A/N: Before we start this show; your thoughts on the VK manga getting a sequel this summer?
Chapter 17: His Detective, Not His Secretary
"I can't believe you took a day off for this. Really, it wasn't necessary… I can do this on my own, you know."
"While I adore your independency, and find it outrageously sexy sometimes, right now I need you to put it aside. This is about me too. And…" He grasped her hand with his left one and kissed it, all the while keeping his eyes on the road. "Getting to spend the day with you is always a pleasure."
Yuuki blushed and smiled, secretly delighted of his touch and his sentiments. "Spending the day stalking your ex-girlfriend from hell, you mean."
"I prefer the term "shadowing". It's more my style. Ex-girlfriend from hell or not – doesn't really matter to me as long as I have my heavenly girlfriend next to me. All I need in this life of sin…"
Yuuki giggled, clenching his hand. "I can't get rid of you no matter what, huh?"
"Correct. Besides, could you manage without me? Ah," he sighed, "all those lonely showers you would have to take in the future…"
"You're right, I would suffer without you no matter what," she laughed again, reaching over and kissing his cheek. "To the right here," she pointed, watching as he turned the steering wheel and exited the main road.
He parked a distance from the hospital and killed the engine, reclining back into the seat. "So the plan is to just… wait?"
"Haven't you seen any detective movies before?" Yuuki hissed, tipping her sunglasses and scanning the area. "We wait and observe."
"Why are you wearing sunglasses? It's not that bright out…" He stared at her quizzically.
She whipped her head back to him, soft curls bouncing on her shoulders as she did so. "Because we're undercover," she hissed, rummaging through her purse. She produced a pair of his sunglasses and quickly put them on his face.
"Where'd you find these? I've been looking everywhere for them…" He muttered, adjusting the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose.
"I was your secretary/wife-at-work for three years, Kaname," she boasted, giving him a pleased smile, "I know everything about your life and what you need. I even brought a thermos of hot rose tea because I know you'll start craving it in an hour or so."
Kaname chuckled, his grin showcasing his pearl-white teeth. "Marry me already," he joked, recalling their past internal joke.
"I will! Just you wait," she grinned cutely. "We'll be married before you know it. And you'll be stuck with me for-e-ver. We just gotta get over this little bump in the road first."
"Bump in the road, huh…." He trailed off, reaching over and stroking her thigh, teasing the hem of her skirt. "You were right about me craving some rose tea, but do you know what I'm craving right now?"
"Oh, you!" She gasped, swatting his hand away. "We are undercover!" She hissed. "We're on a mission! Besides, didn't you get enough this morning?"
"I told you already, I can never get enough of you," he smirked, evading her blocking arms and kissing her neck. "And you know, I just had the leather on the backseats redrawn, so now they're all soft and comfortable…"
"H-hey, stop it," she said weakly, teetering on the edge of temptation. Damnit, why was he always so seductive? "You're insatiable… how did you survive all those years I worked for you?"
"I didn't," he replied, "I pretty much died everyday, over and over from temptation. Pep talks from Ichijou. Did yoga and meditation, tried to calm myself. Cried myself to sleep…"
"You did not cry yourself to sleep," Yuuki giggled, picturing Kaname clutching his sheets as he cried at night over not being able to touch her.
"Well, if you replace the word cry with another activity, then…"
Her face turned beet red. "Goodness! Kaname, don't sa– oh, there she is!" She pointed towards the hospital exit where Shizuka appeared. With a huff, Kaname released her from his lusty hands and reclined back into his seat, narrowing his eyes.
Once again, Shizuka was wearing the black hoodie and the black cap – a complete opposite of the ensemble she'd showed up in at his office. At that time, she'd looked like she always had; sophisticated and well dressed, every detail about her outfit and appearance perfectly groomed. Even her demeanor had been the same old sly and manipulative Shizuka he remembered.
But now, as he looked at her, he saw a completely different woman. She looked lost and disoriented; her silver hair matted and frizzy beneath her black cap. She looked thinner than before; frail and brittle, like a leaf about to blow away with the wind. Her shoulders weren't raised high as she always arrogantly did; instead they were slumped, carrying an invisible weight. She looked completely and utterly broken. She was talking on the phone frantically, her face drawn into a grimace even from a distance.
"If…" Yuuki said softly, still staring at Shizuka. "If it's true that she's doing this because of someone she loves being in danger, then… Then I kind of feel bad for her," she bit her lower lip, battling her mixed up emotions. Usually when she saw or talked about Shizuka, she'd feel anger and resentment, as well as a hint of jealousy flare up. And she held onto those emotions in an effort to distance herself from the situation and work efficiently. But right now, as she watched the broken woman and marveled over the possibilities, she couldn't help but feel the tiny ounce of sympathy that filled her.
"I mean… If I was her, and you were sick, then… I'd do anything to save you," she said, squeezing his hand.
