Chapter 4 : The other side of you
The next day…
Jade, Okita and Saito took off to Shizouka early in the morning with the Square Root team. Senhime, Harada, Heisuke, Kimigiku and Shinpachi won't be coming to Sagittarius for two days; left Chizuru and Hijikata rather awkwardly standing next to each other in front of the camera. Chizuru tried to ignore his presence but his scent intoxicated her mind. She put her hand on Hijikata's right shoulder with her face facing the camera and Hijikata's face facing hers. Dup dap dup dap. She smiled when the camera flashed.
"Ermm…Yukimura-san, can you turn your face to Hijikata-san? Stay like that for a couple of shots." Ruuji, the cameraman in charge for this Nutella project said.
An hour before photo shooting…
"Good morning Yukimura-san and Hijikata-san. My name is Ryuuji Mike. I'm the photographer for this project. Basically, the main concept is 'In Love Nutella'. I want both of you to portray sharing your everyday love life with Nutella. Today, we will spend our time taking pictures for the posters, tomorrow and the final day will be outdoor commercial filming. There are several places around Tokyo as our backdrop which will require both of you to act madly in love in public and dancing in front of the Tokyo Tower. I expect upmost results from Sagittarius best models. Remember, Nutella brings happiness to people. So, act lovey dovey for these three days' time." Ryuuji explained the project to sweat-dropped Chizuru and frowned Hijikata. Oh God. I'd rather study algebra non-stop than act lovey dovey with him. Chizuru sighed slowly.
Chizuru swallowed and slowly turning her head towards Hijikata. Her eyes slightly widen when he stared at her in the eyes. She realised his face was a mere inch away, his nose almost touching hers. She felt his warm breath on her skin, making Chizuru lost her focus. Hijikata smirked a little. He enjoyed teasing her with his smirk. He liked the way her face will be slightly red, the way Chizuru shyly turned her eyes somewhere but at him. He felt guilty for doing this to her despite not having any serious feelings yet but who knows maybe this girl has what it takes to melt his icy heart. He had been betrayed once and he was afraid to put too much trust in a woman. Hijikata caressed Chizuru's left cheek casually with his index finger, taking his time to slide his finger down her smooth and red-stained cheek.
"Good. More! I want to see love bursting in the air." Ryuuki shouted from behind his camera.
Chizuru was confused momentarily when she saw his violet eyes staring straight into her brown orbs warmly. She felt weird sensation down her spine when his finger caressed her cheek. He looked at her like he was really in love with her. She bitted her lower lips; reminding her it was only for the sake of photo shoot. She immediately got back on action, portraying her own 'in love' act towards Hijikata. Chizuru smiled sweetly, locking both her hand behind his neck. She saw a glint of surprise in Hijikata's eyes, bewildered by her expression. Her sweet smiled turned into a smirk as if she was challenging him; which was her real intention. Hijikata raised his eyebrow in 'Oh-really?-I-accept-that' manner. He snaked his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him.
"Good! Now, the fun part begins. I want both of you to have Nutella fight. It'll get messy but that is the main point I want here. Have fun spreading Nutella on each other's faces and show your biggest smile. Kei-san, please give two Nutella jars to them." Ryuuji instructed one of his workers. Kei immediately gave two Nutella jars to Hijikata and Chizuru. Both of them looked at each other. When music started blaring in the air, Hijakata spread a bit of Nutella to Chizuru's nose, his action startled her and she did the same to him. Soon, they started their Nutella fight, Chizuru's screaming and Hijikata's laughter synchronise with the background beats. Kenji observed the situation silently. This is the first time I saw her laughing whole heartedly because of that guy. Damn it! Kenji cursed under his breath.
He leaned against the wall with arms folded across his chest. The photo shoot finished at 6 pm with 2 hours lunch break. Chizuru and Hijikata were covered in Nutella all over their faces and hair. They managed to waste 10 jars of Nutella for the photo shoot. Chizuru wanted to change during lunch but Ryuuji insisted they maintained looking like that for the rest of the day as he didn't want to spoil the scenes he imagined. After they were done with everything, Chizuru came to get Kenji near the make-up room.
"Hei Kenji! I'm going to be a little late. I guess I have to take long shower. My hair is all sticky with Nutella. You don't mind waiting for me right? I'll get you once I'm done." Chizuru asked Kenji while waving goodbye to the other staffs.
Kenji didn't reply. He just stared at her emotionlessly. The happy scenes between her and Hijikata still playing inside his mind, made him green in envy. Seeing her flushed face from laughing too hard reminded him of her red face in the changing room. He quickly turned his body and looked away. His passive behaviour confused Chizuru. She asked him again, gently. "Kenji?"
