The ticking of the clock filled the silence of Eisuke’s suite. Having changed out of her racy dress and into some joggers and an oversized t-shirt, she made herself comfy on his plush sofa. Her legs crossed and a steaming coffee in her hand.

Upon their return to the hotel, everyone had dispersed, making various excuses for needing to return to their rooms immediately. It was obvious they were being considerate. Allowing Eisuke and MC some time to talk. 

While she was thankful for their consideration, the thought of being alone with Eisuke to discuss them had her feeling nervous.

Uncharacteristically so.

Like she was that seventeen year old girl who was totally besotted with him all over again.

Well, it wasn’t the farthest thing from the truth.

She knew very well she was in love with Eisuke. But having to close those feeling off for the last seven years, the idea of them being brought out again had her heart racing. 

Eisuke sat on the same sofa. Holding an identical cup of coffee. This had a familiar feeling to it. Odd, considering Eisuke and MC hadn’t been a couple for almost a decade. Odd considering all the time they had spent apart.

Yet this felt right.

She could sense his eyes on her. She tried desperately not to acknowledge his look. Not to look back. For should she look back, the comforting silence would be broken, and deeper discussions would fill that silence. 

Why was she so nervous? It was Eisuke, for goodness sake! She had known him since they were kids. Except… he wasn’t just Eisuke anymore… he was THE Eisuke Ichinomiya. The Hotel King. The very Eisuke Ichinomiya, who sat on her agencies blacklist, yet never acted shady enough for them to investigate him too thoroughly. Although spending time with him and on her mission involving Spencer had taught her, he was just very good at covering his tracks.

“MC…” His voice told her she wasn’t going to be lucky enough to avoid this discussion forever. She looked up. Their eyes meeting. “Your eyes really are the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. They always held me captive when we were younger. They drew me straight to you when you came to my hotel before, and even now. I can’t help losing myself in them” He whispered sweetly.

“Eisuke…” She had barely whispered his name.

“Dinner, 7:30pm, every day while you are on your break from missions.” He commanded.

She looked at him in surprise. Dinner? She thought he had wanted to talk?! Reading her facial expressions like a book, Eisuke smirked.

“Look… I haven’t forgotten what I said. I want to talk. But I think we should have that talk once we have spent some time just going on a few dates. I want to hear about what the last seven years have been like for you”.

“Ok! That sounds good!” She smiled. Getting up from the sofa, she started heading towards the kitchen with her cup.

“MC?” Eisuke asked, confused. 

“It’s late, I should be heading back. Don’t tell me… you’re going to miss me that much?” She joked, smiling at his pouting face.

“Stay here, I have a spare suite you can use for the night” Eisuke offered, although it sounded more like a command.

“Sure, thank you Eisuke” She smiled gratefully, knowing if she refused, he would probably tell her she would be staying in his suite instead so he could ensure she was safe.

Satisfied with her response, Eisuke showed her to the spare suite she would be using for the night. Lingering at the door for a moment, Eisuke combed his fingers gently through her locks before pulling his hand away and heading back to his own suite.

Her heart was racing. God, she loved this man. And starting tomorrow night, they would be going on daily dates, getting to know what the other had been up to these last seven years. 

Then… then they would talk.

***

It had been almost 2 weeks of evening dates with Eisuke. Dinners, walks, movies. Eating French, Italian, English, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine. Watching romances, actions, comedies. They had been sweet, romantic date settings.

But not only that, they had talked about so many different things.

She had told Eisuke fully what had happened when she had been kidnapped. How she had found the EAC. How she had been hired. Some of the sort of missions she had been on (hiding the details too confidential to spill). How she had contacted Luke due to injuries and what sort of injuries she had had.

Eisuke told her about his time at university. How he felt when Akira asked him to take over the Ichinomiya Group. When he had developed his first hotel. How he had met the other bidders. The reasons behind the auctions.

They had both discussed how their families were doing. And then other topics, such as dating in the last seven years, reminiscing over school days. Reminiscing over their relationship. 

And with each date, she felt herself falling deeper and deeper in love, all over again, with Eisuke.

Tonight was no different. They were discussing the usual topics. Yet when 10pm came, and they made it back to the hotel, neither wanted to say goodnight like they had done every night previously.

“MC…” Eisuke spoke, his hand combing through her hair. Her eyes meeting his, “Saying goodnight, and going our separate ways each night, it is my least favourite part of the evening” 

“Mine too.” She blushed. She didn’t want to say goodnight and not be falling asleep with him. “Hey Eisuke—”

Yet, just as she went to ask him to stay with her, he interrupted her.

“Come back to my suite with me?” He asked, his voice seductive in her ear.

“I’d like that” She responded without hesitation. Accepting Eisuke’s hand, she followed him up to his suite. 

Eisuke wrapped one arm around her shoulder, encouraging her to snuggle into his side, resting her head upon his shoulder. He rested his head on hers and wrapped his other hand around her own. His fingers ghosting circles across her arm and palm.

