Sensual Phrase Fan Fiction / Red River Fan Fiction / Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ 4 People 8 Problems ❯ Chapter 4

The deafening music sent vibrations spiraling down the girls' bones. Though the four best friends could have fun anywhere they went together, the fact that La Notte was one of the hottest night clubs around improved that.

"Where's Rae? I haven't seen her yet." Kiara looked around in search for their friend. She wore a sky blue halter dress that swung loosely mid-thigh in a balloon fashion. The back dipped, revealing most of her back, and Fuji couldn't stop staring at the V-neck front of the outfit... Fuji was a tall, handsome guy of about 23 years old, with shaggy light blue hair and beautiful blue eyes. He wasn't quite muscular, though the infinite amount of tennis he played as a profession made him strong and lean.

"I don't know; she said she'd be here soon. I'll text her." Mayuki supplied, comfortable with Sakuya's arm around her shoulders. Sakuya was the tallest of the girls' boyfriends, with jet black hair that stopped short at his ears, and the clearest blue eyes imaginable. Despite his obviously desirable sex appeal that could allow him to have any girl he chose, Sakuya kept his eyes only on one girl; May. She had on a knee-length body-tight strapless dress that was styled with a light green bodice and a black strap right below her bosom. She whipped out her maroon EnV2 and her fingers flew across the small keypad. Yori already had a good retort ready for use, but after what Rachel had done for her that day, she decided she would lay off for at least tonight. Tomorrow, she could make fun of her all she wanted. Pleased with that idea, she tucked some of her short dark hair behind her ear and looked around at the others. She was wearing a tight, hip-hugging black pencil-skirt that reached her knees and a black corset with a purple trim. Yori felt a bit uneasy about tonight. Nana's friend 'Yuki' was running a bit late, and she felt her stomach churn queasily as she waited. Everyone else seemed to be having a good time -- except Kiara, for her concern over Rachel -- so, thinking over why the youngest of the group wasn't here yet, Miyori left, unnoticed, to the front, an idea already in execution mode.

Meanwhile, Rae was at La Notte's entrance, stopped from entering by the gargantuan security guard wearing ominous black parked there. She wore the shortest possible denim jeans -- her legs were covered with glossy black stiletto boots with a bright red sequined halter top. The attention she grabbed from everyone could've been half the reason why she had been caught and held back.

"Now listen up here, buddy, I am NOT a minor! I've been legal for a good 3 years now!" Her eyes were fit to burst with fury.

"Really?" The guard asked dully. "Then show the ID, miss." His arms were still crossed, as though he wasn't ready to budge anytime soon.

"How many times do I have to tell you, I left it at my office where I work as an RN!" She had made up the excuse, knowing that she had no ID, and hoping that the RN bit would convince him that she actually was older than she was.

"Then I'm sorry but, you can't get in." He didn't seem at all sorry about this. Rae was practically throwing fire at him with her eyes.

"Um, excuse me?" Rae was surprised to see Miyori tap on the security's shoulder. Rachel missed the way his hard gaze softened respectfully as he realized who it was, but did notice Yori whispering to him. Then, after the guard turned back to look at her --- with a considerably more respectful gaze at that --- he moved aside, and let her pass. Rae, stunned into silence, glanced suspiciously at him as she passed by, as though wondering if this was all just a trap and he would take out a gun and shoot her any time soon.

"Uh, thanks." She mumbled to Yori (more like shouted, because of the loud music). "How did you get him to let me in? I'm not really 21, you know." She would be 21 in December -- just a few short months.

"Yeah, I know." Yori replied, but she left it at that. It didn't seem that she had to explain anyway, or that Rae would listen, because as soon as she stepped in, Rachel spotted her boyfriend Ramses entering the night club from the backdoor entrance, and ran into his arms.

"Well so much for that." Yori said with a dry tone, though glad she didn't have to explain herself to Rae.

"Indeed. People these days can be quite rude! But I guess you can't blame her. She looks quite in love with her boyfriend, don't you think?"

"Excuse me?" Yori, surprised by the unfamiliar male voice, had turned with an irritated gaze toward a tall and lean man with long hair the color of her own, and deep chestnut brown eyes. He looked young, but old enough to be her senior --- perhaps 24 or so ---, wearing a black and formal long-sleeved shirt with jeans that hugged his narrow waist, and black and silver Jordans adorned his feet. The long black tresses that would've easily tumbled over his shoulders were tied back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. He would've seemed the classy, untouchable type of guy if not for his face; his beautiful eyes sparked with charismatic easiness, surrounded by laugh lines, and his lips were pulled up in a sincere smile. Social vibes radiated off of him. Which annoyed Yori even more; he definitely looked like the type who would butt -- uninvited -- into conversations.

"Your friend. She seems to have just brushed you off." He shrugged kindly, that smile still on his face.

Yori felt a weird twinge in her chest she knew must've been annoyance, frowning at him and then ignoring him completely as she walked away.

"Whoa, talk much?" He frowned slightly at her reaction, but followed with still a trace of the former smile. "Don't tell me you're rude too..."

