, enough of that business shall we, it's just so dull to take about the feelings of the heart. Let's talk about something else instead all right, say your previous love life?" Fuko joked.
Tokiya nodded in reply and reached over to pour some more stock into the steamboat. Opposite him, Fuko's eyes glittered furiously, as she struggled to keep control of her emotions. She would not do it a second time. She would not.
" That was a very nice dinner, thank you." Fuko said as Tokiya's car slid to a halt outside her apartment. She undid her safety belt and was about to step out of the car, when Tokiya stopped her and she turned back to find him very closed to her, so close she could almost hear his breathing.
" What?" she whispered, not daring to even breathe.
Tokiya didn't reply, instead he lowered his mouth down to hers. Fuko's instinct told her to kiss him back, however, her mind reminded her that he didn't have any feelings for her whatsoever. She should just move away and get out of the car. But still, after this, I'll never see him again... I'll go back to New York and back to the bars and one night stands. I won't ever be able to kiss someone that I love ever again. So, if I have this chance now, why not make the best of it, even if he doesn't reciprocate your feelings? Her heart won out in the end, and she surrendered, closing her eyes and parting her lips.
" So, what do you want to do tonight?" Tokiya asked as they walked to his car.
" Don't know..." Fuko mused, smiling up at him. She clutched his hand tighter as they walked. " Probably go home, take a warm bath, and then laze in front of the television..."
" Would you still have energy for dinner then?" Tokiya asked. Fuko stopped and turned to face him.
" You're asking me out!" she asked incredulously... then she started to giggle. Tokiya stared ahead of her as he replied
" Not really, I mean since you've have nothing on tonight, and I don't have work, we could discuss..."
" Oh come on! You're asking me out, face it!" Fuko replied, laughing
" All right, yeah I'm asking you out. So is it a yes or no?" Tokiya looked down at her.
" Yes!" Fuko replied, her eyes sparkling.
Tokiya drove Fuko back home first, where they agreed to meet half an hour later. During that half an hour, Fuko took a quick shower and changed into a fresh set of clothes. She shampooed, conditioned her hair and scrubbed her body from head to toe.
Later on, as she stood in front of her wardrobe, she was about to take her blue suit out from its hanger, when she paused and lifted her hand. Her eyes traveled along the row of clothes before coming to rest on certain clothing. After much deliberation, she took it out.
It was black sleeveless knee length dress with a puffed neckline. She had packed it in her luggage for casual dining out. Now, this was the opportunity. Fuko surveyed herself in the mirror as she put it on. Black stockings completed the outfit. For accessories, she added a silver chain and matching hoops. As it was quite cold outside, she took along a pink scarf, along with her black coat.
Tokiya was already waiting for her outside when she arrived. Fuko's face blossomed into a smile as she saw him. Quickly, she hurried over to him
" Hi! Been waiting long?"
" I just arrived." Tokiya smiled backed as they got into the car.
" So where are you going?"
" Hmm, I thought that you would have guessed. Echini's."
" Echini's!" Fuko gasped. During their school days, whenever they felt rich, Recca and the others would always go there for a meal. It was a popular place among adults and students alike, therefore, Fuko always felt intimidated by the adults when she went there, but nonetheless, she always enjoyed the steamboat that was served there.
Tokiya smiled at her reaction.
" It's been a long time since I went there too, I wonder if the owner still remembers us?"
" Oh well, I'm sure we would. We used to create lots of trouble there. I kinda lost count of the times that we were thrown out of the store."
" Let's hope that this turn we won't be then." Tokiya answered.
" Oh my god! It's you! Fuko and Tokiya! Oh my, I haven't seen you in a long time." The owner of the store exclaimed when he saw them. Immediately, Tokiya and Fuko burst into laughter.
" Steamboat for two..." Tokiya said when he recovered. Chattering away, the owner led to a secluded area by the window, and promised to come back as soon as possible with the stock.
" It's still the same..." Fuko remarked as she took off her scarf and coat. " I simply can't..." she stopped when she noticed Tokiya staring at her in an odd way.
