Pulling Petals and Counting Chickens
Disclaimer: Mayu Shinjo owns the rights to this
story, I only own intellectual rights to the original things that happen in
this fic. That means my work cannot be
copied without my permission, but because the characters are not mine, I cannot
receive monetary gains.
Chapter 7:
The day was not shaping up too well for Aine. She’d just been called to Ralph’s
office. The last three weeks, Ralph had
been doing more than hinting. Twice she
walked out of her bathroom to find him sitting on her bed, and the last three
nights he’d ‘tucked her in bed’ with a quite unfatherly kiss. Dreading what he’d do now that he had her on
his turf, she opened the door.
“Come in.” He
chuckled evilly. “Oh wait, you don’t
cum at all do you?”
She blushed and laid her latest offering on his desk. He picked the pages up and read them. “Aine…”
He looked up at her, his gaze piercing.
“I’m looking for J-Pop, not Enka.”
Unfortunately, she was staring off into space. She’d been doing that more and more, and he
was getting more and more frustrated with her.
His attempts to win her heart had gotten off the ground like a lead
balloon. She was resistant to any overtures
of kindness from him. He was sorely
aware that he would be unsuccessful in his effort to crush Sakuya by stealing
Aine’s affections. Who are you
kidding? You now want this woman for
your own.
Remembering his father’s statement that a forced
relationship wasn’t as fulfilling as a freely given one, he’d been taking it
slow and trying to worm his way into her soul instead of barging in and
breaking things in the process. But
watching her slide further and further from him had been hard. She was dying inside and he resented that
she’d chosen to fade out in the absence of Sakuya instead of grasping on to the
man standing directly in front of her.
Deciding he’d had enough, he stood and walked over to her. “Aine…”
“Huh?” It was like
watching her surface through cotton.
“The lyrics aren’t good?” She
turned to leave. “I’ll rewrite them
again.”
She didn’t even acknowledge his existence as a man. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her close,
locking his lips onto her unwilling ones.
As he started to deepen it, she smacked him. He broke away.
“Ow!” Putting his hand up to his
mouth, he noticed she cut his lip.
Something snapped, if she wouldn’t take what he gently offered, he’d
take what she refused to give. Standing
to his full height, he turned to look at her.
“You’ve been living with me for months, and I’ve tried hard to put up
with your unrequited love.” He watched
as her eyes widened. “But I’m running
out of patience.” He advanced on her,
watching as she backed herself against his desk. “If you can’t accept that Sakuya is gone…I’ll just force you to
think about something else.”
“Don’t come near me!”
He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. “He left you, Aine!! He turned his back and walked away!!! He’s NOT coming back.” Why couldn’t she admit the truth?
“Let go of me!” She
tried to break away, shoving his latest financial statement on the floor in the
process.
As it rained across their feet, he stretched her out on the
table. “An awkward position to be taken
in, but I can make it good for you.” He
licked her ear. “And I won’t leave you
like he did.” Yet. Hearing that,
she struggled even more. If he’d been
paying attention to her antics, he might have prevented letting her get the
edge on him, but he missed her subtle movements. One minute he was trying to get his groove on, the next she was
standing in front of him with a knife pointed at her throat.
“I’d rather kill myself than to be your lover.”
He froze and looked at her, realizing she was probably
calling his bluff. “Really?” He chuckled. “You would prefer death than the lighter half of the man who left
you…” He reached right past her and put
his hand on her cheek. “You’re
bluffing” I’ll just drag you to the
hospital and pay them to put you back together.
Her hands were shaking so badly. “I choose death.” He
watched the skin depress as she pushed harder.
Suddenly the doors to the office burst open, and the entire
Board of Directors stood in the opening, glaring at Ralph.
Ralph glared back at the entourage “Can’t you people
knock?”
Suddenly a man in a dark suit walked into the room. The intruder watched as Ralph stood up,
releasing Aine. “Your new boss doesn’t
need to knock.”
The man had black hair frosted with blonde highlights, and
Ralph had no idea who this practical joker was. “Real funny asshole. Who
the fuck do you think you are?”
When the man chuckled, Ralph began to get a very nasty
feeling in his chest. “The Grazer
Media’s Japan President, Metro Records CEO.”
As the stranger took off his glasses, Ralph choked. “Ookochi Sakuya.” The man standing in front of him held no resemblance to the
punk-ass he’d left at the hospital just under four months ago. This man had power and wasn’t afraid to
wield it.
Ralph was beginning to sweat. “Who put you up to this?
Who gave you the right?”
Sakuya stood completely still. “How easily you forgot…brother?”
Fuck! Fuck, fuck,
fuck! He left to go to America in order
to take over. How could I have been so
stupid not to realize his strategy?
“Call the bastard for confirmation if you don’t believe me,
I have all day.” Sakuya looked over at
Aine, who was staring at him as if he’d personally hung every star in the
heavens. It made everything he’d been
through seem like walking on air. “You
took my most precious possession. I’m only returning the favor.” His head felt clear for the first time in
months. “I also have Grazer Media’s
succession rights, so I’ve tied that bow very tightly.” Seeing his brother’s eyes widen in
understanding, Sakuya decided absolutely everything was worth seeing the
instant Ralph comprehended the consequences of his actions.
Ralph felt crushed.
His pissant of a brother had gone to American and in three months
completely taken over everything he’d worked his entire life for. Accepting defeat, he fell to his knees, too
weak to stand.
“Everything you’ve ever cared for now lies in my
possession.” As Sakuya continued, Ralph
began to get angry. “But…I’m willing to
negotiate.” Surprised, Ralph looked up
to find a document in front of his face.
“I’ll trade your most valuable possession for mine. You can have everything back.”
Nobody in the room could believe what Sakuya had just
said. Ralph least of all. “Did I hear you correctly?”
“You get everything, all your fancy titles and your idea of
power. All for one simple trade.”
Ralph laughed at the younger man. “You’re willing to give up all this for a girl?” He stood.
“Have you lost your mind?”
Sakuya pinned him with a solid gaze. “Yes.
I’m fucking nuts. How lucky for
you.”
Ralph really couldn’t believe this man. He’s willing to trade everything he has for
one little girl? He froze, thinking
that maybe he’d missed something along the way.
Sakuya was becoming angry.
“You better make up your mind quickly before I change mine.” I’m
offering him four aces, it’s a deal that no betting man would refuse, but if
he’s holding the queen of hearts…
Suddenly Ralph looked at him and nodded. “I agree to your terms.” If I sign this paper, I give up more than a
girl, I also give up my pride. “You
stand in the position of power.” As
Sakuya held out the paperwork, Ralph looked up at him. “You’re an imbecile . Do you know how much you’re giving up for a
stupid bitch?”
With a smile that came from the depths of his soul, Sakuya
chuckled. “Yes, down to the last
penny. Do you?”
Realizing that Sakuya and Aine had something that he was
unable to comprehend, Ralph signed the papers and turned to leave. “I will never understand you.” Walking out, he left the lovers to be
reunited without his audience.
