Disclaimer: No, Fushigi Yûgi isn't mine. It belongs to the lovely Yu Watase, Shogakukan Comics, Pierrot Studios, TV Tokyo and Pioneer. No copyright infringement is intended.
Welcome to the beginning of chapter seven in CIAWOL!
Kuroi hane- Hehe. I don't know what she see's in him either! And I agree he is sorta cute. Personally I think he looks a lot better in the manga than he does in the series. I have no idea why though.
And to answer your question, the Shijin Tenchi Sho plays no part in this fic (Although you might find some similarities and parallels). It's kinda like I plucked the characters out of the story and threw them in present day high school. And yes, many more seishi make appearances. Between you and me, I plan to squeeze some Seiryu and maybe even some Byakko! I already used a Genbu warrior. :P See if you can find him.
Psh. I love that word too. Hehe.
XD Yeah if her and her "teeny crush" don't get their act together soon, there is definitely going to be some Tasuki kidnapping!
:D Yep. Finally there getting closer. And let your NC-17 thoughts run rampant! I'm working on yet another song fic that will definitely have a lot of Tasuki and Miaka action. To tell you the truth, I have about 5 song fics in the making with the TasMi pairing. Insane, I know. But whenever I listen to certain songs, I picture some sort of store with Tasuki and Miaka. I guess I'm crazy?
Thank you so much for reviewing everything I've written. XD It really means a lot to me.
RainbowSerenity – I was trying to throw a curve ball by tossing Xi Fang into the mix. I guess it worked huh? :P
And yes, KittyLynne's advice is working fabulously. And I totally agree with you. I'm a lot happier with these past two chapters than I was with my first one.
And you are correct about that love...well...web. And I may even toss in some more characters into that web. Like you, I just adore love webs! I can't get enough of them!
Very fun times and...well...you'll see!
And big thank you to everyone else who has given me reviews! I read each and every one of them and I appreciate them so much!
Oh and warning!
In the first few paragraphs there is partial nudity on Miaka's behalf. If anyone things I should up the rating on the story because of this, please tell me so I can make sure to do that. I forget what I have rated this story. -.-'
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Tasuki sat quietly on the couch at the Yuki apartment, toying around with a picture frame that held a photograph of Miaka and her best friend Yui. After letting a sigh escape his lips, he set the frame back down on the coffee table as he stood. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his blue jeans and wandered around the room for a bit, taking in his surroundings. 'Why does all of this seem to look familiar?'
Glancing down at his shirt, he pondered if his choice of a band tee was the right one. As he shrugged it off he glanced at the only clock in the room, the Yuki family VCR player. 'Hey! They got theirs to work! And I thought that was impossible,' he thought as he read the numbers.
Three o'clock.
The red head's face scrunched up in frustration. 'How long does it take her to change?' He mulled over why it would take Miaka almost a half hour to change out of her school uniform and into a new outfit. As he did so, he slowly wandered down the hallway that Miaka had disappeared into before she left him almost thirty minutes ago.
While he trudged down the hall in search of Miaka's room, he felt as if his feet had a mind of their own. He had never been to her apartment before, right? So how did he know where her room was? It was probably just the fact that almost all apartments looked a lot alike.
As he approached Miaka's room, he didn't think for a moment that she might actually be busy. Actually, he wasn't really even thinking at all, which was normal for the teenager. Thinking before his actions was a very rare occasion for him. In any case, he certainly didn't expect Miaka to be undressed.
He froze in the doorway, his boots glued to the floor. His eyes stuck on the image Miaka's torso as the door silently swung open. Busy humming and looking for articles of clothing inside her closet, Miaka didn't notice the male in her room so naturally she wasn't in a hurry to cover up her exposed skin.
Tasuki moistened his lips slowly as he continued gawk at the maidens completely exposed upper half. Looking down at his own lower half he groaned inwardly. 'Stay down, boy. Please!' As he mentally yelled at his manhood he couldn't help but avert his glance back up to Miaka.
Staring intently at her milky skin, he marveled at how petite, yet developed the girl was. He could clearly imagine cupping a rough hand against the curvature of her breast as he slowly lowered his lips to...
