November 15, 236 days to deadline
The sound of the snow-like ice being crushed with little effort, and the feeling of enjoying a preview of the cold days of December to come all around Japan were enough for Megumi to ignore her weak body and poor endurance and despite all odds, ran around and played as if she was a ten years old enjoying her first Christmas. Only it was the middle of November, and snow was only visible in the mountains, most specifically, the North Hakkoda Mountain Range, the place where she was supposed to be filming the first music video of her singer career, only she was more fascinated by the snow than what she actually cared about the filming.
Even her designer clothes weren't being cared enough since Megumi would usually throw herself to the silver-looking blanked of ice and snow and roll around it while giggling silently, being a childish little girl all the time despite being married at her young age, much to Akira's dislike, who did nothing but run after her trying to force her into taking care of herself and not catch a cold due to her efforts.
"Megumi-chan! Those clothes are a million dollar worth! I know that money came out of my credit card, but that's no reason for you to be ruining them when the filming hasn't even started yet!" Akira complained, but after seeing Megumi rolling around the snow and doing snow angels, the young business woman felt her heart melting despite the low temperatures and could only hug herself in embarrassment since one of her girls was having so much fun. "My sweet Megumi-chan is like a snow princess!" She yelled to herself.
"Akira! The director is losing his patience! We should be filming already!" Spoke Tadashi half in annoyance. After all, Yahiro left him in charge of the filming while he went doing some business with the head of the Hakkoda Resort, which wasn't of Tadashi's interest. He was more of the explorer type, not the business talking one. "Akira!" He yelled in annoyance, only that angered Akira and she ended knocking her boyfriend down after slamming him with a giant snow ball.
"Shut up! Can't you see I'm enjoying a Megumi-moment?" She yelled, but was then knocked down by a snowball hitting the back of her head, and upon turning around in annoyance, she also found one hitting her right in the face. Normally that would have angered her, but when hearing Megumi's soft laughter, Akira couldn't be any happier. "So, that's how it is? Take that then!" She yelled playfully before throwing a snowball directly to Megumi's face, which forced the girl to stand there with her teary eyes forever staring at Akira. Apparently, the young business girl had placed a lot of force into that snow throwing and had hurt Megumi's nose, freaking Akira out, who just ran toward the sobbing girl and was about to bury her into a strong hug, only Megumi was faking being wounded and when Akira got too close to her she placed a couple of snowballs at her friend's cheeks, forcing the girl to complain because of the cold sensation and Megumi to grin Yahiro style. "Cold! So cold! Megumi you bad girl!" She complained.
At few meters away from the group and at a balcony of the Hakkoda Resort's restaurant, was Yahiro just staring at Megumi while in the middle of his business talking. Only he got carried away staring at his wife as to place the proper importance to the business man in front of him, who ended clearing his throat trying to win Yahiro's attention. Yahiro finally reacted, and a quick glance to all the papers at the table was enough for him to remember what he was doing, he even read it all in seconds to be ready for his next move.
"My apologies." He said calmly. "Now, as I was saying, North Hakkoda Mountain Range is a paradise for snowboarding and all snow-based sports. The Yamamoto Entertainment Corporation is always looking for expanded frontiers, and investing in your resort would be a benefit both to our mutual business. Only, by signing this contract, you are allowing me half the responsibility of your business while leaving all the financial investments and construction projects as my company's responsibility. Wherever you see it, we both win." He added, the man with the long and white beard and wearing lumberjack-like clothes just smiled, a shine of interest was drawn on his face. Only Yahiro could tell he wasn't entirely convinced. Yahiro was confused, normally his business talking was almost one sided, with him easily convincing anyone, only right now he lacked something. He was no longer doing business as a Saiga, Kei mentioned it once, this was a gentler way of doing business.
Unfortunately for Yahiro, his thinking about what he was currently lacking of was interrupted by a snowball being strongly connected to his face, which angered him a lot and he ended facing down the balcony-like place and toward the one striking him with the snowball.
"I hit the ogre! Which means I win!" Yelled Tadashi hard while Megumi and Akira laughed at Yahiro. The trio had forgotten everything about the video filming and were all having fun, much to Yahiro's dislike, who made a reverence to the business man he was talking with, cleaned the snow away from his face and then curled it into a snowball, then furiously threw it at Tadashi in annoyance, only the snow didn't hit his face as Tadashi was expecting but actually hit the tree behind him. "You missed!" Tadashi made fun of him, only Yahiro smiled evilly before Tadashi was buried by the snow falling from the tree's branches. "So unfair!" Complained Tadashi, and Akira and Megumi just stared at him oddly.
"My apologizes." Added Yahiro while sitting down and returning to be his usual self. Only he was now worried that allowing himself to be this carried away had ruined his business. "I greatly hope this little incident doesn't..." But to his surprise, the man was signing the contract. "My apologies, I'm afraid I do not understand."
"It's simple, Mr. Yamamoto. Since you arrived here, all you have been talking about is business, and for a corporation who speaks about entertainment, well, that's not at all entertaining to me." The man admitted. "But upon seeing you are still a teen who takes his time to throw a snowball to a friend in the middle of your business talking, well, that is entertaining. I guess I can do business with a person like that." The man then offered his hand to Yahiro, who accepted the offering and sealed the deal. "Well, this old man has a lot to do, it's the middle of November, but we must get ready for December's festivities."
