Capitolo 12 :: 12

Pubblicato: 04-03-06 - Ultimo aggiornamento: 05-04-06

Commenti: The big mystery concerning Cory's past is finally revealed...

Capitolo: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Ryo stared at the apparition in front of him. God, it was really her. She was really there. She was there and she was more beautiful than ever. Her beautiful hazel eyes swam with tears as she smiled slightly.  

»Hello, Ryo. «  

Groaning her name, he reached her in two steps. Cupping her face in his hands, he lowered his head toward hers.  

As soon as their lips touched, a shiver ran up his spine, making his nerve endings tingle with awareness. Their first kiss. The most beautiful experience of his life so far. He could die a happy man now.  

Her lips were soft and velvety as he brushed against the seam with the tip of his tongue.  

With a soft whimper, she opened her mouth, letting him in.  

With a growl, he plunged his tongue deep, tasting her for the first time. She was delicious. A mixture of sweetness and spice as unique as she was.  

Her sexy little tongue tangled with his, teasing, stoking…  

God, how he missed her. He never realized how much, unto he saw her. He wanted nothing better than to take her home. To bed. And drive Mick out of her system.  

…  

»Ryo! « Reika nudged him. »Ryo, what the hell is wrong with you?! «  

He blinked, noticing he was still standing where he was and the apparition wasn’t in his arms. The apparition that was engaged to his best friend. He clenched his teeth.  

Reika shook her head. »You’re so weird lately, I really don’t…« He gaze slid over the woman beside Mick. »Oh, my God! «  

Cory stared at the raven-haired man, her heart drumming in her chest and her blood roaring in her ears. She couldn’t believe her eyes. He was really there. He was there, in front of her, and he was the same she remembered. He hasn’t changed, not one bit. Except for that veil of sadness in those dark eyes. Why was he sad? She didn’t want him to be sad. Because whenever he was sad, she wanted to do just one thing…  

And this time she actually did it. She gathered her courage and did what she’s always wanted to do.  

Sliding off her stool, she slowly walked to him. Smiling, she never removed her eyes of his and she felt a pang of satisfaction, seeing those dark pupils dilate as she stopped right in front of him.  

Running her tongue over her dry lips, a bit nervous about what she was about to do, she ran her fingers lightly up his chest, circling his neck with her arms. Tilting her head slightly, she touched her lips to his, feeling a shiver run up her spine.  

He groaned, sucking her tongue into his mouth. His arms shook as he grabbed her waist, pulling her flush against him.  

She whimpered, brushing her tongue against his tasting him for the very first time. Heavens, but this was their first kiss. After eight years, she was finally kissing Saeba Ryo and he was kissing her back.  

…  

»Cory! « Mick grabbed her hand. »Baby, are you okay? You don’t look good. «  

Cory blinked, noticing she was still perched on her stool and wasn’t at all draped over the man staring at her from across the café.  

Miki stared at the scene wide-eyed, not understanding a thing. What in the world was going on? Why were those two staring at each other as if they’ve just seen a ghost?  

Sneaking a glance at Falcon, she sighed. His expression was impassive as always, but knowing him the way she did, she knew there was something going on behind those dark sunglasses. For a moment, she though, she saw a trace of a relieved smile cross his lips. But she must have been mistaken. He never smiled. And besides, what would he have to be smiling about now?  

Then she noticed Reika’s pallor. What was wrong with these people? At least she knew Mick was as much in the dark as she was.  

»Reika? « she said to the woman. »Are you okay? Are you going to barf? «  

Reika shook her head, still staring at the woman beside Mick. She couldn’t be wrong, could she? Not judging by Ryo’s reaction. She knew that woman. Not personally, but she knew her from the photo Ryo constantly kept on his nightstand. There was no doubt about who that woman was.  

»I’m fine, Miki, « she managed to mumble.  

Mick stared from his fiancée to his best friend and back. What the hell was going on? Why were they staring at each other that way? What the hell was going on? A nagging, vicious suspicion exploded in his mind. It couldn’t be, could it?  

He had to try.  

