Chapter 4
A/N: If I get 15 votes on Wattpad, I'll post up a bonus chapter containing content on this chapter that didn't make the cut! In the mean time, enjoy this new chapter!
Head to either Quotev, Archive of Our Own or Wattpad to see a featured picture of the new OC Shigeru Kageyama! My username is the same, taiyin1998!
Tsuki's POV
As the day melts into night, the street lights flicker to life and I raise my head, looking up at the sky above me. The stars are completely obscured by dark clouds, like my thoughts. My head is overloaded with everything that happened today, all mixed and jumbled up in a great big mess. Zange's words keep sounding in my head but thankfully it's the only voice I can hear. At least the high-end security here really is top notch, keeping out everything unearthly.
But I was completely right. This place really is a madhouse. Full of weirdos. Looks like there is truth in useless housewife gossip.
I sigh and twirl a strand of hair around my finger. After break, school will begin. My mom picked out an expensive private school for me to attend. I bet it's full of bitches and stuck up brats.
I can feel homesickness starting to settle in my bones. I miss the shop so badly. I even miss my Mom's annoying voice, when she narrates to me tales of her many marketing endeavors and her recollections of my 'charming' father. Come to think of it, how the hell did Mom manage to pay the rental fee for this place anyway? Along with the facilities and services, it must have cost a bomb!
I blink and realize that the night has already deepened. Ugh, I was spacing out again. I get up and brush down my shorts, turning towards the direction of the lift. Maybe I'll go back to my room and think there. I don't feel like socializing with anyone at the moment.
As the lift descends, I remain deep in thought. We've always lived a normal lifestyle, an ordinary household with a store out front. Yet sometimes it feels like Mom never runs out of cash. Like she'll suddenly come back with boxes of chocolate or a nice, fat paycheck. My mom is cool in her own way; you never know what things she gets up to when no one's looking.
I step out of the lift and a lone figure down the hallway catches my eye. Is that Soushi? But Soushi has white hair and that person's hair isn't white… I walk towards the figure, my footsteps muffled by the plush carpet. As I draw closer to him, I manage to fully see him.
He's very tall, only slightly shorter than Soushi with unruly jet-black hair, his bangs sweeping over his eyes. I notice that he's wearing a suit similar to Soushi's, except it's worn sloppily, his white shirt unbuttoned at the top, necktie loose and jacket open as well, revealing his collarbone. He has black gloves on his hands, which are currently stuffed into his jacket pockets as he leans back against the wall, gazing up at the ceiling, one of his feet propped on the wall.
He has such long legs! Something that I always wanted, but it's an empty dream. He stands there silently, not even moving an inch. Whoa, he looks so cool and mature…is he someone's SS? He looks too cool to be a mere tenant.
The black haired male suddenly straightens his body, pushing himself off the wall and walks towards… Hang on, the wall he was leaning against was right next to my room, wasn't it?
I tiptoe forward cautiously on my feet, being careful not to make a single sound as I observe the figure before me. The black haired male reaches inside his pocket and produces a card. Wait, isn't that a security card? I watch in sheer horror as he takes a sharp intake of breath before swiping the card down the slot. With a 'beep', the door unlocks.
What kind of shit is happening right now? Someone is trying to break into my room! TRESPASSER!
"HEY YOU! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" I shriek, pointing a finger at him.
The black haired man's hand jerks away from the door handle as if he's been burned, whipping around to look at me. His eyes are a piercing, acid green, which are attractively slanted and currently wide with shock. By instinct, he hides the security card behind his back guiltily, like a child trying to hide something he stole. I storm towards him, adrenaline and power invigorating my senses, preparing me for anything that might come my way.
But nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.
"TSUKI-CHAN!" The black haired male suddenly shouts, dashing over to me and tackling me in a bear hug, squishing me. Wait, what the hell is happening? He's suffocating me! Is this what they call sexual harassment? I struggle to escape from his clutches but he's holding onto me so tightly I can't breathe.
"Get off me you pervert!" Using all the strength I can muster, I push him away from me. He stumbles backwards before regaining his footing, obviously underestimating my strength. He blinks once before breaking into a wide grin.
"TSUKI-CHAN! You're so kawaii!" He tries to embrace me again back I back away rapidly, pointing a finger at him.
