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Don't You (Forget About My Love)
Feb. 27th, 2025 09:47 amCharacters: Iori Yagami, Kyo Kusanagi
It is a beautiful evening, and one redhead visits the floral shop. After wondering for a while, Ioriko thinks it is time to let Kyoko know she might be more than serious about her.
After paying for the large bouquet of red roses, Ioriko leaves the shop while daydreaming about the Kusanagi heir’s reaction, and nothing seems to exist for her in this world. At that moment, she feels the warmth in her chest and respires.
On her way, she notices an expensive sports car with darkened glass stopping by the love hotel that Ioriko has bookmarked for tomorrow’s date with her adored Kusanagi and declaring her feelings.
Of course, it’s one of these arrogant men who lures naïve ladies by promising them mountains of gold and then deceiving them. The redhead stops and rolls her eyes.
Noticing a tall, handsome, dark-haired man leaving the car and keeping the door open for his passenger, who looks awfully familiar, freezes Ioriko in the same spot.
Apparently, it’s the same Kusanagi heir that she knows well. However, it’s unusual for her to wear anything feminine, like dresses, high-heels, or even make-up and hair accessories.
So, seeing Kyoko in an azure dress and white coat with a fur collar, gorgeous make-up, and red ground cherry lipstick that her mother probably helped put for her and a snow-white lily hairpin feels unreal like witnessing a princess.
The sight of this charming knight taking the princess’s hand and her nodding makes Ioriko remain dumbfounded, and her fingers and eyelid twitch involuntarily.
Certainly, all the red-haired dreams and the world shattered into tiny pieces as if someone had broken the pink glasses and destroyed that beautiful illusion that blinded her.
When that man wraps his arm around her shoulders and prompts her to go, the brunette’s timid face makes Ioriko lower her head and feel like something painful is stuck in her throat.
Of course, she realizes that eventually, the Kusanagi heir would have followed the orders of her clan and given birth to a new successor.
On the other hand, Ioriko doesn’t understand why she even feels like her heart is clenched and squished just by witnessing the inevitable. The inevitable of her adored Kyoko being taken far away, like where the sun was taken by the forest.
As the couple enters through the glass gate, the redhead clenches her teeth and fists, and her knuckles turning pale from the tension.
Suddenly, she harshly tosses the carefully picked bouquet. “WHORE!”
However, the least she cares about is becoming the center of attention, even for a moment.
As the salty tears run down her cheeks upon spitting a deadly curse that stings harder than any venom, she wipes her face.
Lastly, with her hung head as she has sold her soul and sniffs, she slowly takes her leave until her step fastens and grows into running.
Although her destination is not her cold and unloving apartment. That place can wait until the morning. Besides, no one waits for her there. So, as if anyone notices her missing. Or so Ioriko decides to while on her way to the nearest bar, where she could drown her sorrow and let her restless heart howl.
On the next day, in the Kusanagi’s room. It’s already a night, but no matter how persistently Kyoko calls her partner, there is no response.
More so, it’s not her call is hung or her hearing the polite robot operator telling her that the received is unavailable.
Surely, it doesn’t put her at ease. Right now, she only hugs her knees and deeply sighs while sitting on her bed.
How many times has she called Yagami already? Even her phone lists more than fifteen calls through this day just for this woman.
Kyoko switches the tabs to the messaging app, hoping she missed a notification from her. Unfortunately, aside from the texts from her partner and a few old ones from her disciple or her friends, there is not a single new message from Ioriko.
For now, she crashes out on her bed like a tired cat and hugs her pillow.
When she lowers her gloomy eyes, she murmurs. “I wonder if she is fine… I hope that you’re only busy or leave your phone charging. Please don’t tell me you’re dealing with something difficult on your own again. I won’t call you a stupid woman if that makes you notice me. Just don’t put your life at risk and be safe… That’s all I ask for, Yagami.”
After closing her eyes and tightening her embrace, she picks her phone up and starts typing another text saying ‘If you see this message, please call me ASAP. I need to talk with you about something important.’
Besides, she doesn’t care if she sounds desperate or clingy. All she wants is her partner’s voice. That’s all she asks for. At least, it might be the only thing that could reassure her.
Lastly, she gathers all the prayers to all the gods she could think of and clicks the send button, hoping to receive a response.
