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Slight Lime warning!!

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Kimiko waited outside of Raimundo’s door hoping and praying that what she was about to do was the right thing in the end. Suddenly Raimundo appeared in the door, dressed in a pair of jeans and sweater that looking warm and comforting Kimiko was suddenly jealous which made no sense what so ever.

“Hey,” was all the greeting Raimundo could manage. He was too focused on resisting the urge to pull her to him and hold her tightly forever.

“Hey,” Kimiko managed to reply.

“Come on in,” Rai said stepping away from the door. Kimiko shook her head lightly.

“It’s better if I stay out here,” Kimiko told him. “I’ll only be a minute.”

“Well I don’t feel like talking in my doorway so,” Rai trailed off and walked back into his apartment leaving Kimiko to follow him in reluctantly. Kimiko glanced around as she walked into the living room.

“Nice place,” she commented.

“Keiko did most of the work with decorating and stuff. I just smiled and nodded a lot,” Rai told her and Kimiko looked at him with a fair amount of surprise.

“You’re living with Keiko?” she asked him confused.

“Yeah, after high school we both needed a place to live and Keiko wasn’t ready to live with Jermaine yet but I think it’s only a matter of time.”

“They’re going out?” Kimiko asked.

“Since the summer before senior year,” Rai told her. “Clay’s in Texas and Omi’s in DC,” he went on answering the questions he was sure she was about to ask.

“They’re all doing well?” Kimiko asked.

“Very well,” Rai told her before asking, “do you want something to drink or anything?”

“No, I’m fine,” Kimiko assured him gently.

“This isn’t us Kimiko,” Rai finally stopped with the pleasantries. They were standing about the width of the room, Kimiko still near the door and Raimundo leaning against the kitchen table. “Things have never been awkward with us. Even in our worst times we could always talk somehow.”

“Then I’ll make it short,” Kimiko told him. “I just came to ask that we both stop indulging any sort of fantasies we might still have about one another. I can’t presume that you still do but that kiss the other day was some sort of indication. And I just want to say that it’s over. We’re the past, I’m engaged to Toya and that’s it.”

“Why is that it?” Rai asked her immediately.

“Because I’ve made decision. I made it two years ago.”

“I find it hard to believe that you made the choice to stay in Japan and cut off your friends,” Rai said narrowing her eyes.

“Actually it was,” Kimiko admitted turning to look out the window across the room. “Maybe not staying but cutting off contact. That was all my choice.”

“Why?” Rai asked disbelievingly as he watched her moving over toward the window.

“Selfishness really,” Kimiko told him. “I thought it would be easier in the end.”

“You’re in pain,” Rai told her and Kimiko gasped and turned to him. “I can tell.” Kimiko didn’t respond but Raimundo could see her blinking back tears as she turned to look out the window.

“I just came to say sorry if I ever led you on or anything. From now on we’re just casual acquaintances at best. I’m sorry if I’m being cruel of rude or anything but…” she trailed off unsure of what else to say. “Thanks for letting me come talk to you. I’ll let myself out.”

“Kimiko, stay,” Raimundo pleaded when Kimiko turned away from the window.

“Why?” Kimko asked not looking at him.

“You know why,” Raimundo told her.

“That reason is a part of the past,” Kimiko said firmly.

“If it’s a part of the past then why do I still love you?”

“Stop it,” Kimiko told him turning to look at him.

“Does it bother you?”

“If you still feel like that than I’m asking you to keep it to yourself,” Kimiko told him with narrowed eyes.

“Is it really that simple?” Riamundo asked. “Just say it doesn’t exist or it doesn’t matter and that makes it so?”

“I’m marrying Toya,” Kimiko told him fighting back tears, “so it has to work like that.”

“Do you love him?” Raimundo asked her immediately.

“He cares for me, a lot,” Kimiko told him.

“But do you love him?” Rai asked again more urgently.

“No,” Kimiko barely managed to whisper as she stared at the carpet beneath her feet. Raimundo was suddenly in front of her and tilting her head up to look at him.

“Do you love me?” he asked and Kimiko closed her eyes but tears managed to leak out.

“Yes,” she stuttered out and that was all that Raimundo needed as his head dipped slightly and touched his lips lightly to hers. It was barely a kiss but the simple touch was most sensual thing Kimiko had felt in years. He pulled back and Kimiko couldn’t help the small whimper that escaped her lips. Raimundo smiled and kiss her again, more firmly this time, coaxing her to respond. But suddenly Kimiko drew back.

“No, no, I can’t do this,” she said stepping back from him.

“Why?” Rai swallowed hard as he asked.

“I’m engaged,” was the only protest Kimiko could manage to get out.

“But you love me,” Rai argued.

“But I’m engaged to Toya, I can’t go back on that,” Kimiko said shaking her head.

“Yes you can,” Raimundo insisted, “if you don’t love him then call it off. Be with me. Be happy.”

“But my father,” Kimiko started to say but Raimundo interrupted loudly

“Kimiko! When was the last time you thought of yourself? Thought about what made you happy?”

“Rai, I’m the most selfish person I know,” Kimiko told adamantly.

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard Kimiko,” Rai stepped forward and cupper her face with his hands. “I waited. From the moment you flew back to Tokyo until now I’ve waited and loved you.”

“No, you were supposed to move on, I was supposed to be cutting you off.”

“It didn’t work,” Rai said pulling her closely to kiss her again. Kimiko caught his wrists with her hand and pulled his hands away from her face and pulled back.

“I decided before I came here that I was going to let you go,” Kimiko told him still holding his hands. “Please don’t make this harder than it already is.”

“Is that what you really want?” Rai asked her, his eyes boring hard into her. “If that’s really what you want than I’ll do it Kimiko. I’ll step out of your life but Kimiko,” his look intensified if at all possible, “I’m still going to love you.” Kimiko let out a whimper and dove into his chest.

“No, that’s not fair! Don’t put that on me!” she yelled into his sweater as her fist knocked against his shoulder repeatedly in protest. “Move on, hate me, forget me.”

“Never, never, never,” Rai told her as he held her tight. He held her close until her cries subsided and she pulled back and looked up at him as he turned his head down to look at he. “I could never forget you,” he promised again this time it was Kimiko who initiated the kiss that rapidly intensified until Rai was leading her back to his bedroom with and Kimiko following willingly the whole way.

They tumbled to the bed and Kimiko tugged urgently at Raimundo’s sweater and he let her pull it up over his head. Kimiko’s hands roamed over his naked chest which, if at all possible, had become more toned since she’d last seen it in the ocean at a beach in Rio. But her greater memory was of the short time they’d spent in the abandon lake house during the Fourth of July party. She’d often thought of that time with longing but now her mind was only on the present and the fact that she was near Raimundo once more, touching and kissing him again as his hands roamed her body and lips found every inch of skin he could manage. He pulled at her own shirt and Kimiko pushed him back so she could sit up, kneeling on the bed, and remove the clothing. Raimundo helped her; his lips immediately finding their way back to her as soon as the shirt was gone. He saw the chain around her neck and paused. Kimiko caught on to what he was looking at and automatically moved to remove the necklace and the ring that hung on it but Raimundo’s hands pushed hers away and he skillfully removed the necklace, tossing it away without another glance. As soon as it was out of sight it was out of Kimiko’s mind, Raimundo’s kisses commanding her attention as his hands began to manipulate her body.

Their first time in Texas had been urgent, passionate and somewhat fumbled. Now it was slow, deliberate and seemed even more passionate than before. Raimundo certainly was focused and Kimiko was fighting hard not to loose control completely. He fumbled with the clasp of her bra, finally managing to undo it and throwing it dramatically away. Kimiko instinctively covered herself and Rai laughed lightly as he gently pushed her hands away and lavished attention on each breast causing Kimiko’s back to arch involuntarily and fingers to tighten in Raimundo’s hair in silent encouragement. His lips traveled to the valley between her breast and Kimiko felt him smile there before nipping lightly at the skin there and making her gasp loudly.

He took advantage of her surprise and gripped her just above each knee and swiftly pulled her legs from beneath her so she fell back into the bed. That caused another gasp that Raimundo swallowed with his lips as he moved over her, slipping his legs between hers and let his hands continue to explore her. Raimundo’s lips wandered, leaving marks in a few spots causing Kimiko to make unbelievably appealing little noises and he felt her nails rake along his back, as if she were unable to do anything else. Rai continued to absorb every inch of her he could emotionally and physically. He was afraid he’d wake up from some sort of dream, as had often happened in the past. But a part of him knew she really was here now and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure she stayed.

“Raimundo,” Kimiko said breathily as his hands continued their work, with one skillfully unsnapping her jeans and then working to pull them down. Raimundo paused and looked back into her eyes.

“I love you Kimiko,” Raimundo told her confidently and was relieved when Kimiko smiled serenely back at him. Kimiko sat up and rolled them over so she straddled his hips and Raimundo couldn’t fight a groan that developed from the contact. His hands went to her hips to hold her in her spot but Kimiko managed to bend over him and find his lips.

“I love you too Raimundo,” she told him. “Only you.”

Her words snapped the last bit of control he had and before she even realized he’d done it Kimiko was back on her back, Raimundo relieving her of her pants followed quickly by her underwear and he brought her to a stunning high. She felt him move into her as her mind was still clouded from the first climax and she quickly lost any control of her body, letting him lead her high again and joined her, holding her tight as she trembled from the intensity of it. When it was over Raimundo lay with his arms wrapped around Kimiko’s waist, his head pillowed on her chest and their legs tangled together. Kimiko sleepily ran her fingers through Raimundo’s hair and he would intermittingly place kisses on whatever skin he could reach.

“Rai?” Kimiko asked breaking the silence of the room.

“Hmm?” he replied lazily against her skin.

“I’m sorry.” He took a moment to process her words and propped himself up on his hands to look at her.

“For what?” he asked curiously.

