One Week part 4
"Ne, Hikaru...maybe you should talk to him if it bothers you that much." Kintaro said as the two of them lounged in the tea room of his house the next afternoon after his birthday last night.
Hikaru sighed and turned away from his gaze, "I couldn't even bear his mere presence much less talking to him..." she said then took another sip, "This Earl Grey sure tastes good."
Kintaro turned to the tea in his hands. Hikaru was too preoccupied running her hands along the fur of the white Maltese puppy sitting in her lap. He stole a quick glance at her then turned back to his tea. It was really bothering her, it was written all over her face. She keeps pretending she didn't care when she was trembling all night long, stealing glances at the sea.
"They said he's fine now...so don't worry too much..."Kintarou he started laughing.
Hikaru looked at him then flushed. What happened was totally embarrassing to say the least. "He asked for it, really..."
Kintaro put down his tea cup fearing it might slip from his hands, "I didn't know you were strong enough to managed to push him off the balcony...it was a good thing he landed in the sea or else he would have died from those rocks."
"That bastard...he doesn't know when his insults should stop..."
I'm falling down into my shadow...iki o hisomete...matte iru Deadly Night...
"Your phone's ringing..."
"Hai..." Hikaru slowly stoop up so the puppy could get out of her lap and then proceeded towards the balcony of the tea room. She picked up the phone and saw that it was her Dad. "Yo, Daddy!"
"Don't 'Yo, Daddy!' me, Hikaru...what did you do last night?!"
'Yatta...he knows...' Hikaru tensed as the thought overwhelmed her. 'Sudden premonition of impending doom!'
"Well, you see Daddy,...that guy...had it coming to him...hahaha" she said in a nervous voice.
"And pray tell, what did he do for him to have it coming?" her father was getting impatient now. Hikaru's trying to play the innocent as always.
"That jerk said some really nasty words and it was so insulting my mind went blank with anger...so I pushed him off the balcony...no big deal..."
Her father exploded, "NO BIG DEAL, YOU SAY? His parents almost gave me a heart attack! And they've demanded compensation for the humiliation you brought to their son!"
"Compensation? What compensation? Money?...what would they possibly want from me..." Hikaru made a sound like she's thinking very hard. It really is hard to think of something the Atobe family still does not have that could only be given by her family.
"Yes...in fact...it was Kaoru-chan who suggested it...practical idea I must say..."
Hikaru's worries flew out the window. 'Yosha! Kaoru spoke for me! I'm saved! I love her so much!'
"You're going to serve Keigo-kun in their villa in Hokkaido...proper compensation, don't you think?"
"...huh?"
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Not like my instinctive fear of ghosts or whatever things that I don't know if it was just a creation of my imagination or a trick of light, it was far more painful and tearful to love and not be loved in return. That's exactly why I tried to be kind to others, because I now know what it feels like to be hurt...and sadly, it's not the kind of wound where it just bleeds and no more.
"Kya..." Hikaru woke up on the floor of the car she was in. There was another bump in the road and it caused her to fall down from when she was leaning against the window in her sleep. "Are we there yet?" she sat up from the floor and asked the driver.
"We're close now, Hikaru-sama..."
"Hmmn..." she hummed as she rubbed her head to wish the headache away. She had been cooped up in the car for the last six hours and her bottom is starting to hurt from all the sitting. There was nothing to do, and she felt like life was slowly ebbing away from her. 'I can't take this anymore! Who the hell lives so far away from civilization anyway?!!? Oh yeah, that Atobe...'
Do you best, Hikaru! When push comes to shove, inflict the worst! Just bear on with this hellish punishment and you could come back and raise hell for your dear little traitor twin sister. Maybe I could lock her up in her room so she could not see Marui until their wedding...next year! Haha! And as for that damn Keigo...maybe I could break his neck for real so he'd never dare to show his stupid face again...
After trying to encourage herself a little, she looked out the window to see vast lands painted white with snow as far as she could see.
What a light feeling! When I saw him again there were no 'OMG! my heart skipped a beat!', no 'I'm still so in love with you so much!',no butterflies in my stomach, just pure hatred, just the way I want it! Wah...beating him up would feel so great! As long as I don't get in trouble because of it...
What am I going to do with Kin-chan? I don't...
The car stopped and her blood boiled as soon as Atobe came into view. Damn! Why the hell is that bastard grinning?
"I see nothing wrong with you so I don't think I'm needed here...I can't heal a wounded ego, after all." through the closed widow of the car, Atobe could make out the outline of her form as she signaled the driver to drive them back. "Because it really shouldn't have been wounded if YOU didn't show that damned ugly face to me!"
