Efflorescence

Chapter Thirteen: True

by Autumn Win-Dow

(AoGA House Cup. Words: 500)

It was a strange feeling.

Even as he tried to restrain his curiosity, he couldn't help but keep hoping despite her rejection.

And by rejection, he meant her denial to tell him her name.

Natsume scolded himself for being like this - it wasn't like him, it wasn't fit for his character. He was never so hopeful - usually, he either made sure that his wish would come true with a solid determination, or let the matter pass. Yet he couldn't help but feel that way.

He wasn't shy or dumb enough to not acknowledge the obvious - he was attracted to her, despite never seeing her face once without the heavy makeup.

Natsume snapped out of his reverie as he saw her cover her mouth as she tried to hide her yawn.

"Are you bored?" He questioned directly, and she looked up at him and waved her hands in denial.

"No! I... I just didn't get enough sleep last night." Kurike admitted in embarrassment, and firmly blinked her eyes in order to erase the heaviness of her eyelids.

"You could have slept in a little later. I wouldn't have minded... that much." He sighed after blowing a puff of smoke out of his mouth - she had lit his cigar earlier, and now he was sitting with his legs stretched out and his arm leaned on an elevated knee.

Kurike shook her head and explained herself. "I couldn't do that. I mean, it takes a few hours to apply all of my make up and get my hair done before my first customer arrives. I couldn't go out and entertain bare faced, could I?"

Natsume considered her claim for a moment, but all of his 'thinking' was thrown out of the window as he chose to follow his conscience.

"You could, if I was your first customer," He offered, as he stared at her dead set in the eye, "Actually, why don't you do just that?"

Kurike's eyes widened in bewilderment as she tried to avoid his powerful gaze. "What? Why would I do that? And why would you want to see my face?"

The male exhaled and pressed his cigar into the metal ashtray, before leaning forward - until his face was less than twenty centimetres from hers. Kurike could feel something pounding at her chest, as if it longed to escape and embrace the man in front of her.

Don't do it, Mikan, don't do it! She desperately repeated in her mind, with a tone of urgency, I told you, Mikan-

"Well, the reason is simple," he murmured, and she could feel his breath tickling her face, "It's because what I'm seeing now isn't your real face, and what I call you now isn't your real name."

His presence was overwhelming to her.

"But..." She gulped before replying, and she sounded breathy when she did. I'm just a geisha-"

"A geisha should give her customers what they want, and what I want is to see your true face and know your true name."

A/N: ...Yes. This is THE chapter. ;) Everything goes uphill from here. :D