❝𝕄𝕠𝕞𝕠𝕜𝕠 𝕚𝕟 𝕋𝕠𝕜𝕪𝕠❞✔️ (1)

❤︎Chapter Forty-Eight❤︎

Another grueling month passed.

Yuji and I had birthdays that were a few days apart, so we celebrated them together with all of our friends. I had my first taste of alcohol ever and Yuji and I got drunk by the end of the night. His driver took us both home (to separate houses of course) and complained about us making out in the backseat. He said he had to pry us off of each other!

It was pretty fun and eventful, to say the least. A pleasant break from my complicated world.

The news with Misao hadn't changed. The daily amount of hate mail and posts from my anti-fans hadn't changed, either. Finding a beauty school to accept me regardless of my ruined image was also trialing. Eventually, I did manage to find one and was currently attending the school to improve myself. I excelled pretty smoothly due to my hard work and would soon get my license.

I couldn't see Yuji when I wanted to, though, and that was what really hurt me the most.

He'd call me at late hours when he'd finally get home, and we'd talk all night, but it wasn't the same. I needed to feel him in my arms, and being deprived of that, I felt lonelier than I had in a long time.

On the bright side — there were some happy changes that were occurring in my life!

Masao had been looking for work with better pay and better hours so he could spend time with Kotomi. Yuji heard about his fighting skills and decided to hire him as my personal bodyguard and I'd felt safer with him ever since!

Kotomi decided to start modeling and I styled her hair for her as a side job...that job alone actually put my name out for other models and celebrities. You'd be surprised how many would rather have a talented stylist with a bad reputation do their hair...

Despite losing one job and everything that came with it, I made a lot of friends along the journey to keeping myself afloat...

🍑

I'm the type of person who desires a closeness with people. I can't stay away from them too long, or I'll become overwhelmed with my own feelings until I feel like I'll burst!

It was the same thing with Yuji...only much, much stronger than I'd ever felt before. Being apart from him made me realize just how close I really wanted to be with him. Closer than we'd ever been before. I was so tired of being alone all of the time and feeling alone and being deprived of giving and receiving love that I had become almost desperate.

Moreover, I was tired of feeling like everything in the world was keeping me from Yuji. I was sick of it.

I'm ready for this.

I sigh nervously, my heart racing within my chest. I can't help but tremble at the decision I've made, but I'm too determined to turn back now. I've already gotten into the car Yuji had sent for me. We were supposed to have dinner at his apartment tonight.

But I didn't want to return home afterwards.

Tonight, I was bringing an overnight bag with me.

❤︎

"Momoko, what took so long? Oh..."

I wrap my arms around Yuji in the doorway of his apartment, dropping my backpack at our feet. I pull him close to me and inhale his scent, feeling my everything finally take a minute to calm. His presence had become like a drug - something that was needed to turn my world into lollipops and rainbows.