Authoress here.
Thank you all for the amazing reviews! Eleven for the first two chapters! How awesome are you guys! And DarklessVasion, I apologize most profusely for spelling your name wrong! I must have been in a sleep-fogged delirium or something...
Wow, it feels weird typing here on Sir Artimus. (For those who don't know, Sir Arty is my downstairs computer with Internet connection. The computer I usually type on is MY compy, Navvy. Navvy has issues with the Internet being almost thirteen years old.)
See, I have the evening to myself and I thought it would save me some time just to type up this chapter on Sir Arty without having to do the floppy disk dance from one computer to the next.
I swear I'm done rambling now. Enjoy the chapter!
Three-Way Tie
Chapter Three: Well-Timed Lies
Yuki Eiri
My wrists were the main reason I finally got off of my laptop. I had been typing for a couple of hours straight, and my hands and wrists ached. I was a little surprised at how much work I had gotten done- almost fifty pages in two hours.
I sighed, massaging my temples, warring against the headache that threatened to overcome my good mood. Everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours (minus the sex) was starting to bother me.
Even though that Aoyou girl had promised she wouldn't say anything, I knew better. I've learned that any female with a juicy secret just can't help letting it out. I had known one too many women who would tell a reporter about our relationship the day after she spent the night to believe otherwise.
My train of thought was interrupted as a delicious aroma wafted into my room. I sniffed suspiciously.
"Shindou, I thought I had told you to keep out of my kitchen before you break something important, like my microwave!"
I sniffed the air appreciatively. This wasn't Shuichi's cooking. Shuichi had almost burned down the place the last time he attempted to cook ramen in the microwave, hence my apprehension over it. But if Shuichi wasn't..."experimenting," then where was the smell coming from?
I had to check it out. Turning off my laptop, I followed the familiar route to the kitchen. Turning into the doorway, I stopped abruptly.
I was greeted with the sight of Miss Aoyou Tsumaru's rear end, clad in another skirt, a sleek black this time. She was bending over in front of my hardly-used oven, apron strings tied neatly in a bow.
"Bread?"
She whirled around, surprised. In her hands she held a loaf of freshly baked bread, steaming slightly. Aha. The source of the wonderful smell.
"Oh, you startled me, Yuki-san. I-I woke up and no one was making anything so I just thought..."
Her face looked apprehensive, little wisps of her hair stuck to the damp of her lips. She seemed overly aware of my gaze and turned around busily, placing the bread on the oven top. There was a pan of water heating on the stove, and an old bottle of honey warming immersed in the water.
"What's the honey for?"
"Oh!" She smiled slightly, removing the bottle and drying it on her apron, which I noticed was actually MY apron, a housewarming gift from an ancient uncle. I had to admit, it looked a lot better on her then it ever could on me. She opened the honey and poured gracious amounts of it on top of the loaf and sprinkled some sugar over the layer of honey.
"I thought good honey-nut bread would be delicious on a morning like this, along with some fruit."
Now I wasn't sure that I even owned honey. But I was sure that I didn't own any fruit, unless raspberry iced tea counted. "I don't own any fruit."
"I-I know," she flushed a little. "Shuichi-san volunteered to get some for brunch."
A small feeling erupted in the pit of my stomach at this. I felt slightly hypocritical about telling Shuichi he was jealous last night. Now, I was the one feeling envious- and I wasn't sure whether the feeling was directed to Aoyou or to Shuichi.
I raised my eyebrow. "So, you already have him wrapped around your little finger, hmm? Going to steal him away?"
"What!" she squeaked. "No, no not at all!"
I laughed a little. "I was just teasing you. That smells absolutely delicious. I hope you're planning to share."
She laughed a little, partly in relief. "Of course."
"Good." I went to a drawer and began pulling out the silverware we'd need. I started setting the table while she pulled the loaf from the dish and began to slice it.
"You know, it's not often I have Shuichi out of the house when he's not running off to work." I felt compelled to fill up the silence.
She gave a little sigh. "I never expected to actually meet the lead singer of Bad Luck while I was here."
"You're a fan, correct?"
She nodded. "I adored their single."
"Speaking of which, are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Single."
"Oh." Aoyou paused. "Sort of."
"How can you be sort of single?" I asked, getting the milk from the refrigerator. "Let me guess; you have some attractive all-American man with a Southern drawl waiting for you back home."
"Not really." Aoyou admitted. "My boyfriend is sort of a geek with a Canadian accent, but I'm not quite sure where we stand, really. He never wanted me to come to Japan. He wanted me to move in instead and just get a translation job back in the States."
I watched her carefully. She had a sad smile on her face while she continued to slice the loaf of bread. "So why aren't you still there?"
"He's a great guy, don't get me wrong." Aoyou blurted. "He was so sensitive, and kind. He was always there for me."
"Which again begs the question; what are you doing here and not in America with him?" I asked.
"Because...well," she said simply. "He loved me, but I knew there was something missing. That wouldn't be fair to either of us if I didn't really love him, would it?"
