I'm done with SAT tests, so there's no need for hard words anymore. (
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Part II: The Morning After
Chapter 4: Back to School
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"Nee-chan! You're going to be late!"
Tsukushi shot up from her makeshift bed in the living room; she turned around to look at the time, 7:45. She only had 15 minutes to dress and go to school. She quickly grabbed her uniform and ran to the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. She came out five minutes later.
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" She demanded of her family members. They looked back at her, unphased by her reaction.
"We did, since seven, but you didn't even hear us," her mom said.
"Yeah, I even pushed you a few times. If you weren't breathing I would've thought you were dead," said her brother.
"It's rare for you to oversleep Tsukushi. You always wake up the earliest of all of us."
Tsukushi stood, stunned at the truthfulness of her family's words. It's because in the last five months she didn't have to wake up early. She was already missing the care free days.
At the corner of her eye she saw the time, "Ahh! I only have five minutes to get to school." She grabbed her lunch and ran off.
As she ran she berated herself for wishing she was still on the boat cruise. Those five months were like being in a fairytale world, and now she was back in reality. And here she couldn't rely on Tsukasa, no matter how much she wanted to. If she did she knew she'd become weak and independent and that wasn't who she is.
Tsukushi dashed through the gates, changed shoes, and ran to her class with less than a second to spare as the bell started ringing.
But luckily the teacher wasn't there yet. Tsukushi exhaled a sigh of relief.
"Well well well, look who's back."
Tsukushi looked up to see who was talking to her, Asai and her two b*tch friends. She mentally rolled her eyes. Why did the first people she see have to be them?
They all saw Tsukushi jump on the boat but no one thought anything of it, since they thought Doumyouji had already dumped her. "Did you get dumped in some foreign place and didn't know how to get back?"
It was then that one of the girls noticed the gold band on Tsukushi's engagement finger. She nudged her friends, eyeing the ring.
"Oh-ho! So you got engaged huh?" Asai grabbed Tsukushi's left hand and fingered the ring before Tsukushi had the chance to pull her hand away. "That ring is simply a gold band, and it's not even 14 karats. It couldn't be from Doumyouji-sama. So what boy proposed to you? He must be very poor; he couldn't even afford to give you a diamond ring!"
Tsukushi ignored them. She learned that the best way to deal with them was not to answer them. By responding she was only giving them more fuel.
Tsukushi was finally saved when the teacher walked in. Class started, but Tsukushi barely paid attention. She stared outside the window wondering what Tsukasa was doing right now. Was he even in school? She ran to class so quickly she didn't even get a catch of the gossip. If he were in school surely everyone would've been commenting on it.
After a couple of grueling hours, it was finally lunchtime. She took out her bento and walked around the courtyard, trying to find Tsukasa or even Soujiro or Akira.
"Ahhhh!" Tsukushi heard the female screams and ran toward that vicinity. It had to be one of the F4.
And sure enough she saw Soujiro and Akira in the middle of the female crowd, but she didn't see Tsukasa with them. She turned to leave.
"Makino!" Tsukushi stopped at the sound of her name. She turned back around and watched while Soujiro and Akira tried to leave their female fans.
Soujiro and Akira approached her. The females they looked at Tsukushi, their thoughts filled with spite. Who was she to deserve the attention of both guys?
Tsukushi felt the angry stares and shivered, not from fright but from the intensity of their emotions.
"Tsukushi?" Tsukushi looked up to see Akira looking at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"Akria! Do you even have to ask? She's probably missing Tsukasa!"
Tsukushi blushed bright red. "Of course not! Who would miss that idiot?"
"Who's an idiot?"
Tsukushi turned around at the sound of the voice she'd recognize anywhere.
"Tsukasa!" Akira said, "You're late, it's already after lunch."
"I overslept," he replied.
"We'll leave you two lovebirds alone." Soujiro and Akira walked away, leaving Tsukushi and Tsukasa blushing.
"Let's go somewhere else," Tsukasa said. Tsukushi nodded in response.
They walked up to the roof; neither of them said a word. Tsukushi felt the tense atmosphere, but she didn't know what to do. Her heart was pounding rapidly. How was she supposed to act? They were back home and things were different now.
Tsukasa placed his arm over her shoulder, causing her to blush even more. It was different when this intimate gesture was done on the trip, but she couldn't understand why. She looked around and saw other couples holding hand and wrapped around each other. She relaxed a bit. Maybe it was just all in her head, and she was being self conscious, but then again she was never comfortable in Eitoku.
