Hi! I'm truly sorry for making you wait this long for this chapter.
Honestly, I was waiting for K:MK so that I can adjust my storyline with the original one. So far, I still can continue this ff and follow the original storyline. Even though I had to remake the ending plan of RnB, but yeah I can make it.
Btw, this story happens before the K:MK so Anna hasn't been the Red King~
And I'm planning on doing a sequel for this ff...
Amin.
Soooo thank you very much for your consideration and patience~ really, I'm so sorry for making you wait, again.
For those who reviewed the 6th chapter:
AnimeFreak145: I'm so sorry to have you waited this long :(((( but thank you very much for reviewing and reading this ff! I hope you'll still red this ;)
pinkyderek: Thank you very much! of course I will ;););)
oXo Akino oXo: HEYYYYY! I MISS YOU SOOOO MUCH AAAAA! *hugs* it's okay! I'm still happy though ^.^~ aaaa I'm honoured! Thank you very much baby!:*:*:* I'll try my best to satisfy you in every chapter I write : I'm sorry it took so long...I hope you'd still keep reading this ff :):):)
44himeka44: Hiii! It's okay, dear ;););) Hmmm~ you'll get it in the later chapters~~ maybe after Saru acknowledge his feelings toward Akane *evil giggle* and you'll get the jealous Saru later too ;););) I'm so sorry that I couldn't update it sooner :(:(:( I hope you'll still read this ff :):):)
rainrain02: whoaaaaa thank you very much! I'm very happy to hear that (and very touched...). I will, I promise! ;););)
Well, that's all~
To all of you who reviewed, thank you very much!
To all of you who didn't, it's okay~ but I really want to know what you think about this ff :):):)
Once again, sorry for the lateness...
I'm sorry if there are some grammar failures and OOC-ness, you may correct me :):)
Enjoy!
Cherry Tree
"Akane-chan! Can you help me classifying these strains? The numbers are killing me!" From his table, Andy Domyouji ran over to Akane with a pile of papers in his arms. When he had reached her table, he threw himself on it as he still holding the documents tightly. "Really, Fushimi-san is merciless.." he sighed excessively.
Akane could only give him a crooked smile as she herself struggling with her own paperwork, which were a lot.
"Domyouji-san, I—"
"Call me by my first name! We are in the same age after all." He smiled.
"Uh…Andy-kun, I can't guarantee that I can help you."
At her reply, Andy's face turned sour.
"U-uh, but I will try to help you! Please don't give me that face, Andy-kun!" Akane shook her hands in panic as she stare at how lifeless the man's face was.
"There's no need for you to help him, Medusa."
Akane turned her head to see the raven-haired man behind her.
He was gazing at Akane with his menacing blue orbs.
"Why didn't you come to see me yesterday?" he asked with a rather cold manner.
Akane could feel an imaginary ice spear stabbed right into her heart.
"Erm…I had a stomachache so I couldn't meet you….." she answered hesitantly, making the raged mode Saru clicked his tongue loudly.
Akane twitched at the sound of it.
She really hated that sound.
"Here," Saru then handed her some documents. "Give it to me before Thursday."
Akane then skimmed the documents in her hands. "Saru-kun, how am I supposed to do this?" she kept her eyes on the bunch of words before her as she asked Saru.
"How? Figure it out yourself." He then left without giving her any proper explanation.
Stunned, Akane could only stare at his back that became farther and farther before he finally left the room.
Exhausted, Akane exhaled heavily and tossed her head onto her desk.
"Be patient, Akane-chan…You know that Fushimi-san is that type of person." Andy—who was still there the whole time—tried to calm Akane as he felt sorry for the female redhead for receiving such a cold reply from the most heartless and arrogant member of the Swordsmen Division Troops. He gave her his nicest smile as he patted her head gently. "Well now, I'll ask you again later if I need your help again. Bye!" he then dashed off toward his desk.
Without lifting her head, Akane smiled faintly to him.
If she could tell the truth, she would actually say that she herself couldn't concentrate on her works, not even once.
And now she ought to help her friend.
Great.
Akane then forcefully moved her head without lifting it so she could see her laptop's screen that had a lot of numbers and words on it. Her brow furrowed at her work.
It was a mess.
Akane grunted in displeasure as she moved her head so her forehead was pressed against the hard-table.
She really couldn't concentrate. Her head was filled with the contents of the documents she found last night in the storage room.
Stories were flying across her head and she felt as if she had just studied for a history test.
She felt sick.
Especially after knowing how awful the previous colorless king was.
If he were still alive, Akane would definitely have killed him at that very time.
"Akane-chan,"
Akane lazily turned her head around and caught a figure of a tall young man.
"Is there something wrong?" Akira squatted beside her and leaned forward so he could take a proper look at her pale face.
Akane really wanted to shifted backward for her face was too close to Akira's but she was too lazy to move her damn body. "I can't concentrate, Hidaka-san…" her eyes lowered slightly.
Akira observed her silently. He was amazed with her features those were looked perfect as one combination. Her slightly closed eyes made her looked like a very delicate and exquisite bisque doll. Rosy shade on both of her cheeks made as if they were as soft as feather pillows. Her plump lips that were covered in pink lip gloss looked very beautiful with its perfect shape.
