I hurriedly left my workplace after locking up and ran to the bus stop only
to see it leave without me. Great, I've to wait for at least half an hour
for the next one to arrive. I contemplated walking home but honestly, I was
too tired. Ms.Akio was in a bad mood today, making me the victim of her
tantrums. She made me clean almost the whole shop even though it was spick
and span twice. Not only that, she also made me rearrange the entire
storeroom which took me at least 4 hours.
Right now, I can almost hear my bed calling me back home. The only thing I want to do is to take a hot shower and fall onto my bed and sleep. Under the dim light illuminating from the lamp post, I glanced at my watch and saw that it was close to 10:30. Sighing softly to myself, I sat on the uncomfortable bench praying that the bus would arrive soon.
Glancing around, I realized that the street was almost deserted and I was basically the only person sitting at the bus stop. With a night like this, I couldn't help my mind from imagining horrible things happening to me. Images of ghost and rapist started to appear in my mind. I snapped my eyes shut and started to sing loudly. That was something I do when I was afraid. My philosophy, if I don't see you, you don't see me and maybe my horrible singing will scare them away.
Suddenly, I felt someone or something tapping my shoulders and I braced myself to run or give them my famous flying kick. I decided to count to three and if that tapping doesn't stop, whoever was tapping me will be dead. One.two.three! My feet connected to body.
"OUCH!!!" A familiar voice groaned loudly and my eyes flew open.
There I saw, lying on his back and rubbing his stomach was no other than Akira.
"Oh my goodness.I'm sorry.I thought you were."I quickly helped him up to his feet.
"Do you greet your friends that way?" Akira grumbled still rubbing his stomach.
My eyes narrowed and I hit him on his arms. Hard. "Who asked you to sneak up on me? How would I know it was you?" I scolded.
"I did tap your shoulders! You were the one ignoring me!" He protested, now rubbing his arms. "And you hit me again after your tremendous flying kick."
"I." I started to say something, but suddenly everything started to spin, even Akira's face seemed to look weird.
The next minute I knew, Akira was holding me in his arms and lightly tapping my face.
"Tsukushi? Are you alright?" He asked, this time his face was full of concern compared to the annoyed look he had on earlier.
"I guess so.what happened?" I sat up and noticed that we were still at the bus stop.
"You fainted." He told me and helped me stand up. "When was the last time you ate?"
I tried to remember when the last time I ate was and honestly, I couldn't remember. "Breakfast?" I answered hesitantly and I saw his eyebrows shot up.
"What are you trying to do? Kill yourself? You're already so thin! Wait.I know.you're on a diet like all those girls huh?" He winked at me and I shook my head.
"The last thing I want to do is diet.I just didn't have anytime to eat." I said.
"Come, let's go get you some food."He grabbed my hand and dragged me to his car.
Usually, I would protest but there wasn't any strength left in my body to talk so I allowed him to pack me into his sports car and buckle my seat belt for me.
"Where are we going to eat? Every where is closed by now." I stated weakly.
"My house of course!" Akira announced as if I've just asked a stupid question.
I frowned at him, to tired to speak and then leaned my head back against the head rest. I decided not to argue with him; after all, it would only fall on deaf ears. As I said before, F4 doesn't have the word 'No' in their vocabulary.
With Akira's driving, we reached his house in what would usually take any normal driver 15 minutes in less than 10 minutes. The worst thing was, his driving made me feel more woozy then I had been before.
Akira, being the gentlemen he was, helped me out of the car and practically carried me into his house shouting orders to the first maid he saw who scurried away and disappeared into one of the many doors.
He placed me gently on the couch and sat down next to me. "Would you like something to drink?" he asked.
"No.I'm fine."I said, closing my eyes.
"Tsukushi.what are you trying to do?" Akira suddenly asked me, his voice serious.
I glanced at him and saw a serious expression on his face, something really rare compared to his happy-go-lucky personality. "What do you mean?"
He sighed softly and ran his fingers thru his hair. "Ever since Tsukasa lost his memory.you had been working yourself to death."Akira said in a soft voice and I looked down at my feet. "It's just not right Tsukushi.you'll kill yourself that way. Look how thin you are now and how tired you look."
