Lost (Part 2)

Title: Lost (Part 2)
Pairing: NinoxOC
Rating: PG
Warning(s): For Emily, mebe~
Note:.
So ja… Part 2 is here!! Eh heh heh. After this there will be a normal length 3rd.. and if I can’t end the story like that, then I will add a smaller 4th part. This chapter isn’t the best, but I still like it ^^. You get to know “Emily” better. (Eh heh) *Walks away innocently* And ah. The clothes. Gomen ne, Emily-chan! You’ll hafta wait for the next part to hear that =__=; Nino left too soon. He got away from mee!! *Runs*
Part 3! CLICK!

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Emily awoke to the sound of people talking and the blaring light of the TV in the dark room. She rubbed her eyes and looked around, suspecting she had been asleep for a couple of hours. “Emily Sai has been missing for five days now…” She blinked and sat up abruptly, looking at the TV, mouth hanging open. It had just said her name and there was a photo of her posted in the corner. There was her mom… and her family. They were crying. Her mom looked incredibly frail and tiny.

            Sitting in front of the TV was Nino. His head was on his knees and he was completely still. Emily didn’t know whether she should get up or stay on the couch. Judging by his posture, he didn’t know that she was up, or really wanted her to be up. He seemed to be struggling with his thoughts. She had the urge to go over to him, but didn’t. She slid back under the blankets and watched him through wide eyes.

 

            Nino rested his head on his knees. What had he done? Now people were looking for Emily. Of course they were! How could he have been so stupid as to pick a stray girl and not think that her family and friends would be worried for her! Nino wasn’t regretting his actions, because she was safe with him and he knew it. She was healthy now. But he was worrying. He didn’t much feel like being charged with kidnapping. Because that wasn’t what he had done, was it?

            The TV continued to speak about “Emily Sai”, saying that she had been missing for five days and that she had gotten lost on a bus from shopping with her family. The TV wanted to know if anyone had seen her and they gave a number to call. Nino scrambled up from the floor to get a piece of paper. He had to write that number down.

            From the counter, Nino grabbed a stray pencil and a napkin from the table. He ran back to the TV and wrote down the number displayed on the screen. Good. Now Emily could call her family and tell them that she was ok… tell them who she was with.

            “Ahhg,” Nino groaned. He was mad at his own stupidity. If he had her do that, the scenario would become even more suspicious. He rested his head against the TV and brought his fist down on it, hard, causing it to flicker ominously. The resounding thud was loud and he remembered Emily, asleep on the couch behind him. He turned to see if she was still doing just that, but her eyes were wide and staring at him. How had he not felt her gaze?

            Nino absentmindedly rubbed his red fist. He glanced back at her, their eyes locking as he did so. He regarded her silently while she drew in a sharp breath and threw off her covers, swiftly moving over to him. She took his hand into her tinier, cold ones and held it loosely. “I’m causing trouble for you, aren’t I?” she asked. Her voice was a bit unsteady, but her gaze upon him was firm. He wasn’t able to pull his eyes away from hers.

            “If anything, I’m causing trouble for you, Emily,” he responded shortly. Her cold hands were making his own feel preferably cool, taking the dull red pain away. He relaxed his tense stance, trying to hold back the urge to grip her hand back.

            Emily shook her head, her features overwrought. “You-you saved me, Nino…miya-san. If it wasn’t for you, I’d probably be alone somewhere and terribly sick. So you caused me no trouble at all. I’m the one who is imposing on you.” With that, she released his hand, broke her gaze, and bowed deeply.

 

            Emily released Nino’s hand quickly, realizing that she had been holding it in her own all too late. She bowed her head deeply to him, her face erupting with heat. Had she really just held his hand? Had he really just let her? How had she had the courage to do something so… so… iniquitous? The word entered her head but didn’t seem to fit the situation all to well. Her hands burned from the touch of Nino’s hand. She knew she would never forget it… any of his touches.

            “Please don’t bow to me, Emily,” Nino said. He sounded tired to her. Had she been keeping him from getting sleep? Ahh… how could I be so selfish with that thought? She chided herself.

            “But I should,” she declared, head still low, “Your work… how are you doing that while taking care of me?” she timidly raised her head to glance at his face and saw that he gazed at her with tired eyes. They matched the tone of his voice entirely, causing concern to grip Emily’s heart.