She was a living doll.
"Hidaka-san, stop staring at me that way or I'll smack you."
Akira snapped out of his reverie and scratched his not itchy head sheepishly. "Hehehehe I'm sorry, Akane-chan. You're just too beautiful to be true." He grinned innocently.
Akane snorted.
"By the way Akane-chan," he placed his left hand on Akane's desk. "How about we get some beverage from the vending machine?"
Akane glanced at the clock that hung on the wall near her. "It's still 10 in the morning…." She replied weakly.
"So?" Akane could visibly see Akira's brows furrowed.
Before answering him, Akane gave a deep sigh of exasperation. "I don't know why I said it," she growled and turned her forehead against the table once more. "I don't know, Hidaka-san. I'm just too lazy to get my ass off this freaking comfy chair." She then finished her sentence with another growl.
"Whoa, girls mustn't curse, Akane-chan."
"I don't care. Not at the moment."
Akira was waiting for her other reaction but it seemed that she was indeed too lazy to move, or even talk. Her crimson curly hair that was held up high into a simple ponytail was falling down messily around her head—draping her ears and neck.
After having nothing from her, Akira stood up and gently patted her head. "Good luck, my lovely Akane-chan."
Hearing the words 'my lovely' before her name made Akane grunted in reply and Akira chuckled. He then went toward his station.
Saru was standing near Seri's desk as he flipped the pages of the documents he was currently holding. Even though he looked like he was focusing on the lines of words and numbers in front of him, he was actually observing Akane from the distance.
He was worried about her but at the same time, he was still feeling annoyed.
But he was bothered by the way the carefree redhead kept silent all the time and not acting bubbly like she usually did.
Saru clicked his tongue silently that was audible enough for Seri to ask whether he tsked at her or not.
After giving the documents to Seri and kept Akane's paperwork in his arm, Saru went toward the redhead who was speaking to the dumb Andy.
"There's no need for you to help him, Medusa." Saru told her as he himself gaze into the honey irises of her eyes.
She kept her mouth shut and only gave him a blank gaze.
He knew that there was something off today with this girl.
He must know the reason.
"Why didn't you come to see me yesterday?" Saru decided to bring up yesterday's matter in order to see her reaction.
Normally, she would give lame excuses with some of her unique-nervous moves.
Well, judging by her current expression, which was looked like she had lost her life, Saru believed that there was something wrong with her.
"Erm…I had a stomachache so I couldn't meet you….." she explained briefly with hesitation in each words she stated.
Well, at least her excuse was still crappy.
Seeing her acting all strange like this irked Saru and he reflexively clicked his tongue loudly.
He could visibly see the redhead twitched.
He was feeling a bit sorry for that, actually.
"Here," he decided to hand her paperwork now. "Give it to me before Thursday."
He then waited for her reaction ever so patiently again.
She was skimming her paperwork when suddenly,Saru heard her sweet voice asked something. "Saru-kun, how am I supposed to do this?"
He asked him without looking at him right into his eyes.
How rude!
Saru didn't know why but he really found that offensive.
"How? Figure it out yourself." He then left the redhead, deciding to end his observation on her and left the room to get some fresh air before he could snap the airheaded medusa.
"Tch! You're really annoying." He grumbled as he felt his heart beat faster.
"Ryuji-san, let's go to the cafeteria together."
Akane lifted her head up and found Tatsuya Enomoto was standing beside her desk and smiling.
"Ah, yeah," She then stood up and tidied her desk quickly. Tatsuya helped her.
"Say, Ryuji-san," Akane turned her head to look at the man beside her who was helping her tidying her messy desk. "Is something bothering you?" he asked without looking at the girl.
Hearing this, Akane's heart softened and she felt like she could cry. She really was grateful that she had such care and loving co-workers around her. Sometimes she felt that they weren't her co-workers but her own family.
A family that cared about each other's condition.
"Enomoto-san…"Akane let his name slipped her tongue as she stared at him with watery eyes.
Turning his head to Akane and found the redhead almost cried, Tatsuya panicked.
"A-ah! Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry!" he was shaking like a frightened little puppy.
Cute.
"No no no…. I was moved by your kindness, Enomoto-san." Akane wiped her teary eyes and kept her smile plastered on her pale face. "Thank you,"
"A-ah…you're welcome…." He looked away to hide his pink cheeks.
"I'm actually in a good condition. But I just can't concentrate properly on my works that it ended up badly," she scratched the back of her hair sheepishly.
Tatsuya looked at Akane once more. "W-well, if Ryuji-san needs my help, you can ask me." He smiled full-heartedly. "I would love to help the one in needs." He told her.
Akane must resist the temptation to hug the dark haired man before her.
He was just too cute!
"Thank you very much, Enomoto-san!" despite hugging him like a spoiled little kid, Akane bowed respectfully.
"It's okay…." He answered in a rather nervous manner. He grabbed the last paper and on her desk and put in onto the paper stacks. "Well, let's go to the cafeteria." He smiled warmly at her.
In response, Akane nodded and both of them left the room together.
Akane was walking lifelessly through the first floorcorridor. She was currently holding her sword. Well—to be precise, she was dragging it. Akane really didn't have the spirit to live today. Even though she already had her lunch and laugh a lot with her comrades, she still felt empty and lifeless.