They walked up to the roof - neither of them said anything. Tsukushi's mind raced for something to say, something to do. She thrust the bento out to Tsukasa, "Did you eat?"
Tsukasa stared at the box and blinked, looking at the bento like it was an unknown object. "No, I woke up and I came here."
Tsukushi opened up the bento, "My mom made it, so I can't guarantee the taste."
"A bento?" Tsukasa stared at the lunchbox like it was an alien object.
"You've never had one before? I'm sure a lot of girls gave you them."
Tsukasa shrugged, "I remember a girl did give me one before. I took it, opened it and dumped it on her head. After all you never know if there's poison or something else in there. Since then nobody else gave me a bento."
Tsukushi fell down in exasperation. Of course nobody else would give you a bento. Who wants to be treated like that? she thought.
Tsukasa took a squid from the box and ate it.
"So how come you're not afraid of eating this one? I could've put poison in here too."
"You could." He took another squid and popped it in Tsukushi's open mouth. "Now we'll both die and spend the afterlife together." Tsukasa grinned widely.
"Who would want to spend the afterlife with you?" but she was very happy inside. Things could be normal, she thought. They were still eating when they were interrupted.
The roof door opened, revealing a couple, laughing and smiling. "Don't worry, there's never anyone here," said the guy, facing the girl.
Tsukushi froze in the middle of putting a shrimp in her mouth. Tsukasa got up, mad that someone interrupted him. He yelled at the couple, "Get out!"
The couple froze at seeing Doumyouji. "I-I'M SORRY!!" They bowed low and quickly ran out. They were both hoping that Doumyouji didn't know who they were, so that he couldn't give them a red card.
"Next time I should lock the door," Tsukasa said.
"You have the keys?"
"Of course. I have the keys to all the rooms in the school."
Tsukushi looked all over him, but didn't see anything protruding in the pockets.
Tsukasa knew what Tsukushi was looking for and said, "of course they're not on me. I just call my chauffer and he can give it to me."
Tsukushi shook her head. Rich people, she thought. She could never contemplate all the privileges they have.
Tsukasa got up. "Let's go to the café, I'm still hungry."
For the first time since she stepped foot on Japan she felt happy, and unburdened by depressing thoughts. She looked at Tsukasa and silently thanked him.
They walked to the table on the side. It wasn't until Tsukushi sat down that she noticed how deathly quiet the café was. She leaned over the table to whisper to Tsukasa, "Why is everyone staring at us?"
Tsukasa shrugged, "Who knows? Just ignore them." And Tsukasa did just that. He picked up the menu to see what he wanted to eat.
Tsukushi tried to do the same thing and picked up her menu, but she couldn't concentrate. The silence was annoying her. Few seconds later she was fed up. She stood up and slammed down the menu. The sound echoed through the café. "Stop staring at us!"
They blinked and stared at her. Tsukasa slowly put down his menu. And suddenly everyone resumed talking.
Tsukushi sat back down, and picked up her menu.
"Who is that girl?"
"Don't you know? She was the poor girl that jumped onto the boat."
"Ehhh?! That's her? Why is she with Doumyouji-sama? No! Don't tell me Doumyouji-sama fell for her."
"That seems to be the case, but I don't understand what he sees in her. She has no decorum or talent. She's not even pretty! Just a weed."
"You're right about that. She's probably just a gold-digger. Doumyouji-sama should see that. That's what all poor people are."
Tsukasa was fed up with all the talk. It wasn't just them. Everyone in the café was saying cruel things about Tsukushi. Tsukasa stood up suddenly and walked towards the women talking. He raised his hand, about to slap both women.
"Tsukasa!" He stopped an inch away from the woman's face. He turned to look back at Tsukushi.
Tsukushi shook her head. She didn't want him to get violent over these little things. She knew that people were going to talk about them. Let them talk - she could handle it.
Tsukasa turned back to the women. "Get out of here! And ff you say another bad thing about her I'm going to give you both red cards." They ran out as fast as they could.
The café was silent once again after that outburst by Tsukasa. He turned to face everyone else in the café. "That goes for all of you too. If any of you say anything bad about Makino Tsukushi you'll find a red card in your locker." Everyone ran out, afraid Doumyouji would remember their faces.
