A/N: Gomen! Gomen! Gomen! I'm so, so soooorrry for the long wait. I started typing this chapter a very long time ago, but I got a bug on my computer and deleted everything. So I started writing again, but I could never finish it, because of some family matters and the little time I had. But mostly the cause is because I was just plain lazy.
I just hope, though, that you can forgive me. I know. I'm the worst author ever. TT
I also want to thank all the ones who placed me as their favourite authors (47) and alert list (42)! Also, Thank to you guys, I have reached the 100 reviews!! THANK YOU!!
XxXxX
YAMURA
Ready, Set – Go!
XxXxX
"What did I do to deserve this?" Jyou groaned as he rubbed his forefingers against his temples. His headache from yesterday didn't lessen a bit, furthermore, the event with Yamato and that so called rumor he caused in the HQ just made it worse.
Mainly, if he entered his office, a calm and serene feeling would overwhelm him and he would start signing documents and giving the Agents their assigned missions. Although today he knew it wouldn't happen that way for two loud noises were heard not too far from his office. Even with his closed door it wouldn't change at all. They were just asking for attention. And he exactly knew whom they belonged to.
"I SWEAR I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"Heh. Try then."
"You are so going to regret this!"
"Maybe, maybe not. But right now, I'm so enjoying this."
"Jerk…"
Jyou sighed. 'I just hope I'm wrong…'
He stopped typing, knowing it wouldn't help ignoring the sound despite his curiosity, and walked out from his office towards the place where it was the loudest. He was surprised when he noticed it led him towards the Training Room. The place was huge than most would expect. If there was one thing the Digimon Agent Academy was proud of it would be their training section and their large knowledge in technology.
The Training Room had a long corridor and was divided in three sections. Each of them had their own color. The first one was red. It was the Exercise Room. Different kinds of weights as well as bars or rowers were all at hand to train your muscles and to achieve an excellent condition. Even those who are not doing fieldwork must train as well.
The second one was put in blue tiles and you could see the water reflecting the walls from the swimming pool. It was almost large as one they used during the Olympic games, maybe even bigger.
Tlast room that Jyou had reached was the Dojo section. This is where you exercise your martial arts. Even here, belts are playing a huge function. The higher the grade the higher the chance you'll be selected for a dangerous mission. Of course you are not leaving on your own. Another Agent who is experienced will join you and rate your skills on the field itself.
The walls of the Dojo section were slightly white with a mix of yellow. The floor was made in wood but mats were placed everywhere in the room to absorb the impact when you hit the bottom.
Jyou stood perplexed with what he saw through the glass. The room was crowded like never before. Cheers and wailing were heard all over the place. Upon entering, some immediately saw he was their officer and stepped aside to let him pass. He stopped breathing with what he saw.
The fuss came indeed from two people, mainly Mimi and Yamato, who to his utter surprise, stood face to face against each other. Both were in their fighting stance, motionless and focused at the same time.
Jyou watched Mimi's serious expression. Her brows were furrowed, her fist set in front of her and her pose in position to strike her target immediately. Yamato though, was in his fighting stance as well, but he wasn't taking this seriously as Mimi did. His face was relaxed unlike hers and you could almost say he enjoyed it.
'This is absurd! What the hell is going on here?'
And before Jyou could say something or stop them, the brunette dashed towards her opponent, looking confident like this was a child's game.
Yamato saw her approaching. Seeing that she was aiming for his face, he immediately took a step aside and evading the hit just in time. He grinned. Mimi shrieked when she saw she would fall forward. She swiftly responded by setting her hands on the mats, ramming hard, making her flip in the air and landing back on her feet where she regained her balance once again.
"Bravo, Princess." Yamato complimented her for her quick reaction.
"I was a pretty good athlete before." Mimi said proudly.
If you were an Agent, the first thing that they advise you not to do is tempting Yamato Ishida to battle. Whatever the reasons, it didn't matter since Yamato immediately kicked your butt out of the ring, or so to speak. Almost every Rookie admired him; girls blushed and shrieked as he passed them, while Champions see him as their rival, knowing that when they beat him, they would hold the Ultimate title. Although no one succeeded yet, someway, they still respected him.
XxXxX
Jyou couldn't define what was going on.
Why were they fighting?
Was it maybe because of the rumor?
That could be, he guessed, but he was sure it was just half of it. He did act surprised and shocked when Yamato told him that he slept with her, but when he took a quick glance at the woman before Yamato closed the door, he knew he was just bluffing.
One, because of the look she had when he told him that, and two was because of her yelling that he could hear through the door. He had to laugh at that time. It was funny to hear how she tried calling him names. It was really amazing to hear that she knew such…vocabulary. He had to agree when he heard from Yamato it was un-lady-like to say such words and that she looked more like a man than a woman. The answer he received was of course a fierce slap on the cheek. Jyou found it hilarious when he heard the smack through the door.
Michael of course, had already spread the rumor within a few minutes like Yamato had predicted. As Jyou walked back towards his office, leaving the couple alone, he felt like a high school student walking in one of the school corridors. The rumors were tolerable for a while. Mostly it would be like how Yamato had a one-night stand with some girl, but slowly, when he listened to it more closely, they would twist and add more words to it, making the story extreme and vulgar; that to a certain extent he found it ridiculous and incredibly immoral. He couldn't believe how such pigs could call themselves Agents!
He groaned, knowing this has gone too far. So through the loudspeaker he began his speech about their behavior and that they should show some respect with someone's privacy. He also announced that rumors were just rumors and none may be true and should be ashamed believing a rumor that was spread by Michael no less.
So yeah, maybe the rumor may be the cause of this fight, but Jyou knew there had to be another reason. He was ready to ask a Rookie next to him how this had started, but instead; he had found his answer during the fight. Well, most of it.
XxXxX
Just before this happened, just before they decided to fight, none was really aware what they said till Yamato told her his own opinion and made her angry.
Again.
Mimi of course couldn't accept what he had said and wanted to prove that he was mistaken. That's why they had decided to show their skills against each other in the Dojo section. Since all they could think about was how to bring the other to surrender, they weren't aware that a crowd was forming.
Yamato knew from the start that this was no challenge for him which why he agreed taking her on. If she were an Agent right now, he wouldn't even take glance, but taking her arm right away with a speed that is beyond words and probably swing her over his head so she would land hard on the mats; leaving some broken ribs.
But neither was she an Agent nor had she any fighting experience, thus making her a regular woman.
That is what he first thought of anyway; until she had shown him that punch he avoided earlier making him swallow his words. He grinned when he saw that she was back in her fighting stance. Again, Mimi was making the first move. She rammed her foot on the floor to increase her speed towards Yamato.
This time he wasn't going to avoid it.