And now she had to swing her sword wholeheartedly in front of her captain.
Akane sighed heavily as she lifted her sword and placed it on her shoulder.
She was exhausted with no reason.
Maybe it was because of the 'game'.
"I'm tiiireeeeddddddd~" she stopped walking and sighed again. "I wonder why I must get through this."
Suddenly a pink petal flew across her eyes and landed on her sword.
Akane picked it up and observed it for a second.
It was heart-shaped.
She turned her head toward the direction where the petal came and found a beautiful full-bloomed cherry tree and her honey eyes widened in a second.
It was very stunning.
Akane stepped her feet toward the pink colored tree unconsciously as if she was hypnotized by it. Actually, indeed she was hypnotized. The tree was huge and full of pink sakura flowers and it was very calming especially with breeze that flew its petals away.
When Akane had reached the tree, she touched it and closed her eyes for a moment.
Indeed, it was very calming.
She then slowly traced her slender fingers on the wood to feel its roughness and slouched against it, finding herself leaning onto the tree and her breathing pace going slower. She looked up to the sky that was half covered by pink shades of Sakura flowers and breathed out slowly.
She was at peace.
And before she knew, she had already gone into her dreamland.
"Fushimi,"
The dark haired young man turned his head toward his blonde superior that was walking toward him with a gleaming sword in her hand.
"What is it?" he replied flatly, almost coldly.
Ignoring how disrespectful her underling replied her call, Seri continued, "Do you have any idea where Ryuji is?" she sheathed her sword.
Saru gave a long pause as he gazed into Seri's blue orbs before giving her his answer. "Nope" he then sheathed his naked sword.
"Don't you even realize that one of your comrade is missing?"
Saru then threw his gaze all over the place before turning back to Seri's eyes just to search who was missing.
'Oh, Medusa's missing'
"I didn't." he folded his arms. "Maybe she was practicing with–"
"Ah, Awashima-kun, Fushimi-kun!" Reishi waved at the two of them from the distance as he went near them.
"—nobody" Saru continued as he heard Reishi's voice.
"Sir!" Seri gave her captain a salute before reporting what they were doing. "We're—"
"Ryuji-kun, right?" he gave a faint smile. "Perhaps she's lost."
Saru reflexively snorted as he tried to hold his laughter. He absolutely agreed with what his captain had just said since he really knew that the red headed girl was very clumsy.
Without realizing it, Saru had formed a creepy smile on his pale face that made both of his superiors stared at him in confusion.
He stared back at them.
"What?"
"Is there something funny, Fushimi-kun?"
"Nothing." He looked to the other way.
After that, Saru didn't pay attention to his superiors' conversation. He was busy with his own thoughts about where the hell Medusa was and what she was doing at the moment. He didn't even care anymore that he was thinking and curious about Medusa. He finally learnt to accept the condition that he had a partner that he had to look after so she wouldn't make him do the job twice as he always did even though he was working as a partner with his other comrades. He also learnt to accept that he had someone to protect now. Protecting your partner is a duty when you're working as partners, right?
Especially it was her that was his partner.
What?
Saru furrowed his brows and scratched his head roughly as he grunted at his thoughts. He wasn't supposed to think that way. Thinking that she was only his partner in work was already more than enough. She was supposed to mean nothing to him in the very first place.
He just didn't want her to mean something to him.
Because it would be very difficult, especially for himself.
"Fushimi?"
Saru snapped out of his reverie as he heard Seri's voice calling his name. He turned his head toward the blonde woman and tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. "Yes?"
"Is there something wrong?" she asked as she unconsciously looked at him in creep.
"Nothing, madam." He replied fast.
"Ah, talking about Ryuji-kun," as the captain started to talk, both of his underlings turned their head toward him. "Fushimi-kun, can you look for her? Because I need the files that she is currently working on."
"How about I bring the files to you? I assume she has done it since I caught a glimpse of her messy table this morning and the files she was working on were fully filled in."
Looking at how confident Saru talked, Reishi wrapped an arm around his abdomen and propped his chin with knuckle. "Fushimi-kun, you didn't stutter when you said that. Perhaps you've been keeping a good eye on Ryuji-kun?" he gave his signature smile, which was sarcastically great.
Saru, with an eyebrow cocked, answered his superior as calm as he could, "I have been NOT." He slightly raised his voice, but then he managed to keep it cool again, "It's just….eye-catching." He looked away as he pouted.
Reishi snorted in amusement.
"Well then, please bring them to my office once you've got them." Reishi then turned his back toward them and left after waving slightly. The dark haired young man and blonde woman stared at Reishi's back until he vanished from their sight.
Seri turned her head to Saru and took a breath before she started to talk. "You'd better find Ryuji too. And train her if needed. She has to train her muscles for upcoming fights." Without hearing Saru's response, she left and headed toward the field where Akira and the others were practicing.
"Tch. That Medusa always troubles me." Saru turned on his heels and walked toward the control room to gather Akane's works.
As he walked toward the room, he thought about where Akane would be at the moment. She couldn't have run away from this building because of distress. But there was still a chance of her staying at her crib because she was too lazy to train herself. Maybe she was lonely after all, having to train by herself or receive trainings from the heartless captain who always smiled nicely but was very annoying.
