FicWad

Chapter Three


Kazumi woke up. She blinked her eyes a few times to clear her vision. She immediately recognized her surroundings as her room in the headquarters. She stood up and walked towards the door. Outside, she could hear a lot of murmuring and talking. She distinguished one as the voice of Shizuka. She crept outside the door and was surprised to see Takeshi sitting on a chair, tied up and looking paler than ever. Shizuka looked like she was interrogating him or some sort.

"State your business here in Nobuaki." Shizuka said sternly.

Takeshi remained silent.

"Answer!!" she was losing her patience quickly. Her voice was booming.

Memories filled her mind and she gasped in horror. 'They might think that he abducted me.' She quickly went to Shizuka to explain things.

"Shizuka, you all got the wrong impression." She explained quickly.

Shizuka slowly turned to her direction. "Kazumi, you're awake already. Go back to your room and get some rest. Leave it to me to take care or several matters.." she said.

"No. This man did no harm to me. He more likely saved me."

Shizuka's face went blank. She seems to be thinking of reconsidering.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a long story. But I assure you that he helped in bringing me back up."

"So, do you say that this man is innocent?"

"Yes."

She sighed deeply. "Then release the ropes that bound him."

Tomoko and Tori obediently loosened the ropes that bind him. Tomoko was suddenly surprised to see a puddle of blood beneath them.

"This man is injured!" Tomoko said.

"Gosh! Didn't anyone of you inspected his condition before tying him up!" Kazumi exclaimed.

"Get a doctor! Quick!" Ayumi exclaimed.


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"We could not let him stay in the headquarters, Kazumi." Shizuka said.

They were at a corridor in the hospital, waiting for any news on Takeshi's condition.

"But he is injured! Can't we give any considerations?" Kazumi pleaded.

The diplomats shook their heads.

"If that's the case," she looked at Shizuka pitifully. "Then your boyfriend should also go."

"What boyfriend?? What are you talking about?"

"Don't play innocent with me Shizuka. I know you are keeping in your custody a stranger."

Shizuka was silenced. Ayumi opened her mouth to retort but Kazumi is not yet finished.

"And you Ayumi had been helping Shizuka keep this man secret."

She smiled knowing that she won the argument. Then the doctor emerged from the room and Kazumi hurriedly went to her.

"Doctor, how is his condition?"

"I managed to remove the bullet from his wound but it appears that he lost a large amount of blood."

"Ohh.."

"But he would be fine. He is recovering fast"

"He is safe?"

"Absolutely out of danger, dear." Then she smiled.

Kazumi felt relieved to find out that he's well. And she is overly grateful to know that he's alive.

"Can I see him?"

"He's in room 305." She said her farewell and left.

Kazumi immediately went to his room. The others did not follow her. They let her have her privacy.

She spent the next days looking after Takeshi and taking care of him.


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One day Shizuka visited Kazumi at Takeshi's room. It had been two days since his hospitalization and the doctors predicted that he would probably be out for more than two more weeks. Yes, he is recovering well but still the loss of blood drained all his energy and it is considered a miracle that he did not suffer any cardiac problems.

Shizuka made her way beside Kazumi and spoke to her.

"Hi Kazumi."

Kazumi was seated on a stool by Takeshi's bedside. She turned her attention to Shizuka when she spoke.

"Oh, Shizuka. What brings you here?"

"You've not returned to the headquarters since his hospitalization. Catz has not functioned well since then. The Bloody hounds have been terrorizing the streets. We need a leader, Kazumi."

"I'm sorry. But.."

"Are you in love with him?" Kazumi's eyes widened upon hearing her question.

"No I'm not! I don't even know him that much. How could I fall in love with a stranger?" then her eyes trailed off.

'Her eyes betray her denial. She has feelings for the guy but she fails to recognize it. ~Sighs~ but of course, who could not fall in love with this hottie?' she blushed upon realizing her last thought.

"Uhmm.. I need to go now." she turned around ready to leave.

"Wait, Shizuka." She stopped and listened to what she'd have to say. "You haven't mentioned to me the details of the man you take care of. Would you please tell me something about him?" Kazumi asked.

Shizuka considered telling her the truth. Well anyways, she deserved to know. She sat on the sofa across the bed.

She was silent for a while, recalling the start of her story.

"Well, one day I was walking in the ghetto. Just to check up on things." Then her trail of memories flowed..


--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Flashback --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---


Shizuka's duty today is to check up on the marketplace. She was wearing a pink tank top and beige shorts. On her way there, she encountered a young girl weeping. She approached the person and did her best to comfort her.

"C'mon, stop crying. Everything would be fine.." she said while stroking her head with her hand.

The girl was trying to say something in between sobs. "A... man... got... food... h-he.. ran.. "

Shizuka tried her best to rephrase what she said.

