His And Her Circumstances Fan Fiction ❯ Pictures of Matchstick Men ❯ Sparks ( Chapter 12 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 12: Sparks

         Hideaki stared at the ceiling all night. No matter how he tossed or turned, he could not manage to get to sleep.
         The noise of someone walking along the hall outside his room mad him turn and stare at the thin, sliding door for a moment.
         "Asaba," a feminine voice said through the door.
         "Yes, Annie?" he whispered back as he grabbed for a robe.
         "No, it is Lisa Niwashi. They are watching Annie's room too close. She wanted me to come check on you to see if you were sleeping alright."
         "As a mater of fact, I can't sleep at all."
         "Annie is having the same problem. She told me to tell you that she loves you very much. She told me to bring you one of her t-shirts, and some chamomile tea. I will set it here outside the door. I have to hurry back, before I am noticed."
         "Thank you. Tell Annie I love her and I will try to do everything I can for her."
         "I will."
         Hideaki opened the door and took the shirt and the tray with the tea into his room. He smiled. Annie had given him the undershirt she wore under her school uniform. It smelled of her and her favorite perfume.
         "No wonder she wanted one of my dirty shirts." He sat on the edge of his futon and drank the tea as she sniffed the shirt. "This does help to relax me."

         The morning came much too soon for Hideaki. Even with the tea, he still did not manage to get much sleep.
         "Hideaki! are you awake?"
         "Yeah dad, I even dressed myself."
         "Can I come in?"
         "Yeah."
         Mr. Asaba slowly walked into the room to inspect the job of dressing in traditional clothing his son had done. "Here, let me help you tie your hair back. Are you nervous?"
         "Not really. "
         "You should be. You are up against a very powerful family."
         "Aw dad, they are only interested in money. Now that the overseas sales of my art book are coming in, I have plenty of that. I even invested some of it."
         "It is more than that, Hideaki. To them it is a question of honor."
         "Yeah, right, they were to honorable to protect her from that bastard that tried to kill her."
         "And you? You are just a boy and you didn't have the honor or restraint to control yourself."
         "That is not fair dad! She was in on it. If she wanted me to stop I would have! She didn't so I didn't."
         "Mutual consent doesn't fly well with families like these. Damn it! I wish there was something else I could do besides suggest what kind of wedding bands to choose!" Mr. Asaba started pacing back and forth in the room trying to calm his own misgivings.
         "Dad, what are you raving about. "
         "These days physical suicide is out of style. Financial suicide is more what they want, and marriage is the way they get it. No prenuptials allowed."
         "What!"
         "They may try to force you to marry her and then seize all of your assets. You will be left with nothing! Do you hear me? Not one yen!"
         "Calm down, dad. You are going to give yourself a heart attack. Remember, we got Piman and the Niwashis on our side. Plus, there are a bunch of the board members of Singing Sun on our side too. Jeez dad, can't you see it? You are supposed to be the financial wizard. Mitsubishi car company has been loosing money over the past few years. They want to steal Annie's company from her!"
         Mr. Asaba stopped in his tracks and looked at Hideaki with a wide-eyed expression. "A hostile takeover? Damn! The tabloid just gave them an excuse to try and pursue it. Go get Piman. We have to discuss this before the festivities get underway. "

         Piman, Tanaka Niwashi, Mr. Asaba, and Hideaki sat at a table in the living room of the mansion while a servant gave them tea.
         "Tanaka, are you sure that what Hideaki and Asaba have told us could be true?"
         "I am afraid so, Piman. I have already contacted the members of the board both here and in San Francisco. I have also contacted my lawyer and have advised all the board members to do the same. You and Annie need to contact your lawyers as well."
         "My son and I will also be in contact with our lawyers as well. Hideaki has a large stake in this. He could loose his fortune as well."
         "I was about to advise that, Mr. Asaba. Hopefully, the Mitsubishis will not take it that far. If it had not been for the tabloid coverage, there would be no Mitsubishis complaining."
