My Everything
Chapter 17: Disappearing act
"KAI HIWATARI! I AM SO GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!"
That was all the blue haired teen got a chance to hear before an enraged shrieking pink bundle tackled him in the middle of the corridor.
Momentary caught off guard since he was still brooding about yesterday's events, Kai found himself sprawled on the ground as he fought to catch his breath while small fists pounded his chest insistently.
"Mariah!" a voice snapped sternly and Mariah glanced up briefly to see her dark haired boyfriend glaring at her disapprovingly
"Sorry sweetie now's not exactly the best time. I'm kinda busy," she shrugged off her boyfriend's glare effortlessly as she continued physically abusing the teen beneath her.
"Mariah, you're making quite a scene." Tala pointed out tactfully, his turquoise eyes flickering around the students clustering against the wall, whispering in undertones to their companions.
"I don't care right now! This-this-" words seemed to fail the pink haired girl for a moment before she continued. "He broke Crystal's heart! What else do you want me to do?"
"Well for one thing it would be wiser to settle this in private. And need I remind you that Kai was only discharged from hospital yesterday?" Tala advised coolly and with a glance in Rei's direction, Mariah's boyfriend gently pried her off the blue haired teen who remained lying on the floor and staring at the ceiling blankly for several moments before he realized the pink haired girl was off him and stood up.
Violet eyes glittered maliciously as they observed the scene unfold in front of her. A triumphant smirk spread over her lips. So Kai had finally dumped that pathetic little bitch Hiragazaki. About fucking time too.
Melissa was getting tired of simply waiting around. And now that Hiragazaki was finally out of the picture she'd be able to move in. Kai would be hers one way or the other.
Auburn eyes strayed to the empty seat beside him.
Kai sighed and forced himself to turn away but not before the pink haired caught his lingering glance and frowned.
"It's your own fault you know," she hissed to him when the teacher turned his back on them to write on the blackboard. "Nobody knows where she is. We've tried calling her. Her mobile phone's off and when we try the home phone the servants won't say where she is. Though you probably wouldn't know any of that since you haven't even tried to contact her right?"
"Mariah," Rei said warningly but his pink haired girlfriend ignored him and continued speaking to Kai in an undertone.
"You've really gone and done it this time Kai. You had better fix things up with her before I fix you up," Mariah threatened turning her attention back to her work when the teacher cast his eye in their direction.
"You have no idea what you're talking about Mariah," Kai stated coldly, his auburn eyes hardening.
"I know perfectly well what I'm talking about," she sniffed in reply.
"Things are better off this way." With that announcement, Kai's chair scraped against the ground as he stood up and stalked out of the classroom.
Kai strode down the hallway and out of the school without even stopping by his locker to get his bag. Seconds later, he was out of the parking lot and weaving his way down the highway.
Mariah had no idea what she was talking about.
She didn't know about Melissa's threats and how the accidents had been arranged by her.
Akina didn't deserve to continuously be exposed to danger that was caused because of him.
Letting her go was the hardest thing Kai ever had to do. It was killing him having to push her away like this. There was now a gaping emptiness within him, a void which seemed to suck the life out of him. Others couldn't see it, but it was tearing him up inside. Of course what he was feeling was probably nothing compared to how Akina was feeling. He could only phantom what she was going through. She probably hated him right now. But this was for her own good. She'd be safe now.
When he arrived home, he brushed past his mother who was concerned about why he was home so early and he stormed up the stairs to his room.
Sighing, he flopped back onto his bed and his hand absently picked up the small handmade teddy bear.
The azure eyes seem to bore into him and scowling he set the bear aside.
What else was he supposed to do anyway? Letting go of Akina assured her safety and wellbeing, he assured himself but even then his hand strayed to his phone and before he knew it, his fingers had dialed Akina's number out of their own accord.
He abruptly cancelled the call when he heard the first ring and he hurled his phone across room with such force that it struck his bookshelf and several books tumbled off.
He scowled, furious with himself. He had only broken up with Akina yesterday and yet here he was, already calling her up.