»Kaori? «  

Hearing her real name from her fiancé’s lips, made her flinch.  

Mick’s heart fell. So it was true. She was Kaori. Makimura Kaori. The woman, his best friend loved. The woman, his best friend sent away, because he loved her too much to bear the thought of losing her.  

Miki drew a swift breath. So this was Kaori. This beautiful woman was Makimura Kaori. No wonder Saeba kept moping after her. She was indeed gorgeous. And that also explained, why she seemed so familiar when she steeped into her café. She must have seen her photo somewhere.  

Whether it was coincidence or fate showed her lousy sense of humor, but it was rather funny when you though about it. The woman he has been searching for, dropped literally in his lap. But she was engaged to his best friend. Mick and Saeba loved the same woman.  

Rethinking, she realized it wasn’t funny at all. Because she could see Kaori wasn’t indifferent to Saeba and when things came to an end, at least one of the three was going to suffer. She just hoped it wouldn’t be all three of them.  

Ryo was the first of the two to get a grip on himself and his emotions, briefly closing his eyes to gather his scattered wits. He needed to do something. Invent something. And quickly. She was engaged to his best friend, she was unattainable, and she was definitely out of his reach, so he needed to do as much damage control as he could.  

He still remembered Mick telling him, he has told his girlfriend everything. Everything about him, about his past… but most importantly, about the woman he loved. Pity, the woman he loved and the woman engaged to Mick were the same person.  

Opening his eyes, his mask of indifference was back in place. »Kaori…«  

She cocked her head. »Ryo…« Then she turned to her fiancé.  

His sky-blue eyes were tormented. »So it’s true, you are Kaori. Makimura Kaori. «  

»Yeah, « she mumbled, eyes sparkling. »And you, Mick Angel, if that’s even your real name, are a liar! «  

»What?! «  

»Security-expert, my ass! « she spat. »You’re a sweeper, just like your buddy over there. « She couldn’t believe it. It was just her crappy luck.  

»I’m retired, « he snapped back. »And talking of liars, you should check in the mirror, Miss McGuire. «  

»I never lied to you, « she whispered.  

He opened his mouth to tell her differently, but then it clicked. She really never lied to him. She told him the first time they met, Cory McGuire wasn’t her real name, she told him about the man she lived with for four years, about the man she loved, and he suspected she loved still. Pity, that man and his best friend were the same person. But indeed, she never lied to him.  

»Cory…«  

Ryo chuckled. »Oh, come on, Kaori-kun, take it easy on the fellow. «  

She slid off the stool. She couldn’t stay there any longer. Not with him there. She couldn’t… she just couldn’t take it all in. »I need to get out of here, « she whispered. »Thanks for the coffee, Miki-san, it was delicious. «  

»You’re welcome, « the woman murmured.  

Mick caught up with her at the glass door. »Where are you going? «  

She didn’t look at him. »I need some air. «  

»Cory…«  

»Let me go, Mick. I need to be alone right now. «  

He left her hand and she stormed off, her heels clicking furiously on the pavement.  

»Take it easy, man. She’ll cool off. She always did. « Ryo slapped him on his back. »Miki-chan! « He flew toward the counter. »When are you going to leave this octopus and come live with me?! «  

Umibozu’s well-aimed fist hit its target and Ryo dropped to the floor.  

»Grow up, already, « the giant muttered.  

»You’re just jealous, because Miki likes me more than she likes you, « Ryo whined.  

Mick stared at him with sad eyes. His friend had once again closed off. He must suffer terribly, knowing that the woman he loved has moved on, but in true Ryo fashion, he refused to show his feelings.  

He sighed. What about him? Cory… no, Kaori, that was her real name, still had some feelings for Ryo, he was sure of it, or else she wouldn’t have reacted the way she did. And what if those feelings still ran deep? Deeper than what she felt for him? What if…  

»Hey! « Reika turned her head from left to right. »Where is he? «  

Miki, Umibozu, and Mick stared in bewilderment at the spot where Ryo had been just instants ago.  

It was empty and there was no trace of Ryo anywhere. 

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