A/N: Sorry for the wait. To make a long story short- bad shit happened.
Anyway, enjoy this chapter- did my best with it.
"If you try to find a replacement, you'll be sadly disappointed, I can't be replaced. I'm the only man in all the world who possesses the right combination of qualities for you. You can turn your Ballister stare upon me all you like, but you can't petrify me. You can knock me about to your heart's content without worrying about doing any damage. You can perpetrate any sort of outrage your wicked mind conceives and be sure I'll join in, with a will. You're a troublemaker, Lydia. A Ballister devil. Nothing less than a Mallory hellion would ever suit you." -Vere Mallory-
― Loretta Chase, The Last Hellion
Chapter Thirty-One. You Belong To Me
"How... different."
Akari scowled, trying to block out the intrigued taunt of his voice. Pulling her shirt on quickly, she adjusted the collar around her neck before fumbling her fingers with the buttons. Instead of anything verbal, that was the only response she gave him.
Tora sat on the bed still, simply leaning back on his hands while he stared at her standing before him, rushing herself to get dressed. He already had his pants and shirt on, though his pants were left carelessly unbuttoned, the same with his shirt being left wide open, only the first two bottom buttons done up.
He tilted his head ever so slightly, tempted to reach out and graze a hand along that round ass of hers, but refrained himself. "I've never had any woman walk out on me before we could even begin round two."
The brilliant flush covering her face made him smirk.
"Is that really all you think about? There are better things to do!" She snarled, pulling on her pants and tripping slightly in her haste. She cursed, avoiding his gaze while he chuckled lowly.
"Better things? Like what?"
Her scowling, flushed face, along with a pause in the conversation, was yet again the only answer he received.
"Sex is the only thing that has never once ceased to keep me satisfied." Tora stood from the bed, eyes still laid upon the girl in front of him. He wet his lips, watching her as she turned away from him and continued to dress herself. "Everything else in my life is nothing but a bore."
"Baka," Akari muttered, adjusting her wrinkled clothing to the best of her ability, back still turned to him. "Even the best things can become a bore when you indulge in them so much, and sex is no exception. I'm sure you know that saying; 'Too much of a good thing is a bad thing'."
She paused, finger-combing her bangs as she listened for his reply. A sudden quiet had filled the room for a moment, though. Brows knit together in sight puzzlement, she began to turn around, and jumped when she saw just how close he'd gotten to her.
"In other words," He drawled lazily. "less is more."
He was directly beside her now, his impressive 5'11" form towering over her meager 5'3" frame. The height difference had always served to annoy her, but currently she was distracted by other things. His shirt was still left mostly unbuttoned, and she was eye-level with an ample amount of golden-hued skin stretched over firm muscle. Her eyes wavered, and she became unsure of where exactly to look.
Tora's lips quirked upward in that signature, devious smirk of his, and he leaned in slightly, taking due note of every reaction he got from her. He raised an eyebrow. "Right?"
Akari opened her mouth, but instead of speaking she mutely responded with a slight nod of her head. She found that she was quickly losing her focus now- felt tingles of warmth spread through her core with the way he was looking at her- that scrutinizing gaze of his was always so hypnotic, and forceful- pulling you in, leaving no room for escape.
Her breath caught in her throat and she choked when his hands edged along her midriff, long fingers hooking into the rim of her pants and pulling her soft, thin body against his firm, taller one.
"Well then," Tora mused, lips parting just enough to show a single, pointed fang. "I had better take you in in small amounts..."
His lips glanced her cheek, nearing her own pair of lips, and he moved one of his arms up, pushing slightly on her shoulder. The move surprised her, causing her to stumble a few steps backward. She glanced at him, but he refused her gaze and simply kept pushing her back, until he had her all the way backed up into a wall.
"Igarashi-"
Tora pulled back, tucking one of his hands in his pants pocket and lifting the opposite arm up to lean his forearm against the wall, right next to her head. His bangs covered half of his face slightly, and he looked up at her with a menacing, predatory glare. Akari gasped as she all at once sensed the sudden change in the air surrounding them, and she was shocked at how quickly his flirtatious façade had dropped.
"But you see, Akari-san," He snarled, lip curling to reveal that entirely devilish smirk of his. "I don't take anything in small amounts. I take what I want, and plenty of it, always. Because, that's just the sort of selfish man that I am."
Akari stared at him, as if trying to read his mood, but the way he was glaring at her made her immediately look away. It was as if he could see right through her, look into all her secrets.
He continued. "After our little talk last night, you came rushing into my bedroom with a look on your face that said you wanted more answers. But the moment you looked at me, I saw it in your eyes- you became..." He leaned closer, dropping his voice slightly. "Afraid."
Her resolve to stay quiet and wait this out snapped. "Afraid? Afraid of what huh?" Though her words were venomous, it was only too obvious to Tora that her temper was just the way she defended herself.
He leaned down again, breaking eye contact as he moved forward, brushing his lips against her ear. He did not give her a straight answer, though the words he spoke implied just exactly what she was afraid of.
"I proposed my feelings aloud to you, and I don't recall you ever reciprocating the gesture."
Hearing that had a strong effect. Tora could feel her go limp between him and the wall, could hear the way her breath became much more forced. Akari stood as if suddenly petrified, those words making a terrible knot begin to formulate in her stomach.
It was only a brief moment that she stayed that way, still and unresponsive; but after that she edged away from him, turning on her heel and hoping to reach the door quickly. Tora moved fast, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back to the wall, pressing his body against hers. He placed one of his hands just above her chest, his palm rested at the center of where her collarbones met, his long fingers splayed somewhat against the edge of her throat, as if ready to choke her- though he wouldn't. It was a very intimidating gesture on his part, one that made her feel like small prey caught beneath a tiger's claws.
"Tora-" She cut herself off when she looked into those narrowed eyes of his, seeing how calm and patient, but also firm and forceful, they were in their staring- they seemed to be burning with an intensity that was... mesmerizing. She stilled all movement, not knowing what to expect from him, although she was sure he would be relentless, (as always).
Golden eyes glanced at her face briefly, before they traveled down and glanced all across her body. He was doing this on purpose, showing that he could look wherever he wanted, could do whatever he wanted- because she was his. His eyes landed just above her chest, looking at how his fingers curled almost like claws just beneath the base of her throat. Keeping his eyes fixated there, he spoke with a threatening edge underlying his smoothest of tones.
"It would be wise, Akari-san, to stop stalling for time. Because you aren't leaving this room until I get an answer from you."
Akari didn't really know what to do in such a position besides fume in anger. She felt how his knee edged up between her legs, how his body pressed towards her in order to intimidate her, and she glared at him, murmuring a harsh protest.
He ignored her protesting, that intense look in his eyes. "I'm surprised that you used sex as means of distraction. What were you thinking about last night, that made you so desperate to escape confronting it?" He raised an eyebrow in interest. "I want to know."
The knot that was already tied in Akari's stomach tightened more and more, to the point of snapping and unraveling. She didn't want to confront it, just as he said. Yes, she had used sex as means of distraction. It was the only way to distract him, and she had had to act fast.
She had gone to his room last night, not knowing what she was going to say to him, but thinking they could talk about his confession that he had so suddenly sprung on her. Then, as soon as she saw his face after walking into his room- well, to put it as bluntly as possible- she chickened out. She wasn't ready to talk about something so important- she didn't fully know the reason why, but she just wasn't ready. She knew she couldn't yet repeat the words he had said to her. She was afraid of those words, in all honesty... She couldn't say she cared for him like that, she couldn't give him that sort of leverage over her!
She was unsure and afraid, and that had led to her desperate need to stall. And stall she did, in the only way she knew was possible when it came to Tora. She wasn't stupid, she had thought it through in only the short time it took her to kiss him, but that didn't change the fact that she was avoiding important matters. She was a coward- a clever one, but still, a coward no less.
But she had reasons behind her actions! For god's sake, the biggest womanizing jerk in the whole of the country had said that he loved her! What the hell was she supposed to do? Believe it? Proclaim that she loved him as well, and start some sort of perfect, fairy-tale relationship with him? No. That was practically impossible, even just thinking about it was absurd. And also, the concept of love was something so uncommon in her life, so of course she didn't know what to do. Didn't know what to feel. Didn't know what to say to him. She had no response ready for such a thing.
