@Minami-chan: well, thank you~
Hello. Been a long time again.
.
This time, again it's wMatsui (won't get tired of this pairing). It titled LOCKED. As in, well locked.
.
It involved a bit of violence (and guns).
Okay then, happy reading.
LOCKED
Day 3It hurt.
It was a deep excruciating misery.The place was dimly light. The walls, the floor, and the ceiling, were all greyish dusty concrete left without finishing touch; no paint, no ceramic, no wallpaper, nothing, only bare concrete. Then, there’s a rusty metal door on the center of one side of the wall. Standing in front of it was a 1 meter square column placed in a very wrong order. There is a small ventilation holes near the ceiling where wind sometimes passed through it. But it wasn’t strong enough to freshen the dump air in the isolated room. In conclusion, the room was deserted. It was unfinished; an abandoned place.
Tied on the column, or rather, chained, was a young woman in her executive suit. She was known in the name of Matsui Jurina. She had decorated numerous well-known magazines’ cover dubbed as one of the most influential woman. She’s a businesswoman, a CEO. She seemed to be in a deep sleep. Until a drop of water rang her ear as it met the base of a steel bucket that stood awkwardly in the center of the room.
Awaken from slumber, Jurina was left disoriented. She wasn’t sure where she was. All of her five senses numbed. Her view was blurry. Her breath was on one-two beat. She had a strange feeling that her nose had been misplaced. Also, her tongue tasted like copper; dry, rusty metal feel.
The next moment, the pain kicked in along with the realization. Jurina could barely felt her own body. Her head was still there, sure. However, the pounding on her chest area was choking. One of her ribs, or maybe more, must be broken. Jurina tried to move but the noisy rattling sound stopped her. Her movement shook the chain which tied her to the column. The chain was on both of her arms down to her abdomen, forcing her to kneel.
“You’re awake.”
A voice, almost angelic, spoke in a flat, uninterested tone.
The room was not as empty as Jurina thought. Leaning on the closed door was another young woman, a few years older than Jurina. Although they looked around the same age. The woman wore a maroon with white sleeves varsity jacket over black T-shirt and faded blue jeans. On her hand was a black plastic bag, which Jurina guessed is filled with food.
“Aren’t you tired?”
The woman bent her body down, so her eyes were on the same line with Jurina’s. Her expression was unchanged. It was cold, devoid of feeling.
“Are you hungry?”
The question filled with no care. As if she asked because she was told to.
“Do you want me to release your gag?”
She made a gesture around her mouth. Jurina hadn’t realized she was gagged until that point. She was thinking about nodding but the woman jumped into another question.
“Do you want me to free you?”
Confusing, if not tempting. Jurina wanted to be freed, of course. She had to hold the urge to ask the woman to call ambulance. She wanted to rest. She wanted to leave the room as fast as she could. However, all the woman’s questions mean nothing. Her memory is fuzzy but Jurina knew she couldn’t trust that woman. In the first place, who took her there?
“You see, I have a box of bento here.” The woman took the content of the plastic bag, which turned out to be a bento box you could find in any station, “do you want to eat? Or you’re gonna let me eat it?”
Another confusion. The woman seemed to like taking everything slowly. Even though, Jurina’s stomach was growling shamelessly. After a few seconds, Jurina nodded.
For the first time that day, the woman smiled. It was not a pure smile of an angel that would fit her face better. It was a sly, satisfied smile.
Shiver ran down to Jurina’s body when the woman leaned in to put off the dirty handkerchief covering her mouth. She felt a chilly sensation when the woman’s finger grazed her neck. But Jurina care no less. She was concentrating to the bento box the woman placed beside her.
“There.” The woman heartlessly threw the handkerchief to the corner of the room. It floated for a while instead, before settled not far from the woman feet.
In front of Jurina was then a box of opened bento. The smell overpowering her senses. She wanted to gulp down the karaage and the egg-roll so badly that saliva leaked from her mouth.
Jurina leaned closer to the box. She tried to. The chains held her from moving far enough.
Squatting in front of her, the woman watched Jurina helplessly trying to reach the box. When she was about to reach it, the box dropped to the floor. The rice splattered all over the floor, so did the side dishes.
“My hand slipped,” stated the woman, in the most robotic way possible.
Jurina looked up in anger. She knew very well the woman was playing around. She had no intention to feed her at all. Jurina glared at the woman, although her swollen cheeks and eyelids made her looked funny rather than threatening.
“What are you playing at?” Jurina shouted. Her voice was unexpectedly hoarse. She tried to remember when the last time she drank.
The woman shrugged her shoulder.
“Who are you? What are you trying to do? Why did you bring me here?” Question, and more questions, exploded as Jurina reached her temper.
The woman replied with a set of dry laugh.
“Pathetic, aren’t you? How does it feel? To be kept powerless? Not be able to move? Helplessly screaming for help? ”
A high-pitched sarcastic shrill pierced Jurina’s ears. Her glare met with the most disdaining look Jurina had ever seen. Maybe even worse than the broad of directors that from time to time stood against her.
The woman took her fingers to Jurina’s chin. She pinched it, forcing Jurina to face her.
“No one will come to your rescue, Jurina. You have no one. Like you dispose of everyone, everyone dispose of you.”
With a powerful force, the woman released her fingers, forcing Jurina’s face beside.
Anger gathered inside Jurina. She was insulted enough to go on rampage. Jurina lifted her head, her eyes shot right through hers. The woman was watching her squirming while trying to catch her own breath. The smile had been wiped off her face. She was as expressionless as when Jurina first saw her.
Jurina used a few second to analyze the woman. She had never met her; not in public or private. Despite her cold and sly attitude, she was a beautiful woman, Jurina concluded. Helped with gleaming moonlight that seeped through the ventilation, she looked mesmerizing. Jurina would try to hit on her if they’re in different situation.
