ch7
The first two weeks of my enslavement kind of felt like a dream. It went by fast and I actually felt a lot happy with my new schedule. Being a 'slave' wasn't as hard as I thought it was because my l 'masters' weren't around most of the time. I only saw them at school, and even there, they acted like they usually would. As if I didn't even exist. They were never home after school to watch over me doing their stupid chores.
And yes, stupid. At first, their chores got worse and worse. For example, the day after cleaning their room, I had to sort their clothes by color, size, designer, type, and material. Then, after that, I had to clean their bathroom, which, might I add, was not fun. But, when the worst was over, their jobs for me sort of became ridiculous. I think they just came up with random things to keep me busy. Possibly because they thought the pointlessness of it all annoyed me, but frankly as long as it wasn't as bad as the bathroom I was quite fine. For example, yesterday I had to vacuum the driveway. Believe it or not, I did it although it took no more than half an hour. However, I did stay about an hour and half more to finish homework and chat with Tomoyo.
Which brings up another reason why I liked going to the Hitachiin house. I had actually found a friend there. Everyday since my second day working, Tomoyo had talked to me and eventually I got comfortable talking back to the older girl. She would help me out and give me tips when I needed them, and while she took her half hour lunch break, I would do my homework and talk to her at the same time. She sort of became like an older sister I never had.
That was how the first two weeks of slavery went. Maybe I enjoyed it more than I should've, but there were no rules on making the most of my troubles, right? Either way, I was pretty much having a good time up until today.
School passed by like it normally did, as I popped my headphones in my ears and shoved my hands into my sweater's pocket. It had become a routine to change in the restroom before I left. I calmly walked to the mansion taking the same ten minuet route I normally took, except this time I stopped at a little tea shop ordering a cup to go for Tomoyo and coffee for me. With the cups in hand, I carefully pushed open the gate with my hip and walked up to the front door, setting my cup on the ground to knock. As I bent down, to pick up the cup again, Tomoyo swooshed open the door and looked at me urgently.
"Hey," I said smiling, "I brought tea!" I held up the cup for her to take.
"Aww, thanks Mayu.." She she whispered gratefully. "But hurry up and get in here!" She pulled me in as I took a sip of my coffee, and closed the door. She pulled me by the arm off to the side behind a pillar, away from the rest of maids bustling around the house. "They're here."
"Who?" I answered casually, taking another sip. Oh coffee, how I loved thee..
"The twins!"
"What?" I asked after choking on the hot liquid a little.
"The demon twins are in their room. I don't why but they told me to send you in."
"Crap.." I mumbled. "I guess I should go then," I looked down at the floor disapointed. I probably wouldn't be able to talk to her today. "I'll see you around." I said half disappointed and half worried. I haven't spoken to Hikaru in like two weeks. Kaoru I wasn't too worried about since he never really said anything to me, but Hikaru? Hikaru would eat me alive. I gulped as walked toward the corridor, nodding politely to the maids who smiled sympathetically at me. After two weeks they were accustomed to seeing me around the house. When I got right outside their bedroom , I sucked in a deep breath and put my fist on the door. Oh gosh... I forced myself to knock once and I closed my eyes until I heard the click of the lock. I opened my eyes to see two identical faces, standing side by side.
Hikaru POV:
Laying on my bed, I half-heartedly flipped through the pages of an old manga. I was utterly bored, waiting on my slave. It had been a while since I'd last seen those red cheeks burn in anger even though I was sure she was already angry with me, considering the past few jobs I had for her. I couldn't wait to see her face. For the past couple of weeks I had been going out with the hosts, endlessly pestering Haruhi, and just finding things to do. I had to check up on slave girl eventually.
Knock, knock
I threw aside the manga and quickly hopped off my bed. Pulling my brother away from his laptop, we opened the door together.
"It's been a while, slave girl." We said together. She looked up from the ground and nodded, her hands hiding in her sweater sleeve. We moved aside and I gestured for her to come in. As she did, I looked at her up and down. She was dressed pretty casual in sneakers, jeans, and her hair tucked in her light sweater. To my surprise, she wasn't wearing those ugly glasses.
