Chapter 10

Admiration

~Camellia

When Shiho was younger she valued honesty of all the virtues that her mother taught her then came along white lies, omission and exaggeration as she grew up. Right now as she stared across the dinner table, looking at the silver-haired man who openly displayed his distaste for the food they were eating, she wondered whether why secrets were created when it was bad to lie, omit and create stories. She turned her look at her father, then at Miriallia and lastly to her brothers. Would be alright if she kept quiet about their not-so-innocent encounter from her loved ones or should she tell them? Were secrets bad or good things anyway?

The brunette pondered as she tried to gulp down the thick creamy corn soup her father mad e, down her unusually dry mouth and throat. She bit her lip and shook her head, the scene creeping up her mind. A blush formed across her face, which garnered stares from everyone asking if her fever was coming back.

"I'm fine, don't worry." Shiho truthfully whispered, avoiding his electrifying worried blue gaze.

*A*

The sun was shining brightly and the after effects of the rain made the water droplets on the leaves glisten like diamonds under the sunlight. The scent of clean air was endlessly roaming the countryside, bringing a great deal of healthy air to everyone in the locality. The next door newly built and furnished house beside the Hahnenfuss' was now in the process of being occupied. A blooming and healthy 5-month pregnant woman bounded down slowly from the passenger seat of the shiny black Cayenne while her husband gentlemanly opened the door for her. The instant she laid her eyes on the house, she knew it was love at first sight. From the dark brown colored roof tiles to the ecru washed walls and the wooden swing in the porch with the climbing vines of flowers on the balustrades, she knew her stay at the country would be a momentous occasion!

Kira Yamato smiled at his wife Lacus Clyne-Yamato as she openly showed her approval of the house he had designed. He knew that she was going to love it. She had always told him everything she wanted for a country house and he brought it to life. Lacus engulfed him in a warm embrace and excitedly pulled on his arm to show her around their new home.

Up the porch Kira saw a black tabby cat. It was staring up at him with those adorable pair of amber eyes that he couldn't whisk his gaze away. He loved animals, cats especially. A lot of people said he was the dog type of person because he was a loyal person but he loved the versatility and agility of a cat. Cats are moody and more cynical but if you come to befriend them and get them to return your affection its satisfaction return is a level higher than befriending a dog.

Kira fell in love with Isis. The black feline kept on staring at him and mewled at him when he tried petting it. Smiling like an idiot, he persisted with his current exchange with the impossibly affectionate cat.

"Kira, how long are you going to play with cat?" Lacus looked down at her thoroughly amused husband and pouted. "I want to see the house, now!" With the exclamation, Kira was jolted from his current predicament and apologized. Pregnant women aren't to be messed with, their hatred is malevolent than a woman scorned. He didn't want to sleep on the floor again.

"Sorry Lacus the cat was just so…" The brunette man trailed off as his wife's happy demeanour deteriorated the longer he talked about the cat who was now rubbing its body around his legs. "Of course angel, this way." He sweat dropped and sighed in relief when he heard another amused yelp came from Lacus when she saw the large top to bottom windows located at their living room showing their blooming garden. Running to it, the windows were actually sliding doors that led to another porch then down to the garden. It was like a veranda on the first floor without the balustrades to block the view just like a wooden platform.

Her glittering powder blue eyes and blooming smile made Kira's heart race. He was so happy with his decision in marrying her. It was no doubt that this was the best decision he had made in his entire life, second was his becoming an architect. "Do you like it? I designed it especially with you in mind." The pink alstroemerias were flourishing together with the orange marigolds and white baby's breaths together with the different assortment of blossoming flowers.

"Like?" The fair haired woman asked incredulously. "I love it Kira! I never thought we'd have a garden, ever… And a porch too and this wonderful house!" Lacus said as she one by one demonstrated her delight for it. She ran to the garden, giving Kira a slight heart attack because of her condition, and spread out her arms and twirled round and round until she came back to Kira with a dizzy spell and smiling eyes.

"There's more to love. Wanna check the master's bedroom?" Kira asked excitedly as his beautiful wife nodded vigorously. Her usual pale complexion was flushed with energy.

"How about the nursery? I want to decorate it myself or is it done?" Lacus quickly asked as she remembered her visions about it. She wanted a wooden rocking chair with lacy cushions, a bookshelf filled with children's stories and a sense surround player in the room. Experts say that music help in developing the baby's brain.

"It's still bare. I kinda felt that you would like to take charge of decorating it." Treading her fingers in his, they headed to the wooden staircase.

"Kira, if we weren't married already I'd marry you again." Lacus mirthfully exclaimed as she pressed a chaste kiss on Kira's unsuspecting lips, earning her a slight blush and a reciprocated kiss. She really was happy they decided to have a house built in the country than in the city. Their condominium type of living was not really suitable to raising kids and as much as possible she wanted their children to enjoy their childhood under the healthy sunlight and breeze of the country. They wouldn't forsake the city and forget about it, they would just visit it from time to time to bring the children to enjoy themselves.

