This is a LOOOOOOONG chapter
I don't think it's boring :]
Chapter 25: Confessions“Gaki-san, what brings you here?” Reina hesitated to ask, not wanting to be caught up in the maelstrom of trepidation occurring through Ai and Risa’s eyes.
“I didn’t feel like taking the shore route back, so I wanted to explore…” she turned her head to face Reina as she walked. Then, the eighth head faced Ai and walked towards her, reaching a hand out to her face.
“Don’t you dare touch me!” Ai backed away, swatting Risa’s hand away.
Risa’s hand still lingered in the air where her ex slapped it. After reluctantly placing her hands in her pockets, she looked at the floor closing her eyes.
“Am I really unwanted?” Risa said in a rather solemn voice, Reina was surprised she wasn’t spazzing like she normally would have. “I guess its okay for me to die?”
At that, Ai displayed a very shocked and frightened face. When Reina looked at Risa, the orochi raised her head and showed a very serious face, a mature face, Reina was sure she thought Risa’s baby face completely changed into that of an adult’s, very reminiscent of her mature moments in her Amanatsu photobook.
At the speed of a striking snake, Risa took hold of Ai’s upper arms, and kissed her at the right side of her neck. Overcome with a feeling of intoxication, Ai could not help but fail to suppress a small silent moan, having Risa’s tongue in contact with her skin after so long. (At this point, Reina felt obligated to look away, feeling like she has no place in the scene, however, she couldn’t pry her eyes away.) Though, the rekindled passionate feeling was halted when Risa rested her head on Ai’s shoulder, her arms now loosely wrapped around the other’s waist.
“Of course I lied about dying…” Risa said into Ai’s ear, “Did I not understand you? I thought I understood everything about you… Did I become too laid back that I failed to hear you calling my name when you needed me most?” there was clearly a tone of sadness in the cursed one’s voice. “Are you the same girl I met long ago?” Risa recalled images of a young girl, collapsed and coughing, “the girl who could not stand with her own two feet without support?”
Ai broke away from Risa’s hold and slapped her, gritting her teeth as she did so. Risa simply stood, only her face moved to the slap motion, and with her eyes still on Ai. The older then turned to run off, eventually disappearing from sight.
“You’re not going to run after her?”
“Nah…” Risa rubbed her reddening cheek, “For a chorus girl, she runs very fast, so I’m not going to waste my energy chasing her after-image. But still… I don’t think she realized just how much I love her…”
“If that’s the case… Then we should return. Forgive my rudeness, but I think you should try to resolve things with her later…”
“No need for forgiveness,” Risa smiled, then she pat Reina’s head, “Though, don’t have a grudge for Ai-chan, she may have a poison tongue, but she can’t say things to protect herself either.”
“I see…” Reina turned around and began walking, “We should return, Maki might worry.”
“Yeah…”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“She’s not here yet?” Reina raised a brow as she kicked off her shoes at the door, and noticed that Maki’s boots were no where in sight.
“I guess we have some time to kill…” Risa paused, and Reina also paused to hear what Risa heard. The television was on, there was an unmistakeable foreign language spoken in the movie: English. That could only mean one person was back. Noting her shoes kicked carelessly, Risa and Reina looked at eachother, grinning because they both shared the same idea.
They both snuck past the kitchen, and around the back of the living room, sure enough, their target was watching a foreign film from the couch parallel to the television. The two ex-Zekkyou actresses hid right behind that very couch, and peeked their heads over. However, the woman was no longer there…
Reina felt a quick peck of lips of her neck, to which she turned to look at Risa, who turned to look at her. They both made mute growling faces at each other, trying to convince the other to not touch their necks, and peeked over the couch again. There was still no signs of the woman.
DOUBLE SMACK.
Reina and Risa both let out screams and both, on impulse, turned to kick the intruder. When they stopped screaming and looked at their intruder, it was simply their target, Miki.
“Waaait… So Miki was the one who nuzzled us, and then smacked our asses?” Reina regained her composure, standing over the 5th orochi kneeling over in pain.
“Come now…” Miki clenched her sides in hopes of stopping the throbbing pain, “it’s not like I can’t hear the entrance being opened, I knew you both came and tried to scare me, so I, other than grope, decided to scare you both, and in return, I get two kicks to my stomach…” Miki wheezed again, “What a way to beat the crap out of your sub-leader…”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t think she meant that as a compliment,” Reina looked at Risa with a wtf face.
