Misconceptions

Chapter Eleven:
Fighter

"I said get," Ayame scolded Yumi as she dropped her shoes on the porch. She shivered at the thought of the very moment.

"What happened to your dress?" Yumi pointed out.

Ayame shrugged the question off.

"It looks like someone ripped it. What happened to that man?"

"What man?" Grandfather interrupted. He raised an eye brow at Ayame disheveled appearance. "Good Kami, you look as if someone ran over you . . . twice."

"No need for compliments," Ayame countered as she held her dress to her small body. "I'm going to go take a shower."

Before anyone could ask another question, Ayame disappeared into the bathroom. She slid the door shut and rested over the sliding door for a few moments. Her breaths were harsh and sharp. She felt as if she couldn't even breathe. She stepped in front of the mirror and clutched the sink hard, digging her nails into the white glass. The water began to run cold and then turned warm as the steam rose up and began to fog up the large mirror.

Ayame glared at the reflection in front of her. Her make-up was smeared all over her face. Her hair was dull and flat thanks to the rain. And her dress was completely filthy. She looked as if she'd rolled around in the mud . . . maybe because she basically did.

"Don't look at me like that," she whispered to herself.

.o0o.

"You're late," Carissa mentioned as she took Hideki's hand in hers.

Her knitted their fingers together and kissed her knuckles. "I'm sorry. Next time I'll just drop my case for you—even if it's a murder or something."

Carissa only giggled. "So have you found any information on you-know-who?"

He rolled his eyes. "We really don't have to use code, you know. Like I said, Burke is a dangerous man. There have been more charges against him then there are unsolved cases. But nothing seems to stick for long. They're always dropped because of some weird reason."

"Hm . . . well he can't be as bad as you make him out to be."

"Trust me, Carissa. That man has done everything under the sun. He does a lot of illegal stuff and hides it under importing goods. Everyone knows he's in the drug business. He just has an excuse and back-up for everything! We can't seem to charge him with anything."

She shrugged. "Well I guess you can ignore it then, right?"

He shook his head and took the cigarette from her lips only to take a long drag. "It's not so simple—I wish you'd really stop smoking these. They'll really be the death of you."

She took the cigarette back to her lips blowing out the chemical-filled smoke. It was obviously that she'd completely ignored him. "But its Ayame's father . . . I really don't think he'll do anything to harm her, right? He seems sincere enough."

"Maybe . . . but it doesn't change the fact that he's still doing illegal things."

"But you agree—he wouldn't do anything to hurt Ayame, right?"

He shook his head. "I guess he wouldn't."

Carissa suddenly smiled and lit another cigarette. "Good, now let's go get some food. I'm starving.

.o0o.

Kouga switched ears with phone as he looked around suspiciously for any trace of life in the house. "Look, I really need to see you. Let's just meet . . . fine, what time? Don't be late . . . then I'll come get you."

"Young Master," Came a small voice from the hall.

"I have to go, I'll call you back." He slammed the phone into the receiver and jumped to his feet. "What's up?" He asked the maid.

She smiled and bowed. "Your parents wish to see you in the dining hall."

He rolled his eyes. What could they possibly want now? Maybe they'd want him to donate his kidney to some millionaire's son. Or better yet, maybe they wanted him to move to Antarctica where no girls could distract him. Whatever it would be, it'd be something they needed from him.

"What can I do for you now?" He asked as his tone became full with disobedience.

Hana chewed no a piece of toast before answering. "You can loose your attitude first. Where've you been?"

"I was in the living room."

"Talking to whom?"

"No one,"

She sighed. "Well get ready. We're going to be having dinner with some guests later tonight. I don't want you disappearing to Kami knows where at till long hours of the night."

"I can't, I have to somewhere."

"Then cancel your previous plans. You'll be meeting some important people tonight, and the last thing I need is you ruining it and acting rude by not having your presence. In the long run you'll thank me for setting this up. The people coming over tonight might be our new business partners. It'll do all of us some good."

"You mean it'll do your income some good."

Hana folded up her news paper and set it on the table. "I'll see you at dinner." She grabbed her hand bag as a maid followed behind her holding her Chanel jacket.

"You might not want to try and pull on her string, son." His father warned.

Kouga shrugged. "Why not, she pulls on mine enough."

He only chuckled and drank the remains of his orange juice. "Just come to dinner tonight. You can do whatever you wish afterwards. Just come to dinner."

.o0o.

"Boss there's a Hana—just Hana, here to see you."

Burke rolled his eyes. He knew this dramatic woman by heart. He waved his hand. "Tell her you can't find me.

"Uh," the buff man sighed. "She's right behind me, sir."

Burke shook his head. "Fine, send her in."

Hana's nostril's flared as she entered the room. She made it seem as if everything was too little for her. She glared at the body guard through her thick-rimmed sunglasses. She swiped them off and stuffed them in her hand bag.

"Have a seat, Hana," Burke offered.

She put her hand up in refusal. "I'm fine, thanks you. Now, I seem to hear the word on the street that you've found your long-lost-daughter, is it true?"

"That's my business," he countered.

She ignored him. "And I also hear that the daughter you've recently found is a girl known as Ayame—short, wavy hair, and green eyes, right?"

"And if it is?"

"I think I have a proposition that even you couldn't refuse, Burke."

"I'm not interested in brides, Miss Hana. I'm a business man. Perhaps you could save that for when you swindle a homeless man out of his cardboard box for your next project."

Hana smirked. "I have a lot of money. And from what I hear, your kinds of people love money. Name a price, any price and I'll even double. All you have to do is leave town—and take your girl with you."

Burke calmly sat back in his leather chair and folded his hands in his lap. "What is this sudden interest you've taken with my daughter, Hana? Does she threaten you? Have a bit of dignity, Hana. She is but a mere college girl. What kind of harm could she possibly cause you?"

Hana sighed. "Maybe you haven't her about her small infatuation with my son, but I won't stand for it."

"Then sit down," he teased angrily.

She glared at him. "This is no joke. I want your daughter out of my son's life, even if it means taking her out of the country. He doesn't need any more distractions—including her. I'm trying to run my family and a business and I don't need your daughter intruding on that."

He simply shrugged in response. "I don't tell my daughter what to do. She is her own person and she will make her own choices in life. I don't care if she ruins your life by some miracle in the process. In fact, I'll think about celebrating if that were to ever happen."

"Don't make a mockery of me, Mr. Burke. I know enough about your business matters to lock you up for life. I want your daughter out of my son's life at whatever cost it maybe to you."

"I don't respond lightly to threats, Ms. Hana."

Hana took a deep breath and slowly put her sunglasses back onto her face with her boney hands. "I'm warning you, if Ayame doesn't stop involving herself with my son, I'll make sure not only she suffers in the long run, but you go down with her."

.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.

A/N:

Another short chapter. Sorry, But I'm trying to update early and stuff. Thanks for forgiving me everyone! I love ya all! Thanks for all the reviews. Remember to review! The really keep me going! Thanks for the support. I'm really trying to update. Anyway, yes lots of drama!