Chapter Two: Reform
In a dreamworld Kazuya sat at the same café where Mizuhara had given advice to Sumi. On one side of Kazuya sat Mizuhara and on the other sat Mami. It was a getting cloudy and flashes of sheet lightning were illuminating the entire sky.
Kazuya looked towards Mizuhara and asked her out to enjoy dinner with him the following night.
Mami spoke to Kazuya rolling her eyes looking annoyed and said, "She's a rental. She's not real. She is a paper moon, a fantasy. You're wasting your money on two lies at once."
Kazuya turned to Mizuhara confused and she said, "She means your family and yourself."
Turning to Mami Kazuya asked her out and Mizuhara replied, "Forget her! She's a manipulative excuse for a person and will bring you nothing more than additional pain and self-doubt."
A server walked up in a white shirt with a black vest and said to look inside the menu at the specials. All three looked in it and saw their college campus bustling with people moving.
All three then looked up at the server seeing it was Ruka who then said to Kazuya with a smile, "Forget both of them. There's a lot better on 'the menu'."
Suddenly Mizuhara woke up in darkness cursing the sleeping pills for always giving her strange dreams.
Sunday morning Mizuhara awoke to a text message from Kazuya: "Mizuhara, we need to talk. It is very important. I hope you can speak with me today at 14:00."
Mizuhara looked strangely at her phone at the specific message and responded: "Okay, I will be there. Is everything okay?"
Kazuya didn't answer the second message and knowing his "read notification" was turned off knew Mizuhara wouldn't be able to see he had seen her message.
At exactly 14:00 there was a knock at the door and Mizuhara quickly entered Kazuya's apartment the moment the door opened still uncomfortable being seen entering. She saw his table had three cups, but only two were filled with tea. Kazuya asked her to sit down.
Mizuhara looked at the tea cups and said, "There are three cups on the table, but only two of us. What's going on? Why would you-"
"Because that one is for you. We realized we didn't know what kind of tea you'd like. Kazuya has peppermint, chai, black, and ginseng. What would you like Mizuhara?"Ruka asked as she emerged from the kitchen with a small tin of Danish-like cookies.
"Oh...hi Ruka. Uh...peppermint sounds good," Mizuhara said.
As soon as Ruka took the tea cup back to the kitchen and was out of sight Mizuhara angrily turned her head towards Kauyza and asked what she was doing there.
"Huh? She's having tea with us. She and I need to tell to you something, well we need to discuss something," Kazuya said.
Mizuhara waited for Kazuya to elaborate and he asked her to wait until Ruka was present again.
Finally while dumbfounded Mizuhara asked, "What did you want to discuss?"
"Your 'breaking up.' It's time. The two of you are breaking up soon. We know how it is going to happen, we are just here to work out details," Ruka said confidently with her eyes nearly shut as she put down a fresh cup of tea.
Kazuya invited Mizuhara to try a cookie with her tea while he started, "It's time we 'broke up.' I can't keep lying to both my family and myself. It is literally costing me too much, I am taking too much of your time, and I need to start acting more maturely if I am to truly grow. The last year has been very hard, but I feel I have made some progress and recently some hard lessons became apparent, and I really only have two options: I can give up and drown or I can attempt to swim. I am stuck far out in 'an ocean of self-delusion' and need to 'get back to land, to reality'."
"Uhh...okay," Mizuhara said a little confused.
"Is there a problem with that Mizuhara?" Ruka asked Mizuhara watching her like a hawk.
"N-no. Of course not! I need to end this too. I have been indulging his lies too long! I didn't like-I hated-being dragged into deeper and deeper lies. He invades my privacy, has outright stalked me at times, taken my time, and-"
"So there is no problem then?" Ruka asked.
Ruka again watched Mizuhara closely for any sign of hidden feelings. Guys may be oblivious, but all women are hunters and all compete with each other...constantly. Admit it or not while all men are hunters women are far tougher hunters. They truly are tougher and their tactics are far more deadly. Men may rely on fists, but women...women play psychological games, use fear and intimation, manipulate, and they know that all women do it at a sub-conscious level. The nice girls of the world are sometimes the toughest even if they don't even know it. Sometimes it is their not even knowing they're deadly which makes them the most dangerous. Make no mistake men hunt, but they hunt for women. Women? They hunt other women for while finding a guy is hard...losing a guy to another woman is not an option and women will fight to their last breath, to their last musket ball. After all there is the expression regarding women who have been hurt in love: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Humans...for all our advancements in science, artwork, social norms, society, and more are still at hunters at heart and we fight for what we want, defend what we have, and sometimes don't even know what we want until it is threatened to be taken by another. In other words, "We want what we cannot have."
"No...well there is one," Mizuhara said.
"And what is that exactly?" Ruka asked.
