CHAPTER 14
2510 Words
(The Kiss that Wasn't Supposed to Happen)
"BRIANNA," Justin greeted her as she went out the car. "Are you okay? I couldn't trace your situation upon stepping at the Ayasaki's."
"I'm okay," she said as she brushed her hair on her ears.
"Does this hurt?" he asked, gently stroking her face with a small skin-toned bandage.
He does really care for her.
"It's just a small scratch."
Their eyes turned to Kairen, who just went down from the driver's seat, clearing hus throat in an uncomfortable way.
Justin straightened up. "Pardon, Sir. I was just checking on the young miss."
"Is he downstairs?" she asked about her grandpa, to break the tension building up the air.
"Yes, miss. He's at the living room."
"Let's go, Karen." She gave the guy a nudge to follow her.
She was already at the grand door when she did not felt anyone behind her. Turning around, she saw the two guys talking with the lowest voice she couod not understand. The space between them feels heavy. Thankfully, Kairen started to walk towards her.
"What was that, Karen?"
"I just warned him not to touch what's mine."
"What?! Why the hell did you do that?"
"Why Bryan? Do you have eyes for him?"
"Of course, not!" she denied, avoiding his gaze.
"We have a deal, Bryan. And I can't risk anything to destroy my plan," he reminded her, walking straight inside.
"I'm home."
Her grandfather turned around as she enter their mansion. He is in a wheelchair and it looks stronger by now. His gaze moved to her cheek, where she had a tiny scratch.
"Ah. This hits the side of my bed at the dormitory. I bent down to pick up my belongings," she lied. She didn’t want to upset him especially that he is ill.
The old man raised an eyebrow and looked at the guy with her.
"Okay. So, tell me what's the meaning of seeing you two together."
"Don Rafael," the guy greeted and approached to kiss his grandfather's ring. "We decided to date each other."
He went back to her, putting his arms on her shoulders. He gently squeezed her arm to tell her to ride whatever he was saying.
"All of a sudden?" the old man asked, slightly surprised.
She forced herself a smile. "Well, I just realized, he's handsome. And..." She paused, thinking any compliment about him. "...t--totally handsome. So, I decided to date him."
"You don't look to just anyone Brianna." Her grandpa looked at her as if estimating and reading her.
"Yeah. But I'm looking at him right now," she answered.
"I'm handsome in your eyes?" The guy grinned.
It seems that her heart stopped for a while as he turned his eyes to her, making their faces about few inches next to each other.
Did she forgot how to breathe? She didn't even know the answer to her question.
Last night, she decided to accept his offer, to pretend that they were in loved. Well, pretending to be his girlfriend for days, weeks, or months is easier. Rather than a lifetime imprisonment of the wedding that their guardians wanted. She can't deal with this rude guy all her life.
She forced another smile then pinched his nose.
"Yeah, you're handsome, babe. That's why I like you." She even tried to make her voice sounds cute.
"What the hell?" he mouted.
She grinned triumphantly.
"If you're dating now, then that's good news. You won't need to adjust once you're married."
The guy smiled.
"And also, since you already are dating, attend the party for me."
"Party?" she asked frowning.
"Actually, it's a gathering of different families for a charity. In my state now, I can't attend. I want you two to go."
BRIANNA QUICKLY went down their grand staircase when Justin told her that Chang had arrived.
"Chang!" she squealed, when she saw her in their living room.
When she saw someone with her, she stopped.
"Who is he?" she whispered to her friend. "New boyfriend?"
The guy must have heard what she asked. He smiled. It was as if she had already seen that kind of smile. But where did she saw that?
"Hi," he greeted in a voice also familiar to her.
Blinking many times, realizing who he was. The circle of her eyes widened slightly.
"Ji-jinro?!"
She moved her eyes around his neck. Confirm! It's the same with Jinro's tattoo.
He looks more presentable because of the new haircut. The long hair is gone. His hair now looks like that of male k-pop idols, and the length is even shorter than Kairen's. It also dyed to light brown.
"Does it fits me?" Jinro asked, combing his hair.
