JPHiP Forum
The Hello! Project Fanfics => H!P Fanfics => Topic started by: kjpop on February 09, 2012, 02:19:25 PM
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*pokes head in* .......soooooooo LOL I'm usually more of a reader/fangirl than an actual author of fanfics, but you guys might know a certain member/author around here by the name of Beecubed? Yeah, she's the reason why I'm here, blatantly embarrassing myself and and posting my horrendous fiction for you all to read LOL Blame her.
I know for a fact that a lot of you guys will be armed and ready to destroy my very being after reading this chapter (for a really, really, REALLY obvious reason LOL), but please hang tight! I promise to make up for my blatant destruction of canon H!P pairings as the fic goes on. And uhh...I guess that's it? Here's chapter one! Enjoy!
Song of the Chapter: Takahashi Yu - Honto no Kimochi (http://youtu.be/spjzxRTIX0I)
Chapter 1
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Fireworks displays, foot-poppin' kisses, a trail of roses along a candle-lit hallway that promises a night that would never be forgotten; the knight in shining armor, the beautiful damsel with all the charm in the world, and the quintessential fairytale ending; love prevailing even during the hardest of times, overcoming the trials and errors that society and life threw at it and everything in between; it was the stuff that romance was made of.
It was the stuff that one Niigaki Risa never knew, nor ever really sought after. She was hardly what anyone would call "extraordinary," but surely she was a far cry from the typical plain Jane. No, indeed Niigaki Risa was a woman that simply lived for the sake of living, and expected nothing more from the world than to provide the air that gave her life. She wasn't sure what brought about her sense of content with what she was given. Her mother, maybe? She never really cared enough to think about it.
For the woman who sought nothing more from life, a well-to-do businessman of a decent financial background, by the name of Ryousuke Ito, had all but came into her simple life and swept her off her feet. No fireworks display, no overtly romantic words and rose petal trails; this love was far from what any romance in novels and movies had ever entailed. It was a relationship that merely was, and once again Niigaki Risa could not ask for more. What started off as simple greetings at the common workplace they shared, turned into coffee dates in the mid-afternoon, which escalated to dinner and a movie, and eventually blossomed into an engagement between two people that grew to love one another.
She woke up every morning beside her fiancé, went to work, and came home just in time to greet her beloved and share a take-out Chinese dinner with him over the evening news. Perhaps the routine could be described as mundane, but at least it was a happy one for Niigaki Risa.She really was an easy one to please. Really, she insisted this. The simple pleasures that came with looking at possible wedding cakes, sharing bits and pieces of her wedding plans to her ever-so-curious co-workers at the office, and musing over her future wedding on the ride home from work were enough to give the woman something to smile about. She really was an easy one to please. Really.
What more could she ask for beyond the wonderful penthouse complex with her wonderful fiancé, with their wonderful business jobs, and their wonderful soon-to-be-marriage? Asking for more simply seemed too selfish to Gaki, and surely she wasn't the selfish type! Surely not!
This was all she had ever asked for...
...Right?
Yet as the wedding date drew closer and closer, she could not help but feel slightly restless. Restless? No, impossible. She was Niigaki Risa - the woman that never asked for anything more from life! But as she fiddled at the pages of her morning newspaper at the cafe across her office, she suddenly grew hyper-aware of her fidgeting legs underneath the table, her caramel macchiato growing colder in its open container as it rested on the far corner of her table, and her sweaty palms. Was it getting hot in here, or was she just losing her mind?
There was a timespan of 3 months separating her from becoming Mrs. Ito, Gaki thought quietly to herself. "Mrs. Ito..." she whispered with bated breath. The words sent a rush up and down her spine, and she swore that her palms only precipitated further. She pinched herself with sweaty fingers, the unpleasant sensation bringing her back to her senses, back to the coffee shop she currently occupied. 3 months. Just 3 months. She glanced at her watch. It read 9:01. She bit at her lip, thinking it was still too early to go back to the office and discuss another business plan with her officemates. Or rather, discuss her wedding plans for the nth time since her arrival at 7 that morning.
She stared through the glass window as the cars and pedestrians rushed around the outside world, doing what she was so used to doing her entire life - just living. People paced passed one another without batting so much as an eyelash if a brush of a shoulder interrupted their stride, cars honked their horns ceaselessly as though it would miraculously increase the speed of the standstill on the streets, and to one Niigaki Risa - the woman that couldn't ask for anything more from life - this just wasn't enough. "At least for now," she quietly mused to herself.
But wasn't this being selfish? She reached across the table to grab her lukewarm cup of coffee and grimaced as she took an unsatisfying sip from the container. Gaki was never selfish, at least she thought so. She briefly went through her mental Rolodex of memories, swiftly evaluating her collection of life choices from birth until today. With a sigh of relief, she took another sip from her cup. Nope, she had definitely been a good girl since day one.
Maybe it was just those pre-wedding jitters her work companions often told her about. Gaki was the youngest of her workmates, and many of them have been married for quite some time now. She heard her fair share of stories of the panic attacks and pangs of sudden anxiety in front of the alter, but she never thought that sort of thing would hit her, or at least hit her this soon! Wasn't it too early? She shook the thoughts from her head and pushed aside her morning paper.
A sudden vibration on the table saved her from another round of anxious thoughts and feelings from taking over. She peered down beside her cup of now totally cooled down coffee to find her cellphone blinking. The screen flashed the unread message from her fiancé: "Want to grab lunch after our meeting at noon?"
Gaki smiled gently at the screen, easing her sweaty grip around her phone as she typed her typical response of "Yes, dear," as always. But before she could hit send, her message was blocked by an incoming call from a number that definitely was not a Japanese one. Hesitantly, she slid down a finger on the screen to accept the call.
"Ano...Moshi moshi?"
"Ah! Gaki-san! Long time no talk!" Gaki winced at the sound of that greeting. The voice on the other line was outrageously bubbly at this time of day, even after her third cup of coffee. But whoever this was sounded so familiar...
"Um..." Gaki paused to clear her throat, "...who is this, exactly?"
A sharp gasp rang through her speaker, and Gaki braced herself for another onslaught of pep from the stranger on the line. "Gaki-san, I'm shocked! You don't remember your own senpai?!" The silence on Gaki's end of the line was obviously enough of an answer for the stranger, as she continued, "...Gaki-san, I'm disappointed. This is Nacchi! We went to university together!! I was a graduating senior and you were only an incoming first-year!!"
The light bulb finally flashed in Gaki's head and she made a mental note to slap herself silly for not even remembering her own beloved senpai's voice. "Ah, gomen, Abe-san! I couldn't really make the connection over the phone! You seem to have developed quite an accent since I last heard from you. How have you been?"
Nacchi giggled from her end. "It's that obvious, hmm? I did a pretty horrible job of keeping in touch since our university days,didn't I? Well, Gaki-san, you wouldn't believe it, but after I graduated from university, I had moved to Spain to do some traveling before jumping into the real world, and...well, I guess I'll just come out with it, ne? I found the love of my life not too long after and got married to a rather wealthy lawyer in Spain!"
"EHH!?!?!??!" Gaki couldn't believe her ears. Nacchi? Married? What? Those were two words she never thought she'd say in the same sentence, ever. Nacchi? The same Nacchi in university that wouldn't even go over to the home a fellow student (of the male gender) for quick round of Playstation gaming? SERIOUSLY? "How did that happen, Abe-san?"
Another giggle from her senpai on the line. "Well, Spain really is a lovely place, Gaki-san. It's filled with even lovelier people! And it's just so romantic here Gaki-san, even you would find it hard to say no to the people here! It's the place for love, Gaki-san, really!" There was a brief pause on the other line, and Gaki wondered if she lost connection.
"Speaking of which, Gaki-san, you should come visit! It's been ages since I've last seen you, much less talked to you. And I'm sure you wouldn't mind the vacation from all the hours of work I'm sure you're drowning in. And besides, you're still single, aren't you?"
Gaki couldn't help but snort at the question. She couldn't even recall the last time she considered herself single; the whole idea of getting married and being in a committed relationship was something that became practically second nature to her. "Not quite, Abe-san. I'm actually getting married in 3 months!" she exclaimed proudly.
"Oh my! That's great news, Gaki-san! Did you two decide on where you're getting married? You should have it here in Spain! There are plenty of lovely places you could choose from! In fact, just take off work for a few weeks and my husband and I could be glad to have you stay at our residence for the time being while you two find your dream location!" Before Gaki could even argue or agree, Nacchi cut her off with her seemingly endless wedding plans for the young woman. "Oh, it will be wonderful, Gaki-san! Truly! The sunsets here in Spain are absolutely brilliant. The wine is to die for, and not to mention their food and clothing! You would look so beautiful in a Spanish designer wedding dress..."
Gaki chose instead to drown out Nacchi's own set of wedding plans for her. She dazed out the window again, to the familiar sight of people passing by, of her life passing by. She was never one for spontaneous decisions and everyone knew she wasn't exactly the most dare-devilish of personalities when it came to life choices and such, but something about Nacchi's proposition struck her as absolutely wonderful, absolutely necessary. Maybe taking that single step outside the box and having some expectation beyond the typical wedding day setups suggested by her work companions would finally settle her down and ease some of these inexplicable anxious feelings out of her system. The idea was just so tempting...
"Ne, Abe-san," Gaki paused until she was sure she had Nacchi's full attention. "I'll talk it over with Ryousuke, but if you don't mind, and if he agrees, I would love to take that trip. You've totally sold me on the idea!"
A cute little squeal of joy from the other line. "Oh, that's absolutely wonderful to hear, Gaki-san! Please call me when you hear back from your fiancé! My husband and I would love to have you here!"
Gaki quickly bid her friend goodbye, took a deep breath, and stared outside the cafe window once more. Another deep breath and she dialed a familiar number from memory. Her heart raced with every ring of the phone until finally...
"Hello? Risa, isn't this an odd time to be calling?" She heard a soft chuckle on the other line.
She took one last deep breath before easing into a chuckle of her own. "Sorry for the bad timing Ryousuke, but you wouldn't believe who just called..."
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*gets shot* :bleed eyes:
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*rushes kjchan to hospital*
*hits*
finallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
I hate you. I be back to edit this.
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Well I was a little worried at first, reading your warning up there, but this is so well done and eloquent, I just can't be mad! I just know this will turn out wonderfully in the end! Please keep posting! I love it so far!
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lol i dont see why you need to be shot XD shot with what? love? XD lol its really good and not bad at all! you should litsen to bee-chan more often~! now to see what the fiance says~
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interesting start to the fic, good job :thumbsup
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Y'know...the worst critque of an author is the author himself/herself.
Or something like that. ANYWAYS~ This was really good! :D AND I MEAN REALLY GOOD!~ I read it twice cause I loved it so much~ As much as I love Risa...I've always imagined her like your portrayl where in her romantic life, she doesn't have movie inspired expectations XD
Nacchi in Spain...who'd a thought it? I totally wanna see her speak now lol~
I can't wait for more since although this isn't my usual TakaGaki fangirling, Risa makes such a cute wife huh? Though I wonder why they eat Chinese-Takeout and not a nice homecooked dinner lol~
I can't wait for more~ <3
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Gaki-san...comes...to Spain?
What, how, where, when? :panic:
And Nacchi already lives here? I've been neglected! :smhid
Come to me Gaki-san, forget that stupid Ryousuke :P
Please, chapter 2 :D
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:panic: :panic: :panic: :panic:
I HATE MY NET I HATE MY LAPTOP I HATE IT ALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! :banghead:
Anyway I am never leaving a gadget on my bed again. Overheating issues. Lesson learned. Doesn't matter though, gonna try to remember everything I wrote... *sweats*
:heart: *plays I found love as BG music* :heart:
So yah I kind of have given you your review via that recording, so I won't spend TOO long here. We need chapter 2 soon and no more dawdling! :cool1:
She wasn't sure what brought about her sense of content with what she was given.
When you get used to boring and mundane, that's how. xD
For the woman who sought nothing more from life, a well-to-do businessman of a decent financial background, by the name of Ryousuke Ito, had all but came into her simple life and swept her off her feet. No fireworks display, no overtly romantic words and rose petal trails; this love was far from what any romance in novels and movies had ever entailed. It was a relationship that merely was, and once again Niigaki Risa could not ask for more. What started off as simple greetings at the common workplace they shared, turned into coffee dates in the mid-afternoon, which escalated to dinner and a movie, and eventually blossomed into an engagement between two people that grew to love one another.
Despite it hurting quite a bit, I loved this whole paragraph. Wonderfully crafted. But that's what real romances are like - I've heard enough stories to come to that conclusion xD I have been in one great romance and that was awesome, but everything else has been... unexciting. Romance you find in books and movies is so hard to find in reality, and if you have, you're extremely lucky. :heart:
ANYWAY. Ryousuke Ito. *puts name on hate list* Don't care if he's a good guy. Anybody standing in the way of Gaki and a certain **chan is an enemy to me. :tama-mad:
She woke up every morning beside her fiancé, went to work, and came home just in time to greet her husband and share a take-out Chinese dinner with him over the evening news.
Oh wow. And here I thought romance couldn't get any less romantic, I stand corrected. Chinese take-away. ORZ.
She really was an easy one to please. Really, she insisted this.
I like the way Gaki-san has to insist this. You get the feeling that deep down, she questions and perhaps even resents her run-of-the-mill life. I feel ya, girl.
She really was an easy one to please. Really.
She's really not helping herself. :nervous
What more could she ask for beyond the wonderful penthouse complex with her wonderful fiancé, with their wonderful business jobs, and their wonderful soon-to-be-marriage?
*possiblespoiler* A sexy Spanish dancer maybe? :roll: DUH, GAKI-SAN!
No, actually, her wonderful life there so wonderfully punctuated by the word 'wonderful' sounds quite good to me. I'd settle for that. But then obviously that makes a BORING story and I know kjchan's not going to let that happen. I am SO looking forward to really how wonderful life can be for our bean. :w00t:
"Mrs. Ito..." she whispered with bated breath.
Mrs. Ito? BLEEEEUGGGH. Please. If you end this story with Gaki STILL engaged to/going to marry an Ito, I will NOT BE HAPPY. You hear? NOT!!!!!! :scolding:
I like the way you described Gaki-san having a moment of self-doubt there, suddenly feeling like things just weren't enough. A flash of a feeling.
With a sigh of relief, she took another sip from her cup. Nope, she had definitely been a good girl since day one.
:bleed eyes: ..... boring!Gaki needs her world to be shaken up!!!! :shakeit:
Maybe it was just those pre-wedding jitters her work companions often told her about.
Or maybe it's her soulmate calling for her from the other side of the world. :mon inluv:
Ahahhahaa... Nacchi <3 I can so hear her chirpy voice trilling on the other end of the line :lol: It's adorable though, knowing how much Gaki looks up to Abe-san. :wub: Kouhai-senpai reunion is going to be awesome! :deco:
I wonder how big her role in this story is going to be. Besides, ya know, convincing Gaki to go to Spain in the first place. :D
Nacchi? The same Nacchi in university that wouldn't even go over to the home a fellow student (of the male gender) for quick round of Playstation gaming? SERIOUSLY?
OHMYGAWD.
:rofl:
"Well, Spain really is a lovely place, Gaki-san. It's filled with even lovelier people! And it's just so romantic here Gaki-san, even you would find it hard to say no to the people here! It's the place for love, Gaki-san, really!"
I'm sold! xD
I just love that it's Nacchi's wonderfully naive suggestion here that's going to spell some kind of trouble for Ito-kun. :on lol:
"...In fact, just take off work for a few weeks and my husband and I could be glad to have you stay at our residence for the time being while you two find your dream location!"
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"Oh, it will be wonderful, Gaki-san! Truly! The sunsets here in Spain are absolutely brilliant. The wine is to die for, and not to mention their food and clothing! You would look so beautiful in a Spanish designer wedding dress..."
Oh, I love how Nacchi's just rattling off about Spain. Does kjchan love Spain that much too? I have to admit I am somewhat partial the country too :inlove: Hot people :inlove: Hot accent :inlove: ropychan :inlove: and possibly the real love of Risa's life :inlove:
She was never one for spontaneous decisions and everyone knew she wasn't exactly the most dare-devilish of personalities when it came to life choices and such, but something about Nacchi's proposition struck her as absolutely wonderful, absolutely necessary.
And yet it doesn't take her all that much convincing to say yes to Nacchi's offer. I'm actually quite surprised she gave in that easily. XD But no worries, the bulk of the story is sure to be in Spain and omgggggggggggg I'm chou excited!!!!!! :frustrated:
SO YES I THINK I SHOULD STOP HERE AND GET YOU TO POST CHAPTER 2 ALREADY. All you need to know is that everybody loves what you've put up here so far and wants this continued. Sorry if this comment sucks or there are any glaring mistakes - I rushed this a little ;____;
And if you dare say a bad thing about your writing again... :shifty:
YAY! UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!!!!!!!!!! :onioncheer:
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*pokes head in* I'm surprised I got readers xD I thought the moment people saw Gaki x nameless random guy paired up, they'd click X and run away LOL Apologies all around for breaking hearts with Chapter 1, and with the ridiculously AU-ness of it all >__< I promise it'll get better. I kind of got sucker-punched by bee in some roundabout way to bring ya'll a happy ending (-ish) but I haven't decided yet lol So no promises, everyone =] Ideas come and go after all.
