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Part 1: Around the World

Chapter 9: Kidnapping I

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There was only a little more than a month left until they returned to Japan. They only had a few places left to visit: Russia, Thailand, Singapore, and China. They would go to Russia today. Tsukushi invited Ryoko. She is unemployed due to her contract being nullified because she is not of age. Ryoko didn't feel sad about losing her job. The only problem was a place to stay. Her contract provided her with a ticket and room on the ship now that it was void she didn't have a room. Tsukushi suggested she stay with them on their deck. There were plenty of empty rooms. Ryoko didn't want to impose but Tsukushi insisted. She knew what it was like to be at rock bottom. At those times she was very lucky to have friends who helped pick her back up. When her family moved, leaving her alone in Tokyo her friends came to help her redecorate her apartment. When her father placed them in debt from gambling and she had to go to Canada to get money from Tsukasa, she was able to go on because there were people supporting her. This time she wanted to help others.

Ryoko only agreed when Tsukasa said it was ok. She knew he was only being polite but she really didn't have anyplace to stay. She could be dropped off in Russia, but she didn't know the language. How was she going to get back to Japan? Therefore, Ryoko packed all her belongings, which wasn't much -everything fitted into a duffel bag, and moved to the Doumyoji deck.

Ryoko was given her own room, which was across from Tsukushi's, and an elevator key. Ryoko entered her room and marveled at the elegance. There was a sliding french window (much like the ones in Tsukushi and Tsukasa's room), which enabled Ryoko to see the reflection of the sun on the water. The room she used to have a small circular window that doesn't open. She unpacked and placed all her clothes in the closet. The closet was enormous she barely filled a quarter of it with her clothes.

While Ryoko was inside unpacking, Tsukushi was with Tsukasa in his room.

"Thanks for letting her stay here."

"She's your friend. If she was left in Russia, all you'll do is worry about her." Even though I don't want her to stay with us there's no other choice, Tsukasa thought. "So why not just keep her here, we have plenty of room."

Tsukushi smiled and impulsively hugged him. "Thank you so much!" Then she realized what she did and jumped apart as if she was burned. Her face was all red. "I'm going to go see how Ryoko is doing now." She turned to leave.

"Tsukushi-"

Tsukushi turned around, thinking he was going to make some comment about her hug, she said, "The hug was nothing. I just wanted to say thank you. I didn't -" She stopped talking when she saw Tsukasa walk towards the table, picked up a cell phone and gave it to her. She looked up at him questioningly.

"This is for Ryoko. I don't think she has a cell phone. This will be handy if we need to reach her. It also has a tracking device like our cell phones."

"You don't mean -you think something will happen to her?"

"I don't know but better sorry than safe." Tsukasa paused, "Wait, it's better safe than sorry."

"Yep, that's it."

Tsukasa ignored her and continued on, "Funakoshe isn't a man that lets go of what he wants that easily. He might go after Ryoko by kidnapping her."

Tsukushi was worried. Tsukasa put a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be alright. If he does come I'll teach him nobody messes with my friends. Since your friends are my friends."

Tsukushi smiled again, this time her eyes were a little misty. "You really are nice."

"Of course, don't tell me you just realized this," he said with a pompous look.

"I take back what I just said." And left the room.

Alone, Tsukasa pondered on the hug she gave him and flushed. (AN: talk about delayed reaction) If a little thing like that made her so happy, he didn't mind letting Ryoko stay with them. He looked at the calendar he hung up on the wall next to his closet. There wasn't a lot of time left before they have to go back to school. He wanted something permanent on her. Who knows what will happen when they get back to school? Tsukasa thought about it for a long while and thought of the perfect thing. He called Tsukushi and told her he'll be out for a while though he'll meet her for dinner.

Tsukushi and Ryoko decided to walk around Russia. They didn't know where to go; therefore, they bought a tourist map and decided to go around the buildings with noteworthy interior structure. Ryoko came up with the idea since they didn't know where they wanted to go. This was the perfect opportunity for Tsukushi to see if she was really interested in interior design.

They went to some of the historical buildings that were still in St. Petersburg. They were astonishing. Tsukushi looked at the use of color and different shapes that gave each building a unique feeling. It was totally different from the pictures of homes that she usually looks at.

"This place feels a lot warmer than the previous building."

"Ehh? I think both buildings are the same. They're made of the same materials and even the sturucture looks the same. The ceilings are high and the windows are the same style."

"That's because it's the same person."

"How'd you know? Just by looking?"

"It could be an imitation, I'm not sure, but the styles are definitely the same. The difference is the tone. I think designers decorate the building depending on the mood they're in. I know the owners want a certain design but there's a hint of what the designer was feeling when he created the interior of this building."

Ryoko looked at Tsukushi. She was amazed.

"Is something wrong with me? You're looking at me like I'm so weird."

"Tsukushi-chan! You are going to be an interior decorator!"

"Ehhhhh!??!"

"Did you do any research about these styles or anything about interior design?"

"No but-"

"And you're able to see all this! It's amazing."

"I'm just going along with what I feel. I don't even know if I'm interpreting it right."