Tsukasa sat back down. "So annoying! I can't even eat a meal in peace."
"You didn't have to get so mad. Besides you said the same things to me before, and you still say some of those things." Like calling me poor, she thought.
"That's different. Only I can say bad things about you."
A sweat drop appeared on Tsukushi's forehead. What kind of logic is that? But she smiled.
They finished eating a few minutes before Tsukushi's next class.
"Tsukushi, we have classes today."
Tsukushi nodded in response. She didn't need him to elaborate what classes. It was the eisai classes his mother told her she had to take if she wanted to be a part of the Doumyouji family.
"You don't have to take them. I don't want you to become someone else."
Tsukushi shook her head. "I made a promise, and I'm going to keep it." She lifted her left hand. "And furthermore, I'm not going to change who I am just because I'm learning new things. Besides, you're also taking classes, learning about the company right?" Tsukasa nodded. Tsukushi smiled mischievously, "Can a spoiled brat like you handle it? You don't even know proper Japanese."
"Hey! I'll let you know that I know a lot more about the company than people think I do."
"Oh really?" Tsukushi was very doubtful.
"I did some research on the company when I was in the mood in junior high."
Tsukushi looked at him, stunned that he would do such a thing. He always appeared to be the pampered boy, spending money on trivial things. She didn't think he cared about the empire he'd soon take over.
"I knew I had to learn about it someday. I had planned on being wealthy my whole life, but when I entered high school I didn't care anymore." He didn't add it, but he still remembered how he was a little more than a year ago. Everyday was a pain to wake up. The only time he felt alive was when he played with the people he thought of as "beneath" him.
Tsukushi placed a hand on his cheek. Tsukasa looked up in shock. "Our lives changed when we met each other." Tsukushi said. She saw the far away look that Tsukasa had. It seemed like he was remembering something from the past. "The me who wore braided pigtails and was bullied into doing cleaning everyday. she's gone now."
He looked down at the joined hands. "You changed me too."
Tsukushi smiled wide, "That's because I beat your rotten personality into shape."
A vein popped in Tsukasa's head. "I knew you were going to say that, damn you." Tsukushi laughed.
*******
"No! No! No! How many times do I have to tell you that you have to hold your head high?! And body straight! Do it again!"
Damn that old hag has a set of powerful lungs. Tsukushi's ears were still ringing, especially since the woman was practically screaming in her ear. Today was Wednesday: How to be a perfect hostess. It seems like walking gracefully was part of being a hostess.
The woman teaching her looked to be in her late 50s. Her name was Miyani Aki. She was tall, wearing a Japanese kimono. Tsukushi supposed Miyani-san could be considered beautiful for her age, when she wasn't yelling.
Tsukushi squared her shoulders and walked down the hall again. Head high check, body straight check. Walk slowly and confidently. Tsukushi took her time across the floor. She made it across without being yelled at. She stopped when she reached the wall and looked back at Miyani-san.
Miyani nodded, "Now that's more like it, but you still have a long way to go. The first step is to master walking barefoot, then it's in heels." Miyani pointed at the shoes beside her. They were all heels with different height, ranging from almost flat to four-inch heels.
Tsukushi resigned herself to pain for the rest of the afternoon.
********
"Doumyouji-sama!"
Tsukasa was in one of the conference rooms in his house. Somewhere in another place of the house was Tsukushi. He wondered how she was doing.
"Doumyouji-sama!!!"
Tsukasa looked at the man talking to him, Kinato Otori. Next to Kinato was a projector and behind him were graphs of the different companies the Doumyouji family were in charge of.
"I heard you the first time. I'm not deaf."
Kinato sighed, why did I get stuck with the job of teaching a stupid spoiled heir? "Doumyouji-sama, how do you expect to learn when you're not paying attention to me?"
"I am paying attention."
Kinato highly doubted it. "Then tell me the current issues in each aspect of the Doumyouji Corporations." Kinato mentally smiled, there was no way he could answer that question. Even if Doumyouji was listening Kinato had only talked about a few of the important mergers.
But Doumyouji surprised him and listed every single merger that was open to the public. Doumyouji also knew a few private ones but he didn't know how much Kinato knew so he didn't say those.
Tsukasa got up from his seat. "Kinato-san, let me remind you that I control your life. You may be teaching me but you have no control over me, and if you ever try to do that again you're going to be out of your generous paying job."