Kaname glanced over at her and gave her a soft smile, squeezing her hand back. "Likewise, Yuuki. But even so, this doesn't make what she's doing right. We need to know more before we can make any decisions about her intentions… It could all be a play."
She frowned, looking back at Shizuka. She watched as she tucked her phone into her pocket and lingered by the entryway to the hospital, looking anxiously around. "I don't know… it looks real. Hey, Kaname, what made you fall for her? If I can ask…"
He seemed to be pondering the question for a while, his dark eyebrows scrunching together. "I guess… I was quite lost at the time. I was very young and inexperienced, and… I suppose it was her confidence and apathy that drew me in. She was everything I was not; she was more of a jewel on my wrist than a partner. I liked to show her off, and she liked being showed off. She'd just lost her rights to the Hio empire as well, which I suppose made me feel like I could provide for her and take care of her. It gave me this sense of accomplishment."
"That's…" Yuuki softened, observing him. "Strange to hear. I mean, you feeling inferior to someone like her. But the part of you that only wanted to take care of her… that part of you never went away. I was mad at you for buying me the apartment and buying me clothes, but that's just… how you love, Kaname. It goes beyond the simple things; when you love, you do everything you can for that person to feel safe and protected, even if you end up getting used in the process. It used to annoy me, but now that I understand you a little bit more…" She trailed off, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "I see that it's just your way of loving."
"That's why it's time you let me buy you an island," he quipped, feeling somewhat exposed and raw from her analysis, "so I can show you how much I adore you."
She laughed softly, suspecting that his use of humor was a way to diffuse the situation. "I don't need an island, Kaname. I just need you by my side."
He turned, smiling gently at her as he felt himself fall even harder for her. "What did I ever do to deserve you?" He leaned in and kissed her, cradling her face in his hands as if she were something precious and fragile.
When he released her from his hold, Yuuki bumped her forehead against his, breathing softly as she rubbed her hand on his chest. Ah, this day was turning out just great. Why didn't they go on car trips more often?
Her eyes widened all of sudden, registering the reason they were here in the parking lot and making out in his car moving. She turned and watched as Shizuka walked towards a petite girl and gave her a hug.
"Who is that?" Kaname wondered out loud, following her gaze.
"That's…" Yuuki breathed. "That's Maria Kurenai."
"Kurenai? That sounds familiar…" Kaname frowned.
"She's Zero's manager. And, if I remember correctly, a distant relative of Shizuka."
"Hello?"
"Hi, Zero. It's me, Yuuki…"
"Yuuki who? All I can hear at the other side of the phone is the voice of an arrogant bear-lover…"
Yuuki rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to snap back at him. "About that… I need a favor from you. And I know you hate me, but please…I really need your help."
"You need my help, huh? Where were you when I needed help? You know what I found out? I have bear allergy. Every day, I take these tablets to keep the symptoms in check."
"Uhm… but you live in central Tokyo…" Yuuki trailed off. "There aren't bears in Tokyo…"
"So what!?" Zero barked. "Bears will always find a way! Blood sucking creatu–"
"They don't suck blo– nevermind. Please, I really need your help. Can you help me?"
She could hear him grumble on the other side of the phone. "What do you need?"
"I need for you to set up a meeting with your manager. It's… urgent."
"Why, you wanna be a star now?" He hissed. "As long as you're dating that CEO dude, you'll never make it. Everyone will see you as a trophy wife and nothing more."
Kaname gave her a dark look. He opened his mouth, ready to go off at Zero. She slapped a hand on his mouth, warning him silently to stay quiet.
"No, that's not why I'm calling. I just… uh need her expertise on PR for an article I'm writing."
"Oh, well… but you didn't answer my question. Are you still dating your boss?"
Said boss licked her hand at the mention of their relationship. Yuuki grimaced, releasing him and shaking her hand from his saliva. "Well, he's not my boss anymore. And yeah we're dating… Look, I know you and I parted in a strange way, and I'm sorry that I hurt you. I… just–"
"Are you happy? Do you love him?" Zero interrupted. There was no edge in his voice or anger; in fact, he seemed rather vulnerable.
Yuuki glanced over at Kaname, her eyes softening as she reached out and stroked his chin with the top of her hand. He relaxed into her touch, long eyelashes fluttering on his cheek as he gazed at her. With the flick of her wrist, Yuuki turned her palm against his cheek and smeared the leftover spit on her hand from his licking, stifling her laugh as she watched him twist away and grimace.
"I am. And yes, I love him. Very much." She pinched his chin affectionately.
"All right. As long as you are happy, I'm happy. I'll set up a meeting for you."
Yuuki's eyes widened, looking perplexed. "Really? Thank you, Zero. That's very… mature of you."
"Yeah, yeah, don't sweat it. I'll text you the details. Anyways, I gotta go. And if you ever get tired of that dickface CEO, you know who to call."
Yuuki laughed, ending the call and putting her phone in her purse.
"That damn man-child," Kaname grumbled, firing up the engine and gripping the steering wheel.
