A/N: I guess I still have the energy to post this one despite having to run three times this day. My head is really killing me right now but I wanted to give you the next one, so here it is. Chapter 5 is the longest chapter in the whole story.
Chapter 5.1. Unfinished Business
A surprising news resulted to another gathering for Sachiko, Yumi and their friends. Eriko was getting married. When everyone heard about it, they decided to throw a shower party for Eriko at Sachiko's house.
"Wow, Sachiko, this is some house you got," Sei said in admiration.
Except for Yumi and Touko, it was the first time for everyone to come to Sachiko's house.
That evening, everyone was having a good time. Even when Sei opened bottles of alcohol, no one disagreed, except that, they decided to give Youko lighter drinks because of fear, considering what happened the last time she got drunk. Whatever happened between her and Sei, however, was still a mystery to everyone except to Eriko. Youko and Sei were acting normally, like it didn't happen. Even if the others were curious, they couldn't pluck the courage to ask.
"Hey, Yoshino-chan, stop acting lovey-dovey with Rei. It's still early, you know," Sei said after Yoshino leaned and kissed Rei's cheek for the fourth time. The more she was getting drunk, the more she was doing it.
"If you're jealous then why don't you kiss Youko-sama?"
Everyone went quiet at the remark.
"I can't. Youko would kill me," Sei said, looking cautiously at Youko who quietly sipped from her glass.
"But if Yumi-chan would let me, then I would really love to do it," Sei added, grinning broadly, expecting a rise from Yumi and Sachiko in different ways. When it didn't happen, she continued, "What's wrong, Yumi-chan? You two are very quiet. Did you two have a fight?"
"Please mind your own business, Sei-sama," Yumi said. How was she going to tell the others what was going on between her and Sachiko after what happened the first time she came in this house? Because whatever happened that day, it was left unspoken between them. It was like bringing it up would surely aflame the desire that they constantly felt whenever they were near each other. And so, they avoided being alone together and yet longed to be together. Such conflicting emotions that were little by little making them more and more restless as days passed. And now, here they were, sitting next to each other, their skin almost touching. Yumi was worried that if the two of them got even an inch closer, they might ravished each other right there and then. That was exactly how she was feeling right now. And with each sipped of wine, the urge was getting stronger and stronger. Sachiko wasn't helping either. The way she kept glancing at her, Yumi could read the same feeling from Sachiko.
"Enough of that," a tipsy Yoshino suddenly said. "Eriko-sama, why don't you open your gifts already?"
With everybody's urging, Eriko started opening gifts. With each gift she opened, the laughter and giggling increased. However, of all the gifts she had opened, Youko's gift resulted to a lot of teasing. A sexy black lingerie that would hide nothing.
"Why don't you just wear nothing if you're going to wear that, Eriko. That thing would only serve as an obstacle," a laughing Sei commented.
"That's the purpose, Sei-sama. It would definitely look sexy on Eriko-sama," Yumi commented, then blushed deeply when she thought how Sachiko would…
Sei's hysterical laughter cut Yumi's thoughts.
"Yumi-san is right. It would definitely set Eriko-sama's husband's blood curling," Shimako added to the surprised of the others. Shimako talking dirty was something unbelievable.
"I agree with Yumi-san and Shimako-san. Sei-sama, how do you think Youko-sama would look like wearing something like that? Youko-sama, do you have sexy lingerie like that?" Tactless Yoshino said.
Sei's laughter died out while Youko was quiet for a moment, before she answered with a smile, "No, I don't have one, Yoshino-chan."
"You should buy one, Youko-sama. You would definitely look smashing," Yoshino added.
Before Youko could answer, Sei interrupted her, "Enough of that. Why don't you open our gift, Eriko?"
"Even if I wanted to, I can't. You and Yoshino-chan didn't bring any," Eriko replied.
Yoshino looked up at Sei, and then the two of them broke into an evil grin.
"Well, why don't we get it then?" Sei said as she and Yoshino got up, swaying a little. The others stood too at their urging, and then followed them as they went to the pool. There at poolside, a huge yellow box with blue ribbon, stood alone.
"Here's our gift," Sei and Yoshino said proudly.
"Ooh, that looks interesting," Eriko commented with twinkling eyes.
"I'd say it looks suspicious," Yumi said, a little nervous. Her nervousness grew when Sei and Yoshino laughed.
"Onee-sama, I think it's better if you and Sachiko onee-sama move away a little. I've got a bad feeling about this," Touko said to the confused Yumi and the frowning Sachiko, not taking her eyes off the box. Nevertheless, Yumi followed and held Sachiko's hand, shivering a little at the touch, and pulled her a few steps away from the box. Had she not been worried, she would have moaned at the shot of electricity at the simple touching of their skin.
Accompanied by Sei and Yoshino making sounds to drum up the surprise, Eriko untied the blue ribbon and then slowly opened the box. Once the box was opened, Eriko stepped back in surprise just as the others gasped with shock.
There stood, the content of the box, a man wearing nothing except short shorts, who started to dance seductively in front of Eriko.
Eriko got over her surprise quickly as she started laughing, joining Sei and Yoshino.
The others' reaction: Rei was momentarily shock, not only of the gift but also because of the thought that Yoshino was involved in that scheme. Shimako held Noriko's hand, speechless and a little color drained from her face, while Noriko twisted the corner of her lips with dry amusement but was looking a bit worried at Shimako. Youko just shook her head. Touko's lips were compressed tightly in annoyance. Yumi, whose eyes were as big as saucers with shock, grasped Sachiko's hand tightly in worry because the latter stood frozen in place.
As the sound of laughter and teasing enveloped the poolside, Yumi stared back and forth from Sachiko's wide eyes then at Sei and Yoshino's gift to Eriko.
"What do you two were thinking?!" Yumi said angrily that surprised the others, more than the surprise they felt when the man came out of the box. Even the man stopped dead at the anger in her voice.
"That's enough! Please get out of here!" Yumi continued with eyes smoldering in anger, her brown eyes had turned darker. And then she checked herself. "Please," she added, her teeth gritting in anger. Then, holding Sachiko's hand, she led her back inside the house, leaving the others speechless.
Seeing an angry Yumi shook them to the core.
A/N: I guess we're nearing the end. Almost :)
---Arvendell---
06 February 2008