Aisha couldn't believe what had just happened.
" Did...you just say...you...love me?" She asked.
" I think so. Yeah, that's what I said." He said.
Aisha started laughing out loud. It was bitter laughter, but that was all she could managed anymore.
" What's funny?" He asked.
" You loving me. That's funny. Why would you love me? I know I'm pretty as my kind go, but to you, I'm just a feral cat-girl right?" She said.
" I did say that, but,"
" But it wasn't enough was it? You had to hurt me even worse didn't you? Had to make me love you, fall for you. Then when you knew I cared, you'd break, no shatter my heart with her. I tell you what Gene Starwind, why don't you go tell her you love her? I bet she'd love to hear that. She's weak and innocent enough to fall for your lines. As for me? Well, I have more important things to attend to than heartbreakers." She said.
" Like what?" He asked.
" My koibito." She said.
" WHAT?!!" He said.
" That's right Gene. I've gone on without you. You don't need me, I don't need you." She said.
" Who?" He asked.
" I don't think that's any of your business Gene." She said.
He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. Aisha hadn't been so close to him since that day and by reflex pushed him off.
" Fine. His name is Harry. Harry MacDougull." She said.
Gene almost had a heart attack.
" I'm sorry, did you say Harry MacDougull?" He asked.
" That space between your ears causing hearing problems? Yes, Harry MacDougull." She said.
" That's….not possible. He is lovesick for Melfina." He said.
" He WAS lovesick for Melfina. He saved my life and I love him." She said.
Gene felt like he was going to be sick.
" You do?" He asked.
" Yes. In fact, I'm going to meet him in an hour. And since your time is up, I'm leaving. Goodbye Gene Starwind." She said coldly.
Aisha turned on her heel and left him standing there. Gene held his stomach. He really felt like he was punched. He held onto the rail to keep his balance. He heard a can rattle behind him.
" How long have you been there?" He asked.
It was Suzuka. She made the noise on purpose.
" Not long. What happened?" She asked.
This time, it was his turn to be bitter. He smiled.
" She wouldn't take me back. She has someone else already." He said.
" She doesn't love him." She said.
" Don't patronize me." He said.
" I am not. Aisha was hurt and vulnerable when she left. She would follow a Kei pirate if he told her he cared, hated you and would take care of her if she would help them." She said.
" You mean she's being manipulated? Son of a b****. I'll kill him. I'll really, literally, end his life with my bear hands." He said.
" I wouldn't do that. She'll push you away again. You're going to have to wait for him to mess up. Until then, you can't kill him or do anything to get her back." She said.
" I can't get her back?" He said.
" No."
" I can't get her back?"
" No!"
" Watch me."
Aisha was walking back to the club. She was thinking of what just happened. Could he really care about her? No, she thought shaking her head. It hurt to bad to remember her brief relationship. She felt somewhat awful at hurting Gene by telling about Harry, but part of her felt satisfied. A car horn tore her from her thoughts.
" Hey babe, miss me?"
It was Harry. She looked at him, and then burst into tears. Harry was a bit bewildered to say the least, but he immediately got out.
" Aisha-chan, why are you crying?" He asked.
" It's nothing really. Can we just go home?" She asked.
" Sure, whatever you say." He said.
They got in and drove off. Harry looked over at Aisha. She was gazing out the window. She looked so miserable it was breaking his heart.
" Aisha-chan, are you alright?" He asked.
" Fine." She sighed.
" No you're not. You're scaring me Aisha." He said.
She placed her hand over his on the steering wheel.
" I'm fine Harry." She said.
He wasn't convinced, but did not press further. They arrived at his apartment. Harry watched Aisha sit down on their wine colored couch. She turned on the TV. He dropped his keys on the counter. She was watching some soap opera in Spanish. He sat next to her.
" Aisha-chan, I know something's bothering you. I can feel it. Tell me it's nothing and I'll leave you alone. But you have to mean it." He said.
" I saw someone today. Someone I never thought I'd see again. He apologized for hurting me and said he loved me." She said starting to cry.
Harry held her while she cried.
" Really?" He said.
" I'm sorry Harry." She said.
" No need to be sorry koibito. I'll take care of him." He said glaring at the thought of Gene.