Yuuki laughed again, reaching over and kissing his cheek. "Remember that time you stalked me on my date with him?"
"I never sta–"
"Oh, shush! Don't deny it," She hissed. "I was furious at you. With good reason!"
"It was Hanabusa's idea," he countered, keeping his eyes on the road.
"When have you ever taken advice from Hanabusa? You hate him!" Yuuki balked.
"Hate is a strong word, my dear. I don't hate Hanabusa. But that bear-hating manchild you just spoke to? I hate him. And.., and 'you know who to call' Hah! That… that incorrigible manboy dares to even think you'd ever ca–"
"I won't," she said, raining kisses on his cheek. "Unfortunately for me, I'm in love with my stalker boyfriend."
"H-hey, I'm driving," he blushed, struggling to concentrate whenever he felt the touch of her lips upon his cheek. "Besides, I'm not a stalker…"
Maria sat down in the chair opposite of Yuuki's. They were at a café, soft jazz music playing in the background as the chatter of people faded in and out.
"Pleasure to see you again, Maria," Yuuki smiled.
The silverette nodded. "Likewise. Zero said you were in need of my expertise?"
"Correct," Yuuki quipped, bringing a folder onto the table. "So I'm doing this news article, and it's… very scandalous. How do I go about presenting this in the most outrageous way? I'm thinking click-baits and increasing sales."
"Well, there are many ways to go about it," Maria said, crossing her legs. "What's the story, if I may ask? You don't need to mention any names."
Yuuki licked her lips, giving Maria a speculative look. "Well, the story goes like this; the CEO of a big company was caught falling in love with his secretary. Nothing happened before she quit, but certain pictures have surfaced that suggest otherwise. But here's the catch; if the pictures reach the media, they can ruin the CEO's reputation. Moreover, for the young secretary who's aspiring to one day have a career that's independent of the one she loves, these pictures can also ruin her life. So my question for you, Maria, is why? Why did you get these pictures?"
Maria turned stone-cold in front of Yuuki. Gray eyes widened and narrowed upon Yuuki who stared bravely back. "I have no idea wh–"
"Oh, you know what I'm talking about. I may not have graduated yet, but I am a journalist in every sense of the word. I've done my research, and I know you're a distant relative of the Hio family. I saw you with Shizuka yesterday. My guess? You are the one who gave her the pictures and tipped her about me and Kaname. The only question is why? Why would you do this? What did I ever do to you?"
"A journalist, huh? Yet you're still asking the wrong questions. It's not what you did to me, it's what you did to Zero. You broke his heart, and you just pushed him aside when you didn't need him anymore…" Maria's cheeks turned red as her expression shifted from neutral to enraged. "You deserve the hell that's coming for you!"
Yuuki blanched. "But Zero and I made up a long time ago. We both knew that I couldn't… love him."
"He deserves to be loved!" Maria yelled, losing her temper. "He deserves someone who will protect him and take care of him. Someone w-who won't just… drop him. You… you had him in the palm of your hand and you… you just treated him like he was nothing to you, you… selfish bitch!"
A sudden memory flashed in Yuuki's mind. It was from the first gala she ever attended with Kaname, where she'd first met Zero and Maria. Zero had been disrespectful towards Kaname, and both Yuuki and Maria had gotten nervous about it. It hadn't been so obvious at the time, but in hindsight, Maria's nervous and timid behavior around Zero suddenly started to make sense. How she'd nervously glance at him and stutter, despite being his manager for years…
"You're in love with him," Yuuki said quietly. "That's what this is."
"E-excuse you, h-how da–" Maria spluttered, her cheeks becoming an even darker shade of red.
"No," Yuuki said, slamming her fists onto the table, "how dare you drag me to hell and back because of my past relationship with Zero?"
"You treated him like shit!" Maria barked. "He was already so depressed, and after you dumped him for your CEO-boyfriend, he was even lower. You know his nightmares about bears chasing him? He still has them. But you know what's changed? Their faces. Now, their faces are yours and Kaname's. They haunt him at night. How can you live, knowing all the pain and misery you caused him? You broke Zero!"
"I broke Zero!?" Yuuki yelled back, fighting the urge to start pulling Maria's hair. "He was already broken! He's unstable and stuck in the past! He's carrying a grudge against bears, for goodness sake! And now he says he goes on bear allergy tablets, even though there are no bears in near vicinity?"
"Don't you dare ridicule his illness! It's very real! Many people suffer from bear allergy! And bears are everywhere! And, also, his su–"
"You know what? You and him belong together! You obviously have a few screws loose, too!" Yuuki hissed, giving up on having any semblance of a rational conversation.
At once, Maria calmed down, her shoulders slumping as she relaxed back into her chair. "What did you say?" She spoke quietly.
Though she was slightly put off by Maria's sudden change in behavior, Yuuki raised her chin, refusing to back down. "I said you have a few screws loose. So I'm not supri–"
"No, no," Maria interrupted, placing her hands on the table and leaning in closer. "You said we belong together…?"
