~*Miyuki*~
I stood there and watched Kuori walk away. My face continued to stay hot as I walked into the house where I saw my mom and dad in the living room. “Hey guys.” I smiled.
“Hello Mi, how was your day?” Mom asked.
“Not bad, rehearsal was nice.” I said.
“Oh really?” Mom asked as a grin crept up on her face.
“Mom, no, that’s not what I meant. I meant that I didn’t do too bad with my lines.” I said.
“Why are you red dear?” She asked.
“Oh, um, I guess I feel a bit toasty is all.” I said and turned and bounded up the stairs before she could say anything else. I shut my door and slid down to the floor. “My heart can stop racing any time now…” I muttered. Then I suddenly remembered Kenji’s question. I leaned my head back and it bumped the door a little. “Oh good grief, what do I do, no one has ever asked me to a dance before, I don’t want to hurt his feelings…” I stood up and laid down on my bed. “Then again, I guess, Kenji wasn’t the one that I really wanted to ask me.” I shook my head and covered my face with my hands. “No Mi, no no no no no. Kuori is your friend, your f-r-i-e-n-d. That’s it, no more…unfortunately.” I whispered. I heard the doorbell and my mom answered the door.
“Hello there, here for Mi again? She’s upstairs.” She said. I heard footsteps come up the stairs and I looked at the door. 'Kuori?' It opened and I saw Taisuke walk in.
“Oh, hi Tai.” I smiled.
“Hi Mi, how was school?” He asked sitting down next to me when I scooched over.
“Fine. I never told you did I? I had a new boy shadow me.” I said.
“Really? What’s he like?” He asked.
“His name is Kenji, and he’s very sweet. Actually, he asked me to winter ball today.”
“He did? So soon?”
“Yeah, I was caught off guard.” I admitted.
“I bet.” He looked over at me. “So, what did you tell him?”
“That I would think about it.”
“And?”
“And nothing. I still don’t know what to think.”
“Has Kuori asked you yet?” He asked.
“N-No, Tai that’s silly, why would he ask me of all people?”
“It was just a question, I’m sorry…”
“No, I’m sorry, I’ve been getting caught off guard a lot lately.” I stated.
"Oh, don't apologize, but, you did seem a bit defensive when I brought up Kuori. Do you maybe, like him?"
"No." I said.
“Mi…” He said with a slight smirk.
"What? Y-you're staring at me, I-it's making me blush." I said as I looked away from him.
"Tell the truth." He said and I looked at his bright green eyes.
"T-Tai..." I stuttered. My face got redder.
"You know you can tell me what you're thinking. All’s it takes is moving those pretty lips of yours and telling me what's up." Taisuke said.
"Sweet talk, really?" I bit by lip.
"Well it was worth a shot." He shrugged.
"N-no one has ever asked me to go to a dance before." I admitted.
"Why not? You're a beautiful girl." I blushed deeply and looked away."I'm telling the truth Miyuki." I shook my head.
"N-no..."
"Yes you are. You might not think so but any guy would fall head over heels in love with you." He smiled.
“No, that’s not true.”
“Are you sure about that?” He got closer.
“Well yeah.”
“Are you absolutely positive?”
“Umm…” He lightly pressed his lips to mine and then pulled back.
“Really?”
“I-I, er…” I stammered.
“That’s what I thought.” He laughed. I knew he was just playing, but still…
“Um, s-so, about the ball, what should I do about Kenji?” I asked.
“Well, he’s new here so why don’t you say yes to him, you never know, it could make Kuori jealous.”
“Why would I want to make him jealous?” I asked.
“To see if he likes you LIKES you.”
“No, he could never like me like that.” I said and looked away a little.
“Hey you never know.” He said leaning back a little.
“No one can like me, not Kenji, not Kuori, and not you.” I stated.
“I…I like you.”
“W-What?”
“I’m sorry if it’s weird. I know I’ve only been here for a month or so.” He said looking away from my eyes.
“A guy like you, likes me?” I said, a bit shocked.
“Well, yeah, what’s wrong with a guy like me liking you?” He asked.
“N-Nothing, nothing at all.” I hugged him. He hugged back.
“I-I’m sorry.” I stammered.
“Don’t be.” He leaned down and kissed my nose, and I blushed madly. “You’re so cute.” He smiled. I looked down. I wasn’t uncomfortable, but, I didn’t know what I was feeling. “Did I say something wrong?” He asked.
“N-No, I’m just, um…” I couldn’t form my sentence.
“You can tell me.” He said softly.
“Y-You’re the first one to tell me these things, I-I don’t know what to say…” I admitted.
“You don’t have to say anything.” He smiled. I looked at him and had a sudden urge. I reached behind his head and pulled out his hair tie that was keeping his hair back in a tiny tail. “What are you doing?” He asked as his hair fell forward. It almost touched my face, almost.
“Nothing.” I said with a slight smirk.
“Give it back.” He said. I just held it by my shoulder. He went for it and I pulled my hand back farther. He suddenly kissed me gently and I tossed the tie across the room and my arms wrapped themselves around his neck. He deepened the kiss and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. I felt my face heat up and I kissed back. There was no controlling it. I heard the door open and to my absolute horror, Kuori walked in. I pulled away from Taisuke, mortified and confused.
“W-Wait Tai…” I stammered as he looked over at Kuori and his eyes widened a little.
