The Feeling is Mutual

by: nyllemnev

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Note: Japanese names – surnames first, and then the given name. For example, Usui Kenji – Usui is the surname and Kenji is the given name. Just to let you know, okay?

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Chapter One: Good Morning, Stranger!

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His first reaction was to stare.

The only thing stopping him from shouting obscurities was her oblivious self, sleeping peacefully at his side. His crystal green eyes found its way on her almost childlike features – at the flawless skin of her face, to her high cheekbones and the tiny dimple that appeared when she mumbled sleepily under her breath. Her long strands of black hair, spilled in contrast with the light colors of his pillows and bed sheets, almost pleading silently for his touch.

He reluctantly tore his gaze away from the young woman’s alluring form. With a gentle shake of his head, he tried to focus on the predicament at hand…

But on top of all…

‘How did a woman ended up in my bed?’

--ooo--

-earlier that day-

--ooo--

The hero of the story, Usui Kenji, stared lazily in space. His younger brother, who shared the same bored expression on his face, discreetly took his mobile phone from his pockets and started to play some java games. The only persons who looked excited and energetic enough for the day were his older sister and father sharing another one of their usual conversations.

Kenji sighed, running a hand through his untamed mass of black hair. He leaned on his armchair and placed his chin on his updrawn hand.

“It’s already 12:00 and I’m starving.” he stated flatly, catching his father’s attention, “Are you sure they said Sunday?”

His father, Usui Seicho, trained his deep brown orbs on the younger man and replied, “It is stated on his letter, Sunday at 10:00.”

“I wonder what’s gotten into them…” his sister, Usui Seiko, said in a voice thick with worry.

“Maybe they got lost or something.” said the youngest Usui, Kintaro, without tearing his eyes off his mobile phone. At this statement, Seiko made a gasp and started babbling on what more could have gotten their so-called guests late – her every scenario becoming more and more brutal (and highly ridiculous) than the last one.

“Alright, that’s enough, Seiko dearest.” Seicho said, rubbing his throbbing temples, “I am sure that Tetsuma is alright. Enough with the murderous scenarios, alright?” he added, though his face was unusually paler than it was before.

Kenji finally sighed when Seiko calmed down. With a gentle shake of his head, he stood up and said, “I’m going to grab something to eat. I’m really starving, okay?”

He could still feel their eyes on him when he left the room, but Kenji only shrugged it off. He went straight to the kitchen and took some apple from the refrigerator. He pulled a chair and started to eat.

‘Another wasted morning…’ he thought, munching on his apple. “I knew it, I should’ve left the house when I had the chance.” he said to no one in particular with a yawn. He finished his apple soon after and made his way – not to the sitting room – but straight to his own room for a quick nap.

He was halfway to his dream world when he heard the faint tune of the doorbell from downstairs. With a frown, he pulled his blanket over his head and closed his eyes shut to sleep.

He vaguely remembered hearing his bedroom door opening and the feel of his bed mattress shifting after that, but he shrugged it off as some kind of an after-dream-effect. He was in the midst of some very close basketball game – the players of the opposing team all waiting with smug look of their faces as he drove the ball to the basket, with the game clock 5.5 seconds left – when he felt something tickling his face.

He tried to lift a hand to push the source of tickling away but found that he couldn’t move his left hand – his whole left arm for that matter. Drowsily, he tried to move his whole body – but for some reason, the left side of his body felt oddly heavier. With a curse set ready to be shouted at the tip of his tongue, he opened his eyes…

Only to find himself staring in utmost disbelief and confusion.

--ooo--

-back to the present-

--ooo--

‘A woman?!’ Kenji gulped, unable to move as she made another incoherent sound. He carefully tried to push her off his side, careful so as not to wake her peaceful slumber but he only succeeded in having her clutch his left arm in one death grip.

‘Darn, annoying woman! Get off me!’

But for all the murderous thoughts and long line of curses crying to be shouted inside his head, Kenji still tried to get out of the woman’s grip as carefully and quietly as he could so as not to wake her.