He mentally swore and tore his gaze away from the pleasant site as he shut his eyes tightly, trying to push those thoughts from his mind for the sake of being calm when she was ready to leave. He strode off down the rest off the hallway, seeking refuge in the bathroom. He found it at the end of the hall (just where he thought it would be) and shut the door behind him. Staring into the depths of the mirror, he turned the faucet on and splashed cool water onto his face. As he reached for a towel, he reluctantly pictured the principal undressing before him which quickly brought his libido down to a level that he could control.
While burying his face in a towel, he vaguely heard his name being called down the hallway. He peaked out at the closed door from behind the towel, proclaiming his presence in the bathroom. Setting down the towel where he got it from, he reached for the door an opened it.
Face to face with Miaka, he shoved his hands in his pockets and pushed a fangy grin to his lips as he recklessly fought off thoughts of her writhing beneath him in a naked sweat. "Ready?"
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Tamahome stared blankly down at the text book in his lap. His eyes were fixated on the passage he was supposed to be reading, yet his mind was someplace else. Ever since he'd hung up the phone after Hotohori's call, his mind was swimming in a sea of doubt and confusion. How did he feel about Miaka? So far, he could only admit that he loved Miaka at the beginning of the relationship, but how that had blossomed over time, he couldn't quite tell.
After a few minutes he began to feel Xi-Fang's curious gaze as it bore into him. With an exasperated sigh, he snapped the text book shut and turned to look at her. "Yes?"
At Tamahome's reaction, Xi-Fang put on a façade of embarrassment and guilt. She turned away as she nervously took her lower lip into her mouth and gently gnawed on it.
Heaving another sigh, he began to give into Xi-Fang's plan without his acknowledgement. Setting the text book down on the bed, he slid a little closer to her. "Sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I guess my nerves are a little shot." His shoulders sagged as he leaned back against the wall, staring down at his lap as he brought his knees up, closing his eyes.
A smile found its way onto Xi-Fangs face as she got onto her hands and knees, bringing her face a little closer to Tamahome's. "Don't worry about it." She murmured quietly, purposely speaking in an alluring tone. Ever since she'd met Tamahome, she'd always wanted his heart for her own. This chemistry project was the perfect excuse for her to get closer to him without too much interference from Miaka.
He could swear he felt her breathing faintly on his cheek. Cracking and eye open just slightly to look out at her; he soon came to the realization that she hadn't given up on making him hers just yet. In a quick jumble of thoughts, Tamahome figured that it wouldn't hurt to just play around a bit with Xi-Fang. If he wanted to be sure that his feelings for Miaka were true, then he could put them to the test, right? If he felt nothing during this little escapade, then he could happily continue his relationship with Miaka.
Opening his eyes for just a moment, he brought a hand up to Xi-Fang's cheek, cupping it gently as he caught her lips with his. Now on his knees, he gently pushed Xi-Fang onto her back as she willingly gave her mouth to him completely. As their tongues mingled together, Tamahome pulled her legs up and around his waist, his mind wandering to thoughts of how her bare thighs would feel against his own hot skin.
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Chichiri secretly gazed at the couple beside him as the whole crew walked the mall. Ever since they'd arrived, they had seemed closer than ever. They even seemed to be closer than Chichiri had ever seen Miaka and Tamahome. He couldn't help but marvel in how quickly the relationship between his new locker buddy and his good friend was flourishing.
Looking around the mall he spotted many other couples as they walked the mall in search of gifts to buy each other or maybe a movie to sneak into. Watching the rest of his own group, he listened to the couples talk about nothing and about everything. Mitsukake walked hand in hand with his girlfriend Shoka, talking about his future in medicine and where it would take him in the world, Shoka vowing to follow him. Nuriko was persistently tugging on Hotohori's arm as he leaned his head on his shoulder. While Nuriko got comfortable, Hotohori was trying to politely slip his arm from Nuriko's grasp.
Chichiri glanced down at his right hand side, finding Chiriko smiling up at him. He gave him a small smile in return as his gaze went back to Miaka and Tasuki. Letting out a sigh, his mind drifted to thoughts of Tenmei. They had known each other since they were very young and over time he had begun to look at her as more than just a friend. As he continued to silently ponder their relationship and where it might go, he thought of what exactly she was doing right now, and who she was with. Whoever it was, he was instantly jealous that they were spending their time with her, breathing in the same air that she was.
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Nuriko continued to tug at Hotohori's clothing as he tried to get his attention, though Hotohori's caramel eyes continued to watch Miaka as she laughed jubilantly with Tasuki. Envy welled up deep inside him as the two exchanged small talk, making little jokes every now and then.
