BLACK CHERRY / The Game (Chapter 19)
Title: The Game (Chapter 19)
Fandom: BLACK CHERRY
Characters: Ryo x はるき
Genre: Romance, erotica
Table: One
Prompt: 041. Work
Word Count: 1505
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The rules of The Game were simple.
Author's Notes: Chapters 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18
The Game
Chapter Nineteen
(041. Work)
The last time Haruki was inside Knights Hall, a man had nearly chased her down.
It had only been days ago, but the memory couldn’t be any fresher as she stood before the steps of the building, looking at the very doors that had separated her from the stranger. She would come to dread standing before here now for a new reason entirely, for in a matter of minutes she was set to enter Prof. Mikura’ office, of all places.
What was she thinking? Was it really worth being all alone with Prof. Mikura just for a grade? Granted there would be other professors outside his office; he would be stupid if he ever tried anything funny.
Haruki clutched her books close as her chest tightened. What would Ryou think if he saw her entering Kei’s office?
So what? What does he care?
The voice in her mind couldn’t ignore quickly enough the fact that Ryou had been the one to see her safely home that night. Why did he still bother? It was pointless of him to keep pretending he still cared when he no longer had anything to gain from it.
The sound of a bird cawing in the distance nearly made Haruki jump. Only a few students remained at seven in the evening. She quickly went inside Knights Hall, making her way to the teachers’ lounge.
There were still several professors in the room, though Ryou thankfully wasn’t in sight. Someone redirected her to Prof. Mikura’ office, which was only a few doors down. She lingered by the entrance, deliberating the pros and cons of changing her mind…
“Ah, good. You’re here.”
Haruki whipped around to the sight of Kei emerging from the other end of the hallway with a laptop in his arm. Her heart dropped to her stomach. So much for a final chance to escape.
She took a step back as he fished the keys from his pocket and unlocked his office. He went ahead as she stayed by the door, tentative and uneasy. Kei stopped behind his desk and observed her rigid stance with a chuckle.
“You may leave the door open, if it’ll make you more comfortable.”
Haruki lifted her chin up, not wanting to show any more vulnerability in front of him. She closed the door, leaving it only a few inches ajar as she observed his handsomely decorated office. It was far from Ryou’s spartan interiors with its plush, brown leather couches, burgundy carpet, damask walls, and the large, ceiling-high bookcase behind his desk.
“Too lavish?” he voiced out her thoughts while he took out several stacks of folders. “It’s originally the dean’s office, but he wanted one with a fireplace, so now it’s mine.”
“How generous of him,” she drily replied.
He flashed her one of his annoying, lazy grins before giving the stack of folders a pat. “So, here’s what I want you to do. These grades need to be encoded online. You can use this laptop.”
Haruki approached his desk until he placed a hand on the laptop.
“I won’t check on you anymore,” he said with a raise of his eyebrows. “I trust you won’t be changing any grades.”
“I’m not that stupid,” she snarled, snatching the laptop from him.
“Good.” He smirked, settling on his chair. “Sit anywhere you like.”
Haruki picked up the rest of the folders and went for the couch farthest from him.
Surprisingly, Haruki was able to work without any interruption for the rest of the evening. Encoding was monotonous work that she quickly got the hang of, and soon she was breezing through student records. Kei had not said a single word since she started, though he had not once left the room either. His focus remained glued to his own laptop, though she had the eerie feeling he would watch her from time to time.
When the sound of his chair creaked at his stretching, Haruki realized it was already almost ten in the evening.
“Shit,” she hissed at the three remaining folders beside her. “I need to go. When do you need these done by?”
“Tomorrow,” he replied, closing his laptop. “I can do the rest myself, unless you want to stay on as my assistant.”
She carefully eyed him, though his expression gave away nothing. Tonight had indeed been harmless enough, as he’d promised.
“Fine. I’ll return tomorrow,” she said, grabbing her bag and rising.
“It’s already late. Would you like a ride home?”
She stilled halfway to the door. Her insides lurched at the reminder of the last time she’d been out late.
“Our good friend Prof. Hirose tells me you had quite a scare the other night,” he said, his keys jangling as she eyed the doorknob long and hard. “Did you ever figure out who that gentleman was?”
She slowly turned to face him again. Kei had a patient, and yet an almost amused smile on his lips at the same time.
“You find this funny?” she whispered in disbelief.
“Oh, not at all. Which is why I’m offering to drive you home.”
“I’m only a ten-minute walk away,” she countered.
“Walk you home then?”
She warily narrowed her eyes. What was he planning?
Kei released a single, hearty laugh. “Goodness. Why does everyone look at me like I’m up to something diabolical all the time? I can take no for an answer, Haruki. Just say so.”
She lingered by the exit, noting how silent and empty the hallway was outside. She gripped her bag tighter.
“A walk home would be nice, Prof. Mikura.”
Haruki felt no less safer walking alongside Kei on the way home.