So nice of him to do so…

So evil of his mobile phone to ring…

‘God-damn-it!’

Kenji watched in horror as the woman stirred, releasing his arm as she moved to rub her eyes. A set of ocean blue eyes welcomed him as she drowsily stared – blinking as she drank in the sight of him staring back at her. He nervously gulped, readying himself for the upcoming tongue-lashing that he was very certain to receive.

She opened her mouth, he closed his eyes shut.

“Five more minutes!” was all she said before he felt the mattress move again.

He opened his eyes to find her back on his bed, sleeping. He sighed in relief, and was about to crawl out of bed when he felt the bed move again. When he turned, he found himself staring at a suddenly awake pair of ocean blue eyes.

--XXX--

“Is that what happened?” Seicho stared at his long-lost friend in disbelief. With a shake of his head, he gestured for their house helper for another serving of rice.

“Yes.” the man currently seated right across the Usui patriarch, “Poor little Mi-chan… she fainted the time we’ve finally found your home.”

“It’s a good thing that you’ve made it here before she collapsed.” Seicho said, “At least here, she can sleep in the room I have prepared just for her.”

“You are always so thoughtful, my friend.” Seicho’s long-lost friend, Kazuki Tetsuya, smiled.

“So, how’s China, uncle Tetsu?” Seiko asked, eyeing the man with great interest.

“Oh, yes…” Tetsuma nodded and turned his head to the floor, with a frown he absently said, “Now, where have I placed our baggage?”

“Oh…” Seicho said, “I have instructed Otsu to bring it to your room. Minako’s bags are in her room too.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot… hehe…” Tetsuma scratched the back of his head, “Can I go and get it? I want to give you something I have gotten from China.”

“Gifts!” Seiko happily exclaimed as Tetsuma stood up.

“I remembered that it is in Minako’s bag.” Tetsuma said more to himself.

“You know where her room is?” Seicho asked.

“Of course.” Tetsuma said proudly, “I took her there, remember? It’s in the second floor, third door.”

“Third door is Kenji’s room.” Kinta said.

Time seemed to stop as Tetsuma and Seicho shared one amused look. Kinta was already snickering in the background while Seiko appeared to be the only one ignorant of the situation – she tugged on her brother’s sleeves and demanded him to tell her what’s happened.

3… 2… 1… 0!

“AHHHHH!!” a loud scream erupted from upstairs followed by an earsplitting ruckus of something being thrown at random and someone yelling in pain. A long line of very creative and highly-original curses came, enough for an innocent child’s brain to explode.

“What was that?” Seiko stood up, frowning at her father who started conversing with his friend in a hushed tone as if nothing had happened. As if an answer to her question, however, the door burst open and entered a very aggravated-looking Kenji marching towards his father.

“There’s a WOMAN in MY room!” Kenji bit back at his smiling father. He felt a painful bump on his head as another person entered the room, marching towards Tetsuma with the same aggrieved expression on her face.

“There’s a PERVERT in MY room!” she shouted, grabbing the fronts of Tetsuma’s shirt and giving him one death glare.

“It’s MY room, NOT YOURS!” Kenji glared at her, “And I’m not a pervert!”

“I’ll say you’re a ‘Pervert’ because I think you really are a PERVERT!” and she met his glare unblinkingly.

Kenji opened his mouth for his angry retort but he was cut-off by the feminine giggle of his sister Seiko. He turned to find her laughing with their brother, Kinta.

“Son, I’m very glad to introduce to you…” Seicho has finally said, still smiling, “My friend and his lovely daughter—”

“There’s nothing lovely about that annoying girl…” Kenji muttered, earning a painful smack in the head courtesy of the annoying girl.

“I would like you to meet my long-lost friend, Kazuki Tetsuya.” at the introduction, Tetsuma (with his shirt still grabbed by his daughter), gave the young man a small smile, “And his lovely daughter… and your fiancée, Kazuki Minako.”

And the world seemed to stop for two stunned teenagers.

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To be continued…

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