Author's note: Thanks for reviewing. :D


"Oh Seiryu, allow me to marry my other half before I'm driven insane," Ayuru whispered softly as he submerged deeper into the water. The warm liquid was extremely pleasing to his taut and tired muscles but it did nothing to temper his mind down. How could one woman whom he just met this morning drive him to the edge of sanity when he had slept with countless of women in the past? It was not just his body that was frenzied and painfully taut but his usually calm mind was chaotic. As Ayuru continued to delve deeper into his mind to sift through the chaos, he unknowingly, began to unlock some memories from a distant past.

In his mind's eye, Ayuru saw himself walking down a dark and seemingly endless corridor. Soundless, endless and dark was the corridor and he continued walking to nowhere. He knew he could not be lost in his own mind even if he were to go insane. As he ventured on fearlessly and emotionless, he noticed with a gentle satisfaction that there was no silhouette of any kind in that darkness which meant no one had ever seen this side of him. Suddenly as if his mind had it through with his aloofness, his surrounding changed to one with countless of mirrors. Each mirror was showcasing a part of his memory be it one he can remember or not. Frowning a little, Ayuru walked slowly towards a mirror that showed him in a man in a full suit armour on a black war horse. Behind that knight, was an army of soldiers that was more than ready to fight and win a war. Ayuru could clearly see the blond hair peeking from below the scale-like helmet. As the soldier slowly turned his head towards Ayuru's direction, Ayuru could feel his insides constricting painfully. Why does it hurt? Or perhaps why was this unknown feeling so familiar?

The man mirrored all of Ayuru's facial features. It was the same blue eyes and sharp facial features. It was also the same long blond hair and the lithe built of a predator. Who is this guy? Why is he in my memories? However, the eyes were far from the same and so was the face. Ayuru's shocked eyes met the man's piercing and fearless eyes. A face so twisted in shock met an extremely emotionless and unamused face. "I knew father was a general but, not like this," Ayuru whispered hoarsely as he continued to watch the man in the mirror. It hurt his throat to talk. It was as if a ticking time bomb had land itself in his palms, just waiting to go off. Tragic truths waiting to be seek out. "Who… are you?"

As if the man in the mirror could taste all of Ayuru's irrational fear, he mocked, "Why are you afraid? How can you be afraid of the monster you helped create?"

"What do you want, Nakago? I can give you everything and anything! Just please, I'm begging you, don't kill me," an older man in royal robes, whom Ayuru guessed was an Emperor, plead helplessly to the emotionless man.

"Did you stop when you heard the boy beg you to stop raping him?" the general questioned in a soft cruel voice, "Did you care that you were driving the boy mad?" He continued walking towards the shaken and rooted Emperor and his forehead began glowing a soft blue hue. When terror seemed to be at its peak, the man smiled a cruel sadistic but sad smile, "It's time to pay the price of disabling the boy to grow."

Suddenly as quick as lightning, the man, named Nakago, drove his hand through the Emperor viciously. Blood tainted his hand up till his mid-forearm and he bid farewell to the Emperor, "I bid you adieu, old man. Die." As soon as he commanded death, the older man exploded and splattered under the royal robes, "How pathetic. You're nothing more than a worthless piece of crap."

Ayuru staggered back weakly. Why did he have such terrible memory of someone's death? Why did that Emperor seemed like his father? Why did he feel as if that man, Nakago, was a part of him? What does all this mean? It was as if he was reuniting with an old friend whom he had not seen for the longest time. Ayuru could feel a migraine was round the corner but for the first time, Ayuru did not care. He could not help but ignore the headache because for some unknown reason, he desperately wanted his questions answered. Seiryu, help him! Save him!

"Hey, are you alright?" Ayuru opened his eyes tired and turned towards the concerned voice. Yui. She was beside him and looking at him very oddly. "You know, I'm not going to ask why you punched the mirror to smithereens nor am I going to ask why you look so shaken," Yui continued softly as she held his hand and squeezed it lightly, "but I hope you won't act all macho and at least have that bleeding hand and knuckles treated." Slowly almost too cautiously, she let his hand go and Ayuru immediately jolted 'awake'.

"Why are you in the bathroom?" Ayuru asked almost teasingly. He could not let her know how spooked he was by the memories he believed most ardently was not his. It could not be his. He is just a President of Seiryu & Co. Science & Tech and not some man from ancient China. Speaking of ancient China, there's a time lapse between then and now, hence that murderer absolutely cannot be him or his father!

"I just heard the mirror breaking into pieces and I was...I was worried about the mirror!" Yui retorted hotly. Why did this man have to change so quickly? She knew he was shaken by whatever it was he saw but did he have to try and pretend that everything was alright? Even now Yui knew that he was far from fine.