         "I agree. Lets all get to the audience room. I am sure Annie and the rabble are waiting for us." Piman rose and started out of the room.
         "Yeah, hopefully we can get this stupid stuff done before lunch. Jeez I am starved. And, I want to see Annie. It is tough knowing she is a pagoda and not just a wall away."

         An eerie silence was over the large square room. The Mitsubishis occupied one side while the Niwashis, and a few board members occupied the opposing wall. They stared at each other hatefully.
         Piman and Annie sat to the right of the Mitsubishis, facing the center of the room.
         Hideaki and his father sat opposite, also staring towards the center.
         Annie could not help but curve her lips up slightly as she looked at Hideaki. She believed he was incredibly handsome in traditional clothes.
         Hideaki likewise had a calm, but cheerful look on his face. The sight of Annie in the indigo kimono and her hair up made him think of himself as the luckiest man on earth.
         "We are here to discuss the mar on our families' name due to these two children." The elder Mitsubishi spoke out. "We will have this matter settled."
         "You are false, Mr. Mitsubishi. You are using this as an excuse to fill your coffers. You and your family have not acknowledged your relationship to the Takishiro clan before, yet now you do so. The Takishiros, of which I am a cousin to, closer than your relation to them, believe you are wanting to line your pockets." Tanaka spoke against the accusation.
         "These two children are involved in a lewd public relationship. It soils any name that is related to the Takishiro, including yours, Niwashi."
         "These two are engaged to be married. They planned to wait until both were out of high school before taking their vows." Piman piped up.
         "You were not given leave to speak."
         "I am the last of the Takishiros other than the disowned Senyo. I have every right to speak, Mitsubishi. I say it is Senyo that is the cause of all of the shame."
         "Quite right." Tanaka continued." He dishonored himself by forcing himself on his daughter. Annie only sought comfort from the only one she could trust, Hideaki Asaba."
         "She trusts my son because he proved trustworthy to her." Mr. Asaba pulled the chain with the split coin out from beneath Hideaki's shirt. It could be seen clearly across Hideaki's chest. "His intentions are clear. Because of both of their notorieties, they planned to keep their plans out of public knowledge. Senyo ruined all of that."
         "Yes, yes. You see. They have already given betrothal gifts." Piman said as he pulled the chain with Annie's half of the split coin was in clear view. "As for the match, you may try to blame me. I made the contract for them if you want to see it."
         "I do, Takishiro."
         "I have it here, Mitsubishi. As you can see, it was signed months before their relationship became public. It has the signatures of Piman and Mr. Asaba." Niwashi stepped forward and presented Mitsubishi with the papers. "As you can see, this was all arranged before. The Asaba have a thriving accounting firm. Over the last three years, it has grown considerably. Many high ranking families trust him and his small company. The Takishiro thought it best to complete that trust, since Asaba has been handing the accounts of smaller companies, under Singing Sun's protection, for the last year and a half. The addition of Hideaki's art career also helped in this decision. They are formally betrothed, so no shame comes from this."
         Mitsubishi looked over the paperwork and frowned. He and most of his family stood up. "We are leaving. Takishiro, be prepared. This is far from over."
         "Fucking greedy bastards." Annie spouted as soon as the accusers left the room.
         "Watch your mouth, Annie."
         A young woman and a girl stood up from where they were sitting. "Oh Piman, this is all my fault. I should not have returned your invitation for Christmas. If I had not agreed to come, this would have not happened."
         "Shh, Narasu. This is no fault of you or Aoi. Your in-laws are just greedy."
         "Um, excuse me, but who is this, Piman?"
         "Let me introduce you, Hideaki. This is my stepsister, Narasu Soryu Mitsubishi. We are not related by blood, but the Mitsubishis are making the tie an issue."