“I ask you for the last time, who are you? Why did you bring me here?”
The woman snorted. “Don’t worry. I’ll release you after the convention ends, Miss CEO.”
Jurina was taken aback. Memories coming in like a fluid. She was on her way to a convention that would decide the future of her company; her future in the company, to be exact; when she was taken. When she came to her sense, she was inside the ratty room.
“Did someone ask you? Who?!”
Jurina threw another question. Too bad. It was another unanswered question. She was alone in the room. She didn’t realize the woman already left her, alone in misery.
____________________
Day 1It was an important day. It was the same sunny day of summer where people would love to spend all day long in the beach. Unfortunately, holiday was still far away for most people.
Covered from the blazing sun was a certain secluded place with shabby lamps as the only light source. It was the basement where people come and go with their car. Not long past noon, a young woman in her executive suit came out from the elevator. She was talking in her phone while her other hand holding a leather briefcase.
“Yes. I’m going there now.”
Her voice echoed in the lifeless room. She didn’t look too happy. She was tired after days of work preparing for the day.
Following her steps was a pair of eyes which glowing in the dark. It had been waiting for the woman coming. Sigh of relief was heard as it finally saw its target.
The owner of the eyes, a slender woman in her black hoodie and black pants, had begun to worry that she wouldn’t be able to see her target at all. She didn’t have much time. She had to finish her job and retrieve the money. Her occupier request was simple, keeping the CEO of a certain company away from a convention for a few days. She then would be given enough amount of money to restart her life. Simple, isn’t it?
However, she was slightly surprised to find her target is a female. More surprised than when she saw a familiar face on the picture given to her.
The kidnapping then became more than keeping a CEO away from a convention.
The woman let out a deep breath.
She counted one to ten before leaving her hiding place. She took her steps as lightly as she could, trying to be quiet. Even the faintest sound of footstep will echo in the basement.
The CEO was already approaching her car. She took her car key and opened the lock remotely. But before she was able to reach the car, she received a strong blow on the back of her head.
“Argh—!”
The CEO shouted, then silent.
Behind her was the woman. In her hand was a wooden baseball bat she used to knock her target out.
Beside the fact she had just got someone fainted right in front of her, her face undergo no change of expression. She wasn’t trembling like most people would. She didn’t even bat an eyelash. She witnessed the CEO withered in pain then fell onto her knees before finally losing consciousness.
The woman let out another sigh.
She closed her eyes for a second before proceeding to her next plan. She had prepared a car to take the CEO out of the building. But then she decided it’ll look more natural if the CEO leaves the building in her own car.
Without much difficulty, the woman set the CEO on the passenger seat, even adjusted her seatbelt. The CEO looked like she was sleeping, no one would suspect that the CEO was actually fainted.
Taking the driver seat, the woman drove the car out.
-XXX-
She was helpless, a weak human being.Rena knew she could break the girl in front of her easily. She wants to. She wants to break her to the point she won’t be able to do anything. Alive but dead.
The CEO, Rena knew in the name of Jurina with the same surname as her, was still unconscious. It had been three hours since they left the parking lot and reached the building where she kept the CEO.
She looked so peaceful that Rena felt guilty.
But devil knows, she isn’t as angelic as she looks like.
The hatred inside Rena was the proof. Her messed up life was the evidence. All hidden behind the smile and flirt.
Rena shook her head. She didn’t want to look back. She would only look front.
It’s time.Rena took the half-filled bucket used to keep the leaking water. She stared at her reflection on it for a moment before shaking her head. She looked at the person chained in front of her, and then, she threw the water to her body, automatically waking her up.
“What the—“
The poor girl trembled in shock, and coldness. She had no time to regain all of her consciousness since a hard blow hit her face.
“Argh!” She shouted. Her ears were ringing. Her cheek turned red.
Witnessing her hostage quivering in agony was Rena. She was silent. Her fist was hurting. It’s aching. She gripped so strong that blood dripping from the wound inflicted by her own nails.
It was not enough.
Rena sent another blow, which received in the worst possible way. She broke Jurina’s nose, for sure.
“S-STOP!”
Jurina begged.
But Rena didn’t listen.
No. She can’t.
__________________
Day 4Jurina was beyond hungry. She was famished.
When was the last time she ate? Drink?
It was a miracle that she hadn’t died yet. Thanks to the dripping water from the ceiling. It’s not hygienic, not enough either, but Jurina didn’t have many choices. Her kidnapper hadn’t come back since she trampled at her lunch, which lied 30 centimeters in front of her, starting to rot. She had tried to take the food, by all means. But the chains were in the way, even her wrists bleed after a set of attempts. The food was so near yet so far.
Jurina had begun to lost hope. No matter how strong she is, she won’t stay alive after letting her stomach empty for days.
Maybe this is the end, Jurina laughed bitterly. All she had done to stay alive until the point of success was null. In the end she ended up rotting in a dirty place. Like how she thought she would once when she was a kid.
Not everyone is lucky. Not even Jurina. She started poor. Dirty. Pitiful. She had no future. But she did it after all. After seasons of hard work and sweats, she built her company from scratch. It turned big. Bigger than Jurina meant it to be. That’s when she was blinded by power. And then, born the tyrant.
Jurina closed her eyes.
I deserve it.No. She didn’t think so. All she did was for her company and for the better of people. She believes that. But not everyone thinks the same.
Jurina gave in to slumber. She was tired. Maybe, she should as well use the rest. The rest to eternity.
The sound of the door opened woke Jurina up. She was already half-asleep by then.
