-blows layer of dust away- How long have I not updated this fic? I hope you readers are still interested in this story.
Glass Slipper: Chapter 2 - Awakened"Watch."
Taka muttered mysteriously and waved his now empty hand pass Reina's bewildered face.
"How did you do it?!"
Deeply fascinated by the trick he had just performed, Reina scrambled onto his lap and proceeded to pat him down to locate the missing coin. Her brash actions caused Eri to feel hot under the collar as she observed unblinking her friend's less than inhibited act of running her prying hands all over Taka's shirt and beneath his jacket.
"It's not here. I told you, I made it disappear."
Pulling her hands away from his body, Taka tightened his grip on Reina's wrists and yanked the petite young woman near until she was literally lying on top of himself. Shifting to hug him, Reina closed her eyes as she let Taka run his fingers through her brown hair. The scene was exceedingly sweet and the pair could have been mistaken for any young couple if not for the fact that they were in a host club and not a park or some other random place where lovers go dating.
Sighing softly, Eri turned her eyes away from watching the two. Seeing the contented smile on Reina's sleeping face, she worried that her younger friend would fall heavily for the lad named Taka. From what she had overheard so far from the other patrons in the club, Taka was one of the most demanded and a favorite with the female customers.
In the space across from Reina, Sayumi's situation was similar to her university mate. Leaning backwards onto Kuu, her body language informed Eri that she was thoroughly enjoying every minute of the experience. Using one hand to fiddle with the blood red rose poking out from Kuu's breast pocket, she purred and whined in a childish voice.
"Look at how delighted Taka has made Reina. Aren't you going to do anything to make me happy?"
Pushing his rather large hands against Sayumi's back, Kuu pressed the slim maiden to himself to enhance the level of intimacy between them. Then leaning in and putting his mouth next to her ear, he whispered in a low voice.
"Aren't you already very happy being with me usagi-chan?"
Gasping loudly and with her eyes wide, Sayumi was pleasantly surprised when she heard the nickname Kuu had given her.
"How did you know I liked rabbits and Sailor Moon?"
"It's a secret. Just know that I'm your Tuxedo Mask."
Plucking the rose Sayumi was fingering earlier out of his pocket, Kuu proceeded to pin it in Sayumi's hair and spent some time adjusting the blossom so it would sit perfectly within her ebony tresses. The blood red bud positioned above Sayumi's left ear somehow shone with a glistening radiance and under the flashing lights of the club, the tallest of the three girls looked even more beautiful with the redden rouge contrasted against her fair skin. Examining their appearances, Eri summarized that they truly looked perfect together as both were blessed with matching dark hair and eyes.
Thinking that she had seen enough, Eri reached for the mocktail sitting on the table. Knowing that her friends would not consent to leaving any time soon, she decided to keep herself occupied. She tried to make herself comfortable as she balanced the glass in her hand and settled lazily back into the couch.
"I've booked them till 8 am the next morning!"
Eri remembered Reina announcing gleefully this piece of news just minutes before she became engrossed with watching Taka's magic tricks. She had to admit that the guys were exceptionally charismatic and she felt somewhat tempted to engage in the activities her buddies were so obviously taking pleasure from if only to be showered with princess-like treatment. Unfortunately, she could not find it in herself to admit that desire to her designated host for the night. Kamei Eri had always been an introverted child and that shyness had been magnified tenfold after she became an adult. This was particularly true while she was in the presence of the opposite sex, especially one as dashing as Gaki.
Catching herself before her mind wandered further, Eri's line of sight fleeted sideways to the one sitting obediently next to her. Her eyes lingered on his lips, travelled up his face and finally came to a stop at his eyes. It was at this moment that Gaki chose to tilt his head which led to them inevitably locking gazes. The shock of seeing his attention completely on her made Eri choke on her beverage. Coughing and spluttering into her hand, she quickly set the glass back down on the table to search for a napkin.
Scanning her eyes around the table, Eri realized to her dismay that none of the by-product of trees were immediately available. As she grew increasingly flustered, she became abruptly aware of the soft material wiping at her chin. Not daring to look at the owner of the hand presently only centimeters away from her face, Eri gulped nervously.
"You're adorably clumsy."
