Yay, another chapter! I can't stop writing this.
Just a quick note, I have no idea if Japanese bars contain pool tables, and the pictures I looked at didn't seem to have any. I'm also not sure whether they play pool a lot or whether it's common, so if you know feel free to correct me. I'm sorry for the possible inaccuracy. I've never been to Japan (sadly) and I only know what I've researched.
I might add a little fun fact about myself before each chapter.
Fun fact: I know a little bit of Japanese and can read hiragana and katakana (and a few kanji). A bit weeby, but I love the Project Diva series, and I've played a few in Japanese so I learnt how to read through that (although, I knew a small amount to begin with). Japanese I've just picked up from watching anime, Japanese music and I had a few penpals from Japan who helped me learn it. I pick up languages very easily, so even if I didn't want to learn it, I would have ended up knowing some anyway.
I'm such a weeb.
"So, how are things with your gorgeous boss?" Yuki asks and I sigh, holding my phone between my face and shoulder as I flick through a magazine.
"We're just friends and he has a girlfriend." I reply. She laughs, a sound that is bordering on a cackle. There's a knock at the front door. "I'll call you back, someone's at the front door." I hang up and go see who it is.
I open the door and see Itachi standing there. I can't help but be surprised to see him wearing a coat instead of a suit jacket. Of course, he's wearing a coat since it's November and it's absolutely freezing outside.
"Come in," I say and stand to the side. He steps inside the warmth of my apartment and I shut the door. "So, what brings you here?"
I hold my hand out for his coat and he takes it off, however he doesn't let me take it and instead wraps it over his arm.
"I need to tell you something. Where should I leave this?" I point to the coat hangers next to the front door and he hangs it up before following me to the sofas.
We sit next to each other. "What is it?" I can't help but notice that the atmosphere is tense, causing anxiety to creep into my mind.
"Tsubaki and I…" My heart stops as he takes a deep breath. I have a feeling I won't like where the conversation is headed. "It's fake. Our fathers set us up to help my father's company." He confesses. I look at him in shock. I wasn't expecting him to say that. "A month ago my father held a meeting, he wants me to propose and for Tsubaki and me to get married."
My heart falls into my stomach.
He takes another deep breath. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't know how to and I couldn't. My father made me sign something, only Shisui and Izumi knew, and they signed something too."
"Why are you telling me this now?" I ask, my voice quiet and weak. He pauses briefly before replying.
"I… Akira, I like you." He whispers. My heart stutters and I scramble to find an alternative meaning to his words. No, he doesn't like me in that way, he couldn't.
"I'd expect you to, we're friends." I say uncertainly, silently wishing that he does like me in a romantic way. He sighs.
"No, Akira. Not in that way."
"Oh."
"Just tell me you feel the same and I'll call things off, I won't propose and I won't keep up the charade." He says, urgency lacing his voice. I look down at my lap and shake my head.
"It won't work between us. We're from different worlds. Your parents will never accept me and most of all, you're my boss. It's just… it won't work. I'm sorry." My voice cracks towards the end and I fight the tears to keep them from spilling down my cheeks. My body shakes ever so slightly. Itachi stands up.
"If that's what you want." I watch as he walks over to the coat hangers and grabs his coat. He slips it on before exiting my flat. I sit there in shock, the tears finally falling down my face. I bury my face in my hands and let the sobs take over.
Kyoko circles around my legs, and I pick her up, crying into her fur.
LNLN
BREAKING! Itachi Uchiha is now off the market for good!
A close source has just informed us that Itachi proposed to Tsubaki Sou and they'll be getting married very soon!
We have also been given exclusive pictures of the moment!
I close the page, not wanting to see Itachi with Tsubaki.
I give Kyoko her breakfast before heading to work.
It's been a week since Itachi turned up and confessed. A week since I turned him down.
The following day I was handed back over to Izumi, and I haven't spoken to Itachi since. He wasn't even there when I entered the office that morning. All my stuff was packed into a box and Izumi was sat at my desk to break the news.
I sit at my old desk, Izumi is late again, and I get on with work. My mind is far away and no matter how much I try, I just can't concentrate.
How could I?
The man I love is getting married to someone else.
I love Itachi.
The realisation hits me like a ton of bricks. When did I fall for him?
Two Weeks Ago:
I sit on the edge of Itachi's desk when the work day draws to a close.
