Boxers' Cafe
She Will Be Loved
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Boxers’ Café.
Chapter 8.
Misao
stepped into the café with apprehension, wondering if anyone would question her
stay with Enishi, since she had not called them for two weeks. Misao had
already met up with Soujiro, but didn’t discuss much, claiming that she was in
a rush to see Aoshi. Walking towards Yumi, she offered a smile of
acknowledgment.
“Yumi!”
Yumi nodded and gave a small wave, before she finished taking the order of a
lively couple in the corner. Misao always wondered if Yumi ever got lonely since
her husband died in a combusting building a few years ago. She had learnt from
Okon and Omasu that Yumi was about to bear their child before she heard the
devastating news, but there was a miscarriage shortly afterwards. Misao never
discussed with Yumi directly since it was a topic that was almost never
mentioned. All that Misao was supposed to know that Yumi was working with
Aoshi, because they were cousins. Even though she never had a baby, she was the
mother hen in this den.
“So you’re
back. Okon and Omasu missed you,” Yumi informed in her casual manner, “I see
you’ve managed Enishi since you haven’t sent emergency messages here like you
usually do.”
“He’s okay
to live with, still arrogant though!” Misao pouted, feigning as if she disliked
living with him when it was the total opposite. She had not wanted to come
back, but she did. At the mention of Okon and Omasu, they came running towards
Misao for a big bear hug.
“You look
as healthy as ever! That million dollar man sure has tricks up his sleeves
doesn’t he?” Okon giggled. Misao waved her off.
“I just
don’t have to work at a café…I work at a local flower shop…less stress and
slave work, but that man is an entire job himself.” Yumi gave a
disbelieving glance towards Misao’s direction before heading off to the
kitchen. Both ladies sped off to wait on their tables, and Misao was left by
herself again. She was beginning to feel queasy in seeing Aoshi again, maybe it
was guilt? She didn’t know, but she was sure as hell that she wasn’t going to tell
him that she was out partying with Enishi or the fact that he was sleeping in
her bed…Aoshi might just go ballistic.
“Misao?”
Misao nearly screamed, but kept it in. Calming herself down, she thrust a hand
in front of her chest.
“Geez! Why
can’t you just come around like a normal person? What are you? A ninja?” she
scolded, “You’re going to give me a heart attack one of these days!”
“Sorry,”
Aoshi chuckled, “It’s just fun to do. Come on, I haven’t seen you for a while…”
Aoshi signaled her to follow him to his office, like usual. Trailing him, she
began formulating ideas of how she would go around the subject if he
questioned…she was never good a lying, it always made her stutter. Finding
herself in the chair and Aoshi sitting on the table top with his arms crossed,
she began rethinking if he would see through her or not.
“So tell
me,” Aoshi started, “about Enishi…” Misao bit her bottom lip before replying.
“He had an
ex-girlfriend by the name of Kurenai, but they broke up by means that I don’t
know of. He only works for three to four hours a day at most…usually from 10 am
to 1 or 2 pm. He owns a tiger by the name of Yuki in his backyard with a
full-fledged license. His office has high security, and I can’t seem to break
it…He owns four cars, a black BMW 3 Series, a white Acura NSX, a navy blue
Honda Civic, and another silver BMW M3 Convertible. His job is at the
International Media Network, he didn’t tell me specifically his job, however.”
Aoshi’s face became serious suddenly.
“That’s
all?” Aoshi interrogated. Misao meekly nodded.
“Oh and
Anji—” Misao started, but Aoshi waved his hand.
“I’ve
already received notice that Anji was contacted by Enishi.”
“I see…”
“Enishi has
insisted that he’ll pay for your expenses, since you’re not that expensive to
begin with…”
“He likes
my cooking, I think,” Misao commented dryly. Aoshi knew immediately that there
was more to the general facts that she gave him.
“Are you
hiding information from me, Misao?” Misao’s face reddened at his question,
consequently there was no need to answer him. He soaked the information slowly,
scrutinizing her every action to Enishi’s name.
“The other
information isn’t very relevant to your tournament anyways…” Misao reasoned.
Sitting in front of her silently, Aoshi studied her face’s features, wondering
if his prediction was correct. Smirking, Aoshi hopped of his desk, bending over
her chair with both of his arms beside the armrest, trapping her.