Mimi gave him a crashing roundhouse kick aiming towards his side, but Yamato was quick reading her movements and blocked it with both of his fist with ease. Mimi just groaned when she saw Yamato smiling at her arrogantly. She started attacking him rapidly with the intention of hitting his critical points by using both of her arms and legs.
Yamato had to give her credit when he blocked Mimi's blows again and again. She could fight. Excellent even. He detected how she increased her speed every time he had blocked one of her blows. Of course, he sensed, she only learned the basics, but that was enough to protect her own skin when he was not around. Yet, to his disappointment, this was not enough if she ever faced enemies like Taichi or Koushiro.
He wrote a mental note to train her sometime.
Mimi was confident that with those furry of blows, he would stop messing around with her and admit she could fight. But that really never happened because the moment she let herself off guard to think those thoughts, Yamato swiftly took the opportunity and copied what she did to him.
Mimi hastily crossed her arms in front of her to protect herself while blocking his attacks. Mimi closed her eyes and she could feel herself being pushed backwards from the force of his punches. She was astonished to see how much strength he still had, but after a while, she was aware he didn't use all of it.
Yamato knew that fighting against a woman; he would reduce his strength no matter what, even if it were an enemy. It was a rule he told himself. Even when he fought against Rookies or Champions, he never really used all of his strength for fear he might actually injure his comrades so bad it killed them. And that was of course something he wanted to prevent.
Yamato sensed that she was slowly getting tired of protecting herself; so he flipped backwards and placed a space between them again. He did this to make her clear she could rest for a second…
…but it looked like she had something else on her mind.
Half of her was happy to see that he actually cared a little, but the other half was annoyed that he was not taking her seriously. When he halted his actions and created a space between them, she knew it was meant for her.
Again, a feeling of happiness and anger mixed inside of her. Instead of doing as he requested, she immediately took this occasion to attack him.
Yamato sighed, dazed, but grinned anyways and took his position once again, ready to block her attack.
Everyone in the room including Jyou would expect her to strike him in the front again. But none was actually prepared to what was coming next. The moment Mimi was a meter away from her target; she instantaneously leaped in the air, circled her entire body in a smooth motion and with her extended leg, decided to strike Yamato on his left cheek. Hard.
The intense force of the strike and the surprising effect left Yamato totally ignorant of her action, making him fly backwards. He landed with a large smack on the mats.
Mimi instantaneously dropped down on her knees and tried to look at him while panting. She was sure that this attack was something he wouldn't expect from her. She hoped now that the fight would stop and that he would admit that she was right after all. Mimi gasped while drops of sweat were rolling down her face. She was exhausted.
Despite the fact that the move may appear to be simple from a guy's point of view, in reality it enquires a lot of strength if you want to increase your force on that single hit.
No one cheered and no one reacted. For a moment everyone was silent. Some are not able to believe what just happened and some still didn't register it in their minds yet. This was uncommon. Of course, everyone can make a mistake when calculating their opponent's move. So seeing Yamato getting hit was not really that of a shock…
… but more the way of how a woman like Mimi Tachikawa, who gave the impression of being weak and totally useless in fights, swooped Yamato to the other side of the room like a ragged doll.
'That should know not to mess with me…' Mimi grunted painfully when she tried to stand up again, though her aching muscles screamed her to stop.
Yamato became dizzy, but he was still conscious enough to know what just occurred.
That woman just hit him!
'Fuck…' he groaned slightly. 'How did that happen…?'
Mimi's little moment of victory disappeared right as it has come once she noticed Yamato standing back on his feet. Emotions like annoyance, anger and fear were mixing in her eyes.
He felt some throbbing pain in his shoulder when he tried to stand up, and knew he would get a headache anytime soon after that blow, but he was still okay to move and continue the fight.
For him it was more a scratch. He noted to himself that this was the last time he would try and expect her actions. He guessed it wouldn't really work on her. The girl was just unpredictable!
'Just like her slaps…'
Not making the same mistake twice, he decided to add more of his strength. Somehow she must've found out about how he was taking her lightly. But it didn't matter. He was going to win anyway. Stretching his muscles of his neck, his eyes flew directly towards Mimi's.
Yamato smirked.
"Not bad." he said haughtily, "Not bad at all." he looked straight into her depths while taking a slow step towards her. As he expected she stepped back.
"But this fight isn't over yet."
And before Mimi could act Yamato vanished from her view just to reappear in front of her again with an attack aiming for her stomach.
Thanks to her quick reaction again, she jumped by placing both of her hands on Yamato's shoulders through his process, flipping in the air and landing gracefully behind his back. Immediately she panted after she had reached the floor but tried not to let it show.
"Again, you've astonished me, Princess." he complimented her while turning around.
"Told you I could fight…" Mimi said, trying to form a grin while giving a small huff.
"Indeed you did."
And Yamato attacked her again without warning. Mimi tried to block each of his attacks, but she could feel herself becoming weaker and weaker. She couldn't focus anymore. Her mind grew dizzy and her sight was almost a blur. She was on the verge of exhaustion. Yet, after a few seconds, she saw her chance to strike him between his blows.
Yamato quickly avoided the hit to his chest and immediately, he was being attacked by a series of punches from the brunette.
XxXxX
From his point of view, Jyou wished the fight would end.
This was pointless, but noticing that both of them were stubborn to give up, just made it more difficult to handle. He groaned again. He wondered how long this would be going on.
"Yarre, Yarre… What do we have here, Jyou-sempai?" a male asked playfully, almost like a child.
"Something we can't handle." Jyou responded when giving a glance at the man standing next to him before setting his eyes back to fight again. "You're late… again." he added as an afterthought.
Shigeru Hideki was an Agent working for the DAA. Being thirty made him the oldest member of the highest rank. He had long, but beautiful silver hair, often changing the color whatever the occasion or the mood he is in. Most girls would simply fall for his looks and gorgeous amber eyes, but unfortunately for them, Shigeru only favors men.
But much to Jyou's disapproval, he does not take his mission seriously like most Agents of his rank. When he would travel abroad, he would occasionally come back with a handful of bags with nothing but fashion clothes and hairsprays.
However, he never failed a mission and he would always return back safely in Japan. When he had nothing to do, he made clothes where for his comrades so they could use it to go undercover, (mostly Yamato just to annoy him and for his own personal fun…) before placing them in a shop he owns in Osaka.
Shigeru sighed. "Mou, Jyou-senpai… you should give me some slack." he wailed. "I didn't buy my new outfit today and it makes me so mad." he pouted. "I went to this cute dressing store that just opened and I saw that oh-so-kawaii shirt. So, I went inside and tried it on, but it was too small for me. So, I asked one of the workers if they had a bigger size. One told me the last one was already sold! Can you believe that? That lovely shirt! Taken by some–"
"You were being followed." Jyou interrupted.
