Applause.
The Opera House was filled with loud applauses.
The play was finally over. Spectators gleefully stood on their feet to commend the performers, who, in return, humbly expressed their gratitude through bowing.
"Wasn't that great Megumi-chan?" Akira asked jovially as she jumped and clapped. However, the moment she turned to face the angelic songbird, her heart sank.
Megumi had a very anxious expression on her face as she clapped her slightly trembling hands.
"Megumi-chan?" Akira called for her attention but to no avail. Her mind seemed to have drifted elsewhere.
Akira anxiously watched Megumi as her eyes restlessly travelled from one place to another. She was deeply immersed in her thoughts. There was definitely something troubling her.
"Megumi-chan?" Akira repeated. This time, she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.
Megumi jumped slightly at the contact.
"Megumi-chan, are you alright? Is something bothering you?" Akira asked with a worried expression apparently etched on her beautiful face.
Megumi immediately shook her head and once again sported a well-rehearsed fake smile.
"Megumi-chan…" Akira said knowingly as she gave Megumi a look. "You're lying."
Megumi, desperate to break eye contact with Akira, immediately began to write on her eraser board.
'I assure you Akira-chan, nothing's wrong.'
Akira was about to disagree but she stopped herself when she saw Megumi write on her board again. She huffed and waited patiently for whatever the brunette had to say before she would give the girl a piece of her mind.
'I'm just tired. That's all.'
Akira sighed as she glanced at the exhausted smile that now framed Megumi's angelic face. It didn't seem forged this time.
Akira sighed.
As much as she wanted to argue with Megumi and get her to tell her exactly what was bothering her, the Yamamoto heir's tired aura was enough to make her sympathetic.
Akira sighed once again.
"If she doesn't want to tell me, then I guess I won't force her."
"Ok. If you say so…" Akira paused as she gave Megumi a trusting look. "But if you ever need someone to talk to, you know I'm always here." With that, Akira hugged Megumi and the latter hugged back.
Megumi held back the tears. Akira was a truly wonderful person. And that was exactly what made it hurt more. She couldn't hate her no matter what – even if she was the very girl who had captured the Saiga heir's heart. She just couldn't. And what added more insult to injury was the very fact that she also couldn't blame Yahiro for falling for the girl. She was as close as it could get to perfection.
Akira began to giggle slightly as she felt all giddy inside. She finally got to hug Megumi. She started patting the songbird's head as a cute blush graced her cheeks.
"What the?!" Tadashi yelled as he pointed at his girlfriend. "You're doing it again!" Her adoration of girls was just a bit too disturbing to the poor Karino heir.
Akira sent him an ice cold glare.
Tadashi froze as a chill ran down his spine.
Before Akira could pummel the poor boy, Yahiro immediately came into the scene.
He walked ever-so gracefully towards the Yamamoto heiress.
As Yahiro neared the two ladies, Akira hugged Megumi tighter and gave the Saiga heir a scary animalistic growl that made Tadashi squeak. "What do you want?"
Yahiro, ignoring Akira's threat, looked straight towards Megumi who was desperately trying to hide her face with Akira's body.
"I would like my date back." He answered calmly all the while still looking at the frightened songbird.
"She doesn't want to go with you!" Akira answered as she hugged the poor girl tighter.
"Akira, why don't you just-" Tadashi began to reason but a glare from his girlfriend was enough to silence him.
"Megumi." Yahiro stated firmly.
Megumi flinched. There was no escaping her fate. She had to confront him one way or another, right? She got herself into this, so she needed to get herself out as well. Besides, involving Akira and Tadashi in this would only make things worse.
Megumi let out a defeated sigh. She knew what she had to do.
Megumi raised her hands and placed them on Akira's shoulders. She slowly pushed herself out of the girl's hug.
"Megumi-chan-" Akira tried to insist but Megumi simply shook her head at the short-haired woman as she gave her a small but reassuring smile.
She turned to Tadashi and gave him a curt goodbye nod as she headed towards the exit with Yahiro just a few steps behind her.
"Megumi-chan!" Akira called to her and was about to go after the girl but her boyfriend immediately caught her elbow.
"Tadashi!" Akira glanced at her boyfriend in confusion.
"Akira." Tadashi answered as she gave his girlfriend a knowing look.
"What?!" Akira replied dangerously as she emanated a murderous killing aura.
Tadashi flinched a little. "A-Akira, just give them some time alone." He paused as he composed himself. "They need to work a few things out." He finished with a serious tone as he glanced towards the exit.
The two were no longer in sight.
"If I were Yahiro, I guess I would have been angry as well…"
Akira tried to get her elbow free from Tadashi's grasp.