Thanks for reading, commenting, supporting and all that lovely stuff. Much love!!! But before I run away with all your hearts, just another warning for this chapter for the readers that aren't too keen on GakixGuy. There's a bleh moment that you could probably do without reading, but I put it in there anyway because I can because it needed to be done because I am the biggest troll because...well I don't really have a reason :lol: I could say character development, buuuuuuuuuuuut I don't think it's a good excuse so I'll just grab my bags and run for the hills xD I tried to make it up towards the end!! You'll see!...SO DROP THE KNIVES AND PITCHFORKS!!! :panic:
So, yeah. I kind of just thrashed the whole "Oh, they're all just married to men" idea upon everyone from the get-go, with no fluff and stuff in the middle to soften the blow. I understand it's a weird thing to think about, but just hang tight. For now I guess all I can say is that things aren't what they seem...On that note, I'd also like to confess that I suck with dialogue lol :doh:
No song of the chapter for this one. At least not one in particular. I recommend going to pandora and listening to the juan serrano station, though. Lots of great flamenco music ahah If not, sexy island songs work just as efficiently to get into that Spanish mood ;) but if anyone is curious, I do have a song rec lol by the k-indie band The Finnn: http://youtu.be/VvolFaXyKOQ (http://youtu.be/VvolFaXyKOQ)
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rndmnwierd: Thanks for reading ^__^ Hopefully I won't make you mad in future chapters, but I tend to troll and go off the beaten path and break OTPs LOL But please don't let me discourage you!!! Bee will have my head if I can't make the ending at least a happy one somehow haha
kawaii beam: I wouldn't mind getting shot with a sexy beam or something along those lines haha lawd knows that'll do me some good ahha thanks for reading ^__^
kurosawa87: much love :heart:
mochi.rini: true statement is true, but you give me too much credit xD it ain't that good!!!
and yeah, a bit out-of-character/AU-ish, but I got the idea after watching a movie several years ago and I was just hellbent on making it happen with idol fandom haha But I'm glad you're reading it even though it's not the typical takagaki lovin' fic. Gaki does sound like a pretty good wife, ne? The reason behind their Chinese takeout dinner dates will be explained in this chapter since I never really delved into the type of job Risa had in the first one. Hopefully it'll clarify some things for you =]
miglop: are you from Spain or something? If so, ummmmmm LET ME LIVE THERE TOOOOOOOOO!!!
Bee: AHHHH A BEE COMMENTARY/EPIC COMMENT <333333 i feel so unworthy <3333
I guess it never occurred to me how easily Gaki gave in, but I'll just say that it's all because she's obviously in denial and bored with life. Needs a change of pace and all that. OR I COULD JUST BE PULLING THAT OUT OF MY ASS trollololol <3 And yes, to answer your question, I love Spain <3 Seriously, have you seen their football team? < /shallow>
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Aaaaaaand here's chapter 2!!!
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Ryousuke took the news surprisingly well. Actually, it had shocked Gaki when he had avidly accepted Nacchi's proposal to visit almost as soon as she had mentioned it. She could hardly believe the sight of her fiancé practically wolfing down his meal, all while enthusiastically informing her about all the beautiful Spanish churches they could possibly hold their wedding that he found on his iPhone. They had an app for that sort of thing, apparently.
The man she chose to marry was never one to be overenthusiastic about much of anything outside of his work, but she truly admired him for his strong work ethic...which is why she wondered why he was so adamant about taking off work for once in his life to go have a spontaneous wedding trip to a foreign country. She poked at a lone carrot stick on her plate as she mused to herself, convinced that he was probably just having one of those momentary 20-something crises. Even the strongest of men had their breakdowns, even if Ryousuke's was more of a positive one, she thought to herself.
An incessant tapping of his index finger along the space on the table between them brought her attention back to reality. Her vision focused on the iPhone screen he held before her: A picture of an extravagant interior of one of the several churches in Barcelona that no doubt piqued her fiancé's interest. She placed her fork down on her plate and took a closer look at the picture on the screen, and shook her head gently before giving the phone back to her fiancé, who donned a brief look of disappointment on his face as he reluctantly received the device.
"Not to your liking?" he inquired, a very evident tinge of a crestfallen frown forming on his lips.
Gaki shook her head lightly and stared outside the window at the passersby that sped by. "Maybe we should find a quaint little chapel instead. Aren't those basilicas just a bit too...much?"
He readjusted his glasses upon the bridge of his nose and placed the phone back into his jacket's pocket. "Perhaps you're right," he paused to take a bite out of his sandwich. "I was just getting a bit too excited, wasn't I?" He noted the look of amusement on his companion's face, watching as her hand carefully reached across the table to wipe a smudge of mayo at the corner of his mouth.
"Just a bit," she giggled as she wiped her dirtied finger on the napkin on her lap. "But, I feel the same way, Ryousuke. It never even struck me that we could go elsewhere for our wedding!" They were quite a boring couple after all, for lack of a better description. Boring, but happy. Though, as of late, the latter needed more convincing. For her, anyway.
Ryousuke wiped his mouth with his own napkin, a serious look fell on his face. "Gaki-san, would you mind going to Spain ahead of me?"
Risa stopped sipping from her straw, the water trapped a mere few breaths away from its destination before it slowly fell back down in its container. "Eh, nani?" A look of regret on her fiancé's face was enough evidence for her to deduce some otherwise inevitable news from her predictable man. She watched quietly as he rubbed the his temples lightly, not so eagerly anticipating the delivery of his unpleasant news.
"I have some business proposals and meetings to finish before I can call off. The company won't run itself without me, you know...Would you mind terribly leaving without me for a few weeks? It would give you some time to do some searching and relaxing on your own, without me nagging of course," he chuckled lightly.
She half-expected this. Her fiancé, the fearless and work-driven CEO, star businessman. His own boss, his own harshest critic. If anyone in this world managed to punch in more hours at the office than herself, it would be this guy. She, of course, was somewhat disappointed, but the inexplicable relief of not having to deal with his sometimes overbearing personality on this much-needed vacation was something of a godsend for Risa. She chose to shrug the feeling off without so much as a word. The slightest frown formed on her face, almost as though she was trying to convince herself that she would miss him. Maybe.
But she loved him, honestly! Right? She grabbed the forgotten fork in her hand and poked at the single carrot stick on her plate again. No, really, she did love him. Her thoughts were surely just scattered after that unexpected call from Nacchi. Yeah, that sounded about right.
...Right? She mentally scoffed and noted how ridiculous she was acting right now. Of course she would miss him. They haven't been apart since their first coffee date, absolutely inseparable! Man, these pre-wedding jitters were just striking all sorts of inappropriate nerves at the most inappropriate times. She decided to silently blame it all on Nacchi. "That's understandable," she muttered under her breath, her attention still locked on the carrot stick on her plate. She noted the frown forming on her fiancé's face from the corner of her eye. The feeling of guilt was unpleasantly forming on top of her conscience, tearing at her for even thinking it was okay to go on this vacation of sorts without her beloved and not miss him the slightest.
He reached across the table to her hand that handled the fork, and eased her to release her hold on the utensil. His eyes were locked until she looked up at him. A pleading look. "I'll do my best to finish these proposals as quickly as possible and join you there soon."
Gaki knew he was not one to make empty promises, but once again, she felt as though she wouldn't mind if it were one...She flashed him a smile, and held his hand in hers. "Don't worry, Ryousuke. I'll do my best if you do yours!" She swore she meant those words sincerely.
His expression eased into a softer one, a smile of relief tugging at his lips. In a blink of an eye, his businessman persona took the stage front and center once more. "Alright, that's good to hear. I'll set up your flight for the end of the week, so be sure to call when you arrive-" he paused to place a few bills on the table -"And be sure to take several pictures of locations you're interested in! We need to inform our family and friends ASAP so they can plan accordingly, alright?"
Gaki mentally rolled her eyes. Sometimes it was difficult to separate Ryousuke from his workplace persona, but she swore it was something she would get used to, especially after their wedding. But then again, maybe this vacation was just what the doctor ordered...maybe. Or maybe she was being selfish? Or maybe she should be diagnosed with bipolar; she just wasn't even sure anymore. Man, those words left a bitter taste in her mouth. She shook her head furiously as she stood from her seat, following her fiancé suit as he made his way toward the exit. There go these wild thoughts again...
They left the restaurant hand-in-hand.
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The clock on their nightstand read 4:34 and she could hear the rain falling outside. Her vision was fixed lazily on the ceiling above her as she quietly lay underneath the sheets of the bed she shared with Ryousuke, trying to ease her ragged breathing. Her fiancé laid beside her, his breathing just as ragged as hers. He draped a hand across her chest, playing with a few stray strands of her hair as he panted heavily from his mouth onto his pillow.
She turned her head to the man beside her. Both were too obviously spent from their earlier activities to say anything, not that they needed to. Gaki extended a weary hand and ran her fingers through his sweaty hair, hoping it would ease him just a tad. The sound of sirens and the rain outside were doing an excellent job of lulling them both to sleep.
"I love you, you know..." he whispered breathlessly.
Her eyes were half-lidded as she recovered from the aftermath of their lovemaking, and even after hearing those words, her expression never changed. Gaki almost felt the need to regret her earlier anxiety once she heard him say those words. He was never one for playful flirtations or blatant displays of affection, of this she was aware; she knew this the moment they had started becoming "serious." To hear him say that, in the midst of passion...it was a rare moment. She wasn't sure what brought it about, but she decided she didn't care enough to find out; she just knew she liked it, this feeling of being loved.
She would depart for Spain in about 5 hours, leaving behind the love of her life...so why was she feeling so apprehensive earlier, again? Shame on her for doubting. Shame on her for feeling anxious. Shame, shame, shame...Maybe she should see a doctor while visiting Spain, she mused to herself. Gaki felt his hand release her hair, sliding his fingertips from the nape of her neck, down her sweat-sheened chest, to her waist and pulled her closer to himself. She could feel his warm breath against her skin. Turning her head to catch a peak of her fiancé, she saw that he had already fallen asleep. Yeah, this was comfortable, she thought; this was love. "...Me, too," she whispered in reply.
She wondered why she worried. She wondered about a lot of things. But as she allowed her eyes to be overcome by weariness, she was still convinced she loved him. As the rain continued to pour outside, their clock read 4:59.
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Upon landing, Gaki could immediately sense the drastic change of pace and lifestyle from her conventional high-strung business routine in Japan. The air seemed sweeter, the sun shined brighter, and the people walked with a more carefree stride as she made her way to the exit of the airport. She wondered if she'd enjoy this easygoing atmosphere in Spain, wondered if this is what Nacchi had found so refreshing about the country when she first arrived there those many years ago.
With some help from the cab driver, she was able to load her luggage into the trunk, and after providing the driver with a piece of paper with her senpai's address, she relaxed into the backseat of the car, indulging in the beautiful sites as they drove by. The pictures Ryousuke had shown her constantly throughout the week prior did no justice for the remarkable city. From the overwhelming grandeur of the classic architecture of the basilicas, to the modern skyline superstructures that offered a sharp contrast to the old school flavor of the aforementioned religious sites, and to the charmingly modest local shops scattered throughout the city; from the sounds of some boisterous youth happily engaged in a game of soccer, to the lighthearted conversations among close friends over a cup of afternoon coffee; from the familiar smell of musky car-exhaust that polluted the metropolitan business end to the delicious aroma of freshly prepared tapas escaping the doors of the various restaurants that lined the streets. It was all so wonderful, and regardless of the jet lag that wearied her, Gaki couldn't wait to get on her feet and experience everything the city had to offer her.
She can't remember the last time she took time off her busy schedule to stop and just smell the tapas...er, flowers. Right. Indulging in those sorts of worldly pleasures was something her mother had taught her not to do. Now, Gaki wasn't selfish after all (she mentally went through her Rolodex of personal life choices again), and she always focused all her energy in academic and personal achievements growing up. When she entered the corporate business world shortly after graduating from university, she had dedicated most of her time to work. Sales had increased drastically under her ministrations, but the female companions that befriended her throughout her time at the company were worried the young woman might have been overdoing it. "No wonder you and Ryousuke-san are together. You're both such workaholics. Live a little," they always preached. One could only imagine the surprised expressions on their faces when Gaki informed them of her vacation from the department. The idea of rest and relaxation was so foreign, but as the car pulled into a driveway that presumably belonged to her senpai's, Gaki felt like she wouldn't mind trying it out.
As she stepped out of the vehicle dumbfounded and mouth agape, she said a quick "Gracias" to the driver. Her luggage was placed beside her and she paid the kind man his dues before he drove off, leaving her alone to stare at the beautiful house before her. It was more of a mansion, to be quite frank, something one would never see in the metropolitan jungle of her Japan. The tan coloration on the walls of the foundation was highlighted beautifully by the the garden's wide array of colorful flowers that surrounded the entire perimeter of the home and the luscious green vines that climbed its lengths, which extended as far as the open balcony where she spotted an outdoor dining area. Her eyes slowly savored the rich colors surrounding her as she lugged her bags up the steps to the front door of the villa. With each step, her view of the city was no longer hindered by the steel gates that fenced the house atop its private hill overlooking what seemed like all of Barcelona. The view was breathtaking: the sun was beginning to set, casting a shade of rustic orange upon the city, the night lights emerging from various locations, one-by-one with each second that passed.
At last, Gaki reached the top of the steps, her luggage settled safely at her side. She took in a big breath to calm any nerves; it had been so long since she had last seen her friend. Charming as both women were, time had a knack for changing people, for better or for worse. After a few knocks on the door, the young woman released a heavy breath and fiddled with the hem of her shirt, wondering if anyone was home, or if anyone could even hear her knocks inside the huge mansion. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime of waiting, she saw the doorknob twist and slowly, the door opened to reveal her beloved senpai.
Nacchi had not aged a single day. After however many years since her university days, the woman still had her youthful looks, her darling smile, and her charming eyes. Her hair had grown much longer, but otherwise the woman before her was exactly the same senpai that had left Tokyo all those years ago. The older woman greeted her with a warm smile, extending her arms forward to envelope her guest in a warm embrace. How very much like the Nacchi from way back when; still kind, still welcoming. It brought relief to her nervous kouhai wrapped in her arms. She released the young woman, placing a firm grip on her shoulders as she examined her kouhai from head to toe.
"Oh Gaki-san," Abe began, pulling the younger back into another warm embrace. "You look absolutely beautiful! You've grown so much since your first year at university!" She forced them apart again, opting to look at her friend once again. Grabbing her tiny hands, Abe noted, "I see you still fancy those elaborate decorations on your fingernails." She proceeded to pat Niigaki's hair, running her hand down appreciatively, admiring the soft texture against her fingertips. "And you've grown your hair! And you're getting married!!" Another embrace; this was the last one, she swore. "Is there anything else I don't know about? A tattoo? A piercing?"
Gaki just chuckled as her senpai released her and took some of her luggage inside. If it was at all possible, Gaki felt her jaw drop further at the sight of the interior of the home. Nacchi seemed to have quite the taste for the modern minimalist style, and every piece of furniture was wood, leather, or a combination of the two. Potted plants were scattered about the home, adding a splash of life to the otherwise dull color palette of the interior. A collection of various abstract paintings and tapestries decorated the white walls at each floor, and one could not even begin to count the plethora of books that was organized along the entire wall beside the staircase. No doubt a fine collection developed by her friend's husband, unless Nacchi miraculously developed quite an affinity for literature throughout the years. As the elder woman led her through the maze of rooms in the house and up the stairs to the second floor, Gaki wondered how lonely it must have been to live in a beautiful, but spacious and empty home, especially with only a husband for company. Luckily for her, she and Ryousuke shared a more practically sized living space.
Nacchi directed the woman to her bedroom, and both women placed their bags aside and jointly fell onto the bed out of presumable exhaustion. As Gaki began to unload some things from her suitcase, Nacchi said, "Hopefully this room will be enough for you and your fiance...where is he by the way?"
Oh. She had totally forgotten to tell her senpai that Ryousuke was still stranded in Japan, fulfilling his endless obligations to the company and leaving her alone in this foreign country. Silly her, how could she have forgotten? A mock look of shock played on Gaki's face as she replied, "It must have slipped my mind when we were talking, Abe-san! Ryousuke is still in Japan. He's quite the workaholic, you know. But he said he will be coming in a few weeks time, if that's alright with you..." Gaki couldn't quite read the thoughts behind her senpai's expression, but she wondered why Nacchi had remained rather quiet. Perhaps it was rude to keep that tidbit out of their several phone conversations, but surely it hadn't offended the older woman somehow. She could swear that she saw a mischievous glint in the woman's eyes, but shrugged it off as the subsequent effects of jetlag toying with her senses.
"Oh, that's totally understandable, Gaki-san. My husband's quite a workaholic as well, so I know just how you feel," Nacchi said with melancholic smile. After a few minutes of silence from both parties, Nacchi picked herself up from the bed and helped fold some of Gaki's clothes on the bed. "It's getting a bit late and I could only imagine how tired you must be right now. I'll have dinner waiting for you downstairs and you can come join me any time after you're finished here." She paused to place the last of Gaki's tops neatly on the pile she had made, glancing at her kouhai and flashing her a kind smile before stepping out of the room to prepare their meal.
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Mr. Yamamoto was exactly as Nacchi had described him: Tall, clean-cut, and as attractive as all those pretty boy Johnny's idols back home. He had a joke for just about every topic that was mentioned over their meal that would never fail to set Nacchi off into a fit of laughter, and he was obviously well-versed in all sorts worldly news and factoids. The man definitely had a knack for conversation and was quite the catch. Gaki couldn't believe a guy like this could be a lawyer, but his charm was probably his secret weapon in the courtroom. His dashing good looks might have helped, as well. She quickly changed her mind about him over dinner. As she observed the couple from the opposite side of the table, she saw the look of sincere joy in both of their eyes as they shamelessly flirted with one another in her presence. She didn't mind, not at all. But as she took a sip from her glass, she couldn't help but wonder (there she goes again...) if she and Ryousuke would end up similarly. You know, in love. It almost made her jealous, made her miss him.
But she was thankful that the lovely couple put their flirtations on hold and re-introduced her into their conversation. "So, Gaki-san, your fiancé will be joining us in a few weeks?" Mr. Yamamoto asked, wrapping an arm around Nacchi as he relaxed into his chair. They all sat outside in the open dining section of Nacchi's home, underneath the full moon and overlooking the bright lights of the evening city life of Barcelona down below. Gaki only nodded in silence.
"That's excellent! You should take this time to just relax and see what Barcelona has to offer. I'm sure Nacchi wouldn't mind missing a telenovela episode or two to show you around the city. Maybe you'll find the chapel of your dreams! I remember how stressful wedding planning was, and I was just the groom!" he laughed heartily to himself, his pearly whites shining brightly against the candle lights at the dinner table. Nacchi grinned and elbowed him gently, cutting her husband's entertainment short. And as the threesome engaged in more rounds of wonderful Spanish wine and enthused wedding planning, Gaki was simply thankful she was in great company. Little did she know, however, that this would be her first and only relaxing evening in Barcelona.
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Gaki never knew it was possible to hurt in all places of her body. Her head was aching from the constant and indulgent wine-drinking and her legs were suffering from walking several miles around the city in shoes that were definitely not designed for such strenuous travels. It had been about a week since she had first landed in Barcelona, and Nacchi had already managed to show her every church, chapel, and basilica that the city had to offer. A few had piqued her interest, and Gaki made sure to make a mental note of those places. She also sent Ryousuke various pictures she had taken with her phone of the said locations, and her fiancé's reply was always something along the lines of, "Looks great! Do you want to get married there?" Gaki didn't feel comfortable making the decision via phone communication, so she opted to ignore his texts until he was there to experience each location by her side.
