CHAPTER 13: The Unexpected Lover 

Jun's head was a mess since Sayuri left Karina's apartment. He sat at the dining table, fully dressed, eating the tiramisu that Karina had served. Karina was sitting across him, looking at him. He tried his best to hide his feelings at that moment, but he could guess that it was showing on his face, as clear as the water that runs out of the pipe. Karina, however, did not say anything about Sayuri or the fact there was a huge guilt practically painted on Jun's face. 

Karina was right. The tiramisu was different. Way different than the one she had always made. But, it was not the same as Sayuri's. Jun could tell the difference from the tiramisu that Karina had made from the tiramisu that he always had with his bentou - the tiramisu that he had personally asked his manager to get it from Sayuri's cafe. The sweetness was different and the softness was different. But he could not bring himself to tell this to Karina, as far as Karina knew, Jun never had any pastries or desserts from the cafe. So, Jun simply praised the tiramisu, saying that it indeed tasted better and more delicious. This brought smile on Karina's face, but still did not change the guilt look on Jun's. 

It had been three months since the incident of bumping into Sayuri while he was half-naked, Jun found himself buried deep in mounts of work. With Arashi's concerts and bangumis, and his butai, Jun could finally get his problems out of his head. Karina called once in awhile, leaving him messages if he did not pick up, and he would try to find time to return her messages and calls. As much as he tried to run away, his dilemma came haunting him again, asking him to make a choice, a decision. 

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"I take it that the dates went on well with him," Ellie said as she continued curling Sayuri's long black hair. The reflection of her best friend's glowing face in the mirror was her answer. "How come you don't talk about him to me? You know that you drove me crazy... I need to know that you're happy..." she frowned a little. Sayuri had been so quiet about her relationship with her 'Prince Charming'. All Ellie knew was that they have been going out a number of times, but Sayuri never told her anything about them. 

"Somebody's jealous..." Sayuri grinned as she said this. "Of course I am happy, El. He made me smile and laugh all the time. And he's simply adorable... and sweet, and kind." 

"I am not jealous!... It's just that you've been so quiet about everything. I am just wondering if things are going on well with the two of you," Ellie replied. She smiled as she looked at her best friend. "So... you're not using him to make Jun jealous, are you?" 

"Of course not!" Sayuri scolded. 

"Hai hai... it's just that, it makes me wonder what was the reason you agreed to go out with him... after he is Jun's - " 

"El... things have been tough in the past. But I've moved on. Whoever I date has nothing to do with Jun... he has moved on, so do I," Sayuri said. Sayuri understood why Ellie had been asking her all these questions. Even Sayuri herself could not believe the life that she was living at that moment. 

"So, dating him has nothing to do with the fact that you bumped into Jun, half-naked, in Yamada-san's apartment?" Ellie asked Sayuri as she placed the curling iron on the dressing table and put on some moose on Sayuri's loose curls. 

"Nope, it does not!" Sayuri was too quick to answer. Ellie knew that her best friend was lying to herself, but she decided that it was time to change the subject. 

"So... where are we going tonight?" Ellie asked. She checked her reflection in the mirror. She had chosen to wear a dark purple halter-neck dress with a matching stilettos to go with. A white rose clipped on her hair that she had twisted into a bun. Sayuri's 'Prince Charming' had invited all of them out for the night. After three months of dating Sayuri, this was the first time that they would be properly introduced. 

"He's taking us out on a dinner. You did invite Daisuke-kun, didn't you? You guys been out a lot of times... and I know how crazy he is about you..." Sayuri asked. She walked away from the mirror her wardrobe. She picked a scarf to go with the simple, strapless, cotton, navy blue dress she wore. 

"Every guy is crazy over a blonde girl, they think we're easy. Daisuke just love the idea of being with a foreign girl, showing me off to his friends and tried to talk to me in English eventhough I told him that I cannot understand anything that he was saying... he can just talk to me in Japanese..." Ellie retorted. Sayuri let out a soft laugh at this. "But.. yes, I asked him whether or not he wants to come with, and as expected, he said yes." 

Sayuri was putting on a pair of diamond earrings when the doorbell rang. She rushed to answer it as Ellie was still getting ready. She turned the brass doorknob and opened the door. A bouquet of a dozen white roses greeted her. She was speechless, her thoughts went back to the first time he bought her flower. 

It was raining hard. She could hardly see what was in front of her as her eyes were swimming with tears. She managed to held them back while she waited for Karina to sign the documents. They started streaming down as soon as she got out of the apartment and half-running out of the building to the streets. She could feel her heart shattered into pieces, the debris flying all over the place. She never expected to break down at the sight of a half-naked Jun in another woman's apartment after what she had said to him. 

