It was later into the afternoon, the sun hid behind a few clouds. The apartment's lighting looked rather dark even if the window's curtain was drawn open. It was one of those days where no one knew what to do, or didn't feel like doing anything-a relaxation day.
Nagihiko sat on the floor of the bedroom, and as for Rima, she was sprawled across the floor. They were both watching a marathon of movies Rima had mentioned earlier they'd use to watch on TV. As the comedy died down from the movie, Nagihiko used this time to bring up yesterday night.
"I really enjoyed spending time with you yesterday." He sounded very sincere.
Rima drawing her attention away from the TV and hid her smile with the back of her hand. She had to agree, even though it was emotional for her it still felt like they had a connection during the dinner date.
"There's something I want to ask you about. It's about what Hitomi had said to me, but from last night I think it's not true because I have this strong feeling around you that I can't explain..."
Rima nodded her head waiting for him to continue. "She said that..."
A loud ring was heard throughout the apartment. Nagihiko got up to answer it. Rima groaned and clutched the pillow tightly. She realized a pattern that every time something important is about to happen there's always an interruption.
She lay on her back for a few moments until she heard Nagihiko's footsteps creaking against the floorboards.
"Kukai just invited me to go to a basketball game."
Rima flipped back over on her stomach, "You should go!"
Nagihiko thought about it, "Are you sure, I don't want it to feel like I'm leaving you."
Rima lightly laughed, "No-no. You should hang around other people. I mean I don't want you to get tired of me or Hitomi." After she said that, she honestly wouldn't mind the Idea of him getting tired of Hitomi.
He smiled, "Alright well I should get ready." Rima smiled back and was disappointed; she really wanted him to stay.
Before he stepped out of the room, Rima remembered he was about to tell her something before the phone call. She grabbed his angle, "What were you going to say?"
Nagihiko turned his head to look down at Rima, "I'll tell you later." Rima sighed and let go of his ankle as he exited the room. She stayed completely still with her face down on the carpet floor.
After a few moments Rima made process of moving and sat up staring at the paused TV screen. The screen was paused at a part where the character was going to slip and fall. To Rima, his expression looked priceless. Nagihiko came back into the room, "I'll see you later tonight."
Rima smiled at him and waved. She listened to hear the front door close. When she did she switched to statue mode and tipped over and collapsed back onto the floor not moving. She stared into space and sighed. She didn't want to move. She wished time would just stop there, so she didn't have to worry about anything.
She glanced across the floor and saw her phone a few feet away from her. She reached her hand toward it as her fingers almost grazed it. She groaned and lazily rolled over to it. She grabbed it and felt sad when she saw her inbox was empty.
She debated whether to call someone or not. She gave in and called the only person she pictured hanging out with. After a few rings and no answer, she was about to just hang up but finally he picked up.
"Hello?" The voice replied.
"Hi." Rima's voice sounded weary.
"How are you? Is everything okay?" Tadase being struck with the idea that something is wrong.
"Yes, I'm just bored. What are you doing?" Tadase laughed understanding that feeling of having nothing to do,
"I'm just doing some paper work and then I'll be heading to a business party."
"Oh..." Rima sounded uninterested, but was dying to do anything. She asked him,
"Can I come?"
Tadase sounded stunned, "Are you sure? They're pretty boring parties."
"Please!" Rima begged.
Tadase didn't want to refuse in the first place but wondered why she wanted to hang so badly, "Why not hang with Nagihiko?"
Rima sighed, "He's out with a friend! Please can I?"
Tadase couldn't resist "Sure, I'll pick you up around 7pm." Rima quickly got up from the floor, "Thank you!" She said bye and hung up the phone. She glanced over at the digital clock and noticed it was only 2pm. When she realized it was five hours away she collapsed back on the floor whining, wishing the time would go by faster.
Rima answered the door, and saw Utau blowing a piece of bubblegum and Amu grinning.
"Wow, why so dressed up?" Utau barged into the apartment without permission. Amu followed after once Rima gestured to enter. Rima did look nice wearing a short dark red dress, with black straps that tied around her back.
