Chapter Sixteen

Unexpected

Fay was at the university library trying to do some reading. Her thoughts were scrambled. It's been ten days since her father collapsed, and eight days since her uncle and cousin came to stay with them.

Fay finally knew why Keigo was feeling hostile. They weren't nice people. She wasn't comfortable either. Kentarou reminded her of a snake. He was good looking, but there was something sneaky about him. He was blonde with striking green eyes, taken after his mother who was currently cruising in France.

I feel like he will pounce on me any minute. In the last week that they were here, she had been extremely uncomfortable around him. He would jump out of nowhere, bump into her accidentally, and surprisingly he was always around when she was alone. Keigo has completely shut himself off me again. At least with father around he would say a few words to me. I want to tell someone that I'm terrified of Kentarou but don't know who.

Since she came to university, she decided that she would stay until 8PM every night. This way I'll guarantee that Keigo's home before I arrive. I don't want to be there alone. I wish I could just tell him, but he's been so rude lately. He doesn't even give me a chance to talk.

She was trying to kill time, when her phone vibrated. She turned it around for she always kept it on silent in the library, and noted a text.

Message

Tachibana An

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Call

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Want to sit with us? We're on the opposite side.

Fay looked around until she found An seated with her brother. She picked up her stuff, and walked towards them. "Thank you for the text, An. I was dying of boredom."

An looked curious, "the why stay here if you're bored."

Good question. I can't even tell people that I don't know that I'm trying to avoid my cousin. Fay thought. "I still have some stuff to finish," she fibbed, taking a seat. "Other than my joint project, my own assignments are piling up."

"I see," An replied. "At least you have a smart partner; mine sucks and keeps ditching class. I don't know what to do!" she moaned, placing her arms on the table and her head on them.

Tachibana frowned at his sister's comment. 'Just report them. Professors are understanding, and will take that into consideration."

"True," Fay agreed, opening up her book.

"By the way, Atobe-san. I really need to apologies on behalf of Chitose the other time. He really can't help it some time," Tachibana told Fay.

"Oh? What happened?" An asked.

"Nothing," Fay said, a bit infuriated as she remembered the incident. "It's fine. Some people like to push it."

Tachibana looked at her wryly. "It's just that he's finally better, and I try not to have people mad at him for too long. I mean it took Ren forever to forgive him already."

An looked wounded as Fay realized what he had said, "excuse me? What do you mean?" Excuse me? What was that? Forever to forgive?

"Kippei," An hissed.

Tachibana rubbed his face wearily. "I'm just surprised that she doesn't know," he muttered.

Fay blinked. "Know what?"

An gave her brother a warning look. 'You know that he will kill you if he found out that you're talking about it."

Tachobana chose to ignore An. He looked seriously at Fay. "Chitose and Takeda were really good friends. They were so good that he didn't even object when Chitose started dating his sister."

Wait a minute… "Sister?" Fay whispered. But Yui is really young. What the hell? she thought, remembering the twins photos Takeda had shown her.

"Yes. They're actually four siblings; she was three years younger than Takeda…" Tachibana continued. "They were dating in middle school.'

Fay felt her heart thumping really loudly. Why do they keep using past tense?

An pulled out her wallet from her purse, and showed Fay a photo. It was a photo of An and a red haired girl hugging and making funny faces at the camera. "Takeda Emi, she passed away in a car accident. Chitose was with her at that time."

Fay was speechless.

"Emi was also An's best friend,' he added. "The horrible part in all this is that Ren was close to his sister. The same day his mother gave birth to the twins, was also the same day that Emi passed away." Tachibana said with a huge disappointed.

Fay didn't know what to say. She was very disturbed by this piece of information. "How did he take it?"

They both looked at each other, and frowned. Finally Tachibana Kippei spoke. "Ren lost it. At one point he was grieving for his sister, and the other he had to help his mother with the babies. He just quit everything."

An touched her brother's hand lovingly. "We all loved her. She was a big part of our lives. I think we're all thankful that Takeda looks like he's doing fine now. It took him a couple of years to get on with his normal life."

If Takeda lost it because she was his sister, then how did Chitose feel for losing his loved one? She thought. "How did Chitose-san take it?" Fay asked.

"Not too good." Tachibana stood up, stretching his arms above his head. "Not too good at all."

The phone ringing startled Fay, she looked at the caller ID and found a number she didn't recognize. "Hello?"

"Fay, where are you?"

Fay blinked. "Keigo?" Why in the world would he call me? And how did he get my number?

"Yes, it's me!" he snapped. "Where are you? Its 10PM." I can't believe father texted me her number and asked me to call her and make sure she's home.

Oh?! 10PM already? She thought. She noticed that the Tachibana's were both looking at her. "I'm at the library. I should be home soon. Is something the matter?"

"No," he said. "I just reached and didn't find you here. Father wanted me to check," he said then hung up.

Fay stared at the phone in disbelief. I can't believe he just hung up on me. He really is getting ruder. What the hell's wrong with him. She put the phone back in her bag, and stood up. "I should go," she said. "Thank you for the company."

An stood up, and smiled at her. "No worries. Stay safe."

Fay nodded, and left.