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— Intentions —
9# - Misdoubt
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"You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."
— C. Columbus
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— A. Misaki
THE REST OF THE EVENING went by in a blur.
I remember lingering a little longer at the dining table, before he drove us back to the residence and walked me to my apartment door. Though we talked during the whole way, I could only recall bits of conversation here and there of mundane topics, mostly.
I lazily opened my eyes. My head was lightly pounding, proof that last night was not some illusions on my part. Throwing back the covers, I noticed that I still had the dress and my heels on. I must've had walked here when he dropped me and lamely fell asleep on the bed. My tired eyes searched for the clock that sat on the edge of the bed stand.
11:26 am.
My eyes shot open. I sat upright on my bed, before realizing that today was Saturday. My sudden movement probably startled Nero, because I heard a strangled hiss as his shadow darted out of the room. I exhaled, my dizzy head falling first into my pillow, and crawled back under the covers. Closing my eyes, my mind drifted to the night I spent yesterday, with the beautiful stranger that became my friend over the past few weeks. I remember telling him that I liked his name.
His name...
"Usui, Takumi Usui," he smiled.
Right, the name I've been doing researches on for days in a row now. The man I was supposed to prove guilty for libel and use him as a means to push my legal carrier to the top. And now, I found myself at fault for staying with my client's opponent. Conflict of interest. I could lose my job for that professional misconduct.
"But call me Takumi."
Either I had to stop our casual relationship of two weeks long, and backstab him later in a few months —or I could just lose my position and give up on the opportunity I waited for over four full years. I was screwed by fate, or just another curse.
There was no need to own a master degree in arithmetic to do the math and figure out which option I chose to go with.
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— U. Takumi
IT WAS ALREADY 8:50am when I figured out that something was wrong.
Our morning rituals were usually set at 8:30 at the lobby, and when one of us would be late, it would be only of five or ten minutes at most. Maybe she had simply overslept. A frown marring my forehead, I made my way to the elevator and reached her floor in no time. I didn't care about whether I was late or not since I was not required to attend to the redaction, anyway. But that was another story for her. She told me she was a lawyer, therefore, she probably had to meet a close-fitting schedule.
I lightly knocked on her door, apprehension evident on my face. There was no sound.
Several seconds passed. I knocked again.
A faint mewl could be heard on the other side now, but nothing else.
Maybe did she leave earlier, having an emergency at work and couldn't let me know beforehand. We didn't exchange phone numbers: I couldn't blame her. It was no trouble, and I took for granted that I would see her tomorrow.
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There was not so many things I wouldn't question. Because I knew everything beforehand. And yet, I didn't foresee this outcome.
She never came the next day, or the day after it... Or any day at all, and that, during the whole week.
Every single day, I hoped that I was perhaps wrong, but the hope I kept fending for wouldn't stop crumbling to ashes. I could clearly see that she was avoiding me, though I couldn't tell for what reasons. Was the dinner no good? Did I do or say something inappropriate? Women were full of secrets, really.
Resolved to settle the issue as soon as possible, I ambushed her apartment on Saturday morning. Taking a deep breath, I knocked, plastering a well-intentioned expression on my face, though I was unnerved and tense inside.
Indistinct voices could be heard before the door opened on her. She was wearing a white oversized T-shirt and some night shorts. Edible, but that was the least of my concerns right now. Okay, that was a lie.
Surprise and confusion filled her eyes as she frowned at me, until her expression softened into an accommodating smile.
"Usui?" She took a step towards me and closed the door behind her. "What are you doing here?"
Should I go straight to the point or would it be better to cover it with excuses? I was damn confused and split between my emotions. And her edgy behavior was not helping. Why did she even close that door?
"Well, I wanted to make sure you were okay," I shrugged. "And I promised to teach you the recipe of the chocolate marquise we had at the restaurant, remember?"
She frowned. Apparently, she didn't remember. "Did you?"
"Yes," I confirmed, and I was not lying here, I swear. "You told me that you'd be free on Saturday."
She awkwardly knotted her fingers together. "I'm sorry, it slipped out of my mind..." The way she averted my gaze showed how she had mixed feelings about the whole spending-time-with-me thing. I was right, she had been avoiding me these past days. And I had the intention to investigate on that matter. There. Was. No. Fucking. Escape.
"I'm kind of busy right now, so I can't make it, I'm so—..." The door opened right on us, and an average and fitted man with short brown hair came out. He was wearing a light blue button up and tie, tucked into blacks jeans.
"Misaki? What's taking you so lo—," His light brown eyes landed on me and then tumbled back to her. "Ah? You didn't tell me you were waiting for someone, Misa."