"I'm just going out."
"Nice, with Nagihiko?" Utau raised an eyebrow.
"No, he's actually hanging with Kukai today."
Amu then asked, "Then where you going?"
Rima didn't want to answer; she didn't want her friends to have a misunderstanding. Just bringing up Tadase made the situation ten times more different then it needed to be.
"No where too important." She wasn't necessarily lying.
"Keeping secrets from us are we?" Utau relaxed on the couch.
"Come on, tell us." Amu invoked. Rima slipped on her black shoes.
"I have to go now, lock the door when you guys leave."
"We wanted to have a girl's night out." Amu sighed annoyed.
"Sorry, next time. I'll call you guys later." Rima closed the door, as Utau and Amu were left alone in the quiet place.
"Something doesn't seem right. She could have at least told us where she was headed." Amu was suspicious.
Utau got up from the couch brushing off her jeans, "Exactly, let's follow her."
Amu pleaded, "What? We shouldn't it's not our business!"
Utau huffed, "Like you haven't done it before?"
Amu nodded and answered honestly, "True, let's go."
Both girls exited the apartment, forgetting to lock the door and dashed down a few flight of stairs. When they reached the bottom, they noticed Rima entering a vehicle.
"How are we going to catch up?" Amu said regaining her breath. The car made a right turn at the stop sign. Utau took off her heels and gripped them in her hands, "Time for a chase."
They glanced at each other and shrugged running after the car like a mob of fans.
What both girls didn't know was someone was watching and following closely behind.
Utau and Amu were panting and gasping for air like they just got done running a marathon. They already felt sweaty and gross.
"You're lucky we caught a bus in time." Amu lay back onto the bus seat.
Utau nodded, "Anyone stops the bus for Hoshina Utau."
Amu rolled her eyes. "Please, the one reason it stopped was because I practically jumped in front of it."
"That too." Utau slipped her heels back on, "Let's just hope this bus is going the same direction."
Rima stared up at the large building, "You work here?"
Tadase chuckled, "Yeah, my dad is the head person here."
Rima excitedly ran toward the rotating spinning doors. She had no idea Tadase worked for such a huge company.
The interior of the building was huge just for the main floor. The hall was expanded wide. The walk way had a long indigo carpet. The main lobby area had expensive tiled floors around the carpet. The most noticeable thing was an immense chandelier that made you squint when you gazed up at it.
Rima wanted to keep on moving forward to see what else was in this place, besides bright lights.
"Good evening, miss." Rima turned to the side seeing an older man greet her; she just slightly bowed her head.
"Tadase, glad you could make it." A man appeared out of nowhere, who certainly surprised Rima, and walked towards Tadase holding out a hand. Tadase accepted the invite,
"It's great seeing you."
The important looking man noticed Rima's presence, "And who's this?"He asked.
Tadase smiled, "She's one of my friends, Mashiro Rima."
Rima waved to the man not bothering to show a formal greeting. She thought those type of greetings were out of the ordinary.
"I'll be talking to you later tonight." The man adjusted his bright tie and went to go greet another young man and woman.
"Who was that?" Rima was slightly curious.
Tadase responded, "That's the main C.E.O. of our company's top competitor."
"Well he doesn't look like much of a competition." Rima jeered. Based on his appearance, Rima's first impression on the guy was stuck-up.
Tadase laughed, and put his hand on her back and guided her to the nearby elevator.
They reached the floor where the main gathering was at. The hall was narrow, but had decorative flowers hung up on the wall with a few fine looking vases against the wall. As they reached the end of the hall they entered an enormous room filled with a bunch of people. There were rows of tables filled with wonders of favorable food. Rima was excited to jump in and eat something from each table.
Towards the center of the back of the room was a mini round stage for singers. If you looked up at the ceiling, there was an even bigger chandelier than the one in the main level.
In the back was a huge window that stretched across the whole back wall. But from the glare of the lights in the room you couldn't see the view of the city.
"I've never been to something so formal in my life." Rima was interested in the new atmosphere.