Love- what the hell was that, anyway? Sure, all this time with him, she'd been thinking it- she'd say to herself in her head 'I love him', and she thought for sure it was real after she heard Teruko going on and on about love and how it felt, and after Tora even took her on a date. She thought it was love... BUT, Akari had needed a reality check. She had been too caught up in her 'love' for Tora, and when he had finally said those words to her, she panicked because she wasn't ready. She didn't really know what it was, and neither did he. They had both been fooling themselves this whole time. Love wasn't as simple as teenage hormones and a single dinner date!
And... and anyway, if he really did 'love' her as he so claimed, then why would he put her in this sort of position?!
She fought on, escaping her mind long enough to answer him. "You want this, you want that, all you do is want, Tora." She ground out the words as if they were dirt in her mouth. "When are you going to stop being so god-damn selfish?!"
The tiger pressed ever-closer to her, and looked her directly in the eye. "I thought you already knew. You shouldn't underestimate just how selfish I can be."
Her eyes widened at such words, and she blushed lightly- weather in embarrassment or shame or guilt, she didn't know. "You were listening then? I thought you-"
"Your time was up." He shrugged. "I had every right to listen in on your conversation after the minute had gone by."
She wanted to continue fuming at him, but he stopped her with a glare and another shove, pushing her back completely against the wall.
"I don't want any more stalling now." His tone had changed completely, and was now dull but serious- and commanding. "I already told you how I feel, and I expect a response."
Their eyes met, metallic gold clashing with silvery depths, and she blinked away, trying to look at anywhere but him. This whole time, she had wrongly assumed what she felt for him was love, when it was truly only mere infatuation, or lust, just a simple crush. And likewise, he probably thought wrong about loving her, but just hadn't realized it yet. They were young, this was just a fling, and maybe not even that. There was nothing to 'love' between them, nothing like 'love'.
Tora watched silently, as she refused his gaze and instead looked down at the floor. Her voice was low, and kept quiet, though angry.
"As I said last night... just what the hell do you expect from me as a response? I don't know what to say. This is just insane, what with you randomly saying... that you..." Her voice lulled to a stand-still, and she was lost for the right words. She didn't want to repeat his confession aloud.
Taking a deep breath, she shifted uncomfortably in between him and the wall, her face flushed due to several different emotions. She felt vulnerable, and she hated it so much. Gritting her teeth, she murmured; "Enough with the acting. You don't really love me."
Tora's gaze became hooded, his voice terse. "I am a man true to my word. If I say that I love you, then it's the truth."
He pulled away from her, stepping back and giving her some space. Still though, she refused to look up at him, and hugged her arm against her side while she pointed her face at an angle away from his gaze, so he couldn't see how much this topic affected her. Her emotions were getting the better of her, if only a little...
"If you don't believe me, then I'll simply prove it to you." He said it so casually, as if it was so easy for him.
"You can't prove feelings that are nonexistent." She hissed. "Baka." She added on for good measure.
It's not like she didn't want to believe him- of course, she'd like to think that he cared for her as he claims he does. It'd be amazing if he had genuine feelings for her, if she wasn't just another 'prize', as he had called her.
She was weary for a reason. A feeling as deep as love was a concept she had close to no understanding of. She could make it up to be whatever she wanted in her head, but in reality she had never truly witnessed love, except by her mother... and even then, that merely counted as a familial love. And she assumed, that went the same for Tora.
Also, what added onto that was- she had never been loved by any males in her life- her father loved her when she was little, but so much bad treatment had happened over the years since then, that she didn't remember how it felt. And even then, that was still just a familial type of love. And Hayate... he so obviously hated her, she doubted love was even in his vocabulary. Any other men who popped up, only tried to harass her. And so, her experiences throughout life so far had taught her to not trust men specifically. Taught her to think they were the gender incapable of any type of feeling, especially 'love'.
So honestly, when she really thought hard about it- how could Tora, being a man, and being the type of person that he is, (a selfish womanizing playboy) possibly be trusted in any type of romantic sense? Or, for that matter, be trusted at all?
He took a step toward her again, resisting the urge to shove her back into the wall in frustration. "You aren't listening." He took another small step forward, "Really, are you just that blinded by your obstinacy?"
She moved her head to the side, gaze locking on the door across the room. "There isn't anything even close to love between the two of us."
Abruptly, he had her chin in his grip and was tilting her head up, making her meet his simmering gaze. "I wonder," His tone was thoughtful, but dangerous. "why you keep saying things like that, when you have no basis for comparison."
Akari pressed her lips into a grim line, her gaze turning defiant as she was finally forced to look at him. "You don't have any basis for comparison either, Igarashi. Which only goes on to prove my point- if neither of us even understand the concept, because neither of us have ever witnessed or felt anything like it before, then how can it be an actual, real concept?"
His eyes glimmered with a tiny flash of emotion. "It is my understanding that there's a first time for everything."
A somewhat awkward pause followed.
"Well," She bit her lip, trying to think up a good response. "well-"
Tora, meanwhile, had a small smirk lifting up the corners of his mouth. He had her. Finally, he'd made some sort of point that stuck with her and made her see things his way.
He released her chin, instead settling his hand along her neck, allowing his nimble, slender fingers to slide up along her skin as she moved her head to the side. He tucked a stray cinnamon lock behind her ear, and then cupped her cheek lightly. Her face was a furnace against his hand- radiating so much heat, bright red in a flush that had lasted throughout the entirety of their conversation. For a moment, he wondered if she could get any more flushed, and thought about trying to make that happen, before quickly pushing that game away for a later time.
"Well..."
That word met his ears again, and the smirk finally made its full appearance on his face as he looked straight into her wavering eyes.
"Well it would seem," His fingers lay resting over her skin as he moved his hand forward, bringing her face closer. "That you can no longer stall, and you've run out of excuses."
When her eyes traveled all over his face, as if searching for something, his free hand glided into her hair, musing the strands as it grabbed hold. He tilted her head slightly, at just the right angle so that when he bent down, and tilted his own head just so...
Three knocks came in quick succession at the door, startling Akari enough to break away from him and push back, and angering Tora enough to elicit a low, rumbling snarl from him.
Gold eyes pierced the door of his bedroom, though they failed at burning a hole through it. With a muttered curse and a sigh of annoyance, he took long, swift steps away from his prey and came up to the door, leaning forward, grabbing the handle, and throwing it open.
Needless to say, he was momentarily caught off guard when he saw who it was waiting for him on the other side. But his composure soon came to him, and he crossed his arms at his subordinate.
"MAKI." Tora's tone was lethal. "Why the hell didn't you simply call me?"
The raven-haired boy bowed politely before straightening back up with that weird, Mona Lisa almost-smile of his on his face, as per usual. "I did call several times. There was no reply though, so I'm afraid I had to make a visit."
Tora make a sound of annoyance deep in his throat, though it wasn't necessarily directed at Maki. "I haven't ordered a new one yet..." He murmured, shaking his head at his own forgetfulness.
During the tiger's lapse in focus, Maki glanced into the room, noticing Akari. He gave her that unusual, harboring-on-creepy smile of his. "Hello, Michiyo-san. Have you been well?"
Akari blinked owlishly at him, still trying to process. Oh, that's right. Once again, she had almost given into that damn tiger. Man, she had to get her act together! Surely she couldn't count on an unexpected knock on the door to interrupt them every time? (Though so far, that had been a recurring life-saver). She shook her head, and once her brain realized Tora wasn't in such a close proximity of her anymore, she sighed, releasing some of the tension in her body and cooling off when the blush started to leave her cheeks. She offered Maki a polite grin, trying to mask her nerves with her manners. "Well enough, I suppose."
He barely had time to nod, before Tora was addressing him with a firm, controlled tone.
"I want a new phone in my hand by the end of today." He ignored the way Akari was staring at him from where she stood behind him- he would deal with her when he could again. "I assume you know that every single one of my contacts should be transferred properly, since most of them are important business associates."
