CHAPTER 18:

A silent, crisp knock on the door made everyone in my condo unit look up. On Friday night, Ami asked me to bring her here because she said she wanted to get away from school and just rest. My condo unit was a stronghold. I had a closet full of weaponry and food enough to feed a family of five for a year. There was no reason not to let her go away. Besides, nobody knows about my unit. So I agreed and brought Ikuto, Yoru and Utau with us, just in case.

Utau and I exchanged glances. After silently debating what to do, I eventually settled on answering it.

I walked to the door and peeped through the peephole. A man in a gray business suit waited outside. He had ash blonde hair and tired but focused blue eyes. Judging by the look on his face, he was here for business.

My hand gripped the knob and twisted it open. Giving our unannounced visitor the most bored look I could manage.

"Yes?"

He looked at me like I was a two-year-old.

"Is this Sato Inoue's unit?"

I raised my eyebrow. Of course, Sato Inoue was the fake name I gave them when the condominium staff asked for it. What business could this guy have with me?

"Yes, who's asking?"

He flipped a badge at my face. FBI.

Suddenly, a slender arm encircled around me and I was shoved into a warm, spicy chest. "What's going on, love?"

The deep timbre of Ikuto's voice made me look up. Did he just call me love?

"If you would just answer a few questions, ma'am," the FBI said.

Ikuto's arm tightened around my waist. If someone who didn't know us saw, then he would probably mistake us for a couple.

"What are you questioning her for?" he asked.

The man stepped back toward us. "You are?"

"He's-"

"I'm her fiancée," Ikuto finished.

The shock on my face would've probably been reflected on the man's face if I weren't trained enough to keep my shit intact.

It was the man's turn to raise his eyebrows. "Fiancée?"

I sighed internally. Might as well go on with it. "Yes, we just got engaged last week. See?" I flashed him the diamond ring my mother gave me for my thirteenth birthday.

He nodded and motioned for me to follow him in the hall. I stepped away from Ikuto to follow the man but he suddenly grabbed my wrist and slammed me to his chest. His fingers reached for the stray strands of hair in my face and tucked them behind my ear.

"I don't trust this guy," he whispered.

I silently giggled. "Nobody in our world trusts cops,"

"That's not what I meant-"

"I know, I know. I have my knife with me," I whispered back.

He stared at me for a long time as if he was about to kiss me. Was he going to up our acting in that way? As he stared, I studied his face. He seemed to have aged a bit since I got out of the Assembly's headquarters.

It looked like he was bothered by my 'confinement'.

Why did he get himself into this mess again?

I searched his eyes for answers but it held none. His arms tightened around me as he leaned in. I started to lean in, too. Then-

A loud, disturbing cough interrupted us.

We broke apart awkwardly.

"I'll be right back," I said, loud enough for the FBI to hear.

We walked a little further down the hall and into the receiving area of our floor. The man sat down a single chair. So, I sat down the sofa.

I clasped my hands together. "So, what can I do for you, officer?"

He withdrew several pictures from the brown envelope he brought and slid it across the glass coffee table to me. "Does this man look familiar to you?"

I gathered the photos in my hand, staring at the pictures hard. It was taken from different angles but the face of the man was still visible.

"No," I finally said, feigning confusion.

The man nodded and stared at me like he expected my answer. Like he knew how I'd react that moment. Like he knew I was lying.

Because I was.

The man in the picture was no other than my father.

"Hey,"

The library was so quiet that it was unbelievable if you didn't hear someone speak. I looked up from my book to see who that noisy guy was.

Blue eyes stared right back at my honey ones.

"Hey," I greeted, too, and put my attention back to the book.

I was searching about mescaline and so far I had no progress at all. Every book said the same thing. Mescaline was from a spineless cactus. The end. I tried to look for a connection between mescaline and panacea but it seemed to me that there was nothing I was going to get.