         "My real father arranged the marriage between me and my dead husband. I chose to honor it, even though Papa Takishiro told me I did not have to. This is my daughter, Aoi."
         "What a dishonorable and distasteful thing to do!"
         "You are right, Mr. Asaba. I am very embarrassed by my in-laws."
         "Enough of this. Lets go into the dining hall and start the festivities. We will forget this entire matter until they bring it up again."
         "Um, Uncle Piman. Before we do, can you explain why Hideaki and I have a marriage contract?"
         "I can explain that." Mr. Asaba broke in. "When I looked over the rental agreement, I noticed a stipulation about the house. The stipulation is that if a renter stays for more than three months, the renter must be a family member. It was once one house. Hikari Takishiro, and Piman's father, Tomoaki, were both born there. They own the park too. That is why the city planners have not been able to get their hands on it. So, Piman and I drew up the marriage contract to meet the requirement for Hideaki to live there. We never intended either of you to fall in love or to honor it. It was just a technicality. One, fortunately, may save Singing Sun from being taken over by the Mitsubishis."
         "Clever, dad."
         "Even so, you two should keep your distance from each other this week."
         "Dad!"
         "He is right, Hideaki. Even though you and my cousin are very amorous towards each other, it will do us no good if you flaunt it. More than one of the Mitsubishi retainers are going to be staying here to supposedly look after Narasu and Aoi. I expect they are more likely to spy on your activities."
         "But uncle Piman, that is an entire two weeks!"
         "I know, but we must be careful. The old man is a crafty badger. He can be ruthless."
         "But the festivities don't start until the end of the week." Lisa whined, "What are we all to do until then?"
         "Hideaki will spend time with Tanaka, his father and myself. Narasu, Aoi and the rest of you women will spend your time together. That is why I Had the men and women in seperate buildings on the property, except for Tanaka and Yoshi , who have the rooms that connect the two buildings. In order to keep the Mitsubishi's at bay, we must do it this way."
         "I understand but I don't have to like it." Annie stomped out of the room.
         "Piman, I have an idea of something that might help us. Do you have a fax machine here?"
         "Yes, Mr. Asaba. Why?"
         "I will tell you once it is done."


        The first evening of the week long celebration was somber. Everyone sat at the table and ate their cakes in silence.
         The head of the Mitsubishi family chose to send his grandson to observe the Takishiros.
         Annie and Hideaki hated the intrusion the most. It meant that they could not be seen alone together at all.
         Piman tried to make the best of things. "I hope that we can enjoy this time, despite the rude intrusion."
         "The Mitsubishis have no right to threaten to take Signing Sun. After all, Koeda Niwashi formed the company long before she married into the Takishiros." Tanaka gave a hard look at the two young men at the far end of the long table. "That is why Annie inherits the company instead of Piman."
         "How are you related to my grandmother? She never told me that you were related. I should have guessed because of her maiden name, but I never made the connection."
         "She was my father's second cousin. Forgive me if all of the Japanese politics bother me, Annie. My part of the family has lived in San Francisco for the last two generations."
         "Ah ha!" Hideaki piped up, "That explains the American accent."
         "Yep. I was born in Oakland, and so was my father. It is a nice place, mostly. You should visit there this summer. I am sure Annie would love to show you around."
         "That would not be proper. " The Mitsubishi man said suddenly. "The Takishiros are fifth cousins to the Emperor. It would dishonor his esteemed majesty."
         "I did not get your name, sir. If you insist on intruding on our family celebration, you should at least give us the honor of your name."
         "I am called Reiji. Your honor involves my family, whether you like it or not. I am here to make sure you do not soil the reputation of the Lady Narasu and Lady Aoi."
         "Sure you are, Reiji. I may be young, but I can spot a lie. You disagree with your grandfather as much as we do."
         Reiji let out a sigh. "Perhaps I do, Lady Annie, but I was still sent here to keep an eye on things."
