Shades of Azure

シェイドス　オフ　アジュル　　

A guy's lonely life brightens as he encounters a girl who is unemployed… for the nth time around.

Disclaimer: I do not own this anime

Chapter Ten: Kanata's "Rival"

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Miyu and Hoshou appeared at the door, and Miyu's smile was so fabulous. Kanata was rather surprised in his father's presence, and of the courtesy he has shown to his future daughter-in-law.

I wonder what made him come here... is it Miyu? Kanata thought.

"Wow, the bride's so pretty!"

"Yeah! Indeed!"

"Wow, Kanata-kun surely knows how to pick the right one," Akira said as she smiled. "Wait. Isn't she Ruu-kun's mom?"

She glanced at the little boy Ruu in Santa's arms. He was gladly flipping and wincing shouting 'Mama' all over.

"Oh..." Akira muttered. "They're both blonde,"

Santa was so happy that he was in tears... "At last! Kanata has decided to marry! I'm so happy for him!" he exclaimed.

"We shall start the wedding ceremony..." the priest said. "...of Kanata Saionji and Miyu Kouzuki..."

Everyone in the hall silenced. This is surely the moment Miyu won't forget in her life. Will she regret this or not?

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Kanata's father let go of Miyu and Kanata took her hand. He bowed down to his father. "Arigatou, oyaji."

"Don't make her regret this, Kanata." Hoshou said.

"I won't." he answered. "Miyu, let's go."

She nodded. She breathed deeply to calm herself and get back to the right composure. Relax, Miyu. It's just as if you're clinging to someone you've known for years. He's a good person too. You'll never regret this.

The ceremony sailed on smoothly, and time passed by quickly. The next thing Miyu and Kanata knew was they were at the reception area, greeting guests as they come inside the large ballroom where food is to be served in a while.

Santa came to the two of them, "Kanata, buddy, I didn't know you've been hiding this to me ever since!" he exclaimed as he gave them Ruu. "I thought I was going to be Ruu's sitter forever, I didn't know his mother will come by."

Kanata smiled nervously. You're obviously not getting anything of this, Santa. I am really sorry… then he suddenly recalled what had happened some time ago, when Ruu and Wannya first came into his life.

"Kanata-san!!!" a timid voice called out. "Right here!"

Kanata was dumbfounded by what he heard. "Who's there?" he asked valiantly, looking around his place. "Show yourself!"

The voice continued to speak in an almost crying manner. "I- I can't! You might be surprised. Promise me you will believe everything I tell you. This will be for your own sake."

By then, Kanata was utmost puzzled. "I don't get it."

Then he heard a baby babble, and was surprised. "What's a child doing in my house? How did you get in here?"

He checked the corner and found a blonde baby sitting there, smiling at him. He was extending his hand, reaching out to him. Kanata took him in his arms and was surprised again, it's as if this child was kin to him.

"I'm here…" the voice said again. When Kanata looked at the child's clothes, there's a little brooch of a dog-cat image. He took it and suddenly, smoke appeared. After that, there appeared a strange creature. He called himself Wannya, and he came from the future.

"Who… What… What are you?!" he was on the brink of panic.

When they sat for a while and talked, Kanata didn't say a thing.

"Kanata-sama, I am so sorry that I had interfered your bachelor's life. But we have no other option but to find Ruu's mother, or else…"

He nodded. "I was just wondering, how did we meet each other? How does she look like?"

"It's such a pity that I haven't met her…" Wannya said softly.

"What? How would we do this?" Kanata exclaimed. "I particularly have no interest in women at this time. I don't think I can find her."

Wannya panicked. "Don't say that, Kanata-san!"

He sighed. "Well then, by any means, we should do something. My folks must not learn about this. I guess it won't be plausible for them…"

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Miyu looked around her. Many distinctive guests, rich people. It tends her to remember her mother's parties and balls hosted at their own mansion. She just smiled at herself, remembering what had happened on that night she stormed off and left her parents behind…

"This ball is for our darling Miyu! She would be wed after she finishes her final exam! We can't wait any longer!" her mother announced. Everyone applauded, and the shock just came to Miyu.

"What was that?!" she exclaimed. "No way! There's no way you could decide my future!"

Her father came to his side. "I understand it, Miyu, but you see, your mother's friend Hitomi had promised their son to marry you when you finished college. That boy is your childhood friend, although you haven't seen him in years." He tried to explain and calm her.

Miyu looked at her mother from a distance. "I can't believe that she's done this." She said softly and then afterwards, she went out on an unnoticeable exit away the ball.

"Nanami! Do you have time?" she asked, calling one of her best friends.

"Yeah, what's the haste?" Nanami questioned. "You sound tired. Are you supposed to be on your graduation party?"

Miyu sighed. "That's the thing I wanted to talk to you about. Nanami, I just escaped. And I'm not coming back to our house."

Nanami was so surprised. "EH?!"

