Okay, here's the long-awaited chapter... Thanks for the reviews, guys... Hope you all like it...
Entrapment
Chapter Seven
All for the Love of Ice Creams
Pirika tapped her fingers impatiently. That freak... That weirdo... Where was he? They were supposed to meet here an hour ago! She tried calling his cellphone, but only the voice mail answered. Aarrggh...
She ordered another bowl of chocolate chip ice cream sundae, which happened to be her fourth one. Hey, who cares about ice creams making you fat?
All she cared for was what she would do to a certain spiky-haired freak the moment she saw him...
Talk about perfect timing... An eased-looking Ren Tao entered the ice-cream parlor. He even had enough guts to smile and say hi.
"Hey... Sorry I'm late..."
Pirika merely glared at him.
Ren smiled. "So, what's up?" He took the seat across Pirika. "Have you ordered yet?" As if to answer his question, the waitress appeared and placed Pirika's fourth chocolate chip ice cream sundae. "Ah, I'll have... Chocolate sundae topped with nuts and cherries..."
"Chocolate sundae topped with nuts and cherries!" Pirika cheerfully replied when Tamao asked her what she was planning for dessert.
"Ice-cream?" Tamao frowned. "Won't it melt?"
"Nope! That's Ren's favorite ice cream... And... it's freezing outside, and the park was just a block away from here..."
She was really looking forward to this picnic... Tamao thought. I wonder if Ren had already told her he was leaving for China tomorrow... Tamao sighed. Pirika...
"So, Tamao-san, would you help me wrap these rice balls?"
Pirika shook her head. Not again... She focused instead on doing what she had been doing earlier... Glaring at a certain Ren Tao... "Do you know that I've been waiting here for an hour already?"
"Ah, yeah?" Ren sheepishly smiled. "I had a last minute meeting with the organizer..."
"Again?"
That had been the mere reason why they haven't finished their project yet. Ren had told Pirika about the party, and how the meetings with the organizers would conflict with the completion of their project. So after another argument, they had agreed on one thing. They would finish the project the day before the party itself, which happened to be today. Did Pirika mention what the hell they were working about? It was all about childhood love and crushes... Ren suppressed a smirk when he learned about that, and Professor Tomo might as well die from the looks Pirika had given him that day.
The psychology of childhood love and crushes... Duh!!
"Look, Pirika, I didn't know it would last that long. I thought it would last only for ten to fifteen minutes..."
"Ten to fifteen minutes, I don't care... You're still late, and heck, you should have called!"
Ren showed her his cellphone. "No battery."
"Well, you should have used a damn phone or anything!"
Ren sighed. He always knew he wouldn't win an argument with girls, especially with someone like Pirika. God... What did he actually see in the girl? "Look, I'm sorry, okay... Now, eat your ice-cream, and after I finished mine, we'll go, okay?"
Pirika snorted, and took another scoop of her ice cream. Ah... It was a wonder how ice cream really calmed her nerves...
Silence reigned between the two of them. The waitress arrived and placed Ren's order. Ren started eating.
Pirika was done. She dabbed her lips with the napkin. "Where's Bason?"
"In the car, waiting..."
"Well, hurry up so that we could go and start the project."
Ren scowled. "Fine." He took another scoop then set the ice cream aside. He asked for the bill. "You had four bowls of chocolate chip sundae?"
Pirika flushed. "It was your fault! You made me wait."
"Fine." Ren reached for his pockets to get his wallet. He blinked. He removed his coat and searched along the side pockets. None... He stood, and searched once again... Oh, shit...
"What's the matter?" Pirika slowly asked, praying to the heavens that what she thought wasn't happening.
"Do you have some extra cash?" Ren timidly asked. "I think I forgot my wallet."
Silence.
"What!" Pirika shook her head, rummaging through her handbag, bringing out her wallet. She seldom brought little money with her, but, hey, curse Lady Luck, for that seldom happened to include today. "It's not enough." She counted her bills. She could only pay half of the amount. She turned to Ren, panic-stricken. "What should we do?"
Ren scowled. "Why are you asking me? Did I eat four bowls of sundae?"
"Are you blaming me?" Pirika snapped back. "If you haven't arrived late..."
"You could have waited for me, eating only at least a bowl, you know." Ren rummaged through his clothes once again, hoping, praying, that it was somewhere there.