"Tsukushi-chan I think you should really look into this, especially since you're lost about what you want to do when you go back to Tokyo. You can't work at odd jobs your whole life. Even though you don't really have to work when you marry Doumyouji-san he can support you and probably everyone in Tokyo!"

"No! I don't want to rely on him and his money. I'm not disabled or anything."

"That's why you have to find something you like to do!" Ryoko was fired up.

"Okay okay. I promise you I'll look into it when we return." Tsukushi was scared at Ryoko's sudden passion.

Ryoko saw Tsukushi was backing away from her. "I'm sorry. It's your decision what you want to be." She was embarrassed to be caught shouting.

"Iie. I'm just surprised that you're so heated up." Tsukushi smiled, "Thank you for worrying about me." Tsukushi wondered.interior design.maybe that won't be so bad. I've been interested lately and there's no harm in a little research. Ryoko's right. I have nothing else I want to pursue so interior design is the best choice for now.

It was getting late Tsukushi promised to eat dinner with Tsukasa.

"Why don't we eat dinner here?" Ryoko suggested.

"That's a great idea! I've never had Russian food before." She took out her cell phone. "Damn my phone ran out of batteries. Can you call Tsukasa and tell him where we're at?"

"Sure." Ryoko took out her cell phone and was about to call Tsukasa when all of a sudden a van opened up and grabbed both of them. They struggled but the men were too strong for them. The men pressed chloroform clothes over Ryoko and Tsukushi putting them to sleep.

Kuroda saw Tsukushi and Ryoko being kidnapped and chased after the van. He couldn't open fire because he was afraid to hurt them. He called Tsukasa.

In Tsukasa's car, "NANI?? Tsukushi was kidnapped?!?! What kind of bodyguard are you if you can't protect two girls?!"

Kuroda didn't say anything. He didn't try to give an excuse by saying the kidnappers were in a van, or that this might not have happened if he had not been ordered to stay inconspicuous. Inwardly he blamed himself too, if only he had noticed the van that had looked suspicious to him at the time but he disregarded it. But nothing was important now, except finding the girls. He saw Ryoko's cell phone on the floor, on the spot where she was standing. He gripped it tight and thought those bastards won't get away with this.

"Call everyone. We're going to find them tonight." Tsukasa said. He hung up; initiated the tracking device on his cell phone to find the destination of the. He saw that Tsukushi's cell phone was moving but Ryoko's wasn't -Tsukasa deduced it to mean Ryoko dropped hers. Tsukasa's eyes turned icy, nobody harms what's his.

******

The kidnappers drove into the back of a truck, where shipments were usually stored. The truck was the meeting place with their employer. The kidnappers stepped out of the car and brought the girls out with them.

"These are the girls you said you wanted right?"

Tachizaki came out of the shadows and tilted Tsukushi's chin up to get a better look at her. "It looks like her." He turned to see the other girl. "Who is she?"

"She was with the girl you wanted so we brought her along too. It was easier to kidnap both of them."

"I'm not paying you for her."

"We'll take her off your hands if you don't want her, free of charge."

Tachizaki knew what they were going to do with her. These men certainly weren't going to return her home without touching her. Tachizaki had to resort to hiring commoners instead of professionals because he was low on cash. That's why he decided to meet them on the truck. He was worried that these men might've bungled up the job and revealed his name to Doumyouji; thus if they did, he could still escape. Nevertheless, he was relieved they didn't mess up.

Tachizaki took a closer look at the other girl the men brought with them. He had the impression that she looked familiar. Then it clicked. This was the girl in the photo that Funakoshe showed him a few days ago, his next target. Tachizaki smiled, who would've thought that he'd hit two birds with one stone. Funakoshe was willing to pay 100 million dollars for this girl when he found out he couldn't buy her from Gold

Paradise (the place where Ryoko used to work).

"I've changed my mind. I'm going to keep this girl."

The kidnappers scowled, they wanted to have fun with this girl. "You're going to have to compensate us."

"I'll pay you the same amount as the original girl, $50,000."

"Iie, for this one we want 75,000. After all you didn't tell us to get her, so she's actually ours."

Tachizaki thought about it. $75,000 was a small sum compared to the 100 million he was going to get for her. "Fine."

He called the driver and told him there was a change in plans. He told the driver the address to get to Funakoshe's place. He was staying in Russia temporarily for a meeting. Tachizaki decided to drop Ryoko at Funakoshe, that way he didn't have to take care of her.

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Tsukasa was using his cell phone to track down where Tsukushi and Ryoko were being brought. He saw that they were on the highway and then their signal was gone. Damn it, he thought, they must've entered something that blocks the signals. The only thing big enough on a highway would be a truck. He told everyone to look for trucks on the highway, but it was no use. There were too many trucks; they couldn't stop every single one, as much as Tsukasa really wanted to.

"Doumyouji-sama, nothing will happen to them because they're used as ransom," said the driver who saw Doumyouji looking out the window with troubled eyes.

Tsukasa knew that but it didn't make him feel any better. His only thoughts were of Tsukushi's safety and retaliation. He would kill whoever dare harm her.

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Yay I got chapter 9 out. It took me a long time to figure out how to kidnap them. I hope you like it! Til next time. please review!!!