"Wh-what are you talking about?" Kinato backed away. Doumyouji's eyes had gotten hard and bleak. There were no traces of the happy carefree look he came into the room with. Doumyouji walked toward Kinato, backing him to the wall. Doumyouji towered Kinato by a head.
"You know what I'm talking about. You didn't tell me all of the mergers. That question was asked because you wanted to say I wasn't listening."
"You can't do anything to me. Your mother employed me. And she told me that if you do anything violent to me your engagement to your poor girl would be canceled."
Tsukasa smiled, but there was no joy in it, only malice. "That was a wrong move, hiding behind my mother and my agreement with her. I don't have to do anything to you now. In a few years I'll be the heir of the Doumyouji Empire, and at that time even my mother can't dictate what I can and cannot do. I have a long memory, how long a life do you have?"
Tsukasa sat back down, "Just do what you're paid to do and don't make empty threats because mine won't be."
Kinato gulped visibly. He pulled on his tie, and resumed teaching. He didn't once look at Tsukasa. After all he was paid to teach, but it wasn't his fault if the one learning refused to learn.
********
Their classes ended at 7. Tsukushi's feet were killing her. She was simply not suited to wear high heels.
"Makino-sama, Doumyouji-sama said he will be waiting for you in the dining room."
"Ehh? I'm going home for dinner."
"Doumyouji-sama has already asked me to call your family to tell them you're not going home tonight."
Tsukushi's eyes widened. "What right does he have to do that?!?"
"Makino-sama?"
Tsukushi saw that she had frightened the maid. "I'm sorry, it's not your fault. That stupid octopus."
The maid giggled softly, since Tsukabi-sama this was the first time anyone dared insult Doumyouji-sama.
Tsukushi stomped past the maid, intending to give Tsukasa a piece of her mind. But Tsukushi stopped before passing through the door. She turned around and asked the maid, "umm, where's the dining room?"
The maid smiled, "I'll lead you."
After a few twists and turns they reached the dining room. Tsukasa had changed clothes and was sitting on one of the comfort chairs. He was leaned back with his eyes closed.
He looked so peaceful that Tsukushi forgot why she stormed into the dining room. She slowly approached Tsukasa and leaned in to lightly kiss him. She was about to move away when Tsukasa locked her in his arms, causing Tsukushi to yelp out in surprise.
"Were you awake the whole time?"
Tsukasa was smart and changed the topic. "Dinner will be ready soon." Unfortunately that comment reminded Tsukushi why she was angry in the first place.
"Why did you call my parents without telling me? You knew I had to go home for dinner."
"I wanted to eat dinner with you." And to Tsukasa that was all the reason he needed. Whatever he wanted he arranged it so that he would get it, except where it concerns Tsukushi. That's when things got difficult.
Tsukushi's head fell low. Tsukasa would always be like that in these matters. "I have homework and all my textbooks are at home."
"All the textbooks used in Eitoku are in the library." Tsukushi blinked then sighed. It seems like Tsukasa had covered all her excuses.
After dinner Tsukushi went to the library to do her homework. It took her a lot longer than usual because she had to catch up on what she missed. She had the hardest time with math and science. She looked at the problems and soon became dizzy with confusion. She decided to leave those for later; maybe someone in class could tutor her. English was the easiest homework for her, learning the language first hand in England and America helped a lot.
Tsukushi worked for over an hour. She started getting sleepy halfway through her Japanese homework. She fell asleep on her chair, her books left open on her lap. Tsukasa found her like that half an hour later at around 11. He took all the books out of her lap and picked her up. He took her out of the library. Tsukushi didn't wake up but she dreamed that she was being held tenderly. She felt warmth penetrating her body through her pores to her core.
"Doumyouji-sama," a maid walked to stop in front of Tsukasa, "we prepared a guest room for Makino-sama.
"That won't be necessary." He walked past the maid to go to his room. He placed her gently on the bed. He took off her uniform, blushing while doing it. He gave her his shirt and shorts to wear. Then he took off his own clothing and changed into pajama pants. He didn't wear a shirt - he never did to sleep. (AN: o.O) He got into bed and held her tight. He was never going to let her go. "I love you Tsukushi," he whispered. Somewhere in her subconscious she heard Tsukasa and smiled.
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YAY! I finally got a chapter out! My college applications aren't done yet but I had enough spare time to do a chapter. I promise more will be out after January 12th. Until then please review!