"I'm fine."I muttered.
"No, you're not."He exclaimed. "Here."He took my arms and pull me to a standing position and walked me towards a mirror. "Look at yourself. Is this the Makino Tsukushi that we've come to love?"
I looked at myself in the mirror and for once in my lifetime, I almost didn't recognize myself. I was sporting black eye bags and my skin was pasty and pale. Akira was right, I was killing myself.
"I know you're closer to Rui and I've never been someone you come to with your problems. But I want you to know, that I'll always be here for you." Akira turned me around to face him and I nodded, touched by what he just said.
"Thank you."I hugged him tightly.
"Tsukushi.everything will work out fine.trust me."Akira whispered into my hair. I really wanted to believe him that everything will work out eventually, but I knew better. Tsukasa will never remember me or the love we had.
The maid appeared at the door, announcing that the food was ready and we headed towards the dining hall. My eyes widened at the amount of food that decorated the long dining table.
"Are you feeding an army or what?" I teased as I took the seat opposite him.
"Nope.just trying to nourish my friend back to its healthy weight." He answered and dumped a piece of chicken on my plate.
I never knew that a simple piece of fried chicken can taste so good. The next thing I knew, the food which I complained to be too much earlier was almost half gone and I could practically hear my stomach purr in contentment.
"That was good."I told Akira with a satisfied grin on my face.
"Now.head upstairs and have a good rest." Akira stood up and started to walk out of the dining hall.
"Eh.wait!" I called out. "Aren't you going to send me home?" I asked.
"No.it's already late.why don't you just crash in one of the guest room" He suggested.
"But I have school tomorrow." I protested.
"Tomorrow is Saturday my dear girl." He crossed his arms over his broad chest and gave me the look which told me it was the end of discussion.
"Come on.I'll show you to your room."
I followed him up the grand staircase reluctantly and he opened a door, revealing a cozy looking room which was as big as my whole entire apartment.
"My room is next to yours, if there's anything, just holler." He leaned against the door looking at me as I took in the beautiful decorated room. "Good night.and sleep tight."he said finally and closed the door behind him.
After washing myself up in the bathroom, I climbed into the huge bed and sank into it comfortably. The minute my head touched the pillow, I was a goner.
Right now, I can almost hear my bed calling me back home. The only thing I want to do is to take a hot shower and fall onto my bed and sleep. Under the dim light illuminating from the lamp post, I glanced at my watch and saw that it was close to 10:30. Sighing softly to myself, I sat on the uncomfortable bench praying that the bus would arrive soon.
Glancing around, I realized that the street was almost deserted and I was basically the only person sitting at the bus stop. With a night like this, I couldn't help my mind from imagining horrible things happening to me. Images of ghost and rapist started to appear in my mind. I snapped my eyes shut and started to sing loudly. That was something I do when I was afraid. My philosophy, if I don't see you, you don't see me and maybe my horrible singing will scare them away.
Suddenly, I felt someone or something tapping my shoulders and I braced myself to run or give them my famous flying kick. I decided to count to three and if that tapping doesn't stop, whoever was tapping me will be dead. One.two.three! My feet connected to body.
"OUCH!!!" A familiar voice groaned loudly and my eyes flew open.
There I saw, lying on his back and rubbing his stomach was no other than Akira.
"Oh my goodness.I'm sorry.I thought you were."I quickly helped him up to his feet.
"Do you greet your friends that way?" Akira grumbled still rubbing his stomach.
My eyes narrowed and I hit him on his arms. Hard. "Who asked you to sneak up on me? How would I know it was you?" I scolded.
"I did tap your shoulders! You were the one ignoring me!" He protested, now rubbing his arms. "And you hit me again after your tremendous flying kick."
"I." I started to say something, but suddenly everything started to spin, even Akira's face seemed to look weird.
The next minute I knew, Akira was holding me in his arms and lightly tapping my face.
"Tsukushi? Are you alright?" He asked, this time his face was full of concern compared to the annoyed look he had on earlier.
"I guess so.what happened?" I sat up and noticed that we were still at the bus stop.
