Chapter 5
Protective of the hearts
All night after Rei and Kira came all he could do was lay in bed all through the night remembering what Kenji had just confessed to him, with Kira sound asleep next to him Rei wondered if he should speak with Kira about him but he didn't want to make another argument over the rich guy that might have been gay, Rei heard Kira moaned softly as she turned over and slipped her arm around him with her head resting on his chest. Rei gently without waking her up he placed an arm around her and a hand over her head stroking her head, "I love this beautiful creature" he thought to himself while he stared at her sleeping face, he saw a small smile form on her face she looked like she was dreaming. "I am more then in love with her I am crazy about her I did say I would die for her" he thought to himself again as he grip to her became tight "Rei?" Kira said in soft wakened voice "sorry did I wake you babe?" he asked, "no you were squeezing too hard" she explained. Rei loosened his grip on her "sorry about that I won't do it again" he said as he continued to stroke her head "go back to sleep" he insisted while he laid back and stared up at the ceiling.
Rei woke up to the smell of coffee being made in the kitchen, Rei looked on Kira's side of the bed but she wasn't there"I guess she is making breakfast" he said as he made a groan then sat up on the bed and stretched up his arms "Kira?" he said while yawning. Rei got out of bed in his boxer "Morning honey" Kira called from the kitchen, as Rei walked to the exist of the bedroom he graded him usually jeans and slipped into them "what's cooking?" he asked while walking to the kitchen seeing her in one of his shirts . "Eggs, beacon, and some pancakes" Kira said then felt Rei slip his arms around her waist from behind her, he nuzzled his face in her hair while she was mixing up her egg and milk "lets stay in today" he said in her ear while rubbing her belly which he knows makes her giggle "we can't, Kenji is taking us to his beach house" Kira said as she squeezed out of her boyfriend's grip. Rei grunted and exhaled at the same time "oh do we have to?" he said while grabbing a chair "yes he invited us and he has done a lot for us" Kira explained as she poured some mix onto a burning pan, "Yeah, I know that" he muttered to himself "what did you say?" Kira asked louder then he said "nothing I'll pack a bag for us" he said to try and not let her become suspious about what happened between himself and Kenji the other night.
Kira was dressed in a pink tank shirt with a white skirt "Hey where are you going?" Kira asked as she watch Rei walking to his keys to his Bic "I have to go out and get something real quick" he explained as he grabbed his keys "don't worry I'll be back in time to go to the beach house with all of you I promise" he said as he gave her a quick kiss on the lips before Rei stepped out of the door he turned around, walked back to her, gave her a longer and better kiss with his arms around her holding her close. "I'll be back" he said then Kira watched him hop on his Bic, as he drove down the road Tatsuya and Harumi came passing by him as they were entering the apartment parking lot. The couple walked into the apartment wearing their beach clothes "hey Kira where is Rei going Kenji will be here son to pick us up" Harumi asked as she walked into the apartment with Tatsuya behind her "he said he had to go get something, he promised that he get here before Kenji does" Kira explained while she was sitting on the couch with Bruce's head laying on her lap, suddenly the phone rang, Kira walked over to answer it while Tatsuya and Harumi sat on the spar couch "hello?" Kira answered the phone.
"Miss Aso? Kira Aso?"
"Yes"
"I am afraid I have terrible news, your mother had a terrible accident"
Kira's heart was beating rapidly at the thought of her mother dying, Harumi and Tatsuya saw the expression on her face they rushed over to Kira's side "what is it Kira?" Tatsuya asked in a very concerned voice, "yes I am on my way" Kira said in a panicking voice as she quickly hung up the phone. "My mother had a bad fall, I need to see her now" Kira said in a breaking voice while rushing over to get her purse "we'll take you there" Tatsuya said as he looking at her, "oh I have to call Rei" Kira said as she pulled out her cell phone and was about to dial his number. But Harumi recognized Rei phone sitting on the coffee table "wait Kira he left it here" she said to her, Kira was having a panic attack but she tried to remain calm enough to re-think on what to do "Harumi you wait for Rei when he gets here tell him everything then get a ride a with him" Tatsuya explained as he reached for Kira's arm "we'll go on ahead, and explain to Kenji too" he added then he and Kira rushed off to his car.