Shigeru moaned. It looked like his officer didn't want to hear the rest of his awesome discovery of the striped shirt.
"Yea… I've met five or six of them, I think." Shigeru responded defeated. "Mou… You really don't want to hear the rest?"
Jyou shook his head and crossed his arms.
"Oh, well, as long as you promise to hear how I fixed a date with a guy yesterday." he giggled. Jyou just rolled his eyes in displeasure and continued to watch the battle.
Shigeru then changed the subject. "So, what is this all about?" he asked with a childish tone.
Jyou gave an aggravating sigh, but explained to him with what he thought it could be.
"From what I think is the following, but I'm not quit sure." Jyou replied at the same time Mimi blocked another attack from Yamato. "I think Miss Tachikawa wants to prove herself to be useful. Yamato already made her upset from that prank of them being an item, but I think calling her weak was enough to make her boil."
"Nani!" Shigeru screamed. "That is Mimi Tachikawa!"
Shigeru took a long glance to the woman who was moving furiously around the room to avoid all of Yamato's hits.
"Kawaii" he exclaimed gleefully when he folded his hands together. "She is so perfect!! So beautiful…"
"Shigeru, don't even think of -"
"Yes. I have decided! I'm going to make her my puppet!"
"using her…" Jyou groaned when he finished his sentence. He glanced at him. "Anyhow, this has taken too long."
Shigeru sighed, thwarted. "Mou…and I just wanted to see more of it." he wailed like a small child.
"I'll buy you a new dress." Jyou watched the battle again.
"Fair enough." Shigeru shrugged.
And with that, he obeyed Jyou's silent command and took something out of his sleeve and swapping it open.
"You do know he will kill me." Shigeru smirked.
Jyou paused for a moment while watching the battle.
"I don't think he would mind it."
Shigeru looked at him strangely. "Oh?"
"Trust me. He won't."
XxXxX
Blue eyes watched the woman in front of him. Yamato was still in shape while Mimi was panting painfully. She could feel it in her chest, but mostly her legs.
He knew from the beginning she wouldn't last long in a battle like this. Seeing how tired she looked, he decided to end this quick. Mimi may be a good opponent; she had proved that to him, but she was not strong enough to match him yet. He immediately saw she had already reached her limits, maybe even further. He knew that she was being stubborn. The look in her eyes said that she wasn't ready to throw the towel yet. That's why Yamato decided that this would be the finishing blow.
Getting back in his fighting stance, Mimi saw it and did as well. She understood. With the last bit of strength she had left, she tried to gather it and without delay, dashed towards him again.
Yamato mimicked her move.
Everyone was anxious to see what was coming next, but the final blow never happened.
Before they could reach each other, a sharp fan swooped between the two, halting their movements in an instant. The fan flew in the air; turning around and landing smoothly back towards the owner's hand.
It took a moment to notice what just happened. The wall they had created around them slowly crumbled, revealing the spectators. He could finally hear the murmurs, cheers and wailing of others. Yamato glanced to his right and immediately found Jyou in the crowd.
He was standing with a person Yamato wished to ignore. He groaned in annoyance when he saw how the silver-haired waved playfully toward his direction and throwing kisses. Jyou grunted from Shigeru's typical reaction and massaged his forehead.
Yamato sighed. Even if he hated Shigeru, he was relieved that the battle was over thanks to him.
Some of the crowd already left once they have discovered that their officer were in the same room. They feared that they might get suspended Kami knows where for a week. But there are others who simply ignored that fact and stayed, curious if the battle was going to continue.
Yamato looked down to see how Mimi was doing. He was relieved to see that she didn't get hurt. She was kneeling on the mats while her hands were resting on her knees. He could hear her panting heavily, but knew she was alright. Her hair was a mess and his shirt that he had borrowed not too long ago was soaking in sweat.
"Okay people, back to your work. If I see you here any longer then I'll send you to Siberian and let you camp there for a month. Any objection? Now go!" Jyou voice rang throughout the room and corridors, making the rest evacuate the room with a fast pace.
Shigeru grinned.
Yamato could hear the crowd whisper about how awesome the fight was or how cool that a girl could defend herself that long against him. It made him smile inside. He kneeled so he was eye-to-eye level with Mimi.
"You okay there, princess?" he asked her lightly.
She didn't say anything for a while but nodded. She heaved a long sigh and looked at him. "Told you I was strong." she said confidently.
Yamato grinned. Even tired she could still put up a fight. "I've seen better." he said mockingly and saw her eyebrows furrow. Yamato smiled. "Nah, you did well."
It looked like he gave the wrong answer.
"Just well?" Mimi crossed her arms.
Yamato didn't understand.
"I just kicked your butt not too long ago and all you can say I did well?"
He smirked. "Oh that. I haven't felt a thing and I had expected your move. I was just putting up a show." Yamato replied smugly.
Of course, this was all a lie. He didn't expect it and he did feel something, but faintly. A guy's ego is something important and there was no way he was going to admit it. Hell, he didn't even realize that there were people watching them all along. Though, with his answer, he was pleased to see how annoyed she looked.
"Right, right. Just admit you can't accept a woman just kicked your fat ass." Mimi huffed.
Yamato looked offended. "Excuse me? My ass, fat?"
"Yes." Mimi replied with a smirk.
"Hey, my ass is much better than any guy walking here."
"Hey!" Shigeru yelled on the background, but the two didn't hear it.
"As if."
Yamato grinned back. "How can you be so sure about it, princess? You've never seen it." he told her smugly. "Unless," his grin grew wide with anticipation.
"Unless what?"
"Unless you are expecting somewhere in the future to see my oh-so-beautiful shaped butt…" he finished his phrase pompously.
Mimi gave a snort, but tried not to blush. "R-right. Like that would ever happen."
"Ahh, you never know, princess. I'm your bodyguard, which means you are stuck with me till the end. And who knows what might occur during one drunken night?"
"Horny bastard." she accused.
Yamato gave a small laugh. "Just kidding, princess." He winked. "If that were to happen, I think you're the one making the first move anyway."
"What!"
Mimi tried to give a nasty comment after her outburst, but it looked like no words would form inside her head. Instead, she blushed like a tomato and glared the other way. Yamato grinned.
'Damn him!!'
"C'mon."
He stood up and extended his hand out for her. Mimi watched him when he gave a smile.
In her mind, she came to a conclusion that though he may be arrogant jackass - he was in fact not that bad for a person. She finally gave him a smile in response, forgetting their little arguments. While reaching for Yamato's hand, he was suddenly knocked aside.
"Arra, arra! Are you okay, sweetie?" Shigeru held her up and let her lean against his chest for fear that she was still tired and unable to stand yet.