            “I’ve taken five days off so far.” He rubbed his head wearily. “I should really go back,” Nino told her with unyielding honesty. “Everyone is getting worried for me. And if I don’t go back soon, Johnny may want to check up on me. I can’t really afford that if you’re here.”

            Emily clasped her shaking hands together in front of her. She was standing up straight now, her eyes turning blurry. She certainly was causing him trouble and the rest of Arashi too. He seemed to expect that she knew who he was. “It’d be best if I left then, wouldn’t it?”

            “Do you have anywhere to go?” Emily couldn’t answer. She didn’t even know where she was. She lowered her eyes once again, ashamed with her inability to do anything.

            “I’m going to bed,” Nino mumbled. As he passed her, Emily could’ve sworn she heard him voice two, tiny words that held too much meaning. “I’m sorry.”

            Emily whipped around to the view of Nino’s slumped back. He retreated into his room and the door softly clicked closed behind him. She stared at the closed door dejectedly. She felt terrible for causing Nino hardships. She wanted to do something to make it better. But what was there to do?

            She walked up to the door and stared at it blankly trying to figure out what she wanted to say. She knew she wanted to go in and curl up with him… but no. That wasn’t the point (and it wasn’t like he would let her, anyway). Emily raised a fist to the door and rapped on it softly. Her heart thudded dangerously in her chest. Her mind flitted around anxiously. “Hai…” she heard Nino’s sleepy voice call from inside the room. Had she woken him?

            “A-ano… I just wanted to say that if you want to go to work tomorrow, I would be fine on my own. I think when you get back….” She paused. She didn’t want to demand anything of him, but she just had to know some more details on the current situation… and ways to work it out further. “I think when you get back we need to talk about this…situation,” she proclaimed, but not with much conviction.

            A tiny affirmation resounded from the room, “Hai… now can I sleep? If I’m going to work, I need rest.” Emily heard the rustling of sheets on skin and felt her face turn pink.

            “Ah hai! Gomen ne!” She started to back away from the door, skittish, but stopped short when she heard Nino say something more, still.

            “Ii yo. Oyasumi, Emily.”

            “Ah!” She stared at the door in shock. “H-hai! Oyasumi, Ninomiya-san!” She bowed deeply, even though she knew he couldn’t see her and returned to her couch. She fell onto it, her whole body trembling. Every nerve in her body itched. She didn’t want to sleep, she had been doing that a lot lately, but she felt its presence tugging at her eyelids and mind.  Her head tipped and fell lightly on the pillow. What will I do all day tomorrow? She wondered just before sleep engulfed her.

 

            “Kaa-san… my phone… gimme my phone…” Emily’s hand searched blindly for her absent phone in her half dream. Her head rose slightly and she reached too far over the edge….

            “ITEI!” She groaned as her body, her face mostly, smacked into the floor. Blankets fell off of the couch on top of her. She pushed herself up on tired limbs. She rubbed her smashed face irritably and looked around blearily. She was still in Nino’s house, but without her phone… Why didn’t she have her phone? Emily searched through her clouded memories of the past week to slowly come to the conclusion that she was lazy. Her phone had been in her purse; the pants she was wearing had no pockets, and she had given her purse to her mother to hold while they were shopping.

            “What a loser,” she said aloud, just to fill the eerie silence that was closing in around her. She figured Nino had already left for work and sighed, standing up. The room was filled with the beautiful purple-pink haze of sunrise. Just how early is it? Emily wondered. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and shuffled over to the kitchen. Her stomach rumbled, angry from being neglected of food.

            Upon entering the kitchen, she slowed her pace to a halt. On the table was a bowl with a spoon in it and a box of cheerios next to it. There was a not placed in front of the bowl. Emily grinned dorkily. “Cereal in Japan,” she laughed at the sound of it, picking up the note.

            “Emily,” she read, flailing. Nino had written her a letter! “Obviously, I’ve left for work. You can have this for breakfast. If you want, you can shower as well. I put clothes in the bathroom just in case. Pleas excuse their size… There is also an extra towel for you to use. Please make yourself at home.

            But DON’T play my games!

            -Ninomiya”

            Emily giggled, holding the letter up to her face and shutting her eyes gleefully. How wonderfully and typically Nino this letter was! She put it to the side; she was going to take it home no matter what.

