Chapter Three: Night of Lovers:

I�m still trying to piece together that night I ended up in Kaoru�s room. It all happened so fast. I know that I was at the bar in the beginning. He offered to buy me a drink and I accepted. We were talking and drinking. Well, I was doing most of the drinking. Kaoru just watched me and talked the whole time. This moment was rather odd for me. I don�t normally drink. My family had warned me off of such. Maybe it was my birthday. Maybe it was the cute stranger next to me. But for some reason, I kept on drinking and drinking. It started out with one drink of sake. Then, one became two. Soon, two became four and the drinks kept increasing. I didn�t seem to know how to stop. My stranger only watched me drink up. I looked over at him in happy, flooded haze.

�Hey,� I said. �Why *hic* haven�t you t-touched *hic* your drink?� The stranger gave me a light little shrug

�Don�t know,� he said. �I just like watching cute girls drink.� I only giggled at him.

�You�re cute!� He gave me a charming little smile.

�Thanks.�

�What�s your name?�

�Kaoru. What is your name?�

�Setsuna. Hirata Setsuna.� Kaoru smiled at me.

�Setsuna. That�s a nice name.�

�Really?� Kaoru nodded at me kindly. I just busted out laughing. Such a cutie. I turned back to the bar.

�Bar tender! More drinks for my friend and I!� He looked at me as if I had lost my mind.

�I think you�ve had too much�� he said.

�It�s my birthday!� I yelled. �I�ll let you know when I�ve had enough! Fill me up!� The bar tender turned to my attractive new friend. Kaoru nodded at him. The bar tender still looked nervous.

�Okay�� he said uneasily. The bar tender quietly served up another drink. I smiled like a wild woman.

�Yeah!� I yelled. �That�s what I�m talking about! Keep serving up my drinks, baby!� I laughed aloud like a madwoman. I know my friends thought I was crazy. Because, I felt them come up behind me and take me by the arms. I looked around at them.

�Hey guys, what�s up?� I asked.

�I think you�ve had too much to drink, Setsuna,� Kiku said. I looked at her, smiling.

�Oh come on, Kiku!� I slurred out. �It�s my birthday! I should have *hic* a good time!�

�Yes, but not this much�� Hikari said to me softly.

�Oh come on!� I pleaded in my tipsy blindness. �Let me stay a little longer!�

�No!� Kiku said. �Let�s go back to the hotel now.� Kaoru lightly held up his hand.

�It�s okay,� he said. �You�re friend will be fine with me tonight.� My friends looked at my gorgeous pal uneasily.

�Are you sure?� Hikari asked. Kaoru nodded at her a little. Kiku didn�t buy it.

�But we just met you�� she said. My new friend nodded at her.

�It will be okay,� he insisted. �Just leave her with me.�

�Yes, please! Please! Pleaseeee!� I pleaded. My friends looked slightly worried as they thought about it for a moment.

�Okay�� Hikari replied. �Be careful with our friend. She has a boyfriend.� Kaoru smiled at them like a gentleman.

�Oh, I will,� he replied. My friends reluctantly left me with the pretty man. I don�t remember much after that. I just kept drinking and talking. In a few minutes later, it all went black. The next morning, the thick sunlight hit my eyes. I awoke in a hotel bed all alone. My head ached with a nasty hangover. I sat up on the bed and looked around. This room looked like a Victorian-style. Curtains covered up everything except the main back window. I felt as if I had been kidnapped and taken to Paris. Except for the lavish trim, I seemed to be in a normal room. I looked all around me, confused.

�Where� am� I?� I slowly let slip out of my mouth. Then, I heard my cell phone buzz. I nearly leapt out of the bed, startled. Then, I realized it was my phone. �Where is that coming from?� I thought to myself. I finally spotted my phone on the floor, near the nightstand. I quickly reached down and grabbed it. I flipped it open to see that I had one new text message. Curious, I went straight to the inbox. A chill ran through my spine as I read the text:

Did you enjoy last night? I sure did!

I sat there in frozen fear. It was then I noticed that I was sitting in the bed� naked and sweaty.