“Oh well, you two kick like pansies anyway,” Miki immediately straightened herself up, as if she was faking the pain from the kicks.
“Your face is a pansy,” Risa giggled, only to be smacked upside the head, “In fact, your face doesn’t resemble a flower at all!” and then she was smacked again, “Your face is your face,” and she raised her hands in defense, but a smack never came.
“I’m back~!” came a singsong voice. Reina perked up, hearing the voice, looked to the person who entered nearby, along with Risa. “I bought milk tea for everyone,” Maki smiled, handing Risa and Reina a carton, and throwing Miki a carton as well. Then she took the rest and put them in the refrigerator before taking one of her own, and drinking it.
“Still, I find it weird that there’s a store open late at night…” Risa said after swallowing some milk tea.
“Who cares, it’s delicious,” Reina was already finished with her drink due to the slurping noises she made with her straw afterwards. Then she threw it in the trash, and did not miss, “score for me!”
“The question is, can you do the same in Metro Rabbits?” Miki waved her carton lazily from the couch before drinking it.
“I can drink another carton and throw it at you if you provoke me any further,” Reina growled slightly.
“You did not just threaten the tsukomi,” Miki waved her carton around yet again, and had said in a chuckle.
“Oh yes I did,” Reina smirked.
Five minutes later, Reina and Maki were both in the upper floor, in the second bedroom (It turned out that Yuko lied and had three bedrooms) with Maki attempting to dislodge the crunched up carton shoved in Reina’s mouth.
“ih hurrs!” Reina tried to say as Maki tried to yank it for the umpteenth time.
“What would you rather me do then? It’s your fault for trying to get back at Miki like that, you know better than to do that,” Maki said as she concentrated.
Reina got out a pen and paper, and wrote what she might have said unintelligibly, ‘stick your fingers in my mouth and try to make the carton smaller… Maybe then you can pull it out.’
Maki did as she was told and successfully got the drool-covered carton out and immediately threw it in the trash. “Well that wasn’t amusing,” she sighed, “Want me to go down there? You know I was in Gatas once, I still have the power in me to take my foot and shove it up her—”
“No need, I’ve learned my lesson,” Reina stretched her mouth a bit to get a feel of how a normal mouth works without something over-filling its capacity again. “You got the drinks, so now what?”
“I’m a little tired, really,” Maki said as she looked out the window. “In two days, the full moon is officially the full moon,” she said, eyeing the 90% complete moon hanging in the sky.
“Mm… As Nakazawa-san says, this month is the best one for moon-gazing,” Reina went and jumped on the bed and laid face-flat on it. “Being tired must be contagious, I have it now, thanks to you.”
“You’re welcome,” Maki sat on the bed, next to Reina’s feet. She too, laid backwards, and looked at Reina’s eyes, noticing that she had caused the younger to blush. With a curious hand, she reached for the inside of Reina’s shirt, and pulled out her necklace: she was wearing the black cross outlined in metal, her gift from what seemed forever long ago. She could not help but chuckle at such a thing, Reina still wearing her gift.
“Hey, that’s not fair, I can’t chuckle at something I’ve given you…” Reina closed her eyes in slight irritation, “Though… Are you wearing your Mother’s sweatshirt again?”
“You could tell?” Maki let go of the necklace and sat up. “Yeah, we share a lot of stuff, but sometimes we do it too much that we wind up keeping the other’s things. Nii-chan makes fun of us a lot, haha.”
“How is he anyway? Doing well with his wife?”
“Yup, he’s a really happy guy!” Maki brought her feet from the floor and now sat cross legged on the bed. Reina rolled over and sat up, supporting herself with her hands since she was leaning backwards.
“I hear your Mom’s very cool from the other members.”
“I wouldn’t say she’s cool, but she’s a fun person to be around, don’t know about everyone else’s opinions, but in mine, she generally makes me go ‘what the hell?’ sometimes, haha.”
“So…What about your dad? I hardly ever hear you talk about him.”
Maki’s eyes seemed like they flickered for a bit. She looked at the floral-design bed sheets in a half-smile, suggesting to Reina that she stepped on a landmine.
“He’s dead…”
“I’m sorry…” Reina wanted to internally beat herself up for accidentally bringing it up.
“S’okay,” Maki’s smile returned as she raised one eyebrow in a forgiving modest smile, “To be honest, the only thing I recall is that he’s generally an all-around nice guy.”
“Forgive me for prying, or possibly even making you sad to recall this but… how…?”
