Chapter 5
EMA
Upon entering the restaurant, what could only be described as a herd of girls, surrounds Kaname. He grins, completely in his element, as he politely addresses each one cheerfully. Meanwhile, Masaomi, Makoto and I are left on the outside of the swarm as Kaname's entourage escorts us down the hall towards the reserved banquet hall.
I've never seen such a luxurious corridor before. The twinkle of several chandeliers overhead send crysstaline refractions dancing on suits and dresses alike.
"So… I take it… You're a familiar face around here, huh Kaname?" I ask as I take in the gorgeous dining room.
I can't help but feel severely underdressed, as we pass table upon table of polished silverware and fine china dishes. I imagine here they wouldn't even feed a dog given my nicest plate from home. With each step I could practically hear the sink of my heels in the lavishly thick rug. My commoner mind imagines taking a nap on it.
"Yeah, I sort of am, but not as much as Masaomi…" Kaname answers with a joking grin that brings the topic at hand back into focus.
"What do you mean? This is my first time here." Masaomi cuts, his brow furrowing a bit.
"I'm a monk- not that my profession isn't the greatest~ but being a monk doesn't exactly get into places like this you know."His golden eyes glimmer in the light of the chandelier hanging above.
No he didn't….
"You've been using my name to get in here?" Masaomi frowns. I can tell even he's fighting to reign in the slight irritation that had been building throughout the evening. He scratches his cheek with his thumb, but stays quiet.
...
The grand room is nothing short of grand. I rush to the curved window that overlooked the cliffside the restaurant was famed for. Suddenly the brothers… my irritation of Kaname… It all dissipates. The nervousness. The lack of comfort- it all falls away like the glass wall that separates me from the edge of the world.
It was like an aquarium window, except one that instead of looking out onto undersea life, offered a panoramic view of the mountains and the surrounding city bay area. The various singles that mingled in the space, uninterested in the view, went about their talks with one another. To them, it was just another affordable spectacle- nothing new. But for me… None of that matters. As I stand there, the glass cooling my fingerprints… The world around me seems to fall away.
"It's lovely." I breathe.
"It is nice, huh." I suddenly catch the sheen of his suit jacket in the reflection on the crystalline glass. He sighs, "It's hard to be mad at Kaname sometimes when I know that all he means to do is enjoy the beautiful sights of life… Sights like this are hard to come by after all." His voice draws near and I sense him beside me. He leans on the thin metalic railing. I follow suit. The people on the streets below swarm this way and that like little ants.
Do any of them know how beautiful the sunset looks tonight?
A crisp yet fading orange wards away the purple of night and the clouds burn pink in their duel. I lean further against the rail. A touch against the knuckles of my left hand sends electricity through my veins. I look down to see my hand has run into his.
I quickly draw away. "Sorry."
His eyes smile. So do his lips. And then we look back out at the feud of night and day.
...
"Don't we all enjoy a good sight." A deep voice comments from behind us. I turn abruptly to face the voice's owner- a tall, well built man in what looked to be his mid twenties. He wears a sharp suit that carries an air of "rough around the edges," though it still managed to retain that "still high status" vibe that was common in the restaurant. "You've been hanging around the window for awhile Miss," he continues, drawing nearer. I catch his green eyes flashing to Masaomi who wears a concerned look. "Mind if I borrow her for a moment?" His blonde hair casts into his eyes, "It is a mixer after all, right?" He leans towards me extending his left hand. "Won't you join me?"
I contemplate, shifting from foot to foot. I
I can't say this sort of guy interests me…
"I'm actually enjoying the view here. It's my first time at this restaurant…" I feel like that's the easiest way to reject the offer.
"Oh come on now."He waves his hand towards the opposite side of the restaurant, I know a real good place where the view may be even better than just here~"
Obviously the setting sun has nothing to do with his idea of a good view. The idea of the ants swarming the streets comes to mind again. I glance at Masaomi, looking for some sort of defense or approval. I don't expect anything and his face is unreadable. It hurts in an odd way but I can't think about that now.