Hearing the husky voice mumbling those three words had an astounding effect on Eri. A crimson color began to stain her cheeks and she felt her face warm at the earnest compliment. Keeping her vision focused on the plaid pattern hanky in his hand, Eri relished the sensation of Gaki's gentle motions carefully dabbing at the droplets she had clumsily splashed onto herself. Relaxing her body from its original rigid state, she at last gathered enough courage to gaze at his face. The apprehensive stare progressed to outright gawking as Eri admired his friendly brown eyes and kindly smile. He might not be a room stopper like gorgeous Taka or childishly handsome like Kuu, but he had a certain aura that attracted Eri. In his own quiet and reserved way, Gaki was mesmerizing
I wonder what it would be like to have a boyfriend like Gaki. Someone with a nice smile. Eri didn't realize she was ogling until his light chuckle brought her out of her daydream.
"I meant it. You're really cute."
With the lack of distance between them after Gaki drew closer to reach a spot on her neck, Eri could feel his breathe brush against her skin as he exhaled. The proximity of their bodies set off alarm bells in her mind and Eri jerked awkwardly and slinked back until she nearly fell off the seat.
"Ummm, I...need to...to..ladies, THE LADIES!"
Excusing herself hastily, Eri fled the cozy pumpkin shaped booth and escaped to the thankfully empty washroom.
-----
"Stop thinking about how handsome he looks. There's no use getting a boyfriend who is just cute."
"He's not cute! I don't think he's cute, AT ALL!" -repeats to self-
"What are you doing Kamei Eri. This is a host club, a place where people come to relax and have fun. How can I even think of starting a relationship with someone who works here."
"Wait a RELATIONSHIP?! Why am I thinking that? I'm not going to fall in love with someone I just met."
"LOVE??!! WHO'S TALKING ABOUT LOVE!!!"
Standing in front of the long mirror, Eri reprimanded herself aloud. The barrage of sentences both for and against flew repeatedly fast and furious in the tiny room. It was fortunate no one entered while Eri was in the process of carrying out a whole conversation by herself. It would have undoubtedly raised a few brows. Confident that she had calmed down enough to return to her seat, Eri stepped out of the washroom only to be met by a waiting Gaki.
"I got worried when you didn't come back. Are you alright?"
"Oh yes, everything's fine."
Hoping that her lie wasn't betrayed by the confused expression she had on her face, Eri avoided Gaki's gaze and started walking in the direction of the booth. She recalled her grandmother's stern teachings as she convinced herself to not fall for the charming host. "It's never wise to let your heart rule your head. Remember that." Eri slapped herself mentally to remind herself of her background. She was the sole heir of a family who had for generations practiced the art of ikebana - traditional Japanese flower arrangement. From the day she was born, Eri had been brought up with the singular purpose of bearing the responsibilities of the respectable Kamei family.
In reality, she had followed every rule and instruction that her family inculcated so stringently that it frequently went overboard. Even friends who knew why she had to follow those guidelines have commented more than a few times that she was not in control of her own life. "You're like a dog to the Kamei household, only prettier." The ending of those situations was usually the same, her replying that dogs are endearing while Sayumi shouted exasperatedly that she should stand up for herself and object to being compared to a non-human by Reina. Nevertheless, her reaction would always consist of shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders weakly.
To return to her seat, Eri had to cut through the dance floor and this proved to be an impossible task as the arena was currently packed with people. A popular and danceable song had started playing and most of the people who had previously been mulling around the bar were now cramped within the 11 feet by 11 feet area. Failing to find a way to break through the crowd, Eri stood by the side helplessly. She was on the verge of conceding defeat when a hand slipped itself over her own and pulled her along into the mass of bodies.
Enveloped by the endless tide of people, Eri was powerless as the wave of dancers bumped against her pushing her towards Gaki as they made their way through. When they finally managed to arrive back at the couch laden with plush velvet cushions, Eri heaved a sign of relief at successfully leaving the throng of customers behind. She only realized that her hand was still entwined with Gaki's when Reina snorted openly and Sayumi giggled volubly at seeing their linked hands. Greatly embarrassed, Eri was about to retract her hand when the fingers clasped around it tightened.
"I'm not letting you go."
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I'll do that in another post
Topic: More Than One Story...[111016 Loving You Forever] (Read 236742 times)