A/N: This would be the longest chapter. I had to merge two chapters and change more than half of the whole chapter.

Chapter 6

Questions were meant to be answered. Some people would spend so much their time finding the answers. Some would leave things as it was. Knowing what you needed to know would help you understand things that were bothering you. However, there were times that it was better if the questions were left unanswered.

For Youko, seeking answers to things around her, things that could affect her, things that surrounded her and those she cared about, was second to her nature. Her tendency to meddle to her friends’ affairs during high school was proof enough. If it was not, then add the career path that she had chosen. Being a lawyer would mean that she would seek answer to questions to be successful. That would just be the tip of an iceberg of being a lawyer.

So then, sitting in a chair in the semi-darkened place with loud music, people dancing around and drinking around, she was nearly at the end of her patience. She had been waiting for answers since she woke up this morning! And the one who had the answers to her questions was nowhere to be found.

Wait.

There she was.

Wanting to choke the answer from Sei flew out of Youko’s mind when she saw her. Her already dark eyes darkened more at the sight.

How dare she?

A pang of jealousy crept Youko’s heart as she watched Sei danced with a lady she didn’t know. She watched as Sei held the woman’s waist and leaned over, saying something before both of them burst into laughter. They looked so sweet together.

Turning her face away, Youko blinked back the tears that threatened to spill in her eyes. She should have left already when she had the chance this morning. She shouldn’t have searched for the reason why Sei ‘abducted’ her. She shouldn’t have...

She really was such a fool.

Jealous.

Insecure.

She hadn’t known those feelings until she met Sei.

“Hi there. Mind if I get you some drinks?”

Normally, Youko would just brush away anyone. However, jealousy coupled with insecurity wasn’t really a good combination. She raised her face to look at the man standing in front of her.

“Suit yourself,” she said carelessly. If Sei saw it fit to leave her after taking her here, then she might as well entertain herself.

Youko accepted the offered drinks and entered into a boring conversation. At least, it was better than sitting all alone in this club and seething with anger.

“Hey, how about a dance?”

The words seemed foreign to Youko. Not that she hadn’t heard it before. What surprised her was the fact that she was the one who asked the man to dance.

She must have been drunk.

No, she wasn’t yet. After all, she had just two glasses of mild drinks.

Probably some kind of rebellion.

Yes. That must be it.

The man grinned, before standing up and held his hands for her.

Youko reached for the offered hand and they walked towards the dance floor.

“Hey!”

Youko never made it to the dance floor when she was yanked away from the man. She collided with something soft.

“What the …”

The man didn’t finish his exclamation when he met a deadly glare.

“Sei!” Youko exclaimed. When did Sei get here?

“Watch where you put that hand of yours, buddy!”

“What business of yours to just do and say that?!” The man answered.

“You’re touching what is not yours!” Sei spat.

“Sei, what is going on with you?” Youko asked as she tried to break free from Sei’s grip, but the latter tightened her arms around her, trapping her in a hug.

Youko would have enjoyed it. The feeling of them this close together was what she had been wanting before. However, the scene at the dance floor prevented her from enjoying the feeling. She struggled harder.

“I don’t know what you’re saying but it seems she doesn’t want to be with you!” The man said, seeing Youko’s actions.

“That does it!”

Youko froze when soft lips slammed on hers. Wide-eyed, she watched Sei kissed her hard.

The man beside them was forgotten. Even when he left, the two didn’t notice.

The loud noise was met by deaf ears as Youko stood stock still while Sei kissed her. Her lack of response only emboldened Sei to force her mouth open. When she did, the kiss deepened. She grabbed onto Sei as finally she responded to the kiss. When they broke the kiss, dark eyes gazed at dark eyes.

“Youko…”

“I’m leaving.”

Sei didn’t object and instead followed Youko. They were quiet until they were outside. When Youko headed to the street, Sei grabbed her hand to stop her.

“Where are you going?”

“Home.”

“The car is over there.”

“I’m going home alone.”

“No way! I promise I’ll behave so come on.”

“Stop playing with me. I’m tired of your games, Sei. If you hate me, just say so, just don’t make a fool of me.”

“When did I do that?” Sei asked in an innocent voice, ignoring the anger in Youko’s voice.

Youko glared at Sei, before her expression turned into sadness. She freed herself from Sei’s grip and walked towards the latter’s car quietly.