            She poured herself half a bowl of cereal, knowing she wouldn’t finish a whole one, and moved her way over to Nino’s fridge. She was interested to see what would be in her favorite idol’s fridge and peered inside. She stifled a laugh and opened the fridge door fully. The thing was completely empty except for some necessities. Luckily, there was milk. She pulled it out and set the white jug on the table. She opened it and sniffed cautiously. If it was rancid, she would it her cereal dry….

            Emily let out a sigh of relief. It smelled fine. She tipped the milk into her bowl and sat in the chair. She munched thoughtfully on the cheerios. What would she do today? She searched for thoughts of how the day could turn out, but was greeted with emptiness. The day was filled with nothing. She didn’t know when Nino would be home, either.

            Emily sighed contently once she finished her cereal. She leaned back in her chair, starting out a plan for the day. In a few minutes, she would clean up her bowl and any other dishes Nino had left. After that, she would take a nice, warm, leisurely shower…

            Knocking at the door startled Emily out of her thoughts. She froze and stared at the front door through the window in the kitchen. Her first thought was to ask who was there, but this was not her house. That action would be immensely stupid. She heard the click of a key turning in the lock and her eyes widened. “Ni…” she started to say, “…no!” But it wasn’t Nino’s head that was peaking into the house. Emily had to clamp her hands over her mouth to keep from breaking out into fangirling screams.

            It was not Nino, but Ohno, the eldest member of Arashi. So he had the key to Nino’s house, huh? She thought, wide eyed. Figures.

            “Nino-chan~!” Ohno called out and Emily squeezed her eyes shut only to open them again to greedily stare at the man. His call was so cute! She could feel the urge to break out into a major fangirling session, but restrained herself.  “Nino-chan? I’m here to capture you! It’s time to get back to work. You need to get your gaming ass out of this house!” The older man hadn’t seemed to notice her presence yet and Emily was a bit grateful. She knew she must look horrible in her worn clothes. She also needed to shower… But what would she do when he did notice her?

            “Ne, Nino-chan? Doko deuka?” Ohno stepped through the threshold and looked around the nearly empty house. Emily held her breath as his gaze swept over her and nearly let it out, but he started and turned his head to her. “Eeh~?” he said, eyes a tad too wide. They sparkled back at Emily. “So our little Nino has a girl now?”

            “H-he already left for work!” Emily squeaked, regretting her words immediately. Why oh why did she have to talk when she could barely even think?

            “Are you what’s been keeping our Nino from work, little miss?” Ohno questioned, walking into the kitchen. He sat down across from Emily and peered at her, a playful tint to his eyes and lips. He leaned an elbow on the table and rested his head on his fist. She felt her cheeks blaze with embarrassment. She had no idea what she was doing.

            “I-iie. Never,” she mumbled. Ohno grinned impishly at her pink face. She felt a smile tug at her own lips. How could she not smile at him?

            “So, if you’re not his girl, who are you?” He wondered aloud. Ahhh… now it’s two Arashi members who’ve asked me who I am!

            “I’m…Emily,” she managed to breath out.

            “And I’m Ohno,” he said, bowing his head, “Yoroshiku.”

            Emily jumped in her seat. She didn’t know how to react to his cabalistic movement. “A-ah… Yoro…shi…” she trailed off, bowing her head as well. Her face felt as if someone had spilt oil on it and threw a lit match at her. Her features were twisted into confusion. She heard Ohno try to stifle a chuckle, but failed. He burst out into full on eruptions of laughter. The sound was pleasant, but it strained her ears. Was he teasing her? She couldn’t understand it. He didn’t know her… well. He knew her name.

            “You… you’re funny, Emily-chan,” Ohno gasped through laughs. She lifted her head to pout at him, her cheeks still burning.

            “G-gomen ne…” she mumbled, close to tears. How was she supposed to react to being teased by him?

            “Don’t apologize, silly girl! There’s nothing to apologize for. You just made my day,” I made Ohno’s day? Emily smiled blissfully at the strange thought. I’m actually talking to him, too. But with Nino I did… he did… Emily’s head turned light and Ohno seemed to notice the drastic change and raised an eyebrow.

            “So he did do something with you? That naughty boy!” Emily’s face changed from bliss to apprehensiveness.

            “N-no!” she struggled for the words that her mind wouldn’t let her speak. “He… he didn’t…”

            Ohno burst out into laughter again. Emily disliked how he seemed to be getting so much pleasure out of her anxiety. But then again, this was Ohno in front of her. How could the dislike possibly last?