"You can leave that to me. After all, at Yamamoto's Entertainment Corporation, it is all about entertainment." The man nodded and walked away, Yahiro then took a deep breath and stared at the buried to the neck Tadashi, and at Akira, while the girl tried to help her boyfriend out of the snow. He then wondered where Megumi was when he heard the usual and heavy breathing of the girl just arriving. A worry-full stare was drawn on her face. "Now what?"
"...Were we..." She began. Yahiro just stared at her coldly. "Were we a bother?" She asked shyly and while hiding her face inside of her pink tuque, only Yahiro took it off and stared at his wife's face while smiling. He then placed some snow he took from the handrail close by and placed it inside of the tuque and then replied.
"Not at all." He admitted. But then she felt the cold sensation of her tuque being pressed at her head and she complained oddly to Yahiro's actions by waving her hands in circles trying to endure the cold. "Only a little." He admitted once again, and Megumi cried because of Yahiro's coldness toward her. "Just the usual, only I'm more used to it now than then."
One Despicable Guy.
Chapter Twelve: New Found Feelings.
"Yahiro! How can you be this cold hearted toward Megumi-chan!" Akira scolded while Yahiro just drank his hot chocolate cup empty and next to the chimney. He actually cared little about Akira's scolding now days, mostly because she no longer yelled at him with hatred, just with her usual annoyance when seeing someone being cold toward Megumi, who now had a cold because of Yahiro's actions involving the tuque, and despite that, was hugging Yahiro's arm while being surrounded by a good number of covers. "How can she even tolerate it? You don't even take the proper care of her. It's like if Megumi liked being teased around."
"Well, that's the way I behave after all. It's only natural she liked this kind of treatment." Yahiro dared saying, which annoyed Akira a lot. But somehow she was able to swallow her annoyance. "A cold isn't a big deal anyway, Megumi will be all better in the morning and after a couple of hot chocolate cups. You like those, don't you?" And Megumi nodded several times.
"Still, due to your financial problems, I doubt you should be taking all this so lightly. I mean, I know my airlines are currently adding some benefits to your cause, but, the clothes we designed are now ruined and we need a new design for the winter marketing procedures. Not to mention we now have to pay the filming personal for additional working time and hotel rooms just because of your little joke." Akira tried to prove her point, only Yahiro wasn't interested in the less. "Seriously, your father isn't wasting any time, you know?"
"I get that, stop complaining already." He added, Akira just breathed out in defeat. "Half of the actions at this hotel now belong to me. Which means half of the hotel is of my property, so we don't have to worry about paying for another night for the filming group, I doubt they care anyway. As for the extra working time, I won more than that in last business, so, who cares?"
"Seriously. You are taking all this so lightly, it's almost as if you actually knew you were going to win this race." And Yahiro smiled. He was actually that confident. "In three months you actually managed to create your own empire, that as much is true. But you are still half the way from beating your father and your resources are currently running low. It's not the time to be relaxing, and you know it."
"As I see it, I only need three more months to surpass my father's empire. There is nothing to worry about." And Megumi hugged Yahiro even harder. She was actually that confident as well. "Besides, shouldn't you be worrying about your boyfriend and not me?" He pointed out, and Akira just took a deep breath and noticed his boyfriend was now victim of a strong fever due to a cold even worse than Megumi's one. Yahiro's little payback had left Tadashi out cold and extremely sick. He even had problems breathing properly. "He will die if you don't take him to a hospital." Yahiro joked.
"He won't die that easily, I trained him well." She said and then ignored Tadashi's weakness. "Anyway, I will start sewing a new outfit for Megumi. But you better take good care of her tonight. We need her in top shape so the filming of her music video can begin."
"Eh? Then that means she is all mine for tonight? Don't worry, Akira-san! I will take good care of her." Akira flinched, Megumi shared a similar expression, only hers was fuller of embarrassment than fear. "Don't worry. I think I will embarrass her all night. After all, nothing is better for gaining some heat than body to body contact." Megumi flushed madly and felt her fever growing even worse, Akira just bit her lips in annoyance, but somehow managed to swallow her anger. After all, she no longer hated Yahiro, the whole contrary, she now saw him on a whole new light.
"Wha-wha-whatever." She managed to say. "Just don't do anything indecent." She finished and then left the hotel's waiting room and in search of her own room, leaving the couple and the sick Tadashi on their own.
"Tsk! Akira is no fun at all anymore." He admitted. Megumi just ignored that last while blushing madly. "Your fever is growing worse. I better take you back to bed." He said and then carried her princess-style, forcing Megumi to lose the protection of her blankets and to start shivering, not because of the cold, which was half the reason, but because of Yahiro's intentions toward her. "I will get you something warm to drink, but don't force yourself. If you need more time to recover I'm all good with it, Kei and mother are currently working their butts off for the finances anyway, there is nothing for you to worry about. Let's just worry about your fever, which seems to be growing worse."
"It's not the fever." She admitted while Yahiro carried her away and toward the room's section, leaving the dying Tadashi alone. "...Yahiro... are we really going to..." She blushed even harder. She could never tell if Yahiro was being serious or not, her embarrassment never allowed her to think about it properly, she only knew that moment was closer than ever due to Yahiro's relationship with the whole group and his new found indifference of the financial situation. "I'm scared." She admitted.