         "Enough talk of this. It is time to give the first gifts. Since I am the elder, and this is my house, I will go first. Come, lets go in the living room. "
         Hideaki stood up and held out his arm . Piman had told him a bit about the Takishiro family traditions. "I will escort the Lady Aoi and Lady Lisa into the living room."
         Piman smiled, stood and held out his arms. "I will escort the Lady Yoshi."
         "But sir! Shouldn't I..."
         "This is our way, Reiji. It is a token of goodwill. It helps to let everyone get acquainted. You escort the Lady Chihiro."
         "I will escort the Lady Annie" Mr. Asaba stood and smiled. "As she is to be my daughter in law."
         "That leaves the Lady Narasu for me to gladly escort. Come now, Reiji. Hold out your arm for my daughter. She will not bite you."
         "Are you sure this is proper, Mister Niwashi"
         "Perfectly. Relax and enjoy yourself. This is no time to be stuffy."
         "Very well."

         Piman walked over to the tree and pulled out a basket of gifts from beneath it. "Everyone sit in a circle. As per our family tradition, I present one present to the lady I escorted here. In turn, she may accept it or trade it with the next lady to her right. One rule, she must decide before she opens the gift. I do not know what is in each of the boxes. The next gentleman to the left of me gets to present the next present, and so on. The process is reversed with the ladies taking a gift from the basket and presenting it to me. It is a game, you see. "
         "That sounds like fun."
         "It is very fun, Hideaki. A very good way to start good conversation, as you will see when the first gift is opened." Anne tried not to snicker. She knew Piman had not warned anyone outside the family of this particular tradition.
         "Lady Yoshi Niwashi, will you accept the first gift or pass it to the next lady?"
         "I will take the gift, Piman." Yoshi opened the small package. Inside was a small key chain with a little flashlight attached to it. Beside the key chain was a note. "What have you found the most enlightening this year? Hm. I believe it is the way Chihiro has grown to be so much like me, but smarter in some ways. She surprises me every day."
         "Very good, now the next gentleman."
         "Hideaki offered the next gift to Chihiro. "Lady Chihiro Niwashi, will you accept this gift or pass it to the next lady?"
         "I think I will pass this one to Lady Lisa Niwashi."
         Lisa opened the gift and blushed. The key chain in this was attached to a luck Buda. "What is the luckiest thing that happened this year? Well, coming here for Christmas was the luckiest thing. I have met the handsomest man I have ever seen. Perhaps father will have the chance to marry me off before I turn twenty two."
         Everyone laughed.
         "Lisa, if you remember, Hideaki is taken."
         "I wasn't speaking about Hideaki" Lisa looked at Reiji and smiled slightly.
         Reiji unsuccessfully fought off a blush.
         Since Chihiro passed on her gift, she had to take the gift offered by Mr. Asaba."
         "Hmm, a bell. What spiritual discovery have you made this year? I learned that prayers really are answered. I so wanted to spend Christmas with Annie."
         Reiji offered the next gift to Annie. She took it, and smiled once she opened it. This key chain was a small mirror. "What have you changed about yourself this year? That's easy. I learned to look at men as something other than wolves, so I decided to be nicer. Hideaki loves my nice side as much as my mean one."
         The gift giving went around until all of the ladies had a keychain and had talked a little about what they had done.
         Piman took the men's gift basket from under the tree and handed it to Narasu." My sister shall start the gifts for the gentlemen.
         The gentlemen's' key chains were more humorous than the polite ones the ladies had received.
         The funniest reaction of all was when Reiji opened his. His key chain was a smiley face sticking out it's tongue.
         "What outrageous thing have you done this year that you should not have, but still made you feel satisfied. (Nothing lewd please.) Well, I um. I told my father I was going to buy a new jacket, and I went kareokeing with my friends instead. I have never done something so shameful before. My grandfather would have my head if he found out!" The longer Reiji spoke, the redder his face got.
         "Kareoke isn't a crime."