It was very difficult to not think of him. Everyone in the city seemed to be in love and Nacchi wasn't lying when she said that the city's atmosphere was nothing but love, wine, and tapas. It made her nauseated but she missed him terribly and called him often, every night actually. Although he was obviously busy, he would always entertain her phone calls as he worked, insisting that he was that much closer to joining her in Spain with each day that passed. There would always be bouts of silence on his end, when Gaki would only hear the sound of a mouse clicking and fingers typing, but she decided that was much better than hearing nothing from him at all. He had given her an exact date one evening, after one of his typing concertos at the office, but she never recalled it; she might have fallen asleep by the time he had divulged that information to her. At this point, Gaki simply didn't care when, as long as he would actually show up and save her from another day of wedding planning, sight-seeing, and drinking.
Another day, however, another part of the city. This time, Nacchi had dragged her limping body to the outskirts of Barcelona, a much quieter but nonetheless enchanting part of the city. As her senpai was distracted by a street vendor selling homemade clothing accessories, Gaki grabbed at the opportunity to escape the woman and find a quiet place to ease the pain from her weary legs. Her sights darted left and right, eagerly searching for a tiny piece of paradise in the small town square. Her eyes sparkled with delight when she saw a water fountain at the center of the square, devoid of much commotion and ruckus, and most importantly Nacchi. As she reached the precious spot, Gaki took a seat along the edge of the fountain, eventually deciding that it was okay to just lay herself down completely. She closed her eyes and granted her mind the satisfaction of drifting away to dreamland, relishing in the simple joy of finally being able to rest from her strenuous journey across the city with Nacchi. The sound of the water from the fountain helped her release any tension from her weary legs and the faint melody of a Spanish guitar in the distance eased her shoulders against the cold stone of the fountain's foundation. It wouldn't kill her, she thought, if she chose to just lay there and indulge without care for a little while longer; Nacchi could wait, wherever the hell she was.
The song she heard was stifled from where she reclined, and regardless of how comfortable her position, Gaki found herself standing upon pained feet. She endured the sharp pangs of pure agony that rushed up and down her legs as she allowed herself to be drawn closer and closer toward the faint melody, toward a secluded cafe far from the town square. It struck her odd that so many people were concentrated at a single location; the guitar sounded absolutely beautiful, but surely people could admire the sounds from afar just as she had. Pushing passed the tightly packed onlookers, it only took but a single moment for Gaki to realize just why these people were pressed shoulder-to-shoulder.
The man who wielded the guitar seemed aged and weary, his gray eyes covered by closed lids as he played his instrument with such passion. His fingers swiftly strummed against the strings of his guitar, producing the most beautiful Spanish melody that Gaki swore was too perfect to be impromptu. The heel of his free leg tapped against the ground to the rhythm, his head tilted in all sorts of directions as he lost himself in the music. But the man was not what had attracted all these people, or at least not for Niigaki Risa. She could feel her eyes glaze over as they finally met with other vision before her.
Indeed, the other sight was a thing of pure, breathtaking beauty. Before them stood a single, petite young woman clad in a simple flamenco dress: the top portion was white, with off-shoulder sleeves that exposed just a taste of her slender figure. Around her waist was a belted black waist corset that accentuated her chest and tight midsection rather beautifully, surely making several women in the crowd green with pure envy. The sharp contrast of a deep shade of crimson red colored the remainder of her frilled dress, a single slit that lingered dangerously close to her hips offered a very generous view of the woman's creamy white thighs. Her honey brown hair was tied in a loose ponytail, the bound, loose curls draped over one shoulder to rest daintily on her chest. A red rose she donned over a single ear sharply contrasted the woman's fair skin, though her cheeks were flushed from her efforts and her lips were painted with a rich red lipstick. Her eyes were smoldering, the sultry expression on her delicate face was undoubtedly tantalizing to every man and woman that observed appreciatively in the crowd.
Gaki was absolutely mesmerized, overwhelmed by the sheer emotion from the perfect combination of song and dance before her. She marveled at every sway of the woman's hips, every powerful tap of her heel at the wooden floorboards beneath her, every graceful hand gesture that painted a picture of the most exquisite imaginary design in the air as she moved one with the rhythm. It was an exhilarating burst to her senses, and she did not feel like waking up from her daze any time soon.
The guitarist was shaking madly as he totally lost himself completely in his music, his hand clashing violently against the strings of his guitar as he built up his crescendo to the final measures of his song. The young dancer lifted and twirled the skirt of her dress daintily, yet with as much gusto as the man that played his guitar. She danced about in circles, her hands gracefully following the melody, her heels powerful stomping and sounding against the wearing floorboards. But the song ended far too soon for Gaki, and an immediate upheaval of applause, cheers, and catcalls from the crowd filled the air.
The dancer held her pose for a moment longer, her chest rising and falling as she desperately tried to catch her breath after her own powerful display. The guitarist rested his guitar on the chair he sat on, grunting as he made an obvious effort to get on his feet as the crowd clapped on. He staggered over with heavy feet to the tiny dancer, wrapping an arm around her girded waist once he reached her. The beautiful woman eased from her pose as her vision finally came back into focus on her surroundings. The man and the woman shared a light kiss on the cheek before the two finally parted in the midst of the ongoing clapping from their appreciative crowd.
Almost immediately the crowd around her scattered in every direction. All Gaki really wanted to do was to personally tell that pretty little dancer how amazing her performance was. But as she struggled to navigate her way through the sea of people, she found that it was becoming more and more difficult to locate her target. And once the people dispersed to their respective locations, her person of interest was nowhere to be found. She frowned, slightly disappointed over her failure to meet with that woman.
"THERE YOU ARE, GAKI-SAN!"
She turned around at that sudden sound of her name. It was none other than Nacchi, who unfortunately was not the person she wanted to see, but would have to do for now. The older woman didn't seem mad, despite her tone of voice; rather, a look of relief planted itself square on the woman's features. Gaki almost forgot that they had been separated for some time since they had arrived to the small town. Oops.
"What are you even doing here? Did you want something to eat?" Nacchi asked, her voice almost as frantic as the look on her face.
Oh right. She had stumbled upon this tiny cafe near the outskirts of the town, mesmerized by the sound of a Spanish guitar and the sight of a beautiful dancer. But the mention of food struck the appropriate chord; almost as if on cue, a rather distinct grumble from her stomach surfaced. She didn't feel the need to explain to her senpai how or why she even got here, so she merely nodded in response, her stomach and her legs incredibly grateful for the much needed rest and relaxation.
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The two friends reclined in their chairs in pleasant silence. Her appetite was satiated and her feet finally regained feeling, and despite the wonderful satisfaction that came with girl-time gossip over her dinnertime break with Nacchi, she couldn't help but ponder over the odds of running into that woman again. Probably zero to none. The thought came to mind when she saw the guitarist from before take a seat at the center of the cafe, playing another one of his perfect impromptu pieces for the dining guests. Risa's eyes darted to and fro, hoping to catch sight of that dancer. Surely she would make an appearance with her musician companion once more!
Alas, her searching was futile; her sights only met with one very confused senpai and countless other dining guests lost in their own conversations. Gaki eased into her chair, resting her body against the cushioned backrest. If Ryousuke were here, he would probably make a comment or two about her infatuation with this stranger, and said comments would probably sound something like "That's very unprofessional of you, Gaki-san. Imagine what our colleagues would think!" It was always about image with that man. But it begged to asked: Why was she so drawn to that woman? It was a peculiar fascination that she had. Was it sincere infatuation or was she merely being selfishly indulgent? "Or maybe I should stop thinking so much," she thought quietly to herself. These personal inquiries that plagued her mind were getting more ridiculous with each and every day. What was getting into her? It must be the water, she reasoned as she poured some more wine into her cup.
As she swirled the wine in its glass, a certain someone caught her attention from the corner of her eye. What were those odds again? Gaki could hear playful, flirtatious exchanges between that someone and a random stranger at the dinner table adjacent to the one she shared with Nacchi. The beautiful woman that captured her eye stood up from her table, glass of wine in hand as she bid her companion adieu. Gaki could feel her breath catch painfully in her throat when she found herself making eye contact with the beautiful stranger, even if it was only a fleeting moment. She could swear she saw the slightest trace of a coy look in the woman's eyes before slipping into the crowd on the dance floor. A heavy breath - a heavy burden - was laboriously released upon the woman's disappearance.
Nacchi couldn't help but laugh at the young woman's innocent reaction. "You know, Gaki-san, she's quite popular around here." A smile played on her lips once she caught her companion's full attention. "The woman you were staring at so conspicuously..." - Gaki almost choked on her wine - "...she's quite well-known in these parts of Barcelona." She paused to offer her kouhai a napkin as she coughed violently from across the table.
"How so?" Gaki asked, her voice gruff from her strenuous efforts to recover.
"Well, for one thing," Nacchi started, listing her observations with her fingers,"...she's obviously very beautiful, and you know the Spanish people's appreciation for beautiful things."
Gaki found herself subconsciously recalling the beautiful sight of that beautiful stranger dancing earlier that afternoon. That sultry look in her eyes as she dance and twirled, the way her tied and loosely curled hair rested upon her chest during those painfully brief moments of less boisterous dancing, the way her milky white skin glistened with sweat from her obvious efforts in her performance. She took another sip from her glass.
"...And the people in this neighborhood love watching her dance on the weekends, if you weren't already aware from the crowd she drew this afternoon," Nacchi continued, resting her chin upon intertwined fingers.
It was true; Gaki could only recall that from hindsight, of course. She tried to focus her mind's eye on the crowd around her as she recalled the previous setting. Indeed, from where she sat by the fountain, Risa remembered just how much effort she put into pushing her way through the crowd surrounding the square to catch a better view of the woman that managed to entrance everyone around her.
"She's a very respected dancer. Many people claim that the girl received her training from one of the best dancers in Spain, but it came with quite a price, as you could only imagine. Rumor has it she sold most of her personal belongings to gather enough money to pay for those lessons, but she could have very possibly even sold herself. No one really knows." Nacchi took a sip from her glass, her eyes taking note of Gaki's undivided attention on her; the older woman couldn't help but smile privily to herself before she continued. "Her mother used to be quite the dancer herself, performing at various public venues across the country for money. But soon after she had her daughter, she had a terrible accident that left her invalid. Luckily for her, the daughter was absolutely inspired by her mother's profession that she worked hard to get dance lessons, not only to support her mother, but to fulfill her dream of joining one of Spain's top most flamenco dance troupes. The unexpected pregnancy had prevented her from doing so. You see, she was a Japanese woman that left her hometown of Fukui so she could achieve her dreams here in Spain. She left her lover as well, but she wasn't aware of her own pregnancy until she was already established as an accomplished dancer here. And yet oddly enough, she decided to keep her daughter," Nacchi paused to drink from her glass again. "...You'd think she would be eager to give up the very thing that prevented her from reaching her dreams. This is all just hearsay, of course, but it's an odd world we live in ne, Gaki-san?"
Gaki could only nod in silence. It wasn't enough that this strange woman was beautiful, but she just so happened to have admirable qualities beyond aesthetics as well? It made her wonder where all her luck went in all her years of living. She insisted in feigning mild boredom with the subject. "Just a bit..."
Nacchi leaned her elbows against the tabletop, slowly closing the proximity between herself and her kouhai. "But you know, Gaki-san, there's more to that woman than meets the eye."
Gaki was about to inquire her senpai what she meant by that when the sudden emergence of a figure at their table caught her complete attention. It was her, it was that beautiful woman. Risa could feel her throat rapidly drying and her palms sweating almost immediately at the sight of her. It all seemed rather juvenile, but what else was she supposed to do? The rapid pounding in her chest made it hard to think straight, much less breathe properly. "Ara," she struggled to say, "...Who might you be?"
The beautiful young woman smiled. Those eyes that were once smoldering with intense emotion now eased into gentle and kind half-moons. She brushed her fringe away from her eyes, and extended her hand to the awestruck Gaki in front of her. "My name is Takahashi Ai."
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DUN DUN DUN! And now Ai comes into the fray. I wonder what'll happen next. *runs for the hills* :panic:
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Yes! Just what I wanted to see after a long day at work! An awesome update, and so long! Gaki finally makes it to Spain, conveniently without her guy person and she runs into Ai-chan, the beautiful dancer. But I'm worried...
I kind of got sucker-punched by bee in some roundabout way to bring ya'll a happy ending (-ish) but I haven't decided yet lol So no promises, everyone =] Ideas come and go after all.
The romance between AiGaki seems pretty straight forward...(you know, other than Gaki's getting married and who knows what Ai's sexuality is?) so I'm wondering how it could NOT have a happy ending... And I worry...
So update soon and answer my fears!
For good or for bad, I'm thinking I'm stuck on this story now...
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miglop: are you from Spain or something? If so, ummmmmm LET ME LIVE THERE TOOOOOOOOO!!!
Hai, supein-jin desu yo! :welcome
An incessant tapping of his index finger along the space on the table between them brought her attention back to reality. Her vision focused on the iPhone screen he held before her: A picture of an extravagant interior of one of the several churches in Barcelona that no doubt piqued her fiancé's interest.
Barcelona? :cry: It's quite far from my hometown! :banghead: Never mind, I move there and change my name for Ryousuke if necessary :lol: And I'm a Barça supporter as well! :yep:
Ryousuke wiped his mouth with his own napkin, a serious look fell on his face. "Gaki-san, would you mind going to Spain ahead of me?"
How come God gives almonds to those who have no teeth ? :banghead:
"How so?" Gaki asked, her voice gruff from her strenuous efforts to recover.
"Well, for one thing," Nacchi started, listing her observations with her fingers,"...she's obviously very beautiful, and you know the Spanish people's appreciation for beautiful things."
QFT!! That's why I love Gaki-san :wub:
And on top of all of that, Risa=laughter in spanish. Her parents really did hit the nail on the head! Gaki-san's smile doesn't belong to this world!! :heart:
The beautiful young woman smiled. Those eyes that were once smoldering with intense emotion now eased into gentle and kind half-moons. She brushed her fringe away from her eyes, and extended her hand to the awestruck Gaki in front of her. "My name is Takahashi Ai."
WHAT??? Ai-chan lives in Barcelona too?????? :shocked OhmyGawdOhmyGawdOhmyGawdOhmyGawdOhmyGawdOhmyGawd
Please, let Aichan teach her the meaning of her name in Spanish :twothumbs
Waiting impatiently for Chapter 3
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Huh? Aichan appearance? My hopes are slowly being risen!~
Spain sounds beautiful by your description! Take me there (with Risa XD) and all shall go well!~ I can't believe her hubs didn't go with her! She could've waited or something, but no~oooooooo. -lesigh- I smell something fishy and I don't think it's from the sea!
I'm ready for chapter 3!~ I got so excited when I saw this update~
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Oh man, I'm on a roll with inspiration today. So here's chapter three! Hopefully it makes up for the blech GakixGuy scenes in chapter 2 ;D You'll see what I mean when you read.
rndmnwierd - I like reading long updates myself. Gives me something to enjoy while I drink my coffee or tea haha I'm just an old lady =___=;; I wish I could ease your worries and doubts, but I'm still tossing around ideas and possibilities for a happy or sad ending. I just might do both and you guys can pick which ever to read. I'm such an indecisive fool.
miglop - WHOA SO COOL. I really want to go there one day, for the wine and the tapas LOL my stomach is the key to my heart xD And thanks for that tidbit about Gaki's name! I definitely didn't learn that in high school!!!!
mochi.rini - I do what I can with Spain ;D I'd like to believe that all those hours invested in watching the Travel Channel has done wonders for me LOL And as for something fishy, well....we'll just have to see, won't we?
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That painful feeling of forcing a voice out of its dried out shell, that was the feeling that Gaki was currently stuck with. Before her was that beautiful woman. Even her name was beautiful. Takahashi Ai, was it? This was ridiculous. She wasn't some hormonal teenager confessing to her high school crush, but all physical signs pointed in that direction.
Ai held out her hand a moment longer, a questioning look forming on her face when Gaki wouldn't respond to her hand shake. Just as she drew her hand back, Risa grabbed hold of Ai's dainty hand, perhaps a bit too roughly than she had initially hoped. Risa could only imagine the thoughts racing through the stranger's mind. "She must think I'm crazy. God, I'm starting to believe it myself..." When Gaki frantically released her hold on the dancer's hand, Ai smiled. Her nose even scrunched in an awkward fashion as Gaki muttered her own name and Nacchi's as a frantic introduction; the dancer was obviously amused with her company.
"I believe I've seen you from somewhere, Niigaki-san," said the petite dancer, her voice carrying an interesting accented mix of Spanish and Japanese. Gaki's face was blank, still trapped in her own little world of total awe and rapture. "Perhaps...you were at the cafe this afternoon to watch me dance?" The poor girl could only nod, her voice locked away in the depths of her dried throat. Ai chuckled to herself, taking a brief sip from her glass of wine. "Did you enjoy what you saw?"
Again, the young woman could only nod. Nacchi watched the comical exchange between the two women, silently sipping from her own glass and allowing the two the continue their conversation without her. The tiny dancer took a seat at their table, her eyes locked solely upon the awestruck Niigaki. The eye contact was electric, mesmerizing...Risa found it painfully difficult to avert her attention elsewhere, and she wasn't quite sure why...
"Perhaps you would like to see me dance some more?" Takahashi inquired, her gaze still fixed upon Gaki's as she sipped from her glass. "Would you be interested in taking a trip with me to Seville?"
Almost as though the tiny dancer had said the magic words to break her trance, Risa came back to reality, a confused look on her features. What did that woman just ask? "Seville? Where exactly is that?" she asked, her eyes darting back and forth between Ai and Nacchi, a look of pure amusement still planted on her face. Her senpai merely shrugged in response.
"Ah, you must not be from around here. I should have known from your accent," Ai replied, an apologetic look on her face. "Seville is a city south of Madrid. Very lovely. I dance there often, I'm sure you would find it beautiful."
Gaki wasn't quite sure where the dancer was going with this, but she decided to let the young woman continue.