"I-I'm okay." she responded gratefully. "Thank you –"
"Shigeru, hun." he told her. Mimi could only nod.
"Damn it." Yamato groaned when he was pushed away. "Can't you at least say sorry, you asshole." he cursed as he stood up.
Immediately the fan that he saw not too long ago was flying in the air before it swept towards his direction.
"Hey, watch where you're aiming that fucking thing!" Yamato yelled at the silver-haired man when he avoided it.
Shigeru held one arm up to catch his fan while the other still rested on Mimi's shoulder.
"Tu, tu, tu. You shouldn't use such vocabulary when a woman is standing not too far." he told the blond. "You, of all the Agents here should know that, Yama-chan. Hee hee." he giggled while giving him a wink.
"Pfeh." he grunted irritatingly and crossed his arms while staring the other way. "Whatever..." Yamato graoned.
Shigeru just gave him a smile and looked back at the woman against his chest. "I think that fight made you feel all dirty, ne, Mi-chan?" He told her gently. "Well, I'll take you to the bathroom and give you new clothes since those are surely not suitable for a beautiful woman like you."
While he said that, he glanced back towards Yamato while leading Mimi towards the hallway. "I really thought you had such better taste in clothes, Yama-chan." he gave a puking sound.
"Shut up." he grunted annoyingly.
Shigeru gave a small laugh, enjoying this while sliding his fan back in his sleeve as the two disappeared from his view. When they were gone, Yamato flopped down on the mats and gave a long lasting sigh.
"How long were you watchin' us?" he said to the only person who was left in the room.
"From the beginning." Jyou responded his Agent. "What was that all about?" he questioned him. "I do have my conclusions though, but I'd rather hear it from you."
"Nothing…" Yamato just gave him a shrug.
"Yamura…" he warned him.
Yamato closed his eyelids and offered his muscles to relax before he decided to speak.
"She was still pissed off with that rumor I caused, and me with my big mouth said something that it might happen if I were someone else. So, I started talking about how vulnerable she would be if that were to happen with an enemy - take example of what happened with Koushiro. He could easily rape her if I didn't show up on time."
Yamato acknowledged him, "She started to argue that she could fight and all and that's where the story has led us. Here. Though I hate to see Shigeru's ass here, I'm still glad he had stopped the fight." he whispered silently and let himself fall backwards so he was lying down on the mat.
"You could have easily stopped the fight too you know. You didn't need Shigeru's help for that." Jyou replied him.
"I know…" Yamato responded frankly, "but Mimi wouldn't allow herself to give up anyway." he whispered. "She's too stubborn…"
Jyou gave him a small smile and nodded. He knew what Yamato meant. Even if she had lost, she would force herself to stand up no matter how badly injured she was. He guessed that if it weren't for Shigeru's interference, Yamato would let Mimi win the match on purpose.
"You sure you're okay?" Jyou mentioned the hit he received on his cheek.
"Just a scratch." he said. "I'll live."
"You know, now that I think about it. Her fighting skill reminds me of someone... "
He looked Yamato for a moment and without saying anything, he left him alone with his thoughts and walked back to his office. He'd just wait till both would show up, until then; he would let them rest for a while.
Yamato waited till the footsteps vanished before he slowly opened his eyes and pondered about what Jyou had said. Yamato had noticed it as well during their fight. He had already fought with someone who had the same skills as her. But that would seem unbelievable. With a sigh, he stretched his arm upward, staring at his hand for a moment before placing it gently against his left cheek.
"..."
XxXxX
Mimi felt so relaxed once she got out of the shower. Her body was no longer sweaty from the battle and the smell of the shampoo gave her a soothing feeling. Putting her towel aside, she looked at the chair and glanced at the clothes that were designed for her.
"You okay in there, hun?" the voice of Shigeru could be heard from the other side of the glass door.
"Sure. Thank you for the dress, though." Mimi said to him while putting it on.
It was a long Chinese dress made for women. Mimi loved to feel the fabric against her skin. She liked the blue color of the dress and the pink flowers as a pattern at the end to accentuate. It made her feel all giddy all of a sudden. The waistband was red with a tint of yellow. Underneath, she wore black, stretchy pants that would match the dress, making her so beautiful and cute, that Shigeru gave a crushing hug when she stepped out of the room.
"You look so kawaii in that cheongsam suit, my dear." Shigeru complimented her with a girly voice.
"Thank you so much, Shigeru-san. I really love it." Mimi thanked him again. "I've never really worn a dress like this before." Mimi told him when she looked at herself, pleased. She whished she could often wear this kind of clothes.
"Tu, tu, tu. What did I told you about my name? Just call me Shigeru." he told her, "and about that dress, you can have it as a present."
Mimi's mouth gawked. "Y-you sure? I mean this kind of fabric really must have cost you a fortune."
Shigeru smiled when he noticed her reaction.
"Don't worry about that, hun. I make those dresses and I give it to those I like." Shigeru said reassuringly to her which made her look up, but he simply smiled. "Don't bother if you are scared it'll get dirty. It does happen. But when I see my dress getting ruined then it makes me happy though."
"How so? You worked so long to make them and you say its okay to see them tattered? I don't understand."
"Ahh, you'll understand soon enough, Mi-chan." he took her hand and led her away from the place and towards a corridor. "Right now, I think Jyou is tired of all the waiting. Didn't Yamato tell you you'd be meeting our boss today?"
Mimi nodded with a smile. "He explained me a little this morning." Shigeru stopped his tracks and without warning, jumped on Mimi again and gave her a hug.
"You are so kawaii!"
Mimi smiled at his reaction and without knowing, she started to laugh.
XxXxX
"Really brother, never heard of the word privacy?"
"And you, dear sister, ever heard the word knock?"
Hikari just glared and sat in front of his brother. At first they would give you the impression that they loathed each other, but in reality, this was their way of showing their affection as a family.
"Sora, would you kindly leave the room?" Taichi asked her.
"Fine, fine, I'll go." She gave him a long, hard kiss before she decided to leave the room. While she passed his sister, she glared at her menacingly before walking out of his office and closing the door behind her.
"Whatever you see in her is beyond my imagination." Hikari told his brother once Sora was gone, "Just try not to get hurt or somethin'."
"Are you here to give me a lesson in love, or are you finally going to talk why you were late?" Taichi grumbled. He relaxed against his seat and took out a cigarette.
Hikari rolled her eyes but continued. "I went straight here, but I got interrupted by some Agents."
"Anyone in particular?" Taichi asked her interestingly.
Hikari wanted to tell him about the mysterious stranger who was the cause of her lateness, but if she did, what could she say about him? She didn't know more than his silhouette and a little of the sound of his voice.
"No."
"You may fool someone else, but not with me, sis. Didn't I tell you how bad you were at lying?"