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude.” Kuori said as he looked shocked. He turned and closed the door and I heard him run. I could have sworn I saw hurt in his eyes right before he took off.
“K-Kuori…” I covered my face. Tai was still beside me, but he had let go of me and was looking just as surprised.
“He hates me…” I whispered and I got up without thinking and ran after him, leaving Tai in my room. I ran to Kuori’s house and burst in, and ran to his room, I was already starting to cry and I reached his bedroom and opened the door fast. “K-Kuori…”
“What?” He asked.
“I-I, n-no…” I stammered as I cried.
“You don’t have to explain anything Mi, I’m not mad at you.” He didn’t understand that I wasn’t crying because I thought he was ma, I was crying because I felt like he was sad, or upset.
“I-It, was like, h-he cast a spell on me…”
“Don’t worry about it.” He said. His tone seemed, uninterested, like he didn’t care at all. I slid to the floor and stayed there.
“I-I don’t like him like that…” I said quietly.
“I was just going to come and tell you that my parents were in Paris for the week and they told me that Zero was going to be stealing an artifact from one of the museums tomorrow night.”
“How do they know?” I asked as I stopped crying.
“They heard it on the news.” He explained.
“Oh…” I said simply.
“So why did you follow me home?”
“Because…” I started.
“Because why.” He said nonchalantly.
“You looked hurt.” I said.
“I’m fine.”
“But-“
“Mi get up off the floor.” He told me. I did and stood there.
“You up and left Taisuke. You should be getting back. ‘Was he, kicking me out?’
“O-Ok, Kuori, I, um, never mind.” I ran out of the house and back to my house and up to my room. ‘So, Kuori really doesn’t like me.’ Tai looked at me and instantly knew something was wrong.
“Miyuki, what is it?” He asked and came over to me.
“He doesn’t, he never has…” I was sobbing by that point and I shook my head.
“What do you mean?” Tai asked calmly. I couldn’t even answer. I was shaking so bad and I was having trouble breathing. “Mi calm down. Take slow breaths.” He said. I tried and slowly stopped crying. “Now tell me what happened.”
“He wasn’t affected by that at all. You were wrong. He doesn’t like me. For a split second before, I thought maybe he did.”
“What if not showing any emotion is his way of saying he does?” Tai asked. I held onto him a little tighter.
“That doesn’t make any sense.” I whispered.
“Everyone has a different way of showing it.” He continued.
“Tai…”
“Just let things flow for a few days and watch his reactions to different things.”
“If that’s the truth…then ok. But I really like the way you treat me. I feel, wanted.” I admitted to him. It was true, and It felt really nice.
“That’s how you’re supposed to feel.” He said. ‘Well, I guess then…’
“Where were we before I left?” I asked.
“You were going to say something.”
“I said that because Kuori walked in. I-I mean before that…” I trailed off. I was still confused and upset, and I knew that Tai genuinely cared, so being with him right now felt right. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close.
“Then we were right about here.” He lightly kissed me and I shivered. I closed my eyes and kissed back. He pulled back after a few more seconds and kissed my cheek. I laughed.
“I think if my mom saw me she would be happy.” He laughed a bit to that. “You know, you’re very good looking.” I said honestly.
“I think it’s just in my families genes.” He shrugged. I smiled. “Well I’m sure if I asked you how Kuori looked to you, you would say the same about him.” I blushed, I knew it was true. “I knew I was right."
“Is it wrong to think that my best friend is, well, hot?” I asked quickly.
“No, at least I don’t think so.”
“Ok, just as long as I’m not insane to think so.” I said as I relaxed a bit more. His phone went off and he sighed and answered it.
“Hello.” He paused. “Alright, I’ll get packed.” He closed it and I looked at him.
“A-Are you leaving me?” I asked.
“I have to go to Paris.” ‘Him too?’
“PARIS?!”
“Yea?” He said looking at me funny.
“W-Why?”
“You said that like you already know.” He said. ‘Crap.’
“No, that’s why I asked.” I got closer to him again.
“I have to go because Zero is going to steal something tomorrow.” ‘Bingo.’
“Take me with you. I’m after Zero too.”
“I know you are.”
“So take me with you, I’ve always wanted to see Paris.” I said. I really really wanted to go and get another shot at Zero.
“I don’t know if I’m allowed to take you. But I’m sure I have the money to pay for your ticket.” He added as I hung my head. I snapped back up.
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes.” I threw my arms around his neck.
“Oh thank you Taisuke, thank you so much!” I got out my phone and texted Kuori.
-I have big news- I said
-What-
-I’m going to go to Paris with Tai to try and catch Zero-
-Alright then-
-Yeah-
-So I’m guessing you’re leaving in the morning-
-Come with us- I sent. I really wanted him there too. “I’m asking him to come to.” I told Tai.
-No, it’s ok, I’ll stay here, you go and have fun. Tell my parent’s I said hi if you see them-
-Ok-
I shut my phone and looked down.
“I’m guessing he said no.” He said. I nodded. “It will be ok.” He comforted me.
“Yeah…”
“He’ll come around.” He smiled.
“I, I guess.” I felt a tear slide down my cheek. ‘He just doesn’t care.’
“Miyuki, please don’t cry.”
“Maybe he’s just going through some changes, and is just moody right now. Come on, let’s get you packed for Paris.” I looked at him and smiled.
“Alright.”