After a few more hours of restless night, Kyoko’s eyelids become heavier as she stares at her phone in the night drawer and expects it to vibrate at any time. Thus, without noticing, she falls into a deep slumber.
However, the very little that she knows, her partner may eventually reply, unfortunately for her, not the way she believes or prays for the stars and the moon.
Another day, another unsuccessful attempt to reach Ioriko. Today, instead of long, intense ringing, her calls are immediately rejected, and she hears the same annoying rejection noise.
It doesn’t help the brunette that her text messages failed to be sent and she notices Ioriko has blocked her everywhere they have been connected.
Does she have any issues with me? What’s her problem? As if I ever did anything wrong with her. Or at least not recently. Kyoko holds her chin while anxiously walking in circles in her room.
“I swear… If she also changed her home address, I won’t forgive her!” She bites into the nail of her thumb and narrows her gaze.
With her phone placed in her jeans pocket, she makes a hasty exit from her room.
Dashing through the hallway, putting on her leather jacket and biker’s helmet, Kyoko doesn’t bother to warn her parents before leaving.
That’s right, at the moment, she doesn’t even care about the heavy rain or getting scolded. After all, Yagami might be in great danger. Therefore, she has to save her whether she wants it. Or so the brunette is determined while rotating the motorcycle handlebar and making her steel horse roar like a beast that no natural force can shut down.
However, all it will take is one miscalculated move.
Eventually, on the lonely road, the brunette notices the traffic light switching to the red and immediately pulls the brakes.
As the tires squeal, her steel horse throws her, and she flies forward for a couple of meters.
During that moment, all her life flashes through her shocked amber eyes while she cannot move a single muscle.
Suddenly, she harshly hits the asphalt on her side and grunts.
As she rolls for another couple of meters like a rag doll, she feels like her entire body is beaten like a punching bag.
As soon as she lies on her stomach, the Kusanagi heir painfully groans and shakily pushes herself to half-lie. But her poor attempt at that ends with failure.
Thus, with a loud splashing, her upper body hits the cold ground, and her fingers twitch.
That’s no good! But if I could get into my bike... Kyoko tries to push herself again and turn her head.
Apparently, her steel horse is resting on the side with no damage.
It seems her aching legs refuse to listen to her and make her drop like a baby deer who cannot stand properly yet. Despite that, she realizes that in such a state, she might as well abandon her trustworthy motorcycle and crawl the rest of her way.
But before that, the helmeted Kyoko touches her jeans pocket where supposed to be her phone.
Feeling that her pockets are empty, the brunette gasps.
“Shit!…” She whines and slams her weak fist against the asphalt.
Even if she is left on her own with her beaten body, she refuses to give up and forces herself to stand up while showered by the never-ending rain that soaked her until the last straw.
Several minutes later, trembling like a withering leaf, Kyoko stands on her feet. Thus, while leaning against the nearest building walls and ignoring her wounds and bruises, she wobbles toward Yagami’s apartment.
Some time has passed. Finally, after the longest and most exhausting walk in her life, Kyoko reaches the door of Yagami’s apartment.
When she leans against the wall, she enters the code of the needed apartment and is now greeted by the approving beeping sound.
At least she still lives there. So, wait for me, Yagami.
Before the door locks again, Kyoko gathers her strength to open it and pushes herself inside.
One thing is for sure, she exhales at how this corridor is lightened, dry, and quiet, unlike the gloomy weather outside.
Even if it is dry and the heating is on, the brunette feels her wet clothes are sticking to her like a second skin.
As Kyoko takes a couple of steps like a wobbling shot animal, she leaves the water traces where she goes.
For now, she meets another great challenge. That’s right, a simple and well-known staircase now looks as if it has hundreds of times more unnecessary steps.
Of course, the Kusanagi heir understands she may not climb them in such a state. Neither does she want to disturb the other residents and possibly have them call the police or ambulance on her. That will cause more problems than use for her.
Turning her head, she notices the elevator and decides to use it instead, hoping she won’t encounter anyone apart from one important person.
After pressing the summoning button, the unpleasant cold sensation soaks through her clothes and reaches her skin, making her shakily respire and tremble.
Rubbing her arms does not warm her up, but only drains the gathered water and splashes it on the floor.
