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Coffee Shops and Cameras

Chapter 35

Kaoru and I must have been sat beside the pool for quite some time before we heard someone step from the house.

I had wanted to ask him more questions but I wasn't really sure how to put them into words; so instead we simply sat there in silence, enjoying each other's company as we waited for Hikaru to return home.

It was one of the housekeepers who brought us out of our quiet lull, as she caught our attention and stated that Kaoru had a guest. It didn't seem unusual at first, Kaoru was a popular man, he had lots of friends, and there were always new people coming in and out of the house for whatever reason. But as she moved aside to introduce the guest, Kaoru tensed beside me and suddenly the calm atmosphere we'd created dissolved into one of pure dread; thickened with tension.

The woman looked familiar, but I'd never seen her in the house before, or even at any of the business ventures I had taken part in over the last couple of months. But the way she looked me up and down made me feel like the same couldn't be said for her. She looked at me as if I were a personal enemy of hers, like she had some history with me I wasn't aware of. It took a moment, but suddenly it hit me where I recognized her from. All those photos online. Seika. This was Seika.

And she was just as sickly as I imagined her to be.

I couldn't describe what came over me, but the moment I was able to put the name to the woman I lunged at her, fists balled, raised, and aimed at that pretty plastic face of hers. But before I could land a single swing Kaoru had me in his grasp, pulling my arms to my side and dragging me away.

"No Haru. Don't lower yourself" Kaoru hissed.

"She fucking deserves it" I seethed.

"Wow, you truly are a wild animal" Seika chuckled, as if enjoying this whole scene, "I knew you were lower class but I thought you'd maybe have some decorum"

"Fuck you" I spat.

She tsked, eyeing me up and down, "Hikaru really lowered his standards, didn't he?"

"Why are you here?" Kaoru growled, releasing me from his grasp and moving to stand in front of me.

"You don't think I'm stupid do you?" she smirked, "Hikaru suddenly calls to meet with me? After ignoring all my messages and calls? Please. I knew it was a set up, although I'd assumed you and Hikaru would have done the old switcheroo on me. I'd expected to find him here instead of you"

"Sorry to disappoint" Kaoru grumbled, "I'm afraid you've stood the real Hikaru up in that restaurant"

She shrugged, "I'm sure he'll be joining us shortly"

"You're trespassing" I grit my teeth, "You need to leave"

"I was let inside. I'm merely here to visit. And trust me. None of you want to get on the wrong side of me right now"

My eyes were burning with anger, as if I could conjure lazer beams or something. I couldn't remember ever being this enraged by another person before, not even at school when those girls made fun of Dad and the way he dressed. This woman in front of me just seemed to ooze pure evil.

"Why are you doing this?" I blurted, "What's the point? Haven't you done enough to him?"

"You ask a lot of questions little mouse"

"Are you seriously still this bitter? It's been almost 10 fucking years!"

"He humiliated me!" she suddenly snapped, and I knew I'd hit a soft spot.

"You're what? 28 years old? You're a fucking adult, yet you're playing with Hikaru like a doll or something. Why can't you just get over it and move on?"

"So naive" she laughed in disbelief, "He left me with nothing. When we were together he provided me with everything I needed. Then he took it away. I left my job to be with him. I had nowhere to live, no way of paying my debts or bills!"

"Hikaru isn't a bank!" I shouted, "It was never his job to take care of you and provide for you! He was an 18 year old kid who'd never had a partner before and you took advantage of him and abused him!"

"And what about you huh? Lower class? Poor? I bet you just love having him on your arm, having him buy you all the things you could never even dream of affording"

"I'm not like you. All I need from him is his trust and love, I couldn't give a damn about his money or status. He's an amazing man who has far more to give than material bullshit"

Seika stared daggers at me, anger spewing out of every pore. We all stood in silence, letting our words hang in the air.

Until a smile spread across her face, and she turned towards the open doors of the house. Kaoru and I followed her gaze, seeing Hikaru stood there watching us.

A chuckled parted her snide lips, "There you are. I was hoping you would show up"

If I thought I was mad, it was nothing compared to the look on Hikaru's face as he thundered towards Seika.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" he growled.