It was only then that he realized how much he had come to depend and rely on Akina.
Her quite confidence, her sparkling emerald flecked orbs, the way her hand always seemed to find his and how she fitted perfectly into his arms.
Puffy white clouds streamed past the small round window as large crystal orbs gazed blankly out.
"Hiragazaki-sama, is there anything you need?" one of the attendants questioned, breaking into her trance.
"No thank-you." Akina had to force the words out of her mouth. "How long until we land?"
"The captain says 35mins," the attendant informed her crisply and with a listless movement of Akina's hand, she curtsied before retreating to the back of the jet.
35mins.....................they were making good time.
Of course the fact that her father owned a small fleet of jets meant she was able to leave Tokyo immediately. She smiled wryly. Sometimes being rich had its advantages.
No, Akina was not flying out of the country just because Kai had dumped her rather unceremoniously on their one month anniversary. She had never believed in running from her problems. Her father had always encouraged her to confront her problems. And Akina always had- even if it meant going about her normal routine as if everything was perfectly fine even when everything was anything but fine.
Akina toyed with a strand of her midnight black hair, twirling and twisting it around her finger absently as she recalled the phone call she had received after returning home.
Flashback
"Hello?" she questioned upon picking up the receiver. She was so tired, all she wanted to do right now was tumble into bed and sleep for about a thousand years.
"Hiragazaki-sama?" the voice replied, somewhat distorted by static. "I have some bad news for you I'm afraid. Your father is in a coma, his situation is unstable and he's in intensive care."
"He's in Hong Kong isn't he?" Akina's voice was steady as her mind raced. "I'll take one of my father's jet. I trust you'll arrange for somebody to meet me at the airport?"
"Of course Hiragazaki-sama," the voice assured her smoothly, somewhat surprised that she was handling the situation so calmly.
"I'll be there as soon as possible. You must contact me at once if there is any change whatsoever in my father's condition."
End of Flashback.
Akina's fingers punched in a phone number and she drummed her fingers against the arm rest as she waited for the other line to be picked up. It was a good thing she had remembered to swap her normal phone for her international one.
"Hiragazaki-sama?" a crisp voice queried.
"I'll be landing shortly, in about half an hour."
"I'll have Sawaki Kenzo come and meet you at the airport."
"Good." Akina nodded vaguely. Kenzo was on the board of directors at her father's company and recently became charge of the Hong Kong branch and being only 20 years old made him one of the youngest and most successful employees in the company. Her father regarded Kenzo as a pure genius since he finished University by the time he was 18 and he had rapidly ascended the company's ranks in the short two years he had been working for the Hiragazaki Company which was some kind of record.
"Hiragazaki-sama?" the voice jolted Akina out of her thoughts.
"Yes?"
"Is there anything else?"
"No that will be all thank-you" Akina answered curtly before hanging up and despite leaning back against the leather upholstered seat, she still remained tense.
Sighing, her eyes drifted close but she found herself unable sleep.
How could she be so tired and yet still be unable to sleep?
Akina scowled and rubbed her eyes and dots seemed to swim before her eyes for a moment. She hadn't slept in nearly 24hrs, no wonder she was feeling so drained.
Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.
First Kai had broken up with her and now her father was in a coma.
Perhaps she might have been able to deal with one situation..................but to have both of them occur simultaneously.....................
....................................well let's just say that this was beginning to take a toll on Akina.
The raven haired girl forced herself to concentrate on simply breathing in and out evenly. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.
She could not afford to think about her relationship with Kai right now. Or the lack of it. The most important thing right now was her father. Family came first. Being dumped was a trivial matter compared to her father's situation. There was no time for her brood and sulk over being dumped, not when her father's life was on line. He was the only thing she had left now. She would not waste her time on thoughts of Kai any longer.
"Aki-chan" a voice shouted out across the terminal and Akina's head snapped in the direction of the source.
"Kenzo!" A smile flickered over Akina's lips briefly as the young man covered the distance between them in long strides and in a heartbeat he swept her up in his arms.
"I'm so sorry about your father," he murmured when Akina stepped back.