"Uh," Yuuki cleared her throat, "yeah I said that, but–"
"Do you really think so?" Maria spoke excitedly, her gray eyes glittering as she awaited Yuuki's answer.
Of course she didn't think so, but as Yuuki noticed the happiness and desperation that radiated off of the silver-headed girl, Yuuki decided to try out a new strategy. "Ye– es?"
"For real?" Maria squealed.
"Oh, absolutely!" Yuuki lied.
"Is that why you and him didn't work out?" Maria wondered out loud. "I mean… did you feel like he couldn't emotionally connect to you because he was already emotionally bound to me?"
"Absolutely," Yuuki repeated, her cheeks hurting from the fake smile. "Oh, indeed. I… you know, we tried to make it work, but both of us were… on different emotional planes. Yeah. I, uh… was falling in love with Kaname, and Zero… well, I could tell he was holding back. We just weren't meant to be."
Maria nodded silently. "I see… It… makes sense now."
"Listen, Maria," Yuuki said, dropping her fake smile and reaching over with her hand and covering Maria's. "I'm not the enemy here. You need to understand that. I wish both you and Zero all the happiness in the world. I've found mine with Kaname, and right now, that happiness is being threatened by those pictures you gave to Shizuka. Listen, I… I know you hate me. And you have every reason to – after all, I hurt your beloved. It's not acceptable. But Zero and I have worked it out; we both know that we don't belong in each other's lives. I can tell you love him, and… if you help me stop the pictures, I'll help you get him."
I'm so going down for this. How am I going to pull that off? Then again, they do kind of fit together… with their questionable mental health and all that. I mean…. It could work?
Yuuki smiled reassuringly through her rambling thoughts, trying her best to school her features. If she believed she could do it, then Maria would follow put. At least, that's what Kaname had taught her about doing business. It was all about believing in yourself – even as cliché as it sounded. If you had a product or a pitch you wanted to sell, and you knew it had some weaker points, you still had to believe in it. You had to sell it like it was the fountain of youth or the last remnant of Atlantis; as long as you believed in it, people would believe in it too.
"Really?" Maria gasped, her eyes wide.
"Really," Yuuki assured, "one hundred percent."
"Ah… ah, okay, okay," Maria shook her head. "Now I feel really bad about what I did…"
"How'd you get them?" Yuuki said, going back into interrogation mode.
"I hacked into the security system at the hotel. I was suspicious of you going away for the weekend with your boss when you were still dating Zero, so…" Maria's eyes narrowed. "And it seemed like I had good reason to be suspicious…"
"I told you before – nothing happened that night. That… that picture was the moment where we almost kissed," Yuuki blushed, starting to feel flustered over the fact that she had to explain that oh so intimate moment to Maria of all people. "You… you know how it is. You drink together, you lose inhibitions; one thing leads to another… well, I mean, not… another, another! We didn't do anything! In fact, he confessed to me that night that he loved me and I acted like a total bitch to him!"
She could sense the man on the table next to them shifting as he flipped through his paper, holding it high to hide his face.
Yuuki cleared her throat, willing her blush to cool down lest she throw cold water on herself. "Anyways, as I was saying, um… those pictures! Did you only give them to Shizuka?"
"Yes," Maria replied. "What she did with them, I have no idea. I only wanted to get back at you, and her situation was perfect…"
"What situation is it, Maria?" Yuuki demanded.
Maria pursed her lips. "I can't say–"
"You help me, and I help you, remember?" Yuuki said, looking into her eyes.
"B-but…" Maria stuttered, clearly uncomfortable. "How can I even trust that you'll make him fall for me? I mean… It's… it's Zero. He's like a… god."
Yuuki resisted the urge to snort. Well that's a bit of a stretch…
"I… made the CEO of Kuran Inc. fall in love with me. That's one hell of a merit, don't you think?" She said, testing the waters, mindful of the keen ears listening to their conversation.
"Well, yeah, I mean–"
"On purpose!" Yuuki boasted. "And you know, if I wanted to, I could live off of his fortune for the rest of my life and not worry about a damn thing. He wouldn't even sign a prenup if I asked him to – he's that crazy about me. Now, if I could get a man of such power and wealth like him to fall for me, imagine what I can do for you and Zero?"
She clenched her teeth together, suppressing the urge to look over and check his reaction.
Maria leaned in closer. "How'd you do it though? I mean… you're not that extraordinary looking."
Yuuki bit her tongue. "Weeeellll… I wore short skirts. Short, short, short skirts. Really tight ones. Men like that. Uhm… Got him drunk. Yeah. E-ver-y day. Made his inhibitions weaken, and… I'm not telling you more! Bottom line is, even if I was… pursuing him like that, I ended up falling in love with him for his personality and his charm, not his wealth or his fame… though I'll say his looks certainly drew me in," Yuuki winked. "And he fell in love with me too. That could happen to you too, Maria. You just gotta help me out here."