"What happened to your glasses, Mayu?" My brother asked probably thinking the same as me. Wait did he just call her Mayu? She looked a little startled at the question. Maybe it was the friendly tone of his voice, or the fact that he called her so casually by her nickname.
"I-I actually got contacts.." She answered softly, peeking behind her bangs at my brother with those huge eyes of her. Huh. Side bangs, too?
Deciding it was enough 'friendly' chit chat, I let go of my brother, and walked closer to her. "Anyway," I started "Let's cut to the chase. You have work to do." I saw her fidget a little in front of me. "Problem?" I asked with a smug smile.
"Nope." She said staring at me right in the eye. If only she knew how un-intimidating she looked. If I didn't know any better I'd say she looked more cute than scary.
"Alright then." I answered and went over beside the bed. I pulled out a bucket full of supplies and a mop. "Mop the hallway and polish all the doorknobs. Careful," I said shoving the bucket toward her, "they're brass". She glared at me a little, but gently took the bucket and mop.
"Sure.." she quietly sighed and turned around about to leave. She was right at the door when I called her.
"Oh, and slave girl, remember to make them shine." I said just to annoy her. Just to see those cheeks of hers go up in flames. However, I got a rather unexpected reaction. She stood there for a little while before turning around with a wide yet completely fake smile.
"Of course, your highness." She sneered sarcastically, before turning around and shutting the door hard. I stared at the door shocked for a moment. What the hell? I finally turned around at the sound of giggling and saw Kaoru trying to suppress his laughter.
"What's funny?" I snapped.
"Your face" He answered while shaking his head. "You deserved that you know."
"What do you mean I deserved that. She owes us–"
"Yeah, yeah whatever," He said scratching the back of his head. "Just drop it."
"Whatever.." I mumbled mostly to myself, flopping back down on my king sized bed. What was that about. Did she just...? But slave girl..?
"You're not gonna start homework? We have an essay due tomorrow."
"Later," I answered carelessly. I was still a little dumbfound at her response. It was so.. out of character? Or maybe I didn't know her true character? Maybe she just doesn't like me. Or she–
"Don't wake me up when you want help. I've warned you.."
"Mmmhmmm..." I could almost feel Kaoru roll his eyes as he sat on one of the rolling chairs and went over by our desk toward the back of our room. Or maybe I just think too much..
Eventually, I got bored of just lying there and thinking up different scenarios. Why think about her so much. I mean, what made her special? She was just another girl. Just like the ones I have to 'entertain' in the club. Don't get me wrong, I liked being part of the host club, but the fact that not one girl in the school, except Haruhi, actually cared about the difference between my brother and I made me sick. I sighed at the thought of such empty-headed people. I especially hated when they pretended to know the difference just for attention. I opened my laptop.
About an hour and and a half later, I turned around to see that Kaoru had put on his head phones. Still working diligently on his essay, I was still roaming around the internet. I had already checked the fashion trends today, played mindless computer games, checked my email, blogs, and made a few changes to the Host Club website. Crap. Now I had nothing to do but homework to do. Still though, I really wasn't in the mood for essays. I never was. I hated literature class, while Kaoru, on the otherhand loved it. Math, chemistry, and physics was just...easier. I preferr–
"Kiss kiss fall in love!"
I was suddenly pulled out of my thoughts when I heard a soft voice coming from the hallway. It was distant, but it was there. Curious, I closed my laptop and went over to the door, pressing my ear against the cold wood.
"Maybe your my love.."
Suddenly I smiled. Was she...singing? I quietly chuckled. Sakura Kiss? Really? To my amusement, she continued.
"Kizukeba itsu de mo... soba ni iru keredo!"
I sat there listening for a while. She wasn't the best singer, but I still wanted to hear. Her soft voice cracking a little in the high notes made my smile grow.
"Honto wa kirai? Suki? Mousou na no?"
Curiosity got the better I me, so I cracked the door open, just a centimeter. I looked and saw her on her knees wiping her forehead with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. She was almost done with the doorknobs, I noticed, as they were, in fact, shining. Small white earphones in her ears, she sat back on her bottom and continued humming the song. From behind her, she got a half finished water bottle, and downed it in a few seconds, wiping an escaping drop with her wrist. It was kind of –
"Cute, right?" I jumped at Kaoru's voice and slammed the door shut.