"You can see the plaza where I dance every time I visit, dine on true Spanish cooking, drink their finest wines, then perhaps make love underneath the moonlight..."
Wait a minute. What was that? Did she just hear that correctly? Did those words just come out of that beautiful woman's mouth? What? This was clearly not processing in Gaki's mind. Perhaps it was a mix of that damn Spanish water and the country's damn wine. "...Can you repeat that last bit?"
"...Drink wine, make love..."
No, she was definitely sober; she wasn't completely trashed off of wine yet. How unfortunate. "...Excuse me?"
The tiny dancer seemed genuinely confused this time. "Would you like me to repeat that one more time for you?"
Gaki placed her glass on the table, her eyes making contact with the lovely dancer in all seriousness this time. "That won't be necessary. But, I...er...how do I say this...? I don't quite...swing that way? And besides, I'm getting married soon. That sort of thing...it just won't do!" Ryousuke would be proud; she mentally gave herself a high-five. The very rational, always cool, calm, and collected Niigaki was back in action. She wasn't quite sure if the dancer was just drunk or sadly mistaken with her radar for that sort of thing, but surely the woman had an explanation for that sort of thing. Perhaps when she's more sober, of course.
"Is that so?" Ai asked, "Well then you should take this as an opportunity to have some fun before you get married! I'm sure he or she would not oppose, am I correct? Seville is a beautiful city, and surely your fiancé would want you to be happy. Life is short, life is dull...This is a chance for you to experience something truly special."
Initially awestruck, and now just absolutely dumbfounded, Gaki wasn't sure if this woman was sincerely offering her an extended one night stand in some foreign part of Spain or just drunk off that cursed Spanish wine. Was it even possibly that a charming woman, who danced so beautifully and with such elegance, could be so blunt and possess little regard for propriety? Risa even went on to wonder if she just emitted those type of vibes to begin with. Perhaps that's why the dancer even offered? And there go her wild thoughts once again...
"I don't think you understand, Takahashi-san. I may be a foreigner in your country, but in Japan, we certainly don't engage in those sorts of activities, much less with total strangers. I certainly can't accept your offer to go on an escapade to a small Spanish town and I most certainly cannot just make love with you, and continue with my life as though nothing happened. Are you even aware with how ridiculous your offer sounds?"
The little dancer pouted as she sat in silence, as though she were trying to decipher the meaning behind Gaki's words. "Now I am confused, Niigaki-san. Did my offer offend you? Surely you aren't taken aback by my attraction to you. I find you quite lovely and I would love to spend a weekend or so with you in a city that's close to my heart. Does my offer not seem genuine to you?"
Perhaps some things were just permanently lost in translation. Maybe the woman's Japanese just wasn't what it used to be. Or maybe the dancer just spun one too many times and permanently lost her mind in the process. She wasn't sure about many things, but Gaki was convinced this woman was quite the stubborn and dense one. "I'm sure you mean well, Takahashi-san, but I think you've just had a bit too much wine this evening. It was a pleasure meeting you, truly! I admire your dancing and performances, but I believe that we should continue this conversation at another time, hopefully when you're a bit more aware of your surroundings and more sober."
Ai stood from her seat, her glass of wine in hand and a smile clear on her face. "You will come around, Niigaki-san. They always do" she pauses to push her chair in - "I suggest you think about that offer. You only live one life, and I'd hate for you to waste such a golden opportunity with a woman like myself."
As the tiny dancer walked away, Risa's eyes were practically popping out of their sockets, a look of total and utter disbelief playing on her features. She looked to her senpai for some sort of response, ANY sort of response. The young woman was only greeted with a bemused look from the older woman. Risa finished the contents of her glass in one gulp, and quickly poured herself another glass. Did that really just happen?
"As I was saying before we were interrupted," Nacchi paused to take a sip, "...Looks can be deceiving, Risa-chan. Never judge a book by its cover, they always say."
Gaki finished her freshly pour glass, reaching for the bottle to pour herself another round. Nacchi quickly grabbed the bottle and set it far from the young woman's grasp, much to Gaki's chagrin. "You see, Gaki-san, that Takahashi Ai has quite a wonderful reputation as a dancer, but her personal record with relationships is anything but blooming."
Well, obviously; Risa had just witnessed that first hand. Never has a cliche saying took on so much meaning as it did now. "I'm somehow not surprised by that," the young woman responded, her hand playing with her empty wine glass.
"That poor woman always has rumors circulating about her. There was a rumor going on for some time that she had quite a hot rival-turned-love affair with another dancer. Everyone in Spain knew about them, and people would come from all over to see the explosive performances the two would hold for the public. They say it was a sight to behold, Gaki-san."
Gaki could care less at this point. She leaned her chin on her fist as she continued to play with her empty wine glass. "I'm sure..."
"Many people say the two dancers were equal in talent and complimented each other perfectly. No matter how impromptu their performances were, they were always in perfect sync. Naturally, the two became close friends and a love of some sort blossomed between them..."
Gaki rolled her eyes. "...But their personal differences broke them apart. Rumor has it their clashes in personality and ideas of dancing was what brought them apart. I've heard from many people that their hot affair turned sour...So sour in fact that one of them tried to shoot the other at a public square during a performance! Can you believe that?"
At this point, Gaki would believe anything. That tiny dancer, beautiful as she might have been, was out of her fucking mind. And to think, there was another one of her kind prancing around Spain, equally off her rocker. Jesus Christ, the shit she managed to get herself into...She began to question her sanity. This country was driving her to be smitten over someone that was out of her mind, offering weekend getaway trips of sex and sight-seeing. She began to wonder what she found so beautiful about the country, if it even had any redeeming qualities left.
Perhaps it was unfair to shoot down the country after one unfortunate encounter with a beautiful, crazy woman. Whatever initial desires Gaki had to make decent conversation with that beautiful dancer disintegrated immediately, and all she wanted at this point in the evening was Ryousuke and another bottle of wine for the road. She was probably just tired, and slightly irritated with how amused her senpai was over the ridiculous encounter. At least someone left the restaurant smiling that evening.
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A few days later, Risa had managed to cool off and give Spain another chance. She sincerely tried to shut herself from the country by roaming around only Nacchi's home, but her attention span could only last so long. It had gotten to the point that she memorized the names of the books on their shelf. Nacchi had invited Gaki to join her on a trip to the city for an art exhibition. A close friend of her senpai's had the wonderful opportunity to place her art on display and Nacchi truthfully just wanted Gaki to get out of the house for some fresh air.
Risa was never one for the art scene. She blamed her lack of artistic appreciation on her several years invested in corporate work. If anything thoroughly drained one of any appreciation for things outside of computers and file numbers, it was her job. She wandered the museum, gazing at various pieces of modern art that lined the walls and showcase pedestals."If one could even call it 'art,'" she mused silently to herself.
While trying to analyze a questionable sculpture center-piece in an isolated display room, Gaki met with a very coincidental, a very unfortunate run in with a very well-acquainted dancer. What were those damn odds? She swore someone up there had it out for her.
"I never thought you'd be one for modern art, Niigaki-san."
That voice, that awkward accent. Gaki mentally cursed to herself, averting her gaze from the display piece to a very cheeky, very beautiful looking Takahashi Ai. "I'm not, you're right. I'm here with my friend...she had insisted I come," Risa replied, her efforts in keeping a civil tone quite obvious. She paced herself around the center showpiece, away from the dancer, but the petite woman followed her path. Gaki swore she only did it to bother her. The nerve of this woman...
"You seem a bit pale, Niigaki-san. Some sunshine will do your complexion wonders..." Ai innocently inquired, averting her gaze to the sculpture in feigned interest when Gaki flashed her a harsh glare. "...You should seriously consider that trip to Seville with me. The sun shines brightly upon my city."
Seriously, the nerve of this woman! She surely could not have been drunk at this time of time, so there goes the benefit of the doubt she had reserved for the dancer. Upon releasing a very forceful, irritated breath, Gaki was interrupted by the beautiful woman before she could initiate her tirade. "I am being sincere with this offer."
Gaki closed her mouth and allowed the woman to continue. "I had a bit too much to drink that evening I suggested our trip to Seville, so if I had suggested anything mildly offensive, I sincerely apologize."
Risa mentally scoffed. Mildly offensive? Understatement of the century, but she let the woman continue regardless. "Seville is a truly beautiful city, and I believe that it has a few chapels that might strike your fancy. I absolutely insist that you visit, even if it's just for a weekend. You will not regret it!"
The woman sounded sincere enough, and the fact she wasn't carrying around a wine glass was slightly relieving. Gaki pondered. Barcelona had surprisingly failed her in her search for the perfect wedding location, and Nacchi was obviously running out of locations to suggest. The tiny dancer seemed sincere, and she made this Seville place sound like some sort of private paradise in Spain...
Her phone rang. What an odd time. She gestured Ai to wait while she took the call. "Hello?"
"Risa-chan! I'm so sorry to call you at this off-time! I'm not interrupting anything right now am I?" It was Ryousuke.
"No no, you're fine. How are you?" Gaki asked politely, returning her attention to the strange piece of art at the center of the room. She noticed Ai had relocated to a place before the windows of the room, peering silently at the scenery outside. Truthfully, Gaki could care less about what Ryousuke had to say about work. It was always the same thing and he would always reiterate his personal countdown of the days he had left before he could join her. This sort of conversation could only be so interesting for so long...
"Ne, Ryousuke-san...What do you think about Seville?" Gaki inquired, failing to notice Takahashi tilting her head slightly away from the window. Her attention was fully placed upon the one-way conversation she could her from Niigaki. "...Er, I'm not sure how far that's from here...let me ask..." Gaki covered the mouthpiece of her phone and called for Ai.
The tiny dancer turned around at the sound of her name, trying to interpret the words that Risa had silently mouthed to her. "About 2 hours by plane," she responded simply, before turning her attention back to the outdoors. Ai couldn't help but smile as Gaki continued on with her conversation with a person that was presumably the woman's fiancé.
Hook. Line. Sinker.
-----------------------------------[End Chapter 3]------------------------------------------
I'm gonna cut this chapter short. I had a really huge monster of a chapter ready for you guys, but I changed my mind halfway through just to keep things interesting. Hopefully shorter chapters will mean more frequent updates? I do this for you guys <3 Two updates in one day!! I'm spoiling you guys <3 Happy trails!
I did want to explain some things though. Regarding Ai's awkward sentences, I wasn't sure how to make her have an accent or portray her broken Japanese via text, so I just made her have really awkward dialogue. So if you were reading it and wondered why she spoke kind of funny, well, there's your reason. Sorry if it's not a good one T__T And one more thing, the next chapter is where things really really really get interesting ;) I can't say much else without spoiling, but let's just say I'm gonna heat things up for ya'll come chapter 4!!
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Yay another update! :D You make me happy today!~ :deco: Have I mentioned how I love your writing? :)
"You can see the plaza where I dance every time I visit, dine on true Spanish cooking, drink their finest wines, then perhaps make love underneath the moonlight..."
Wait a minute. What was that? Did she just hear that correctly? Did those words just come out of that beautiful woman's mouth? What? This was clearly not processing in Gaki's mind. Perhaps it was a mix of that damn Spanish water and the country's damn wine. "...Can you repeat that last bit?"
"...Drink wine, make love..."
No, she was definitely sober; she wasn't completely trashed off of wine yet. How unfortunate. "...Excuse me?"
The tiny dancer seemed genuinely confused this time. "Would you like me to repeat that one more time for you?"
Lol best scene! Way to be blunt Aichan! XD And persistent~
Ai stood from her seat, her glass of wine in hand and a smile clear on her face. "You will come around, Niigaki-san. They always do" she pauses to push her chair in - "I suggest you think about that offer. You only live one life, and I'd hate for you to waste such a golden opportunity with a woman like myself."
The moral me agrees with Risa...the fangirl in me agrees with Ai Dx ....DO IT RISA DO IT! :lol:
Ai couldn't help but smile as Gaki continued on with her conversation with a person that was presumably the woman's fiance. Hook. Line. Sinker.
Sneakeh Ai! Hopefully, she won't do anything to screw up her new found 'friendship' with Risa ;)
Re~eeeady for chapter four! :D Your portrayl of Ai-chan...awesome 8) She's the pimp now :lol:
Honestly, I didn't even think her speaking was awkward at all XD Okay. I shall wait diligently for the next one ;) :deco:
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Ok, yeah, I can see where this would potentially have an unhappy ending... Or a happy one... Might just have to push for both endings, since either could be good..
Ai-chan is awesome, I lol'd so hard at her blunt offer (and Risa's subsequent reaction) and how sure of herself she is. And, of course, Risa falls right into her web. I have a feeling Risa will soon be the willing victim in this.
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seriously,i love your fic
Wont be able to reply long though, reads from mobile. Tee-hee
The moment risa saw ai and missed her, i was dying 2 have them meet finally.from 2nd chap,i had always been curious of how their meeting would be. And lol, that was funny. Love how bold ai was XD now im looking forward, very much, of what will happen next :D
Update!
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You write beautifully with such facility. Amazing.
Just wanna leave my mark here so I won't miss an update.
Will be back soon.
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I really had no intention of updating until like next week due to real-life time constraints, but meh who needs sleep anyway?
First, I'd like to apologize for the delay (real life blows). And second, my Spanish isn't what it used to be, so please feel free to correct me if I have my grammar and vocabulary wrong xD
mochi.rini - I'm glad she didn't come off as awkward to you (regarding her speech) lol I really suck with dialogue X__X but man, if you liked pimp ai in ch 3, hope you like what you see in chapter 4 ;D hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge. ;)
rndmnwierd - confidence is so sexy to me, probably because I lack it completely haha :lol:
aya-chii - oh man a mobile reader! thanks for the love!!! :love:
gracula - oh my god i love you. what are you doing reading this though? AHHHH IM SO UNWORTHY :panic:
We should play a game: Guess how many glasses/bottles of wine Gaki consumes throughout this story XD I'm destroying the girl's liver haha
Song of the chapter: Stay with me by back number. I'm bloody obsessed with this group <3
「stay with me」／back number (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDV5AplmUZI#ws)
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There was a simple reason why Gaki never took a risk in her life: risks were bad momentary decisions that led to poor life choices and future sticky situations that she knew she lacked the resolve to get out of. This was one of those rare moments when Gaki decided to take a risk, but it was most likely the last one she'd ever take. For good reason.
Currently en route to the charming city of Seville, Gaki held on desperately to her seatbelt, hoping to settle herself in her seat as the plane she currently boarded was engaged in a turbulent battle with a violent thunderstorm outside. Ai had managed to convince her to take the trip on her friend's personal plane, free of charge of course. Little did Risa know, the beautiful liar of a woman failed to mention that the friend was none other than her blinding guitarist friend, and the personal plane was a rusting jet plane that had seen better days. It all sounded like a good idea at the time, but as the trio tossed back and forth in their seats, Gaki was practically convinced she would not live to see her own wedding day.
"I can tell you're worried," Ai cried out over the dreadful sounds of thunder and creaking of the plane's wing panels. "Don't be! Jose is quite an experienced pilot! He only looks blind, but how could he possibly hold a pilot's license without his vision?"
Gaki wondered how the dancer could even think it was okay to crack a joke at this time. Oh dear God. She was going to die in a foreign land with a mad woman and a blind man. How perfect!
It was through some heaven-sent miracle that they arrived at their destination in a timely manner, despite the weather's mishaps. After regaining her vision and settling her hyperventilating system to a calmer state, Gaki finally took in the city that the witch dancer had spoken of so highly. While it was no Barcelona, Seville had quite a share of its own gargantuan cathedrals and other such architecture adorning its streets. At least the dancer didn't seem to lie about this city. As Gaki remained in a blissful awe, her eyes darting here and there, Ai had taken both their luggage along as they boarded off the taxi at the fountain near the entrance of their hotel.
Jose had opted to go roam the city by his lonesome, telling Ai to simply give him a call when she wanted to leave. Gaki was quite hesitant about being left alone with an obvious lunatic, but she wasn't sure how useful a blind man would be in protecting her anyway. Her silly musings were interrupted when Ai had placed their bags on the ground with a thump. "So now that we have arrived at our destination, Niigaki-san, where would you like to begin?"
Risa wanted to jokingly state she would like to hurl whatever she had for breakfast after that horrific plane ride to the city, but thought it rude considering that their stay in Seville was being entirely funded by the lovely little dancer and her blind companion. "Well, we can check-in and relax a little bit? Since you spoke so highly of this city, perhaps you wouldn't mind showing me around? The chapel searching can happen tomorrow...that flight took a lot out of me..." she admitted meekly. She grabbed hold of her own duffle bag and was lead by the petite woman into the hotel lobby. The dancer had asked her if she had wanted to share a room or have her own, since it was likely Jose would not be returning to the establishment any time soon. Risa had obviously declined, and if there was any indication of disappointment from Ai, well, she hid it very well.
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After taking a bit of time to freshen up a bit in their respective rooms, the duo began their leisurely stroll around the city. The city was quite a marvel in and of itself, and the way Ai's voice took on such a genuinely excited tone whenever she pointed out a building or other site that she frequented from her childhood made Gaki all the more excited to be there. Ai had insisted they take another cab to a different portion of the city, one that was closer to her home. She was not sure when they would be able to find the time to visit this far-off destination, away from all the chapel's of Niigaki's interest, and the tiny dancer had really seemed eager to share this place with her. Reluctant, but very intrigued, the weary Risa had agreed on her companion's offer.
As the cab pulled up to an isolated public square surrounded by sweet shops and other tapas-selling venues, Gaki evaluated the scene before her. It was a quaint and secluded square, much like the one where she had first ran into the crazed dancer. Few youths and the elderly were scattered about, dining at outside tables of the various restaurants and shops that lined the square, engaging in boisterous conversations about anything and everything. Ai had led her with an eager hand to the center of the square, where a lone street performer and his meager crowd of on-lookers occupied. Once he finished his piece and a modest applause was given, Ai and the guitarist had greeted one another with a rather familiar-feeling sort of kiss on the cheek. The tiny dancer leaned in to whisper something into the man's ear. He replied with a knowing smile and began playing a beautiful Spanish melody on his guitar.
Ai had placed herself before the guitarist, and once she had made her presence known, it seemed as though all eyes were on her. Gaki was so entranced by the petite woman's form and fluid motion that she failed to realize the crowd of onlookers had built up since they had first arrived. All had silently watched and admired the free display of poise and grace by this beautiful woman, and as the song drew to a close, the air was immediately filled with cheers and applause that boomed from the center of the square. One of the onlookers had cried in Spanish, "Bienvenida!! Welcome home, Takahashi!!!"
