Rent a Girlfriend: What Is not What it Seems (Short Story) Part 2

Characters:

Kazuya Kinoshita

Chizuru Mizuhara

Mami Nanami

Ruka Sarashina

Sumi Sakurasawa

Nagomi Kinoshita

Yoshiaki Kibe

Shun Kuribayashi

Sayuri Ichinose

The Second Storm:

Not able to actually sleep too well, Kazuya arose and got ready. Today he and Chizuru were going to tell Ruka and he was having a whole slew of mixed feelings. Though the most prominent one was Guilt. He could not help but feel guilty. Even though he had not really in what someone would call a normal relationship. Yes he had agreed to become her probationary Boyfriend and he was not actually sure what that even meant. Other then to go out with her to see if he could in some way think of her as his Real Girlfriend. In truth though he was afraid of her and that was not a good basis to form a normal relationship upon. "She is extremely cute though." He whispered with some small regret. "But I am in love with Chizuru. I had fallen so much in love with her that I just could not bring myself to come out of my delusion." Staring into his bathroom Mirror, he hoped that Ruka did not break down again like she had done before. He personally hated to see a girl cry and like last time it would be his fault. When his Alarm Clock began to Buzz, he left the Bathroom and decided to have a couple of cups of Coffee. In route to the Kitchen his outside door opened and Chizuru came in. It took him a second to remember that he had given her the spare key to his Apartment and what amazed him on his Keyring was her spare key to her Apartment. She smiled at him warmly.

"Good Morning Kazuya...I can tell you did not sleep all that well. Well I did not either." Chizuru said stepping over to his Coffee Maker and then poured herself a cup for him and one for her. "I take it that you are having the same guilty feelings that I am having?" She asked him and he nodded.

"Yes. I feel like I...This is all my fault. I should not have led her on like I did." Kazuya said willing to take the full brunt of the blame and any retaliation that Ruka might want to dish out. Chizuru shook her head.

"No. This is all my fault and not yours. If back when she first proposed this Probationary what ever it was. I should have told her right out the truth and of course said the same thing to you. That she was right when she confronted me on New Years. That I had fallen in love with you and I did not want her to take you away from me." Chizuru declared and then gave Kazuya a look that told him not to press it too much. Later she decided to tell him about how jealous she felt when she saw him with Ruka. How badly it hurt to see the other Girl clinging to him and being with him. In ways at the time she refused to allow herself to have.

"Can we share the blame on this one?" Kazuya asked and Chizuru relented.

"Okay. I guess I can compromise on the blame. Now drink your Coffee and let's get this over with." Chizuru said and after they both were done she clasped his left hand in hers and they left to go meet up with Ruka. They had elected for her to meet them at Donny's Cafe since this early there would only be a couple of customers and perhaps two Waitresses. Cut down the chances of Ruka making a scene in front of a large number of people.

"You know this Saturday when we tell the Grandmothers...I am more then willing to let you take the blame then." Kazuya commented as they walked together and Chizuru scowled at him.

"No way. I am actually going to lay the entire blame onto you." Chizuru said with a huge grin.

"Oh great...You do know my Grans is going to really punish me a lot?" kazuya said and Chizuru chuckled. Really liking the fact that her Boyfriend was able to make her feel better almost instantly.

"Well if you had not rented me way back then and then introduced me to your Grandmother and Parents. We would not be in this situation. Though I have no regrets that you did...Because I would never had met you and later fell in love with you. So I am really happy you did." Chizuru said smiling at him and moved a little closer to him as they walked holding each others hand.

Feeling the palm strike her face, Chizuru winced slightly as Ruka hit her. Both she and Kazuya told the other Girl and at the same time Chizuru told Ruka that she could have one free shot at her. Which Ruka accepted and then spun towards Kazuya and slapped him as well. But twice as hard as she had hit Chizuru. "Now I feel a lot better." Ruka said with a huge smile.