The bedroom was more amazing than the other rooms she saw in the house. This time the room was facing east, the top to floor windows created a wall of glass. It seemed to create an illusion that it was a set of picture frames depicting the nearby mountainside. Kira approached one of the windows and showed her it acted like a door but not sliding, it was a revolving one. Each one of the 9 windows acted like the one he opened. This side of the house always catches the cool breeze and opening the windows and locking them in place made the room airy. Holding on Kira's arm, he helped her out of the master bedroom and to the veranda. To her surprise, the flooring was made of enforced fibreglass making her see the garden below and the veranda from under and did not hinder the blue sky from below and acted as a roof for the porch in the living room. She loved absolutely everything about the house. It was making her decision all the more decided.

In the kitchen she had hanging gardens of herbs near the windows with their names written on the decorative clay pots. Everything she needed for cooking, baking and other kinds of cooking was located in their kitchen, she even had the urge to cook something grand for her lovable husband but stowed it for later. A trellis welcomed her when they exited the kitchen back door leading her back to the side where the garden was located. The whole period they were touring their new home she had a tingling sensation in her cheeks, keeping her smile in place.

After having the grand tour of their new home, they sat side by side under the pergola, with wooden benches with cushions decorating it. She laid her head on Kira's shoulder and sighed in delight, tucking her legs under her. "Kira, can we stay here even after my pregnancy? I'll tell the agency that I'll permanently stay here."

"Are you sure? What about your career? We're a long way away from the city, it's going to be hard travelling back and forth." The amethyst eyed boy looked at his wife with a questioning gaze.

"It's fine Kira. I was deciding whether to retire from the show business anyway. I would rather be a good wife and mother to you and our child. I was getting stressed from controversies all the time. If I want to continue singing I'll just go online and record." She stated while rubbing her rounded belly. Kira patted her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"If that's your decision, I'm happy to make it mine as well. I can work far from the city anyway. I just have to make a visit at least twice or thrice a month to check up on the company and the rest can be done here." He smiled and leaned down to kiss Lacus' protruding belly. Just then Isis, showed up, jumping out of a bush which gave them both a scare. They broke the silence with laughter. Kira ushered the cat towards him and it jumped to his lap.

"Do you want to keep him?" The rosette asked his husband as she petted it on the head. It rubbed its head more on her hand, loving the feel of its sleek coat under her palm and fingers then something caught in her fingers. It was a collar, it was black too and seemed to camouflaged itself in her fur. "Oh my… She has an owner already." Disappointment coloured her voice, she liked the cat's mellowness already and was willing to give her a home.

"Well that's a pity. She's really kind and mellow for a big cat." Kira picked Isis up on her forearms, like picking up a child with his hands under the armpits. He stared at her and bumped foreheads with her. "I guess we have to return you huh?" Isis mewled. She closed her amber yellow eyes and rubbed her head with Kira's forehead, tickling him with her fur.

"Maybe they'll let her come over from time to time." Lacus patted Kira's back as he continued to scratch under the feline's chin.

"I hope so. She's my love at first sight cat." He sounded so dejected that Lacus couldn't help but laugh at his expression.

"I think they'll do. Just show them this face and they won't be able to say 'no'."

Kira nodded his head and let it softly fall unto her frail-looking shoulder.

"The collar reads…"

Hahnenfuss Acres

Isis

Please return to R&R

The kind hearted violet eyed man pulled up from his comfortable position and checked out the collar. "Guess we're lucky, angel. I know them." He genuinely smiled and laughed. "The owner's daughter was the one who helped me with the garden! They're really good people."

"That's great! Shall we pay them a visit?" Lacus asked, her eyes shining in anticipation. She was going to be greeting their neighbours! She had to cook and give a potluck or a pie or anything homemade to let them know they'll be in their care for the next indefinite number of years.

"Your wish is my command, angel." With that, Lacus giddily stood up and pulled her husband back to their very lovely kitchen!

*A*

Under the warm morning sun, against the cool breeze, three pink haired girls rode in a white convertible passing through the lush trees of the highway. They were on their way to their vacation house in the country. The eldest, Meer Hawke-Campbell, recently married and unfortunately abandoned by her husband for work purposes, had the fairest and longest hair of the trio. Its color resembled the petals of the sakura blossom. On the other hand the middle child, Lunamaria Hawke, sported a pixie cut and the youngest, Meyrin Hawke with pigtails, shared the same shade of deep fuchsia pink. The two younger women squinted at the whipping wind on their face as they rode at the backseat of their sister's new car. It was the first time their father allowed them to go out of the city with only themselves and no driver which means they should be having a swell time in their joy ride.

"Meer-nee, are you really sure you got the right directions? I don't seem to remember passing a vast field for almost an hour." Meyrin pointed out as she hung her head on the side of the car.

"Meyrin, we're on the right track. We're just on a very very slow pace." Lunamaria interjected, staring at the speedometer not even hitting 10 kph.

