BLACK CHERRY / The Game (Chapter 17)
Title: The Game (Chapter 17)
Fandom: BLACK CHERRY
Characters: Ryo x はるき
Genre: Romance, erotica
Table: One
Prompt: 062. Appear
Word Count: 1625
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The rules of The Game were simple.
Author's Notes: Chapters 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
The Game
Chapter Seventeen
(062. Appear)
Haruki was in the middle of reading in the library when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
“I’m sorry. We’re about to close for the night,” the librarian said.
Haruki looked at her watch. It was already half past ten in the evening. She closed her books and hurriedly stacked them in her arms.
“Don’t worry, dear. Just leave them on the cart.” The librarian patted her back. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks.” Haruki smiled, picking up her bag. “Sorry for the trouble.”
Haruki walked past the library doors, briefly stopping to take in the warm, summer air. She wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed and sleep all day tomorrow, but she had to be back at the library in a few hours’ time to continue working on her term paper.
She descended the library steps and began the ten-minute walk back to her apartment. The campus was already dim and deserted, but she’d spent one too many late nights in one of the safest colleges in the state to worry about trouble. She even found the peace and quiet in the dark enjoyable, far from the usual bustle that happened during the day.
Haruki brought a hand to her nape, feeling the tightness in her shoulders. A trip to the spa come summer break was in order. She was in dire need of a massage…
A twig snapped nearby, but she paid it no heed. Critters roamed the campus all the time.
Haruki adjusted the sling bag around her shoulder and glanced at her watch again. Her leisurely stroll made her waste a good five minutes when she should be halfway home by now.
The hairs at the back of her neck prickled, but there was nothing behind her when she turned around. Perhaps the fatigue was getting to her, but she quickened her steps anyway.
Footsteps, clear and distinct against the asphalt. She looked behind her again, and her heart nearly stopped at a figure wearing a hoodie and jeans walking behind her. His hands were in his pockets, his pace unhurried. Surely he was just a fellow student on his way home as well. She ignored the paranoia and continued forward, eager to be in the safety of her own apartment.
Most of the buildings in campus were already closed, but Knights Hall northeast of her still had lights on. She was only a few more minutes away from the campus gates, but her pulse continued to escalate, making it difficult to breathe alongside her brisk walking. Why was she so afraid all of a sudden?
She couldn’t help but glance behind her again. The man was now inching closer to her, his pace faster. Haruki broke into a sprint, and terror nearly escaped her throat when he began running after her.
Haruki knew she was no match against a man’s speed. She headed straight for Knights Hall as fast as her legs could take her. She ran across the lawns, her soles practically slippery against wet grass. She prayed she wouldn’t slip, that her voice wouldn’t break once she cried for help. The light of Knights Hall was so close. She was almost there…
“Help!” she shouted, nearly stumbling against the front steps. The door was thankfully still open as her footsteps echoed down the marble floors of the empty hallway. She was meters away from the door but far from safety as the man stood stock still outside, his face obscured by his gray hoodie. The door to her left opened, making her jump.
“What’s going on?” a middle-aged man in a tweed suit asked. Her eyes darted towards the hall entrance again. The hooded man was gone.
Haruki’s legs buckled in a mixture of relief and exhaustion. The man in the tweed suit rushed to her aid, catching her before she lost balance.
“Jesus, are you alright?” he asked, guiding her towards the room he emerged from. Rows of empty teachers’ desks greeted her. It had slipped from her mind that the professors’ lounge was in Knights Hall.
She was settled on a nearby chair, where the professor placed a firm hand on her shoulder. “What’s your name, young lady? What happened?”
Haruki closed her eyes, trying to find the words, but her nerves remained rattled for her to respond quickly. She swallowed and shook her head, balling her clammy hands into fists.
“What’s going on here?” a familiar voice demanded.
Her eyes flew open. Her gaze locked with Ryou, who just emerged from his office at the opposite end of the room. He was next to her before she knew it.
