When Hitomi finally comes to, she realizes that she's no longer in her small 1 LDK apartment, but in fact – in a large unknown room.
There's a huge dressing table, 6 tiers drawers and a fireplace with two enormous red chairs. Every window panel have been draped with red curtains and all large vases are filled with red living roses.
Whoever the owner of this room, the person must've loves the color red so much. And rich. Yes. Absolutely rich beyond belief.
There's also questionable large mirror hanging on the ceiling and in front of the bed. Why so many mirrors? She have no idea. But this question isn't important. She knows that despite of the luxurious interior design, none of the item in the room feels familiar to her.
As Hitomi slowly turns to her right, she noticed a figure sleeping on the red-winged chair. She recognized who it is right away. It's the same person who had been terrorizing her for an entire week when start working at her new workplace.
She knows it by now that her name is Ayumi Reiner, a snobby heiress who frequently comes to the store to check on the display while pretending to buy her own shoes.
But, why is she sitting there?
Hitomi's head is still pounding. She quietly touches her head and feel a slight fever. Of course, how could she had forgotten? She had a cold shortly after coming home last night. Looks like she now have a fever too. When she look back at Ayumi's face, she felt a lot sicker than before. It's as if her body remembers the agony that the heiress had put her through since the first day they met.
'I better get out of here quick.' Hitomi thinks to herself. She had no idea how she got there, but she's desperate to get out. Without making a sound, Hitomi began to creep towards the door. But, she didn't get far. Barely a few steps ahead; she immediately heard a voice emerging from the chair.
"Are you awake?" she heard Ayumi voice asking her. Hitomi stopped walking. She slowly turned her back and saw Ayumi's rubbing her eyes. Her sleeping voice sounded so innocent, but her eyes are wide awake. When she realize that Hitomi already heading to the door, she immediately leaves her chair.
With a swift move, she shoved Hitomi toward the wall. Her face seems angry.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" she asks while holding Hitomi's shoulders. Hitomi only blinks at the person in front of her. She just wanted to go home, but couldn't find the word with angry Ayumi in front of her.
"Well? Aren't you gonna answer me?" Ayumi ask again, this time shaking Hitomi's shoulders. Hitomi takes a gulp down her throat. She had seen Ayumi angry before, but not like this.
Slowly mustering her courage, Hitomi replied;
"I…. just wanted to go home." She said after a long pause. But her answer didn't seem to satisfy Ayumi. In fact, she seem angrier than before.
"Home? Why would you go back to that dump? That place is horrible! You should just stay here with ME!" Ayumi barked at her. What a weird reply, Hitomi thinks to herself. She's nobody to Ayumi Reiner. They barely even know each other. So, why should she have stayed at her place?
However, rudeness was never her strongest suit. Hitomi just answer politely;
"But, Ayumi-san... I don't even know you. Why should I stay here?" she asks back. Ayumi bites down her own lips.
"Be…because… you're sick! Sick person should just lie down on bed and rest until they fully recover! That's why!" Ayumi replied. She's literally squeezing Hitomi's shoulder as she says that. Feeling the pain, Hitomi gently pushes Ayumi hands away.
"I'm sorry… but I rather go home. I feel much better there. Now, if you excuse me…" she says and continues to make her way towards the door. Hitomi walk a few more steps before leaning towards the door. Her vision starts to become blurry. Slowly, her body begin to slide down.
Luckily, Ayumi manage to get a hold of her before she completely fall on the hard wooden floor.
Hitomi slowly opens up her eyes.
"See? What did I just tell you? You're still sick!" She said. Hitomi left out a little sigh.
"I'm okay. Please don't worry about me." She said and pushes Ayumi's hand away. But, she won't let her.
"No. Just stay where you are. Just rest at my place until you get better!" she said firmly. Hitomi left out a few coughs before covering her mouth. Then, she slowly closes her eyes. She didn't want to rest at Ayumi's place to get better. She just want to go back to her shabby apartment where she belongs.
