Adapting
Kimiko began to stir out of her slumber around noon. She groggily opened her eyes and blinked rapidly to clear the stars from her vision. A yawn escaped her lips and she couldn't stop stretching - out of habit - her arms and back as she rubbed the sleep away. She slowly sat up throwing off the red and green covers of the bed and put her bare feet on the floor. It felt very cold on her skin but Kimiko pushed the feeling away and looked around her.
She wasn't in her room or any other room she would recognize. She felt like panicking for a minute but then pieces and bits of last night swam in her head. And she remembered she left with Phantom and his accomplice.
She glance around the room finding it empty with the exception of the two beds and a wooden desk on which there were dozens of sheets of paper, a small disassembled computer and other metal contraptions. She made her way towards them and peeked around curiously. The pieces of paper were filled with messy handwriting, diagrams, tables, many equations and…pudding? Kimiko shook her head with a grimace and turned her eyes at the portable computer. It was completely knocked down as if someone wanted to put it back together but abandoned it half way.
The young woman vaguely wondered if these belonged to that red haired man, Jack Spicer if she wasn't wrong. She switched her attention away from the desk and saw on the chair beside it her black jacket. She did a double take and checked her clothes finding everything alright besides her shoes which were near the bedside.
She put them on and walked to the door opening it discretely. The first thing she saw was the small kitchen. There were a few cupboards, a gas cooker, a fridge and in front of them a table with chairs. She looked to her left and spotted the door on the other side.
She walked out of the bedroom wanting to know more about her location. What she didn't expect was the sofa around the corner and Jack sleeping on it. The TV was on, broadcasting the news of last night so Kimiko had to stop and listen to what it was saying.
"It is known that the Tokyo National Museum, more exactly, the Asian Gallery has been broken into by some mysterious persons Thursday night around midnight. Nothing was taken and the Police arrived at the scene of crime after a call from a local witness. For the time being, the authorities haven't given any comments about the intruders or their whereabouts nor about their reason to force an entry in a closed, empty building. More about this incident will be discussed at the evening news though. Thank you."
Kimiko sighed in relief hearing that the police didn't make out of her a criminal and accomplice of Phantom but she couldn't count on that for too long. She knew her friends would find out some way or another about her supposed 'betrayal' and they would be crushed. She was crushed by the thought herself but had no way out without giving away Phantom. And she wasn't sure if that was a good idea. That night in the museum she felt something about him. And she didn't understand why or how.
A click snapped her back to reality as well as woke up Jack. He groaned stretching until he caught sight of her and frowned. "You're already up?"
Kimiko nodded stiffly just as the door opened and she almost expected Phantom to come in. Instead she set eyes on brown hair and green eyes looking back at her surprised. The young woman felt her jaw drop to the floor causing a smirk to spread on his lips – that smirk – and Jack to smile warily at the two.
"B-But you – you are…"
The young man sighed shaking his head and headed for the table dropping two shopping bags. "Yeah! It's me. Jack, can you sort through these things while we have a talk?"
The Goth genius jumped to his feet, the smile fading from his face and moved to the kitchen straightening his back. Rai meanwhile went back to the door and motioned for Kimiko to follow. She did slightly dazed by the new revelation. She didn't even pay attention to where she was going, only staring at the man's back as he walked and she tagged along.
They passed by many houses and some good ten minutes went by since they have left. Rai led her outside the village near a small forest where he stopped gazing at the sky through the gliding leaves of the trees. He heard Kimiko halt behind him but he couldn't bring himself to turn and look at her. He had no idea what to say or how to begin explaining her.
"Uh…I'm really sorry for getting you involved." He settled on for starters.
The black haired woman didn't say a word and he closed his eyes attempting to keep his cool. He turned in her direction and saw her looking down at her feet.
"Come on! Let's sit down." He tried again and Kimiko did as he said. She dropped near a tree still staring at the grass. He sat besides her making sure to let her have her personal space…and give himself a distance in case she would turn violent.
"I don't understand." Kimiko looked up with confused eyes. She avoided his look, gazing straight ahead. Her head shook from side to side slowly and her hands softly patted the grass beneath her. "I mean, I knew you were different from the first second I laid eyes on you, I knew you had some reasons for doing those illegal acts…but you…"
As her voice trailed on she suddenly stood up, her fist clenched still gripping the grass blades. She stood with her back at him and striving to hold back the feeling of sadness and treachery that overwhelmed her without notice. She had no idea why she even felt like that. She knew him for a short time yet she wanted nothing more than to look at him, stay close to him; like in the museum.
"I can't believe you manipulated me like that. I can't believe you played me on your fingers like a puppet. And for what?" She shouted angrily fighting her betrayed feelings. She harshly kicked a rock and it flew in a tree shaking it to its branches. "Argh! I'm so stupid!"
She continued to pace around the forest edge for several moments and when she calmed down, Kimiko glanced over her shoulder. Raimundo was still sitting down, watching the ground intently with a faraway look in his eyes.
"Well?" She barked throwing her hands down. "Say something."