"Hoi! How dare you escape from your servitude to ore-sama?!" he pried the door open but Hikaru pulled it back midway.
She huffed as she tried her best to pull the door close but Atobe was still putting on a good fight, "I don't want to spend a week or any amount of my time with you, idiot! Why the hell do you have to ask for me? I'll murder you if I have the chance, you know!"
Atobe stopped. Hikaru thought that he had given up and relaxed her pull on the door. When he felt her relax, Atobe used the chance to swiftly open the car door, fully opening the door and throwing Hikaru out of the car because she didn't let go of it. She landed on the snow covered ground on her stomach.
"Stupid..." he smirked then reached for Hikaru's arm to pull her up but before he could touch her, she evaded him by rolling on the ground further away from him then pulled herself to sit on the ground.
"What the hell did you think you were doing, throwing me to the ground?!"
They fought again and didn't get to enter the house until Hikaru can't stand the cold outside anymore, which took at least four hours for her to realize that she was just wearing thin clothes and Atobe didn't get any peace and quiet from her until daybreak.
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Atobe didn't get any proper sleep at all. The only people in the house was a maid, a butler, Hikaru and him. The servants' quarters were separated from the house by a few meters so they could get at least a little peace and quiet to themselves. Atobe's room was just directly beside Hikaru's. He was listening to Mozart when Hikaru decided to listen to metal. LOUDLY.
"SATSUGAI! SATSUGAI SEYO! SATSUGAI SATSUGAI SEYO! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!" he heard Hikaru sing, scratch that, shout at the top of her lungs. She also made it a point to go to his door and bang her fists on it repeatedly as she sang. "GO TO DMC!!!"
Atobe had a hard time convincing himself not to murder the woman right then and there and dice her body and feed her to his dogs. Though he entertained the thought quite happily.
That damned woman! he thought as he threw himself on his bed and cover his head with a pillow, she even went through the effort of acquiring the frying pans for her damned music fest!
"STUPID ATOBE! LET ME GO HOME!!!! OR I'LL KILL KILL KILL KILL!" she changed the lyrics.
Atobe almost swore the floor was shaking due to so much noise. That stupid woman just doesn't know when to shut up!
Gradually, Hikaru started to tire down a bit after a few minutes and left stopped beating the hell out of his door and frying pans and must have returned to her room. The music also died down and he let out a sigh of relief. Hikaru finally grew tired and wanted to get a sleep.
..."GROTESQUE!!!"
"GOD DAMN IT, HIKARU!!!"
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"...What is it NOW?" Atobe sat in the garden, silently eating breakfast when suddenly, SOMEBODY doused him with ice cold water, with REAL ice cubes. He sat there, seething with anger and fighting hard to control himself and maintain the teeny weeny amount of patience he still has. He turned and glared at that SOMEBODY who seemed unfazed even if the aura emanating from Atobe screamed bloody murder. She stood there with her arms crossed over her chest as she rocked herself in place, looking everywhere but him. The evidence of her crime, mainly the small bucket at her feet, stood there in the open, as if provoking him.
"I heard from Tsuyo-ji-san, your butler, that you had a small cut on your scalp when you hit the water when I pushed you down and you were asking him for some pain killers some time earlier. BUT since I'm your PERSONAL servant sent here to ASSIST in your NEEDS, I thought I should help alleviate SOME of your PAIN. Was the water cold enough to make your pain go away, Keigo-sama?" she glanced at him then took a seat in the chair opposite took the spare cup and served herself some hot chocolate from the thermos. She sat there quietly, ignoring him.
"It seems that you were just doing your duty...that's good." he mumbled then abruptly stood up and staggered back to the house, the cold getting to him. He was afraid he's really going to strangle her if he doesn't remove himself in her presence at once.
Later that day, Hikaru found herself playing alone in the game room. Atobe had gone to his room after breakfast and hadn't gone out since then. Of course she got a little bit worried that he must have done something stupid in his room by now...but really, it's Atobe, he could handle himself pretty well. Just as her assumptions on how Atobe could probably be dead in his room right now became more gruesome each second she ponders on it, a knock on the door caused her to turn and answer the door. The maid had come to tell her that dinner is served and if she prefers to have it in the game room.
"No, I'll go downstairs. Has your master stopped sulking in his room already?" she asked, following the maid to the dining room.
"Oh no, Hikaru-sama. Keigo-sama is sick with a cold. He's been in bed since morning."