"Eh? You are actually thinking about that? Megumi-chan you pervert." And she felt a tear forming at the corner of her eyes. She wasn't the dirty one, it was Yahiro, only she feared more and more about her safety with each passing day, since now Yahiro's teasing was more evident than ever. "Not at all." He admitted, and Megumi couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, not because she was actually looking forward to it, but because she felt Yahiro was perhaps placing a lot of barriers between their relationship. "Right now just concentrate in your health." He said and then opened the door to the girl's dormitory with little effort, and once that was done, he placed Megumi at her bed and covered her shivering body with her blankets. He even placed some fire at the chimney for her to feel better. "You can ask for room service if you like, only don't order too many sweets, you are an idol now, you need to keep your slim figure. I actually find it hard to understand how you gain no weight after eating all that you eat." He teased, only Megumi's mind was elsewhere as to worry about his teasing, he noticed. "Well, whatever. I'm going to get back to work then. You are sick and need to rest, and being honest, despite being more open minded now, the reality is I DO need to find more ways of investment." He then walked away, only to be stopped by Megumi pulling his sleeve and staring at him directly. "What now?"
"Eh?" Was everything she said. She then let Yahiro go out of surprise and curled inside of her blankets, confusing Yahiro a lot. The girl was being weirder than what was usual. "...It's nothing..." She said shyly.
"As if I was going to believe that." He added with a vein popping at his forehead. "Curses, you are my wife, quit being so distrusting toward me. When I ask what is wrong, then you answer me with no 'it's nothing' like comments!" He yelled, Megumi flinched and covered her face until her eyes were the only ones visible. "Seriously, you do like to worry me a lot, don't you?"
"...It's just..." She began, and Yahiro just sat down next to her while breathing out in annoyance. "The ring... it doesn't feel right..." She said, and Yahiro took her hand up and stared at the beautiful object.
"It's called shrinkage. It happens when a metal cools down a lot. It's obvious it will hurt at these low temperatures." Yahiro said and then took her ring off. He then searched for Megumi's jewelry box, and upon finding it, he took out a silver made chain and placed the ring inside. Then he tied the chain gently around Megumi's neck, which forced her to shiver a little because of the cold sensation. "That will do for now." He said, and Megumi stared at the ring now clinging to her neck.
"...That's not... what I meant..." She confessed, Yahiro just stared at her oddly. "You want me to be... honest... don't you...?" She asked. Yahiro nodded. "I'm so happy... happier than ever in my life..." She said while holding the ring close to her chest. "These three months had meant a lot to me... but... I wonder if it's all right to feel this way... I feel... selfish..."
"Selfish?" He wondered. For the first time ever, he couldn't understand what Megumi was talking about. Despite the girl being smiling, despite the girl being happier than ever, there was something in her smile that wasn't normal, something Yahiro knew was wrong. It wasn't a fake smile, it was warm and full with feelings, only those feelings seemed wrong somehow.
"I know you needed a name exchange... and I'm glad about it... but..." She said while staring at the ring in her hand. "You don't need... to force yourself..." She admitted. Yahiro blinked twice. "You don't love me yet... do you?" His eyes widened, Megumi just smiled, although a tear felt down of her eyes.
"What the hell are you saying?" He was annoyed, more than was now usual. For the first time in a long time, he was back to be his usual self, and he disliked that. He was confused, and couldn't understand the reasons. "We are married, we have been for three months already, of course I love you, you weirdo."
"Then why do you keep avoiding me?" She asked. Yahiro then began wondering what she was talking about. "I know you love me... sort off..." She admitted with a smile and while giggling happily. "But... even if it's real... we don't really look like a married couple... do we?" She asked, Yahiro lowered his head. "I mean... we are like a college couple..."
"Shut up!" He yelled out of annoyance, Megumi flinched at that last. "I don't know what is what you are trying to prove, but I don't like it." He said and then stood up in annoyance, getting ready to walk away when Megumi stopped him once again before Yahiro took his hand away from hers. "Not now, I'm pissed off."
"That's actually what I meant." She said in a louder tone of voice, only she managed to control it. "You are always joking around, and I love that Yahiro, only I feel you are forcing yourself... you are forcing yourself to love me... because... you don't love me as much as I love you yet... I just thought it was too soon for you to feel like we were actually married... so please... don't worry about it... I will keep waiting... I will be patient!"
"Idiot!" He yelled, Megumi flinched and buried herself inside of her covers. "What the hell are you saying? I don't get it at all! So what do you want me to do then?" He asked. Megumi then gave it some thoughts, but the truth was she had no idea. "Forget it! I don't have time for this!"
"Yahiro-kun, wait! You got it all wrong! I wasn't trying to..." But Yahiro left the room after slamming the door hard, something that forced Megumi to worry a lot. Only she managed to breathe out her worries away and rested back at her bed, staring at the ring the whole time while smiling softly. "I only wanted you to take it slowly... Yahiro you baka..." She told to herself. "You don't need to worry that much... I will be fine... don't push yourself so hard..."
----------
"Curses! What the hell is she thinking? Now she doubts about our marriage? She got some nerve doing that! I'm pissed off! Way too pissed off! I don't even feel like doing business anymore!" He yelled out in annoyance, scaring the hell out of the many visitors. He ignored them all of course, and then allowed himself to rest at the waiting room's sofa, thinking over and over about what Megumi meant about him not loving her yet. "Of course I love her... only because I don't say it to her every freaking day it doesn't mean I don't!"
"Just like Akira!" Tadashi yelled out happily. Only then Yahiro noticed Tadashi was still resting at the waiting room while trying to recover from his flu. "You and Akira share that in common, I guess it is because you two grew as close friends despite everything that happened with Sayo-chan!"
"Shut the hell up!" Yahiro yelled more annoyed than ever, only Tadashi just kept his warm smile toward him. "Curses! What do you know anyway? You only care about yourself, and threat Akira as nothing but a maid! Only caring about the time she will feed you! At least I try to do everything I can for Megumi to feel more comfortable with this marriage!"