" What... is there something wrong with my dress?" she looked down the front, expecting something to see something out of the blue on it. Finding nothing, she looked at Tokiya...
" What!" she demanded.
" Nothing... it's just that you look so..."
" Feminine?" Fuko suggested when Tokiya couldn't seem to find the word, and Tokiya nodded. Fuko blushed at this and replied.
" Well, I could be if I wanted too you know..."
" But... it's just that, I've never seen you like this before, you just look so beautiful..." Tokiya spluttered and Fuko blushed again.
" Oh stop it!" she said, waving her hand at him. " It's embarrassing. Besides, you look quite manly yourself too." Glancing at him, she noted his usual black shirt and pants. However, in the restaurant, he had rolled up the sleeves and unbuttoned the top two buttons, revealing a glimpse of his metal chain round his neck. It was dim in the restaurant and the steam rising from the steamboat made it even mistier, but Fuko thought she could still see his silver eyes very clearly. She stared at his eyes, and he at hers. Silver orbs glittering at purple ones. It was like an instant magnetic attraction.
At that moment, the owner came back with the stock and a plate of food. The spell was broken and Fuko relaxed back in her seat. Once the owner had gone, Tokiya picked up his chopsticks and began dipping the foods into the steaming bowls of water. Fuko helped him and more than once, their hands touched, sending an electrical jolt through Fuko.
" So um, after this is over, will you be returning to New York?" Tokiya asked suddenly and Fuko nearly dropped her chopstick.
" Um, I haven't thought about it yet. Most probably." She replied, absentmindedly-poking food into her mouth.
" How's the agency life over there?"
" Oh well, it's not too bad... tough bosses, but the work's exciting."
" Same thing in Tokyo, no point going over to a faraway place just for the same excitement."
Fuko narrowed her eyes at Tokiya when she heard this
" Now, what is that supposed to mean."
Tokiya shrugged his shoulder nolchantly.
" Nothing, just making a general observation."
" The reason why I decided to go and work in America was because at that time, America looked like the place for me to run away from all my troubles. I thought that I could put everything back behind me when I came back, but now that you say it, I guess that I'll just have to confront it..." Fuko took a deep breath " I ran away to America because of you. You rejected me when I told you my feelings."
" So why did you come back?"
" Because of Len Larson."
" So why did you kiss me?"
This took Fuko aback. It took her some time before she could reply.
" Because I wanted to, I wanted to know how it was like." Then she added hastily " But anyhow, it didn't mean anything. I don't hold any more feelings for you whatsoever. That kiss was just something out of lust. I'm sure that you felt the same about it right?" she asked, smiling at him brightly
" Yep, I just wanted to clarify that. You and me are totally impossible." Tokiya answered almost straightaway.
Somehow, Fuko felt hurt when Tokiya had replied almost too quickly for her liking. However, she smiled at him and laughed
" All right, enough of that business shall we, it's just so dull to take about the feelings of the heart. Let's talk about something else instead all right, say your previous love life?" Fuko joked.
Tokiya nodded in reply and reached over to pour some more stock into the steamboat. Opposite him, Fuko's eyes glittered furiously, as she struggled to keep control of her emotions. She would not do it a second time. She would not.
" That was a very nice dinner, thank you." Fuko said as Tokiya's car slid to a halt outside her apartment. She undid her safety belt and was about to step out of the car, when Tokiya stopped her and she turned back to find him very closed to her, so close she could almost hear his breathing.
" What?" she whispered, not daring to even breathe.
Tokiya didn't reply, instead he lowered his mouth down to hers. Fuko's instinct told her to kiss him back, however, her mind reminded her that he didn't have any feelings for her whatsoever. She should just move away and get out of the car. But still, after this, I'll never see him again... I'll go back to New York and back to the bars and one night stands. I won't ever be able to kiss someone that I love ever again. So, if I have this chance now, why not make the best of it, even if he doesn't reciprocate your feelings? Her heart won out in the end, and she surrendered, closing her eyes and parting her lips.