"Really, never?" Tadase asked surprised.
Rims nodded, "Does the prom count?"
Tadase laughed for the second time today. This young woman was definitely interesting to him. She had such a bright personality. You couldn't predict what she'd say next.
They met several different people. Which was most definitely important with Tadase everything regarding business issues. Rima was bored, but didn't really care as long as she was with someone she enjoyed hanging with and not being home alone depressed lying on the floor.
She began losing track of meeting people and began staring at the delicious dishes of food that people weren't even touching.
"Go get some." Tadase grinned.
Rims turned around and looked up at him, "Huh?"
"I can tell you're dying for something to eat."
Rima shook her head, "No!"
Tadase laughed, "No need to be shy."
"I'm not shy; you think I'm the shy type?"
Tadase nodded, "Yes," He turned to the table beside him and grabbed a handful of shrimp and popped one in his mouth; "Delicious."' He teased. Rima glared and quickly snatched one from his hands, and ate it. He gave a bewildered look.
"Okay, maybe I'm a little shy."
Rima feeling relieved someone else was eating, decided to go after the food. Startling of with the appetizers then heading to the meats while devouring the food down with water.
Rima scanned at the table of deserts. Everything looked mouth watering. The spurring chocolate fountain and hypnotizing chocolate chip cookies were exquisite. But what came to her senses the most was the plate of chunky brownies. She grabbed a paper plate, and observed the selection closely; below the brownies there was a sign that read 10%.
She pondered at what the sign meant.
"10% what? Maybe it means 10% fat?"
She shrugged and snatched four brownies a long with more delicious desserts. Once her plate was overloaded she made her way back to Tadase and shoved the plate in his face. "No thanks." He smiled; he was already eating a small appetizer.
"Fine, more for me." Rima inserted one brownie in her mouth. A bizarre stingy taste hit her taste buds and made her cringe. It was an unpleasant taste, but as the chocolate flavor clashed, it made the flavors flow out evenly.
She didn't care how it tasted, as long as it was chocolate. Don't people say chocolate cures depression?
"How are we going to get in? There's a security guard by the door." Amu was frozen in thought of what to do.
Utau smirked, "Let's just say, Hoshina Utau is making a surprise appearance."
Rima finished all the brownies and grabbed a random glass of liquid one of the hosts was carrying and chugged it down.
"I'm sorry this must be boring." Tadase said, hoping Rima was enjoying herself somehow.
Rima shook her head, "No way." The food was entertaining. Both began chatting and laughing.
Utau and Amu were behind the stage.
"Okay I'm here to perform tonight." Utau said standing behind a guy tuning his guitar, "Who are you?" He questioned.
Utau gasped offended, "How can you not know who I am?"
The guy shrugged and they looked at the piano player who responded ignorantly, "I don't know."
"What the hell kind of world are you living in?" Utau stomped her foot.
"This is bad. If they don't know your songs, how will you perform?" Amu whispered.
"I'll handle it, no big deal." Utau said rudely.
An idea popped in Amu's head.
"You can sing acoustic!"
Utau raised an eyebrow and put a hand on her hip, "Acoustic is for losers."
Utau walked over to one of the backup singers and grabbed them by the shirt, "Look, you better learn one of my damn songs in 5 minutes." Amu grabbed Utau by the waist trying to pull her back, "Let's not get kicked out!"
Utau gave up and let go of the person's shirt and sighed, "I'll just make up lyrics."
The band member being a little frightened gave in,
"We'll give you a good beat."
The curtain slowly rose, and Utau was waiting for the crowd to clap, and when she heard nothing she announced, "Good evening I'm Hoshina Utau."
As soon as Rima heard the name, the water she was drinking sprayed from her mouth, and Tadase gave her a look.
"Hoshina Utau." Utau repeated. The audience didn't say anything and she gripped the microphone angrily.
"Damn how many times do I have to say my name tonight?"
Her eye brows were twitching with frustration.
"Well by the time the night ends, you'll know who I am!"