Hikari tried not to flinch. "I'm telling you, they were just with so many that I enjoyed killing them and took the time for it."
Taichi took a long drag of his cigarette and narrowed an eyebrow when she explained her reason. She was still lying though. He could feel it. But that's okay. He would find out sooner or later. Putting that matter aside, he took a document out his drawer and handed it to her.
"Here's your assignment. Read it and know your position within a few minutes." Taichi told her. "You and Sora will lead the others and give the signal. Try not to disappoint me."
Hikari took a brief glance at the picture and the notes before placing it back on his desk and standing up. Though she really didn't like that woman who was hanging with Taichi, it was no time to make such remarks when they are more important things to settle.
"Yes, brother."
XxXxX
"Ahh, Miss Tachikawa. I'm glad you came."
"I must apologize for my behavior. I did not intend to cause such a fuss though." Mimi bowed when she was face to face with Jyou Kido in the hallway.
"That is okay, Miss Tachikawa." Jyou just smiled at her gently. "I guess sometimes we Agents just love the entertainment that is given to them." he said pleasantly. He then bowed down. "Shall we go then?"
Along with Shigeru, Jyou led Mimi to the elevator. He just pushed a button and after some floors upwards, they stopped when they reached the top building of the HQ. Once she stepped out, she could hardly hold her breath. The corridor was more beautifully decorated than downstairs.
"This is where our boss resides." Jyou told her when he stepped next to her. "He is the man who started all of this."
He walked away and she followed him through the corridor and stopped when they reached a round room. Mimi could see how well decorated it was. Everything was matching. From the white paint of the walls to the red carpet that was spread on the floor. Unlike any room she had visited, this gave more of a chamber.
Paintings, probably worth a fortune were hanging there - decorating the room, giving you a feeling like you were standing in a museum. When she looked around, her attention flew towards a silhouette near the fireplace. She could only see his back. He was small.
She felt a tap on her shoulder and saw Shigeru smiling at her gently and whispered her to sit down on of the chairs that were placed in front of his desk. Mimi did as she was told.
"Sir, Mimi Tachikawa is here to receive you." Jyou called out.
"Ahh, yes, yes. Of course."
Mimi tried not to show she was scared.
Why?
She didn't know.
She heard from Yamato that he was an old man, taking things seriously and is sometimes strict, but he added as an afterthought, that he looked like a grandpa who really needed glasses and can complain.
She had created a picture in her mind. Strong, big and had a beard. That was her view of the boss. But when the original boss turned around, Mimi could only blink her eyes and silently giggled, hoping that no one heard her.
The man was maybe between his sixties and seventies, she guessed. The man was so small, because when he walked towards her, he just reached her shoulders as she sat. Mimi noticed he had the urge to hunch forward and to place his arms behind his back. His face was wrinkled and his eyes closed. He had a large grey moustache and a ponytail on the top of his head. It took Mimi everything not to laugh and tried her best to smile.
"Ahh, so you are Miss Tachikawa. Nice, nice." he said when he looked at her. "I have never expected that someone would want to dare one of my Agents to spar. And not just any Agent, an Agent who has reached the Ultimate LV. that is."
"Tee hee. She put quite a show, don't you think, boss?" Shigeru said cheerfully.
"She does. Never thought of joining the Agents sometime?" the boss asked her playfully.
Mimi smiled. "Thank you for your offer, but I'd rather not." she told him honestly. "Again, I'm sorry if I have caused you any trouble, sir."
"No, no, why should you? And cut with the formalities, just call me Gennai."
Gennai then looked up at the two people standing behind her, who, without knowing were smiling silently in their minds. "Now, where is Yamato? I can't start without him."
"Right here, old man."
All eyes turned towards the person who just entered the room. Like her, he had taken a shower and she could smell his soap from where she sat. She had to admit, again, that no matter how much she couldn't stand his character, that he actually looked handsome in his white shirt and black pants. His hair was neatly combed, but still in spikes just like she loved it.
Mimi blinked. 'Did I just said that!?'
"Yamato, you should really show some respect to your boss." Jyou sighed, when he crossed his arms.
"Yama-chan you look so handsome!" Shigeru declared.
Yamato ignored their comments and looked at the tiny man who was standing next to Mimi. "So, grandpa, what did you want to talk about?"
Mimi noticed that calling his boss like that didn't affect him at all. She presumed he had been used to it by now. Somehow it was amusing to see how much control Yamato had over someone higher than him. Gennai left his spot and went to his desk, sitting on his chair.
"As you all know, Taichi, the boss of the Frontiers is known as the most wanted criminal all over the world. He is a mastermind in scheming plans and causing havoc wherever he pleases; and we must prevent this for the sake of humanity. But now, I'm afraid he has done something far more badly than anyone could have expected. We have gathered some information about his plan, and it would seem that the virus would be spread during a check-up for vaccines." Gennai informed them. "So there should be some undercover Frontiers working as a doctor in the hospitals. But for now, we do not know who these individuals are nor do we know which country Taichi distributed the virus yet as well as his true purpose." he continued. "But we must speak of a miracle that the only person who can put a stop to this is you, Miss Tachikawa." Gennai looked at her. "You are the only one here that can rescue these people."
"I'll… do anything to help them." and she would. She knew those people needed her help and she wasn't going to abandon them.
"Even sacrificing your own life?" Gennai continued.
"Yes." Mimi looked straight at him, confident as ever. She was going to do it.
But Gennai wasn't done yet. "…and…what about seeing one die before you?" he asked her softly.
Yamato could hear a soft gasp escaping her throat. Seeing her expression from afar, he immediately knew that she hadn't thought about it yet if the person were to die. But that was not all. The question was also linked with something from her past that left her traumatized for years.
In the HQ, before a client would get an Agent as bodyguard, they would always check their backgrounds before allowing it. And Mimi was no exception. Yamato knew, as well as everyone in the room who read her files to know a bit about her past. If she wanted to help them like she said she would, then she was willingly accepting the pain again.
Yamato leaned against a nearby wall while closing his eyes and crossing his arms against his chest. He and the others hoped that she would give an honest and faithful answer.
After a minute or two, she decided to speak on a silent tone. Yamato could hear her stammer, but she fought hard not to let it happen when she spoke.
"I – I know as – a doctor, that seeing a person die before you was a risk that I had to take with me. A – A person's death will always haunt me and it'll always be engraved in my mind." she told them. "But… but I am ready to risk my own sanity to help them. I do not care if I have to endure the pain, but right now… all I ask you… is to trust me when I say that I will do anything in my power to save these people." she exclaimed truthfully.
When hearing her words, a mix of relief and regret twirled in his heart. He was relieved that she had spoken with true words directly from her own feelings, but somehow, he had wished she just didn't. One way or another, he knew that during the mission, she would regret her answer and lose her mind. He wished, even the darkest side of his heart that it would never happen to her.