“Haruki, what happened?” His voice dropped to a soft, soothing murmur. His palm was warm against her cold fingers, providing a brief sense of clarity.
“There was someone.” She swallowed again, trying to catch her breath. “Someone was chasing after me.”
The other professor glanced towards the hallway again, eyeing the entrance. He shook his head at Ryou.
“What did he look like?” Ryou asked. “Did he say anything?”
She shook her head.
“I’ll take you home.” She was about to decline, but the finality in his voice and in his eyes left no room for argument.
“Can you stand?” he inquired. She nodded, rising from her chair, even though her legs remained shaky. She stood upright, not wanting to look like she needed help.
“Do you mind locking up for me, Murase?” Ryou grabbed his coat and keys in his office. “I owe you one.”
“No worries. Just get her home safe,” the other professor said.
The walk to Ryou’s car felt like forever with each draining step. For once in her life, she was grateful a man opened the door for her. She nearly collapsed in the passenger seat, finding a strange sort of calmness in the familiar smell of Ryou’s car. The scent of leather, along with his musky cologne and the natural scent of him… the memories all came flooding back, and the pang of bitterness was enough to nearly make her forget about that horrifying encounter mere minutes ago. The pain was welcoming, almost.
The ride home seemed to drag on for ages, even though they were already in front of her apartment in under five minutes. He never spoke a word nor even glanced her way during the entire drive, but the silence stretched before them now in the darkness of his car. It was her cue to exit the vehicle, but none of her limbs seemed to be working. Was it still the fatigue or the tension between them, she wondered?
He was the first to finally break the silence. “Do you have any idea who it was?”
Haruki kept her gaze out the window. “No. I don’t know what he wanted.”
“Why are you even still out at this time of the night anyway?” There was a trace of irritation in his voice.
“I was working on my term paper,” she snapped back. “I don’t go out of my way to look for trouble.”
A faint scoff escaped him. She looked at him in furious disbelief, but his hard gaze towards his dashboard was the same as the night he confronted her regarding Kei. It was surprising to hear nothing else from him about it, but she could still feel the frustration seeping out of him even now, in the way his hands were tight on the steering wheel.
Haruki undid her seatbelt. There was nothing more to say. Even if there was, what was the point of it?
Ryou’s hand latched onto her wrist when she opened the door.
“I know I’ll be the last person you run to, but tell me if you’re in trouble,” he said, his voice low with both promise and warning. “You’ll let me know if this happens to you again.”
It was an order, not a request. Even now, he acted like he still had a hold over her. It would be so easy to slap him in the face for his arrogance now, but those slate grey eyes bore through her, and she felt naked and vulnerable before him again.
Haruki yanked her wrist from him. “I’ll be fine.”
She got out of the car and headed straight inside her apartment, not bothering to look back even as he remained parked along the driveway. She arrived at her room and exhaled a long overdue sigh before promptly locking all the doors with still trembling fingers.
Despite it all, her room felt no less safer. She headed for the window, seeing Ryou’s car still downstairs. She watched it the whole time it lingered for several more minutes before driving away from sight.
The aftermath of the night’s incident finally hit her. Who was the hooded man? Was it a complete stranger or someone she knew? He’d charged after her like he was going to hurt her, but what for? What did he want? Stories of campus rape were prevalent nationwide, but there hadn’t been a single case reported of it at her school. She’d dodged a bullet tonight had that been the case, but who was to say it wouldn’t happen to her again? Was she possibly being targeted?
Haruki collapsed to the bed. Too many questions she didn’t have the time to worry about, not when she was being swamped with schoolwork. It was difficult enough having to deal with the likes of Ryou and Kei in her daily life. When was she ever going to get a break?
“Please,” she whispered. “Let me make it through all of this alive. Literally.”