"Why is she here?" Rima glared at Utau. Utau stared back and smirked back at her.
Utau waited as the band began playing a weird beat. With how the rhythm sounded she sang the first random words that came to mind.
"I'm watching you, from across the room." She pointed at Rima. "I'm watching you from across the room." She then pointed at Tadase. Amu stifled a laugh, at Utau's lame lyrics.
"Was it just me or was she pointing at us?" Tadase was confused.
Rima bit her lip not wanting to show her anger, "Must be your imagination."
Amu made her way over to the dessert table. She noticed the strawberries and went to grab one, when a man stopped her and said, "Be careful, just to let you know most of the things on this table has alcohol in it."
Amu panicked. Was Rima really eating this most of the time?
She ran back on stage, and interrupted Utau's singing, and whispered in her ear, "Rima's been eating alcoholic food."
Utau's eyes widened and followed Rima's movements. Rima reached for a brownie, forgetting she was even singing, Utau shouted, "Don't!"
Rima being startled dropped the brownie. The microphone screeched, and people clamped their ears shut from the whining noise. And began complaining about the sound.
Utau stopped in her tracks and fit the outburst into her song,"Uh...Don't! Don't! Don't! Walk away from me!"
Rima rolled her eyes, "If she wants the brownies I'll just take these cookies..."
Rima couldn't believe her friends followed her. That had to be the only option. There was no way it could be a coincidence and Utau was scheduled to sing here. She wouldn't have come to ask to hang with Rima if that was the case. Utau was also too popular to sing at a place like this.
"Rima!" Amu ran back off stage and towards her, and slammed the plate down and Rima watched as the plate of cookies crumbled onto the floor.
"What is your problem?" Rima asked angrily.
"You don't want to eat those." Amu panicked.
"You're not the boss of me!" Rima grabbed a whole handful of deserts, "These are so addicting, there's no way I'd pass this up." She stuffed a few in her mouth.
"No there's alcohol in them!" Amu was alarmed.
"Yeah, okay." Rima took another large bite.
"Seriously!"
"Stop ruining my fun!" Rima pouted, "Why did you two follow me anyways?" She shouted, and skipped over to Tadase.
"Uh no..." Amu sighed deeply.
"Tadase! Let's go somewhere else, the singer here sucks." Rima whined.
Tadase chuckled, "Where to?"
"I don't know just follow me!" Rima grabbed Tadase's hand and pulled him through the crowd,
Utau noticed them escaping from her grasp she sang her next made up lyrics, "I'm reaching for you as you leave, stop! I'm begging you on my knees."
Amu jumped back on stage and tuned in, "Stay pretty please."
Utau gave her a glare and ripped the mic away from her, "Yeah, pretty please?"
"Utau, I think Rima is getting tipsy." Amu whispered in her ear and began making up dance moves so it looked like she was the backup dancer dancer.
Utau began thinking that sure Rima got drunk at the club, but there were friends around to watch her. This time she's alone with a guy, anything could happen.
Utau ended the song and jumped off the stage,
"Encore! Encore!" People cheered and shouted.
"Fine," She jumped back on stage and began singing another made up song. She didn't want to let her new fans down.
She told Amu to spy on Rima so she headed that way.
"Here looks good." Rima quickly looked around her, noticing no one was around they entered a dark room. The back wall was the same as the other room with a huge glass window that expanded along it. This time the room was so dark you could see the city view which was beautiful. There were so many lights that lit up the city. Around the room were chairs folded up against the side walls, and a projector screen rolled up on the ceiling used for conference meetings.
Rima and Tadase looked out the scenery for a few seconds.
"I've been meaning to ask you this..." Tadase started and Rima stared at him until he continued, "Remember when we were younger and made that promise that we would get married?"
"You do remember!" That cheered up Rima's spirit, "I was wondering if you'd remember that."
"We said we get married at a high area, where we could see the whole city from below. That's what this view reminds me of." Tadase spoke softly.
Rima smiled, "And we'd get married exactly midnight, and hear music playing from far and dance to it." It had always sounded like a fairytale to her. She'd always picture her wedding being that way, just like the children movies and books.