Following the rattling of door knob was steps. Jurina lifted her head and she met the same eyes. It was a beautiful round eyes, really. Jurina bet it looks way better when its owner smiles.
The steps stopped. The room turned quiet once again.
“Are you hungry?”
It was a rhetorical question. One look at Jurina, anyone would offer their food to the poor girl.
“Here.”
Her kidnapper squat down, offering a cup of… strawberry juice, Jurina guessed. The straw was already put in. Jurina was waiting for Rena to drop the juice like before. However, Rena was pushing the cup in front of Jurina’s mouth impatiently.
Maybe she really is going to feed me.Jurina opened her mouth and caught the straw on it. She sucked the juice slowly. A bliss washed through her when the cool drink slid down her throat. Even though she wondered why her kidnapper brought her juice instead of mineral water which is easier to get.
“Hold it yourself.”
Jurina raised her eyebrow, she couldn’t hold it. Just how?
Her question was answered when Rena walked behind her and with a click her arms were free.
Jurina fell instantly. She made sure she didn’t fell right on the stale food.
A few seconds later, Rena appeared from behind the column, now chains free. Rena had thrown them away to the corner of the room.
Rena proceeded cleaning the stale food. Jurina was thinking about thanking her later since she couldn’t stand the smell. But in the first place, it was Rena who left it there. Oh, she was playing with her food actually. Bad girl.
“Can’t you sit up by yourself?” Rena asked. Both of her hand was on her waist. Jurina didn’t notice it before, she was wearing an apron and rubber gloves. She looked like she was going to do yearly cleaning.
“Guess not.” Rena muttered to herself.
She approached Jurina and straightened her body, leaned it on the column. She then placed the juice on Jurina’s hand (which she gladly accepted). Rena took out more contents of the plastic bag she brought with her earlier. It was another bento box. Jurina stiffened. She was afraid Rena would throw it in front of her like last time.
But she’s not.
Carefully, Rena opened the cover and separated the chopsticks. She took a pile of rice with a small piece of grilled meat in it and brought it in front of Jurina’s mouth.
Jurina was confused. She couldn’t comprehend why Rena, who beat her up a few days ago, would feed her.
What is she playing at?Hesitantly, Jurina opened her mouth. She took the food on her mouth. She was waiting, but Rena didn’t show any sign that she would do anything offensive. So, Jurina chewed the food down and gulped.
“Eat the rest yourself. You can at least do that, right?” Rena put the box beside Jurina. She stood up and readied to leave the room.
“Wait!” Jurina shouted.
Rena stopped walking and turned around.
“Who are you? What are you trying to do?”
Rena wasn’t answering.
“I don’t understand, why did you act so cold then you gave me food?”
No use. Rena didn’t even bat an eyelash. She was there, standing still, soulless.
Jurina was confused, and desperate. She needed explanation. She decided to push her luck.
“Why don’t you kill me?”
Rena didn’t give any reaction. On the other hand, Jurina, with her bleeding lips, muttered incomprehensible words. Her head was down, as if gathering strength for what would come.
“Pardon me?” Rena asked. She heard the younger girl clearer than blue sky. Asking was just a way to mock the girl even further. She knew what Jurina was playing at. She tried to get Rena off guard.
Jurina lifted her head. Her face was in a mess, bruises and cuts were in every inch of her face. Her left eyelid was swollen from the impact Rena landed the other day.
Rena was expecting a full of determination stare. But it had softened. Seeing no reaction from Rena get Jurina on edge. She was getting tired, and hopeless. She had already turned into a loser.
Jurina opened her mouth one more time. “Why don’t you kill me?” Jurina repeated.
This time it worked. Rena’s patient was running out. She had acted extra nice by feeding her food. She was thinking to let Jurina die starving but she decided it wasn’t wise. Then, Jurina was testing her temper.
Rage overwhelmed Rena as soon as the words spitted out. It sounded mocking. From Rena's perspective, the word was used to look down on her. She expected Jurina to stand up and fight her. She didn't know the loser in front of her. She’s being a coward. The CEO was begging for help a few days ago, and then she suddenly getting on Rena’s nerves.
With the speed of wind, Rena took Jurina's slim neck on her left hand. She slammed her hand onto the concrete column, bringing Jurina's head with it. The impact produced a disheartening sound of cracking. Either the concrete or the skull that was cracked, or both.
Jurina winced at the pain on the back of her head. She was pretty sure she felt liquid was seeping through her wet hair.
“Die? Do you want to die?!”
Rena pushed Jurina's neck harder onto the column. As if she wanted to blend the head with the column. Jurina couldn't get her voice out. She wasn't able to breathe at all. Her throat was pressured so much that she afraid it would break in no time.
Jurina had given in to the pain. Since long before. It was no use to answer Rena. Their conversation was pointless.
“Tell me, do you want to die?!”
Now with both of her hands, Rena strangled Jurina's. Her eyes were in flame. She gritted her teeth in anger. Veins popped out on her forehead.
Jurina's eyes were closed. Her forehead was full of line. Wrinkles formed on the corner of her eyes as she winced. Her cheeks turned bluish.
Realizing that her victim could barely breathe, Rena released her hands.
Finally freed, Jurina took a heap of breath. She coughed several time while sometime stopping to gulp what could be gulp in her mouth. Mostly dry blood.
Rena held her palm. She almost killed a human being. She was overwhelmed by anger that she lost control of herself. She watched as Jurina trying to get her breath back. She was tempted to give Jurina a glass of water but in last second she reminded herself that she hated the person in front of her. Beside, the strawberry juice was still there, left unfinished.
All of sudden, Jurina laughed. It was a laugh filled with desperation mixed with insanity. Rena thought Jurina had lost her mind.
“Why? You couldn't? Just a little more I'll be dead. Why did you stop? Why did you even bother to feed me?”