Seika didn't seem phased at all, "Lovely to see you too. Sorry I didn't make it to our date"

"Get. Out" Hikaru snarled, his fists balled at his sides, "Don't make me tell you again"

"We had a deal" Seika frowned, "I'm the one who should be disappointed right now"

"Oh trust me, I'm far more than disappointed" Hikaru turned to Kaoru and I, his expression changing to one of concern the moment his eyes met ours, "Are you okay?"

We both nodded, then he came closer and wrapped his arms around me, softening the edges of my angered state.

That was until I heard Seika laughing to herself.

"Ugh" she shuddered, "You seriously lowered the bar after me. It's like watching a pedigree play with a flea ridden mutt"

Hikaru audibly growled, almost throwing himself out of my arms, but I held my grip until he calmed.

"So I think you realise our deal is officially off the table" Seika continued, "It wasn't exactly hard. All you had to do was go on as you have done the last few years, you didn't have to change a thing. And yet you couldn't even manage that"

"I didn't want to live like that anymore" Hikaru snarled, "I was finally happy. You had no right to take that away"

"No right?" she scoffed, "And what about me? I was happy. And you did the same thing. You took that away from me"

"No" Hikaru shook his head adamantly, "You asked for too much, you made me miserable. I was there for you whenever you needed me, and for whatever you needed. Money, clothes, gifts, I gave you everything. All I asked for in return was some goddamn respect and affection. You were never there when I needed you. All you did was take, and in the end I had nothing left worth giving. So fine. Hate me. I don't give a shit about what you think. But this has nothing to do with Haruhi, so you leave her out of this. If you want to keep punishing me then go ahead, sell more stories, spread more rumours, I don't care. Just don't involve her"

"You seriously don't get it do you?" Seika laughed, one that bordered on manic, "You took everything away from me. So now I'm going to take everything from you. It doesn't matter to me if you went with the agreement or not, because either way I win. You lose your little charity case and spend your days alone and slated just as you've always been, or you keep your pet and both your lives descend into a whirlwind of never ending scandals – until everything if torn away from you; your careers, your friends, your families. Either way; I win"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I gaped in disbelief. How the hell could someone be so bitter and twisted? To hold a grudge for this long and feel no remorse for her cruelty?

"You'll see" Seika grumbled, "One day he'll drop you too. And this lavish life he gave you, with all its perks and glamour, will suddenly just disappear, and you'll be left with nothing. Just like me"

"How do you not see how twisted your reasoning is?" I snapped, "I get it. You loved living the high life, with unlimited money and brand new luxuries. But you didn't lose that because of Hikaru. You lost that because you cared more about the money, than just him. Why should he share his successes with someone who couldn't even show up to help him grieve when his grandmother died? Or to even pick up the phone when he needed someone to listen? You didn't deserve anything he gave you, but he handed it to you anyway because he cared"

Seika simply scowled.

"If Hikaru was dirt poor, or lived in the run down studio next to my apartment, or just showed up to buy a coffee one day at my shop, I wouldn't have given a shit. He could have all the money in the world, or nothing but the clothes on his back, and it wouldn't change the person he is. Strip the wealth and fame away and he's still an amazing man with so much love to give, and he deserves to be loved back just the same. When he met you, you were a stagehand. You weren't famous, you weren't wealthy, but he still saw something in you that transcended all of that. But you. You only saw the things he could do for you, what he could buy you, or what he could do for your status. Did you really expect him to do everything for you and get no love back in return? He's not the bad guy here, you are"

Hikaru's arm squeezed tighter around my waist, and I looked up to meet his eyes, only to see a look of complete awe on his handsome face, as if I'd said something deeper than I'd intended. And he'd heard it.

I took his hand in mine, and shared a long silent pause just staring into his adoring gaze. Then turned back to Seika, who watched us with a look of utter disgust on her heavily made up face.

"I don't care what you do" I said sternly, "Sell your stories, lie to the media, do what you want because I don't give a shit. No one important to me will believe you, and everyone else can read and indulge in the drama to their heart's content. As long as I never have to see your face again you can say what you want"

"No Haru" Hikaru shook his head.

