[Complete] Invisible Chains- Chapter 6
Chapter 6
My eyes widened, as I looked deep into his dark brown eyes. We were close enough that I could feel and smell his breath tickling on the surface of my face again. This situation reminded me of our first encounter. Warmth rose from my cheeks and I was about to push him away when another thunder roared from outside. Without thinking, I panicked and I buried my head into his chest.
When I was 8 years old, I was alone at my house while my parents went to a Christmas dinner. The maids and butlers went back to their homes to celebrate with their families. Meanwhile, I was in my living room when all of a sudden the lights switched off and I was left in the dark. Out of nowhere, thunder rumbled and flashes of lightning appeared from outside. It had scared me and with no one around, I had no one that I could run to. I wanted to hide under my sheets for some comfort but I was too scared to move an inch away from my position. I began to cry and shouted for my parents but I knew they wouldn’t be back from the party until really late at night. At that moment, I realized that I will always be alone and I can’t lean on anyone for anything.
Aiba-san helped stand me up as I was tightly holding on his shirt. The lightning flashed again. I jumped up and quickly cowered in fright, as I tried to block my eyes from seeing the flashes of lightning. I also had covered my ears with my hands to stop hearing the thunder rumbling.
“By any chance, are you afraid of lightning and thunder?” Aiba asked softly to me. I bit my lower lip as my hands were still over my ears and I was cowering in front of him. Lightning and thunder roared again and I said. “Don’t think you can take advantage of me when I’m-“ Before I could finish my sentence, Aiba-san bent down and whispered. “I’ll be right back.”
I quickly widened my eyes and thought that he was going to leave me alone. No, please don’t leave me alone. I reached out my hand to grab him but he had already left. Then I realized that I should be used to being alone. Why am I so stupid for thinking that at least someone wouldn’t leave me alone again? Tears started to roll down my cheeks and I started to hate myself. I hated myself for having this measly weakness.
As I was going to hate myself even more, something was placed over my head. I looked up and noticed that it was a futon. I furrowed my eyebrows and stopped crying. I started to wonder who covered the blanket on top of me. “Feeling better now?” Aiba-san asked as it felt like he sat beside me. I widened my eyes and I tightened my jaw. This was one of my only weaknesses and the man I kept threatening did nothing but to help me calm me down. This was the only time I didn’t want to admit it but I felt guilty and stupid. After everything that I said to him, not only I threatened him to call the police on him when he trespassed on my land that I almost made him cry, but I also kind of acted arrogant and obnoxious to him. I should have treated him as an equal instead of a bad person.
“Arigato…” I muttered and my face had flushed. It’s been a long time since I said a sincere thanks to anyone in my life. Hopefully this will be my only thanks that I will say from now on. I need to make sure no one else knows so they won’t be able to take advantage of me. “Hm? What did you say?” Aiba-san asked and suddenly I shouted. “Arigato gozaimasu!”
Slowly, the lightning and thunder had calmed down and all I could hear loud drops of rain coming from outside. “I guess the thunder and lightning has stopped. The lights should come back on again.” He said and I began to hear some ruffling before I heard him getting up. I bit my lower lip and flipped the covers off of me to hear the raindrops and instantly saw the lights turning back on.
A bit dazed from being under the covers and inhaling my own breath, I felt relaxed knowing that the thunder and lightning storm had passed. As I breathe for some better air, I noticed Aiba was opening the shoji doors. The sound of the rain become louder but it was somehow soothing to hear.
I got up to fold the futon before I approached Aiba-san. I wanted to apologize for everything I did. I should have known to judge him before getting to know him. My father used to tell me all the time that I shouldn’t judge a person by their appearance but every time I tried to ignore my opinions of that person, my impressions would end up becoming right. I became too cocky to rely on my instincts and it just came natural to me.
“Aiba-san…” I muttered and then Aiba-san tossed his head towards me, making me flinch. Then I lowered my head and continued. “Gomenasai. My actions towards you were very immature and unethical. I hope I haven't hurt your feelings or disrespected you in any way. If I did, I deeply apologize.” I wanted to take a look at his reactions but I was afraid to see it. I don’t know why but I felt like I should get down on the ground and perform a dogeza* in front of him.