"For a little bit, okay?" I meet the stranger's sharp green eyes. "I'm not done talking with him." I glance sideways at Masaomi. A bold face lie, but Masaomi just nods and plays along.
The man doesn't offer a hand or anything so it doesn't seem he's pushy. I follow along.
But as soon as we're in the hallway I know something's terribly off with the whole situation. Maybe it's his breathing. Maybe it's his posture that's too straight and too wide in some weird way. But none of it feels right.
So long as he keeps his distance… Everything will be fine. I reassure myself.
"This sight will surely make your first time here even more memorable " I can tell he's drawn nearer to me than he was before. I can pick up the scent of his cologne.
I stop walking.
His warm hand sends goosebumps up my arms… It's a kind of warmth that sends only a chill up my spine.
"Look, this isn't going to- " I turn to face him-
And he's so close. He spins me back around, snaking his hands across my shoulders. Wrapping them around my waist.
Is this what it feels like to be in a horror film?
The overpowering scent of his cologne. It's a suffocating scent.
I push him away with my free arm, "Let go of me this instant!" I screech like a rabid orangutan.
He catches my hand pinning it to the wall of the empty corridor. The grin on his face tells me he's done worse and gotten away with it. "I wouldn't raise a hand against me if I were you." He pressures my hand in a way that makes the muscles in my fingers instantly cramp up.
I am afraid. But I will not show it. I force my face neutral to stifle a wince of pain. I want to spit on him- this filthy scum. "I warned you. I'll slap you so hard you'll forget your own name." I seethe.
"Oh? A tough girl? I like that," he purs. "All the more fun to break." He looks at the hand which he squeezes in a death grip. "You? Slap me?" He laughs to himself. "We'll see how that works out for you."
In a flash I whip my free arm and elbow him in the chin. It's not enough to loosen his grip on my other hand, but with my free hand, I set about a wide swing.
A crisp smack resonates through the hall. I wouldn't be surprised if he'll wake up tomorrow with a bruise in the shape of a handprint.
With not so much as a flinch. His grip tightens. When he looks at me again, there's something scary in those eyes. Scary because it's nothing I've ever seen.
"If you're done now..."
Something crunches. I don't want to think it's my hand. He turns towards the end of the corridor, "Let's not drag this out longer than it needs to be."
"Stop…" I rasp out.
"Come on now… I have a nice spot in mind, for just the two of us..."
"I'm not going anywhere with a creep like you.." I force the shakiness from my voice. He's not only a creep, he's entirely delusional.
His grip tightens on my tender hand and takes everything I have to not let it show on my face.
"Now you look here," he hisses into my ear, "you're going to do as I say." I can almost feel his green eyes searing into me from behind."Be a good girl now… All you have to do is come along. I really don't think I'm asking too much."
I think of the man waiting for my return at the window. "Masaomi…" His name catches on the exasperated wind in my throat. A silent prayer...
It hadn't even been a second. I'm caught suddenly by my free wrist, pulled backwards. Soon enveloped by a safe warmth. His hand remains holding me near so that my head finds itself shielded in the crook of his arm.
Masaomi… Even the thought of him… I feel so happy I might even cry.
"Hey, hey, hey now, what's the big id-" the man begins, but was quickly cut off.
"Please, leave her alone. She said no, and she certainly meant it." Masaomi's voice sounds without fault.
"Just who do you think you are?"
His grip tightens around me, "Her boyfriend."
He backs up a step. "Why didn't you say so in the first place?..." He wipes the blood that begain to seep from the split in his lip. A cocky smile creeps across his disgusting face. "You don't have any idea who you're messing with."
Empty words. I know it when I hear them.
As soon as he's out of sight, Masaomi releases me. Regardless, I can't help but remain uptight. What was that just now? A threat?