Catching site of the bitter looks Hotohori was throwing his way, Tasuki decided to try and relax the tension between them. He wasn't exactly sure of what had caused it, but he was determined to befriend Hotohori.
Holding Miaka's hand, he gently pulled her with him as he walked along side Hotohori. Every now and then, Hotohori's golden eyes drifted down to their clasped hands in annoyance.
"Miaka tells me that you're heir to Konan Inc." Both Hotohori and Nuriko's eyes quickly focused on Tasuki. Hotohori took this as his shot to prove to Miaka that he could offer Miaka great wealth when it came to both money and love.
"Yes, I am. I've already thought up many new products and marketing strategies that could prove useful to the company if introduced." Hotohori kept eye contact with Tasuki as he spoke, trying to shoot him glances that would instill fear in him. He needed to tell him that he was treading on forbidden territory. Miaka was his.
Unfazed, a grin slid onto Tasuki's face as he pointed over to Nuriko with his thumb. "He gonna be your partner in crime?" He chuckled a bit.
Nuriko's face reddened a bit along with Hotohori's, but he was the first to act. Nurkio's fist connected with Tasuki's fore arm within a matter of seconds. Tasuki let go of Miaka's hand as he tenderly covered the spot where he was punched.
"For a sissy man, ya sure pack a punch!" Miaka could only giggle as another barrage of punches connected with Tasuki's already tender fore arm.
"Maybe that'll teach you." Nuriko ran a hand through his bangs and flung his long braid over his shoulder. Tasuki whimpered quietly while Miaka's giggles quieted down, both of them dropping behind the rest of the group.
"I guess I should have warned you about Nuriko. He may be feminine, but he's pretty strong." She stuck her tongue out at him as she teased him. "But you should be able to take it. You are strong after all, aren't you?" She poked at his fore arm.
"Hey, hey!" He shoed her hand away with his own as he continued. "Don't touch. It's very sensitive at the moment." He grinned down at her before looking back up at the rest of the group. After a few moments of pondering, he began speaking again. "Wanna see how long it would take for them to notice we're gone?" He looked back down at her, a look of mischief twinkling in his amber eyes.
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Tamahome unwillingly tore his lips away from Xi-Fangs, his breathing slightly heavy as it tickled her cheek. Opening his eyes, he gazed down at the maiden underneath him. He sat carefully back on his feet, gently resting his weight on her legs. He drew circles around her bellybutton as he looked up at her.
"Maybe you should get your shirt back on. Or at least your bra." He grinned slyly as he reached for both of her articles of clothing, along with his own tee shirt. He sat next to her as he slipped his tee over his head, waiting for her to clothe herself.
Upon finishing, a smile lit up her face. "Hey, how about we forget about this Chemistry project for a bit and go to the mall?"
Without a seconds thought, Tamahome nodded and reached for her hand, pulling her off the bed and out the door.
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Miaka burst out of the dressing room, radiating happiness. She was trying on a colourful bikini, its fabric a mosaic of oranges, yellows, pinks and reds. Tasuki sat in a chair silently as he watched Miaka model the swimwear. It was getting harder and harder for him to keep control over himself with each swing of her hips as she checked out how she looked in her current attire.
"Miaka," He called out, mentally in distress and willing to try anything that might keep his sexual desires from escalating. "There's a mirror over here." Maybe if she could see her behind in the mirror, she'd stop tossing her hips around.
But Tasuki, like so many times before, hadn't completely thought about his plan before executing it. Not only was she now close enough to him that he could smell her faint perfume, but she had continued to swing her hips ever so slightly as she gazed at herself in the mirror. He wasn't sure if she was doing it on purpose or just out of sheer habit. Whatever it was, it didn't change the fact that it was turning him on.
A lot.
It seemed that at this point he was ready to whisk her away into the dressing room she had exited moments before. It would only take seconds for him to pull the string on the top of her bikini. And also, watching the article of clothing flutter to the ground would be such a pleasant experience. His mind now set on at least touching the maiden before him, his hands went to the arms of the chair and he slowly pushed himself out of it.
Much to his dismay, a sales clerk quickly came over, asking Miaka if she would be buying the bikini.
Miaka turned to Tasuki, smiling up at him. "Well what do you think? Should I buy it?"