“I told you we would talk when we got back. And while I typically am not a man who expresses his emotions to others, I believe I cannot ask you to tell me how you feel, without telling you how I feel. So, I am going to go first… then you, ok?” Eisuke spoke gently to her. She nodded from her place in his arms.

His grip tightened slightly, seeming as though he was nervous. Uncharacteristic of the him he portrayed to others. After taking a calming sip of his coffee and placing down the cup, he began opening up to her. 

“When you disappeared seven years ago, I searched for you every day. I swore I would find you. I locked my heart away until I found you and could return it to you. You had my heart throughout our youth. You were the only one worthy of my heart. I believed that would be the case for always. But no matter how much I searched for you, you were gone. No trace. As if you never existed. I won’t lie to you, over these last seven years, I have had many meaningless nights with various women. Truthfully, it was to fill the void left by you being gone. But no one could fill the void. I was always me, but I felt myself becoming colder and harsher. So, when I saw you again that night at my hotel, in my casino, I felt my heart begin to thaw. I knew it was you, immediately. I have never met anyone with eyes like yours. But you ran. I was hurt but also relieved. You were alive. And if you were alive, it meant I could find you. Finding you showed me that my heart still belonged solely to you. My feelings had not changed in these seven years. MC… not once did I stop loving you. Wanting you. Searching for you. I always have and will continue to love you.”

His words were so deep, meaningful, and words she had never expected to hear from Eisuke. He deserved her respect back, her honesty.

“Eisuke… when I was rescued by the EAC, my first thought was that I hoped you were ok. I wanted to run back to you, but I had this sense that I needed to find the man who I had met, and I wanted to work like he did, saving others. Since I was already gone, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to go. Why come back, just to say goodbye? But the truth was, that was difficult. After I was hired, I had numerous missions, in and around where you were. I tirelessly tried to avoid bumping into you, for if I saw you, I knew I would want to run into your arms. But I couldn’t. I had given up my life. No one could be as close to me as I wanted us to be. So, I stayed away. Always keeping my heart as yours alone. Sure, I had boyfriends here and there. Nothing serious, more just hookups that lasted a few weeks or months. But never once did I find someone I loved, like I loved you. When I had my mission at your hotel, I was nervous to bump into you. So, when I did, and you seemed to recognise me immediately, I had to run. Because I sensed myself falling back into the same feelings from seven years earlier. Then I asked them to transfer me, so I could run from you again. Yet still, you found me. soon I went from wanting to run from you, to wanting you to find me and never let me go. Eisuke, the truth is, I am so madly in love with you that I can’t escape you. I never once stopped loving you, no matter how hard I tried to fight it…”

“That’s the truth?” Eisuke whispered.

“That’s the truth.” She confirmed.

His arms circled around her back, pulling her into his lap. Holding her in place securely by her waist. His eyes searched hers, foreheads pressed together. 

“Be mine again MC. For good, this time” Eisuke whispered, holding up a familiar looking ring. Smiling, MC nodded to him, delighted as he slipped the old promise ring onto her finger. Stealing a deep, all-consuming kiss from her.

That kiss became deeper, and his tongue wetted her lower lip, trying to coax her mouth open, to let him inside. As she let out a slight gasp at the pleasurable sensation rising up inside her, Eisuke wasted no time in sliding his tongue between her slightly parted lips, allowing it to dance with hers. 

Meanwhile, their hands roamed carelessly over one another’s bodies. Tugging away the clothes that rudely separated them. Flinging them away, as if they were unimportant. Eisuke’s eyes, glazed over with his lust and desire, only saw her. She had no doubt; her eyes saw only him. Filled with that same desire.

Eisuke dragged his tongue along her neck, teeth nipping at her most sensitive spots. His hands worked to find her other sensitive spots. One massaging her breast, while the other found purchase between her legs, stroking her inner thigh, deriving a moan from her lips.

MC didn’t like to be the only one receiving pleasure. She was competitive and wanted Eisuke to feel just as much pleasure as he was giving her. So, she allowed her hand to stroke down his chest, teasingly over his hip, before it met his throbbing, hard length. His desire for her was evident in the way it twitched as her hand glided over the bulge. His eyes darkened more as his need for her increased. 

MC allowed herself to rub the tip gently before she began to pump his hard length. Beginning slowly, allowing him to enjoy the pleasurable stimulation she provided. Before finally increasing in speed. She felt Eisuke gasp into her neck. The knowledge that he was enjoying this only spurred her on further.

His fingers made their way into her wet folds, rubbing the sensitive nub, causing her breath to hitch and her body to tremble. God, she wanted him. 

“Eis…uke” She moaned his name, encouraging him to increase his attack. She could feel her body trembling from the pleasure he was inflicting. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted to feel him. She wanted to make love to him. “I need you”. 

“I-I know baby n-nm. I need you too.” He struggled to disguise the groan that escaped him. 