"If you only had enough memory cells not to forget your wallet, then..."
Five minutes later, Pirika walked out of the store to Ren's car, asking Bason if he had some cash, or if he had seen his stupid freak master's wallet somewhere. Bason replied with a quick no. Pirika stormed back to the store, very furious. "He didn't see it."
"Go back home, Pirika... Try calling the gang... Maybe they..."
"They're out of town, Ren. Onii-san took the key with him. " Pirika cut in, "Did you really have a memory lapse or something?"
Ren and Pirika tried to talk to the owner about the problem, asking the old lady if they could first pay half of the bill, and then pay the remaining half tomorrow.
"No." The old lady stiffly replied. "Policies are policies. You need to pay, or I'll call the police."
The thought of getting arrested and thrown in jail for not paying an ice-cream bill sent Pirika to the end of her wits. "Is there another way that we could pay you?"
"There is another way." The old lady's eyes glinted as she spoke those words. She pointed at the poster posted on one of the glass windows.
Funny, how both Ren and Pirika never noticed the poster before, but as soon as both of them finished reading what it said...
"Shit..." Pirika quietly muttered. Ren looked at her, pretty much amused by how things were going, wondering what the hell would she do now.
Wow... How he really loved the way those aqua eyes glared at him... So... intensifying...
"Miss..." Pirika sweetly said, controlling her voice, and temper at the same time. "He's really my boyfriend...I love him very much." She softly emphasized on the last words. She inched closer to him, and clung to his arm. "Right, honey?" Pirika looked at him, and smiled, leaning her head against his chest in the process.
Ren smiled back, making sure to engrave in his mind the way had Pirika looked at him, cooperate-or-I'll-kill-you look, yet with a trace of sweetness and somewhat sincerity... A somewhat convincing look of love... And the smile... Hell... How he missed that one. The way Pirika's lips would form the perfect smile...
The girl was indeed a very good liar... Come to think of it, he himself almost believed the words she said... The way she softly muttered those words... Somehow, he was lost... Just staring at her eyes... Locked by her smile...
Pirika's hold on him became firm, urging him to say something. Ren shrugged. If this was the way she wanted it, then so be it... "In fact, I just found myself falling for her again and again..." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her much closer to him. "And I don't even know why..." He gently whispered in her ear, but still loud enough for the old lady to hear. He absent-mindedly held her hand.
Which was true... Ren didn't even know why... Why he had always been in love with the blue-haired girl.... Why years had passed and he still couldn't forget her... Why he was falling for Pirika again and again...
Pirika gasp. She hated to admit it, but those words somewhat sent weird sensations down her spine... And damn it... They were too close... Much too close... She could feel his breath tickling her cheeks... The smell of his aftershave, making her weak, dizzy... The gentle hold he had on her hand... Damn it... This damn show had gone a little too far...
Pirika knew she started it... Even said those three words... So honestly, softly, so honestly, that she surprised even herself... It felt like the most natural thing in the world... Everything felt so right...
Damn it...
Pirika turned to look at the old lady, to see whether their little charade convinced her. All for the love of ice cream...
The old lady rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sweet... Pretty convincing... But there's still one last thing to do..."
Pirika and Ren blinked. What else do they have to do to convince the lady that they were a couple and were eligible for a 50 discount on ice cream?
The old lady pointed her fingers to her lips and smiled...
Pirika and Ren immediately got the message.
"A kiss?" Pirika whispered weakly.
Ren shrugged. "A kiss..." And before Pirika could further react, he spun the girl, held her firmly in the waist, and sealed her lips with his own.
Look at the twist of faith... The party organizer had disturbed him that morning, he was an hour late with his meeting with Pirika, had a shouting spree with the girl, forgot his wallet, nearly got arrested, and now look at what the hell was happening...
He was gently moving his lips against Pirika's...
All because of ice creams...
Life was indeed full of surprises...
Ren pulled away and let go of Pirika. "So was that enough?"
The old lady nodded, and punched the registrar. "Congratulations, you now had a 50 discount on your bill."
Pirika was still in a daze as she paid for the bill, while Ren waited outside. The girl was still quiet as they rode to the park, where they agreed to finish their project.
By sundown, they were almost through. Ren read through the paper they had written. "Wow, it was good... Organized... Speaking from experiences?" he joked.
