Disclaimer: Simple, plain and clean: Don't own HG.
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Chapter Twenty Three: Squared Up
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"Hatsumi." Ryoki coldly replied.
"Hatsumi." Two voices said in unison. Hatsumi opened her eyes quickly, still murky and adjusting to her surroundings. Never in her mind did she think that she would see those two people ever again, here on this island of all places.
Hatsumi rubbed her eyes to help them re-adjust and she saw two very familiar men.
"Shinogu and Azusa! What are you guys doing here?" Hatsumi half-excitedly and half-nervously replied.
"Um, this is my island…" Shinogu replied weakly.
"Movie shooting here tomorrow… figured I'd spend a little time with ol' Shinogu." Azusa proudly replied.
"Come on Hatsumi, let's go." Ryoki angrily replied, yanking her hand towards the shore.
"Hey! I have a great idea! Why don't you join us for lunch! We can go to my condo here. I'm making all kinds of food." Shinogu eagerly asked.
"Uh… I don't know…" Hatsumi replied, seeing Ryoki shaking his head 'no' furiously and seeing the hopeful gleam in Shinogu's eyes.
"Yes, let's join them for lunch Hatsumi. It might be good to find out some more details about your friends." Ryoki decided.
"Bu-bu but I thought we had to go?" Hatsumi asked Ryoki.
"Don't be silly, I wasn't thinking!" Ryoki nervously chuckled.
"Alright then, follow me." Shinogu replied, turning to another clearing in the woods. Ryoki and Hatsumi promptly got out of the lagoon and grabbed their clothing and picnic basket and followed behind the two men.
"Here we are." Shinogu replied 5 minutes later. They had arrived at a beach house, that looked so big and long, about three floors high, plus a roof and a balcony.
"Nice digs you got there Shinogu." Azusa cheeringly replied, patting him on the back, but instead giving him a hard smack.
"I just hope your female fans don't corrupt this island of mine…" Shinogu chuckled softly.
"Uh… If I can get out of here in three days, it'll be fine…" Azusa nervously replied. He turned to check if anyone else was watching. Shinogu opened the door and held it until everyone went inside before him. He then walked over to the kitchen, which had a grand table and a beautiful island full of food. Shinogu walked over to the fridge and took out the necessities.
Ten minutes later after Shinogu cooked and everyone helped, they all sat down at this big great feast that was awaiting them on the table. Bagels, toppings, salmon, fruits, vegetables and dip, shish-kabobs, pasta and salads panned the table from a side to the other.
"Pass the bagels please Ryoki." Azusa asked. Ryoki nodded and handed it over across the table.
"This is really good, but I have a question, how do you get all this fresh?" Ryoki asked Shinogu.
"Easy, I have a 'grocery' store downstairs, whatever I need, I just shop. When I'm out of storage items, I order over the phone through this company that shops for me and drops it off by helicopter onto the beach." Shinogu softly replied.
"Cool!" Azusa excitedly chattered. Everyone looked at him like he was a five year old child with no patience. "What?" Azusa chuckled nervously as everyone stared at him eating a bagel with cream cheese and salmon.
Hatsumi kept quiet and her head low, and prayed that she'd get out of this alive. It was painfully embarrassing, to be in the same room with all these three guys at the same time, and not knowing that they were affecting her.
"Ryoki, is it true that you and Hatsumi are dating?" Shinogu asked curiously.
"Yes." Ryoki confidently answered.
"How long?" Azusa asked.
"Couple months." Ryoki answered.
"Heard you were in a coma what happened?" Ryoki asked.
"Car crash… stupid drunk trucker. I can't really remember the coma but I do remember waking up… and… then deciding I really had to take a vacation. I've been here around Greece for two weeks now." Shinogu answered softly.
"Nice! So you own this island?" Azusa asked.
"Yes, it was mine a long time ago, through inheritance from a dear old friend who passed away." Shinogu sadly spoke. "But this house is from me, I built part of it." The boys continued talking to each other and passing around stories.
