Disclaimer: Mayu Shinjo owns these characters, and Shogakukan, Inc
Disclaimer: Mayu Shinjo owns these characters, and
Shogakukan, Inc. the fiction. Twiknham
has used the English translated version of Book 2 to re-create the scenes that
help tell the story. I acknowledge that
parts were taken directly from the book and are the property of Viz, LLC. Kelly Sue DeConnick did an excellent
translation and I couldn’t see messing that up. I gain nothing financially from this story.
Chapter 2: Cruel Aine
Ralph Grazer’s driver dropped Aine off at school just as he
did every morning; but today he didn’t stay long enough to notice that she
turned and walked in the opposite direction of the gakkun. As she walked down the street, she took off
her jacket and folded it neatly before placing it in her schoolbag. Every music store had pictures of Lucifer in
the windows, and Aine wondered how she would ever exist without Sakuya’s
touch.
Stopping in front of the famous picture of Sakuya singing
‘Cruel Jones’ while clenching her bare form, Aine put her hands over her eyes,
so that others couldn’t see the tears. Oh,
to feel his chest against mine again. I
cannot forget the feel of him moving upon me, his hands clenched on my waist
while his sweat runs down his neck to bathe me. Her involuntary groan brought her back to herself.
Cheeks flushed, she hurried on to TVJ. By the time she pushed open a back door, she
had herself calmed down. If I can
just see his stuff, make sure he’s not changed because I’m gone… She knew that she was running a double
risk. First, if Ralph found out she’d
come to this station, he’d punish her by finally making due on his promise of
that first night. Second, if she did
see Sakuya and Ralph found out, he would have her lover killed.
Hoping that if anything bad had to happen, it would only be
the discovery that she came to the studio, she turned the corner and smacked
into one of the key grips.
He put a hand out to steady her. “Are you here to see Sakuya?
We’re so excited that he’s back!
When do you think he’ll have a new album out?”
She knew the guy was harmless, if a little extreme with his
emotions. As he started talking about
all the prep that went into the show and how awesome the ratings were going to
be, Aine checked her watch to ensure she wouldn’t accidentally run into Sakuya
and then quietly snuck away. As Aine
walked down the hall, she felt a little bad for deserting the guy, but he
didn’t have Ralph Grazer to contend with.
Sneaking up to Sakuya’s dressing room, she opened the door
and entered without making a sound. As
she silently closed the door behind her, she breathed a sigh of relief. He’s not here, at least he’s still safe! Walking up to his dressing table, she looked
at the mess. Ferrari keys, Marlboro
cigarettes, cd player… She was
tempted to put the earphones on and press play, but she knew that he’d notice
that they weren’t exactly how he left them, and he’d wonder who had messed with
his things. Not wanting to do anything
to cause him more stress; she tenderly touched the top of the player, as close
as she could get to caressing his skin.
Suddenly spotting the bottle of ‘Acqua di Gio’ by Giorgio
Armani, her eyes widened. Nothing had
changed, and for that she was grateful.
Hoping he wouldn’t miss one little squirt, she carefully studied where
the bottle was and then picked it up, spraying her neck. Putting the bottle back exactly how she had
found it, she stepped away from the desk and closed her eyes; imagining that
Sakuya was standing there, just out of sight.
He reached hands around her shoulder and waist and pulled her close to
him, breathing in her ear.
She heard his voice in her head, as clear as if he actually
was there. “I don’t smell like
that.” This his arms really did wrap
around her, pulling her against his chest.
He leaned over and she could smell the subtle changes that his body made
to the cologne. It was the difference
between a pizza cooked in an electric oven and one cooked in a coal-fired oven.
Half of her was so glad to see him that she couldn’t
speak. The other half was frozen in fear
that he would suffer more because of her.
I’m not supposed to see him…
He put his hands on her neck, smoothing them up her neck to
cup her cheekbones. Pushing slightly, he turned her to face him and grabbed her
chin, bringing her face close to his. “Close
your eyes, inhale.”
Suddenly he had her pulled up against him and her nose was
snuggled just below his ear, smelling the sweet scent of his neck. Instantaneously she was thrown back to that
one night that had been together. That
first feeling of him in her, creating the scar that would brand her as his
forever. The second time they made
love, when he pulled her leg up over his hip and took her while they lay beside
each other. She was filled with the
smell of the soap he bathed with, the scent of his shampoo. It was more than she could handle and his
name came out in reverence.
“Sakuya.”
His name had been whispered so quietly he wouldn’t have
heard her if he hadn’t been listening.
He hadn’t seen her in weeks, not since that night they made love. He thought he heard her once in the midst of
his narcotic haze; but when he came to, she was gone. Sure he’d had hallucinations of her almost hourly, but he’d known
the real thing when he saw her standing in front of his dressing table.
He wasn’t stupid, he knew exactly who was to blame. However, sweet spun sugar held him tight and
he wasn’t about to punish her for his brother’s crimes. He also knew she was either here to stay, or
to leave him forever; and he wasn’t about to let her go. Just waiting, wanting to hear the
truth. He expected the reaction when
she pushed away.
“No!”
However, the pain was deeper than he’d expected, and he
instinctively tightened his hold.
Beginning to fear that he’d never let her go and they’d be
caught together, she shoved him back.
“No! We can’t see each other
anymore!” Turning, she started to run
away. “Sumimasen.”
He reached out and snagged her arm. “You can’t leave until
you tell me what’s happening.”
She couldn’t look at him, her heart was shattering in her
chest and she had to get out of there.
Straightening her shoulders, she turned, the fires of Hell in her
eyes. “I’m just here to say goodbye. I’m with Ralph Grazer now…we’re
lovers.” His eyes turned as brittle as
glass, and she closed hers so she couldn’t see the death of his love reflected
in his glare.
I shouldn’t have shown up here. Suddenly a hand reached out and cradled her
cheek. The next thing she knew, he had
initiated a full frontal assault on her mouth, opening hers with his tongue to
enter and pillage. Her eyes snapped
open in surprise before closing in passion.
She pretended everything was back to normal for a fraction of a moment
before she started fighting. “STOP
Sakuya!”
He did, immediately.
He was always such a gentleman to her.
As she looked at him, he cradled her face, forcing her to stand and face
him. “You’re embarrassing
yourself. Quit lying to me, you don’t
have the skill.” She breathed deep,
seeing in his eyes that he didn’t believe her story. She also saw the pain he felt and wondered if it was all for her,
or if he had spared any for himself.
She knew he was hurting, she’d done it on purpose. What she didn’t know was if he’d decide she
wasn’t worth the pain and move on with his life. She was split in half between hoping he wouldn’t and wishing he
would.
As he let go, he stepped back removing all contact. “You’re underestimating me, I’m not
incapable of…”
She interrupted him, seeing that he was beginning to doubt
himself. She put her hands on his chest
and looked into his angry bewildered eyes.
“I know you can handle the world.
I love you…” Aine cringed as the
words left her mouth, regretting having said them; but unable to take them
back.
His eyes hardened, and he opened his mouth to say something,
but a studio hand hollered from the hallway.
“Mr. Sakuya, we need you backstage.”
Turning on his heel, he stalked out of the dressing room, leaving Aine
behind.
Closing her eyes, Aine sank to the floor, her tears running
unchecked. He knows I’m lying to him,
he can see the truth in my eyes.. Realizing she’d betrayed herself AND
caused him more pain, she stood and ran from the studio.