Maki gave a curt nod, probably already thinking up in his head how to go about accomplishing that task.
More curious about the matter than actually caring about it, Akari asked in a plain tone; "What happened to your phone?"
Tora didn't turn his head, but merely glanced over in her direction. His response was clipped and vague, "It broke."
"How'd that happen?"
Tora looked back on that for a moment, remembering that it just so happened to be his own fault. "I assume the factory that manufactures the phone made a mistake."
She frowned, thinking it over. "Wasn't it one of those expensive ones that are supposedly indestructible?"
Tora only shrugged, offering up no other responses. He turned to Maki. "I suppose you're here for a reason?"
"You didn't show up to school this morning, and so I took it upon myself to find you and collect those papers you need to turn in."
Tora nodded his head, glancing back at Akari for a moment before looking back at the Vice President. "They're in my study."
Without another word, the both of them disappeared down the hall, leaving Akari in their wake. Scowling, she followed after them, hurrying to keep up with their brisk pace.
"Any word about Chiyo's arrival yet?" Tora asked, buttoning up his shirt as he walked.
"She's still in America."
"But when will she return to Japan?" He ran a hand through his blonde bangs, fixed his collar.
"By either tomorrow or the day after."
"Good. We have time."
They rounded a corner, and both men caught sight of the girl trying to keep up with them from behind. Tora ignored her for now- he couldn't make a move with Maki here. Well, actually, that's a lie- he didn't care who saw what he did to her, but- business first.
"How are things with the Student Council?"
Maki sighed quietly. "No one is concerned when you miss a few meetings. They assume you're busy with other business."
Tora cocked an eyebrow. "I wonder what kind of 'business' they are making assumptions about."
Behind them, Akari grumbled something along the lines of 'lecherous tiger' to herself. The boys ignored it, acting as if they hadn't heard.
"Have you excused Michiyo-san again from all her classes this week?"
"Er-"
Tora abruptly stopped walking, causing them all to stop. He stood motionless, staring over at his right-hand man with wide eyes.
"You haven't?"
Akari stood beside the two of them, watching as their conversation paused and muted itself. She could understand Tora's incredulous reaction. Normally, from what she had seen, Maki had everything covered- down to the last tea cup and piece of silverware at a dinner party. For him to not have done something Tora asked of him for once... was almost like he had broken some unspoken law.
"My apologies," The raven-haired young man quickly straightened himself out. "I've been busy with other things, and seemed to have forgotten about that."
Tora stared a tad longer than he should have, before he turned his head away and started walking again. "Make sure to get it done."
At this point in time, Akari stepped up to walk between the two of them. "Hey, wait a minute. What if I want to go back to school, huh?"
Tora failed to acknowledge the request and continued walking without so much as a word. Maki glanced over at him, but said nothing.
Icy blue eyes narrowed to sharp glints. "It's about time I've started going back to school again. I'm losing my education, and anyway, I hate being locked up here all the damn time-"
Tora suddenly spun around, stepping close and looming over her. "I can't allow you to leave, when Orochi might steal you away any time he likes."
She glared at him, crossing her arms. "I'm not stupid, I can be careful-"
"Do you really think that matters?" He smirked wickedly. "It doesn't."
Just as a full-blown argument was about to begin, Maki smoothly intervened. "President, if it's alright with you, I could watch her for the day in order to ease your worries."
Akari spun towards the Vice President, surprised and hopeful, and Tora merely took a step back, pushing his bangs away from his eye and contemplating the offer quietly to himself.
Golden eyes narrowed, as he knew Akari would only argue until she did something reckless, and therefore he had no other choice. He would give her a little bit of free rein- but that was it. Just this small amount. He turned his back on Akari, continuing to walk down the hallway, waving a hand for Maki to keep up.
Over his shoulder, he casually called; "Akari-san, I suggest you get ready. The limo will be leaving in twenty minutes."
Akari jolted, too shocked to move for a moment. She looked at the two men's receding backs, and felt the urge to thank Kanade- but then golden eyes flashed at her, warning her that she had no time for that. In a rush of rumpled clothes and tangled cinnamon locks, she fled down the hall in the opposite direction, knowing she'd have to take the quickest shower of her life.
Back in the hallway, as the two walked, the Igarashi heir stared straight ahead as he said to the other in a reverent tone; "Don't take your eyes off of her for more than a second."
Beside him, his associate merely nodded his head.
"Oh, hey Akari. Where have you been, did you take a vacation or something?"
Akari leaned back in her chair, looking away from Teruko as she lied. "Yeah."
Twirling a strand of her cream-colored hair, Teruko squealed excitedly. "Oooh, where'd you go huh? Not anywhere hot, I see- you're as pale as ever."
Akari glanced at her classmate, not missing a beat. "I went to a hot spring resort and stayed there for a while. I've been feeling stressed out lately, so I decided to take some time away from school."
Teruko snorted, nodding her head in agreement. "I'm glad you did that for yourself. You're too focused on the boring things like school work, and not involved enough with boys."
"Yeah, well," Akari shrugged.
Teruko sighed. There was a pause where she looked at her nails for a split-second, but then she glanced back over at Akari with a small smile. "Soooo..."
Akari groaned, pulling her head out of her arms where it had laid itself to rest. "Teruko... what now? I'm kind of exhausted today, if you can't already tell."
"Sorry, I was just going to ask- who did you go with? I mean, which guy?"
Silver-blue eyes stared intensely at the other girl and her questions. "I didn't say I went with any guy. I went alone."
"Oh, you." Teruko sighed as if she were speaking to a troublesome child. She stared Akari directly in the eye, shaking a finger at her, "Quit being like that. I told you when we first met- you haven't forgotten already, have you?" A mischievous glint entered her eyes. "I know a lot of things."
"...I'll probably regret asking this, but what exactly do you think you know where I'm concerned? We aren't that close."
Teruko looked more than happy to be asked this. "Tell me, how is it, being engaged to the famous Fuirutsu heir?"
Akari reacted on impulse to the topic she hated so much, and practically ground the words out through her teeth. "We aren't engaged."
"Well, you should be. But that's not what you want, is it?" Teruko smiled, tapping her finger against the table as she spoke. "You prefer blondes."
Closing her eyes, Akari tried to remain quiet lest the rest of the classroom hear their conversation. "First you think I'm engaged to someone, and now you assume I have a specific taste in men? I don't really like anyone at this school, isn't that obvious? I don't talk to any of the girls, and I definitely don't speak to any guys-"
"-Besides President Igarashi, and Orochi-kun."
The two girl's eyes met again, and Akari gave in a little. "Alright, I won't confirm that anything's true or not, but I do have to ask... You're not just making educated guesses, are you? You said you know a lot of things, but how?"
Teruko giggled lightly, leaning in closer and pointing to herself proudly. "Silly, have you forgotten everything about me? I'm the daughter of the owner of a law firm. I've been to enough cases and talked with enough lawyers to know the ways of extricating answers from people, and I even have many other methods and tricks to getting the information I desire." She continued to giggle, as if it was so entertaining for her, which, it probably was just how she kept herself from boredom.
Akari simply nodded, and then slunk back into her seat, gazing down the room and ahead at the teacher lecturing the class behind his podium. She was starting to think that Teruko might even be scarier than Aika- and that was saying something. And also, being here, hearing all that Teruko knew, she was starting to worry. How many of these other students knew all of that too, and then some?
A slight shiver traveled through her as she realized all at once- she was in a room full of Japan's most rich, knowledgeable, and powerful young adults.
Not to mention...
Sneaking a glance over her shoulder, she saw Maki there, sitting in the seat directly behind her.
She also had the Vice President as her watch dog for the day.
A certain tall blonde sat in his own classroom, writing at his desk. He wasn't entirely focused on the assignment though, and the sound of scratching pencils and pens on paper only served to bother him. He let his mind wander.
