Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot ad a couple of other things.
The prologue was set in the past. Now, we're about to make a leap towards the future. If you haven't guessed yet, the prologue was about Arisa Uotani. Rolls eyes at herself, of course these people are not that stupid.
When You're Owned
Chapter One
"Papa? What're you cooking? Well, actually…why are you cooking?" Uo had rarely seen her father holding a pot in the kitchen, let alone see him in the kitchen unless he was eating. The old man smiled and stirred whatever he was cooking,
"You're home early, I thought you said you'd be home late," Mr. Uotani poured the soup into two separate bowls and placed them on the table. "It's not anything great, just two minutes Maggi noodles,"
Uo chuckled and took a seat with her father at the kitchen table. She sipped the hot steaming soup and sighed,
"I didn't realize I was this hungry. Come to think of it I haven't eaten since the morning!" Uo slurped in the noodles hungrily and downed her water.
"I don't like you skipping meals. It's not healthy,"
"Papa, I barely had time to eat at all. I spent all lunch time studying for my history test and the store was really crowded so I got no break," The store had put its items on sale so naturally everyone stampeded in to buy the cheap merchandise. Uo had a busy day making sure no one was beating each other up over anything.
"Maybe you should quit your job, concentrate more on school and your health," Uo threw her chopsticks down and crossed her arms,
"And how are we going to cope with no income,"
"My pension is enough,"
"Your pension is not enough. We can barely cope to pay the bills with your pension and my salary put together. How the hell do you expect us to live on just your pensions!"
Her father looked away which made Uo feel sad. She hated having arguments with her father about their sticky financial situation. She didn't blame him, he had already tried. He was too old to work and they've tried setting up businesses but were unsuccessful. Nearly every single argument she had with her father was about their financial status.
"I'm sorry, Arisa." He bowed his head down. Uo crinkled her nose and swept her hair back,
"Don't be."
"STUPID COW! Say that again!" Kyou Sohma stood in the middle of the corridor, his fist held high in front of Hatsuharu's face. Haru smirked causing a few girls nearby to faint,
"You're – nothing – but – a – big – sissy…"
"I'm going to KILL YOU!" Kyou was about to smack his fist onto Hatsuharu's face when Tohru stopped him,
"Sohma-kun! Please don't fight. I don't want you to get into trouble," Kyou froze at her pleading and shot a look at the simpering boy. Tohru was his weakness and so Kyou pulled back. Haru chuckled,
"Just as I suspected: you go weak in front of your girlie. You really are a sissy,"
"WHY YOU LITTLE PUNK!" Too late, Haru went crashing against the wall and the student population in the corridor all stilled and went silent. He stood up and folded his sleeves up, not that he had any biceps to show. He pointed a finger at Kyou and wiggled it,
"Come on give me your best shot YOU DAMN COW!" As Haru tried to kick him, Kyou swooped down and got hold of his leg then sent him flying down the corridor. Apart from the shrieking of Kyou and Haru, the corridor was silently gawking at them and Tohru had gone quiet.
Then, the clicking of heels against the tile floor climbing the stairs was heard and all eyes turned to see Uotani and Hanajima at the top of the stairs.
"Yes, I was right. I sensed Tohru's signals," Hana smiled a little and Uo rolled her eyes to heaven,
"You don't need to brag about it, Hana," Tohru jumped at them in despair,
"K – Kyou-kun and Haru-kun! They're fighting! What should I do! What should I do!" Uo and Hana walked towards the two boys that were trying to kill each other. They stopped as Uo approached them. Haru had Kyou in a head lock, who was biting on Haru's leg. Uo tutted,
"Violence resolves nothing,"
"You're one to talk, YANKEE!" Uo released Kyou from Haru's headlock but had him tied around her whip and pointed a steel bar at him that came from God-knows-where,
"Don't call me that KYON-KYON!"
"Uotani-san!" It was Prince Yuki, here to save the day. Both Kyou and Uo rolled their eyes, "Release my cousin before the teacher comes and sees,"
"Yeah whatever, spoil my fun," Uotani rolled back her whip around her steel pipe and did a quick movement and no one saw where her weapon went.