"Please, help me go. I need to get home before dark." She continues. Her voice is low as she begged. Still angry with her, Ayumi pulled Hitomi head directly towards her bosom. Tears begin to form on the corner of her eyes.
"No! You can't go! I won't let you. Please, don't leave me again!" Ayumi said while hugging Hitomi's tightly. While in her embrace, Hitomi is force to inhale Ayumi perfume again. She smells a mixture of roses, gardenia and lilac. For a moment, her scents seem to have some effect on her. It's no long offensive to her nose.
Instead, it's comforting. Hitomi feel like burying herself in there forever.
"Ayumi-san?" Hitomi suddenly call out for her. Ayumi look down and see Hitomi's pale face.
"Yes, Hitomi-san?"
"I am thirsty. Can I have a glass of water, please?" she ask. Still polite as ever. Ayumi quickly nodded.
"Sure. Please wait here." She said and lay Hitomi down on the floor. She then grabbed a pillow on the bed and put it underneath her head. After ensuring that she's comfortable, Ayumi finally left the room.
Hitomi left out a sigh.
"What's the matter with that girl? What can't she just let me leave?" she asks quietly before putting one hand on her forehead. As she begins to think of ways to escape from Ayumi's - tears begin to stream down her cheeks. Darn it. She hasn't cried in a long time. So, why is she crying now?
Is it because that girl, Ayumi Reiner?
It's easy to pin-point Hitomi's life before and after she crosses path with Ayumi. All her life has been about survival. After losing her parents in an accident at a young age, Hitomi is forced to live with her unmarried aunt. They're relationship are okay for the most part, except for when she starts to drink. That woman can't hold her liquor and can get verbally abusive when she drunk.
After a short illness, Hitomi's aunt unexpectantly passed away. She was just turned eighteen then. When her aunt dies, she also left a huge loan debt behind. As her niece and out of gratefulness, Hitomi decides to pay for all of it. As a result, Hitomi never went to college and quickly enter a job market as soon she finished with her highschool diploma.
Since then, she been spending all of twenties paying off debt for her dead aunt debt while living alone in a 1 LDK. While in her early twenties, Hitomi also got herself a boyfriend. They went out for a while, but later separate after realizing that they both wanted different things. That was five years ago. The last time she heard, he already married to a girl from his workplace. Hitomi stopped following his life shortly afterwards. Life goes on.
Now, at nearly thirty years old and stuck in a dead-end job, Hitomi finally plucked out a courage to ask from her former co-worker about a potential new job. Her friend told her about a job opening in a shoe boutique store. The pay is better and the working hour wasn't so bad.
Things have started to looking up for Hitomi.
As she started to get comfortable working there, enters Ayumi Reiner. A beautiful heiress who seems to hold a grudge on her for whatever reasons. Just when she thinks that things started to go well; Hitomi find herself on the bottom of the pit again.
"Here's your water." Hitomi heard a voice coming out of nowhere. She opens her eyes and sees Ayumi's face again. She is holding a glass of water for her. Hitomi slowly tries to move her body while Ayumi help her with the drink.
"Thank you…" she said after she finished. Ayumi give her a weird smile. Suddenly, Hitomi vision starts to get a little blurry. She looks at Ayumi face and notice her continuous smile. It didn't take long before she realizes what just happened.
"You… drugged me…" she said. That's her last word before she falls unconscious again. Ayumi smiles and caress her cheek. She leans on and gently whispered something into Hitomi's ear.
"Sorry, but I had too. If I don't then you're just going to run away again." She said, smiling.
With Hitomi head slumped on her shoulder. Ayumi feel a small victory on her side. As she watches Hitomi sleeping face, Ayumi leans again to give Hitomi a deep kiss. She doesn't care if Hitomi is unconscious and unable to feel her kiss. All she knows is that now that Hitomi is here, she'll never let her leave again
- End of Chapter 4 -