A/N: Finally! This is part 2 of Reluctance and Acceptance! Hope you all enjoy!


Three days later, Yumemi was in her room studying for an exam coming at the end of the week. Her professor was a cranky old bat that hated Yumemi because she was once favored to be the Heavenly Queen. Her instructor had informed her on multiple occasions that it was good they split up, as the position could be given to a more suitable young woman. Yumemi hated her with the burning passion of a thousand raging suns, but the class was necessary for her major and it was too late to drop without it negatively affecting her GPA.

Reaching for her water bottle, she saw a small speck of light free-floating through her bedroom window and into the small loft area she still shared with her younger brother. Turning, she watched as the little light moved toward her and she extended a hand where the light then landed delicately on her outstretched finger. It flickered a moment then burst into a tiny shower of sparks and fell to the floor. Where they landed and cacophony of lights flared then budded into small, delicate, gold flowers. Suddenly, her room was awash in golden light as the flowers burst to life and spread around the room in a dizzying arc of light and color.

Yumemi gasped in delight as she watched the display, silently in awe at the beauty of it. Standing from her desk, she spun around, her mouth in a slight o as she watched the dancing light flowers. They appeared to sway in an invisible wind as she crouched to run her fingers through them. Her fingers ran through them like water and she smiled. Magic was always so beautiful, especially a display such as this. Standing, she took a deep breath and held it a moment before expelling it through her nose.

"Munto, I know this is your doing," she said pensively.

A low chuckle was heard and from a slim fold, he stepped into the room. He wore and white shirt lined in gold with tight-fitting black pants. His hair still stood in its upturned mess, the red locks sticking in every which direction. A soft smile played at his lips as he approached her almost shyly. "Yumemi."

"What are you doing here?" Yumemi looked him over with a reproachful look.

Munto stopped just an arm's length away and took a knee before her. "Yumemi, I wanted to apologize, once more, for the hardship, I put you through before. My own overconfidence is all there is to blame for the wrongs that befell you, and now at your feet, I seek your forgiveness. Won't you give me one more chance?"

Yumemi took a breath and pushed her bangs from her face as she looked down at him. "Munto, I love you. I probably always will. And that is exactly why we can't be together. I'm sorry, but I can't."

Munto refused to get up and instead placed his other knee to the ground. He still smiled gently as he cupped his hands and held them up between them. Gold light began to overflow like a river and the flowers bloomed into beautiful flowering trees. "Yumemi, I will always love you. Never will there be another. It will always be you, it was always you. Please?"

"Why?" Yumemi asked in an almost whisper.

Munto was confused and stopped the overflowing gold light in his hands. "Huh?"

"Why choose me? Tell me," she said and stared in his eyes.

Emerald green met golden yellow as Munto spluttered for a response. "I- Uh- Well-" he continued to fight to form a coherent sentence, the shock of her question causing his brain to short circuit.

Yumemi sighed and turned away. The golden light of his magic flared as he shot to his feet and grabbed her hands in his.

"You're the girl of destiny! It's fate, that's why…" Munto trailed off as he saw the cold look in Yumemi's eyes.

"So, the only reason you want to be with me is because I was prophesied to save your people?" Yumemi gave him a scathing look and yanked her hands away.

"No! No, not at all. My people also love you and you love them and-" Munto was cut off.

"What about me, makes you want me? I don't care about others, Munto, I care about you. So tell me, why? Why has it always been me? Why will it always be me?" Yumemi's chest was heaving as she struggled to control her emotions and her frantic heart.

Munto stood there, his mouth opening and closing like a gasping fish as he stuttered some more.

Yumemi shook her head again with a look of disbelief. "When you have a good answer, you can try again. If you want this to work, I need you to do what I have."

"Anything," Munto said with a beaming smile.

"Figure out if we are truly compatible."

Munto was thrown off by her flat comment and staggered back a step. "I don't understand?"

"Figure out, for yourself, if we make a good couple. That's all I ask," Yumemi sat back at her desk and raised her pen ready to continue her studies. "Munto, do you want to know what I love about you?"

Munto was at her side in an instant. "Yes, only if you are willing to tell me, of course."