         "Lady Lisa. I am almost twenty five. I have never done much of anything without specific instruction from my father or grandfather."
         "Oh how dull! Now Lisa, give that poor guy a kiss, so he knows what he is missing."
         "Lady Annie! Not now, I can't.. "
         Laughter filled the room.
         "It is nearly time to go to the village for the festivities. Let's all go back to our rooms and freshen up."

         The Mitsubishis were waiting for the Takishiros and their guests. The Mitsubishis wanted to make absolutely sure that Annie and Hideaki minded their manners in public.
         They were shocked to see Lisa Niwashi on Reiji Mitsubishi's arm. They were horrified at the casual manner that he was laughing and conversing with the girl.
         "Ah, there you are father. I want you to meet Lady Lisa Niwashi."
         "Do not overstep your bounds with such prattle. You were told to keep an eye on Lady Annie and her paramour, not play with the Niwashi girl."
         "But father.."
         "I have a full compliment of escorts for the festivities. I trust you will not embarrass the family as your cousin has."
         "I will not father."
         "Now go on and enjoy yourself. Just be discreet."
         "Yes father."
         Two men in traditional servant clothes followed closely behind Lisa and Reiji. Several other men dressed similarly fanned out, Mirroring the movements of the Niwashi, Asaba, Takishiro, and Mitsubishi family members.
         Grandfather Mitsubishi looked down from his fancily decorated cart to frown at Reiji. He caught his son's sleeve and whispered in his ear. "I do not like the way your son, Reiji has handled himself since he came from the Takishiro residence. I warn you to keep control of this son, not let him run wild like you did the other."
         "Saito is doing very well in the United States."
         "Saito ran from his family obligations."
         "I can not deny that, but he will come home. Saito will tire of the foreign land and come home when his money runs out."
         "You had best hope he does. I do not wish for him to bring a foreign taint into the family, like your cousin Senyo did. I want no more blonde-haired Americans to shame our esteem. I told Senyo he should have left the chit instead of marrying her, but that Niwashi mother of his had too much influence over him."
         "Father, are saying that it was you that helped Senyo arrange for his wife's demise?"
         "I say nothing. Senyo succumbed to the his American fueled perversions. He should have let his daughter be and be done with it."
         "I can not agree with your methods, father."
         "I did not ask you to. But you will obey me. Senyo promised the Takishiro fortune to us, through a marriage contract. The contract between Lady Annie and that artist is a farce. Her contract to Reiji is still binding, and I will do all in my power to enforce it."
         "Yes father."

         Annie giggled riotously as she aimed the baseball at the stack of jars. "See, Hideaki! I will win that stuffed tiger yet!"
         "Why won't you let me win it for you?"
         "I don't want to put you out more than you need be."
         Hideaki looked very handsome in his indigo silk ghi and black haori overcoat. The sleeves and the hem of the coat were embroidered in yellow and brown leaves. A purple sash adorned his waist and helped to keep the his black hakima in place.
         Annie wore an Kimono with a light blue obi. The purple silks were woven with images of autumn blooming flowers.
         "I will put out all you want if you let me." Hideaki leaned over and nibbled Annie's ear.
         "I believe some of my lewd behavior is rubbing off on you. Ouch!"
         Hideaki accidentally bit into Annie's earlobe when one of the chaperones provided by Mitsubishi whacked him on the shoulder with a stick.
         Hideaki whirled around, causing Annie to lose her balance as she tossed the baseball at the target. The ball hit the man who was running the game, causing him to yell profusely and order her away from the amusement.
         "Fuck, fuck and double fuck! Hideaki, what is the matter with you?"
         "You had better ask those stupid bodyguards Mitsubishi has following us."
         Annie was in a rage. She kicked and hit and spit at the two men who were following them around. "Don't you putrid fucks have something better to do than tag behind us? We are in public you goddamn stupid ass holes! Lord Hideaki and I just want to have a little fun and you pukes have to try and ruin it! Well I refuse to play your game!"
