Haou Airen

Chapter Seventeen: Present

"Amu, what's going on? Why did you lie to me?" Kairi's eyes held all the hurt and betrayal of a puppy abandoned by its master. With the awkwardness of the dinner over, Kairi and I volunteered to clean up. As he washed dishes, I dried each utensil and placed them in their corresponding cupboards. I tried to avoid his piercing gaze as much as possible, but I could still feel him looking at me as he waited for my explanation.

"Things are a lot more complicated than you can imagine."

"Try me."

I wasn't sure what possessed me to tell Kairi everything. Perhaps it was because I trusted him enough to know, or maybe I hoped he could help me escape the melting pot of chaos. He continued washing dishes, but he interjected whenever he felt the need to express his opinion. He frowned often, and his shoulders tensed when I mentioned the near-death experience with Suzuki from the White Tiger Organization. When I finished, I could tell that Kairi didn't like any of it.

"Do you love him?" The crack of Kairi's voice gave away his disappointment. His longing gaze made me less inclined to answer.

"I don't know. I mean I did, but I don't know if I do anymore. He broke my heart, and I still haven't forgiven him for that." I was trying to convince myself. Convince myself that Ikuto was no good for me and that being with him would end in misery.

"He also has a fiancé, Amu. Even if the marriage is arranged, Rima is his fiancé nonetheless." Kairi's voice urged me to move on, his disappointment in Ikuto apparent.

"I know she is. She's a very nice girl, and I shouldn't ruin their relationship." My brain knew the benefits of moving on, but my heart needed some more convincing. Maybe it was time for a clean slate. Maybe it was time to go back to the dating scene and meet new people.

A knock by the entrance took us by surprise. I turned and saw Ikuto leaning on the kitchen entrance, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed. "Amu, can I see you for a second?"

I looked back and forth between Ikuto and Kairi, feeling the sparks fly and the tension fill the room. I couldn't stay any longer. "Alright. Good night, Kairi."

"See you, Amu." I gave him a brief head nod before following Ikuto out of the kitchen and into the backyard. When he settled into the swing on the rickety swing set, I remained standing in fear that my added body weight would destroy it. "Did you eavesdrop on the entire conversation?"

"Only part of it." His dry smile lacked his usual enthusiasm. He must've heard my true feelings.

"What did you want to talk about?" Even with my arms crossed, the biting chill of the night air raised the goose bumps on my skin. Ikuto started swinging back and forth, and the swing set screeched when rusty metals rubbed together.

He paused before answering with his expression pensive and his grip tight. "I'm going to officially end things with Rima. There's no point in keeping up appearances because my father isn't watching, and I don't love her." He stopped swinging, and at that moment he looked me straight in the eye. "I love you."

I flinched at the word. "You should tell Rima soon instead of leading her on." I didn't bother to lessen the sharpness of my voice. "If that's all you wanted to tell me, I'm going to bed."

He grabbed my wrist before I could leave and pulled me towards his hard chest. I could hear the rapid pounding of his heart. "Why do you still refuse to believe me?" With his arms wrapped around my waist, I couldn't break free. The overpowering smell of his cologne and the warmth of his body filled my head with both sweet and bitter memories. Perhaps it was the glass of wine I had for dinner, but I felt very dizzy.

When I snapped back to my senses, I tried pushing him away. "Let me go! Didn't you hear me? I said let me—"

His lips smashed onto mine with all the hunger and urgency suppressed from the year of separation. His tongue pierced the opening of my mouth, demanding entrance into the warm abyss. With his hands grabbing firmly on my bottom and the shivers running up and down my spine, I obediently opened my mouth. Our tongues wrestled furiously, the taste of him engulfing me in sweet bliss. Passion pumped through me, and I felt myself opening like a Sakura blossom in spring. His hot breath smelled like pure lust. Everywhere he touched burned, and the heat coming from his hips made wearing clothes uncomfortable. I was ready to do anything and everything to quench my thirst.

He pulled away very slowly, as my lips continued to seek him out. The desire in his eyes revealed how much he wanted me. "Let's go to your room."

I held his hand and led him through the house, all the while teasing him with the sensuous sway of my hips. Silence rang loudly in the house, except for the occasional heavy breathing coming from every room. It was only midnight, but the house was fast asleep.

When we got to my room, I latched my hands onto his shirt, urging him to take everything off. My eyes drank in his sculpted biceps and chest, as my hands raked across his warm flesh. With his hips propped up against mine, I could feel his erection throbbing through his jeans. I unzipped his pants, and when they slid to the ground, I admired the length of his member poking free from his boxers. My hand wrapped around his shaft, teasing it with promise of indulgence.