Maria sighed. "She came to me a few months ago, begging me to lend her some money. She was asking for a crazy amount, and while we'd always been close when I grew up, I couldn't give her that. She was desperate though, fear haunting her being like she was a woman on the run. I thought maybe it was an ex of hers that was chasing her down, but, as it turned out… it was something else."
"What was it?" Yuuki inquired.
"She didn't tell me much. But his name is Kou, and he's in the hospital."
"Who is he to her? And why is he there?" Yuuki pushed, smelling the truth and itching to find it out.
"She won't tell me his significance. For all I know, he could be her lover or a bastard child she had with one of her exes. Hey, wouldn't that be your current BF?" She gasped. "What would you do if you suddenly became a step-mom?"
"That's… nuh uh, that's impossible… I mean…" Yuuki trailed off. She could hear the sound of paper being crunched as the man on the table next to them grasped onto his paper with more force than necessary.
"Well, I don't know. Shizuka isn't really the motherly type, so I doubt it's a kid. But then again, she disappeared off the radar for a few years recently, so who knows…" Maria checked her watch. "Well, it was… interesting seeing you again, Yuuki. I'm sorry for what I did, but I hope we're even now. I won't tell Shizuka about our meeting, and for your sake, I hope you're able to work quickly. She can be quite vicious if things don't go her way… We'll talk more in the future about Zero, ne? Bye!" In a flash, she was walking away from the table, completely ignorant towards the dark thoughts she'd spun in Yuuki's mind.
She didn't move as she heard him put down the paper and get up from his chair. His face came into view as he claimed Maria's previous seat.
"Tight, short skirts, huh?" He said softly, reaching over and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
"I… was desperate, okay?" Yuuki said. "I needed to know the truth…"
"I like the thought of you as some vicious gold digger, though," he quipped. "Totally not what I fell for when I first met you, but… hm, it could wo–"
"Kaname…"
He stilled. "You know it isn't true. I would've known if she…"
"Being a… father," she grit the word out through her teeth, "isn't some supernatural power. You can't just feel it if you have a kid somewhere in the world."
"Well, I know I don't. The only child I'll be the father of is yours, Yuuki," he said determinedly, tipping her chin up and looking into her eyes. His garnet hues were mesmerizing; almost to the point of hypnotizing as he stared her down. "No, let me rectify – our children. Remember, Juuri asked for several grandkids? And I have a 'manly duty' to fulfill, so…"
Despite herself, Yuuki giggled. She slapped a hand over her mouth, recognizing her mistake. "H-hey! Don't make me laugh… this is serious," she pouted.
"But I love making you laugh," he said, grasping her hand gently and pulling it from her mouth. "It's my favorite activity in the whole world. Well, number two. You already know what number one is… which just happens to relate very closely to the subject of grandkids… you know, the making them part…" He trailed off, lifting her hand and placing a kiss on top of it as he kept his gaze locked on her eyes.
She swallowed, entranced by his amorous gaze.
"N-not now, Horny Kaname!" She hissed, pulling her hand away. "My god, you are incorrigible. Here we are, talking about the fact that there is a possibility of you having an unknown child with the wicked witch of the East, and me becoming that child's step-mom, and yet you… you're talking about… sex!?" She whispered, frantically looking around to see if anyone were listening.
"What's wrong with sex?" He asked. "You didn't seem to mind it two days ago when you were assaulting me, or yesterday in the sho–"
"Will you shut up already!?" She hissed, slapping a hand on his mouth already. "Sex is bad! It can produce children with crazy psychotic exes if you're not careful about it!"
He pulled her hand away and held it in his. "I wouldn't know. Since I don't have any children – certainly not with any crazy psychotic exes who are currently blackmailing me. Think about it, Yuuki – if she had a child… with me, she'd be extorting me for child support from day one. Secondly, she would've chosen a completely different angle when she blackmailed me. It sounded more like she wanted to get back together with me than anything…"
"Ohhhh, I didn't hear that," Yuuki narrowed her eyes, pulling her hand back. He grabbed it and held onto it, refusing to let her go. "I hope you two will be reeeally happy togeth–"
"Yuuki."
She shrank under his stern gaze. "Fine, fine… I overreacted. I'm just so stressed out…"
"Well, we could always de-stress in the back of my car…" He smirked, enjoying the way her blush spread across her cheeks and down her neck.
"Stop it! Right now!" Yuuki flushed. "I swear, I need to wear a chastity belt around you or something…"
He leaned in closer, inspecting her physical reactions. "I'd just take it off… with my teeth."
"That's it!" She yelled, shooting up from her seat and grabbing her coat, catching the attention of the nearby guests. "I'm leaving!"
Kaname chuckled to himself, watching her walk past him. Just as she was about to pass him, he reached out and slapped her behind, earning a surprised gasp from her as she turned with incredulous eyes towards him. He met her eyes confidently; wiggling his eyebrows as he smirked mischievously at her.
