A/N: 2 Weeks away and now I'm officially feels like a caveman ._. (Ps: READ THE BOTTOM A/N)
Reminder! There are two girls with the same name (Akiyama Mio), both has the same look. There are actually two things goes different for one another. First one is their eye-color: Mio has GREY-EYES, while Mio has BLUE-EYES; Second one is their hair-style: Mio has the hime-cut with a black-colored hair, while Mio has the slightly curly-cut with a black-colored hair.
To make the different between these two in dialogues, I use the "normal" and "bold" text.
"Stay"
"To know that one has a secret is to know half the secret itself." -Henry Ward Beecher
Chapter 11: Secrets!
"I heard Tainaka Ritsu-san was engaged already!"
"Hey, where's that come from? You're acting like my wife now, always gossiping around about people~"
"Sheeze, I don't want to barge into my boss' life. I love my job, alright~"
"No." The brunette said it firmly and clearly without even turning her way towards the girl behind her.
"Will you stop being so careless? It's for your own good!"
"I said 'No' and I know what's good for me," She got even frustrated when she can't even do her tie. Groaning in a lot of annoyance, the brunette turned around. "Have I told you that I'm fine? How many times I've said it, Mio? You said you trust me, yet you do this to me. Whoever that guy is, he knows nothing about me."
"He may be not, but I do."
"You do? If you do, then you shouldn't have asked me to have him look after me." The room suddenly filled with a utter silence. Akiyama Mio doesn't know when or how Tainaka Ritsu could act as annoying as this. While Ritsu keep acting more careless than she used to, Mio couldn't move an inch from the spot she's been standing on. This could only be mean one thing,
"Then I guess I don't know you better, Ritsu."
Tainaka Ritsu has said it the wrong way. She knew it, "Mio, that's not what I-"
"I'm sorry." The black-haired girl turned around towards the door and walk outside the bedroom. Ritsu hate it when Mio act like that because of her, she hates it when her anger got the best of her until she doesn't even think before she blurt out words. She heard a sob or two and the third times she heard that sob, she chased down Mio and grabbed her by the wrist. Mio, on the other side, feeling the firm hand grasp hers all in a sudden. She got pulled and turned around swiftly.
In seconds, Mio came face to face with Ritsu before she could hide the tears running down her cheeks. "Mio… Please, Mio… don't cry… I'm sorry," Ritsu was getting panic when Mio decides to keep crying. She pulled the shy girl into a warm embrace. "C'mon, Mio… You know that's not what I meant… I was just being stupid and careless when my anger got the better side of me…"
"I- Is it… my f- fault if… If I'm w- w- worry about… y- you?" Mio said between sobs and move closer into the brunette's hug.
"No… No, of course not, Mio… It's my fault, okay?" Ritsu's voice was getting really soft and comforting. She started to moving her hand on top of Mio's head and caressing it slowly to calm her down. "I just don't want you to get too much worry about me and my ill. You know how I hate such attention… and having you act like that… I guess it's pretty gotten into my anger."
The shy scaredy-cat girl didn't immediately reply what Ritsu said, instead, she's squeezing Ritsu with her arms around the tomboy's neck. "Please… Don't leave me, Ritsu…"
Wha- ?It strucked Ritsu's brain as she frowned in confuse. "Leave? What are you talking about now, Mio?"
"Just please… Please stay and don't ever leave me…"
Ritsu was really confused with Mio's act. It was as if Mio figured that somehow Ritsu would leave her, but Ritsu never even dare to think about that. Akiyama Mio is the girl Ritsu proposed to and she'd say yes to it. She's Ritsu's fiancé now and Ritsu did all of that not just because she likes Mio physically. Akiyama Mio is the one for Tainaka Ritsu. So, what is the meaning of 'leaving' here?
What's Mio talking about?
"Is he outside?" Ritsu asked between the utter silences once Mio stopped crying. Mio only replied her with a nod while her head never leave Ritsu's shoulder. "I'm going to talk to him now."
Mio suddenly pulled back from the hug and stares at Ritsu, frowning. Ritsu knew it so well and decided to continue her words before Mio could ask another thing.
"I will let him look after me twenty-four hours, just like what you said. Don't worry, I won't overdo things in and outside the workplace."
Biip! Biiip! Biiii- Click.