'He doesn't even remember that… kiss?' Hatsumi wondered to herself.
"Hatsumi?"
"Hatsumi?"
"Huh?" Hatsumi asked in confusion.
"Hatsumi!" Ryoki angrily shouted.
"Oh! Yeah, what?" Hatsumi asked, snapping out of her peaceful trance.
"She hasn't been feeling very well lately. I think it is time to take her back out to the cruise, but it has been nice seeing you and having lunch with you. Thank you." Ryoki quickly apologized.
"No problem dude. Bye." Azusa replied, going back to his mountain of food on his plate and eating it all down.
"Bye." Shinogu replied, standing up and leading them to the door.
"Ryok-hmph." Hatsumi muttered out as Ryoki pressed his hand to her mouth. Waving goodbye, the two went to the shore where they had originally settled their rowboat and began setting it up. After the two got on the rowboat, Hatsumi broke out in angry shouts.
"Why did you do that? That was so rude!" Hatsumi angrily shouted out.
Ryoki remained to be cold to her.
"I wasn't feeling sick! I feel perfectly healthy!" Hatsumi angrily added.
"Doesn't matter…" Ryoki whispered.
"What?" Hatsumi asked.
"Doesn't matter!" Ryoki angrily shouted. Hatsumi was left silent.
'He never yells at me!' Hatsumi thought to herself.
The two rowed back together the rest of the way in silence.
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"Hey Hatsumi!" Akane cheeringly greeted her sister, seeing her open the door to their room.
"Hi Akane…" Hatsumi muttered.
"So what did you do today?" Akane asked her tired sister.
"Ugh… Ryoki, Azusa and Shinogu.." Hatsumi wearingly replied.
"WHAT! You spent the day with all of them!" Akane screeched.
"Uhgh Akane… can I please shower?" Hatsumi asked her eager sister.
"Yeah!" Akane replied, walking off to the door and exiting the room.
"Today was so humiliating…" Hatsumi mumbled to herself under her breath.
"Not for me." Akane smirked.
"What did you do?" Hatsumi asked. Akane stood there frozen, she didn't realize her sister would ask her.
"Um… nothing much… just… hanging around with other people…" Akane nervously stammered.
"Whatever. Is it me or does Ryoki look different to you?" Hatsumi asked. Akane shrugged.
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"What the fuck happened back there?" Ryoki muttered to himself.
"Ryoki! Watch your mouth!" Mrs. Tachibana replied, flashing an evil glare from her glasses.
"Forget it mother." Ryoki replied in a harsh tone and slammed the door on his way out.
"Stupid anger management classes are failing…" Ryoki muttered to himself and walked to the lounge.
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"Thanks man. I owe you." Azusa replied, shaking Shinogu's hand.
"Not a problem." Shinogu happily said and started to clear the table.
"You know, as a friend, you wouldn't mind if I asked her out after Ryoki's done with her?" Azusa asked.
"What?" Shinogu stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to face Azusa. "You-y-you want to ask Hatsumi out?" Shinogu added.
"Yeah. She's definitely hot." Azusa replied, tossing him the potato chips. Shinogu caught it with ease and dumped it into the cupboard.
"…fine with me… why are you asking me though?" Shinogu asked.
"Oh just getting permission…" Azusa added.
"You don't need permission, except from Ryoki." Shinogu chuckled.
"That too." Azusa added and scratched his head to figure that part out.
"Um Azusa it was only a fig…" Shinogu stopped himself, to see Azusa writing down a letter to Ryoki.
'My god he's stupider than he seems.' Shinogu thought to himself, chuckling softly. 'He has such a big ego' Shinogu added in his mind.
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Hurley's Belial: Thanks for your reviewer. I might stop continuing because there isn't many people up and around that are motivating me besides you but I will keep being strong… as long as I can. Thanks for your support!