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Part II: The Morning After
Chapter 4: Back to School
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"Nee-chan! You're going to be late!"
Tsukushi shot up from her makeshift bed in the living room; she turned around to look at the time, 7:45. She only had 15 minutes to dress and go to school. She quickly grabbed her uniform and ran to the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. She came out five minutes later.
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" She demanded of her family members. They looked back at her, unphased by her reaction.
"We did, since seven, but you didn't even hear us," her mom said.
"Yeah, I even pushed you a few times. If you weren't breathing I would've thought you were dead," said her brother.
"It's rare for you to oversleep Tsukushi. You always wake up the earliest of all of us."
Tsukushi stood, stunned at the truthfulness of her family's words. It's because in the last five months she didn't have to wake up early. She was already missing the care free days.
At the corner of her eye she saw the time, "Ahh! I only have five minutes to get to school." She grabbed her lunch and ran off.
As she ran she berated herself for wishing she was still on the boat cruise. Those five months were like being in a fairytale world, and now she was back in reality. And here she couldn't rely on Tsukasa, no matter how much she wanted to. If she did she knew she'd become weak and independent and that wasn't who she is.
Tsukushi dashed through the gates, changed shoes, and ran to her class with less than a second to spare as the bell started ringing.
But luckily the teacher wasn't there yet. Tsukushi exhaled a sigh of relief.
"Well well well, look who's back."
Tsukushi looked up to see who was talking to her, Asai and her two b*tch friends. She mentally rolled her eyes. Why did the first people she see have to be them?
They all saw Tsukushi jump on the boat but no one thought anything of it, since they thought Doumyouji had already dumped her. "Did you get dumped in some foreign place and didn't know how to get back?"
It was then that one of the girls noticed the gold band on Tsukushi's engagement finger. She nudged her friends, eyeing the ring.
"Oh-ho! So you got engaged huh?" Asai grabbed Tsukushi's left hand and fingered the ring before Tsukushi had the chance to pull her hand away. "That ring is simply a gold band, and it's not even 14 karats. It couldn't be from Doumyouji-sama. So what boy proposed to you? He must be very poor; he couldn't even afford to give you a diamond ring!"
Tsukushi ignored them. She learned that the best way to deal with them was not to answer them. By responding she was only giving them more fuel.
Tsukushi was finally saved when the teacher walked in. Class started, but Tsukushi barely paid attention. She stared outside the window wondering what Tsukasa was doing right now. Was he even in school? She ran to class so quickly she didn't even get a catch of the gossip. If he were in school surely everyone would've been commenting on it.
After a couple of grueling hours, it was finally lunchtime. She took out her bento and walked around the courtyard, trying to find Tsukasa or even Soujiro or Akira.
"Ahhhh!" Tsukushi heard the female screams and ran toward that vicinity. It had to be one of the F4.
And sure enough she saw Soujiro and Akira in the middle of the female crowd, but she didn't see Tsukasa with them. She turned to leave.
"Makino!" Tsukushi stopped at the sound of her name. She turned back around and watched while Soujiro and Akira tried to leave their female fans.
Soujiro and Akira approached her. The females they looked at Tsukushi, their thoughts filled with spite. Who was she to deserve the attention of both guys?
Tsukushi felt the angry stares and shivered, not from fright but from the intensity of their emotions.
"Tsukushi?" Tsukushi looked up to see Akira looking at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"Akria! Do you even have to ask? She's probably missing Tsukasa!"
Tsukushi blushed bright red. "Of course not! Who would miss that idiot?"
"Who's an idiot?"
Tsukushi turned around at the sound of the voice she'd recognize anywhere.
"Tsukasa!" Akira said, "You're late, it's already after lunch."
"I overslept," he replied.
"We'll leave you two lovebirds alone." Soujiro and Akira walked away, leaving Tsukushi and Tsukasa blushing.
"Let's go somewhere else," Tsukasa said. Tsukushi nodded in response.
They walked up to the roof; neither of them said a word. Tsukushi felt the tense atmosphere, but she didn't know what to do. Her heart was pounding rapidly. How was she supposed to act? They were back home and things were different now.
Tsukasa placed his arm over her shoulder, causing her to blush even more. It was different when this intimate gesture was done on the trip, but she couldn't understand why. She looked around and saw other couples holding hand and wrapped around each other. She relaxed a bit. Maybe it was just all in her head, and she was being self conscious, but then again she was never comfortable in Eitoku.