The man picked up the call and laid himself on the big chair. "Tainaka Ryuuji speaking."
"Excuse me, sir, but you have an appointment meeting at one-thirty pm with Mr. Kotobuki."
"Ah, thank you for the notice." Then he hung up the phone call. Sighing, he stood up from the CEO of the big company's desk and made his way out from the room. This room used to be his room, but now it's not anymore. The big job has been moved to another person's hand and not just any random person, this is his one daughter, Tainaka Ritsu. He remembered the time when Ritsu agreed to take the big job at the company. It was a rather forceful way, but it works perfectly well.
"You didn't read the email I sent to you, did you?"
"There's no reason to. I marked it as spam."
The man deadpanned and sighed in defeat. "Alright, it's your own lost. Here, read it carefully before you say anything else."
"No." The brunette firmly said.
"What? I said read it first before you say anything."
"Yes and I know what's inside it already, even though I haven't read it. I know you wanted me to run the big company, but you do know too that I don't have any intention to do this." She moved the document back. "Three wishes and you take back your big spot here, as for me; I will get my life back as a College student."
"Very well then. You shouldn't run this company and get your life back."
"You understa-"
"But, I won't accept your relationship with her. She's not allowed to live in the same apartment with you and don't worry, I'll get her a new apartment in return. You will marry Mio, Haruka's daughter, instead."
"Are you making that up? There's no such thing in our deal. You can't force me to break-up with Mio or marry that girl. You don't forget about our deal, right?"
"Perhaps, you don't forget about the newest deal, hm?"
"What do you mean? Newest deal? I'm no-"
"See? You never read my emails, this is the cause. Oh well, I have given you that and am going to explain it to you. You have your three wishes, but with one condition."
"What was that?"
"I told you to read it first, didn't I?"
"I told you, I marked it as spam!"
"I've given you better offers. Open and read it." She opened and started to read the offers her father mentioned about. "First, you take the big job, your three wishes and I will accept your relationship with her. Second, you leave the big job and I will not accept the relationship, then you have to marry Mio. Third, take the job overseas for five years and I will accept the relationship. Choose one wisely, my dear daughter."
"Tch!"
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The sound of someone who knocks the door snapped him back to the reality. He cursed softly, "Come inside" He said. Seconds later, the door opened and revealed a man in black suit. "My car's ready?"
"Yes, sir."
He was about to step out of the room and tighten the tie on his neck, but he stopped. "Ritsu," He silently spoke, "You're late."
"What are you doing here?"
"Came by to see if you get to work on time or not. Apparently, you are late." He finished fixing the tie and walked away without any word to say to Ritsu. Not even a simple 'goodbye' or 'see you later'. "I forgive you for now, but there will be no next time, Ritsu." The brunette stood still and instinctively clenched one of her fists as if she was ready to hit someone on the face.
"Wait," She said without turning around at her father. Taking a deep breath, she slowly turns back and said, "There's… Well… There's something I need to tell you, Dad." The silence slowly killing Ritsu, she just had to get it done fast. "…So, can you come inside my room for a few minutes?" Without even giving Ritsu any reply, he turned around and walked inside the room again. He stood there, waiting for the brunette to start it soon. She took one deep breath and pulled one of her hands nearby her chest, showing something circled around one of her fingers.
The man's eyes went wide in shock as he realized what his daughter was trying to say. "Is that… an engagement ring… Ritsu?" He slowly asked.
"Uh… well… yeah… it is an engagement ring."
"When…?" He asked again almost immediately.
Scratching the back of her head nervously, she even started to think why it would feel really hard for her to confess about the engagement. She never knew this would be too hard to do, but then again a plan always seems easier than the real thing. Well, I've agreed to the deal to take this big company. So, my parents had to agree to our engagement, no matter what. She took another deep breath and said, "Last night… I proposed… and uh… she said 'yes' to it." The last part sounds more like a mutter, even Ritsu felt that way too.
Her father didn't seem to find a good answer or even question. He was surprised with this news, but no matter how he tries to against them, it will be no use. She's taking this seriously… Though I never knew it will be this fast, but… He sighed and ends his thoughts right there. "Listen, I know you told your mom and me about your plan. I got to be honest that I was really taken aback at how fast you did it and no… No, I'm not going to disagree, instead, there's something else bothers my mind and… you need to know this."
