Oh gosh, I'm so sorry guys. I've been dealing with a lot of family issues and what not over the last year or so and I'm so sorry that you've had to wait so long! I want to thank you guys for being so patient, so I'm just going to jump right into the story!
While looking at another patient's chart, Aki let out the twentieth sigh that day. Ever since the get together at the Twins' house, she felt really down about the fact that she was in love with someone who didn't seem to share the same feelings. It had been around three weeks since she last saw Yusei and the emotions were really beginning to build up. She went to visit Ruka at her house a few days ago, knowing that the young bluenette was going to get to the bottom of the situation.
"Sooooo, tell me why you stormed off the other day? I mean, I remember everyone having fun and what not...and then you disappeared. What happened, mi amore?" Ruka questioned, calmly.
"I guess I got kind of...well, saddened by the fact that certain people only see me as a friend...but I feel something different for that friend." Aki felt a blush creeping to her cheeks.
Ruka giggled a little bit at the older woman's embarrassment. "You don't have to hide it, Aki. We all know that you and Yusei like each other. We're just waiting for you guys to actually hook up."
"I don't know. He apparently doesn't see me as anything but friends." Aki responded, still feeling down.
"Puh-lease! I don't believe that...nor does anyone else. I mean, all the times he got upset when other guys were around you, he makes it so obvious he likes you. I think that Jack and Crow will give him a push in the right direction." Ruka explained, holding Aki's hand between hers.
I just hope you're right, Ruka, Aki thought, entering another patient's room. "Good afternoon, Ms. Nagasaki."
xXx
"Dude, I'm tellin ya, she was such a wild cat in bed! I mean, she gave me a run for my money!"
Yusei listened to Crow rant on and on about how he nailed a girl he met at a party last night. Even though everyone had went their separate ways to follow their dreams a few years back, the young scientist was beginning to see that things would never change with his best friend. He was the same Crow he was when he left.
"Is there anything else that you manage to do that goes outside the realm of nailing girls and dueling?" Yusei asked, curiously as he sipped his coffee.
"Hey! I donate to charity whenever I can and spend time with the kids Martha takes care of." He argued, crossing his arms.
Yusei couldn't help but smirk at his reaction. "You know I'm kidding. But really, you should try and settle down a bit. Partying gets boring after so long."
"What would you know about partying? And on top of that, I could say the same thing about you and Aki" Crow laughed, chilling on the couch.
"What about me and Aki?" Yusei raised a curious brow. How did the subject get from Crow being a player to him and Aki hooking up?
"Dude, you can't play me for a fool. Aki's got you hot and bothered! You guys need to hook up already and stop lying to yourselves." He chuckled, keeping himself from rolling on the ground with laughter.
Yusei would be lying if he thought that anything the flamed haired man wasn't true. Ever since Aki came home from Europe, she lingered in his mind quite frequently. Just the other day, he recalled being in a meeting about improving the Momentum project and began daydreaming about the magenta haired beauty and forgot his train of thought. Also, the previous night he had a rather vivid, naughty dream involving himself and the young doctor.
He sighed, looking out the window. "I'm not so sure anymore. I do have feelings for her, but something is still bothering me."
"What do you mean? Did something happen between you guys?" Crow couldn't help but think about all the possible dirty things Yusei might tell him.
"Well, before you guys left five years back, Aki came by the garage the night before. To make a long story short, I think she was about to tell me that she loved me...but she ended up holding it back and I don't know why." He explained, taking another sip of his coffee.
"Are you serious? I mean, dude, give me some deets!" Crow sounded a little too excited for Yusei's ears.
"There aren't any details...well, we did almost kiss...," Yusei started, nonchalantly.
Crow nearly choked on his coffee. "WHAAAAATTTT? Dude, you were about to bone her?"
Yusei's jaw nearly dropped. "No, I wasn't about to bone her! The point I'm trying to make is that I'm not sure if she feels the same way about me anymore. She hasn't talked to me since we were at Ruka and Rua's house."
"Well, when we were talking about how you get jealous of other guys being around her, you did say that you guys were just friends." Crow murmured, shrugging.
"I didn't mean to hurt her feelings." Yusei admitted, plainly.