Poor to be her.
Saru somehow pitied her for that.
It was true that it'd be better if you train with Seri rather than with the merciless captain.
Without realizing it, he had arrived at the front door of the control room.
He pushed the door and stepped inside. Without looking at anything else, he dashed toward Akane's desk and gathered the neatly stacked papers.
Looking at how clean and tidy Akane desk was, he lifted an eyebrow.
Did she really have the time to clean the mess that was so…..
Messy….
Unbelievably messy….
Rather than thinking it—something that was really meaningless—any further, Saru grabbed the last paper on the desk and hurried toward the door.
When walking through the corridor, he took a brief look at Akane's paper works. He needed to check his still untrustworthy partner's work before the captain scolded her and affected him for suggesting what he suggested. He started to flip some pages and scan her writings.
She hadn't finished some of it.
Saru exhaled as if he was exhausted.
His partner was really untrustworthy.
Saru then decided to find Akane and tell her to do what she hadn't finished. He lifted his gaze from the papers and looked around as he thought about where she would be at the moment. He let a snort escaped from his lips and lifted a hand to scratch his not itchy head. "Where is that Medusa?" his lazy eyes moved from right to left when suddenly his eyes fell on something incredibly beautiful.
Sakura.
He stopped his feet and stared at the pink tree for sometime as he felt a breeze brushed his pale skin. Sakura petals swayed in the air with the breeze and one of it fell on his cheek. He took the petal off his cheek then observed it in silence.
It was heart shaped.
He moved his eyes from the petal to the tree. The Sakura flowers looked puffy like a cotton candy and the air felt nice around the tree. Saru then decided to take a good look at it before continuing his journey in searching the redhead and started to walk. He ran his fingers trough his dark hair as the wind blew and flew some petals again. Even though many petals fell onto his head and face, he didn't seem to be bothered by it. Instead, he seemed as if he was enjoying the sensation of it caressing his face.
He lifted his hand and caressed the wood gently. The roughness of it calmed and tempted him to lean his head against it and proceed to daydream under the pinkish tree. He then continued to caress the wood until suddenly, his eyes fell on something familiar.
Red strands.
It was that damned Medusa.
She was sleeping like a child under this tree the whole time?!
Unbelievable.
Saru kneeled in front of Akane and lifted his free hand to remove her bangs so that he could see her closed eyes clearly. She had very long and thick eyelashes and she breathed as if she was in peace. Her chest went up and down as she produced a soft snore sound. Her arms were folded neatly on her lap and there were some Sakura petals on her.
She looked like a doll.
Another sigh escaped from his thin lips. He then dragged himself so that he was sitting right beside her and rested his dark head onto the tree. His eyes wandered around, making sure that no one saw him slacking off.
Oh wait, so he was planning on slacking off?
Well, it doesn't hurt right? Slacking off.
Maybe it would later.
Saru put the documents on his lap and his hands on them. He let another sigh escaped from his lips again. He felt tired already, and the atmosphere supported him to sleep.
He took a glance on the redhead.
She was still sleeping.
Looking at how peaceful she looked, Saru leaned his head toward her and rested it onto Akane's. The girl's hair was soft and smelled nice. She still had that same scent she had when Saru unintentionally fell on her. Saru then moved his head to snuggle on her temple.
She really smelled nice.
Then without him knowing it, he had already fallen into a deep sleep.
The Swordsmen Division Troops were walking through the open corridor after having their training. All of them were covered in sweats and most of them weren't wearing their complete uniform. They were panting as if there was no oxygen left in this area. Even after having hard trainings, they were still required to work. And with that, they were certain that tomorrow they wouldn't be able to even get off the bed.
"Dude, today's practice was stricter than before!" Andy stretched his stiff shoulder and put his hands behind head. "Too bad I didn't get to see Akane-chan." He snickered.
"Yeah. By the way Eno, weren't you with her?" Akira moved his brown head toward the little guy that was walking beside him with a sheathed sword dragged by his right hand. "Ah? We were, though. But I lost her after we finished eating."
Akira put his chin between thumb and forefinger. "Hmm…I wonder where she's."
"Ah I didn't see Fushimi-san either!" now Ren joined the conversation after wiping the sweats on his face by his blue coat.
"Are they slacking off together?" Yuujiro guessed randomly but his guess was considered carefully by all of them. Of course, it wasn't impossible that the two of them were slacking off together, since it was Akane and Saru they were talking about. Even though the two of them didn't get along very well, they still hung around each other.
They were in love after all.
Eh, weren't they?
"Hush! Maybe the Captain gave them a task."Ryuuho immediately cut off his friends' thoughts.
"I believe I didn't, though."
They turned their heads around in unison just to find the Captain of Scepter4 standing behind the crowd. A faint smile was plastered on his handsome face as he continued to explain, "I didn't even catch a glimpse of Ryuji-kun, and Fushimi-kun," he pushed his glasses up before continuing, "I told her to gather Ryuji-kun's papers."