She allowed herself a laugh at her own words. She was probably going crazy, but she would take manic laughter over tears any time.
to be continued
Fandom: BLACK CHERRY
Characters: Ryo x はるき
Genre: Romance, erotica
Table: One
Prompt: 062. Appear
Word Count: 1625
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The rules of The Game were simple.
Author's Notes: Chapters 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
The Game
Chapter Seventeen
(062. Appear)
Haruki was in the middle of reading in the library when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
“I’m sorry. We’re about to close for the night,” the librarian said.
Haruki looked at her watch. It was already half past ten in the evening. She closed her books and hurriedly stacked them in her arms.
“Don’t worry, dear. Just leave them on the cart.” The librarian patted her back. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks.” Haruki smiled, picking up her bag. “Sorry for the trouble.”
Haruki walked past the library doors, briefly stopping to take in the warm, summer air. She wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed and sleep all day tomorrow, but she had to be back at the library in a few hours’ time to continue working on her term paper.
She descended the library steps and began the ten-minute walk back to her apartment. The campus was already dim and deserted, but she’d spent one too many late nights in one of the safest colleges in the state to worry about trouble. She even found the peace and quiet in the dark enjoyable, far from the usual bustle that happened during the day.
Haruki brought a hand to her nape, feeling the tightness in her shoulders. A trip to the spa come summer break was in order. She was in dire need of a massage…
A twig snapped nearby, but she paid it no heed. Critters roamed the campus all the time.
Haruki adjusted the sling bag around her shoulder and glanced at her watch again. Her leisurely stroll made her waste a good five minutes when she should be halfway home by now.
The hairs at the back of her neck prickled, but there was nothing behind her when she turned around. Perhaps the fatigue was getting to her, but she quickened her steps anyway.
Footsteps, clear and distinct against the asphalt. She looked behind her again, and her heart nearly stopped at a figure wearing a hoodie and jeans walking behind her. His hands were in his pockets, his pace unhurried. Surely he was just a fellow student on his way home as well. She ignored the paranoia and continued forward, eager to be in the safety of her own apartment.
Most of the buildings in campus were already closed, but Knights Hall northeast of her still had lights on. She was only a few more minutes away from the campus gates, but her pulse continued to escalate, making it difficult to breathe alongside her brisk walking. Why was she so afraid all of a sudden?
She couldn’t help but glance behind her again. The man was now inching closer to her, his pace faster. Haruki broke into a sprint, and terror nearly escaped her throat when he began running after her.
Haruki knew she was no match against a man’s speed. She headed straight for Knights Hall as fast as her legs could take her. She ran across the lawns, her soles practically slippery against wet grass. She prayed she wouldn’t slip, that her voice wouldn’t break once she cried for help. The light of Knights Hall was so close. She was almost there…
“Help!” she shouted, nearly stumbling against the front steps. The door was thankfully still open as her footsteps echoed down the marble floors of the empty hallway. She was meters away from the door but far from safety as the man stood stock still outside, his face obscured by his gray hoodie. The door to her left opened, making her jump.
“What’s going on?” a middle-aged man in a tweed suit asked. Her eyes darted towards the hall entrance again. The hooded man was gone.
Haruki’s legs buckled in a mixture of relief and exhaustion. The man in the tweed suit rushed to her aid, catching her before she lost balance.
“Jesus, are you alright?” he asked, guiding her towards the room he emerged from. Rows of empty teachers’ desks greeted her. It had slipped from her mind that the professors’ lounge was in Knights Hall.
She was settled on a nearby chair, where the professor placed a firm hand on her shoulder. “What’s your name, young lady? What happened?”
Haruki closed her eyes, trying to find the words, but her nerves remained rattled for her to respond quickly. She swallowed and shook her head, balling her clammy hands into fists.
“What’s going on here?” a familiar voice demanded.
Her eyes flew open. Her gaze locked with Ryou, who just emerged from his office at the opposite end of the room. He was next to her before she knew it.