"Ruka...I am so so sorry. I never intended...To hurt you." Kazuya said feeling the slight burning sensation on his face. He had actually half expected for Ruka to do much worse then a simple slap. In fact he expected that she would have perhaps kicked him in the balls. Ruka shook her head and laughed.

"It actually is all my own fault. So don't feel too bad. I noticed back when I met you both that there was something between you two other then Chizuru being just a simple Rental to you. Along with Kazuya being just a simple client to you Chizuru. Hell I think everyone noticed." Ruka said feeling immensely better then when they had told her. Though she already expected something like this would eventually happen and if it didn't she fully planned on exactly what she had told Chizuru. That she would at some point maneuver Kazuya away from Chizuru. But that all relied upon Chizuru never getting a clue.

"Still I am also so sorry Ruka. But at the same time I want to thank you. If it was not for you. I might have just continued denying the truth and the truth is and was...I am in love with Kazuya. I had fallen in love with him." Chizuru said and smiled over at Kazuya. Easily seeing the hand shaped red mark on the right side of his cheek. Hers she suspected was not as blatantly obvious. For Ruka had only lightly slapped her while from the sound the other had really laid into him. Ruka shrugged and laughed again.

"I guess I was universally stupid to confront you Chizuru. I should have just let it slide and remain silent. Then you would not have figured it out." Ruka said though she really did not feel that bad about it. "Can I ask one thing though?"

"Okay." Chizuru replied before Kazuya could.

"Any chance we might...I sort of want to still be at least...Your twos Friend." Ruka said and Chizuru smiled.

"Of course. I do not know about Kazuya...But I would love to have you as a Friend." Chizuru said and Kazuya nodded. After they both hugged Ruka, they departed with a promise to hang out every couple of days. Along with mentioning that if Ruka got a Boyfriend then they could double date. Hinting towards her perhaps giving Kuri another chance. In route back to their Apartment Building, Chizuru turned towards Kazuya. "That went better then I expected."

"Yes it did. A lot better then I also expected." Kazuya said in agreement and then frowned. "I almost hope it goes about the same this Weekend. But I highly doubt it." He was thinking about how upset his Grandmother was going to be to learn that he had essentially lied to her for the past year.

"It all worked out in the end...Didn't it? We are really together now and most importantly...We are in love with each other. Really in love and not pretending." Chizuru said and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. This was nothing like before and nothing like when she was with any of the others that Rented her. For one it felt immensely more natural and she did not have to put on her act with Kazuya. No Rental Girlfriend Mode. Which drew some unwanted attention from other Guys. Though she also discovered she had some negative emotions stirring inside her when other Girls checked out her Kazuya. Noticing her pout and her glares, Kazuya chuckled. "What is so funny?" She asked sternly.

"Nothing really. Just that I never noticed before until recently. You get jealous. Being able to actually tell. I now know you got Jealous a couple of times when Ruka was fawning all over me." Kazuya said in defense and she scowled at him.

"Of course I got jealous! It is a natural emotional response that everyone has! Especially when...Some other Girl is...What do you want me to say? That back then...I was...Okay I was in love with you and hated that Ruka touched you. Is that what you want me to say?" Chizuru asked still scowling and Kazuya smiled.

"Yes...I kind of like finding out you were." Kazuya said and Chizuru shook her head. She then smiled.

"Like I said it is a natural emotional response. I already know you were when I was out with some of my other Clients back then. Like when you followed me and Umi." Chizuru said and then thought about back then. In a way she was a little grateful that Kazuya had done that. Umi was beginning to think that they were on a real date and if Kazuya had not came out when he did. She fully expected at some point Umi would have put some type of move onto her. Even though Umi was in a serious relationship with another Girl. He had a reputation of wanting to play the field with other Girls. In fact he had on a number of occasions hit on her. The arrival of Kazuya derailed Umi's plans completely. Kazuya looked at her guiltily.

"Sorry about that. I was...I was worried that he was trying something seedy." Kazuya said and Chizuru shrugged.

