Chapter Seven: Warning:

My birthday weekend ended on a good note. I didn’t see Kaoru again that whole time. Good of me, obviously. The last time I needed was to be reminded of my mistake on my birthday. I just enjoyed the rest of my weekend with my friends and fiancée. It didn’t take me long to get used to the ring on my finger. Maybe marrying Aki won’t be such a bad time. He and I can get married and I can never speak about my fling at all. Or at least that was the original plan, anyway…

We met it back to Tokyo by evening. My family waited for me at home with a big dinner. My mom had made all of my favorite foods as a welcome treat. I happily ate and told them about my trip and engagement to Aki. (Well, most about my trip. I didn’t dare tell them about Kaoru.) They were all so happy for me.

“So when do we get to have dinner with his family?” my older uncle asked.

“Aki and I agreed on Saturday,” I said. My mom and aunt cooed happily.

“We are so happy for you!” my aunt cheered. “I always knew that you and Aki would end up together.” I managed a little smile at her. My aunt had an obsession with fortune-telling. She adored it in the love life region. My aunt was known for trying to predict who my friends and my future husbands would be. My friends always ate up her predictions while I saw through them right away. I think she was trying to hint to me to marry Aki. She wasn’t as clever as she thought she was. Sorry auntie. I love you, but I know what you are plotting.

“Yes,” I said. “You sure did.” My family spent the night congratulating me. I took it all with a brave face. An uncomfortable feeling rose up in my chest. Though I couldn’t explain at the time, but I had the feeling something bad was going to happen. I didn’t know what. I didn’t dare show it to my family. I didn’t want to make them worried. They were happy right that, why take that away from them? I just hoped I would make it through dinner.

After we finished eating, I helped mom wash the dishes and clean the table. She asked to see my ring many times. I showed her so coyly. My mother beamed in pride.

“Oooo!” she cheered. “My baby’s getting married!” I smiled and nodded at her.

“Yes mother,” I said over and over again. I tried to keep myself from laughing at her excitement. My mother is so entertaining to watch when she is almost overly expressive. Her emotions always brighten up my day. I suddenly began to feel better already. My mom doesn’t seem to notice, but she has the power to make me better right away. In fact, she reminds that everything can still turn out okay in the end. I loved my mother dearly.

After the kitchen was cleaned up, I took a bath and got ready for bed. I climbed into bed and went to sleep. That should have been the end of the story, right? But instead, my nightmare began to unfold from there. I was woken up with a tap on the window. I slowly looked up and thought I saw Kaoru was peering in at me. Confusion filled my face as I blinked. I thought was dreaming at first. Suddenly I began to realize, this wasn’t a dream. Kaoru is actually outside my window! Curious and worried, I slowly crawled out of bed and crept over to the window. I reluctantly opened it up a crack.

“Kaoru?” I asked. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you,” he said. I began to panic. I took baby steps away from this lovely monster.

“H-How did you find me?” I stammered out. Kaoru gave me a sick, seductive.

“I tracked down by your cell phone,” he said. I looked really scared now. Who and what the hell is this guy? He can’t be human! It only got worse when he noticed the ring on my hand. I tried desperately to hide my hand from him, but he took it and looked at it closely.

“What’s this?” he questioned as if he was a cop in an interrogation room. I found that I couldn’t move my body at all. He seemed to have control over me just by voice command. I felt like the final girl in a horror flick.

“M-M-My engagement ring!” I stammered out. “Aki and I are getting married. He purposed last night and I said yes.” The hot anger in his eyes sent chills down my spine. Kaoru threw down my hand to side.

“No!” he snapped. He grabbed at my pajama shirt and dragged me in really close. I could feel his hot breath on my throat. I automatically began to fear rape.

“Listen to me!” Kaoru hissed at me. “You will not marry this Aki man! Got it?” I slowly turned around to him.

“And why not?” I questioned. He grabbed onto me even tighter.

“Because, you belong to me!” that lovely monster snapped. I really became angry. I pushed away from that bastard as fast as I could.

“No!” I snapped. Kaoru raised an eyebrow at me.

“Are you telling me no?” he questioned. I stared him down fiercely.

“I love Aki and we’re getting married!” I snapped. “You do not own me! I am my woman, but a play doll! Do you understand me?” Apparently not. Because, Kaoru looked at me with cold hatred. I refused to show him my fear and give him the satisfaction of it.

“If you do not end it with Aki, I will end everything around you!” he threatened. I refused to back down. Like hell this monster was going to take away the man I love because I rejected him. I snorted at him.

“Do your worst!” I snapped. “There will be nothing that you say or do that will tear me away from fiancée!” Kaoru sneered at me.

“Do my worst, huh?” he asked. “You’ll get exactly what you ask for, princess!” Then, he disappeared into the night. I looked on after him in amazed shock. The rapid breeze from my open window blew through all of my clothes as I stood there motionless. His threat didn’t really ring in deep into my mind at the time. When it did, it was just too late.