"You're confident, stubborn, strong, brave, kind, caring, and intelligent." She paused as she looked up at him. "Do you want to know what I find annoying about you?"

Munto swallowed but nodded all the same.

"You're stubborn, rude, short-tempered, arrogant, and conceited."

Munto felt like his soul was about to leave his body. He stood there flabbergasted at her sharply driven point.

"But, regardless of all that, I love you. I don't know why I do, I just do. And it's frustrating because I want to run into your arms and marry you and be with you all the time, but I'm not sure you feel the same for me. And that is what I hate about you." She laughed bitterly to herself. "And yet, here I am nearly swayed by your romantic gestures." Munto's eyes lit up with hope, but Yumemi lifted her hand in a halting motion. "I cannot, and will not fall for it. You need to grow up, just a little more. Goodbye, Munto."

It was at this moment that a silvery light appeared at the tips of Yumemi's fingertips and it lashed out, sending Munto back into the fold of space he had appeared from and forced him from the room. A neat trick she'd learned from Rui back in the Heavenly Realm. Yumemi sighed, not ever having expected she would use such a thing Munto, of all people, but it had to be done. Returning her focus to her studies, she went back to task without so much of a glance skyward.

Munto laid in the grass, unmoving, as Rui looked at him from above. A small, knowing smile playing at the blue-haired man's lips. Munto's eye began to twitch at his friend's clear amusement. "You taught her that," Munto growled.

Rui merely smiled at him and nodded. "She asked, and I would be hard-pressed to refuse the future queen of our kingdom."

Munto growled again and rolled to his feet, adjusting his clothing and wiping off the gathered dust and grass. "I spoke with her."

Rui's eyes shot up to look his monarch in the face. "And?"

"And," Munto paused as he looked back, sadness in his amber eyes. "She gave me a task." At his friend's questioning look, he continued. "I am to figure out why I chose her as my partner. What I like about her, love about her, and why I want her as my partner. When I have an answer, she'll take me back."

Rui looked thoughtful as he held a hand to his chin. "That may explain some of her resentment towards you."

Munto looked skyward. "Resentment, huh? I never noticed."

"Ah, well, the princess was quite good at hiding her feelings, even from you," Rui answered with a nod. "This will be good. Your relationship can grow into something stronger."

Munto began to walk away, Rui on his heels and made their way to his private study. It was a short scenic walk, with Munto's mind wandering and Rui's near-silent footsteps all there was to keep them company. The sun had long since set and the surrounding city was a sea of twinkling lights slowly ebbing back and forth in the darkness. Munto watched those lights fondly, remembering when he took Yumemi out for a midnight stroll on a night just like this, her eyes taking in the sight with a serene look on her face. He missed those nights when it was just the two of them, their fingers interlocked with no need to fill the silence between them. Just having her there was enough for him.

In his private study, Munto began to rifle through military commissions, expense reports, and letters from Lower Realm representatives seeking meetings and alliance term rewrites. One, in particular, caught his eye. A letter from a young woman, a queen of a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean. He remembered her from the early summit meeting, she'd laughed as Yumemi had verbally torn apart an older stateswoman. He smiled to himself remembering how adorable she'd been, how cutting her tongue had been. His clever Yumemi had managed to be both obvious and rather opaque with her insults like a queen should. The memory was one he was most fond of and it still sat fresh in his mind. He quickly tore open the letter to find it wasn't for him, but for Yumemi.

The letter was short and written in a long elegant script. An invitation to the island by the young queen, for Yumemi to come attend a simple brunch with her and fellow stateswoman. A meet and greet of sorts. Munto checked the date on it and it was from almost six months prior. He felt his shock hit him like a truck as he realized he'd been ignoring paperwork for some time now if something of this caliber had managed to miss his attention for so long. He took a deep breath and penned a response. Hopefully, she wouldn't mind the long delay. He also began to write a short note to Yumemi explaining the letter and her feelings about attending the brunch with a young woman who could become her potential ally.

Munto watched with bated breath as both letters were taken by couriers from his study. Now he had only to wait and see what happened next.


A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter too and I look forward to hearing from you. Don't forget to follow, favorite, review, and follow me on Twitter!

Shoutouts!

RedWingedAngel: I still don't know if I should feel happy about that song reference or not lol