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Coffee Shops and Cameras

Chapter 29

HIKARU

Hikaru felt a lump form in his throat, practically choking him as he stared in shock at the woman sat in the corner. Seika was still grinning at him triumphantly, as if she's gotten everything she ever wanted in that moment.

Hikaru could barely form the words that tore from his lips, "Get out" he growled.

Seika pouted childishly, "That's not very nice. I came all this way to see you on your big day"

Hikaru didn't want to stick around to give her the satisfaction of his time. God only knew how much time he'd already wasted on her. He turned to the door, no longer giving a shit about his phone, and began making his way outside before he could listen to another word she had to say.

He heard her scramble to her feet as he reached for the handle, and suddenly she was right beside him, her hand pressed firmly against the glass.

"I'm not finished" she frowned.

"Well I am"

"You're not going anywhere until you've heard what I have to say"

He scowled at her, feeling his eyes blaze with anger as she came into view. She looked the same as she did when he last saw her. Dressed in designer clothes, her face airbrushed with the most expensive high end make up, her hair freshly styled and entwined with long tape extensions. He could only wonder which sucker she'd convinced to pay for them, because last time it had been him and his credit card who'd done all the work.

"I don't want to hear a word you have to say" Hikaru spoke through gritted teeth, "I was pretty clear after the last time we spoke that I never wanted to see you again"

She scoffed, "And you think you get that privilege?"

"You ruined my fucking life" he snarled, "Ever since the day we ended, I've had you following me like a fucking shadow. You cost me my career, my reputation, my family's respect. What could you possibly say that would make me want to listen? Aren't you done yet?"

Seika's face contorted with emotion. A mixture of anger and frustration flashing across her groomed face.

"You broke my heart" Seika's eyes filled with tears of rage, threatening to spill over, "And I'm not done until you've had a taste of your own medicine"

Hikaru's knuckles were turning white as he clenched them at his sides, "It was almost 10 fucking years ago Seika, why cant you just move on?"

"Move on like you have?" her tone was mocking, "I saw your new pet, real cute charity case you have there"

The mention of Haruhi made Hikaru's blood boil. Seika wasn't allowed to talk about her. She wasn't even allowed to think about her.

A snarl bit through his tone, "I'm leaving, I've got more important shit to do"

As he moved to pass her he felt her hand wrap around his upper arm. He quickly threw her off as if she'd burned him.

"You're going to listen to me Hikaru"

"Or what?"

"Or I'll go ahead with what I plan to do regardless" she finished with a small smirk, as if she already knew he was going to give in. All Hikaru could do was stare at her, both pissed off and concerned over what she seemed to have in mind. Those conniving eyes seemed to penetrate his like a hot poker, and all he wanted to do was get the hell away from her.

He was suddenly overcome with the same feelings he'd had during their last few months as a couple. Nothing but dread and hopelessness, as if she had him in the palm of her hand and he had no way out.

"What do you want?" he clenched his jaw.

She replied with a red lipped grin, "That's better"

Hikaru could feel his chest seizing with feelings he hadn't felt in years. Weakness, defeat, anxiety. All the things she'd poisoned him with. He felt his forehead bead with sweat, and his heart begin to thump rapidly, as if he were locked in a room no bigger than himself with no light.

"Why are you doing this interview?" she asked, one perfectly plucked brow raising.

He made a face, "What?"

She rolled her eyes, "Why. Are. You. Doing. This interview?"

Hikaru cursed her, "Because it's my job"

"Really?" she chuckled, "Because I think you're doing this to convince the world you're not the bastard they think you are"

"And why do you think they call me that?"

Once again, she rolled her eyes, "The essence of what I said was true"

"True?" Hikaru almost laughed, "You steam rolled me. You fabricated everything. You wanted so goddamned much and I couldn't give you what you wanted because it was destroying me. But you kept chipping pieces off of me until I was broken and exactly where you wanted me. You didn't give a shit about my feelings, or how I felt about you. All you wanted was more, more, more. Then when I finally woke up and told you 'no' you sold stories to replace the money I gave you and finally chipped away the last few pieces until I was unrecognisable"

"You were supposed to be in love with me" she seethed, tears pricking her eyes.