She clenched her hands and huffed, stomping out of the café, the click of her heels echoing off the floor. Ahh, his favorite sound… It reminded him of years of listening to her walk outside his office, the signal call of her arrival.
While she'd been right about short and tight skirts being his thing, she'd forgotten about the heels. The way she strutted around them so confidently made him weak in the knees. He adored her elongated limbs, constantly yearning to feel them wrapped around him. Damn, those heels…
He got up and trailed after her, unashamedly fixing his eyes on her rear as he caught up with her. Finally she stopped outside and turned away from him, reluctant to admit that she couldn't be angry with him for long since he was her ride.
He grabbed her into his embrace, chuckling as she resisted and kept her head turned away from him and her arms crossed.
"Hey, you, goldfish. Did your short-term memory make you forget that you love me already?" He leaned in close, nuzzling her cheek as an involuntary smile made its way onto her face.
She turned finally, putting her hands on his sides as she gazed lovingly into his eyes. "Ah, how could I ever forget?"
He tipped her chin up and kissed her slowly and tenderly, enjoying the way she clenched his dress-shirt and held him tightly against her. When air became a necessity, they parted their lips reluctantly, neither of them wanting to end the moment.
He held onto her, stroking her cheek as he stared into her eyes.
"We'll be all right, Yuuki," he soothed. "No matter what happens."
She nodded quietly, bumping her forehead on his, trying to ignore the nagging feeling at the back of her mind.
"Come," Kaname kissed the top of her head, launching an arm around her shoulders, steering her towards his car.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Yuuki gasped.
Quickly she bent down, stumbling over his form. "Oomf!"
"Y-Yuuki a-are you o-okay?" Daisuke stuttered, his flushed face looking up at her where she laid on his chest.
"I'm fine… I… oh gosh, that," her hand crept down to the pocket of his jacket, fishing around, "was so," when her fingers grabbed the keys inside his pocket, she clenched them tightly in her fist, "clumsy of me!"
She scrambled up on her feet and stretched her hand out towards him, mindful of the way his eyes trailed up her legs to her short skirt. Men… Though she wouldn't have minded it if it was a certain tall, dark, handsome CEO that was peeking up her skirt.
Daisuke shook his head to clear it, timidly reaching for her hand and letting her pull him up. Yuuki quickly stuffed the keys into her cleavage while he wasn't looking, plastering on a fake smile as he looked at her. "Are you all right?" She spoke gently, noticing the way his eyes softened.
"Y-yeah," he blushed.
"I'm so sorry," Yuuki apologized again, shyly tucking a lock of hair behind her hair, "my exams are coming up and I'm soooo stressed out, you know? I'm walking around like a zombie!"
"W-well you sure look good for a s-supposed zombie," he stuttered.
Yuuki laughed. "Haha! That's so sweet of you! Well, if everything is all right with you, I really need to get going…"
"Oh, yeah, sure, I'm fine," he stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Great!" Yuuki beamed, turning on her heel and walking away, her smile fading almost immediately the second she was out of his sight.
One day left.
One day left until Shizuka was supposed to meet Kaname again and hear his decision.
It'd been two days since Yuuki had talked to Maria, and she still hadn't found any clues. It all boiled down to her last resort; snooping in her own archives.
Which, of course, was illegal, considering the fact that she was just an intern.
Yuuki clutched the key in her hand as she lingered in her car, counting down the minutes until she knew the surveillance would turn off. She'd spent the last few days quietly observing the cameras, finally figuring out that they were only turned on from time to time, to save data and electricity for the newspaper company. The guard left at a certain time as well, giving her the perfect window to strike.
It was dark outside, and the parking lot was empty. As to not arouse suspicion, she'd left her car a few yards away, keeping it out of sight should anyone see it.
She entered the building with ease, looking over her shoulder though she knew it was unnecessary. She was actually surprised at how lacking the security at her newspaper was. If anyone should be fearful for their lives and security, it should be journalists.
But, the lack of security came to her advantage as she came upon the storage room. Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Frantically she picked it up, her heartbeat echoing in her ears as she came over the slight scare. Recognizing his name, she hit the "ACCEPT" button.
"Where are you?" She heard his deep voice croon over the phone.
"Didn't I tell you already?" She whispered. "I'm studying. For my exams, you know."
"You could always do it here," Kaname suggested. "With me. At my spacious and luxurious home."
She snorted. "And have you continuously try to tempt me into giving in and having sex with you? I told you I'm wearing a chastity belt for the time being. I need to focus on my exams!"
"You act like I'm some sex-crazed maniac – which I am, but only when it comes to you. But I can… shut it off for the time being. For a very limited time."
"How sweet," she said humorlessly, doubting his sincerity.
"I am," he replied. "I'm so sweet that I decided to drive over to your place with some food to help you through your studies."
Yuuki's eyes widened. Shit…
"Imagine my surprise when Yori said you were over at my place. You have many qualities, Yuuki, but lying isn't your best feat. So why don't you tell me where you are, and why you keep whispering like you're doing something illegal?"