“It’s okay.” Aiba-san said and I shot my head up to look at him. With furrowed eyebrows, I muttered. “It’s okay?” He nodded and then a smile was brought upon his face like he was happy and cheerful to hear my apology. “Yeah, it’s okay. As long as you realized it for yourself then I’m glad. I hope you don’t treat others like the way you treat me. But you’re an executive director so it’s okay to act like that way… But still…” He trailed off, away in his own thoughts.
My mouth dropped and I gaped at him. What kind of person did I apologize to? Where was the man that asked me if I was all right? Where is that cool and caring guy that helped comforted me just now?
Shocked about his unbelievable change of personality, I decided to get some rest after a long day. “Good night Aiba-san.” I said and walked into the smaller room to get ready for bed. I walked towards the closet to lie out the futon and pillow for myself but I noticed that the futon was missing. I sighed and realized that Aiba-san took my futon to cover me with. I stomped to the living room to see he was setting his futon on the floor.
I looked at him and tossed my head away as I grabbed the futon cover and placed it in the room. I’m really an idiot to think that my instincts were wrong about him. I grab my toiletries and then headed out the door when I saw Aiba-san was heading outside while holding a small bag.
“Are you going to the brush your teeth too?” Aiba-san asked with his usual smiling face. I stared at him for a few seconds and then slid the door close before I walked towards the ladies washroom without saying a single word to him.
“Hey, wait up for me!” he came running along beside me. I looked over at him as I walked and he was still happy for no apparent reason. I cocked my head to the side and thought that he was weird and was starting to get on my nerves. But wait… Is he acting this way because he now knows my secret? He is showing his true colors around me because now he can use my secret as a way to threaten me?
I began to develop a throbbing pain coming from my head. Just thinking about him is giving me a headache. Then I looked over at Aiba-san again but this time he noticed that I was looking at him. He flashed a smile before he entered the men’s washroom. I entered the ladies’ washroom, which was beside the men’s, and I went straight towards the sink to splash some cold water on my face.
I was trying to figure out Aiba-san’s motive behind his sudden change. You think I may be reading too much into it but I was honestly nervous. I’m a person that was always on top of everyone and now that he entered my life, I started to be in situations where I’m not used to being in. It looks like now I have to be careful when I’m around him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: *dogeza - the formal and serious way of apologizing or submitting yourself to someone in Japan.
My eyes widened, as I looked deep into his dark brown eyes. We were close enough that I could feel and smell his breath tickling on the surface of my face again. This situation reminded me of our first encounter. Warmth rose from my cheeks and I was about to push him away when another thunder roared from outside. Without thinking, I panicked and I buried my head into his chest.
When I was 8 years old, I was alone at my house while my parents went to a Christmas dinner. The maids and butlers went back to their homes to celebrate with their families. Meanwhile, I was in my living room when all of a sudden the lights switched off and I was left in the dark. Out of nowhere, thunder rumbled and flashes of lightning appeared from outside. It had scared me and with no one around, I had no one that I could run to. I wanted to hide under my sheets for some comfort but I was too scared to move an inch away from my position. I began to cry and shouted for my parents but I knew they wouldn’t be back from the party until really late at night. At that moment, I realized that I will always be alone and I can’t lean on anyone for anything.
Aiba-san helped stand me up as I was tightly holding on his shirt. The lightning flashed again. I jumped up and quickly cowered in fright, as I tried to block my eyes from seeing the flashes of lightning. I also had covered my ears with my hands to stop hearing the thunder rumbling.
“By any chance, are you afraid of lightning and thunder?” Aiba asked softly to me. I bit my lower lip as my hands were still over my ears and I was cowering in front of him. Lightning and thunder roared again and I said. “Don’t think you can take advantage of me when I’m-“ Before I could finish my sentence, Aiba-san bent down and whispered. “I’ll be right back.”
I quickly widened my eyes and thought that he was going to leave me alone. No, please don’t leave me alone. I reached out my hand to grab him but he had already left. Then I realized that I should be used to being alone. Why am I so stupid for thinking that at least someone wouldn’t leave me alone again? Tears started to roll down my cheeks and I started to hate myself. I hated myself for having this measly weakness.