His eyes widened as he blinked rapidly for a moment, a bit caught off guard by the question. "Well, why not?" came his answer after a moment or two. "You look beautiful in it." The teeniest bit of colour warmed his cheeks.
The sales women smiled brilliantly at the fact that something else from the store was to be sold. "You listen to your boyfriend. He knows what he's talking about."
Yet again Tasuki was caught off guard by someone's words, but this time he was not alone. Miaka stared at the women for a second as she processed what was said. Do we really look that much like a couple?
By the time she had gained her composure and was ready to correct the women, it was too late. She had already disappeared behind the cash register, waiting for Miaka to change and purchase the swimwear. With a grin, Tasuki nudged her back towards the dressing room which she came out of before.
"Come on, sweetie. It's getting late." He teased as he stuck his hands in his pockets, waiting outside the door.
Before shutting the door behind her, Miaka stuck her tongue out at him with a playful grin.
When she came back out, she walked up to the cash register, Tasuki at her heels. She set the bikini up on the counter and reached in her bag for her wallet. But before she could successfully pull it out, Tasuki was leaning in behind her and handing over a small wad of money to the salesclerk. She looked up at him questioningly, but the only response he gave her was a sheepish grin.
Upon receiving his change, he quickly walked out of the store, waiting for her to catch up with him. As Miaka neared the exit with her bag in toe, Tasuki shoved his hands in his pockets and began to whistle quietly as he waited. She stood out in front of him, holding out her hand. In her palm there was a bit of money.
"Take it." She urged him as she slid her arm into the handle of the bag. She reached for his hand with her free hand, pulling it out of his pocket and placing her money into the palm of his own hand. "There was no need for you to pay for that."
"Aw come on, Mi-chan." He placed the money back in her hand, sliding his hand back into his pocket as he leaned gently against the doorframe. "Lets just call it a little thank you gift." Looking down at her from the corner of his eye, he caught her puzzled look.
"What have I done worthy of anyone's praise?" She waited patiently as they watched, raising an eyebrow in his direction.
Tasuki pondered how exactly he should go about wording what he wanted to say. He didn't want to blurt anything out that might come back to bite him in the ass. And he certainly didn't want to scare her off by being too forward.
"Well Mi-chan," He started softly as he finished organizing the jumble of thoughts in his head into one coherent sentence. As he continued his gaze fell down to his boots. "You've made me feel very welcome since I moved back here."
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Xi-Fang gently pulled Tamahome along by the hand as they entered the mall, humming one of her favourite songs.
"Where to first?" Tamahome asked as he watched Xi-Fang, taking note of how much her mood had changed. She seemed much more jubilant at the moment compared to what her attitude was like before Hotohori's call. Maybe the fact that there was no longer any sexual tension between the two of them had something to do with it.
Tamahome had completely forgotten that the rest of his gang was in the mall when Hotohori had called. And even as the two of them stepped onto an escalator leading to the second floor, he was still completely oblivious to the fact that at any moment his friends could catch him in an act of infidelity. Well, he could always use the Chemistry project as an excuse.
Xi-Fang gently chewed on her lower lip in thought as she contemplated where she would drag Tamahome to first. "Oh! I know the perfect place to go!"
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"Well," the molten haired teen stood up straight. "How about we grab a bite to eat and then try and find the others?"
A smile tugged at the corners of Miaka's lips as she pulled Tasuki's hand from his pocket and held it, lacing her fingers with his. "Okay. That sounds good." Neither Tasuki nor Miaka noticed Tamahome and his mistress as they walked into the store right after they left.
Miaka lead Tasuki to the nearest restaurant where they sat down in a corner booth. During their meal they talked about everything they could in order to get to know each other better. They both shared little facts like their birthdays and their fears. It took a bit of prodding on Miaka's part to get Tasuki to confess to that he was a hydrophobic. They talked about the history behind Miaka's hair style and what it was like for Tasuki to live in the United States for most of his life.
With each passing word, Tasuki's adoration towards Miaka grew. The more she told about herself, the more he wanted to hear. He was surprised at how curious he was to know every detail about her and her life. Never before had he wanted to know this much about a girl. As the seconds ticked by and they kept talking, it was becoming more and more apparent to Tasuki that he was becoming attached. When and if she let him have her, he wouldn't be letting go. Not for Tamahome, not for anyone.
