Tokyo Seduction (Book 1 Of The Gaijin Series)

Chapter 69

Mimi giggled pointing to a fox mask on one of the many stalls set up by Senba Lake. Shigure watched her, amazed by her resilience and ability to let everything that had happened roll off her back, as she held the mask up to her face. It had taken him all through dinner and the last twenty minutes they had been strolling around the stalls for him to calm down.

"I can't believe how fast the time flew by. What time do the fireworks start?" Mimi said as she set the mask back down.

He looked at his watch. "The fireworks start at Seven-thirty and end at Nine with a light show in the middle of the lake." Shigure grabbed the mask and bought it. "It suits you," he answered her questing look as the stallholder placed it in a bag.

She reached out and gave his hand a little squeeze. "Thanks Gure." Mimi looked around and he could tell by the look in her eyes she had something planned as she said, "Ten minutes till we have to grab a seat. That's just enough time to get some more junk."

She shuffled over to the next stall and gave him a playful grin just as a group of people walked in front of her. He frowned when they passed because she had disappeared. Shaking his head Shigure looked around trying to spot her blond hair. After the incident between Jinpachi and Mimi in the hallway Hatori made him swear up and down that he wouldn't let Mimi out of his sight tonight. He though Hatori was being paranoid but the look Jinpachi had given her when the two of them were eavesdropping had him agreeing with Hatori.

Shigure wandered around the crowded stalls searching for her. He heard applauds erupting by the lake followed by the first explosions as the sky was lit up blue and then yellow from the first of the fireworks. Turning toward the lake he spotted her. Another firework exploded, lighting the sky in bright pink and he saw Mimi shaking like a leaf. Then he looked at what she was looking at and stopped for a second watching the scene unfold.

Jinpachi had hold of her arm. The night sky flashed red then white and Shigure saw him jabbing his finger into her belly as Jinpachi shouted something at her. Shigure ran over to them as Mimi cowered away from him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Wakaba?" Shigure bellowed.

Mimi looked as if she was either going to faint or throw up. Her eyes were huge with fear and her voice shook as she said, "Shigure, Jin was just about to show me where Motoko and the others were sitting." The pleading look of desperation she gave Jinpachi had Shigure wondering what the fuck was going on between them.

Jinpachi let go of her arm and took a set away from Mimi. "That right," he said in a venomous tone. "I was only helping Mimi out. No need to fly off the handle, Kanzaki." He sneered at Shigure then walked off.

It had him itching to kick the shit out of Jinpachi. However, when Shigure look back at Mimi he sighed and dropped it. She was still shaking as she bent down and picked up the plastic bags which held all the things she had bought.

"Here give me those," Shigure said gently, afraid he might scare her away if he spoke to loudly to her. She didn't protest as he took the heavy bags away from her. "Would you please tell me what that was all about? Because I honestly don't know what to think and after what I saw I have a good mind to kick his ass."

His heart dropped as she looked up at him, terror and shame colouring her beautiful face. "Please, Shigure," her voice was frantic, "don't do that. Jinpachi and I have a complicated past and its best for everyone if you just forget what you saw."

Shigure knew all about Jinpachi's complicated past. After what Jinpachi's own mother did and his father abandoning him, Shigure had always suspected Jinpachi was fucked up but tonight only confirmed it. Shaking his head he would never get why Motoko or Mimi would put up that bastard.

"I really don't think that's a good idea, Mimi. It painfully obvious he has it out for you and after what Kyoko said I would think you would want Ha to know." She looked like he had punched her when he said Hatori's name. "Don't worry I will respect your wishes for now. But if he pulls anything else not only will I kick his ass I will also tell Ha."

She nodded. "Thanks," was all she said before heading toward the lake.