The young man didn't even flinch under her stern gaze and ferocious snarl. He continued to gaze down at the ground, his eyes filled with something Kimiko couldn't put her finger on. When he shifted his eyes to her, they were devoid of any emotion.
"There were some events in my past that pushed me on this path." He spoke to her softly as he pushed himself up. "I never meant to harm you in the first place. Destiny just brought us together! I didn't know you used to train at that gym but that is the place where I work and I've been working for two and a half months."
"Why do you work?" Kimiko asked tiredly. The rage drained from her system for the moment and his words sparked her curiosity.
"I don't like to take advantage of Phantom's actions."
The raven haired woman frowned. "So you mean you have always returned the relics that you stole?"
Rai let a sheepish, sly smile creep on his face. "Well, I did need money in the beginning…but that was only once!" He added the last part raising his hands defensively in front of him.
Kimiko scowled closing her eyes. "Alright, I'll let that one slide! Sorry for flaring up earlier too. I'm just a bottle of emotions right now and…Can I ask you something, Raimundo?"
"Call me Rai, and sure…Why not?"
"How was Phantom born?" She whispered watching carefully his sudden stiffness and hesitation. "You don't have to answer if you're not comfortable. I was merely curious."
Raimundo visibly relaxed. "Thanks, but I'm really not ready to talk about it."
"Does it have to do with what you said last night? That is the 'only way to get over'?" Kimiko asked again, closing the distance.
The Brazilian looked her in the eye and found nothing more than pure curiosity and concern. "Yeah, it has. It's more like a legacy truth to be told…" And then he knew he sparked her interest a bit too much. "We should go back. I'm sure you're hungry!"
Kimiko noticeably deflated but kept to herself anything else she wanted to say. She followed him back to the house this time making light conversation about the weather, the village, the kids running around, expertly avoiding anything near Phantom, last night and police.
"So what's for lunch?" Kimiko wondered aloud while entering the small house.
Raimundo shrugged going into the kitchen. He noticed Jack was in the bedroom working on the laptop and he also noticed he was too absorbed to pay any attention to them and that he was already harnessing his hunger with pudding, 'Big surprise!'.
Kimiko came next to him. "I guess we have to prepare our own food. Let's see what we have." She confidently strolled to the fridge and took a look inside before closing it and checking in the cupboards. "What would you want to eat?"
Raimundo looked at her helplessly "Whatever you want."
"So you basically want me to cook." The young woman replied drily.
"Pretty much, yes! We're not exactly doing anything else beside eggs, rice and sometimes ramen."
"Then let me show you some real Japanese food." Kimiko smirked tucking up the sleeves of her shirt as she began taking out ingredients. Soon enough, the smell of cooking food filled the house and it finally caught Jack's attention.
"Is she cooking for us?"
"Yup!" Raimundo answered.
"Sounds good to me."
"Me too."
After a while, Kimiko placed three bowls of rice on the table, having glimpsed the red headed mechanic, and three bowls of miso soup along with some grilled fish and pickles. She grabbed three sets of chopsticks and sat down, followed by the two boys.
Clapping her hands together she voiced with a smile: "Itadakimasu!" before starting to eat. Raimundo and Jack did the same and they found themselves enjoying the meal along with the raven haired woman.
"Damn! This is so good, Tohomiko-san!" Jack said through the food in his mouth.
"I'd rather you call me Kimiko since it looks like I'll be staying here for a time." At that, Rai almost chocked with the rice but pulled himself together before anyone could note it.
"So, what are you gonna do about it?" He asked.
Kimiko shook her head. "No idea. But we still have to know what the media knows and what the police are going to reveal about the break in. So that means we have to wait for the evening news."
Rai nodded guilt washing over him once again. He glanced outside on the window catching glimpses of the setting sun and wondered how did he managed to drag such a wonderful person into his mess. 'If only I wasn't so selfish. Why did I have to call her to such a dangerous location anyway? For a few stupid minutes of adrenaline? God, I'm a complete fool…'
Jack took notice of his friend's distressed state and succeeded in distracting Kimiko by talking to her as he shook out of his stupor. He smiled thankfully at him. The brunette was obviously troubled by his conscience but Jack was relieved to know Raimundo could face it. They gathered the dishes in the sink and moved to the sofa. The T.V. buzzed to life and Jack flicked through the channels looking for the one he first watched. He found it but in the next second, he wished he didn't.
"Tohomiko Kimiko, daughter of the rich business man, Tohomiko Toshiro has been reported missing and also an accomplice of the break in of the Tokyo National Museum. The police didn't give further information about the other person but they know the two must be hiding together. The citizens are obliged to report any sightings of – "
The woman's words were cut short as the T.V. was shut down by a pissed off Raimundo. He stared blankly at the empty black screen as the darkness entered the house and the silence engulfed its inhabitants.
"I guess I'm officially a runaway!" Finally spoke Kimiko perplexedly.
Other than expect quick updates I don't have anything else to say. This story wil be done soon, guys. :) See you in a few days!