“It was a hiking accident. I was only 7 at the time, so even though it seems like the age where I’m supposed to remember a lot, I honestly can’t think of too many things that are memorable from him…” Maki looked at Reina again, seeing a sad and concerned face, “Am I making
you sad?” she laid back, supporting her head with her elbow on the bed, looking at the other girl.
“Sorry, I never knew… Had I known, I would’ve never brought it up.”
“No no,” Maki waved her other hand dismissively, “It’s okay to ask things like that, at least you learned new things from me.” Maki looked at the digital clock and blinked, “Wow, time went fast…”
“You look a bit worried…”
“I forgot to mention this, but I have to go see Ojou-sama in about ten minutes. She’s been seeing individual members, like you know how she was with Risa, and I imagine her time with Yuko and Kaori are up, so it’s my turn.”
“Can you really make it in time?” Reina sat formally.
“Of course. It’s only a five minute run, really,” Maki smiled as she got up from the bed.
“Be careful,” Reina called out as the older was about to close the door. What she got in return was a serene smile, one Reina has seen from Maki for the first time. The wonky-eyed teen couldn’t help but give a smile of the same quality at the now shut door.
As Maki entered the living room, she saw that Miki and Risa probably already went to sleep due to the darkness of the room, illuminated by the moon’s light from the glass sliding door that Miki apparently forgot to also pull the shades on. When she walked across the living room, she felt another presence in the room and looked at the direction of the rather ominous glare.
She watched as the woman approached her at such haste and grabbed the collar of her sweatshirt. Amidst this, Maki was calm.
“Don’t be stupid and anger her,” Miki hissed. “I realize that what she says to you is painful, but I won’t have you do anything that will cause Ojou-sama’s anger to be dumped on Reina.”
Maki removed Miki’s hold, “Now now, is it my imagination, but are you concerned about Reina, perhaps a crush on her?”
“The only thing I’m concerned with, as sub-leader, is the well-being of the members, yes, shocking, I know, but if I can’t do my job well, then what will I get for money? Besides, you should know better than to even say that. Since I say it’s rather
you who has the crush on her, and I’m sure you won’t be a fool and won’t bring Ojou-sama’s wrath upon your poor Reina.”
“Shut up! Why am I even hearing this from you? Who do you think you are?”
“I’m Mikitei.” (Empress Miki*)
There was a brief silence, before Miki crossed her arms and said, “Am I cool or what?” in a chuckle.
“The wota may call you empress, but I call you an ass,” Maki smirked as she left, leaving a hissing Miki.
When Maki finally reached the house, she immediately bolted to (and past a shifty-eyed Megumi, who remarked that youth was very energetic, despite the 4 year difference she and Maki share) the bathroom to make sure she was presentable. Afterwards, she found and stood in front of the room Rika was sure to be staying in. She hesitantly placed her hand on the knob, feeling very anxious of the time to come. She hoped with all her heart that she would not anger Rika… and opened the door.
Rika was sitting on the large window sill. She had her back against the frame and had one leg against her chest, on the sill, and the other leg touching the floor of the room. Maki knew that on the other side of the sill was a small balcony. Who knew Yuko could afford so much.
“Welcome again, it’s been awhile since we’ve spoken one on one, my dear
monster...”
Maki had a grim blank face at the mention of her alias from Rika.
“It hurts, doesn’t it?” She walked towards Maki, “That façade of optimism you show. It hurts you, right? I remember when you were really closed off to everyone, refused invitations for shopping or eating, until you got your solo career and was forced to look optimistic…”
Maki clenched her fists, “How…How dare you make a totally wrong assumption based on my actions at the beginning…”
“Oh, I jumped to a conclusion? I’ve always thought a monster like you was destined to have a pessimistic outlook.”
“Please don’t judge me based on an alias,” Maki stared down at the floor, loosely relaxing her fists, hoping to control herself.
“Why don’t you understand?” Rika brought Maki’s face to be level with her’s again, “Have you already forgotten?” Rika now glared at her, “Why don’t you understand this? Have you seriously forgotten the reason why I gave you that alias? And it is because you’re a
worthless monster at that, which your father died.”
Maki’s eyes widened, “Wha… That’s not…”
“It is.”
“No… It’s not my fault…”
“It is your fault. Your father died because of you,” Rika grabbed Maki’s arm, trying to confirm that statement.