Sick? Don't tell me...I'm the cause?!? NO! If Dad hears that I made him sicker than he is, I'll never get out of this! Alive! she thought, horrible thoughts of her father's punishment flashing in her mind. She ran screaming to Atobe's room and abruptly slammed the door open. She saw Atobe lying in the bed, huggng the sheets tightly to his form. He was panting heavily and his face was flushed, sweat trickling down his face. He looked like he was in pain. Hikaru gasped then jumped onto the bed, grabbing him by the shoulders and shook him hard.
"OI! You idiot! Don't die! Tell them I'm innocent first or something! I'll haunt you forever if my Dad kills me for killing you! GET UP!"
"Don't sit...my stomach...can't breath properly..." he closed his eyes again.
"KYAAA!! Don't close your eyes! Don't leave me here!"
The maid and the butler pried Hikaru off Atobe when she started slapping him across the face. They set her down on the floor where she herself calmed down and stared blankly at Atobe. "Is he dead yet?"
"Keigo-sama is asleep, Hikaru-sama." the maid said to her, smiling. "The master seemed to have calmed down after seeing you...he wasn't that peaceful until you came..." she helped Hikaru from the floor, then left to get some towels. Hikaru followed her out. "The young master had been calling Hikaru-sama in his delirium earlier that we were wondering if we really should call you but Keigo-sama bid us not to let you near him."
Hikaru huffed. "He must have thought I will kill him when he's defenseless. WELL HAHA! TOO BAD FOR YOU I DON'T HARM WEAK PEOPLE sometimes." she shouted towards his direction.
The maid giggled.
"Eh? What's funny? Did that idiot embarrass himself earlier?"
"Well, you see Hikaru-sama," the maid then whispered in her ear what she witnessed earlier.
Hikaru locked herself in her room afterwards.
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Early next morning, Atobe found himself feeling well and refreshed. He went down to have breakfast, not expecting to see Hikaru already there, chugging down cup after cup of hot chocolate. Her hair was in a mess, there were heavy bags under her eyes, her skin was pale and her nose was runny. In short, she looked more horrible than normal.
"Ahhn...The devil finally showed her true self." he sat down away from her. He can't bear to look at her face while trying to eat his breakfast.
"None of your business, Keigo-sama." she rose from her seat and made her way to the door.
"Only idiots get sick anyway....for what must have been an idiotic reason too."
Hikaru turned her head and glared daggers at him, then grinned. "Should I take that as a confession that you're really an idiot? You've finally landed on Earth, darling!" she left him completely. "Oh, what a momentous day! I forgot my camera, pity!" she made sure he heard that.
That girl. Atobe chose to ignore Hikaru's comment and resumed his breakfast. As childish as the day they met on his 15th birthday. She must have been the only person there who did not greet him a happy birthday. She was just either sitting in a table alone, wandering the hall, eating a lot of food and avoiding contact at all costs. He ignored her presence. Some time later, a man approached her and extended his hand, must have been asking her to dance. She refused him. The man did not take her refusal and tried to pull her to the dance floor. She struggled. Atobe noticed her again and decided to help the young lady. He went to them and put his hand on the young lady's waist, intending to pull her to him and pretend she's his girl. Next thing he knew, she screamed and he was drenched in water from head to toe. She had pushed him into the water fountain beside them. She was gone before he could get to her.
And then, every time they see each other, someone will always be left angry. There was never a time without shouting, aggression, insults and misunderstandings. Then all of a sudden, in a drunken stupor, she confessed that she's in love with him. That was actually the first time he really felt sorry for her. The seventh day came. She ended up crying. It wasn't like the other times he rejected a girl's love. For him, Hikaru is different from them, special in a way only she can be.
Like she did on his birthday, in an instant she was gone again but hardly forgotten. Slowly, she became everything to Atobe. He remembered all things in comparison to Hikaru. All the girls after her were all either shorter than Hikaru, kinder than Hikaru, prettier than Hikaru, gentler than Hikaru, unlike Hikaru. And he realized he was wrong. That must be the reason why he regretted losing her that day. She was more important to him than he ever knew. He did not want to admit that she had become more important to him...than himself. That day, he just wanted to protect...himself...not her. He did not want to hurt himself, not her. For his own self-preservation.
He started to pursue the girl in a vague manner. He tried to find her but he had no idea where in the world she was. Until that phone call from Ryoma provided him the place. And the invitation to Toyama Kintarou's birthday party provided him the chance.
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They did not see each other until later that night. Atobe woke up at midnight, and went downstairs to get a glass of water. The house was dark so he sticked to the walls for guidance. He heard a sound from the kitchen. Hikaru was there, rummaging in the fridge. She did not notice him enter the room and get beside her.
"Aren't you going to ask me what I'm doing?" she asked when she felt that Atobe was just staring at her.