His eyes shifted once again towards me and I couldn't help the burning jealousy that coursed my blood. Misaki? Misa? Who the hell was he? Don't tell me...
She sighed, "Hinata, here's Usui Takumi," he stretched his hand for a handshake. "And Usui, here's Shintani Hinata." By the casual way she introduced us, I guessed that he wasn't the one I cringed —and still wanted— to meet. I curtly shook his hand. His gaze was attentive to my expression, as if he wanted to decipher my thought and the reason of my presence here.
With forced courtesy perhaps, he kindly smiled at me. "Pleased to meet you, Usui."
"Likewise," I voiced. He chanced a perplexed look at Misaki, and she silently gazed back at him with a slight pleading frown creasing her forehead.
"Anyway, I'm going first then, so you can..." Clueless to her expression, he nodded at me before quickly squeezing her shoulder with affection. One last discreet glance at me and he hurriedly disappeared away.
I guess she was expecting him to stay and use him as an excuse for being busy. Too bad. I smirked down at her. "So, you're free now."
She shrugged, "Well... I guess..." A heavy sigh came out of her lips as she held my gaze. "I need to prepare, so um... Can we reschedule?"
"Reschedule?" I drawled, slowly repeating her last word. "I'll give you fifteen minutes, I'll go grab the supply from my apartment in the meantime."
She opened her mouth, no doubt wanting to object but I cut her before she could utter any words. "Fourteen minutes left now..."
I sweetly smiled at her.
She bitterly scowled in return. "Fine."
Amused, I walked back to the elevator, the smile not leaving my lips, and took my sweet time gathering what we needed for the confectionery.
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— A. Misaki
I RAN BACK INTO THE living room and dashed to the dining table.
Reports and papers were scattered all over the place, and they were all about one person. Whose name matched with the one that would be cooking, baking, making —doing whatever— right in the adjacent kitchen. The kitchen that had a total view on the living room. In fact, it was part of the spacious living room as it was an open kitchen. Which meant that the mess right here would be seen. And more precisely, the mess that was about him.
I hurriedly took all the sheets of paper and bundled them up into a folder, crawling under the table to retrieve any stray communique that could betray my activity. And I also cursed Hinata on the way, because he let me down in this damn situation.
I had called Hinata several days ago to compile any information he could find about Usui Takumi, and since he was a police officer, he was truly the savior of the day. We were discussing about all the data he gathered and the potential stuffs I had to know beforehand. Not much could be found on the internet about the brilliant, popular and yet private journalist Usui. And then, speak of the devil, the man I managed to avoid for a full week came up and busted the whole thing.
I quickly set all the folders on my bed, along with my leather work bag.
Evidences One and Two: gone.
Rushing to my laptop on the table, I quickly closed all the tabs and emails, saving my work as fast as possible before closing the session.
And then, someone knocked on the front door, making my heartbeat rise up a scale. Damn, he was fast.
Quickly logging into the guest session, free of the multitude of folder that covered my whole work account desktop, I swiftly shut the laptop's screen back horizontally. Now, I was supposed to act calm.
Not suspiciously out of breath from the freaky evidences cleaning.
Wiping the sweat on my forehead, I took a few long and deep breathes before opening the door and opted for a neutral tone.
"You're already here."
He was holding onto two brown paper bags. Nero quickly poked his head to identify the trespasser, his fluffy ears up and curious. And as soon as their gazes met, he bolted out of the doorway, into the closest room. He only chuckled at the bold action of my cat before his eyes went back to me. I sighed.
Even my cat had a quirk for knowing who he should involve with or avoid at all cost.
If only I could escape that easily...
Putting the interruption aside, he answered. "Yes, it's already been..." he glanced at his wristwatch. "Seventeen minutes."
I frowned. He actually kept count of the time. "Come in," I allowed, stepping aside to let him pass as I helped him with a bag.
Closing the door behind him, I showed him the way to the kitchen. I could feel his gaze appreciatively surveying the bright apartment, until his scrutiny fell on me, making me realize that I didn't change yet.
"Go in first, I need five minutes to change..." I was about to leave when he interrupted me in my motion, his hand lightly griping my elbow.
"I said fifteen minutes, you should've changed then..." His forest eyes were seductively laughing. "It's impolite to leave a guest alone, especially on the first visit, isn't it?"
A challenge. He was actually taunting me.
"Fine, no changing, I don't mind." I made my way to the counter and set down the paper bag I brought with me. Turning back to meet his gaze, he was quietly sorting out of the bag the recipe ingredients onto the kitchen counter. I leant back against the counter before eyeing him.
"So, what do we start with?"
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Author's note:
You guys make me laugh so hard at time xD! Love you people, thanks for the support btw =) !