“Everything,” Kimiko responded bringing a hand up to stroke his face. “For handling everything wrong, so wrong.”

“You’re here now,” Rai told her. “That’s all that matters. I told you I’d wait and I did. You came back, that’s all I care about.”

“Rai,” Kimiko breathed lightly as she sat up to meet his mouth as he came down to meet her and Kimiko felt the fire stir inside her again as they began once more.
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When she awoke it was to Raimundo dotting her face and neck with kisses. For a moment Kimiko was confused and was sure she was dreaming but then the night before came back to her and she smiled, eyes still closed, turning her face to catch his wandering lips with her own.

“Am I dreaming?” she asked just to make sure.

“If you are that’s going to up a damper on my plans,” Rai told her and Kimiko opened her eyes to find him lying on the bed already dressed.

“How long have you been awake?” Kimiko asked sitting up, making sure she pulled the bed sheet with her.

“Long enough to go out and get you breakfast,” he said and handed her a bathrobe. “Do you want to shower?” he asked as he watched her pull the robe on, drinking in every moment she was with him.

“Sure,” Kimiko smiled at him.

“Right in there,” he said pointing toward his attached bath.

“I think I’ll go borrow some clothes from Keiko first,” Kimiko decided.

“Well she never came home last night so I’m sure she won’t object,” Rai told her and Kimiko raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? Is that a regular occurrence?” Kimiko asked intrigued.

“Never once before.”

“Should we be worried?” Kimiko wondered.

“No, I’ve got a feeling she’s probably with Jermaine and decided to give us some space,” Rai said not looking worried in the least. “Though I’m not sure how she knew.”

“Woman’s intuition,” Kimiko grinned and Raimundo pulled her to him kissing her quickly on the lips before moving to kiss down her jaw line.

“You better be quick in that shower or I’ll be tempted to join you,” Rai warned causing Kimiko to shiver.

“Tempting,” Kimiko told him, “but a shower and breakfast sound too good to delay so you’d better let go.”

“Don’t wanna,” Raimundo mumbled into her neck where his lips had wandered, his grip tightening.

“Rai,” Kimiko giggled a protest. “I need a shower and food. Aren’t you hungry too?”

“Starving,” he told her as he pushed the robe out of his way and continued kissing downward. Kimiko laughed again but then wiggled out of his hold.

“I’ll only be a few minutes,” she told him.

“I’m holding you to that,” he said in mock seriousness. “You really don’t want me to have to come in after you.” Kimiko believed him, figuring that she wouldn’t be able to be productive at all today if that happened. After grabbing some clothes from Keiko’s drawers Kimiko showered quickly and was toweling off her hair when she heard her phone ring. Looking at it she saw it was Toya and quickly hung it up before texting back that she was in the library and couldn’t talk at the moment. He seemed to accept that and didn’t call back. She also noticed that she had two waiting messages, one from her father and the other from Toya. She chose to ignore them and slipped the phone into her pocket before pulling a sweater from Raimundo’s closet and slipping it on over the tank top she’d borrowed from Keiko.

“That looks good on you,” Raimundo told her when she joined him in the kitchen.

“It’s cuddly,” Kimiko mumbled as she let him wrap her up in a hug before jerking back as she remembered something.

“What’s wrong Kimiko?” Rai asked concerned.

“I forgot all about Simon! I have to get home!”

“What are you talking about?” Rai asked confused as he watched her scramble back to his room and collect her things.

“I didn’t feed him and he probably has to go out so bad!” Kimiko mumbled as she went.

“I hope you’re talking about a dog,” Rai watched her and then seemed to catch on. “Wait, you’re leaving?”

“I have to go take care of Simon,” Kimiko said apologetically. “But I’ll call you later or something. I’m sorry about breakfast,” she said looking over the assortment of bagels, muffins, and fresh fruit he’d laid out on the counter.

“Hang on a sec,” Rai told her as she moved to grab her coat, “let me pack this up and I’ll go with you.”

“Its ok Rai,” Kimiko tried to argue but Rai was already moving to repack the breakfast.

“Its ok, I want to see your place and meet your dog. I want to be with you.” He paused as he worked. “That’s ok right? If you don’t want me to come,”

“No!” Kimiko cut him off. “I want you to come. That would actually be great.”

“Great,” Raimundo repeated with a smile.

“But don’t be offended if Simon doesn’t like you. He doesn’t seem to like men that much,” Kimiko warned.

“I’ll take my chances,” Rai smiled back at her.
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Apparently Kimiko had been wrong about Simon not liking men, he just didn’t like Toya. From the moment Kimiko and Raimundo walked through the door Simon could have cared less about Kimiko and only seemed intent on trying his hardest to knock Raimundo over and lick his face.

“I’ve never seen him this, excited,” Kimiko said as she watched Raimundo try to wrestle Simon away gently. They’d immediately walked a gratefully Simon and Kimiko fed him a hotdog and burger for breakfast to make up for not coming home the night before.

“Maybe it’s the high protein diet you’ve got him on,” Rai guessed. “Never heard of dog food?”

“He doesn’t like it,” Kimiko shrugged. “Here,” Kimiko said moving around the still hopping Simon, “let me try this.” She turned on the TV and put it on the Discovery Channel, which seemed to be his favorite channel.

“Kimiko what are you doing?” Rai asked confused but quickly shut up when Simon immediately jumped away and climbed onto the couch, watching the television intently. “That is the strangest dog I’ve ever seen,” Rai shook his head as he used a dishtowel to clean his face.

“He’s a good boy though,” Kimiko smiled as she watched the dog watch the TV.

“Where did you get him?” Rai asked.

“At the shelter. The guy who was working there practically shoved him on me. Apparently his time at the shelter was about to come to an end if you know what I mean.” Rai grimaced and nodded.

“So come on,” he encouraged unpacking the food he’d brought over. “Let’s eat.”

“Do you want some coffee?” Kimiko asked when she joined him in the kitchen.

“Sure,” Rai nodded and watched Kimiko start to make the coffee. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her, he’d been deprived of her for two years and now he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, dotting kisses on bare neck.

“Rai,” Kimiko said surprised.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he told her.

“Raimundo,” Kimiko said softly unsure of what else to do or say.

“Marry me,” he pleaded and Kimiko stiffened. Rai didn’t let that discourage him though, knowing he surprised her, and gave her a minute to process. “I’m not saying right now,” he went on after a pause, “but someday.” Kimiko turned in his arms and Rai released her, instead planting his hand on either side of her on the countertop.

“Raimundo,” Kimiko whispered narrowing her eyes but Raimundo just continued to watch her with intent eyes. Kimiko couldn’t take those eyes and instead closed her eyes and buried her head against his shoulder. “I want to say yes,” she told him, “so badly.”

“But?” Raimundo pressed feeling only slight disheartened.

“But I have to somehow fix this whole mess before I can feel ok saying yes to you.”

“Say yes now,” Raimundo encouraged her.

“But,” Kimiko started to protest again but Raimundo cut her off.

“We’ll figure this all out but in the meantime say yes. Say you’ll marry me,” Rai whispered into her ear.

“It’s not fair to you,” Kimiko practically moaned.

“What I want more than anything,” Rai told her, “is for you to say yes.” Kimiko was silent and so was Raimundo, waiting for her to react.

“Yes,” Kimiko said suddenly surprising Raimundo.

“Yes?” Rai questioned disbelievingly and Kimiko nodded adamantly.

“Yes,” she repeated and leaned up to kiss him, Raimundo meeting her eagerly. They would have continued on like that if Simon giving a bark from the edge of the kitchen hadn’t startled them. Seeing he had their attention the mutt trotted into the kitchen and worked his way in between Kimiko and Raimundo, sitting on Kimiko’s feet, glaring accusingly at Raimundo, apparently not as keen on him anymore.

“Jealous much?” Rai asked the dog. Kimiko laughed and scratched her dog on his head.

“And here I was worried that you liked Raimundo more than me,” Kimiko told the dog who looked up at her and gave another whining bark.

“It’s ok Simon,” Rai said leaning over the dog to kiss Kimiko, “I don’t mind a little competition.”
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The next few weeks passed by in unbelievable bliss and Kimiko couldn’t recall a time that she’d been happier. Raimundo back in her life would have been enough but to be able to talk to Keiko, Jermaine, and the others again was icing on the cake. Raimundo had taken to being with Kimiko every moment possible, as if making up for lost time and as much as she was enjoying the attention it also had her a bit nervous. She had to sometime forcefully remind Raimundo that their relationship couldn’t be public yet but that didn’t deter him from dragging her into dark corners and kissing her senseless. She was still trying to figure out how to delicately let her father know she wanted to break the engagement with Toya. However, her father seemed to be a bit more sensitive, and more like how he’d used to be with her as of late, ever since she’d broken down with him the night before she’d reconciled with Raimundo and now she was starting to think it might not be as hard to break it to him.

Toya on the other hand was acting as if he knew something was up, calling her incessantly and coming to the city to see her, increasingly unannounced. Raimundo seemed undisturbed by it and rejected her suggestion that maybe he should start spending the nights at his apartment.

“Only if you’ll come with me,” he’d told her straight faced. Raimundo had become very comfortable in her apartment and even Simon seemed to have begrudgingly accepted him as well, though they still fought each over for space on the bed and Kimiko’s attention. On nights when they wanted more than just to be with one another Simon seemed to sense it and would sleep on the couch, with the TV on of course, and Raimundo agreed that he was a very strange dog. Those nights were starting to become more and more frequent since neither seemed able to keep their hands off one another once they were in the privacy of Kimiko’s apartment. And every time Raimundo never ceased to leave her fully sated and was slowly filling in the emptiness she’d accumulated during their separation.

He’d bought her a ring only days after his impromptu proposal and had done the whole thing right, surprising her with a homemade dinner and dropping to one knee. Kimiko had been thoroughly touched by it all and had taken to wearing the ring on her left hand all the time instead of hiding it. That turned into what could have been a fatal mistake.

