chapter ten
Suzuki Airi had positioned herself behing the corner of a corridor. Her eyes were focused on Yuko and Mai.
"Nakazawa-senpai, do you love me?" Mai asked.
"Yes,"
"No," Mai shook her head. "It's alright if you don't."
Silence.
"I'll ask again: do you love me?" Mai repeated.
"I'm sorry.." Yuko said after a long pause. "But, Nacchi and I.. there's a bond between us. A bond that, if broken, would upset the balance of the entire Hello! Project.." she took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry.."
What bond? What exactly would happen to the balance of Hello! Project if broken?
"It's alright," Mai smiled. "It was.. wrong of me. Don't worry, Nakazawa-senpai, I understand."
And with that, she walked off. Airi's focus had turned to Yuko, who looked shocked, almost as if she had killed Mai.
"Nice going, stupid," said a voice from out of the shadows. "Way to break the girl's heart. Poor thing, I feel rather sorry for her.."
'No way..' Airi stared. What was SHE doing here!?
"Yuko, that was a very stupid thing to do," the woman breathed in Yuko's ear, pressing her body against Yuko's back, the second woman still in shock. "Why.." she whispered, wrapping her arms around Yuko's neck. "Why are you so intent on causing heartbreak because of her?" she moved her arm down Yuko's own. "Remember what happened.. last time..."
Airi wanted to tell her to stop, to tell her to quit frightening Yuko. She was as confused as anyone reading this, but she knew something had to be dome. And what about that 'last time?' However, someone bet Airi to it.
"That's enough," said Yasuda Kei, looking stern, her arms crossed. "You should know better than that, Ayaka."
"Kemeko, you're no fun." Ayaka sighed, letting go of Yuko and walking over to Kei.
Yuko was now trembling all over, her hands covering her face.
"Kemeko, I think someone else is here," Ayaka said luciously, her beady eyes darting around.
"Yes, I can sense them too," Kei, however, looked unconcerned.
"Over there!" Ayaka made her way over to where Airi was hiding. Before Airi knew what was happening, Ayaka had grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up so that her feet were inches off the floor, and that their faces were of equal height, their noses almost touching.
"My," Ayaka licked her lips as though she were a spider who had swallowed a rather juicy fly. "Suzuki Airi, twelve, one of the lead members of ºC-ute. What brings you here?"
"I—" Airi turned back to look at Yuko, now on all fours, still trembling. "Just passing through." she grinned causally.
"Nonsence," Ayaka smiled evily. "You've been interefing, so I'll have you come with us."
"Ayaka," Kei interruped. "put her down."
Ayaka looked mock-thoughtful. "Hmmm... Let me think about that.. No." she said flatly. "I don't think I will."
Airi felt something strangling her - as she gasped for air, the room started spinning. She couldn't move. All of a sudden, everything went black.
.......