Disclaimers: I don't own la corda d'oro
As You Wish Ojou-sama
Chapter 11
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"Such a disgrace!" Shuuri paced inside Kahoko's room furiously.
The engagement party of Len Tsukimori and Mori Manami ended unexpectedly, and with the crowd of media present, news immediately spread like forest fire.
"I didn't mean to ruin it..." Kahoko mumbled, she fiddled her fingers, which was resting on her lap as she sat on her bed.
"You still dare to talk back!" Shuuri glared at her daughter uncontrollably. She could feel herself shaking from the anger, getting ready to burst out. "Do you know what the media is getting out? Is this what you want?"
"I never intended—"
"Never intended what? That you would be linked to him! Tsukimori Len is about to get engaged, suddenly his fiancée runs away, when he's about to chase after her, the heiress of the Hino household stops him! What will people think of that incident?"
"I'm sorry..."
"Simply apologizing won't erase what wrong you have done! This... this scandal is... this will tarnish our family name!"
"Mother..." Kahoko slowly looked up at her mother, tears clouding her vision.
"Everyone is aware of how he was your servant before he returned home. Kahoko, do you know how shameful it is for them to know you've fallen for your servant?"
"Len is a respectable person! He came from a good family! Why should it be shameful!" Kahoko shouted back. She couldn't hold it in anymore. Her mother was being unfair. "Does this mean that Mori is also shameful? She's getting engaged to a former butler after all!"
Shuuri's eyes widen at her daughter's sudden outburst. "Did I teach you to become like this? He may be a respectable person, but when he served under you, you had no idea of who he was! Ryoutarou is much more suitable for you. He will certainly take good care of you. Mori and Len were betrothed as soon as their parents saw the connection they had."
"Enough!" Kahoko said, finally letting the tears flow. "I've had enough! For once, mother, can't you think of my happiness? Of what I want?"
"What you want now is still irrelevant. I already told you that. You are still to young to—"
"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Kahoko shouted, covering her ears like a child.
"Kahoko!"
Kahoko glared at her mother, "Do you think that I'm so naive?"
"Wh- what—" Suddenly taken aback by her daughter's sudden hostility.
"Mother, did you honestly think I didn't know? Did you think that I'll remain the spoiled clueless child you had known?"
Shuuri was speechless as Kahoko stood up from her bed, walking a few steps closer to her mother. Her eyes suddenly had an indescribable fire in them.
"Did you think that I didn't know Ryoutarou's real feelings? Everything from the start, it was all you Mother. Ryoutarou's sudden return... You must've threatened him that's why he was willing to return."
"He returned because of one simple reason! And you know that reason." Shuuri answered back.
"I know that Ryoutarou's really in love with Mori-san! It was obvious! From the start! The pain in his heart seeing the one he loves loving someone else—"
"What nonsense are you saying?" Shuuri asked incredulously.
"The way he talks about her when he came back. When he told me about the girl who stayed by his side when he was in Vietnam, the way he talks about Mori-san... is the way I talk to him about Len... And it's quite obvious he doesn't love me! The Ryoutarou I know wouldn't be so forceful!"
"Remove those foolish thoughts of yours." Shuuri said dismissively, "I've had enough of this. I'm going to retire. I suggest you have a good rest. I'm gathering reporters for a short notice press conference."
Shuuri immediately left the room. Kahoko was hyperventilating as the door closed behind her mother. It took everything she had to finally stand up to her mother. She felt her knees shaking as she fell to the floor.
It felt great.
It felt great to finally have a voice of her own...
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Bright lights. . .
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It's so blinding. . .
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I can't move. . .
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What's going on. . .
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Warmth. . . I can feel warmth. . . but I feel so numb. . .
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"Mori!"
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I can hear someone calling my name. . .
But I can't. . . speak. . .I can't find my voice. . .
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"Mori, please wake up," Ryoutarou begged.
He sat on a chair just beside her hospital bed as she held onto her un-needled hand tightly. He watched her frail form, she had an oxygen supporter, she had dextrose on her left hand... Her color was pale...
If it wasn't for the steady beeping he hears, which indicates her heartbeats, he would've thought she wasn't... alive anymore.
He internally slapped himself for thinking of it.
Even though he wasn't familiar with all the medical terms the doctor had just thrown onto him when he asked, all he could conclude is that her condition doesn't look well... Is this what Tsukimori meant by too late? Did he really mean that it's too late to save her?