"But Tadashi! You could clearly see that Megumi-"
"I know." Tadashi cut her off as he gave her another knowing look. "That's why they need to work things out on their own." Tadashi paused as he watched Akira give him a pleading but confused look; but his resolve was firm. "Trust me on this."
Akira slowly gave up resistance.
Tadashi smiled but it quickly left as soon as it made its way to his lips for a dangerous aura was surrounding Akira yet again.
"Fine." Akira said in a devilish tone. "I'll take your word for it now." She continued dangerously. "But when something happens to Megumi…" Akira paused as she cracked her knuckles. "You'll pay with your head!"
Not soon after, a loud, shrilly scream was heard from the Opera House VIP section.
Megumi walked in a slightly fast pace towards the limousine. She was desperate to get away from the Saiga heir but she didn't want it to seem that way as well.
Megumi felt slightly more relieved when she realized she finally made it out of the Opera House. However, she still couldn't completely relax for Yahiro was still hot on her tracks.
To say that she was scared would have to be the biggest understatement of the year. She's never felt more frightened in her life!
What would she tell him? Scratch that. How could she possibly tell him the reason for her actions?
Megumi gave the chauffer a polite but nervous smile as he opened the door for her. She made her way to the other end of the seat and held her gaze out the window. Her heartbeat was going haywire and she was finding it harder to breathe each second.
Megumi felt a shift of weight to her left. He too was in the limousine now.
Megumi listened as the door closed. Not soon after, the limousine began to move. She closed her eyes and let out a silent, distressed sigh. There really was no escaping this.
Megumi mustered up what was left of her courage and slowly rolled her eyes to one corner to try and glance at the Saiga heir. His expression was unreadable and his arms were folded firmly in front of his chest. He was looking straight ahead at nothing in particular but his lips formed a small, almost undetectable scowl. The sight made Megumi panic even more. She couldn't read him at all.
An infuriated Yahiro, a teasing Yahiro, a threatening Yahiro and heck even a whining Yahiro – all those she could handle. But a seemingly indifferent and emotionless Yahiro, she couldn't.
Why wouldn't he say something? Anything at all?
Megumi continued to glance at the Saiga heir using her peripheral vision. "Be mad at me! Scream at me! Just… Don't ignore me…"
This time, Megumi turned her head fully towards Yahiro to give him a guilty but anxious look. He still didn't look at her. His eyes continued to look straight towards the road.
Megumi began to write on her eraser board.
'Say something…'
Megumi raised it in front of her chest but the Saiga heir still refused to acknowledge her – not even a glance.
Megumi huffed a bit and stretched her arm to place the eraser board in front of Yahiro's face. But the moment she did, he looked out the window simultaneously.
Megumi withdrew her eraser board and placed it to her side. Her mouth was slightly opened. He was being childish and stubborn!
So was this how it was going to be? He was going to ignore her all night long?
Megumi opened her mouth to say something but Yahiro's threatening voice made her close her mouth shut.
"Don't even think about it."
Megumi's eyes grew big. She looked stunned. How could he have known what she was planning to do when he had his back to her?
"I can see your reflection on the window." Yahiro answered, as if reading her mind.
Megumi mouthed an 'oh' in understanding as she looked away.
After some time, Megumi glanced at Yahiro once more before she sat up straight and kept her eyes out on the road.
What was she to do now?
Should she continue to get him to talk to her or should she leave him alone and wait until he finally decides to talk to her?
Megumi tilted her head slightly to glance at Yahiro once more. This time, his expression was no longer passive. His neck was slightly craned to the left while his vision was directed straight towards the road. His eyebrows were creased at a perfect angle and his eyes were narrowed to some extent.
He was looking for something.
Megumi's expression turned suspicious at his strange behavior. "What is he up to?"
After a few seconds, Yahiro's slightly strained demeanor relaxed.
This time, it was Megumi's turn to crease her eye brows and narrow her eyes.
"What was he searching for?" Megumi wondered as she directed her attention to where Yahiro's was a few seconds ago.
"Stop the car."
Megumi snapped her head towards Yahiro as she gave him a questioning look.
She watched as Yahiro opened the door himself, no longer waiting for his chauffer to do so. He was about to step out of the limousine but before he did, he gave Megumi a brief but meaningful glance.
Megumi opened her mouth to talk but Yahiro immediately made his way out.
Megumi watched the Saiga heir's back as he walked away. She swallowed hard.
Did he want her to follow him?
Megumi breathed in and out a few times to gather up some courage. Not soon after, she too made her way out of the limousine.
When she finally made her way out, she began scrutinizing her surroundings only to realize that they were at a public park. She scanned the seemingly abandoned park for people and found no one.