“That’s
fine…you always do your job like I want you to…” heftedfted as he moved his
face closer to her to the point where he felt her breath on his skin, “I miss
you…” Leaning in, he dipped his head to kiss her, but Misao moved her face. He
found himself kissing her cheek instead. Aoshi moved away from her, her eyes
were diverted from his gaze.
“I-I have
to go…” Misao excused before getting up and shutting the door quietly. Somehow
she felt some loyalty to Enishi even if they had not established any real
ground of a relationship…but for the first time, she didn’t let Aoshi kiss her.
She used to let him steal a kiss even after they had broken up—she had still
loved him then. She gripped her shirt, but now…now it was different, she didn’t
love him in that way anymore and it wasn’t fair to her to begin with. Aoshi had
always treated her as if she was a nuisance at times, and sometimes
childish…but Enishi…when he lusted after her, he made her feel like a woman,
not like something that would break easily. She just felt like they were on
equal grounds, because he brought out the best in her. She may have been
grateful for all the things Aoshi had ever provided her, but it didn’t make her
his slave…she realized that now. Walking out on the street, she noticed that
all she wanted to do at the moment was go home and lie next to Enishi…and she
ran.
Inside his office, Aoshi pulled out a rusted album
from beneath his desk and examined its bind, noticing all the bumps and bruises
that the book had attained throughout the years. Aoshi flipped through their
album—pictures of Misao and himself where he gave half smiles next to her
brilliantly shined ones. There weren’t that many since he didn’t enjoy taking
pictures, but the ones that were there reminded him good memories of picnics at
the local park, watching the sunset and counting the constellations. Now that
it was gone, he missed it when he didn’t even know he needed it at all. He
flipped to the next page and there was a picture of Misao and himself lying
haphazardly across the couch in front of the TV. The gang had caught them in
each other’s arms because they had stayed late up at night playing scrabble. He
grinned, there was a speckle of drool coming out of Misao’s mouth that gave
more hilarity to the picture or the picture of them holding hands at the beach.
He never knew how much a woman could possibly make him feel so—complete.
At that moment in time, he wouldn’t have cared much
if the business went under, because he would’ve still had Misao to build it
back up with. Aoshi stared at her smiling face, wishing had he only smiled back
at her those days, regretting how he rarely showed emotion around her—afraid
that his pride would get hurt. In the end, that was the choice, his pride or
Misao.
Shutting the album shut, he recalled how he met her and
how they came to be. Soujiro went to the same college as she did and they were
dating. Soujiro had been quite subtle in his movements with Misao since he
lacked experience with girls. People would probably categorize him as being a
shy boy, but Misao met him more than halfway. She had initiated everything else
after Soujiro had left a love letter in her locker. Aoshi remembered the
conversation that Soujiro had gotten from Megumi and Yumi on love and such. He
had to listen to that blabber as well since he was dating Megumi at the time
and that was how he knew of Misao. He met her once in a while when she came by
the café—he didn’t have much of an interest in her until he found her crying in
the bathroom stalls after closing time.
Beauty
She had some trouble with herself
He was always there to help her
She always belonged to someone else
He heard it as if it were the sound
of water pattering on a window and to satiate his curiosity, he had peeked on
her without her noticing and he never forgot how she looked that day, curled in
a ball in the corner of the bathroom with puffy eyes and tears falling
unashamedly down her cheeks with sniffles coming out every now and then. He had
that sudden urge to comfort her that day, but decided not to since it was not
his place to do—it was Soujiro’s. Aoshi left the bathroom, feeling an awkward
feeling awakening within him and her weeping face haunted him throughout the
month.
I drove for miles and miles
And wound up at your door
I've had you so many times but somehow
I want more
Megumi had proceeded with severing
of their relationship to date Sanosuke, but to her surprise, he didn’t mind.
His thoughts was too preoccupied by images of Misao crying. For some odd reason
it disturbed Aoshi, because he understood how it felt to be all alone with no
one to run to. He understood how lonely it must’ve felt to cry all by herself
at night in the bathroom of a café that she worked at, so maybe that was why he
came those nights. To comfort himself that she was not alone when she cried,
that someone did hear her, that someone did care—that he understood.
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
She had begun working at the café alongside with Soujiro as a
part-time job, always so happy on the outside but during closing time when she
thought nobody was around, she cried in the bathroom where he sat by the other
wall, listening. Aoshi didn’t bring the matter up to Soujiro since it was
Misao’s decision to inform her boyfriend that she was having troubles. Aoshi
knew that Soujiro had not encountered problems within their relationship since
he showed no signs of ill temper, but even then, his usual face gave no signs
of anything at all.
Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I know I tend to get so insecure
It doesn't matter anymore
One night while walking silently
past the bathroom stall, he found the door locked and nobody within the
building, he had planned to spend the evening listening to her cry, but found
her nowhere in sight. The store was locked and everything was tidy as it
should’ve been and he should’ve been happy that she was no longer crying in the
stalls where he had taken as an obligation to be. For some odd reason, he felt
a bit disappointment that she wasn’t there that night. Had he been there to
comfort her, or had he been there to have her presence comfort his? He left the
café in search of her in the stormy night with a tint of worry in his
conscious.
It's not always rainbows and butterflies
It's compromise that moves us along
My heart is full and my door's always open
You come anytime you want
I don’t mind
spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved…
And she will be loved…
And she will be loved…
Upon walking around the
neighborhood with an umbrella and his trench coat, he was about to discontinue
his search, but there she was. The rain droplets drizzled onto the old,
paint-rusted mustang where Misao laid within the middle of a deserted parking
lot behind a department store. Even though the window’s rain blurred her image
inside, he knew it was her. He found that the mustang’s door was open and
slowly unfastened it—she had not noticed. She laid in the backseat shivering
without a blanket on the old tired leather torn by years of usage and that was
when he noticed that she was bleeding. Pushing the front seat up, he gathered
her into his arms and carried her to his apartment that was close by. Soujiro
was out of town, so it was out of the question to have him care of his
girlfriend. She was a sickly pale and her left eye was swollen.
I know where you hide
Alone in your car
Know all of the things that make you who you are
I know that goodbye means nothing at all
Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls
He couldn’t help but kiss her
forehead with a silent promise that she would be loved. He had stitched up her
gash, dabbing it with antiseptic and wrapping it in cloth bandages. Staying up
all night, he watched over her, holding the icepack above her eye to not
irritate it. He sat up all night listening to her talk in her sleep, reliving
her nightmares, visiting the memories of the past—with all of that he sat there
silently listening to all she had to say.
Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel
beautiful
I don’t mind spending
everyday
Out on your corner in the
pouring rain
Look for the girl with
the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to
stay awhile
Aoshi
had watched as she groggily opened her eyes, fear in her eyes that she was
somewhere beside her car. He remembered…she hadn’t recognized who he was with a
swollen eye and the other one was still hazy, but it didn’t matter much. He
wanted her and she wanted to be loved. He had kissed her hungrily and she
kissed him back mistaking him for Soujiro. He didn’t mind, if it comforted her
that he was Soujiro that night, then he would be Soujiro. She complied with his
every touch with a small moan, sending shivers down his back.
And she will be loved…
He had slipped down to give her
sweeping kisses across her neck, stopping at her earlobe where he sucked it
while her hands roamed his bare chest. His hands had slipped beneath her shirt,
nimble hands massaging her breasts. Carefully halting his kisses, he slowly
pulled off her shirt, revealing her petite form to him. Without much hesitance,
he kissed her everywhere reveling in her small gasps, lightly stroking her
back, avoiding the gash on the side of her stomach. He had taken off his
clothes by then, letting soft skin graze his as he held her fragile form,
enjoying the feel of having her so close. She had given him timid kisses on his
lips before indulging in his ministrations. He had said it so many times that
night. ‘I love you’ he would claim every time he kissed her, every time she
moaned, every time he touched her. He would mend her aching heart tonight as
the fire blazing within their hearts consumed them both.
And she will be loved…
She threw her head back as
he sucked on the pert nipple, his hands dangling nearer to her nether regions,
her hands grappling his back for support in fear that she might’ve awoken from
a dream. Misao drew in breath as Aoshi dipped his finger into her, rubbing his
thumb on her clitoris, sending a jolt of electricity throughout her body. She
bit his shoulder as she felt something twisting in joyous delight until it burst
into an array of fleeting ecstasy in her womb. Feeling that she was moistened
enough, Aoshi cautiously laid her back onto the bed with himself being on top,
he entered her, feeling a sense of completion. Putting his weight onto his
elbows, he thrust into her gently afraid that her gash would reopen if he went
in any stronger. Heavy breaths blew from her bruised lips as he gently pushed
into her, restraining himself from just driving himself into her because of her
injuries. With her small hands, she blindly reached out for his face, kissing
his stubbed jaw line, running her hands through his thick hair. He felt her
about to climax, her muscles had begun spasming as her gasps got louder until
she finally tightened around him. He groaned as he thrust in a few more times
before orgasming himself.
