Don't Give Up (On Me)

Tosa, Kochi Prefecture

They arrived here a few days ago, having been forced to leave the last place sooner than he wanted. Another place, another room, and this time she was facing east. It was a little further inland, but still within walking distance of the ocean. If one were allowed to walk so much as a few minutes outside. Yet another thing she’d been unable to do much of since he’d taken her. The only times she was allowed outside was if she was with him, and he had Kyotani to make sure she couldn’t run away. Or run very far, if she tried. And she tried once, which made him keep her inside more often than not.

This place seemed to be part of a vacation home, with rooms to let, and it came with a tv, dvd/blu-ray player, coffee maker, toaster oven, a small fridge that came stocked with sodas, and even a hot plate to cook on. Off to the side, there was a smaller room that held a utility sink, shower hose, and a toilet. There was a door that led to a backyard area, but it was locked, and he had the key. Another door led to an identical room, which was his.

“That smells delicious.”
Hitoka made her own dinner: a rice omelet, toast, and a bowl of fresh fruit.

“Happy birthday, love!” she cried as she carried a tray of his favorite breakfast into their bedroom. He was sitting up and leaning back against the pillows, bare chested, his hands up behind his head, and the blankets settled low around his waist.
She almost dropped the tray.
“Happy birthday, indeed.” Eita’s smile was predatory, his eyes glimmered with heat and every intention to skip breakfast in favor of having her instead.
“Really? Not even going to eat the rice omelet I made for you?”
“It does smell good,” he replied reluctantly. And then, his stomach rumbled, and she laughed. She brought the tray to him and set it over his lap once he sat up a little further. They talked while he ate, until he picked up the bowl of fruit.
“Come here,” he murmured. She smiled as he placed a cool, sweet piece of melon against her lips. But before she could eat it, he took it away, and leaned over to kiss her deeply. “I love you.”

She glanced over at the door and smirked, eating another forkful of omelet. It was petty, but she didn’t care. She waited for his inevitable questions.
“You only made one serving?”
“Yep.”
She heard him heave a sigh. He’d stopped complaining about her only making enough for one about a month after taking her. It obviously didn’t stop him from hoping she’d start cooking for him, apparently.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Oh, don’t hurry on my account.”
“Kyotani will be outside. If you need anything?”
Which really meant she was stuck in the room for a while. Not that she expected any different. And not like she could try to escape, either. His guard dog might not always stay by the door, but he was never too far from his post.
“No thanks.”
“See you in a little while.”

She said nothing, and the door was closed with a click of the lock. It was a good thing she was almost done with her food now. She’d have pushed everything away after losing her appetite again. As it was, she only just managed to finish.

After she cleaned and put the dishes she used away, she cleaned up the rest of her mess and then found another movie to play. It wasn’t like she was actually watching them; it was just noise. It kept her company, sort of, when it was too quiet otherwise. She also found a book that had been left behind, and took it back to the table. It didn’t look like a genre she typically read, or even liked, but… it was something.

She opened the book, and leaned back in the chair, and made it look like she was reading. Kyotani had a nasty habit of checking on her, as if she’d somehow escape when they all knew she couldn’t. But while she turned pages, she thought about how she was going to hide her next message. And, as if she’d somehow summoned him, Kyotani opened the door and looked in.

“Need anything?” he grumbled.
“A ticket for the next train home,” she answered calmly.
He snorted. “Good one. Later.” He shut and locked the door behind him.

She had to bide her time. For some reason, he’d had Kyotani search everything before they left, including the wastebasket she’d thrown her message in. She was stone-faced throughout the search, and once they left to discuss their next destination, she quickly and carefully retrieved her message. Before they left, she dropped it and it rolled under the car.

She shook her head and put the book down. Maybe she should watch whatever movie she’d started. But after a few minutes, she began to regret that decision. Maybe she was a glutton for punishment; she watched it anyway. The movie was a romance with a touring guitar player and the groupie he fell in love with. It had been a big hit when it was released a few years ago. Hitoka chuckled. Life imitates art, apparently. And yet, she couldn’t just turn this off.

To tell you the truth
I don’t have much to offer
But I’ll give you
Everything I’ve got
I’ll reach out with my hand to hold

Late nights, long hugs, a place in my heart
Someone to talk to, to lean on, to care for
I’ll always be there for you
I’ll reach out for your hand to hold

Just know you’ll have all of me
I hope that’s enough
I don’t have much to offer
But it’s everything I’ve got
And I’ll reach out with my hand to hold

He asked her for a request before he went back out for his encore, and without thinking, she said, ‘Hand to Hold.’ Now, here she was, crying backstage as Eita finished singing her favorite song. Hayato gave her a damp cloth to cool her face, and then told her to get a little closer to the stage. Confused, she did what he told her, and Eita slid off his stool. Put his guitar on its stand, and came to her.