The tiny dancer bowed, the red flush on her face crawling down her pale neck and fading right at the collar of her shirt on her panting chest. Her attire for the day did not hinder her performance, and surely no less graceful than what Gaki had seen before. The woman was awe-inspiring when she moved. Ai went up to her musician friend and thanked him with a warm embrace and another kiss on the cheek before pushing her way through the crowd to reach her awe-struck companion. "This place, Niigaki-san, this square...is very special to me. All of the people that supported my mother and I after she had a terrible accident worked in the shops that surround this square. They were all very kind to us, and so I always make sure to dance for my friends whenever I come home to Seville. It is the least I can do for them."
She wasn't sure if she was still mesmerized by the young woman's lithe form or if the words she had just uttered had just struck her as the most genuine thing to come out of her mouth, but Gaki had managed to erase and forget any sense of apprehension and negativity that surrounded the seemingly crazy dancer. She could only nod in awe-struck silence.
Ai kept her gaze on the younger woman, calculating and analyzing quietly in the confines of her mind. She pointed to the street that led them away from the square, past the sweet shop and said simply, "My mother's home is toward that direction over there. Would you mind terribly if we visited her after you examine the stores and shops at this square? Once again, this is the least I can do for her when I come home...would that be terribly boring for you?"
Gaki was shaken from her trance. This woman was just spewing one genuine thing after another, and this made things so very difficult for one very innately apprehensive Niigaki. But then again, what harm could come from visiting the woman's mother?
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The Takahashi household was nowhere near as extravagant as Nacchi's, yet no less beautiful in the eyes of the beholder. It was an isolated villa, its walls adorned with with vines and other such vegetation, and the pebble pathway lined with an array for small and colorful flowers. As the two women closed their doors of the cab with a notable slam, an elderly woman tending to a rose bush by the pebble path emerged from the garden. She possessed very striking features, similar to a certain dancer that Gaki knew. Her hair was ashing and laced with streaks of white, bound into a simple low ponytail that hung to the side off her shoulder. As she rolled to the pathway on her wheelchair, she welcomed her daughter and companion with a warm smile. "Ah, hija, bienvenida," she spoke in accented Spanish. The two embraced and Gaki was rather warmed by the display of a mother and daughter's love.
"Mama, esta es mi amiga neuva. Ella es de Japon," Ai explained. Gaki was lost in the Spanish exchange, and could only nod and smile awkwardly when the mother and daughter pair had locked their eyes on her. She muttered a brief "Hola" in greeting, hoping not to be rude.
"Oh, so you're Japanese as well? What a relief!" Takahashi's mother replied in relief. "It's always nice to be able to speak in our mother tongue every once in a while. It's nice to meet you,..." The woman extended a hand forward for a shake.
"Ah, Niigaki Risa. Thank you for welcoming me to your home, Takahashi-san."
Ai had taken hold of the handles on the wheelchair and guided her mother into their home. After situating the woman by the dining table, Ai dismissed herself to fetch her company some wine, or whatever form of alcohol her mother had in their home.
"So what brings you to the city of Seville, Niigaki-san? This is quite a distance away from Japan and I surely doubt many Japanese people have reason to visit this place in their lifetime," Takahashi spoke, a tinge of amusement in her voice.
Gaki had explained to the woman her situation with Ryousuke, discussing their wedding plans in brief detail before Ai had returned to the room with three glasses and a bottle of wine. "You look lovely as always, mama," said Ai as she poured her mother a generous glass of the alcoholic beverage. "Have you been taking good care of yourself while I was gone?"
The elder woman laughed and passed the full glass over to a bewildered Niigaki. "You know I don't like drinking this much, Aichan. Pour me a proper glass," she chuckled lightly. "And of course, though it's always lonely when you go off on your traveling tours across Spain."
Ai rolled her eyes, passing a considerably emptier wine glass to her mother. "How else can I support us, mama? You know it must be done..."she said solemnly, pouring herself her own glass of wine. "But I am very happy you're doing well despite the fact I haven't come home in ages."
"Of course, of course," her mother replied, "Has the tour been going well? Are you and Kamei-san still performing your wonderful duets for the public?"
The tiny dancer was silent for a moment and Gaki had looked over to find a very stern look plastered on her usually dainty and lovely face. Kamei-san? Was this the other dancer Nacchi was talking about? She wondered in silence as the mother and daughter pair continued on with their catch-up conversation.
"You know she's somewhere in Madrid living with that tragic artist, Mama. She's put off dancing for the time being," Ai spoke, her tone rather annoyed by the mention of this mysterious Kamei character.
Her mother took a sip from her glass and heaved a sigh. "That's quite a shame about her...she was such a lovely dancer. The both of you were spectacular with one another!" she exclaimed. "...But I understand that some conflicts cannot be so easily resolved..."
Gaki sat in her seat, completely perplexed by the exchange between mother and daughter. Whoever this Kamei-san was seemed to have quiet an adverse effect on the usually bright Ai. And lord knows how her mother thought the world of this mysterious dancer. She mused quietly to herself, thinking this Kamei was no doubt another victim of Ai's uncontrollable hormones and smooth words.
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While her mother went back into the garden to tend to her rosebush in earnest, Ai and Gaki strolled around the spacious yard of the Takahashi home, glasses of wine in hand. As Gaki walked in silence beside Ai, her companion seemed to be lost in a reverie as her eyes gazed around her home. "You know, Niigaki-san, when I was younger, mama had told me I could be whatever I wanted to be. Anything at all! At one point I was even considering becoming an astrophysicist or something crazy like that," she chuckled softly. Ai gestured her companion to take a seat on a stone bench near another rosebush. "But one day, when mama and I went to that square I showed you today, she took me inside the sweet shop because she was looking for a job. The owner had told her that she could start working whenever it suited her, and leaned in to tell me that mama was an amazing dancer once before," Ai paused to pick at a rose in bloom, an almost sad look on her features as she continued.
"He would always tell me stories about how he and the other store owners and guests of the square would stop whatever it was they were doing to watch my mother perform for them. 'It was so inspiring,' he would always say. And I suppose that's what made me want to dance. Every day, I would see my mother come home after work, looking so exhausted and unhappy. At the time I never understood why she was in a wheelchair, but I did know it made her sad being on it. When I found out she had to give up her dreams because of her accident, I felt so horrible!
"She had never forced dancing upon me, Niigaki-san. It was my way of supporting mama. She worked hard for me, so I worked hard for her. And though it means I cannot be home all the time to keep her company, now she doesn't have to work. She can just relax and enjoy life around her for once. I always feel guilty leaving her by herself, but for her dreams and now my own, I cannot give up," Ai spoke, a sense of determination strong in her voice.
Risa was always under the impression that Ai had lacked any sense of propriety and ethic, living simply to enjoy what life threw at her and capriciously engaging in whatever her heart desired at the time. A beautiful creature of spontaneity and freedom, guided by transient emotions and wants without any regard held for moral values, that's who Takahashi Ai was. Risa had never imagined that there was such depth and dynamic to the beautiful dancer, one filled with other aspirations and desires that transcended the brief pleasures of dancing, drinking wine, and making love. It had surprised her, actually, and perhaps...perhaps she was being too hard on the woman. Relying on the rumor mill to form this horrible impression of a woman misunderstood by many was something that Gaki admitted was rather unfair of her. Maybe the woman just had a twisted sense of humor and maybe she herself was being judgmental on the matter.
For the woman that worked hard to support her mother, and continue her dream regardless of hardships and sacrifices, Risa would have nothing but support for Ai. A newfound respect budded from this simple visit to the dancer's home. Risa felt that her initially distorted view of the woman has finally been clarified with this heart-to-heart conversation inspired by the nostalgia of a simple homecoming. Apprehension dwindled and Gaki felt as though she wouldn't mind going through the motions with Ai anymore, at least now that she had a better understanding of the woman.
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The remainder of their trip to Seville was pure business as Ai had led Gaki through the streets of the city, perusing various chapels and churches in hopes of finding the perfect location for Gaki's wedding. She wasn't sure if she was just being particularly anal about the perfection of the location or if the chapels just lacked that key ingredient that Niigaki wanted, whatever the hell that was at this point. Ai was growing noticeably impatient, but remained hopeful with each new location she introduced to the indecisive corporate woman.
However little did they realize that day after day passed by and each search ended with nothing more than photographed suggestions to Ryousuke. With no decisive action being taken by the stubborn Risa, Ai had taken it upon herself to deem this trip to her beloved Seville unfortunately fruitless. It was their last evening of searching, and unfortunately their last night in the city before leaving back to Barcelona the following morning. As frustrating as the search had been for the week, Ai had suggested the two end their stay on a more positive note by celebrating their failure at one of the restaurants that lined Aichan's beloved isolated square. Too weary to even protest, Risa agreed.
All thanks to the great deal of wine she had consumed over dinner and after spending some quality time with the beautiful dancer, Gaki was more at ease during her meal with Aichan. Their conversation was about nothing in particular, trying to avoid discussing their failure in finding the perfect chapel outside of Barcelona. However, a ringing from Risa's phone had disrupted the pleasant conversation occurring between the two.
"Hello?"
"Risa-chan! Did I catch you at a bad time?" It was Ryousuke. Of course. The only one that ever really cared to call her. After all, Nacchi was convinced she was engaging in some sexcapade with the dancer and felt as though calling would be disturbing any sort of "moments." Her senpai was a witch.
"I'm eating dinner right now, Ryousuke. What is it?" She wasn't annoyed that he called. No. Never. They hadn't actually talked to each other the entire week, outside of picture text messages going back and forth between them. It was kind of nice hearing his voice after all this time.
"I just wanted to let you know I'm flying over to Barcelona in about 3 hours! I should be there in a day or two, depending on layovers, you know how those are."
Oh dear, already? Did she just lose track of her fiancé's countdown? Wasn't she looking forward to this?...Maybe they would be able to decide on a place together...finally. They were, after all, a dynamic duo in the workplace. "Yeah, sure do...but uh..." she paused to bite her lip. "Y-you're breaking up on me Ryousuke..."
What was she doing? This was the first time this week she had heard from him!
"Uh, oh...uh, ok well, I'll call you when I arrive then! I love you!"
"Ah, ah...oh darn, call was dropped," Risa feigned disappointment, putting her phone back into her purse after shutting it down. "I'm sorry about taking that call during dinner..."
Ai smiled, getting ready to pour her companion another glass of wine. "Can you handle another glass?"
Risa laughed. "Of course, I can handle my liquor, Takahashi-san."
The dancer smiled, pouring the woman a generous glass. "Good, good...was that your fiancé by chance?"
Risa felt herself almost choke on her wine. "Uh yes actually, it was." She saw the dancer smile some more, but she couldn't tell if it was just the wine screwing with her vision.
"Why were you so quick to hang up? Surely you miss him, right?" Ai innocently inquired, swirling the contents of her glass, the thick red fluid glistening against the candle light at their table.
"Eh? Of course I do...the international call connection just doesn't seem to comply at this restaurant, however," she paused to drink from her glass. "...Since we leave in the morning, shouldn't you be calling your guitarist soon? It might be a little difficult for him to navigate his way to us if he's nowhere near where we are. "
"Ah don't worry about Jose. He always finds his way." An awkward silence fell on the table as the two continued to eat. A faint Spanish guitar melody playing in the background caught their ears. "...You seem to have taken quite a liking to Spanish guitar, Niigaki-san. Would you like to listen to my friend play at the square after dinner? I'm sure he would not mind playing for you on your last night in Seville," Ai offered.
"It's getting a bit late though. I'm sure Jose wouldn't want us to be late for the departure and I'm sure you need to hurry back to your tour...and the wine is kind of getting to me..." Risa began. It was one white lie after another.
"I'm in no rush, and you said you could handle your alcohol. Besides, we leave tomorrow morning. It would be such a wasted opportunity if we leave it at this, and I'd hate for you to leave Spain with any regrets whatsoever," the tiny dancer replied with a smirk. She held her glass before her, wanting to toast with her companion to conclude their dinner celebration on their final night in Seville. She could see how Gaki was seriously contemplating before her, hesitantly at first, then with a confirmed fervor, clanked her glass to reciprocate the toast. It was going to be a long evening.
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After being thoroughly entranced by Aichan's local guitarist companion, the two had stayed well past the times the local cabs were in operation. Rather than walking to the hotel this late in the evening, Ai suggested they make their way back to her home to sober up and get some rest before their trip in a few hours. The night was a clear one, and the moon was in plain view, with stars scattered all around the illuminated night sky. They walked in silent admiration of the beautiful scene surrounding them, passing by rows of flowers lining the cobble street that led toward the Takahashi household.
It was awkward for Gaki to remain so quite with a woman that usually kept the conversation going. She opted to break the silence. "Thank you, Takahashi-san...for your efforts here in Seville. I'm sorry we couldn't find a location for the wedding. If there's anything I can do to show my gratitu..."
"It's nothing, Niigaki-san."
Another set of steps in silence. Was the alcohol making her restless? Maybe it was that realization finally just struck. When they go back to Barcelona, Ai would continue off on her dancing tour across the country and Ryousuke would be there to welcome her as well. Wasn't she supposed to be excited to get away from this menace and back into the arms of a familiar and loving face? This restlessness, confusion, and alcohol-influenced mindset made for a horrible combination and Risa felt more bold. Out of her partially drunken state, or perhaps it was sincere curiosity, she asked, "Has the thought of marriage ever crossed your mind, Ai? Or an actual committed relationship?" Risa noted after she had asked the question how rude this might have been, how it might have implied that she viewed the dancer as some sort of dancing street whore with no sense of commitment.
She didn't want that.
Ai laughed softly in reply, something Gaki definitely did not foresee in the midst of her mental panic and guilt. "I'm sure your friend has told you all the rumors about me and Kamei Eri, right?"
"You still love her, don't you?" Risa pressed. Her guilt quickly faded at the mention of that mysterious Kamei figure again. So she was that dancer both Ai's mother and Nacchi had mentioned!
Ai shook her head in response, but Risa would not have it. "You're a horrible liar, Takahashi-san."
The dancer stopped in her tracks, and Gaki followed suite interrupting her stride forward. A stern look fell on the beautiful dancer's face as she spoke. "Well, no. We cared about one another deeply, shared the same passion for dancing and performing, but we were just missing something..."
"What was it? That element?"
Ai looked at her with a sad expression on her beautiful face. "It's something we will never find, something we'll never know at this point..." She continued to walk forward to her home, leaving behind a very confused Niigaki. As she raced to catch up with Ai, the walked together again in silence. The sound of their feet displacing offset stones on the cobble path and the view of the moon were the only things that kept her mind occupied away from what the dancer had just revealed to her, but it did not do a good job. For whatever reason, the idea of Ai failing in a relationship should not have come as a surprise to her, but the whole idea of it now, especially after learning about her some more throughout the week, it just made this entire conversation much sadder. If she can't even stay home to be with her mother, if she couldn't become an astrophysicist or whatever the hell she truly wanted, if she couldn't maintain the only other loving relationship she had with a person that wasn't her mother, was there anything on this planet that could make that woman smile a sincere smile? Was there anything that could make her truly happy? Gaki felt almost selfish for being happily engaged with someone that she loved, someone that made her happy. It was a lonely thought to think that there were people out there that couldn't experience the same happiness. People like Takahashi Ai...
They took a seat together on the stone bench in the Takahashi garden. The moon was shining through the canopy of leaves on the tree beside them as they sat in momentary silence. "Earlier tonight, when we listened to the guitar, I couldn't help but notice your face. You looked so moved...a few times I saw you like that," Ai mentioned, her eyes glistening against the moonlight that seeped through the canopy.
"Why were you look at my face?"
"Why were you looking at mine?"
Gaki's brows furrowed in confusion. "Was I?" She tried to earnestly recall the moment, but the alcohol and drowsiness were working against her memory at this point.
"You probably saw my tears," Ai spoke gently, her eyes still locked on Gaki's. The younger woman blushed upon eye contact, and averted her gaze to the grass in embarrassment. "I was looking at your face because I find it beautiful."
Had the dancer said these same lines a week earlier, Gaki would have violently refused to take it. But now she knew her better. And as much as she didn't want to enjoy the sound of her sultry voice speaking those smooth words, she couldn't help but feel her knees grow week. Thankfully she was seated on the bench, but this was ridiculous. She was getting married! She was in love!
Right?
"Y-you do?" Risa stuttered, her demeanor faltering as Ai came closer with each passing second. Her heart was beating so loudly against her chest as her face came closer to Ai's...
The dancer tucked a loose strand of the younger's hair behind her ear, and with a gentle smile she replied, "I do. Of course I do. You know I do..."
And their lips came into contact. It was gentle. It was kind. It was totally booze-induced, but it was nice. Gaki let the older woman lean into the kiss, allowed her to lean her back against the cold stone bench of her mother's garden. Niigaki Risa took very few risks in her life, and she was convinced that plane ride to Seville was the worst one. But as she felt the dancer's gentle hands wandering and as she herself reacted so willingly to the woman's touch, Risa was beginning to reconsider that assumption. This just might be the most impulsive decision she makes in her life, but the risks and repercussions that came with it would be something she wouldn't mind dealing with...
...Long after this was over.
-------------------[End Chapter 4]------------------------------
Maybe look for a perv? LOL If I feel like it =P :cow:
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XD. I need a perv. Pm me one! Hell of a long, sexay chapter!
Me want takagaki to marry instead of a random ryousuke guy. xD ME WANT TAKAGAKI! *goes on strike*
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Finally!! :w00t: :w00t:
Gaki finally lets her guard down and actually begins to like Ai, omg yo. And that leads to...
Makeout scene!
Pervyesplease,kthnx
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ohyes damn you ryosouke. now risa is bored of waiting for you and cant wait any longer :P
now some perv to wait XD
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Now I'm not one for peer pressure....DO IT NOW! :D Nuff said :)
Anyways, back from wonderland, TakaGaki kiss!~ :deco: and loving~ So this is TakaGaki afterall? Unless Risa decided to marry that guy (he who shall not be named~) instead :O
Is Kame gonna make an appearance? Maybe she'll leave her man too XD
Running around Spain with Aichan sounds like a wonderful experience :D I bet Risa loved every minute of it hehe. And every minute of their lovefest ;) Can't wait for more!~ <3
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Nooo, alcohol-induced making out! Such a bad idea- oh wait, this isn't crack.