Without making any noise, they nodded in unison and sunk in their thoughts. They were still wondering where the two of them went. If the Captain didn't give them task, then the possibilities of them slacking off together increased, didn't it? But why the hell did they slack off together? Wasn't it better to slack off alone rather than with Saru?
Uhm…they didn't mean it that way, though. But slacking off with someone like Saru was just….awful…
Suddenly Andy ran toward a pillar and pointed at the only blossoming Sakura tree in the backyard. "IT'S AKANE-CHAN AND FUSHIMI-SAN!" he hopped like a happy bunny.
All of the Swordsmen Division Troops ran toward the pillar Andy was at and stared at the sight before them in amazement and amusement.
There were Akane and Saru sleeping under the pink tree and they were leaning against each other. The two of them looked very peaceful and it looked as if they were from a painting. Saru's hand was holding Akane's loosely and he was snuggling on her temple. Sakura petals fell on both of them, giving them the perfect color of what is it called 'love'.
All of the men went 'd'aaaaw' in unison.
Those hopeless romantic men.
Sorry.
"Don't they look cute together?"Daiki squealed.
"Yes they do~" Ren replied his squeal with another squeal.
"D'aaaw, I wish I was Fushimi-san~" Andy added innocently, couldn't read the situation."
All of them glared at Andy in unison and he realized it.
"Sorry…"
"But seriously, why don't they just date already?" Tatsuya added his opinion. Even though he was a total geek, he still considered 'romance things' as something considerable for him. He was actually kind of into it.
Especially when it came to Fushimi Saruhiko's.
"Yeah…but eventually they will, I think." Akira added as he observed the two lovebirds behind the pillar.
All of the men in sweats didn't realize the tall figure behind them who was staring at Akane and Saru from a distance and chose not to take a good look at the sight like what they were doing. It somehow made him feel uneasy. He hated to find the two of them together, especially in that kind of atmosphere. And they looked peaceful and seemed like they were enjoying themselves.
Maybe it was a beautiful sight for most people, but not for him.
It was an unpleasant sight to him.
Suddenly, he heard someone called his name and he found his right-hand woman was walking toward him with hand full of documents that he ought to see. He didn't feel to do that, though. He was disturbed enough to decide to take a brief rest, just to clear up his mind.
"Sir, my apologize, but—"
"Please put it on my table." He then, without looking back at the 'beautiful sight', passed Seri and left the corridor with something that weighed his heart. Leaving the blond-haired lady dumbfounded.
Finally, the noisy boys' crowd caught her attention. She went near toward them and popped her petite head between the men's and gazed toward where the men were gazing. Her eyes widened in shock. "Ryuji…." She mumbled.
Akira was the first one to notice the presence of the Lieutenant. He turned his head facing hers and jolted ever so slightly. "A-Ah! Lieutenant Awashima!" what he said made all of the men jolted slightly and immediately turned ther body toward her, blocking the view. "A-Ah! Good Evening, Lieutenant Awashima!" they greeted and bowed in unison.
"G-good Evening," She was as shock as they were. "R-Ryuji…" her voice trailed off as she pointed at the sight that was blocked by the men's bodies.
They looked back toward the sight in unison.
"A-Ah…it seems like Fuhsimi-san and Akane-chan are kind of….slacking off together…" Tatsuya feeling unsure of what he just told his superior. He wasn't supposed to tell her, was he?! He cursed himself for doing so and decided to seal his mouth.
"Slacking off?" Seri took a look back at the sight. She was still shocked from what she just saw and couldn't even force her voice to come out.
In her head, there was an image of the President with that sad look on his face earlier.
Seri was still staring at the sight in shock as she recalled the memory when she walked toward Munakata and he plastered that kind of expression after looking at something.
And that something was this sight.
'Don't tell me…'
There stood a girl clad in green goblin lacy dress and looked dainty with those ruffled materials on her petite body. She had these beautiful translucent grey eyes and long-curly eyelashes. Her skin was pale white and her small lips were cherry colored. She was holding an emerald colored crystal ball and she looked like she was worried over something.
A girl with a very special ability.
A girl who was known as Karol.
She was standing in the middle of the darkness. Just holding a crystal ball that produced faint-green clouds inside it without saying a word.
Akane tried to reach her but she couldn't.
She couldn't move her body.
She couldn't make a noise either.
Suddenly, a red translucent butterfly passed by.
It was glowing a radiant red hue and looked beautiful and it felt warm.
Like a flying fireball.
Somehow there was something inside Akane that pushed her to grasp the butterfly but she just couldn't move.
She then moved her head and tried to look at her body.
Her eyes widened in shock.
She was tangled in green strings.
"No…No…No!" she kept repeating it inside her heart as she stared at the strings in horror.
Akane then lifted her head and found that the red butterfly was flying right in front of her face.
It was reaching her nose when suddenly, an emerald colored box appeared and trapped the butterfly. It hid the red color of the butterfly and somehow, the warm was gone.
Akane screamed soundlessly as a tear rolled down on her pale cheek that gradually turned colder each time the box shrunk.
Karol lifted her hand and the box went toward her.
She grabbed it with both of her hands and in a slow movement, she squeezed it.
Akane could hear the butterfly screamed in pain.
It stabbed her heart.
Akane didn't like this, it felt as if her heart was torn into pieces.