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Ryou. . . stop worrying. . .
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"I won't let it sink." Ryoutarou said determinedly, "As far as I'm concerned, I only picture you as the cheerful and healthy girl, who suddenly entered my life, who became my best friend, who knows so much about me and who I..." Ryoutarou trailed off.
He sighed.
He wasn't sure whether she could even hear him. It would be like talking to air if whatever he's saying was all for nothing. But he had to believe right? He had to believe that somewhere, in the recess of her mind, his words are registering to her...
"I'm sick of pretending." Ryoutarou finally said.
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When had you even pretended?
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"Remember back then? When we promised each other that there won't be any secrets between us? That was when we told each other of our loves." Ryoutarou paused.
He sighed again as he freed one of his hands from holding Mori's. He used his free hand to reach up to her face, he gently brushed her brown hair away from her clear face. All he wanted was for her to open her eyes and let him see the emerald jewels beneath her eyelids...
"I care about you...you know that?" He said softly.
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I know... and I'm thankful for that. . .
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"I have to confess something to you." Ryoutarou said, bringing his hand back to hers. "I wasn't being completely honest with you. Let's just say, at first I was shy to admit it." He chuckled shortly.
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Shy?
Ryoutarou Tsuchiura is shy?
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"If ever you can hear me, I'm sure you're laughing, or maybe barely controlling your laughter," He chuckled again, then sighed as his face was wiped off of his smile. "But now, it's different...I was threatened. I had no choice. I couldn't tell you the truth even if I had wanted to. But now because everything's in jeopardy, I might as well tell you..."
Ryoutarou gently brought Mori's cold hand to his forehead as he tried to recount the past.
"There's only one reason why I would come back to Japan all of a sudden." He started, "And I'm sure you're thinking of the wrong reason as to why I came back. Maybe you suspected something, but never thought of it any more."
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Something I suspected?
Yes, I did.
Why would someone like you, who holds soccer as the most important, would suddenly leave it behind and come back?
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"Knowing how observant, calculative and smart you are," He couldn't help but grin, imagining her rage upon his adjectives. "I'm sure you had all the right questions, and even though this is a one-sided conversation, I hope I can answer whatever questions you might have. I do pray that you can hear me. I feel kind of stupid talking to an unconscious girl," He joked.
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EXCUSE me!
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"I didn't come back for Kahoko." Ryoutarou said seriously, "You would've wondered why I suddenly came back. You must've noticed why I never spoke about soccer anymore. You must've wondered why I came back when I left Kahoko without looking back and when I turned down your offer to come back with you, here in Japan, in the past..."
Ryoutarou paused to catch his breath.
He was starting to get anxious for some reason.
"It was because someone important to me was going to be in danger." He let go of her hand as he clenched his own. Just remembering it... it just makes him so mad to know how helpless he actually is...
"Shuuri-san had come to me one day when I was still in Vietnam... She offered me something. Something I would've wanted very much, but she had no idea that my heart had changed..."
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Your heart?
For whom?
You. . .You never told me anything. . .
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"My heart changed, I didn't expect it to, but it did..." Ryoutarou watched Mori's still form intently, as if hoping some sort of movement would occur, as if her eyes would flutter open any minute now.
"I fell in love with you, Mori."
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L- lie. . .
That's. . .
That's impossible. . .
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"Maybe you won't be able to believe me now, but you will..." Ryoutarou chuckled half-anxiously as if he had heard her thoughts. "And as you have come to know Shuuri-san, she won't take no for an answer."
Ryoutarou closed his eyes, remembering that trap... that encounter with Shuuri...
He didn't think he was walking right through a trap when Shuuri simply asked him to have coffee with her the next day after he rejected her offer. Shuuri had asked the reason for his refusal, he had answered honestly, glad for the older woman's understanding.
But.
He would never have thought that she would turn everything against him.
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Then the reason why you came back...
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"You." Ryoutarou said, "You're her trump card in making me her pawn... And now... It seems like I'm just going to lose you..." He said weakly. "If only I was stronger. If only I could go against her. If only I had confessed my feelings earlier to you... would it change the outcome? Would you have found a greater purpose to keep on living instead of suffering like this?" Ryoutarou asked.
He sighed frustratedly this time as he stood up.
"Would you have had more hope to live in knowing that I'm in love with you? Is that thought so childish of me?"
He could feel it.