"Just go and get change already." Kenji replied, his tone slightly harsh. He regretted his action but realised it was too late to take it back.
His tone stunned Chizuru. She never saw him like this before. It made her troubled if she said something that might offend him. "Oh…ok…I'll go first." Chizuru grabbed her changing bag on the floor and quickly went to the shower room.
An hour later…
"Eh? Where is that guy?" Chizuru quickly ran back to the studio to see if he was waiting for her there but the door was already locked.
I don't think he'll be here. I'll check downstairs. He might be waiting for me in the lobby. Chizuru thought.
She took the lift to the ground floor. Once she reached there, she didn't see any sign of him except for the three receptionists getting ready to go back, two security men talking to each other and a few staffs working till late night. Feeling exasperated, she sat down on the nearest sofa, clutching her hand bag and changing bag tightly.
Where is that guy? Don't tell me he left me here. I really need to eat. Urghhh…Oh yeah! I should call him. Silly me. Chizuru grabbed her cell phone and realised she forgot to charge it. Great! What now? She didn't mind going back alone but she was too tired to walk to the train station and she already told Kenji to stop by at her favourite cake shop later. She leaned on the sofa and closed her eyes to ease her sore feet.
Kaoru, what flavour do you want to try this year? We had mille-feuille last year. How about lemon curd for this year?Hurmm..Lemon sounds nice. She thought. Her mind wandered when she heard someone calling her name.
"Yukimura, what are doing here?"
Chizuru quickly opened her eyes but didn't bother to sit straight. Oh it's Hijikata. "Oh Hi! Yeah. I supposed to be on my way to a good dinner and a nice piece of cake when my kind hearted assistant ditch me here because of unknown reason."
Hijikata snorted. Chizuru glared at him. "That's not funny Hijikata-san. What's wrong with that guy? God! I'm hungry and tired right now." Her stomach suddenly making weird sound and if it wasn't because of being too tired, she would've covered her face. She ignored the sound and continued closing her eyes. Her half damp hair cooled off her head.
"Seems like your stomach is in rage, I'll treat you for dinner. Let's grab something to eat now" Hijikata smiled at her. She opened her eyes slowly with a lazy smile on her lips.
"Really? Since when the demon super model started to become an angel? Hahaha"
"All right then. Forget it." Hijikata turned to walk away.
"Wait! I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. So, let's eat something. I feel like eating sushi!" Chizuru jumped on her feet and followed Hijikata.
He abruptly glanced behind. "You're quite demanding aren't you?"
Chizuru beamed in reply. Lucky day!
"So Hijikata-san. Tell me about yourself." Chizuru broke the silence between them. Hijikata took his time to rely. He sipped some tea before looking at her face.
"I'm Hijikata Toshizou, 28 year old and I work with Sagittarius." He replied nonchalantly.
"Thanks but no thanks. I won't consider that as ice breaking." Chizuru put down her sake cup. She wasn't a drinker but that night she felt like having some of 'innocent drink' to compensate a piece of lemon curd cake she couldn't have tonight. She only had two cups but the alcohol effects were quick; she barely felt her sore feet, she felt hyper and she felt like in the cloud. Her cheeks slightly red but her mind was still in reality.
"You ask me about myself and I told you the things about me." Hijikata took a piece of grilled chicken into his mouth.
"That is so Hijikata-san. You could tell me anything like your favourite colour, pet, books, music or foods." Chizuru poured another cup of sake, gulped it down in one go. Oooo.. wow! That was intense.
"I think you should stop drinking. You still haven't finished your rice Yukimura." Hijikata glanced at Chizuru.
"Hahaha…Don't worry. We should celebrate Hijikata-san. The photo shoot went smoothly today. I'm so happy. I love the feelings of accomplishment. By the way, do you like Nutella?" Chizuru played with her chopsticks before eating the rice.
"Nutella is fine." Hijikata continue sipping his warm tea. He looked at Chizuru occasionally, making sure she finishes her foods.
"Ehhh? Really? I didn't expect that. You don't look like the person that eats Nutella. Hahaha. I love Nutella. I always have it on my toast almost every day. My uncle, Kodo-ji san always warned me about my sugar intake way before I became a serious model but who cares? Sweet foods made me happy." She hiccupped.
"I…I'm a big fan of cakes, flavoured coffees, pancakes and pies. I still remembered back in high school, we bought different cakes every Wednesday from the cake shop across our school. I miss those moments." Chizuru's mind wandered back to her memories. She smiled on every words she said, didn't realised Hijikata was actually listening to her story.
