Chapter 5

I didn't know what to do. I was lost looking around like a crazy person. I stopped a woman who was walking and I squeezed my brains speaking to her in Japanese. I told her that I needed help and that I was lost, but then a thought hit me, I didn't even know the address of the house. Not even the neighborhood. I didn't even have the phone number. I was screwed. I apologized to the confused woman letting her go.

I started to walk hoping that I would be lucky enough to bump into Kei. I took different streets my eyes looking around frantically. The streets started to look emptier and emptier as I kept going. I swallowed hard when there were no more stores around, just a few people walking. My panic reached new levels when the next turn I took, I saw some shady looking men staring at me. I was tempted to run. But a voice inside me told me not to. 'Act normal.' It said.

I couldn't hear my heartbeat anymore. How stupid could I be not knowing any important information about the house. I was about to slap myself in frustration when I heard someone yelling at me. I spun around only to see that it was the two men from earlier.

There was no voice in the world to stop me from running this time. I dashed as fast as I could. Unlucky as I was, I turned at a dead end. Probably the only dead end in Tokyo. 'Fuck my life.'

The two men slowly made their way to me. They knew I had trapped myself. I felt the cold wall behind me.

"Any money?" One of the men asked in Japanese. He was a little on the overweight side, his head was shaved, and his eyes were dark pits.

"Yes, but please don't hurt me." I also spoke Japanese.

"Wow, you speak our language, amazing!"

I handed them all the cash I had on me, my shaking hands almost dropping the money. The other guy took it. This one had a scar running from his left eyebrow down to his lip. He was so scary I looked away.

"Thank you." He said. The two men started to walk away.

I leaned my whole body against the wall stopping myself from falling to the ground. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Hey Shingo." The guy with the scar yelled loudly as if he wanted me to hear. I knew then that it wasn't over yet. "Have you ever tasted a foreigner?" My eyes widened and a violent shiver went through my body. I looked around for some kind of weapon, but nothing.

"Never Takeshi, but I sure would love to. Especially one with a rack like that." They both turned around with their eyes fixated on me like tigers about to devour a defenseless prey.

I pushed myself up. I wasn't going down easily. They closed on me and for some reason I called. I still had hope.

"Kei!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. The two rushed to me to shut me up but I kicked the first one in the groin, the guy with the scar was more careful. He took me by the arm and I pushed him so hard he fell on his butt. I tried to run but the first guy caught my foot and I fell flat on the ground. The pain paralyzed me for a moment.

The guy flipped me on my back in a swift move. He then climbed on top of me. I tried to shake him off but he was too strong. He slapped me so hard I lost my hearing for a while. He tried to rip my shirt. I took his hand and bit it so hard he screamed. That was when the second blow hit my face. It was harder this time. The pain was biting my whole left cheek. He successfully ripped the shirt my mother had bought for me. I tried to cover up but the guy pinned my arms above my head. Helpless tears were coming down.

"Kei!" I called with a broken cry this time.

"What the hell are you doing?" A voice came from the other side of the street. I heard the guy on top of me gasp. Color had left his face. I tried to look back but my blurry vision didn't allow me to see who it was.

"We are just having some fun." The guy with the scar said with humor.

"With my cousin?" The other male voice roared.

It took the guy on top of me less than a second to get off me. I immediately retrieved to the wall. Kei looked at me and he shut his eyes. He was livid. I heard him take a very deep breath.

"Kei-sama, we didn't know." They were both on their knees. "Please forgive us, we didn't know." The guy took the money I had given them earlier and put it on the ground next to me.

"You know I can't let this slide." Kei announced. "I will deal with you later though. Get out of my sight." 'Is this really Kei?'

The two men disappeared so fast it felt like they flew away.

Kei walked to me and dropped to his knees next to me. It was the first time I saw some kind of emotion on his face.

"Where did you go, Kei? I looked for you everywhere." My tears were unstoppable.

"I'm sorry."

"I even called your name, many times."

"I'm sorry." His jaw clenched.

"I was so scared."

"I know. I'm so sorry Sam." He gently pulled me into his arms. I clenched to his shirt with all the strength left in me. My whole body was trembling but Kei's caresses slowly calmed me down.

We sat there for I don't know how long until I could finally speak again.

"Thank you." I pulled back a little.

"Does is hurt anywhere." Kei palmed my face to see it but I jolted back with a grimace. Pain shot from my left cheek. He turned my face a little and cursed under his breath. Wrath was written all over his face.

"Is it that bad?" I asked when Kei looked away.

"Come on we got to go." I looked down at my exposed bra and felt the heat of embarrassment all over my body. I covered up and took Kei's hand to stand. My legs like pudding, they almost gave in, but I strengthened myself and was able to walk after a few seconds.

Kei took me to a store back in Harajuku where he bought me a shirt. I felt so protected because the whole time he had his right arm around me almost turning my whole body toward him. Then, we went to a convenience store. He got me some ice to put on my cheek. It was so hot and swollen and it hurt so much. But ice helped a lot.

"Let me take you home." He held his hand out and I took it.

The way back home was silent. However in the train, Kei brought me to the corner and hovered over me the whole time. All I could see was his broad chest. His intoxicating cologne had an effect on me. It was a sweet drug to my nose. All I wanted to do was to touch his inviting chest. Which I did when the train came to a halt. Kei automatically put his arm around my waist. He was acting like I was this fragile piece of pottery. Or maybe he just remembered that his childhood friend was actually a girl and not a boy - even though she was a tomboy.

The house was empty when we got there. I immediately walked to the bathroom.

"Oh my God." I let out unconsciously. My left cheek was so swollen you would think I had an infection of some sort. "I can't have your parents see this face." Kei appeared behind me in the mirror. "Can you tell them that I am tired and that I'm skipping dinner and going straight to bed." He thought about it for a second.