Perhaps she’d laugh over her decision later, but while she walked next to him now on an empty road at night, she would remain on edge.
They went without exchanging a single word for minutes. He seemed completely unaffected by the silence as she listened to the steady beat of his leather shoes against asphalt. He kept his eyes straight ahead, his gait casual with his hands in his pockets. She did not and would never trust the likes of him, but his offer to accompany her home tonight left an endless trail of questions in her mind more than ever.
She dropped her gaze to the road. “You won’t get anything out of this, you know.”
Kei chuckled. “I’ve been well aware of that from the start.”
“So why keep doing it?” She finally looked straight at him. “I know you’re singling me out to get to Ryou, but why?”
He cast her a sideward glance. “I’ve known him for a long time. He’s a good friend. I have no vendetta against him.
“But he’s changed since you’ve come along,” he continued before she could open her mouth to speak. “Perhaps it’s just a coincidence. Maybe between the two of us, he just happened to be the first one to get tired of the game. Still, I think it’s worth trying to find out what it is about you that made you his last candidate.”
Her forehead creased. “Last candidate?”
“He’s not participating in the game this term,” he clarified, returning her square gaze. “What have you got to say to that?”
She gripped the sling of her shoulder bag tight. “It changes nothing. I still won’t forgive him, or any one of you who’s used girls like me for sport.”
“And yet look where we are now,” he mused, stopping in his tracks as they arrived in front of her apartment. “Good night, Haruki. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”
She eyed his stock-still presence, his hands still in his pockets as he patiently waited for her to walk up to the front steps. Kei Mikura was becoming quite an enigma himself.
“Good night, Professor Mikura,” she finally said as she turned her back on him and went inside her building.
From his car parked in front of Haruki’s apartment, Ryou watched as Kei made his leisurely walk back to campus. His hands tightened on the steering wheel, but he made no motion to leave the vehicle, even though he wanted nothing more than to shake Haruki or Kei as to why they were together at this time of the night.
It could’ve been worse. Kei could’ve gone up to Haruki’s room, or God forbid what Ryou would do if he saw them kissing before him. She was no longer a part of his life. He no longer even remembered why he was parked out here. For a minute he only wanted to see her safely home, or to make sure no one suspicious was lurking nearby. Clearly, she could always rely on the likes of Kei for help.
Ryou restarted the engine. It was stupid of him to think that even in some small way, he could be relevant in her life again. At least after tonight, he no longer needed to bother.
Stepping on the gas, Ryou drove off of Haruki’s street and didn’t look back.
to be continued
Fandom: BLACK CHERRY
Characters: Ryo x はるき
Genre: Romance, erotica
Table: One
Prompt: 041. Work
Word Count: 1505
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The rules of The Game were simple.
Author's Notes: Chapters 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18
The Game
Chapter Nineteen
(041. Work)
The last time Haruki was inside Knights Hall, a man had nearly chased her down.
It had only been days ago, but the memory couldn’t be any fresher as she stood before the steps of the building, looking at the very doors that had separated her from the stranger. She would come to dread standing before here now for a new reason entirely, for in a matter of minutes she was set to enter Prof. Mikura’ office, of all places.
What was she thinking? Was it really worth being all alone with Prof. Mikura just for a grade? Granted there would be other professors outside his office; he would be stupid if he ever tried anything funny.
Haruki clutched her books close as her chest tightened. What would Ryou think if he saw her entering Kei’s office?
So what? What does he care?
The voice in her mind couldn’t ignore quickly enough the fact that Ryou had been the one to see her safely home that night. Why did he still bother? It was pointless of him to keep pretending he still cared when he no longer had anything to gain from it.
The sound of a bird cawing in the distance nearly made Haruki jump. Only a few students remained at seven in the evening. She quickly went inside Knights Hall, making her way to the teachers’ lounge.
There were still several professors in the room, though Ryou thankfully wasn’t in sight. Someone redirected her to Prof. Mikura’ office, which was only a few doors down. She lingered by the entrance, deliberating the pros and cons of changing her mind…
“Ah, good. You’re here.”
Haruki whipped around to the sight of Kei emerging from the other end of the hallway with a laptop in his arm. Her heart dropped to her stomach. So much for a final chance to escape.
She took a step back as he fished the keys from his pocket and unlocked his office. He went ahead as she stayed by the door, tentative and uneasy. Kei stopped behind his desk and observed her rigid stance with a chuckle.
“You may leave the door open, if it’ll make you more comfortable.”
Haruki lifted her chin up, not wanting to show any more vulnerability in front of him. She closed the door, leaving it only a few inches ajar as she observed his handsomely decorated office. It was far from Ryou’s spartan interiors with its plush, brown leather couches, burgundy carpet, damask walls, and the large, ceiling-high bookcase behind his desk.
“Too lavish?” he voiced out her thoughts while he took out several stacks of folders. “It’s originally the dean’s office, but he wanted one with a fireplace, so now it’s mine.”