Suddenly, there was a fire came out of the box and burned it until it left nothing but air.
The butterfly was safe, but Karol had her hands burnt.
It was cruel, but somehow Akane felt relieved.
Suddenly, the butterfly flew toward her.
But it passed her.
Akane—who was now able to move a bit—followed the butterfly and caught someone behind her.
Hair as white as an alabaster.
Skin as pale as the snow.
Eyes as red as blood.
And atmosphere as hot as hell.
The butterfly stopped flying and landed on the little girl's forefinger.
She opened her small-plump lips and Akane could hear the small-sweet voice she knew most.
"Wake up…"
Akane opened her eyes slowly as he felt her head throbbing from a certain pain. She reached her head and massaged it gently as she tried to remember every single detail of her dream.
But it just made her headache even worse.
Akane then grunted in pain as she felt something weighed her body. Her body was stiff and aching, and she felt as if something like a baseball bat tried to pierce through her body. She recalled clearly that she was sleeping in a very comfortable position. But how on earth did it end up this uncomfortable?! Well, painful to be exact.
Akane then moved her body and tried to stretch it when suddenly, something fell onto her lap.
Akane—still half-conscious—looked down toward the source of the weight on her lap.
It was Saru, sleeping like a child.
'So cute.' Akane thought.
She then continued to stretch her stiff body and then after that, she rested her body back against the tree.
She looked back at Saru.
Still half-conscious.
She then ran her fingers through his thick mass of dark hair as she observed his handsome features.
She was glad that she could do this.
Even it was only in the dreamland.
Suddenly, Saru moved his body so that his face was facing her tummy.
Saru looked very handsome.
Akane continued to ruffle his dark hair with her hand while her other hand was placed on Saru's upper-arm.
She could feel the ticklish sensation on her palm as she brushed it onto the dark strands.
Wait,
Akane stopped her movements.
WHY ON EARTH WAS SHE ABLE TO FEEL IT?
Suddenly, Saru's eyes fluttered open slightly as he could feel something caressing his head gently.
He felt extremely comfortable, though.
That was why the next movement he made was wrapping his arms around her waist and brought himself closer to her so that now Saru's face was buried onto Akane's tummy.
The red haired young woman froze. Her hands were now 1 cm away from where she touched him as she soundlessly screamed. She could feel Saru on her stomach and he didn't stop moving on her belly as he kept searching for the right spot to snuggle. And Akane too, could feel the long breath he took when he was trying to sniff her scent.
Akane—unsure of what she had to do—just remained in the position of where she was.
She knew she could just flip him off of her and scold him.
But this moment was just too damn precious to be missed!
Akane cursed herself for thinking so.
On the other hand, Saru was still sleeping. He had found the right spot for him to snuggle and enjoy the mild scent of a woman.
A certain mild scent.
Feeling extremely comfortable on her tummy, Saru continued to sleep. Didn't care about what thing he was snuggling onto until finally, the memory of him deciding to take a nap beside Akane popped in his head.
He was taking a nap beside Akane.
He was sleeping at the moment.
He believed he was sleeping while sitting.
Then why on earth was he lying?
And the surface wasn't hard; it was soft.
And this scent….
'Don't tell me!'
In another second, Saru's eyes were opened widely and he retreated himself from the soft and comfortable spot he had been. He propped his body with an arm while the other one forming a fist on his thin lips. Faint pink shades appeared on both of his cheek as his dark eyes opened widely at Akane. He didn't say a word for somehow he had lost every words he wanted to puke all over her.
Her facial expression just prevented them from coming out.
There the redhead was, blushing like crazy and staring at Saru as if he had done something so embarrassing.
Well actually, he did.
Akane's honey eyes were opened as wide as his. Her body was slightly trembling and her mouth was opened as if she was about to say something but she didn't. Akane actually didn't know what to do or what to say anymore because she was too shock and too embarrassed to think.
Saru was in the same condition as her.
That awkward moment lasted quiet long….
Akane felt uneasy and she knew she must end this awkward moment, but she just didn't know what to do!
Suddenly a wild idea appeared.
A really wild idea.
And an absurd one.
Akane moved forward in a fast movement, arms lifted in direction of his head and ruffled his dark hair harshly.
Stupid.
"O-Oy! Stop! What the hell are you doing, Medusa?!" Saru tried to hold her moving arms and remove them from him. "O-Oy!" he growled slightly.
"A-Ah! I'm sorry, Saru-kun! It's just…there are many petals on your hair!" Akane continued to ruffle his now free-from-petals hair.
"E-Enough! Medusa!"
"Kyaaa!"
Because Akane was moving and leaning her body forward too much, she ended up losing her balance and fell toward Saru and—in reflexive response—Saru wrapped his arms around her body but he couldn't hold her weight so that he fell backwards with Akane in his arms.
"Ouch!" Saru grunted under his breath as he secured the redhead by his arms. He tilted his head down just to find Akane looking at him with wide opened eyes and blush on both of her pale cheeks. "S-Sorry, Saru-kun!" She stuttered.
Both of her hands were fisted on his flat chest and her crimson hair draped his face so that he no longer could see the pink shades of the Sakura tree.
But he could see the pink shades on her cheeks.