Gentle but calloused hands rested on my shoulders, causing electricity to rush through my veins. Despite the thick wool sweater I was wearing, the heat of his hand didn't go unnoticed.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

I tried to brush away his hands but failed. "I'm researching, Ikuto," I said in a hushed reprimanding voice.

My head snapped up as Ikuto suddenly grabbed the book from my hands. I gave him a deadly glare. What the hell did he think he was doing?!

"Give that back,"

He shook his head and held the book away from me. "I told you not to meddle with these anymore,"

My brows scrunched. "I'm not 'meddling' with it,"

With the book in his left, he combed his other hand through his velvety hair. "Christ, you are impossible!" he said, frustrated.

"Excuse me?" I said in disbelief, "I don't think you understand me, Ikuto. I need those info-"

"It's you who doesn't understand!" his voice boomed, completely oblivious to the noise his voice made inside the solemn library. He dropped the book on the floor and kicked it as far as possible.

I looked at him incredulously. I opened my mouth to yell at the same loudness when the librarian suddenly walked our way and pushed us out of the door.

"Come back when you're quieter," the librarian scolded.

I ignored the lady and turned my attention to Ikuto. I slammed my hand on my hips as I glared at him, ignoring, as well, the chilling air of the December night.

"Enlighten me, then, what exactly was it I failed to comprehend, Ikuto?"

Frustration flashed in his eyes again but it was gone right after he swiped his hand across his handsome face. His immediate change of mood gave me goosebumps. All of a sudden, the tension outside the library rose up in a brand new level.

He gritted his teeth. Despite him being on the lower flight of the stairs, Ikuto still towered over me.

"Up to now, I had been very careful. You don't know how much effort I put in just to keep you out of this. But you just won't give it a goddamn rest!"

I crossed my arms over my chest. What in the world was he talking about? I wanted to know about what the yakuza was developing. He couldn't want to shield me from information like that, could he?

My eyes met his again. "Ikuto, you can't keep me in the dark forever. If you're worried that you'd fail your mission because I got too nosy, rest assured that I won't get myself killed. You'll get your-"

The world came crushing down as he crossed the steps between us and claimed my lips. His hot breath blew to me like fire, melting the icy cold emotions that engulfed my composure. Nothing made sense anymore. Nothing was in my control. He grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him. I was pinned on the floor, the freezing coldness of the winter air biting at my skin. Ikuto's body collided with mine. His scorching heat enveloped me. I was torn between two temperatures. Hot and cold.

Ikuto was lavishing my lips with his. The kiss was angry, frustrated, demanding and passionate all in one. My body had long gave in. I wasn't thinking anymore. All I felt was Ikuto.

He parted my lips with his skillful tongue and I hopelessly gave in. He made me feel so small, so vulnerable that all I wanted was to forget everything and be with him, be in his arms. I was in overdrive and I had no idea how to end this.

I pulled on his hair as I gasped for breath. I didn't even notice my hands were also around him. My ragged breathing was all I heard at the moment but I haven't even caught my breath when he drowned me again in his poisonous lips.

My mind blew up as his lips met mine. This time his kiss was a soft, sweet torment. Again, I felt my body go numb with passion. My bones turned Jell-O and my will evaporated. If not for his arms that held me tightly, I would've already slammed down the cement. His lips moved slowly this time, almost as if claiming everything to be his. I didn't even get to protest. How could I? My strength felt totally down to zero. I even had to hold on to his biceps so I wouldn't slide down.

We broke apart slowly, like the slow rising of the sun. Still in shock and confusion, I regarded him with an incredulous look.

What the hell did just happen?

"I'm not worried about my fucking mission, Amu. I won't deny what I feel anymore. I want to keep you safe not because I was assigned to do so. I'll keep you safe because I like you. I really like you, Amu,"

I backed away from him, utterly shocked at his revelation. My feet suddenly had minds of their own and dragged me away from Ikuto. The distant sound of him calling me back didn't help, nonetheless.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Still depressed. Give me comments guys. Arigatou.

With all the love for writing,

Lace Ashdown