Impending Devotion

Chapter Eighteen

That evening, Kei arrived back home rather late. It was practically half an hour past midnight when he came back. Sure, I couldn't sleep from worrying about him and I had prepared dinner for us when he would come back home. But what really worried me right now was his appearance.

Kei looked like he was doing a little 'gardening' late at night with a scary dead look on his face. The more scarier thing... Kei doesn't have a garden.

I tried to calmly ask, not daring to touch on why he was covered in soil, "Uhmm... Kei?" I gulped down nervously, but tried to look less scared, "Why'd you come home so late?"

He looked at me with his dead fish looking eyes and told me, "Yuiko... I don't want you going out of this house ever again."

I gasped, "Wh-What happened today?!"

"Ren kept talking about you and wouldn't shut up about it. I was afraid he might steal you from me one day or make you cry of how much a playboy he actually is, so I took him a little sightseeing to this one place and he got so attached to the ground after." a little evil smirk was then formed on his lips that actually sent shivers down my spine.

I gulped, "S-So why shouldn't I leave the house?"

"To prevent anyone else from gawking, talking, or even breathing in your surroundings."

"B-But Kei..." I pleaded.

"No buts. You are living under MY house, so you live under MY rules." he stated calmly, yet with an icy tone that got me scared stiff.

I then looked down in disappointment and depression. Kei sighed when he saw me like that and apologized before grabbing my arm and dragging me down the basement. He then just shoved me into my cell-like room and locked the cell door and the door up the stairs without telling me a goodnight or even looking at me.

I just felt really empty.

That night... I cried myself to sleep...

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The following day, I woke up hearing the clicking of metal and it being moved. Turns out, Kei was opening my cell door. As I slowly got up to rub the sleep from my eyes, Kei walked towards me and softly sat at the side of my bed. He placed his palm on top of my hand and surprisingly - apologized?

"I'm so sorry for my attitude last night, Yuiko. I really didn't want to treat you that way. I guess I was just so stressed last night that I couldn't contain my anger."

Kei looked genuinely sad, and I pitied the guy. But no matter how curious I may get, I don't want to touch on the topic nor ask what happened with his co-worker, Ren. I just gave out a small smile and forgave him. Luckily, he brightened up a bit after hearing my answer. His smile soon disappeared when he saw my puffy eyes though.

"Yuiko... Did you cry yourself to sleep?"

"Hmm..? Oh! Nah... It's no big deal~." I try to brush off, but he seems genuinely worried.

"No. It is a big deal! I... I just... Ugh..." he heaves out a sigh as he continues, "I'm sorry I hurt you enough to make you cry. I'm so sorry..." he apologized so much and looked so hurt that after he told me those things, he held me in his arms tightly, and its so bad how I felt so at home in his warm embrace.

I patted his back and spoke, "It's okay Kei... I forgive you..."

He pulled back with an expression like he couldn't believe the words that came out from my mouth and had to confirm, "Do you..? I mean... You don't have to... You can hit me if you want to or even complain to me. I deserve it."

I just sighed out with a smile as I then pinched both his cheeks, a bit hard that he winced from the pain, and cupped them after as I brushed my thumbs on each cheek. "How about that as your punishment for making me cry?"

"Its not enough punishment... But I'll take it." he smiled, which then led me to giggle at his silliness.

I then pulled him closer so his forehead can lay on mine as I told him while looking into his eyes, "Kei... I love you... So don't you ever think I'll stray away from you. I am loyal to you, and I hope you'll believe me."

Kei then smiled as he gave me a tender kiss on the lips and hugged me tightly after, "I believe you Yuiko, but I'm just so obsessed with you that I always tend to think negatively and that I'm never good enough for you."

"Mhh.." Hearing that Kei was obsessed with me was a little cute, but knowing his kind of obsession, it also kinda sent shivers up my spine, and they weren't good shivers.

After reconciling, we went up for some breakfast and talked a little before Kei started to prepare himself for work again. When he was ready to head out, we kissed a little at the front door as I bid him a goodbye and wished him good luck in work. "Thanks Yuiko, I'll see you later~."

When he was off for more than an hour, I decided to call Rika and told her that I was alright. I kinda also told her about last night's incident so we'd be a little more cautious about the things happening and so that we'd have a bit of an idea in case something really does happen.

Later that afternoon while I was cleaning and arranging the house for today, I thought to myself, "What about the flowers over in the front lawn? They need some water to keep up and stay beautiful~!" and looked around for the watering bucket and when I found it, I filled it with water and watered all the plants surrounding the house. "Now you're thirst has been quenched~." I told the plants and happily went back inside to do other things.

{Kei's P.O.V.}

Two male customers just entered the establishment today and I was free to deliver our menu to them to take their order soon after.

As I just gave them the menus and walked away to get them glasses of water, I heard them talking about a petite little girl over in XXX street watering some plants outside. I also overheard them saying that she was so cute and it was their first time seeing this girl in the neighborhood. "If we ever pass by there again and she's outside, we should say hi." said one of them while the other laughed and agreed.

To be honest, my blood started to boil. Just the thought of that 'petite little girl' being Yuiko, I flew into a rage, but I soon calmed myself down as I was in public, working, and I could be mistaken.

Yuiko... Can I ask you a question..?