The ginger haired man put his kidding aside and cleared his throat. "What I suggest is that you go old school and ask her out on a date. I mean, the worst thing she could do is tell you no, right?"
"I'm not sure if I should thank you...or be offended." Yusei chuckled, shaking his head while letting up a satisfied smirk, "But I guess I could take her out...but I don't know where."
Crow rubbed his chin for a minute, recalling a faint memory. "I know girls like that romantic dinner shit...but Jack told me once that she's really into the orchestra. Try getting your hands on some tickets and take her out."
"Alright, I'll give it a shot." A smile finally appeared on Yusei's lips. He couldn't help but feel hopeful that his chance to be with Aki was still intact.
For Ruka, her day at school was just about over. She had one more class to go before she went home for the day. Instead of shooting the breeze with her classmates, she decided to finish one of the three papers she had to complete by the following week. While she was working, she couldn't help but feel bad for Aki and Yusei. Because they were so unsure of their feelings for each other, both of them were getting hurt when the solution remained obvious.
Why can't they both just get over being skeptical and get together? I don't know how long we've all been bugging them to do it, She thought, continuing to listen to the sounds of the keys on her laptop.
Though she was preoccupied with her thoughts, she had no idea that Tenpei spotted her while roaming the selections of books in the reference section. The young boy had been a friend of their family for years; however, he always had a crush on his best friend's sister and never had the courage to ask her out. He couldn't help but be fascinated by just the mere presence of her.
Well, it's now or never..., He slowly approached where she was sitting taking a few deep breaths. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Oh, hi, Tenpei! I thought your physics class was today?" Ruka smiled upon looking up at his face. She looked into his glassy auburn eyes that reflected the natural sunlight. Though he was always the nerdy and shy type, he really did grow into his looks. Ruka had to refrain herself from blushing.
"Apparently it was cancelled. Oh, I see you're starting that paper for English." He set his bag down and took a seat next to her.
Ruka's heart began to pick up a little bit. "Yeah...I only have one more class left, but I really wanted to get started on this paper."
"I'd be happy to proofread it for you...if you'd like." He offered, trying not to blush himself.
She readjusted her glasses, letting out a little giggle. "That's sweet of you, but I have this thing where I'm really OCD about proofreading any papers I work on."
"Understandable. Listen, I know this is kind of off topic...but..., ummm...would you like to go out somewhere Saturday night?" Tenpei finally let the words escape his lips, letting out a small sigh.
Ruka felt shocked to say the least, but gave him a genuine, warm smile. "Tenpei, I would love to go out with you."
"Wow..., ummm, great! We can...ummm-" He stammered, just before she brought a finger to his lips.
"I really have wanted to see that new exhibit at the art museum. I'll see you Saturday." Ruka gently rubbed his shoulder before collecting her things and heading to class.
I finally have a date...question is, what do I do from now until Saturday? The young boy couldn't help but wonder as he took his departure from the library.
xXx
While relaxing in their suburban home, Carly was awaiting her boyfriend to come home from his recent trip to the States. Though she accepted the fact that his job required him to travel the globe, it was still nice for her to be excited about his return. Earlier, she decided to curl her hair since she knew he loved it. At that moment, she was lying across the couch in the family room in a lavender nightie, watching Pretty Little Liars reruns.
The brunette's mind wandered back to her boyfriend. Jack Atlas, the King of Riding Duels. After he left five years ago to reclaim his title, she never expected him to come back; especially not to her. He made it clear then that he had no interest in having a relationship with her. It still amazed her that after traveling the world, he came back to her three years later wanting to be with no one but her.
It's amazing what time will do for people, She thought, messing with a strand of her hair. A few seconds, she could hear the small little jingle of her Bichon Frise puppy, Coco, running to the front door. Carly knew that could only mean that Jack was finally home from the airport.
"Coco." She could see the pro duelist petting the furry white puppy affectionately. His amethyst orbs gazed up to the woman that consumed the bulk of his thoughts. "Carly, love...,"
"How was your flight?" She asked, as their lips met for a quick peck.
"Fine. It's just really distracting when you're wearing that nightgown...," He responded, letting his fingers run through her dark, curly locks.
She couldn't help but giggle. "I knew it might."
"God, you are beautiful." He whispered huskily, leaving gentle kisses along her jaw line.