"It is fine...Now Boyfriend I am starving. So I think it would behoove you to take me somewhere to get something to eat." Chizuru said and he nodded. He too was hungry. For they both had skipped breakfast this morning in anticipation of meeting up with Ruka.

Weekend Confession:

In route and holding her Boyfriend's hand on the Train. Chizuru leaned slightly against Kazuya's left shoulder. She knew both she and him were anxious and nervous. After all they were about to confess the entire truth to her Grandmother, his Grandmother and his Parents. But they both agreed that it was time to tell the truth regardless. Along with let all of them know that unlike the past. They were now a real couple and that they loved each other. "Push comes to shove...I am willing to prove it." She thought with a small wry smile. Not about to tell Kazuya what she was thinking if it came down to that proof. When the Train pulled into the Station, they both stood and made their way to wait for the Transfer that would be arriving in about twenty minutes. "You know Kazuya...We could have taken the Bus. It would have been quicker." She commented not mentioning they could have also gone by Taxi. He shook his head.

"Yeah we could have...But I want to live that extra few minutes." Kazuya said back and Chizuru chuckled. Then started to lightly chew on her bottom lip and he noticed. He smiled. "It seems I am not the only one that is nervous." She scowled at him.

"I am not." Chizuru said defensively and he chuckled again. He had learned over time when Chizuru was nervous, anxious, sad or angry. She hide those feelings extremely well. But now he could easily pick out her tells. When she was nervous or anxious, she would bite her bottom lip. If she was angry or frustrated. She would get this look that any guy with common sense could see. Of course he had been the brunt of when she was angry or frustrated with him, so he already knew of that tells. Then there was when she was sad. That was another tell that was beyond obvious.

At Kazuya's Parents and with his Grandmother, his Parents and of course her Grandmother. He and Chizuru told them the entire story apologizing several times and even clarifying that Chizuru did not do anything sorted with any of her Clients. All four of the Elders sat before them on three of the sides of the Table listening intently. It took the young couple almost an hour to relay the tale and as they finished. "I want all of you to know...We are together for real now. I am deeply in love with Kazuya and he feels the same for me." Chizuru clarified wanting to at least reduce what she suspected his Grandmother was feeling.

"So let me get this straight...When he first introduced us to you...You were a Rental Girlfriend and not his Real Girlfriend. He and you lied to us." Kazuya's Father said and the two nodded. Though all of them there was looking at Nagomi waiting for her reaction. The old woman smiled and as did Sayuri. Then the two started laughing loudly. Confusing and shocking the others.

"Me and Nagomi already knew all about that dear." Sayuri said between her laughter and looked over at Nagomi.

"Oh yes...We have known almost from the beginning." Nagomi smiled broadly. "Remember I am quite proficient with social media and had discovered way back then exactly all about you Chizuru." Kazuya and Chizuru stared at the two with their mouths gaping open. "It would seem out plan worked out perfectly Sayuri."

"Yes it did. We got our Grandchildren together quite effectively." Sayuri said with a huge grin.

"Wait a minute. You knew? You knew that I was renting Chizuru and let us pretend that she was my Girlfriend? Why?" Kazuya asked dumbfounded and could tell that Chizuru wanted to know as well. Along with his parents.

"Ah my really stupid Grandson. I am sure in a few minutes Chizuru will figure it out why we did it." Nagomi said and looked fondly over at Chizuru who sat there for several minutes thinking about it. It then dawned onto her.

"We were set up. Almost right from the beginning. Everything they did...The visits...The trip to the Spa...New Years...All of it was a carefully planned out set up. They arranged it all...Forcing us to lie to them into thinking that we are together. So that there was a chance we would get together for real." Chizuru said scowling at both of the Grandmothers.

"Oh we knew there was more then a chance dear. Chizuru I suspected right after you got back from your Beach Trip...That you harbored feelings for Kazuya. Every time you came for a visit and I asked about Kazuya. You would get this look that told me everything." Sayuri said still lightly chuckling. Chizuru frowned wondering if she should be upset at the two Grandmothers for manipulating them. Or be grateful, due to she was with Kazuya for real.