“Stop it! Don’t touch me!” Maki raised her voice and pulled her arm back
“Don’t give
me orders,” Rika still had her hold on Maki’s arm, “I am fully aware that the reason you give everyone is a hiking accident if they ever ask the details of his death, I’m sure they weren’t smart enough to ask
how he died… You’re smart yourself really, giving a generalized answer for everything else to be left for that person’s imagination. But had they known, they too, would call you a monster.”
“Please stop…” Maki said too inaudibly, for Rika kept going.
“I wonder how your brother and Mother put up with you. You should have been the one to die. Everyone would have been much happier if you weren’t even born.”
It’s my fault… I killed him…“Stop it!” Maki moved her head forward, arching her back forward as well, as if she wanted to collapse on her knees, “Please stop…”
“I wonder…” Rika released Maki’s arm and walked in an aimless direction a few feet away from the 7th head, “The reason for your misunderstanding…Is it Reina? Are you in love with her?”
Maki shot a glare. Rika went in front of Maki and slapped her, “What was that look for?! It’s not my fault! It’s your fault for misunderstanding! And her fault too for thinking she’s special even though she’s a complete lonewolf!”
“If you hate her that much, why didn’t you give Kaori the order to suppress her memories?!” Maki yelled back, “That’s screwed up! You could have done so! What are you—”
What are you scheming? Is she using her? For what intent?“—dragging her in this for?!”
“What’s your problem?” Rika no longer yelled, but now rather said in an irritated voice.
Reina… It’s not as if she took away my pain entirely... But she had no duty to… She didn’t have to do that for me… Though… It’s not the most precious thing she gave to me…Maki felt her eyes watering.
She gave me her presence. All the times we’ve spent together… All the times she smiled at me… Doesn’t she ever regret wasting her time with me? Or think it’s stupid? Or realize that I don’t have anything to offer but a smile in return?Maki raised her hand and used her index finger and thumb to cover the outer edges her her eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling.
When did I feel so special whenever I heard my name being called out by you? When did I start telling myself that I had to make you smile somehow? How is it whenever you smile, I find myself grinning along with you?It was too late, a few tear drops fell—and Rika watched her with a frown.
I love you… Reina…How is it… That I love you so much?“You’re crying,” Rika finally said, “Are you crying because you love her?” she said in a rather frightening glare.
Maki’s tears stopped, and from where her hand was positioned, she wiped the tears from her face, disguising her action as dragging her face down in frustration.
“Are you in love with her?” Rika asked again, now she began to yell, “Then you really are a fool! Even though you’re a monster! Even though you killed your father! You think you have the right to love someone after such sins?!”
“I won’t forgive you…” he said, and afterwards, he said no more. He breathed no more.“Think about it, Maki, who is the worst here? Whose fault is it? Who is responsible for placing you in an awkward position?”
“…It’s my fault.” Maki finally said. “I don’t love her. There’s no way I could love her. Someone like me is destined to be loveless…” She said quietly, clearly stricken with sorrow.
“I see… I was jumping into conclusions again…” Rika sighed as she turned to look at the incomplete moon. “If you want, you can leave. All I ask in return is that you do well not dragging others into your twisted misery.”
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Yossie found Rika in the bathroom, washing her hands. “Did Maki already leave?” she asked, leaning against the door frame.
“Yeah, she did. I don’t have to see anyone else until the next orochi meeting.” Then she wiped her hands off a towel,” …I feel sick from touching that
monster so much…” she turned off the faucet and turned to leave, “Oh… That’s right… Maki says she hates Reina…I wonder if that’s true…” and with that, she left.
Yossie still stood, watching Rika walk out of sight after she went up the stairs. Then she sighed and closed the bathroom door, “It’s not true at all. I can tell, even from simply glances and watching her have fun, that she’s very much in love.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Maki got into the house and quietly took her boots off. She rubbed her cheek, which was now stinging, as she walked up the stairs slowly. She opened the door to the bedroom which she and Reina shared, and went straight to the luggage, took off her sweatshirt, revealing an ordinary plain black t-shirt underneath, and switched to her blue-schemed plaid pajama pants. As she got into bed, memories of the earlier conversation flooded in her head, playing back and set on repeat against her will.
But eventually, the play backs stopped as she looked at Reina’s sleeping face which for some odd reason, had a slight smile to which Maki wondered what she was dreaming about to achieve that effect.
With a kind smile, Maki bent over and kissed Reina on the forehead, watching her smile slightly wider, before finally going to sleep.
I love you.<3
Topic: Our Cursed Gift [Chapter 47: Our Final Promise][COMPLETE] (Read 161443 times)