Author's Notes: Through all those schoolwork and other psychotic things I'm involved in, I still managed to squeeze in time to write! The only reason is because I LOOOOVE this fic! Hehehe...and just so those who are waiting for this update wouldn't have to wait too long. Hehehe! When I made the last update, I was actually thinking that twist of Kaede marrying a fake Hisaki would turn people off. Surprisingly, I think I got more reviews than I did in most of the other chapters. Hmm...which made me think and PRESSURED me to do a better one to measure up to those compliments reviewers have generously showered on undeserving me.
Anyways, so I hope y'all like this! I thwacked my head and this is the best SHOCKER I could come up with. Hehehe! Enjoy people!
Echoes Of The Past
Unexpected Revelation
Kaede felt shivers descend her spine as she sat down on her leather chair, averting from the generous amounts of moonlight coming in through the bay windows and shifting into the shadows, her eyes turning a deeper shade. It was hard to recall memories that she had tried so hard to forget. It was like looking for an object in the least likely places, because she hid it where she knew she wouldn't search in. She focused, concentrated, on reviewing the pages of her life that had quickly went by, tracking the pages that mattered most.
She would have never thought her life would take a turn like this.
As a teenager, she used to dream of traveling, seeing the wonders of the world, hand in hand with a guy taking after many of the lead men in the romance novels she would read until very late at night. She would daydream about the day she would be swept off her feet like many of the female leads ended up to be, safely secured in the arms of their gallant heroes. But when her turn came, she was extremely disappointed.
Kaede felt nothing more than an empty vacuum where her heart used to be.
Hisaki carried Kaede all the way up to their hotel room after the grand reception where the photographers feasted not only on the hundreds of sumptuous dishes laid out, but also on the hottest couple in the elite society. Countless pictures were taken up the point where Kaede felt her jaw muscles already ticking from the overly exerted effort of putting up the mask of bliss when her inner turmoil fought in opposition to its inhibition.
"You can put me down now," Kaede said in a small voice as the both of them smiled for the last time that night and entered the confines of the elegant elevator, finally left in private.
"Not until we get to the room. That was your father's orders." Deciding she was in no mood and had no energy to debate, Kaede decided to just go along.
He flicked the light switch on and the room materialized itself in its entire splendor. They occupied the most expensive suite in the whole Maple hotel chain, which now rated five stars thanks to Kaede and Hisaki's efforts combined. Putting her down gently, her husband went to the balcony and looked below, cringing at their heightened position.
In that instant, Kaede almost had an idea of sending him plunging over to his quick death, but instantly erased it from her mind. She rationalized. Maybe she was not the only victim; maybe he was also just an innocent pawn in the great game manipulated by her dear father.
Pity, she thought, when this guy reminded her so much of her lost love.
"Scared?" Kaede voiced out in curiosity.
"Yeah," he nodded. "And you?"
She shook her head.
It was absurd, ludicrous even, how a woman can be married to a man she knew completely nothing about, except nothing was funny when it was actually happening to you.
"We don't know each other much, do we?" Then, she rephrased it to be more accurate. "Actually, we don't know each other at all." She tried to say it with as little sarcasm in her voice as possible. If she was going to live with this man for the rest of her life, she thought it wise to be civil rather than fighting with him each and every day.
"I'm not really Hisaki…" he said in a sheepish, apologetic tone that she mused about, weighing her thoughts of whether it sounded lame or just plain annoying. "I'm Kaii."
Kaede wanted to roll her eyes in exasperation, but contented herself with half a smirk and an, "I know." She wanted to say, "Hi, I'm Kaede, your wife" and imagined him to reply, "I'm Kaii, your husband." It was mechanical how they walked to each other and shook hands like business acquaintances, being formally introduced to each other for the first time.
"So, what do we do now?" he asked her with that cheerful grin again. She really was starting to seriously think if she should start hitting the guy on the head for being too damn happy or liking him for being, well, nice.
She decided neither.
"Sleep."
Kaede sat heavily on the dresser beside the bed, taking her mother's priced and extremely heavy diamond earrings off her sore earlobes. When she turned around, Kaii was already in the bathroom, apparently brushing his teeth and humming quite loudly. In a little while, he came out in boxers and went straight to the large sofa to sleep, bringing with him one of the many blankets and pillows from the walk-in closet.
She went in after him, carefully removed all traces of make-up and went through that nightly beautifying ceremony, or at least that's what her dermatologist said. When Kaede reluctantly came out a good half hour later in only a skimpy, almost transparent and ridiculously short nightgown that barely concealed her knickers, which she knew her mother purposely packed for her in the place of the pair of silk pajamas she put in her bag, Kaede found Kaii already sleeping soundly on the sofa.
Kaede didn't know whether to be insulted that he slept on their wedding night or be relieved that he wasn't an advantageous, horny, bastard like most men. Plus, he didn't snore at all. There goes one point to him, she credited. Maybe this wasn't as bad as she made it out to be.
She treaded the carpet gently towards his sleeping form and could not help but stare closely at his handsome features. Here was a man who looked like Hisaki, but was nothing like him at all. She held back the urge to trace her fingers on the side of his face. It was too surreal.
"Cute butt, honey," he whispered in his sleep. Kaede almost jumped in fright. It would be so embarrassing to be caught fawning after him when they've only just met, she thought. But it was more embarrassing to have heard him say those things in his sleep. Thinking of her earlier impression, she erased the positive point. Maybe he wasn't that goody-two-shoes she thought he was.
Just like that, her guard was up once again.
If anyone assumed that Hisaki and Kaii were nothing in common, then they were wrong. If anything, Hisaki and Kaii looked like two peas in a pod, spoke alike in a courteous but straightforward manner, and dressed strangely alike in that confident, no-fuss way they carried outfits effortlessly like seasoned ramp models. Moreover, they both possessed the mind of a great strategist, specifically a marketing strategist; quick to catch up and jump on briskly passing opportunities. What they wanted badly enough, they got. Simple as that.
But, what followed next, shocked Kaede beyond her wildest expectations. Just as she was about to walk back to the bed, Kaede heard him mutter a startling revelation, "Zenko sweetie, you're one hot piece of male species…Grrr!"
Kaii is gay.