"That thing with Ruka? She later told me about it. What was that?" Kazuya asked still not understanding it all. Chizuru gave his hand a light squeeze.

"All an act I suspect." Chizuru said and Nagomi stopped smiling.

"Yes and I really need at some point apologize to that poor girl. I just hope I did not hurt her feelings or make her upset. I was worried that perhaps she was going to...I had to dissuade her subtly and I might have overdone it a bit." Nagomi admitted, remember feigning ignorance and really laying on the doting old woman act. Right down to really idolizing Chizuru. "I was worried that if she was...That she liked Kazuya that much...That I might have broken her heart."

"It is alright Grandma...She actually helped for us to get together and we are all friends now." Chizuru said reassuringly. She then noticed that Kazuya's Parents were also mystified over what the two Elder Women had done.

"That is good. She is a sweet girl and I did feel bad about doing that to her." Nagomi said and then smiled at the two. "So now onto more important matters."

"And that would be?" Chizuru asked and the two Grandmothers snickered. Which made her and Kazuya both nervous. Nagomi reached into her pocket and brought out a small item that she had placed there. Holding it out to them and they both stared at it in shock.

"Nagomi and I both believe that if you want us to believe that you two are really together...Then it is time for that." Sayuri said gesturing at the small item in Nagomi's right hand.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!. We are no where ready for that yet!" Kazuya said loudly, shaking his head and then looked over at Chizuru who stared at the item. She sat there looking at the small item in Nagomi's hand and thought about it. Then before Kazuya could say anything else, she reached out and took it. Sliding it onto her left ring finger. "Chizuru?" He gasped and she smiled over at him.

"Relax Kazuya...I just wanted to try it on. He is right Grandma's...We are not ready for that yet." Chizuru said as she pulled the Ring off her finger and held it back to Nagomi. Both Grandmothers frowned as did Kazuya's Parents.

"So when do you think you two will be ready? I want to be a Grandma. The sooner you two get Married the sooner...You two can give me a Grandchild." Kazuya's Mother said pouting slightly and Kazuya shook his head.

"Geez Mom...That is years from now...Right Chizuru?" Kazuya asked and Chizuru simply smiled at him. "Right Chizuru?" He asked again and she chuckled. He immediately realized that she was teasing him. So after a few more moments and decided not to tease him anymore.

"He is right...I still want to be an Actress...Marriage would be fine...But that other...Might be a few years from now." Chizuru said and Kazuya sighed with relief. Though the four Elders protested. So with the same look he once gave her to get her out of the situation at the Free Climbing Gym. "We better leave and continue this later...Since Kazuya has to go to work soon...Right Kazuya?" He instantly understood and nodded.

"Yes I do. Sorry Grans, Mom, Dad and Grandma Sayuri...But we better go or I might end up being late." Kazuya said and with that he and Chizuru beat a hasty retreat. Once down the street and holding Chizuru's hand. "That was some quick thinking Chizuru. We needed to get out of there."

"I am glad you took the hint. I cannot believe them...We told them we just got together for real and they want us to move our relationship to that level already." Chizuru said but she was not really that upset with the Grandmothers.

"I cannot believe that they knew and kept it a secret just so they could manipulate us." Kazuya said trying to sound upset over how he and Chizuru had been tricked. How could he. After all he was now with the Girl he loved more then anything.

"Well they did. I think we both need to discuss this and then decide if we should be upset at them or not." Chizuru said and then chuckled. Finding the whole thing to be sort of funny.