Mizuhara paused for a moment and said, "I've...I've become accustomed to Kazuya's income, I use it for budgeting. Since he's a weekly client he's worth more than others at this point. Diamond pays more for repeat-clients. Losing him would cost me time and money to find other-"
Kazuya turned aside looking disgusted and feeling marginalized. He felt like a tool, a simple device used to make life easier. Kazuya felt worse knowing his pain was now being fixed into budgeting, that his pain was so consistently scheduled it was now being utilized for specific things. How would that affect you? Your pain has not only been repurposed to purchasing deodorant and make-up, but it is so reliable it is now part of the budget? When Kazuya knew it was going to acting classes at least he felt that she was using his time with her to help pursue her dreams as he found comfort. That carried some good feelings of redemption for him...but to have his pain knowingly, consistently, going towards perfume or such for her many boyfriends wasn't comforting.
"Got ya covered! I am more than ready to refer some of my clients to you. Based on what I know they like in me and what they don't I already have a list of those I could to refer to you. I am a 'little-sister type', energetic, more than one has said I am like a 'loli'...whatever that means, but I know men who want a more mature and refined woman. A woman who can change form and more an experienced 'master of disguise.' Someone who can truly 'conform' to any shape which suits the needs of a client. I know what I can project, I know my limits...but you? You have control-methods and deception-ability beyond mine," Ruka said with kind of an evil genius smile and pressed a few keys on her phone before setting it down.
"You're pretty confidant...I am the #1 rookie at Diamond and I doubt you could really refer your Sapphire Girls clients to me," Mizuhara said looking a tad offended.
"Is that so? You doubt it?" asked Ruka as she just smiled proudly. Kazuya looked at her smiling oddly wondering why she was so calm and not offended.
"I highly doubt it after all-" Mizuhara said defensively, but suddenly stopped talking as her phone chimed with a specific alert tone.
The notification was from the Diamond app noting a booking was just made. She read the notes section for the date which said he was referred by Ruka and wants to go to the same place they go for ice cream and gave the address. Mizuhara looked at her phone incredulously and before she could say a word a second notification came for a booking came in from someone who wanted to go to A&W stating he loves the root beer Ruka turned him onto last time. Mizuhara was about to say something when a third and forth came in before she looked at her phone in awe and put it on silent before looking back up to see Ruka's eyes with the satisfaction of a master criminal as their plan amazed a group of thieves asked to join a heist.
"My gift to you: I Tweeted earlier on my Sapphire account I may be retiring soon or at least cutting back on my dates and knew someone many of them would love and told them to keep watch on my account for a profile link. I sent it moments ago. I trust they, and some are repeat-clients who are quite generous with tips, will more than cover any loss by not having Kazuya as a regular-client," Ruka said as a lady when she saw Kazuya look her way.
"Ummm...y-yes. This should work and if one is a repeat-client a week I should be fine," Mizuhara said as a lady, but inside was quite annoyed and felt outclassed. She was also angry on a professional level wondering if her clients would do the same for her.
"Wonderful," Ruka smiled with the full skill of Mizuhara in full "girlfriend mode."
Mizuhara looked just a tad annoyed and made eye contact with Kazuya waiting for him to tell him what is going on with his this so called "break up."
Kazuya started, "You're too good for me. I feel I am wasting your time and need to work on myself. I feel firmly this is the fault of my parents and grandmother and I blame them for my low self-esteem and the doubts I have in myself. I know they want me to be more involved with the family business and if I am to make real progress I need to work on myself and find confidence and then find a woman. After all with the confidence I have in myself right now I am going to lose you soon anyway."
Mizuhara looked at him shocked and said, "Why do you feel that way about yourself?! You're making progress! You're doing better now. Kazuya! Why would you-"
"He's just telling you what he plans on telling his parents and grandmother Mizuhara. This way, and he's such a sweet guy, his grandmother's feelings towards you can be spared. She won't be angry or displeased with you, not that you should care anyway, but we know you're a sweet person and feel her respect is important since Kazuya is important to you...on a client-level only I am sure. This way she can blame Kazuya, but in a way appreciate his feeling he needs to grow and is showing some form of maturity recognizing it and not wanting to bring you down/waste your time. Yes, she will be angry he's giving up on you and that 'Chizuru' is wonderful lady and he should give it all and such...shows just how professional and skilled you are with such a long-standing 'performance.' It is quite better than a girlfriend-client relationship...you're quite an actor to convince his entire family. It's a one-woman show and you're award-winning in skill. Anyway...after the two of you will break up, Kazuya will be able to recoup some of his monetary losses as without 'dating' you he can save some of his income. It will be beneficial all the way as his self-confidence will grow and I will be at his side too. It is a 'win-win-win' scenario," Ruka said again in full "girlfriend mode."