Maki made sure to update him on Akari's whereabouts, who she talked to, and what she was doing, every hour. It gave Tora great peace of mind when he found out that so far, throughout the half of the day they'd been at Miyabigaoka, she'd only talked with a few people, had traveled merely to and from each of her classes, and had spent her time simply studying and listening to lectures. He actually found it a bit amusing- that she had the whole of the school to explore, there were places to shop, places to eat, sports to play, several game rooms, etcetera, etcetera... And yet she chose to stick around in her classrooms, catch up on her work, and occasionally take a break and walk around in the hallways, or sit by a window, staring outside. She had either really missed school work, or simply didn't know what to do with herself.
Though others may think so, he himself didn't think it was creepy, keeping track of her like he was. On the contrary- he was more than okay with it- completely unashamed of himself and the precautions he had taken. Since he found it absolutely necessary for Akari to have a guard with her at all times today, he also found it only to be natural that he was to receive updates every hour- that's just how it worked. So no, it wasn't creepy at all- it was actually quite sweet of him, what he was doing- he was keeping tabs on someone special to him. Wasn't that considerate? It was.
"President?"
Tora snarled, pulling out of his thoughts and looking up at the student who was now standing beside him. When he realized just who it was, the son of a high-ranked family his own family was close with, he immediately put a smile on his face.
"Yes?"
"Care to join me for a game of tennis once you've finished here?" The other said, adding his own bright smile to the end of that sentence.
Tora looked across the room, noticing that half the students were leaving the classroom, and half were still working on the paper. Feeling as if he needed a good break to relieve some of his built up stress, he stood up slowly, leaving the paper to sit at his desk while he turned to face the other young man.
His smile still in place, he cordially accepted the offer. "I've just finished, so of course I'll join you."
The other boy nodded, leading the way from Tora's desk, down the steps, and out the door. Together they walked side by side, with Tora gazing around at the halls and everything around him, taking in the glamour and intricate interior designs of the building. It didn't impress him as it so easily impressed others- because it was all built by the Fuirutsu Construction Company.
Though the Igarashis and Fuirutsus weren't close on personal terms, in business terms, when paired up, they did well together. When the Igarashi Foundation founded Miyabigaoka, the Fuirutsu Company was drawn into the deal, and had assisted in the architecture for the school. Considering how impressive the buildings for the school had to be- with not only a High School section, but also a Middle School, Elementary School, and Kindergarten, (all for rich, privileged kids) the famed Fuirutsu Company was the only clear choice to partner with. There was no other company that could build things as grand as the Fuirutsu's Company could. And, admittedly, they'd done a very fine job creating the school and all its many different buildings, shops, everything.
Did it bother Tora though, to be walking down the halls that were created by his rival's company? Playing tennis on the court his rival's company built?
Yes. It bothered him. Though he just ignored it most of the time, so it didn't actually faze him much.
"Oh, by the way,"
The voice of his companion abruptly brought Tora, again, out of his thoughts. He tilted his chin slightly, gazing at the other boy with feigned interest.
"I should tell you, this isn't just a one-on-one match. We'll be playing with two other people, if that's alright with you. In all honesty, I'm a very competitive person and so I chose you specifically to be on my team... because you're so talented." The boy laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't like to lose, even if the game is just for fun."
Tora didn't really care if he was being used for his talents- in fact, he was quite used to it, so every time it happened he tried to feel a bit flattered. "It's alright. I'm competitive as well, so I can understand where you're coming from."
As they exited the building, heading towards the equipment room near the tennis courts, Tora smirked to himself. Whoever they were going to play against really didn't stand a chance.
This would be fun.
Since lunch had already passed, all Akari was really doing was going from class to class. She kept herself busy with classroom discussions and the pile of notes Teruko was kind enough to copy for her from Shigeo's notes while she was away on 'vacation'.
Though it was getting hard to focus on anything, with the shadow that followed her literally everywhere she went.
Just as Akari was walking up to the girl's restroom, she spun around, glaring at the figure that followed her.
"Okay, listen Kanade. I know you are doing what you were assigned to do and all, but I am not letting you into the girl's bathroom, even if it's on Tora's orders."
The young man merely stared at her, offering not a word. She looked right at him, staring from the shine of his raven-black hair, down to the similar shine of his polished dress shoes. She took a step back towards the bathroom, and he stood there, politely, not moving. Surprised, she glanced back at his face.
"You'll stay here, right?"
Finally, he spoke up. "I wasn't going to follow you into the restroom in the first place. I'll be waiting just outside until you return."
Akari snorted, wishing he would just leave her alone for good already- though she knew that wasn't possible. Sighing, she turned around and entered the bathroom alone.
While she was washing her hands, she realized that this short bathroom break was the only time she had all to herself today, ever since she had entered the school. She reveled in how nice it was, not having the feeling of someone's eyes on her back, and dried her hands slowly, taking her time. When she had finished, she glanced up at the elongated mirror in front of her, looking through the reflective glass and back at herself. She reached up and fixed her hair, running her fingers through it and flicking the locks over her shoulders, pushing her bangs from her face. She hadn't had time to dry her hair, or really do anything with it, after her quick shower earlier, so it was wavier than usual due to the way it air-dried, and admittedly it did look a bit messy. As she fixed her mess of hair, she also looked over her uniform. She didn't love dresses, or fancy fabrics, but she did like the fact that the girl's uniform for Miyabigaoka looked practical and respectable.
"Miss Michiyo?"
Akari jumped, turning towards the door and balking at the sight of Maki peeking his head in and staring at her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She gasped, walking over with a frown on her face. Slowly, he stepped back into the hallway as she ambled out of the bathroom.
"I apologize, but my orders were to not take my eyes off of you for more than a second, and though I have to respect that you had to use the restroom, I was beginning to worry since you were in there for longer than I expected." His words were offered with a bow and a slight smile, with him being as calmly genial as ever.
Akari fumed quietly for a moment, standing there with her arms crossed. She wasn't embarrassed for either of them really- she was just frustrated that she had such a vigilant guard with her at, literally, all times. It was annoying.
"Do you really have to stay directly by my side all day?" She finally asked after having calmed down.
"Yes."
"And there's no way I could convince you to just trust me and let me navigate the school on my own?"
"I believe it's not so much about trusting you, as it is about worrying that you would be found by Fuirutsu-kun."
Akari had taken on the mood of a child who stomped their foot in frustration when they didn't get what they want- though she didn't actually stomp her foot. She just grew very red in the face, as always when she was angry. "But this is ridiculous, you following me everywhere! I just want to go to the library and study without anyone bothering me- even if you're quiet, I can still sense you watching me. I can't focus like that!"
He stood still for a moment, but his voice was firm when he next spoke. "I can't leave you alone unless the Student Council President says it's alright to do so."
She sent him a gaze that, if looks could kill, would have left him extremely dead. Her temper wasn't deflating any time soon, and she was trying to think of a way to get rid of him.
"It's not like I can't take care of myself." She tried, hopelessly.
He dismissed her statement with a shake of his head. "I don't doubt your spirit, but you've never been involved in the martial arts, or taken any type of self-defense classes. Therefore, if anything were to happen, physically you have the disadvantage."
"Well, I'm a fast runner."
Maki sighed- even he was growing impatient with her stubborn attitude. "I will take you to the library if that is what you want to do." He tried to reason with her.
Akari sighed as well, not knowing how she was going to shake him off her back. He was loyal to Tora, so it's not like she could persuade him at all. Maybe she should just be honest with him, and then he might be a little less strict with her.
"Look," She sighed, trying to use her most reasonable tone of voice. "it's not like it bothers me all that much that you're with me- I mean, you're good company and you're very nice to me. What's really bothering me is the reason why I'm being watched- I feel as if I'm being treated like a child who doesn't know any better. I was assigned a personal guard because I'm issued as unable to take care of myself- and believe me, I can handle myself just fine. It's not as if I'll go looking for trouble- and I am most certainly not stupid. Sure, okay, I'm not physically built to fight or anything, but why would I need to fight off anyone if I'm hidden away in the library? Isn't it huge, with hundreds of rows of books? Who would find me in there? And, when I'm traveling to and from classes, there are too many students around for Orochi to try anything. I think people would notice if I was dragged away in the middle of class. So I don't see what's so necessary about you being with me at all times."
