What Men Want - Chapter 25

A wave of panic hit him. A panic so strong it made him sick. Why was she crying like that? He’s never seen anyone cry in such a way. Granted, Miki, too, sometimes cried silently, but not like that. Never like that.

Kaori was completely unmoving as she sat on the other side of the table, staring at him with wide eyes, but he knew she wasn’t seeing him. She looked straight through him, tears streaming down her cheeks as she just sat there. There were no sounds, no hiccuping, no sobs...There was nothing.

Fighting the impulse with all he was worth, he still lost big time. Standing slowly, he circled the table, kneeling at her side, staring at her, frightened beyond words. What was he doing? What did he think of accomplishing by kneeling beside her and staring at her? It wouldn’t do any good; it wouldn’t stop her crying. And he desperately wanted her to stop crying. She was breaking his heart.

In utter bewilderment and horror, he watched his own hand rise slowly. As gently as he could, he placed it on her shoulder.

Her mouth wobbling, she turned her head to look at him. She sniffed sadly.

Umibozu trailed his big palm down toward her back, patting slightly. He still had absolutely no idea as to what he was doing! “There, there,” he murmured as he once saw a lady in the park comfort her crying son. “There, there.”

The dam inside her broke, and Kaori threw her arms around Umibozu’s neck, sobbing brokenly.

He froze. Note to self: Never try to comfort a woman when she’s crying. It will only make her cry more.

She half sobbed, half chuckled into his neck. “I’m sorry, Umibozu-san. I didn’t mean to embarrass you, but...I’m so glad you’re here.”

Well, he wasn’t. “It’s...” He had to clear his throat. “It’s okay, Kaori. Are you feeling better?”

“Mhm.”

“Could you let go?”

She shot back in her chair. “Sorry,” she mumbled, head bowed. “I’m so sorry for crying like this.”

Now, he wanted to kick himself. Note to self: Always let a woman cry on your shoulder. If you say something about it, it will only make her feel worse. “It’s...” What was he doing? “It’s okay to cry sometimes, Kaori.”

She smiled sadly. “It doesn’t solve anything, though.”

He mirrored her slight smile. “It does, if it makes you feel better.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Why should I cry anyway? Why should I try to feel better? I haven’t done anything to make me feel bad! My conscience is clean!” Silent tears flew anew. “Do you know how many times I’ve sworn never to cry because of him?”

He shook his head slowly.

“Me neither.” She sniffed, brushing angrily at her tears. “I stopped counting years ago.”

Note to self: Never make a woman cry. It makes her unpredictable. “Kaori—”

“Why did he do it?”

“Why did who do what?” Yeah, Hayato, good move. Play dumb. You’ll only piss her off.

“Ryo...” Tears were once again on a rampage. “Why did he go off like that? Why did he say such things to me? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Well, he didn’t know that, did he?”

She sniffed.

What was he doing?! “I mean...he was pretty spooked when he called us on the phone. You were nowhere to be found, and then—”

“Then he found me in Mick’s apartment, wrapped in a towel. So, he should have been relieved to have found me, not try to bite my head off for no reason.”

Umibozu slowly blinked. She really didn’t get it. Was she really that blind? Cautiously, he felt the waters. “He found you in Mick’s apartment.”

“So?”

So?! God, she really has no clue! But who am I to enlighten her? I should just let her live in sweet unawareness. “You see, Kaori...” What was he doing? “He thought...Well, Ryo assumed...” Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!

“The idiot assumed I slept with Mick.”

He could feel steam explode out of his ears. Hearing her say the words was even more mortifying than having to say them himself.

Kaori raged on. “Of all the stupid, imbecilic, idiotic things, he had to assume I slept with Mick! It’s like he doesn’t know me at all! The cretin! That stupid, monkey-ass moron!” She was furious. And now, at least, she had someone to vent her anger on. “How dares the bastard put me—me!—in the same basket as his floozies? I’m not that kind of girl! I never was, and I never will be! The bastard!”

“Kaori—”

“And even if I did sleep with Mick, what’s that to him? It’s not like we’re married or anything. It’s not like I cheated! It’s my life, my body, and my fucking virginity! I can do whatever the hell I want with it!”

He knew he was practically blinking red in the darkness. If she would just stop yelling. “Kaori!”

Her head snapped up.

What was he doing? “Jealousy...It’s not a subtle thing. Sometimes it can turn men into strangers, monsters, even.”

“Jealousy?” She laughed bitterly in the darkness. “You’re telling me Ryo was in a jealous rage?”

“Well...” What was he doing? This was no business of his! What was he doing? “Yes.”

“Jealous of what?”

“God, girl!” he exploded. “Do I need to draw you a picture? You’re old enough to get it; do the math!”

Kaori stared at him with her mouth hanging open. Wow! Where did the shy, taciturn Umibozu go? Just...Wow!

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “I didn’t mean to yell...It’s just that...” You’re absolutely clueless. “Nothing, sorry.”

She was not clueless! “I’m sorry, Umibozu-san, but I just don’t understand what you’re hinting at. What could Ryo be jealous about?”

He glared at her. “You, girl, you!”

“Me? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not ridiculous, but you two are both idiots.”

She straightened, offended. “Excuse me?”

Umibozu stood. “Idiots. The both of you.” He paced to the window. He was in too deep now to get out, so he might as well continue and maybe knock some sense into the girl. “I don’t know what he tries to accomplish by pushing you away like this. Everybody can see that he’s madly in love with you. Well,” he turned to her. “Everybody but you, obviously. How can you be so blind as not to—”

“He’s not in love with me,” she denied vehemently, surprisingly dry-eyed.

“Oh, come on, Kaori...”

She shook her head furiously. “He isn’t. I hoped he might be—oh, God, how I hoped. But now I know better.” She sighed. “Now I finally know.”

Umibozu walked to her, shaking her. “Snap out of it, Kaori. Not even you can be so gullible as to believe what that idiotic son of a monkey tells you. Geez. I understand it’s hard to grasp; I should know, but it’s the truth. He loves you!”

She shook her head.

“Kaori. Do you think I’d be here, embarrassing myself, telling you this stuff if it weren’t true?”

“It’s not.” She lifted her head to look at him. “He’s not in love with me. That’s why I went to Mick. Because I know I’m not the one.” She stood and tugged at her pajamas. “I’m sorry I unloaded it all on you, Umibozu-san. It’s not your fault; I was a fool.” She made two fists at her sides. “The fault is solely mine. But I’m done now; don’t worry. I’m finally done. Good night.”

Sighing deeply, Umibozu stared after her. Note to self: Never tell a woman someone loves her. She will never believe you, and she will stop making sense.