As I was going to hate myself even more, something was placed over my head. I looked up and noticed that it was a futon. I furrowed my eyebrows and stopped crying. I started to wonder who covered the blanket on top of me. “Feeling better now?” Aiba-san asked as it felt like he sat beside me. I widened my eyes and I tightened my jaw. This was one of my only weaknesses and the man I kept threatening did nothing but to help me calm me down. This was the only time I didn’t want to admit it but I felt guilty and stupid. After everything that I said to him, not only I threatened him to call the police on him when he trespassed on my land that I almost made him cry, but I also kind of acted arrogant and obnoxious to him. I should have treated him as an equal instead of a bad person.
“Arigato…” I muttered and my face had flushed. It’s been a long time since I said a sincere thanks to anyone in my life. Hopefully this will be my only thanks that I will say from now on. I need to make sure no one else knows so they won’t be able to take advantage of me. “Hm? What did you say?” Aiba-san asked and suddenly I shouted. “Arigato gozaimasu!”
Slowly, the lightning and thunder had calmed down and all I could hear loud drops of rain coming from outside. “I guess the thunder and lightning has stopped. The lights should come back on again.” He said and I began to hear some ruffling before I heard him getting up. I bit my lower lip and flipped the covers off of me to hear the raindrops and instantly saw the lights turning back on.
A bit dazed from being under the covers and inhaling my own breath, I felt relaxed knowing that the thunder and lightning storm had passed. As I breathe for some better air, I noticed Aiba was opening the shoji doors. The sound of the rain become louder but it was somehow soothing to hear.
I got up to fold the futon before I approached Aiba-san. I wanted to apologize for everything I did. I should have known to judge him before getting to know him. My father used to tell me all the time that I shouldn’t judge a person by their appearance but every time I tried to ignore my opinions of that person, my impressions would end up becoming right. I became too cocky to rely on my instincts and it just came natural to me.
“Aiba-san…” I muttered and then Aiba-san tossed his head towards me, making me flinch. Then I lowered my head and continued. “Gomenasai. My actions towards you were very immature and unethical. I hope I haven't hurt your feelings or disrespected you in any way. If I did, I deeply apologize.” I wanted to take a look at his reactions but I was afraid to see it. I don’t know why but I felt like I should get down on the ground and perform a dogeza* in front of him.
“It’s okay.” Aiba-san said and I shot my head up to look at him. With furrowed eyebrows, I muttered. “It’s okay?” He nodded and then a smile was brought upon his face like he was happy and cheerful to hear my apology. “Yeah, it’s okay. As long as you realized it for yourself then I’m glad. I hope you don’t treat others like the way you treat me. But you’re an executive director so it’s okay to act like that way… But still…” He trailed off, away in his own thoughts.
My mouth dropped and I gaped at him. What kind of person did I apologize to? Where was the man that asked me if I was all right? Where is that cool and caring guy that helped comforted me just now?
Shocked about his unbelievable change of personality, I decided to get some rest after a long day. “Good night Aiba-san.” I said and walked into the smaller room to get ready for bed. I walked towards the closet to lie out the futon and pillow for myself but I noticed that the futon was missing. I sighed and realized that Aiba-san took my futon to cover me with. I stomped to the living room to see he was setting his futon on the floor.
I looked at him and tossed my head away as I grabbed the futon cover and placed it in the room. I’m really an idiot to think that my instincts were wrong about him. I grab my toiletries and then headed out the door when I saw Aiba-san was heading outside while holding a small bag.
“Are you going to the brush your teeth too?” Aiba-san asked with his usual smiling face. I stared at him for a few seconds and then slid the door close before I walked towards the ladies washroom without saying a single word to him.
“Hey, wait up for me!” he came running along beside me. I looked over at him as I walked and he was still happy for no apparent reason. I cocked my head to the side and thought that he was weird and was starting to get on my nerves. But wait… Is he acting this way because he now knows my secret? He is showing his true colors around me because now he can use my secret as a way to threaten me?
I began to develop a throbbing pain coming from my head. Just thinking about him is giving me a headache. Then I looked over at Aiba-san again but this time he noticed that I was looking at him. He flashed a smile before he entered the men’s washroom. I entered the ladies’ washroom, which was beside the men’s, and I went straight towards the sink to splash some cold water on my face.
I was trying to figure out Aiba-san’s motive behind his sudden change. You think I may be reading too much into it but I was honestly nervous. I’m a person that was always on top of everyone and now that he entered my life, I started to be in situations where I’m not used to being in. It looks like now I have to be careful when I’m around him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: *dogeza - the formal and serious way of apologizing or submitting yourself to someone in Japan.