Prologue
***
"Akira-kun…"
"Nani?"
Young Akira and a young little girl with an auburn ponytail were standing under a Sakura tree in Eitoku Garden. Petals of Sakura were falling and floating around them as they stood facing each other in their little cute Eitoku uniforms.
"I… I like you." with those words finally out of her mouth, the little girl edged forward and kissed a surprised Akira on the lips.
They were nine years old then.
Mimasaka Akira was aroused from his sleep. It was 4:30 in the morning. Usually around this time, he would be out somewhere in Tokyo… either carousing with his buddy, Soujirou in a pub surrounded by a bevy of cute and sophisticated ladies OR in bed, enjoying the warm comfort of some flirtatious classy, sometimes married woman he got to know from his frequently patronized pubs.
But tonight, he decided to stay in. He still couldn't figure out why he rejected Sae's offer to stay at her villa for the night… for her husband is out of town for the whole week.
Jaded perhaps? Nah, he will never get tired of such women… not in this lifetime, he decided. Ah… could it be because of his other buddy, Tsukasa? Akira always couldn't sleep when his buddies experience problematic situations in their lives. It happened to him last time when Rui and Tsukasa were on the edge of falling out. Tsukasa… At the thought of him, he is relieved that his mother is nothing like Tsukasa's…
Now he and his amnesia… what will ever happen to Makino and Tsukasa?
"Women…" Akira muttered under his breath as he slides off his majestic bed to grab a drink in the mini bar around the corner. As he made his way down the dimly lit hallway, he suddenly recalls his dream a moment ago. The words were still vividly running across in his mind.
"I like you." "I like you." "I like you…."
It was odd. It was odd for him to dream of her… especially it's been years ever since they've seen each other and for nine years, he almost thought he have forgotten the existence of such person…
Strangely enough, he could still remember how she looks like… that sweet angelic face that was then so earnest and red. As he settled himself comfortably on the couch with a snifter of brandy in his hand, he began reminiscing the time when he was a saving grace of one little girl… now supposedly a mature woman… he smiled innocently to himself at the thought of that undeniable fact as he ran his hand through his ruffled red hair.
He could remember how she sulks whenever she lost to Tsukasa…
He could remember her animated laughter during the happy times...
He could remember her tears that were so uncontrollable…
He could remember her candor charisma that was so untypical of ladies of her social class…
Strange… but at this instant, he felt guilty. Not because he didn't send her off when she left for Japan three days after her confession to him, but his reaction at the point of her confession… not only did he say nothing, he actually walked away when some senior girls called him…
I actually walked away just like that...just… like… that
Akira reckoned she must have suffered a big blow at that point of time, given the strong pride she had inside her then. But he was a child then… surely a child can be forgiven for such an unintentional sin?
Yeah… of course I can be forgiven… it was an unintentional act, besides, I didn't ask her to like me…
Akira reassured himself but his reassurance was eliminated when he thought of the letters she had sent him. Not a word of regard was heard from him. Not even once did he try to reply back. Even the temperamental young Tsukasa would give her a ring sometimes to ask how she's doing in a foreign country.
"They're relatives, of course it's normal to do that." Akira said to himself defensively.
But what about the calls from her? He was never home to answer nor return the calls. Simply because he was busy out there playing with some other girls that he totally forgot all about her.
The last time he heard from her was that she was engaged to Hayashida Kenichi, one of the Japanese Royal Family members and the marriage will take place after their University education. In Akira's opinion, her mother is no different from Tsukasa's and since they were family, Akira decided it must be the genetic traits that caused both mothers to decide on their children's marriage at such a young age.
"Those days…" Akira let out a helpless sign as he gulped the last of brandy down his throat.
Unknown to him, a private jet had landed on top of a huge massive impressive mansion when he was on the midst of returning to dreamland in his bedroom. By the time the plane engines were off, rows of servants were already in line along each other, welcoming the young missies of the residence. After the plane stairs glide down smoothly, four urbane princesses descend the stairs one by one, with the first lady fitting Akira's description of 'her' perfectly.
~*~*~
A/N: How was it? I revamped the whole storyline because I had no idea how to continue and Akira is obviously not in focus as I intended him to be…
Please R&R to tell me how you feel! Thanx!:p