"Um…"
She could hear him sigh exasperatedly on the other end. "You are doing something illegal, aren't you? Yuuki, I thought we agreed that you wouldn't risk your career for this!"
"Oh, calm down!" She hissed. "I've been planning this and doing my research for a looong time. I'll be in and out in 10 minutes! Detective Yuuki is on the case!"
"Yuuki." Kaname used his stern CEO-voice, knowing the effect it had on her.
She bit her lower lip. "Look, I'm sorry for lying to you. I just… needed to know the truth, okay? I can't let her win."
"I understand, but Yuuki… you promised me you wou–"
"I know," she said, feeling the guilt overwhelm her. "I'll make it up to you. Whatever you want. I'll take my chastity belt off for you!"
He chuckled in response. "It's coming off either way, Yuuki. You can't resist me for too long."
She flushed in response, upset by how easily he could read her. "Yes, I can!"
"Oh yeah?" He challenged. "What was that in the car the other day? You didn't seem too concerned about chasti–"
"Okay!" She hissed. "You're distracting me from my mission! I don't have the time for this!"
"Fine, fine. But I haven't forgiven you yet. Come straight home afterwards, okay? And answer my next question."
Yuuki sighed. "What is it?"
"What are you wearing?" He asked huskily, his voice dropping a few octaves.
She giggled despite herself, eyeing her black pants and sweater. "A potato sack."
"Hot," he commented.
"Happy now?" She cooed. While she was desperate to get out of the newspaper office, she wanted to stay on the phone with him also. She loved talking to him, and as he'd just proven to her, he could draw out any conversation with her and she wouldn't notice until a considerable amount of time had passed.
"I'll be happy when you're home safe," Kaname grunted. "Be careful, okay? Call me if anything happens."
"I will," she promised, sensing that he still wasn't 100% over her little betrayal. "I looove youuu," she said sweetly, trying to soften him up.
"Yeah, yeah," he sighed. "Prove it to me later. Get to work so I can see you sooner."
After they'd said their goodbyes, she tucked her phone into her pocket, unable to suppress her smile. Her talk with him only strengthened her resolve to do whatever was necessary to stop those pictures from leaking. Sure, the day when the two of them went public with their relationship would come sooner or later, but it would be on their terms. Not because some psycho ex-heiress wanted to extort them for money. The same thing went for their marriage; they'd both agreed that while getting married as soon as possible would solve the situation, it wouldn't be right.
The day when she became his wife would be a day of her choice, not the investors and certainly not Shizuka's choice.
Determined, she shook her head and got to work, shuffling through the archives.
It would prove to take a few more minutes than what she'd expected, but 20 minutes later she found the files marked with Shizuka's name. Though most of the archive was digitalized, the newspaper still held onto some of their older files and stocked them.
Yuuki filtered through the information, stumbling over various articles until she found the most recent information on Shizuka.
She found pictures of Shizuka and a younger man, smiling as they held hands, walking through the streets of what appeared to be a Western country. The date was marked as sometime in 2014. The man was tall and handsome with a boyish charm; his short hair was a shade of copper, shining brilliantly in the sun as he laughed at something Shizuka must've said. His green eyes twinkled, even on paper, which Yuuki found astounding.
Her eyes narrowed on Shizuka, studying her fuller cheeks and the heartfelt smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. It was a stark contrast to the Shizuka she'd observed just the other day; the past Shizuka looked happy and healthy, while the present time Shizuka looked hollow and broken.
Yuuki turned the paper around, eyes widening as she found the name of the man next to Shizuka.
"Hisakawa Kou," she said out loud.
The previous conversation she'd had with Maria flashed in her mind:
"She didn't tell me much. But his name is Kou, and he's in the hospital."
"Who is he to her? And why is he there?"
"She won't tell me his significance. For all I know, he could be her lover or a bastard child she had with one of her exes. Hey, wouldn't that be your current BF?"
A sigh of relief escaped her in the darkened room, elation filling her chest as she connected the dots. Kou was her lover, not the secret lovechild from her relationship with Kaname.
Kaname was childless. Shizuka, for all Yuuki knew, was childless.
Which meant that Yuuki would not become a step-mom anytime soon.
"Thank you, thank you!" She said out loud, clasping her hands together and thanking whatever holy divinity had looked out for her.
Gathering herself, Yuuki took out her phone and snapped photos of the pictures, putting them down on the floor and organizing them. When she'd finished, she packed everything neatly back into its original place, carefully making sure nothing looked out of place.
She excited the archive room and closed the door, turning around. She noticed the glow of one of the computer screens light up the room. Despite her better judgment, she walked slowly over and read the screen. Apparently, the computer was finished installing some software. Which meant that it was unlocked for the time being…
Yuuki pursed her lips, unable to resist the temptation of taking just a quick peek.