"Uh-huh?" she replied.
"How about us?" he asked again and held Chang's waist. "Do we look good together?"
Her eyes keep shifting on the two, unbelievingly.
Chang smiled, almost looking like a cute child. And that's something she's not used to.
"It just happen," she said as she pressed together her two index fingers against her chest.
"You're unbelievable, Chang," she whispered but she knew her boyfriend had heard that.
"I just fell in love," she said. "Besides, you also didn't said anything about your love life," she retorted.
"How did you know?"
Jinro pushes the big box on the coffee table.
"They even asked me to shop with them to get your size. It's a good thing I already cupped your boo--"
"Chang!" she weaned at the girl.
"But he said he already know your bra size. Damn! How far did you already did?"
Unbelievable! Her boyfriend is already with her, but nasty vocabularies are still coming out of her mouth.
She opened the box. A red long gown and pair of black shoes with glowing little red stones appeared on her.
"Kairen was the one who chose it. He's still in business meeting so he couldn't deliver it to you today. But he cleared his schedule tonight for the party and said he'll fetch you tonight," Jinro said.
"And that's expensive," Chang whispered. "Your fiancé even paid in cash and not credit. Just imagine how many thousands did he gave the cashier earlier. Maybe almost hundred?"
"Really?" She lifted one of the pair and rubbed the shiny stones. It looks really expensive.
After a few snacks and talks, the two went home so that she could get ready for tonight's charity.
She took a deep breath after the make-up artist fixed her. Justin called for one. She didn't know how to fix herself for social gatherings like the one they were going to attend that night.
She looked at the reflection in the mirror. She already looks like a princess with what they did to her. Her short hair was curled up a little that her long, thin earrings can be seen at the end of the fiber.
Her chest is barely visible because the front part of the gown is V-shaped. The shape is the same at the back, but lower and more revealing, exposing almost all her back. The thin straps on her shoulders looks so fragile because of the thinness. Brilliant stones were there that looked like diamonds.
Her lips were painted as the color of the red dress. Her virgin eyebrow, which has just been trimmed, was arched. She looks more mature in age and more attuned to her character.
She tried standing but also immediately grabbed the vanity so as not to fall down. She has tried to wear heels before but she is not really used to tall ones.
She walked slowly to the door.
"What do you think?" she asked the butler as she hung a few strands of hair behind her ear. He was waiting at her door.
He smiled. "You're beautiful in whatever you wear, Young Mi-Brianna," he praised.
Her heart felt happy.
"Your fiancé is waiting downstairs. Don Rafael is also there." He lend out his elbow for her to hold onto.
She was so happy. It was as if they were couple attending a party. She hope so. If only it's possible for her to be with this man.
He left her at the top of the stairs, having his way down.
"May I present, Miss Brianna Imperial."
He saw how proud his grandfather was smiling.
"What can you say, Kairen?" Don Rafael asked the guy.
"Gorgeous," she heard the Kairen praised her. It also looks good in his suit, like the first night he went to their mansion. His messy hair were brushed behind his head, leaving a few strands that makes him delinquently sexy.
She tries to act the way his grandfather wanted as she strolled down the staircase, to be a real figure of an Imperial.
She stepped down once more, but she made a mistake on the last step. She forgot that the shoes she was wearing were a little high for her.
Fortunately, Kairen's action was quick. He caught her just before her face slumped on the floor. Now, they look like hugging each other.
"Oh, thank goodness."
Her grandfather must have been nervous. While Justin was about also to run towards her.
"So, you find me gorgeous? I told you, I'm a girl. Are you attracted now?" she whispered jokingly to his ears, while her hands were wrapped on his neck.
He grinned. "I was talking about the gown, babe," he said before helping her to stand properly. "It was very sexy. Guess who picked that gown," he boasted.
"You're still as p*****t as you are, Karen," she said softly to the guy as she turned a fake smile in front of her grandfather.
"Let's go?" he raised his arm like Justin had done earlier.
He was very gentleman when her grandfather is in front of them, but he could see any of those now. He didn't even open the door of the car for her.
"Is this fixed already? That was fast," she commented about his car. This is also what they used the other night. To her dismay, she bumped it.
"Well, thanks to your very safe driving. There were only a few scratches," he said in a sarcaatic way.
"And at least, I know how to drive," she talked back as she rolled her eyes.
Soon, they arrived at the venue. It was held at the hotel. She just had to show up there. Honestly, such things are boring for her. It just feel like suffocating for she feels that she doesn't belong to such gatherings.
Many people are already at the venue, well-known and influential people in San Tiago--businessmen, politicians, and heads of clans living in the city.
"Hi, Miss Imperial? It's an honor to see you here." A man in his early thirties approached them. He was a member of the family who organized the party. She had known him before but she could not remember the name.
"Andrew Ramirez," he introduced and held out a hand. "Our family were partners in business."
She accepted his hand but was surprised when he brought her hand to his lips. He gently kissed the back of it.
Don't punch him, Brianna. Please. You are carrying your family name.
She forced herself to calm down. She does not want to attend such things, because all the things that you have to show are fake. She felt relieved when he released her hand finally.
"Hi! I'm Karen Ayasaki. The fiancé," the guy next to her introduced, putting emphasis on the word fiancé.
"Ayasaki? The yakuza family? Wow." Andrew nodded and said goodbye. "It's a pity. You're already engaged. Enjoy the night. Excuse me."
"And if you're not engaged? Will that man woo you?" he whispered on her ear.
"What? Are you jealous now?" She stared at him.
He grinned. "Don't assume something. I just don't want you to end up with someone else. Or else, everything will fail in my plan."
Letting go of his arm, she faked a laugh.
"You agreed and we have an agreement, Bryan. For now, you're just mine."
She closes her eyes a few times. Kairen looks like a possessive boyfriend when he speaks like that. She was sure it wasn't what she thought it meant.
He handed over two glasses of red wine from the roaming waiter, gaving her one while he took a sip from the other one.
"Cheers."
She accepted the glass.
Several other people approached them. She never thought how popular Kairen's family is. Until they separated because they were both from famous family. There are people talking to her and so is he.
She excused herself from the people first. She's not really used to it. She turned to Kairen who was obviously very professional talking to people. He looks very mature because even if he is the youngest, he still interacts well with the adults and elderly. As she can see, he can talk several foreign languages.
She went to the balcony of that floor, to get some air. The place was really suffocating.
She placed the wineglass on the balustrade of the balcony after she drank half of it. The wind is cold.
Why would Kairen chose this kind of clothes? She kept getting cold.
"Your fiancé is handsome, huh?"
She turned to the girl with a familiar barbarian way of speaking. She is also on the balcony, leaning against the balustrade with arms crossed.
"How are you?"
She raised her eyebrows upon realizing who it was. She was her classmate in elementary up to high school. And the memories she had with this woman are always fight.
No wonder she reunited with her for she is also a daughter of a politician.
"Is that guy really your boyfriend? Or maybe, you're lying again?" she asked again.
"Are you still mad that you're not winning over me until now?" she turned to Shaina with eyebrows raised.
She laughed. "When did you ever win?"
"Since the beginning. Have you forgotten? Or do I need to remind you that I spat in your face the first time we fight? You were crying so loud back then."
Shaina stood up and her blood obviously starting to boil. And she was pleased with her visible pissed expression.
"You really are a street person, aren't you? Don't try so hard to pretend to be rich. You're just a liar."
Liar? Is she really just lying? After all, she doesn't really fit in with the world she is in right now.
She was brought back to reality when a warm hand grabbed her waist. She looked up at the guy who just hugged her.
It happened so fast. He moved near and brushed his soft lips on hers. He smiled.
Those are the smiles that can drown a girl's heart. She doesn't even want to agree with how she feels that time, but she's a girl.
They're just pretending, aren't they? But why does he need to kiss her?
"Hey, babe," he greeted. "You okay? Is there's something wrong?" he asked, glaring the other girl with sharp looks.
- Writer
