Chapter 3

'Loneliness…' was all I thought to myself as I kept staring into this man's eyes. The man kept looking into my eyes as well. If only I knew what he was thinking. I wanted to look away, but his eyes were too hard to ignore. Finally, what seemed like an eternity, the man finally looked away and looked at Karuta, whom was talking.

"Prince Soushi…this is Chiyo-chan." Karuta said with a takoyaki in her hand.

Soushi gasped at the sight. "It is nice to see you again... Miss Ririchiyo." His eyes started to tear up with water and soon this man was sobbing right in front of me.

I gasped. How did he know my name? This is really scaring me… and it worries me how all of a sudden this man starts crying.

"H-Hmph, I don't believe we have met before." I said, trying my hardest to show him the fact that I'm freaking out on the inside.

"... but Miss Ririchiyo… I know you. I've known you for a long time… and at last you return" he said, smiling as he cried. A tear rolled down his cheek as he smiled happily.

'This man is honestly scaring me…' I thought to myself.

"Hmph... how can you say you know someone when you just met them?" I asked.

"Excuse me" said a new voice. I looked up and saw a man with tan skin, unruly hair and in a mouse cosplay? "I need to have a word with Prince Soushi."

Prince Soushi and the mouse man walked into a corner. I watched them for a minute as I saw them discussing something. Soushi's expression changed to sadness and then he said, "I understand." I turned to look away as my hand was taken by another man.

"Will you have this dance with me, Ririchiyo-chan~?"

It was the bunny man!

"Y-You again!" I exclaimed loudly. "I thought you committed suicide!"

The bunny man laughed more hysterically than before.

"Why do you keep laughing at me like that? What is so amusing to you?"

"You are so amusing, Chiyo-chan. Me? Commit suicide?" he laughed. "Enough about me though. I see that you met the prince, hmm?"

I blushed at the prince's name. An image of his face showed up in my mind which caused me to blush more. I think the bunny man was amused by my reaction because he was laughing once again.

"You are so cute, Chiyo-chan" the bunny man said, "Who am I? I am Zange Natsume and I know everything about you, Chiyo-chan."

"Look bunny man, I just want you tell me how you know me." I said, trying my best to stay calm.

Zange smiled. The smile frightened me quite a bit."Once upon a time there was a bunny born twenty-three years ago. Blood type B and star sign, Virgo. However, the bunny was plagued with a curse and that curse had him be descended from a Seeing Eye creature and so the bunny was tormented with seeing things from both the past and the future. Sometimes the bunny sees things he doesn't want to. Such a sad curse, isn't it?" Zange said, showing me a slide of flashcards with bunnies on them.

"Enough with this nonsense! I am going home!" I said, turning on my heel to walk away.

"Miss Ririchiyo… wait! You can't leave so soon. We have finally been reunited!"

I turned to the prince and stared at him. He was wearing an aura of purity and his expression looked so sad as if it pained him to see me go.

"At least let me dance with you before you leave. Please, Miss Ririchiyo?"

I looked back at the prince and saw that he was about to cry again.

"Maybe just one dance…" I sighed.

Soushi smiled as he held out his hand for me to take it. I took it and was quite surprised how gentle he took my hand in his. He gracefully danced with me on the dancefloor, his arm wrapped securely around my waist. I stared into his mismatched eyes and I could feel my heart starting to pound and a blush on my cheeks. All the while we were dancing, his expression was one of pure happiness… but also of pure sorrow as if he was afraid to release me from his hold.

When the song ended, Soushi kissed my hand, causing me to blush.

"Even if it is for one night… I am glad that we were able to spend it together again, Miss Ririchiyo."

I looked down as he kissed my hand so he could not see my blushing face. 'What is this feeling? This feeling inside my chest…? Am I getting sick? Maybe I should go home and rest' I thought to myself.

"Miss Ririchiyo… are you alright? Your face is awfully red. You're not catching a cold, are you?" Soushi asked.

I put my hand to my heart and felt it pounding, 'Just what am I suppose to do!?' I thought.

"I'm fine. There is no need for you to concern yourself with me" I said, crossing my arms trying to look away from the prince, hoping my beating heart would stop.

"Miss Ririchiyo… please stay here with me. Guards, please take Miss Ririchiyo to her room" Soushi said with a smile.

Two men came up to me and led me to a room. The room itself was clean with a queen size bed, a balcony and a bathroom. It was so beautiful that I forgot about my rapid heartbeat and burning cheeks.

"I don't want to stay here. Please let me leave" I said to the guards but they remained as stoic as ever. I sighed and sat on the bed.

⊰ . . . . . ⊱

After the party, Soushi returned and in his hands, he held a tea tray.

"Miss Ririchiyo. I have brought you some tea. I thought that you would be thirsty" he said, as he set the tea tray down.

'How did he know that I loved tea?'

He poured the tea in the tea cup and then handed it to me on it's saucer gently. I took a sip of the tea and it calmed me instantly.

"Lavender has a calming and soothing effect. I noticed that you were a bit tense earlier so I thought that this would help."

"T-Thank you" I said, putting the tea cup back on the saucer. "... but it wasn't necessary."

"Miss Ririchiyo… I am here to serve you" he said, taking my hands in his. He looked like he was about to cry again.

'Why does he talk so formally around me? Well, I guess he's a prince… but why "Miss Ririchiyo?" Why does he address me like I am some sort of… master?' I thought.

"Please excuse me, I need to get some air" I said, stepping out of my room to go for a walk.

⊰ . . . . . ⊱

As I walked, I enjoyed the elaborate textures of the crystal palace and the beauty all around me. 'This place is strange' I thought. 'Maison de Ayakashi….' I thought. "Chiyo-chan" said a familiar voice.

I looked up and saw Karuta standing there, eating a lollipop.

"Hello there, Roromiya-san" I said, half-heartedly waving at her.

Karuta licked her lollipop and nodded when I waved to her. "Chiyo-chan. I have to show you something."

She took my hand and pulled me along with her. "H-Hey! Wait a second! Roromiya! Let me go!" I said.

Karuta ignored me and continued to pull me along with her.

'I wonder… what does she want me to see?'