"We?" Hijikata asked. He already stopped with his meal to listen to her.
"Kaoru and I." Chizuru's face turned gloomy upon saying Kaoru's name.
"Kaoru?" Chizuru's sudden mood changes intrigued Hijikata.
"Hahahaha…I supposed to buy a piece of cake today but I broke our promises. I don't think I can make it today. The shop will close soon. Idiot Kenji. He left me at the company and now I won't get to eat lemon curd cake" Chizuru laughed. Then she started to sob quietly. She put both her palms to cover her teary eyes.
Hijikata was lost on words. He didn't know how to react that time. When he was about to give his comforting pat, Chizuru looked at him, made Hijikata's hand stopped hallway. Chizuru smiled when she saw his hand, ignoring her runny nose. She took his extended hand and brought it to her left cheek. "You are so warm Hijikata-san. It has been ages since I felt such warm hands." She closed her eyes, felt his warmth seeping through her skin before brought his finger tips to her lips and kissed it one by one. Her action surprised Hijikata. He wanted to pull his hand away but her grip was surprisingly strong. He felt something wet and slimy on his fingers which made him gasp in horror.
"Yukimura! How dare you wipe your snot on my palm! I'm going to kill you!" His voice slightly higher startled the customer seating next to their table. He looked at them apologetically, but was replied with a side glance. "Yukimura, let me go. You embarrassed me you idiot!" Hijikata tried to control his temper.
Chizuru let go his hands and started to cry harder. "You're so mean Hijikata-san. You always call me idiot. I've a name you know. It's Yukimura Chizuru." She blew her nose with the table napkin. "I hate – hiccup – you Hijikata-san!"
Hijikata's eyes widen when he look at her snots on his palm. He quickly got up and went to the sink to clean her snot off. When he got back to their table, he saw her head buried on the table. He suddenly felt tired with her mood swing.
"We should go Yukimura. You're drunk right now. Don't blame me if you feel hungry tomorrow morning because you haven't finished your meal. Let's go you brat." Hijikata heard her mumbled. He couldn't catch any words she was saying. He quickly pickd her up and went out of the restaurant.
After Hijikata settled Chizuru on the passenger's seat, he remembered that he didn't know her address. I should call any of the girls. They know where her house is. He thought.
Hijikata dialled Kimigiku number, he heard her voice. "Hello Kimigiku, it's me Toshi. Do you know where Yukimura lives?"
His question startled Kimigiku. "Yes I know. Why do you ask?"
Hijikata sighed. "It seems this brat is too drunk right now and she's in my car. I want to bring her back home. Stop it Yukimura. Don't vomit in my car or I left you in the middle of the high way." He scolded Chizuru. Kimigiku heard Chizuru's faint whining voices and Hijikata's annoyed tone. She bitted her lips to suppress the laughter before telling him her address. Hijikata thanked Kimigiku and got into the car.
Shit! What now? Can't it get any better today? Hijikata cursed when he a traffic jam in front. He rested his forehead on the steering wheel and let the air conditioner cooled down his temper.
Chizuru laughed and stared at Hijikata under her lashes, that made his heart thump out of the blue and shivers ran down his spine. There was something different with her current drunk state. Her voice was slightly higher, clearer and seductive. She looked at him with her brown eyes, reaching for the edge of his hair.
"You are a lot like Kaoru when you curse. He was always like that whenever something annoyed him." Chizuru played with his hair. Her long slender fingers ran through his luscious black locks; slightly eased his tension. Her touch made him sleepy; he closed his eyes to succumb into the feeling when he felt the sensation disappear.
"But Kaoru was not mean like you." Chizuru pouted.
"Who's Kaoru? If you don't mind me asking that." Hijikata glanced at Chizuru from the corner of his eyes.
"Kaoru…he was my twin older brother. He passed away when we were seventeen together with our parents in an accident. Three of them were on their way to pick me up at my friend's house to celebrate our 17th birthday and grab our favourite cake from the cake shop across the school" Chizuru stared outside of the window. Her eyes were full of inexplicable emotions.
"When you said earlier about having a lemon curd cake today, does it mean your birthday is today?" Hijikata asked.
Chizuru didn't reply. She nodded her head vigorously, wiping the tears with the back of her hand.
"Do you think we can make it to your cake shop? I still have another room for lemon curd cake. What do you think?" he turned his head towards Chizuru, felt annoyed when he saw her passed out. "Huh?! How can you cry and pass out at the same time? Oi!" He studied her peaceful sleeping face. "Weird kid." Hijikata chuckled and ruffled Chizuru's soft hair.