"You're really crazy, you know that?" Ren shook his head, as he wrapped his shawl around his neck and put on his coat. He stared at the blue-haired girl, and sighed. "What made you decide to have a picnic in this freezing weather? It was practically snowing outside, and do you even care?"
Pirika pouted. "Oh come on, Ren, it would be fun!"
Fun! Ren took Pirika's coat from the closet and helped her wore it. "Yeah, fun. Whatever." It would be fun getting killed by your brother.
"Thanks." Pirika fixed her hair. "Besides, you agreed!"
"As if I have a choice," Ren took the picnic basket. "Why is this so heavy?"
"Stop complaining, will you!"
Ren offered his arm to Pirika. "Come on, let's get this over with..." He saw the girl smile. "I have something to tell you..." He continued softly.
"Shut up, Ren." Pirika coldly replied as she fixed all the mess they made. "I'm not in the mood for jokes right now."
What was left now to finish was their opinions or personal reflections about the topic. Pirika decided that it would be best if they finished it on their own. Ren nodded. He then politely asked Pirika if she wanted an ice cream cone. While they were working, he sent Bason to find his wallet, and ordered that the spirit wouldn't appear unless he found it.
"Damn you." Pirika glared and stomped off, leaving an amused Ren.
Ren shrugged. "Poor Pirika... Trauma on ice creams."
They ate dinner at a nearby restaurant, and Pirika nearly had a heart attack when Ren ordered two chocolate sundaes topped with nuts and cherries for dessert. Ren was grinning like a fool, while Pirika was silently glaring at him, as they finished their dessert.
They were already on their way home when Pirika regained her senses. When it dawned into her that she had been kissed by one arrogant freak... Damn it. That was her first kiss... She started blushing crimson. Ren felt her discomfort, and asked what was the problem. Pirika just rolled her eyes.
You are the problem... Freak...
"Here we are." Ren said, stopping the car. "Home sweet home." He got out and held the door for Pirika.
"Thanks." Pirika muttered. She immediately got out. "Looks like the gang is already here."
"Yeah, I think so." Ren shrugged, and turned to Pirika. "Just tell them I'll see them tomorrow at the party, got that?"
"You won't come in?"
Ren shook his head. "No need..." He headed towards the car, opening the door.
"Ren... Wait..."
Ren turned.
"Do you want a good night kiss?" Pirika softly asked, her eyes glinting mischievously.
Ren blinked. "What did you say?"
Pirika smiled. "I asked you if you want a good night kiss."
"What?" Was he dreaming? Did Pirika just ask him for a good night kiss? Shrugging all his thoughts aside, he approached Pirika. Maybe ice creams really have that kissing effect on the girl. "A good night kiss? Why not?"
Pirika grinned, slowly closing in the distance between them. "Why don't you close your eyes?"
Ren obeyed and closed his eyes...
A hard fist came in contact with his right cheek a few seconds later.
That's what you get for kissing me... "Good night, freak!" Pirika cheerfully called, retreating from Ren.
Ren scowled, rubbing his jaw. "Good night, Pirika."
As soon, as Pirika unlocked the door, Horo-Horo burst outside. "Look, who's here. Where have you been young lady?"
"Hmm." Pirika replied.
"What happened to you?" Horo-Horo asked Ren.
"Iron fist... You know what that means?"
Horo-Horo laughed. Hao then appeared, followed by Yoh.
"Want to come with us?" Hao smirked. "Just some drinks... I know you need it..."
"Yeah, sure..." Ren replied. "Hop in..."
They arrived at the bar fifteen minutes later. They had a table, and started ordering some drinks.
"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Yoh asked, scratching his head.
Hao smiled. "Relax." He downed another tonic. "Dearest sister-in-law, herself, gave the go-signal for it."
After another series of drinks and tonics, Hao straightened up and smirked. Sure, it took really a long time to get Ren drunk, but nevertheless, the spiky-haired man was now grinning like crazy, and seriously cracking some jokes, ala-Chocolove way.
"Now, Ren, start talking...."
There has been a slight problem regarding my Internet connection... :( I don't think I can update itsumo and Once upon a time... this week...
I'll update them... don't worry...
Thanks...
yeah, what's the name of Ren's parents?