She sat down in the chair slowly. A quick scan of the desk area told her that it was Kasumi Kageyama's desk. Yuuki frowned. He was her senpai, and from day one he'd disliked her. He was always complaining about her missing her deadlines and dragging the rest of the journalist team down. Even though she was a mere intern, and none of her articles were ever published…
A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. With a few clicks, she'd reset the time-stamp on the computer, so if she were to alter something on accident, the time stamp wouldn't place her there. And if Kasumi ever grew suspicious, she could always pin it on his computer recently updating its software and therefore screwing with the timestamp.
She went through his recent documents and found nothing of interest. She was about to log off when a sudden impulse to look up the word "secretary" made her pause.
Her mind screamed at her to not do it, yet her curiosity got the best of her. Quickly she typed in the word, waiting impatiently as the computer brought up every file with the word "secretary" in it.
"The "
A chill went down her spine as she clicked at the document, unable to resist the temptation of peeking at it. Her heart beat in her chest as her pulse rose, an adrenaline rush flowing through her veins.
The document opened and appeared on the screen. Her eyes flicked back and forth as she read the text, stopping when she spotted the pictures Shizuka had shown them.
"KANAME KURAN CAUGHT HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH HIS EMPLOYEE!
By Kasumi Kageyama
Sometimes, even love can be found in the office.
The real reason Kaname Kuran and Sara Shirabuki's engagement ended a few months ago is not what it seems… Pictured above is the elusive CEO caught in a compromising position with an employee of his. Sources have confirmed to Tokyo Daily that the woman pictured above is in fact his secretary, Yuuki Kurosu. The two have been spotted several times in a later time period going out on dates and entering the CEO's home.
All is fair in love and war, but when it comes to love and work ethics, things become a little bit harder. According to our sources, their illicit relationship began before Ms. Kurosu quit her job at the company, and while Mr. Kuran was still engaged to Sara Shirabuki. As many are aware, it is not allowed to be romantically involved with a co-worker at big companies like Kuran Inc. This could complicate matters for the CEO who has only been in charge for 7 years….
Yuuki read the rest of the article as ice filtered through her veins, turning her stone cold. Her back stiffened as her shoulders tensed up; suddenly the words on the screen became blurred as tears gathered in her eyes.
Kasumi knew. He knew it was me on those photos, and he wrote the article knowing how damaging it would be… He knew it was me, and yet he… He didn't say anything to warn me. He's going to publish it as soon as Shizuka gives him the green light.
And when I'm fired and my name is sullied in the press, he'll happily cash in his paycheck.
A quiet gasp escaped her lips as betrayal burned hotly in her chest. To think that he'd known about her potential scandal all along without warning her, was… how could he do that!? Fine, they didn't always get along, but they were colleagues, weren't they? Fellow journalists?
Is this what journalists do? Trick out the truth and hide it until it's convenient? Backstab a co-worker?
Doubt laced through her being. Was this really the profession she'd dreamt of her whole life? Was this really how becoming a journalist would be like? Backstabbing your friends in order to get the top scoop so you could cash in a fat paycheck? Was this how they survived?
Ignoring the hurt and betrayal, and the intermittent confusion that followed afterwards, Yuuki quickly got to work, editing the article.
Kasumi wanted to backstab her? Well, then she'd make sure the backstabbing sucked.
She removed the photos and added in pictures of animals and cute kitties. She cracked her knuckles as she got ready to write.
"ANIMALS TAKE OVER THE WORLD," she wrote. "By Kasumi Kageyama."
"Forget zombies! Finally, the animal kingdom has reclaimed their rights on this planet. It has been revealed that the planning of the coup d'etat has been in the works for a long time by the Goldfish and Bear alliance. Several goldfishes have sacrificed their lives, exploding in regular aquariums as a way to distract mankind. The bears, however, are hungrier than ever. They have blood tablets, but they aren't working…"
Yuuki giggled to herself as she finished up, saving the document and altering its timestamp so Kasumi wouldn't become suspicious.
She went through the rest of the computer and deleted the pictures, knowing all too well that he was too stupid to have extra copies. To be sure, she checked all of his flashdrives and found nothing on them, confirming his stupidity.
Hah! You'll get what's coming for you… With confident steps, Yuuki exited the building silently, plotting in her head. Now that two enemies were down, there was only one more left.
Shizuka.
A/N: MISS ME YET!? Doing something fresh and original and putting the rest of the A/N at the bottom. I've just had a terrible day at work, and... wait, everyday is terrible there. What can I say? Evil takes a human form in my superior. So yeah my life sucks. I hope you liked the chapter! It was the best I could do for now...
As always, thank you for the reviews. Much love to you guys!
Rena: Sounds like you DID hack into my computer! Stop predicting everything, ugh :( About your unknown child comment... your review tempted me for a few seconds to actually go down that route... but then I remembered the shitstorm I put yume through in the previous chapters, and decided not to. BUT I MADE YOU THINK IT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN DIDN'T I!? Hope the chapter was worth the wait, love!