I don't own Saiunkoku Monogatari.

Pairing: Saku/Shuu, Ryuu/Shuurei

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Memories in a Kiss

His breath on her cheek was warm - and the taste of his mouth on hers was sweet. Sweet as the grapes she had served him that morning - and the aftertaste was as bitter too. She pushed him away sputtering - yelling, scolding him.

"Waka-sama!" she exclaimed. "Stop doing things like that! What will people think?"
"I don't care," he sighed, turning away to gaze out of the window longingly - as if he were trapped in the house and not free to do as he chose.

As if he saw something sad that she could never see...

Shuurei drooped.

"Love..." His voice whispered softly.

"Eh?"

"Love... shouldn't care about what other people think..." Sakujun had said - softly. "At least..."

"Well... Love would care about what I think," Shuurei sighed. "It's uncomfortable."

"Love is uncomfortable," Sakujun had smiled at her. "It's like being stabbed in the heart slowly - or dying from poison..."

"You make it sound evil."

"It is, isn't it? Love makes people do crazy things... You said it is evil yourself..."

"I SAID it was UNCOMFORTABLE - I didn't say it was wrong!"

"Ahhh... semantics."

"Waka-sama! Don't think -"

She remembered his words now... so clearly -

It's like being stabbed in the heart slowly - or dying from poison...

Love makes people do crazy things...

His breath on her cheek was warm - and the taste of his mouth on hers was spicy. Spicy as the manjuu buns she had made for him that afternoon - and the memories were bitter. She pushed him away sputtering - yelling, scolding him.

"Ryuuki!" she exclaimed. "Stop doing things like that! What will people think?"

"I don't care," he smiled down at her, and leaned in for another kiss.

She relaxed in his arms, and for a moment, enjoyed his warmth.

"Love," he said.

Love...

"Shouldn't care about - eh? Shuurei?"

Her face crumpled -

Love... shouldn't care about what other people think...

Love is uncomfortable...

It's like... dying from poison...

It's like being stabbed in the heart slowly...

She burst into tears.