Reaching up to hold his neck, Misao whispered,
“Thank you…Aoshi…” She had known after all and they had slept in blissful
comfort that night. From following her previous times, he had discovered her
bruises came from her only relative—her brother. He was a drug addict and owed
a lot of money. He beat her because she didn’t want to give her savings away.
After that night, Aoshi had confronted Miwa and threatened him to never come
near Misao again, giving a good punch to the face. He had offered Misao a place
to stay if she worked at the café. The following days were chaos for Aoshi and
Misao, since Soujiro came back. Whenever they found themselves alone in the
hallway, they couldn’t help but give each other passionate kisses or when they
were in public, there were longing eyes that gave furtive glances. Misao
couldn’t take the guiltiness, before she confessed to Soujiro. To her
amazement, Soujiro had known, he was just waiting for her to confront him. They
were never happier when they came out into the public.
And she will be loved…
Aoshi
remembered. He remembered everything. Their walks at the beach, the kisses, the
morning wake-ups, and he found himself in his room where her scent no longer
lingered. Lying on his bed, facing the ceiling, he regretted it. He regretted
picking his honor over Misao. It seems like he couldn’t remember what he chose
over Misao to lose her. It tormented him every night when he would reach over
to the left side of the bed and she wasn’t there. A folded piece of paper fell
out of the old album and onto the ground next to his feet. Bending down to pick
it up, he unwrapped it and it was Misao’s writing.
“I love
you, Aoshi,” the note said with a drawn on heart beside his name.
“Where did
we go…?” he asked thety rty room.
It’s so hard to say goodbye...
A/N
Thanks for all the reviews
and the support. I really appreciate it. I thought that I’d leave behind Aoshi
and Misao’s history together as a goodbye gift until I come back. The song I
used for this chapter is called “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5. It’s a really
nice song and everyone should at least hear it once!
ndifndif]>
You can watch the music
video of “She will be loved” by Maroon
5 on www.launch.com you just need
your yahoo sign-in name & password. Since you’re there, you can go search
for the artist The Cure and check out all of their songs (Cut Here, Pictures of
You, Boys Don’t Cry, Just Like Heaven, Letter tise ise etc). They’re a band
that has survived since the 80s and I believe that they’re still in style now,
since their latest and old songs are still being heavily played on the radio
being in with top tens. I don’t know,
it’s just a recommendation. I like the new wave 80’s music, and I was just a
baby during that time…but hey, old songs still rock even if you never heard it
come out for the first time.
“My December” by Linkin
Park is one of my all time favorites, which you can find on your window’s media
player. You can go to www.download.com
and search for windows media player to download the latest version (I think
it’s version 9 at the moment). As for people who have windows media player
version 9 already, you just need to go to Media Guide and type in “My dsmbr” by
linkin park and l fil find you the mp3 for it. I really recommend people to
listen to this song, because it’s sounds so BEAUTIFUL! Somehow it reminds me of
Enishi, I guess it’s the sthinthing?
For everyone who watches
Rurouni Kenshin, I recommend that you also try watching Naruto, because it’s
the best anime I’ve ever seen so far. There isn’t teenage drama or anything, it
just has to do with more universal ideas. It’s mainly about a boy named Naruto
who is training to be a ninja and you follow him throughout his training
sessions etc. ^_^ He’s one funny boy that I wouldn’t mind having as a kid
brother, but I have to say Kakashi Hakate is the most liked character. If
you’re interested, you can download all of Naruto episodes from 1 to 104 right
now and manga (I love reading the manga because it has all the uncaptured
scenes from the series, but the series still follows it pretty well) if you’d
like from www.narutofan.com. In
order to download these episodes, you have to download what is called
“bitorrent” and it’s not that bad, because the quality of the video is very
good, like a dvd you could say. You also need to sign up with them, making a
user name and a password, all those stuff, but it’s soooooo worth it.
&s]>
For some odd reason, I
didn’t write anything about Enishi in here, but hey he’ll be in the next
chapter and this time it’ll give you a little more info on Aoshi and Enishi…and
the true death of his sister! *gasps* Eh, I haven’t written it yet, but I hope
to get it updated in November after my college applications are done and over
with then I can relax and brainstorm. No fear! I’ll be back sometime in
November with a nice long chapter!