"What?" I asked startled. He was smirking at me from the desk with his headphones around his neck. I could hear his loud music from here.
"You were smiling. A lot. You like her don't you?"
"No."
"Yup"
"I said no!"
"Then why are you blushing?" He asked. I grimaced suddenly realizing the warmth on my cheek. Standing up, I walked over to get my backpack.
"It's just.. hot in here. Turn on the AC!" I growled. Kaoru just chuckled at me.
"Whatever you say, bro" He said in a sing-song voice, while putting his headphones back on. I sighed running a hand through my hair. Not a girl like her..
XXX
It was eight o'clock. Kaoru had fallen asleep on the desk, a little pool of drool forming under his chin. Knowing my brother it was best to let him sleep then wake him up, even if it was just to get him into bed. I, on the other hand was still working on my essay. Ugh. I hated to admit it, but Kaoru was right. I did need his help, but it was too late. In the past two hours and a half, I had written one pretty lame paragraph. Persuasive writing... what's the point? Laying back on my bed I closed my eyes. I just wanted to get this over with..
Click
I blinked open one eye and saw as Katayama-chan cautiously poked her head in the room. Her eyes darted to me and my brother. I sat up quickly and she let out a small squeal. Taken aback, she hit her head on the door. "Ah!" She fully opened the door with one hand, using the other to rub the back of her head.
"Oh, c'mon. I'm not that scary."
"I just thought you were asleep. Ow.."
"Don't be a baby, slave girl," she frowned, "Bring the bucket and mop over here." She looked at me again intensely, but obeyed.
"Here?"
"Yup" I answered popping the 'p'.
She stood there for awhile a little awkwardly, as if wanting to say something. I caught her eying my essay. She looked at me carefully and then back down at the paper.
"That's your essay?" She finally asked after what felt like eons.
"Yeah. Problem?" I asked a little annoyed. I knew how bad my essay was, she didn't need to point it out
"Well... Not my problem..But sensei said that it had to be at least six paragraphs." Sensei did say that, didn't she? Ugh. There was no way I'd be able to paraphrase that one awful paragraph five times. "Do you want..help?" I looked at her, caught off guard by the offer. She wanted to help me? Willingly?
"What would you know about this?" I asked even though I knew the answer. She was one of the top of the class in this subject.
"I handed in the assignment two days ago for extra credit... And sometimes I tutor my friend in this subject." She answered the last part quietly. I thought about it. Why would she want to do this? Times like this are when I get a bit frustrated. Confused. All Katayama Mayumi was to me was a toy. A toy that was supposed to cooperate and entertain me for a while. Toys weren't supposed to give you a hand. Offer help. That's what friends do, and none of the girls at the host club were my 'friends'. No one that didn't know me as Hikaru Hitachiin, was a friend. However, I was still in desperate need of help.
"Fine." I dryly answered. Just to get this damn essay over with.
"Okay." She answered with a small smile playing on her lips. She sat down next to me on the bed, and asked for paper and pencil. Without saying a word, I got some out of my bag an gave it to her in a clipboard. Immediately she started planning a rough outline of the entire essay. She was talking too, something about main ideas, and details, but I wasn't really paying attention as she went on about what to write in each paragraph. While she spoke, her face didn't seem as closed off as it usually did. Her body also seemed pretty relaxed, or more so than usual. It was her eyes though, that kept me captivated. Her thin eyebrows were slightly narrowed as her blue orbs darted across the page in seconds. She also had this gaze, so intense that it could have burnt right through the paper she was writing on. Then, out of nowhere her eyes stopped moving. She picked up the sheet, studied it one last time, and handed it over to me.
"Thanks." I replied a bit curt. The writing was a bit messy but understandable, not as neat and girly as I had expected from her. I studied the paper some more, until I felt a gaze.
From the corner of my eye I saw her looking at me. She looked away, but I didn't. This time I actually turned my neck. I hadn't realized how close she was sitting next to me when I did. Our noses were just mere inches apart. I could have gotten up at that moment, or maybe I should have just ordered her to leave. But, instead I kept staring. Tiny red dots the size of needle points were rapidly starting to color in her pale cheeks as she turned again to look back at me. Her pink lips were partially open in the center and above that was a tiny brown freckle on the side of her nose. Those blue orbs, staring at mine were just as inte– what am I doing?! I blinked, coming to my senses. I could feel blood trying to slowly rise up to my cheeks, but before it did, I turned around fast.