Harumi walked around the apartment with Bruce watching her, while waited for Rei to get back but he hasn't show up in the last five minutes that she was there after Tatsuya took Kira "oh Rei wasn't the point on you to stay in touch with Kira if you don't take your cell phone with you" she said while walking left and right with her arms crossed on her chest. "Hey guys!" Kenji called as he walked in but was surprised to see Harumi only one in the room, the look on her face told him that something was not right "what's wrong?" he asked in a concerned voice as he approached her closer "Kira's mom had a terrible fall but I have a feeling it wasn't an accident" Harumi explained in a serious tone of voice and remembering what kind of a man lives with Kira's mom. Kenji's felt deeply concern over Kira "we should go there now she might need me-" he said with a force of passion but he cut himself off as he saw the shocked look on her face "she needs both of us" he explained trying not to let her see what he really meant. "I will when I tell Rei, he left his cell phone here and now I am waiting for him to get back" Harumi explained. Kenji scoff then walked out to the door "ugh! I don't have time for him to get her she needs-" he was cut off by Harumi this time "needs who you?" Harumi said in a threaten tone "well someone has to" he said in a loud voice as he left the apartment. "Kenji listen I know you care about Kira but don't forget Rei does too" Harumi said with a much less threaten, Kenji looked at her for awhile then he claimed into his car and zoomed off down the road. Two minutes after Kenji left Harumi heard Rei's Bic's motor vrooming to the parking lot, Harumi ran to him as he was about to turn off the Bic but Harumi stopped him "what's wrong?" he asked without turning off his Bic "Kira's mom had a terrible fall, she is at the hospital right now" she explained as she claimed on the Bic. The two rode off down the rode "his new helmet that Kira gave him is gone" Harumi thought to herself as they rode fast down the street.
Kira and Tatsuya ran into the hospital counter "excuse me, Mrs. Aso had a bad fall I am her daughter" Kira said then the woman pointed out which room she was in "thank you and if a young man ask to see my mother let him in he is my boyfriend" Kira explained fast enough to hurry on, as Kira rushed down the hall she wondered if her stepfather was there in the room with her mother and she prayed that he wasn't going to try anything to convince her to come home. Kira's prayers were answered as she looked inside the room and her stepfather wasn't there only a woman Kira recognized as her old neighbor from the apartment complex where she and her mother lived in before her stepfather returned to her "oh Kira thank God you're here, it has been three months" the woman said in a quiet voice as she rose to her feet to give her a hug. "Hey Miss Yuki it's been awhile" Kira said looking down on her with a smile "how did this happen?" she asked quietly looking at her mother sleeping peacefully "I heard a lot of yelling and screaming and then I heard him blaming her for your leaving then I called the police" Yuki explained everything to Kira and she became more angry with him, she realized her mother didn't fall accidently "where is he now?" she asked in a very angry voice "he was arrested I can't press charges only your mother can" she explained the rest.
"Tatsuya, Miss Yuki may be alone with my mother please" Kira asked politely as she pulled a chair near her mother's bed "Yeah sure Kira I'll wait up for Rei" he said as he existed the room with the old woman by his side. A few minutes passed suddenly Kira's mother's eyes began to open slowly, the sight of Kira in front of her brought tears in her eyes "I didn't think you would come" she said in a soft weaker voice "why wouldn't I? I may not be living with you but you are still my mother" Kira said as she placed her hand on her mothers hand when she felt it she held on to her. "Oh you've grown into a beautiful woman" Mrs. Aso said looking at her daughter "Have you already gotten married to that brave young man?" she asked, Kira smiled at her mother while holding her hand "his name is Rei and no not yet" Kira smiled with some blushing cheek "how have you two been doing?" Mrs. Aso asked with so much eagerness to wanting to know about her daughter. "Well my art work has been the top of the sale in art auctions"
"I know that"
"you do?"
"Yes, I have a scrape book of all the newspaper articles of your art work"
Kira was stunned by the fact that her mother stayed in track of Kira's work and she was touch so deeply that she felt her tears growing in her eyes "mom what did he do to you?" Kira asked in a serious tone of voice, she wanted to hear her mother confess to her about her stepfather but she noticed her mother didn't answer her question only stared at her for a moment until she finally replied "I fell down Kira it was an accident". But Kira did not believe her statement "mom did he beat you?" Kira asked looking her in the eye this time, Mrs. Aso looked t her daughter and could not lie to her about the truth about her husband "it started two days after you left" she confessed in a breaking voice with tears flowing out of her eyes, Kira laid her head on her mother's lap sobbing "I don't want you to go back to him" Kira ordered.
"I have to Kira he is my husband"
"Mother you don't have to, come live with me and Rei"
"I can't do that"
"Why not?"
Kira was shocked by her mother's rejections to her offering of protection from her stepfather "mom you have been taking care of me let me take care of you" Kira explained with her hand still holding her hand "Kira I don't want to be a burden to you and Rei" Mrs. Aso said looking at her daughter with so much appreitation . "Rei would more then love to have you live with us, and besides it would be only for until we can get you another place" Kira explained while smiling at her mother and stroking her head.
