(04) Chapter Four: SAKU

Chapter Four:

The Encounter

Author:

SAKU

“Mommy!”

Sakura turned to see a pair of her adorable twins standing by the entrance. Her eyes widened. Was she seeing things now do to overwork? But seeing was believing. Her boys were really standing there.

She kneeled and the boys came crashing into her embraced, “B-boys, what are two doing here?”

“It’s Mommy Day, mommy!” replied Kaoru.

“Yeah. And we came to pick you up!” beamed Hikaru.

Sakura felt the tears coming out. She brought them together into a warm hug and gave each a kiss on their cheeks. They had smiles on their face and looked pretty sweaty themselves.

“We have a present for you too, mommy!”

“Let’s see what you two got for me,” Sakura smiled.

Kaoru put his hand in his back pocket but instantly, there was a concern look on his face, “Oh no! I forgot to bring it!”

“Mommy, we are sorry!” both chorused. Sakura brought them into her embraced again.

“It’s OK. My greatest present is already infront of me. Being together with mommy’s Kaoru and mommy’s Hikaru.”

“There you are!” Makoto appeared out of nowhere.

Sakura stood, approaching him. She gave him a friendly hug, “Thank you, Mako-kun. For bringing them here.”

“Eh?”

XOXO

“I’ll bring the twins down with me then. Do you need anything else?” Makoto turned, already picking the twins up in his arms. They were both involved in a deep conversation that Makoto couldn’t understand.

“No, I think that’s all,” Sakura shook her head softly. She glanced around her office as Makoto and the twins exited through the door. She then walked over her desk. Should she bring her files with her today? But that would just ruin the moment being the twins. Today was supposed to be spent on having quality times with her family.

Inwardly, she smiled, taking her coat from the hanger by the side of the office. She pulled her bag unto her shoulder and locked the door behind her. She found Namie still working vigorously at her desk. Politely, she knocked on her desk, smiling.

“It’s late. Pack up. Just finish it tomorrow.”

“A-ah! F-Furukawa-san, you startled me!” Namie bumped her knees onto the desk underneath. She winced in pain but managed to muster a smile at Sakura.

“OK. I’ll just leave then. Thanks for the hard work, Namie. I’ll see first thing in the morning tomorrow,” Sakura waved at her. Namie was suddenly awestruck. She had never seen her boss waved at her before and her face. Her face was shining; not like a sun would shine but she was radiating with happiness. What had happened to her? She remembered something suddenly. Scrambling around the desk, she found a calendar buried deep by her papers. There was a circle on today’s date and she realized what it was.

She fished out her phone from her right pocket and punched in some numbers in it. The receiver’s voice was heard, “Hello?”

“Happy Mothers’ Day!”

XOXO

Humming her favourite song aloud, she stepped out of the elevator. She had reached the basement parking where Makoto told her that he parked his car down there. A smile was still on her face as she couldn’t wait to go home today. She just couldn’t! She felt like a kid again; waiting just seemed like forever when infact, three minutes just passed.

Sakura scanned around the parking. Where did he say he parked again? She knew she was lost for sure. Thinking that it was best to call him, she quickly unzipped her humongous bag that she bought from Kyoto last time. She scrambled with the insides but her phone was nowhere to be found. It might have never been there and she got the conclusion that she might have left it in her office.

She was going to make another trip to her office and that was the very least thing that she wanted to do right now. Should she just try searching for Makoto’s car or just go up and picked up her phone? Searching would be impossible in this case as the basement parking was really spacious fitting 500 cars in that area.

She sighed. She knew what her decision was as she pressed for the elevator’s button.

Sakura did eventually reach at her office’s floor. There were no one left at the office even Namie who nearly objected her offer. Sakura was grateful that she had decided to go home because she would have blamed herself for pushing the young female. As soon as she reached her door, she surprisingly found it unlocked. She knew she had locked it before she left and the only person who had the spare keys were Namie, her secretary and Makoto who was down at the basement. She probably thought it was Namie putting the finished paperwork on her desk.

“Namie, I thought I told you to go home—” Sakura trailed off seeing that it wasn’t who she thought it was. Standing behind her desk was a man. A man she knew all too well, despite the increase in his height. And his hazelnut hair was fully grown over the years. It was still messy but spiky at the end. His eyes; his dark golden eyes, mesmerizing as ever, the feature she had always loved about him. As her emerald eyes met his dark golden eyes, it seemed that time had stopped completely with them.

“K-Kei—” She knew she was trying so hard not to let the tears inside her eyes to come spilling. It would be embarrassing if she were to let him see her like this. No, she was different now. She was stronger than before.

He had a surprised look on his face but immediately discarded it, “Sakura.” His tone was deep but strained as if saying her name was slicing him apart. She could see him so though he camouflage it so well.

How long has it been? Why now? Why come here after all these years?

“W-what are you—” Sakura was cut off immediately as Kei moved away from her desk, approaching her.

He said each word with each step he took, “I didn’t know you were using this office.”

“W-what—” He interrupted her again, already closing the distance between them.

He leaned forward just within her eye level, “I’m glad you are safe, Sakura. I really am.” His sudden soft smile caught her off guard making her blushed madly red. Kei leaned even further, their foreheads already touching. She felt his calm breathing on her face sending chills down her smile.

Their lips were inches away. She felt his arms around her slim figure whereas her arms rested onto his chest. She wanted to pull herself from him but her legs weren’t responding to her anymore. His gaze was on hers. She could feel his heart beating calmly.

“K-Kei—” Sakura tried.

As he leaned, trying to close the gap between them, her phone interrupted with her favourite tone playing.

Sakura shocked, stumbled with her footing and knew that she would have fell miserably if it weren’t for his steady arms wrapped around her. She pushed him away slightly, embarrassed by what they were about to do.

Quickly, grabbing her phone, she answered it, “Sorry, Mako-kun. I’ll be there right away.” She pressed the red button and turned.

Sakura knew he was staring at her. She just knew it without even glancing at him. Pretending he wasn’t even there, she passed through him. She had to get out of there. She needn’t a repetition of what had happened.

She felt a firm grasp around her left wrist. She turned to see him face to face. This time, his eyes weren’t like earlier. They were much firm and steady and—not Kei.

“K-Kei, I-I—have to go now”, Sakura tried to excuse herself.

“We need to talk, Sakura.”

“We don’t need to,” she looked away.

“We do.”

Sakura nearly gasped, “N-No—”

“At the Coffee Garden at ten in the morning,” Kei released her and Sakura took the chance to run.

XOXO

SAKU: It's actually more than this that I had to cut it into two parts. So, the other part will be put in the next one. Thanks for reading. :)