"Yeah?" he mocked as he raised his eyebrow as if questioning her, "Whatever you say." As he strode past her, Yui saw a flash of a soft blue light on his forehead. Was he Nakago's incarnate? No, maybe she was wishing so desperately for Nakago that she was hallucinating. She quickly forgot what she thought she saw when actually what she saw was truly what appeared. "I suggest you wait for the downpour to cease in this humble room of mine," Ayuru suggested calmly while he removed the towel that hung loose on his waist, thus showcasing Yui everything he had. Well, that was if Yui wanted to see.

"Can you put on something? If not for your sake, at least for a virgin's sake?" Yui threw a cushion onto the naked man who caught it easily and put it beside him naturally.

Immediately after dressing up, he walked towards her, he squatted in front of her to look up and deep into her eyes, "You're a virgin? Why? How come?" Yui blinked her eyes as she looked at the man before her. Why did he look like Nakago? Why did this man who seemed like Nakago's replica have to appear now? Why was he concern about her like Nakago was? Why was she even comparing Nakago to this lowly scum, Ayuru? Yui apologized to Nakago in her mind as she exhaled a long breath and glared at the jerk.

"Because I feel like staying a virgin!" Yui argued. It was not untrue but, she did wonder sometimes why she was still a virgin. She had countless of chances to give up her virginity to Tetsuya but each time; a low dragon-like rumble would stop her. Each and every time, it was as if Seiryu did not want her to lose her virginity to a pretentious boyfriend. "Oh Seiryu, how you looked after me," Yui thought happily despite being irritated by the charming low-life scum in front of her.

"I never thought a woman like you would still remain a virgin. In fact I thought you'd be the sort of feisty lover," Ayuru grinned sheepishly at her and Yui felt her walls breaking. There was something to Ayuru that made her both swooned yet irritated. "But why do you feel like staying a virgin even at this age? Surely you would have met some men worth sleeping with..."

"Damn it! Will you stop cross-examining me? I just felt that I should be giving my virginity to the man I truly love and will spend my entire lifetime with!" Yui glared at him. Why did he have to ask all those stupid questions? Why couldn't he accept her preferences like Tetsuya and perhaps also walk away?

"I see..." The Cheshire cat grin widened before it dissolved on the handsome face. Suddenly being extremely controlled and composed, Ayuru looked deeply and seriously into Yui's eyes. In a solemn voice, he whispered, "Then fall in love with me. Let me court and love you. Teach me to love you."

Stunned Yui sat blinking her eyes. Wha..? "A..Ayuru?" Yui asked quietly as she tried to recompose herself. This was a man who was Nakago's physical incarnate and he was indirectly suggesting a relationship with her. She knew that it had been Nakago in flesh and soul, she would have definitely agreed within a heartbeat or faster if possible.

However, there was no way she could simply agree to this unpredictable man's stunning offer. She never knew when she would be the one fooled yet... She could not ignore the fact that he must have thought of a possibility of them being a couple although this could be one of his pranks.

However, if he was serious about the suggestion just as his voice seemed to be, then... Then what? Would she accept his proposal and be with him and get over Nakago? Was getting over Nakago even possible? How could anyone ever forget their first love? Yui knew she would be torn apart if Nakago reincarnated in flesh and soul and reacquainted himself with her after she became this man's other half. If that happens, who would she choose? Her first love or a man whom she came to adore?

"Ayuru... Is this yet another one of your games?" Yui spoke softly as she held the gaze of the shirtless man who was squatting before her. Blue cautious eyes met warm, longing eyes.

"It is whatever you want it to be," Ayuru replied gently as he held her very well structured feminine hands in his, "If you desire it to be a prank call, it will be." Bringing her hands slowly to his face, he pressed one of her palms against his face while he kissed every fingertip on her other hand lovingly. Yui did not know what to think. She could not think. She would not think. This infuriating man... When did he become a gentle loving man? How could he almost make her yearn for him the way her heart yearns desperately for Nakago by just those simple actions? It was not fair!

"Stop this," she mumbled.

Why was her voice so uncertain? What was it that made her so afraid? Ayuru wondered as he immersed himself in the feeling of her soft palm on his face. Somehow it felt like her palm was meant to stay on his cheek. It was that familiar. He could see her features so clearly and he knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her. This woman was able to burn his insides just by having her palm on his cheek. Never had he ever felt this sort of feeling with any other woman. Never and why was that? It was because no one had seen him with so much love that it made his icicle walls slowly melt. All the women lusted after him just as his body lusted after theirs.

"Darling, it can be the truth if you want it to be... because I wish it is the truth," Ayuru whispered hoarsely as his heart quickened its beatings. He would do anything to make her want him because he needed her. He needed her to live. "If you desire me to stop, I will stop," he continued painfully at the thought that she wanted him to stop even though it may incur pain and suffering, "Do not have regrets."