"Wait, so you're okay with this? I mean, with Mio and I being a soon married-couple? I uh… I thought you'll… you know…"
"No, I told you I'm not going to disagree. I've seen you taking it really seriously, so I should've known if you're all prepared about the future reference. You know, about people and those paparazzi, which will chases you down and not just you, it goes the same for her."
"I've thought about it… about everything… Oh! You said I need to know something, what is it?"
"Well… It's… A-" He was cut by the sound of the knocking door. He sighed in defeat and annoyance. "I'm done in five!"
"You had a meeting this morning?" She received a simple nod and followed by a soft groan. "Uhm, can you not tell mom? I'll go tell her about it tonight, don't worry."
Ryuuji face palmed and sighed in defeat. "Alright, but don't leave before I go back, there's something I need to tell you. I will go to attend my meeting now and for you, I don't want to hear any report about you who spend more than three hours at lunch time. Do you understand?"
"Yes, dad, I won't do that. Now go before they call you again." And so her father opened the door, and then walked out of the CEO room. He frowned a bit when he noticed two black suited men stood on both sides of the door. He knew one of these guys was Ritsu's private bodyguard and his old bodyguard back then, but the other one is not familiar. Ryuuji was about to ask Ritsu if she decided to get two bodyguards, but Ritsu got it ahead of him. "He's my new private bodyguard. Don't worry, you can trust him."
"You should have a good explanation at home about this one. I'm going."
"No!" Akiyama Mio jumped off from her bed in shock, her dream is the cause of this. For the tenth times ever since she's back to her conscious, the same dream has always came to her. Every single dream shows the people even clearer than the last one, but it's still the same dream that she's been having. It was terrible, it wasn't a nice dream, it's not at all. She believes it was her past, it must be her past, but there's nothing and no one could tell her the truth.
There's no live proof now.
Father hides something from me, I knew it. She had decided to find the clue and proof by herself. She knew it so well that her father would avoid every single question she asks about her ill and bad dreams. No, her private doctor seems too suspicious too; she somehow shouldn't believe all the things he said. "One way or another, I need to find anything before he comes back." She started to search for anything, evidence, proof that could help her finding the truth about her odd dreams.
The black-haired girl then notices that there is no single picture of her in her father's room. It's not like he must put it, but it's just odd now that she realized there's no picture of her in this house. She opened the desk, searching impatiently in every single corner. She was about to give it up, until something caught her attention.
"This… the family picture…?"
The old photo shows a family, though it only has three members, they all look so happy. A mother, a father and a daughter; the little girl was in her kindergarten uniform. It seems that it was a really old picture, judging by the color of it. She frowns at the picture, she try to close her eyes and force her mind to remember. No, there's none, there's nothing came to her mind. This is not right, it shouldn't be like this, and she should've easily remembered little things happened when she was a child.
It was me… was it?
Doubt starting to crept in her mind and makes her think that it could be true. It could be true that she's not from this family.
"Then again… why can't I remember…? Who am I…?"
Drap!
The sound of the door snapped her back to the reality. She didn't see it coming, she didn't hear the footsteps getting nearer, and she didn't even have the chance to hide now. In the fastest movement, she put the frame back to its spot and raised her head in surprise. "Oh, father! Y- You're home?" She quickly responded before her father could ask another thing.
Somehow, the man could see something goes wrong. "Yes, I'm back to take my documents that I left this morning, and what are you doing here, Mio?"
"Eh? N- Nothing, I uh… I was just going to take this pen-" She took the pen on the floor, which she dropped it on purpose and stood up slowly. "-and I was looking for… Uhm…" She glanced everywhere, anything that she could possibly use for an excuse. "Ah! That!"
The suited man instinctively turned around as soon as his daughter pointed her finger at something behind him. He raised his eyebrow in confuse, "Are you sure? That pink colored book?" Without asking furthermore, he walked towards it and took it easily up on top of the big cabinet. "The Princess and The Knight Tale" He read the title almost whispering.
"Yes, father… I was looking for that, ever since I saw it not long ago around here." She accepted the book as soon as her father handed it to her. "Thanks, father. Uhm… I won't bother you anymore; I will take my leave now. Excuse me." With her politeness, she bowed down and walks to the door.
