A/N: I thank ScriptAngel for her sweet review and reader for her review of Chapter: 1, but I thank no one else. Apparently, you guys don't care anymore about my stories! *weeps and chokes on ice-cream*
Seriously, dude, drop me a word. Take a minute to review. It means a lot to the people who provide you with free entertainment.
Disclaimer: I do not own City Hunter or its characters.
SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE
Chapter: 3
"Saki, you look gorgeous!", Hitomi cooed.
Mayumi was grinning wide,
"Poor Onoda-san. Every second is going to be torture for him till he can finally get you in bed"
"I am not comfortable in this", Saki told them again.
Five of her friends surrounded her and remarked with enthusiasm on her appearance that evening. Diana was powdering the bride's cheeks while Kiriko patted her dress in place down the thighs.
"Stop that", Saki asked her to.
Kiriko straightened up, adjusted her cleavage back into her dress and admired her friend.
"By God, you look fuckable"
"I feel like a painted china doll"
"Oh yeah? We should have let you get married with that salt and pepper hair-do?"
Diana added fuel to the fire,
"Your hair made you look ten years older"
"I didn't mind that and... enough with the make-up!"
Aimi came into the room swiftly as the wind and began firing instructions,
"Okay. Pretty much all the guests down there are VVIPs. Few, but very elite. Saki, please act like a normal bride down there. Don't frown at Onoda-san. Don't let the people see that you two haven't had sex yet"
Saki exclaimed,
"What?"
Aimi came smiling and gave her a warm, fragrant hug. She said while Saki's bony figure was still in her arms,
"You are going to be alright. Just show them your beautiful smile and everything will be fine. Do you understand?"
"Hm"
"And stay by Onoda-san's side. The whole purpose of this is for him to introduce his lovely new wife to the world"
Saki flinched when Aimi slapped her butt in excitement and let her go. Her friends were smiling at her. Her husband was waiting for her downstairs. And she could not conceive how she was going to get through this ordeal.
"Let's get this over and done with", she mumbled her mantra and turned to the mirror.
Looking sublime in a dress of a lilac silk top and black Georgette skirt, with a halter neck that exposed the pale skin on her shoulders, Saki Nogawa smacked her lips in an effort to lighten the bright crimson lipstick Diana had spread on her lips without asking for her consent.
"Hey, don't you do that!", Diana warned her.
The streaks of grey which had covered the roots of her hair since Hideyuki's disappearance were nowhere to be seen. She pushed a few strands of hair back from her shoulder, straightened her back, took a deep breath and proceeded to the stairs.
The murmur of the crowd was incoherent but the clinking of champagne glasses hinted towards celebration. As the trail of her dress glided behind her along the stairs, Saki was not thinking about the various faces that had turned up to look at her. She was trying to picture how Onoda-san must be looking in the suit she had chosen for him. Her friends had teased her mercilessly for knowing his exact measurements. The suit had to fit him perfectly, after all. It was of a navy blue shade so dark that it looked black in the absence of proper lighting. She had chosen a pale faded blue shirt from within and a violet bow-tie. There was no doubt that Onoda-san would look decent in it.
"I swear to God I could bang him right here", Kiriko whispered from behind.
Saki's attention turned to the tallest man in the room, standing with his back to the large staircase. Onoda-san was conversing cheerily with the Minister of Tourism and Saki had an unhindered view of his right side. Her mouth hung open and she quickly shut it again.
'He looks so handsome'
It was only when she had reached the bottom of the stairs that Onoda-san turned his attention towards her. Saki was trying not to blush at his adoring gaze and how delicious a gentleman he looked that evening.
"There you are"
He said, pulled her towards him by her waist, kissed her cheek and introduced her to the Minister.
"This is my lovely wife – Saki Nogawa. Darling, this is..."
'Gentleman, my ass!'
Saki stared at her husband in undisguised bewilderment, while he held her close to him by his arm going around her waist. Mayumi and Kiriko had rushed to the wall opposite to where Saki and Onoda-san were standing. They gained her attention and signaled with their flailing arms and rapid hand movements that she ought to stop staring at him like that. Saki looked away from his face and composed herself.