"Love doesn't equate to finances Seika" he snarled.

She shook her head, not accepting a word he said. Then she seemed to compose herself with one deep breath, "You ruined me. When you left I became homeless. I became accustomed to a certain lifestyle and you torn it away before I even had a moment to work out how to fix it"

"I wasn't your personal fucking bank account. I was an 18 year old boy who fell way too hard for a woman who never actually wanted him"

"Why is everything all about you?!" she panted, "I was the goddamn victim!"

"Fuck you Seika" Hikaru shook his head in disbelief, "You ruined my life. You took everything I had. But now. Now I have a chance to take it all back. I have a woman who respects me and treats me like a real human being, who makes me feel valued, and never expects anything back. I don't care that you burst your fucking way in here, I don't care about any threats you may have. We are done. There is nothing you can do to me now. Do you fucking understand me?"

A slow smirk stretched its way across her mouth, and her arms came up to fold across her chest. It were as if he'd said everything she'd hoped he'd say, and more.

"I'm not here to beg for you back. Don't you worry about that" she said, "I've come out the other side pretty good. I don't even need the royalties from your stories anymore"

"Then why the hell are you here?"

"I told you" she smiled, "To give you a taste of your own medicine"

Hikaru could only glare.

"Maybe you should take a seat for this?" she flashed her pearly veneers, and suddenly all Hikaru wanted to do was scream.

HARUHI

"Where is he?" I stared anxiously at the door as my knee bounced uncontrollably.

"Maybe he's more nervous than we thought..." Kaoru replied, looking almost as concerned as I felt.

"He's been gone for almost 20 minutes" I hissed.

Is he still looking for his phone?

I rose to my feet as Amakuza walked over to me. I could see the stress she was trying her hardest to hide.

"Miss Fujioka" she said, "We really need to start"

"I know" I swallowed, "We'll go and find him. I'm sure he's just...nervous"

Kaoru and I made our way out the room and down the corridor in search of the older twin. My stomach felt as if someone had released a whole barrel of butterflies into it as we walked.

We didn't have to look long however, as we saw Hikaru almost immediately down the end near the stylist's rooms. He was pacing back and forth, his hands diving into his hair, making that half hour session with the stylist completely redundant. He didn't notice us approaching him straight away, but when he finally did he seemed to flinch, and the look in his eyes became almost devastated. Immediately I felt an overwhelming sense of dread wash over me, and suddenly the last few steps towards him felt miles long.

"Hika?" Kaoru questioned, "Hey what's up? What's going on with you?"

Hikaru shook his head and palmed his face roughly.

"Hey?" I said softly, reaching for his hand. But the moment I neared he thrust it away from me, averting his eyes to not meet mine.

"I gotta go" he spoke through gritted teeth.

Kaoru and I both blinked in confusion, "What?" Kaoru questioned.

Hikaru inhaled sharply, then lifted his gaze. He looked almost threatening as he stared his brother down, "You heard. I'm leaving"

"Are you really that nervous?"

"No. I'm not fucking nervous. I just don't need to do this shit"

"Hikaru!" I gasped, "What the hell is wrong with you? Don't talk to him like that"

"Why are you asking me so many goddamned questions?" he looked so angry, "I'm going home"

"But we worked so hard for this. You can't back out now"

"Fucking watch me" he made a move to push past me but I grabbed onto his arm before he could walk away, "Let go" he growled.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong" I snapped.

"What's wrong; is I don't need to do this. I don't need some redemption interview to show the world I'm a good person"

"What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that this isn't me. Well done for trying to fix me but hey, I guess it didn't work"

I shook my head in disbelief, "I don't believe that for one second. I know you, and this isn't who you are. The real Hikaru wouldn't be saying these things. Why are you suddenly so adamant to push everyone away?"

"Because I'm not that man. I know you want me to be, but I'm not. I'm a soulless asshole. Like you said from the beginning"

"Hika stop, please"

"No" he ground his teeth and I swear I saw tears in his eyes, "This is stupid. All of this. I don't need redemption. And I don't need anyone to fucking change me"

"Hika..."