They walked up to the roof - neither of them said anything. Tsukushi's mind raced for something to say, something to do. She thrust the bento out to Tsukasa, "Did you eat?"
Tsukasa stared at the box and blinked, looking at the bento like it was an unknown object. "No, I woke up and I came here."
Tsukushi opened up the bento, "My mom made it, so I can't guarantee the taste."
"A bento?" Tsukasa stared at the lunchbox like it was an alien object.
"You've never had one before? I'm sure a lot of girls gave you them."
Tsukasa shrugged, "I remember a girl did give me one before. I took it, opened it and dumped it on her head. After all you never know if there's poison or something else in there. Since then nobody else gave me a bento."
Tsukushi fell down in exasperation. Of course nobody else would give you a bento. Who wants to be treated like that? she thought.
Tsukasa took a squid from the box and ate it.
"So how come you're not afraid of eating this one? I could've put poison in here too."
"You could." He took another squid and popped it in Tsukushi's open mouth. "Now we'll both die and spend the afterlife together." Tsukasa grinned widely.
"Who would want to spend the afterlife with you?" but she was very happy inside. Things could be normal, she thought. They were still eating when they were interrupted.
The roof door opened, revealing a couple, laughing and smiling. "Don't worry, there's never anyone here," said the guy, facing the girl.
Tsukushi froze in the middle of putting a shrimp in her mouth. Tsukasa got up, mad that someone interrupted him. He yelled at the couple, "Get out!"
The couple froze at seeing Doumyouji. "I-I'M SORRY!!" They bowed low and quickly ran out. They were both hoping that Doumyouji didn't know who they were, so that he couldn't give them a red card.
"Next time I should lock the door," Tsukasa said.
"You have the keys?"
"Of course. I have the keys to all the rooms in the school."
Tsukushi looked all over him, but didn't see anything protruding in the pockets.
Tsukasa knew what Tsukushi was looking for and said, "of course they're not on me. I just call my chauffer and he can give it to me."
Tsukushi shook her head. Rich people, she thought. She could never contemplate all the privileges they have.
Tsukasa got up. "Let's go to the café, I'm still hungry."
For the first time since she stepped foot on Japan she felt happy, and unburdened by depressing thoughts. She looked at Tsukasa and silently thanked him.
They walked to the table on the side. It wasn't until Tsukushi sat down that she noticed how deathly quiet the café was. She leaned over the table to whisper to Tsukasa, "Why is everyone staring at us?"
Tsukasa shrugged, "Who knows? Just ignore them." And Tsukasa did just that. He picked up the menu to see what he wanted to eat.
Tsukushi tried to do the same thing and picked up her menu, but she couldn't concentrate. The silence was annoying her. Few seconds later she was fed up. She stood up and slammed down the menu. The sound echoed through the café. "Stop staring at us!"
They blinked and stared at her. Tsukasa slowly put down his menu. And suddenly everyone resumed talking.
Tsukushi sat back down, and picked up her menu.
"Who is that girl?"
"Don't you know? She was the poor girl that jumped onto the boat."
"Ehhh?! That's her? Why is she with Doumyouji-sama? No! Don't tell me Doumyouji-sama fell for her."
"That seems to be the case, but I don't understand what he sees in her. She has no decorum or talent. She's not even pretty! Just a weed."
"You're right about that. She's probably just a gold-digger. Doumyouji-sama should see that. That's what all poor people are."
Tsukasa was fed up with all the talk. It wasn't just them. Everyone in the café was saying cruel things about Tsukushi. Tsukasa stood up suddenly and walked towards the women talking. He raised his hand, about to slap both women.
"Tsukasa!" He stopped an inch away from the woman's face. He turned to look back at Tsukushi.
Tsukushi shook her head. She didn't want him to get violent over these little things. She knew that people were going to talk about them. Let them talk - she could handle it.
Tsukasa turned back to the women. "Get out of here! And ff you say another bad thing about her I'm going to give you both red cards." They ran out as fast as they could.
The café was silent once again after that outburst by Tsukasa. He turned to face everyone else in the café. "That goes for all of you too. If any of you say anything bad about Makino Tsukushi you'll find a red card in your locker." Everyone ran out, afraid Doumyouji would remember their faces.