“Toya will you let me explain this to you?” Kimiko said sounding exhausted into the phone. She wasn’t so much exhausted, finally sleeping without the aid of medication thanks to Raimundo sharing her bed, but she was loosing patients with the man on the phone and the man at the other end of the bed who was trying to gain her attention.

“Ok, explain,” Toya said sounding tight lipped.

“You’ve near heard of a street ring before?” she asked him.

“A what?” Toya asked confused.

“It’s a new trend, well not so much a trend as a necessity,” Kimiko explained. “I, like other women, who receive such amazing engagement rings worry about them being stolen. So you wear a street ring so people still know you’re engaged but it isn’t as risky to be walking around and showing it off. Does it make sense?”

“I guess so,” Toya admitted reluctantly. “I should sue that magazine.”

“Let’s not give them the satisfaction or make this any bigger than we have to,” Kimiko suggested. “All better now?” she asked after a second of silence.

“I’ll be all better as soon as we can move in to a new place,” Toya told her and Kimiko winced. “You don’t have classes until the afternoon tomorrow right?” he asked.

“Not till one thirty,” Kimiko told him.

“Good, then I want to take you to breakfast tomorrow morning and go look at a few apartments. Is that ok?” Toya asked and Kimiko froze.

“That sounds good,” Kimiko finally said. “What time can I expect you?”

“Seven Thirty good?”

“Sure, see you then. Night.”

“Night Kimiko, can’t wait to see you tomorrow.” Kimiko smiled sadly and hung up, falling back on the bed.

“I’ve got bad news,” Kimiko told Raimundo rolling over on her stomach. Rai looked at her curiously from where he sat against the headboard.

“Oh?” he asked.

“Yeah, I kinda need you to go home,” Kimiko said looking nervous.

“I’m kinda living here,” he told her.

“Back to the apartment with your name on the lease then,” Kimiko verified and propped herself on her elbows. “Toya’s coming in the morning.”

“So I’ll leave before he comes,” Rai shrugged. “What time is he coming in?”

“Early Rai and I’ll feel better if you go home tonight.”

“How early?”

“Seven thirty, maybe earlier knowing Toya,” Kimiko told him. “So please head back to your apartment.”

“What was this thing about the ring?” Rai asked ignoring her request again, his eyes landing on his ring on her left hand.

“Some tabloid printed a story about me wearing a ring that wasn’t the one Toya gave me,” Kimiko explained.

“Someone is watching you closely enough to notice that?” Rai asked surprised. “That’s freaky.”

“It doesn’t happen often,” Kimiko shrugged. “I was probably just in the right place at the right time for someone to recognize me and snap a picture.”

“Is my ring a street ring?” Rai asked narrowing his eyes.

“Your ring,” Kimiko told him sitting up, “is wonderful, beautiful, perfect, and just my style.”

“Do you still wear his ring on that necklace?” Rai asked her. Kimiko looked at the nightstand where the ring sat.

“Only when I go out and just to be safe,” Kimiko told him.

“I hate that,” Rai said pouting and looking somewhat disgruntled.

“You’re cute when you pout,” Kimiko told, “and I’ll take care of this all soon. I promise. I’m not being fair to you or Toya.”

“You’re awfully concerned about Toya in all of this,” Rai observed.

“He isn’t a bad guy,” Kimiko told him, “and he does care about me. However, he also cares about his career the same amount.”

“Hmm,” was all Raimundo responded with.

“Ahh, jealous?” Kimiko teased.

“Insanely,” Raimundo told her deadpan.

“You’re cute when you’re jealous,” Kimiko added and suddenly Raimundo had her pinned playfully to the bed.

“Cute enough to stay the night?” Rai asked and Kimiko smiled sadly back at him.

“Not that cute,” Kimiko said and Raimundo dramatically groaned and grabbed at his heart. “Drama queen,” Kimiko teased and pushed him lightly away as she sat up.

“So I guess I really have to go then?” Rai asked.

“Yeah,” Kimiko agreed reluctantly.

“Kay,” Rai conceded. “Let me use the bathroom and I’ll be out of here.”

“Alright, I’ll get your stuff together,” Kimiko told him.

“Hopefully Keiko hasn’t changed the locks on me,” Rai joked as he closed the door to the bathroom behind him. Kimiko laughed, thinking it wasn’t that far fetched. She’d just finished putting a few things into the gym bag Raimundo used to cart things back and forth between his apartment and hers when Rai called to her.

“Hey Kimiko?” Rai asked.

“Yeah Rai?” she asked looking up at the door that connected to her bathroom and her stomach clenched uncomfortably. Rai was standing at her looking perplexed and holding a few prescription bottles in his hands.

“What are all these?” he asked confused.

“Nothing,” Kimiko said moving forward and snatching the bottles out of his hands. She moved into the bathroom and noticed that the vanity over the sink was open, showing off the array of orange bottles she had settled in there.

“Kimiko there have got to be like a dozen different types of pain killers and sleep aids there. Plus,” he paused, “an anti depressant.”

“Why were you looking through my things?” Kimiko snapped replacing the bottles and closing the cabinet with a clatter.

“I was looking for Advil and,” he stopped when Kimiko pulled open a drawer and removed a bottle and shoved it at him.

“Here,” she said as she walked past him into the bedroom and grabbed his bag and tossed it roughly at him.

“Kimiko, I’m just asking,” Rai started to say but Kimiko cut him off.

“About what?” Kimiko snapped. “So I take an anti depressant? So what? A lot of people do.”

“I’m not judging you on that Kimiko,” Rai said levelly, “that’s completely normal you’re right. And you’ve been through a lot by yourself the past couple of years but Kimiko, all those pain killers and sleep meds. That can’t be normal.”

“Just go Rai,” Kimiko told him looking away.

“Kimiko, half of those bottles are almost empty. And I have to admit I’ve notice you taking pills lately. I just thought they were aspirin or something but shit Kimiko, this isn’t healthy!” Raimundo told her sternly.

“Oh? And when did you become a med student?” Kimiko asked sharply.

“Common sense Kimiko,” Rai told her.

“I don’t need to be lectured by you Raimundo,” Kimiko snapped. “I haven’t spent the past few years living in New York with my friends and getting what I wanted.”

“You think that’s it Kimiko?” Rai asked her. “Cause I’ve been plenty unhappy multiple times. You’re the one who left me without any sort of notice.”

“You knew that might happen!” Kimiko yelled at him.

“Yeah I did, and it hurt like hell when it did happen,” Rai yelled loosing his temper. “But at least I didn’t start popping kills because of it.”

“Get out,” Kimiko hissed.

“Fine,” Rai huffed and stormed past her. Kimiko didn’t move an inch until she heard the door close behind him as he left the apartment. For half a beat she considered going after him but instead her eyes settled on the bathroom and her feet were moving without her consent. She stood, nearly shaking in front of the mirrored vanity before finally managing to open the cabinet and pulled out a bottle and dumped its contents on the countertop as she considered them.

‘He’s not coming back,’ Kimiko thought as realized that she was waiting for Raimundo to come back and stop her. A tear leaked out and Kimiko realized how often she’s done that in the past two years. ‘I hate crying,’ she decided, ‘and these always make the pain stop for at least a little while.’ Her hand had closed around the pile of the tiny yellow pills, scooping up the majority, and was raising them to her mouth when someone else’s hand closed around her hand that held the pills and another locked around her waist, trapping her free arm to her side.

“No Kimiko, you don’t need those,” Rai said firmly in her ear.

“Yes I do,” Kimiko argued and tried in vain to pull her hand free of his and get at the pills.

“No Kim, you’re better than this. Stronger than this.”

“No I’m not,” Kimiko said suddenly realizing she was sobbing.

“I know you are,” Rai assured her, “and until you remember that I’m not leaving. But Kimiko, you’ve got to try too.”

“I don’t think I can,” Kimiko told him. “I just need a few, they always calm me down.”

“But I know you can,” Rai said confidently.

“But I need them,” Kimiko said urgently, “it makes it stop hurting.”

“You aren’t alone anymore Kimiko,” he told her. “You don’t have to be in pain anymore and if you are I’ll help you.” Kimiko continued to cry and shake in his hold but Raimundo held tight until he felt her grip on the pills slacked some. When he felt that he released her hand and to his immense relief she dropped the pills. Rai watched the pills fall out of her hand and guessed that if she had managed to swallow all those pills she probably would have overdosed and that sent a cold chill down Raimundo’s spine.

“I still want them,” Kimiko told him, her voice literally shaking.

“I’ve got you, its ok,” Rai promised her. Kimiko broke down at that and Rai turned her carefully and let her burrow against him, sobbing herself into exhaustion. When the crying started to subside Rai scooped her up and brought her back into the bedroom, managing to pull the covers down with some difficulty and settled her into the sheets.

“I’m sorry Rai, I’m so sorry,” Kimiko was muttering apologizes as he did all of this.

“Its ok, you don’t need to apologize,” Rai tried to get her calm enough to sleep.

“Please don’t leave,” she whimpered clutching at his hand.

“I won’t. I’m staying,” he told and as if to prove his point he got on top of the covers next to her and allowed Kimiko to settle herself as she wanted. She ended up lying across his chest and burying her face into his shoulder, continuing to tremble until Raimundo coaxed her into a fitful sleep. Raimundo never once closed his eyes, just watched and held her through the night and her restless sleep. The guilt was heavy in his chest that Kimiko had suffered so thoroughly, had been so lonely that she had started to abuse pain pills and sleep medications. What would have had happened if he hadn’t come back in enough time? Would she really have taken that many? The thought was so frightening that Raimundo couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

He hadn’t even considered the morning until he was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of the door opening and who he assumed was Toya, calling out a greeting. Very carefully Raimundo removed himself from Kimiko and settled her back on the bed. Simon looked up when Raimundo moved but didn’t leave Kimiko’s side as Rai tried his best to move out of the room as silently as possible. He was just shutting the door to the bedroom when Toya came around the corner. He looked conflicted, as if debating his course of action. Rai signaled him to be quiet and explained in a whisper that he was a friend of Kimiko’s.