"I tried to convince myself this would work. But I was wrong"

"You don't mean that"

"I do"

"You can't mean it. You said-"

"I said a lot of fucking things. But I was lying to myself. I'm fine the way I am. I don't need you to fucking fix me. I don't need anyone"

"So...what? Is this it? Are we done? After everything we said to each other?"

"You don't need a man like me, hell, you don't want a man like me. And I don't need you"

I tried to hold back the tears but I could feel the agonizing pain of my heart breaking. All I could do was stare back at him, praying this was all some unfunny prank. But the look in his eyes was serious, as if they were tinted red with fury.

Then his voice cracked, "You were just a good fuck and a distraction. Let's not pretend this was anything more"

Before I could stop myself, my palm stung against his cheek with a loud slap. The sound echoed across the room, resulting in silence, aside from a trembling sob that tore from my lips as I felt the final broken piece of my heart shatter into dust.

When he turned to look back at me I had expected to see his anger tripled, but if anything he seemed to accept what I'd done. Tears glazed his eyes, but I couldn't tell if they were tears of anger or hurt.

"I can't believe I let myself fall so hard for you..." my voice was a pained whisper.

He stared into my eyes for the longest time, and once again I searched his for something, anything, that told me he was joking around. Only 30 minutes earlier he had kissed me and looked at me with so much adoration, I thought I could feel the same love I held for him reflected back at me. But I guess I was wrong. I was so damn wrong about everything.

"Well that was a dumb thing to do wasn't it?" his voice sounded so gravelly, "I'm the last person who deserves your love"

As the tears I'd been holding back finally began rolling down my cheeks my fingers unclenched from his sleeve. He wasted no time turning his back to me and walking away, ignoring his brother calling for him to come back. I couldn't watch him go, I just couldn't. My chest felt so cold and hollow, as if he had just shoved his hand into my chest and pulled out my heart. I felt sick. Like I'd just lost everything in an instant.

I covered my face in my hands, trying to block out the sounds of the elevator doors slamming shut as Hikaru left Kaoru and I standing there.

Arms wrapped around me, and all I could do was cry.

HIKARU

Hikaru threw himself into the town car waiting for him outside, slamming the door behind him so hard his wrist hurt. The world outside disappeared, and the only sound he could hear was the vicious beating of his trampled heart as he dropped his face into his hands.

You didn't have a choice, you didn't have a choice, you didn't have a-

"Mr Hitachiin?" Riki called from the driver's seat, "You weren't clear in your phone-call. Where is it you'd like me to take you?"

Hikaru didn't lift his face from his palms. There was only one place he wanted to go in that moment, and that was back inside the building so he could bundle Haruhi against him and tell her he was sorry, to kiss away her tears and mend the wounds he'd caused. But he couldn't do that. "Take me to 'The Lavoy' please Riki" a bar would have to be the alternative.

"Right you are sir" Riki nodded as he turned the wheel to pull out onto the street.

Hikaru watched as the building containing the woman he loved got smaller and smaller in the back window, and suddenly he felt his eyes heat up and the painful sensation of being punched straight in the chest, "Could you please put up the partition Riki"

Riki did so without hesitation, and as if he knew what Hikaru planned to do, the radio was quickly turned up.

Hikaru was alone.

A sob tore from his lips, his grinding teeth finally separating to allow the cries to erupt from his throat. Tears streamed down his face and the pain where his heart once was throbbed with unbearable pain. Haruhi said she loved him. He'd been dying to hear those words come from her lips. Had the day ended the way it had began he would have told her too. They would have been happy. But now, those words hurt more than anything else.

You didn't have a choice. You didn't have a choice. You didn't have a choice.

Dammit, this hurts me and I'm the one who wrote it! I am soooo sorry for any heartbreak caused :'(

I hope you enjoyed this chapter (even though it broke my heart) the next update will be coming soon!

Please remember to Review/Favourite/Follow.

Love y'all, I'm gonna go cry into a tub of ben 'n' jerry's and a glass of vino!

Yuli xx