"GO AWAY, YOU TRESPASSING LITTLE SHIT! HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?! YOU PEDOPHILE!" I scream at him furiously, my body trembling as I try to contain the power that threatens to spill out of me, my red eyes wild. I have never seen this freaking creep in my entire life, yet he tries to break into my room and nearly squeezes me to death. Is he some kind of stalker? He even called my name with that '-chan' honorific!
"You'd grown so much, Tsuki-chan! You're even cuter than I imagined!" He says, his green eyes sparkling with excitement, completely unfazed by my reaction.
"Who the hell are you? Do I even know you?!" Cuter than before? Has this guy been stalking me since I was born? Has he been looking at my baby photos? Is he a hacker that stalks people online? The black haired male blinks once again before he cracks a goofy smile.
"I'm Shigeru Kageyama, your SS agent! Tasked to protect you 24/7 no matter the situation!" He says gaily, striking a cool pose. I immediately freeze in position. I didn't hear wrong, did I?
"Huh? SS?! Ididn'tsign up for a freaking SS. I DON'T WANT A SS! It must be a mixup so go away!" I scream before slamming the door in his face.
Ah, I forgot he has a security card too. I open the door a fraction and straight away I see him holding the card in his hand, about to swipe it down the slot again. He freezes, like a deer caught in the headlights. Ugh, this guy's so shameless!
"I'm warning you right now. Take one step inside this threshold and I'll make sure you regret it. If you don't piss off, you'll be leaving in a body bag. So GOODBYE." I say menacingly before slamming the door shut again.
The moment the door closes, I slide the extra security lock into place before collapsing on the couch. God, my head hurts. I thought I'd changed the form when Mom wasn't looking. Did she somehow manage to change it back? She knew I changed it. Darn. And that guy…Shigeru, was it? He's so creepy, trying to get into my room again after sexually harassing me. I actually thought he looked cool but I take it back now. His personality doesn't fit his appearance at all! Hopefully he got the message into that thick skull of his. I wish his new client good luck with all my heart. He or she is definitely going to need it.
I look on the direction of the kitchen and see the half-finished box of chocolates on the table. No! Not now! Don't be a slave to chocolate, Tsuki! You control the chocolate, the chocolate doesn't control you! I should save it for dire situations, when the craving really strikes.
I slowly roll off the couch and go toward the bedroom. It's late; I should get some sleep. Besides, today was really an eventful day, I feel like I might nod off any minute.
Tomorrow I'll just take it easy. A totally relaxing and stress-free day.
-Next morning-
"Ohayo, Tsuki-chan!" Shigeru's cheery face appears in my vision.
I quickly slam the door with my back against it. He's still here. I told him to leave and he's still here?! I thought he'd be gone! What do I do? I open the door an inch and peer at him out of the small crack.
"Why are you still here?! I told you to GO AWAY! And how long have you been waiting there?!" I question him rudely.
"I couldn't wait to see your cute face, Tsuki-chan, so I've been waiting since last night!" He smiles at me so widely I can't see his eyes.
"What the hell? It's freezing out here!"
"I was going to go into your room and snuggle up next to you in bed, but you came out first so, yeah."
"What are you, a pervert or something? You're so damn straightforward! No way would anyone want to have a creep you like you in their room!"
"Hey! I bet you let the mover people into your place! Why can they go in but I can't?!" His tone suddenly becomes harder, his green eyes starting to burn in anger. He's angry? At something like that?!
"Because I don't even know you!" I scream. This guy is just so stubborn and persistent! What is his problem?!
"But you don't know the mover people either! What happened if they tried to attack to you?"
"I'm even more worried about YOU doing something to ME!"
I'm standing in the doorway while he's standing in the hallway, the both of us arguing at the top of our voices. It's only 10 in the morning and already the day is getting off to a horrible start.
Looks like it's going to be a long, long day.
Ririchiyo's POV
"Ririchiyo-sama, would you like to have some Earl Grey this morning?" Soushi smiles at me, his different colored eyes twinkling at me. I take a bite out of my bagel and turn to him.
"Hmph, it's hardly the time for Earl Grey but if that's all the pitiful selection has to offer, I have no choice but to have it."