But he was happy she passed. A small smile formed against Yamato's lips and he gave a mental applause. Opening his eyes and watching his comrades, he noticed how Shigeru smiled cheerfully behind Mimi and Jyou sighing and looking away, knowing well he too was content inside.
Gennai had his eyebrows furrowed from the start of his explanation, but instantly after her answer, a smile appeared on his old face and start clapping.
"Your words, Miss Tachikawa, are no doubt spoken with true devotion and confidence." he said, "You have proved yourself that you can handle a person's death while knowing you'll lose your sanity step by step. But I know that I have no hesitation in your words when you say that you'll do anything to help them." Gennai said proudly. "For that, you have passed the test, Miss Tachikawa."
Immediately, Shigeru jumped from where he stood and embraced Mimi, giving her a hug.
"Yatta! You did it, Mi-chan!" he cheered loudly.
"Well done, Miss Tachikawa." Jyou announced while placing a hand on her shoulder.
Mimi both beamed at them and smiled. "Thank you."
"Not bad, princess." Yamato said to her when he was looking down with a small grin that only she could see. She smiled back.
"Well then." Gennai continued. "This mission, Miss Tachikawa is very risky. I am not telling you this because you are a woman, no, but because your enemy is Team Frontier. Since Yamato will be your bodyguard I must inform you that there will be a great chance of having obstacles every day. I don't know how he does though, but he is like a magnet for trouble –"
"Hey!" Yamato cut in feeling offended.
"– but I assure you, you are in good hands." Gennai finished.
"Since you are the only one who knows the formula, we could simply ask you to make it in our laboratory and we could send them over the world, but I'm certain Taichi had planned everything out and asked his men to work as doctors. So we can't trust anyone just yet in the hospitals as well as sending the remedy where there is a high chance they'll destroy it." he explained them.
"That's why we have thought of a safe traveling route over the world where you, Miss Tachikawa, must make the remedy in the country itself and inform the doctors what to do with the patients."
Mimi nodded, absorbing the information like a sponge.
"Now, let's start with the traveling route you three have to take, shall we?" Gennai told them.
"Wait a minute. Three?" Yamato exclaimed to his boss, but then he heard a small giggle next to him and groaned. "Don't tell me he is coming along!" when he pointed towards Shigeru furiously.
"Why, Yama-chan? I wanna go too!" Shigeru wailed like a child. "I want to stay with Mi-chan! She's a great girl and I want to know her better."
"We'll send you letters then." he replied.
"That's not enough." Shigeru argued annoyingly. "I was planning to let Mimi try my new designs before I sell them too."
"Ask someone else to do it."
"But they are not as nice and cute as Mi-chan! She is so beautiful when she wears them! I know it." Shigeru protested. But seeing that Yamato wasn't going along, he tried another tactic. "Do you want to know why I picked her?" eh said sweetly.
Yamato just rolled his eyes.
"Didn't you know how perfect her body is? She's like a topmodel. She has the right curves, matured breasts, oh and – "
"What the fuck?" Yamato growled. "You fucking perv! I thought you liked men!?" he shrieked in disbelief.
Mimi sure was embarrassed hearing those things, but giggled anyway when they started fighting. She knew that Shigeru couldn't see through the glass since they were all blurry. It looked stupid but everyone seemed to have fun. Instead of stopping his Agents, Gennai just chuckled behind his desk, scratching his moustache once in a while, and Jyou just found it ridiculous.
"Yama-chan, I didn't know you cared!" Shigeru exclaimed while looking at him admirably, stars shining in his amber eyes. "But you don't have to worry, hun. You'll always be my favorite and you only belong to me."
"Aaah, gross!!" Yamato yelled and pushed him away when he saw him coming to give a hug. He turned to his boss "Oi, old man, what is the meaning of this! If you were planning to give me a partner, at least let me pick one."
Gennai just chuckled.
"We all know you can handle the mission, Yamato." Jyou answered instead of his boss. "The boss was just playing a trick on you. Shigeru will only be joining you till you land in Italy. He has another assignment to carry out." he told Yamato reassuringly, but he chuckled. "Can't believe you fell for that."
"Shut up." Yamato groaned.
Shigeru gave a disappointed sigh, but giggled afterwards. Even Mimi had to hold her laugh when she heard Jyou's explanation.
"You must apologize my behavior, Yamato." Gennai told him with a smile.
"Yea, yea." Yamato scowled and looked away angry and somewhat embarrassed.
"Well, I guess we should start being serious again." Gennai said.
Everyone nodded, while Yamato 'hmphed'.
"Like I said earlier, we had planned your traveling route. We have prepared where you guys will stay and the hospitals you must be present at. Of course, these are only the main hospitals and they are connected all over the world. In other words, when you give them the remedy they will immediately transfer information to the smaller hospitals." he acknowledged them.
"Your job, Yamato, is protecting Mimi at all cost. You have to accompany her wherever she goes, but also, your job is to investigate the doctor's files when you visit a hospital. Send a report when you're done. The HQ will investigate it further."
Yamato nodded when he heard what he must do.
"Your first location will be China." Gennai announced. "Later on when you are on the plane I will send you a message where you guys will stay. The following place will be Russia. I heard there are a lot of Frontiers there, so be careful. The third and fourth will be in Europe and the last one will be New York in America. I hope I made you both clear that this is no vacation trip, but a mission where lives are depending on it." Gennai said sternly.
"You three will leave tonight at 1200 hours. I know it's late, but when our enemy is Taichi, we must be careful and leave the country immediately."
Gennai then looked straight at Mimi. "Now, didn't you have a party you must attend to?"
Mimi gasped. "Oh no! I totally forgot!" she jumped from her seat, making it fall in the process and running towards the elevator. Just before she had pushed the button, she shrieked. "Ah! I don't have anything to wear!" when she remembered that everything was burned down yesterday.
"I think we can handle that. Yamato will gladly pay for any dress that you wish." Genna told her with a grin.
Yamato growled, glaring at him. "Very funny old man. Next time I'll personally cut that ponytail of yours. It bothers me."
Gennai just chuckled and didn't mind his threat.
"Yama-chan is a gentleman and he would gladly buy some for you, Mi-chan." came Shigeru to the rescue.
"Oi, what the fuck are you saying?"
"Really!?" Mimi chided.
"Yeah, he doesn't mind it." Jyou joined too, smiling smugly.
"Oi…"
"Indeed. He would gladly pay you even some matching shoes just for the fun of it!" Shigeru chanted.
"Oh, he would really do that?!"
"Yes, yes. What do you think about a green dress that reaches the floor? It'll look splendid on you!"