The way Miaka was speaking made it seem as if she had everything under control. But that was far from the truth. Her head was swimming in a sea of confusion as she tried yet again to sort out her feelings. Before Hotohori's call back at Tasuki's apartment, she had been very forward had actually kissed the man before her. Wasn't it only a few hours ago that she had caught her boyfriend kissing another girl? Didn't that make her a hypocrite?
And then there was what she had said before she kissed him. She had practically confessed that she wanted something more than just a friendship from Tasuki. Did she only say that because the stress of seeing her boyfriend kiss another girl was affecting her, or did she really mean it?
And what was puzzling her even more was: was she even really all that peeved about Tamahome kissing Xi-Fang?
She was contradicting herself left and right as she tried to rationalize her thoughts. Finally she decided to quiet down her musings and focus on the conversation she was having with the man in front of her. Sorting out her feelings had to be put on the back burner at the moment.
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By this time, everyone had noticed the disappearance of their female companion. And it didn't take long to notice that the new comer to their group was conspicuously absent as well. Hotohori as well as Chichiri tried to reach Miaka on her cell phone, but it turned out that she had turned it off just for the occasion. Well, Miaka couldn't have picked a more inopportune time to turn her phone off considering the sight the group happened to be looking at.
None of them knew that a few hours ago Tamahome did something that caused Miaka to distance herself even more from him. None of them knew that Xi-Fang and Tamahome had locked lips. And none of them knew that Miaka had run to Tasuki for comfort.
The whole group was passing by the swimsuit store just as the unexpected couple exited. Chichiri sensed them first, but Hotohori was quicker with his words.
"Hey! Tamahome!" He called out to him, Nuriko still clinging to his arm like always. "I thought you said you had to work on that Chemistry project?"
As soon as he heard his name Tamahome was racking his brain for an excuse. "Oh? I said that didn't I? Heh." He put his and behind his head as he quickly tried to think up a reasonable excuse. "Well. We decided we should take a break and rest our heads. We've already got a lot done anyway." Mentally he cursed at himself for lying to his friends. And also because they had accomplished absolutely nothing. The project was due in another week.
"I see." With a bit of reluctance, Hotohori politely invited the couple to join them. After asking for Xi-Fangs approval, Tamahome quickly agreed and they were all on their way again.
It didn't take long for Tamahome to realize that his girlfriend was missing. He wondered if the new kid had been invited on this little excursion and if he was off someplace with Miaka.
A little way down the strip of stores and restaurants, Tasuki caught site of the group as they all walked in his direction. His gaze quickly zeroed in on Tamahome, shooting him a death glare even if he couldn't see it. Then his gaze fell onto Xi-Fang and how she was interlocking her arm with Tamahome's. It strongly reminded him of the way Nuriko was hanging all over Hotohori.
Fortunately, Miaka had gone to the bathroom a couple of minutes ago so she wasn't sitting with him to watch as the group paraded in his direction.
How dare he even come out of his apartment with that girl after what he has done. It was then that Tasuki realized that he was really no better than Tamahome with the way he was acting. He had gotten Miaka to kiss him a few days ago and they were very close to making out just a couple hours ago.
It was unlike him to do something like that. With all of the morals he was brought up with, he was now acting out of character. He decided that from this point on, the only way he could ever be with her physically again, even if it was just a brief kiss, was if she broke it off with Tama. He just wouldn't allow himself to get mixed up in a great controversy. Plus, he wanted to know that if he and Miaka were locking lips, it was because she really felt a connection with him. Not just because she wasn't getting anything physical from Tamahome.
Yet again he was thinking about how strange it was for him to be more than just physically attracted to a woman. He had never felt so connected, so bound to someone like he felt he was with Miaka.
As the group passed him, Tasuki tried hiding his face, but his attempts were futile. He felt one set of eyes as their owners gaze bore into him and only when the gang turned the corner did he feel it was safe to lift his head.
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He was the only one of the group who had sensed Tasuki, so he tried not to bring attention over to him as they all passed. Chichiri wasn't oblivious to the fact that Tamahome was allowing Xi-Fang to hang all over him, so he knew that something must have happened between Miaka and Tama. And since he had noticed the closeness of Tasuki and Miaka before, he figured that Tasuki could be the one to get Miaka's mind off things. So the longer they were alone together, the better off Miaka would be.