“How generous of him,” she drily replied.
He flashed her one of his annoying, lazy grins before giving the stack of folders a pat. “So, here’s what I want you to do. These grades need to be encoded online. You can use this laptop.”
Haruki approached his desk until he placed a hand on the laptop.
“I won’t check on you anymore,” he said with a raise of his eyebrows. “I trust you won’t be changing any grades.”
“I’m not that stupid,” she snarled, snatching the laptop from him.
“Good.” He smirked, settling on his chair. “Sit anywhere you like.”
Haruki picked up the rest of the folders and went for the couch farthest from him.
Surprisingly, Haruki was able to work without any interruption for the rest of the evening. Encoding was monotonous work that she quickly got the hang of, and soon she was breezing through student records. Kei had not said a single word since she started, though he had not once left the room either. His focus remained glued to his own laptop, though she had the eerie feeling he would watch her from time to time.
When the sound of his chair creaked at his stretching, Haruki realized it was already almost ten in the evening.
“Shit,” she hissed at the three remaining folders beside her. “I need to go. When do you need these done by?”
“Tomorrow,” he replied, closing his laptop. “I can do the rest myself, unless you want to stay on as my assistant.”
She carefully eyed him, though his expression gave away nothing. Tonight had indeed been harmless enough, as he’d promised.
“Fine. I’ll return tomorrow,” she said, grabbing her bag and rising.
“It’s already late. Would you like a ride home?”
She stilled halfway to the door. Her insides lurched at the reminder of the last time she’d been out late.
“Our good friend Prof. Hirose tells me you had quite a scare the other night,” he said, his keys jangling as she eyed the doorknob long and hard. “Did you ever figure out who that gentleman was?”
She slowly turned to face him again. Kei had a patient, and yet an almost amused smile on his lips at the same time.
“You find this funny?” she whispered in disbelief.
“Oh, not at all. Which is why I’m offering to drive you home.”
“I’m only a ten-minute walk away,” she countered.
“Walk you home then?”
She warily narrowed her eyes. What was he planning?
Kei released a single, hearty laugh. “Goodness. Why does everyone look at me like I’m up to something diabolical all the time? I can take no for an answer, Haruki. Just say so.”
She lingered by the exit, noting how silent and empty the hallway was outside. She gripped her bag tighter.
“A walk home would be nice, Prof. Mikura.”
Haruki felt no less safer walking alongside Kei on the way home.
Perhaps she’d laugh over her decision later, but while she walked next to him now on an empty road at night, she would remain on edge.
They went without exchanging a single word for minutes. He seemed completely unaffected by the silence as she listened to the steady beat of his leather shoes against asphalt. He kept his eyes straight ahead, his gait casual with his hands in his pockets. She did not and would never trust the likes of him, but his offer to accompany her home tonight left an endless trail of questions in her mind more than ever.
She dropped her gaze to the road. “You won’t get anything out of this, you know.”
Kei chuckled. “I’ve been well aware of that from the start.”
“So why keep doing it?” She finally looked straight at him. “I know you’re singling me out to get to Ryou, but why?”
He cast her a sideward glance. “I’ve known him for a long time. He’s a good friend. I have no vendetta against him.
“But he’s changed since you’ve come along,” he continued before she could open her mouth to speak. “Perhaps it’s just a coincidence. Maybe between the two of us, he just happened to be the first one to get tired of the game. Still, I think it’s worth trying to find out what it is about you that made you his last candidate.”
Her forehead creased. “Last candidate?”
“He’s not participating in the game this term,” he clarified, returning her square gaze. “What have you got to say to that?”
She gripped the sling of her shoulder bag tight. “It changes nothing. I still won’t forgive him, or any one of you who’s used girls like me for sport.”
“And yet look where we are now,” he mused, stopping in his tracks as they arrived in front of her apartment. “Good night, Haruki. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”
She eyed his stock-still presence, his hands still in his pockets as he patiently waited for her to walk up to the front steps. Kei Mikura was becoming quite an enigma himself.
“Good night, Professor Mikura,” she finally said as she turned her back on him and went inside her building.
From his car parked in front of Haruki’s apartment, Ryou watched as Kei made his leisurely walk back to campus. His hands tightened on the steering wheel, but he made no motion to leave the vehicle, even though he wanted nothing more than to shake Haruki or Kei as to why they were together at this time of the night.
It could’ve been worse. Kei could’ve gone up to Haruki’s room, or God forbid what Ryou would do if he saw them kissing before him. She was no longer a part of his life. He no longer even remembered why he was parked out here. For a minute he only wanted to see her safely home, or to make sure no one suspicious was lurking nearby. Clearly, she could always rely on the likes of Kei for help.
Ryou restarted the engine. It was stupid of him to think that even in some small way, he could be relevant in her life again. At least after tonight, he no longer needed to bother.
Stepping on the gas, Ryou drove off of Haruki’s street and didn’t look back.
to be continued