"Ok."

I walked to the kitchen to get more ice and hurried to my room before anybody made it home. I also took an Advil for the pain.

For the next three hours, I lied in bed listening to the muffled sounds coming from downstairs. Suddenly, I heard a knock on my door. I pretended I was asleep.

"It's me." Kei came in and locked the door behind him. He had a tray with my dinner on it.

I sat up with sparks in my eyes. I was starving.

"You can't imagine the battle I had downstairs to bring you this food." Kei complained. My mouth was too full to speak.

"What do you mean?" I managed to ask.

"Jiro wanted to bring it himself. When I said I'd do it, my parents were so shocked they didn't know what to say. They were just eyeing me like I was an alien."

I bursted out laughing almost choking on my last bite.

"I wish I could have seen that."

"Oh is that amusing to you?" Kei had a playful look on his face. First time I saw grown-up Kei with that expression.

He sat on my bed leaning back on his stretched arms as I finished eating. It was quite now, but comfortable.

"How are you?" His voice was low and soft.

"I'm fine, I took an Advil. I think my face will be back to normal by tomorrow. Don't worry about it." I gave him a warm smile but cold Kei was back in the room. He clenched his teeth and picked up the tray.

"Good night, Samantha." 'Samantha? Why are we back to that again?'

"Good night."

I flopped on my bed and a weariness took a hold of me. It had been a long day.

The next morning, I woke up to a more decent face. It was still a little swollen but nothing like the night before, and it didn't hurt anymore. It was Wednesday. I was really excited to see Jiro perform.

Before going down stairs, I made sure my hair was styled in a way to hide part of my face. It was perfect.

"Good morning." Jiro surprised me as soon as I got out of my room. "How are you feeling?"

"Good... Rested, thank you."

"Excited for today?"

"Of course." Jiro gave me the widest smile.

"I don't think my parents can make it, but I know that mom told Kei to bring you. Sorry, I have to go earlier otherwise I would bring you myself."

"That's ok. I can't wait to see you perform." We both walked down stairs and had breakfast together.

A couple of hours later, Jiro left for practice. And I found myself home alone. It was only after I walked by the front door that I saw Kei's shoes. 'Perfect! I'll ask him if he could take me to buy a cell phone. After yesterday's scare, I definitely need one.'

I walked to his room and knocked three time. But no response. I slowly opened the door. The room was dark with all the curtains still shut.

"Kei?" I whispered. I walked a little closer to his bed. 'I hope he's not naked.' A thought crossed my mind and made me blush. "Hey Kei." I called him again while standing by his bed. He groaned. I decided to let the beast sleep. I could get a phone another day, with Jiro maybe. I turned on my heels but Kei pulled me to bed with him. I squealed with surprise.

"What are you doing in a man's bedroom?" He wrapped his arms around me and even threw his leg on top of me. I was mummified in his blanket with no direct contact with him. He was under the covers and I was on top. My heart was racing so fast I thought it was going to jump out of my rib cage.

"Let go of me!" I yelled. But he didn't budge.

"Stay, it's comfortable."

"For who?" I tried to free myself.

"It's your fault for coming in here. What if I was naked... You would like that, huh?"

"Is sex the only thing on your brain, you pervert." I heard him chuckle behind my ear and he let loose. I bolted out of his room spitting every profanity under the sun.

I had escaped to the living room. I finally managed to calm my breathing when the beast showed up down stairs. I got up and tried to escape but he blocked the way.

"Why the hell was I woken up?"

"Jiro told me that you were taking me to see his performance today."

"So?" His tone was so cold and uncaring that I felt hurt.

"Can you let me go?" I was getting angry. He looked at me in the eyes. His emerald holding my blue.

"Come on, did you need anything?" His voice was softer now. I hesitated. I was afraid he would turn to cold Kei again. I bit my lower lip and swallowed.

"Can you... take me to buy a cell phone on the way to the theater?" His lips curled up.

"I thought you were going to ask me for my first born. God, chill woman. Let me eat something and we can go." His words surprised me. I felt the tension release my shoulders.

"Really?" He glared back at me. "Thank you, I appreciate it." I disappeared from his sight and got ready.

Kei walked slower than the day before. He held my hand the whole time. We reached an electronics store and he helped me choose a phone. Kei had to get the contract under his name for, some reason I wasn't allowed with my visa. I thanked him even after his sarcastic 'you better pay your bills' comment.

We took another train to get to the theater. It was a fifteen minute walk from the station to the theater. I felt Kei's hand tighten more and more as we got closer to the venue. It was also ice cold.

We got inside and found our seats. I was very excited but also worried at the state of my companion. His knees were shaking violently. 'Is it perhaps because he can't dance anymore?' The show started but it did not distract Kei from his condition. His whole body was stiff as a rock. He was sweating like crazy. I had to do something. I took his hand which made him jolt. I intertwined my fingers in his and caressed him gently.

Five minutes later, he finally started to relax. My hand never leaving his, I could finally feel heat returning to them. The play was long with three acts and intervals in between. It was amazing, and I didn't even recognize Jiro when he was on stage, I enjoyed it so much. The show finally ended at around nine.

Kei and I waited for Jiro outside. I only noticed that we were still holding hands when he snatched his away. Jiro showed up five minutes later. He was back to being 'Jiro'.

"Hey!" I gave him a hug. "You were amazing!" I congratulated him.

"Thank you, thank you!"

"You guys head back, I have some plans." Kei yelled out of nowhere, he was standing a few steps away.

"What?" I turned to confront him but Jiro stopped me shaking his head.

"It's alright Sam, let's go."

'What is his problem?'