"Chotto, Mio." The man's voice was surprisingly cold and firm. She stopped immediately, but not turns around yet. "That book… What makes you want to read it so badly?"
Mio couldn't comprehend any reply. She chooses this book just for her excuse, there's no personal reason to it.
"Please, if you don't mind, put it back here if you have no reason."
Is there anything wrong with this book? She exhaled nervously and finally turned around. "Do I really have to tell you? I said this book looks interesting, that's all. There's nothing more, father and why are you acting like this just because of a story tale book? Is this book held something important for you? I'm your daughter, father. Can you tell me the truth?"
This time, it was the other way around. The suited man lowered his head in regret and anger. Mio knew it, she can sense it, but at this rate, she knew that anyone could sense it. He clenched his fists and deep thinking about something. "I'm sorry," A hoarse yet full of regrets voice suddenly said, breaking the silence, but not the tense yet. "You should know, and I know it's about time for you." Sighing, he pulled out the big chair and took a seat on it.
"What… are you talking about?" Mio asked doubtfully and started to think that this man knew, she came to this room not for the book in her hand, but for something else.
"Please, questions later. Take a seat, all you have to do now is listening and answers to what I'm going to say." He looked down at the desk and pulled it open just to found the frame of his family picture wasn't put properly in its spot. He slowly took it and staring at the frame. "This won't be a big surprise for you. Perhaps, you've been really curious, ne?"
A frown was all he received as a respond.
"Fine, it's your choice to keep standing with your feet. Now, admit it, you didn't come here for that book, did you?"
"I thought you're going to tell me something?"
"I thought I've said it clear to you: 'Questions Later'" She didn't look away; she somehow knew that this time, this man didn't try to talk to his 'daughter'. The serious look on her face made him even more curious. "So you really came here for another purpose. You found this, right?" He held the frame a little higher, which finally earned him a respond he's been waiting for.
"Why are you doing this to me?"
He sighed, "It all started after the big aircraft, which caused my family got separated..."
• Flashback •
"Hold her tightly! Mio, don't let go of your mom!"
"Daddy! No!"
"Mio-chan!"
BOMB!
Blank… Dark… "40. Clear!"
Thump!
Wait... "45. Clear!"
Thump!
"50. Clear!"
THUMP! And he lost his conscious...
He opened his eyes, ignoring the headache that came over him as soon as he could see where he's at. Hospital...? Hold on... My wife... Mio... Where-"Argh!" He stopped when his body refuses to move. It feels really hurt when he forced it to move, he tries once again and he groaned again. "Ugh, what... I can't... move..." For the second time, he tries to get up from the bed, trying his best while ignoring the painful wound all over his body and brain.
"Whoa, whoa! Hold on there, sir!" The bespectacled man in white stopped him. "You need to lie down."
"No..." He weakly replied, now trying to get away from the other man's grip. "I can't... My wife... Daughter... I gotta-"
"They're safe now, don't worry." The doctor replied quickly, making him stopped in seconds and sighed in relief. "Now, you have to fully recover if you want to see them soon."
• • •
"Make sense at how miraculously it all happened. I thought I was going to die, but no, God has another big plan for me."
• • •
"What happened to her…?" He asked with both eyes widened in shock and fear. He stood there, in front of the closed door and look through its little window. Inside the room, lies there his one beloved wife. "C- Can I see her now…? Please… I need to…"
A tap on his shoulder made him raised his head. "Soon. She's not in a good condition to back to her conscious now, unlike you; she has a lot more serious problem with her brain. She might not remember certain memories and people when she's wake up."
"When…?"
"When she'll wake up? I can't predict it so well, it could be months. But, if you ask when you could see her, it won't be long. Two weeks and you're allowed to see her after we move her to another room.
He sighs in relief; this is what he needs to know. At least, he knew his wife will wake up, even though the doctor can't predict it clearly when, all he knew now is that she will wake up and he will be waiting no matter how long it takes.
"Excuse me, Doc. The patient in room 335 is awake; they said we need to tell you as soon as she's back to her conscious."
"Oh, right, thanks." He turned to the other man, "I think you better be come with me now." The two walking fast to room 335, since it's not that far, it didn't took long for them. The doctor waste no time as he reached the door knob and pushed it open.