Whether it was because he was angry or because he's about to lose her... he could feel it...
His tears...
"Would you try to keep yourself alive knowing that I'm in love with you? Even if the reason was because you'd feel guilty leaving me brokenhearted... I'd rather it be that way than seeing you die without a fight!"
"Ryoutarou-kun." Misa said softly as she entered Mori's hospital room.
Misa looked at him with a soft expression, even though she didn't really know much about the young adult in front of her, she could feel her heart clenching in his stead. By the looks of it, he's very much in love with the young lady. It suddenly reminded her of her son, Len, who had looked so lost upon hearing about Mori's sickness.
The undeniable pain written in his eyes were enough evidence of his feelings.
She suddenly felt the need to apologize to him...
"I'm sorry," Misa said softly, "We should've insisted that she admit herself into the hospital... but instead, we pushed through with the engagement party..."
Ryoutarou shook his head at the older woman, "There's no need to apologize to me, or to her," He said, glancing at Mori's quiet form, "This is what she would've wanted. This selfish girl wants to live her life to the fullest." He clenched his hands to his side.
"There might still be a chance to save her," Misa said encouragingly, "She still hadn't been admitted to the ICU yet. There must still be a chance for her."
"That chance will only work if Mori wants to live. Without her fighting from the other side... it's useless..."
"I—"
"I'm sorry Hamai-san," Ryoutarou said politely, "I have... to go somewhere." He narrowly avoided a collision with the older woman as he hurriedly left Mori's room.
Misa didn't look back at the boy who had gone outside, instead she watched the still form of the girl whom she had thought was going to be her daughter-in-law anytime soon...
Misa slowly walked beside Mori's bed.
She had tried to fight her own tears, but it deemed useless seeing the girl's still form. "Your heart must be what's hurting the most right now," She said softly, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry dear... It must've hurt so much knowing Len's heart could never be yours from the start... I'm so sorry for being unobservant..."
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Misa-san. . .
It's not your fault. . .
It was my choice. . .
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"Now, I have to ask for Maika's forgiveness again..."
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You don't. . .
Mother isn't blaming you for anything. She's happy, I'm sure of it, beacause you and your husband are happy. . .
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"I'm sorry..."
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Ryoutarou swallowed hard as he leaned on the wall outside the hospital. He needed to fresh air, he needed to clear his mind, his heart...
He's regretting it now. Regretting that he had never told her his feelings in the past. Now, it's too late to hear her response. He will stay stuck in the moment, wondering what her answer would've been if she was awake.
He shook his head.
It's no use trying to hope for too much.
She's obviously in love with Tsukimori, that much he can tell. She'd never sacrifice so much if that weren't the case...
"How's her condition?"
Ryoutarou looked up tiredly, even though he knew who it was, he didn't have the energy to act arrogant at the moment.
Len stiffened seeing Ryoutarou's seemingly lifeless expression. He looked at him menacingly, "Which room is she in?" He immediately asked.
"Your mother's with her right now." Ryoutarou said.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"She's in a coma..." He grabbed Len's arm when Len was about to go into the hospital, "Give them the time they need. Your mother feels guilty about everything. Have you told her it wasn't her fault?" Ryoutarou asked, standing straight from his leaning form.
Len sighed thinking that Ryoutarou was right. "She's won't listen. She thinks that it was her incapability. She keeps on apologizing to me, she's apologizing for not listening or asking for my opinion about her plans... the engagement and everything..."
"Well that's true," Ryoutarou said a little sarcastically.
Len glared at Ryoutarou, "It isn't her fault."
The two young adults stayed silent as they both glared at each other.
But after a few seconds Ryoutarou closed his eyes and looked away, he sighed frustratedly. "You're a hell lot luckier than I am, you know that?" He said.
Len's brows burrowed as he tried to dissect Ryoutarou's words.
"My precious childhood friend's heart had been hurting because I could never look at her, now she's suffering physically and there's nothing I can do about it. The one person I love is also hurting because I keep on brushing her away. Now, I don't know where we stand. Tell me, am I really that lucky?"
"Kahoko will always love you. No matter how many times you push away, that girl is just too stubborn." Ryoutarou said.
Len couldn't help a small smile when Ryoutarou said that. Yes, indeed. The spoiled lady would never take no for an answer. "Are you trying to reassure me?" Len said, looking at Ryoutarou disbelievingly.