Karaoke Catastrophe:

"Fine I will go! So will you both stop pestering me!" Chizuru said in frustration to her two friends Shinbo and Kawanaka. They had spent the last hour essentially begging Chizuru to go with them to sing Karaoke and finally she relented. Though in truth she really did not mind, since they would be going to the same Karaoke Cafe that her Boyfriend worked at. So she could see him again in his uniform. She liked seeing him in that uniform finding him to look extremely sexy. The problem she had was she could not let Shinbo or Kawanaka see her leering at Kazuya too much. Otherwise they would pester her about that as well. So in her Ichinose persona the three entered and were immediately sent to Room 4. As she entered she glared over at Shinbo and Kawanaka. Inside the room were three Young Men that she knew from one of her Classes and she knew why the three were there waiting on them. Her friends were attempting to set her up with one of them and she suspected it was Chin Matsumoto. Someone she had turned down multiple times. "I am leaving." She declared about to turn and depart. But Shinbo grabbed her right forearm stopping her.

"Come on Chizuru...All we are going to do is hang out and sing. That is all." Shinbo said in a pleading tone. Chizuru did not like this situation. If her Kazuya saw her being hit on by Chin. She knew he would not like it.

"Fine! I will stay. But...I am not here to be set up with anyone!" Chizuru said loud enough so that Chin could easily hear her. He smiled at her and she knew he would do it anyhow. No matter what she said. Sitting down, she made sure that she sat across from him and at an angle. He grimaced and then smiled again.

"I do not know why you won't just go out with me Chizuru? I am not that bad of a guy." Chin said and Chizuru shook her head.

"I do not have time to go out with anyone. Not with keeping my grades up and...other things that are none of your business." Chizuru said, extremely tempted to tell Chin that she already had a Boyfriend. But that would disclose some things she did not want to disclose yet to Shinbo and Kawanaka. Things such as she was once a Rental Girlfriend and that her Boyfriend Kazuya had rented her. After three more attempts by Chin, she stood. "I did not come her to be hit on by you! I came because Shinbo and Kawanaka asked me to come. But if this was some sort of veiled set up...Then there is no longer a point for me being here...Is there?" With that she gave both of her friends a disappointed look and then left. Once in the Hallway, she made her way to one of the Empty Rooms and waited for an opportunity to see Kazuya. So when he was about pass the door. She opened the door, grabbed his right arm and pulled him into the Room. Immediately placing both of her hands onto his chest and resting her face sideways in between her hands against the middle of his chest. She sighed with relief as he slipped his arms around her and held onto her.

"Is there something wrong Chizuru?" Kazuya asked her and she lightly shook her head.

"No. I saw you and I just wanted to...I need this." Chizuru said closing her eyes and relishing being held by her Boyfriend.

"You know I was wondering something?" Kazuya said softly to her.

"And that is?" Chizuru asked and Kazuya gave a soft chuckle.

"I find it sort of interesting how...Affectionate you are now. You did not seem like this...Back during the last year." Kazuya said and Chizuru tilted her head to look slightly up at him. She smiled and chuckled as well.

"I...Well I never been in love before and I...I really like the feeling. So I want to...Fully experience those feelings." Chizuru told him and then drew her mouth closer to his. He took the cue and lightly pressed his lips against hers. She deepened the embrace after a few moments, they parted a few inches and she returned with her face pressed into his chest. "As much as I would like to just...You are at work and...I should leave before Shinbo or Kawanaka come looking for me." Though she made no movement, remaining right where she was. After several more moments, she eased back and he removed his arms from around her. "Come directly home tonight...I really need to...We need to continue this later." He nodded and walked over to the door peaking out.

"Let me go first and make sure no one sees you." Kazuya suggested and after checking signaled for her that it was safe. She stopped briefly long enough to peck him on the lips and then departed. On her way out, she smiled at Ruka who smiled back at her. Waiting until she was out the door, he made his way back behind the Counter where Ruka was. She looked at him and then giggled. Picking up a napkin and handed it to him. "What is this for?" He asked her and Ruka giggled again.

"You might want to wipe off the lipstick." Ruka said still giggling as he used the napkin to wipe off his lips. When he looked at the napkin he saw the faint highlight of red. Blushing he wiped his lips again and then threw the napkin away. All the while Ruka was laughing at him. At that moment Shinbo and Kawanaka passed them heading for the exit in pursuit of Chizuru.

To be concluded: