As the elevator dinged, _ _ _ came out lugging a pet crate and a bunch of shopping bags. “Let me help you with all of that.” Baba offered. “Did you get a pet?” Her eyes lit up, “yes!” Baba raised an eyebrow at her “Does the boss know?” She bit her lip, “Not exactly… I’m sure he’ll learn to love it. I mean, who doesn’t like ferrets?” Baba helped her carry everything up to the room she shared with Eisuke. “I’m sorry, did you say ferrets?” He side-eyed her “_ _ _did you get a ferret?” She grinned, “Yes, I couldn’t resist. She looked so sad in the pet store, but as soon as I picked her up, she gave me snuggles all over.” Baba put down the bags as she lead him into the room. “She’s even white!” Baba looked into the crate and saw white fur, but it was curled up, so he couldn’t get a good look at it.
Eisuke must have heard them talking and the excitement in her voice because he had come out of his office. “What are you going on about?” He looked around, seeing a litter box, a collapsible cage, and food. “What have you done _ _ _?” She giggled, “She opened the crate and pulled the ferret out, stroking it as it cuddled up in her arms. “I named her Sugar.” He looked at the ferret as if it were an alien, his handsome face contorted into something between worry and disgust.
“What the hell is that?” He asked with annoyance seeping through his voice. “Haven’t you ever seen a ferret before, Eisuke?” He huffed, “I didn’t associate with commoner pets.” She glared at him, “Get out of your head Eisuke and listen with your heart. This little lady needs a loving home, and I will love her and take of her.” She put her face against the ferret as she spoke. “You expect me to let you have that thing in our room?” She lifted her head up and glared at him, and Baba turned to leave hastily out of the room. “I’m sorry, but I don’t want to witness your lover’s quarrel.” _ _ _ straightened her back, standing tall. “She’s not a thing; she’s a ferret. And yes, I expect you to let me have her. I already bought her. I have already committed.” Eisuke crossed his arms.
“Why would you want such an odd-looking pet?” She smiled, knowing he didn’t mean anything by it. That’s just the way Eisuke was. “I always wanted one, but my parents never would buy me one because we didn’t have the space, but there’s space in here.” He let out a frustrated sigh, “You’re too loving for your own good, you know that?” She gave him an endearing smile, “I can’t help it.” He looked at the ferret, its red eyes glowing at him. “Why does it have red eyes? It looks demonic.” She laughed. “Oh my god, Eisuke, do you know nothing about animals? Some white animals have red eyes. It’s just the way it is.”
“Hm. Well, I suppose if you’re going to be so adamant about it, and as long as you take care of it and don’t expect me to have anything to do with it, then fine, keep it. If it means that much to you.” Her face lit up. “It does! Thank you, Eisuke. I didn’t want to take her back. I already love her.” He rolled his eyes at her, “You’re ridiculous.”
Eisuke sat on the couch sipping his coffee and scrolling through his phone while _ _ _ put together the cage, placing the soft bedding at the bottom, and positioning the food and water just right. She set up the bed. “I could’ve had someone come up to do that.” She shook her head. “Nooo, that’s silly. Besides, I wanted to set it up myself.” She continued to set up all the toys and even a play gym. “Good lord, our living room has been invaded by ferret toys.” She placed Sugar on the play gym, watching it climb around. Eisuke may not have wanted a pet, especially this pet, but seeing _ _ _ happy was worth it. She had such a big heart. Opening it up to so many things, so many people. If she only knew that her happiness was Eisuke’s reason for breathing. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad having a pet. It could keep him company when he worked from home… Maybe. His heart certainly wasn’t as big as _ _ _’s, but he would try to like the thing. If that’s what made her happy, then he would live with it. Perhaps one day, he would learn to like it.
A/N: I wrote this my sophomore year for an assignment - I had Eisuke in mind and well, this happened :3 I thought I’d share it here, since I was aiming to have Eisuke and MC here. Welp. Hope you enjoy!
I was roused from my much needed sleep, when I attempted to drape an arm around the woman who means more to me than anything my money could buy. However, when I did not feel her warm body beside mine, my eyes gradually opened. A typical exhausted person would have instantly felt phlegmatic, having slept only three hours thus far, and probably would have gone back to sleep. Not me. No, instead my usual choleric self was awake. I rubbed my temples, and let out an aggravated sigh. She knows she’s not supposed to leave the bed without my permission. Was instantly my first thought. Any other woman in the world would have been annoyed with me, seeing as how apparently the rest of the guys would describe me as “despotic,” but not her. That’s what separates her from most women. Most women would either fear me or try to flatter me. But she treats me just like the other four guys. Sometimes even worse. She is not afraid to put me in my place whenever she deems it necessary. That was just one way in how she differed from most women. It might just be the most cliché thing in the world to say, but I think that was what drew me to her in the first place, what caused her to be the object of my affection. Though most of the time, she is so gullible, I find myself telling her some of the most absurd things I would never do, just to see her amusing expressions. But I guess the reason she’s gullible is because she’s so honest and trusting - even when she attempts to lie, I always see right through her. Now that I think about it, it’s probably these aspects of her that make her pure. In fact, she’s so pure and innocent, I often find myself trying to keep her away from those four idiots. I swear, all they ever do is gather up all their guile, plaster it on their faces, use it to taint their voices, and inject nonsense into her mind. Eventually, after she usually falls for whatever nonsense they’ve created, she follows through with their ridiculous plans. It is not only her that falls prey to their stupid ideas, she gets into so much trouble, I have to save her every time they send her to do something crazy. What’s worse: they fill her head with nonsense for their amusement, or to kill time. Seriously. They need something better to do with their free time. Although, they would never make her do something so stupid, it would be life threatening. I’d have their heads if they ever harm her. And they know it. However, at the end of every idiotic plan they hatch, she always faces me with a look of extreme guilt on her face, it kills me every time. The way her gaze falls to the floor, how her head drops, her hands go limp, the crack in her voice when she tries to explain herself… It always kills me. So, I have to exonerate her conscience so she could feel better. In the end, it’s the other four idiots who feel my smouldering gaze, and receive my wrath anyway.
If I’ve had time to think of all that, and she’s still not back, that means she’s probably off doing something those idiots convinced her to do. Hmm. She could also be thinking about something in another room, or she could be working on something… I found myself sighing deeply once more before I stood up, having decided to bring her back to bed. I looked out the vast window in the bedroom, only to see that the dark curtain of night is still down over the glittering city lights below. The moon, however, looks somewhat more bewitching tonight than any other night. I sighed once more before I shook my head, attempting to rid myself of such ridiculous thoughts, and I instead turned my focus to the door which led out into the living room. I opened the door slowly, trying not to startle her - should she even be in the living room, that is. And in fact, there she was. She was sitting on the edge of the sofa, eyes fixated out the immense window before her. She hadn’t noticed me opening the door, so perhaps she was concerned about something. Yes, that must be it. Not only had I noticed that she was concerned about something, but I also took note of the melancholy atmosphere about her. The expression she wore on her beautiful face was a combination of both concentration and that of sadness. Since I had begun leaning against the threshold of the door, she let out her second sigh. Something’s wrong. Immediately, my body began to move closer to her as my mind began to race about what she could be unhappy about. It was when I had begun to move closer to her that she suddenly jolted. Hmm. Perhaps she was able to see me through her peripheral vision, and my sudden movement interrupted her thoughts. She turned to face me, and with a trembling voice that was laced with pain, she whispered “Oh, hello. I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were up.” Hearing the trembling pain in her hushed whisper caused me to feel a heart wrenching pain. No one wants to see the person they love suffering. Her eyes met mine momentarily before they dropped to the marble floor. Her eyes were dim, they did not shine - unlike all the other times she looked at me. She was letting out pained sighs, she looked weak, lifeless… she looked nothing like her usual sanguine self. I immediately went to sit down next to her, I draped an arm over her shoulder, and used my free hand to gently tilt her face up so she could look into the eyes of the man who loves her more than anything in this otherwise dull, unforgiving world. I then coaxed her into telling me what was wrong. As it seems, a co-worker who had been causing trouble for her since she started working here, stopped causing trouble for her when I made it clear to her to stop harassing my - at the time - girlfriend. However, since announcing our engagement, her bitter, trite remarks have returned. Having heard this, and seeing the defeated look on her face, something inside of me snapped. No one makes my woman feel like this. Obviously, that co-worker is the most idiotic person to walk along this planet, if she thinks she can talk to my fiancée that way and get away with it. I scowled as I clicked my tongue and made a mental note to have a long discussion with that woman, considering I was her boss, she would have no problem following orders. And if she does, well… she will have a very hard time finding another job for as long as she lives, and I will make sure of it. Speaking of following orders… I kissed her temple, and assured her not to worry about it, that everything will be taken care of first thing in the morning. I then reminded her that she was not to leave the bed without my permission. Her face turned a deep crimson before she mumbled “I’m sorry,” which resulted in her face going back to its normal, bright, happy self as I smirked at her, and led her back to bed.
That happened last week.
Since that next morning, the dreaded co-worker has not since been so hostile with my fiancée. On the contrary, I made sure that she treated my gorgeous woman with the utmost respect she deserves. No one makes my woman feel less than what she is. That is a line no one dares to cross. …Unless they don’t value their life, that is. In which case, I cannot be held responsible for what happens to them.
“C’mere, you can sit in my lap until I am done working.” - Eisuke Ichinomiya [Request]
For @leoamber66
“Yes, of course,” I mutter, switching the phone to the other ear while my fingers grab my laptop from the table, opening it. My eyes catch Yuki’s own, and I mouth a quiet ‘sorry’ to her.
For probably the fourth time this week, in a similar situation as the previous ones.
Hmph. Of course, he couldn’t have chosen a better time to finalise the deal.
Yuki sighs, getting up and letting her legs take her in the direction of the kitchen.
Within a few minutes, almost as soon as I hang up on the call, the comforting aroma of coffee fills the room, instantly relaxing me.
I take a deep breath, letting the pleasant smell, along with it’s warmth, fill me up completely. Rolling my shoulders back once, I start working on the final details of the proposal.
Before I know it, I have finished going through a few pages of the document and a warm cup of coffee has been placed in front of me.
“Here,” she mutters, putting the cup down on a coaster on the table in front of me before standing back up.
“Thanks,” I say, looking at her, and give her an apologetic smile.
“Of course,” she says, turning around and walking up to the bookshelf at the opposite side of the room. “Don’t mention it.”
I’m sorry, Yuki. I know you were looking forward to tonight.
I remember her asking me if I was free today evening with that same excited look in her eyes she always gets when she sees something that even mildly piques her interest. When I asked her the reason for such inquiry, she told me she wanted to sit down with me and watch a movie together.
Lately, the both of us have been busy; with her being occupied with the seasonal massive influx of guests, and I with my latest partnership.
Today was the only day in a while that the both of us could find the time to do something other than fall into bed the moment we reached home...
... until this phone call ruined it.
I internally roll my eyes at the terrible timing of it all, when I feel the couch sink beside me.
Looking sideways, I see Yuki right there with a book in her hand, making herself comfortable.
“What is it?” she asks, turning to face me when my eyes fail to stop staring in time.
I shake my head once, internally commanding myself to focus on finishing the task at hand instead of allowing myself to be smitten by my girlfriend.
Through my peripheral vision, I see her look at me in confusion for a second before shrugging, her fingers opening the book to the page where she placed a bookmark the last time she read it.
Her eyes focus in on the page, and her eyebrows furrow a little in concentration.
Her head barely moves and so do her eyes, focused solely on the words printed in front of them, almost as if mesmerised.
Focus, Ichinomiya.
Soon enough, a comfortable silence envelops us as I type and she reads, both of us in our own little zones.
As my eyes keep scanning one page after another and look for places where I need to make edits, I feel my girlfriend’s longing gaze on me. Before I can so much as look at her, she suddenly gets up, putting on her footwear.
“I’m heading to bed,” she mumbles, and I don’t miss the slight disappointment which she definitely tries to hide, but fails.
I hum out an affirmative response, telling her I’m fine with it or rather, encouraging her to get to bed early and not lose out on her sleep. I long for her too, but for me, her health comes first. She can’t be sitting here, waiting for me to finish my work when she is clearly tired and sleepy.
She nods, then turns around and goes into the bedroom, leaving me all alone in the living room.
Strange... it suddenly feels cold.
It’s not even full five minutes before I see her tiny form peeking out from behind the door of our bedroom, her eyes looking at me, as if wanting to ask me something.
“Yes, Yuki?” I ask, looking up at her across the room.
“Will you take time?”
“Is something the matter?”
“Um...” she trails off, averting her eyes. Her cheeks are dusted with a light pink as her big brown orbs look anywhere but at me. “I... wibeloly.”
“Excuse me?” I say, asking her to repeat the last part louder.
“I said,” she takes a deep breath, “I will be lonely.”
Ah.
She fidgets in her spot, suddenly seeming to find the carpet very attractive.
“Heh,” I scoff to myself, amused at her utterly adorable behaviour.
All of a sudden, it’s as if something takes over her and she quickly says, “Uh- forget it. I’m heading to bed. Sleep soon.”
Not so soon.
She quickly makes a U-turn, intent on walking back to the bed before hearing my response.
“Wait,” I call out, stopping her in her tracks.
She turns around slowly, her gaze almost betraying the feeling of longing she seems to be trying so hard to bottle up.
“C’mere, you can sit in my lap until I am done working.” I say, gesturing her to come closer.
“What? Really?” She raises her eyebrows, her eyes wide in surprise. “Are you sure it’s okay?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
She bites her lip, smiling bashfully, and walks closer to me. When she is close enough, I put the laptop aside and make space for her.
Blushing, she sits down on my lap and places her arms around my neck, cuddling close, making herself comfortable.
I take out my tablet instead, deciding to review the rest of the document on the said device.
“Getting comfortable, are we?” I mutter when she sighs in content as her warm, soft body relaxes against my own.
I smirk at the way she looks away, amused. Wrapping my arms around her, I move back, aligning my back with that of the couch, cuddling her close.
I place her head onto my shoulder with one hand and play with her hair while my other hand opens up the proposal I was working on.
I sigh in content, losing myself in reading through the lines as my fingers massage Yuki’s scalp.
Soon enough, I feel her body let out even breaths as she falls into a deep slumber, right there in my arms.
I pull back a little to look at her sleeping face, as bright and peaceful as a quiet, warm spring afternoon.
“You have no idea,” I chuckle before closing my tablet and getting up with her snugly fit in my arms.
Thanks HoboMom lmao. I hope my writing wasn’t too shitty.
————————————————
You stir awake as you felt a gentle wisp of his chapped lips and the light caress of his hair on your shoulder. “Eisuke?” your voice was groggy with sleep as goosebumps travelled across your skin. You realized the blanket no longer covered your bare body and his guttural laugh caused more to form.
“Good morning Mrs. Ichinomiya,” You turned to face him and saw the gentle smile that you love. The warmth created by your embrace was not seductive, but rather comforting and safe. He resumed his kisses from a gentle graze on your lips, to your chin, to your neck until he reached your collarbones.
“If you stare there for too long I’m gonna talk to Luke about his bad influence on you!” a small giggle escaped you and he fell in love with you all over again. “Babe, I know snuggling is nice and all, but put the blanket back over us. I’m cold!” you whined. He begrudgingly pulled the thick comforter over your body, a pout only you could catch formed on his lips. You nuzzled your face into the crook of his neck, “I can’t believe yesterday was real. I’m your wife!”
Ah yes, after several years of dating and trials you had finally done it! You began reminiscing about the small ceremony the two of you held. Small yet elegant? Unsurprising as Eisuke only wanted close family and friends to attend. He promised no work would get between the two of you and a month-long honeymoon to his condo in the Bahamas.
“So,” your thoughts vanished as he became your sole focus, “as my wife, is there anything you’d like to do?”
You ponder your options: you could go on a shopping spree and buy things for Sakiko and Chisato, or maybe stay with your family in (Country Name) for a week, but only one answer seemed to satisfy you.
“I wanna cuddle with you.”
Your answer genuinely surprised Eisuke, you never failed to do so. All the riches in the world, and you finally asked for something that would make you happy! All those years you would say, “I just want you by my side.” With your answer, he wished he could marry you all over again. Every time he stared at you, his heart beat like he had kissed you for the first time.
A small blush tinged the tips of his ears.
“Well then (First Name), I will ensure that you are the happiest woman in the world.”
He pulls you closer to him, wrapping his toned arms around your torso and you smile.
“I am. As long as you’re with me, nothing can change that.”
The two of you exchange whispers of love, and small kisses before falling asleep in each other’s arms.
She was clinging to him in her sleep, her hands wringing the back of his shirt. Eisuke took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of her shampoo.
‘If you ever get tired of me, don’t ask Soryu to dispose of me,’ she said jokingly. ‘And I’m terrified of being sold at the auctions again, so not that either! Just slip something in my drink. I want to be dead before I can feel any pain.’
She was grinning at him then, but Eisuke didn’t appreciate dark humour when it was about her.
Because he knew.
He knew she was scared. Of his power. Of the stories she heard about other people in his position, other businessmen, who had the money and means to get away with murder.
He had never done anything to make her feel scared- not that he was aware of. But sometimes some gruesome story of abuse linked to Soryu’s rival gangs would come up, and she would catch wind of it.
Baba had told him that some commoners were terrified of the power of the elite- the bourgeois, and rumours would always circulate in their circles, disgusting and terrifying them at the same time.
And he could see the distrust in her sometimes.
Most of the time, it was directed towards other people around him. But sometimes- very seldom- she would realise the difference between them, and a sad smile would fall on her lips.
Eisuke took another deep breath and held on to her tighter. He was meant to protect her. That was what he had vowed to do on their wedding day. And if she couldn’t feel safe in his presence- what was the point then, of everything he did?
She stirred, and Eisuke pecked her forehead in an attempt to lull her back into the land of sleep.
I’m going to keep you safe, he repeated to himself, pressing her chest to his, hoping his words would reach her somehow. Tomorrow, when you wake up, I’ll do my best to explain myself. I’ve never done it before, so I hope you’ll be patient, my love.
Proposal From the Heart- Eisuke Ichinomiya (Fluff)
Finally back with my next fic, which is all fluff😋. Note that this is from Eisuke’s POV. Hope you guys enjoy it. Suggestions are always welcome😁. And @chillaxe, you’re right, Eisuke Ichinomiya may be my ultimate bias after all….😥😉😍
That woman had totally changed my life, totally. I think about the time I bought her. What if I hadn’t? Where would she be now? Rather, where would I be? Definitely nowhere near where I am now, considering that I was supposed to go to hell. Meeting her had been a major turning point in my life. And now, I don’t want to turn back again. Few of my senses still don’t believe I fell for her- I wasn’t supposed to. But I did. In spite of that egoistic resolution of mine- NEVER FALL IN LOVE, I did.
But falling in love was worth everything. Honestly, never had I witnessed such weakness in life. The kind of weakness that love brings in. The one which gives you butterflies in your stomach on thinking of her. The one which gives you a hard-on just upon seeing her. What did I ever do to deserve her? A sweetheart like her and a bastard like me? But she made me realise that there was a lover in me, who was far stronger than the bastard. And she’s the only one who saw through that bastard, my inner lover and perhaps, brought him out. She did all I told her to- from making coffee at the most awkward times of the day to assisting me as my ‘dear little girlfriend’. That’s when it hit home for me. Yes. This was the girl I wanted to be with FOREVER. It was that time when every cell, tissue, organ and system of my body screamed, “MAKE HER YOURS”. Technically, she’s mine, since I bought her. But jokes apart, I wanted to make her mine. Mine as in, LEGALLY MINE. And today was the day when I would take a step forward into what I wanted.
I checked the time. 4:55 pm. I have my date with _______ in 5 minutes more. And believe it, for the first time in life, I’m nervous. EISUKE ICHINOMIYA- NERVOUS? Not very convincing, right? I never knew I could be nervous, until today.
Although I know my words perfectly, although know the entire procedure, and heck I even know her answer! Yet, I’m NERVOUS. Why? God knows.
“Eisuke, I’m ready!” came _____’s cheerful voice from behind me. I turned around to see her looking absolutely beautiful in a short peach-colored dress. Her eyes sparkled with innocence. And the smile adorning her features was bright enough to blind the entire male race.
“Very pretty”, I said, pulling her to myself almost as a reflex action, perhaps to guard her from the bad men and bitches out there.
“Thanks Eisuke.” she said, kissing my cheek.
“You are welcome. Shall we go?” I said, taking her hand as I led her to the car.
“But where are we going?” The curiosity was apparent in her voice.
“You’ll see.”
I started the vehicle. She looked around just like a little girl alertly, as I drove. I halted the car at our destination- a secret cave. Sounds fictitious? Nope, it isn’t.
“Where are we? This cave is so dark”
“Just come with me”, I said and both of us got out.
“Why is it so dark? I don’t like this place.” she said.
“Don’t you trust me baby?”
“I do Eisuke.”
“So just come along. You’ll love it.”
Maybe it was just me or my nervousness, but I was being really curt. Couldn’t help it, adrenaline had gotten the better of me. We ventured further into the darkness and I could feel her hold on me getting tighter.
“Are you sure we’re going the right way?” she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
“_____ just a minute more.”
We were almost there.
“Alright now close your eyes and be careful with the stairs.”Saying this, I brought her down to the newlymade place- a garden that I’d made for her.
“Open your eyes sweetheart”
A look of extreme surprise came onto her face as she looked around. ______ loved flowers. In fact, she wouldn’t admit it, but she loved them more than me. (Puppy eyes)
“Oh my god Eisuke! This is so beautiful!” she said, leaving my hand and ran inside to have a better look. I smiled and followed her.
“Wow! There are so many flowers here. Dahlias, Chrysanthemums, Cinerarias, Lilies, oh and even Passionflowers!” she squealed like a fangirl. Seeing her happy made me happy too.
“Rose! Wow, Sunflowers! And Tiger Lilies, Lavender, Bougainvillea and Cherry trees!!” she exclaimed, her child-like eyes twinkling.
She came over to me again and said, “I never knew such kind of a garden existed here.”
“It didn’t. I got it made for you. It’s yours.” I said.
“What?! Oh my gosh, Eisuke! Thank you so much!” she said, hugging me so tightly in a vicegrip that I truly thought I’d choke.
“You’re welcome ______” I said, kissing her forehead, “Shall we go further? There are fountains and a pavillion inside. Come on”
We walked further together
“Goodness these fountains! So gorgeous! And these exotic flowers are so pretty…”
“But none as pretty as you….” I said, without intending to do so. She looked at me, surprised at the sudden compliment.
“You’re prettier than any flower in this world” I said, taking her chin in my hand and kissing her soft lips. I could feel her arms wrap around my neck and fingers lace through my hair as we shared a few kisses.
“Let’s go to the pavillion” I said, reluctantly taking a last bite of her bottom lip.
“This is TOO GOOD!”
She jumped slightly at the sight of the vintage-style pavillion at the centre. I could only grin. She liked it. I had initially planned on giving her something exquisite like coture dresses or a marquise diamond, but like the sweetheart she is, she would not have accepted it. The garden was a good idea. It defined the beauty, grace and simplicity that _____ possessed.
“Liked it?”
“Very much. Thanks for this Eisuke. It’s more beautiful and precious than any diamond necklace. Thank you so much…”she said, nuzzling her face into my chest.
“I should be the one thanking you.”
She looked up, puzzled. Seeing that look in her eyes spurred me. This was the right time.
“What is it Eisuke?” she asked, caressing my right cheek. I took a deep breath and began.
“______, we are here today for an entirely different reason.”
“What is it?”
“To begin with, I want to thank you _____. For all that you’ve done for me. For all that you taught me. For all the happiness you gave me. For the patience that you showed. For doing all the things I told you to. For never deploring my asshole-ness. For making me the most marvellous coffees. And if I try to thank you for everything, I bet I wouldn’t be done before Christmas.” She giggled slightly at that.
“And I want to say sorry. For all the mean things I did to you. For the no thank-you’s. For asking you to do imbecile jobs for me. For putting you in vexatious, awkward positions many a times. For threatening you. For hurting you and not saying sorry when I was at fault.” I said, looking straight into her questioning eyes as my hands slipped around her waist.
“I bet there’s nothing more wonderful that’s happened to me, than you. Honestly speaking, my heart was a bare, frigid desert until you came in and warmed it up with your love and care. And before I realised it, I was in love with you. I feel so damn unbefitting to have your love, care and affection. But you make me want to be a better man, a better human being. I didn’t admit this ever before; your beauty did attract my attention, but your personality stole my heart.”
Saying this, I got down on one knee and continued, “_______, will you accept the lover in me, along with the bastard? Will you accept the victim in me, along with the criminal? Will you hit me hard when I’m rude and cruel? I hope I’m not asking for too much; will you be with me forever? I promise to keep you contented and give you the most magnificent life. I promise to spoil you with my love. ______ will you marry me?” I took out a velvet box from my blazer and opened it.
Her eyes were teary but didn’t lack an ounce of fondness and warmth.
“Yes….suki” she said in a choked voice with a smile.
I slipped the ring around her finger and a happy tear rolled down her cheek. I pulled her close.
“But I can’t hit you hard” she said choking out a few tears. I laughed. She laughed too. And hers was contagious. “I love you so much” With her by my side, I felt richer than the richest person on the planet.
“I love you too Eisuke” she cried, holding my face in her palms and kissing me as the sun set, casting beautiful silhouettes and hinting in the slightest about the amazing future that awaited us. Our best was yet to come.
“You come to my room and wake me up at 4 AM, to cuddle?” - Eisuke Ichinomiya [Request]
What in the hecks is up with this whole ‘sleep in separate rooms’ thing? What are we, high scholars?
I lie on the bed, looking up at the ceiling, cursing inwardly at the ridiculousness of the situation.
We have come to Venice, Italy, to meet with Mr. Bucci, one of Eisuke’s most important acquaintances, on the former’s persistent invitation. He had called Eisuke yesterday and told him to board the chopper he’d sent; no context, no warning whatsoever.
I crack a smile when I remember how exasperated Eisuke looked just yesterday, when I was running around our home, rushing to pack our clothes and other travel items as quickly as possible.
We boarded the helicopter soon enough and were in Italy before we knew it. Our day was filled with Mr. Bucci and his daughter, Carolina, taking us to various places around the city of Venice. It was a good day, all in all.
... that is, until Mr. Bucci dropped a bomb on us.
Not a literal bomb, of course.
“Hmm, I know you and your girlfriend love each other, Eisuke, but tonight (Y/N) mustn’t sleep with you. Carolina wants to have what she called a ‘sleepover’ with her new friend, here. So, you must sleep in separate rooms tonight.” - Antonio Bucci, 2020.
Of course, when the Italian Mob Boss asks something out of you, you never say no.
If you love your life, I mean.
“So much for a sleepover...” I mutter to myself, turning my head to look at Carolina’s snoring form. “So much for ‘girl talks’, ‘bad jokes’ and ‘movie nights’.”
I sigh, turning over to look away from her.
Is Eisuke thinking of me right now?
My fingers play with the ends of the pillow cover, my mind wandering off to thoughts of just one man.
Hmm, I wonder if he is even asleep?
My eyes close, trying to go off to dreamland for the nth time.
I miss him.
I shake my head to try and stop thinking about the warmth I’m so used to having beside me, holding me.
I want him to hold me. I want him beside me, helping me fall into a peaceful sleep.
I huff, and my eyes open again.
Shut up, brain. You don’t have to get poetic.
I roll my eyes at myself in annoyance, before giving up on sleeping at all. I get up, and grab my mobile to check the time. It’s nearly 4 AM in the morning, and I haven’t gotten a wink of sleep.
I turn to look at Carolina, who is fast asleep beside me.
Before I can stop it, my brain presents me with an idea.
I get up, wondering if this idea is foolproof, and walk towards the door which connects this room to the hallway.
Stepping out of the room without making a sound, I look around to check if anyone is awake. All I am greeted with is silence so quiet that you could hear it if a pin dropped. Although, that’s kind of the whole point of silence.
I take slow steps towards the room where I know Eisuke is staying, and in no time I am standing in front of the door.
I stand there for a moment, second-guessing this “plan.”
What if he is asleep? What if I am disrupting his rest?... Wait. What if Mr. Antonio finds out? Would he be angry?
Shaking my head to get rid of the doubts, I muster up the courage to knock on the door thrice.
I look down, suddenly finding my feet very interesting when I hear footsteps, before the door in front of me opens.
“(Y/N)?” A voice calls out, making me freeze.
That doesn’t sound like Eisuke... It sounds like-
“Looking for Eisuke, hmm?”
My eyes shoot up to look at the person in front of me, and I see Mr. Bucci there, smirking to himself.
“(Y/N)? Are you alright?” He asks, when I stay mute for longer than I should have.
“U-um, yes!” I say, internally screaming when my voice comes out a little too high-pitched, “I- um, I was- uh yes! I was looking for a restroom, actually.”
“Since when did you need to knock on doors to the restroom?”
“U-um-”
“Eisuke’s room is the other one, three doors from mine,” he says, the smirk never going off his face. “I was just teasing you, young lady.”
He lets out a chuckle and my cheeks turn red, realising that he switched Eisuke’s room on purpose.
“I knew my daughter would end up falling asleep,” Mr. Bucci looks at me, before pointing to the left.
I am about to walk off and plan my demise from all the embarrassment, when Antonio Bucci decides to add the cherry on top.
“One more thing,” he says, stopping me in my tracks, “Keep it down, hmm?”
And before I can dig up a hole in the ground to bury myself in, I hear the door to his room close.
Taking a deep breath to calm myself down, I walk towards the door he pointed at earlier.
So much for you, Eisuke Ichinomiya. So much.
I pray to all heavens and hells to not let me face another session of Embarrassment 101 as my fist goes up to the door, knocking.
I hear footsteps. I hold my breath, wondering if it really is Eisuke this time. It almost feels like an over-dramatized cliffhanger scene from a drama.
“Yes?” I hear a familiar voice utter as the door opens, revealing the very root of most of my embarrassing moments. Also all of my most amazing and happy moments, but that’s not the point.
“I couldn’t sleep.” Those are the first three words that tumble out of my mouth the moment I see him.
“So, you chose to disrupt mine, too?” he smirks.
This brat-
I sigh, stopping my mind from thinking anything that’ll put me in trouble if it accidentally spilled out of my mouth.
“I missed you,” I mutter, looking down.
“You did, hmm?”
“This is your cue to pull me into your arms and tell me you missed me too, just saying.” I hear him chuckle at those words, before he turns around to look at the clock hanging on one of the walls in the room.
“You’re telling me,” he looks back at me, “You come to my room and wake me up at 4 AM, to cuddle?”
I look up, my eyes meeting his gorgeous dark brown ones. “Yes. Yes I am.”
“Very well,” he smirks, his arm snaking around my waist and pulling me to him in a flush.
He shuts the door behind him and leads me towards the bed, before pushing me down.
I grab his hands, stopping him from doing whatever he was planning to do.
“We can’t, Eisuke,” I say, trying to reason with him, “Mr. Bucci is like, just three doors away.”
“I thought you wanted to cuddle?”
“No, you can’t have your way- wait, what?”
His wide eyes turn back to normal as his lips form a smirk.
Oh lords. What have I done.
“Are you sure you weren’t able to sleep because you missed me in a very... non-erotic sense?”
“Eisuke!”
“Yes, (Y/N)?”
“I-” I start, then pause. I don’t know what to say.
Eisuke chuckles at my speechlessness, before plopping down beside me and wrapping me up in his warm arms, pulling me close.
I close my eyes, and let out a relieved sigh at finally being able to hug him close.
“Also,” he starts, making me open my eyes, “Mr. Bucci asked you to keep it down, hmm?”
... Shit.
I feel his body shake as he laughs, still holding me in his arms, his fingers placing themselves along my jaw and pulling my face up.
“Not another word, Ichinomiya,” I say, averting my eyes, feeling my cheeks heat up again.
I lift up my left hand to look at the watch on my wrist, noting the time.
2:36 AM.
Yuki should be asleep by now. I hope she didn’t stay up late waiting for me.
I sigh, my right hand reaching up to massage the back of my neck, easing the tension there while my feet carry me down the hallway at an even, relaxed, and controlled pace, to the entrance of the Penthouse lounge.
Just as my fingers push the door open and I take a few steps into the place, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, notifying me of someone’s text.
I pay it no mind, however, and keep walking. I can always look at it later. The moment I reach the bottom of the stairs leading up to my personal suite is when my phone vibrates again with another message.
Who the heck is it, so late at night?
I click my tongue, annoyed, but take out my mobile nonetheless. Unlocking it, I check the notifications to see a few messages from the one person who occupies practically all of my thoughts, mostly.
It’s Yuki. And the very first of the few messages she sent me only makes me quicken up my pace to go see her.
“I just had a nightmare.”
I quickly climb up the stairs as my eyes scan through the rest of her messages, my urge to see her only growing stronger with each word I read.
“Haha, I’m sorry for texting you out of the blue. I know you’re busy.”
“Um, don’t mind the messages, I’ll be fine. Sorry for disturbing you!”
I sigh, a little annoyed at the way she is trying to play off the entire matter as if it’s nothing, but her last message manages to bring a slight smile to my face.
“Take care! I’ll be waiting. Love you!!”
Always the worrywart.
I turn off the mobile and slide it back into my pocket after replying with a short ‘Mm.’ I’d rather have her talk to me face-to-face than over text.
Soon enough, I reach the entrance of the suite. The moment I open the door, though, what I hear makes me raise my eyebrows in concern for more than a moment.
I hear sobs. Not just anyone’s, but Yuki’s.
She’s crying?
Quietly, I close the door so as not to make a sound and walk towards the bedroom; the direction where I hear her sobs come from. Opening the door, I see her sitting on the bed, hugging her knees close to her small body.
Every now and then, I see her body jump a little with her sniffs.
I close the door behind me, feeling a slight ache in my chest with every pained sound I hear coming out of her mouth. I take a deep breath and take out my phone.
“Are you okay now?” I press ‘send’.
Her lock screen lights up with an incoming message, and she reaches out to grab the device. Opening it, I see her start typing the moment she sees my message.
She still hasn’t realised I’m standing right here.
“Hey! Yeah, yeah. I’m okay. It was just a baseless dream, haha. Don’t worry about it!”
Baseless dream, huh? Then why do I see tears streaming down your face?
I barely stop myself from clicking my tongue when I see her give our chat that pained smile, as if she is trying to make herself believe that her nightmares are nothing to worry about.
“How long do you plan on crying alone, Yuki?”
“Ah!” Her body jolts in surprise and she looks back, her eyes wide with surprise. “H-How long have you been standing there?”
One look at her eyes, as red as blood, is enough to get me worked up. “Longer than you’d like.”
“I-”
“Come here,” I mutter, looking straight at her. I open my arms, signalling her to come closer, “Give me a hug. It’s going to be okay.”
The moment the words leave my mouth, she gets off the bed and walks towards me and jumps into my arms, almost as if she was waiting for me to ask her to.
I pull her closer, stroking her hair at a slow, steady rhythm, and wait for her to calm down a little. Once she does, I ask, “Do you want to talk about it?”
She stays mum, not moving or talking for a moment.
“Yuki,” I call out, gently cradling her face and lifting it up, so that her tear-filled, nervous eyes are looking right at me. “Tell me what’s wrong. If you tell me, I’ll make it go away.”
“Eisuke...” she looks down and nods, slowly, as if strengthening her resolve to talk about what she dreamt. “It was weird, really. My nightmare, I mean.”
“I’m listening.”
“I... I think I was talking to my friends. I don’t remember about what, exactly, but I was talking to a bunch of people. Then I felt someone look at me, so I looked up and saw a man standing there, staring at me,” she pauses, furrowing her eyebrows, trying to remember whatever she could, “He gave me a very creepy smile. I remember it making me feel very uncomfortable.”
She bites her lip, her body tensing up a little. Without a word, my right hand goes up to her hair again, and re-starts the rhythmic stroking. Unconsciously, my other hand tightens its grip on her waist, too.
“Nonetheless, I ignored it and went back home, and went to sleep in my dream. When I woke up, it was as if... my mouth was sealed shut.” She looks up me, her chest heaving as her breaths start getting shallower, the panic slowly setting in. “No matter how hard I tried, my voice didn’t come out. I couldn’t talk.”
She stops speaking, and I feel her start to tremble. “Shh,” I whisper, patting her back, “It’s okay, I’m right here.”
She cracks her knuckles, clearly nervous, and starts playing with her hands in an attempt to distract herself.
“It’s alright,” I say, my right hand leaving her hair to grasp her one of hers. I pull at her hand, stopping her from playing with them, and hold it in mine. I bring our intertwined fingers up to my mouth and kiss the back of her palm softly, “I’ve got you.”
That seemingly gives her the strength to continue, “Uh, so yeah, I couldn’t talk. I went to the penthouse lounge and saw all of the guys sitting there, except you, talking amongst themselves. I greeted them, but none of them replied back. It seemed as if... they couldn’t see me? Or maybe they were acting like I didn’t exist.”
She pauses again, and takes a deep breath. I furrow my brows, concerned at how much this nightmare is affecting her.
“I went outside into the hallway and saw Sakiko and Chisato, and I called out to them multiple times, but they never once looked my way and kept walking. And then...”
My thumb, which at this point is stroking the back of her hand through our laced fingers in an attempt to make sure she knows I’m right here, freezes when I feel her tears wet my shirt. She’s crying.
“Then... I saw you climbing down the stairs, Eisuke,” she looks down and bites her lip, her body quivering ever so slightly with her sobs. “I called out to you. But even you didn’t hear me. I felt so alone, so non-existent. Just when I was about to run after you, I looked up and saw that man again, the one who had given me the creepy smile. He smirked an-and- and he started walking towards me and-”
She stutters, trying to talk, but her tears make it a difficult task to accomplish.
“And?” I ask, lifting her arms and placing them around my neck. In a flush, I pull her closer; as close to me as I possibly can. “And then what, Yuki?”
“And then I woke up,” she whispers, and I feel my chest tighten at how broken her voice sounds.
“Just breathe,” I whisper back, patting her back slowly with my right hand as the other one reaches up to rest at the back of her neck, massaging the spot there.
“Ahaha, I tried not to cry,” she chokes out, trying to pull herself away, “I-I can’t stop it. I’m sorry...”
“It’s okay,” I mutter, wrapping my arm even more tightly around her to hold her in place, “It’s okay. Just breathe. You don’t have to be sorry for anything.” I pull my head back a little to place a gentle kiss at her temple, “I’ve got you.”
“Eisuke... I don’t ever want to sleep again. What if- what if I dream about that again?”
“You’re going to be fine, I promise.”
“But what if he comes back to hurt me, Eisuke?” she whispers, and I feel more tears stream down her face even though she tries her best to not let them.
“Look at me,” I say and pull her face back, but just enough for her eyes to meet my own. “You’ll be alright, I’m here for you. No one can hurt you now, okay? You’re safe here.”
“B-but what if you leave-”
“Shh,” I place a finger on her lips, immediately quietening her. “I’m right here.” I grasp one of her trembling hands in mine and bring it up to my chest. “Feel my heartbeat?” She nods, her fingertips curling around the fabric of my shirt. “Just focus on that.”
Seconds turn to minutes, and I finally feel her body relax in my arms, if only a little. She wraps her arms around my neck once again and rests her face on my shoulder, her fingers stroking at the hair at the base of my neck.
I let out a relieved sigh when I feel her breaths slowly start to even out.
“You’re getting ridiculously comfortable, aren’t you?” I whisper, smirking.
“O-oh! Sorry!” She yelps, making an attempt to jump back. “I’ll give you some space, haha.”
“Hush,” I mutter, “We can stay here until you feel better.”
“R-really?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“Yessir,” she mutters, a teasing tilt to her voice. She lifts her head to look at me, her earnest eyes boring into mine.
“You’re beautiful, you know that?” I breathe, my hand cradling her face.
“Where did that come from?” She averts her gaze, a light red dusting her cheeks.
Instead of replying, I turn her face toward me, and bend down to place a kiss on her forehead. “If you ever feel alone...” I begin, not moving away, “Don’t. Because I am right here.”
“Eisuke...” she trails off, looking up at me.
“You have no idea how important you are to me,” I whisper, my fingers holding on to her jaw while my thumb moves over her cheek. I pull her face up and bend down, connecting our lips in the lightest of kisses. “I love you.”
She looks up at me, a smile slowly spreading across her face, taking over the task of brightening up her features.
Yuki’s hands place themselves at the back of my neck, pulling my head lower, connecting our foreheads.
