Chapter 8 *UNEDITED*

Please read Author's Notes at the end of this chapter

Chizuru groaned inside her palms. She hated when Kazama dropped the bomb about their past to her friends last night. To say they were shocked was an understatement. Heisuke, Souji and Sen kept asking questions and Kazama…well Kazama being Kazama. Proudly saying things like she was his woman, she was madly in love with him when they first met yada yada yada…Although the key word was 'was', it still fed his ego.

The thing that made her cringed and wanted to yell was when Hijikata looked at her with unreadable emotions. Despite his stone cold face, his eyes told different story.

"Arghhhh!" She stomped her feet in the bathroom. What did I see in him six years ago when we first met. Well, he was handsome but…urghhh!

Chizuru yanked her half-damp hair roughly. Hoping her mild headache from last night's six glasses of alcoholic concoctions eased a bit before she started their outdoor video filming.

"Chizuru-chan, are you ok?" A gentle knock brought her from reverie.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just headache." She quickly splashed cold water on her face.

"Are you sure? Do you need paracetamol?" Kimigiku asked.

"Paracetamol will be good. Thanks Kimi-chan."

"Ok. I'll wait for you downstairs for breakfast." Soon, the front door was closed with a thud.

Chizuru inhaled deeply. Her mind replayed back previous night.

**previous night**

"Ah…woman… You're as beautiful as I remember." Kazama sat next to her. Curious eyes were looking at them, listening to them.

Chizuru rolled her eyes and caught his fingers before it touch her cheeks. "Stop it Kazama. Your compliments no longer flatter me." Kazama brought her fingers to his lips, giving it a soft barely there kiss. It fuelled Chizuru's anger.

"I said stop it." She snatched her fingers away.

Kazama smirked as his eyes trailed to Hijikata. He seemed nonchalant but Kazama knew better because Hijikata is his nemesis.

Chizuru brazed herself and looked at Hijikata. She inwardly cringed. The cold-as-ice look he directed towards her made Sahara desert froze.

Kazama called a waiter and ordered his drink. "So, my love. I haven't seen you for two years now. How have you been doing?"

"First of all Kazama, don't call me 'my love' because I am not. Second, I'm fine. Much better than how it was when I was with you."

"Eh…" Kazama didn't look offended at all but rather smug. He looked at Hijikata and he looked back. Kazama smirked but Hijikata didn't move a muscle.

Ne, Kazama. How did you ended up with our sweet Chizuru-chan and later with Marissa-chan?" Souji asked.

"He dumped me for that girl. He said he wanted a different life." Chizuru replied before Kazama has the chance.

He made ma wounded sound. "Chizuru, you made me sound like the bad guy here. I thought we agreed to separate."

"Yeas, we did because I was sick of you obsessing with Marissa when her first album came out."

Heisuke snorted. "Wow. She must have wounded your ego."

Kazama glared at Heisuke.

"But Chizuru, I know you care about me. I still remember the first day we met when we were seventeen. You looked like an angel brought down to her and to be loved by me. My handsome face…"

Chizuru groaned. Here it comes again….

She blocked the rest of his words as Kazama animatedly explained their first encounter to the rest of her friends – which included Hijikata, at that moment didn't look like he cared one bit. She chugged her drink and ordered a new one. I really need this and tomorrow's headache will be a pain in the neck. Every time she sipped her drink, Hijikata stared at her. His eyes were unreadable and the time Kazama said she thought he was the most handsome man (which she did, that were six freaking years ago!), he raised his brows. Unbelievable! She knew he said that word. Although he didn't literally say it but she heard inside her head, or maybe she just had too much drink.

Chizuru kept ordering new drinks until she lost count. The last thing she remembered was Hijikata looking pissed off as Kazama hung his arm around her shoulder.

Chizuru splashed more cold water to her face. Not caring a bit as her front top slightly damp from it. Breathe in…breathe out…you can get through today. I know you can. Yosh!

"Thank god I managed to survive today." Chizuru sighed blissfully as she slowly soaked in the onsen. She placed a small damp towel on top of her head and soaked up to her shoulder.

"Seriously, Chizuru-chan. I didn't know you were with Chikage for three years. I was really shocked." Sen asked.

"Yeah. I met him before when he first started dating Marissa-chan. But I've never heard of his previous girlfriend." Jade said.

"Yeah, exactly. If I knew before, I would've recognized you straight away." Sen added.

"Girls…" Chizuru sighed. Thanks Kazama. Now I have to deal with their questions.

"We both agreed not to be in spotlight. I was still new in modelling industry and people already starting to know him. He likes lamplight which I don't. Plus, it was monkey love. We were both young and ignorant."

Kimigiku exchanged glance with Jade and Sen. They smiled a secret smile.

"Why do I get a feeling like you girls are plotting evil questions against me?" Chizuru, eyes closed rested her chin on left arm hanging from the pool's edge.

"Do you remember anything last night?" Jade asked curiously.

"Other than Kazama's endless blabbering and growing headache? Nope. What's up?"

"Not even a certain person? The oh-so-gorgeous violet-eyed person" Sen added.

