To My Dearest...

Don't You Remember...?

The next day, Sakura emerges from her suite with a sweet grin, greeting the bidders cheerfully. "Hey guys! Morning!"

"Hi Sakura! Did you get a good night's sleep?" Ota waves her over with his famous Angelic smile. "Yeah. I mean I didn't really get a single wink, but I was out on my balcony the whole night. It was snowing a bit outside."

"Do you like winter?" Baba chimes from the side, beaming at her. "Yeah. It's my favorite season."

"Why? I thought girls would like something more... warm. Like spring or summer?" Ota seemed confused. She wasn't like any of these other girls they had met.

"Well sorry to disappoint, but I like winter the best for... special reasons." she takes a pause and a moment to glance at Soryu before she finishes her sentence. But only Eisuke had noticed her quick look.

"I would know. This girl only ever comes out during winter. Once, I invited her to my vacation house during the summer but the girl says that she'd rather die than go outside." "How much do you love the cold, Sakura?"

"I'll answer that," Eisuke chortles, "During the summer, I visited her house to invite her for the vacation house but every room in her house had AC, each one on 24/7 without ever turning it off. It was like winter in her house."

Sakura only smirks at the CEO, "That being said, I never go out when it's hot. I have a yearly schedule. I go out at winter and fall and stay indoors most of the time in spring and summer. I only go out on hot days if absolutely necessary."

"Well anyway we forgot to say this yesterday, but welcome to the team, Sakura!" Baba slings an arm around her shoulder with a grin. "Thanks. It's been a while since I've actually been out."

"You mean to take a break?" "No, I'm pretty... different. For the past 2 months, I've been crammed in my room, working." "For who?" "Just for different clients."

"So anyway," she chirps, "If I'm gonna be part of this team, can you tell em a bit more about yourselves?"

"Sure!" Ota and Baba laugh, tugging her to sit between them.

They introduced themselves, speaking about their jobs and such and when Sakura turns to Soryu, the man dared not to speak, not wanting to reveal such things. Especially to a woman.

"Come on, Soryu! Introduce yourself!" Baba urges but the man clams up.

"I don't need to do such things. I don't trust you just yet, woman." he directs the remark to Sakura, who shrugs nonchalantly. "If he doesn't want to, I have no authority to force him."

"And besides, it's not like women ever care for anyone." he snickers, but the man still felt the loneliness from her absence despite himself.

"What the... Why'd you say that, Oh?" "Why would you care, woman? Tch, so nosy."

"You didn't seem to mind that in high school." she drops a pretty obvious hint, but the oblivious boy of course doesn't notice and snaps at her even more.

"I don't know who the hell you are but I certainly never hung around any girls in high school. Especially if they have an attitude like-"

The mobster never finished his sentence when the girl's palm strikes his cheek in a strong slap, the stinging sensation lingering after the collision. "Eisuke," she turns to the brunette nearby, who raises a brow at her, as if asking what she needed. "Are you sure this is the Soryu Oh I knew? He seems more pathetic and heartless than I knew."

"Sakura, people change." he comments but the girl shook her head. 

"People change, but memories don't. And I can't seem to find any in this man." she suddenly chucks an envelope and a jacket button at him before turning away.

~*****~

She stormed out after those words and Eisuke clicks his tongue and shakes his head in exasperation, staring at the dumbfounded Soryu, who held the button and letter in his hands.

The letter seemed to be aged, but unopened. "Oh, this thing..." he mutters, the mobster notices the same button she was holding on the roof during their conversation.

"Unbelievable, Sor... You made a lady cry." Baba mutters, staring at the door through which she ran through. "It doesn't matter much to me."

"Hand me those, Soryu. If you don't even remember her, there's no point in keeping this."

The mobster's eyes pop wide and despite himself, finds himself clutching onto it closely, not wanting to let go. "I want to read this."

"Soryu, you won't understand without knowing." "Can I read it?" Baba's comment earns him a gun to the face as Soryu glares at the thief.

"Then tell me Eisuke. Who the heck is that woman?"

"I'll only tell you her full name and how she matters to you. She's Sakura Sumiko. Your only girl best friend in high school. Think about it Soryu." 

The CEO places a hand on his friend's shoulder before leaving, claiming to do a job and followed by Kishi and finally, Baba and Ota, who wanted to play at the casino.

~*****~

"Absolutely worthless. Why did I expect him to remember me anyway?" she growls, stomping across the streets as the snow sprinkles around her. People kept giving her looks but her snarly attitude caused nobody to stand in her way.

She stops at a cafe, wanting to get a small hot drink just to calm down.

But she ends up buying an iced coffee instead. She sat herself in the corner, wanting some privacy to vent out her anger.

The day comes to a close and Sakura walks down the now empty streets covered with snow. Meanwhile, Soryu sits in is room, on the bed as he tries his hardest.

Why was this woman so important to him?

Who is she?

"Soryu... Don't you remember...?"

~*****~

"I don't care. I want her dead! She's in the way!"

"Yeah! She's back again. It's annoying.!"

"He's mine. And whoever stands in my way needs to go. Especially her."