Retaliation

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Hideaki and Rina's faces were both shocked but for two different reasons. The first was stunned to find out that the girl that he welcomed in his bed, physically hurt his only sister, while the latter was shocked because she never expected Laurie to talk about the past.

Rina Yamaguchi was still stuck in her glory days in high school. She didn't expect Laurie to speak up about the bullying that happened when they were teenagers.

Hideaki's annoyed face went cold and devoid of any emotion. He twisted his body to face Rina who had her mouth agape in shock.

"Don't come near me or my sister ever again," he said in a cold tone as Yamaguchi clenched the hem of her sweatshirt, mumbling incoherently, trying to explain herself to Hideaki but she couldn't form any sentence.

Hideaki's eyes were drawn to the sweatshirt Rina was wearing. Without a word, he stepped closer to her and whispered something in her ear.

Laurie has no idea what Hideaki said to Rina; she gasped loudly, then whimpered like a cornered animal.

She didn't hear what Hideaki said to Rina but she soon had a clear idea of it when Rina, still whimpering, took Hideaki's sweatshirt off her head.

"Uh, uh!" Andrei whispered in her ear.

She stepped back and pulled Andrei's hand away from Hideaki and Rina. She cocked her head to Bella to enter the car. Bella, during all the drama, was just quietly observing them as she leaned back on the car door, with her arms folded across her chest.

When Bella yanked the backseat door open, Laurie noticed that there was a two inches gap in the car's window.

Mei Mei was listening from inside the car.

She pushed Andrei to get in the backseat as soon as Bella disappeared inside. She glanced over her shoulder to find out what Rina and Hideaki were doing.

She saw Hideaki clutching his sweatshirt in his hand, marching back to the driver's side of the car.

Laurie quickly dove inside the backseat. Once seated, she pressed the glass partition between the backseat and the front seat of the car.

After what happened, she doesn't want to talk to Hideaki.

It looked like Mei Mei was awestruck by what she did; she was staring at her with a mixture of awe and adulation.

"Stop it! You are creeping me out."

"But you were so awesome!" She raised two thumbs up in front of her.

"You could have done the same thing the moment that girl stepped back in your life."

"But…" she pouted, lost for words.

"You became a coward! You used to be so brave standing up for yourself, and now you let that bitch near your brother!"

"It's not like I can say something to nii-san about what happened," she averted her eyes when she realized that she was mad.

"Why not?" She pushed Andrei to lean on the backrest so she could see Mei Mei properly. "Why can't you just tell your brother about it? What are you so scared of?"

Mei Mei fumbled with her hands on her lap, averting her gaze and saying nothing.

"My husband has some business dealings with the Yamaguchi," she muttered under her breath.

Laurie wanted to nag Mei Mei more but upon hearing her reason, she somehow understood. Business dealings, especially when you are the one in need, is a sensitive matter.

She used to work as a researcher and mediator for business acquisitions in the past. She knew how fickle and petty those people who have plenty of money in their hands for their disposal.

"Do you think what happened today would affect your husband's business?" She asked quietly.

"To be honest, I don't know. But since my brother is involved, I think the damage won't be that bad. I mean, it was you and nii-san who made a scene." she stuck her tongue to her.

Seeing and hearing Mei Mei's reasoning she couldn't help but laugh. "Let me know what the nature of the business deal your husband is doing with the Yamaguchi. I will have someone look at it."

"Truly? You will help us?" She threw herself across Andrei's lap to grab Laurie's hands. "You are such an amazing friend!"

"You don't have to kiss my ass. We have been friends for a long time. I even put myself into jail for you, bitch!" She clicked her tongue at her.

"Thank you. Truly, truly!"

Mei Mie was in the middle of thanking her when the partition glass of the car went down, and Hideaki's face appeared.

"Mei-chan," he called his sister, who abruptly sat properly with her legs pressed together, her back was straightened, and her hands were folded modestly on her lap.

"Yes, nii-san," she answered in a timid voice.

"We need to talk," he said to his sister but his eyes were on Laurie.

She curled her lips as she raised an eyebrow. She shifted her gaze to the outside of the car as she raised her chin in defiance; "I'm not going to apologize. I know I didn't do anything wrong. That Rina Yamaguchi deserved what she got." she told Hideaki without meeting his eyes.

After the green light changed from red to green, Hideaki was forced to look in front of the car. He tried to focus on driving without saying anything.

The backseat of the car went quiet like a ghost had passed through.

Laurie and Mei Mei threw each other meaningful glances. Now that Hideaki knew about the incident of bullying, and he was adamant about talking to Mei Mei, they have to talk to discuss what things from the past can they tell Hideaki.

Truthfully, they were not as innocent as they appeared to be. They were once high schoolers, trying to survive the world while having fun on their own.

They also made a few mistakes and maybe... hurt a few people along the way in the name of survival and fun.