"Maybe that's what Tadashi is trying to say." Akira finally butted in the conversation while arriving with a dinner car with fancy cups all filled with chocolates and marshmallows. "Yahiro is new to relationships, it's obvious he doesn't know how to treat a girl properly, you are teasing her more than needed, and sometimes you should only be straight forward you know?" Akira added while placing some marshmallows at a cup with chocolate and giving it to Yahiro, who accepted it half annoyed. "Megumi is a pure girl, but as much as I hate to admit it, that girl keeps wondering all the time about when will you ever treat her as a real wife?" She then sat down next to Tadashi and placed a wet towel at his forehead.
"Whatever you mean." Was everything Yahiro said while drinking his hot chocolate. He actually wanted to understand it, only, as Akira said, he wasn't used to this kind of relationships. Yahiro had no idea of how to treat a girl without teasing them.
"As a boyfriend, maybe you are doing a good job. Only as a husband you are probably pushing yourself too hard." She teased, forcing several veins to pop at Yahiro's head. "Just take it easy. It's like you explained to me a while back. You were forced into recklessly accepting Megumi as your wife, is not like you actually want her to be your wife quiet yet. If that was the case, you would have given her a real wedding already."
"But Yahiro is afraid of marriage life!" Tadashi yelled out, and Yahiro stared at him with a dark aura surrounding him, an aura that forced Tadashi into believing his life was a peril. "Scary!" He yelled hard, and Akira just gave him an odd stare.
"Well, you aren't helping at all anyway." Akira said while enjoying her hot chocolate. "Just take it slowly, and whenever you are ready to love Megumi as a real wife, just do it, there is no need for you to force yourself. Megumi will be happy as long as you are there for her whenever she needs you."
"Be there for her whenever she needs me?" He wondered, and Akira just nodded. "It's not like you give the best example of them all." He added while pointing at the sick Tadashi resting helplessly by the sofa. Akira just nodded. "Unreal." He added upon noticing her coldness.
"Sometimes one needs to give the other one a lesson." She added and then stared at Tadashi evilly, the teen just flinched. "You know, sort of what you do to Megumi all the time. We all have our way of showing our care. My way is being unpredictable. His is being caring when needed and an idiot most of the time." She explained. "Your way of caring about Megumi is being a pain to her. Teasing her is your way of showing your love for her, and her way of showing her affection to you, is her patience."
"Patience?" Akira nodded. Suddenly, Megumi's words echoed at the corners of his mind, she said Yahiro was forcing himself to love her, because even if he did love her, he didn't love her as hard as she loved him just yet. She also told him not to worry about her anymore, she said she would be patient. "...I see... she even said she would be patient... I don't understand girls at all."
"Who does?" Tadashi said. Which earned him a strong punch at the back of his head. "Akira you meany, I'm feeling sick." He cried out, only Akira just ignored him and placed her whole attention in her cup of hot chocolate.
"You deserve it for being a pain. Don't forget it was you the one hitting Yahiro with the snowball you idiot." And Tadashi nodded several times while crying, but his stomach then growled hard, which meant Akira hadn't been feeding him lately. "You are hopeless." She smiled, Yahiro noticed that smile, it was caring and full with feelings, just like Megumi's one was all the time whenever she was actually enjoying her time instead of being worried sick about Yahiro forcing himself to love her back the way she loved him. "I guess I will ask for the chef to lend me his kitchen. I will be taking Tadashi with me before he does something stupid... wanna join us?"
"I'm fine." Yahiro added with a real smile on his face. "I will just take it slowly then. That Megumi, she was worried about me not being my usual self... fine then, I will just give her what she wants... I will be doing some financial investigations, and tell Megumi not to worry..." He added, Akira smiled, she then pulled Tadashi with her and away of the waiting room. "I will do my best as well... even if I already feel like winning..."
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Back at the greenhouse of their institute, Yahiro had no idea his supposed confidence was mistaken. But there was someone who knew, and that was Kei, who now more than ever was wondering if he was truly a financial genius as he had claimed to be all along. Since even if the person working for the Saigas right now wasn't at all as ingenious as Kei or Yahiro, he or she had a reckless way of investing, taking a lot of risks in different markets all around Japan, markets that never represented significant financial obstacles, but now were actually a worry to him because of their resent grow in value.
"Whatever Saku Saiga had planned is already giving fruits... his actions are growing at an accelerated rate... and to make it worse, the actions we placed our money at are growing bankrupt... but why?" Kei wondered. He then stared at the online monitoring he had of the financial report of both the Saigas and the Yamamotos. So far the Yamamotos had daily growing rates, but recently, the growing rate had been from low to none, while the Saigas, who recently had that same problem, had found their actions growing once again after what Kei called a great sacrifice, since only half a month ago the growing rate had a drop down, a dangerous one that forced the Saiga group to lose millions in just a week, but then the growing rates surpassed even the Yamamoto's ones. "Where have I seen this strategy before?" His eyes then widened. He remembered the day Yahiro forced Sayo's family to move away, he closed a whole section of his father's company only to force human resources to fire Sayo's father from the company, something he did only once and ruined several lives out of selfishness, and soon had to fix it all by opening a brand new section for the company and rehiring everyone but Sayo's family. Only this strategy was slightly different. "It's even more reckless than what Yahiro did."
"That's because Yahiro is too softhearted as to do what I did." Kei was so immersed in finding out about this supposed strategy that he failed to notice someone had entered the Greenhouse in the middle of the night. That person was Chitose Saiga, now wearing a business suit and having and evil stare permanently drawn on his face. "I finally surpassed my brother, and I surpassed you as well, Kei."