"You fainted." He told me and helped me stand up. "When was the last time you ate?"
I tried to remember when the last time I ate was and honestly, I couldn't remember. "Breakfast?" I answered hesitantly and I saw his eyebrows shot up.
"What are you trying to do? Kill yourself? You're already so thin! Wait.I know.you're on a diet like all those girls huh?" He winked at me and I shook my head.
"The last thing I want to do is diet.I just didn't have anytime to eat." I said.
"Come, let's go get you some food."He grabbed my hand and dragged me to his car.
Usually, I would protest but there wasn't any strength left in my body to talk so I allowed him to pack me into his sports car and buckle my seat belt for me.
"Where are we going to eat? Every where is closed by now." I stated weakly.
"My house of course!" Akira announced as if I've just asked a stupid question.
I frowned at him, to tired to speak and then leaned my head back against the head rest. I decided not to argue with him; after all, it would only fall on deaf ears. As I said before, F4 doesn't have the word 'No' in their vocabulary.
With Akira's driving, we reached his house in what would usually take any normal driver 15 minutes in less than 10 minutes. The worst thing was, his driving made me feel more woozy then I had been before.
Akira, being the gentlemen he was, helped me out of the car and practically carried me into his house shouting orders to the first maid he saw who scurried away and disappeared into one of the many doors.
He placed me gently on the couch and sat down next to me. "Would you like something to drink?" he asked.
"No.I'm fine."I said, closing my eyes.
"Tsukushi.what are you trying to do?" Akira suddenly asked me, his voice serious.
I glanced at him and saw a serious expression on his face, something really rare compared to his happy-go-lucky personality. "What do you mean?"
He sighed softly and ran his fingers thru his hair. "Ever since Tsukasa lost his memory.you had been working yourself to death."Akira said in a soft voice and I looked down at my feet. "It's just not right Tsukushi.you'll kill yourself that way. Look how thin you are now and how tired you look."
"I'm fine."I muttered.
"No, you're not."He exclaimed. "Here."He took my arms and pull me to a standing position and walked me towards a mirror. "Look at yourself. Is this the Makino Tsukushi that we've come to love?"
I looked at myself in the mirror and for once in my lifetime, I almost didn't recognize myself. I was sporting black eye bags and my skin was pasty and pale. Akira was right, I was killing myself.
"I know you're closer to Rui and I've never been someone you come to with your problems. But I want you to know, that I'll always be here for you." Akira turned me around to face him and I nodded, touched by what he just said.
"Thank you."I hugged him tightly.
"Tsukushi.everything will work out fine.trust me."Akira whispered into my hair. I really wanted to believe him that everything will work out eventually, but I knew better. Tsukasa will never remember me or the love we had.
The maid appeared at the door, announcing that the food was ready and we headed towards the dining hall. My eyes widened at the amount of food that decorated the long dining table.
"Are you feeding an army or what?" I teased as I took the seat opposite him.
"Nope.just trying to nourish my friend back to its healthy weight." He answered and dumped a piece of chicken on my plate.
I never knew that a simple piece of fried chicken can taste so good. The next thing I knew, the food which I complained to be too much earlier was almost half gone and I could practically hear my stomach purr in contentment.
"That was good."I told Akira with a satisfied grin on my face.
"Now.head upstairs and have a good rest." Akira stood up and started to walk out of the dining hall.
"Eh.wait!" I called out. "Aren't you going to send me home?" I asked.
"No.it's already late.why don't you just crash in one of the guest room" He suggested.
"But I have school tomorrow." I protested.
"Tomorrow is Saturday my dear girl." He crossed his arms over his broad chest and gave me the look which told me it was the end of discussion.
"Come on.I'll show you to your room."
I followed him up the grand staircase reluctantly and he opened a door, revealing a cozy looking room which was as big as my whole entire apartment.
"My room is next to yours, if there's anything, just holler." He leaned against the door looking at me as I took in the beautiful decorated room. "Good night.and sleep tight."he said finally and closed the door behind him.
After washing myself up in the bathroom, I climbed into the huge bed and sank into it comfortably. The minute my head touched the pillow, I was a goner.