Chapter 28
At the beginning, the atmosphere in the car was still slightly tense as Taiki pondered Usagi's revelations. Taiki could almost hear the sound of his own thoughts as he contemplated what Usagi had just disclosed. The nightly traffic passed by, only the muted hum of the engine and the soft rustling of the passing landscape accompanied the silence in the car. Taiki's gaze wandered to Usagi, who stared out the window with a thoughtful expression.
The darkness of the night reflected in her eyes, and he could read the uncertainty in them. In a tentative attempt to break the tension, Taiki finally dared to open the conversation. "How should I address you now? I mean, if your name is Usagi but officially Serena."
Usagi slowly turned her head and looked at him. "You can stick with Serena. Usagi and her past were buried the moment I sold my soul to Kenji." The words sounded resigned, and a slight bitterness resonated in her voice, as if this part of her was lost forever.
The drive continued mostly in silence. When they finally reached the Kou Tower, Taiki parked the car in front of the entrance, and they got out. The cool night wind mixed with the tension as Taiki escorted Usagi to the entrance of the tower.
"I'll hurry and be back as soon as possible," Taiki promised, and his eyes briefly searched hers. Usagi smiled weakly and nodded. "Don't stress. I'll manage."
Taiki gave her a parting kiss on the cheek as usual, hurried back to the car, and drove away quickly. The city lights glided past him as he headed to the airport hotel, trying to sort out his thoughts. The revelations about Usagi's true identity had shaken him to the core, and the familial connection to the Chibas was an unexpected twist he hadn't seen coming. It would bring complications, he sensed that already. But for now, he needed to think about Amy; she mustn't leave for Zurich, and he would worry about everything else later.
On the way, he noticed a small flower shop. Although it was already closing, Taiki rushed in and purchased a huge bouquet of all the remaining roses and armed himself with it on his way to the hotel.
The subdued lighting of the lobby bathed the scene in a warm atmosphere. A young woman at the reception looked up at him. "Good evening, Mizuno. My wife checked in today in room 2203, and I would like to surprise her. Could you please issue a second key card?" Taiki said calmly.
The woman looked him up and down as if trying to assess the seriousness of his request. After a brief moment, she began typing something into her computer. "I'm sorry. Mrs. Mizuno only ordered one key card, and there's no note indicating that a second one may be issued."
Taiki's eyes wandered to her name tag, and he felt the pressure in his chest. "Yuna, I wouldn't ask if this weren't really important. The love of my life is about to make a big mistake, and I need one last chance to talk to her. Please, allow me this."
She glanced around furtively, as if making sure no one would witness her decision, and then discreetly slid an additional key card across the counter. "You're lucky that I have a weakness for romantic men," she whispered, and Taiki couldn't help but offer a grateful smile as he held the card in his hands. He knew how stubborn Amy could be, and if her phone was already off, he was sure she wouldn't open the door for him.
With a brisk step, Taiki walked to the elevator and went up to the second floor. Before the door to Room 2203, he hesitated for a moment. His heart was beating fast, and he felt the excitement rising within him. But then he gathered his courage, inserted the key card into the lock. The quiet click of the door opening accompanied the moment he decided to fight for the woman who owned his heart. Taiki entered the room without knocking. The room was only lit by the subdued light from the corridor. Amy was sitting at the small desk, her gaze fixed on a piece of paper. When she saw Taiki, she froze. Surprise and uncertainty widened her eyes.
The air between them filled with palpable tension. Taiki closed the door quietly behind him and stood in the room, holding the massive bouquet of roses. "Amy," he said gently, "please, let's talk." Amy abruptly stood up from her chair; the paper she had been looking at slid to the floor. "What are you doing here?" she asked, bewildered. "I clearly told you I can't have a relationship with you like this. You're married and living with Serena. What more do you want from me?"
Taiki took a few steps towards her, placed the roses on the desk, and tried to reach for her hand. However, Amy skillfully avoided him and stepped back. "Taiki, this can't work. You can't just show up here and expect everything to be okay again. You made your decision... and now we both have to live with it."
Regret filled Taiki's eyes. "Amy, please listen to me. On our wedding night, I realized that I can't be without you. I know how much you've suffered, and I'm infinitely sorry. But I can't go on like this, I can't go on without you."
Amy hesitated, the uncertainty in her gaze reflected the internal conflict. She shook her head slightly, and her deep blue eyes met his. "And you really needed a wedding night with another woman to figure that out? Tell me, how do you envision this? Am I supposed to be your affair for a lifetime, and in the evenings, you'll go back to your wife? You can't expect me to share you. I simply can't bear that."