“Youko, please don’t get mad,” Sei’s soft voice came as a whisper in the night.

Youko would have ignored Sei had it not been for the serious tone she used. Stopping but without looking back, she waited if Sei was going to say anything else.

“I’m not playing with you. I just don’t know how I’m going to start. When I decided to do this, I know what I wanted to say, but I haven’t thought on how I’m going to say it,” Sei said slowly.

“When I heard you said that you were in love with me, I didn’t know how I’m going to react. I know you care for me very much, and you’re one person that I don’t want to be out of my life. I don’t need to see you everyday just to know that you care for me…for you to know that I care for you,” Sei continued.

Silence…

“You know I’ve loved her more than anything else, and she left me. I’ve been afraid, Youko.”

Youko closed her eyes. She felt so numb, emotionally from the words she was hearing from the lips of the person behind her. She felt the tears that were making their way to her cheeks, and yet made no effort to wipe them away. She just stood there, rooted in her place as more words came out of Sei’s lips.

“So I avoided you. I didn’t show at Eriko’s invitation even if I said I would. I know you’d be there. I wanted to see you only when I have the answer to myself. You don’t deserve less, Youko. It would be unfair to you if I would force myself to love you just because you do… I thought what I really feel for you. I tried so hard. I’m so confused. What do I really feel for you? Is it only of a friend? Or is it more?”

Sei stopped for a moment, trying to clear her throat.

“And then I’ve realized, you had always been in my heart, Youko.”

Youko thought she had stopped breathing. The next words that Sei would say would decide her fate in love with her. Surprisingly, cold hands made their way on her stomach, pulling her to something soft behind.

“You had always been there, and I took it for granted knowing that no matter what, you’d always care for me, would always love me. I’m sorry, Youko, please forgive me for taking you for granted, for being ignorant with my own feelings, for hurting you all these years.”

Shaky pair of hands made their way to the hands resting at Youko’s stomach. Squeezing it tight, Youko turned around and came face to face with a sad and beseeching Sei.

“W-well, if you would let me have my revenge, I’d probably forgive you,” Youko said in a throaty voice, smiling shakily.

Sei was confused for a moment, before a big silly smile adorned her face.

“What kind of revenge?” She teased.

“For tonight, just a smack in the head and a good 10 minutes of tongue-lashing,” Youko said dryly.

“Really?” Sei asked playfully, making Youko wonder what was so exciting with what she said. “Can I have an advance?”

Youko wondered for a moment, before her eyes widened when Sei brought her face closer to hers and in a blink of an eye, soft lips touched hers for the second time tonight. As briefly as it came, it was gone. Dumbfounded, she stared at Sei.

“What? You said 10 minutes tongue-clashing. That’s only 1 second, 2 at best, and no tongue had been involved yet,” Sei said innocently.

All Youko could do was glare at Sei. Tongue-lashing and tongue-clashing weren’t the same.

Laughing, Sei pulled Youko towards the car.

“Come on then, let’s hurry up so you could get on with that revenge and then I could enjoy myself later with something soft and warm.”

Despite herself, Youko blushed.

“You dirty-old man.”

“What? I was merely thinking about getting snugly tucked in a soft and warm bed. I don’t know about you but now I’m feeling tired and sleepy,” Sei said looking as innocent as she could be.

“I see. And I thought you had something better in your mind,” Youko mocked.

“And then you could give me the tongue-clashing there,” Sei continued, ignoring what Youko said. “And maybe after that, I could give you something, too, like…” she trailed off, making a point of looking at Youko from head to toe.

“Dirty-old man,” Youko muttered, a tingling feeling traveled at her body as she watched Sei’s heated gaze.

A/N: Well, it was a bit drama but hey, I couldn’t help it!

And you know what, I’ll be busy for the next couple of days because my boss told me to transcribe recorded meetings that I was not present so it’s hard to understand it! Plus they are too noisy right now here at the office that I couldn’t understand the tape I was listening to! Well, good for you because since I couldn’t concentrate listening, I decided to post this chapter ;) Later though, for sure I will have ‘bleeding ears’ due to listening, rewinding, listening and then transcribing! Whatever! Good luck to myself hahaha! ;)

Until next time folks!

---Arvendell---

04 September 2008