"Do you mind, Akira?" Itachi says with a slight hint of a smile on his lips. "You do know that these desks are expensive and I'd rather that you don't sit on them and break them."
I laugh at him. "You're so serious. I weigh nothing, I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but I'm short and I'm not overweight. I guess it doesn't seem that way to you, since you're also short. Mr Just-Under-Six-Foot." He scowls at me.
"5'10" is not that short!" He says defensively and I laugh. I get up from the desk.
"I know, I'm just pulling your leg."
I feel so comfortable around him, it's so easy to make fun of him a little. I guess I've been influenced slightly by Shisui. He's always making fun of Itachi, mocking him for all sorts. That's how I found out that Itachi gets annoyed if you say he's short. He's not short at all, but it's fun to take the piss a little. Especially since he gets so defensive.
Itachi stands up and flicks my forehead. "We should probably leave. I can walk you to the train station if you want?"
I shake my head. "The press will have a field day with that."
"Of course." He smiles at me. "See you tomorrow, same time. It's also your turn to make the morning coffee."
No, that couldn't have been it. My mind then flicks to a memory that happened three weeks ago.
Three Weeks Ago:
It's the evening, and we're at a bar. Izumi demanded that we all go out for drinks since it was the end of the week and she finished a really demanding case.
"I'm Hinata Hyuuga, it's nice to meet you." The younger girl says with a bow. Her long black hair fell and obscured her face. I smile and bow.
"I'm Akira Hanakawa, it's nice to meet you too, Hyuuga-san."
To be honest, I'm shocked that a Hyuuga is working for the Uchiha. I would have never expected it. I would have thought she would have worked for her family's company. I guess not, since they are a large banking company. Maybe it wasn't something she wanted to do.
After exchanging small talk with the girl, I turn to Itachi who's holding a drink out to me. I accept it from him and thank him.
"This is so nice; this week has been crazy." I admit and he nods.
"Yeah." We lean against the wall as Hinata and Izumi play pool together. This bar was different, the owners moved here from England and bought a bar. They imported some pool tables and set them up.
The group of us is small, just consisting of Izumi, Hinata, Itachi and me.
I look at Itachi. "So, do you know how to play pool?"
"Of course, I do. Who do you think I am?" He says and I laugh. I shrug and take a huge sip of my drink before placing it down at a table behind the spare pool table.
We play a game, and I win. I grab my drink and take a huge gulp of it.
"You owe me a drink, Uchiha." I say and pat his arm. He sighs and nod. I know he was about to mention that I still had a drink in my hand, so I downed it. I pass him the glass. "Another rum and coke please."
"Fine." He says. I watch him as he walks over to the bar. He holds himself with so much elegance and confidence. Whoever he marries will be one very lucky girl.
I wish I could be that girl.
The alcohol begins to make my mind hazy.
I really like Itachi.
He returns to me and hands me a drink. I accept it and thank him.
"Want to play another game of pool?" He asks me. I raise a single eyebrow at him.
"Are you asking to lose again?" I say with a smile.
"Maybe." He takes my drink from me and puts it down, and hands me a pool cue. "Maybe I went easy on you."
"Hmm, maybe. But I don't think you'd willingly let someone lose."
"Ask Sasuke, he thinks he's better than me at most things. Truth is, I let him win."
"Sure, you tell yourself that." I say with a laugh.
A popular pop song comes on and I hear Itachi singing along softly. I was barely able to hear him, but I stand there and watch him in awe.
That girl will really be lucky.
If only that girl could be me.
A/N: Akira realising she loves Itachi is similar to how I realised I liked my boyfriend. I liked my boyfriend for ages, I just didn't notice. Until I heard him sing Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne in the car when he drove me home. I'm not sure when I knew I loved him, otherwise I would have used that for inspiration. I like using my own life experiences as inspiration for things, especially when it comes to things like characters being in love and stuff like that. It's much easier to get it accurate and portray it right.
I'm still debating whether to add lemons in the very far and distant future, but then I'd have to increase the rating and I just don't know. I've written one lemon and that was three years ago, and it was awful. It's buried deep on AO3, and I never want to discover it again. Although, to keep the rating the same on here, I might do an extra story and have them as one shots. Little extra stuff, for those who want to read about that. Idk, let me know what you think.
Also, if you're wondering how I write sad scenes, I just listen to anything from Your Lie in April. That anime still makes me cry so much. Send help. I can't even talk about it without crying. Don't watch it, you'll never be the same again.