What if?

What if Souichirou IS really in love with Aya? What if he's only in denial? What if he's only scared of admitting it? What if... What if.

Chapter 1-'Thank you Aya'

"SOUICHIROU-SAMA!" A familiar voice shouted his name. Aya Natsume, the girl that has been following her ever since he fell down at that shower room that she's taking a bath at.

"What do you want now?" He asked the sweet girl wanting for her to just go away from him.

"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you that dinner is already prepared. You can eat now." She replied and smiled at him.

"Ok, I'll eat as soon as I finish here."

"But you never finish, you never eat, how are you supposed to get stronger? Where do you supposed to get your energy huh? I won't go away until you come with me and eat with us." Aya is annoyed on how Souichirou is treating her and himself. He has been starting to abuse himself since Souichirou has gotten beaten up badly by Mitsuomi the past month. Souichirou got involved into a fight with him because the young Aya Natsume was too stubborn to give the sword up. Souichirou defended Aya and the sword. Though he gave a pretty long speech about not disturbing Maya anymore he was actually defending Aya. After that long speech, Mitsuomi got pissed at him and had beaten him.

"Alright, I'll come with you and eat diner. Ok? So can you just please get off my back?" He replied to her.

"Hai." Aya smiled at him

"Hmm..." Souichirou grinned. He's happy that Aya is there to 'annoy' him. He just doesn't want to admit it. Somehow, Aya knows it. Though Souichirou may seems like he's really annoyed at the way Aya has been treating her, he seems to enjoy every single time that Aya is near him.

At diner, everyone was quiet, as if there was an angel in front of them. They weren't talking to each other. Maybe because, for the first time this month Souichirou has joined them for diner. No one has asked him on how he's doing except for Aya of course. Aya has been there by his side always.

After they have eaten their diner, they have all stood up and get back to their businesses. Maya got back into training both Masataka and Bob. Aya started to clean up, then, she noticed Souichirou still sitting there at the dining table.

"Souichirou-sama? Why are you still here? Why don't you go train again?" She asked.

"Aya, what if..."

"What if what Souichirou-sama?"

"What if... Never mind."

"What if, you help me clean this up huh? Just for a change." Aya teased him.

"Yeah, sure." He replied. Shocked to hear what Souichirou had said, Aya just smiled at him. He stood up and picked up the left plates at the table. "Wow, he's really helping me." Aya thought. Unknowingly, Souichirou has already cleaned up the dining table. "Whoa, easy Souichirou-sama, don't get carried away." Aya said when Souichirou was about to carry the table into the kitchen. "I'm sorry Aya." He said. "Sorry? You helped me clean up, what are you saying sorry for?" Aya just smiled at him.

After that, Aya washed the dishes up. Souichirou is still standing there. "Aya, can I ask you something?" Souichirou talked after a while that he has been standing there. "Yeah, sure what is it." Aya washed up her hands and wiped it on the hand towel near the sink then she faced Souichirou. "Why are you still nice to me? After all what I have done to you, why do you still 'like' me?" He asked. "Well, for starters, I don't 'like' you, have Mitsuomi beaten you up that badly and forgot? I LOVE you Souichirou-sama, and my goal is to be a good wife for you. Does that answer all of you questions?" She replied as she smiled up to Souichirou. The room brightens up somehow for Souichirou for an unknown reason. "Hmm. Aya, you still need my help around here?" He asked wanting to 'get away' from her.

"No, I don't need any help here. I can handle this on my own. You can go now if you want Souichirou-sama" She replied and smiles.

"Ok, I'll leave you here then." Souichirou said with a sad voice. Somehow, Souichirou doesn't want to go, he just wants to stay there, where there is light.

"Don't worry Souichirou-sama; I'll go bother you later when I'm finished here." Aya teased him.

Souichirou walked away with a little smile at his face, knowing that Aya will be with him later on makes him fell that at least someone on the group believes in him and doesn't sees him as a loser. Training by himself aint that easy, no one to yell at you, no one to tell you that you're doing it wrong, basically, no one to guide you. After Aya has cleaned all up, she went to bother Souichirou like she has said. When Aya was about to reach the place where Souichirou is, she saw a bright light in a form of a dragon. She was amazed to see Souichirou's dragon, it was so bright and was full of life. When she has drawn closer to Souichirou, the dragon disappeared. Aya have seen Souichirou like this before in her dreams, she didn't ever thought that she'll see this for real. Souichirou's aura was so gloomy, his hair was black and does not stands up. He fell down at his knees and Aya can't do nothing but stare at him. She was kind of scared at some point but she was also sad to see him like that.

"Souichirou-sama." She said softly as she went towards him. "Are you ok? Souichirou-sama." It seems like Souichirou couldn't hear her. "Souichirou-sama." Tears started to fall from her eyes. She was scared that Souichirou might not be the same again, but then, when a drop of her tear drops down at his shoulder, he began to change back. It was like a wake-up call. Souichirou's aura began to change back to its normal state and his hair was yellow again and has risen up. "Aya, why are you crying?" He asked her as if he has no idea what had happened. "Nothing Souichirou-sama. Just, don't scare me like that again." She replied. "Scare you? You're the one who's scaring me, you just go here and hug me then cry? What is up with you?" Souichirou once again was acting obnoxious self. "Nothing Souichirou-sama." Aya hugged him tighter. "Hmm." Souichirou hugged her back for the first time. "Don't worry about be Aya, I'm fine." He said and thought "Just stay the way you are, and please, don't ever let anyone change you."

"Aya, come on. You can let go now." He said acting like he's annoyed by it. When Aya have let Souichirou go, she looked up to his eyes and just stare at it. "What?" Souichirou asked. "Nothing." Aya smiled at him. It made her happy to know that he's going to be fine after all the trouble he's been through. "Aya, can you cook me some breakfast tomorrow? And make sure it's plenty and tasty or else I won't eat it." He said. "Yeah, I will." She replied as they both stood up.

Aya was now going back inside of the house leaving Souichirou alone. He's still training himself to become stronger that anyone. "Aya, thank you. For believing in me like no one has ever have. Thank you for having faith in me that I'll be fine, that I'll be stronger somehow one day." He thought as Aya went inside.

-end of chapter 1.

-AnimeJanz-