"Don't tease me like that." He complained, his voice cracking from the raw pleasure of touch. When the boxers came off, I grabbed his hand and led him towards the bed. He tore off my clothes but paused a few seconds to appreciate my nudity. Lying down with my legs wide open, I submitted fully to his will. "You're so beautiful, Amu." His hands alternated between cupping my breasts and stroking my inner thighs, as his eyes drank in my femininity. I couldn't help but let a few quiet moans escape.

His head settled in between my thighs and dropped to the cleft of my legs. He laved a long hard stroke of his tongue through my wet folds, and I felt it all the way down to my toes. My hands fisted against the duvet. Weakened by the pleasure, I dropped all my weight back against the bed as he continued to lick my pussy. "You're so wet." He cooed. He used an alternating rhythm of long hard strokes against my labia and intense bursts of flicks and sucks concentrated on my clit. He was playing my body like a violin, eliciting the same notes from me over and over again. Adding his thumb to his efforts, he stroked repeatedly over my clit while his tongue circled and dipped into my opening, and every nerve ending concentrated itself at the center of my body.

Pure white-hot energy flowed through me, rose in me, threatening to break me apart. He responded by rubbing harder, licking faster, and drinking in my juice. A glorious explosion of sensation began at my pussy and ricocheted through every cell in my body. Muscles flexed and contracted throughout me in a wave, as my orgasm extended endlessly.

"I want you inside me." I begged. The raw lust controlled everything: my thoughts, my actions, my feelings.

He maneuvered his eight-inch cock at the slit of my pussy, gently rubbing against the wet lips. "Are you sure?" He asked, his eyes filled briefly with concern.

"Yes, I'm sure." With his cock positioned right at my opening, he grabbed my hips and slowly entered. The heat filled my insides, as I tightened around him. He gave out a soft groan before quickening his thrusts. In and out and in and out. I was filled to the brim with his lust, heavily breathing and whispering his name. I wrapped my legs around his hips to give him easier access to my womb.

"Shit, Amu, you're so tight." Ikuto's eyes were hooded with desire and affection. I bit my lip, trying to stay as quiet as possible before I started screaming. I looked at where we were connected and blushed tenfold. The sight was so erotic. "Fuck." He murmured as he watched his wet cock slide in and out of me. Seeing my blush, he lowered himself onto his elbows and claimed my mouth. Sounds of lovemaking filled the room: the smack of our bodies, the sticky wetness, the rocking of the bed, the panting breaths, the impassioned moans. I closed my eyes to listen, and my arousal heightened in response.

He shifted his position on top of me and found my sweet spot. "Right there. Don't stop!" I begged. My whimpers urged him on faster and harder. My legs tightened their grip around him, adding depth to his thrusts. My juices leaked out endlessly, and I could feel the walls of my pussy strangling his cock.

"Come for me again. Can you do that?" He panted.

"Close." I rasped.

I reached down to swipe at my clit. Feeling my slick wetness put me on the brink of insanity. Faster and faster I rubbed until I felt myself on the edge of explosion. Ikuto watched my fingers with fervent intensity, drinking in the erotic sight of touching myself. His impassioned groan hinted at his release. "Come." He growled. "Come all over my cock."

My hands reached for his back, and my nails dug deep into his skin. "I'm coming! Oh God!" A hot white flash erupted, and all my sensations were concentrated right in between my legs. As my back arched in burning release, my inner walls milked at him relentlessly.

"Fuck!" His thrusts were more ravenous, and I felt him grow inside me. "I'm gonna come!" My hips moved in time with his, and my moans urged him on. He pulled out his cock and released everything onto my stomach. When every last drop escaped, he collapsed next to me. I reached over for the tissues and wiped off his cum, as his eyes watched my every move intently.

His lips hovered over my ear, and I listened to the steady sound of his breathing. "I love you. I really do." The desperate sincerity of his voice surprised me.

I didn't respond, but I didn't push him away either. In the back of my mind, I was starting to believe him.

"Is there a mall nearby? I left all my clothes back in Tokyo." Rima complained, as she filed her nails. I looked at all of her designer clothes, and other than a few wrinkles, they looked incredibly expensive. She was going to have a hard time traveling with her five-inch Jimmy Choos.

"The closest mall is an hour away. Are you ok with that?"

She deliberated her choices for a second before deciding that new clothes were the better option. "Yeah let's go. Nagihiko, are you coming?" He was surprised to hear his first name because they were never close to begin with. Giving in to her wishes, he nodded at her request and headed out the door. "I know you walk to work all the time, but why don't you use your car, Amu?"

"Gas is expensive. Besides, it only takes about ten minutes to walk to the cram school, so there's no point in driving."

