The Bad, The Bidder, and the Daughter (KBTBB)

Ota: Twelve

"Asuka! Asuka!"

The fake blonde stopped in her tracks and turned around to see a panting mess of a Kanato, "What are you..."

If I sat on her shoulder and took a deep breath, "Ume told me about Haruki."

She looked down and attempted to take a step back, but Kanato tightened his grip, "Asuka it's been years, it only a few, but it's time to move on. He wouldn't want you to do well and be stuck in the past forever."

Asuka scowled, a look not many people-and certainly not Kanato-had seen before. He was taking back a bit but kept his grip, she locked eyes with him, "How the hell would you know what he would want?"

"Because," he sighed, " from what you told me he seems like a kind of person semicolon and people like him wouldn't want you to stay stuck on him. I know you loved him, and you always will, but it's time."

She bit her lip, "I did love him... but I could've love-loved him. He was always like a brother to me, but I know how he lived I would have fallen and return his feelings. When I kiss them I saw a possible future, and I wouldn't have minded at all."

Kanato quickly replied, " it's been, what, three or four years? And all that time thinking about him- did your feelings about him ever change? Would you not have minded a future or did you want one with him?"

"I-I... but..."

" you are not obligated to love anyone. You would have probably ended up lying to yourself and him about what you feel
But I could be wrong. Be honest with me- and especially yourself- do you truly think you would have wholeheartedly loved in that way?"

Asuka didn't need to think long, "... and horrible, aren't I?" She had always known, of course, but to say it out let, let alone figure it out, filled her being with a great shame.

Kanato removed his hand from her shoulder and placed it down on her cheek, causing her to look at him. Her shame magnified when she realized she enjoyed the warmth of his and a lot more than she should. She didn't realize that she had been leaning in to labor me or centimeters apart. Shame was a replaced with a severe disgust herself.

"Asuka..."

"...Kanato?"

"Dummy, you don't have to be so hard on yourself. It's not your fault." He then placed his hand on her head and patted it gently. But he realized could possibly be satisfied with one measly pat on the head. He was tired of holding back his feelings for her. He leaned down and connect their lips.

This time, however, Asuka did not stop him.

...

ASUKA POV

I woke up feeling like a 90s Raver coming down from a particularly bad trip of ecstasy mixed with a set of twelve shots of tequila and lime. Not that I've ever experienced that, of course. Wink. Wink.

Don't do drugs kids.

I shook my head and try to clear my mond. For a brief moment I felt like I was an entirely different person.

'Katsumi' came to mind for some reason. Then I figured I must have been hit hard on the head at some point.

"Oh, you're finally awake," Spoke an eerily cheery voice.

I looked up to see Sakiko shuffling a deck of cards in her hand, "Sakiko, what the hell? Where am I?"

She sneered, "It's Mrs. Kisaki to you. And you're some place far below the surface."

"W-what? What do you want from me? What's with the cards?"

She smiled, "You know by your mother worked as a maid, I worked in the casino. I mainly work as a bartender, however I've been found myself feeling in at the blackjack table. Your mother was fairly good at things such as roulette and with the help of Eisuke, poker. But she can never just quite get the hang of blackjack. I wonder if you're the same; do you know the rules?"

I shook my head. The extent of my card game knowledge stopped at Go Fish and Koi Koi hanafuda.

Sakiko gave a big sigh, "Figures. The object of the game is to reach 21. You will get two cards, one face down the other face up. You have the choice to say 'hit me' and receive another card, however if you go over the number 21 you automatically lose."

I nodded then went to put some hair on your face, however it finally hit me. I was tied to a chair. I started to wiggle and Bannock when I told her brush the lock of hair and my hair, "Calm down, I'll free your hands so you can play."

"Wait, did you kidnap me just so we could play card games?" I asked as my hands became free, however I was still tightly bound the chair.

"Of course not you idiot. It's more along the lines of how many scars you'll have by the end of the deck of 52."

My eyes went wide, "What the actual fu-"

She yawned, "It would be much too boring to simply kill you. So, I decided to make it a little fun. In every round I win, you'll receive a cut. However if you win, you won't. By the end of the game, however, if I've won more times than you, I get to stab you wherever I so choose to."

By this point I was shaking in fear, "W-why are you doing this? What have I ever done to you? What could I have possibly done to deserve this?"

She pulled out a silver knife and started to let a trace over the nape of my neck, "Because you exist. It was one thing when you were just Yui's daughter, but... I have no problems sharing him with Hina, she's an extension of both of us, so I'm happy when his attention is on her. However, you are a different story. First woman he truly gave his heart to's daughter... Like I said, I'm not stupid. I know loved her more than me, but I was still the mother of his child. With Yui back in the picture- even if she is married to another man- you're still Ota's and..." she took a deep breath and wiped a tear that was spilling down her cheek. "I'm not a bad person, I'd just do anything for my love. Yui and your presence hurts me, yes, but it's also hurting Ota. And I will not allow that to continue anymore. So..."

Her eyes contained a brilliant fire that seemed to burn deep into me as she locked them with mine, "Let's play."

...

AN: A picture of me in case anyone was curious please excuse my crappy eyeliner.