"You haven't." Kei added calmly. "You just did the whole contrary, you became more like your father than Yahiro. The question is... why?" He dared asking, even though he already knew the reasons. Chitose only had one dream, and that was to become better than his brother.
"My father wanted 10 million dollars, and I gave him far more than what he asked from me. All I needed to do was force some sections of the Saiga financial group into bankrupt, most notably, all the sections were the Yamamoto name was visible, I cut your founds out." He said with a grin on his face. "Now you will have to use your own mediums to have a grow rate, not relying in my father's company for it."
"You ruined the lives of many, just because of your own selfishness? I was wrong, you aren't like Saku, you are far worse than him? Your brother would never do such a thing, he would always look for an equal benefit, and never ruin someone's life because or greed." Kei added. Chitose just spit out on his face, which was something Kei felt horribly annoyed about.
"So what? I don't care about anything but beating my brother, and my plan worked perfectly anyway. With these many departments closing their doors, I just needed some new business opportunities. I invested half million dollars in business worth nothing, and took full control of them. And since those departments of the Saiga's were currently bankrupted, all the remaining clients were forced to place their money in the newly growing departments. Many actions were sold, there was only one difference this time, I wouldn't sell any action to anyone with the name Yamamoto on it."
"You can't do that. Who you sell your actions to is not of your concern... unless... you gave dirty money to someone at the stock market!" And Chitose nodded. "That's illegal!" Kei complained.
"So what? I'm underage, which means I can't go to jail." And Kei bit his lips in annoyance. Chitose had managed to annoy him far more than Yahiro ever did in his whole life. "The Yamamoto can no longer buy actions from the Saigas. I won."
"You cheated, there is a strong difference. And even if you cheat, there is no way we will lose. We will certainly find a way, and your actions won't remain unpunished." Kei informed, only Chitose cared little about Kei's accusations. "You will never be like your brother."
"Curse that! I no longer want to be like my brother." Chitose added while walking away. "I want to be better than him... and I already am..." It was all Chitose said. And upon making his statement, he left the greenhouse.
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Back at the Hakkoda Resort, Yahiro was doing some market investigations, seeking for a market with future and also looking for a way to push Megumi's career toward new limits. Only he was doing all this without minding about his financial situation at all since he trusted Kei had everything under control, which forced Yahiro to, unwillingly, spend more money than the one he actually had in buying more and more actions from markets with future. Only that wouldn't help him in defeating his father anymore, not for the date he had planned at all but several years in the future thanks to Chitose's actions. But of course he didn't know that.
Fortunately for him, his investing had to wait for a while longer, which probably was for the best since if the situation kept going as it currently was, Yahiro would have been losing more than what he was actually winning, something he would soon be thankful about, only not now.
"I know you are there." He said while closing his computer. "What now?" He added coldly, to which Megumi, now hiding behind of Yahiro's sofa, couldn't react. "If this is because of my behavior earlier... I'm sorry... now, go back to sleep."
"I don't want to..." She admitted. She then hugged her legs close to her chest, wondering over and over again about how she was going to explain it all to Yahiro. "I..." She began. "I'm sorry I said what I said... please stop worrying about me and be back to be your usual self..." She then closed her eyes as expecting a yell from Yahiro, only it never came.
"Fine then." Was everything Yahiro said. He then opened his computer and was about to get back into working, but then he felt Megumi's arms pulling him into a hug from behind, and felt the cold sensation of Megumi's chain hitting his neck. He then smiled and began rubbing Megumi's head as was usual of him. "Weirdo."
"...Tease me more if you want..." She began. "...Be cold to me..." She continued. "...Work harder than ever as well... and ignore me if you need to..." Yahiro just smiled once again, Megumi just continued. "...I can wait... I swear I can... just please... don't yell to me like you did earlier... I will still... do my best..."
"Fine with me." Was everything he said, and Megumi didn't know how to react about that. But soon she felt Yahiro placing his hands at Megumi's neck, and then pulling her from the other side of the sofa to his own, forcing them both to fall from the sofa and toward the carpet of the floor below it. He then stared directly to Megumi's eyes, and pulled her into a deep kiss she wasn't at all expecting. She returned the kiss and both began making out gently, nothing out of the usual of course, but it was something that forced Megumi to shed a tear due to her happiness. Only Yahiro broke the kissing after a few seconds, and pushed her away from him rudely. "That's enough for the day." He said.
"So little?" She complained. Yahiro just laughed out loud. "Yahiro you baka." She told to herself while facing away in annoyance, but this time she smiled to herself. Yahiro was kind of back to be his usual teasing self.
"You said it yourself, Megumi-chan. I need some time to get used to the married life. And once I do, you know I will force you into dirty things." She flinched, Yahiro smiled. "But also, I don't have to work too hard as well. Somehow I don't feel like it."
"That's why I'm saying you don't have to push yourself so hard." She complained, Yahiro just relaxed at his sofa, placing himself into a more comfortable position, and also asking Megumi to join him, something she couldn't resist in the less, and so, she climbed Yahiro and rested herself against his chest. "I don't get you." She confessed.
"You don't have to." He admitted. He then began breathing heavily, being more relaxed than ever. "You said so yourself, it is more like being a college couple than a married one." Megumi nodded. "I'm the good looking guy with good grades and who is always doing homework." He explained. "And you are the shy girl who never had a boyfriend before and is always waiting for the day I will invite you to the prom." Megumi then felt a vein popping at her forehead.