Maki simply smiled at her, deciding to cleverly distract her. "I can see where your frustration is coming from, but I do think that you are overreacting. The President is only doing this because he cares for you."
Her face lit up in an even brighter red. "He- he doesn't..."
He stared at her, that little smile still planted on his face. "I thought it was fairly obvious that he did? Have you simply not noticed it yet?"
Akari bit her lip, contemplating her words carefully. "I... well it's not like I haven't noticed, it's just that..."
"Do you not return his affections?"
She startled at that question, blinking up at him with a look of shock and conflicted emotions frozen on her face.
"N-no." She furrowed her brow at the way her voice wavered. Why was she getting so emotional now, of all times?!
"I know it's not my place to press this matter, but... you seem conflicted."
Akari, frazzled as she was, couldn't come up with much else to say. She couldn't put her feelings into words- and she didn't know if she wanted to- it was very complicated. She did like Tora- but, well, she just didn't think she loved him...
It's not love. Can't be. Why would he even ask me that?! It's just... well what is love, anyway? It can't be defined! And other than love, what is hate? Yeah, and are the two similar at all? After all, you can't have hate without love, or love without hate. It's like mother used to say...
...Wait, haven't I distracted myself from this same topic before, in exactly the same way...?
Well shit, there you go. She had successfully led herself astray from the original demanding question. Again. In the exact same way she had a while back, when she'd had a similar conversation about this with Aika.
And once more, all over again, she was having this epiphany.
In the back of her head, she knew. It was hidden within her, but even though it was hiding, it was still a solid truth. She couldn't avoid it, especially when it kept coming up over and over again. She did love him. She had fallen in love with Tora Igarashi.
Although that was a solid and true fact, she still hadn't fully accepted it yet. Even now, she was still wavering... but her resistance was wearing thinner and thinner and with just a few more tugs on her emotions, she'd finally completely accept it. But not yet, not right now. To her, it still seemed slightly if not completely impossible.
"Michiyo-san?" Maki looked a bit unsettled, as she just stared off into space and refused him any more words. Her face had paled and she looked as if she wanted to run back into the bathroom and throw up. And yet, at the same time, there was a sparkle in her eye, a certain light that showed she had just had an important realization.
Abruptly, she broke out of her deep thoughts, turning her gaze back on Maki, which startled him a bit. He looked at her carefully, wondering what would happen next, and worrying that he'd prodded around too much.
Clearing her voice, Akari spoke with much vigor as she said again; "No. No, I do not return his affections."
And with those clipped words, she turned on her heel and started off walking down the hallway at a brisk pace.
Maki smoothly fell into step a few paces behind her, mulling over her response. Most people would think she was being serious, what with the way she said it, but he wasn't most people. He was Tora Igarashi's right-hand man, and Student Council Vice President of Miyabigaoka. He knew to pay attention to detail, and he knew how to analyze, though maybe not as well as Tora.
And he did take notice of one big thing in particular, something he'd be sure to report back to the President.
There was a lot of strength put behind her words, but there was not even a little bit of certainty in her voice.
It had a been a lovely surprise that winter was ending early, and the snow had already melted completely off the sidewalks and rooftops. Yesterday, Tora had noticed the nice weather and wanted to take advantage of it, but he had been a bit caught up with several other things. And so, since today was just as nice a day, with the sun creating a healthy glow over the school grounds, and nothing but a chilly wind in the air that left a constant remembrance of the fading winter, he thought it a good idea to indulge in some outdoor sporting fun.
And so currently, he stood in the middle of the court making small talk with Jirou Takagi (the young man who'd invited him to play tennis). He and his companion were newly dressed in polo shirts and gym shorts, and though it was cold with the wind, soon enough they'd be playing and their bodies would warm up on their own. All they were doing now was waiting for the other team to show up.
"Ah!" Jirou suddenly broke off from their conversation, and he pointed in the direction behind Tora. "There's our competition!"
Tora turned around, facing the two other young men approaching them. Because of the distance still kept between them, he didn't have much of a reaction- that is, until they got closer, and their faces became recognizable. When he saw just who it was, his jaw locked, and his eyes narrowed the slightest bit.
One of the young men was recognizable by his blue hair, pulled into its usual neat up-do, and his dull grey eyes. Kenshin Koizumi.
The other, with his impressive height, his short, light chestnut hair, darkened brown eyes, and those devilish indents in his cheeks indicated as dimples, was easily recognized as none other than Orochi Fuirutsu.
Tora gripped the tennis racket he held in his hand more tightly as the two figures finally stepped up in front of them, one looking stoic and the other looking rather smug.
"Oh, I didn't know the Board Chairman's son would be playing with us!" Orochi spoke with a tone filled with pleasant surprise, though when Tora looked into his eyes, he could see that somehow, this was no surprise at all for him.
Immediately upon being spoken of, Tora alighted his face with a grin and extended his free hand. "And I was unaware that I would be playing against the Fuirutsu heir. What an honor this is."
When Orochi grabbed his hand and they shook, the air seemed to thicken around just the two of them. They looked at each other, both with grins on their faces, only their eyes speaking of the hatred they held for each other.
"I hope you're good with a racket, President Igarashi." Orochi said, dimples showing more clearly the wider he smiled.
"I actually hope the same for you, Orochi-kun." Tora's tone was pleasantly easy-going as he spoke. "Because I won't be going easy on you today."
"That's the competitive spirit I love to see!" Jirou suddenly piped up, slapping them both on the shoulder while laughing. "This'll be a great match!"
Tora dropped his rival's hand, his eyes going from Orochi, to Jirou, and then finally resting on Kenshin. He smiled once more. "Koizumi-kun, how nice of you to join us as well."
Grey eyes zeroed in on Tora, identifying him as Orochi's rival, and his gaze narrowed- but still he let a small smile appear on his face, and let himself nod a hello. "It's a pleasure to be playing against you."
Tora looked back over to Orochi, who had walked over to a bench and picked up a spare racket sitting in a bag there. He held it just right and swung it easily, smiling as he did so. Then, he caught Tora looking at him, and smirked.
"I'm looking forward to this, aren't you, Kenshin?"
The blue-haired boy walked over and picked up his own racket, examining it carefully. He gave a sly smile. "I am."
Eyes narrowing at such behavior, Tora spun and faced his partner. Jirou started, seeing the way he was being glared at by the Igarashi heir.
"Are you proud of your tennis skills, Takagi-kun?"
The guy's smile was a cocky one, so Tora figured that was a yes.
"Absolutely." Jirou affirmed, his smile never once faltering as a competitive gleam of excitement entered his eyes.
Tora licked his lips, looking over and studying their competition once more. "Good. Then I'm expecting you to keep up."
The dragon is a mythical creature, very mighty and confident in its own strength and power.
Orochi took his stance on the opposite side of the court behind the base line, a self-assured smile gracing his lips.
Its thick scales glow with an inner light that signifies the strength of its invincible armor. An army of a thousand troops will shiver in fear even at the mention of its name.
His dark eyes glinted, staring across the court at Jirou, who was looking back at him, seeming to get more fidgety and nervous the longer Orochi looked at him with those fearful eyes and that cocky, dimpled smile. Orochi's strong arms held muscles coiled and ready to swing the racket with powerful skill at anything that came his way.
The tiger is a creature of stealth and speed, it is patient and awaits its turn. It prowls in darkness cloaked in secrecy, perhaps spotted occasionally by the glow of its eyes.
Tora stood on his end of the court, patiently awaiting the first serve, which would be delivered by Orochi. Unlike his team mate, he was not fidgeting, though he did start to slowly pace back and forth as he waited, his eyes glowing a bright gold as they zeroed in on Orochi. The other young man had been ignoring him for the most part, trying to intimidate Jirou instead, but then he caught sight of that golden-eyed stare and suddenly, Orochi was staring right back at Tora.
When in combat, it gives its enemy no rest, no quarter and no place to hide.
Tora smirked as their eyes met. His eyes told just one story, held one steady promise in their bright, intense gaze- he would show no mercy.