"Leave." I mumbled quietly at first. Feeling embarrassed, I wanted to be alone. I waited a few seconds, but heard nothing. "I said leave!" Silence. Anger. Confusion. Frustration. Annoyance. I don't know what it was but it was starting to boil up deep in my chest. I couldn't control my temper anymore. I quickly turned around and stood up, the movement finally making her react. "Get out of here!" This time she scrambled off the bed almost tripping in the process. "Hurry up!" I yelled at her, my hands balled up in fists. This time she mumbled something under her breath, her original dazed face changing to angry. "What was that?" I challenged maliciously.
"I said calm down! I'm going!" She actually yelled this time. If I wasn't so angry, I would have been stunned. Her usually soft voice was loud and and I could tell she was getting mad.
"Hey! Who are you to yell–"
"I'm Katayama Mayumi! A person, not a rag doll you can just throw around!"
"Well you might as well be!" I knew my statement caught her off guard as she opened and closed her mouth.
"That's exactly it. The way you treat–"
"Are you deaf? I told you to leave! Get out of my house, you stupid mute freak,"I was furious. Suddenly I saw something break under her passive face. She suddenly got so still. "You–"
"Hikaru enough!" It was Kaoru this time. All the yelling must have woken him. He was right behind me, grabbing one of my fists. I pulled out of his grasp and stormed out of my room, pushing past her. I needed to be alone.
Mayu POV:
"Leave." I should have left, I know, but I felt paralyzed. "I said leave!" What had just happened? Our faces.. got so close..? "Get out of here!" He roared, and I flinched looking up at him startled. Finally processing. I got off the bed picking up my bag from the floor. Gosh that guy and his mood swings. He needs to calm– "What was that?" He sneered. That was it. I know I owed him. But that didn't give him the right to step all over me.
"I said clam down! I'm leaving!" I yelled right back at him.
"Hey who are you to yell-" I didn't let him finish. I couldn't.
"I'm Katayama Mayumi! A person, not a rag doll you can just throw around!"
"Well you might as well be!" That part did sting. For a while I couldn't respond. I wasn't good at witty remarks so I decided that just honesty would do it.
"That's exactly it. The way you treat–"
"Are you deaf? I told you to leave!
Get out of my house, you stupid mute freak," I paused completely. That really hurt. Stupid. Mute. Freak. Those were the words people pelted me with during middle school. Girls with pretty glittering lips spoke the ugliest words to us. To Matsu and I. A witch and a mute freak. Freak. I hated that word yet it played in my head endless times during those years. People mostly just ignored me now in high school and I was glad. I had the chance to not care what people thought. I was just starting to learn to not care.
"Mayu?" I blinked a few times and saw Kaoru in front of me gently shaking my shoulder. I knew it was him because of the headphones. And obviously because I was just fighting with Hikaru. Where did he go? "Are you alright?" He asked me looking a bit concerned. I used the sleeve of my sweater to wipe the stream of tears. I nodded. "Okay. Mayu, I think you should go home now. And you don't have to come back here." I looked up at him curiously. "I know Hikaru's been giving you a hard time. I'll go talk to him. But, I think you should take some time off." Time off? I blinked a few times and looked down.
"Uhm. Alright." I said almost inaudibly. Kaoru just nodded and gave me a sympathetic smile. He left the room, probably in search of his brother. Was I really the only one that could see the obvious differences between those two? I took in a deep shakey breath, zipping my sweater up as high as it could go. Looking down, I slowly walked toward the front door without another word. For the first time, I felt that maybe I had said too much.
hey guys! I hope you liked the chapter and that Hikaru didn't seem too ooc. It was kind of hard to write most of it from his POV. I kind of just wanted to clarify that it isn't that Hikaru is really a mean person. He just kind of acts that way because he thinks its fun to teases her and make her mad. For now she's just another one of his toys. The reason he kind of randomly gets mad at her is because... well it will be explained in the next chapter by our lovely Kaoru (woohoo!) next week! Anyways, see you later :D oh! and reviews are nice :)