Chapter Three: Night of Lovers:

I’m still trying to piece together that night I ended up in Kaoru’s room. It all happened so fast. I know that I was at the bar in the beginning. He offered to buy me a drink and I accepted. We were talking and drinking. Well, I was doing most of the drinking. Kaoru just watched me and talked the whole time. This moment was rather odd for me. I don’t normally drink. My family had warned me off of such. Maybe it was my birthday. Maybe it was the cute stranger next to me. But for some reason, I kept on drinking and drinking. It started out with one drink of sake. Then, one became two. Soon, two became four and the drinks kept increasing. I didn’t seem to know how to stop. My stranger only watched me drink up. I looked over at him in happy, flooded haze.

“Hey,” I said. “Why *hic* haven’t you t-touched *hic* your drink?” The stranger gave me a light little shrug

“Don’t know,” he said. “I just like watching cute girls drink.” I only giggled at him.

“You’re cute!” He gave me a charming little smile.

“Thanks.”

“What’s your name?”

“Kaoru. What is your name?”

“Setsuna. Hirata Setsuna.” Kaoru smiled at me.

“Setsuna. That’s a nice name.”

“Really?” Kaoru nodded at me kindly. I just busted out laughing. Such a cutie. I turned back to the bar.

“Bar tender! More drinks for my friend and I!” He looked at me as if I had lost my mind.

“I think you’ve had too much…” he said.

“It’s my birthday!” I yelled. “I’ll let you know when I’ve had enough! Fill me up!” The bar tender turned to my attractive new friend. Kaoru nodded at him. The bar tender still looked nervous.

“Okay…” he said uneasily. The bar tender quietly served up another drink. I smiled like a wild woman.

“Yeah!” I yelled. “That’s what I’m talking about! Keep serving up my drinks, baby!” I laughed aloud like a madwoman. I know my friends thought I was crazy. Because, I felt them come up behind me and take me by the arms. I looked around at them.

“Hey guys, what’s up?” I asked.

“I think you’ve had too much to drink, Setsuna,” Kiku said. I looked at her, smiling.

“Oh come on, Kiku!” I slurred out. “It’s my birthday! I should have *hic* a good time!”

“Yes, but not this much…” Hikari said to me softly.

“Oh come on!” I pleaded in my tipsy blindness. “Let me stay a little longer!”

“No!” Kiku said. “Let’s go back to the hotel now.” Kaoru lightly held up his hand.

“It’s okay,” he said. “You’re friend will be fine with me tonight.” My friends looked at my gorgeous pal uneasily.

“Are you sure?” Hikari asked. Kaoru nodded at her a little. Kiku didn’t buy it.

“But we just met you…” she said. My new friend nodded at her.

“It will be okay,” he insisted. “Just leave her with me.”

“Yes, please! Please! Pleaseeee!” I pleaded. My friends looked slightly worried as they thought about it for a moment.

“Okay…” Hikari replied. “Be careful with our friend. She has a boyfriend.” Kaoru smiled at them like a gentleman.

“Oh, I will,” he replied. My friends reluctantly left me with the pretty man. I don’t remember much after that. I just kept drinking and talking. In a few minutes later, it all went black. The next morning, the thick sunlight hit my eyes. I awoke in a hotel bed all alone. My head ached with a nasty hangover. I sat up on the bed and looked around. This room looked like a Victorian-style. Curtains covered up everything except the main back window. I felt as if I had been kidnapped and taken to Paris. Except for the lavish trim, I seemed to be in a normal room. I looked all around me, confused.

“Where… am… I?” I slowly let slip out of my mouth. Then, I heard my cell phone buzz. I nearly leapt out of the bed, startled. Then, I realized it was my phone. “Where is that coming from?” I thought to myself. I finally spotted my phone on the floor, near the nightstand. I quickly reached down and grabbed it. I flipped it open to see that I had one new text message. Curious, I went straight to the inbox. A chill ran through my spine as I read the text:

Did you enjoy last night? I sure did!

I sat there in frozen fear. It was then I noticed that I was sitting in the bed… naked and sweaty.