Her eyes looked at me with disapproval, but she decided not to probe. We all headed towards the car. My grandmother and Ami decided to stay behind to do chores. With the new arrivals in the house, some furniture had to be rearranged to accommodate everyone.

Ikuto sat shotgun, as I drove down the dirt road to the highway. He reached for the radio and put on some classic rock. Rima complained about my open window, the loud music, and the blistering heat, but we all decided to ignore her.

The mall was much smaller than Rima anticipated, and she continued to pester me about finding a more substantial mall because she needed a wider variety of stores. When we entered, the smell of fried foods engulfed me, and the sounds of humming voices and tapping feet filled my ears. Windowed ceilings let in streams of sunlight, which sparkled on the white marble floor. Typically, Rima went straight to Chanel to buy a new purse, Jimmy Choo for five pairs of shoes, Tiffany & Co. for jewelry, and Armani for clothes. I drooled on all the merchandise but flinched when I looked at the price tags.

I wandered off over to Forever 21, knowing that I could at least afford a few cute outfits. While Nagihiko stayed with Rima, Ikuto tagged along with me very patiently. It surprised me how tolerant he was when it came to shopping. No matter how long I took looking for good deals, he stayed obediently by my side. He even offered to carry my things, which was sweet of him.

I noticed for the first time how attention gravitated towards him. Whether it was because of his unusually colored hair or his impeccably good looks, every woman stopped and stared. Noticing me by his side, they shot jealous glares my way. I paid no heed, but in my mind I felt a sense of superiority.

With Ikuto acting as my shopping cart, we headed over to the fitting rooms. I modeled every outfit because Ikuto insisted on it. He especially enjoyed the skimpy dresses and skirts and the deep v-neck tops. Rummaging through the piles of clothes, I found a few bikinis that I didn't pick out. I threw away all of my inhibitions and decided to appease him with the bathing suits.

"How do I look?" I twirled around in a revealing, bright pink two-piece and shook my butt for emphasis. Ironically, Ikuto's face turned bright pink, and he needed time to collect himself.

"You look great." He smiled and tried his best to focus on my face and not my other assets.

At the cashier, he offered to pay for my clothes, but I brushed him off. I earned enough to pay for myself, and I didn't want to owe him anything. We later met back up with Rima, as Nagihiko trailed behind her holding dozens of bags from expensive stores. The bags filled my car to the brim because there wasn't enough room in the trunk, and the ride home was peaceful as Rima dozed off from exhaustion. Her head rested on Nagihiko's shoulder, and she had the most peaceful expression on her face. Nagihiko lied his head against hers, his eyes closed and his lips slightly parted.

Ikuto placed something on my lap, but I didn't see what it was until I reached a red light. A little blue box with a white bow stared back at me, and the black letters inscribed read "Tiffany & Co." The only times I ever saw the box were in magazines and movies. Behind the white ribbon lied promises of fashion, riches, or even marriage or love. It was Pandora's box, and I had no intention of opening it.

I threw the box haphazardly into Ikuto's lap. The action was careless, implying that I didn't care for such things when in reality I did. "Return it." I demanded.

In my peripheral vision, I saw him frown. "You don't like it?"

"No." I lied.

"Am I not allowed to spoil you?"

"You have no obligation to spoil me. We're not together."

There was a short pause as he deliberated how he wanted to respond to my comment. "Maybe I want to spoil you."

"But you have no reason to."

"Don't throw it away. At least have the decency to look inside first." I didn't know how to respond, especially because he had a point. Throwing it back at him was a rude move.

We reached my house, and Rima exited the car, leaving Nagihiko to remove and carry all the bags. Once I parked in the driveway, Ikuto handed the box back to me. I pulled the corner of the bow, and all the promises the box held unraveled. After removing the lid, I gasped in awe. Lying on the black velvet was a silver bracelet with two sparkling charms: a key and a padlock. I was expecting glitz and glam, but I was surprised to find simplicity and style.

I didn't know I was smiling until I noticed the pain in my face. I had to admit, although it wasn't the right thing, being spoiled certainly felt good. "It's beautiful."

"It would look more beautiful on you."

"Ikuto, I can't." I closed the Tiffany box and handed it back to him.

"Is that your answer?" The anger in his voice hinted at something more significant than the bracelet.

"Please, just give me time. I'm really confused. I don't know if I am, but I might be in lo—"

There was a knock on the passenger window, as Rima looked desperately into the car. Ikuto rolled down the window, and I worried about the fear apparent in her eyes. "You guys should come inside." Her hands visibly shook on the door.

We followed her towards the house, and for the first time I noticed the black limo parked by the curb. The license plate was from Tokyo.

Rima's voice cracked from apprehension as she warned us about what to expect. "Ikuto, your father's here."

Author's Notes: Reviews are greatly appreciated!

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