[Complete] Invisible Chains- Chapter 24
Finally we have come to the climax of the story. I hope you will enjoy!
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Chapter 24
I sighed quietly to myself while I rested my head with my left hand and playing with my beer glass with my right. I was at Genta’s sushi restaurant. I had already been there for a few hours, trying to drown myself in alcohol but it was to no avail. I wanted to forget but I couldn’t get what was on my mind out. Sometimes I hate this ability to be sober no matter what.
“Would you like some of my potato salad that I made earlier today?” Haruhi asked. I looked up at her and quickly straightened myself. “It’s okay.” I said as I looked at her with a small smile. Then I looked at Genta to order another plate of sushi. “I’ll have some uni sushi.” Genta nodded once and with his calm and expressionless face, started to make my order.
I lowered my head and started to drift away into my thoughts again. I couldn’t get over the fact that my father asked Aiba-san to marry me. I was so embarrassed that I was related to my father. How could he be so impolite, selfish, and straightforward without even considering how I felt or even what kind of situation that would place Aiba-san in. He’s an idol, a celebrity that belonged to the entertainment world, while I'm a member of a major company that creates thousands of jobs for many people in Japan. We belong to two different parts of the world. How could my father think that putting us together would be easy and simple as counting 1-2-3?
I sighed again when I heard a chime from the door. “Oh, it’s the person I wanted to see.” I slowly turned my head towards the direction of the voice and recognized the owner of the voice was none other than Ninomiya-san. He smiled at me, which automatically annoyed me more than I already was. I let out another sigh and picked up my beer to drink out from it.
Ninomiya-san came towards me and without asking, he sat down beside me. Then he looked at Genta and Haruhi to order. “I’ll take a beer and I’ll start off with some toro sushi.” He then took off his jacket and placed his bag on the empty seat beside him. He quickly settled himself in before he looked back at me. “So you want to drown yourself with alcohol too?” I remained quiet and didn’t reply to his question. I was in no mood to play his games or answer his pestering questions.
Genta placed the small plate of uni sushi that I had ordered in front of me. I picked it up with my hand and dipped it in some soy sauce before I ate it. As I was about to pick up the other piece, Ninomiya-san quickly grabbed the plate before I could. I turned my eyes to him and glared. What is he trying to do? Piss me off even more? “What are you doing?” I asked. He replied my question with a smile and placed the plate of sushi onto the side where I wouldn’t be able to reach it from where I was sitting. He then looked back at me. “Aiba-san told me what had happened when he went over to your house.”
I rolled my eyes. Of course he had. I wasn’t surprised. I sipped on my beer and continued to stay quiet. I didn’t have an obligation to answer him so why should I? “Are you curious as to what Aiba-kun’s answer to your otosan’s question?” He said with a smirked that hung at the corner of his lips. I removed the beer from my lips to slam the glass on the counter. “Why should I be? He’ll probably say no. Who would want my otosan as a father-in-law? I’m surprised that he hasn’t run away from me yet. I don’t even understand why my otosan asked him a question like that in the first place!” Then I looked over at Ninomiya-san whom was staring at me with his mouth wide open. “There, are you happy with that answer?” I yelled and then finished the remainder of beer I had in my glass in one chug.
The restaurant started to become quiet and everyone, including me, started to feel awkward. I bit my lower lip and slowly calmed myself down a bit. I looked over at Haruhi, which made her flinch her head back. I guess she was scared of seeing a different side of me or had thought that I was going to yell at her too. “I’ll take some potato salad right now if you don’t mind.” I said softly. Haruhi smiled and then walked to the back kitchen. I sighed and rested my arms on the counter.
“Gomen. I never knew…” Ninomiya-san trailed off. I turned my head to see his head lowered, as if he felt bad for intimidating me. I bit my lower lip and let out another sigh. “It’s fine. I usually don’t talk about my personal life to others. I just find it bothersome.” After I talked, there was a moment of silence when Haruhi came back with a smile and placed a plate of her potato salad in front of me. I looked up at her and smiled. Then I picked up my chopsticks and started to eat it.