Mizuhara looked shocked and asked if she could speak with Kazuya privately.
Ruka smiled and happily agreed, but was very concerned on the inside.
Taking Kazuya by the arm aggressively she pulled him outside and said, "What's this about? Why are you really doing this? What's the real reason?"
Kazuya looked at her dumbfounded, "What do you mean? I'm doing it for the reasons I discussed inside. Look...I have to wake up to the fact that you're soon going to be going off to plays and success. I need to make sure to come clean, I have dragged this out too long. I have wrapped one lie in another. I can own this. I can grow. I need to because if I don't I am going to be in a really bad place. Ruka is going to give it an honest shot with me and I'm happy. She's-"
Mizuhara shook her head stopping Kazuya and said, "No...why are you doing this? Why now? Why today? I want an explanation! You and I thought about it, but suddenly you're making the move that I feel we should be doing together all on your own. My grandmother is going to be concerned! Don't tell me you forgot about how my grandmother is going to feel. Kazuya! She has an equal stake in all this! She's close friends with your grandmother. She likes you! She thinks well of you. I didn't date much...really at all...and she sees you as someone nice. She likes you and is happy that we are..."
"What? That we're what? That we're caught in a mutual-lie? I had to do some very hard introspective thinking-but I am just deluding myself. Ruka is right: we are on a platonic-level only. Whether or not I find someone else I know-we know-I cannot be with you. You're just my rental-girlfriend. You are wonderful. You've done a great deal for me and I like you a great deal, but as you remind me-sometimes painfully-you're just rented. Accepting that hurt a lot, I was in tears and felt angry at myself while also feeling shame. I am not strong, but I need to be and staying with you isn't helping me. I am just fooling myself and it is costing me a lot and taking your time. My first step of maturity is to stop deluding myself. Your grandmother may be slightly disappointed in you as Chizuru, but that is better than learning I am the long-time client of 'Mizuhara' the rental girlfriend," Kazuya said.
Mizuhara looked at him angrily and slapped him somewhat hard causing him to hold his face immediately. She shouted, "That's not what I meant! Who are you to make such a call?! You're going off on your little self-righteous crusade. You're making choices without me and suddenly deciding what's best for me? How dare you?!"
Ruka came outside got between the two of them and asked Kazuya to give them a moment alone. Kazuya was worried, but Ruka grabbed Mizuhara's arm and yanked her away and looked at her as she ominously backed her against the wall like on New Year's day, but this time looked a lot angrier. Kazuya walked back into his unit giving them privacy and stood by the window.
"You need to know a few things right now! First: He's my boyfriend, my real boyfriend, and I'll make sure to strike you back harder if you ever do that again. You need to act more mature, hopefully that is a 'role' you can handle. Second: I know this is difficult for you and we need your help so if you have better ideas we'll discuss them. That's the only reason you're here tonight. Lastly: Once this is over you need to truly walk away like a proper rental-girlfriend. I want to give you the benefit of the doubt, but it is hard seeing how tangled you've let things get and how you're acting. However, I am going to do it for Kazuya since I know he still thinks highly of you. He does, but he is trying to crawl his way up...claw his way back to reality. Show me my trust in you is well placed, make me "wrong" that I have reason to worry that you harbor any romantic feelings and wish to pursue him."
Mizuhara sneered angrily and said,"Oh believe me, I have no reason to pursue him! I hold no feelings for him! I wouldn't ever go after him at all! Not if he was the last guy on Earth! He's my client! I am just his rental-"
"Okay just so I understand: You have no feelings for him, you were only his rental girlfriend, you will only be his neighbor, and you have no desire to pursue him. Now promise me," Ruka said
"...Okay..." Answered a slightly bewildered Mizuhara.
"You promise?" Ruka looked at her with a little more conviction.
"Yeah, I promise," Mizuhara looked back incredulously.
"Promise?" Ruka asked looking at her strongly.
Mizuhara got angry and said."I just said 'I promise' before-"
"That's three times you promised!" Ruka looked at her with a strict look.
Ruka smiled and motioned for her to join her again inside Kazuya's apartment and asked she sit down.
"Okay, Mizuhara...what ideas did you have for this 'break-up'?" Ruka asked.
Mizuhara started speaking about possibly noting that they were drifting apart or just felt they were closer as friends and started to zone out until Kazuya looked at Ruka. Blankly staring at Kazuya for a few moments Mizuhara had the uncanny feeling almost like she was fading away. Suddenly she felt like she did watching Ruka cling tightly to Kazuya in the university quad while her friends caught her zoning out before asking she join them on Christmas in their pajamas.
"Mizuhara?" Kazuya asked slightly concerned.
"Hey...Mizuhara are you okay?" Ruka asked a little concerned.