"Well, forgive me for falling in love with you." She said extremely annoyed, but of course Yahiro was only teasing her.
"I forgive you then." He said and then kissed her forehead, which forced her to blush even harder. "I'm sleepy, so shut up already." That annoyed her once again, but she nodded and rested her head against his chest for a second time, allowing herself to sleep peacefully, driven away to dreamland by the soft heartbeat of Yahiro's heart.
November 16, 235 days to deadline
"Tell me again why am I doing this?" Yelled Akira to her boyfriend, Tadashi just smiled to her. The day after, Tadashi was trying to teach Akira how to do some snowboarding, and since Megumi knew Yahiro was once again busy with the investing, she decided to join in the snowboarding lessons. Only of course they were all at the beginner's course. Neither Akira, much less Megumi, knew a thing about snowboarding at all.
"The director said he needed an extra to join Megumi in her music video. He already recorded the dancing and the singing parts, but he needs some snowboarding for the theme. And since last extra complained about breaking a nail, the nearest replacement was you." And Akira nodded, but she had her doubts about being an extra in Megumi's video, mostly because she was more afraid than anything, not that Megumi wasn't nervous at all. "Don't worry, Aoi will be the one holding the camera and snowboarding by your side. So even if you are worthless at snowboarding, he will make sure you look as a professional, no matter how impossible that is." Tadashi added, Aoi gave the teen an emotionless thumbs-up while getting the camera ready, Akira just felt like strangling her boyfriend. "Oh, and Megumi, don't get nervous at all, this video is supposed to show off your cuteness, not your professionalism in snowboarding." Tadashi then walked to Megumi's back, and once the director yelled action, he pushed her gently, forcing her to advance slowly a couple of meters before she fell down beautifully, which forced everyone, even Aoi, to smile at her odd but cute performance. "That was great, Megumi-chan!" Tadashi and everyone else clapped.
"She just fell down!" Akira complained. Although she had to admit Megumi looked so cute when cleaning the snow away from her face. "Please tell me that's going to be in the video." The director nodded, and Akira couldn't be even happier now. "I can't wait to see it!"
"That's because Megumi's secret idol weapon is her cute clumsiness!" Tadashi added. Megumi just stared at him with teary eyes. "Now! The last we need for the video recording to be complete is Akira falling at high speed while Aoi records her, and Megumi clumsily following her and falling on her butt!" Megumi felt her cheeks filling themselves with air at that last statement. Apparently, Tadashi was having more fun exposing her clumsiness than her professionalism as an idol. "Now, see you down there, Akira!" Tadashi added. He then pushed Akira strongly toward the snowboarding hill. "Try not to land on your butt!"
"Tadashi! I will have my payback!" She yelled before falling at high speed down the hill with Aoi following her close by and recording her every move. Megumi then felt she was better being a clumsy idol than an example of sport entertainment. After all, she felt better falling on her butt than being slammed at high speed against a tree as Akira would surely do anytime soon. "Now that was a fall. It's good to now Megumi isn't going to travel at that speed, right, Megumi-chan?" He began, and then he noticed Megumi was slowly moving toward the ramp, not willingly though, but she noticed it. "Megumi-chan! Stop!" He yelled, only Megumi couldn't stop herself and ended snowboarding down while feeling like yelling, only she never did due to her fear. "Megumi!" Tadashi yelled. "Yahiro is going to kill me for this!" He said. "Yo! You people record it all, I will go save her." Everyone nodded, and they continued with the recording despite the current crisis.
Tadashi then launched himself toward the racing track, he was skilled in snowboarding and quickly caught up to Megumi, only to notice the cute way Megumi was falling like, with her hands covering her goggled face and her legs in a sitting position. She wasn't even in danger since all the trees around her were easily avoided thanks to her snowboarding down in a straight line due to her fear, which won everyone's attention and they all laughed out loud once Megumi made it down with no harm at all, much to Megumi's shock like state.
"Well, I guess there was nothing to worry about all along!" Pointed Tadashi out. Only he was slammed at the back of his head hard due to Akira's annoyance of the situation once she arrived to where they were. "Why me?" He complained. Akira just breathed out in annoyance and hatred toward her boyfriend.
"You asshole! Are you trying to kill us?" She complained. Tadashi just rubbed the back of his head strongly after feeling so much pain. "To do such a thing to your own girlfriend! You are sick!" She pointed out accusatively and then ran to Megumi's side. "Not to mention you could have hurt my sweet Megumi-chan! Tadashi you moron!"
"It's all fine anyway. We got the recording we needed for the music video anyway, so everything is fine." Tadashi tried to defend himself, only Akira was too annoyed as to listen to him and began throwing snowballs to him, forcing him to back off and try to protect the video Aoi had handled to him a few moments ago.
"We better follow them, lady Yamamoto, or else we will end up having to record all this once again." Aoi suggested while taking off his snowboarding uniform and revealing his butler like suit. "Shall we get moving?" He questioned, but Megumi moved her head in negation while smiling for Aoi. "As you wish then." Said Aoi and began walking away. But before leaving Megumi on her own, he took something from out of his suit and handled it to Megumi. "I almost forgot. Since lady Yamamoto wishes to treasure her voice, and since your security group worries a lot about your safety, we all thought it would be best if you had this." He then handled an object to Megumi, and the girl stared at the silver colored whistle Aoi had bought for her. "If you ever need your secret police by your side, just whistle and an agent will come to your aid."