She barely let out a moan before he scooped her up in his arms and heading for their bedroom; knowing of all the things she knew they would be getting into.
xXx
Aki had looked up at the glass science facility. She was getting a good look at the building that a familiar young researcher worked in. She was surprised by the phone call she had received from him a few days prior to now, wanting to talk to her about something. Though it was her day off, she made sure she looked presentable. Her dark, magenta locks were straightened while she sported a navy blue, lace Diane von Furstenberg dress and black pumps. She walked into the building and noticed a bunch of people with either suits or lab coats, but it was mostly lab coats.
The first place Aki spotted was the concierge desk. "Hello, ummm, where can I find Mr. Fudo's office?"
"Do you have an appointment with Dr. Fudo?" The secretary asked, not once looking up from her computer.
Aki knew just how to counteract the apparent attitude coming from the older woman. "As a matter of fact, I do. I was asked personally by him to meet him in his office at noon. It would be a shame if I never arrived."
When the lady looked up, she realized just who she was talking to. "Oh, you're Ms. Aki. Yes, he's expecting you. Just take the elevator to the fifth floor, and his office is in the east wing."
"Thank you." Aki gave her the best fake smile, before taking her leave. It wasn't the first time that Aki had gone through that with other women. For some reason, anytime Aki had to deal with older women they would be really rude to her because they felt inferior since she was young and quite successful. It wasn't like she went around flaunting that she was a doctor and that she could afford a nice house, car, and other luxuries.
I'm a humble person and I don't make an effort to make anyone feel inferior, She thought, approaching a sign that held plaques of the names of people high up and where their offices were located. The first name she spotted was Yusei's, whose office was to right of the elevator. She followed it all the way down until she found his office at the very end of the hallway.
Aki took a few deep breaths and knocked on the door. She quickly straightened out her dress and flipped her locks away from her face.
"Come in."
Her delicate hand gripped the door knob before pushing the door open to reveal Yusei looking up from his computer; straight into her light brown eyes. He had to admit; anything that she managed to dress herself in made her all the more gorgeous and accentuated her figure. She had natural curves in all the right places, but she still remained slender and fit.
"Hi!" She greeted, snapping him out of his thoughts once again.
"Oh, ummm, hello. I know you're probably wondering why I called you here." He took off his reading glasses.
Aki crossed her legs delicately upon sitting in one of the plush chairs in front of his desk. "Yeah a little bit. I feel like I'm in high school all over again with the whole office setting."
"Well, Crow is at my place recovering from a hangover." He got up from his chair and leaned against the edge of the desk, "Listen, I know I hurt your feelings the last time we saw each other."
"It's okay, Yusei. I know that you-" Aki started, before stopping herself from interrupting.
He let out a small sigh before continuing. "No, it was wrong for me to say what I felt in the manner that I did. To make it up to you, I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the Neo Domino Symphony Orchestra performance this weekend?"
Aki blinked a few times before absorbing the fact that the man she had a crush on since she was sixteen was asking her out on a date. "Yusei, I'd love to go out with you."
Now it was his turn to be surprised as well. "Great. I'll pick you up at six."
"Sounds great. Well, I have some errands to run before I have to work tomorrow. It was good seeing you." She gave him a warm smile, just before giving him a hug.
His arms automatically moved to embrace her delicate frame. He had to resist letting his hands wander to feel her curvy hips and round butt. Just the thoughts of doing so made him swell up; feeling his pants tighten.
I've gotta get a hold of myself, He thought, still holding her.
As Aki embraced him, there was part of her that didn't want to let him go. It was just like it was years ago; she fit perfectly in his arms and the apparent attraction for each other remained intact. When she felt him letting go of him, the temperature in the room grew cold. "I'll see you Saturday."
"Yeah, I'll see you later." He muttered, as she turned to the door. Once the door shut, his body went cold just as hers did.
After a long day of practice runs with his team, Rua finally arrived home. He headed upstairs to go to his room, but he couldn't help but pass by his baby sister rummaging through a bed full of different outfits and shoes. Though he knew he should be in bed resting, he couldn't help but stop and wander into Ruka's room.
"Hey, how was practice?" She asked, holding up a deep purple dress up to her frame.
