Red Strings ¦¦ Chishiya Shuntarou x OC

Sixth String

Looking over to where Kurenai and Chishiya were sat in the cafeteria, Honoka frowned deeply. Instead of eating her lunch, she was staring at her phone.

There was not a lot of information on Kurenai on the internet, surprisingly.

Chuya Kurenai, born on 10 August, was the only daughter and eldest child of Chuya Atsushi. Besides losing her mother at a young age, nothing else was known about her childhood. She graduated Kyoto University with an MBA, and was apparently a piano virtuoso though she did nothing with either.

After she found nothing else on Kurenai, Honoka looked up the clothes she was wearing. Those were much easier to find than information on Kurenai herself. She was wearing a pair of Alexander McQueen heels that cost more than Honoka's rent for the entire year. Her dress was a Vera Wang original, especially designed for Kurenai.

How was Honoka supposed to compete with someone of that calibre?

She looked over to the two again, frowning a little. Why was Chishiya talking to Kurenai when he always ignored her? What was it about Kurenai?

"So why do you want to be a doctor?" Kurenai asked, stirring her cup of coffee before taking a sip. She made a face, putting the cup down and pushed it away.

"My father's a doctor too," Chishiya said. "He was always busy with work, so I thought if I became a doctor too, I'd understand him better. I still don't understand though."

For some reason, Chishiya told her the truth.

Whenever someone asked why he became a doctor, he always gave a generic answer. His father was a doctor too, he was simply following after his footsteps. Or, he did not know what else to do and his grades were good enough, so he naturally chose the medical route.

But he did not want to lie to Kurenai, for whatever reason he did not know.

"Miss Chuya, sorry to interrupt," the director said, approaching them. "Would you like to continue with the second half of the tour?"

"Sure," she smiled, getting up, and looked back at Chishiya. "Come on then, Shuntarou."

"Actually, the medical students will not be joining us for the rest of the tour. They have to do their rounds."

Kurenai frowned and pouted, tapping Chishiya on the nose before leaving with the director. Chishiya smiled, laughing softly to himself.

For a moment, however, he stopped and frowned. Did he just laugh?

--

"Thank you so much for coming and touring our hospital, Miss Chuya. Please let your father know that we are forever grateful for his donations."

"Of course. I'll let my father know that you are putting his money to good use. There's no need to see me off, I know you must be very busy."

"In that case, please be careful on your way out, Miss Chuya."

With one last bow, the director left Kurenai.

She dropped her smile instantly, massaging her cheeks. The entire time on the way, she kept a fake smile on her face, nodding her head every so often at whatever he said though she did not hear a single word. To be honest, he was entertaining her just as she was entertaining him. Neither of them wanted to be there, they were simply putting an act just to please the other.

Walking through the hospital by herself, Kurenai was looking around when she spotted someone by a nurse station. Disregarding the fact that he was working, she crept up behind Chishiya and covered his eyes.

"Guess who~"

"Kurenai."

"Hm...I like the way you say my name."

Coming up to the nurse's station, Honoka was about to consult with Chishiya when she saw Kurenai with him. She bit her bottom lip in frustration, watching them. It really hurt to see them together because while she hated to admit it, they really did look great together.

"Have you finished the tour? Are you leaving now?"

"Honestly, that tour was a waste of my time," Kurenai sighed. "And I didn't get to see you for the later half. What a shame." Checking the time on her phone, she sighed once more. She had somewhere else to be, and she would be late if she did not leave now. She held her hand out, indicating for something. "Your phone."

Although a little confused, Chishiya reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out, handing it over to Kurenai. She dialled a number, and her own phone started ringing.

"This is my number, save it," she said, handing his phone back. "There's a Russian ballet company coming to Japan soon, and they'll be performing my favourite, The Nutcracker. Would you like to go with me?"

"Sure."

"I'll call you."

Hugging the clipboard, Honoka could not help but feel the anger boiling in here. Just that morning, she asked Chishiya out to the same ballet. His exact response was, 'Why would I watch another ballet?'. Yet here he was, saying yes to Kurenai. Why?!

"Excuse me, Miss Chuya. We're working right now, and there's no phones allowed in the hospital."

"And you are?" Kurenai asked.

"Hara Honoka."

"Hm, Honoka-chan...cute."

While her words were nice, her tone was a little condescending. Since the tour that morning, whenever Kurenai looked behind her, she would catch this woman glaring at her. It was rather obvious that she had a crush on Chishiya and saw Kurenai as a rival. Not that Kurenai considered her as one.

"Bye, Shuntarou," Kurenai smiled, wiggling her fingers at him as she walked off.

--

"Mr. Chuya is in a video call meeting right now, please wait right here, Miss Chuya."

After the hospital visit, Kurenai came to her father's office. It was never a good thing to be called here by her father. The last time she was called to meet him at the office, he told her that she was not allowed to attend Imperial College because she would outshine her brother.

Though, if she had a choice, she would not come here out of her own will either. It always felt suffocating.

"Miss Chuya, Mr. Chuya is ready for you now."

Nodding thanks to her father's secretary, Kurenai walked up to the door and knocked before walking in. Her father was sat behind his desk, not even glancing in her direction since his attention was on the documents in front of him.

"Father."

"Explain yourself."

There was only one thing he could be talking about: Morita Ichiro.

The second she left Ichiro by himself at the ballet, she knew this day would come. It was only a matter of when. Morita Corporations was a long time partner of Chuya Group's, after all. Her father had always been looking for a way to strengthen their bond, and what better use of his daughter?

"I accompanied Morita Ichiro to the ballet as instructed by you, father."

Getting up, Atsushi walked around the desk. He stood in front of Kurenai, and suddenly slapped her across the face. "As instructed by me? Morita Ichiro is to be your future husband, whether you like it or not. Did you think your mother and I loved each other? If it were not beneficial to either of our family, do you think we would have gotten married?"

"Isn't that why she killed herself?"

"What did you just say?"