Fortunately for her, it takes less than a minute for the elevator to arrive and announce its presence with a beeping.
When she drags herself into it, she leans against the nearest wall and enters the needed floor. Lastly, all that is left is to wait until she reaches her destination.
Finally, the beeping and open elevator notifies her that she is on the right floor where one redhead lives. Without waiting, she gathers her remaining strength to leave it.
Just as the elevator door closes, her knees give up on her, and she pitifully whimpers like a dog.
“Not now… Not until I see you.” The brunette pushes herself to get up while her chest painfully bloats.
However, after forcing herself to walk toward the door of Yagami’s door and harassing the bell button, her vision blackens before passing out.
Unknown time amount passes by.
Eventually, Kyoko regains consciousness and feels something warm and soft wrap around her.
Is it the hospital bed? Did someone call an ambulance? Why?… The brunette wonders with her shut eyes and is surrounded by the darkness.
Aside from that, her head is lighter without heavy luggage, such as her helmet. Did any of the medical staff remove it?
But why is there a wet flannel on her forehead? No professional medic leaves that thing on, right?
For now, as the frustration corrodes her chest, Kyoko shakily opens her eyes and groans.
The first thing that she notices is a blinding bright light on the ceiling that makes her narrow her gaze.
A moment later, she shuts her eyes and shakes her head, accidentally dropping this little piece of cloth.
With a wet noise hitting a carpet, Kyoko rolls on her side and stretches her arm to pick it up.
However, she is stopped by a strict, familiar voice. “Leave it. I’ll tidy this up later.”
When Kyoko lifts her gaze, she notices the red-haired woman sitting behind the coffee table, with her arms and legs crossed on the chair.
Even with the annoyed and unpleasant look on Ioriko’s face alone, Kyoko lowers her shoulders and quietly apologizes.
But for now, the brunette sits and glimpses around. Apparently, she is in Yagami’s living room and resting on her couch, which is covered in a couple of layers of bedsheets and a blanket. More so, she wears the same outfit as before leaving her home.
Despite that, Ioriko lifts her head and narrows her gaze while tapping her upper arm. “What are you doing here? Or did you come all this way to sabotage me, Kusanagi woman?”
Clearly, her ice-cold tone and eyes pierce the Kusanagi heir through her soul. She can swear that Ioriko’s pupils are narrowed like a cold-blood reptile’s, looking down on her victim. And how she might be only missing a split flickering tongue.
Grasping the blanket, Kyoko lowers her guilty eyes and tightens her lips. “What… What are you talking about, Yagami? I just wanted to see you.”
“Now you did. Should I call an ambulance to make you leave my sight?” The redhead responds in a bitter tone.
As Ioriko indifferently picks up her phone from her pants pocket and unlocks it, the brunette’s desperate voice makes her lift her gaze.
“Wait! Urgh…” Kyoko extends her hand toward her. However, her further words are cut by her sore body and piercing pain around her chest.
Although her curling and her face twisting in pain, it doesn’t affect Ioriko.
Now, she browses through her phone without removing her eyes from the screen. “Then, do you prefer I call your fiance? Fine. Just make it quick and tell me that bastard’s number.”
While panting and carefully hugging herself, Kyoko gives a questioning look. “Fiance? What you talking about? You’ve been acting weird recently. Just what happened to you, Yagami?”
Ioriko cracks a sarcastic smile. “You still have some nerves to play dumb, you wicked harpy. Perhaps I should just throw you outside so that neither you nor anyone would bother me.”
After fixing her hair, she turns her head away. “Don’t worry. I did nothing to you while blacked out. Besides, I’m not interested in a taken woman.”
It only makes the brunette even more confused about her unwelcoming behavior.
Upon remembering her date a few days ago, Kyoko averts her gaze and makes a quiet ‘oh’ sound.
When she fixates her guilty eyes on her, she confesses. “About that… As soon as I return home, I wanted to talk about this, but maybe you’ve been too busy to pick it up.”
While resting her head on her knuckle, Ioriko raises her eyebrow. “You are full of yourself, as usual. Why do you think I want to hear how it went or when you are getting married?”
After managing to half sit, Kyoko objects. “You don’t understand me.”
