Untamed Heart ✨

Chapter 18 - The Calm Before The Storm

I trudge around my house for a bit, my overheating phone warming my left hand. I come to a sort of bored halt in the middle of my living room for a second, listening to the sound of robins starting conversation outside my window. "I wonder where Tatsuo is" I mumble to myself, placing said phone down on the marble table in front of the TV. I think about what could be on right now that I could watch, instead of thinking back to those men from before. I repeat his name and what he said over and over, checking past the large glass window just in case he's creepily standing outside waiting for me. At least he was somewhat normal, didn't try and... you know... in the alleyway. I do still wonder though what their connection to Tatsuo is. He's told me quite a bit about his family, so I doubt they're relatives. Maybe old friends, although there's surely an age gap between him and the three of them. I slump down onto my comfy sofa, swiping the remote off the arm and into my hand. "Just boring stuff on the news again" I utter to myself, flicking through channels until I catch something that appeals to me. This goes on for a little bit before I settle down with one of my favourite programmes on. I've already seen this episode before, but it doesn't matter. It's something that brings me comfort. It gets kind of lonely in my house sometimes, especially when Tatsuo isn't here. I've thought about getting a pet soon, but I haven't decided on whether I want a dog or a cat. I suppose both wouldn't hurt to be fair. Certainly wouldn't mind. I want to ask Tatsuo if he'll help me decide, but he definitely has a lot going on right now, so I'll pitch it to him when everything is over and done with. Conveniently, upon mentioning Tatsuo over and over, a loud knock echoes across my spacious house. I jump a little, getting up and sprinting almost to see who it is. To my surprise, yet also not really surprising, my boyfriend stands patiently outside while I turn the handle to greet him. "Heyy, you okay?" I immediately ask, shifting out of the way so he can enter my abode. "Yeah I'm okay" he states, slipping his jacket off upon entering the house. "That's good, do you want a drink?" I ask, sweetly clinging to his arm. "Yeah please" he responds, pulling me ever so closer to him. "Okay, I won't be a moment. You can go get comfy if you want". "It's alright, I'll stay in here with you" Tatsuo decides, perching on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "You alright?" he calls as I scan through the mini fridge. A muffled "yep" escapes my mouth as I retract back and out of where I was searching. "Pepsi?" I propose, to which a grin forms on his face. I know what he likes. "So any particular reason you're here?" I ask, standing next to him, one hand cradling his head, the other getting lost in his long fluffy hair. "Just thought I'd come visit" he says smiling, looking up at me with loving eyes. "Oh, I brought you something" he says all of a sudden, pulling away from me as he reaches to his bag. I stare confused as he struggles, eventually pulling out a box seemingly fit to store a wedding ring inside. For a moment, my eyes light up, before I come to the realisation that probably won't be happening for a long while. "Oh?" I question, taking the velvet box from his delicate hands. "Open it" he says, urging me into prying the box open to see what's inside. I comply of course, attentively opening the box, a ring presenting itself to me unsurprisingly. "I do" I joke, inspecting the ring closely. I hear Tatsuo laugh, as he comes closer to view his gift as well. I turn the silver ring over, noticing it's equipped with something that instantly makes me smile. The top and bottom base of the ring is covered with white gems that continue on all the way around. In the centre of the ring between these gems, is a black rose, as well as something else next to it. It takes me a second for some reason, but I realise what it actually is, further developing my smile into a wide grin. It's the head of Jack Skellington, Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas. For context, that movie is mine and Tatsuo's thing. I wasn't a huge fan of his favourite genres and movies, things such as 'Back To The Future', and Alien'. He knows how much I like Disney, so eventually we started watching A Nightmare Before Christmas a lot, because he enjoyed it as well. Basically became our own thing, we'd watch and still watch it anytime we want as a way of chilling, whether it's Halloween or Christmas or not. "Oh my god it's amazing" I state, instantly slipping it onto the appropriate finger. Perfect fit. "Thank you, you didn't have to bring me this..." I say to him, embracing him for a hug. "It's okay, I wanted to. It's a gift, something to remember me by when I'm not around". At this moment in time that means two different things, but I'm going to assume he means the option that includes things such as "when I'm busy at work" or "if I'm on holiday" etc. "Thank you so much" I say once more, my head resting against his chest. "No worries" he answers, gently leaning down to kiss my forehead. We stay like this for a while, before something dawns on me. "Tatsuo?" I ask, slowly pulling away from him. "Yeah?". "You seem awfully calm... Considering what you're going to be up to next week...". He frowns, eventually understanding what I mean. "I'd rather think about this, and these moments, than what is going to happen next week" he expresses, still smiling at me. "Right..." I utter, urging him to start hugging me again. He nods, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me closer towards him. I squeal a little, content with how he's holding me. "I'm going to miss you when you're not here" I say to him, titling my head back so I can look at his face. I'll miss you to Y/N, but you know it won't be for that long. You've gone longer without me". "Yeah that's true but still, doesn't really get any easier considering I know there's a glimmer of a chance something terrible could happen to you, and then everyone around you". He shakes his head, tightening his grip on me. "That won't happen, I'll make sure of it" he answers, looking into my eyes. "Okay... This reminds me as well, I got confronted on the way home". His expression suddenly changes into confusion. "Huh? By who?" he asks me protectively. "I'd never seen them before, the man that spoke to me however, he said he knew you, and was speaking on behalf of you. Tatsuo's confused expression stays." What? What was the guy's name?" he asks, resting his head on mine." Um... I'm pretty sure he said his name was Takeomi. He had like black and blonde hair, tall etc etc. I feel his grip loosen a little, his face and eyes signaling to me that's he's thinking. "Oh" is all he says at first. "You know him?" I ask, tilting my neck to the side. "Yeah a little bit. I used to speak to him a lot back when I was still about the gang life. I haven't spoken to him in a while though, what did he say?". "He just told me to not get involved with what's happening next week, there were two other guys with him as well". He waits before speaking once more. "Yeah doesn't surprise me. Wakasa Imaushi and Keizo Arashi. The 'living legends' of Tokyo or whatever. The three of them seem to be together all the time. And I'm not surprised Takeomi found out about the fight either, considering he's Senju's brother. I swiftly rotate around, staring at him blankly. I don't think I can take any more surprises...