“Haruki, what happened?” His voice dropped to a soft, soothing murmur. His palm was warm against her cold fingers, providing a brief sense of clarity.
“There was someone.” She swallowed again, trying to catch her breath. “Someone was chasing after me.”
The other professor glanced towards the hallway again, eyeing the entrance. He shook his head at Ryou.
“What did he look like?” Ryou asked. “Did he say anything?”
She shook her head.
“I’ll take you home.” She was about to decline, but the finality in his voice and in his eyes left no room for argument.
“Can you stand?” he inquired. She nodded, rising from her chair, even though her legs remained shaky. She stood upright, not wanting to look like she needed help.
“Do you mind locking up for me, Murase?” Ryou grabbed his coat and keys in his office. “I owe you one.”
“No worries. Just get her home safe,” the other professor said.
The walk to Ryou’s car felt like forever with each draining step. For once in her life, she was grateful a man opened the door for her. She nearly collapsed in the passenger seat, finding a strange sort of calmness in the familiar smell of Ryou’s car. The scent of leather, along with his musky cologne and the natural scent of him… the memories all came flooding back, and the pang of bitterness was enough to nearly make her forget about that horrifying encounter mere minutes ago. The pain was welcoming, almost.
The ride home seemed to drag on for ages, even though they were already in front of her apartment in under five minutes. He never spoke a word nor even glanced her way during the entire drive, but the silence stretched before them now in the darkness of his car. It was her cue to exit the vehicle, but none of her limbs seemed to be working. Was it still the fatigue or the tension between them, she wondered?
He was the first to finally break the silence. “Do you have any idea who it was?”
Haruki kept her gaze out the window. “No. I don’t know what he wanted.”
“Why are you even still out at this time of the night anyway?” There was a trace of irritation in his voice.
“I was working on my term paper,” she snapped back. “I don’t go out of my way to look for trouble.”
A faint scoff escaped him. She looked at him in furious disbelief, but his hard gaze towards his dashboard was the same as the night he confronted her regarding Kei. It was surprising to hear nothing else from him about it, but she could still feel the frustration seeping out of him even now, in the way his hands were tight on the steering wheel.
Haruki undid her seatbelt. There was nothing more to say. Even if there was, what was the point of it?
Ryou’s hand latched onto her wrist when she opened the door.
“I know I’ll be the last person you run to, but tell me if you’re in trouble,” he said, his voice low with both promise and warning. “You’ll let me know if this happens to you again.”
It was an order, not a request. Even now, he acted like he still had a hold over her. It would be so easy to slap him in the face for his arrogance now, but those slate grey eyes bore through her, and she felt naked and vulnerable before him again.
Haruki yanked her wrist from him. “I’ll be fine.”
She got out of the car and headed straight inside her apartment, not bothering to look back even as he remained parked along the driveway. She arrived at her room and exhaled a long overdue sigh before promptly locking all the doors with still trembling fingers.
Despite it all, her room felt no less safer. She headed for the window, seeing Ryou’s car still downstairs. She watched it the whole time it lingered for several more minutes before driving away from sight.
The aftermath of the night’s incident finally hit her. Who was the hooded man? Was it a complete stranger or someone she knew? He’d charged after her like he was going to hurt her, but what for? What did he want? Stories of campus rape were prevalent nationwide, but there hadn’t been a single case reported of it at her school. She’d dodged a bullet tonight had that been the case, but who was to say it wouldn’t happen to her again? Was she possibly being targeted?
Haruki collapsed to the bed. Too many questions she didn’t have the time to worry about, not when she was being swamped with schoolwork. It was difficult enough having to deal with the likes of Ryou and Kei in her daily life. When was she ever going to get a break?
“Please,” she whispered. “Let me make it through all of this alive. Literally.”
She allowed herself a laugh at her own words. She was probably going crazy, but she would take manic laughter over tears any time.
to be continued