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Miaka came back from the bathroom promptly after the gang had turned the corner. Tasuki pushed a broad grin onto his face to disguise the war of emotions that was rampaging about in his head. Guiltiness, annoyance, anger, frustration, compassion; whatever emotion you could think of, it was all tearing through the synapses in his brain.
"So, are you ready to get back to the group?" Miaka's words rang in his mind, bringing a halt to all of his musings. Get back to the group? No, no, no, no, no! He couldn't let that happen. No matter what she had said back at his apartment earlier, he had a feeling that she still might not be ready to give up on Tamahome. Feeling that way, he wasn't about to let her see Tamahome and the girl that was hanging all over him.
'Think quickly, Tasuki!' He searched his mind for any excuse to stay away from the gang. Anything that could buy them time would do. Finally, a brilliant idea came into his head. 'Not only will it suck up time, but I can show her what I spend most of my time doing.'
A grin spread across his lips, curling the corners of his mouth upward towards the sky. "Mi-chan, we have to make one last stop before we join back up with them." And with that, he put some money on the table to pay for both of their meals and took her hand, exiting the restaurant with her in toe.
It didn't take them very long to arrive at the destination Tasuki had picked out. They only had to make a couple of stops at the directories just so Tasuki knew he was leading Miaka in the right direction. But eventually Tasuki came to a stop in front of a fairly large music store.
Miaka looked up at the store and peered in before looking up at her male companion. "You like music?" A smile that was brimming with eagerness lit up her face. She guessed that she probably wasn't as big a music fan as he, but none the less, she liked music.
"Like music? More like love music." He gently pulled her into the store. As she was tugged along, she spotted a few albums that she would have liked to pick up. She looked up at Tasuki as he continued to tow her along, weaving in and out of the CD racks.
"Maybe one day you can stop by my apartment and we can swap some CD's. I've never heard any Japanese Pop." He took a leap of faith as he guessed the kind of music she was into as he came to a stop in front of a small rack of CD's.
As she looked up at him, she gave him a questioning look. "You don't seem to be the kind of guy who would like any of it." And it was true. His dashing looks gave him a tough-guy appearance, and you just didn't expect tough guys to be into Japanese Pop.
Tasuki looked down at her, amber eyes twinkling with a tiny bit of embarrassment as he gave her a sheepish grin. "Between you and me, I'm a bit of a sucker for the softer kind of music." A tiny bit of colour splashed Tasuki's cheeks, his face now a faint pink compared to the rest of his tanned body.
A quiet giggle was allowed to escape Miaka's lips as her hand was let go of in order for Tasuki to begin his quest of the perfect CD. As he searched, he looked up at her long enough to say to her that she could go off and find something of her own if she wanted to. And that's exactly what she did.
A while later, the both of them met at the cash register, each with a CD in their hands. Tasuki took Miaka's CD from her hands and quickly paid for the both of them before she could convey one word of protest.
As they both walked out of the store together, Miaka addressed the topic of him buying her things and how she felt that he didn't need to. Tasuki simply slid his hand through the handle of the bag before shoving his hands in his pockets and whistled, pretending he wasn't listening. Throughout her whole speech, a sly grin was playing about on his lips.
When she finished he looked down at her, one eyebrow raised as he continued to grin. "Are you done yet, Mi-Chan?" Her response was less than desirable. She crossed her arms, huffing in annoyance she turned her head off to the side a bit, looking up at him out of the corner of her eye.
A long, heavy sigh escaped his lips as he nudged her gently. "Oh come on, Mi-chan. I was only teasing. I just don't see the problem in buying a friend a gift every now and then."
Her shoulders sagged as she let out a sigh of her own, holding her bag in front of her with both hands. "I guess it's alright..."
"You bet it is." Another grin appeared to occupy his lips as he gently nudged her again. "Now let's try and find the rest of the group. It's getting late." She looked up at him, the tip of her pink tongue appearing from between her lips.
"Keep that where it belongs." Tasuki couldn't help but continue grinning as he said this.
Meanwhile, Miaka's mind reeled with shameful thoughts. 'Where it belongs?' Was it her fault that the first place that came to her mind was his mouth? No. He didn't have to be so damn sexy and inviting. She thought about her physical attraction to him and how much she missed this feeling with Tamahome. She desperately missed going out and doing things with him like they had done in the past. Should she just break it off with Tamahome and move on, or try and make it work?