For the second time, the man's eyes behind the doctor widened in shock the second he stepped inside room 335. Long black-hair……Mio…
The girl was struggling against the nurses' hold on both of her arms. "It's okay now, let go of her." The doctor ordered as he walked closer to the patient. "Don't worry, we want to help you. There's nothing to worry about."
She finally looks up to the doctor, showing her pair of blue orbs. "What I'm doing here? How come I ended up here?"
"Calm down first, takes one deep breath." She followed the doctor's advice and took a deep breath; she felt quite better and decided to lay herself back on the bed. Once she's down, the doctor started to ask her a simple question. "Now, can you tell me your name?"
The girl felt a big pang of realization. "Name… My… Name…?"
"Yes, your name."
"I…" She ran one of her hands to her forehead and closed her eyes tightly. "My… Name… Ugh, what is it…? What's my name…? I don't know… I had no idea what's my name… Why? Why can't I-" The pain stopped her from talking even more.
"Hold on, don't push it, just forget what I asked. Don't think about it, okay?"
"No… Tell me… Why can't-"
• • •
"You were keeping struggling with yourself to remember that simple thing. Seeing you, it made me remember my daughter and I don't want you to get hurt. So, when the doctor was about to inject you, all I could say to stop it, was…
"Akiyama Mio."
"It did stop you... and the doctor's intention to inject you. You started to put your eyes on me, those eyes- which are the only thing goes wrong for me- are looking at me curiously and also full of doubts. One thing you asked me was…
"How'd you know…?"
He chuckled, not because it's funny, but because of how stupid he was at that time. "Out of instinct, I said to you that I know your name because you're my daughter. You started to throw me another question about the proof that I really am your father, at that rate where I was so frustrated of finding my daughter; I just pulled out my wallet and showed you the picture of my family. This picture. I told you that you were this little girl in the middle, but the doctor held me back by putting his hand on my chest."
• • •
"Enough. That's enough; you can go back to my office." The doctor put his hand on the other man's chest as firmly as his voice. He clenched the man's shirt and pulled him fiercely towards himself, "We need to talk." Then released his grip as he pushed him back.
The doctor had injected the black-haired girl and she slowly drifted out of her conscious.
"She won't remember what happened to her earlier when she wakes up. Call me soon in my office when there's any sign of her conscious." He said to the nurse. "Keep her company." The doctor sighed and walked out of the room along with the other man. "You shouldn't have done that."
The man can't manage to say anything while keep his head hung down low. He was deep in thought about something but it didn't last long. Once the two arrived in front of the doctor's room, Mr. Akiyama stopped all in a sudden. "Does she have any parents or relative?" He asked with those curious eyes.
"It doesn't have anything to do with you, whether she has relatives or not."
"It has."
"What are you-?"
"I want to adopt her."
A/N: FYI, you guys need to know that I just got outta the Hospital. Why? No, I'm not sick; it's my Grandma. She's hospitalized for two weeks and I NEED to keep her company for two weeks straight at the hospital. It's frustrating to be away from Social-Networking and other web activities I usually do for more than a week.
Due to my boredom, I decided to write/continue this story. No, there's no internet connection and I don't have any notebook/laptop to use. All I have is my cell phone, so there's only one thing I could possibly do. I wrote it all in my cell's MemoPad. Miraculously, it only took up 2 days to write 4,000+ words. In two weeks, I got 7,000+ words for this chapter, honestly (w/o this Author Note).
I was quite in a silly dilemma about releasing this chapter with the whole 7,000+ words at once or blend it into two chapters. Last decision is to blend it into two, so next time I need to update this, it wouldn't be so hard or even take more time.
Let's see, a little spoiler then: Start from this chapter, complicated things are slowly getting clearer. It might be hard to understand, but yeah, I'm still trying my best to deliver my thoughts about this story to the readers (if there still any) out there.
OH! One more before the last one, I gotta tell you guys that my spamming session on the page or my twitter acc or even tumblr acc, will start again. Yes, #Mitsulicious and #YuiAzuness! (No, it's no longer #MitsuFever LOL)
AT LAST, if there are things made you even more confuse than you already is with this chapter, please tell me in the PM or just simply put it in the review page. (Ps: I will put Akiyama Mio's bio in the next chappie)
Sincerely,
iDutchman | Signing Off