"Jeez, where do you keep all that stuff?" Kyou rubbed his head and Uo gave him a mysterious grin,
"Somewhere you could only dream of, carrot-top," Kyou looked at her puzzled and then sweat-dropped when he finally understood. Haru's eyes clouded over at her remark,
"Oh yeah…" Uo whacked his head with a book,
"You're way too young for that kid."
Hana and Uo walked home together everyday. It used to be the two of them plus Tohru, but ever since she'd moved in with the boys, they had become a twosome walking home. They chatted about the day's events and laughed at the hilarious antics.
"Ah, carrot-top really is a fool," Uo sighed into the sky and rested her head onto her arms,
"You've mentioned carrot-top quite a few times already," Uo stopped and stared at Hana, "And you've called him Kyon-kyon a tad too many times," Hana was manipulating her, she could see. The psychic stifled a giggle,
"It's almost as if…" Hana drifted off her sentence but Uo took her the shoulders and looked her in the eyes,
"Almost as if what!"
"Almost as if you like Sohma-kun. I do sense jumpy signals whenever he's around you,"
Uo bit her lip. She felt ratted out. She admitted she had feelings for that Sohma but she just didn't know why. Something about him made her feel…feel…Oh she didn't know. All she knew was that she liked it when he was around. Kyou could even sometimes be cute without noticing it himself. Like the way he rubbed his head and hissed whenever he was angry, she found that extremely cute.
But she had always known he liked Tohru much better, after all they did live in the same house and she does his laundry and cooks his meals. Uo could say she was jealous but then she hated that feeling of envy towards Tohru, her innocent friend.
"I don't know, I guess he is…cute?" Uotani blushed and knocked her head against Hana's,
"You tell anyone I'm going to kill you,"
"I promise I won't, Uo-chan."
"Arisaa!" The annoying voice of that gay fool annoyed her greatly but he did pay her salary and what a large salary it was, just for looking after the cash till. She found it disturbing that Ayame, her boss, was nothing but the spitting image of the Prince but showed no indication of being related to him. She had wanted to ask but never did. She had only been working for him for a few weeks and he had been really excited to have a new employee.
"Have you seen Mine anywhere? I need her to look for Mr.Tajima's pantyhose," Another thing she found disturbing was the fact that she was working in a shop that served men's fantasies by letting them dress up drag. She had not dared to tell her father because this job paid her an amazingly high amount of money. After all, there were only two employees.
"I think she went out for a while," Then two people entered the shop. She recognized the small blonde boy who was with the man. It was that little brat that was always hanging out with Haru,
"Hey!" he bounced towards Uo and smiled, "You're Tohru's friend! Look Ha'ri! Tohru's friend works here!"
"Hi – erm – Momiji?" The little boy beamed and hopped like a rabbit,
"You remembered! You remembered my name!" He took her hands and leaned closer. For a second Uo thought he was going to plant a huge kiss on her but then he suddenly burst out in huge laughter.
"Did you know that the owner of this store is – my cousin and Yuki's brother!" Uo thought so. Maybe she could ask the Prince to help her get a higher rate of wage.
"Ah! Tori-kunn!" Ayame rang out in his annoying sing-song voice and ran towards Hatori in a majestic manner. Hatori just stood still as his cousin embraced him,
"Did you know that your employee here is a good friend of Tohru's?" Hatori said to Ayame who spun around immediately,
"Is that so! Why, I never knew! Arisa, don't you just find Tohru simply adorable!" Uo didn't get it, was the whole Sohma family really that close to Honda-san?
"Then you must know my brother! Yes, don't you think Yuki's just the perfect prince?"
"Uh- he's um…" Uo tried to think of something nice to say about Yuki,
"Hah! What do you know! She's lost for words," Uo glared but Ayame just continued to ramble on,
"Yes, he gets his charms from me! And what about Kyon-kichi, he's rough and tough but really that boy is nothing but a sweet little pussy cat!"
Uo turned red behind the ears. Why was the Sohma family suddenly invading nearly all aspects of her life?
I like writing scenes with Ayame. He just brings a little sparkle, don't you think? Chapter Two is on it's way!