Yui's insides squirmed when he began to massage her feet so sensually. How was it possible that he could make her feel so...loved? Was it because he truly loved her or simply because he was a natural just like Nakago was? Why was she mixing the two same man yet so different together? Having been left behind by her love and treated like dirt by another, can anyone truly blame her for her suspicions? "Ayuru," Yui called to the man who looked at her with eyes that could have melted any other lady easily, "You need to stop. I can't return your love." Immediately, her insides calmed down and gone was all the doubt that this man was Nakago. No one could be Nakago, at least in Yui's book.

"Can't or won't?" Ayuru asked quietly. He stopped massaging her feet just as she wanted but he did not release his touch on them. Let all of his feelings he had for this woman since they met this morning out. Indeed, Ryo was right and he was simply denying it all day- he had fallen for this woman at first sight. She was definitely the one whose scent was in his nose ever since she kissed him rather brazenly in the cafe.

"I can't. My heart already belongs to another," Yui answered nearly sadly. It was almost too heartbreaking for her to answer him for she saw all of his feelings reflected in his crystal eyes. This man was in love with her and she was in love with a dead man. It seems almost predetermined that she was fated to lead a life so loveless considering that she was an enemy of the God of Love- Suzaku.

"I see..." A shadow of sadness clouded his face as he hung his head. He had to absorb the pain so great. For once, the Great and Unmatchable Casanova Ayuru Gareth Kings was terribly rejected by the one woman whom he had fallen for so quickly and deeply. Love is such a cruel feeling. Too cruel.

"I'm sorry," Yui whispered as she encircled her arms around him and pulled him in for a comforting hug. Even knowing that he loved her and she could not return his feelings, Yui could not bear to let a man, however irritatingly infuriating, to wallow in sorrow alone. She knew misery like an old friend but misery was not one she would want to reunite with, if possible.

In silence, Yui hugged the man's head to her bosom albeit unknowingly. She brought him hurt but Suzaku spelled for him devastation when that God made him fall for her. In the end, even if it was the book's or her world, Suzaku seemed to have decided to hurt her in ways nothing could. The heart of a human was so fragile that an ounce of any emotion was able to throw the entire heart out of control.

When she felt the man moved away, Yui slowly removed her arms around him. Moving away from her, he climbed onto an opposite her. All the while, he avoided her gaze. Ayuru knew he could not let her see him lose his composure. It was extremely unbecoming. "I see why Ryo told me you're unattainable," Ayuru whispered softly as he slowly raised his head to finally look at her. While he felt his composure returning, his smile widened to a wide grin, "I was kidding when I asked you to fall in love with me." His light chuckles that followed his last line burst into laughs and finally into guffaws as he rolled over the floor while clutching his stomach. "Too funny, too funny!" he chanted as he tried his best to stifle his laughter and recompose which were in vain.

"I thought you were serious! And I felt so bad rejecting you!" Yui exclaimed angrily as she shot out of her seat and glared at the uncontrollable man. "Now I feel like the fool!"

"Perhaps we could really try my proposal?" Ayuru immediately sat up when he heard her angry speech. His laughter died out but his face still remained hot from laughing too hard and too long. "We could try falling in love. Of course, if it'd make you feel better and less insecure, I'll fall for you first and wait for you."

Stupefied by such an outrageous suggestion, Yui was speechless. She somehow knew he was not jesting this time and he was serious about the suggestion. He was serious about falling in love with her and perhaps loving her like no man had. With Nakago, it was a one-sided thing since Nakago was too preoccupied with war and revenge. There was also the issue of the forbidden relationship between the priestess and her seven warriors. With Tetsuya, it was just a fool's infatuation. Yui knew that if she were to enter a relationship with this man, Ayuru Kings, a new chapter in her life would open.

While both Ayuru and Yui were both preoccupied with their own thoughts, they did not hear the door opening neither did they hear a tray on a set of four wheels rolling in.

"My Lord-"

"I accept the proposal."

Silence waned on. The only sound was the clock ticking gently yet so loudly in the dense silence. Finally, Ayuru cleared his throat, "Great." Turning towards his helper, he sobered, "Thank you for dinner and no I did not propose to her."

"But My Lord, she said, 'I accept the proposal.' which means..." the maid trailed with a knowing smile and Yui paled.

"No no no, madam! I... I wasn't proposed to!" Yui denied hotly. She was not proposed to, was she? Well, it was not a marriage proposal but it was still...a proposal. Damn. "All he suggested that we fall in love with each other! Nothing more, please understand..."

"The Lord has never suggested this to any other lady. You're perhaps the one and only one he will ever suggest something so cheesy," the maid smiled and her eyes twinkled, "The Lord said this a long time ago, five years back, 'The woman whom I'll suggest to fall in love with me and allow me to fall in love with, she will be my bride.' So what do you think, My Lady?"

If possible, Yui paled considerably. She was proposed to, as in marriage proposal and she accepted. Oh Seiryu..! This has got to be a joke!

Sensing Yui's distress, her to-be-husband stood up and hugged her from behind. One of his arms curled rather suggestively around her hip while the other held her close to him just above her shoulders. "Why yes, I proposed to her. This woman will be my bride."


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