When the red-haired woman facepalms, she gets up and approaches her partner.
After roughly grabbing her t-shirt, Ioriko brings her closer. “This is where you’re wrong. You know what happens when a man and a woman visit the love hotel. So, you won’t fool me. A married woman, but still wanting to fool around with others? Don’t make me laugh.”
The brunette feels her temperature dropping, and she gasps at Ioriko’s words.
When she looks down, she takes a deep breath.
Kyoko rests her palm on her chest and declares with teary eyes. “You’re wrong! If you are thinking that I slept with that man, you are wrong! You stupid idiot! Nothing ever happened between us! He only took to a dinner at the fancy restaurant and gave me the flowers…”
When she covers her face, she sniffs and sobs. “Even if he took me to that place, apologized him to him because I couldn’t do it or force myself.”
Her partner’s pathetic state makes Ioriko narrow her gaze and growl. Despite that, she carefully lowers her down and listens to her story.
Kyoko adds, with no lively light in her eyes. “So, I’m surprised how even after that, he still offered to drive me home. Of course, I knew that Mom and Dad would be upset that their arranged date for me had failed, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell them that with this body I’m infertile and won’t be able to physically continue our bloodline. Even if Mom asked me what was wrong, all I could tell her I already like someone else and how I thought if it could kill off my feelings, then I can fulfill my duties as a successor of the clan.”
Without facing her, Ioriko only sits next to her partner and facepalms. “You are really a stupid woman. You know that, right?”
The brunette exhales and whispers. “I don’t care.”
But for now, Ioriko lectures her. “You had a chance to have a bright future that your parents wanted. Even then, you still blew it away. Well, it’s not that it’s like my business. At least thanks to you, I break through the sickness that you blinded me. So, get well and next time we meet, you’ll sing your swan song.”
Just as the redhead is about to get up, she feels arms wrapped around her.
Certainly, it bewilders Ioriko, and she tries to remove her arms from her. “Let me go, you fool!”
“NO!” Kyoko protests while clinging to her.
The redhead only frowns and scolds her. “You stupid woman, where is your pride and dignity that your clan has?”
“I don’t care about that! Just don’t leave me. That’s all I want.” The brunette argues and presses her head against her lower back.
After closing her eyes and respiring, she adds. “Perhaps it’s the divine intervention or retribution for hurting you. So, I’m sorry if I upset you.”
Understanding it is a futile effort to fight her rival in such a state, she turns her head and continues lecturing her. “Tsk. So, you caught my delusion too? You are truly unbelievable. You understand that you will be disowned and punished for seducing women and, on top of that, someone your clan has despised for centuries, right? Even your feelings are fruitless and you will be nothing more than a disgrace.”
Cracking a sarcastic smile and baring her teeth, she adds mockingly. “I can bet that either your parents or any other Kusanagis will lynch me because of how you ended up in such a state and strayed away from the straight path. Unless this is what you have planned all along? Either way, you cannot stay here any longer.”
This remark stings the Kusanagi heir’s heart, and she tightens her lips.
Kyoko remains stubborn and asks in a more serious tone. “Then what do you want me to do to prove to you that I care about you?”
Despite that, Ioriko grinds her teeth and spits out bitter words. “Leave. Weaklings like you disgust me.”
“But you could just simply call the police or ambulance if you didn’t want to see me. Besides, if you really wanted to break up with me, you should just say so before.” The brunette explains in a gloomy tone.
At first, Ioriko chuckles and grins like an idiot. But with her palm, she covers her face and starts laughing like a madwoman.
Kyoko merely sighs, as this behavior doesn’t surprise her, and she waits for her partner to cool down.
Soon, Ioriko bends and holds her head. “You are delusional. How can you break up with someone with whom you’ve never been in a serious relationship or had anything in a first place?”
Despite her partner’s words crushing her, the Kusanagi heir states. “... But you act like you wanted to make a move on me, right?”
Ioriko frowns and facepalms. “It’s not any of your business! Besides, even you wanted to cut it off before it started.”
After picking up her phone, she pokes it at her rival without looking at her. “Here. Just call whoever you want to pick you up.”
A few moments after receiving no response or reaction from the Kusanagi heir, Ioriko closes her eyes and sighs.