Jurina's words once again flamed Rena's anger. She slammed Jurina against the column. This time, all of her bodies. Jurina let out a silence shriek when she felt the pressure on her ripped body.
“You...”
Rena narrowed her eyes. Anger, hatred, resentment filled it.
“You. Don't. Deserve. To. Die.” Rena shouted with emphasize in every word.
Images of her late father flashed in. Rena remembered each painful days she had to experience ever since her dad gone bankrupt. How he got drunk and beat her to the pulp. And how he ended committing suicide right in front of her.
All the pain that caused by Jurina.
“A person like you...don't even own a place in hell.”
Rena pushed her arm on Jurina's neck, choking her. Her face was facing the ceiling but her eyes locked on Rena's. Jurina managed to lift only the left side of her lips, showing a sly grin. Rena was enraged even more. She pushed her arm harder. In instant the smile disappeared, changed by a slight grimace of pain.
“You will suffer. I'll let you experience what I felt for these years. Enjoy your food while you can.”
Rena released her hand and stood up. She was walking toward the door when she heard Jurina spitting out blood. Rena turned around while swinging her left hand. The blow landed right on Jurina's already bruised cheek.
Jurina's world turned blank.
____________________
Day 6Rena had to prepare for the worst. She was expecting Jurina’s lifeless body when she opened the door. But there was nothing. Nothing at all.
She skimmed the room and she couldn’t find Jurina, alive or not. Rena’s heart was beating faster. She’d lost her money if the CEO got away before the determined time. Moreover, she was wondering how Jurina could escape the perfectly locked room. The door was locked, and no opening big enough for an adult to pass through.
Bang!Without Rena noticing, Jurina had been waiting for her. She had decided she must get a way out herself. The meal given to her two days ago had given back her strength. It was a total mistake that Rena released the chain, Jurina was able to move freely. She studied the room enough to know the way out was only one, the door. So, she hid behind it when she heard steps.
“Argh!” Rena shouted in pain. Her right hand was holding the back side of her head. She saw a bucket fell nosily beside her, followed by the sound of rushing footsteps.
It took no longer than a second for Rena to realize that her hostage was running away. Rena cursed over her unawareness. She shouldn’t underestimate a dying dog.
Rena took out a rag from her jacket’s pocket and pushed it on her wound. She walked out of the room calmly. She knew; Jurina had nowhere to go.
-XXX-
The building was abandoned, like Jurina expected. It was easy to find a way down, Jurina just needed to walk straight to the dead end.
“Hhh hhh…”
Jurina breathed heavily as she tried running as fast as she could manage. Her body was killing her. She was glad when she checked that none of her ribs was broken. But there were many bruises, and broken nose. Not to say she had only eaten a box of bento for the last 6 days.
A streak of light passed through the glass window in the ground floor. It encouraged Jurina to run even faster. She reached the lobby in no time. There, on the entrance, was a big dirty glass door. Jurina smiled inwardly, she had finally freed, she thought. Jurina hoped the door wasn’t locked.
It wasn’t.
Jurina reached the outside world. She inhaled the fresh air, which, surprisingly, had a smell of salt.
Looked down to her feet, then to her surrounding, Jurina was left speechless.
Below her was sand. In front of her was the ocean. Behind her was a cliff.
Jurina’s spirit sank to the bottomless pit.
She knew there were many inhabited islands, isolated ones. She couldn’t believe she was in one of them. She secretly praised Rena for being able to drag her here. Well, possibly, there’s a secret passage to reach here or to go out of here, and Jurina will find out.
“Are you satisfied now?”
Jurina turned around. Behind her, Rena was walking toward her slowly. As if she knew it’d happen.
Witnessing no sign of remorse, or even pain, on Rena; Jurina got irritated. She had wasted her time way too long.
“What are you trying to do?!” Jurina thumped her barefoot feet on the sand, getting closer to Rena.
Jurina grabbed Rena’s jacket and pulled her up. She was taller than Rena that it actually worked.
“What do you want? Money? I have lots. Why did you take me here?”
Their faces were a few inches apart. Both could feel each other breath.
Jurina looked stiff, while Rena was relaxed. She stared at Jurina with bored eyes. It was saying, told you so.
“ANSWER ME!” Jurina shouted her lungs out.
This time, Rena reacted. She flinched at the loud voice piercing her ears.
“Why should I?” She answered.
A hard fist landed on Rena’s face. She was thrown beside and landed on the soft sand. She coughed a few times. Blood was coming out with it.
I thought she can’t fight.Jurina was standing on her feet, looking down at Rena with furrowed eyebrows and gritted teeth. She had enough of all the shit. She needed her revenge; she would beat Rena up like how she did to her.
Not waiting for Rena to regain her composure, Jurina took Rena’s collar. Another hit landed on Rena’s face. It was not enough. Hit after hit pounded Rena’s face. Slowly, her pale face turned bluish with red marks here and there.
Rena was starting to lose her consciousness. She lied loosely, hanging on Jurina’s grip. She could turn the table and pinned Jurina on the ground. But, she stayed unmoving. Nor she dodged the attack.
“Why don’t you fight back?” Jurina tightened her grip on the collar. She forced Rena to look up to her.
Rena with her eyes half-closed answered, “Why don’t you fight back?”
She repeated the question.
Jurina was getting more irritated. She had no time to play riddle.
Jurina lifted her fist, ready to deliver the final blow. Though the punch was never delivered. Rena suddenly head butt Jurina’s face. Jurina’s grip was loosened before finally off completely. Jurina fell on her back, quivering with the pain on her forehead.
“You asked me why I don’t fight back?”