Now the time has come to decide the master of the land, and it is the tiger and the dragon that so happen to meet. With its powerful claws, the dragon draws first blood, throwing the tiger off like a ragged doll.
During their stare, Orochi began to swing, and it happened so fast that for once, Tora actually missed it. The ball was served, zipping through the air, over the net, bouncing once and then becoming airborne again- his eyes quickly found it, and he moved towards it, though he knew it was too late. He had been thrown off, for once, and on the very first serve. Damn.
The tiger staggers, with blood covering its hind, but its eyes portrays no fear or pain. The dragon laughs with sinister delight, as it sees the tiger humbled so easily. But with a singular resolve, the tiger crouches low, not to show defeat or submission, but to gather strength and self-belief.
"Igarashi-kun, focus!"
Jirou had come out of no where, saving the ball from hitting the ground a second time and sending it back over the net. Tora looked over at him, and then looked back to the other end of the court, where the ball was just landing at the center of Kenshin's racket. His eyes narrowed on the ball as he refocused, making sure not to show that he had faltered, keeping his face fixed into the perfect mask that showed he could not be intimidated. He could hear Orochi chuckling at his end of the court, obviously delighted that he had been able to get the better of his rival so easily.
"Tch!"
Tora made a sound of annoyance, a tad offended by the fact that Orochi was laughing so soon into the game. He had warned that he wouldn't go easy on them, and Orochi knew how Tora could show no mercy. It was far too soon to laugh.
He crouched at the ready, bending with his racket in hand, a glint entering his eyes as the tennis ball bounced once, and then flew closer and closer to where he was. And then, in a flash, Tora shifted- light on the balls of his feet, lithe like a tiger, as he moved swiftly from one side of his square to the other, prepared to hit the ball this time. He swung his racket back in well-timed preparation, eyes narrowed and thoughts collected, a smirk slowly appearing on his face.
Out of the corner of the dragon's eyes, it catches a glimpse of some movement, but before anything can be done, the tiger pounced. With all its strength gathered in that single leap, the tiger streaked towards the dragon straight and true like an arrow.
Orochi was chuckling lowly, shaking his head at his rival's mistake. He was about to make a mocking comment, when he spotted a quick movement at the other end of the court. He came suddenly to attention as he watched the moment when Tora hit the ball, watched as it soared through the air, cleared the net, and went straight for where he himself stood.
Tora watched closely as Orochi made the same mistake he had made, and Kenshin jumped in and hit the ball just in time, just as Jirou had before. Tora hit the ball hit by Kenshin with ease as it bounced close to him, and then he met eyes with Orochi, who was now glaring at him. They stared at each other across the court for no more than a split second, eyes meeting and promising the other's downfall, before Orochi hit the ball next- and again, the process continued, back and forth, forth and back, with both teams never faltering.
This was going to take a while.
"Igarashi, get it!"
Fifteen minutes later, and the endless set just didn't let up. Tora was sweating, moving to and fro, having a couple of close calls when Orochi hit the ball particularly hard and it nearly flew right into the furthest corner of Tora's square. He was grateful for the wind that beat against his shirt, cooling him off, but other times it caused trouble, whenever a strong gust would make the ball pick up unexpected speed, or move at an awkward angle.
"Gheh!" He panted, hitting the ball that Jirou had missed, and he considered himself lucky when it barely, barely skimmed over the net. He watched Kenshin running up in front of the net, lower his racket, and hit the ball just after it bounced. It sent the ball back onto their side of the court, and Tora allowed Jirou to get it, seeing that he was at the ready for it.
Finally, with a one-handed backhand, Jirou hit the ball far over the net at just the right complicated angle. It bounced on the doubles side line, far to the right of where Orochi stood. Tora was panting still, but he managed to smirk at the fact that they'd earned the first point of the match.
But there were still many more points to win.
"So I'm guessing you're one of the few people Tora completely trusts."
Akari sat in the massive library in the school, flicking through her notes before staring over at Maki, who stood leaning against a bookshelf, keeping an eye on her. The boy's mouth opened slightly and he tilted his head up more as he acknowledged her words.
When he said nothing though, Akari continued, turning in her seat to face him fully. "Anyone else would grow bored of just standing there watching me read and do homework, but you're doing just fine. You fulfill every single one of the jobs Tora gives you without so much as a single complaint, and you always do everything perfectly, according to the way he wants it done. So, no wonder he has so much faith in you. You're almost like his butler, and yet, there's something that differentiates you from being just a simple butler. And I think what the difference is, is the fact that Tora not only trusts you, but respects you as well. And he probably also thinks of you as a friend."
Maki stared at her for a long, drawn-out moment, before turning his head away and looking over at the far wall. "That's a thoughtful way to perceive things. You are very intuitive, Michiyo-san."
Akari huffed, folding her arms. "You can call me Akari, you know. I'm okay with it."
He glanced back at her, and stood up straight, pulling away from the wall. Regarding her with a steady gaze, he began to speak.
"My relationship with Tora is hardly ever questioned by anyone. So I'm wondering, why would you look so closely at it?"
Akari shrugged, keeping eye contact with him and even giving him a small smile. "Well, we've both been silent for so long I really just wanted a topic to talk about. If you want though, we can change the subject."
Maki gave her his usual half-smile. "It's alright, so long as you have questions, I can be a source for your answers."
Akari saw through his fake smile with ease, and that was the first question she had for him. "Why is it that you always have that fake smile on your face? Are you an actor like Tora is?"
Maki blinked, looking a bit taken aback. His smile dropped, and he stared and stared at her. "I'm not really aware of what you're talking about."
She sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Really? You're completely unaware that you're always polite, constantly wearing a small, fake smile on your face, and never letting up with the whole gentlemanly, butler-like persona?"
He nodded slightly, speaking up on his own behalf. "That's simply the way I'm conditioned. I was brought up to act a certain way, and I've always been that way. I don't realize that I'm doing anything particularly unusual."
"Oh."
Seeing that she looked guilty, Maki began to feel guilty himself. He took a step forward, addressing her again, politely. "To answer your other question, I do like to think that I'm worthy of President Igarashi's trust."
"You like to think that? Isn't it obvious to you that it's true?"
He paused.
Akari sighed, as if exasperated with him. "Well, I don't know why you're so loyal to Tora, but, it's clear to me you have been that way for a long time. You're constantly by his side, and it seems like your schedule always has something to do with his schedule as well. I'm pretty sure he confides in you for some if not all the important decisions he makes, often taking your advice. It's my opinion that he most definitely thinks anything you do will always be a success. In other words," She looked him right in the eye as she said this. "He does trust you. He places an incredible amount of trust in you. And I think you know that already."
Maki looked startled to say the least, and admittedly he was impressed. There was one thing that he wanted to clear up though.
"All that is true, but even still, our relationship is nothing but strictly business." He said slowly, walking over to a book shelf and helping himself to a certain book with a blue binding.
Akari started laughing, a silly little laugh that made him glance over at her once more. She smiled, shaking her head. "Oh come on! What a lie. You guys are friends- best friends, I'd say."
Maki stood there numbly, not understanding such a term she had brought up.
"What?" She blinked at him, confused at his silence. "You're extremely loyal to him, and he trusts you to handle anything he needs you to. It seems like you have known each other for a long time, and that you both wish nothing but the best for each other. Isn't that called friendship?"
He listened respectfully, but it wasn't until he heard the word friendship that he really payed attention to what she was saying. Him and Tora... though they never spoke of it, they really were friends, weren't they?
He offered her a nod of his head. "I suppose that's true."
Akari started to nod her head in agreement, but he wasn't finished yet. He gazed at her, looking serious as he continued. "But if all of that between he and I makes us friends, then everything between you and him must make you much, much more than that."
His matter-of-fact tone wasn't missed by her, and she blushed at the fact that he so obviously believed what he just said to be the truth.
"Baka." She shook her head, turning back to her studies. "You and that damn tiger... you're both idiots."
Two sets later, the first game was finally, finally finished. They had spent a good hour and a half playing, and the points had added up fairly quickly for both teams. Regrettably, Tora had missed the last serve, and Orochi and Kenshin had won, 40 to 39. It was a close game, but that didn't change the fact that there was a clear winner and loser. Even Tora Igarashi could be imperfect and lose- on rare occasions against competitors as equally talented as himself.