Yori stopped and turned on him again, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm not the one suddenly responding to people who aren't addressing me." She waited for his answer, challenging him with her expression. Yori watched as he coolly stuffed his hands into his jean pockets, and she felt that twinge again. Something was sexy about the way he did that. Her eyes widened the slightest bit at her thought. 'What am I thinking? He's probably the perfect example of someone I don't want to get involved with.'

"Well, I apologize then. I took you for a sensitive person... my bad." He shrugged with a quick quirk of his head, showing a sorry expression, then turning to leave.

"Wait"-- The stranger stopped, still turned away from her as a slow smile graced his angelic features. It seemed that he understood her reaction, but Yori definitely didn't, which pissed her off to no end.

"Yes?" He turned to face her, his sudden smile gone to reveal a feigned expression of nonchalance.

"Um," She had no idea why in her right mind she had stopped him in his tracks... Well, maybe she did; as much as she hated to admit it, she hadn't wanted him to leave, but for no reason that seemed to make sense. But now that she had stopped him, she had no idea what to say. "I... just wanted to let you know that I'm... not insensitive." She could've kicked herself for the lame response. Now why the heck did she say that? She had never felt a reason to make up lame excuses...

The stranger couldn't help but smile at her cute reaction, and Yori's cheeks warmed up. She almost gasped; that was a first. Her cheeks flamed up a bit more as the man said, "Well, that's good to know." He took a step closer to her, peering down into the fog of her grey eyes. "But, there's a difference between not being insensitive and being sensitive, isn't there?"

Yori was about to respond when Kiara interrupted their conversation none too graciously, bumping into the two with a strange smile. Though it was dark in the night club besides the colorful, flashing lights, Miyori could easily see that her friend was disoriented; her brown hair - which had previously been in an up-do that required a buffont up top and the rest let out - was now let loose, the knee-length strands strewn here and there, and the fair skin of her neck and upper chest were now dressed in fresh hickeys. The smell of liquor was faint on the 21-year-old, but then again, Nana had never been too tolerant of alcohol. She giggled giddily now, swaying slightly as she talked to them far too loudly, "Oh, you've met! Wonderful, wonderful! Have fun, you two!" And she was stumbling away.

"Wait, Nana." Yori gently took her arm, proving a support for the drunken brunette. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you two, duh!" And she giggled uncontrollably. Yori, worried, looked around for Fuji. "I'm glad you really like Yuki, Yori!" Miyori stared at Nana, surprised at her words. "Hahaha!" Kiara was giggling again, "That rhymes! Yuki... Yori! You better make me some cute nieces and nephews, guys!"

Miyori stared at the stranger who stood beside her in shock, who was staring back, just as surprised. '...This is Yuki?! I thought she said he was mature; what am I supposed to do with this delinquent?' Deciding not to dwell on such thoughts, Yori's gaze went back to Kiara... She had to get her to Fuji fast.

"Come on, Nana, let's go." She started dragging her further into the club.

"No, don't call me Nana. Kia will do!" She giggled, but then it stopped. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Fuji? That's who we're looking for." She hadn't dragged Kiara two feet away before the stranger she now knew as Yuki stopped her.

"I'll carry her." He offered, already gathering the small giggling woman into his arms. Yori shrugged, feeling that twinge again, but it was stronger. She decided to ignore it, instead scanning the dance floor for the light-brown head that she would have to tell off for leaving his own girlfriend unattended in such a state.

"No, not Fuji!" Kiara's slurred reflexes made her speech just a couple seconds late. "Him...ugh." She sloppily rubbed her forehead, struggling to remember his name. "That guy... at the mall today." Yori was already staring in shock at her revelation, but that turned into confusion. She decided to ignore it, hoping she wasn't speaking the truth. "He was so... cute..." Oh, that did it... Then Miyori found him. She yanked him from his path towards another end of the large, crowded room.

"There you are! Thank God!" His blue eyes revealed relief as he saw Kiara.

"She's drunk." Yori told him darkly. "How could you"---

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry." He ran a hand through his straight, silky hair. "I knew about the low-tolerance-for-alcohol thing, but I didn't think she would react so strongly to the Alizé. That was before I found out it was spiked with vodka, though, and she said she had to go to the bathroom, so I didn't suspect anything." His expression was ashamed as he took in his drunk girlfriend, but Yori's skeptical expression did not relent. "I'll take her home, okay?" He took Kiara from Yuki's arms, thanking both of them for finding her.

"She'll have a major hangover in a couple hours." Yori informed Fuji right before he left. "Make her a subway sandwich -- you know the kind she likes --, and put her to bed. Give her some slim tea in the morning." She stared him straight in the eye before adding, "I know this is none of my business, really, but since you let her get this way, the least you could do is not touch her tonight." She stared long enough for him to realize and understand the meaning beneath the words. When he nodded that he did, she handed him her car keys.

"Okay. Thanks, Yori." He smiled a small smile of gratitude despite his shame, and then left the night club with the keys to Yori's car in hand.

"Hmm. So you do have a heart." Yori's dim gaze of annoyance returned again as she faced Yuki.

