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— Intentions —
11# - Before the Storm
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"If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey,
most of us would never start out at all."
― D. Rather
―
— U. Takumi
May 4, 9:13PM:
T: Are you free tomorrow night? I hereby invite you to dinner. :)
She replied immediately.
May 4, 9:16PM:
M: Sorry, working late.
Deception once again fogged my mind as I carelessly set the phone on the low table and sighed.
She distanced herself from me since last week, back when I first and lastly went to her apartment. If not for having her phone number —thanks to her sister—, we wouldn't be interacting much —or at all, I bitterly guessed. We would sometimes talk on phone, but no longer than a few minutes, and whenever I saw her, she would make up an excuse; that she was in a hurry, or busy —anything to flee off immediately without even once looking in my eyes. I didn't want to come across as too intrusive, but damn if she wasn't on my mind too often lately...
I shifted on the couch and grabbed the phone back, typing no other than the words my one track mind brought out on the spot.
May 4, 9:22PM:
T: I'll drive you to work tomorrow morning then. 8:00AM.
Sitting up, I left my phone on the couch, not caring about what her answer would be since it wouldn't have much significance on my action. I just had to do it my own way.
—
Next morning, I was waiting at the entrance lobby for her. It was 7:35 in the morning, as I figured out that if she wanted to avoid me, she would most probably sneak out earlier than 8:00AM. I was only taking my precaution, in case my assumption would reveal to be true.
I was entertaining myself with the latest article of The Community, written by a pretentious co-worker when my phone rang. Swiftly gliding the icon, I sternly replied.
"What's the matter, Tora?"
He huffed a sigh, before grumbling. "It's so fucking annoying to be your middleman you know that?"
"I could say that I am sorry, but I am not," I chuckled.
"Whatever. What are you up to today?"
"I'm about to...—"
My voice falthered when she appeared in the corner of my eyes, mostly concealed by the wall and a large plant. She must've had taken the staircase, because I had a clear view on the elevator area. Looking like she was seeking for someone, she cast quick and furtive glances around, her gaze finally landing on me. Her eyes widened in recognition and she recoiled further into the wall.
I pretended not to notice her presence —though she made such a poorly discret entry in all honesty— and resumed my phone call.
"—so I hope that you don't have anything important planned," he finished, unaware of my attention slip.
"...Yeah, I do hope so." I imperceptibly surveyed the hall, before speaking. "Though... What did you say again?"
Silence, followed by a loud exhale was his reply.
"God, what the hell are you doing," he grunted before briskly warning. "Whatever, on a second thought, I don't want to know."
I wouldn't tell you anyway, I smirked, my eyes following her every anxious moves.
"Anyway," he voiced, "I said that you better keep your afternoon free 'cause you have an appointment scheduled."
Sarcasm was now coating my tone at the revelation of spending another boring afternoon in company of my lawyer. Fun, so much fun.
"Who do I have the honor of meeting this time?"
"No other than the representative of Walker Corp and his law dogs," he said disapprovingly. "Says he wants to find a compro—..."
"I'm not going." I said, harshly cutting him in the middle of his gabble.
"Takumi, don't start—..."
"No. End of the discussion." There was no way I would go and meet him. It was totally pointless and on top of that, a waste of my time to try to reason that man: I knew what he wanted, and I also knew that I could never comply to anything he wished. So why should I bother?
"You should at least go and see what he wants from you..." Tora tiredly tried to advise, but there was no way he would succeed. All this ordeal started to seriously piss me off, and the day didn't even start.
"What for? To graciously decline and tell him to fuck off?" I snarled. "Or perhaps... to make matters worse?"
He sighed. "Hey, do you trust your attorney to do the right choice?" He had a point. "I don't want you to lose your trial all because of your goddamn laziness, you know?"
Nevertheless, he still added, "though it would be kind of funny."
Right. Let's see if he would find his face punched senseless as fun as that. Because I wanted to punch him filthy bloody.
"We'll see." I finally declared, pinching the bridge of my nose with my free hand. Way to kill my day.
As Tora kept spouting his non-sense about posponement, procrastination and fetching my ass there on time, my eyes did a quick onceover of the room, and dropped to the spot she occupied a little while ago, feeling my heart sink as I took in the emptiness.
"Shit," I hushed under my breath.
I hurried to the parking lots, as Tora's undistinct voice came out of the phone's speaker. Not even taking the trouble of replying or hanging up, I ran with my phone in hand just in time to see her car in ignition. No way she was standing me up that way, would she? Knowing that I wouldn't reach her on time, I pulled my phone in view, cancelling Tora's line to call her, all the while keeping my eyes on her back. She shifted uncomfortably in her car seat and I guessed that her phone just rang, because her profil slowly painted into an apologetic and guilty expression.