'Smile and don't frown'
The guests and their host were soon the ones staring at the new bride as she smiled and looked exquisitely dazzling. Aimi Onoda clinked her wine glass against Hitomi's,
"Once Saki smiles, everything falls in place"
What an evening it had been! Saki was convinced that there was no honourable dignitary in Japan who was not acquainted with Onoda-san. And they treated him with equal respect and in high regard. Throughout the reception, he hadn't said a single private word to her. She knew well that he would not apologise for the sudden public display of affection, and hence it was futile to ask him for an explanation. The last guests were out of the mansion and Saki was highly conscious of Onoda-san's alluring presence beside her. The servants closed the doors with his permission and hurried to regroup in the kitchen for the post-reception cleaning. She felt it was tiring, dressing up and mingling with so many people.
"You look quite beautiful this evening"
He had turned to her and surprised her with the very first compliment in their married life. Saki met his constant gaze and said,
"You too"
"Come"
He turned towards the kitchen quarters, but did not lend her his arm like he had done in the presence of their guests. Saki followed him. When they entered the kitchen, the clattering of utensils and the chatter of the servants stopped at once. Onoda-san said to the head-maid,
"Hina, bring everyone here. Quick"
Hina rushed out to do his bidding while Onoda-san proceeded with the brief introductions. Saki smiled as she realised that Onoda-san knew each one from his house staff by their first and last name. He also introduced her to the cleaning staff and the gardeners, who had been made to stay late by him so that they could join the reception feast. The security guards and drivers were startled first on seeing their employer and his new wife out in the moonlight, simply for being introduced to her. When Onoda-san and Saki were climbing the stairs back into the mansion, he said to her,
"You will meet my stepmother once she returns from the Bahamas. Tadashi's wife must have told you that her mother-in-law chose not to participate in any part of our wedding"
"Yes", Saki looked at the floor receding beneath her feet.
Aimi's mother-in-law, now her stepmother-in-law, did seem as disagreeable and proud as Aimi had described her.
"It is not that she has something against you; she just wished for me to marry one of her friend's daughters"
"Why did you not?"
"I was in love with you by then"
No matter how many times he said it, Saki always found herself embarrassed at Onoda-san's casual proclamations of love. He was blunt and honest – she admired that. As they walked together through the common hall, Saki admired him for his relationship with his employees. He was rude and obstinate at times, but never haughty or conceited. It was a singular virtue in a billionaire, she believed.
"There's my favourite couple!"
Tadashi-san was walking down the stairs towards them with his signature boyish grin. He spread his arms to hug Saki,
"Sister-in-law!"
Onoda-san held him away from her with his hand over Tadashi-san's face like a claw. He said,
"Go to sleep"
Tadashi-san released himself from his brother's clutches and smiled pleasantly at Saki,
"Do you see how eager he is to get you to your room? Wah!"
He hid behind Saki as Onoda-san made an attempt to grab him again. Saki struggled to not laugh at the banter between the two brothers.
"I am going, okay? I just came to wish her good night"
Saki turned to look at him and Tadashi smiled at her again,
"Saki-chan, on behalf of all the Onodas, welcome to the family"
She bowed her head and smiled as well,
"Thank you"
Onoda-san grunted,
"Go to your room. Your wife and children must be waiting"
"Sakura and Hiroko are fast asleep. So is Aimi"
Tadashi-san whispered in Saki's ear,
"Watch out for his abs. He's been hitting the gym since you agreed to marry him"
"Get lost!"
Onoda-san kicked his brother on the buttocks and sent him staggering towards the stairs. Tadashi-san was still laughing,
"Geez, impatient to be alone with her, are we? I am going, don't worry. Good luck for tonight, Oniisan"
Saki stole a glance at Onoda-san's face and saw his thick brows meeting in an irritated frown. He said without looking at her,
"Let's go"
Onoda-san's rooms were plainly furnished and hence seemed much spacious than Aimi and Tadashi-san's. Saki looked from the lonely lamp in the corner to the beige couch against one of the walls. Onoda-san said from a few feet behind her,
"Would you like to open some presents?"
She turned to him and saw the huge pile of wrapped gifts and bows against the wall next to the door. Her question was,
"Aren't you tired?"
"I can stay up long enough to open a few"
He handpicked six presents after reading the names on them and placed them on the table in front of the couch. The newly-weds sat next to each other and opened the presents one by one.
"A cuckoo clock from Saeko", he smirked, "As expected"
Saki said,
"It is nice"
She observed his face as she said,
"Taking into account the fact that you are afraid of birds"
Onoda-san gave her a curt, restrained glance and opened the next present without a word. Saki struggled to keep her oncoming laughter in check.
