Kazuma's POV:-

I went back to my hotel room . It was quite near Tsu-ling's grave so if anyone went there , I would sense it. Although I never thought anyone would actually go there. But around midnight , I sensed a familiar aura heading near the grave. I got out off bed and headed outside after putting on a shirt. I hid my presence and went towards the grave to see Ayano awkwardly standing in front of it wearing her pyjamas . She was watching the grave cautiously before kneeling before it. Then she began to whisper a few words... I could hear them all.
"Hey...Tsu-ling, hope its alright if I call you that...um. We never met , but I just...well, I just wanted to...um...say something to you ..."

She took a huge breath and mumbled 'whatever' before continuing.

You know. When my mom passed away, my dad told me that she would always be watching over me because she loves me and wanted to protect me. When I was young , I really liked that thought and I would sometimes get into trouble just to make sure mom was watching me but later on, I ...I became upset that I was forcing her to stay with me but not growing up...so I started working harder and harder so that I could become so strong that my mom would never have to worry about me and would be able to be in peace..."
I listened quietly. I knew that showing myself would probably give her a heart-attack and my curiosity wanted me to find out why she was ...'talking' to Tsu-ling. Tears had begun to form in her eyes but she made no effort to remove them , probably because she believed that she was alone.
"... The ...reason I'm telling you this is...my mom is the driving force that compelled me to work as hard as I could and be as strong as I can. I did this because I wanted her to stop having to worry about me . One day ,dad found out about this during our talks and...and he said.
'Ayano , ...when somebody loves you, they'll never stop worrying about you no matter how strong you become.'
*heh* for a while, I felt that everything I had done was for nothing but then I realised that I did everything because I was worrying about mom. I was doing the same thing she was . Only difference is ...I'm still alive...and she...isn't ..."
Her tears flowed freely , but she didn't stop speaking. I knew that shouldn't be eavesdropping but I just couldn't move away. If anything , I wanted to pull her into my arms , but like always I hold back.
"...I don't know if Kazuma has told you but he's working for the kannagis now...practically trying to bleed my father dry..."
She let out a small chuckle , I almost did too.
"... He really loved...,no,loves ...you..."
That was even lighter than her other words . I noticed how she said 'loves' instead of 'loved'.
"...and even now , he's still blaming himself for not being able to protect you . Personally, I think that's stupid . No offence , but I understand not being able to keep a promise but saying that its his fault that you died is ...stupid..."
My fists were clenched tight . I did not like where this was going. .bit.
"... I mean, my mom ...she really did die because of me. If I ...if I wasn't there, she still would be...she died because I was stupid and weak and got kidnapped. She came to save me , but she was out-matched and she was killed before the others arrived. She was killed...right in front of me ...I was very young ...all I remember is screaming for her...screaming, fire ...and blood . I never told anyone because I knew that they would pity me or unnecessarily fuss though..."
My negative emotions slowly subsided, replaced by unease. Ayano was full on sobbing at that point . I already knew of how her mom had died protecting her from some people who wanted to use her inert power for some sort of weapon. But as far a everyone else knows, Ayano herself was unconscious the whole time. Apparently , that wasn't the case.
"...I loved my mom,but I can't remember her face. Everytime I try , I see it beaten and covered in blood so instead of trying to remember , I look at photos. They are the only way I know what my mom looked like...but I loved her...enough to spent my whole life for her...and even though I always blamed myself, I knew that there was nothing I could have done...I was just a kid. Kazuma blames himself for not protecting you. It wasn't his fault you were chosen by Bernhert . It wasn't his fault that he, a person with no spirit abilities wasn't strong enough to defeat someone so powerful that he managed to summon belial and even create a clone from a sacrificed body... I am talking about yours, by the way. He created a clone that looks exactly like you minus the eyes. He calls her Lapis... When Kazuma met her , he went bezerk . According to Kirika , he was like that after you ...died too. Lapis said that your last thought was that you wanted him dead ... I don't believe that . If you truly loved him even a fraction of how much he loved you , then I know that was a lie...unless it was along the lines of 'I wish we die together' or something..."
I was watching, and listening . Ayano's tears subsided and brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. She was basically blabbering , trying to get everything out.
"... I just wanted to say that ...it wasn't his fault . I know he won't listen to me so me telling him this would be...awkward...and... he might get angry too. From what I heard and seen, you're a beautiful, kind girl whose really good at cooking. I kinda wish I could meet you. I'm pretty much your straight opposite though..."
She got up and brushed the dust off her pants and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"...all I wanted to say is ...even though I know it's impossible . Try and show him that you don't blame him , if there is the slightest way of doing so, some spiritual something , let him go...please. I stopped blaming myself when ,one day ,on my mom's death anniversary, as I was looking at a family picture of when I was a baby and sobbing , the wind blew the picture out of my hands and when I chased it , I ran into my dad...telling Genma-san, my uncle, how my mom would have been ...proud ...of me...and how he wanted me to fight for myself instead of letting the past control me. The picture led me to that and...Eleven though it was probably a coincidence , I ...believe that...mom wanted me to hear that. And I know that sounds selfish of me but I don't mind if you hold his heart, just don't hold his life...
Well, anyway, I gotta go . My curfew was two hours ago . This place was hard to find *heh* . And if you do blame him or don't want to let him go , then...nothing I can say, I guess. Though I would be pissed off at you then...You're a very lucky girl to have his love ..."
She then turned as if to leave but stopped and some a few more words before setting into a full on sprint .
"...I love him ...even though I know it's impossible for him to return it."
I watched as she ran away and descended . I stood before the grave . My mind was a mess. I knew she loved me but...I had hoped it was just a passing crush . To think that she had admitted to it. I brushed my hair back with my hands.
"Congratulations , you're probably the only person she's told this stuff to..."
My mind,no ,my heart was also a mess . I wanted to chase after her but... I...
"...what should I do,... Tsu -ling?"
Suddenly, the wind changed course , the spirits were acting of their own will . It began to blow away from the grave ,down the direction where Ayano ran . As I turned to look down the path, I felt a familiar touch on my cheek . My heart went into over-drive . I recognised that touch, even though it felt like air , a single tear escaped my eye as a long-lost voice was carried to me by the wind.
" .love...be happy.."
And then everything stopped , the wind stopped blowing , the voice disappeared . It was like nothing happened except the tear was still on my face . I smiled and whispered...
"Thank you, Tsu-ling."
...and then I left.