"Oi…"
"Really!?"
"Oh yes. I can see you now, wearing it –"
"Are you fucking kidding me!" Yamato snarled. "I'm not paying for her clothes. There is no way in hell I'm doing that. No dress and no matching shoes. That's the end of it."
"You're evil, you know that?" Mimi told him with a tone that made it clear she was irritated. She didn't even saw the doors of the elevators open.
"Yea, know that already." Yamato exclaimed proudly and he walked out of the room, passed the scorching woman and went in the elevator. "And I'm proud of it." he grinned.
Mimi joined him right after he went in while placing a large distance between them. "I can't believe you don't want to buy me a dress." She grumbled as she crossed her arms. "It's your fault in the first place anyway…"
"What? How can it be my fault? I didn't burn down your -"
"And don't forget, you also broke my car!"
"Are you starting with that again? I already gave you the money!" Yamato groaned.
"Now I understand what your boss meant. You can be so troublesome."
Yamato snarled. "Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you spend that money I gave you for that car on that stupid dress of yours?"
"Stupid…?" Mimi was ready to give him a piece of her mind when Shigeru suddenly appeared and stood between the two.
"Maamaa… I was just kidding, Yama-chan." he patted him on the shoulder and gave Mimi a warm-hearted smile. "I already have the perfect dress in mind to give you.
"You did!"
Yamato couldn't believe how fast she could change her mood. How could she give him a look that made him kill on the spot while suddenly turning so giddy and innocent with Shigeru?
Just too freaky.
As the two chatted on how they wanted to have the dress, Yamato listened to the conversation, watching the doors of the elevator shut itself.
"Nice girl, isn't she?"
"She sure is."
Gennai leaned back further in his seat and sighed with a smile. "You have picked a wise choice."
Jyou bowed. "Thank you, sir. I know that Yamato will complete the mission without fail. He is of course our most trustworthy Agent we have around"
Gennai eyed him. "Are you sure there are no other reasons you picked him?"
Jyou gave a small smile, but it quickly disappeared. "Who knows…" he said and bowed down once again before he walked away.
XxXxX
The sun had already reached the horizons, leaving a pink glow behind the mountains. The nightfall approached.
Mimi looked around the gigantic room, filled with people. At first she was pleased to see so many guests coming to congratulate her about the remedy, but the more she get to know them, the more she thought they only came for the formula. Part of her was annoyed yet she was content at the same time.
The people walking there were mostly famous doctors who had a high reputation across the countries. That is why they found it weird that one particular woman could have done this. She could see how most of them envied her while others probably admired the fact.
Of course, she had vowed not to say anything about that subject. Yamato made her perfectly clear that as long as some kind of 'Taichi' was not yet caught, anyone could be an enemy. She had to stay focused.
Reaching the bar, she took a seat on of the stools and ordered a glass of water. Unfortunately, the woman shook her head, replying that they only serve alcohol here.
Mimi sighed, knowing all to well that this was the response she would get. This party was only meant for high classes. You only need to look at the man's suit and the woman's flamboyant dress to know that they are in fact only rich people walking around the place. It was repulsive to know that those bastards thought that water was only meant for low breeds.
Disgusted, Mimi accepted the wine the woman had proposed. Once she had the glass in her hand, she looked at the dark red mixture.
This was so not appealing.
"Ugh…" she grunted and glanced at the people.
Noticing that everyone was having fun with dancing and chatting around, she wondered why she was still alone in the corner at the bar. How could this be 'her' party when no one was actually noticing her presence?
Oh wait, they did.
For what? Thirty seconds? Minutes? An hour? And then what?
They would only try and have a conversation, hoping to get a hint about the remedy, but she avoided it and they quickly forgot about her. Just like she had expected, those stinky bastards considered she was just lucky to be part of this. And where the fuck was Yamato anyway?
'Stupid bastard leaving me here alone!' she already grew tired of the people around her.
Sighing in frustration she remembered how Shigeru gave her this wonderful dress she wore tonight. Looking down, a tiny smile was tugging at the corners of her lips. She could see how he made it with so much passion and she had the honor to wear it.
The dress was black,made in satin that reached her ankles. Her shoulders were bare and a cut was created across her back, leaving a great amount of cleavage for men. Maybe that is why half of the men were staring at her when they thought she wasn't looking.
And Yamato? Well, what could she think of more?
Ah yes, much to her annoyance, she remembered it clearly. He had picked her up after she got the dress for tonight and immediately dropped her at the front door where the party was held. He only gave some few warnings and told her be careful, but no instructions or anything that might concern him. And with that, he just went with his Viper Kami knows where without saying a goodbye.
Gripping her glass firmly out of irritation, she made a distasteful snort and drank all of the alcohol in one motion. She felt the strange flavor in her mouth and the burning sensation inside her throat. This was her first time and she already loathed alcohol, but at the same time it tasted weird. Her view became a bit blurry and her mind dozed off.
Damn, was she that bad with alcohol?
Her mind twirled endlessly. The surrounding such as lights, people or walls… all was just a blur to her. She felt like vomiting and yet not. It was like a feeling struck her in the head that made her want to do something. Slowly, she started panting for air. She grew hot and small drops of sweat rolled down her face. No one noticed the condition she was in. And without knowing, she dropped the glass, making it shatter once it connected the floor, losing her balance and falling backwards with her eyes closed.
"Mimi!"
Yamato came at the right time to catch her before she would hit her head against the floor. Firmly holding her in his arms, he lifted her up so she was resting against his chest like the previous night as a crowd was already forming around them. Yamato only gave a threatening glare, ordering them to step back.
"What the fuck are you looking at?" he snapped.
They regarded him nastily and walked away, ignoring them and went back to their previous conversations. When no one was looking, Yamato looked at the bundle in his arms and then at the shattering glass spread out on the floor. He kneeled down again and with his fingertips, he touched a small drop of liquid. He stared at it for a while. It looked like normal red wine, but when he tasted it with the tip of his tongue; he knew exactly that this was not what wine should taste like. This was one was mixed with some kind of drug.
Glancing back towards Mimi he saw she was breathing normally again.
'Thank Kami… nothing serious'; he was assured.
Relieved that she was actually out of danger, another part of him grew mad that he was again too late to prevent this…
Furiously, he stood up again with Mimi in his arms and looked at the bartenders. There was no one he recognized from the files. The person who handed the drink must be gone, he assumed.
Holding her tightly against his chest, he knew that this act was a small warning coming from Taichi himself. He swore that he was not going away with this.
A small stir and a grunt escaped from the woman he held in his arms. Yamato couldn't believe how his heart made a leap when she opened her eyes for him.
"Ya-Yamato?" she slowly rubbed her eyes.
"Hey…" he said softly.
