Chapter 4 – A Day of Freedom
It was twilight; the sky was colored in pinks and yellows. Abella was dressed for the first time in cloths fitting of a girl her age. She was dressed casual, wearing a green skirt and pink tank top. It was the perfect evening, the breeze was warm on their skin, the grass was soft under their feet, and the flowers were beautiful and smelled sweet.
"It's so beautiful," Abella whispered as she kneeled before the concrete ledge of the fountain.
"Have you never seen one?" Mori asked, sitting down on the cold ledge. She looked like a child, her arms out stretched over the edge into the cold water. She looked so different in the golden evening light, it was like seeing her for the first time. Her skin was pale and the tissue around her eyes was a deep purple. She was skinny, to skinny. Mori swallowed, realizing for the first time that nearly half of the hosts' guests were terminal. Had any of them ever actually asked Abella if all she needed was a heart transplant? Was she really going to sit through treatment, get a new heart, and be all better?
"No," she stated, flashing him a smile before returning her gaze to the water, "I have, it's just been a long time."
"Why?" he asked, looking down at her.
"Look, I already made a fool of myself yesterday; I don't need to dump my sob story on you." She flashed him another smile before returning her attention to the water. He returned her smile, content with just watching her play and splash. She continued to swirl the water between her figures for another hour before it got to cold. When she was done she rose from her kneeling position and brushed the gravel off her knees. When she finished he noticed thin trails of blood sliding down her legs from several small cuts on her knees, but somehow she didn't seem to notice.
"Would you like something to eat?" Mori asked her, taking her left hand in his own and placing the other on the small of her back, leading her back towards the medical building.
"That'd be nice," she murmured lightly as they headed for the restaurant on the top floor.
When they arrived they were met with bows and greetings. Mori felt out of his element, he was used to being stared at but he wasn't the center of attention and he wasn't used to people parting to give him a clear path. Abella however, seemed right at home with the treatment as she greeted the people around her and waved to the rest with an adoring smile on her face the whole time.
"Princess Abella, may I show you and your gentleman caller to your table?" an attractive young man with light brown hair asked as he gave her a deep bow.
"Yes, thank you," she responded sweetly, addressing his bow with a nod of her head.
"This way then, your majesty." The waiter flashed her a thousand watt smile as he led them to the farthest table in the house, almost completely secluded. Mori gave the man an appreciative nod before pulling out the raven haired girl's chair.
When they were both properly seated the man, a Chinese student named Lee, handed them the menus before running off to get them water.
Mori always ordered the same thing at every restaurant so he didn't bother looking at the menu, instead opting to observe the French royal sitting across from him. She didn't seem to notice, too absorbed in trying to pick her meal. Many times she looked aggravated as she searched the page for a specific item, biting the corner of her lip. When she finally spotted it she let out a small sigh of content before folding her menu to look up at the tallest Host member.
"What are you going to have?" she asked, her voice sweet as sugar. She tilted her head a little to the right and kept her back perfectly straight even as she leaned in with half lidded eyes, all traits taught to small children of wealthy families as a form of endearment… he didn't agree.
"Shrimp Licata," he told her as he showed her the picture on the front of the menu. "You?"
"Pot stickers, I've got a taste for them today." Just as she finished speaking the waiter returned with his pen and paper in hand. The two gave him their orders and with a promise of quick delivery he ran off. "So Takashi, you're heir to the Morinozuka Family…?"
"Yes," he stated, wondering to himself why she asked the question.
"Wow, what it would be like to be heir. I bet it's a hard job, my father doesn't expect much of me since I'm a daughter, but I know my brother did much training and apprenticing before he died," she said proudly, if not a little sadly.
"Do you have many siblings?" he asked, curious by how little the Hosts knew of their favorite guest's past.
"I'm the last of my family," she said with a sad smile. Mori furrowed his eyebrows; if memory served him she had a sister.
"What about your sister, Gen?" Abella instantly quieted as she looked at her hands curled in her lap.
"She caught the Hantavirus when we were vacationing in Australia. We thought it was the flu but it wasn't, there's nothing they could do for her," Abella said sadly. Mori gave a nod of condolence, feeling sorry for her poor parents. Of their three children the couple had already lost two, and their youngest daughter was sick.
"Your highness, Sir, what is it you will have this evening?" the man asked as he smiled down at the couple.
"I will have the pot stickers, please make sure they are golden, not overly crispy."
A/n Hope you enjoy! No update without one review, they feed me.