" Did...you just say...you...love me?" She asked.
" I think so. Yeah, that's what I said." He said.
Aisha started laughing out loud. It was bitter laughter, but that was all she could managed anymore.
" What's funny?" He asked.
" You loving me. That's funny. Why would you love me? I know I'm pretty as my kind go, but to you, I'm just a feral cat-girl right?" She said.
" I did say that, but,"
" But it wasn't enough was it? You had to hurt me even worse didn't you? Had to make me love you, fall for you. Then when you knew I cared, you'd break, no shatter my heart with her. I tell you what Gene Starwind, why don't you go tell her you love her? I bet she'd love to hear that. She's weak and innocent enough to fall for your lines. As for me? Well, I have more important things to attend to than heartbreakers." She said.
" Like what?" He asked.
" My koibito." She said.
" WHAT?!!" He said.
" That's right Gene. I've gone on without you. You don't need me, I don't need you." She said.
" Who?" He asked.
" I don't think that's any of your business Gene." She said.
He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. Aisha hadn't been so close to him since that day and by reflex pushed him off.
" Fine. His name is Harry. Harry MacDougull." She said.
Gene almost had a heart attack.
" I'm sorry, did you say Harry MacDougull?" He asked.
" That space between your ears causing hearing problems? Yes, Harry MacDougull." She said.
" That's….not possible. He is lovesick for Melfina." He said.
" He WAS lovesick for Melfina. He saved my life and I love him." She said.
Gene felt like he was going to be sick.
" You do?" He asked.
" Yes. In fact, I'm going to meet him in an hour. And since your time is up, I'm leaving. Goodbye Gene Starwind." She said coldly.
Aisha turned on her heel and left him standing there. Gene held his stomach. He really felt like he was punched. He held onto the rail to keep his balance. He heard a can rattle behind him.
" How long have you been there?" He asked.
It was Suzuka. She made the noise on purpose.
" Not long. What happened?" She asked.
This time, it was his turn to be bitter. He smiled.
" She wouldn't take me back. She has someone else already." He said.
" She doesn't love him." She said.
" Don't patronize me." He said.
" I am not. Aisha was hurt and vulnerable when she left. She would follow a Kei pirate if he told her he cared, hated you and would take care of her if she would help them." She said.
" You mean she's being manipulated? Son of a b****. I'll kill him. I'll really, literally, end his life with my bear hands." He said.
" I wouldn't do that. She'll push you away again. You're going to have to wait for him to mess up. Until then, you can't kill him or do anything to get her back." She said.
" I can't get her back?" He said.
" No."
" I can't get her back?"
" No!"
" Watch me."
Aisha was walking back to the club. She was thinking of what just happened. Could he really care about her? No, she thought shaking her head. It hurt to bad to remember her brief relationship. She felt somewhat awful at hurting Gene by telling about Harry, but part of her felt satisfied. A car horn tore her from her thoughts.
" Hey babe, miss me?"
It was Harry. She looked at him, and then burst into tears. Harry was a bit bewildered to say the least, but he immediately got out.
" Aisha-chan, why are you crying?" He asked.
" It's nothing really. Can we just go home?" She asked.
" Sure, whatever you say." He said.
They got in and drove off. Harry looked over at Aisha. She was gazing out the window. She looked so miserable it was breaking his heart.
" Aisha-chan, are you alright?" He asked.
" Fine." She sighed.
" No you're not. You're scaring me Aisha." He said.
She placed her hand over his on the steering wheel.
" I'm fine Harry." She said.
He wasn't convinced, but did not press further. They arrived at his apartment. Harry watched Aisha sit down on their wine colored couch. She turned on the TV. He dropped his keys on the counter. She was watching some soap opera in Spanish. He sat next to her.
" Aisha-chan, I know something's bothering you. I can feel it. Tell me it's nothing and I'll leave you alone. But you have to mean it." He said.
" I saw someone today. Someone I never thought I'd see again. He apologized for hurting me and said he loved me." She said starting to cry.
Harry held her while she cried.
" Really?" He said.
" I'm sorry Harry." She said.
" No need to be sorry koibito. I'll take care of him." He said glaring at the thought of Gene.