Rua continued to walk slowly into her room. "It was tiring like always. May I ask why a third of your closet is all over your bed?"
"Oh...ummm, I have a date Saturday night. Tenpei is taking me to the new exhibit at the art museum." She told him, shifting to another outfit.
The tired and hungry older sibling couldn't believe the words that just came out of his sister's mouth: Tenpei, date, and Saturday night were all the words he heard in her one sentence.
"So wait a minute...you...and my best friend are going out Saturday night?" Rua couldn't help but snicker at that.
Ruka was a little confused by her brother's repetition. "Yes, that's what I just said."
He let out a loud laugh. "You're kidding, right? This is Tenpei we're talking about. You haven't given him the time of day since we were four years old."
"No, I'm not kidding. And besides, I thought you didn't care who I dated anymore?" She raised a brow, crossing her arms.
"I don't, it's just...," Rua started, looking out the window before she cut him off.
"Just what? Look, I know you're looking out for me, but it's Tenpei! He wouldn't hurt a fly. He's just taking me out for a few hours, and that's all!" Ruka exclaimed, rolling her eyes.
"You don't understand, Ruka. He's been crushing on you since we were kids and his feelings are going to be crushed if you lead him on. I'd know; he spends time talking about you every time we hang out." Rua explained, trying to be patient.
"I don't intend to hurt his feelings, Rua, so can we stop this conversation?" She asked politely, trying her best to keep her voice down.
The older twin let out a sigh and shook his head. "Fine. I won't bother you about the subject any longer. All I ask is that you don't break his heart, please."
Before she could say another word, he headed back to his room to finally get some rest. He never believed in meddling with Ruka's love life (not that she had one to begin with), but this time it was different since it involved Tenpei. They had been friends practically from birth and as good of a guy that Tenpei, Rua was going to ensure that he would be a true best friend and not let him suffer heartache.
xXx
"So you guys are going to see the orchestra tomorrow?" Carly asked, sitting on Aki's queen sized bed, watching her rummage through her closet.
"Yeah, and I have no idea what to wear...I mean, I know the attire for going orchestra, but I'm not sure if I should wear a black dress or this purple one." Aki sighed, plopping herself on the plushy chair between her bed and vanity.
"I'd go with purple since you know everyone wears black." Carly answered, honestly.
"Speaking of purple, how did Jack like that lavender nightie?" Aki asked, waiting for the details.
Carly merely giggled. "It worked like a charm. I knew I had him when I curled my hair."
"It's funny how he was so mixed up about his feelings for you...then he comes back and is madly in to you." Aki smiled, marveling at how lucky the brunette truly was.
The brunette smiled to herself as well. "Yeah, I really am fortunate. I had no idea that he cared for me so much until he came back home a few years back. Now it's like, he'll come home from a tournament or something and the first thing he wants to do is be with me. No guy has ever done that for me."
"I hope he puts a ring on it soon. He's getting up there in age and I know you want a family with him." From the tone of her voice, Carly knew that she was kidding around.
"I do, but I want us to both be ready for that. Getting married is a big thing," Carly explained, messing with her scarf, "Okay, we're going to stop talking about me. Why won't you and Yusei get together already?"
"We're getting together this weekend. What do you mean?" Aki raised a brow with curiosity.
"Aki...you know what I mean. You guys need to start dating already. You've both been through everything together and you both legitimately care about each other. So what's holding you back from getting him?" Carly questioned, trying to get to the bottom of the situation.
Aki let out a sigh. "I really don't know honestly. I know for a fact that I love him, ever since the incident with the Dark Signers I've always loved him."
"If that's the case, you've got to go after him before some other girl snatches him away from you." Carly mentioned, gently.
At the sound of that comment, Aki couldn't help but feel a bit angered. For some reason, she thought of Sherry Leblanc whenever she imagined another girl with Yusei. The magenta haired doctor felt that the blonde had always been secretly trying to steal Yusei from her back during the WRGP tournament.
And after all these years, I still can't stand her...for whatever reason, She thought, shaking the thought from her head. "You're right. I do need to do something before that were to happen."
"Great! Now, tomorrow is going to come...and you're going to look hot for your date with Yusei...and then he could possibly take you to his place where he rips every stitch of clothing and make sweet...," Carly started, before Aki decided it was a good time to cut her off.