"I mean it" I repeated, "Words are just letters printed on paper. I've never cared about what people think of me, and I'm not starting that habit now"

"I'll ruin you" Seika pressed, "The things I could say will destroy every ounce of reputation you have left"

I shrugged, "Fine. Go wild"

"Don't. Please" Hikaru shook beside me, panic seeming to course through him, "You want money? I'll pay you. I'll get a credit card in your name if I have to, no spending limit. I'll give you back everything I took, just please. Please don't do this to her"

"That's not happening" I replied firmly, "This is my choice. And I am not letting you give this woman another penny"

"I don't need your money anyway" Seika chuckled, "I'm getting married in a few months, and my fiance has more money than you could dream of. This is no longer about money. This is about hurting you as much as you hurt me"

"Money you say?" a loud masterful voice broke out across the yard, causing each of us to freeze in place. Hikaru, Kaoru, Seika and I turned to face the house, our eyes settling on the source of the new statement. Walking down the path towards us was an older gentleman, dressed in a 3 piece tan suit, and holding a dark flamboyant cane in his left hand. Beside him followed Kyoya, walking with as much confidence as a King approaching his subjects. I felt an air of confusion envelope us, but not Seika. Seika looked panicked. That permanent smile she sported finally slipping into an open mouth shock, as if struggling to take in a calming breath.

"M...M...Mr Monale" Seika stuttered, immediately dropping her head into a bow.

"Miss Ayanokoji please spare me the formalities" the man replied, "I knew there was something uncouth about you. From the moment my grandson brought you into my home, into my family. Such bitter words from such a troublesome woman"

Seika clasped her hands together, "Mr Mon-"

"Silence" Mr Monale raised his palm.

The twins and I shared identical looks of complete confusion, then directed our gaze at Kyoya, whose expression hadn't changed at all. I wasn't sure if the others knew who this man stood in their yard was, but I knew with certainty that I didn't have a clue who he was. Only that he was clearly incredibly wealthy and obviously a very important person.

Mr Monale adjusted the tan hat atop his head before sighing reservedly, "I've heard all I needed to hear. I had hoped my grandson would have had far higher standards when seeking a wife. Not just another money hungry pretty face"

"It's not like that Mr Monale" Seika shook her head urgently.

"Do you think me a fool Miss Ayanokoji?"

"No sir"

"Then you understand that I cannot give you the blessing to marry my grandson. In fact, I'm sure he himself will tell you the same once I present him with all I have heard"

"They...they baited me...they twisted everything!" Seika continued, her argument falling apart more and more with every word that passed her lips.

But Mr Monale was done talking.

Seika shook with panic, her eyes darting between her fiance's grandfather, and the three of us who stood over looking. She panted with gasps, then let out a loud and defeated shriek, before stumbling into a wobbly run back towards the house, where a housekeeper waited to lead her off the property.

Mr Monale didn't even glance her way as she fled.

"Mr Ootori. I had doubts over your theories but clearly not enough to distrust you. I am now very glad I didn't reject your offer to present proof" he stated cooly and shook Kyoya's hand graciously.

"It is my duty to make sure my father's business partners are well taken care of. Even if that also stretches into their personal life. I apologise if you ever felt I was crossing a line"

"Think nothing of it" Mr Monale smiled, then turned to us. Finally meeting our shellshocked faces, each of us just waiting to see if this was truly over.

"I'd hoped my grandson would marry a woman who saw more value in him rather than his assets. You are truly a very lucky man Mr Hitachiin...which ever Hitachiin you are..."

Hikaru's vacant expression slowly turned into an amused smile, and his limp arm around my waist tightened, bringing me out of my own anxious state.

"Thank you Mr Monale" he breathed, "And yes. I am" his eyes met mine and I felt a wave of pure love and adoration reflect back at me. As well as relief. Was this even real? Was it really over? Was she gone? Hikaru grinned, "So very very lucky"

So I still feel bad making you guys wait so long, sooooo here's another chapter. It also saddens me to say that this story is ending in a couple of chapters and I can hardly believe it! I've adored this story, it's basically my baby. But fret not, I have more story ideas to bring to you, as well as the continuation of Let The Wind Blow.

In the mean time, I love you all. Stay safe, make good choices,

- Yuli xx