"As you wish, Ririchiyo-sama." Soushi bows to me before going off to make the tea. Karuta comes over to join me, eating a cheese panini.
"I like Tsuki-chan…She gives me nice food." Karuta says between her bites of bread.
"Look how gullible you are. Easily trusting anyone who gives you food." I snort at her and take another bite of my bagel.
"But Ririchiyo-chan! You like Tsuki-chan a lot too! You were like, so happy yesterday after she called you by name! Imean, who can't like Tsuki-chan; she's so cute with her small build and her cute hairstyle and her tiny mouth!" Nobara gushes, hyperventilating as her glasses start to fog up again.
"Hai hai~~ She's just so KAWAII! So cute and cuddly like Rascal!" Zange cuts in.
"I SAID I'M NOT CUTE YOU STUPID RABBIT!" Banri as per usual glares at Zane, waving his little fist at him.
"Watanuki-kun… You're cute…" Karuta walks over to Banri and pets his head, making him blush furiously.
"R-Really, Karuta…" Banri stammers, staring so hard at the ground that I swear his eyes are going to burn a hole through the earth. I sigh loudly.
"What do you mean? She's just a tenant that lives one floor above me." I say before I can stop myself.
"But Ririchiyo-sama, Yoake-sama is the only person you call by first name with the '-chan' honorific." Soushi returns with a teapot and proceeds to pour a cup of steaming tea for me.
"Tsuki-chan is a nice person…" Karuta mumbles.
"T-THAT'S NOT TRUE! It was a slip of the tongue!" I argue back, too embarrassed to admit it. It's true, Tsuki is the only person I call by first name. I have no idea as well, but somehow I feel so comfortable around her and it just feels right to call her by first name.
"Ririchiyo-sama, please forgive me, but I did advise you to not get too close with Yoake-sama until I have confirmed that she is of no threat to anyone." Soushi serves me my Earl Grey and states.
"I told you how many times that Tsuki-chan is of no threat to anyone, she looks so weak she won't even be able to run away from anyone-" However my words are punctuated by the door bursting open. Tsuki rushes in frantically, slamming the door loudly before she leans against the door, hands outstretched across the door as if she were trying to keep something out, her chest heaving rapidly, her breathing ragged.
"OH! Tsuki-chan! You look so cute with your face all red! That blush against that pale complexion… Maniac!" Nobara turns to Tsuki and exclaims, that perverted look on her face again.
"Tsuki-chan?" I observe her quizzically.
"THERE'S A PERVERT OUTSIDE MASQUERADING AS MY SS! WHAT DO I DO?"
Tsuki's POV
"THERE'S A PERVERT OUTSIDE MASQUEARADING AS MY SS! WHAT DO I DO?" I shout at everyone in the lounge, trying to alert everyone to the situation.
"I thought you rejected the SS?" Ririchiyo asks me, setting down her teacup.
"I DID BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FREAK HAPPENED! This guy suddenly tried to break into my room and he tried to hug me and-"
CRASH!
The sound of shattering glass sounds throughout the whole lounge. Glass shards litter the ground as the black haired male emerges from the shattered window next to me.
"Tsuki-chan! Why did you run away from me? I'm your SS, not an imposter!"
"Are you an idiot!? Why did you crash through the window when you could have just walked through the door you bonehead!?" I can't believe this guy! Is there something wrong with his head? Is he mental enough to crash through a window just to get inside?
"But I want to hug you!"
"You don't need to break a window just to do that, don't you!?"
"But I'm your SS!"
"What has that got to do with you breaking the window?"
"Because I want to be with you!"
I can feel my face heating up rapidly as I try to keep my composure. What's he even saying? He's only flirting with me, isn't he?
"I don't have a SS, ok? Get that into your thick head, numbskull!"
"May I have permission to speak, Yoake-sama? You indeed have a SS, it was indicated in your client form. Kageyama-san arrived here the day before when Ririchiyo-sama and I were at the department store purchasing your gifts. Only the other SS agents as well as onii-san were there to welcome him, as Kageyama-san wanted to surprise you. Kageyama-san left shortly to run some errands, as he didn't expect you to arrive so early yesterday." Soushi explains calmly, gazing at Ririchiyo at one point. Ririchiyo's mouth shapes into an 'O' as her unasked question is quickly answered in succession to mine.
