Strings Attached
by
dancingfingers
Disclaimer: I don't, under any circumstances, own Skip Beat! and its characters.
AN: This is a beta version. All (beta) credits goes to Roshelle Diall.
Chapter 9
Sendai, Japan
She let out a smirk as she crossed the date out with a red marker. Her blood rushed in excitement. This is good. I will go from here and fulfill my promise to her. She turned her dark eyes to an old, wrinkled photograph. There was a tall man with captivating golden eyes and ebony locks, a beautiful woman in blue kimono, and a little girl with black hair in pigtail and the same captivating golden eyes like her father. She snorted in disgust. That little bitch. A wave of anger flushed over her. She would avenge everything that little bitch had done to her. She would make sure her life would be full of misery. She must put her back to her rightful place. And today is the first day...
She smirked maliciously.
She still remembered the first time she laid her hand on that ugly cheek of her. How exciting to see her golden eyes widen in surprise, disbelief, and fear. She hit her again only to make her tears trickled down her cheeks. Bubbles of happiness burst inside her chest as she made that her new hobby.
After her cheeks, it was her ribs. Oh... she still remembered clearly the first time that little bitch gasped for air to breath, like a fish on dry land. Or the one time she couldn't move at all. Or that time when she coughed up blood. Or that time she had to bent low to be able to walk, like an old granny.
Then, it was her stomach. The looks of her pained face whenever she moved, even a little stir in her sleep would get her crying in bed, and put herr in a good mood everyday. Or the looks of her starving since her stomach hurt so much she had no appetite.
Then, it was her limbs. She recalled how she almost cried in joy when she broke her legs, leaving her stuck in her room, unable to move, and forced to endure more of the pain the woman had no problem causing.
And that time when she put her to work. Oh, the joy of seeing her lifeless eyes on her first night as a prostitute. She made the most since she was a virgin, and her innocence enticed every hungry man out there. She snorted amusedly. The ego of a man.
She swept the room she had called home for the past 5 years. It was dark, cold, humid, with a very hard bunk bed. The food was horrible too, even hospital food was so much better than here. Not to mention the fact of the humiliation she had to endure throughout these years, just because of that ungrateful bitch and that cunning bastard who dared to throw her in jail.
Kyoko, she yelled inside her mind in rage. I will make sure you pay for this. You, that bastard, and your gaijin... you all will pay for my suffering!
Her thoughts cut off as a loud sound of a key unlocking echoed through the room and the empty hallway. Her eyes flickered at the small square of her door. She frowned, who dare to interrupt my plan? She grudgingly got up from her seat and walked over the door.
"Mogami-san," the man said lazily. "You have a visitor."
Mogami Saena straightened her overall and nodded. She stepped out of her cell and waited impatiently as the man locked it. He nodded at her so that she followed him. The two walked down the empty hallway, ignoring the curious stares from another prisoner. As they passed through the last door, he led her into a small meeting room where visitor could meet the prisoner here, be it relatives or lawyer. The room was big enough for four people with two guards stood outside near the door. A small camera was placed on the wall for preventing any illegal exchange within the cold walls of jail. Saena entered the room and barely succeed to hide her happiness as she watched the man whom was already sitting in one of the couch, taking a deep drag on his cigarette. The prisoner had a little bounce on her steps as she neared the man and seated herself next to him.
"A-Akito?"
The auburn-haired man turned his head slightly at Saena and let out a small smirk. His dull grey eyes lit up a bit. "Saena, my dear... How are you?"
Her bright face darkened. "How do you think, Akito?" she snapped.
Masaya Akito chuckled softly. "My, my... My kitty is mad at me." He leaned forward and grabbed her chin, his eyes flashed dangerously. "Oh... five years changed you so much. I wonder if the inside had changed too?" Noticing the evil smirk played on her lips, he grinned. "Surely not. Still after that little kitten, hm, Saena?"
"What are you doing here, Akito?" she asked, ignoring his inquire. Why would the most dangerous boss of the underground here to have a small talk with her? He was not someone who did anything unless he gained from it and Saena was certain he wanted something from her.
Akito let go of her chin and rubbed his jaw. "Why, aren't you lonely, Saena? I merely worry over you, my kitty."
She scoffed. "It can't be. The Akito I know would not do anything unless you want something from me."
He shook his head. "I don't."
She raised her eyebrows, a look of disbelief filled her eyes. "Then what?"
He pointed his index finger at her and smiled a little. "You are the one who needs me, Saena."
"Me?"
Akito laughed darkly. "Your kitten, Saena."
Saena's eyes widened as it dawned on her. 'Of course, with this man's help, I can do everything smoothly.' She cleared her throat and smiled broadly at him. "Ah, you're right. I do need you."
"Then," he said as he laced his fingers together. "Shall we?"
Jakarta, Indonesia
Kyoko suddenly felt a chill down her spine. She worriedly threw some glances around her and found nothing. She sighed in relief, though there was still that dreaded feeling lingered in the back of her mind. The golden-eyed woman continued to type away her letter to Lory, who was telling her animatedly about anything, from his latest talent searching –
"There was this boy, he came with saggy clothes and bangs that covered his eyes, the type of guy you won't take a second glance... he didn't care about his surroundings but I could clearly see that this boy is intriguing! Interesting! Oh, you should see how he played his guitar and sang, Kyoko! He's a miracle! There is so much love in his playing.."