He intently kept his arms around her because embracing her was unbelievably comfortable!
Her curvy slender body fitted perfectly in his arms and her weight was okay.
And she also smelled so damn good!
How many times had Saru thought about it?
Countless, he believed.
"S-Saru?" her sweet-small voice made him jolt ever so slightly and he got his conscious back. "U-Um…how long are you going to hold me?" she gave him a crooked awkward smile that looked adorable.
Saru then—without giving a word to her—tried to get up with Akane still on him. He kept an arm around her and another one propped his body. He gazed at the sight before him calmly as he already sitting properly on the slightly wet grass.
The red headed lady was looking at him in a shy manner.
She was still sitting on the top of him.
She really wanted to move away, but his eyes locked her from doing so.
How awkward!
"S-Saru?" Akane called his name again, hoping he would answer her this time.
"Medusa," Saru then removed his hand from the grass to her pale white cheek and caressed it with his thumb. "I'm sorry." His voice trailed off.
Akane was confused with what he just said. She stared right into his eyes that were no longer looking at her honey ones for it was observing her pink cheek. "Why are you apologizing?" she tried to find a clue from his dark blue orbs.
"I'm sorry for being mad at you," he removed his hand from her cheek and propped his body back with it. "I wasn't supposed to be." He lowered his eyes.
Akane was shock to find this guy apologizing to her. For Saru to do such thing was something she thought he would do if the world had come to an end. It was just an unbelievable thing for him—apologizing, that was.
Akane then tilted her head to the front as she tried to see his dark blue hues and find the genuineness in his words from it. She peeked through his bangs and glasses but she still couldn't get to meet his eyes.
Realizing what the redhead was doing, Saru tiled his head upward to take a look at the idiot's face but ended up bumping his forehead with hers.
"Damn that hurts!" Saru touched his forehead with his hand that was around Akane earlier.
"Why did you do that?!" Akane growled as she gestured Saru.
"What were you doing?!" he answered with another question.
"I was finding the truth!"
"What?"
Akane paused for a moment. She moved her gaze from him as she kept rubbing the spot where he had bumped. "W-Well, you were apologizing and it's uncommon, you know?" She pouted, trying to hide the pink shades on her cheeks.
Saru's eyes widened in a brief second then he let a snort out. "Am I that bad?"
"N-No! I mean…you're not bad," she told him in a rather shy manner and continued, "You're just…cold."
Saru observed the girl before him. She was cute in that expression.
'She should wear that more often,'
"So I'm cold." He pointed out coldly.
"See?" Akane pointed her forefinger toward him innocently.
Looking at her response, Saru snorted.
"Let's go back to the Control Room." Saru then lifted the redhead by her waist and moved her to his side. "I think everyone's having the same thoughts." He stood up and stretched his body in a calm manner. The red haired lady was still sitting on the ground as she stared at him in confusion. "What thoughts?" she asked him.
"The thoughts of us slacking off together."
"Excuse us," Saru lazily opened the double-doors of the Control Room with Akane behind him. They popped their heads and gazed throughout the room. Their comrades were working as usual and didn't even take a glance at the door.
Acting as if they saw nothing.
Feeling normal on their sides, Saru and Akane entered the room and walked toward their own stations without giving a word out.
Suddenly Akira approached Akane with his paperwork.
"Akane-chan, can you tell me the meaning of this one?" he pointed at a certain point.
"Oh, it means you have to—"
"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" suddenly Andy's voice echoed throughout the whole room, followed by hisses of the other men.
"Zip it, Domyouji-san!" Tatsuya lifted his forefinger and put in on his lips.
"Yeah! You're ruining everything!" Daiki's voice followed.
"But I just can't take it anymore!" Andy then swiftly turned his body facing Saru and Akane. "Why don't you just date already?!" he half-screamed at the two of them.
Akane and Saru fell silent for a moment before they said "HUH?!" in unison.
"I'm sorry, Fushimi-san. We saw you and Akane sleeping together under the Sakura tree." Akiyama stood up from his chair and tried to clear everything he could.
"Y-yeah, Akane-chan. We saw you…" Now was Akira's turn to reveal the truth. He was squatting in front of Akane's desk as he gazed up to the tall figure of the red haired lady.
"W-What?!" finally, Akane's face turned into a deep red color.
Like a tomato.
Saru didn't say a word. He only tsked at them, folded his hand and put it on his abdomen, but they could visibly see pink shades on both of his cheeks.
Fushimi Saruhiko was embarrassed!
All of the men cheered joyfully in their hearts.
Suddenly, they heard knocks on the door and there popped a misty blond head of the Lieutenant's. "Fushimi, Ryuji, the Captain has a word for you." She told them in a rather cold manner.
Saru and Akane then looked at each other and didn't make any movement for a moment. They threw the same gaze of suspicion before deciding to come with Seri to the Captain's room.
After joining the blond Lieutenant, they walked side by side in silence, but their minds shared the same thoughts.
They knew what was going to happen next.
They were going to get scolded.
"Ryuji-kun, Fushimi-kun, please come here." Reishi's glasses glinted as he pushed it upward and adjusted it on his pointed, small nose.