Positioning himself behind her, it wasn’t long before she felt him enter her. She could feel him deep inside. Thrusting hard and fast. Knowing exactly what spots to hit to bring them both maximum pleasures. 

It was virtually impossible to hold back her moans any longer. With each moan, Eisuke seemed to intensify his movements. 

“I-I love you Eisuke” She exclaimed, as she felt her walls tightening around him, before being swept away by her climax. The feel of her coming undone beneath him, aided Eisuke in succumbing to his own release. Groaning as he spilled his seed, continuing to thrust into her prolonging their bliss.

“I love you too, MC” Eisuke said, kissing her forehead once he had recovered from his high.

His lips brushed hers gently, before he kissed the ring which once again sat atop her finger, as if sealing their love in that kiss.

***

A few days later and MCs time off had come to an end. She had returned to headquarters and had been busy with various smaller scale missions since.

A few weeks had now passed since she and Eisuke had rekindled their relationship. He had been messaging her every day, checking in, inviting her to the penthouse if she was free. Unfortunately, fate had not been on their side and she hadn’t seen him since their final date and night together.

Luckily, she had her ring on her finger. A visual representation of his love. A way for her to keep a part of him with her always. She had to cringe at herself. She was in the lovely dovey phase of a relationship, the honeymoon period. The period where she wants to spend all her time with him. this feeling had been foreign to her for the last seven years and so she was slightly surprised at herself.

A text tone drew her attention. Eisuke. 

My suite. 8pm tonight. Stay the night,

One thing that had not changed, despite how sweet he was to her, he was still brusque and demanding as always. MC couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her. Luckily for her, she had a clear schedule tonight, so she would be able to see her boyfriend for the first time in a while. 

Firing off a quick text confirming their plans, she resumed sorting through her mission report to send over to the Boss. 

Evidently, having plans with Eisuke made her work harder and faster, as she had finished well before she normally did when filing her after mission reports. The Boss had a teasing twinkle in his eye when he recognised the same fact. 

Sigh… she really was smitten. 

With that thought in mind, she headed back to her apartment to prepare for visiting Eisuke. 

***

A few hours later and she was inside the elevator heading towards the penthouse. She wasn’t alone, however, as Mamoru too was heading up.

“Haven’t seen ya around recently kid” He spoke nonchalantly, puffing on his cigarette. 

“Yeah, I’ve had a few jobs lately which have kept me busy. You still slacking off?” She couldn’t help but giggle, to which Mamoru granted her a half-hearted scowl.

“To think I’d missed seeing ya face ‘round here, then ya go and say that” He huffed. 

“Aw you missed me, I’m touched.” She joked, still laughing. 

“Saracastic kid” Mamoru replied, but he couldn’t mask the smile on his face.

As the elevator doors opened up to the lounge, Mamoru and MC were still laughing. A fact that brought a possessive thrown to Eisuke’s features. 

“Don’t look at me like that!” MC blurted, as she approached where he sat.

“Hmph looks like you’re having fun” He spoke begrudgingly. Something MC found very amusing.

“Wow, I haven’t seen you in weeks and the first thing you do is moan. Jeez, I missed you too sweetheart.” She rolled her eyes sarcastically. 

Eisuke shot up from his seat. Grabbing her wrist and dragging her from the lounge to his suite. She could hear the bemused laughter of the others behind them as they left.

As soon as they were inside his suite, Eisuke shut his door, crashing his lips onto hers, in a deep, erratic kiss. MC did her best to keep up, responding with equal ferocity. Sighs seeping out between them.

“Of course, I missed you baby” Eisuke said, when he finally broke the kiss. His shy honesty melted her heart, and she smiled brightly at him. He smiled back, albeit exasperatedly, shaking his head. “I’ve got something for you, go wait for me on the sofa.” He commanded, yet his face was gentle.

Obediently, MC sat on the sofa, waiting for him to return. When he did, in his hand sat a small square box. Her heart rate increased, unsure of what was happening.

Taking her hand in his, Eisuke looked her square in the eyes.

“MC… Baby… I’m glad I found you again. I am glad you agreed to be mine again. You mean a great deal to me, and the promise ring I gave you seven years ago showed that I felt all these things then… but it didn’t seem right to use the same one for now. So…” He paused, opening the square box. Inside was a diamond ring, which sparkled brightly in the light. It was gorgeous and MC let out a gasp. “This is a new promise ring. One which I am giving you this time around, now that I promise once again, to love you and cherish you always. This ring is a promise of my love, to you”.

“Eisuke!” A few tears cascaded down her soft cheeks. Her smile bright. “I love you so much! I love it, it is beautiful!” 

Eisuke smiled at her, before once again crashing his lips to hers as he slid the ring onto her ring finger. 

Its glistening symbolising the promise of a bright future, together with her love.

She had tried so desperately to abandon her past, a past that should have been long forgotten. 

But no more would she try to lose him to her past.

He was her past.

But he was also her present.