"What, you're too needy for him?"
"NO! It's just...he found his soul mate, and I didn't find mine."
I studied her briefly. "What beautiful words used to describe such a sad thing."
Aoyou was all sunshine again, bringing the bread to the table on a plate. "Oh, Yuki-san, you don't really mean that. I mean, perhaps the time away will make me remember how much I really do love him and everything will work out."
"Or," I said smoothly, "You'll have mad passionate sex with some romantic Japanese man and forget all about this boyfriend of yours."
She met my eyes, and blushed. Apparently she was thinking about the same thing I had implied. "Well," she said softly. "Maybe I will...Yuki-san."
"Drop the formalities," I scoffed. "Just call me Yuki."
She flushed all the deeper, eyes searching mine. "Okay...Yuki."
We both turned as the door to the front of my house slammed, and hard.
"Shuichi must be home!" Aoyou said brightly.
"He would have said something by now," I said, my heart sinking. Shuichi must of overheard and left in an angry flair, a mood of his that usually resulted in trouble. "I think he was leaving, not coming in."
"What?" Aoyou walked from the kitchen, only to return without Shuichi, and with a bag of fruit. "Why would he leave?"
"He overheard our conversation." I said shortly. I started to the door, saying "I've got to go get him before he does something stupid and gets gangbanged."
"What!"
"Stay here!" I commanded. "I'll be back soon."
I almost ran out the door, dimly aware that Aoyou was following me. I figured Shuichi would head into the busier part of town, down by the recording studio. I vaguely thought that the car would be quicker, but I didn't want to waste time turning back.
We had only gone a few blocks when a frantic female voice sounded loudly around the corner. "Shuichi Shindou? From Bad Luck!"
"IS IT?"
"It is! Shindou-san!"
A hubbub broke out, loud enough to hear for blocks around. I started to sprint, and Aoyou easily outpaced me and darted ahead. I stopped dead a few moments later, though.
"Is that Eiri Yuki?" Another female voice asked. I groaned. I couldn't get Shuichi home NOW, or any pretence of cover would be undoubtedly blown. Even worse, I saw a reporter or two, along with photographers joining the crowd. There was no way I could much less talk to Shuichi than drag him home by one ear, because then the reporters would have it plastered over tomorrow's papers.
Panic clutched at my heart as the crowd started to get excited. Mobs are violent by definition, and my Shuichi could get hurt!
Indecision made me hesitate before I did anything else, and in that moment Aoyou surged forewords, calling (very loudly) "SHUICHI-CHAAAAAAANN!"
The reporters turned as she pushed her way forcibly through to Shuichi, who looked both scared and confused. "A-Aoyou!"
"Darling, I thought I'd never find you!" Aoyou purred, latching onto his arm and giving him a meaningful wink. A reporter jumped on the fresh meat being presented.
"Shindou-san, is this girl a friend of yours?"
"Yes.." Realization dawned on his face. "Yes she is."
"A good friend?" One reporter pressed.
Shuichi faltered slightly, leaving Aoyou to respond instead. "I'm his girlfriend. I was in America briefly, but..." She prattled on, effectively keeping up the facade.
The reporters listened intently, and the crowd of screaming girls stayed quiet, too, wanting to catch every word. I sighed with relief. Not only had Aoyou pulled the attention away from me, she had subdued the crowd.
Damn. I thought. She's good.
A reporter gestured to the photographer standing hopefully beside him. "Can we get a kiss for the camera?"
Aoyou now was the one who faltered. Shuichi had sufficiently recovered to give the man a roguish wink. "D'you promise to get this crowd to leave afterwards so I can spend some time alone?"
"Sure thing!" The reporter said.
Shuichi turned to Aoyou, and leaned down. Luckily for the entire situation, she simply went with it, kissing him back as their lips met. Cameras flashed, and when they broke apart the crowd started to slowly dissipate.
Once most of the girls had gone, and all were out of earshot, I went over to the two.
"Damn you Shuichi!" I thundered. "I was worried!"
His face lit up. "You were?"
Aoyou sighed. "No, he only ran out of the house like a mad thing because he wanted to kick your sorry ass!"
We turned to her simultaneously, sheepishly just remembering she was there. Shuichi beat me to giving her a hug.
"That was amazing!" He declared. I nodded freverently. That was very good, especially right on the spot.
"I know," Aoyou flipped her hair. "And now, I think we ought to all go back to the brunch I made."
"SHE COOKS!" Shuichi's face broke into a wide grin before turning to me with a hopeful glance. "Can we keep her?"
Aoyou and I laughed, and Aoyou ruffled his hair as if he were a dog. "You're real cute, Shuichi."
Once again, as we were walking home, Aoyou between us, I wondered just who was I jealous of- Aoyou, because of Shuichi's attention she was receiving?...Or Shuichi, because of the attention Aoyou paid to him?
End Chapter
Authoress here.
Gah. Stupid phone lines. They died last night. So I have people to call in addition to homework. Foo.
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