         The two guards started fighting back, trying to get their hands on Annie and restrain her.
         "Annie! Quit fighting! You are going to land us both in holding cells." Hideaki screamed.
         Annie knees one of the guards in the nuts while taking the stick from his hands. She used the stick to jab the other guard in the face.
         Hideaki joined the fight. He punched the one who was doubled over, sending the guard spiraling to the ground. He grabbed Annie firmly by the arm and headed into the crowd. "Lets get out of here. You started a riot."
         "That way, into those trees!"
         "Where do they lead?"
         "Further into the park."
         Hideaki and Annie rushed into the brush and left the festival behind.
         Before they were completely out of earshot Annie yelled. "Gnak you loose! Thanks for playing!"

       &nbs p; "Where in the hell are they!!" Grandfather Mitsubishi yelled at the top of his lungs as he whacked every retainer of his he could find with his cane.
         "Father! Please control yourself. The police will think you started this riot."
         "You forget your place, Kwan. You are my son. You must obey me!"
         "Reiji and the Niwashi girl are also missing." One of the retainers said as he iced down a black eye.
         "Kwan! I thought you just told me that Reiji would be obedient!"
         "Father, he must have taken the girl to safety. We must get away from here, the fighting in the crowd is getting out of hand."
         "Yes. You had best find that Takishiro whore, The lowborn artist, and your son after this mess dies down. Once done, immediately report to me. I am tired. I am going home."
         The old man hit a cane against the backs of his two servants who pulled the cart. "Take me to my car."
         "Kwan Mitsubishi! Where is my nieces!" Piman yelled as he ran up to the flustered man.
         "I do not know, we are looking. Are Lady Narasu and Lady Aoi safe?"
         "Yes. they are with my cousin, his wife, and his daughter, Chihiro. His older daughter, the Lady Lisa, and the Lady Annie are still missing. As are Lord Reiji and Lord Hideaki."
         "Don't dare to give that lowborn a title."
         "It has already been given. The Emperor took a liking to some of his artwork. His Highness was going to withhold his favor until a copy of their betrothal agreement was faxed to him."
         "Clever Piman. You may just beat my father at this stupid game yet."
         "There is Reiji and Lisa!"
         "Reiji! Where in the hell were you?"
         "I hid Lady Lisa behind the south wall to the park. Over by the dumpling stand. We were eating when the fight broke out."
         "Piman, where is Annie?"
         "I don't know."
         "Well, I am betting that she had something to do with riot."
         "Lets go, Reiji. You have lipstick on your sleeve and you missed a spot on your cheek."
         "Uh, father."
         "I won't say anything, but you have to help me find Lady Annie and Lord Hideaki."
         "Lord Hideaki?"
         "I will explain later. Piman, get Lady Lisa out of here."

         "Lets sit down. Under this tree. It is freezing out here."
         "Do you know where we are?"
         "No idea."
         "Well Annie, I see you are also a master at getting us lost. We have been walking around for over an hour , according to my watch."
         "You look good in that outfit."
         "Well, Piman though it was best. Since I am titled now and all."
         "I am surprised that the Emperor likes your artwork."
         "It has gotten better since I found my muse. You look like an angel in that kimono, and if you notice, the colors match the colors of my outfit."
         "I think Piman arranged it that way so no one could mistake who's girl I was. Lord Hideaki. Fall flowers and leaves, in honor of your name."
         "Here, snuggle up to me. We will freeze if we don't"
         "You just want to touch me because you haven't even been allowed to hold my hand for a week."
         Hideaki rubbed his nose against hers and smirked. "That among other things."
         "Are you going to kiss me, or are you just going to sit there teasing me?"
         Hideaki pulled her closer and covered her mouth. Softly at first. He deepened the kiss when Annie responded.
         After a few moments he pulled away from her. The heat of their breath making fog in the cold air.