She had wandered around, where ever her legs could take her. Where she went, she did not know. She was dripping wet as the rain poured all over her, but she did not care. Her thoughts were too messed up. At last, after more than half an hour of wandering aimlessly, she found herself standing on her own in the park. Her tears had not stop. "Doshite?..." she asked herself. 

Her white dress plastered to her body, drenched wet. She finally felt that her body was shivering as the cold wind brushed against her bare skin. She stood in the middle of the park, wondering why. She shut her eyes, wishing that what she saw was just a dream and that she would soon wake up from it. 

"Sayuri-chan?" a voice called her, and at that moment, she could feel that the rain had stopped pouring. She opened her eyes. A young man stood in front of her holding an umbrella over her head. He looked at her in concern. His beady eyes surprised her. He was the last person she expected to see in the rain, let alone holding an umbrella over her head. He was about to say something when Sayuri's phone rang. 

Sayuri gave him an apologetic look and answer her phone. A man's voice was on the other end. "Ojou-sama? Moshi-moshi..." 

"Ah... Kozumu-san," she replied, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. She was suddenly reminded of the date that she was supposed to go. She looked at her watch. An hour had passed. "Gomenasai!" she quickly apologised. 

"Iie... daijoubu desu ka? Where are you? I've been calling, you didn't pick up... did something happen?" he asked, worried. 

"Nai deshou... daijoubu desu. Kozumu-san, gomenasai!" Sayuri apologised, again. "I cannot go... hontou ni, gomenasai!" 

"Are you sure you're okay? Where are you now? I'll come and get you..." Kozumu asked. Sayuri looked at the young man in front of her and tried to give a smile. "Ojou-sama? Doko nano??" 

"Kozumu-san, daijoubu desu. I am sorry that I did not call earlier. Yapari, I cannot do this. I thought I could... but I couldn't," she said. Kozumu fell silent. After apologising repeatedly, he finally hung up. Sayuri felt so guilty. She looked up to the young man who was still standing in front of her. He gave her a smile, a sincere smile. 

"Is everything alright?" he asked her. She just nodded, somehow, at that moment, her tears started flowing again. She quickly wiped them away. "Hontou ni?" he asked her again. And again, she nodded. "If that's the case, can you hold this for a moment?" he asked her as he handed her the umbrella. She took it from him. He, then, unzipped his white jacket and took it off. He placed it around her. "There, that should warm you up a little," he said. Sayuri was stunned by his gesture, speechless of what to say. "Hai, ikuzo!" 

"Eh?" she was shocked. "Where to?" 

"You have a choice of where to go... do you want something brownish and creamy or something dark and slightly bitter?" Sayuri looked at him with her eyes wide opened. "Scratch the dark and slightly bitter. We go and have something brownish and creamy..." He took the umbrella from her hand. He grabbed her by her wrist, gently and towed her out of the park. Sayuri was still not sure of where they were going, but decided not to resist him. 

He took her to small cafe on one corner of a street. As soon as they got inside, he ordered two hot chocolate with marshmallows, whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top. He, then, grabbed them a seat by the window. Sayuri sat opposite him. He smiled at her. "You have got to taste their hot chocolate here... it's super mecha umai!" he said to her. Something about him warmed Sayuri's heart. Was it his childishness or his cheerfulness, Sayuri did not know. She did not question his actions. When their hot chocolates arrived, Sayuri slowly sipped it. Her body started to feel warmer. "So? How is it?" he asked and continued sipping his. 

"Umai!" she said with a huge smile on her face. 

"Hai! Mission accomplished!" he said out of the blue. 

"Eh? Nani?" 

"You looked so sad just now in the rain. So, I wanted to make you smile," he replied. His reply was just too honest that surprised Sayuri. "My mother took me here when I was a kid, she always said that this cafe's hot chocolate has the ability to turn a frown into a smile. That's why I bring you here..." 

"Ah... sou ka... Arigatou! This is the best hot chocolate I had. Can't believe that I am saying that this hot chocolate is way better than the one we serve at my cafe..." Sayuri said. The young man let out a small chuckle at her remark. Sayuri could feel that the smile has not left her face. "Anou... about just now..." 

"Iie... you don't have to talk about it. Everyone needs to break down and cry sometimes. Dakara, daijoubu desu. I am not going to ask what happened or what made you cry. Seeing you smiling is enough," he replied. 

They finished their hot chocolate and the young man offered to walk her home as the day was getting late. She agreed. They enjoyed each other's company. Sayuri found herself laughing and smiling all the way back to her apartment. On their way back, an elderly lady stopped them. She was dressed in a bohemian style with a floral scarf tied around her head, her hair was long and flowy. She was holding a basket full of roses. "A red rose for the young lady? A red rose is enough to tell her what's in your heart..." she asked him. Sayuri looked at her in disbelief and then turned to look at the young man. 

"Iie...-" she muttered, but the young man cut her in. 

