off limits | petalz

11

A/N: since i forgot to do kkura pov last chapter, here you go and sorry about that lol

After the hospital visit, Sakura sat next to Kazuha as she drove them back to her brother's house in silence.

Sakura wasn't quite sure what to think of Kazuha yet. She seemed kind enough, reliable, smart, and a good friend. When Yunjin had seemed down for some reason, Kazuha had become fiercely protective, accompanying her to the bathroom. However, when it came to matters regarding Sakura and Kento, she became... strange. Cagey. Distant, almost.

Like now.

It had started raining on the way back, and as Kazuha drove, fat raindrops pattered gently and methodically against the car windows. The windshield wipers slid back and forth, clearing a triangular space that Sakura could see the whole highway out of. The silence was choking, almost, and the drone of the rain did nothing to break it.

Sakura chanced a sideways look at Kazuha, and the younger girl looked pensive, her lips tightly pursed and her eyes laser-focused on the road ahead. Her knuckles were white on the steering wheel, and her jawline was locked. Sakura's eyes followed the clear curve of Kazuha's jaw, up to the distinct brown of her eyes and the smoothness of her monolids, the gentle point of her nose, down her lips all the way back to Kazuha's tensed hands on the wheel.

Kazuha was a work of art. Sakura admired her for a few more moments, then sighed, breaking the silence, because no matter how nice Kazuha looked, she was angry and cold for some reason, and Sakura needed to know why.

"What's wrong?"

Kazuha looked up, startled, her eyes jumping furtively. "I... don't know what you mean, Sakura."

Sakura sighed, looking out the window. "Every time I bring up Kento or it's just us, you get so cagey and cold. Do you not like me? Is that it? But I'm not sure about that, because you really have been nice to me. But sometimes you're not, and we're going to be staying alone together for the next few days. I don't want this- whatever this is- to become a barrier between us, if I'm going to become a constant in your life."

A beat passed, and Kazuha shook her head, her long, dark straight hair falling over her gorgeous face. "I'm- I'm sorry. I've just been a little on edge, is all. I didn't expect this at all, and now that you're here, it's just... different. Not in a bad way. I'm not sure how to explain it."

Sakura exhaled in response, raising a finger to trace the cold window. Kazuha was on edge because she was here? Had Sakura been a negative topic of conversation in the Nakamura house before?

"Okay. I understand," Sakura said, sighing, and leaning her head back against the seat.

"No- no, that's not what I meant," Kazuha burst out suddenly, slapping the wheel. "Fuck. I'm awful with words. I always blurt out the wrong shit at the wrong time and it costs me. That's not what I meant at all, Sakura. It's not bad different at all. It's nice to live with someone who understands my family situation and doesn't mind being with me, and someone who's okay with visiting my odd circle of friends even though she has a job. So I'm thankful you're here."

Sakura blinked, staring at Kazuha. The car had stopped at a red light, and Kazuha had turned fully towards Sakura, staring her honestly in the eyes. It was then that Sakura realized exactly how deep Kazuha's dark eyes were, and how easily she could get lost in them, and how perfectly her monolids and skin tone accentuated her beautiful features...

Fuck, fuck, no. Sakura blinked again, more rapidly this time. "I'm... very glad to hear that. Except... if you're thankful I'm here, then what's the problem with Kento?"

Kazuha exhaled in one long breath, shaking her head and resuming the drive as the red light turned green. "I guess... seeing my brother having a girlfriend is a little weird. He's so busy with his job that it never really occurred to me that he could have that massive of an emotional capacity for love."

Sakura snorted, and the oddness of the situation led to her breaking out in giggles, uttering fractured words between her laughs. "You... you think your brother is so busy he can't love anyone?"

Kazuha shook her head again, sighing and banging her head on the wheel as they continued to drive. "Fuck, you see what I mean? I... are you laughing? I'm sorry..."

Sakura laughed and laughed, tossing her head back. Kazuha's sudden shyness was kind of adorable, she had to say. "No, no, it's a good thing, Zuha. I'm happy it's not anything negative. It's just the way you phrased it that it was funny."

Kazuha snorted, opening the car door. They'd arrived at Kento's house, and the two dashed through the pounding rain as Kazuha slammed the car door shut after Sakura. They ran together into the house, Sakura still giggling, and Kazuha sighing as they ran sopping wet past the screen doors and into the foyer.

Kazuha leaned back, tossing her wet jacket onto the coat hanger and taking Sakura's. Sakura blinked in surprise for a moment.

Kento had never taken her jacket. Was Kazuha being chivalrous?

"Oh. Shit. I have to check something on my computer," Sakura realized suddenly, and the moment was over. She bent down, scrambling for her bag, and flipped the computer open.

Kazuha bent down behind her, examining the screen.

Of course.

An empty battery signal, framed by a black screen, flashed obnoxiously back at Sakura.

"Fuck. Fuck!" Sakura exclaimed, and she could hear Kazuha exhale behind her, because Sakura never cursed. "I had a spreadsheet I needed to check. I needed to check it when I got back from the visit. I knew there was something I had to do. Dammit!"

Sakura buried her head in her hands, and a beat of silence passed until Kazuha laid a soft hand on Sakura's shoulder and said quietly, "Kento has a monitor upstairs. I know the password. I'm not supposed to use it, but... this is a special occasion, right?"

Sakura's head snapped up and she gazed into Kazuha's eyes, standing up, scrambling. "Yes, that would- that would be amazing. If you're sure it's okay?"

Kazuha shrugged. "I only ever see him emailing and doing work stuff on it, so it should be okay."

The two girls scrambled upstairs, and Kazuha opened the door to Kento's office. It was clean, untouched, the desk piled with papers and the bookshelves neatly organized by color. Kazuha darted to the monitor and keyed in a password. Sakura peered over her shoulder as Kazuha navigated to the web browser.

Something popped up on the screen that made Kazuha yelp and squeeze her eyes shut, but Sakura stare in complete, utter shock.

An email from someone named Hwayoung. An email that read, Last time was fun. I'm looking forward to seeing you at my place soon. An email that concluded with a photo of a woman in a tight, strapless dress, which Sakura suspected had made Kazuha squeeze her eyes shut.

A mix of emotions cascaded over Sakura all at once.

"I've been... corresponding with the hotel manager."

A name on a card Sakura had read, stuck in the pockets of Kento's bag.

PARK HWAYOUNG

CONRAD SEOUL HOTEL MANAGER

Just then, Kazuha turned to Sakura, her eyes wide with shock, and Sakura assumed she had finally opened her eyes to actually read the email. She opened her mouth and uttered the words Sakura had been thinking.

"That little shit."