"It would be none of my business, right?" he said as he reached for the water bottle in front of her face and backed away from her. She continued reaching for the beer bottles.
"Good." she said, getting up and putting the bottles on top of the kitchen counter. She went back to the fridge. Atobe got to the fridge ahead of her and took the ice cubes. He shut the fridge and went back to the counter, sitting on one of the stools. He took a glass and filled it with ice and beer.
"Who said you could drink here?" Hikaru asked as she took a bottle, opened it and drank straight from it.
"I own the house." he opened another one.
"Geez...what's your problem?" she downed her second one.
"I don't drink to my problems, maybe you do." his third one.
"Maybe I am...hey! Are you trying to outdrink me?" she opened a third bottle.
"No...why would I want to do that?" he stopped.
"Well...well...because you think you're better than me in everything..." she downed her third one.
"Be awed at the sight of me drinking." he's on his fourth one.
"Don't you know this is extra...strong beer? Men could...get drunk on their...fourth bottle...I'm tolerant..." she said, turning on her fourth one.
"Well yeah? I thought I was drinking water..." Atobe said on his fifth one.
Within an hour, there were two dozens worth of empty bottles littering the kitchen counter. Atobe and Hikaru were both slumped on the counter, heavily drunk.
"What the hell, idiot? Are you done already? We haven't started yet!" she laughed as she took another swig.
"This is boring. It's not worth any of ore-sama's precious time anymore." he answered, sitting up straight. His mind was spinning out of control. I must stop this nonsense.
Hikaru was becoming more and more gloomy as she drank more, she slumped back into the counter, her arms cushioning her head. Atobe opened another bottle and transfered it to his glass."Don't sleep here." he said.
She looked up and stared at him. "Hey! Six years ago, why the fuck did you reject me? You were just saying you're sorry and all that but did you even give me an explanation? Damn! Those times you kissed me, did you just do that because I annoy you so much? Huh? I...I...thought for sure you hated me for...me. All these years I tried to deny you, but this stupid emotion just creeps out and makes me want to...make me want to go and drown myself. It was always like would Atobe do it this way, would Atobe do it that way...you...destroyed me! Where the hell did 'I' go?"
Atobe watched her as she slumped back on the table after saying all she want and begin to cry. "What the hell did you do to me?" she sobbed.
"I did nothing to you. And I was sorry for it for a long time." Atobe said, averting his eyes from her.
"Huh? What?" she stopped and sat up straight. She wiped her tears in her sleeves.
"Some years back, there was this really stupid girl. Not only did she embarrass me in front of so many people, she also insulted me. I hated her so much for practically stomping on my pride every time we see each other and I think she was really annoying. Every little thing she does makes me want to kill her for everything she's worth. She was gone from me when I realized how important she was to me. I did not even get to explain why I rejected her. I was sorry I hurt her even if she loved me so much."
"Why didn't you try to find me?" her voice cracked at the last word.
"And then, what would you have done if we met again? Run away again?" he asked, his eyes narrowed as he waited for an answer. He saw her face contort in anger then she threw an empty bottle at him, which luckily missed him.
"WHAT 'I' WOULD HAVE DONE?!? God, Atobe! Am I the only one who's supposed to work here? What have 'YOU' ever done for US?" she stopped when she realized what she just said, she laughed at herself. "Hahaha...stupid...there never was 'US'" she continued chucking bottles at him that fortunately do not go in his direction at all. She's seeing six Atobes looking at her, sitting straight in his bar stool.
Atobe did not answer. He merely stared at her as if she was dirt did not do anything. Irritation got the better of Hikaru's alcohol-induced mind. She jumped in place and whined like a child who couldn't get what she wants. "Mou!!! Just say something! Anything! I look like an idiot here!" when she noticed that he was still ignoring her cries, she crawled her way into the kitchen, jumping had worsened her dizziness, she immediately searched the drawers and after making a mess, found what she was looking for. She grabbed it and took a run for the counter before her knees give out beneath her.
Even in his drunken state, Atobe instantly realized the danger they were both in. Hikaru was playing with a kitchen knife. It was poised in front of his face. "Tell me all you know, Atobe. Or I'll swear nobody gets out alive."
"You're exaggerating now, Hikaru. Let go of that thing." he was almost sober enough to get a hold of the situation. So he did the next thing that came to his mind. Take the goddamn knife from Hikaru. He reached out for the knife and at the same time, used his other hand to support himself as he reaches across the table. He was holding her wrist when Hikaru learned of what he was doing. She grinned and swung the knife down on Atobe's hand in the counter. It missed. Atobe let go of her and took a run for it. She followed.