"I think I get it, Carly. God, what have you and Jack been doing that get's you so worked up?" Aki was still in disbelief that Carly, who used to be horrified at the idea of having sex, was all of a sudden so open about it. Not that Aki was freaked out by sex, but she didn't make an effort to talk about it all the time.
"Sorry, it's just that after my first time with Jack, I guess I'm more open about sex than I thought I'd be." Carly blushed as she realized that she got a little carried away.
"So I see." Aki laughed, while continuing to rummage through her closet for something to wear. Despite the worrying, she was looking forward to going out with Yusei. This would be the first time they spent time together in years.
I'm just hoping this goes well.
xXx
After waiting for the week to finally be over, Ruka was just about finished getting ready for her date with Tenpei. She put the last touches to her makeup before giving herself a once over. Her aqua hair was styled into nice loose waves. She wore a leopard print blouse with a thick pair of leggings, and black ankle booties. After the conversation she had with Rua a few days prior, she thought a lot about how she felt about Tenpei. In actuality, she had grown to have feelings for him within the last few years. The summer before they returned to Neo Domino City, she and Tenpei had grown close that summer. They spent a lot of time getting to know each other and eventually, Ruka had a crush on him; but she never allowed her older sibling to see right through her.
There's a lot that Rua doesn't know. It's not like I don't want to tell him, I just think the fact that if Tenpei and I get together, he's going to be too overprotective, She thought, checking the time on her phone. Tenpei would be arriving to their house soon, so she grabbed her purse and beige pea coat and headed downstairs. At the same time she shut the door to her room, Rua was beginning to walk out of his. He stared at how elegantly his sister was dressed. No matter what anyone said about her, he knew that Ruka had a pretty awesome sense of style and fashion and could make any outfit look good.
"You look really nice." He muttered, awkwardly.
Ruka couldn't help but smile. "It's okay, Rua. I know you're not looking forward to Tenpei and me going out."
The older sibling immediately felt guilty for the argument a few days prior. "That's not true. I never had a problem. I guess I've just been looking out for you and Tenpei for so long I got overprotective. I should trust your judgment more often than I do, since you're right most of the time."
"I know you were just looking out for me, but you know I would never intentionally hurt Tenpei. I like him too much to do that." Ruka told him, fidgeting with her hair.
"Soooo, not that I want to involve myself in whatever love life you have, but you have a thing for Tenpei?" Rua asked, getting a small nod from her, "Since when?"
She couldn't help but blush at the memory. "The summer before we moved back home. I just didn't want to tell you because you would freak out."
"Like I said, sis, I don't care who you date anymore. If it had to be anyone, I'm kind of glad it's Tenpei because at least I can trust him." Rua said, heading off into the kitchen.
Ruka momentarily stopped laughing when she heard the doorbell ring. Her eyes gazed into her brother's, almost as if she were silently asking for his approval.
When he looked into her eyes, Rua could remember all the times when they had grown up together. All the difficult things that his baby sister had been through; look where she was now. He smiled and gave her a nod, silently giving her his blessing.
"Hi!" She greeted, looking at Tenpei's outfit; a button down flannel shirt, dark denim jeans, a black pair of Toms, and a black leather jacket since the weather was still a bit chilly. "Well, look very sharp."
"Thanks. You look absolutely incredible," He took in how well she looked in her outfit, "You ready to go?"
"Yeah, let's go." Ruka began walking to his car. As Tenpei turned around, he felt a strong hand on his shoulder, knowing that it was Rua's.
"I trust you with her. Take good care of her, please." Rua told him, sternly.
"I love her, man. I'd never dream of letting anything happen to her." Tenpei told him, quickly following behind the beautiful bluenette to a night of wonderful memories to come.
Well, this was a nice little chapter here! Again I really do apologize for making you guys wait. Someone very close to me passed away recently, so I've been pretty down for the last few months or so. I realized after a while I shouldn't give up on life, and that the person I lost wouldn't want me to be upset. I really want to take the time to thank you guys for staying with me and being patient, faithful readers and supporters and you guys make it worthwhile to keep writing, so thank you all so much!
Cherries