“Come on,” he said, taking hold of her hands.
She barely had a moment before she knew what he was planning to do.
“Oh, no! I can’t, Eita!”
“Why not? They want to see you and me together,” he was smiling, and her heart just couldn’t handle it.
“I’m a mess. I look like I’ve been crying.”
“Yeah, you do. But we can tell them a story.”
“A story? Eita, you’re not making sense.”
“Just, come on.”

Rising from her chair, Hitoka crossed the room and turned off the tv, and then went to wash her face. The messages she was leaving had to be helping, or her captor wouldn’t have moved them so quickly. Still, there had to be something else she could do. She had to think of some way to help her friends find her sooner. This cat-and-mouse game was way past getting old.

But first, she had to think of another way to even send her messages. If he was making Kyotani search the garbage, and make sure nothing was left behind when they left, she needed to be sneaky. Maybe if she hid it in the cupboards, between dishes? Or, if she could find tape, maybe tape it behind one of the pieces of furniture along the wall? Or maybe…

“I’m back!”
Damn it. Of course, he’d have to show up right before she could write a message. She heard him put down a bag of something on the table, and then his footsteps as he came toward her.
“Miss me?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Yachi…”
“What?”
He sighed. “Nothing. Once you're done, can you come to the table?”
“Why?” Not like she could avoid him anyway. This was the only other room.
“You’ll see.”

She took her time, cleaning the little room after she did her laundry. Clothes she took her time scrubbing until every last fiber was clean. If she could keep scrubbing them out of existence, she would do that, too. He’d bought her these clothes. And because she didn’t want to go around naked (she didn’t want him getting any ideas), she begrudgingly accepted the clothes. Aside from what she was wearing, she had two more pairs of shorts, two t-shirts, and two pairs of underclothes. She had a pair of faux Crocs and a pair of socks, too.

When she couldn’t waste any more time, she walked slowly to the table and sat down before he could offer her the chair like the gentleman he thought he was. The bags turned out to be more food for her, and some takeout for both him and Kyotani. On the table in front of her, there was a smaller bag.

“What’s that?” She pointed at it.
“Open it.”
“Why?”
“It’s a gift, Yachi. Please?”
“I don’t want it. Take it back.”
“Fine. I’ll open it for you.”
“Don’t bother.”
She moved to stand up, but caught the unpleasant gaze of Kyotani. She might not be afraid of her captor, but Kyotani was frightening, and they both knew the man scared her enough to obey even when she didn’t want to. She stayed in her seat.
“I noticed you have a little notepad in your bag,” he said, and Hitoka’s heart just about failed. She fought to keep her expression neutral. “I like your little doodles. Maybe you can draw one for me someday.”

She watched as a bigger notepad and package of colored pens dropped onto the table in front of her, as well as a little velvet bag. Was he actually buying her jewelry? Like she’d wear anything he bought her, other than the clothes on her back. She didn’t move, didn’t touch anything. Didn’t speak a word. Not even as he took the velvet bag and upended it, letting a pair of pretty blue butterfly earrings drop into his hand.

If she had seen these earrings in a jewelry store, on her own, she would have bought them herself. If it was anyone other than the two men in this room, she would have accepted them with a smile and thanks. If Eita were the one to give them to her, to fit them into her ears, to kiss her neck right where the butterflies hovered…

“I knew you’d like them,” her captor sounded pleased as he placed them on the table in front of her. “I never thought you’d cry.”
“None of my tears are for you,” she growled, finally rising out of her seat and glaring at him. At them both. “Take them back. I don’t want them.”
“But, Yachi…”
“I. Don’t. Want. Them.” She enunciated each word. “I don’t want anything from you.”
He stood up, too, and Kyotani as well. “Fine. I can’t take them back tonight, so they’ll have to stay there. Since you’re in such a bad mood, I’ll go back to my room. Sleep well.”
“I haven’t slept well since…”
“I know. I’m sorry. One day, maybe you’ll think differently.”
“Not even a little bit.”
“Goodnight, Yachi.”

She remained standing until after the door was closed and locked. Then, she went to the bed, dropped onto it, and let herself cry out her breaking heart.