From the corner of her eye, Jurina saw Rena who was standing limply. Rena spitted out the blood on her mouth before continuing.
“Why didn’t you fight back when I made you a punching bag? Hey!”
Rena dropped on top of Jurina. She grabbed Jurina’s dirty shirt and pulled her up.
“You want me to kill you? Ha! I could do that as easy as flipping my palm.”
Jurina cared the less about it. She didn’t care as long as she could go away and be freed.
“You need to suffer, Jurina. You need to be broken. You don’t even remember my name, do you?”
No. Jurina had totally no idea.
“You don’t remember how you crushed my father’s company and lead my life to hell. Nor you remember me begging for your mercy. Don’t you?!”
Rena shook Jurina’s shirt. Her emotionless persona was crumbling. Her eyes were teary. Her body was trembling.
Rena released Jurina who fell back in shock. Jurina couldn’t remember anything. Her mind was blank. Jurina forced her way up while cornering other people to the pit. She had many people kneeled before her, true. She made amends by giving donation to many NGOs. Of course it didn’t reduce her evil doings. She had to. That’s business.
“What’s your name?” Jurina asked, her voice was so quiet that it could barely be heard.
“Of course you don’t remember.” Rena snorted.
“Tell me then. Please.” Jurina begged.
Rena stopped sobbing. She looked straight at Jurina, analyzing her. Her hatred was not as flamingly as before. She hated Jurina. She couldn’t forget the image of her dad hanging himself. But, after a few days being with her, torturing her, to be exact, she realized that Jurina was like her. Weak. Empty. She didn’t look as majestic as she showed in public. She was a lonely young girl waiting to be rescued.
“Matsui Rena.” Rena replied, finally.
“Rena…” Jurina whispered Rena’s name. It sounded strange, unreachable. She never heard her name. Or if she had, the memory was already vanished; her self-defense system had deleted it from her mind.
“Looks like you don’t remember, after all.” Rena threw her body to the sand. She was tired. Her face was hurting. She wanted to finish all her task; and then sleep peacefully.
“Rena, listen to me. I’m sorry I don’t remember anything about you. But, could you free me? I’ll do anything you want.”
Again, Rena snorted.
“Too late. Your important convention ends tomorrow. Even if I take you now, you won’t make it.”
Jurina was dumbfounded. She had lost track of time. If what Rena said was true, that’s mean she had lost her job. Suddenly, all the pain washed through her; Jurina felt exhausted. She threw herself on the sand, beside Rena. She was contemplating what to do from now on. All she had built for years was gone. She had to attend the convention to decide her future. And it’s ending in a day.
“Just so you know, those broad of directors want you out. Sooner or later you will be kicked out anyway.” Rena, having witnessing Jurina’s break-down, told her the truth.
Jurina wasn’t answering. She knew it. She had different ideas than the directors. They often conflicted with each other. But Jurina wasn’t easy to get rid to. Guess what? They decided to keep her away.
“Hey, if you’re the one who build the company, you can start another one. Even if it takes years.” Rena sat herself up. She surprised herself by trying to comfort her nemesis. She found some part of Jurina’s that makes her wants to console her, protect her. In a way, Jurina reminded her of her siblings.
“What do you know?!” Jurina trashed her hand. She glared at Rena who was sitting beside her.
“Oh I know. Just like you, I have tried to get myself up. It’s just you bound to success while I’m to failure.”
Jurina kept glaring at Rena. She wasn’t into concept about success and failure. She had failed as so many people did. But she used it to reach another level, which not everyone could do.
“Then, you accept a job for kidnapping people?” Jurina threw the question; she wanted to get her kidnapper irritated.
“You left me with no choice.”
Rena took both sides of Jurina’s cheeks on her palm. Using her slim fingers, she pushed it, hard. Jurina winced from the pain of Rena’s nail stabbing her delicate skin.
“Oh you do have.” Jurina managed to form a smile beside the pressure on her mouth, “there’re many jobs you could take no matter how uneducated are you.”
“I’m not uneducated. And I couldn’t let you reaping other’s people fortune, eating from their misery.” Rena tightened her lock on Jurina’s face. The image of her dad’s hanging in the living room flashed her mind.
“My business is legal. Yours aren’t!”
A punch, hard one, landed on Jurina’s face.
“YOU LED MY FATHER TO DEATH! IS IT WHAT YOU SAID LEGAL?”
Rena threw punches to Jurina’s face. The isolated beach was filled with hopeless screams. The agony Rena had gone through for years was pouring out of her chest.
Lying on the ground was Jurina who writhed in pain. She was trying to say something but every time she trying to move, Rena’s punches caught her tongue.
She must be stopped.
Jurina tackled Rena. She managed to get Rena below her. Jurina held Rena’s wrists, preventing it from moving.
“YES, I DID. DO YOU THINK I WANT IT TO HAPPEN? I CAN’T STOP PEOPLE FROM COMMITING SUICIDE!”
Rena was taken aback. She was fully aware that Jurina wasn’t responsible for her father death, at least indirectly. But she needed a scapegoat. A public figure like Jurina was a perfect one. After all, Jurina ruined her father’s company and led her life to downhill.
Rena had never liked her father. But she was the only person that could hold the family together. When he was gone, Rena was turned into turmoil. She was not strong enough to live alone. At that time she wasn’t ready.
Jurina released her grip. She turned her head down; her hair was covering her face.
“I… don’t want anyone to die because of me.” Jurina started, “but, it’s out of my control.”
Rena stared at Jurina. She had found that her eyes were beautiful (even though one was swollen pretty badly). It was sparkling with determination and hard work. Those beautiful eyes were stained with water and some sand that she got from their previous struggling moment. Rena was tempted to clean her face, wiped away the dirt and tended to the wound.