“Then what the hell are you doing in her bedroom,” Toya hissed angrily and looked as if he might actually hit Raimudo.

“She had a rough night last night,” Rai snapped quietly at Toya not making any attempt to hide the fact that he was sizing him up. Surprisingly Toya had about an inch on Raimundo but Raimundo definitely had more muscle than Toya did. Despite this Raimundo could tell that Toya could probably take care of himself in a fight. “She had a rough night,” Raimundo repeated, “and I was helping her.”

“What do you mean by that?” Toya snapped, his eyes shifting between Raimundo and Kimiko’s door. Raimundo walked past and moved into Kimiko’s kitchen, starting up a pot of coffee. “Who the hell are you?” Toya snapped and Raimundo didn’t answer, trying to figure out the best way to handle the situation. “Hey,” Toya nearly yelled grabbing Rai’s arm, “I’m talking to you.” Raimundo quickly broke the hold Toya had on his arm and glared at him.

“So you’re her fucking fiancé right?” Rai growled. “So you wanna tell me how long she’s been abusing pain meds?”

“What?” Toya asked disbelievingly and then his eyes hardened. “Be careful what you’re accusing my fiancé of,” Toya warned.

“Denial isn’t a good thing right now,” Raimundo said trying to keep his voice from rising too high. “She’s just coming to terms with it now herself.”

“Who the hell are you to being telling me these things?” Toya yelled not really acknowledging what Raimundo had said. “I think you need to leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Raimundo promised him with hard eyes and the two fell into an impromptu staring contest that was broken when Kimiko entered the room.

“Rai? What’s going on?” she asked sleepily but seemed to come alive when she noticed Toya. “Toya what are you doing here?” she asked in a slightly panicked tone.

“I came to take you to breakfast and to look at apartments and I found this guys sneaking out of your room, claiming to be your friend,” Toya said in a softer but still fierce voice, his eyes moving from Rai to Kimiko. He finally seemed to notice her disheveled state and her tear stained cheeks, eyes smeared with mascara. “Are you ok? Did he hurt you?” he asked hurriedly coming closer to her and Kimiko was obviously fighting hard to get some sort of bearings.

“I’m fine,” she said pulling away when Toya tried to hold her. She instead moved to Raimundo, keeping her eyes turned down. “Rai’s not a friend Toya,” Kimiko told him not looking up; “he’s my best friend. He has been for years. And he’s been more than just a best friend for a long time as well.” Raimundo took her hand for comfort and smiled her thanks at him and turned to look back at Toya, her hand still in Raimundo’s. “He’s my boyfriend and as soon as I formally break off my engagement with you he’ll be my fiancé.”

The silence in the room was heavy as Toya stared dumbly at the two of them. After the shock set in his lips pulled into a tight line of anger and Kimiko prepared for the worse but two her surprise and relief he simply turned and stalked out of the apartment, slamming the door loudly behind him so soundly that a few pictures on the walls shook and Simon whined from in the bedroom. Both Raimundo and Kimiko stood still, staring at the door and wondering if Toya would come back through it. When it seemed that he wouldn’t Kimiko turned her attention back to Raimundo.

“That wasn’t nearly as hard or bad as I imagined it to be,” she said with a heavy sigh and walked into his waiting arms. Raimundo didn’t say any but agreed with her. “Last night,” Kimiko said suddenly, “did I really almost…” she trailed off. Rai pulled her closer and sighed.

“Yeah you did,” he told her as he pressed his cheek to her hair.

“It was just,” Kimiko said in a broken voice, “I was so lonely, so upset at every little thing. The family doctor prescribed the antidepressant and it worked but it still hurt so much it was a physical pain and I never slept. So they gave me the pain killers and the sleep meds. I never thought I’d get dependant or anything like that but before I knew it was going through them so fast. The doctor wouldn’t prescribe any more than the regular amount so I bought them with cash at a free clinic or over the internet. Oh my god, I’ve never said it out loud before. I sound so awful, I can’t believe it.”

“No Kimiko,” Rai soothed her, “you aren’t awful. You’re human. These things happen to the best of us.”

“I need help don’t I?” Kimiko asked weakly.

“Yeah,” Raimundo agreed softly. “But its ok, we’ll get through this, I promise.” Kimiko responded by pressing herself as close as possible against his chest and Raimundo’s arms automatically tightened around her. Their peaceful moment was broken by Kimiko’s apartment phone ringing. Both stared at the phone, knowing without a doubt that it was Kimiko’s father.

“I have to take this,” Kimiko finally said after the fourth ring.

“I’m right here,” Raimundo said squeezing her hand and Kimiko sent him a weak smile as she answered phone. The entire conversation took place in Japanese and lasted so long that Raimundo had to pull over a chair for Kimiko to sit in. He could hear Toshiro on the other end when his voice would raise and he heard his name quite a few times. But Raimundo just stood close to Kimiko and offered her encouraging smiles to Kimiko when she would glance his way. He also heard the mention of some of the names of drugs he’d found in Kimiko’s bathroom and Kimiko looked close to tears more than once. Finally there was a break in conversation and Kimiko looked over at Raimundo.

“He wants to talk to you,” she said nervously. Rai looked from her to the phone before moving forward and taking the phone from Kimiko.

“Hello Mr. Tohomiko,” Rai said trying not to sound to stiff or nervous.

“Raimundo,” came Toshiro’s level voice, speaking English for Raimundo’s benefit, before a moment of silence. “My daughter says you asked her to marry you. Is that true?”

“Yes sir,” Raimundo responded confidently. “You’ll have to excuse me from not asking your permission, I had the impression it wouldn’t have mattered.” Before Kimiko had gone back to Japan she’d unwillingly admitted that her father hadn’t been very happy that Kimiko was planning her future with Raimundo involved. He and Toshiro had always had a good relationship and he’d been happy when he and Kimiko had started going out. But that had changed in a few short months, Kimiko blamed it on the new mindset her father had acquired thanks to his new wife, Kimiko’s step mom.

“You asked an engaged woman to marry you?” Toshiro asked.

“I asked the woman I loved to marry me,” Rai answered. “It might not have been under the best circumstances but that doesn’t change my feelings for Kimiko.”

“Toya cares for Kimiko.”

”I have no doubt,” Raimundo immediately answered.

“And he would have provided a very fine life for her as well,” Toshiro added.

“But at the sake of her heath and happiness,” Raimundo answered, unsure if he
was just stating fact or posing a question to Toshiro as well.

“Could you provide such a life for her?” Toshiro asked, though there was a slight waver in his voice.

“Maybe not,” Raimundo admitted, “but she would never be wanting and I would not, could not stop loving her.”

“I never doubted your love for her Raimundo,” Toshiro said quickly. “That has never been an issue.”

“My social status seems to be the greatest issue,” Raimundo observed and he saw Kimiko wince out of the corner of her eye. “Are you worried about Kimiko not having the life you want her to or the fact that I’m from a poor family in a still developing country?” Raimundo asked directly calling Toshiro out and Kimiko stared at him wide eyed.

“You frighten me Raimundo,” Toshiro said after a little while.

“Pardon?” Rai asked confused.

“My daughter loves you so thoroughly,” Toshiro said. “You and she are of the same spirit. I knew that Toya would tie her down in someway. It has been killing me these past few years to watch her begin to spiral. I had no idea about her problem, maybe I suspected but I was in denial and I hoped that she would learn to love Toya as I could tell he was beginning to love her. Even though she was not the spirited Kimiko I knew and loved she still caught Toya’s attention and I hoped that his affection for her would bring her back somehow. But when she told me she wanted to go back to New York I knew it was a lost cause and it would only be a matter of time before you two found each other and it seems you have. And in the sort time that you’ve been back with one another you’ve already repaired more than I ever could accomplish. Do you know what that tells me?”

“No sir,” Raimundo answered honestly but he had his hopes.

“It means that I’ve been a fool for a very long time and I hope that in time you and Kimiko can find it in your hearts to forgive me,” Toshiro told him. “It means that of course I give you my blessing.”

“Thank you sir,” Raimundo said swallowing hard and suddenly becoming deliriously happy.

“Tell Kimiko that I will take of all things regarding Toya so she isn’t to worry about that. Take care Raimundo, and take care of my little girl,” Toshiro said and then hung up. Raimundo stared at the phone and then hung it up as well. Raimundo looked over at Kimiko who was staring at him, having only heard part of the conversation and realized that his shocked look could be taken either way.

“Rai?” she asked nervously.

“I guess the only thing to do now is decide when you want to get married,” Rai finally spoke. Kimiko’s eyes went wide and she couldn’t help the smile that bloomed on her face.

“He, he gave you his blessing, just like that?” Kimiko asked. She knew that the answered didn’t really matter and she’d be marrying Raimundo either way but the idea of her father’s blessing was very appealing.

“I guess no Tohomiko can resist my charms,” Rai said cheekily and Kimiko responded by walking calmly over to him and punching him solidly in the shoulder and Rai gave a tiny groaned, mixed with a laugh. “Just like old times,” he grinned as he pulled Kimiko closer and kissed her quickly on the mouth. “Well not entirely like the old times,” he amended after pulling back.

“Yeah but change can be a good thing,” Kimiko told him and suddenly Raimundo scooped her up and hurried with her to the bedroom, dropping her laughing onto the bed and ignoring Simon’s whine of protest as he hopped out of the way. Rai practically dropped onto of her but caught himself and kissed her passionately and Kimiko returned his passion.

“Oh yeah,” he agreed, “change is good.” He kissed her again knowing that they still had a rough road a head of them but he had complete faith in Kimiko’s ability to overcome all that may lay ahead. He knew he would be with her every step of the way and though although it may be hard that didn’t mean they couldn’t have a little fun along the way.