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Miaka's mind had cooled down as she and Tasuki walked down the escalators to the main entrance of the mall. She had turned on her cell phone and listened to the many messages that Hotohori and Chichiri had left. One of their latest messages that were left only a few minutes ago said that they were out on the first floor in front of the main entrance.
The first people who came into view were Hotohori and Nuriko, the rest following behind them. Tactfully, Tamahome took up the rear with Xi-Fang, trying to stay hidden for as long as possible. After all, he needed time to try and pry her off of his arm. But as the group met with Miaka and Tasuki half way, it became evident to Tamahome that getting Xi-Fang off of him would not be an easy task to execute.
Tasuki was keeping an eye out for Tamahome and quickly spotted him as Miaka showed Nuriko her new bathing suit and CD. The both of them giggled quietly over the front cover of the CD which featured a gorgeous picture Gackt.
Shooting a death glare at Tama, Tasuki tried to put himself between Miaka and him to try and prevent her from seeing him and the girl he was with. But his attempts were futile. The moment Tasuki tried to block Miaka's view, she noticed Tamahome.
Not only did images of catching him with Xi-Fang earlier race about in her mind, but now she watched in anger as Xi-Fang continued to cling to Tamahome's arm. Xi-Fang's eyes darted in the direction of Miaka, her lips curling into a wicked grin. What came next appeared in slow motion in Miaka's mind.
As Xi-Fang's lips puckered, she took an arm from around Tamahome and gently rested her hand on his cheek, turning his head towards her. She leaned up and planted a mocking kiss on his lips, ready to slip in some tongue if need be.
Tears gathered in Miaka's eyes as she watched Tamahome willingly return the kiss. A wave of realization crashed in her mind as she now knew exactly why all of these events had shook her up so immensely. It wasn't the fact that he was ready to be with another person other than her, be cause in all reality, she was ready to be with someone else as well. It was the fact that he could betray her right in front of her eyes. He had done it twice now and each time, it seemed as if he had no remorse for what he had done. The fact that they were supposed to be lovers didn't matter any more. It was the fact that he could go and betray her; someone she thought was a close friend, could betray her in seconds flat without even a second thought.
True, she had also kissed Tasuki while with him and she wasn't going to deny that she didn't like the experience. But she had felt as if she had committed some sort of crime. The truth was that she had felt guilty, even if she hadn't really paid attention to the emotion.
The tears that were welling up in her eyes finally overflowed and ran down her soft, pale cheeks. When the rest of the group noticed Miaka's tears, they turned their gaze to the couple behind them to find that their lips were still locked.
With a loud clatter, Miaka dropped her CD and other bag. As she turned and ran towards the mall entrance, Nuriko felt tiny droplets of salty water sprinkle his face. He turned and watched Miaka as she continued running as fast as her feet could carry her. Nuriko was the first to follow her, yelling out her name to try and get her to stop and seek comfort in the rest of her friends.
Xi-Fang watched in pleasure as she pulled her face away from Tamahome, basking in the feeling of making her arch nemesis in love feel horrible to the point of crying. The rest of the group, along with Tasuki watched as Miaka exited the doors, Nuriko hot on her tail.
With quick speed, Tasuki picked up the things Miaka had dropped and dashed after her as well. In her fit, Miaka had gained quite an amount of speed and he was even finding it hard to catch up to Nuriko, let alone Miaka. Meanwhile, thoughts raced about in Tasuki's head. In Miaka's state, who knew where she might run off to?
Nuriko pushed through the glass doors only moments after Miaka, Tasuki a couple feet behind Nuriko as he exited the glass doors as well.
The rest of the gang followed, Tamahome starting to run after them as well, only to be stopped by Xi-Fang. She gave him a seductive glance, hoping that they could maybe to a little more kissing, but Tamahome only pushed her away. He hadn't realized the consequences to his actions until that moment, and he knew he had a relationship to fix.
As Chichiri, Chiriko, Hotohori, Mitsukake, Shoka and Tamahome ran through the mall entrance, the blaring of a horn and the deafening screeching of tires stung their ears.
To be continued...
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Alright. So I left you with a cliff hanger. But I'm betting half of you can guess what happened. Sorta. I'm really hoping all of this made sense! Read and Review if you like. I love hearing from you all! Sorry for such a long wait!
Oh, and I'm sorry if there are any grammatical errors and such!