"It's pretty huge for a public park…"
Megumi made her way towards the park's walkway as she began to examine the park. It had lots of tables and chairs for accommodation and it also had big dinosaur statues everywhere. The path's sides were adorned with flowers, which Megumi couldn't recognize due to the dim lights situated strategically around the pavement.
"They need to do some maintenance…"
As she continued to walk, her eyes fell on the moon. It was wonderfully full.
"It looks like a giant spotlight suspended up in the sky." Megumi thought as she smiled. However, her smile immediately faded when she realized that the Saiga heir was no longer in sight.
Megumi panicked as she picked up the pace.
"Where could he have disappeared to so quickly?"
As much as Megumi wanted to call for him, she knew she couldn't. That gesture would only add fuel to the flame of the Saiga heir's anger. The last thing she wanted to do was to make him angrier than he already was. She wasn't stupid and she sure as hell didn't have a death wish. She still has a couple of things she wants to accomplish before she dies.
Megumi panted as she placed a hand on a lamp post to maintain her balance. She was getting exhausted. After all, running around wearing high heels isn't actually one of the easiest tasks on Earth.
When Megumi regained her breath, she raised her head only to find out that she's reached a playground. She slowly stood up straight to scan the place for a certain pink haired bishounen.
"Where could he-"
Megumi felt relief flood her system.
"Found you."
Megumi was about to run towards him but after fully realizing the scene right in front of her, she stopped.
There he was, Yahiro Saiga, one of the richest people in the world, sitting on a worn out swing in a public park as he slowly rocked himself back and forth with his feet. His elbows were resting on his thighs and his head was bent down, causing his silky pink locks so cascade in front of his face. He had his back to her but she could already imagine the look he had on his face.
Megumi sighed. Nervousness was making its way back into her system but she knew this confrontation had to happen if anything was to be resolved.
Megumi breathed in deeply and began to make her way towards Yahiro.
When she was just a few feet behind him, she waited to see if he was aware of her presence. She tilted her head to the side and waited for a few seconds for a reply. When she didn't get any, she hesitantly made her way to the other swing situated to the Saiga heir's right.
Yahiro tilted his head slightly towards the directed of a slight squeak. The once empty swing to his right was now occupied by a brunette-haired girl who avoided his gaze at all costs.
Yahiro grunted as he looked away.
"It took you long enough."
Now it was Megumi's turn to look at the Saiga heir. He was still in the same position as before but his head was no longer bent down. He seemed to be looking at something to his left. But whatever it was, Megumi didn't know. She couldn't see that well because of the dark.
Megumi tore her eyes away from Yahiro only to glance at her fidgety fingers.
What was she supposed to do now?
Before Megumi could think of what to do, she heard Yahiro speak once more.
"Why did you do it?"
Megumi snapped her head towards Yahiro, just in time to see him slowly turn his head to her direction. Their eyes met. Megumi became even more nervous. She felt very vulnerable and naked under his gaze. It felt as if he was seeing right through her very soul.
Not being able to tolerate the discomfort she felt, Megumi looked away as she thought of an answer to his question.
"Well?" Yahiro demanded in a low but slightly impatient voice as he raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.
He watched as she began to write down a reply on her eraser board.
'It… seemed like the right thing to do.'
Yahiro stared at the reply on the board incredulously before he gave Megumi the exact same look. But since she was hiding her face behind the board, she failed to see his reaction.
Yahiro scoffed as he stood up from the swing irritated. The force from his gesture made the swings rock to some extent.
Megumi stifled a squeak before watching anxiously as Yahiro took a few steps away from the swing. After transcending a good ten feet, he stopped on his tracks and sighed out loud as he ran a hand through his silky locks.
Megumi blinked a few times. Did she say something wrong?
Yahiro placed one of his hands on his waist while the other massaged his temples.
Megumi brought her gaze downward. Now what was she going to do?
"What way?"
Megumi brought her gaze back to the Saiga heir with a surprised looked in her face. He still had his back to her but after a few seconds; he turned to look at her once more with his hands folded in front of his chest.
"In what way was it right?"
Megumi was lost for words. She was completely and utterly speechless. She immediately tore her gaze from the Saiga heir and looked at her feet.
After a few seconds of waiting, Yahiro unfolded his arms impatiently and walked towards Megumi.
After seeing the Saiga heir's shiny shoes just about a foot in front of her, Megumi picked up her magnetic pen with her right hand and steadied her eraser board with her left.
In what way WAS it right?
So sorry it took so long! I have no excuse except for the fact that I haven't had any inspiration so far... Sorry if this chapter sucked... Don't worry, the next chapter is the last and i will update it as soon as I can!!! If possible, I'll post it next week or this week. I will do my best! I still have other stories to worry about... -_-...
Thanks for the support!!! I appreciate it a lot!