"Anyone up for a second match?" Orochi asked loudly across the court, while Jirou tossed Tora a water bottle and Kenshin panted heavily between his legs.
After a long swig of water, Tora wiped the back of his arm across his forehead and stared at Orochi, debating whether or not he should accept that challenge. He glanced at his team mate, who looked red in the face and as equally sweaty as the rest of them were. This game had been brutal, and besides, he didn't always have to rise to his rival's bait, did he? He could quit whenever he liked, with absolutely no shame at all.
"We'll pass." Tora called back, straightening up and beginning to walk forward, towards the net, in order to shake hands with his competitors in congratulations for winning. Though it did sting to lose, giving him a bit of a wounded pride and all, he could still follow the proper rules of etiquette.
When Orochi and Kenshin had both shook hands with he and Jirou, they all started to break away until Orochi addressed Tora.
"Why not another game, President?" He asked innocently, though Tora knew he was setting him up to look like a coward.
Tora faced him, raising an eyebrow as if to question him back. "I have work to complete, and it would seem this match lasted longer than I had planned for. So, you'll have to excuse me."
He turned his back, walked away, leaving the other three behind. He crossed half of the distance of the court, reaching the bench which held a bag of his things, and he pulled from the bag a brand new phone that Maki had ordered for him shortly after being made aware that Tora's old phone broke. Tora smiled the tiniest bit, marveling at the way it had been done so quickly, and also, perfectly. All of his contacts were in the new phone, everything was in place as it was with the old phone. Even Tora didn't know how his Vice President could complete a task so thoroughly and in such a short amount of time.
"Igarashi-kun!"
Just as he was opening his phone to check for an update from Maki about Akari, he was interrupted by the sound of Jirou's voice, and then a hand on his arm. Turning slightly, he faced the other boy with a slightly surprised look in his eye, and carelessly set his phone back down on the bench.
"Is something wrong?" He asked, frowning as he watched the other young man pant from the run he took to catch up with him.
"Not really," He managed to get out, before straightening up and looking Tora in the eye. He grinned crookedly. "Orochi-kun told me to tell you that he would like to play another game."
Tora almost rolled his eyes, but withheld the urge. "I thought we just went over this." He said blandly, before starting to turn away again.
Jirou stopped him though, grabbing his arm tighter. "But he said it'll be different this time. He told me there'll be rewards involved for the winner, and consequences for the loser."
Tora sighed, but nonetheless raised an eyebrow in interest. "Like a gamble?"
The other nodded happily. "Are you interested?"
The more he thought about it, the stupider it started to sound. Tora shook his head. "Like I said, I have work to do. And I'm not up for another lengthy tennis match at the moment."
"Oh but couldn't you get your Vice President to handle the work for you?" A voice called from behind.
Tora looked over at Orochi, who stood just a few paces away, his brow raised as he stared back at Tora questioningly. "Or is he sick with something? I haven't seen him around at all today, and normally he's following right behind you. Where is he?"
Tora caught a movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned slightly, only to acknowledge that it was just Kenshin, moving to sit at the bench next to where they all stood. Tora watched for a moment as the blue-haired boy set his own bag down next to Tora's, fishing around in it until he pulled out a water bottle and began chugging it down. Now disinterested, Tora looked back to his rival and addressed him in a bland tone.
"He may be my right-hand man, but that doesn't mean we share the same exact schedule." Was all Tora offered the other, trying to be as vague as possible. He was still unsure if Orochi knew that Akari had returned back to school yet, and he wasn't going to give him any hints.
Orochi seemed a bit bristled by Tora's lack of cooperation. He took a step forward, growing urgent just as Tora was turning around again. "Wait, Igarashi. We'd all like to play a game of King of the Court, won't you join us, at least for a short time?"
Tora faced his dimpled rival, a sharp glint entering his harsh gold eyes as he spoke. "Again, I'll have to decline the offer. I'm not even slightly interested in gambling away the prize that you want."
Akari blinked blearily as she followed Maki down the hallways.
"Sorry I fell asleep in the library... I didn't think I was that tired."
He smiled politely at her over his shoulder. "Perhaps it was the boredom that got to you."
She laughed lightly, moving a bit faster in order to keep up with him. "Perhaps. So, the President wants to see me?"
Maki only nodded. He had woken her up from a nap only a few minutes ago, saying something about Tora asking him to bring her to him. And so, now they were navigating the many confusing hallways belonging to Miyabigaoka. Without Maki there with her, she honestly would be very, very lost. So she had to admit, there were perks to having him with her.
"Where exactly are we going to meet him?" She asked with a yawn.
"He said he's been out playing at the tennis field and went to take a shower, so he wants me to have you wait for him near the court."
She nodded, not really in the mood to wait for the tiger, but also too tired from her nap to get that upset about it.
"Wait, you're leaving me? Now, of all times?"
Maki bowed, standing in front of where he dropped her off at the tennis court. Akari sat on a bench, looking at him like this was the ultimate betrayal.
"In the message he told me to leave you so that he could talk with you alone." He explained, stepping back as Akari glared at him. "He'll be done with his shower soon, so please just wait on your own until he comes to speak with you. I do have some work I'd like to catch up on, so I had hoped you wouldn't mind waiting for a few minutes alone so that I can go take care of that."
Just as she was about to start yelling at him about how he couldn't just leave her alone with that lecherous tiger (especially when the circumstances seemed so shady) he turned and took off at a brisk pace, quickly disappearing underneath the nearest marble archway that held up the school building across from the courts.
"Che, what a loyal butler." She said to herself bitterly, standing from her bench and starting to pace back and forth. "Tora must have been really bossy in that text he sent."
Needless to say, she was nervous to face Tora, because she knew that every time she saw him, he could press her for answers to his confession- and it was nerve-wracking for her to think about that.
She didn't know how long she waited, trapped in her own anxious thoughts, before a hand landed on her shoulder and caused her to jump away, yelping in frightened surprise.
"Calm down, Akari." He said, a smirk on his face. "It's only me."
"OI, YOU STUPID TIGER! Are you trying to give me a heart attack or someth-"
She froze when she turned and her gaze settled on him, and her mouth dropped open slightly.
He laughed at her. "I thought you were expecting me?"
Once Akari had her barrings, she scowled at the man standing in front of her. A light breeze travelling through the sun-dusted air blew her hair all around her face, and his uniform jacket hanging loosely on his shoulders ruffled around him as well. He crossed his arms over his chest covered by only a dark t-shirt, his muscles flexing as he did so.
"Why the hell would I be expecting you?" She barked at him, glaring up and down. "What are you doing here? I was meeting-"
He held up a phone, a very nice, brand-new-looking cell phone, and she stopped her sentence short, only to begin a new one.
"Is that Tora's? But... how did you...?"
Flashing a dimpled, sinister smile, Orochi chuckled darkly. "It seems I'm talented at distracting little tigers..."
Akari took a step back, gritting her teeth. "You sneaky bastard. You didn't do anything to him, did you?"
Orochi raised an eyebrow at her. "Is that concern I'm sensing? For Igarashi?"
She scoffed. "Yes. It is. So?"
He chuckled darkly, taking a step closer to her. She took two steps back, not wishing to be anywhere near him. Not after what he did to her the last time she saw him.
"Go away Orochi. I have nothing good to say to you." She watched him carefully, while he tried edging closer to her again.
"Come on Akari," He said smoothly, giving her a charming smile. "I only want to talk with you about some things..."
"I'm not going to marry you, so just shut up about that already."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know that, you made it very clear when you threw the ring at my feet. But," His gaze darkened as he stared at her. "I think you've been told this before, but I'll remind you. Your feelings don't matter to me, it's Igarashi that I want to ruin, and if I can do that by using you, then I will use you to my advantage. I can and I will."
Angered, she started to raise her voice. "Listen to me, you dirty snake! There is no possible way you could get me to willingly walk down an isle and kiss you, so just drop it! We aren't engaged, we aren't even friends. And if you think," Her eyes changed, her gaze hardened to a brutal glare that made him wince. "That I'll just stand by and let you use me to harm someone else, then you really are some sort of new brand of stupid."