Kenji ran to the hospital counter and grabbed the first nurse he saw "excuse me I'm looking for a uh Miss Aso?" he asked "oh yes you must be miss Aso's boyfriend?" the nurse asked "uh yeah I am at least the younger Miss Aso" he said with a little bit of a laugh trying to make it sound like a joke "yes of course, she right over their" the nurse said while laughing at the same time to his joke. Kenji walked to the room that the nurse pointed out "Kira?" he quietly called out as he entered the room to see Kira sitting on the side of the bed while still holding her mother's hand "Kira?" he said quietly as he walked toward her, Kira turned her head to him as well as her mother "Kenji" Kira said as she greeted him with a hug which made his heart sore with the feeling of her chest to his. "Harumi told me everything when I came to pick you and the others up" he explained as Kira parted from their embrace "Kira, who is this man?" Kira's mother asked while she used the control remote to adjust her bed in a sit up position "oh mother this Kenji Kamaji my art dealer agent and friend, he helped me get all of my best work sold in auctions and displayed at the museum" she explained. Kenji walked to the delicate woman and extended his hand to her "please to meet you ma'am" he said shaking her hand gently "I read about you in the articles that I collected on Kira" Mrs. Aso said sitting back on her bed "Kira told me about you and everything you have done for her" she added. Kenji smiled at her and Kira who was standing next to him "I Kira is an amazing artist and woman" he complimented to Kira with another smile.
Rei and Harumi arrived to the hospital at last "excuse me I am here to see Mrs. Aso and her daughter" Rei said to the same nurse that Kenji identified himself as Kira's boyfriend "I am sorry sir the only person that can go in to see those two is Miss Aso boyfriend who is already in there with them both" the nurse explained. Rei and Harumi were both stunned by what the nurse had said "wait a minute did this boyfriend have a British accent?" Rei asked in a serious voice "yes he did, is that a problem?" the nurse asked with an expression on her face like she had let a stranger into a patient's room. "Rei where have you been?" Tatsuya called out as he walked to them "Tatsuya is Kenji in there with Kira and Mrs. Aso" Rei asked looking at him "I don't know I was in the men's room for two minutes" Tatsuya explained, Rei walked passed him and head down the hallway "where are they?" Rei asked "over there" Tatsuya answered and pointed out to where Kira was, Tatsuya and Harumi stayed behind.
Rei stood in the door way of Mrs. Aso's room looking at Kira hugging her sobbing mother while Kenji was on his cell phone "Kira?" Rei said quietly as he walked to his girlfriend "Rei where have you been" Kira said as she rushed into Rei's arms "I'm sorry, it's alright I am here now" Rei said as he held Kira tightly in his arms "what happened?" he asked. The couple parted from their embrace "he has been beating her" Kira said in a sobbing voice while still in his arms "ever since I left home he has been beating her" she explained, Rei looked at Mrs. Aso's face with the purple and blue marks on her and his rage began to build up "I should have killed him" he muttered in Kira's ear. Those words took Kira back when her stepfather came to the old apartment and demanded that Kira came home with him but she refused and things got uglier between Rei and her stepfather "that would have only made things ten times worst then it is now" Kira explained as she looked up at him. Rei looked at Mrs. Aso "hey Mrs Aso, you look beautiful" he said as he extended his hands to her "Rei it's good to see you, and my daughter together" she said shaking his hands "I see you have been taking care of my daughter like I asked" she added as she smiled back at Rei. "Yeah I have but now I feel like I have only made things worst" Rei said as he shoved his hands in his pocket "no Rei you couldn't have known what would have happened to me" Mrs. Aso explained to him as she extended her hand to him, Rei gently took her hand and held it to his lips " I am so sorry" he said while sitting on a chair next to her bed . Kira's mom placed her other hand on Rei's head "I am only grateful that he didn't beat Kira" she added while stroking his hair in a motherly way "Rei I want her to come live with us" Kira said from behind him "then you should" he said looking up at her then back to Mrs. Aso "it really isn't nessacery I'll be fine" she said again "okay it's done" Kenji said as he hung up his cell phone.
Rei, Kira and Mrs. Aso looked at Kenji "I talked with some good lawyer they say they can have your husband in jail for battery and assault and have divorce papers filed for you to sign" Kenji explained "plus if you stay with Rei and Kira for a while I can have a place for you" Kenji added "this is too much Kenji I don't know what to say" Mrs. Aso said still holding on to Rei's hand. "I think you should take advantage of this Mrs. Aso" Rei said while looking at Kenji with the same face of distrust after not only on how he passed security but on how he feels towards Kira "his right mom please take advantage of this" Kira pleaded her mother, "alright I'll stay with the both of you" Mrs. Aso said looking at the couple "great I always wanted a mom's home cooked meal" Rei said while smiling at her, everyone laughed at Rei's joke.