Tsukasa sat back down. "So annoying! I can't even eat a meal in peace."
"You didn't have to get so mad. Besides you said the same things to me before, and you still say some of those things." Like calling me poor, she thought.
"That's different. Only I can say bad things about you."
A sweat drop appeared on Tsukushi's forehead. What kind of logic is that? But she smiled.
They finished eating a few minutes before Tsukushi's next class.
"Tsukushi, we have classes today."
Tsukushi nodded in response. She didn't need him to elaborate what classes. It was the eisai classes his mother told her she had to take if she wanted to be a part of the Doumyouji family.
"You don't have to take them. I don't want you to become someone else."
Tsukushi shook her head. "I made a promise, and I'm going to keep it." She lifted her left hand. "And furthermore, I'm not going to change who I am just because I'm learning new things. Besides, you're also taking classes, learning about the company right?" Tsukasa nodded. Tsukushi smiled mischievously, "Can a spoiled brat like you handle it? You don't even know proper Japanese."
"Hey! I'll let you know that I know a lot more about the company than people think I do."
"Oh really?" Tsukushi was very doubtful.
"I did some research on the company when I was in the mood in junior high."
Tsukushi looked at him, stunned that he would do such a thing. He always appeared to be the pampered boy, spending money on trivial things. She didn't think he cared about the empire he'd soon take over.
"I knew I had to learn about it someday. I had planned on being wealthy my whole life, but when I entered high school I didn't care anymore." He didn't add it, but he still remembered how he was a little more than a year ago. Everyday was a pain to wake up. The only time he felt alive was when he played with the people he thought of as "beneath" him.
Tsukushi placed a hand on his cheek. Tsukasa looked up in shock. "Our lives changed when we met each other." Tsukushi said. She saw the far away look that Tsukasa had. It seemed like he was remembering something from the past. "The me who wore braided pigtails and was bullied into doing cleaning everyday. she's gone now."
He looked down at the joined hands. "You changed me too."
Tsukushi smiled wide, "That's because I beat your rotten personality into shape."
A vein popped in Tsukasa's head. "I knew you were going to say that, damn you." Tsukushi laughed.
*******
"No! No! No! How many times do I have to tell you that you have to hold your head high?! And body straight! Do it again!"
Damn that old hag has a set of powerful lungs. Tsukushi's ears were still ringing, especially since the woman was practically screaming in her ear. Today was Wednesday: How to be a perfect hostess. It seems like walking gracefully was part of being a hostess.
The woman teaching her looked to be in her late 50s. Her name was Miyani Aki. She was tall, wearing a Japanese kimono. Tsukushi supposed Miyani-san could be considered beautiful for her age, when she wasn't yelling.
Tsukushi squared her shoulders and walked down the hall again. Head high check, body straight check. Walk slowly and confidently. Tsukushi took her time across the floor. She made it across without being yelled at. She stopped when she reached the wall and looked back at Miyani-san.
Miyani nodded, "Now that's more like it, but you still have a long way to go. The first step is to master walking barefoot, then it's in heels." Miyani pointed at the shoes beside her. They were all heels with different height, ranging from almost flat to four-inch heels.
Tsukushi resigned herself to pain for the rest of the afternoon.
********
"Doumyouji-sama!"
Tsukasa was in one of the conference rooms in his house. Somewhere in another place of the house was Tsukushi. He wondered how she was doing.
"Doumyouji-sama!!!"
Tsukasa looked at the man talking to him, Kinato Otori. Next to Kinato was a projector and behind him were graphs of the different companies the Doumyouji family were in charge of.
"I heard you the first time. I'm not deaf."
Kinato sighed, why did I get stuck with the job of teaching a stupid spoiled heir? "Doumyouji-sama, how do you expect to learn when you're not paying attention to me?"
"I am paying attention."
Kinato highly doubted it. "Then tell me the current issues in each aspect of the Doumyouji Corporations." Kinato mentally smiled, there was no way he could answer that question. Even if Doumyouji was listening Kinato had only talked about a few of the important mergers.
But Doumyouji surprised him and listed every single merger that was open to the public. Doumyouji also knew a few private ones but he didn't know how much Kinato knew so he didn't say those.
Tsukasa got up from his seat. "Kinato-san, let me remind you that I control your life. You may be teaching me but you have no control over me, and if you ever try to do that again you're going to be out of your generous paying job."