The brunette reassures her. “If you want to get rid if me that badly, you should just throw me outside. Don’t worry, I’ll take all the blame.”
Finally, the redhead escapes Kusanagi’s embrace and pushes herself up. “We’re leaving. So, get up.”
Seeing Kyoko lowering her gaze and following the given orders annoys her.
More so, her struggling at the most basic task slowly gets on her nerves and makes her want to throw Kyoko over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
But for now, Ioriko only crosses her arms. “You should stay home if you are sick. However, since you are sick, I’ll leave your bike at your place tomorrow.”
While half sitting, Kyoko cracks a bitter smile. “Good luck searching for it because someone else may already find it. On the other hand, it was still in a fine condition after that asphalt flight.”
“The hell you mean? Or is it just one of your stupid jokes?” The redhead raises her eyebrow.
Kyoko explains while averting her guilty and frustrated gaze. “You can say that after that I lost my phone and couldn’t get on my bike and walked all my way here. So, take it as you wish.”
Realizing what her rival might have been through before getting to her door, she rubs her temples and groans. “You are truly an idiot and trouble-maker woman…”
Narrowing her gaze and clenching her teeth, she adds. “Well, it cannot be helped, then. However, do not think that I’m doing this because you mean something to me. So, don’t get any weird ideas, got it?”
“What are you talking about, Yagami?” Kyoko tilts her head as she watches her partner standing in front of her.
However, just before she says anything else, Ioriko bends and grabs her hand before throwing it over her shoulder.
As the red-haired woman gets up with her, Kyoko does her best to suppress these painful groans.
Even then, Ioriko wraps her arm around her waist without removing her serious look from her. “You’ve been through worse, so you’ll also easily endure this. Then you, finally, be able not to see me for a good time being.”
Of course, Yagami’s change in her heart confuses the brunette.
Nevertheless, Kyoko softens her gaze. You might be using such cruel words and acting like your blood is cold as ice, but I know you are a kind person, Yagami.
While heading toward the corridor, Kyoko is more than certain her partner is making sure that she is comfortable in whatever place she is taking her.
Lastly, she closes her eyes and warmly smiles while leaning on Ioriko.
It is a cloudy night, and the rain has nearly calmed. Although the tension still lingers under the heavy weather.
After Ioriko sits Kyoko in the back seat of her car, she gives her phone to her.
When the redhead closes the door and gets into the driver’s seat, Kusanagi asks. “Why are you giving me this?”
As she stars and revs the engine, she indifferently glimpses at the front mirror. “To call your family, friends or whoever to bring you more of the necessary stuff and know where you are going.”
“Why are you doing this, Yagami?” Kyoko rests her head and turns it.
“You need to be checked if you have any broken bones. And it would be handy if the doctors will check if you haven’t hit your head too hard as well.” Ioriko explains in a mildly irritated tone while driving toward her destination.
After a pause, she adds. “Besides, I’m not interested in taking you down in such a poor state because that would be a cheap and tasteless victory.”
At that moment, the Kusanagi heir only makes a quiet noise. “Oh…”
As the glass cleaners swiftly wipe the front window, Ioriko confesses. “So, I’m doing this not because I have any feelings toward you or care about you, but because next time we meet, you will face me as equal, with of us not needing to hold back.”
“But that is…” The brunette objects. However, she immediately holds back from finishing. It isn’t anything different from how we’ve been before. But this time, you might be giving me a chance in the future, right? If so, then I only need to win you.
Meanwhile, Ioriko raises her eyebrow without hiding her annoyance. “What’s wrong? If you have anything to say, just say.”
The brunette only shakes her head and smiles. “No. Nothing. I just been thinking loudly.”
Ioriko rolls her eyes and exhales while stirring the wheel. “It’s surprising how you can still use your empty head.”
In the end, Kyoko feels comfortable enough to use this as a chance for her partner leaving an open spot for her teasing. Besides, it’s entertaining for her to get any reaction from a genially grumpy woman like her.
Thus, their trip to the hospital became even shorter, and without noticing, they arrived. However, Kyoko senses Ioriko might not bring her flowers or visit her. Despite that, she doesn’t want to force her partner to do anything for her. Besides, she is certain that Ioriko will be waiting for her discharge.
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Something small enough to escape casual notice.