Rei and Kira stayed with Mrs. Aso while Kenji talked to his lawyers outside the room, Rei finally got up from his sit next to Kira who was on the side of the bed near her mother "I'll be right back" Rei said as he got on his feet and walked to where Kenji was, "Yes alright I'll call you back later" he said as he sees Rei approaching him. "I guess you're mad because I told the nurse I was Kira's boyfriend right?" he asked calmly in front of Rei "yeah I am pissed but I am not going to kick your ass over that" Rei explained calmly just as Kenji was doing, both men didn't want to cause a scene in the hospital "why?" Kenji asked as he slipped his cell phone on the back of his pants. "Because I am thinking about Kira and her mother right now" Rei said "I don't give a damn about what you feel about Kira because I love her too" Rei added then suddenly Kenji blurted out angrily "I love her more then you could ever imagine", all Rei did was remain calm with his hands in his pocket. "I can give her anything that she wants, what can you give her?" he added, Rei stood in silence to let himself think "he is right" Rei turned and walked to the wall and placed one hand on it "you should know that I loved her the moment I saw her walking on the street looking like she was unhappy" he explained "I'd die for her" he added in a serious tone "so would I and I have been dying for her every time some one tries to hurt her" Rei said defending himself from Kenji judgement. "I went through Hell just to get to where I am now and it is because of her that I am the man that I am now" Rei said as he walked closer to Kenji's face "you think you're the only one that has been through Hell?" Kenji said in his own serious tone of voice "I think you're just full of shit" Rei said this time he was up to his face, Kenji almost launched at Rei but was interrupted by Kira who was standing in the door looking at the two men with sadness in her eyes.
What is going on here?" Kira asked as she approached the both of them, Rei and Kenji stared at each other with intimation "nothing" Rei said as he reached out to Kira's arm "Kira you should know the truth" Kenji said looking at her with a lot of determinations in his eyes "I love you, always have and Rei is threaten by me" Kenji admitted still standing in front of the couple. Kira was standing next to Rei with a stunned look on her face, she was also amazed by what Kenji confessed to her "come on lets take your mother home" Rei said as he gently pulled Kira by the arm to the nurse counter living Kenji standing behind them looking. "Why didn't you tell me about this?" Kira asked while the stood in front of the nurse counter "I didn't think it was important and besides it's over between the two of you" he said as he called for someone to assist them "what do you mean?" Kira asked.
"I mean you are going to have to break off all your connections with him"
"I can't do that"
"why not?"
"he still is my art dealing agent"
"how can you remain business partner with him after he had just admitted his feeling for you?"
"I will just have to talk to him and explain to him that we have to remain friends"
Rei scoff as he walked to the waiting room and slouched on the seat "you're doing exactly what you did when you're stepfather came back to live with you and you're mother" Rei expressed while scooped his hair back with both hands "that's not true" Kira said in a defensive voice while walking toward Rei "you know you are, you are being charmed by his kindness and generosity" Rei said while placing his elbows on his knees. Kira walked to Rei and knelt on her knees with her hands on his knees "Rei why are you being defensive about him" Kira asked in a less defensive voice, Rei pushed her away as he rose back on his feet "if you're worried about me falling in love with him you don't need-" she was cut off by him when he said bluntly "it's not about you falling for him, it's about what he can give you and I can't" Rei explained while walking around the room.
Kira suddenly understood what was really bothering Rei, he was concerned about not being able to give Kira all that she deserves ever since he declared himself independent of his life and Kira in it but Kenji could because he and his parents get along quite well not to mention he has a steady balance between his family business and his passion for driving fast cars. "Rei you and my mother have been taking care me all my life what is so wrong with me wanting to do the same for the both of you" Kira said with her hands holding on to the front side of his shirt "because I made a promise to your mother before you left that I would take care of you but I haven't been able to lately" he said looking down on her "you don't have to feel like you have failed I still am with you and besides I have a career now just like you do" Kira expressed as she tried to hold him in her arms but he gently held her back "you won't let me even comfort you when you need me" Kira said this time feeling saddened by his harsh behavior toward her. Rei walked to the wall again leaning on it with one hand "let's not talk about this now" Rei said remembering that they were going to take Kira's mother home with them and neither of them wanted Mrs. Aso to know about them having a lover's quarrel "but we will discuses this with Kenji, all three of us you promise?" Kira said looking at Rei with more concern in her eyes "I promise" Rei said then they existed the waiting room without holding hands. "Let's not tell your mother about what is going on" Rei requested Kira understood that he didn't want to give her mother any kind of grief until she was given a good home and proper care, Kira only nodded her head to Rei's simple request.