"Do you mean to say that a man stole your merchandise?"

The girl shakily nodded.

Shizuka was alarmed. "Where did they go?"

She pointed a direction to the east.

"What do they look like?"

The girl stopped crying. Shizuka stood up. The girl rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

"A group of men. The leader is a tall man with brown hair. And ---"

She was cut of short by Shizuka leaving. She heard her say an 'I'll be right back!!" then she quickly disappeared from her view.


She ran at her fastest speed, at the same time avoiding the people and things on her way.

'A group of men with the leader having brown hair.' She suddenly realized how common the descriptions are. There are a lot of people there with brown hair. 'How am I supposed to find the right one?'

She continued running until she spotted a man wearing foreign clothes. She assumed that he came from another place. But her eyes caught something that made her run faster; he is tall, and has brown hair. He is currently with a pack of gruesome looking men. She hid herself behind a brick wall and eavesdropped.

"I told you, you don't stand a chance against me! Now leave!" he shouted.

Shizuka was enraged at the boastful attitude of the new guy. And not only that, he is challenging the men to a fight! Well, she admits that the guy does have good looks, 'he's more likely gorgeous.' but it would not prevent her from punishing troublemakers.

She immediately ran towards the man. He then surprisingly saw her coming and dodged her attack but upon seeing she was a lady, he had not avoided her next attack to him and sent him to the ground. He was not clutching his side.

"How dare you put up a fight. Your just new here!" she exclaimed, anger in her voice.

"But you got it all wrong." He said while he slowly picked himself up.

Then a man sneaked up behind her and grabbed her by the wrist. She fought off his grip but ended up being pulled to him and he quickly placed a knife in her throat. One of them spoke.

"Well, missy, we appreciate your help for us but unfortunately you ended up helping the wrong side! Mwahahaha!" said the brown colored, longhaired man with a muscular physique. Then all of them burst out into hoards of laughter.

"You freaks! Let her go!" the brown-haired guy said.

"You gave us a hard time a while ago," an evil grin was plastered on his face. "And we will take revenge! With this lady in our hands, we expect you to cooperate with us.." then men started to appear with bats and pipes in their hands wearing a mischievous smirk.

"Cowards. Can't you fight fairly? Hiding behind an innocent lady?"

He pretended to rethink. "We do everything to win! We could not accept being defeated." He brought out his own bat. "You deserve to die but think about it, it is better for you to suffer a slow death. Its not like you're given any other choice.. You'll end up dying when we're don with you! Don't move or the lady here would get it!"

"Don't listen to them! Run now and leave me! They're gonna beat you up!" she said still struggling to get loose.

But instead of running the man smiled at her as if to say that everything would be fine and glared at the supposed to be leader and remained motionless. The leader smiled at his accomplishment and told his followers to start the beating.

He accepted all the blows that the gangsters delivered to him. Shizuka watched in horror as the men drained the life away from him. Soon he vomited his own blood and his body ached in all places. He thought that they would not tire in beating him up but when the sun started to set, they eventually stopped. Leaving him struggling for breath.

"That's what you've deserved when you fought with us."

Then they left. They also freed Shizuka and she went near him weeping. He was now a bloody pulp in the ground.

"You're so stupid! You didn't need to act like a hero or something!" Shizuka wept. But he didn't respond. She ended up calling Ayumi for help.


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"... And that's it. Ayumi helped me treat his wounds and keep him secret from the group." She turned her gaze back to Kazumi. "I'm sorry for bringing him in without your permission."

Kazumi smiled. "That's okay. You just did what you think is right.." she embraced Shizuka tightly. How she missed to hold her best friend like this. "So, what does he look like?" Kazumi said with a giggle.

They released their embrace and Shizuka paused to think. "Well, he's.. Tall.. Tan skinned, brown-haired, well built, and with penetrating blue eyes.." she paused, but continued. "On a handsome face."

"Ohh.. Handsome.." there was an annoying tone in her voice, that made Shizuka speak back.

"I don't feel anything for him! It's just that I feel guilty that's why I'm helping him recover."

"Why are you so defensive? I'm not asking any questions." Kazumi said with a grin.

Shizuka looked annoyed at the same time regretting her immediate justification.

"So, does this man have a name?"

"His name is Daisuke."

"Daisuke..." she echoed.

"Daisuke?" they heard a person say. They immediately looked at Takeshi and saw him conscious.

"You're awake? But the doctors say that you'd be out for more than two weeks." A surprised Shizuka said.

Kazumi was frozen on her spot. She took a few more seconds before reacting. "I'm so glad you're awake!" then she jumped all over the room. "I'll call the doctor to see you." Then she walked out the room happily.