Speaking of, there were so many wonderful moments of crack littered throughout this latest chapter. I must show my appreciation by telling you some of what I loved.
The blind jokes!
"I can tell you're worried," Ai cried out over the dreadful sounds of thunder and creaking of the plane's wing panels. "Don't be! Jose is quite an experienced pilot! He only looks blind, but how could he possibly hold a pilot's license without his vision?"
Like a "Trust me, she only looks like an idiot..." moment. And just when I thought I finished laughing it off, this comes:
...funded by the lovely little dancer and her blind companion.
:rofl:
"You know she's somewhere in Madrid living with that tragic artist, Mama. She's put off dancing for the time being," Ai spoke, her tone rather annoyed by the mention of this mysterious Kamei character.
I don't know who the tragic artist is, but this line amused me so very much. Perhaps it was my 4 years working with tragic artists that did it.
Ai plying poor Gaki-san with alcohol. Even if Aichan turns out to be a smooth-talking player, I will still love her in this. She is just that good.
My guess: 4 bottles at least.
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Oh geez, this is what my mood has done to me LOL 2 one-shots and a chapter update in less than 24 hours? I'm beginning to think I'm spoiling you guys! Out of total and utter love, I swear :love: Now that I'm finished with writing for the meantime, I can go off gallivanting around this section and read all the goodies you guys have come out with <3 I'm excited to shower you all with just as much love :heart: :heart: :heart:
The perv is a work in progress LOL it'll pop up sooner or later. Since I started it, I might as well finish so *cough* look forward to it...*cough*
risa_ai - there's another vote for a happy takagaki ending~ but let's see how I'm feeling. Can't make promises lol and as for the perv, if you have access to that portion of the forum, just keep an eye out for me.
rndmnwierd - I can tell this was the chapter you've been waiting for xD perv is coming~
aya-chii - don't count him down and out yet though!!!
mochi.rini - hmm, I can't say for sure which couples will remain at the end, so you're just gonna have to keep reading ^__^ And as for Kamei, you're gonna have to keep reading as well ;D
gracula - I'm not really good with crack, but I try to lighten things up by sprinkling it around here and there. Glad you caught 'em! I feel pretty bad about those blind jokes, but it kind of hits home for me. All this reading and oogling on the computer is making me go blind in my right eye ahhahha
as for the tragic artist bit, I don't remember what I was thinking when I wrote that, if I was even thinking at all LOL glad you enjoyed it though =]
And ohhhhhh the alcohol. I swear this doesn't mirror real life, but 4 bottles is a damn good guess LOL One simply does not hate on a sauve-tastic Aichan because it simply cannot be done~ And to be honest, I really suck at making her a good person. For this fic and that other one I'm working on, she just always ends up being a lousy person but I honestly can't help myself XD
So yeah, chapter 4. I can't believe I made that happen! teehee. I mean, after a night like that, where do our main ladies go from here? :hehehe:
EDIT:
Song of the chapter:
Mama Cass - Dream A Little Dream Of Me (with lyrics) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4T3tMkjRig#)
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A slight tapping at the nape of her neck caused a pleasantly resting Niigaki Risa to flutter her eyes open. Her drowsy eyes met with a very unfamiliar presence. A bird perching on her bare shoulder tilted its head sideways, blinking once or twice before screeching an unwelcome wake-up call for the two women sleeping on the stone bench. As the bird flew away into the red-tinted skyline, Risa lazily dragged a weary hand to rub the remnants of sleep from her eyes.
Her chest was heavy, and an arousing mixture of the scent of roses and sex filled her awakening senses. Brushing away the stray strands of fringe from her eyes, Risa lifted her head slightly from where it rested on the cold stone bench, only to find her naked chest shrouded underneath her companion's morning dew-glazed hair sprawled about as she slept contently on Risa's chest. The sleeping beauty wrapped her arms tightly around her form, and she swore she saw a smile on her slightly swollen lips.
Wait...what?
Risa's eyes grew wide with absolute horror. WHAT WAS SHE DOING NAKED? AND WHAT WAS SHE DOING NAKED, ON TOP OF HER? OHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGOD. Her heart rate dropped and she could feel the sudden urge to just hurl all that alcohol from the night before grow stronger. This wasn't good. This couldn't have been what she thought it was. This didn't happen. No, of course not. Because two obviously drunk women, who obviously had one too many, can obviously just end up naked outside her house. Right, right? That's reality, right? RIGHT? She could feel her breathing grow shallow and in her state of increasing panic, she tossed her head from side to side, frantically searching for her clothes.
She looked to her left and found her shoes, and to the right was her skirt. But she was obviously wearing more than that, even a drunk like her knew better. She turned her sights to the tree above them and found the remainder of her garments, as well as her partner's, hanging from various branches on the tree. Damn, what kind of night were they having? THIS ISN'T WHAT REALITY WAS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE!!! WHY WERE THE IMPLICATIONS OF REAL LIFE SO CRUEL!?
In her state of panic, Gaki grabbed hold of the sleeping beauty's dainty shoulders and shook her hard. "WAKE UP! WAKE UP, GODDAMMIT!" she cried in a hushed yell. The women in her arms slowly opened one eye, then the other. Covering her mouth as she yawned, she proceeded to flash the frantic woman a lazy smile. "Good morning, beautiful. Want some more?"
Oh dear lord, did this really happen? Did she really just say that? She watched as the dancer audaciously stretched her arms high above her, her very naked chest thrust forward as she took in a very deep breath. She rolled her head from side to side, rubbing the remaining kinks away from her neck before trying her hand at flirting again. "It's a bit early, Risa-chan. After last night, I didn't think you'd have enough energy to go for another round, especially so early in the morning!" Her voice so husky and her smile was glowing, oozing a sense of victory from cheek to cheek.
Risa couldn't believe what she was hearing. The dancer began to straddle her, planting soft kisses along her collarbone while her hands busied themselves with getting tangled in the younger girl's hair. Gaki made an honestly half-hearted attempt to swat the dancer away with her free hands, but quickly found herself bound at the wrists under the dancer's deceptively strong grip. As she felt Ai's lips trail slowly, so sweetly down her chest, it all came flooding back, overcoming the barricade of a horrible hangover. Gaki felt that vamp's tongue linger dangerously close to a hot spot, her breath catching painfully in her throat as she felt her move slowly away. Her breathing grew ragged for an entirely different reason and she heard herself pleading, "More..."
Wait...What?
NO. THIS WAS NOT OK. SHE DID NOT ASK FOR MORE. NO. THAT WAS THE SPANISH WINE TALKING. STILL. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Gaki freed herself from the dancer's grip, pushed her away, and propped herself on unsteady elbows. "Look, Takahashi-san, I don't quite remember what went on between us last night or why we're in this position right now, bu-"
Ai's lips curled into a seductive smile. She leaned her forehead against Risa, looked her straight in the eyes and said huskily, "I could remind you if you'd like."
Risa could feel her cheeks heating up at the offer, but quickly averted her attention to the dancer's already wandering hands. Pushing her not-so-gently away, Gaki swiftly got on her feet and and made a grab for what few clothes she could reach on the ground. She thought twice about making an attempt to reach for her top on the tree branch, since hers just happened to be hanging from the highest one. But she certainly couldn't go on without it. If it weren't for that damn Takahashi staring at her like some piece of meat, she could jump a bit higher and reach.
But she felt so naked, and her skirt wasn't doing a damn thing trying to hide her naked form from wandering, hungry eyes. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Ai biting her lip eagerly, probably hoping her grip on the skirt would loosen as she struggled to reach for her top. "I could lift you, if you'd like," she offered with mock sincerity.
"No, that's fine," Risa grunted, as she finally grabbed hold of her top with a mighty leap. She quickly rushed to the other side of the tree, safe from that treacherous woman's eyes and free to make herself decent. Every once in a while, Gaki would peer to the other side of the tree to see if that wretched dancer was trying to steal any peeks. If she did, well, she just had better timing, that's all.
She walked around the tree full circle to come back to the stone bench she had spent the night on, stunned to find the dancer already dressed, not a single hair out of place on her flawless head. "When do we leave?" Gaki asked, her cheeks tinting as another infuriating smile played on the dancer's features.
"Whenever you'd like."
Turning abruptly on her heels, Gaki began making way toward the exit gates of the Takahashi household when an "ahem" from that petite temptress interrupted her stride. Risa turned her head to find the dancer twirling her panties along her index finger, a devilish grin forming on her slightly swollen lips. "You're forgetting something, beautiful."
Risa stomped toward the wicked dancer and tried to grab the last of her garments from her. In the last minute, Ai pulled her hand away from the frustrated younger woman's reach, planting a kiss on her lips instead. After successfully turning the younger's cheeks a deeper shade of red, Ai tossed the girl's underwear in her direction and skipped happily toward the exit of her home, with Risa finally fully clothed and stomping far behind her.
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Without taking his dying eyes from the cloudy sky, Jose turned his head slightly toward the tiny dancer seated beside him. "So no luck with the chapel searching, hmm? I suppose you were too busy showing your guest the beauties of your city instead of showing her the chapels, am I correct?"
Ai stole a passing glance at the overhead mirror of the plane's dashboard, noting a very irritated, very embarrassed looking Risa frantically avoiding eye contact with both the pilot and herself. The tiny dancer smiled, leaning her cheek against a loosely-fisted hand. "Something like that, Jose."
Gaki saw the blinding pilot raise an eyebrow before his lips motioned in a knowing smile as he turned his attention back to the clouds. "Busy showing me the beauties of the city?? More like seducing me into a compromising situation and showing me the marvel between her legs!...Wait did I just say that in my head? GET IT TOGETHER, RISA!" she thought frantically in her head. Her face was burning up and her palms were breaking out in a fierce sweat. How the hell was she supposed to welcome her fiancé after that?
She absolute hated herself at this moment. Almost as much as she hated that triumphant smile on that wench's face. Almost as much as she wanted to rip the walking stick straight out of the poor blind guitarist's hands as soon as they landed and beat the living daylights out of that stupid, infuriating woman.
Almost as much as she hated seeing her walk away, departing without so much as a goodbye. Almost as much as she wanted to take the wheel on Nacchi's vehicle and run that damn dancer over. Oh, how she hated her.
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"So, how was your trip to Seville?" Nacchi asked innocently, eyes darting back and forth from the road to her passenger as she drove them back from the airport. She heard her kouhai groan. "No good, eh?" And another groan. "Not one for words today, eh Gaki-san?" Nacchi asked with a giggle; she only received her third groan for the ride.
"What did someone die or something? What's got you in such a bad mood, Risa-chan?" She failed to see what could have been so damn miserable about a trip to Seville. She had been there herself a couple of times with her husband on their weekend excursions and it was a lovely enough city. Surely the frustrations of coming home empty handed and without a chapel for the wedding could not have put that much of a damper on the young woman's trip.
But then she realized who went on that trip with her beloved kouhai. That temptress dancer from that one night at the cafe. Nacchi giggled to herself. Those two were such an oil and water combination, and it was always quite a hilarious scene to watch her kouhai get flustered and red in the face whenever the smooth criminal of a dancer propositioned for sex so carelessly. It was so like the both of them. She could only imagine how horrific the trip must have been for Gaki-san, and now she could at least understand why she only received groans in their one-sided conversation. She decided it would be best to not press the issue any further and to let her kouhai cool off a bit for the rest of the week. Oh youth.
In a matter of minutes, however, Gaki had found it in herself to liven up the conversation on the ride home by discussing how Ryousuke would be arriving in a day or two. Ah, young love. From how highly Gaki spoke of her fiancé, Nacchi almost felt bad about rooting for her kouhai and Ai to get a move on their currently nonexistent relationship. Maybe because she found something similar about her kouhai's current situation, something like...
She shook her head. That was the past now. No need to meddle in business that wasn't her own...
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In a noticeably happier mood, Risa raced to the landing terminal where Ryousuke would arrive in T-13 minutes. She was frantically dragging her senpai along through the crowd at the airport, hoping to be there to greet her fiancé upon his arrival. After hearing she had plenty of time before the plane arrived, her senpai sighed and took a seat at the terminal lobby while her eager kouhai stood waiting by the windows, searching for flight #523 in the steel plane corral outside.
Just as she simmered her rapid breathing down to a comfortable rate, Nacchi found herself being shaken by a very excited Risa. No doubt her fiancé's plane had finally landed, not that she couldn't hear it from the overhead announcement at the terminal. She waited by her bench as she watched Gaki eagerly waiting by the gate, standing on tipped toes as if that would somehow give her some magical insight on the oncoming passengers making their exit. To Nacchi's delight, she caught sight of her precious kouhai rushing past a few miffed passengers making their exit to greet her well-dressed fiancé in the gate tunnel from the airplane.
The man was everything Nacchi had imagined, based off of Risa-chan's very colorful ways of describing an otherwise very black and white character. His business coat and tie, slicked back hair, and glasses all definitely screamed corporate Nippon. He had greeted her with some very impressive Spanish phrases that he undoubtedly mastered on the flight there. Very business-like indeed. His grip was firm, but gentle and he had towered above herself and her kouhai. A very strong image with a strong wit to match, Nacchi began to think of how deja vu this all was becoming.
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They parted with a heated kiss. Her glazed eyes met with his as her hair cascaded like a canopy above him. She smiled softly and gently traced a finger from his flushed cheeks and slowly down his laxxed jaw. She gave him a slight peck on the tip of his nose before mounting off of him, protectively wrapping the sheets around her as she reclined beside a very overwhelmed, very satisfied Ryousuke.
Risa turned to peek at her fiance. He was flushed from head to where the blanket shielded him. His hair was tousled about and his eyes were blankly staring through the window, pupils dilated almost completely as he took in long, deep breaths. She smiled to herself. "Well done, Risa," she thought haughtily as she sunk deeper beneath the sheets for some rest.
"Wow." He was absolutely breathless.
Her sights were locked on her fiance yet again, another proud smirk on her face. "Is it the water here? The wine? It must be the Barcelona air...That was...that was...you were...damn, you were so into it!" he exclaimed, his face glowing and arms flailing animatedly about. Ryousuke seemed have to have gotten over his daze pretty quickly.
Bringing the blanket even closer to her chest, Risa asked, "Am I not usually?"
Her fiance turned to face her, leaning his head on an open palm. He looked absolutely wild with satisfaction and pure astonishment. He shook his free hand in response and said, "No no, it's not that. Don't get me wrong! It was just so different, so wild. I like it." A look of uncertainty fell on his fiance's features. With a gentle hand, he urged her to turn and face him. "I'm complimenting you..."
Gaki buried herself underneath the sheets in embarrassment. Compliments from Ryousuke about this sort of thing were rare; actually this might have been a first. Not that she disliked the idea of being complimented about her spitfire magic in the sack, but even she wondered where the hell that last hour came from. She literally just led him upstairs to get his things settled and let him rest, then before they knew it, clothes were on the ground and now here they were. Where the hell did that come from? She felt the sheets above her being tugged away in between her musings.
"Hey, hey, none of that now," Ryousuke said as he playfully pulled the sheets to reveal his red-faced fiancé. He greeted her with a smile and a kiss before pulling the woman into his arms. "I feel as though I'm learning so much about you even though we've been together for quite some time." He tilted her face so she could face him. "And it makes me so happy that you can be honest and comfortable enough to show me these sorts of things. We have the rest of our lives to learn new things about one another, so now I really, truly cannot wait until we get married. I love you so much."
She showed him the sincerest smile she could muster, and proceeded to lay her head on his chest. Her eyes stared lazily outside the window of their bedroom, watching as the birds floated by without a care in the world. The sun was shining and she was in the arms of a man that loved her more than words would allow him to express. It was nice. And she was content. Right?
Gaki could feel Ryousuke's breathing lull down to soft, deep breaths; he was fast asleep. And now she felt it safe to wonder, to ponder. Because they were so interconnected, almost the same person; she felt rotten to the core thinking certain thoughts while he was in proximity, almost as if he could read her mind. She swore he could. But now it was safe to think. She was happy, and lord knows how happy she just made Ryousuke. But she could not help but notice how something was off. It was bothering her. Her eyes watched a cloud pass by slowly in the blue afternoon sky, so gracefully, so simply. She closed her eyes for a moment, and opened them later to find the cloud had already drifted by.
She wondered where she was now...
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Wow, that's a lot of sex in the past 48 hours or so hahaha ohsillymeiwishihadthatmuchsexinreallifeHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAH TMITMITMITMITMITMITMITMITMI *dies*
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go read everyone else's wonderful works <3 tata~
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DIBS!! FEELS SO GOOD TO DO THIS HERE TO YOU AND THIS SOUNDSVAGUELYDIRTY.
okay, to bed. then, i shall return forthwith!
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oh god XD after that sexy night with ai seems like risa caught some of the dancers wild fire huh? lolplus even thinking about her after lovemaking with her husband? i feel like only more crazy stuff can happen now! cant wait for the perv too! :deco:
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Oh man, wild sexy night timez in the garden until morning?! I thought for sure they would at least move it inside or something! Of course, Risa actually wants Ai, but she's too prideful to admit it. Then she attacks her boy as soon as he gets on the ground. Methinks she's trying a little too hard...
Perv nows?
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HOLY PIZZA. I NEED A PERV. And pm it. xD
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LOL ALL THESE SEX AT LIKE 4:50AM, HOW CAN I SLEEP NOW? /blames. lmao. xD
Oh Risa, you're secretly cheating on your fiancee, but you don't know it yet, cause your heart is trolling you about it. Can't wait for the perv now aklsjdsasd.