Ryoutarou shrugged. Len didn't have to hear the truth from him. He'd rather only Mori knew about his real feelings.
"But I'm sure Kahoko cares about you too." Len said in return.
Ryoutarou chuckled as he shook his head, "She will always only see me as her childhood friend who had left her behind. You shouldn't worry about Mori anymore," Ryoutarou said, looking at Len straight in the eyes, "It's Kahoko who you need to care for."
"I owe Mori a great deal," Len said quietly.
"I'll take care of her from now on." Ryoutarou said in a hard voice. "Her time's almost up. I'm sure she's happy enough, almost getting engaged to you, staying by your side for four years... I'm sure she'd want you to grab your happiness this time."
Len was about to snap back a retort since he talked about Mori's death so lightly... then he saw the expression on Ryoutarou's face.
He was obviously masking his pain...
Mori's sickness... Her condition... It must be affecting him a lot more than he's letting others see...
"Then give this to her if she wakes up," Len said in a small voice, handing Ryoutarou a sealed letter envelope.
Ryoutarou nodded wordlessly.
"Thanks," Len said, immediately running opposite the hospital.
Ryoutarou sighed as he looked up at the sky, "This is what you would've wanted...right Mori?"
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Kahoko stood in front of her bedroom window, staring at the front gates... Somehow she was hoping. Hoping that Len would come for her... She could still remember her father's words in the past...
Trust him.
And she had never stopped trusting him until now. He had returned after four years... He had promised that he will return to her side, and she will keep on believing in that promise of his...
Kahoko heard a knock on her bedroom door, but she chose to ignore it if ever it was her ever-so-controlling mother again. Whatever her mother wants, she won't give it to her. No one can make her feelings for Len change... maybe... there could be one person who will be able to persuade her... it is—
"Don't you think it's rude not to greet me, sweet Kahoko?"
Kahoko turned around and jumped, her eyes widen at the obvious surprise visit...
—Her grandfather.
"G-Grandfather." Kahoko instantly bowed in respect as the old man in a wheelchair, being pushed by a maid, entered her room.
"Oh?" The old man said in surprise, "Little Kahoko already knows how to show respect? If I remember, you never bowed in front of anybody."
Kahoko blushed in embarrassment as he mentioned her younger days, "I'm sorry, I was being unreasonably spoiled back then. I have already learned my lesson."
"So it seems," He said, waving his hand, signaling the maid to let him manipulate his wheelchair for himself. He rolled the wheels closer to Kahoko, "But, it seems like you're still acting selfish."
Kahoko flinched. She instantly knew what her grandfather was talking about... It was the headlines which was out in today's newspaper... about the ruined engagement of Tsukimori-Manami. About the unexpected event that took place. About her holding Len's hand when he was about to chase after his fiancée...
She knew that it will cause a huge scandal... but she never would've thought that the most powerful man in their family tree would actually come here personally to chastise her about it... Or maybe, the reason why the old man came here personally was to ship her somewhere far away, hidden, until the scandal dies down.
Kahoko stood still by the window, nervously waiting what he had to say about the matter.
"I'm sure your mother already went through the important things with you already, so I'm sure that you are aware of the reason why you can never be with that lad. He is your servant, let's say that you are allowed to be with him, what will happen to the future of the Tsukimori household? It would be inhuman to make your children servants until they turn of age. The tradition we have held for so long will instantly crumble."
"Let me speak informally," Kahoko said, asking for permission.
As soon as her grandfather gave her his approval, she leaned back on the wall.
"Wouldn't it be better that way, Grandfather? This is a modern day world already, things like master and servant barriers died a long time ago already. What really ever mattered now is love. If you were to reason like Mother in the past, when she said that Len is just a servant, look at him right now. Look at how he lives his life. Can you still tell that he's a lowly servant?"
Grandfather eyed Kahoko, which had made the lady flinch again. Did she step over a landmine?
"Is this still the same child that came over my house during summer? The spoiled little granddaughter of mine who doesn't have a single care in the world?"
Kahoko shook her head, "She grew up Grandfather. And Len was the one who helped me."
"Kahoko—"
"Ojou-sama."
Kahoko's eyes widen seeing Len actually standing right in front of her bedroom door, trying to catch his breath. He had obviously ran from wherever he came from to get here.
Len was about to say something more, but froze upon seeing Kahoko's grandfather in the room with her.