Ninomiya-san became quiet and ate silently as he looked like he had drifted into his thoughts. I somewhat had a feeling that he had something he was frustrated about too. I turned my head back and we continued to sit there in silence when he spoke out first. “I just thought that you were curious about Aiba-kun’s answer. I think I mistook you for someone who was curious about him because I thought you had some feelings for him. The way he talks about you, I just feel frustrated as a friend that he doesn’t have the courage to confess to you. I just wanted to help him out, even if that meant that I had to push you a bit. Gomenasai.” I made a small smile. I felt a bit envious to hear that he did everything to me because he was concerned as Aiba-san’s friend. I wish that I had someone that I could rely on too.
“And then he has a problem with his imouto… Aiba-kun has so many things going on that maybe in a sense, I wanted you to be a shoulder that he could lean on.” He sighed before he grabbed his beer glass to drink from. I furrowed my eyebrows and started to wonder about his sister. What was wrong with her? Why is Aiba-kun worried about her? I opened my mouth and was about to ask him about her when I stopped myself. I felt like I was invading someone else’s privacy when I didn’t even want Ninomiya-san to know about mine. Why should I be nosy to pry into someone’s life when I protect my own? It’s not fair. If someone wants to share his or her story then I should let that person decide when to tell.
Haruhi smiled and looked over at Ninomiya-san. “Oh, are you talking about Mariko-chan? Masaki-kun was here the other day talking about her with me.” I looked up at her. I was surprised that Haruhi knows so much; well then again, Haruhi is a good listener and gives good advice sometimes. “Poor Mariko-chan. I met her once. She was bright and cheerful like Masaki-kun. It’s so sad that so many things had happened to her. First she was got trapped in a scam and then their mother died…” She trailed off.
I furrowed my eyebrows and somehow felt a weird sensation. Then memories flashed in my head. I started to remember the contents of the letter I received from Mariko’s older brother.
However Mariko managed to get caught in a scam…
Our mother… She died in a hit-and-run accident a few weeks later.
My eyes suddenly widened and I shot my head towards Ninomiya-san. I grabbed his shoulder and stared into his eyes as I asked. “Mariko… Is Aiba-san’s imouto adopted or are they related?” Ninomiya-san looked at me with a raised eyebrow. He didn’t reply to me right away. I guess I must have surprised him by asking such a question. “Tell me! Is Aiba-san’s imouto adopted or are they blood-related? Please tell me.” I said as I shook him with my hands slightly trembling. He pulled back his face and slightly looked scared of me. “Mariko-chan was adopted into Aiba-kun’s family when he was 8. Aiba-kun treats her as if she's his real imouto if that’s what got you so hyped up.”
I widened my eyes and quickly grabbed my wallet from my purse. I placed a few bills on the counter and hastily grabbed my things. What am I so slow? Why could I make the connection? His Mariko is the same as my Mariko. Mariko… Mariko has always been… Tears slowly started to form in my eyes.
“What’s wrong Asuka-chan? Why are you suddenly in a rush?” Haruhi asked in a concerned tone. Once I gathered my things, I started to head the door when I decided to say to them with tears running down my face. “I finally found her. I finally found my imouto.”
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A/N: Dun-dun-dunnnn!!! （★￣∀￣★）
There are some notes I would like to share for this chapter. For this chapter, I initially wanted to write Nino coming into the bar because he was upset over Michiko's disappearance (the main character of I Hate You and Then I Love You), the request fanfiction I released before Invisible Chains. Since I made a tie-in in the epilogue of that story. However I didn't like how the story flowed when I wrote Nino talking about her, so I just left it out. Also I noticed that the chapter count was way longer than any fanfic I've written before so I thought of wrapping it up. I hope this climax took you by surprise!
Sadly I would like to announce that this is the last Nino appearance in the story. I hope you enjoyed his teasing and support for Asuka and Aiba. He has been a very important supporting character in this story. Without him, Asuka wouldn't have been able to recognize her feelings and find out that Mariko might be the Mariko that she has been looking for. Thanks for reading and look forward to next week's chapter!!