Forcing a smile, she said, "Well, it was nice talking to you. Bye." And was headed anywhere away from him.

"Wait." He couldn't help but be surprised by the irony. He frowned for a sec, wondering if this had been her doing; he had tried to walk away from her, and now she was doing the same. She turned back to him reluctantly, and he shrugged. "It appears that you're my date for tonight." And he shoved his hands in his pockets again.

Yori frowned, wondering why the single gesture made her feel so weird. "Yeah, that might not work out so well... You're a bit different from what I was expecting, and I'm sure I'm not what you were expecting."

"I know from experience not to set my expectations too high." For the first time that night, his expression hardened, the carefree smile gone. Then it came back, a second later. Yori blinked, wondering what that was about; but then again, it had passed so quickly she wondered if it had actually happened. "But it's impossible to have everything you expect from life, so why not give things a try?" His smile widened, as though he knew what her answer would be. She imagined turning him down, just to wipe that smile off his face. Realizing how cynical that sounded, Yori shrugged, and took a couple steps closer to him, wondering how exactly he would clear things up.

Yuki glanced around the crowded club. "Let's go for a walk outside."

Yori pursed her lips, considering, and then shrugged again. She scanned the room, spotting Rae and Mayuki. She decided to be back soon, so as not to worry Mayuki; she and Rachel were even now, so the more she could bother the nuisance, the better. Yuki, marking her movements and deciding it was safe to pull her out of her thoughts, led her outside with his hand on the small of her back.

Yori, partially startled by the unexpected touch, turned to see him so close... a bit too close for comfort actually, but she ignored it until they were outside, then casually strode out of his grasp. She decided to let him do all the talking, but was surprised when -- a few minutes later -- he didn't say a word either as they walked farther and farther from La Notte. "Okay, so you bring me out here, and you say nothing?" She had cracked sooner than she would've expected, wondering why his silence bothered her so much.

"Right." He smirked and glanced at her. "I just wanted to see how long your silent treatment would last. I mean, one-sided conversations aren't that fun."

Yori halted in her steps, feeling shocked and trapped. No one had ever shocked her like that before. She felt the irritation she had felt ever since the first moment she saw him ignite to full-fledged anger. Her hands balled up in small fists, and she had to close her eyes for a few seconds. The club was far behind now -- not even visible from where they stood -- but she felt as though she could feel dull vibrations hit the soles of her feet still. The wind played with her hair as she focused on it.

"Have you ever been in love before?" Her eyes fluttered open and she took a step back, another shock rippling through her as she saw Yuki's dark orbs but a few inches away.

"Excuse me?" Her voice came out low from the control she had to use to keep it level.

"You seem... in turmoil. As though you're battling with yourself. And it seems that I'm bringing out this reaction." The corner of his mouth pulled up in a cute half-smile.

"Don't be ridiculous." She brushed aside the remark, walking ahead of him. What did that have to do with falling in love, anyway? "I'm in full control of my own reactions."

"No one can be in full control of their reactions, but you didn't answer my question." He came that much closer to her.

Yori hesitated. "That has nothing to do with you." She answered curtly, feeling trapped again.

"Hmm." He remarked, and she had this odd feeling, as though roles had been reversed and he was playing the psychologist card on her. "I'll take that as a no."

"What does that have to do with anything anyway?" She asked in a calmer, more vulnerable voice, looking at the floor as they kept walking, coming to a darker alley on their path.

"Well," he slowed his pace, then paused, Yori stopping alongside him, "I just wanted to confirm that you were new at this."

"New at what?" She brought her grey gaze to his, bemusement clouding them considerably.

Yuki was just a breath away from her, his eyes serious for the first time with her. "New at falling in love... with me." Yori mentally rolled her eyes, automatically rejecting the idea. After all, it was impossible. Absolutely impossible. She had spent 21 years of her life with pristine control over her feelings and emotions; sure, she had had her share of relationships and all that, but ending them had always been as easy as starting them, and never had she felt anything out of the ordinary with her exes. But this guy -- Yuki -- he was... different. It almost scared her.

"That's... absolutely absurd." Her voice had only trailed off for that instant because Yuki had come impossibly closer, his hand reaching out to gently touch her cheek. Lost in the sea of feelings the act triggered, Yori had forgotten to flinch, or move away from him, as she normally would with anyone who came too close. But she went on with her half-hearted, nearly dull protests. "...I don't fall in love." The statement had probably been meant to be kept as a thought, but, disconnected as she was from reality, Yori had probably forgotten so.

"Then tell me how you feel about this..." His calm gaze was lost in the chaotic clouds of grey her eyes proved to be as her pulse quickened and her cheeks warmed in anticipation. His head dipped down, and their lips touched for a fleeting moment. Yuki pulled back to look into her eyes again, but Yori surprised herself by returning the kiss, capturing his soft lips before they could get away. Yuki couldn't hold back the smirk, even as they kissed...

Yori's mind was reeling. She realized then that the twinges that she had felt when looking at him before were not irritation, but something more like... love. Her habits kicked the thought out of her mind again. Miyori resolved that she was not --- yet, at least --- in love, but that this was the closest she had ever been to it.