Rena sat herself up so that they’re sitting face to face. Rena took her time analyzing Jurina’s face. Her pretty face were ruined with a swollen eyelid and bruises. Her nose was bent to the wrong direction. And there’s cut on the corner of Jurina’s lip. It was still fresh, Jurina got it from Rena’s latest punch.
Unconsciously, Rena grazed her thumb on the surface of Jurina’s face. She wiped away the sand and the tears from her eyes carefully as not to hurt her. She moved to the bruise on Jurina’s cheek, grazing it gently while whispering consoling words inwardly.
Let the pain goes away.Jurina turned silent. She observed her kidnapper who was concentrating on her wound. She was indeed angelic, if not for enormous amount of strength she pulled out every time she punched. At that moment, Rena was off-guard. Jurina could take her in and escaped but instead she was petrified. She couldn’t take her eyes away from the almond shape eyes and the pair of rosy lips. She was drawn in to her.
“I’m sorry.” Jurina muttered. She wasn’t sure why she was apologizing. The only thing she was sure of was that she didn’t want to become Rena’s enemy.
Rena took Jurina’s strand hair and wiped it away from Jurina’s face, moving it to the back of Jurina’s ear. Using her thumb, Rena made a circular motion on the cut on the corner of Jurina’s lips.
No word exchange. Jurina was leaning onto Rena’s touch, while Rena was trying to soothe the pain.
Rena moved her body closer. Closer and closer, until there was no more room between them.
The sound was omitted. All left was the taste of each other tongue in each other mouth.
Jurina’s eyelids fluttered open. She was breathing heavily, so did the person sitting in front of her.
Rena brushed her hair from her forehead. She was confused. She had a battle between her two sides of feelings.
“Why did you…” Jurina choked by her own words. She had just realized what happened a few seconds before.
As a reply, Rena took Jurina by her collar. And again, she crashed her lips on Jurina.
One second, two seconds…
Jurina looked straight at Rena as they separated. The said person still had her eyes closed. She was taking in all the sensation she had just experienced.
“Rena…” Jurina called out.
Rena opened her eyes. She showed a slight smile as Jurina’s face came to sight. Jurina returned the smile. She opened her mouth, about to say something.
A fist landed hardly on Jurina’s face. She fell on her back. Her mouth was half-opened.
Rena came into view as she moved closer. Her fist was up.
And another one landed directly on Jurina’s face.
_________________
Day 8The space was not much better than the kidnapping site. It was as moldy and as rotten as the room was. The air was stinky as if it had been years since the last time someone opened the entrance door.
Rena heard rustling and people steps before the mask over her head was forcefully taken.
In front of her, sat her employer. His smile was cunning. He was playing with his grey moustache that dangled from his chubby cheek.
“Well, well, welcome, Matsui-san.” The man addressed, he extend his hand in welcoming gesture.
If not for the room they were in and many of bulky men that stood behind her, Rena would believe that he was indeed greeted her warmly. Not to say, her wrists were sore after being tied with handcuffs for a few hours.
Rena was trying to go out of the country, escaping, when she was taken in, forcefully. She had no other choice but kept silent when she was handcuffed, and blindfolded. When she finally got her view back, she knew she’s in trouble.
“No need for chitchat. Where am I?” Rena shot a deadly glare toward the man, who proceeded with small giggle. She was acting strong. She must not look frightened. Even though, her heartbeat was in chaos.
“Don’t rush. Let’s talk slowly, shall we?” The man took his empty glass from the small table beside her couch. The black suited man sprightly filled it with what Rena guessed was red wine.
“Let’s see.” The man sipped his drink, “I don’t remember conveying my thanks for saving my position in the company.”
Rena was guarded. She knew pretty well that she was taken for letting her target escaped before the promised time. Not that Jurina could move from the hospital Rena sent her in.
“You see, you did well, Matsui-san.” The man took another sip, his eyes were half-closed as if he was enjoying the finest wine in the world, “but, I recall that the quest was that you have to keep her until the convention ends. Which, you didn’t.”
She was in trouble. Rena was well aware that she had to get herself out of the room or she will be in a great trouble. She reached her pants back-pocket, moving her hands carefully as not to be noticed by the men. From the pocket, Rena slipped a pin out. She had always put useful tools in many parts of her clothes, in case some dangerous situation arose.
“Furthermore, you were found trying to fly to another country. Tsk, tsk, tsk.” The man waved his index finger in front of his face, his expression turned into one with disappointment. The next moment, the same smile arose once again, “that’s totally unacceptable. I’ve prepared your payment, and can’t wait to hand it to you.”
His bodyguard, the man in black suit, brought a briefcase and opened it, showing rows of 10.000 yen papers fitted the space neatly. The man took one of the bundles and played it on his hand.
“Too bad, I have no meant to give it to you now.” The man shook his head disapprovingly, “not only you couldn’t keep that woman, you didn’t hurt her nearly enough that she suddenly came up and ruined my plan!”
The bundle of 10.000 yen papers flew passed Rena. The bundle came off from the force. The papers were scattering around, floating in the air before settled on the ground.
The confidence and calm composure of the man had disappeared. His cheeks reddened. His eyes were watery from all the glaring. He was clearly unsatisfied. He was angry.
Rena gave no reaction. She had trained herself to. But, inside, her heart sank. She was pretty sure Jurina couldn’t move even an inch. Not to say travel from the remote area way to the capital. Just how much her gut brought her strength? Rena thought.
The man let out a sigh before throwing himself back to the couch. The floor creaked when he landed on the furniture.
“Ah, I’m tired.” The man sulked. He caressed his forehead with his palm. His eyes were closed, while he was leaning on the backrest.
The room turned into an uncomfortable silence. Nobody moved. The breaths were taken away.