"Stop! Stop! Where the hell do you think you're going? I'm not done with you yet! Come back here!" she ran after him in the dark house and soon lost him. "Why won't you just say that you love me?!? We won't have this problem if you just say so, idiot! I'll believe you! So just get out here!" at the instant she raised her hand that was holding a knife, a hand grabbed hers and help it in place. She gasped and turned to see Atobe looking down at her.
"What? What?" she said in anticipation. She was sure he definitely heard her.
Atobe sighed and let go of her hand. "Could you only say you love me when you're delirious? I could take care of that!" she began to cry when Atobe pulled her to him and crashed his lips to hers. Hikaru pulled away and slapped him with her knife-less hand. "What the hell am I going to do with your kisses?"
Atobe sighed then turned on her. "Are you really incredibly stupid? Hikaru, I love you. I'm in love with you," he ran his hand in his hair in frustration after saying that. She was just looking at him dumbfounded.
Hikaru cried harder and let go of the knife then threw herself at Atobe, bringing them crashing to the floor. Hikaru beat his chest with her hands as he tried to stop her. "You're an idiot! A real idiot! I hate you!" she sobbed.
Atobe sat up, causing Hikaru to roll away from him. "I was just kidding! I love you more than I hate you...it's the truth! Believe me!" she went and hugged him. Atobe pulled her closer.
"I'm not through with you yet, you bastard. You've wasted six effing years of my life...Don't make me wait again..."
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"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE'RE RUNNING HERE?!? A CHEESY ROMANCE FLICK?!? MY GOD, YOU JUST WENT AND ARRRGHHHH!!!!!!!!" Kaoru threw herself face first on her bed and muffled her screams with the pillow.
"I said I'm sorry alright! It was on the spur of the moment idea and I was so thrilled, I forgot my relatives!" Hikaru explained to her twin sister who was bordering on hysteria. Marui sat on the bed near Kaoru's feet, a grin plastered on his face. "Aren't you even going to congratulate me?" she looked from Kaoru to Marui then back again.
Marui turned to Kaoru, "I won. Pay up."
Kaoru sat on the bed properly and threw her twin a glare. "You just knocked me ten thousand dollars, thank you very much."
"And you, incredibly stupid future sister-in-law had bestowed upon me ten thousand dollars. I'll treat you one time." Marui cheered for his victory. "Am I genius or what?"
"So that's why you suggested that I take care of Atobe to Daddy! So you two could have a stupid bet on me!" Hikaru grinned then attacked Kaoru with a pillow, smothering her with it. They pinched and kicked and punched before Kaoru stooped struggling and Hikaru won. "Serves you right for betraying me, Kaoru!"
"Well, you got married roughly three days into it...where the hell did you get married in the mountains?" Kaoru straightened herself up and sat beside Marui, keeping away from her sister.
Hikaru stood from the bed and started pacing as she recalled what happened just a few hours ago. "That mountain is famous for having a huge glass church situated in one of its lower peaks. Which happened to be a half hour walk from Keigo's villa. There was no car so we just ran and woke the priest and got married."
"Why the hell did you marry him TODAY? Can't you wait for at least a proper wedding? With FAMILY and friends attending?" Kaoru frowned. She didn't like the idea that Hikaru did something without thinking of the consequences again. Atobe and his parents were downstairs talking to their father.
"I told you, I was just so excited that I forgot everything else...To think that I have Atobe Keigo wrapped around my little finger is exhilarating..." she laughed wickedly.
"Geez stupid, don't put it like that...you're kind of...menacing..." Marui looked at Kaoru and frowned. These twins really look alike, it's scary to see Hikaru saying that with the same face as Kaoru.
"Don't worry, sis. We''ll have a proper wedding in a month's time...his parents refused to let their only son have less than the wedding of the year."
"Oh really? You might as well hide Atobe. Nee-san's out for his life." Kaoru said nonchalantly.
"Why?"
"I told her the idiot knocked you up." she grinned and watched her sister's expression turn to horror
"What?!? Oh, you didn't..."
"WHERE THE HELL IS ATOBE KEIGO!!!!" they heard Riko shout from outside the house, followed by the sounds of breaking porcelain and utter chaos.
"She's here...too late. Call it my little revenge for getting married without telling us."
Hikaru ran for the door to try and stop Riko from killing Atobe. "Damn Kaoru! I'll have you and Marui pay for this! I hate you both!"
Kaoru giggled, "We love you too, Hikaru! Congratulations on your wedding!"
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Haha...can't help it...the ending was too cheesy, even for me...but I'm too lazy to think of a better one so there...hope you enjoyed....this chapter is dedicated to xannebenedicto who always talked to me on YM...thanks a lot!