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Chapter 24
I sighed quietly to myself while I rested my head with my left hand and playing with my beer glass with my right. I was at Genta’s sushi restaurant. I had already been there for a few hours, trying to drown myself in alcohol but it was to no avail. I wanted to forget but I couldn’t get what was on my mind out. Sometimes I hate this ability to be sober no matter what.
“Would you like some of my potato salad that I made earlier today?” Haruhi asked. I looked up at her and quickly straightened myself. “It’s okay.” I said as I looked at her with a small smile. Then I looked at Genta to order another plate of sushi. “I’ll have some uni sushi.” Genta nodded once and with his calm and expressionless face, started to make my order.
I lowered my head and started to drift away into my thoughts again. I couldn’t get over the fact that my father asked Aiba-san to marry me. I was so embarrassed that I was related to my father. How could he be so impolite, selfish, and straightforward without even considering how I felt or even what kind of situation that would place Aiba-san in. He’s an idol, a celebrity that belonged to the entertainment world, while I'm a member of a major company that creates thousands of jobs for many people in Japan. We belong to two different parts of the world. How could my father think that putting us together would be easy and simple as counting 1-2-3?
I sighed again when I heard a chime from the door. “Oh, it’s the person I wanted to see.” I slowly turned my head towards the direction of the voice and recognized the owner of the voice was none other than Ninomiya-san. He smiled at me, which automatically annoyed me more than I already was. I let out another sigh and picked up my beer to drink out from it.
Ninomiya-san came towards me and without asking, he sat down beside me. Then he looked at Genta and Haruhi to order. “I’ll take a beer and I’ll start off with some toro sushi.” He then took off his jacket and placed his bag on the empty seat beside him. He quickly settled himself in before he looked back at me. “So you want to drown yourself with alcohol too?” I remained quiet and didn’t reply to his question. I was in no mood to play his games or answer his pestering questions.
Genta placed the small plate of uni sushi that I had ordered in front of me. I picked it up with my hand and dipped it in some soy sauce before I ate it. As I was about to pick up the other piece, Ninomiya-san quickly grabbed the plate before I could. I turned my eyes to him and glared. What is he trying to do? Piss me off even more? “What are you doing?” I asked. He replied my question with a smile and placed the plate of sushi onto the side where I wouldn’t be able to reach it from where I was sitting. He then looked back at me. “Aiba-san told me what had happened when he went over to your house.”
I rolled my eyes. Of course he had. I wasn’t surprised. I sipped on my beer and continued to stay quiet. I didn’t have an obligation to answer him so why should I? “Are you curious as to what Aiba-kun’s answer to your otosan’s question?” He said with a smirked that hung at the corner of his lips. I removed the beer from my lips to slam the glass on the counter. “Why should I be? He’ll probably say no. Who would want my otosan as a father-in-law? I’m surprised that he hasn’t run away from me yet. I don’t even understand why my otosan asked him a question like that in the first place!” Then I looked over at Ninomiya-san whom was staring at me with his mouth wide open. “There, are you happy with that answer?” I yelled and then finished the remainder of beer I had in my glass in one chug.
The restaurant started to become quiet and everyone, including me, started to feel awkward. I bit my lower lip and slowly calmed myself down a bit. I looked over at Haruhi, which made her flinch her head back. I guess she was scared of seeing a different side of me or had thought that I was going to yell at her too. “I’ll take some potato salad right now if you don’t mind.” I said softly. Haruhi smiled and then walked to the back kitchen. I sighed and rested my arms on the counter.
“Gomen. I never knew…” Ninomiya-san trailed off. I turned my head to see his head lowered, as if he felt bad for intimidating me. I bit my lower lip and let out another sigh. “It’s fine. I usually don’t talk about my personal life to others. I just find it bothersome.” After I talked, there was a moment of silence when Haruhi came back with a smile and placed a plate of her potato salad in front of me. I looked up at her and smiled. Then I picked up my chopsticks and started to eat it.