– to how Maria seemed to take interest in boy –
"One day, when I'm home earlier than usual, there was this... THIS, Kyoko, shocked me to the bone! I witnessed with my own old eyes, see, I emphasize the word 'witnessed' here that my lovely granddaughter and MY assistant, that Sebastian, played MY LOVE SIMS! Can't you believe that? She was so red when I caught them and then, later, I succeed to coax everything about her crush. Oh, she talked about this and that... and hey, don't tell her this, but I sent Sebastian to check the boy- no, I'm NOT spying, Kyoko, believe your old man here- and I think that he's acceptable. Well, my Maria has a good taste "
– and she giggled at Maria's e-mail the previous day when Maria practically told her about her crush and asked her about Sachiko, whether the little girl liked the puppy doll she sent through one of Kyoko's bodyguards, Honda. Her previous fear subdued completely as she told her guardian about her day, about the meeting, about the city, the traffic jam, the hot weather, and also...
Sachiko.
When the emerald-eyed girl walked to the Conference Room, Kyoko caught the deep scowl on her adorable face as the older woman finished her call outside the room. She tried to ask the girl about it and she completely baffled at the answer.
"Lion?"
Sachiko nodded. "Yeah, Okaa-san. I met a big, bad lion."
Kyoko raised her eyebrows and strained her ears, trying to catch any roars or cries or screams or... any chaos inside the hotel. She stared at the serious expression on Sachiko's face and inwardly sighed. "I didn't hear anything," she said slowly.
"Okaa-san," Sachiko said, while giving her mother an exasperated look. "I'm serious! You should see him – uh, NO, don't ever see him! He's so big, Okaa-san! See... hmm... He's taller than Uncle Sho!" she exclaimed with her hands raised high.
Something clicked in Kyoko's mind. "I see..." she replied with a small, amused smile played on her lips. The General Manager silently pitied the poor man her daughter had lovingly called 'the big, bad lion'. If she'd ever meet him, she would apologize properly.
Kyoko typed her last words and read the letter again. She clicked the 'send' button and leaning her back against her armchair. 'That Sho... he must have talk some non-sense to my daughter,' she growled mentally. That guy was impossible, trying to be her mother hen when it comes to a matter of dating a man (although she wasn't interested at all) while he could date every woman he liked. She sighed.
"Kyoko-san!" a faint whisper reached her ears and Kyoko whirled around to see Honda standing before her. The man in black suit was silent as the woman smiled encouragingly at him. Finally, after a soft sigh escaped from his lips, Honda pulled out a brown package from behind his back. He set it down on the mahogany desk and stared blankly at her, like usual. "Is that for me?" she inquired at the man, who nodded. "Well, I will open i – "
"Kyoko-san," he cut off. Kyoko raised her head and arched an eyebrow at the bodyguard. "When there is a package without the sender's name or address, let me open it. We don't know what's inside; it could be something dangerous."
"Oh." She studied the package carefully and nodded in understanding as there was clearly no name or address. "I understand. Please do, Honda-san."
Honda nodded and took out a small cutter. He sliced the brown tape swiftly and carefully, his eyebrows knitted together in concentration as he did that. Once he was done, he grabbed a pair of gloves and put them on, then opened the brown package slowly. His eyes widened slightly, making Kyoko stared at him curiously.
"What's that?"
Honda gritted his teeth. "I... suggest that you don't see this, Ma'am."
She frowned. "Why? This is for me, right?"
"Yes." He nodded. "But I really, highly suggest that you don't see this, Kyoko-san. It was..." he trailed off and made a wry face.
"It was?"
Honda sighed. "That's something really, really unpleasant. I will clean this up and – "
"No, Honda-san." She reached out her hands and gestured for him to give her the box. Honda threw her a long gaze before he set it down eventually. Kyoko asked politely for another pair of gloves and put them on in a flash. She then felt the familiar chill of fear rolled down her spine once more and gulped, silently praying that the things inside, whatever it was, not really 'unpleasant' as Honda told. She opened the lids with her slightly trembling hands and held her breath.
Her eyes widened in shock and she covered her nose and mouth in horror.
There was a bloody hand inside.
I never expect to end like that. The whole bloody hand thing is taken from an old Japanese horror comic (a one-shot). I still remember that particular scene where the main character accepted a box of apple... with bloody hand inside... and then the hand could move on its own... and then it pulled the main character off the cliff, nearly killing her... *shudder* I really envy how Japanese makes it so easy to make the horror thing and completely terrifying.
Enough with that bloody hand. UGH.
mrs. zala: Ow, Indonesian too? Hey regulusgal, we have a friend here! *chuckle* anyway, here is the update. Quite a shock compared to the last chapter, but I assure you that we will have adorable moments of Sachiko and Kuon later.
Kate: Hello Kate, I am reaaallllyyyy happy to know that you love this story :") I hope you can continue to read and, well, if you have time, give your review for this story. Thank you again! I love you :")
VKLOREO23: have I replied your review, btw? I kinda forgot... anyway, well... Kyoko is not hiding from anyone but Kuon, actually. But I know what you mean and hopefully, this chapter will answer that.
regulusgal: gee, really? *blush* I can't believe myself when I started this story - as my first published story here, you see - and made it M-rated. I kinda doubtful of myself at that time. Can I do it? Can I make it so that people want to read it and not disgusted in my first attempt on lemon? I do thank everyone who gave their love for this story and encouraged me to keep going. If it weren't for them, I have given up at this one long ago.