Mizuhara suddenly snapped out of it and asked to speak with Ruka privately. Kazuya gave a slightly strange look at the second time he's being asked to give privacy in such a short amount of time, but shrugged and went outside.
Ruka asked with genuine concern, "Mizuhara? What's wrong?"
"...I feel like he is being purchased from me. I feel like I am merely selling off my old shoes, or jacket, or jewelry. It's almost like I am being forced to sell something, to surrender something, and I am just being compensated for my loss. I almost feel like this is like someone revoking my student ID and being told to leave campus," Mizuhara said while flush with that kind of wound up tight anger that could turn to tears in an instant.
Ruka grimaced a little while softening her tone and slowly walked over to her and gently hugged her saying in a soft voice, "It's alright. I'll take good care of him. Don't worry."
Mizuhara was about to get angry when she let go and looked Ruka in the eye seeing she was being genuine.
"...Thank you. Please don't think ill of me. The two of us are very close or at least he's closer to me than I let on. I know you know that. We've been through a lot together," Mizuhara said calmly.
Ruka smiled and said, "I know. I may only be a freshman this fall, but like you I know what being dejected and hurt can feel like. Right now you're feeling rejected and isolated, and or even worse like you're being robbed. I know you've encountered fragile guys, including one we both know, and in all likelihood several times. You have likely been able to strongly separate yourself from them and maybe it is because Kazuya is, literally, close to you it is a little larder. However, I want to tell you two things: You mentioned your "ID"-part of me feels you feel that your being with Kazuya is very much part of your identity at this point. I heard the story of you and Mami on the bridge, Kazuya told me about it. He felt he had to follow you, he feigned illness to get out of work and follow you. He was going to attempt to "save you", but was too late. I am very sorry that happened as a fellow pro I know what that can feel like. She also made reference to the fact that you've been with Kazuya so long he has almost become a true part of your life. You see his family often, his grandmother is crazy about you, his parents think quite highly of you, and his friends all like you. Enough so that Kobi even plead with you to give him another shot when he thought the two of you had broke up. It's sweet. Now you feel it is not only coming to an end, but a swift end. Look...I am not without any feelings. Make no mistake: I am a true woman like you and am apprehensive, but maybe I should focus more on Mami for the simple reason they actually were a couple. Kazuya loves Mizuhara his amazing girlfriend, but he also has feelings for the real Chizuru, but I feel you don't share them. It is not pity which keeps you together, attached to him, but I know you consider him a very special friend. I can't see inside your soul how you truly feel, but I have my sympathies...and concerns. So here is what I'd like to offer in exchange for working with us: What if I made sure to give you my blessing-meaning I will be okay with it since Kazuya would worry-to spend time with him until you get over him? Enjoy some time together doing some things, maybe see him every other week for a 'date' for a while. This way you could become more friends and not tightly wrapped one another. Does that sound nice?"
Mizuhara wiped away a single tear and said before hugging her, "...It does. Thank you."
Ruka smiled and said, "Just as long as you don't charge him."
Both laughed and motioned for Kazuya to come back inside.
Once back inside they set out to discuss how to go about the 'break up' and Mizuhara felt better, she genuinely did, and was able to joke and even laugh with them. Kazuya was happy to see her happy and Ruka was even happier.
That evening in a dreamworld Mizuhara sat at an outdoor café by a bay of clear water frequented by members of Sapphire Girls and Diamond Girls alike for their dates. The sun was beginning to set and people were getting into swan-shaped boats to paddle around enjoying the beauty of the area. Illuminating the café table and waters was a brilliant display of reds, yellows, and oranges draped all white napkins and server towels. Kazuya sat between Ruka and Mizuhara when he asked who would like to order some tea.
"It sounds great to me. I'll have peppermint," Ruka answered happily.
"I sorry, but I can't...it is time I took off. Take this Ruka," Mizuhara said and as she stood up she passed to her her what looked like a cheerleader's baton with a small fire burning at one end.
Kazuya stood up scared and said, "Where are you going? What's going on?! Are you coming back?"
Mizuhara walked over to a swan-shaped boat while smiling and said, "I'm just going for a ride, but you can still see me. Rest assured I am not gone."
Ruka held the baton which had turned black with the flame still atop it burning with a higher intensity and asked, "What is this?"
Kazuya smiled and said, "It's a torch and she's passed it onto you, let it illuminate everything before you."
Suddenly the entire café was dark while people still drank, laughed, and talked underneath outdoor lamps. From out in the waters she heard Mizuhara tell her to enjoy the tea and remember to always look for the light when all else seemed dark.
In the darkness of her room Ruka suddenly awoke and checking Hirano it showed she'd been holding a steady 90bpm for the last 20 or so minutes. She was shocked, but not scared, but remembered her heartbeat was never above 65 at night.