The two of them met at the park half an hour later. Nanami was now with Aya, their other best friend. They noticed how worried she looked, and how sad she seems.

"Ne, Miyu-chan, try to cheer up." Aya began. "What's the matter this time?"

Miyu just stared into the space. "You know what, I was supposed to get married in 5 weeks time." She suddenly blurted out.

"What?!" the two girls chorused. "You were betrothed? To who?"

She just shrugged her shoulders. "I don't particularly know his name, but I know him as dad says."

"Really?"

Miyu nodded. "Besides, I do not remember mom having a female friend that close to her."

Nanami nodded. "You're right. Is that what your dad told you?"

"Yes. A woman he called Hitomi…"

Miyu sighed. "If I were on that ball back then, would I have married that man now?"

She glanced at Kanata who was busy engaging himself to Ruu. "I didn't escape marriage, hence, I was married to a man with a son."

"… Mama and Papa would laugh at me if they knew about this."

Kanata was now at her side, and he noticed a little depression on his wife's face. "Oi, Miyu. What's bugging you?" he suddenly asked.

Miyu was surprised by his sudden appearance. "H-Hey!"

Kanata was puzzled. "Now, what did I do?"

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"Hoshou-san, I heard your son was to be engaged to the heir of the Kouzuki Corporation. Is she the woman?"

Hoshou shook his head. "They've just met a couple of weeks ago. I could not understand that son of mine."

His associates laughed. "Maybe it's what they call hitomebore."

Hoshou smiled, as memories of his deceased wife came flashing on his mind…

"Hoshou, as a member of this family, you shall be betrothed to a woman we've picked for you. You cannot defy us." It was his family, and they are totally in to the merger between the Saionji group and the company leading the oil market.

He sighed, knowing it was his doom. "Yes, father."

Obedient as he always was, he devoted his life serving the Saionji Company even before he graduated from college. He met his first love at college, and Hitomi was her name.

"Just call me Hitomi, you're being too formal!" the girl said sweetly. "This is my best friend Miki, and her fiancé Yuu."

Hoshou greeted them with a big smile plastered on his face. "How do you do?"

When came the time he has to meet his fiancée, he was surprised on what he saw…

"Hi Hoshou!"

It was his Hitomi. "So it is you!" he exclaimed happily. "But why did you not tell me?"

She chuckled. "I just want to see if you really love me, Hosho."

"Hitomi…" he said. "How I wish you were still here beside me,"

"Uncle Hoshou! The dinner's to be served now!" Mikan told him. "Are you ever paying attention?"

He came back to his senses. "Right."

Mikan smiled. "Granny, Kanata-kun seems to have found his love of his life." She said. "Aren't you happy for them?"

"Yes, I wish them the best. But Akira-chan's still the best woman for Kanata-kun. Although there's this daughter of Miki he's supposed to marry…"

"Well, his fate's twisted since the woman you're pertaining to left their home and hasn't been found yet nor returned. I heard she told her parents to disinherit her."

Kanata's grandmother was impressed. "Really? Such a brave woman!"

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"You seem not to be yourself today." Kanata said to Miyu. "Are you trying to tell me that you should've not married me?"

Miyu laughed, removing all the tensions. "What are you talking about, Kanata? You're making me laugh. Your worried face doesn't suit you at all, right, Ruu-kun?"

The baby smiled in return.

He sighed. "Well stop that spaced-out look," Kanata muttered.

"Hai,"

Then he just smiled at her warmly. "Miyu?"

"E?"

"I just want to tell you that…" he can't seem to put his thoughts into words. "I…"

Suddenly, a blonde guy entered the scene….

"Yo! Saionji-kun!" he greeted.

Miyu was suddenly alerted. She knew that voice! When she looked behind her…

"Hey! Hikarigaoka!" he stood up, and shook hands with the man.

"It's been a long time! Where's your wife?"

Kanata went to Miyu's side and introduced her to him. Suddenly, the man was stunned. He was speechless.

"Y-You're… just here! You… married him?!" he was so shocked.

Kanata can't get any of this.

"Nozomu-kun?" Miyu said. "Kanata, he was my college classmate."

Kanata thought for a while. "So you attended Tokyo University?" he was surprised. He never knew some things about her, though Miyu thinks it's trivial.

Nozomu nodded. "Although she just passed college by hook or by crook." He teased her.

"Why you!" Miyu was energetic again and was filled with life. Kanata never saw her like that before.

"How about you two? How did you know each other?"

Kanata suddenly was silent. "We were rivals!" Nozomu announced.

"Rivals? You courted the same girl, eh? I thought Nozomu has same feelings for all girls?"

Nozomu laughed. "Miyucchi…"

"Stop calling me that…" Miyu was blushing. Kanata knew the sense of closeness they have.

"We were rivals for the handsome boy contest during high school!" Nozomu continued.

Miyu glanced at the silent Kanata, who just nodded shyly. Then she just knew she was laughing…

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hitomebore means "Love at first sight".

To be continued

つづく。。。