"Err…I don't think I remember." Chizuru hesitated. Sen, Jade and Kimigiku giggled.

"Oh darling. Hijikata carried you to our room. You should have seen his face. No, you should have seen Chikage's face. Those two were like alphas with sharp fangs, waiting to shred each other's throats." Sen grinned. "I've never seen Hijikata like that. Did anything happen between you two?"

Chizuru mumbled incoherently. She turned away from them, looking elsewhere to cover her red face. Every time she thinks of their kiss, her face heated instantly. She heard water swished. Oh no. Don't let them see my face.

"Chi-zu-ruuu" Kimigiku mocked.

"Are you blushing? Your ears are red." Jade remarked.

"You better tell us or we'll sing Hijikata's name tomorrow in front of the crew." Sen threatened.

"Don't you dare! Ok fine. We…ermm…we…kind of kissed…ermm…last week?" Chizuru muttered. Her finger traced the man-made stone where her arm rested.

"What? We didn't hear you."

"We kissed ok! We kissed last week in the meeting room."

"What?!" The girls exclaimed. They screamed, hugging Chizuru. Each of them started to attack Chizuru with questions after questions.

Unknown to them, that their over-excited voices travelled to men's onsen next door.

"Wow! I wonder what those girls are excited about?" Nagakura laughed.

"Ehh…must be exciting I guess. Maybe I should join them. I could ask Chizuru-chan to scrub my back. Right, Toshi?" Souji nudged to Hijikata.

"Whatever." Hijikata replied. Despite not showing any emotion, his ears strained to hear what those ladies we talking about. He heard his name once in a while.

"What do you think Saito-kun? Do you want Jade to scrub your back?" Souji remarked.

As usual, Saito didn't reply. Before Souji can pick his next victim, he heard footsteps walking towards them.

He looked behind and saw Kazama Chikage.

"Kazama." Saito acknowledged.

Kazama smirked. "I thought perhaps I should join you people so I would know why you behave differently than the amazing me." He slowly descended into the pool beside Harada.

"What makes you think you amazing?" Heisuke grumbled.

"It is because I am amazing. Ladies love me. They chanted my na- "

Souji rudely interrupted him. "Bla…bla…bla…save it for later Kazama." Kazama glared. He then looked at Hijikata. " I heard the girls were laughing and screaming. I bet Chizuru must have talked about me."

Hijikata didn't answer. He heard water splashing as the girls came out of the pool. "No, Kazama. They were talking about me." He stood up and climbed out of the pool, walking directly to changing rooms.

"Really Kazama? You spoilt my fun." Souji accused.

Next day…

It was late afternoon when they have finished with outdoor shooting. Chizuru excused herself when they asked her to join for late lunch. She discovered an empty clearing not far from the memorial park, which she thought might be a good spot to capture sunset. She fished her phone from inside of her sling purse. She looked around and saw nobody. The sky had turned to different mixture of hues ranging from deep orange, dark blue, dark purple and streaks of purple. Street lamps lighted automatically and kids were called back home by their parents. She was engrossed in capturing pictures from different angles when she heard someone whispered her name.

"Chizuru." His name was above whisper, sending shiver down her spine. She spanned around, knocking her intruder in the nose with her elbow.

"Omphf." Her intruder cupped his nose, groaning.

"I'm so sor-. Oh. It's you. Serves you right." Chizuru shrugged as she realised her intruder was Hijikata.

"You have one heck of an elbow. Ouch. It hurts." He touched his nose gingerly, checking if any bone were broken. Chizuru looked at him. He did look funny with red nose and menacing eyes. She covered her mouth to stop laughing. Her shoulder shock violently.

"Laugh all you want." Hijikata rolled his eyes, turning back to where he came from.

"Wait! Why are you here?"

Hijikata stopped, and looked behind through his shoulder. "Souji forced me to fetch you. They are waiting to go eat."

Chizuru smiled widely. "Ehhh…For once I thought you're worried about me." She put her phone back and trailed behind Hijikata.

"In your dream Yukimura. In your dream and you're starting to sound like Souji." His stride

"Whatever you say Hijikata-san." Her melodious laugh swayed with evening breeze. Chizuru stared his behind; pondering his peculiar behaviour with a soft smile graced her beautiful face. Is this the start of something beautiful, Toshi?

To be continued…

A/N=

Hello dear readers! I apologize for not updating this story (and Fated Woman too!) for months now. I know simple apologies won't take your frustrations of me not updating these stories for too long. I had been busy with looking for a job, moving places etc…and I for a moment forgot about my side hobby (writing fanfiction). Haha

But don't worry, I will try to update as often as I could. I cannot promise anything but I will try. Being a working adult is wayyyy different than how it was when I was a student. I miss my free times (which I took for granted.)

Btw, I'm travelling to Japan (Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka for 10 days starting next week Sunday. Care to suggest any cool places to visit? Oh! Fated Woman will be on hiatus until further notice. And another reason for FW to be on hiatus is because I thought perhaps I should find inspiration once I'm in Kyoto.

Take care! x