POV: Emiko
I weakly push the blanket back over my upper chest. The tiredness in my eyes refused to go away, I spend a few more moments in my bed running a finger over her back. The contrast of his muscles I emphasize with a gentle touch. After the night we've had, waking him up is probably the last thing I'd want to do this morning. After watching my cousin and his friend's game against the twins, he wanted to have sex as a dog and I couldn't resist for long. To tell you the truth, since we started seeing each other I can't resist him. The way he looks at me when he wants me, the intonation in his voice is very irresistible.
In fact, I talk, I talk. But I wanted it even more than he did...
So I wake up. I head for my gym, at the back of my flat.
The moment I step on the treadmill, I can't help but think of him, of this investigation that is leading nowhere. From the beginning I always had the impression that everything was going the way his hackers wanted it to. They know what they're doing, and they enjoy making the Japanese police go round in circles. That's why I accepted this strange investigation. Especially since little Riku's parents specifically asked me to do it, I couldn't play the blind man. I had to get the fucking job I was looking for.
Even though I did three years at university before going to the police academy. After going through special training for tougher issues, I never really felt like I had any challenges. I was just doing my job, and in a never-ending routine that would have eventually forced me out of the police. Even though it's quite a different government from the regular police, the lack of adrenaline was great. Even though I was doing missions outside, I didn't feel much.
— Say miss," he begins, opening the windows wide, "are you going to do more than three hours in your room?
I am cut off in my thoughts when he stares at me while I lift my weights. He's always so amused to see me working in the morning...
— Come and eat, you've been here for at least two and a half hours, my dear. Come and let me pamper you.
I tidy the room after asking him for a towel. He looks at me biting his lip, that perverse look on his face tells me everything. Yet I can't help but ask.
— What?
— Just knowing that you're wearing nothing but your panties under your big t-shirt is thrilling me.
— You're so gross, bro. I tease him as I walk past him with this exaggerated gait.
He starts chasing me around the loft with a smile on his face. Honestly since he came back into my life, everything is more colourful, much more than before. I have this strange feeling in my pelvis, my cheeks on fire every time he comes near me. Of how I seem unapproachable to others, but with him it was never the case. Since college; no, it has always been different with him. I love him, that's right, especially when he grabs me like this and wraps his arms around my waist, I love him even more.
— Haaarry, I call out to him in between laughs, Harry I've been sweating all over stop! I protest as he lifts me to the bathroom. Harry isn't very tall, but he's pretty muscular for someone who likes to be in front of a computer working.
Luckily he's not a bodybuilder. Good thing!
— Hurry up and join me.
I don't answer and stare at him with a neutral expression.
— Are you going to make up for it by doing all this?
— No... Emii it's not that...
— So you're avoiding this discussion? Be prepared to answer my questions or I don't want to see you again when I get out. I dryly drop my arms crossed over my chest, his half-opened mouth speaking volumes about his state. He is shocked and probably thinks he is avoiding this situation. But even the best things come to an end.
— Is that the cop talking or...? He asks with a backward movement.
— She's the one who's in love with you even after these four years. I confess.
His eyes, as slanted as mine, don't look at me for long, Harry may be mixed race, but his face is more Japanese than the rest of his body, even his skin isn't as white as mine. I watch as he turns away from me and nods. While he heads for the living room, I am lulled to sleep by the warmth of the water flowing over my entire body. The soft background sound of the snacks exploding on the tiles is pleasant to my ears. I don't last long, about 45 minutes at the most.
Out of the corner of my eye I watch Harry setting the table, after more than three months of having hot nights or dinners in fancy restaurants without ever putting my back against the wall. We're going to have this discussion. His first word was "what are you doing?" when we got back in touch, his casual air had touched me deeply. But as always I didn't say a word about it, I enjoyed all those moments with him as if I was afraid he would leave me again. To tell the truth we were never really together, we flirted for a long time before we broke up at the university, he had told me he had found a great course abroad. I let him steal my heart and leave without protest. And if when he was there I started to fall in love with him, I became totally addicted to him when he wrote me that first letter.
I had never received one before, with technology who would think of it? Not me anyway. But he did.
So we started sending each other three letters a week. They flew back and forth, so there was almost no delay. I fell in love with the same person a second time. Until he disappeared...
My lover comes into my room and starts snooping around, as if he has misplaced something. I have to interrupt him.
— Are you looking for something? I ask.
— Yes! And I just found it! he says, gently grabbing the grey box where I had kept all his letters. I have the same one at home, do you realise that?
I look at him without speaking and then move towards the table. He sighs loudly before following me.
— We couldn't talk about it without those letters.
— Well, we're not going to spend New Year's Eve there too. Where were you when you disappeared? And what in God's name was that last shitty letter, please?
He smiles.
Seriously, he smiles?
He wants to die, right?
No, if I kill myself afterwards to see him again it's dead. It's dead...