         "If I don't stop right now, I will have you out that kimono in ten seconds."
         "What is so wrong with that? I have missed you so bad, even if we were only a building away from each other all week."
         "Because if we don't find our way out of this park, we could freeze to death."
         "I would be happy to die in your arms."
         "You are half frozen and it is messing with your brain. Come on, Annie. Let's walk around a bit to keep the blood circulating."
         The two stood and started walking down an overgrown path.
         "I didn't know you were a boy scout."
         "I'm not, but Soichiro has been my best friend for a while. He has always blabbed on about all kinds of first aid stuff. Man, it is cold." He looked up. "Shit. It looks like a storm is blowing in. How big is this park anyway?"
         "Pretty fucking big." Annie chattered out , "About a kilometer or more square, I think."
         "You can't be serious!"
         "Yeah, unfortunately I am. If we can find the river or that grotto I read about in one of Piman's books, we should be able to make it out okay."
         "You mean you have never been here?"
         "Yes, well, no. Not hiking around through the brush like this."
         "Come here." Hideaki pulled her into his arms.
         Annie put her arms around his neck and her head on his shoulder. "If we don't find the right footpath, we really could die."
         "Yeah. We really could die. It is gonna snow again, and there is still snow on the ground from the last storm."
         "I am tired. All the sleepless nights, knowing you were not as close as before. All the excitement of the festival, all the running from those Mitsubishi goons. I am so tired."
         "I know. You are right. Your arms are where I want to die. Perhaps we can just drift away in each other's arms."
         A booming sound filled the air.
         "They are lighting the fireworks, Annie. Man, look! I did not realize we were that far from the festival."
         As the lights lit up the sky, Annie looked up. In the dim light she saw something behind Hideaki. She pushed herself from his arms and ran over to what she saw.
         "What is it, Annie?"
         "A shrine cave. Part of the wooden roof over the entrance has caved in, which is why we did not see it."
         Hideaki rushed into the tiny cave behind Annie. Any shelter was better than none with a storm rolling in.
         Annie found the offering altar and brushed away the old leaves and debris covering it.
         "There is an oil pot here, and it feels like it still has oil. Do you still have the matches and sparklers I put in your pocket while I was at the ball toss booth?"
         "You put matches in my pocket? Why didn't you tell me before. We could have made a campfire."
         "Just check your pockets and quit whining."
         Hideaki pulled the box of matches from his pocket and sighed. "Let see if that is lamp oil and not just stale water."
         He lit the lamp in the altar. The lamp lit and cast light along the tiny cave, showing colorful, but neglected paintings on the walls.
         Annie looked at the paintings and gave a chuckle as she warmed her hands over the flame.
         "What's so funny?"
         "Look at the carvings and paintings. This is a lover's cave. It is where couples came to pray to stay together."
         "Well lets snuggle, kiss and pray. Maybe this place still has a little magic left."
         They inched their way around the debris to a spot behind the altar that was farthest from the door.
         Hideaki and Annie sat down on some dried leaves and branches. It was better than sitting on bare cold stone.
         "Hold me, Hideaki. Let me die in your arms."
         "We have a better chance of living, now."
         "I don't care. I just need you to hold me. I am still so cold."
         Hideaki pulled her tightly into his arms and squeezed her tight. He did not want to frighten her any more than she already was. He was just as scared as she was, but having her in his arms made him feel a little better.
         "Make love to me one more time before we die."
         "And what about if we are found? It would not be good ."
         "I don't care, Hideaki. I don't care about those assholes and their stupid politics. I would rather those pukes find our bodies, dead or alive, in each others arms, peacefully sated from our love.
         Hideaki chuckled. "You know, if it was not for your bad language, that would sound romantic."
         "Really?"
         "Uh huh." He murmured out. He stopped her from saying anything more with a searing kiss.
         "My lord needs his lady's comfort."
         "Love me, Annie."