"Him & Her wrist watches from Mr. and Mrs. Saeba"
"They are lovely", Saki took the feminine one in her hands and smiled at it.
Onoda-san put those away and read the card on the next present,
"To my favourite Mrs. Onoda, I know your sexy husband will appreciate this present more than you will"
Saki tried to imagine what might the present be while Onoda-san continued in a hostile manner,
"Yours truly, Vicki. Your friend seems to have couriered this from China"
"Yes. She was sorry she wouldn't be at the reception"
Onoda-san untied the ribbon and opened the rectangular box. Saki's amused expression transformed into horror and indignation as her husband brought out a skimpy bikini from the box. The panties and bra were both made from fine, red lace and thoroughly transparent. Saki snatched the lingerie from Onoda-san's hands and shoved it back into the box. Before she could say anything, he had opened the envelope from Mayumi. It had an agreement whose particular clause he read aloud,
"A year's supply of free condoms at Mr. and Mrs. Onoda's will when purchased from..."
Saki snatched that too and pulled both the presents off the table. Onoda-san seemed unperturbed.
"Your friends have an interesting way of thinking"
Saki gathered the two vulgar yet thoughtful presents in her hands and stood up,
"I think I should go to bed now"
Onoda-san stood beside her and looked down at her face,
"There is something you must see before going to bed"
"What is it?"
He hesitated just a little,
"My wedding present to you"
'Is that why he wanted me to see the other presents first? So that his would stand out? His competitive spirit knows no limits'
Saki reasoned,
"I can't accept your present. I didn't get you anything"
He picked a bow lying on the table and put it on Saki's head,
"There. Now we are even"
Onoda-san explained as Saki gently clasped the bow between her hands and followed him to the other room,
"There used to be only my study room and bedroom here before, but I had it expanded over the last month"
They stood across from the door to what might possibly be the bedroom and in front of a new, well-polished door. Onoda-san said to her,
"Open it"
Saki looked back at him for confirmation. He said,
"Go on"
She rotated the door knob to the right and slowly pushed the door open. The sight which met her eyes was enough to make her gape. She stepped into the room in pure wonder, marveled at the huge latticed window and the rocking chair as well as the plush velvet couch and solid metal desk. Her hands were on her mouth as she half-twirled and saw the giant bookshelves looking down upon her. She went from one to another, and found that she owned none of these books but was fascinated by their titles.
"I had Sakura's mother make me a list of the books you own. An analyst then gave me a list of the books you might be interested in reading based on the books you already owned"
Saki was caught in rapture. She found her old adolescent excitement returning,
"And this?"
She was standing in front of two empty bookshelves. Onoda-san explained with a proud smile,
"This one is for the books you already own. We will have them moved here by tomorrow. This one is for the books you will own. Also..."
He strode to the walls which covered the distance between each bookshelf and removed the covers from them one by one. Saki stood stunned as she saw enlarged and framed pictures of her family, a collage of all the kids she had had under her care, a group photo with her friends, and a picture of the Makimura siblings.
"Oh", she whispered in awe.
Onoda-san stood across from her next to the last bookshelf. He was beaming with pride and the joy of surprising his wife with such a meaningful present. Saki came to him slowly and found her voice,
"Why... you..."
He dismissed her overwhelmed reaction by a quick smile and changed the topic. The wall behind him was empty.
"Ah, this one was tricky. I didn't know whose picture should have gone up here"
Saki looked at the empty wall and at the rocking chair straight across from it. The moonlight from the window made the rocking chair look eerie but Saki had her eyes back on Onoda-san. This man... he had broken through her wall after wall of resistance, surprising her at every turn. And all for love.
"Yours"
She caught him off-guard at her smile and her demand. Onoda-san mastered his usual expression again,
"Why?"
Without caring how or why, Saki had thrown her arms around his neck and clung to him. She said against his chest,
"You make me happy when skies are grey"
Onoda-san stood fixated even though she was embracing him without any self-restraint. Slowly, and in what seemed an hour to Saki, his arms went around her back and his hands rested on her sides. She smiled on perceiving his chin on her shoulder and his hair brushing against her ear. Saki Nogawa's eyes closed in reverence of a dizzying warmth she had not felt in years.