Taiki made another attempt to touch her, and this time she allowed it briefly. He lowered his gaze, struggling with the rising emotions. "Amy, I love you. Please don't fly to Zurich. Stay with me... I know I can't offer you a solution yet, but we'll find a way together," his words sounded almost pleading.
Amy gently lifted her hand and stroked his cheek. Taiki then pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly and pressing a kiss to her forehead. The warmth of their embrace felt comforting, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still around them. "Taiki," Amy whispered as she lingered in his embrace. "I can't just go on like this. If you really want me to stay, I need to know that we have a future."
Taiki slowly released her from the embrace and held her gently at arm's length. "Amy, I understand you. I can't imagine being without you. We can make it if we stick together. Trust me, we'll find a way." An odd tension lingered between the two. "Taiki, I resigned from your father's company and the clinic earlier today. I accepted the job in Zurich. How am I supposed to overturn everything now?" Amy expressed further concerns. "Stay here, Amy. Work exclusively for me, without my father. You don't have to fly to Zurich, at least not now. Let's give it a try," Taiki offered her.
Amy looked deep into his eyes, and the uncertainty in her gaze showed how torn she was inside. A moment of silence followed before she finally nodded. "Okay, Taiki. I'll stay here. But if I realize it really won't work, I'll disappear. Just promise me one thing—I don't want to see your wife. I can't bear to see her and then imagine what you've done with her." Gently, Taiki lifted her head and gave her a determined kiss. "If that's all, then I promise. You won't see Serena again." "Good, then I'll stay for now," she whispered to him and nestled tightly into his arms. The two enjoyed another moment of closeness, the touches of each other, and the feelings they evoked.
But then Amy sensed that something was bothering Taiki. She knew him too well. "What is it?" she asked in the silence. Her voice was gentle as she awaited his reaction. Taiki just smiled wearily. "It's so much... believe me, if I tell you everything, you'll just shake your head. Let's talk in peace over breakfast tomorrow. At the moment, I'm just glad you're here with me."
Amy nodded and snuggled closer to him. He demanded an intense kiss, and soon they found themselves on the bed. Amy skillfully had removed his jacket, unbuttoned his shirt, and loosened the belt of his pants. She sat on him, and he simply surrendered to the moment. He just wanted to be with her and think about nothing else for the time being. He gently pulled her dress over her head, eliciting a light giggle from her. Amy sensually ran her hands over Taiki's muscular chest as he covered her neck with tender kisses. The tension of the past few hours seemed to fade away from them, and they surrendered to the desire for each other. Taiki felt Amy's warm lips on his, while his hands gently explored her back. The touch was familiar, and yet this moment had something magical about it. At that moment, their hearts were in sync, and each tender gesture expressed more than words ever could. The love between them became palpably evident in this intimate moment.
They moved together in a gentle rhythm, and passion flared up between them. Amy buried her fingers in Taiki's hair as he pulled her body closer and sank deeper into her. A soft moan escaped Amy's throat, and Taiki couldn't hold back any longer. Together, they reached their climax. Their breath slowed down as the intimacy of this moment lingered. Amy stayed on him for a while, lovingly looking into his amethyst-colored eyes, knowing that this man was everything she ever wanted. As they finally lay entwined on the bed, a mix of love and relief reflected in their eyes. Taiki lingered a moment longer in Amy's loving embrace, enjoying the warmth of her body and the sweet scent of her perfume. But when his gaze happened to fall on the clock, a pang of reality struck him. Time was passing too quickly, and he knew he had been away for far too long.
A soft sigh escaped him as he gently pulled away from Amy. His eyes met hers, and he could see the sadness in her eyes. "Amy, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stayed so long. But I promise you, I'll come back early tomorrow. We'll have time for ourselves, I swear," he assured her with a loving smile. Amy nodded, although her disappointment was evident.
He leaned in and gave her a tender kiss before straightening up and beginning to put on his clothes again. Amy watched him silently, her thoughts difficult to discern. Taiki still feared that she might board the plane tomorrow morning and disappear from his life, but he couldn't stay here any longer. His wife was waiting for him at home, and he still had a lot to clarify with her.