Feeling unsure of what to do, the two young adults didn't make a move. They decided to keep their feet firmly on the current ground they were standing. Actually, they didn't do it on purpose. They couldn't move for they were too scared to do anything anymore in front of the furious Munakata Reishi.
Because it was rare for the President of Scepter4 to be mad at something.
Reishi only got angry whenever it was necessary for him to be.
Every single of Scepter4 members knew it.
That was why…..
Oh god.
Akane could feel chillness behind her nape as she looked at how menacing her president looked.
His eyes were cold.
It had never been that cold before.
"Please come here." To their surprise, Reishi repeated his command in a very-very cold tone.
Both of them flinched as his voice echoed around the room and penetrated through their heads.
Saru was the one to start stepping his foot forward and walked toward the desk where Reishi was. After that, Akane followed right behind him slowly.
They stopped after reaching the front side of the mahogany desk.
Both of them lowered their heads and eyes reflexively.
Reishi observed their quiet manner as he rested his chin on knuckles. His eyes rolled up and down as he read their minds through their body gestures. He sighed. "I found something unpleasant from what both of you did."
The two young adults gulped in unison.
"I demand an explanation." He continued coldly, gaze as sharp as a thousand spears.
Saru was the first one to speak, "I admit it that I skipped the practice session." He replied Reishi in a rather cold manner, as if it was nothing serious. "Sorry." He added.
"A-Ah! Me too…" Akane lowered her head. "I-I'm sorry…something's been bugging me so…" She was unsure with her silly reason so then she decided to keep her mouth shut for a while.
At least she had admitted her mistake.
The blue haired director pushed his glasses upward as he hummed at their responses. He kept his eyes and mouth shut for a while, making Akane and Saru bathed in worries and fears. They stared at their superior in silence and hoping that this would end soon and no one get hurt.
Really, they hoped they would still be alive when they got out of this room.
"You haven't given me your explanation, Fushimi-kun." He kept his voice cold.
Looking at how annoying his superior acted, Saru unconsciously clicked his tongue and scratched his not itchy head. He was sure that Reishi acted that way because he slacked off with that redhead whom he knew to be Reishi's most favorite girl. After all, every time Saru slacked off (before Akane joined Scepter4) Reishi never scolded him nor called him to his office like this. This was just too absurd, stupid, and exaggerated.
His jealousy was stupid.
Heh, him? jealous?
Saru's lips formed a satisfied faint smirk.
"I was looking for Ryuji and I found her sleeping alone and the atmosphere was right to join her and so I slacked off." Saru explained carefully with eyes those were challenging and words those were provoking the older man before him.
Akane and Saru could visibly see the director twitched.
Akane didn't understand why, though.
But on the other side, Saru was trying as hard as he could to maintain his cold expression.
Realizing the hidden meanings behind Saru's explanation, Reishi cleared his throat and started to speak, "Well, I hope this won't happen anymore in the future." He pushed his glasses upward. "You may go back to the Control Room, Fushimi-kun. And for Ryuji-kun," he moved his gaze to the pale redhead and continued, "I have some words for you."
By that, Saru left the room and Akane stood still on her current place with worries.
After Akane heard the closing door's sound, she lifted her gaze to see right into Reishi's blue hues and waited for him to speak. She had prepared herself to receive her superior's tirade and any kind of punishments he would give her.
After all, it was her fault from the very beginning.
Reishi stood up from his comfortable chair and walked calmly toward Akane. His boots' tapping sounds were echoing throughout the room as he walked and stopped after he stood right in front of Akane.
"President?—ah!" Akane was surprised when Reishi suddenly wrapped his arms around her tightly and brought her close to him. He rested his head onto Akane's as he felt the lady's warmth in his arms and he tightened his hug around her.
Akane—on the other side—was confused and still surprised from his sudden action. She could feel his hard chest and abdomen, but his hug was gentle enough to make them felt like pillows. He was warm and he smelled nice. He was relaxing.
Slowly, the tensions in Akane faded away and she became accustomed with the hug. Akane finally began to enjoy it. She felt comfortable and secured in his protective arms.
Akane unconsciously snuggled on the curve of Reishi's neck and hugged him back. She breathed slowly and she felt at peace in an instant.
His hug erased all of her worries that had been weighing her.
"Ryuji-kun," Reishi called her name gently, caressing her ears with his voice. "If you have something bothering in mind, you may tell me. Perhaps I could lift the weight and make you happy again." He caressed her back slowly.
As if his voice was hypnotizing her, Akane nodded slowly and continued to enjoy the peaceful moment of her life, forgetting that she was hugging her superior tightly as if hugging a sibling.
Or a teddy bear.
Yeah, Reishi felt like one.
After some minutes had passed, they finally released each other and ended the moment with a whole-heartedly smile. It was supposed to be awkward but it wasn't. Akane herself didn't know why but he was just too familiar to be someone she feared and acted all-formal to.
It was as if she had known him for a long time.
"Ryuji—" Reishi's words were cut by the banging sound of his double door's sudden opening. There stood Saru with a PDA on his hand and he looked like he was troubled.
"Sorry for the intrusion. It's an emergency, sir."
That's the seventh chapter of Red and Blue.
Let me know your thoughts about this chapter.
Correct me if I'm wrong or anything ;)
xoxo, see you later! :)