Glancing at the car's instrument panel, Meyrin tsked. "At that speed, were going to arrive there at the evening and sunburned. I didn't even have the time to put on sun block because you were too excited to drive." Meyrin looked up to the sun and heaved out a sigh. "I wish I didn't go with you. I could be at the parlor right now getting a spa and a glorious date with someone at the movies."

"You two just shut it. I'm concentrating here so just stay put or else I'm leaving you at the side of the road. Got it?" Meer huffed in annoyance as she shakily gripped the steering wheel. It was an automatic transmission car, easier to drive than a manual one but the fact that they keep getting cut by large speeding trucks on the road was making her nerves shaky and her baby was just newly bought! She didn't want to see even a speck of dust, grime or scratch on its pristine white surface.

"Just put the hood back on and we're going to sleep." Meyrin requested and tried to soothe her warming skin. "I had enough Vitamin D for one day. Thank you."

"Fine as long as you two keep quiet. I don't want to hear from backseat drivers." The eldest complied and in a few seconds the sound of the whipping wind was gone and the stereo was playing. The aircon blasted cool air and made a smile on the youngest child and a frown on the middle child. She enjoyed the outdoors and nature at its best. Lunamaria kept her mouth shut than have the wrath of her older sister's panicked bantering and her spoiled youngest sister's tantrums. Sitting quietly on the corner, she prayed for a peaceful week in their villa.

*A*

The very day Shiho was nursed back to the pink of her health, which was a total of two days, Miriallia and Dearka had to return to the city and resume their jobs. The two promised to visit again as soon they get a long weekend and vowed to spend an entire day hiking and picnicking at the nearby mountain with the whole gang. Dearka backed up the car while the brunette enthusiastically waved at Shiho, Yzak and the twins.

"See you later guys!" She shouted as they finally sped off, leaving a trail of dust.

The identical boys ran back to investigate their fish. Yzak had told them that they sleep with their eyes open and they were going to prove that wrong. And that simple statement from Yzak made that their agenda for a whole week of their vacation.

Shiho went back to the house and approached the covered box-like furniture. Pulling the cloth from the middle and pinning it to the sides, a dark chocolate-coloured upright piano emerged. At her back Yzak had just finished closing the door behind him.

"You know how to play?" He unconsciously approached the piano and asked the brunette.

Shiho just nodded quietly as she continued to busy herself in opening the piano's cover and getting some practice pieces from her chair that acted like a drawer for her favourite pieces. She was still acting timid with him after their not-so-innocent encounter. He on the other hand seemed to have forgotten the awkward tension that descended upon them after that bloody finger episode.

*A*

-to be contined-

Thyme Notes: I'm sorry for the late update guys but I think I will only be able to update every other 2 weeks! I promise that the next chapter will be dedicated to Shiho and Yzak! Lacus and Kira have made their appearance as well as the trio of pink haired girls! They will be needed for the upcoming scenes so this chapter is practically a filler for the bloody finger episode!

And now for replying to my lovely readers and reviewers!

Fireminer: As always you are present! Thank you for reading on! I'm still waiting for the right time for them to realize what's happening to them as you see they are both somewhat dense and hard headed in the topic of love since they seem to be so precoccupied with other things but I promise soon enough that they will take notice of each other!

Dark Zero1718: Hi there! I hope you like this chapter even if it is a filler but I promise it will get better in the next upcoming chapters and I have a preview for the next chapter after this shout-outs! I hope your thirst for Shizak will at least be quenched by that. :D

TCoatJackal: I hope you aren't that disappointed with the chapter because it doesn't have many Shizak moments but I promise that the next chapter will be dedicated to them! As I have said, this chapter is a filler to set up the next chapter! Do keep reading on!

TheRedSin: Thank you for rolling in your bed at 3am! Thank you for the hands up! I love you! I love that you love those moments/details because I really try to keep my stories with unique, new and un-clichéd events! I'm happy that you noticed them because I, as a reader, really like details that aren't normal or unusual or unique so I incorporate those in my stories! I hope you'll read on because I'm sure the next chapter will give really give you a reason to fangirl!

Namikazeuzumaki1: I would like to thank you for favoriting Buttercups! I hope you'll read on! Wishing you'll soon give your thoughts about the story!

Sandyx5: Mimou! It's okay you bully! Mwahaha :D Yes, Leon was definitely like that! The next chapters will be dwelling on the kids and Yzak's interaction plus Shiho and Fynn's past! So keep reading on okay? :P

And as promised this is a short preview to the next chapter, the bloody finger scene to those of you who wants peek to what happened!

Gulping down, the silver haired red faced man gathered his wits and pulled his hand away from her parted lips. At that very moment, Shiho opened her eyes. She saw Yzak's heated face and darkened orbs. His lips thinned and very muscle on his body was rigid. Before she could understand the severity of her actions on Yzak's addled brain, he lunged at her. Like a predator to his prey. She closed her eyes and the last thing she felt, smelled and tasted was Yzak.

Do read and review and let me know your thoughts about secrets! Do you think they're good or bad? Just wanna know your ideas about it! :D