Sorry I haven't updated in so long…T-T….but school is causing me to stress _ I'm trying my best to do this with all the free time that I have, but there's a lot of things coming up…so…yea…don't expect much from me. :\ ….sorry to let you all down and write such a short chapter…well enjoy.

Acceptance

I took in the image of the house as a servant came to open the door. The house was enormous (obviously b/c it was a mansion LOL). I was awestruck by the interior as I was the exterior. It was fashioned in the like of an old English mansion. The whole floor was tiled with black and white marble, as if I had stepped onto an enlarged chess board. Facing the door, in the direct center was a beautifully and elegantly carved white marble staircase that branched in two at the middle and went up to the second floor.

"Welcome home master"

Kidou nodded to the maid and gave her my luggage.

"Please prepare a spare room for her" he said pointing at me "and bring this luggage to her room. Also, could you please ask for the cook to prepare food for one more?"

"Yes master" she replied as she silently went her way.

"Come" said Kidou as he turned back to me once more. He grabbed my hand and led me to the dinning room. It was extremely spacious and in the center was an extremely long rectangular table that had one seat and each end and about ten seats in between, at the sides. Sitting at the head was a small, pudgy man with blue hair.

"You're late" he said gruffly in a cold tone.

"Yes father, I'm sorry" Kidou replied, "we had soccer practice really late again this time"

"Well, make sure you come home in time for dinner at the very least."

"I'll try."

"Who's that with you?" the man, who apparently was his father, asked, finally noticing me hiding behind Kidou's back in an attempt to make myself more inconspicuous.

"Um…hello" I said timidly as I stepped out from behind Kidou.

Before his father could say anything Kidou quickly blurted, "I accidentally knocked into her while I was going home, so I decided to make it up to her by letting her stay at our house."

"And you didn't ask me?"

"…I'm asking you now aren't I?" answered Kidou.

"First let's eat, and you can tell me the full story as we are eating. No use listening with our stomachs growling. You girl, what is your name?"

"My name is Kotori, sir" I replied.

"You may eat with us and stay here for tonight. We will discuss this business in the morning after I hear everything."

And so, I settled down to eat a hearty dinner of the finest quality food, while Kidou explained to his father his day at school, soccer practice, how we met, and my circumstances. After the report was done, we sat in silence as his father sat back, and started mulling over the day's events with his eyes closed.

"Kotori, … am I right?" Kidou's father began.

"Yes sir."

"What is your full name?"

"Kotori Katsuye, sir"

"Hmm…what an interesting name. You must be a very lucky girl." (A/N: go look up the meaning if you wanna know :P )

On the contrary…I'm pretty unlucky. You don't know what I've been through. I thought to myself.

"What are you doing here in Raimon?"

"I decided to move here because the orphanage kicked me out" I said simply.

With that, we sat in silence after that until the end of dinner.

"Come" said Kidou as the maid came to clear the table, "I'll show you to your room" and with that, he grabbed my hand and led me out of the dinning room and up the beautiful marble steps to the second floor. We turned left and when down to the very end of the hallway.

"The door we're facing now goes to my room" he said, then turning toward the one to the left of it, "This is your room. Feel free to call me if you need anything." he pointed out as he opened the door for me.

"Thank you so much for all you've done for me Yuuto-san!" I exclaimed.

Embarrassed, he turned his head away and said "No need to call me Yuuto-san, call me Kidou, okay? After all, we are the same age."

"Okay …Kidou-kun!" I replied smiling happily.

"Oh and…one more thing," he said as I walked into the room, "can you come to my room after you're done? I promised I'd tell you about my family right? …Unless you're too tired to…" he trailed off, as a faint color rose to his cheek, so very faint it was, that I wondered if my eyes were deceiving me.

"Sure"

I have never felt this kind of acceptance before, ever. It made my heart well up to the brim with emotions, and slowly, tears came falling down. Quickly I wiped them away as I unpacked a few things from my suitcases.

As I stand in the shower, and let the warm water run over me, I let my tears come out. Slowly, all the bottled up sadness is let out, and the tears merge with the water running down. As I step out of the shower I feel reborn. Have I finally found a place for me to belong?

I dried myself, and slipped on my underclothes. A set of worn out light blue pjs that contrasted with my dark black/bluish long hair went over the whole thing. I looked into the mirror in the room, checking to make sure nothing was out of ordinary, so that Kidou wouldn't suspect that I had been crying. I saw within the reflection staring back at me, a normal sized girl, with long black/bluish hair, and a pair of sad dark brown eyes. No signs of crying, but definitely, the pain can be seen. Quickly I blinked a couple of times, and thought about what happened today. Kidou mustn't see me like this I told myself. Slowly happiness could be seen in my eyes, but it was only like an airbrushed layer, concealing the darkness deep within.

A few seconds later, found me knocking on Kidou's door, curious to know more about him.

"Kidou-kun!"

The door slowly opened….

-End-

:O Kotori's gonna find out about Kidou? :D ahahhaha…something's slowly beginning to happen to Kidou :D…let's see when he'll realize it :)