Rena studied the room. No opening. The only way in and out was the door she had come through. There were four other people beside her in the room, the man and his three guards. Two of them were standing behind the man while the other stood a few meters beside Rena, keeping her in check.
If you want to escape, it’s now, Rena.“Kill her.”
Rena was one step behind. The man’s voice broke the room dangling silence and moved all the guards’ hand toward their weapon, gun. They took their guns from their pockets and positioned themselves to fire.
Bang.Rena was prepared. Her handcuffs had long gone. She had picked the handcuffs off and set her arms free. She threw the cuffs on the nearest guard and ran toward the door.
“What are you doing? Kill her!” Rena heard the man shouted as she dashed through the door to end up in an unknown corridor.
Rena was running aimlessly. The corridor wasn’t provided with any lighting or windows. She was trapped.
“Get her!”
Behind her was the sound of the guards approaching.
I must get out of here.Rena had no time to be confused. She needed to run straight until she found a dead end, there, she would find some doors or stairs.
Rena was on full throttle. Her life was a bet on a dining table. She had to get a way out of there.
Her breath became ragged. She had no idea how long had she run. She didn’t know how many stairs she had climbed down. She didn’t even sure she was running straight or she did make turns.
Why did you do this?Jurina’s voice echoed in Rena’s mind. Rena imagined Jurina staring at her with the face that showed worries and a little bit of fear.
The corner of Rena’s lips rose a bit. Reminding herself of Jurina calmed her a bit.
Maybe, it’s because I want to get closer to you.“She’s here!”
Rena turned her head back in unease. The shadows of her pursuer were getting closer. She could see the flash of light too close to her safe zone. They were right on her back, ready to have her dead.
She was exhausted. Even if she wanted to run as fast as she could, she had nowhere to run. The building she was in was as dark as lifeless night. She would be delighted if she could have even one of her pursuer flashlight. Without it, she didn’t have any idea where she should go.
“Hhh…hhh…”
It was a deadly silence.
She couldn’t hear the men shouting. Am I saved? Rena wondered. But, she was not outside, yet.
Slowly, Rena stopped running. She was walking limply until she was completely still. Rena held her knees while bending 90 degrees front. Her head was spinning. Her face was steaming.
Where are they?Rena decided staying on one spot was not wise. Her pursuer could appear out of nowhere. Rena gathered all her strength she had left and started walking. This time, she kept her body close to the wall. Using it to support her body; Rena walked as slow and as quiet as she could manage.
Eventually, Rena reached an intersection. The wall was gone, changed with a cold metallic surface on her hand. She reached another stairs.
Rena held onto the railing and began descending.
Bang.Rena was caught off-guard. One of the guards sneaked behind her quietly. And with a loud bang, the gun was fired. The bullet shot through the damp air. It penetrated Rena’s jacket then proceeding ripping her skin, pierced through her muscle, and rest inside.
Blood was gushing through the hole the bullet made on Rena’s back. She had no time to hold her wound or to stop the bleeding. Rena lost her balance on the stairs and with a loud bumping sound; she rolled on the every steps before settling on the floor below.
Rena was lying upside down. Her legs were on the fifth steps of the stairs while her head was touching the mat placed on the floor. Her senses turned duller as blood was leaving her circulation system. She was petrified when she noticed a gleaming light permeated the room from the big glass door with a gigantic sign read ‘See You Next Time’ above it.
Her head was dizzy. Her mind was screaming.
Jurina, help me._________________
Day 7Jurina never liked hospital. The disinfectant smell dizzied her. For her, it’s a smell of death.
She was awakened by a beeping sound of heart-rate monitor. The beeping was accelerating when she tried to get up. She gave up as the pounding on her head intensified.
No more than a minute later, a nurse came by. She checked on the monitor before taking off the receptor from her thumb. The nurse smiled at her gently and without saying anything else, she left.
Jurina was about to ask where she was when a familiar figure appeared behind the door.
“You’re alive.” The figure stated. No significant change of tone Jurina could pick up. As if the fact Jurina is still breathing is not surprising at all. She lifted her head as far as she could get. Beside the door, stood her partner in crime, the vice-director, wearing her office outfit.
“I guess?” Jurina answered in questioning tone. She didn’t feel alive, not with constant hammering on her head.
The vice-director shrugged her shoulder, “you gave me heart attack for disappearing like that. Don’t you know how worried I am?”
Jurina lifted her hand, trying to scratch her head but the constant dizziness stopped her.
“Okay, I know you’re in no condition to travel or even walk by yourself, but we need to take you to the convention. Or else you’re going to lose everything you have built from scratch. I did what I can to save your position but if you don’t come…”
you’ll be dead. She made a slashing gesture in front of her neck.
Jurina raised her eyebrows. She hadn’t realized how many days had passed since the last time she got knocked out.
“Isn’t it ended already?"
“Nope. It’s 5 a.m. now. You have 4 hours to ride back to Tokyo to save our company, to save yourself. ” The vice-director checked her wristwatch, “fortunately, I got a heli for you to ride.”
“A helicopter?” Jurina eyes widen, that was… exaggerating.
“Yep. So you come or not?”
With challenging look, Jurina’s partner, her best-friend, crossed her hands in front of her chest.
“Geez, Mayu, I could use commercial flight.” Jurina shook her head. She was unpredictable. She always does.
“No can do.” Mayu shook her head.
Showing her mischievous smile, Watanabe Mayu guided Jurina off her bed, leaving for the last spurt for saving her future. Mayu took Jurina’s arm onto her shoulder and guided her to the wheel chair.
“By the way, how did you find me?” Jurina asked as they were leaving the hospital.
“Anonymous tip. It told me your location.”
“Who?”
