"Obi?" Shirayuki called out loud into the crisp, cool, night air, "Are you there?"

Wordlessly, the former assassin slid down from his concealed location from above and appeared in the glowing light of the lantern. He preferred to stay hidden and watch from afar but since Shirayuki called, he obeyed.

"Yes?" He asked, a bit snarkily, as he stood before the red-haired girl.

Shirayuki smiled gently as she sat outside on the palace terrace. She brushed back a strand of hair over her ear, which Obi perceived. She placed her hand back on her lap.

"It's nothing; I was just wondering where you were."

"I'm always near you," Obi answered immediately without thinking, his breath hitching a little as he blurted out the words. He felt his heart stammer harder.

Shirayuki graced him with another beautiful smile.

"I see," She said, with a grateful tone, "I'm glad you're always nearby to keep me safe."

Her voice did not reveal anything else. Obi's heart calmed down.

Words he wanted to say became stuck on the tip of his tongue. His anticipation of her words dissipated. Before the silence could fall on them awkwardly, Obi asked hastily, "What do you have there? What are you doing?"

He pointed at a plant in a glass container and at some other mysterious instruments unknown to him.

Instantly, Shirayuki brightened up. Her eyes lit up like stars in the sky and her face glowed with pride and happiness.

"Oh, this?" Shirayuki asked, indicating her work. With flourish and passion, she explained what the plant was and what she was working on.

Obi feigned interest by interjecting a few nods here and there, letting the red head ramble on about her new project. Honestly, all he could think about was her. Everything about her attracted him, excited him, and disappointed him. Shirayuki was pretty, yes, but that wasn't all that Obi found attractive in her. He liked her kind and caring personality, which led her to go out of her way to help others. Obi also liked her occasional defiance and stubbornness that always pleasantly surprised him.

Before he knew it, Obi had grown fond of Shirayuki. He knew that Master would not appreciate it to which he understood, and would complicate things between him and Shirayuki, and Zen for that matter. And it tore at his heart that he couldn't be part of the two, he couldn't be the one being showered with affection from the one he loved, and he couldn't be the friend that the Prince of Clarines wanted if he whisked Shirayuki away from him. He wanted to be both a friend and lover, but he couldn't have both. That would be too selfish and couldn't happen. Not to mention, Miss Kiki and Mitsuhide-san both would've him hated him for disrupting Zen's happiness with Shirayuki.

So Obi was left out and he didn't mind too much. Zen and Shirayuki were happy each other, isn't that all he could wish for? The happiness of those two important people? But sometimes, he would feel that dull ache in his heart and just sometimes, he wished that he could have his happiness too.

Obi began to notice that Shirayuki had ceased talking. Awake from his reverie, he discovered that she was beginning to doze off. Her eyes were shut and her mouth was slightly opened in a small "o." Her back was leaning heavily against a pillar and her head was drooping down to her shoulders. Obi had a feeling that if he left her like that, she would surely sleep through the whole night like that.

Smirking, he stepped towards her sleeping figure. Gently, as if she was a fragile baby, he picked Shirayuki up with his strong arms. There was a sudden urge to caress her smooth cheek, and a sudden urge to kiss her.

"Hmmm?" Shirayuki murmured in her sleep, "Zen?"

His urge subsided. Obi felt the dull ache again and tried his best to ignore it.

"It's time for Mistress to go to bed," He said as he held her, looking down at her sleeping angel face.

Shirayuki's head thumped softly against the crook of his neck, indicating that she was fast asleep.

"Oh well," Obi said softly through the night, looking back up, "I guess I'll just have to endure."

Though Shirayuki's heart belonged to another man, his heart belonged to her.