Description
Slight Lime warning!!

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Kimiko waited outside of Raimundo’s door hoping and praying that what she was about to do was the right thing in the end. Suddenly Raimundo appeared in the door, dressed in a pair of jeans and sweater that looking warm and comforting Kimiko was suddenly jealous which made no sense what so ever.

“Hey,” was all the greeting Raimundo could manage. He was too focused on resisting the urge to pull her to him and hold her tightly forever.

“Hey,” Kimiko managed to reply.

“Come on in,” Rai said stepping away from the door. Kimiko shook her head lightly.

“It’s better if I stay out here,” Kimiko told him. “I’ll only be a minute.”

“Well I don’t feel like talking in my doorway so,” Rai trailed off and walked back into his apartment leaving Kimiko to follow him in reluctantly. Kimiko glanced around as she walked into the living room.

“Nice place,” she commented.

“Keiko did most of the work with decorating and stuff. I just smiled and nodded a lot,” Rai told her and Kimiko looked at him with a fair amount of surprise.

“You’re living with Keiko?” she asked him confused.

“Yeah, after high school we both needed a place to live and Keiko wasn’t ready to live with Jermaine yet but I think it’s only a matter of time.”

“They’re going out?” Kimiko asked.

“Since the summer before senior year,” Rai told her. “Clay’s in Texas and Omi’s in DC,” he went on answering the questions he was sure she was about to ask.

“They’re all doing well?” Kimiko asked.

“Very well,” Rai told her before asking, “do you want something to drink or anything?”

“No, I’m fine,” Kimiko assured him gently.

“This isn’t us Kimiko,” Rai finally stopped with the pleasantries. They were standing about the width of the room, Kimiko still near the door and Raimundo leaning against the kitchen table. “Things have never been awkward with us. Even in our worst times we could always talk somehow.”

“Then I’ll make it short,” Kimiko told him. “I just came to ask that we both stop indulging any sort of fantasies we might still have about one another. I can’t presume that you still do but that kiss the other day was some sort of indication. And I just want to say that it’s over. We’re the past, I’m engaged to Toya and that’s it.”

“Why is that it?” Rai asked her immediately.

“Because I’ve made decision. I made it two years ago.”

“I find it hard to believe that you made the choice to stay in Japan and cut off your friends,” Rai said narrowing her eyes.

“Actually it was,” Kimiko admitted turning to look out the window across the room. “Maybe not staying but cutting off contact. That was all my choice.”

“Why?” Rai asked disbelievingly as he watched her moving over toward the window.

“Selfishness really,” Kimiko told him. “I thought it would be easier in the end.”

“You’re in pain,” Rai told her and Kimiko gasped and turned to him. “I can tell.” Kimiko didn’t respond but Raimundo could see her blinking back tears as she turned to look out the window.

“I just came to say sorry if I ever led you on or anything. From now on we’re just casual acquaintances at best. I’m sorry if I’m being cruel of rude or anything but…” she trailed off unsure of what else to say. “Thanks for letting me come talk to you. I’ll let myself out.”

“Kimiko, stay,” Raimundo pleaded when Kimiko turned away from the window.

“Why?” Kimko asked not looking at him.

“You know why,” Raimundo told her.

“That reason is a part of the past,” Kimiko said firmly.

“If it’s a part of the past then why do I still love you?”

“Stop it,” Kimiko told him turning to look at him.

“Does it bother you?”

“If you still feel like that than I’m asking you to keep it to yourself,” Kimiko told him with narrowed eyes.

“Is it really that simple?” Riamundo asked. “Just say it doesn’t exist or it doesn’t matter and that makes it so?”

“I’m marrying Toya,” Kimiko told him fighting back tears, “so it has to work like that.”

“Do you love him?” Raimundo asked her immediately.

“He cares for me, a lot,” Kimiko told him.

“But do you love him?” Rai asked again more urgently.

“No,” Kimiko barely managed to whisper as she stared at the carpet beneath her feet. Raimundo was suddenly in front of her and tilting her head up to look at him.

“Do you love me?” he asked and Kimiko closed her eyes but tears managed to leak out.

“Yes,” she stuttered out and that was all that Raimundo needed as his head dipped slightly and touched his lips lightly to hers. It was barely a kiss but the simple touch was most sensual thing Kimiko had felt in years. He pulled back and Kimiko couldn’t help the small whimper that escaped her lips. Raimundo smiled and kiss her again, more firmly this time, coaxing her to respond. But suddenly Kimiko drew back.

“No, no, I can’t do this,” she said stepping back from him.

“Why?” Rai swallowed hard as he asked.

“I’m engaged,” was the only protest Kimiko could manage to get out.

“But you love me,” Rai argued.

“But I’m engaged to Toya, I can’t go back on that,” Kimiko said shaking her head.

“Yes you can,” Raimundo insisted, “if you don’t love him then call it off. Be with me. Be happy.”

“But my father,” Kimiko started to say but Raimundo interrupted loudly

“Kimiko! When was the last time you thought of yourself? Thought about what made you happy?”

“Rai, I’m the most selfish person I know,” Kimiko told adamantly.

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard Kimiko,” Rai stepped forward and cupper her face with his hands. “I waited. From the moment you flew back to Tokyo until now I’ve waited and loved you.”

“No, you were supposed to move on, I was supposed to be cutting you off.”

“It didn’t work,” Rai said pulling her closely to kiss her again. Kimiko caught his wrists with her hand and pulled his hands away from her face and pulled back.

“I decided before I came here that I was going to let you go,” Kimiko told him still holding his hands. “Please don’t make this harder than it already is.”

“Is that what you really want?” Rai asked her, his eyes boring hard into her. “If that’s really what you want than I’ll do it Kimiko. I’ll step out of your life but Kimiko,” his look intensified if at all possible, “I’m still going to love you.” Kimiko let out a whimper and dove into his chest.

“No, that’s not fair! Don’t put that on me!” she yelled into his sweater as her fist knocked against his shoulder repeatedly in protest. “Move on, hate me, forget me.”

“Never, never, never,” Rai told her as he held her tight. He held her close until her cries subsided and she pulled back and looked up at him as he turned his head down to look at he. “I could never forget you,” he promised again this time it was Kimiko who initiated the kiss that rapidly intensified until Rai was leading her back to his bedroom with and Kimiko following willingly the whole way.

They tumbled to the bed and Kimiko tugged urgently at Raimundo’s sweater and he let her pull it up over his head. Kimiko’s hands roamed over his naked chest which, if at all possible, had become more toned since she’d last seen it in the ocean at a beach in Rio. But her greater memory was of the short time they’d spent in the abandon lake house during the Fourth of July party. She’d often thought of that time with longing but now her mind was only on the present and the fact that she was near Raimundo once more, touching and kissing him again as his hands roamed her body and lips found every inch of skin he could manage. He pulled at her own shirt and Kimiko pushed him back so she could sit up, kneeling on the bed, and remove the clothing. Raimundo helped her; his lips immediately finding their way back to her as soon as the shirt was gone. He saw the chain around her neck and paused. Kimiko caught on to what he was looking at and automatically moved to remove the necklace and the ring that hung on it but Raimundo’s hands pushed hers away and he skillfully removed the necklace, tossing it away without another glance. As soon as it was out of sight it was out of Kimiko’s mind, Raimundo’s kisses commanding her attention as his hands began to manipulate her body.

Their first time in Texas had been urgent, passionate and somewhat fumbled. Now it was slow, deliberate and seemed even more passionate than before. Raimundo certainly was focused and Kimiko was fighting hard not to loose control completely. He fumbled with the clasp of her bra, finally managing to undo it and throwing it dramatically away. Kimiko instinctively covered herself and Rai laughed lightly as he gently pushed her hands away and lavished attention on each breast causing Kimiko’s back to arch involuntarily and fingers to tighten in Raimundo’s hair in silent encouragement. His lips traveled to the valley between her breast and Kimiko felt him smile there before nipping lightly at the skin there and making her gasp loudly.

He took advantage of her surprise and gripped her just above each knee and swiftly pulled her legs from beneath her so she fell back into the bed. That caused another gasp that Raimundo swallowed with his lips as he moved over her, slipping his legs between hers and let his hands continue to explore her. Raimundo’s lips wandered, leaving marks in a few spots causing Kimiko to make unbelievably appealing little noises and he felt her nails rake along his back, as if she were unable to do anything else. Rai continued to absorb every inch of her he could emotionally and physically. He was afraid he’d wake up from some sort of dream, as had often happened in the past. But a part of him knew she really was here now and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure she stayed.

“Raimundo,” Kimiko said breathily as his hands continued their work, with one skillfully unsnapping her jeans and then working to pull them down. Raimundo paused and looked back into her eyes.

“I love you Kimiko,” Raimundo told her confidently and was relieved when Kimiko smiled serenely back at him. Kimiko sat up and rolled them over so she straddled his hips and Raimundo couldn’t fight a groan that developed from the contact. His hands went to her hips to hold her in her spot but Kimiko managed to bend over him and find his lips.

“I love you too Raimundo,” she told him. “Only you.”

Her words snapped the last bit of control he had and before she even realized he’d done it Kimiko was back on her back, Raimundo relieving her of her pants followed quickly by her underwear and he brought her to a stunning high. She felt him move into her as her mind was still clouded from the first climax and she quickly lost any control of her body, letting him lead her high again and joined her, holding her tight as she trembled from the intensity of it. When it was over Raimundo lay with his arms wrapped around Kimiko’s waist, his head pillowed on her chest and their legs tangled together. Kimiko sleepily ran her fingers through Raimundo’s hair and he would intermittingly place kisses on whatever skin he could reach.

“Rai?” Kimiko asked breaking the silence of the room.

“Hmm?” he replied lazily against her skin.

“I’m sorry.” He took a moment to process her words and propped himself up on his hands to look at her.

“For what?” he asked curiously.