"A red rose? Iie, Obaa-san," he said to the lady. "I'll take the white one, instead..." The lady nodded, although looked slightly disappointed. She handed him a long stemmed white rose. She walked away as soon as he paid. The young man turned to her and handed her the rose. 

"Eh? Nande?" she asked, slightly confused. 

"Just thought that you might like to have one... girls tend to brighten up whenever they are presented with flowers, don't they?" he replied. With a smile, Sayuri took the rose from him. They continued walking. 

When they reached her apartment, she took off his jacket and handed it back to him. Her dress was almost dried. She held her keys in one hand and the white rose on the other. "Arigatou, ne..." she said to him. "I had fun." 

"Hai... I had fun too..." he replied. 

"Ja.. oyasuminasai, Ninomiya-kun..." 

She was snapped back to reality and the memories of the past months faded away when she heard someone calling her name. "Sayuri-chan???" he had been calling her for a number of times, apparently she was too absorbed in her past that she could not hear him. 

"Ah... gomen," she said. She took the roses from him and let him in. "Douzo... Ellie's still getting ready. Have a seat. I'll put these in a vase." 

As soon as Ellie was ready and Daisuke-kun arrived at the apartment, the four of them left. They decided to walk, despite Daisuke's complains, as the night was beautiful. It was a cloudless night, so the stars were visible and the moon was bright. It was a waste to be in a car and not enjoy the beauty of the night. Nino was awkward at first, he was not sure what to do. Sure, they've been out together a lot of times, but just the two of them. They've never been in a crowd together. Ellie was helpful however, trying her best to include Nino in. Daisuke, on the other hand, did not recognise Nino immediately, he did not realise that the man he was walking with was a major Japanese idol. The rest of them were glad that he did not recognise him, and did not make the effort to even tell him. 

They were loud as they strolled down the streets to the restaurant where they'd be dining. In Sayuri's thoughts, she kept thinking how different it was with Nino and with Jun. Jun would never want to stroll down the streets with such a loud crowd. He prefered a quiet evening, with just the two of them. 

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The dinner went well. Daisuke got too drunk that Ellie had to bring him home. So they parted ways. Nino and Sayuri walked back to her apartment. The sky was still cloudless and the stars were still sparkling in the sky. Nino had took off his jacket and placed it around Sayuri, like he always did on their dates. Nino wanted to hold Sayuri's hand as they walked down the streets towards her apartment. But he knew it was impossible.What if someone catches you? He had to resist. 

When they got to her apartment, Sayuri inserted the key to unlock her front door. She turned around and face Nino. Her eyes sparkled. A few strands on her hair dropped on to her shoulder. Suddenly, he felt his heart beat faster. He came closer to her, Sayuri did not pull away. She watched him as he got closer. His eyes dived deeply into hers. Slowly, she shut her eyes and let him take her away to the land of her dreams. His lips felt soft against hers. His arms were wrapped around her. It was the first time he kissed her after going about for about three months. "Sayuri-chan..." he whispered, half-panting when he broke the passionate, ravishing kiss. She could feel his heart pounding against her chest. 

"Would you like to come in...?" she asked softly. He kissed her again and again. Then his lips traveled down to her neck where he planted small soft kisses. Her hands stumbled looking for the doorknob. They nearly fell onto her living room floor as she opened the door. Nino kicked the door shut and continued kissing her. He lifted her up in his arms and brought her to her room. He placed her on her bed. She pulled him towards her and this time, she was taking charge. He fell on his back. She mounted on top of him and started kissing him. 

His hands searched for the zip of her dress as she started unbuckling his belt. As soon as he managed to unzip her dress, he pushed her down and this time, he was on top. He took off his shirt and continued nuzzling her neck. She moaned everytime he hit the right spot. He slowly slipped off her dress, teasing her as he did. Her body was revealed bits by bits, Nino could feel the hardness of his manhood. When the dress was completely taken off, he found himself looking at a beauty that he had never seen before. Sayuri felt shy all of the sudden, but Nino made her feel so comfortable. He made love to her for the first time that night. Her fingers dug deeper into his bare back, letting him know what she was feeling, her moaning of satisfaction made his heart pound harder. It ended with her scream of pleasure and a warm pleasurable sensation filling his body as wetness surrounded his bottom half. 

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Sayuri's sweet dream was interrupted by a vibration on her bedside table. Nino was sleeping soundly, with his arms wrapped around her. She looked up and saw that Nino's phone was vibrating and the clock next to it was showing that it was only 3 am. She tried to move without waking Nino up. And without thinking, she grabbed the black phone from the bedside table and answered, "Hai... moshi-moshi?" 

A familiar voice on the other end gave her a shock. "Eh? Sayuri?" Her heart started pounding. It cannot be... it cannot be... She quickly looked at the caller id on the phone's screen. Matsujun...