— There was that thing, that thing when you're young and dreamy, that thing when your girlfriend is two years older than you. I had stars in my head, and my friends and I used to spend our time on hacking projects. I loved it, I still do but I was crazy about it. Just hearing that word makes me...
I cut it short while enjoying my freshly made tuna salad.
— Straight to the point darling.
He smiles, clearing his throat.
— Anyway, there was a startup that had located me and a friend for cyber security, we should create even more powerful viruses and antiviruses. The challenge was wonderful and they said they would take care of our studies, not to mention the salary and bonuses, the gleam in her eyes escapes a little before continuing, I was off to England. I was so proud of myself that I immediately started off very strong, I was the head of a dynamic team. But from one day to the next, we had to work on an ultra confidential project dealing with a government, no more access to the outside world, they made us sign contracts forbidding us to discuss with the outside world during the whole set up. Only family and spouses were allowed to hear from us... I can feel him lowering the intonation of his voice, and lately I've been doing everything to be able to come, during these 4 years I created a very powerful, very complex virus and then I got fed up and threatened to blow it up. I wanted to see you, I didn't spend a single day without rereading one of your letters, without seeing your videos. We travelled the world but it was empty without you...
I've heard enough. I wanted a reason to forgive him, that's why I asked to be personally responsible for him. As soon as he was put on the list of potential suspects and seen with confirmed suspects, I knew I had to deal with him personally. Already we had no information on him as soon as he left Japan, I had to make the most of it in case he was involved in any way.
I put my lips on his, as my tears start to flow.
— You're crying, my princess. he whispers into my mouth.
— You too my love. I whisper before kissing him tenderly.
— And I can still read you this last letter if you want? He removes the object from the box with ease without me breaking our embrace.
He clears his throat softly before starting to read.
— So I said, "Dear Emiko, my dear, sweet princess. We've been talking and knowing each other for a while now, and I have to tell you that I am madly in love with you. Frankly, who wouldn't fall in love with you? You've got it all: heel, beauty, charisma and even empathy. Well, all that to say that I'm done writing you letters. I'm tired of jerking off thinking about you, I'm coming to you. Making proper love to you, proposing to you and having hot kids. I love you. I love you so much. Harry. P.S. I know you jerk off a lot too, you dirty bastard. "
Now everything is clear, that letter that hurt me so much the first time makes sense now. I thought he was leaving me, that he was fed up.
— When are you going to propose? I ask between kisses.
*****
— Seriously, we're going to fuck them up, cousin. Minhyuk says, jumping up and down in his seat.
— Watch your mouth, asshole! Start off very well Harry. First of all, what's with the weird haircut, the weird colour and the earring? Sky, what the hell.
— Riku fucked him, he's going to the dogs. Her youngest daughter grinned with a knowing smile.
What? Didn't you know that? Harry is Sky's big brother.
— You were always against me anyway. Pouts the boy, pouting with his mouth.
— I have a feeling these semi-finals are going to be very interesting. I say just to cut them off. We're going to go, guys, so get ready.
At the same time the door opens on a Riku in a sweatshirt too big for him, behind him Shun who nods to me as a greeting —what's with the youth? No one speaks, while Riku stares at Harry for a moment at our incomprehensible looks.
— What do they call you? he says, shaking my lover's hand with a huge smile that almost looks like he's going to burst.
— Harry.
He looks at him for a moment. It's annoying how he draws attention to himself.
— Emiko-san lately you asked me who this number 4 was, whom even you didn't know. A few days ago I asked him if he knew a certain player in the Japanese ranking but I didn't think he would find him that way. So I'll give you the national top players from Japan: 1st Minhyuk, 2nd Yuki, 3rd Astre and 4th Harry. He says with a look of wonder in his eyes. Why don't you join in? He stops. I was almost afraid of you, that's cool, you don't usually see that.
Minhyuk laughs in his corner.
Harry doesn't speak, he's as if he's stunned, then leaves. I hurry to join him outside the dressing room.
— Wait, is he kidding? Are you playing? But not only do you play, you're in the top five. What is this bullshit, seriously?
— Yeah, well... Who the hell is this kid? What kind of sick ora is that? Is he even sleeping?
— Yes... I think so, but I don't see the connection.
— The point is that if it's true that these girls have been trained by this Riku, and they're going to play against my cousin and my sister, they're going to have a hard time of it, that's not good. He's stressed, so thoughtful that I almost don't recognize him anymore.
— Don't tell me you gamers feel things. I laugh softly. Do you think you're in a shonen or something, poor thing?
He doesn't answer and goes off a bit to make a call. What's wrong with him? Finally he looks even more suspicious than I thought.
— Hello, chief... Yes, you can ask the IT team to start, I have a feeling they will do the same...
*****
LET THE REGIONAL SEMI-FINALS BEGIN!
BLOOD!
BLOOD!
PS: This is Izuki yelling.
*******
Thanks for reading and see you next Sunday.