"Wh-what are you talking about?" Kinato backed away. Doumyouji's eyes had gotten hard and bleak. There were no traces of the happy carefree look he came into the room with. Doumyouji walked toward Kinato, backing him to the wall. Doumyouji towered Kinato by a head.
"You know what I'm talking about. You didn't tell me all of the mergers. That question was asked because you wanted to say I wasn't listening."
"You can't do anything to me. Your mother employed me. And she told me that if you do anything violent to me your engagement to your poor girl would be canceled."
Tsukasa smiled, but there was no joy in it, only malice. "That was a wrong move, hiding behind my mother and my agreement with her. I don't have to do anything to you now. In a few years I'll be the heir of the Doumyouji Empire, and at that time even my mother can't dictate what I can and cannot do. I have a long memory, how long a life do you have?"
Tsukasa sat back down, "Just do what you're paid to do and don't make empty threats because mine won't be."
Kinato gulped visibly. He pulled on his tie, and resumed teaching. He didn't once look at Tsukasa. After all he was paid to teach, but it wasn't his fault if the one learning refused to learn.
********
Their classes ended at 7. Tsukushi's feet were killing her. She was simply not suited to wear high heels.
"Makino-sama, Doumyouji-sama said he will be waiting for you in the dining room."
"Ehh? I'm going home for dinner."
"Doumyouji-sama has already asked me to call your family to tell them you're not going home tonight."
Tsukushi's eyes widened. "What right does he have to do that?!?"
"Makino-sama?"
Tsukushi saw that she had frightened the maid. "I'm sorry, it's not your fault. That stupid octopus."
The maid giggled softly, since Tsukabi-sama this was the first time anyone dared insult Doumyouji-sama.
Tsukushi stomped past the maid, intending to give Tsukasa a piece of her mind. But Tsukushi stopped before passing through the door. She turned around and asked the maid, "umm, where's the dining room?"
The maid smiled, "I'll lead you."
After a few twists and turns they reached the dining room. Tsukasa had changed clothes and was sitting on one of the comfort chairs. He was leaned back with his eyes closed.
He looked so peaceful that Tsukushi forgot why she stormed into the dining room. She slowly approached Tsukasa and leaned in to lightly kiss him. She was about to move away when Tsukasa locked her in his arms, causing Tsukushi to yelp out in surprise.
"Were you awake the whole time?"
Tsukasa was smart and changed the topic. "Dinner will be ready soon." Unfortunately that comment reminded Tsukushi why she was angry in the first place.
"Why did you call my parents without telling me? You knew I had to go home for dinner."
"I wanted to eat dinner with you." And to Tsukasa that was all the reason he needed. Whatever he wanted he arranged it so that he would get it, except where it concerns Tsukushi. That's when things got difficult.
Tsukushi's head fell low. Tsukasa would always be like that in these matters. "I have homework and all my textbooks are at home."
"All the textbooks used in Eitoku are in the library." Tsukushi blinked then sighed. It seems like Tsukasa had covered all her excuses.
After dinner Tsukushi went to the library to do her homework. It took her a lot longer than usual because she had to catch up on what she missed. She had the hardest time with math and science. She looked at the problems and soon became dizzy with confusion. She decided to leave those for later; maybe someone in class could tutor her. English was the easiest homework for her, learning the language first hand in England and America helped a lot.
Tsukushi worked for over an hour. She started getting sleepy halfway through her Japanese homework. She fell asleep on her chair, her books left open on her lap. Tsukasa found her like that half an hour later at around 11. He took all the books out of her lap and picked her up. He took her out of the library. Tsukushi didn't wake up but she dreamed that she was being held tenderly. She felt warmth penetrating her body through her pores to her core.
"Doumyouji-sama," a maid walked to stop in front of Tsukasa, "we prepared a guest room for Makino-sama.
"That won't be necessary." He walked past the maid to go to his room. He placed her gently on the bed. He took off her uniform, blushing while doing it. He gave her his shirt and shorts to wear. Then he took off his own clothing and changed into pajama pants. He didn't wear a shirt - he never did to sleep. (AN: o.O) He got into bed and held her tight. He was never going to let her go. "I love you Tsukushi," he whispered. Somewhere in her subconscious she heard Tsukasa and smiled.
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YAY! I finally got a chapter out! My college applications aren't done yet but I had enough spare time to do a chapter. I promise more will be out after January 12th. Until then please review!