The silence in the room was only interrupted by the rustling of clothes and the quiet breathing. When Taiki was dressed, he approached Amy once again, gently stroking her cheek and planting a final kiss on her forehead. "Until tomorrow, my love. Forgive me for leaving you alone now." Amy smiled weakly, but her eyes betrayed the uncertainty and fear of what the future might hold. The door closed behind him, and as he walked down the hallway, he couldn't shake off the lingering feelings of the past hours. Taiki knew that he had to make some serious decisions, but for the moment, all he could do was return to his wife.
Haruka, Yaten, and Seiya stayed in the Blackmoon for a while. Michiru had ordered them something decent to drink. However, neither Haruka nor Yaten had missed the look that Usagi had given Seiya. Seiya could sense that something was between him and his brother, but he avoided bringing it up.
"And you seriously want to tell me that there's nothing going on between you two?" Yaten asked after a while, pouring himself a whisky, his expression inscrutable. Seiya reached for his brother's glass and downed it in one go, trying to avoid Yaten's gaze. But his brother wasn't about to let go easily.
"Older Seiya! It's your brother's wife who just idolized you! And even worse was your infatuated expression. You're lucky that Taiki is oblivious to these things. Well, if you keep ogling at each other like that, he'll notice eventually. I thought you two ended it! At least, that's what you told me," Yaten thundered, his voice getting louder. By now, he was standing and leaning over the table with his hands.
Haruka stood up and pushed Yaten back into his seat. "Easy there, Shorty. As long as it's just looking, they haven't done anything wrong. You can't control feelings. Remember yourself back then. Mina was taboo, and yet you still love her, even beyond death."
Seiya sensed that the air was getting thin for him, but fortunately, Yaten directed his attention to Haruka. The moment Minako's name was mentioned, his full focus shifted to her. Yaten gasped loudly. "That's something completely different!" he exclaimed and jumped up.
"Yaten, where are you going now? Sit back down," Haruka shouted back, knowing she had hit a nerve. "I'm going to check on Zoisite! He's still in my basement, and I'm going to take advantage of that now!"
Haruka sighed loudly and slumped back in her chair. She scrutinized Seiya more closely and sensed that he was hiding something from her. Her gaze pierced Seiya as she demanded an answer. "And now you're going to tell me that I didn't just lie to Yaten."
A ominous shadow cast over Seiya's face as he realized that his secrets were slowly surfacing. He lowered his gaze and took another large sip.
Haruka muttered curses under her breath, barely registering to Seiya. "When?" she asked after a short pause.
"What were your words again? A gentleman enjoys and remains silent," Seiya dryly retorted.
Haruka just shook her head. "There's really no helping you, is there? Well, I hope for both of you that you can keep it under control when Taiki and Yaten are around. I don't know if I can stop him from interrogating you again. The way he is right now, you should be grateful Zoisite is still in his basement; otherwise, he would have probably strapped you to his table and tested the new substances on you."
Seiya huffed. "You know, I'm trying. I really am. But she's just always there. I just wanted to get my stuff earlier, as I planned to temporarily move in with you, and bam, she was in the elevator again. Then a call from Yaten, pick up Serena and come to Blackmoon with her. She's constantly present everywhere. Ruka, I can't get her out of my head."
Haruka looked at Seiya thoughtfully and sighed eventually. "Seiya, you have to get a grip on this. I understand it's hard for you, but you have to definitively get her out of your head!"
Seiya's gaze lowered, and he just nodded silently. He had been preaching this painful thought to himself for a while now. However, the implementation was much harder than expected.
Haruka pulled something out of her pocket and tossed it to Seiya; he instinctively caught the object. It was her apartment key, now in his hand. "I don't think Chiru will let me leave in the next few days. Make yourself at home; at least this way, you'll get some distance from her."
Seiya nodded gratefully; at least this way, he would have some distance from Usagi. Maybe that would really help him.
It was late when Taiki entered his apartment. Usagi lay in her nightgown on the sofa, covered only with a thin blanket, and was asleep. For a moment, he lingered in front of the sofa, observing her. Then he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. He didn't want to wake her now; there were too many things he needed to clarify with himself. Tired, he stripped off his clothes and lay down beside her.
Taiki lay there, thoughts swirling in his mind as he tried to find a clear path through the labyrinth of his emotions. The events of the day and the revelations about Usagi's past echoed in his consciousness, and he felt the weight of the responsibility that rested on his shoulders. Amy also kept forcing her way into his thoughts; he couldn't afford to lose her, that much he had already decided. He spent a long time pondering his considerations before finally managing to drift off to sleep.