“Everything,” Kimiko responded bringing a hand up to stroke his face. “For handling everything wrong, so wrong.”

“You’re here now,” Rai told her. “That’s all that matters. I told you I’d wait and I did. You came back, that’s all I care about.”

“Rai,” Kimiko breathed lightly as she sat up to meet his mouth as he came down to meet her and Kimiko felt the fire stir inside her again as they began once more.
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When she awoke it was to Raimundo dotting her face and neck with kisses. For a moment Kimiko was confused and was sure she was dreaming but then the night before came back to her and she smiled, eyes still closed, turning her face to catch his wandering lips with her own.

“Am I dreaming?” she asked just to make sure.

“If you are that’s going to up a damper on my plans,” Rai told her and Kimiko opened her eyes to find him lying on the bed already dressed.

“How long have you been awake?” Kimiko asked sitting up, making sure she pulled the bed sheet with her.

“Long enough to go out and get you breakfast,” he said and handed her a bathrobe. “Do you want to shower?” he asked as he watched her pull the robe on, drinking in every moment she was with him.

“Sure,” Kimiko smiled at him.

“Right in there,” he said pointing toward his attached bath.

“I think I’ll go borrow some clothes from Keiko first,” Kimiko decided.

“Well she never came home last night so I’m sure she won’t object,” Rai told her and Kimiko raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? Is that a regular occurrence?” Kimiko asked intrigued.

“Never once before.”

“Should we be worried?” Kimiko wondered.

“No, I’ve got a feeling she’s probably with Jermaine and decided to give us some space,” Rai said not looking worried in the least. “Though I’m not sure how she knew.”

“Woman’s intuition,” Kimiko grinned and Raimundo pulled her to him kissing her quickly on the lips before moving to kiss down her jaw line.

“You better be quick in that shower or I’ll be tempted to join you,” Rai warned causing Kimiko to shiver.

“Tempting,” Kimiko told him, “but a shower and breakfast sound too good to delay so you’d better let go.”

“Don’t wanna,” Raimundo mumbled into her neck where his lips had wandered, his grip tightening.

“Rai,” Kimiko giggled a protest. “I need a shower and food. Aren’t you hungry too?”

“Starving,” he told her as he pushed the robe out of his way and continued kissing downward. Kimiko laughed again but then wiggled out of his hold.

“I’ll only be a few minutes,” she told him.

“I’m holding you to that,” he said in mock seriousness. “You really don’t want me to have to come in after you.” Kimiko believed him, figuring that she wouldn’t be able to be productive at all today if that happened. After grabbing some clothes from Keiko’s drawers Kimiko showered quickly and was toweling off her hair when she heard her phone ring. Looking at it she saw it was Toya and quickly hung it up before texting back that she was in the library and couldn’t talk at the moment. He seemed to accept that and didn’t call back. She also noticed that she had two waiting messages, one from her father and the other from Toya. She chose to ignore them and slipped the phone into her pocket before pulling a sweater from Raimundo’s closet and slipping it on over the tank top she’d borrowed from Keiko.

“That looks good on you,” Raimundo told her when she joined him in the kitchen.

“It’s cuddly,” Kimiko mumbled as she let him wrap her up in a hug before jerking back as she remembered something.

“What’s wrong Kimiko?” Rai asked concerned.

“I forgot all about Simon! I have to get home!”

“What are you talking about?” Rai asked confused as he watched her scramble back to his room and collect her things.

“I didn’t feed him and he probably has to go out so bad!” Kimiko mumbled as she went.

“I hope you’re talking about a dog,” Rai watched her and then seemed to catch on. “Wait, you’re leaving?”

“I have to go take care of Simon,” Kimiko said apologetically. “But I’ll call you later or something. I’m sorry about breakfast,” she said looking over the assortment of bagels, muffins, and fresh fruit he’d laid out on the counter.

“Hang on a sec,” Rai told her as she moved to grab her coat, “let me pack this up and I’ll go with you.”

“Its ok Rai,” Kimiko tried to argue but Rai was already moving to repack the breakfast.

“Its ok, I want to see your place and meet your dog. I want to be with you.” He paused as he worked. “That’s ok right? If you don’t want me to come,”

“No!” Kimiko cut him off. “I want you to come. That would actually be great.”

“Great,” Raimundo repeated with a smile.

“But don’t be offended if Simon doesn’t like you. He doesn’t seem to like men that much,” Kimiko warned.

“I’ll take my chances,” Rai smiled back at her.
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Apparently Kimiko had been wrong about Simon not liking men, he just didn’t like Toya. From the moment Kimiko and Raimundo walked through the door Simon could have cared less about Kimiko and only seemed intent on trying his hardest to knock Raimundo over and lick his face.

“I’ve never seen him this, excited,” Kimiko said as she watched Raimundo try to wrestle Simon away gently. They’d immediately walked a gratefully Simon and Kimiko fed him a hotdog and burger for breakfast to make up for not coming home the night before.

“Maybe it’s the high protein diet you’ve got him on,” Rai guessed. “Never heard of dog food?”

“He doesn’t like it,” Kimiko shrugged. “Here,” Kimiko said moving around the still hopping Simon, “let me try this.” She turned on the TV and put it on the Discovery Channel, which seemed to be his favorite channel.

“Kimiko what are you doing?” Rai asked confused but quickly shut up when Simon immediately jumped away and climbed onto the couch, watching the television intently. “That is the strangest dog I’ve ever seen,” Rai shook his head as he used a dishtowel to clean his face.

“He’s a good boy though,” Kimiko smiled as she watched the dog watch the TV.

“Where did you get him?” Rai asked.

“At the shelter. The guy who was working there practically shoved him on me. Apparently his time at the shelter was about to come to an end if you know what I mean.” Rai grimaced and nodded.

“So come on,” he encouraged unpacking the food he’d brought over. “Let’s eat.”

“Do you want some coffee?” Kimiko asked when she joined him in the kitchen.

“Sure,” Rai nodded and watched Kimiko start to make the coffee. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her, he’d been deprived of her for two years and now he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, dotting kisses on bare neck.

“Rai,” Kimiko said surprised.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he told her.

“Raimundo,” Kimiko said softly unsure of what else to do or say.

“Marry me,” he pleaded and Kimiko stiffened. Rai didn’t let that discourage him though, knowing he surprised her, and gave her a minute to process. “I’m not saying right now,” he went on after a pause, “but someday.” Kimiko turned in his arms and Rai released her, instead planting his hand on either side of her on the countertop.

“Raimundo,” Kimiko whispered narrowing her eyes but Raimundo just continued to watch her with intent eyes. Kimiko couldn’t take those eyes and instead closed her eyes and buried her head against his shoulder. “I want to say yes,” she told him, “so badly.”

“But?” Raimundo pressed feeling only slight disheartened.

“But I have to somehow fix this whole mess before I can feel ok saying yes to you.”

“Say yes now,” Raimundo encouraged her.

“But,” Kimiko started to protest again but Raimundo cut her off.

“We’ll figure this all out but in the meantime say yes. Say you’ll marry me,” Rai whispered into her ear.

“It’s not fair to you,” Kimiko practically moaned.

“What I want more than anything,” Rai told her, “is for you to say yes.” Kimiko was silent and so was Raimundo, waiting for her to react.

“Yes,” Kimiko said suddenly surprising Raimundo.

“Yes?” Rai questioned disbelievingly and Kimiko nodded adamantly.

“Yes,” she repeated and leaned up to kiss him, Raimundo meeting her eagerly. They would have continued on like that if Simon giving a bark from the edge of the kitchen hadn’t startled them. Seeing he had their attention the mutt trotted into the kitchen and worked his way in between Kimiko and Raimundo, sitting on Kimiko’s feet, glaring accusingly at Raimundo, apparently not as keen on him anymore.

“Jealous much?” Rai asked the dog. Kimiko laughed and scratched her dog on his head.

“And here I was worried that you liked Raimundo more than me,” Kimiko told the dog who looked up at her and gave another whining bark.

“It’s ok Simon,” Rai said leaning over the dog to kiss Kimiko, “I don’t mind a little competition.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next few weeks passed by in unbelievable bliss and Kimiko couldn’t recall a time that she’d been happier. Raimundo back in her life would have been enough but to be able to talk to Keiko, Jermaine, and the others again was icing on the cake. Raimundo had taken to being with Kimiko every moment possible, as if making up for lost time and as much as she was enjoying the attention it also had her a bit nervous. She had to sometime forcefully remind Raimundo that their relationship couldn’t be public yet but that didn’t deter him from dragging her into dark corners and kissing her senseless. She was still trying to figure out how to delicately let her father know she wanted to break the engagement with Toya. However, her father seemed to be a bit more sensitive, and more like how he’d used to be with her as of late, ever since she’d broken down with him the night before she’d reconciled with Raimundo and now she was starting to think it might not be as hard to break it to him.

Toya on the other hand was acting as if he knew something was up, calling her incessantly and coming to the city to see her, increasingly unannounced. Raimundo seemed undisturbed by it and rejected her suggestion that maybe he should start spending the nights at his apartment.

“Only if you’ll come with me,” he’d told her straight faced. Raimundo had become very comfortable in her apartment and even Simon seemed to have begrudgingly accepted him as well, though they still fought each over for space on the bed and Kimiko’s attention. On nights when they wanted more than just to be with one another Simon seemed to sense it and would sleep on the couch, with the TV on of course, and Raimundo agreed that he was a very strange dog. Those nights were starting to become more and more frequent since neither seemed able to keep their hands off one another once they were in the privacy of Kimiko’s apartment. And every time Raimundo never ceased to leave her fully sated and was slowly filling in the emptiness she’d accumulated during their separation.

He’d bought her a ring only days after his impromptu proposal and had done the whole thing right, surprising her with a homemade dinner and dropping to one knee. Kimiko had been thoroughly touched by it all and had taken to wearing the ring on her left hand all the time instead of hiding it. That turned into what could have been a fatal mistake.