He stepped closer to her, though she stood her ground. His gaze bore into her own, but she looked unfazed. She folded her arms across her chest, glaring at him with a stubborn resolve.
Orochi growled, his gentlemanly act quickly faltering under her intense glare and stubborn attitude. "Quit talking so big, when you're really so unsure of yourself. You're the stupid one- for thinking you can beat me at my own game, and for siding with Igarashi. You really think this will all work out for you in the end? Are you so naive that you believe that I will lose, my plan will fail, and you and Tora will live happily ever after?" He smirked arrogantly. "I said I planned to steal you away from him, and I am going to do that. The process is a bit more slow-going than I had originally wanted it to be, but in the end it will all work out to my advantage."
Her face was burning red with all the rage she felt towards this idiotic young man who thought he controlled everyone's life. Akari turned around, facing her back to him. "Orochi. Leave. Now. This conversation is over." She could barely get the words out through her clenched teeth. She was shaking a little- her emotions getting the better of her. What if he was right? That's what worried her. She didn't want him to be right, but he sounded so confident. So she had to get away from him, right now. "LEAVE." She said again, more firmly, still sensing him there behind her.
"I'd listen to her, if you know what's good for you. I'm really the only one who can handle her when she's angry."
Akari turned around at the sound of that cruel lull of a voice, and watched as Orochi turned as well, in order to face the owner of the voice, his rival. The two young men sneered at each other, each sizing the other up.
"Tora?" Akari caught his eye for a moment, and she scowled. "Where were you before I had to deal with this idiot rival of yours?!"
He gave her a look that said she should have known all along where he'd been, as if it was so obvious. "Taking a shower."
And then he looked back at his rival, and smirked. "I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to have my phone back in my own possession."
Orochi handed him the phone without so much as a single complaint. "I don't need it anymore. All I wanted was to see her." He turned his dark gaze on Akari, who was still fuming with rage. "I've been missing my future wife, you know." He smiled, dimples and all.
Akari stepped closer, exasperated. "I'm not your future wife you asshole! Stop saying stuff like that!"
He ignored her and turned back to his rival. With that dimpled grin, he asked; "Does she always get this temperamental when provoked?"
Tora smirked, glancing at his prize. "I've seen it get even worse than this."
Akari went into a fully blown-out rage in her chibi form- started stomping around, cursing at them, insulting them both profusely... but they simply ignored her and continued their conversation with bitter-sweet tones in their voices as they addressed each other.
"Ah, I see. Well, I'd say it's a miracle that you manage to keep her on your leash, Igarashi."
Tora's eyes flashed with a dangerous glint in them. "I really don't try too hard. She just favors me over you."
Orochi's gaze wavered, but then a small smirk alighted his face and his eyes lit up with a certain idea hidden in them all of a sudden. Tora's own eyes narrowed, wondering just what was about to happen.
"It's not a matter of who she favors, you know." He said in a low tone. "And that's because nothing is left up to her. What she wants isn't being taken into consideration, and I thought that was obvious already to you both, since no matter what she says she's already engaged to me, already going to marry me. So, basically-"
Orochi reached out, grabbing the raging, comical chibi Akari and pulling her to him tightly. She reverted back to normal and glared up at him, but he was looking at Tora, who's eyes had widened as he watched.
"I can do whatever I want to her. Like this, see?"
And the dragon leaned down, grabbed her face in his free hand, and kissed her, long and hard and right on the mouth.
When he finally pulled back, Akari seemed to have momentarily frozen with a blank look on her face. Orochi grinned as he looked back at Tora. "Now, how does it make you feel, Igarashi? To know that no one, not even you, has any power over what I chose to do with her?"
Tora didn't know that it was possible to be so shocked and angered, that you couldn't move. But now, in this moment, after he had just watched the very close view of Orochi kissing Akari, he knew it was definitely possible.
Akari was the first to move, struggling out of Orochi's grip and spinning to face him. She was wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes bright and wide with a look of intense emotion in them.
"YOU!" Was all she yelled, before practically pouncing at the Fuirutsu heir.
Tora watched Akari kick his rival in the shin, rather hard, probably, since Orochi fell down to one knee. He watched as she struggled against Orochi's outstretched arms and managed to punch him in the jaw. He watched as together, the pair struggled, with Akari beyond enraged and being driven forth by her anger, while Orochi was laughing as he defended himself and blocked most of her attacks.
Tora watched, but he somehow found no amusement in the comical scene set before him.
The tiger lunged forward, practically ripping his prize from that his enemy's arms. He kept a firm hold on a panting Akari, pinning her close to his side as he stared down seemingly calmly at Orochi- though he stared with a bright, burning gaze of fierce, golden fire. Orochi grinned up at him, looking incredibly pleased for someone who'd just been tackled by a girl half his weight and height, and had suffered from her long nails scratching at him repeatedly.
Tora didn't really realize how affected he was, until he pushed Akari away from him and approached Orochi. He grabbed a fistful of the other's shirt, that famous, evil smirk on his face now, and brought his lips just to the shell of Orochi's ear.
The tiger's whisper was a hiss releasing from his lips; "Just for that, I will permanently ruin you."
He shoved off of Orochi after that, not bothering to see the look on his face. Grabbing Akari again, who was still fuming, he took up a brisk, angry pace and began to lead her away.
When he deemed that they were a proper distance from his snake of a rival, Tora let his careful control slip.
Halting himself and Akari behind a marble column, he grabbed her shoulders and shoved her up against the marble, pressing his body against hers and offering her no escape. Their eyes connected, and he glared at her harshly, taking on his most intimidating stance.
"You're mine. No one else can have you. You belong to me."
Akari met his eyes silently for a moment, taken aback by the amount of sheer vigor in his voice. Blinking, she collected herself abruptly and then managed to glare back at him. "Igarashi, I am not-"
Exasperated, Tora shoved her wrists against the column behind her harshly, tightening his grip on her until it was almost painful. She sucked in a breath, and growled as her temper flared. He simply stared back at her, his gaze sharp, jaw locked, teeth clenched. He was giving her that signature, Igarashi sneer- the one that had everyone who'd seen it thinking he was a heartless villain.
"Don't say what you don't mean, Akari. It's truly annoying for me to have to listen to your excuses." His eyes narrowed and he pressed even closer to her, so close that there was practically no space left between them. "You are mine. My property and my prize that I have successfully won over. There isn't anyone else you want besides me. I'm the only person who can handle such a prize properly, it's me and only me who knows exactly how you work, and exactly how to please you. You can act however you like, but you'll never make me want to give you up." His lips grazed against hers, teasingly. "You interest me, and I enjoy that."
She shuddered as his hot breath met her lips. They were much too close. "If all it is is interest, then I'd rather not be involved in any way with you."
Pulling back slightly, he looked her directly in the eye, staring deeply, intimately, intensely. "No. You want me as well, and nothing less than me could ever suit you. It's too late to say anything like that, because you're already far too involved with me. You are involved in every way with me. I have you as my prize, Akari, and I still don't think you get that quite yet." His stare was completely serious, his golden eyes boring into her silver ones. "I already said it, and I'll remind you again: you belong to me."
She tried to pull away, move her head, but before that he crushed her lips with his own, tasting her, melding his body with hers, creating a warm feeling in the air. A warm feeling, which quickly grew hotter and hotter the longer his mouth enticed and captured her own.
When they broke away, Akari was panting and gazing up at him with bleary eyes. Her anger had dissipated with the kiss, but she still had a lot to say to him. "Tora..."
He spoke before she could finish. "If you really don't believe me, then I mean what I said before about providing proof. I can show you all the answers you need, and prove that my feelings for you are real, and that you feel the same way."
Akari leaned her head back, closing her eyes to the sound of his voice. She felt emotionally drained and just wanted him to stop talking, before she started to believe him.
Tora looked at her, his eyes watchfully set on the features of her face, a serious look in their golden depths. "By the end of this week, I'll have you thoroughly convinced."