.

Third person's POV:-

Ayano having finally reached the hotel ,where her school was staying for the night ,began to climb up the tree which was opposite to her room's window. It was how she escaped too. Her friends (who were also, fortunately, her roommates) had agreed to cover for her . She was right opposite the window and after breathing in and breathing out once, she jumped. The window was closed , though not locked because of the clod night air , so the only thing she could hold on to was the window's ledge. But because of her physical training, she easily held on to the ledge with one hand and pried the window open with her other one. Just as she began to hoist herself up, she heard a frighteningly familiar voice whisper in her ear...
"it's impossible for me to return it, huh princess"
...very,Very close to her ear.
Needless to say, she whipped her head back to see...nothing. She let out a breath she didn't know she had and hoisted herself up to the window-still and turned to face the open air , her legs hanging out and only her back was inside the room.
"*phew* calm down, just your mind torturing you like always.."
"Oh...so you always think of me then..."
This time , when she looked up she saw him . She saw him standing in mid-air ...smirking at her. Just as she opened her mouth to yell at him, he placed a finger over it and pointed behind her , reminding her that she was, technically , supposed to be asleep and her classmates already were. So she shut her mouth and glared at him for two seconds before she began to panic. Kazuma watched as her expressions changed and she began to squirm and look around trying to escape. She pushed herself inside (landing on her butt) , got up and turned back to the window to shut it . But before she could, his hand slowly held her chin , pulled her face outside and tilted it up so that she was looking at him. She blushed .He smirked .
"So you really think that it's impossible, huh,princess ..."
Her face turned crimson and she became flustered and tried to escape. But Kazuma held her firmly and pulled her closer until her head was outside and then he moved his lips to her ear and said.
"..then you don't know me very well,...princess"
And then he vanished leaving Ayano gaping at the tree opposite to her , half-out of the window until the supervisor came checking during her rounds and asked her why she was out of bed ( she didn't even hear the door open) to which Ayano replied that she wanted some air and in a robotic manner (with a red face), she shut the window , crawled into bed after removing the pillows that were under the blanket and pulled it over her head. The supervisor just stared for a while in confusion , then shrugged and continued her rounds.
Meanwhile, in a train heading back to city, Kazuma lies on a bunk-bed, his eyes closed and a satisfied smile on his face.

AN:-

Finally finished this. A lot more simple than what I had originally planned , but since a lot of people were reading this and I was in a writing mood , I just kinda rushed it. Don't know when my next update for KNS will be since my exams are coming up .

P.S:- Please review, reviews are the motivation that drives me to continue writing.

P.S:- This fanfic is probably completed though. Hope you liked it.