“Toya will you let me explain this to you?” Kimiko said sounding exhausted into the phone. She wasn’t so much exhausted, finally sleeping without the aid of medication thanks to Raimundo sharing her bed, but she was loosing patients with the man on the phone and the man at the other end of the bed who was trying to gain her attention.

“Ok, explain,” Toya said sounding tight lipped.

“You’ve near heard of a street ring before?” she asked him.

“A what?” Toya asked confused.

“It’s a new trend, well not so much a trend as a necessity,” Kimiko explained. “I, like other women, who receive such amazing engagement rings worry about them being stolen. So you wear a street ring so people still know you’re engaged but it isn’t as risky to be walking around and showing it off. Does it make sense?”

“I guess so,” Toya admitted reluctantly. “I should sue that magazine.”

“Let’s not give them the satisfaction or make this any bigger than we have to,” Kimiko suggested. “All better now?” she asked after a second of silence.

“I’ll be all better as soon as we can move in to a new place,” Toya told her and Kimiko winced. “You don’t have classes until the afternoon tomorrow right?” he asked.

“Not till one thirty,” Kimiko told him.

“Good, then I want to take you to breakfast tomorrow morning and go look at a few apartments. Is that ok?” Toya asked and Kimiko froze.

“That sounds good,” Kimiko finally said. “What time can I expect you?”

“Seven Thirty good?”

“Sure, see you then. Night.”

“Night Kimiko, can’t wait to see you tomorrow.” Kimiko smiled sadly and hung up, falling back on the bed.

“I’ve got bad news,” Kimiko told Raimundo rolling over on her stomach. Rai looked at her curiously from where he sat against the headboard.

“Oh?” he asked.

“Yeah, I kinda need you to go home,” Kimiko said looking nervous.

“I’m kinda living here,” he told her.

“Back to the apartment with your name on the lease then,” Kimiko verified and propped herself on her elbows. “Toya’s coming in the morning.”

“So I’ll leave before he comes,” Rai shrugged. “What time is he coming in?”

“Early Rai and I’ll feel better if you go home tonight.”

“How early?”

“Seven thirty, maybe earlier knowing Toya,” Kimiko told him. “So please head back to your apartment.”

“What was this thing about the ring?” Rai asked ignoring her request again, his eyes landing on his ring on her left hand.

“Some tabloid printed a story about me wearing a ring that wasn’t the one Toya gave me,” Kimiko explained.

“Someone is watching you closely enough to notice that?” Rai asked surprised. “That’s freaky.”

“It doesn’t happen often,” Kimiko shrugged. “I was probably just in the right place at the right time for someone to recognize me and snap a picture.”

“Is my ring a street ring?” Rai asked narrowing his eyes.

“Your ring,” Kimiko told him sitting up, “is wonderful, beautiful, perfect, and just my style.”

“Do you still wear his ring on that necklace?” Rai asked her. Kimiko looked at the nightstand where the ring sat.

“Only when I go out and just to be safe,” Kimiko told him.

“I hate that,” Rai said pouting and looking somewhat disgruntled.

“You’re cute when you pout,” Kimiko told, “and I’ll take care of this all soon. I promise. I’m not being fair to you or Toya.”

“You’re awfully concerned about Toya in all of this,” Rai observed.

“He isn’t a bad guy,” Kimiko told him, “and he does care about me. However, he also cares about his career the same amount.”

“Hmm,” was all Raimundo responded with.

“Ahh, jealous?” Kimiko teased.

“Insanely,” Raimundo told her deadpan.

“You’re cute when you’re jealous,” Kimiko added and suddenly Raimundo had her pinned playfully to the bed.

“Cute enough to stay the night?” Rai asked and Kimiko smiled sadly back at him.

“Not that cute,” Kimiko said and Raimundo dramatically groaned and grabbed at his heart. “Drama queen,” Kimiko teased and pushed him lightly away as she sat up.

“So I guess I really have to go then?” Rai asked.

“Yeah,” Kimiko agreed reluctantly.

“Kay,” Rai conceded. “Let me use the bathroom and I’ll be out of here.”

“Alright, I’ll get your stuff together,” Kimiko told him.

“Hopefully Keiko hasn’t changed the locks on me,” Rai joked as he closed the door to the bathroom behind him. Kimiko laughed, thinking it wasn’t that far fetched. She’d just finished putting a few things into the gym bag Raimundo used to cart things back and forth between his apartment and hers when Rai called to her.

“Hey Kimiko?” Rai asked.

“Yeah Rai?” she asked looking up at the door that connected to her bathroom and her stomach clenched uncomfortably. Rai was standing at her looking perplexed and holding a few prescription bottles in his hands.

“What are all these?” he asked confused.

“Nothing,” Kimiko said moving forward and snatching the bottles out of his hands. She moved into the bathroom and noticed that the vanity over the sink was open, showing off the array of orange bottles she had settled in there.

“Kimiko there have got to be like a dozen different types of pain killers and sleep aids there. Plus,” he paused, “an anti depressant.”

“Why were you looking through my things?” Kimiko snapped replacing the bottles and closing the cabinet with a clatter.

“I was looking for Advil and,” he stopped when Kimiko pulled open a drawer and removed a bottle and shoved it at him.

“Here,” she said as she walked past him into the bedroom and grabbed his bag and tossed it roughly at him.

“Kimiko, I’m just asking,” Rai started to say but Kimiko cut him off.

“About what?” Kimiko snapped. “So I take an anti depressant? So what? A lot of people do.”

“I’m not judging you on that Kimiko,” Rai said levelly, “that’s completely normal you’re right. And you’ve been through a lot by yourself the past couple of years but Kimiko, all those pain killers and sleep meds. That can’t be normal.”

“Just go Rai,” Kimiko told him looking away.

“Kimiko, half of those bottles are almost empty. And I have to admit I’ve notice you taking pills lately. I just thought they were aspirin or something but shit Kimiko, this isn’t healthy!” Raimundo told her sternly.

“Oh? And when did you become a med student?” Kimiko asked sharply.

“Common sense Kimiko,” Rai told her.

“I don’t need to be lectured by you Raimundo,” Kimiko snapped. “I haven’t spent the past few years living in New York with my friends and getting what I wanted.”

“You think that’s it Kimiko?” Rai asked her. “Cause I’ve been plenty unhappy multiple times. You’re the one who left me without any sort of notice.”

“You knew that might happen!” Kimiko yelled at him.

“Yeah I did, and it hurt like hell when it did happen,” Rai yelled loosing his temper. “But at least I didn’t start popping kills because of it.”

“Get out,” Kimiko hissed.

“Fine,” Rai huffed and stormed past her. Kimiko didn’t move an inch until she heard the door close behind him as he left the apartment. For half a beat she considered going after him but instead her eyes settled on the bathroom and her feet were moving without her consent. She stood, nearly shaking in front of the mirrored vanity before finally managing to open the cabinet and pulled out a bottle and dumped its contents on the countertop as she considered them.

‘He’s not coming back,’ Kimiko thought as realized that she was waiting for Raimundo to come back and stop her. A tear leaked out and Kimiko realized how often she’s done that in the past two years. ‘I hate crying,’ she decided, ‘and these always make the pain stop for at least a little while.’ Her hand had closed around the pile of the tiny yellow pills, scooping up the majority, and was raising them to her mouth when someone else’s hand closed around her hand that held the pills and another locked around her waist, trapping her free arm to her side.

“No Kimiko, you don’t need those,” Rai said firmly in her ear.

“Yes I do,” Kimiko argued and tried in vain to pull her hand free of his and get at the pills.

“No Kim, you’re better than this. Stronger than this.”

“No I’m not,” Kimiko said suddenly realizing she was sobbing.

“I know you are,” Rai assured her, “and until you remember that I’m not leaving. But Kimiko, you’ve got to try too.”

“I don’t think I can,” Kimiko told him. “I just need a few, they always calm me down.”

“But I know you can,” Rai said confidently.

“But I need them,” Kimiko said urgently, “it makes it stop hurting.”

“You aren’t alone anymore Kimiko,” he told her. “You don’t have to be in pain anymore and if you are I’ll help you.” Kimiko continued to cry and shake in his hold but Raimundo held tight until he felt her grip on the pills slacked some. When he felt that he released her hand and to his immense relief she dropped the pills. Rai watched the pills fall out of her hand and guessed that if she had managed to swallow all those pills she probably would have overdosed and that sent a cold chill down Raimundo’s spine.

“I still want them,” Kimiko told him, her voice literally shaking.

“I’ve got you, its ok,” Rai promised her. Kimiko broke down at that and Rai turned her carefully and let her burrow against him, sobbing herself into exhaustion. When the crying started to subside Rai scooped her up and brought her back into the bedroom, managing to pull the covers down with some difficulty and settled her into the sheets.

“I’m sorry Rai, I’m so sorry,” Kimiko was muttering apologizes as he did all of this.

“Its ok, you don’t need to apologize,” Rai tried to get her calm enough to sleep.

“Please don’t leave,” she whimpered clutching at his hand.

“I won’t. I’m staying,” he told and as if to prove his point he got on top of the covers next to her and allowed Kimiko to settle herself as she wanted. She ended up lying across his chest and burying her face into his shoulder, continuing to tremble until Raimundo coaxed her into a fitful sleep. Raimundo never once closed his eyes, just watched and held her through the night and her restless sleep. The guilt was heavy in his chest that Kimiko had suffered so thoroughly, had been so lonely that she had started to abuse pain pills and sleep medications. What would have had happened if he hadn’t come back in enough time? Would she really have taken that many? The thought was so frightening that Raimundo couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

He hadn’t even considered the morning until he was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of the door opening and who he assumed was Toya, calling out a greeting. Very carefully Raimundo removed himself from Kimiko and settled her back on the bed. Simon looked up when Raimundo moved but didn’t leave Kimiko’s side as Rai tried his best to move out of the room as silently as possible. He was just shutting the door to the bedroom when Toya came around the corner. He looked conflicted, as if debating his course of action. Rai signaled him to be quiet and explained in a whisper that he was a friend of Kimiko’s.