"What happened?" she didn't noticed she was still being held by the strong and muscular Yamato. "Last thing I remember was that drink…"
"Mimi…" Yamato immediately took a stern voice. "Do you know who gave you that drink?"
"Huh?" she looked back at Yamato. That is when she noticed how comfy she was at the moment and realized that Yamato was actually carrying her. "What are you doing? Put me down!"
Yamato rolled his eyes and loosened his grip on her. With this kind of reaction it was impossible to ask her serious questions. Mimi gave a small shriek when she fell on the floor with a large oof.
"Jerk." Mimi snarled at him while grunting out in pain. "Why'd you do that for?"
Yamato crossed his arms against his muscular chest and grinned haughtily. It was a moment after that Mimi actually saw a slight change in him.
"Your hair… it's black." she pointed out.
Yamato shrugged and trailed a hand through his black hair instead of the blond she was familiar with. "Yea, Shigeru did this."
Mimi was already up to her feet and was walking closer to him, forgetting about his previous action. "It's weird." she said softly while staring at his azure eyes.
He blinked, not quite understanding. "Why?"
Mimi just shrugged and shook her head. "Do you often dye your hair like this?" she asked. It was then that she also noticed how handsome he actually looked wearing a black suit and matching black hair. Only his azure eyes burning against hers was the only thing she could identify that this was still Yamato standing in front of her.
"Only when I'm going undercover," he replied, "Shigeru likes to play with the colors when it concerns me. I hate it."
Mimi giggled already imagining how Shigeru was having his time of his life each time he could touch Yamato's hair. "Is it why you went away that quickly after dropping me?" she wondered.
Yamato scratched his head and looked around. "Yeah, that was a part of it. I had something else to care of." he confessed.
"Oh…" Mimi felt a pain through her chest, but quickly dismissed it and gave him a small tug of her lips.
"Mimi, I must ask you something. Do you remember the person who gave you the wine?" Yamato had come back to his question and he needed an answer.
She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I only know it was a woman, but I don't know how she looked like."
Yamato pondered about her answers and took another glance at their surroundings. Whoever the person was, she was already gone, but another feeling made him confirm that the woman might be standing not too far. Taking out a cell phone from his pockets, he dialed a few numbers and stuffed it back away.
XxXxX
Hikari was outside, watching her target's every move. When she saw that woman's file in her brother's office, she totally gave another appearance she had originally imagined. The way she had acted in front of her when she asked for a glass of water, Hikari knew that she didn't belong to those kinds of people that walked around the room. The woman had nothing in particular. And yet, this was her brother's enemy.
She had to confess that the tactic of drugging her was not her favorite thing,
'But orders are orders.'
With hawked eyes, she continued to watch how her target talked with someone in black. Since he had only his back towards her, she couldn't identify who the person was. But it didn't matter. Her mission was Mimi Tachikawa. Sora would take care of the rest.
Suddenly, she could hear a rustle of leaves just above the branch she was sitting on. Alarmed, she looked up and her eyes widened.
"You again!"
Above her sat none other than the stranger she met last night in the alley. "What the fuck do you want now?!" Hikari threatened.
The stranger still wore the clothes of the previous night, except for his cape while his face was camouflaged behind the shadows. "My daily routine." he replied smugly.
Hikari narrowed her eyebrows. "And what would that be?" she asked tediously.
"Watching you…"
That had struck a nerve because the moment he said that, she leaped from her place and tried to strike him with her leg. He avoided it and jumped on another branch.
"Leave me alone!" she snapped furiously.
"Why should I when I have something that beautiful in front of me?"
"Shut up!"
Hikari couldn't take it anymore with his comments and followed him when he jumped from tree to tree. "Why the fuck can't you just leave me the hell alone!" she groaned, trying to attack him from the left.
The stranger avoided her with ease and leaped to another tree. "I already told you. You're too beautiful."
And Hikari could see a small arrogant smile forming on his lips when the moonlight touched a little of his face. She really hoped she could discover his features, but it looked like he knew where to go or land just to avoid that fact.
While thinking those thoughts, she was again off guard when suddenly, he jumped high in the air, pushing her and landing on one of the branches; fully hidden in obscurity.
"Well, that was quite a cat and mouse game, don't you think." he said when pining her arms and body against the tree.
"Damn you." Hikari struggled out of his grip, but she knew it was impossible considering how tightly he held her. Knowing it was futile to fight; she finally relaxed and tried to look in his eyes.
"What do you want from me…" she whispered, "I don't know you."
She heard him sigh. "That's really a shame, though…"
Was that disappointment she heard in his voice?
Then, his face came closer towards her as his breath tickled against her ear. "I shall wait then…"
"What?" She felt him retreat, but not until he crushed his lips against hers.
This time, it wasn't a peck like he did to her in the alley, but it felt demanding and urgent. Hikaru couldn't trust this stranger yet and let him kiss her like that! Trying her best not to let him go any further, she also tried to resist the sensation building inside her tried to ignore the wild beating of her heart. But he broke through her defenses and he could finally explore her mouth.
"S-Stop it!" she demanded.
The stranger immediately let her loose and panted. For a moment, none of them wanted to talk, until he straightened himself up and gave a small bow.
"Sorry…" he apologized. "I shall not do this again, unless you wish me to."
"Please, just go…" was all she could say.
The stranger gave a small nod, though something sharp hit him in the heart; he tried to ignore the feeling and did what she requested. Turning around he glanced behind his shoulder and it was then that she could see a glimpse of his hair.
"Just to remember," he whispered against the wind, "When you try to be all things to all people, you end up being nothing, Hikari…" and with those last words, he jumped out from the tree and disappeared into the night.
Hikari placed her fingertips against her slight swollen lip. Her heart was slowly beating back to normal, but she couldn't dissolve the feeling of his presence yet. And what did he meant with those words?
But soon she heard her cell phone ring. She looked back towards the illuminated building. There was no time to think about that right now. She didn't forget why she was here at the first place.
Flipping her cell phone open, she could hear her brother's words on the other side.
"It is time."
XxXxX
To Be Continued
XxXxX
A/N: And this, my fellow reviewer, is the longest chapter ever written by me! I'm finally happy to say that chapter five is done! Again, sorry if there are any grammatical errors. I will correct them if I have the time, tough. As for now, please review.
I also corrected the previous chapters and added a few words in it, but nothing major.
And yes, I will not continue this fic until I have received 10 reviews. I know, I ask a lot, but this is just to make sure there are still people reading this fic. Don't worry; I will not let you wait that long anymore like the last time. I know it's annoying when someone doesn't continue a story. I will try and avoid this in the future.
Ahh yes. I also made a fanart for this story, but heh, not quite done yet. I'll inform you further in the next chapter. I just hope that I'm done by then.
- aoi senshi