Ninomiya-san became quiet and ate silently as he looked like he had drifted into his thoughts. I somewhat had a feeling that he had something he was frustrated about too. I turned my head back and we continued to sit there in silence when he spoke out first. “I just thought that you were curious about Aiba-kun’s answer. I think I mistook you for someone who was curious about him because I thought you had some feelings for him. The way he talks about you, I just feel frustrated as a friend that he doesn’t have the courage to confess to you. I just wanted to help him out, even if that meant that I had to push you a bit. Gomenasai.” I made a small smile. I felt a bit envious to hear that he did everything to me because he was concerned as Aiba-san’s friend. I wish that I had someone that I could rely on too.
“And then he has a problem with his imouto… Aiba-kun has so many things going on that maybe in a sense, I wanted you to be a shoulder that he could lean on.” He sighed before he grabbed his beer glass to drink from. I furrowed my eyebrows and started to wonder about his sister. What was wrong with her? Why is Aiba-kun worried about her? I opened my mouth and was about to ask him about her when I stopped myself. I felt like I was invading someone else’s privacy when I didn’t even want Ninomiya-san to know about mine. Why should I be nosy to pry into someone’s life when I protect my own? It’s not fair. If someone wants to share his or her story then I should let that person decide when to tell.
Haruhi smiled and looked over at Ninomiya-san. “Oh, are you talking about Mariko-chan? Masaki-kun was here the other day talking about her with me.” I looked up at her. I was surprised that Haruhi knows so much; well then again, Haruhi is a good listener and gives good advice sometimes. “Poor Mariko-chan. I met her once. She was bright and cheerful like Masaki-kun. It’s so sad that so many things had happened to her. First she was got trapped in a scam and then their mother died…” She trailed off.
I furrowed my eyebrows and somehow felt a weird sensation. Then memories flashed in my head. I started to remember the contents of the letter I received from Mariko’s older brother.
However Mariko managed to get caught in a scam…
Our mother… She died in a hit-and-run accident a few weeks later.
My eyes suddenly widened and I shot my head towards Ninomiya-san. I grabbed his shoulder and stared into his eyes as I asked. “Mariko… Is Aiba-san’s imouto adopted or are they related?” Ninomiya-san looked at me with a raised eyebrow. He didn’t reply to me right away. I guess I must have surprised him by asking such a question. “Tell me! Is Aiba-san’s imouto adopted or are they blood-related? Please tell me.” I said as I shook him with my hands slightly trembling. He pulled back his face and slightly looked scared of me. “Mariko-chan was adopted into Aiba-kun’s family when he was 8. Aiba-kun treats her as if she's his real imouto if that’s what got you so hyped up.”
I widened my eyes and quickly grabbed my wallet from my purse. I placed a few bills on the counter and hastily grabbed my things. What am I so slow? Why could I make the connection? His Mariko is the same as my Mariko. Mariko… Mariko has always been… Tears slowly started to form in my eyes.
“What’s wrong Asuka-chan? Why are you suddenly in a rush?” Haruhi asked in a concerned tone. Once I gathered my things, I started to head the door when I decided to say to them with tears running down my face. “I finally found her. I finally found my imouto.”
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A/N: Dun-dun-dunnnn!!! （★￣∀￣★）
There are some notes I would like to share for this chapter. For this chapter, I initially wanted to write Nino coming into the bar because he was upset over Michiko's disappearance (the main character of I Hate You and Then I Love You), the request fanfiction I released before Invisible Chains. Since I made a tie-in in the epilogue of that story. However I didn't like how the story flowed when I wrote Nino talking about her, so I just left it out. Also I noticed that the chapter count was way longer than any fanfic I've written before so I thought of wrapping it up. I hope this climax took you by surprise!
Sadly I would like to announce that this is the last Nino appearance in the story. I hope you enjoyed his teasing and support for Asuka and Aiba. He has been a very important supporting character in this story. Without him, Asuka wouldn't have been able to recognize her feelings and find out that Mariko might be the Mariko that she has been looking for. Thanks for reading and look forward to next week's chapter!!