"Has his condition improved?" Akina inquired hopefully. If the bodyguards who had accompanied Kenzo and were now standing a few meters away found the friendliness between the two of them strange they gave no indication of it. It was to be expected after all, Akina had known Kenzo since childhood and when she had lived in Hong Kong he had been one of her closest friends though lately she hadn't spoken to him much. He's probably been busy with the company, Akina reflected.
"His condition has stabalised, the doctors are optimistic and it's only a matter of days until he gains consciousness," Charcoal black strands fell into midnight orbs. "Though they say it'll take several weeks for him to recover."
"Dad's not going to like that," Akina mused as one of the bodyguards picked up the small suitcase she had hurriedly packed before leaving. "You know how he hates being cooped up unable to do anything."
Kenzo chuckled as the airport's doors glided open and they stepped into the awaiting limousine. "He'll probably have the board of directors conduct their meeting in his hospital room."
"Mmm," Akina murmured, turning to stare at the flashing lights of Hong Kong.
"Akina-chan?"
"What?" Akina turned her almond shaped orbs to meet Kenzo's eyes. Her usual bright sparkling emerald flecked orbs were now dulled, the emerald retreating beneath the surface of cerulean. Kenzo's dark eyes became serious and concerned as he regarded her.
"Are you okay?" he questioned quietly and the raven haired girl shrugged her slender shoulders hopelessly.
"I'm as okay as I can be with my father in a coma." She replied softly aware of the fact that Kenzo was searching her guarded expression. She could not allow her calm and collected mask to slip, not now. One crack could shatter the fragile mask.
"It's not only that is it?" Kenzo held her gaze for several long moments. "You seemed fine when I spoke to you a few weeks ago via satellite. Has something happened?"
Akina turned away uneasily and Kenzo's hand reached out to rest lightly on her shoulder.
"Aki, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just want you to know that if you ever want to talk about anything that I'll be here."
Tears pricked the corner of her eyes. Akina was trying very hard not to blink; if she blinked she was sure that they'd spill over. She didn't dare sniffle either- that would definitely give it away that she was crying. She couldn't afford to be weak, not now, not when Dad needed her to be strong.
But she hadn't spoken a word to anybody about what had happened with Kai. It was too painful to put into words. But Kenzo.........................Kenzo would understand wouldn't he?
"It-it's about my boyfriend," Akina began hesitantly accepting the tissue Kenzo handed her.
"Hiwatari Kai?" Kenzo quirked an eyebrow.
"Yeah, do you know him?"
"I know his father Hiwatari Kevin. Besides, everybody involved in business knows about the two of you. Some say that it was arranged between your fathers so that the Hiwatari and Hiragazaki Company will have an edge in the business realm when the two of you inherit the companies." Kenzo shrugged vaguely. "It's all rumors of course."
"Well apparently those rumors have some grain of truth in them. Kai broke up with me yesterday. He said that the only reason why he ever bothered himself with me was because of the advantage it would bring his father's company." It took some effort for Akina to hold back the bitterness in her tone. "He never loved me- he never even cared for me actually."
Kenzo sat back in the leather seat and listened without commenting. That was what Akina had always liked about him; he simply listened to her and didn't pass any judgments.
"I was so stupid and ignorant and gullible to believe that somebody could ever-" the tears welled up in her eyes and she choked on her words.
"You should not be so harsh on yourself Aki," The dark haired man told her quietly as the limousine pulled up to a stop. "We're here. Are you okay?"
Akina jerked her head in a nod and Kenzo merely sighed and shook his head. "Stupid question to ask now huh?" he flashed a lopsided grin at her. "Of course you're not okay. You will be though, in time. Probably would've been smarter of me to ask if you're ready. Anyway, chin up and smile."
Sorry I haven't updated for ages, things have been really hectic for me recently but hey at least I've finally updated! grins sheepishly Rather late than never ne? Anyway, please don't' expect me to update any time soon, I actually have exams right now so I'll probably update in a few weeks. Anyway hope you liked the chapter and please remember to review!
Ja ne.