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So uhhh, yeah LOL Perv is now up
click here for the goods! *runs away screaming*
http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=33031.0 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=33031.0)
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i love it and i love u...omg i cant...*goes to re-read*
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Geez, mama T must've had a nice show :lol: if she's into that kind of show at least XD Seriously...how many rounds did they have on that bench lol Not that we fans mind :wub:
I get the feeling that Nacchi went through the exact same experience...except maybe she just didn't quite get the happy ending she intended? So she's hoping her lovely kouhai gets what her heart desires? Or maybe my internal fangirl is just cracked up :3
Poor girl..she's a bit guilty for sleeping with Aichan, so she ambushes soon to be hubs....not that he seems to mind (or know lol) YOU KNOW YOU WANT AICHAN RISA! Give in~ Ryousuke will understand :3 And if not...too bad ^_^
And now....time to read the perv :3 Can't wait for more~
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Sooooo I definitely read the perv for this before I read any other part of the story XD but then I had to go back and read all of it. I usually don't read fics where the girls have boyfriends/men/etc. BUT in this case I feel sorry for the bro and I like the sweet interactions with Gaki... And then ascfgakdjalfjk Aichan~ needless to say I am waiting for more~ :cathappy:
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^ BAHAHAHHA if it makes you feel any better at all, I totally read the perv for the Rockstar's guide before i started reading the actual fic too HAHAHAHAHAH That seriously made me laugh IRL XDDD im all giddy now~ maybe i should start working on the next chapter ;D
As for the epic battle between guy and Ai, the way I was trying to go about it was the whole "Anything you can do, I can do better" and I think we can all agree that Ai does it wayyyyyyy better DURRHURRHURR Does that offer anyone some reassurance for the ending of this story? XD
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Necessary double post is necessary.
Wow, so I almost forgot I was writing this. Jokes jokes~ But yeah, whoa. So since I'm intentionally giving everyone hell in QPQ, we're gonna have more fun here!!! Whee~ 2 bottles of port and a sandwich later, and we've got an update! WOOOOP! LOL This is update #1 in my series of 3 ;D
grac - bwahahah oh how the tides have turned~
kawaii beam - you got the crazy part right LOL I think the more I keep writing this story, the more weird things pop up in my head, and the more ridiculous the plot gets XD Like at this point, I don't even know how to tone it down to the kinds of endings I want. Oh well~
rndy - Outdoor sex in mama's garden sounds better than goin' indoors and wakin' mama up, ne? I guess it depends on their thrills they're willing to experience, ne? durrhurr...And we'll see what's goin' down inside Risa's sexually confused head eventually.
risa_ai - PIZZA!!!!! And a perv you have received ;D
arisa03 - PARTY DON'T STOP TILL THE SUN COMES UP, BABY! And I've come to the conclusion that I enjoy trolling more than delivering happy endings, which probably doesn't mean anything good for everyone that wants Takagaki to run off into the sunset, all happy and in love and whatnot~ But we'll see!!!
mochi.rini - LAWL I'll leave it to your imagination about Mama T. And stop, get out of my mind =P If you're a cracked fangirl, I don't even wanna know what I am LOL And geez, am I the only one rooting for Ryousuke x Gaki to make it through the storm? *cricket chirping* Forever alone~
Quietriot - YEEEEEEEEEE~ *glomps* Glad to have you on board!!!
For the record, I totally take bribes in the form of chocolate, peanut butter, or both. Just putting that out there. Ship 'em to the east coast, USA ;D
Oh, so just a note: If there are any quotes in italics, that means the dialog is in Spanish. I fail too hard to even attempt, soooooo~ just lettin' you know =] Ok ok *cracks knuckles* CHAPTER 6 STAATO~ I did not write this shit-faced, I swear. The ending only seems like I did lol
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The enthusiasm to search for their wedding location had been revitalized in her. No, it was no thanks to that Spanish wine, water, or sunshine; none of that. Just seeing the excitement in her fiancé's face as they walked the charming streets of Barcelona was enough to invigorate her senses, to make her jump back on her feet and face tomorrow with enough positivity to make Barney the dinosaur look like a graduate burnout. Yes, indeed life was good because her love was at her side, and nothing would get in the way of that!
Surprisingly unsatisfied with what Barcelona had to offer, the two lovebirds had decided to extend their search to the heart of the Spain: Madrid. As the couple exited yet another basilica, Ryousuke stopped briefly in his tracks as they passed some stores that lined the streets. His companion turned to find him staring at a flyer for some type of show. Risa walked closer to examine said flyer, squinting as her mind attempted to make sense of the jumble of Spanish words that were scattered about the advertisement. As her eyes skimmed further and further down, brows furrowing in frustration with each word left untranslated, Risa could feel the color from her face drop to the center of this damn Earth.
Had she forgotten so soon? Because, fuck her dead brain cells from all this damn wine consumption! On that poster was none other than that damn Takahashi, looking flawless and perfect in a still-frame capture as she danced alongside a male partner. This advertisement could only be for that woman's nationwide flamenco tour!
"Come on Ryousuke, we've barely made a dent in the list that Nacchi provided for us!" she cried, hoping to god the man would budge and listen to reason.
But despite her efforts, her stubborn fiancé was planted in place. "It seems as though there's a showing at that auditorium across the street right now. The performer has a Japanese name. Odd...but exciting, don't you think? If we're lucky, we can probably catch a bit of the show before it's over!"
Risa silently cursed her fiancé's gift for languages, tugging insistently on his hands. But the man was set on his ways, pulling her instead toward the direction of the concert hall. "Oh, come on! It'll be fun," he pressed, failing to notice the look of absolute horror on his love's face. His enthusiasm be damned, she cursed.
The couple had stumbled upon the auditorium, devoid of ruckus or even hushed conversations the two had just escaped from the outside world. There were no doormen at the lobby, asking for tickets or proofs of purchase, so Ryousuke boldly took Risa inside the concert hall to catch a glimpse of the show they were told they had to see. Hovering a safe distance from the seated audience, the couple had still managed to catch sight of the impressive display below. The security guards that had apparently traded their times at the post for the same experience as the admiring crowd.
And here she was again, Risa thought, caught in a familiar rapture as the sound of heels clacking, hands clapping, and strings strumming captured her in some hypnotic daze. Her hand limped against Ryousuke's hold as her eyes widened, her hearing sharpened to drink it all in. It was second nature at this point, and something she never wanted to grow acclimated to, but temptation can be so difficult to resist, especially when it was in the form of a lovely woman. She felt her heart race as her eyes fell upon that cursed, beautiful figure, watching intently as she twirled and spun with such grace, such poise. Even from afar, Risa could see the sweat glisten from her skin as bright, unforgiving stage lights shined upon her, leaving her under the impression that she could just reach out and taste it...
But as timing would have it, Gaki's trance was lifted upon the booming applause that filled the hall. She blinked back to reality, watching as various members of the audience rose one by one in a standing ovation, the occasional cheer and whistle melding into the chorus of praise. Risa waited until the dancer had eased from her final pose into a perfect 90 degree bow to pull Ryousuke and herself quickly out of the concert hall back into the bustling streets of Madrid. She could be absolutely damned if the dancer saw her.
"I'm a little hungry," she whined, giving her fiancé the best pout she could muster. She knew he had wanted to stay for the whole show, and she knew his businessman mindset made him want to stay behind and personally praise the dancer for the wonderful performance. They were the same person after all. But she had to get out of there before that possibility could become reality. Risa was always one to think of solutions to jump out of sticky situations, but she found it rather difficult to find a solution for that possible encounter. It was best to just avoid it completely.
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After promises of late afternoon romance and midnight passions, Risa had successfully lured her fiancé to an outdoor cafe for some delectable afternoon delights and much needed coffee. It was, after all, the simple things that made moments such as this so wonderful...Wonderful until the crowd from before emerged steadily out of the theater they had just occupied.
Her palm met her face by the time Ryousuke stood from his seat and hurried over to the theater in search of the dancer. Honestly, Risa should have been slightly concerned with her fiance's infatuation for that wench, but she knew in a matter of seconds she would have to face the music, and somehow save herself from a situation that could only do more harm than good.
Through the distant, fleeting faces of the crowd, Risa was able to spot Ryousuke and his target. She watched the two converse and engage in the typical businessman handshake her man was so used to performing. Once he pointed toward her direction, Risa's eyes briefly met with the dancer, swearing she could see the woman smile. She cowered behind an open hand, covering her face from the unwanted attention she was receiving for the most damnable person imaginable.
"...And might I add that your Japanese is still fantastic as ever, Takahashi-san."
Ai examined the man from head to toe through critical, but smiling eyes before turning her attention back to a pale-faced Risa. "Is this your fiancé, Niigaki-san? You never told me how handsome he was!" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm that only Risa could detect. Ai offered a cheeky grin in response to the glare she was being given from her seated companion.
The dancer pulled out a seat across the table from the couple as Ryousuke more than eagerly allowed her to join their company. "You're a very lucky man, Ito-san. Niigaki-san is a very beautiful woman, ne?" Catching the tinge of red on Risa's otherwise pale face, Ai could only smile in amusement.
"Arigatou, Takahashi-san. She is quite a sight, isn't she? And may I ask, how do you two know one another?" the business man asked, turning to fondly cup his love's haggard-looking cheek.
Risa could feel her heart dropping and her eyes widening as she struggled to formulate words in her state of panic. She looked to the devil woman, praying to the high heavens that she would say nothing. 'Don't say it, don't say it, don't you dare say it...' she mentally chanted. And thankfully, Risa had been a good enough girl throughout her lifetime to have her prayers answered.
"Through a common friend," the dancer responded simply.
"Ah, why didn't you say anything earlier, Risa?"
Risa flashed Ryousuke an uneasy smile, before honing her attention solely on the coffee cup in front of her. Looking that witch in the eye could only spell trouble for her. Ryousuke would undoubtedly notice her nerves on edge if she stared at him for longer than a split second. She was trapped in the same situation she was trying so hard to avoid. She began to zone out of the conversation, wishing and praying that her company would take the hint and leave her the hell alone while she panicked inside the confines of her mind. Before tuning out completely, she heard her fiancé and the dancer engage in a conversation about their reasons for being in Madrid.
Ai nodded periodically in response to Ryousuke's lovely, and completely uninteresting monologue, leaning her head against the heel of her palm as she listened politely despite herself. As the businessman drowned in his own self-interest of his tale, the dancer found this to be the perfect opportunity to have some fun. She noticed Gaki avoiding eye contact like the plague, and smiled. After all, one does not ignore Takahashi Ai. It simply isn't done!
The nervous Risa stole a quick glance at the dancer, only to find her staring back, her lips twisted in that infuriating, devilish smile. She looked back at her coffee, with her legs fidgeting to hurry up and get the hell away from this Satan spawn. But why all the nervous tension? There was absolutely nothing to be discussed, nothing to be afraid of!
...Aside from the inescapable looming cloud of guilt that stemmed from the horrendous one-night stand...BUT SHE WAS DRUNK! And even the dancer had made it clear when she left without saying a word that the fun and games were over. And she knew that behind that pretty face and the carefree facade was a woman that had enough moral value to not say a damn word about that evening they shared. Or at least that's what Risa was telling herself at this point...
The sound of a phone ringing interrupted the awkward silence in the trio's midst. The three individuals simultaneously checked to see if it was their own respective devices making the noise, but it was only Ryousuke's. A business call, most likely. He adjusted his glasses to check the ID of the caller, eyes squinting against the glare on the screen. "Ah, if you'll excuse me for a moment ladies," he said, standing from his seat. He gave Risa a quick peck on the lips before stepping aside to take his phone call elsewhere.
Risa didn't think it possible to drown in air, but she felt as though she were suffering from alveolar collapse with every step her fiance took away from their table. And oh god, here she was, left alone to face her not so inner demons in the middle of the day. She didn't have nearly enough wine in her system to properly approach this situation. There was just no other way of putting it: she was absolutely fucked.
"You know, Risa-chan, I never though that sort of man would be your type," Ai said, her attention fixated lazily on the man marrying the woman across the table.
"What gives you the right to tell me what type of man I can fancy? And what's with this 'Risa-chan' talk? Don't speak like you know me so damn well," Risa hissed, palms flat and firm against the table as her anger failed to be contained any longer.
The dancer's face contorted to look of mock surprise. "Oh, Risa-chan! Such hostility! Surely you are not mad because I had left so suddenly? As much as I had wanted to prolong our love-making, you knew very well that I had a tour to continue."
Before she was given a chance to retort, Ryousuke had returned to their table, apologizing for interrupting an otherwise pleasant conversation. Risa bit back curses as the dancer flirted so blatantly with her fiancé, batting her eyelashes and flipping her hair ostentatiously. She knew the woman only did it to bother her. How did she learn what buttons to press so quickly?
"I'm afraid I must cut this conversation short, Ito-san. I have another performance I must prepare for. However, might I suggest we meet for lunch some time later this week? I will gladly show you around the beautiful city of Madrid and help in your search for a wedding location," Ai offered, once more fooling only Risa's gullible fiancé.
"That's an incredibly kind offer, Takahashi-san, but wouldn't that wear you out? You have these daily performances at the theater, after all, and you will surely need some time for rest."
Ai shook her head, a devilish smile locked on her lips as her eyes met with Risa's widened pair. She winked playfully to the nervous woman, elliciting a reddish hue on her cheeks. "Nonsense. It's the least I can do for my new friend from Japan."
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As expected, the dancer had kept her word and met with the couple later that week to initiate their full-fledged search for a wedding chapel. And also expected, Risa had not been satisfied with what the dancer had shown her, even with her fiance by her side to help the decision-making process along. If the dancer wanted to play a game, well by all means, Risa would be more than happy to play along.
Their first night of actual searching in Madrid had been all too fruitless, but true to form, one night of failed attempts would still be a reason for a dinner celebration to lighten up their spirits. The conversation over dinner had been innocent enough. There were plans to search a different section of the city another day, along with possible reception hall locations and dining services. However, with a blink an eye, a seemingly innocent conversation could rapidly turn for the worse, and with the presence of an evil woman in her midst, Risa had no choice but to heed total attention to the conversation at hand.
Thankfully, Ryousuke was unable to handle the profuse amounts of wine the dancer had continuously poured for him throughout dinner and the man had all but passed out in his seat from near alcohol poisoning. Risa had kindly settled him in their bed at the hotel room, taking great care to close the door with as little noise as possible. As she turned on her heels, she found herself staring into the eyes of that beautiful dancer.
"I need to talk to you."
The two women found themselves in a situation of particular deja vu, walking along dimly lit cobble streets in the late evening, even hearing the faintest melodies being played on a Spanish guitar at a distance. It made Risa particularly nervous being left alone with the dancer, and no amount of alcohol would help this anxiety.
"You know, Risa-chan, your husband-to-be can't seem to hold his alcohol. Not a very redeeming quality for a man, if you ask me," Ai joked, laughing good-heartedly in her own amusement.
"If dragged me out here just to insult Ryousuke, then I'm going back to the hotel," Risa responded, turning to walk to the hotel building. But a hand on her wrist held her firmly in place.
"I apologize," the dancer replied. "I really do want to talk to you about the other night..."
It wasn't the wine this time, but Risa could feel her head grow lighter and her heart pace faster. Would the woman apologize sincerely? Would she want to do that again? Ai was too much of an enigmatic creature to tell, but curiosity had a hold on her. Reluctantly, Risa gave the woman permission to continue walking and speak.
"The other day I had left without a proper apology for the night before. If you were worried or offended, I assure you that was not my intent. And I can confess that I did not regret a single thing we did that evening. In fact," the dancer paused to force Risa to look her in the eyes. "Ever since that evening, I could not stop thinking about you. When the sun comes up in the morning, when the sun goes down in the evening, you are the first and last thing on my mind. Before I perform, even...I get these thoughts of you and the way you were on the stone bench...and it thrills me. While I perform, I get hot just imagining what your reaction would be to the sound of the Spanish guitar accompaniment, and it drives me insane. Sometimes I wish my partner were you, but he leaves me so unsatisfied. I need you to stay with me, but you...I realize you belong to someone else. But, can you grant me the satisfaction of having you again? This is brash, but you must understand: I need you. And even if it is only for one night, I will make sure it will last the rest of our lifetimes."
Well, this conversation was certainly...unexpected. Or as unexpected as far as conversations with Takahashi goes. As wrong as it was, Risa found herself moved. The dancer had spoken of such a fiery passion it rendered her speechless. This wasn't the type of passion she heard from Ryousuke. No, it wasn't the type of passionate speech that resulted from impressive productivity numbers and sales figures. It was the type of passion that every woman had wanted to hear for themselves, to have for themselves.
But as wonderful as it was to hear that Ai had apologized for leaving so abruptly, Risa had to remind herself of her situation. One night of passion could escalate into something more, and given the circumstances, Risa should might as well call off the whole engagement. And she would have, too...maybe, if the person she would elope with was not as capricious as she made herself out to be. Ai was a reckless creature, with no stability in any aspect of her life, even in the act of love. Though the dancer had told her people had perceived her incorrectly, the woman was still alone and that did nothing to help her case.
But one more night? Could it hurt?
"DAMNIT, RISA, GET IT TOGETHER!" her conscience screamed.
Dulled only by that cursed Spanish wine, Risa failed to compute what happened next. The vixen of a dancer had latched her lips onto hers, pushing and leading their tangling limbs to an alleyway behind the stores that lined the open streets. She could feel Ai's hands as they encircled her body, fingers crawling underneath her shirt while her mouth busied itself with the woman's neck. "ARE YOU INSANE?" Risa seethed through clenched teeth. "SOMEONE MIGHT SEE US!!!"
Ai led the woman's hands to the buttons of her shirt, urging her to just rip the fabric in two. "Let them see. I want them to."
As though it was an automatic impulse, Risa had, despite herself, began to comply with the dancer's request and undo the buttons of the woman's blouse. She was just about to reciprocate a kiss when a ringing had interrupted.
Both women quickly reached into their pockets with free hands to check if their device deserved to be thrown against the brick wall. It was not Risa's, and though Ai had instigated this whole fiasco in the alley, she had suddenly put her passionate actions to a halt upon seeing who had called.
"What? What's wrong? What happened?"
"She's in trouble again." Her voice was solemn and her features were uncharacteristically stern. The dancer had turned to give Risa a quick peck on the lips before running off to the hotel parking lot, paying no mind to the woman she had left behind. As she rushed to her vehicle, Ai quickly smoothed out her clothes, buttoning the few loose ends her partner had managed to undo in their heated conversation.
Risa was able to catch up to her partner, her breath being released in short, sharp pants. She honestly needed to work out more. The dancer had given her a momentary glance before gesturing Risa to join her in the vehicle. She was not sure what was going on, or where they were going, but she knew for the meantime, it would be alright to trust her companion.
The way Ai drove with inexplicably reckless abandon had surprisingly not bothered her. Risa didn't even bat an eyelash as they were speeding through red lights, swerving last minute to avoid drunken collateral damage, and taking no time to bother with the break pedal until they had arrived at the police department. But the sense of urgency on the dancer's pale, gaunt face was telling. Whoever this person was, they were incredibly important to the dancer that now seemed even further from her reach. And as they stepped inside the building, for the first time that evening, Ai had let go of her hand.