Megumi smiled once again and took the object in her hand, being grateful for Aoi's concern about her inability to use her voice as was usual to anyone else. Aoi then made a reverence and began walking away, after all, it was Yahiro's order for him to take care of the filming of the video since Yahiro wasn't afraid of saying he didn't trust Tadashi in the less with this responsibility.
Megumi then was about to start enjoying some sort of freedom and release some stress from the filming job, the singing, and the choreography. And so, she tied her whistle around her neck. Only, while doing it so, she noticed there was something missing. Her wedding ring was no longer tied around her neck.
"The ring!" She yelled hard and began searching all around the snow for the mentioned object. Only she had no idea of how long the object had been missing. She thought about calling Aoi, but she didn't trust him that much yet and couldn't explain it to him verbally. She then thought about asking for Yahiro's help, but she had second thoughts when remembering Yahiro had a lot of responsibilities concerning the challenge she forced him to accept against his father. She finally decided to look for her ring on her own.
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"What do you mean bankrupt?" Tadashi heard Yahiro say once he arrived to his room with the news about the video being finally finished. He was actually looking forward to show it off to Yahiro. Only all he had heard so far since arriving to his room proved to be more than what Tadashi's forever happy state could handle. After all, he as well as anyone else in the Special A understood the importance of Yahiro's work. "Don't tell me to calm down, Kei!" Yahiro yelled to the phone, but he immediately calmed down anyway. "I'm going to kill that vermin." Yahiro complained. He was obviously talking about his brother.
"Is it a bad time? Because I can come back after lunch." Tadashi spoke out, winning Yahiro's attention, who moved his head in negation and invited him in with the movement of his hand. "We finished the video." He explained, Yahiro then nodded and continued talking with Kei by phone.
"It's nothing, just Tadashi with some good news, as hard to believe as it sounds." Yahiro explained. "Megumi's video is finally finished. I was thinking about spending a few weeks here at the mountains, but after what you said about Chitose, maybe it is better if I make it back already." Yahiro mentioned. And at the other side of the line Kei seemed to agree. "Tadashi and Akira can stay with Megumi for a while longer. Megumi and I recently agreed on giving ourselves some time. That will surely give us enough time to think about what to do next." The conversation could have continued. Yahiro was even preparing his laptop for more business movements. Only the door to his room was slammed open by Akira, who was sweating hard despite the low temperatures.
"Please tell me Megumi is here and hiding somewhere!" She added after recovering some of the lost air. Yahiro just blinked twice when hearing that last. At the other side of the line even Kei remained in silence. "No one has seen Megumi since the filming was over, Aoi and the other agents are currently looking for her, but no one has a clue of where she could be."
"What?" The phone slid down from Yahiro's hand and hit the floor hard. He then rushed out of the room, forgetting everything about doing business or watching the video, he just went out in hopes of him being able to find Megumi. "Megumi!" He yelled hard and ran all around the hotel. "Megumi!" He yelled once again while Akira sat at his bed and sobbed.
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Hours passed, and no one had a clue of where could Megumi be. The search for her had long from extended to the outsides of the hotel and Yahiro was currently leading some kind of rescue team all around the mountain. Due to her fragility, Yahiro knew she couldn't be far from the hotel and decided to look around the filming site. With Tadashi as his guide, the two finally found a clue of what could have happened with Megumi, and Yahiro rushed toward a tree close to the ramp where the chain tied to her wedding ring was stuck.
"It must have ended here during the filming. Megumi must be looking for this." Tadashi pointed out the obvious, but Yahiro had no time to complain, all he cared about was finding Megumi. And so, the two resumed the search around the silent forest.
"Where did the film continue?" He asked, and Tadashi pointed down the ramp. Yahiro then jumped his way down and slid down it while looking for Megumi the whole time. He soon saw something moving around the forest close to the ramp, and without thinking about it twice, he jumped out of the ramp and fell close to the moving one. It was Megumi, her face was paler than ever, and her lips were dry and cut in some places. She was breathing out heavily, and her hair was a mess, frozen tears were also easily seen adorning her now red eyes. "Idiot!" He yelled, but he then hugged her hard. "What were you thinking?"
"...The ring..." She began. She then showed her hands to Yahiro. Her nails were a mess, which meant she had been digging all around the snow for the ring. Her fingers were even colored blue, and Yahiro feared the worst. He immediately took his sweater off and curled it around Megumi's hands. Fortunately for them both, Megumi was still wearing her footwear, although it was all scratched, just as her expensive looking pants. "I need to find it... the ring Yahiro gave to me!"
"You fool. I got your ring right here." He said, and Megumi began sobbing when seeing it. She was so glad Yahiro had found it, and then hit her forehead against his chest while Yahiro hugged her hard and helped her win some heat. "It's just a stupid ring! You could have died you fool! What the hell where you thinking?"
"It was Yahiro's! It's important to me!" She tried to explain. Only Yahiro cared little about her explanations, he was consumed by rage. He was scared as hell, and his tears began drowning his eyes. "Because Yahiro gave it to me... it is my most important possession!"
"Shut up! It's only a ring!" He complained. Megumi then lowered her face. "You could have died you fool..." He began, tears were already falling from his face, and Megumi couldn't believe her eyes. "I need to take you somewhere warm." He said while carrying her up and hugging her close to his chest, Tadashi quickly joined them and helped Yahiro into returning Megumi to the hotel, at least, she was now safe.
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"Megumi-chan!" Akira yelled hard and ran toward the pale Megumi. Only the doctors all around the place stopped her. Right now any violent contact could harm Megumi a lot, and so, Akira was forbidden from getting close to Megumi while the doctors took care of her.