At Chizuru's apartment…
"Yukimura, wake up! Where's your house key?" Hijikata shook her shoulder slightly.
"Humm? Key? It's inside my jean's pocket; look for the one with Hello Kitty keychain. Let me sleep for another 5 minutes." Chizuru shoved Hijikata's face away from her. Hijikata slipped his hand inside her jean's pocket and found the required key. He unfastened her seat belt, pick up her bag and gave her a piggy back ride to the 10th floor.
"Yukimura, you're in your house now. Wake up! You need to change." Hijikata put her down on the sofa, went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water.
"Drink this." He gave the glass to Chizuru, she drank without hesitating.
"Feeling better? I should get back home now. Get enough rest Yukimura. We've a long day tomorrow." Before he could get up, Chizuru leaned towards him and vomited all over his shirt. Hijikata snapped.
"You really test my patience little brat." He clicked his tongue and picked her up like a potato sack, ignoring the hands smacked in protest on his back. Toshizou went to her bathroom and put her down inside the bathtub before turned the shower knob towards the cold water. The freezing temperature caused Chizuru to scream and jumped out of the tub, but was stop when he picked her up and dropped her under the shower again.
"Hope this cold water will make you come to your senses, Yukimura. Stay there! I need to take off my shirt. You puke on it all over. Erghh." Hijikata pulled off his shirt and put in the sink under running water with lots of soap. Chizuru's mouth widen when he saw him muscular body, she quickly looked away. Hijikata saw her expression and smirked.
"What? Never seen a shirtless man before? I thought you're used to this sight before considering you're a model" Hijikata smiled, continue washing his shirt.
"Of course I'm used to it. It's just weird seeing…y..yo..you shirtless in my bathroom." Chizuru force herself to talk with chattering teeth. "It's cold! Can I get out now? I'm soaking wet now!"
"No! Stay put!"
Chizuru pouted and wrapped her arms across her torso. She hung her head down, leaving both of them in a comfortable silence.
Hijikata continued rubbing his shirt under the running water whilst glancing towards Chizuru from the mirror in front of him. He saw her slightly shivered in the bath tub but decided to let her be. After seemed like eternity, Hijikata broke the quiet atmosphere.
"How did you cope with their death?"
Silence
"Yukimura?" Hijikata looked back in the mirror and saw her left cheek rested on top of her folded arms at the edge of the tub.
"Yukimura?" He called again and closing the faucet. He squeezed the excess water from his shirt and hung on the towel rack before squatted near her resting figure.
"Seriously? How can you sleep?" He smiled, tucking strands of wet hair behind her ear. He turned off the shower knob and was about to lift her out when he had second thought.
"Don't tell me I have to change her wet clothes?"
He looked around the bathroom to find any clean robes or towels. He spotted one on the towel rack before grabbing it and tossed on her head.
"Oi Yukimura! Wake up! You've to change or you'll get sick tomorrow."
Chizuru grunted in her sleeps, slapping his hands away.
"Yukimura, wake up! I'm sure you don't want me to change it for you. Not that I mind." He whispered seductively near her ear.
Chizuru opened her eyes widely. She immediately stood up. "Argh! My head!" She clutched both heads.
"Here! Take off your wet clothes and change into this." Hijikata passed the clean robes and closed the door behind him.
Hijikata waited for her outside the bathroom for 10 minutes. He kept glancing at the door for any sign of her going out. He knocked on the door but receiving no answer.
"Yukimura? I'm coming in."
"You've got to be kidding me?" He gasped looking at Chizuru in the clean robe, sleeping on the floor.
"You're such a troublesome kid." He lifted her up in bridal style and walking towards the master bedroom.
"Tonight will be such a long night for me." Hijikata sighed. Today's such a long day for him and he hasn't gotten any proper rest. The empty bedside next to where Chizuru lay looked tempting. He crawled into the bed and rested his throbbing head on the soft pillow. He was too tired to think of anything and closing his heavy eyelids immediately. The two people soon drifted to their slumber land; completely oblivious when they started moving closer towards each other with his right hand splayed across her waist and her's on his chest.
To be continued…
A/N: Hello readers! Thank you for reading the latest chapter. I'm extremely sorry for the late (very) update. I've been busy with university and stuffs. So, here I am with more Chizuru/Hijikata romance. I hope you like the progress of my fav pair. Please rate & review. Oh ya! I have no affiliation whatsoever with Nutella or the company itself. I just happened to be Nutella's big fan (who doesn't?) hehe
Constructive criticisms are mostly welcomed. Don't forget to check out my 2nd fanfic of Chizu/Toshi; Fated Woman.
Happy summer!