“I said, anon.”
________________
Day 30Jurina was standing in front of a rundown apartment in the downtown. She would never visit this kind of place after she escaped it a few years back. Not if she didn’t find out her kidnapper address.
After a month of hell, Jurina barely scraped alive and (not) well. She somehow managed to save her company, at least her position in it. She did necessary measure for her long-lived position; some included kicking out a few dishonest directors that had constantly opposed her.
Another thing Jurina had to do was to find her lovely kidnapper, which turned out to be futile.
Jurina couldn’t find Rena. Even gouging out the truth out of the director responsible of her kidnapping won’t do.
She was told that Rena was shot and left dead. The man’s men threw the body out somewhere.
Jurina was disheartened.
After some research on the company partnership database, Jurina found out where Rena lived, where she used to live.
Jurina stepped on the stairs. She stopped when she reached the fifth floor. With the key she got from the landlady (she pretended she’s going to rent the place), Jurina opened the room 523.
The smell of dust hit her nose as the room was opened after so many years had passed. Jurina coughed several times only to leave bad aftertaste on her tongue.
Jurina entered the now empty room.
It was an 18m square of room. Small. Old. Needs repair on the glass window. The tap wasn’t on and it produced creaking sound when Jurina tried to spin it.
This is where she used to live.Jurina lay down on the living room, the biggest room that was separated from the bathroom and kitchen. She stared at the dead fluorescent lamp hanging on the ceiling. She absorbed the entire element she could feel inside the room.
This is where Rena spent her days.Jurina closed her eyes.
This is where she lived since she was a kid.
This is where she grew up.
This is where… her father hanged himself.Jurina’s eyes snapped open. She sat herself up. Right, she was in a room where a man lost his life. Suddenly, the room temperature dropped by a few degrees.
A photo frame hung on the wall caught Jurina’s eyes. Jurina stood up and approached the frame. She was thrilled when she realized who was in the photo. But at the same time scared and a bit disgusted at the blood that splattered on the glass frame up to the wall beside it.
Jurina took the frame and analyzed it some more. It was a familiar face she only got to know less than a month ago.
As I thought, this kind of angelic smile suit her better.
Jurina smiled at the photo of Rena in her high-school uniform. She proceeded by taking the photo out and slipped it in between the book she brought with her.
Looking around the room, Jurina tried to find another thing that could possibly be Rena’s. But she found nothing beside several undies whose Jurina believed was not Rena’s.
Jurina took a final glance at the tiny apartment room. She stared at the streak of blood that dirtied the wall and to the worn out tatami. What the hell was happening there; Jurina didn’t want to know.
Holding the doorknob, Jurina slammed the door close.
_________________
Day -759Rena was running happily with a pack of melon breads in her hand. She had been saving money for the treat she would give for her brothers and sisters. Her job was going on well lately. She might get a promotion soon.
“
Tadaima—I’m home.”
Rena slipped her feet out of her flat shoes. She kept her socks on since they couldn’t afford slippers.
Her apartment was unusually quiet. Her brothers and sisters usually greet her when she arrived.
Confused, Rena proceeded to the living room.
Her bag of melon breads dropped nosily onto the floor. Her eyes widen. She was lost at words.
She won’t be able to forget. No.
In front of her was her dad, hanging on a rusty rope. His face was calm. Lifeless. His clothes were dirty, red kind of dirt.
Slipping from his hand was a knife, fallen exactly under him. The knife was as dirty as his clothes, red kind of dirt.
Rena was screaming. Howling. Crying. Screeching.
Steps from nearby neighbors were heard all over the apartment. People were coming inside. Some were arguing with each other, some were trying to drag Rena out of the room.
Rena was scratching the tatami mat, defending herself from the force that pulling her out. On her eyes were reflected a pool of blood from stiff bodies of her deceased siblings. Stabbed, murdered, without anything Rena could do to stop it from happening.
________________
Day XXThe waves were coming back and forth, sweeping the cliff. The breeze was salty as usual.
On the top of the cliff was a woman. Her hat protected her from the blazing sun. Her coat was fluttering from side to side. Sometimes her thin upper clothes were fluttering with it, showing a nasty scar on her back.
She was enjoying the mild sensation of coldness mixed with warmth from her coat. Past life events were flowing through her mind. But she brushed it off. She needed to live in the present and present only.
“Onee-chan, let’s go.”
She turned around to find a bunch of people was waiting not far from her.
A 12 years old boy was jumping impatiently, urging her to get closer. Behind him was another boy, older and taller. Beside them were two girls who looked exactly the same. And last but not least, her parents were there with them. She missed them all.
She moved her feet. She was walking to the people, her family. She had finally found her. She couldn’t stop smiling. After all this time, she was about to meet them. Her hand was up, trying to grasp and hug her family as fast as she could.
Don’t leave me, Rena.A hand, warm and familiar, prevented her from moving. Her wrist ached as her body remember the strength of the grip. The hand pulled her closer, turned her around, and then enveloped her into a tight hug. Her face met with the soft chest. The warmth was familiar. The scent was familiar.
Beep.Louder and louder, beeping sound echoed in her ear. It intensified as seconds passed.
She was confused. She had no idea what’s happening. Her view was blurry. Darkness began to consume her. Her heart was beating faster. She was scared.
What is it? Where am I?She lost her composure. Her body was shaking. Then, the hug become tighter. The warmth was still there. She returned the hug, engulfing herself inside the protective hug.
The darkness was everywhere. But she knew she’s not alone.
A smile rose on her mouth.
-fin-
Okay, that's it. What do you think?
Thank you for reading. Reviews always welcome.
Topic: [kaoruyo's OS] LOCKED (wMatsui) (Apr/03) (Read 13674 times)