I turn to Masaomi but when I meet his face, all that comes flooding is whether he actually said what he just said…
I shake my head, of course he only means to look out for me.
"Thanks for that." I quickly say, stumbling on my words. "If you hadn't… come…" I shudder a little at the idea...
"I'm sorry. I only meant to help." Masaomi gives me a reassuring look.
At the look on my face, his cheeks tint a slight shade darker. "I mean… for saying that." He brushes his feathery fringe from his eyes, "I didn't mean to startle you, but if you'd like, I could accompany you the rest of the night," he offers. A smile turns his lips in a juvenile boyish way.
Seeing him… It seems to ease the fear. Even after something horrible…With a threat... Masaomi's so calm. So reliable…
"Only if you'd like." He emphasizes, making another gesture with his hand.
I nod, "Okay."
It was like that from the instant he said my name- his voice soothing like waves on ashore and sweet like honey.
Masaomi… Is like the knight of children's fairy tales.
"How about food then? Shall we order some at the bar? What kind do you like?"
"Oooh! I like pork buns! And we should try the grilled beef sticks here too!" Talking about the delicious cuisine seems to be enough to set me at ease again.
Masaomi smiles, the warm rays from the ceiling lights dancing in his hazel eyes. "Let's be going then." He extends his elbow, offering me a spot to link my own arm through his.
I question the thought of it for a second.
I slip my arm through the opening in his. I tuck my hand deep into my sleeve. I don't think it's broken but it does feel tender still.
-MEANWHILE-
MAKOTO
I cover my head with my hands wishing it would actually make me invisible. A half dozen women loiter around me.
"Handsome, won't you tell us your name?"
She's wearing too much perfume. I wanna gag.
"If only you'd clear those pesky bangs out of your eyes, I'd bet you'd be a real looker," another woman adds.
All that matters to these hags are my looks… It makes me sick.
"Aw, hey, don't say that, I think he looks real cute just the way he is."
"What are you saying, this boy's nothing compared to those beautiful Asahina brothers."
They say such things as if I can't hear them.
This is so not worth it. I'm here, but I'm not even with her. She ran off earlier and I don't know where to begin looking. This place is huge. I can't even do what I had promised her I would.
...
I'll catch a cab home. That trio's got Kaname's car so they'll be fine getting back.
I muster my resolve to move after I'd parked myself at the table for almost an hour. I peek through my fingers just in time to catch something I almost wish I hadn't. Masaomi and Ema- arm in arm- walking to the bar.
I would have never guessed Masaomi was that type of guy.
"Excuse me." All at once, the rust in my joints seems to be cleared away.
I catch her free arm by the wrist, jerking Masaomi to a stop as well. "She can't drink." I say sternly.
Back off, that's what I really want to say.
He frowns."Whatever you're thinking, you're mistaken, it's not like that at all." he says levely.
"Yeah, Masaomi's right, we were just going to order some beef kabobs and pork buns, silly!" Ema chimes.
Silly? I can't help but flinch.
"You don't have to helicopter over me all the time, geez Makoto." she says lightheartedly turning to continue towards the food bar.
Her words...Hurt.
"Don't tell me not to worry about you." My arm acts on its own, catching her hand as her arm passes through his loosened fingertips. I regret the harshness in my voice, but refuse to take it back. She winces even though I don't think my grip warrants it. I immediately drop it.
MASAOMI
He can't know what has just happened. But she's been tucking away her hand since I reunited with her. That guy did something to her. I guessed it was the case, but how she reacts to his touch makes it obvious.
What's worse is...
Makoto's even worse than Kaname… So predictable in every way I wish he wasn't. I wish I could pretend I didn't know what he was going to do.
...
I wish I could give her up that easily. In some ways, I knew that wasn't true.
I watch his knuckles clench tight at his sides, but he forces his stormy eyes to her soft-featured face.
In his voice that envelopes the world in a tide of sorrow, he continues, "Don't tell me not to worry about the woman-"
"I care about." My voice finds itself finishing with his.