As soon as Rima said those words she started feeling light headed. She glanced at Tadase as their eyes met but Rima ripped her eyes away from him once she had a weird feeling in her gut.
They both heard the weird music from the room Utau was performing in.
"Can I have this dance?" Tadase reached out his hand, Rima slowly accepted it, and they slowly swayed to the music. Rima's mind became foggier. She kept repeating to herself to not make eye contact so she continued staring at their feet which was making her feel dizzier than she already was. Rima realized they were playing out their past. She began thinking is this how it would have been if things have been differently?
Tadase inwardly laughed at Rima's secret shyness. He thought she looked cute.
She felt her body controlling her own thoughts. The alcohol started to consume her. Absent mindlessly she let go of the grasp of his hand and wrapped her arms around his neck, while laying her head against his chest closing her eyes.
"You smell good." Rima admitted. "You're a beautiful person…but you're just a friend to me…I think…I don't know…" Her mouth was making her thoughts slip out by accident.
Tadase laughed understanding this was too forward of Rima to be acting this way. He figured she drank something.
"What did you drink?"
"Water..." Rima spoke drowsily. The. Tadase remembered, "What'd you eat?" Rima giggled, "Sweets."
Tadase wanted to slap himself in the face for forgetting they made deserts with alcohol in them.
"I should have warned you."
"Yeah shame on you." Rima breathed in his scent again.
Amu was watching behind the door shocked this was happening. She didn't know what to think of this. Were they being over friendly? Or were they seeing each other? She was plain out confused. She knew Yaya was right when she said Tadase was trouble. Though now she could prove it to Utau.
She ran back to get her.
"I'll take you home," Tadase grabbed her arms and guided her to move. She stood completely still, "No, I don't like it home…I'm…"
Tadase sighed a bit, "Rima..."
"We'll take care of her for now." Utau walked in on the scene.
Tadase turned his head slightly startled to see two girls standing there.
"We're Rima's friends." Amu pitched in.
"You obviously can't supervise her."
Utau walked up to them, and grabbed Rima's arm.
"It was a mistake. I forgot about the alcoholic desserts." Tadase admitted, "Besides, I took her here in the first place I should take her home."
Utau rolled her eyes, she hated excuses, it was a waste of her time.
"I suggest you stay away from Rima. She's already dealing with enough stress; she doesn't need another guy added on top of this."
"First of all, I'm just a friend. Second, Rima is an adult shouldn't you let her make her own decisions?" Tadase said honestly.
Utau cut in ignoring the second part, "Yeah it sure looks like your just friends."
Amu added, "Even if your just friends, she's ours too and we don't want anything else to happen to her."
"Don't worry I care about her too, and she's in good hands." Tadase was straightforward. Utau couldn't lie, she knew Tadase was trustworthy.
She stared him down for a few moments and turned around on her heel, "Whatever, let's go I'm bored of this."
Amu turned after her, "Wait, Utau!"
Utau waited until Amu was right by her side, "We'll let her learn the hard way."
Once, Utau and Amu were out of view, Tadase picked up Rima who was now soundly asleep and carried her out the building.
Once Rima and Tadase were outside a snicker could be heard as a figure passed by them heading in the opposite direction. Their steps could be heard against the pavement. They stopped walking when they were under a lamp post.
The light that shined on them revealed their identity. Her gloss coated lips smirked when she held out her camera and viewed the new taken pictures.
"I got all the proof need."
A/N: Uh oh! What's going to happen now? Hope you guys enjoyed! :) I'm so sorry I can't respond to your reviews! :( I'm not ignoring you, I'm really busy and don't have time this time round. Need sleep.. But thank you to every single one of you! I mean it! Seriously! You guys rock! Your threats to Hitomi were all hilarious xD
Tell me what you think of this chapter if you wish to! :) I love hearing your thoughts =D Hopefully there aren't too many mistakes, I'm sorry if there is! I'm in a rush. Next chapter may be a few days late, I have a busy week this week.
Till next time!