“Then what the hell are you doing in her bedroom,” Toya hissed angrily and looked as if he might actually hit Raimudo.

“She had a rough night last night,” Rai snapped quietly at Toya not making any attempt to hide the fact that he was sizing him up. Surprisingly Toya had about an inch on Raimundo but Raimundo definitely had more muscle than Toya did. Despite this Raimundo could tell that Toya could probably take care of himself in a fight. “She had a rough night,” Raimundo repeated, “and I was helping her.”

“What do you mean by that?” Toya snapped, his eyes shifting between Raimundo and Kimiko’s door. Raimundo walked past and moved into Kimiko’s kitchen, starting up a pot of coffee. “Who the hell are you?” Toya snapped and Raimundo didn’t answer, trying to figure out the best way to handle the situation. “Hey,” Toya nearly yelled grabbing Rai’s arm, “I’m talking to you.” Raimundo quickly broke the hold Toya had on his arm and glared at him.

“So you’re her fucking fiancé right?” Rai growled. “So you wanna tell me how long she’s been abusing pain meds?”

“What?” Toya asked disbelievingly and then his eyes hardened. “Be careful what you’re accusing my fiancé of,” Toya warned.

“Denial isn’t a good thing right now,” Raimundo said trying to keep his voice from rising too high. “She’s just coming to terms with it now herself.”

“Who the hell are you to being telling me these things?” Toya yelled not really acknowledging what Raimundo had said. “I think you need to leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Raimundo promised him with hard eyes and the two fell into an impromptu staring contest that was broken when Kimiko entered the room.

“Rai? What’s going on?” she asked sleepily but seemed to come alive when she noticed Toya. “Toya what are you doing here?” she asked in a slightly panicked tone.

“I came to take you to breakfast and to look at apartments and I found this guys sneaking out of your room, claiming to be your friend,” Toya said in a softer but still fierce voice, his eyes moving from Rai to Kimiko. He finally seemed to notice her disheveled state and her tear stained cheeks, eyes smeared with mascara. “Are you ok? Did he hurt you?” he asked hurriedly coming closer to her and Kimiko was obviously fighting hard to get some sort of bearings.

“I’m fine,” she said pulling away when Toya tried to hold her. She instead moved to Raimundo, keeping her eyes turned down. “Rai’s not a friend Toya,” Kimiko told him not looking up; “he’s my best friend. He has been for years. And he’s been more than just a best friend for a long time as well.” Raimundo took her hand for comfort and smiled her thanks at him and turned to look back at Toya, her hand still in Raimundo’s. “He’s my boyfriend and as soon as I formally break off my engagement with you he’ll be my fiancé.”

The silence in the room was heavy as Toya stared dumbly at the two of them. After the shock set in his lips pulled into a tight line of anger and Kimiko prepared for the worse but two her surprise and relief he simply turned and stalked out of the apartment, slamming the door loudly behind him so soundly that a few pictures on the walls shook and Simon whined from in the bedroom. Both Raimundo and Kimiko stood still, staring at the door and wondering if Toya would come back through it. When it seemed that he wouldn’t Kimiko turned her attention back to Raimundo.

“That wasn’t nearly as hard or bad as I imagined it to be,” she said with a heavy sigh and walked into his waiting arms. Raimundo didn’t say any but agreed with her. “Last night,” Kimiko said suddenly, “did I really almost…” she trailed off. Rai pulled her closer and sighed.

“Yeah you did,” he told her as he pressed his cheek to her hair.

“It was just,” Kimiko said in a broken voice, “I was so lonely, so upset at every little thing. The family doctor prescribed the antidepressant and it worked but it still hurt so much it was a physical pain and I never slept. So they gave me the pain killers and the sleep meds. I never thought I’d get dependant or anything like that but before I knew it was going through them so fast. The doctor wouldn’t prescribe any more than the regular amount so I bought them with cash at a free clinic or over the internet. Oh my god, I’ve never said it out loud before. I sound so awful, I can’t believe it.”

“No Kimiko,” Rai soothed her, “you aren’t awful. You’re human. These things happen to the best of us.”

“I need help don’t I?” Kimiko asked weakly.

“Yeah,” Raimundo agreed softly. “But its ok, we’ll get through this, I promise.” Kimiko responded by pressing herself as close as possible against his chest and Raimundo’s arms automatically tightened around her. Their peaceful moment was broken by Kimiko’s apartment phone ringing. Both stared at the phone, knowing without a doubt that it was Kimiko’s father.

“I have to take this,” Kimiko finally said after the fourth ring.

“I’m right here,” Raimundo said squeezing her hand and Kimiko sent him a weak smile as she answered phone. The entire conversation took place in Japanese and lasted so long that Raimundo had to pull over a chair for Kimiko to sit in. He could hear Toshiro on the other end when his voice would raise and he heard his name quite a few times. But Raimundo just stood close to Kimiko and offered her encouraging smiles to Kimiko when she would glance his way. He also heard the mention of some of the names of drugs he’d found in Kimiko’s bathroom and Kimiko looked close to tears more than once. Finally there was a break in conversation and Kimiko looked over at Raimundo.

“He wants to talk to you,” she said nervously. Rai looked from her to the phone before moving forward and taking the phone from Kimiko.

“Hello Mr. Tohomiko,” Rai said trying not to sound to stiff or nervous.

“Raimundo,” came Toshiro’s level voice, speaking English for Raimundo’s benefit, before a moment of silence. “My daughter says you asked her to marry you. Is that true?”

“Yes sir,” Raimundo responded confidently. “You’ll have to excuse me from not asking your permission, I had the impression it wouldn’t have mattered.” Before Kimiko had gone back to Japan she’d unwillingly admitted that her father hadn’t been very happy that Kimiko was planning her future with Raimundo involved. He and Toshiro had always had a good relationship and he’d been happy when he and Kimiko had started going out. But that had changed in a few short months, Kimiko blamed it on the new mindset her father had acquired thanks to his new wife, Kimiko’s step mom.

“You asked an engaged woman to marry you?” Toshiro asked.

“I asked the woman I loved to marry me,” Rai answered. “It might not have been under the best circumstances but that doesn’t change my feelings for Kimiko.”

“Toya cares for Kimiko.”

”I have no doubt,” Raimundo immediately answered.

“And he would have provided a very fine life for her as well,” Toshiro added.

“But at the sake of her heath and happiness,” Raimundo answered, unsure if he
was just stating fact or posing a question to Toshiro as well.

“Could you provide such a life for her?” Toshiro asked, though there was a slight waver in his voice.

“Maybe not,” Raimundo admitted, “but she would never be wanting and I would not, could not stop loving her.”

“I never doubted your love for her Raimundo,” Toshiro said quickly. “That has never been an issue.”

“My social status seems to be the greatest issue,” Raimundo observed and he saw Kimiko wince out of the corner of her eye. “Are you worried about Kimiko not having the life you want her to or the fact that I’m from a poor family in a still developing country?” Raimundo asked directly calling Toshiro out and Kimiko stared at him wide eyed.

“You frighten me Raimundo,” Toshiro said after a little while.

“Pardon?” Rai asked confused.

“My daughter loves you so thoroughly,” Toshiro said. “You and she are of the same spirit. I knew that Toya would tie her down in someway. It has been killing me these past few years to watch her begin to spiral. I had no idea about her problem, maybe I suspected but I was in denial and I hoped that she would learn to love Toya as I could tell he was beginning to love her. Even though she was not the spirited Kimiko I knew and loved she still caught Toya’s attention and I hoped that his affection for her would bring her back somehow. But when she told me she wanted to go back to New York I knew it was a lost cause and it would only be a matter of time before you two found each other and it seems you have. And in the sort time that you’ve been back with one another you’ve already repaired more than I ever could accomplish. Do you know what that tells me?”

“No sir,” Raimundo answered honestly but he had his hopes.

“It means that I’ve been a fool for a very long time and I hope that in time you and Kimiko can find it in your hearts to forgive me,” Toshiro told him. “It means that of course I give you my blessing.”

“Thank you sir,” Raimundo said swallowing hard and suddenly becoming deliriously happy.

“Tell Kimiko that I will take of all things regarding Toya so she isn’t to worry about that. Take care Raimundo, and take care of my little girl,” Toshiro said and then hung up. Raimundo stared at the phone and then hung it up as well. Raimundo looked over at Kimiko who was staring at him, having only heard part of the conversation and realized that his shocked look could be taken either way.

“Rai?” she asked nervously.

“I guess the only thing to do now is decide when you want to get married,” Rai finally spoke. Kimiko’s eyes went wide and she couldn’t help the smile that bloomed on her face.

“He, he gave you his blessing, just like that?” Kimiko asked. She knew that the answered didn’t really matter and she’d be marrying Raimundo either way but the idea of her father’s blessing was very appealing.

“I guess no Tohomiko can resist my charms,” Rai said cheekily and Kimiko responded by walking calmly over to him and punching him solidly in the shoulder and Rai gave a tiny groaned, mixed with a laugh. “Just like old times,” he grinned as he pulled Kimiko closer and kissed her quickly on the mouth. “Well not entirely like the old times,” he amended after pulling back.

“Yeah but change can be a good thing,” Kimiko told him and suddenly Raimundo scooped her up and hurried with her to the bedroom, dropping her laughing onto the bed and ignoring Simon’s whine of protest as he hopped out of the way. Rai practically dropped onto of her but caught himself and kissed her passionately and Kimiko returned his passion.

“Oh yeah,” he agreed, “change is good.” He kissed her again knowing that they still had a rough road a head of them but he had complete faith in Kimiko’s ability to overcome all that may lay ahead. He knew he would be with her every step of the way and though although it may be hard that didn’t mean they couldn’t have a little fun along the way.