"Where is she?" Her voice had a tinge of mania as she faced the lone officer at the front desk. He shook his head in disappointment, scribbling something down in his log book before he stood to lead the two women to the back of the building.
Risa followed behind the officer and the dancer. Not once did Ai even turn back to acknowledge her; she seemed completely preoccupied with retrieving the unknown figure locked up in the Madrid jail cell. This high tension, this anxious Takahashi was not something Risa concluded she liked, nor wanted to ever have to see again. It was strange and unfamiliar, but as her stomach twisted in knots as they continued to pace the dimly lit hallway, she knew it would somehow manage to get worse.
"You need to keep a better eye on your woman, Takahashi. If she keeps acting up like this, we might have to lock her up for good."
Even with a foreign tongue, Gaki noticed the hint of sarcasm in his voice. This sort of thing seemed have to occurred on a regular basis if the officer could converse so casually with Ai in the way that he did. She continued her stride of four or so paces behind the two leading figures, stopping only when they did in front of the cell containing the person of interest.
The moment of truth.
The jingle of the officer's keys echoed through the empty hallway as he took his time leisurely to find the appropriate key for the cell. He shot Ai an irritated glance once he caught wind of her impatient toe tapping, silencing her almost immediately. With the turn of the key, metal bars clanked in cold friction as the officer slid the cell entrance open before turning to walk back to his station at the front desk. "If you're going to bail her out, you better get on it. Don't even try to pull that shit you did last time. We don't have a problem with locking both of you up in here."
The dancer shot the uniformed figure a venomous glare, uttering a few curses in Spanish under her breath until the sound of soft shuffling from the cell caught her attention. Ai's face immediately fell into a look of concern, maybe even pity as she crossed the metal threshold of the jail cell.
Risa timidly stepped closer to the cell, hoping to catch sight of the person that had driven the blood straight from Ai's face with distress. A few steps closer, and Gaki could see a woman curled up on the wooden bench, lost in the world of dreams. She rested peacefully, her mouth opened slightly as she took in quiet breaths. Her hair was a shade of chestnut, cascading partially against the bench and partially upon her slender shoulders. The woman donned a fitting dress, accentuating her slim waist, the skirt of it draped along curled legs and it donned on the onlooker that the outfit seemed very familiar...
Risa dared to step closer, hoping Ai wouldn't mind as she eavesdropped on the precious moment. She watched silently as Ai sat herself beside the convict's sleeping head, petting her hair like a mother would her child. The scene was saccharine sweet to the bystander, regardless of the envy that coursed through her veins.
Ai's tender actions seemed to have awoken the prisoner from her sleep. She slowly lifted herself up, yawning and stretching lazy bones alive before flashing her company a goofy, lazy smile. "Aichan~" Her voice was higher pitched, very girly. It fit her kind of nicely, Risa thought as she watched the scene intently.
The dancer's lips formed into a sad expression, her brows furrowing to a look of pity and concern. She brought a hand to cup the woman's cheek, sighing her meager woes over the girl before her. "What am I going to do with you, Eri?"
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So yes, peanut butter? Chocolates? Red wine? Yes? =D
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:panic: :panic: :panic: :panic: :panic: :panic: :panic: :panic: :panic:
next to that im mad that the phonecall ruined takagaki sexytimes! :catglare: and what the hell does eri do to keep getting herself up in jail?! :deco: kiwi needs more! :panic:
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Help, I may have died of happiness. Will come back later to edit. :deco:
You're confusing my inner shipper. I go from having like zero interest in Takagaki and then this- I can't- not even a perv but- so fucking hot~ asfghkalagjdkfla I'm so amused by the situation Gaki's gotten herself in, I don't even feel sorry for her. XD Though I'm sure the addition of Eri is going to cause more conflict... Further prolonging sloppy make outs from happening... Hm. :P Eri should just get with Risa's man and then she can have at it with Aichan, THERE ALL PROBLEMS SOLVED, WORLD PEACE. :heart:
Your fiancée is pleased with you, but also demands to see parts two and three of said promised updates. Hell, I'll even send you homemade peanut butter fudge. Because you're that awesome. :heart:
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I don't know whether to say poor Risa or lucky Risa! Keeps running into Ai everywhere and even her fiance seems to like her
Ai's passionate explanation of her feelings left me all tingly inside, especially when coupled with what started to happen afterwards, then, what's this? Eri?!?!?! :shocked :shocked :panic: :panic: Oh man! Now what?!?!?
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WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU ASDJSKKASD
youneedtopostthatguychanxrisapervouwrote
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*flips the table lyk a boss*
*curses*
OI. OI YOU. WHY U NO GIVE ME AIGAKI HUH. U NO TELL ME KAME AND AI 2GETHUR, OKAY. I thought ai and risa were gonna enjoy sexah times in the public.
GODDAMIT. JUST STAB ERI, AND BREAK UP WITH RYOUSUKE. What the heck am I saying. ;__;
IN ANY CASE, gimme some takagaki love, yeh? xD
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A wild kame appears!!
I just gotta say I love this fic. It's awesome 8) I like takagaki but I love me some aieri too hehe. I wanna know more about their relationship
There's no escape for Risa now. Ai has her trapped
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just want to say i whimpered out loud when i saw your update wall of text.
whiiiiiineee~
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I wonder if Risa's learned her lesson yet? Never be even slightly tipsy around Aichan or you'll want to jump her like a cat in heat!
hehe...even if she were sane/sober she'd wanna have some "fun" XD Even hubbie over there is drawn in by Aichan's charm~
Eri~ I was hoping that she'd appear! I wonder what happened?
NEXT PLEASE :D :heart: :heart:
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kiwi - I'M SO SORRY FOR THE COCKBLOCKAGE T__T I'LL TRY TO MAKE UP FOR IT!!!...unless you meant sexy times were exclusive for only takagaki...in which case...don't read this chapter hhahaha Oh btw, I wonder if you can figure out what inspired this entire chapter? hahha I bet you can!!!
fim-face - I like playing around with my battalion of ships ; D Bahahah I am so mean to Gaki, I really am~ Girl just can't get a break ahhah but i mean, idk I think this kind of torture is pretty sweet if ya ask me~ And Eri is gonna be fun, even if I don't make her out to be that way in this chapter xD
rndy - bahah it's like glass half-full or half-empty xD The trials and tribulations of an engaged woman~ And I'm sorry for cutting the mushy and the gushy short >__< I really am HAHHA But I hope I'll make it up to you in the future~ Ioweyouatanagakipervafterallomg
arisa03 - I'm creating drama =] because it makes life more interesting ;) And I will sheesh LOL
risa_ai - No need for violence T__T I'm a lover, not a fighter <3 There will be no stabbing ahhah, but breaking up...maybe? You'll just have to keep reading, but I don't think you'll like this chapter HO HO HO
astro18 - WILD KAME APPEARS! WILD KAME USES ADORKABLE! CRITICAL HIT! IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE! I'm so glad someone else out there likes AixEri <3 I like their chemistry haha and I like trolling takagaki fans <3 It's a win-win combination ahah This chapter is just for you then <3
grac - GRAC I MISS YOU IN MY LIFE <3 I'm sorry about the huge wall T__T I think this chapter will be nicer xD
mochi - I think it's a lesson she doesn't want to learn lol deep down inside i mean ahah I'm totally just trying to make Ryousuke seem like a nice, nice guy LOL I need to soften the blow somehow~ hohoho~
And Eri, she's not a bad guy, I swear, but it's fun shoving her into a malevolent roll that kind of typically gets shoved onto Sayu haha Probably more drama than needed, but hey, I love making things difficult for takagaki~ I'm dorkily laughing to myself for making Eri pop up around the same time here and in QPQ haha
As always, italics are Spanish conversation and regular is Japanese =]
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If an awkward, silent tension could kill, Risa could have sworn she'd be six feet under by now. Currently seated in the front passenger seat, she felt more like a voyeur of a intimate scene that she had no right in witnessing. It was hard to ignore how the dancer stole glances at their guest in the backseat through the rear view mirror as she drove, with greater care now than before. As passing headlights illuminated their faces against that mirror, Risa could catch those fleeting looks of silent longing before their reflections were shrouded by black. She watched as the pairs of eyes met with a brief electric shock and no exchange of words, watched as Ai quickly switched her attention back to the road, and as the woman in the backseat yawned or stretched her limbs in a lame attempt to dismiss rising suspicions.
Risa desperately wanted to break the silence, but she failed to find her voice for the remainder of the trip. And even as the trio entered the hotel, the air between the woman and the dancer was electric, and Risa was a standing witness without a voice. Before Ai could say a thing, Gaki turned her back to the two and walked wordlessly away to her hotel room. She didn't want to see those two drift into the same room like she knew they would.
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Inside, the former prisoner twirled lazily within the cramped confines of the hotel room, eventually sprawling herself happily onto the single bed. She sighed contently as she sunk deeper beneath the pillows, nuzzling against the warmth of the bedsheets. Poking an eye through her fortress of sheets and pillows, Eri called for the dancer as she emerged from the tiny hallway connecting the entrance door and the bedroom. "Come join me, Ai~"
The dancer was in no mood for games tonight. She dropped her keys on the nightstand and glowered over her companion until she emerged to properly face her. "What the hell did you do this time, Eri?"
Eri frowned and hugged a pillow against herself. "Is that any way for you to greet your lover?"
The dancer groaned and leaned her back against the wall opposite to the woman on her bed. "And what about your artist lover? What happened to him?"
"He got a bit attached," Eri responded simply as she fell back onto the bed to stare at the unlit ceiling of the hotel room. "Don't you hate it when they do that? I threw a few of his sharper sculpting tools at him while he was 'high off inspiration.' He kept insisting on creating yet another mural of me naked, got a little too touchy. You know how it is..."
Through the darkness, Eri could see Ai's brows furrowing and lips curving to an unpleasant frown. She could tell the dancer was disappointed with how she handled the situation yet again, but these things couldn't be helped. And so she instigated another round of unwanted negative emotions by asking, "...So was that girl my latest replacement?"
"She's getting married to a well-to-do CEO very soon."
Eri hummed into her pillow as she took her lover's words in. "A rather selfish conquest, don't you think? A woman engaged to be married? That's quite foolhardy, even for you."
Knock, knock, knock.
Both heads turned blindly to the door shrouded in darkness. With some effort, Ai pushed herself from against the wall to navigate through the blackness of the room to greet whomever. Opening the door, the dancer came face-to-face with none other than the woman they had just been talking about. "Risa-chan..."
The younger woman turned bashfully away once she saw the darkened interior, the implications of which made her more insecure than usual. "I...I'm sorry i-i-if I'm inter-rrupting anything..."
"No, no, not at all," Ai said as she pressed her back against the door to make way for her guest. "Come in."
A timid step forward, and another, one more and Risa was through the threshold and into the darkness. A faint light shown past the short hallway, no doubt the doing of Ai's other guest for the evening. She took in a deep breath before walking further into the hotel room. Come to think of it, Risa wasn't all too sure why she had even bothered visiting this evening. Maybe to have some questions answered, despite what ever it was in her heart that was one the line. A little closure was all she really needed.
Upon turning the corner to the bedroom, Risa's eyes met with the other woman. The woman stood with such poise, smiling as she extended a hand forward for a friendly shake. "Good evening. We never properly introduced ourselves. I'm Kamei Eri." No traces of sarcasm or malice in that voice of hers, and her Japanese was perfection.
Risa took the woman's hand to reciprocate the greeting, muttering her own name out of nervousness rather than irritated envy. She had no reason to be jealous, even if this woman and Ai did have "a thing," because what she and Ai did under the stars that one evening was a fluke, and what happened in the alleyway was the product of her silly little fantasies. There would be nothing fruitful of either untimely encounters, so naturally, if these two women were together, it would be alright. She would be happy for them. Besides, from what she recalled, Ai and this Eri woman had a history together. A history that could blossom into a wonderfully happy future without her.
"Ai tells me," Eri began with a hushed whisper, "...that you're engaged to a fine young man. I offer you my congratulations!"
As Eri clapped her hands with that goofy smile on her face, Risa couldn't decide if the woman was mocking or genuinely praising her. She was difficult read. Ai emerged from the corner of the hallway to meet them in the bedroom, and something in the atmosphere made the air grew thick with tension that Risa felt herself choking on words left unsaid.
"You will live quite a happy life with that man, I'm sure. An affluent lifestyle topped with all the love and comfort that comes with stability and fidelity, oh it's something right out of a fairytale!" Eri stated whimsically, hands clasped close to her heart as she looked dreamily to some far corner of the room. "It's something you will never get with this woman."
Risa gulped painfully, her throat dry from the sudden change in the woman's tone. Eri didn't need to point or even acknowledge the woman that rested her back against the wall for Risa to take a hint. As to why Ai had been brought up in conversation, however, she wasn't so sure. And she only grew more unsure and apprehensive as Eri stepped forward, reducing the space between them to a mere few breaths apart.
"If you want to be happy, forget anything she's ever told you. Did she say that just the thought of you thrilled her? And how you're the first and last thing on her mind?" When Risa could only stare back into her eyes, Eri chuckled and continued. "Her beautiful words sound so sweet, don't they? Sweet enough to sound sincere? Of course they do, because how else will she get you into her bed?
"Ai will never change. She's been thoroughly consumed by the desire to fulfill her atrocious addictions of the flesh. Why else do you think she dances, Niigaki-san? If she told you she dances for her mother, well I suppose that's partially true, only half of the story. Dancing is, after all, the vertical expression of a horizontal desire. Just think about it and trust me when I say that you're better off marrying your man than staying with this woman. You will be alone in a few weeks, if not days, if you foolishly decide to stay with her. Besides..."
Eri paused to glance over to Ai, who looked just as speechless, eyes wide and mouth agape, as the woman she had been addressing. "...If someone she's known for ages in comparison cannot change her, what makes you think you can do any better?"
Risa stood for a moment, staring into those eyes belonging to the lover of the woman she couldn't accurately decide if she harbored feelings for. And though she felt like she could drown in those narrow, sultry eyes, the pangs of her harsh words pooled as tears in her eyes, threatening to spill if she chose to continue. But she couldn't take it anymore, and the way this woman gloated with her eyes was enough to seal her defeat. Risa navigated her way through the dimly-lit room, side-stepping her stride as she brushed passed Ai to make her tearful exit.
Ai waited for the door to slam shut to grab hold of Eri's shoulder and turn her around. Needless to say, the dancer was absolutely livid. "WHY DID YOU SAY THOSE THINGS?"
Eri shrugged her shoulders, letting Ai's grip fall limply at her side before taking a seat back onto the bed. "The world has enough broken hearts, Aichan. I'm just doing my part to save that woman from a heartache she doesn't deserve."
"Your philanthropy isn't appreciated. You should not have gone that far."
"You're telling me I'm in the wrong for exposing your intentions?" Eri asked, taking on a rather bemused tone towards the end of her question. "You and I both know very well that you will get bored of that woman, and while you go gallivanting across the country in search of another ass to lay, she will be just another notch on your bedpost. Have some decency, Aichan, the woman is about to get married. These games you play are dangerous."
"And who says I'm playing games?"
Eri glanced at the dancer that hovered closely above where she sat on the edge of the single bed. Such a serious look on that beautiful face, it almost made her laugh. "Oh please."
She reached a hand forward, grabbing the dancer's waist and pulling her body on top of hers as they fell together on the mattress. "You don't have to put up this front with me, Aichan. I know you better than that. I'm here now, so come and touch me, let's share our imperfections like we used to do."
Hands blindly searched for the lamp light switch as the lips of two lovers came together in reunited bliss.
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IMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRY! Blame it on an article i read lol
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WHAT DA HELL DID I JUST READ?! :panic: :panic: :panic: :panic: :panic:
man player on a player that ends up cheeting yet not really chiing and gah idk how to describe it! D: :panic:
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Hey what's that??! :OMG: It's my first time to post a reply in this fanfic but oh my gahhhh :frustrated: why Ai-chan? why Eri? :stoned: .. btw i still like it :lol: :lol:
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Yes. Good. Very good :ding:
There's just something about AiEri that's just so very appealing hehehe
I loves it :kekeke: Aichan is mad, then she's not. Can't deny that something is still there between Ai and Eri :twisted:
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:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
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NEVER APOLOGISE FOR THE WALLL!!!
It's a lovely wall- i just wish I had more time to scale it. Or at least lovingly pat it and run my fingers along its crevices. wait, no.
Anyway, I like this update so very much. More heartbreak! Pour the fuel on the flames of jealously! Write nothing but TakaGaki angst forever!!
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:ptam-cry: :ptam-cry: :ptam-cry: :angry1: :angry1: :angry1: :err: :err: :err: :mon headbang: :mon headbang: :mon headbang: :ptam-...: :ptam-...: :ptam-...: :ding: :ding: :glasses: :glasses: :glasses: :ptam-kill: :ptam-kill: :ptam-kill:
I think You know what I mean. **smirks evilly**
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TROLOLOLOLOL.
At least by now, Risa (should) knows that she has feelings for Ai-chan (otherwise she should be unaffected). Now it's just up to Ai-chan if she'll clear things up, or just let Risa get married. LOL
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Lolol everyone's reactions are cracking me uuuup~ Bahaha am I the only one unsurprised and not frustrated?
Lol instead of seeing Eri as like the bad guy or bein kinda bitchy here, she's the only one looking at the situation from the outside (and she obviously has experience to boot). She could have just let Ai and Risa carry on doin their thing, and maybe she was motivated a bit perhaps by jealousy but at least she told the truth. As for her and Ai rekindling their flame a bit, well, that's what they do. XD people don't change overnight.
You've thrown a few wrenches into the mix here, but I'm pleased that this is turning out more realistic than cliche, and I can't wait to see what happens next~ will it be happily ever after?
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Kame...! Y U SO EVIL?! :angry:
>.< Don't give up get Risa~ <3
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Duuude, loving this story so much! I find it very amusing how Risa can’t escape from the sexy beast that Aichan is… :grin:
I actually feel sorry for the future husband but, come on, Spain is a sexy country and Seville is one of the sexiest cities you can find in the Iberian Peninsula… He would have done the same thing Risa did if he had had the chance to be with Aichan xDDD
P.S. Is it weird that I’m actually loving Eri’s bitchy character here so much??
Más, por favor!