"Get away from her!" Yahiro yelled to the doctors, he was furious, all he cared about was staying close to Megumi. Only, while doing it so, he was preventing the doctors from healing her. "Don't touch her! She is my wife you idiot!"
"Yahiro! They are doctors, they are trying to help!" Tadashi yelled back at him, bringing some sense into Yahiro who finally placed Megumi down at the medical bed. "I know how you feel, but the doctors will take good care of her, trust me."
"You are not helping." Yahiro complained. He then walked toward Aoi in annoyance. "You were supposed to protect her!" He yelled and was about to punch Aoi's face. The butler did nothing. He just waited for Yahiro to punish him, only Tadashi grabbed him from the back and prevented Yahiro from hitting Aoi. "Let me go!" He yelled and threw Tadashi away in annoyance and toward the other side of the room.
"Yahiro! Calm down!" Akira yelled and slapped him hard, finally waking Yahiro up, and upon doing it so, pulling him into a strong hug. "It's not Aoi's fault, is not Tadashi's fault, it's not your fault either, it's only something that happened." She hugged him even harder. Tadashi just stood up and smiled.
"If it helps you feel better." He began while rubbing his back. "You can punch me." He added. "I know how you are dying to punch someone, and I'm used to be hurt, so, I don't mind being punched at all. Come on, release some anger." And Yahiro blinked twice, he couldn't believe it.
"No... I'm fine..." Was everything he said before finally calming down and sitting down at the sofa. "Darn it... that girl... she is so hopeless." He said to himself and stared at the ceiling none stopping, all that was left to do was to wait for the doctors to heal her.
An hour passed, and Yahiro still waited awake just outside of the infirmary's door in hopes of hearing some news about Megumi. Only there were none. Akira had fallen asleep a while ago, and Tadashi had done his best to stay awake. Only sleep finally defeated him and he ended falling asleep while hugging the worried sick Akira, still, Yahiro kept waiting. Half an hour passed, and a nurse finally made it out of the hotel's infirmary.
"Mr. Yamamoto." Yahiro stood up abruptly. "You may come in now." She offered, and Yahiro wasted no time in making it inside of the room. Tadashi and Akira both woke up upon hearing the news, only both were prevented from entering. "The doctor only allowed her husband inside, I'm sorry." Both nodded, held hands, and remained there, waiting forever for the moment when Yahiro made it outside.
"Megumi!" Yahiro yelled hard upon making his way inside, startling Megumi out, who wasn't expecting such reaction from her husband. "Are you well?" He added calmer now, and Megumi just nodded. Although she had an oxygen mask all around her face and her hands where completely mended.
"Your wife will be all right in a couple of months, Mr. Yamamoto." The doctor added while staring at Megumi's now closer to normal temperature. "Luckily, it wasn't hypothermia, so there is nothing for you to worry about. Her health is as good as usual, but just to be sure she will be needing that oxygen mask for a couple of weeks. As for her hands, it will take longer than a couple of weeks for her to recover full movement. But that's the best case scenario considering that if she had stayed out for a while longer she would have lost more than a couple of fingers."
"She lost what?" Yahiro added not understanding the full message. Megumi just moved her head in negation. Due to Yahiro's worries about her, he wasn't hearing it all clearly. "So, you are complete?" She nodded, and he breathed out glad to hear the news. "You are still a fool, you knew that?" And she lowered her face ashamed, although Yahiro gave her a real smile this time. "I'm glad you are all right." He confessed. Megumi just smiled through her oxygen mask. "Anything I need to know, doctor?"
"Only this girl loves you a lot as to risk her health for a wedding ring, Mr. Yamamoto. I suggest you pay more attention to her from now and on." The doctor added. He then made his way out of the room in order to explain the situation to Akira and Tadashi.
"He didn't mean that." Megumi said. Her voice sounded a little shattering because of her still being victim of a strong cold and her throat being dry by the oxygen. But also, there was some kind of warm sensation in her words, one that forced Yahiro to blush madly. "I'm sorry... I risked my health for that ring... and now I won't be able to use it in about a month." She mentioned while showing her mended hands to Yahiro. She then lowered her face after saying that last, she actually feared Yahiro would yell at her and was trying to mitigate his anger, only what Yahiro did was far from being a scolding gesture, and instead, he was hugging her hard. "...Yahiro-kun...?"
"I could have lost you." He began, and Megumi smiled at such gesture, she even ignored the pain in her half-asleep hands and hugged Yahiro back. "It was horrible... to think you could have..."
"...I'm still here..." She mentioned. Yahiro nodded. But he never broke the hug. "I will always be here... there is still something I want..." And she smiled, although she then coughed after breathing more of her artificial oxygen, which kept her throat dry all the time and forced her lungs to complain. "Oxygen tastes bad." She joked.
"I'm not allowing it anymore." Yahiro began, Megumi just blinked twice as reply. "Megumi is also precious to me. I'm not allowing you to forget it, never." And Megumi smiled. She then tried to kiss Yahiro, only her mask was in the way. "Fool." Yahiro laughed.
"So unfair! I can't kiss you in a couple of weeks." She said with teary eyes, which forced Yahiro to role his eyes and then burst into laughter. "Meany!" She complained and then coughed again. Yahiro just hugged her closer to his chest. "Are you... having fun?"
"Do you really have to ask that every freaking day?" Megumi then lowered her head. "As long as you smile for me... I will always have fun..." He said, Megumi nodded, she then slowly began falling asleep.