"Hmph, she's obviously surprised, isn't she?" Ririchiyo adds coolly.
"Yeah! Weren't you surprised to see me, Tsuki-chan?" Shigeru smiles goofily at me.
"DO I LOOK HAPPY TO YOU, YOU IDIOT!?" I point at my flushed up face and scream, eyes burning with anger. I'm going to lose my voice soon from all this shouting. I swear that the chocolates upstairs in my room are going to call my name soon.
"But Tsuki-chan-"
"SHUT IT YOU," I shout before turning to Soushi. "So you're saying that this idiot here really is my SS? But I rejected the SS! Besides, he tried to break into my room!" I point an accusing finger at Shigeru, to which he suddenly grabs my hand and pulls me into his arms.
"But I couldn't wait any longer! I wanted to see you so badly, Tsuki-chan!" He smirks at me and winks.
"STOP DOING THAT ALREADY!" I screech, punching him in the stomach. He immediately lets me go.
"WHAT'S WITH THAT PUNCH, TSUKI-CHAN?!" His smirk is completely wiped off his face now.
"DON'T TOUCH ME, PERVERT!"
Ririchiyo gives me a sympathetic look. No doubt she understands what I'm going through now.
"Actually, Tsuki-chan, every SS agent has an extra security key to their client's room for emergencies. Though I don't see any emergency." Nobara gives Shigeru a distasteful look.
"But it was an emergency, Yukino-Kouji-san! I needed to get to Tsuki-chan!" Shigeru complains defensively. The other tenants and SS agents finally snap out of their stupor from Shigeru's glass-crashing performance, starting to all talk at once.
"Kageyama, you're going to clean up this mess because you're a bigger bonehead than that Sorino-Zuka. Sexually assaulting Tsuki-chan, how could you?"
I give Nobara a grateful look. Nobara really is a nice person!
"… You're destroying my ship! My Ririchiyo and Tsuki shipping! Two cute girls on each other, both with smooth skin and long hair, big eyes, tiny earholes… I can't take it anymore! MANIAC!" Nobara's glasses fog up again and she bangs her fist on the table to prove her point.
Okay, Nobara is still a screwed-up person. Both me and Ririchiyo exchange wary looks. Neither of us are thrilled by the idea.
"Eh~? But I ship Banri and Tsuki~ The two little rascals are so cute together~ Ho ho ho!"
"Natsume! Don't destroy my ship! RiriTsuki sailing!"
"But I like BanKi better~"
What the hell is the world coming to? Why am I getting paired up with Banri and Ririchiyo?! Ugh. I check to see Banri's reaction but I see that he hasn't heard them. Neither have Shigeru or Karuta. I spot Banri approaching Shigeru, looking slightly twitchy.
"I'M BANRI WATANUKI, ROOM 2, AND I'M A DELINQUENT! TEACH ME HOW TO DO DELINQUENT THINGS!" Banri shouts, pointing at the shattered glass surrounding them.
"Huh? You want me, Shigeru Kageyama, to teach you how to break glass? But you look so cute!" Shigeru suddenly changes mood again, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Boy, is this guy mercurial.
"HEY! I'M NOT CUTE!"
"Tall…" Karuta looks up at Shigeru, still eating her Panini.
Oh my god. This place is full of crackpots. I feel like my head's going to split open any moment now; it's as if there's some tiny person trying to drill inside my head.
"Guys, check this out, it's seriously cool- Woah! What happened to the window, man?" Renshou floats in in his ittan-momen form, commenting on the shattered window.
"Kageyama was just being stupid again, crashing through the window just because Tsuki had the door shut. Looks like there's someone even more brainless than you." Nobara rolls her eyes at Renshou.
"He's not my SS! How many times I have to say I don't want a freaking SS? I'm cancelling the contract, ok? So leave me alone!" I stamp my foot in frustration. What happened to my stress-free day today?
"Eh, I'm not stupid, man! I mean, I know that Tsuki's from the Yako Clan by the way! So awesome!"
The moment Renshou's voice fades, everyone freezes. I feel everyone's gaze falling on me, a sense of dread settling into my bones.
Oh, shit.