"What do I owe this surprise visit for?" The old man said pleasantly, wheeling his wheelchair in front of his granddaughter. "If I'm not mistaken, I'm quite certain that this is the last place you would choose to visit. I heard that your fiancée is in a critical condition, I pray for her health."
Len bowed at him respectfully, "Thank you. Mori is indeed in a critical condition, she is currently in a coma, and the doctors are not certain when... or if she will ever wake up. But, I thank you for concern."
"Then should you not be by her side? You are most likely needed there."
Len shook his head, "Someone is watching over her in my place, and I am certain that he is the one who Mori wants to be by her side more."
"I do not think so." Kahoko's grandfather instantly disagreed, "I have talked to that child sometime in the past. Her heart is certainly only for you. She has a pure heart and her type will only love one person whole-heartedly."
Len looked away as he felt a sharp stab from his words.
"I am right, then." The old man said, obviously satisfied upon Len's silence. "So, why have you come here? Could it be because you... you are being disloyal to your fiancée?"
"She knows where my heart truly belongs." Len immediately said, as soon as the words flew out of his mouth, he had regretted it. Kahoko's grandfather wasn't stupid. He will instantly know what his words had meant.
"I see," His eyes narrowed upon Len's statement, "Well, I'm sorry to waste your time for something that will not have a result which will be to your liking."
"Grand—"
He ignored Kahoko and continued to speak to Len, slowly wheeling himself nearer to the young prodigy, "The sole reason why I came here, is to take my granddaughter as far away as possible from you."
Kahoko's breath stopped at her grandfather's words. What? She was going to be separated from... from Len!
She was about to open her mouth in protest when Len beat her to it. "Sir, if I may be disrespectful, please reconsider that idea."
"Why?" He asked, "Clearly, my granddaughter has caused a great inconvenience to the three households."
"No." Len immediately countered, "She has not."
"That's clearly a lie." Kahoko's grandfather said, "It's no use to cover up for Kahoko. She already knows it deep inside how much trouble her actions has caused. During the time when she's away, I'm sure that the scandal will die down. What Kahoko has done was shameful, ruining your—"
"I love her," Len said straight out, "Sir." He added after a second thought.
Kahoko felt her heart skip a beat at Len's words... it was her first time hearing him say that out loud... She immediately stood in front of her grandfather.
"Please. Please let me be with him. I don't care whether everyone is against it, as long as you agree with it, I don't care about anything else. Please Grandfather. I..." Kahoko looked at floor, "I beg you."
Len's eyes widen as Kahoko said those last words...which she hesitatingly. The rich, spoiled Kahoko, no matter how much she tries to change, has a considerable amount of pride and ego. She would never, never, have begged for her request to be fulfilled.
Even her Grandfather was surprised by her words. He shook his head and sighed as he wheeled his wheelchair a few feet away from the two young adults.
"Little Kahoko who had never lowered her pride once." He looked at Kahoko strictly, "Do you know that it's like you have just thrown your shield away? Do you know how reckless that is?"
Kahoko bit her lower lip, she couldn't talk back to him.
"You've changed." He said softly this time.
Kahoko and Len looked at the soft expression that suddenly appeared from the old man's worn out features. He offered a small kind smile to the two youngsters. He looked at Len in the eyes this time, "You're the one responsible for changing her into this kind of person, are you not?"
"I..." Len said speechlessly.
"He is." Kahoko answered. "Len has taught me a lot of things, especially when we were in high school..."
Her grandfather nodded. "Then, go."
Kahoko's eyes widen. "G-Grandfather?"
The old man chuckled tiredly, "Go. You two are no longer children. Go, go wherever you wish to go. Go somewhere where these adult hands can no longer control you."
Kahoko couldn't help herself as she hugged her grandfather tightly. He approved! His approval meant everything to her. Especially now that she got his approval, her mother no longer had any say in this matter.
When she let go of her grandfather, she instantly turned around. To look at the one man she had loved for a long time already. Len gave her a soft smile, and Kahoko instantly ran into his arms.
"I love you, I love you!" Kahoko cried, throwing her arms around her neck as she hugged him tightly.
"Kahoko," Len breathed.
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A/N: Review please. Yes, sadly dear readers, this is the end :( BUT! An epilogue will be available. It depends on the number to requests I get from you guys.
The epilogue will include what has become of Mori. If there are any of you who are interested, that is.
Any request as to what you guys might want to know about? Which I should include in the epilogue chappie?
Review please!