If you're feeling guilty, then what are you waiting for? Answer. Answer my call, I demanded in my head, knuckling my phone in a vise grip.
She wouldn't reply. After all, she made it crystal clear that she was avoiding me, again, this morning.
As she shifted gears, she was right in my field of vision, and I stared back at her through her rearview mirror, our gazes locking together.
Mine were cold fury. Hers were wide and panic-stricken.
I was initially pissed, or should I mention, in a foul mood.
And now...
Now, I was at a loss for words to describe how I was feeling.
—
A. Misaki
Enraged, furious, irate, offended, sullen, extremely displeased, fuming, raging mad...
So many words I could use to describe those eyes staring at me. They were a contradiction of semblance, so cold it felt the air in the car turned icy and yet, so hot, akin to a burning forest; like a wildfire spreading through and never stopping until it burned my gaze. I looked away, my heart sinking down to another level in my chest. I was sure that the repercussion wouldn't be worth the stun I just pulled.
I drove farther down the road, franctically checking the rear view mirror in case. My heart was beating so fast I could hear it pounding in my ears.
Just as I started to calm down, my phone rang, the ringtone alarming me of an upcoming text. Stopping at the light stop, I glanced at the illuminated screen.
May 5, 8:02AM:
T: We need to talk.
I pressed my head against the driving wheel and closed my eyes, letting a shaky exhale escape my lips. I once witnessed him angry while he was calling someone in the car. His tone was so cold, his words ever so carefully choosen that they impacted and carved themselves in your heart, sharper than knives and ruthlessly making guilt and shame your only comfort. Every silence and every single breath he let were like weigh pilling on your shoulder, making your heart heavy with fear.
I swear I felt bad for the poor guy at the other end. He must've been frozen during the whole thing. And I didn't even dare look at him right after that call, too afraid to trigger his initial temper to life in any way. Thankfully enough, I had never been the one he directed his anger to.
Until today.
And if I wished to never experience it, well, then my hopes weren't long lived.
I was venturing in deep waters. Or actually, preparing to be drowned in, all the while digging my own grave.
—
I was sitting in front of my computer for a while already, lost in my thoughts when my co-worker called me.
"...—saki?" she repeated, "Misaki?"
Glancing at her, I lightly shook my head, "Ah, Shizuko. Sorry, I was kind of...day dreaming."
"I noticed." A frown was marring her face as she eyed me with worry embedded in her eyes and softly asked, "Are you sure about wanting to switch this case with me?" She displayed blatant discomfort, as if she had violently stolen my career trophy and got caught in her act. "I know how much it means to you, seriously, Misaki..."
Shizuko was one of my closest friend ever since high school. We graduated together and followed along with lawschool. Smart and brillant in anything she would do, she joined my company a few months ago when she left hers.
"I told you, I'm not qualified to follow it up..." I quickly explained, my hand slowly rubbing the back of my neck.
Her mouth pressed into a thin line. "How comes?"
She rounded me to sit on the seat next to me before I hesitantly answered.
"Personal reasons, it's complicated, really..."
Concern filled her voice when she suggested, "You can talk to me, you know that?" I caught her eyes staring back at me, and gave her a tight smile. "Don't worry, it's nothing that threatening."
A rejected sigh. "But shouldn't you at least get Mr. Walker's written agreement first?"
"He has a whole legal team, I don't think a switch would bother him that much," I pointed out. "Plus, I already have contacted his secretary about it, he should be notified by now." I quirked my eyebrow, prompting her to ask the remaining questions she had in reserve. She made a difficult face, her expression verging on desperation before shrugging. She was quite the serious and attentive lawyer, but her apprehension always pulled her down: she didn't like to work with any kind of influential person.
"You will do fine, Shizuko," I gently smiled, reassuring her as much as I could. "You're the only one I trust to get this through, and I don't put my trust on people blindly, you know that better than anyone else."
Her eyes started to lit up, and a heart warming feeling relaxed my tensed nerves. "Really?" she silently mouthed, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.
I returned it all the brighter, "Really."
"Misaki," she whispered my name, her eyes boring into mine with gratefulness. "Thank you."
"I put the files for this afternoon meeting on your desk already," I said, and lightly pinched her cheek. "Now, shoo to work!"
She walked back to her desk, her silent chuckle barely audible, but so full of new found hope it felt like a blessing for the rest of the day.
A day I had yet to pass.
—
Author note: I'm so sorry people with my late update...
School was so busy! But good news, I am now back (yeyy?:D) and already starting to get onto the next chapter!
Stay put and thanks for the support :3