"Hotaru." he called.
The girl lifted her head, quickly eyeing the person in her front. "Yes, Seijuro-sama."
The red head stared at her quite longer than the usual he used to. Most of the time, whenever he would talk to her, he wouldn't have to wonder if she was listening because she had always been attentive all the time.
She wasn't the type to space out, —well, unless she was in the middle of thinking something important which was what happening at the moment.
The girl only responded from Akashi's call on the third time.
"Is something bothering you?" He asked.
The girl dropped her gaze. It was another sign that he could take note that meant something was definitely off.
"Nothing." Yet, Hotaru refused to say it.
Despite that, he knew something happened and Hotaru was also aware that he saw through her lie. It wasn't like he would understand even if she said it. And not like it was a big deal anyway, she reasoned to herself.
"Is that so...?" he mumbled as he went back from writing.
His eyes glanced briefly at the window located in his front, just exactly near his study desk inside his room. "Anyway Hotaru, could you arrange me a free schedule? I'd like to visit Yukimaru." He requested while jotting down more notes from one of the books that his private tutor gave him.
Immediately, the girl pulled out a memo from her pocket, scanning every detail written on it which typically the redhead's schedule.
"If you could finish your studies quickly, then, you could get a few hours to visit the farm. However, you must be back before 6:00 P.M to meet Masaomi-sama." She informed in one breath.
This wasn't the first time that Akashi requested for this. Due to the tight schedule that he often had, finding the time to do the actual activity he preferred – horseback riding, was actually not easy. Either he had to specifically lend a time for it or cancel another activity.
Sooner, the whole room was filled with silence. The girl quietly stood beside one window, opposite of Akashi's current spot. His back was the one facing her. Instead of having a staring contest with his firmed shoulder, her eyes were just wandering outside the window, watching the swaying of the trees, the birds flying at the sky and the people busying their selves on trimming the bushes around the garden.
After some time, she heard him closing his book as it produced a low clicking sound. She turned upfront to see Akashi who was preparing to stand.
That was so fast, she thought. He must have really wanted to spend time with that animal, Hotaru thought.
Without uttering anything, the two went off and headed out.
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Some days during the old times, Akashi Seijuro would pay a visit at their ranch —one of their family's properties. And as always, without any ado, he would always approach the stable of one particular horse firsthand.
"Yukimaru. Just Yukimaru." A young Akashi said while gently stroking the white hair of the horse.
Hotaru looked at the animal in full of wonder and amazement for the first time.
It was definitely her first time to see a horse in real life, much more, touching one.
Back then, Yukimaru wasn't that tall yet, so its stable was too big for one horse. But with the presence of the two, it became quite crowded inside.
The animal seemed to liken the two visitors especially the redhead child.
Akashi carefully observed the body of the horse while Hotaru's sight trailed all the way to the redhead. It was one of those rarest moments that she had witnessed him plastering that kind of smile. It was so genuine and sweet that she couldn't help but form the same expression.
"It's like a unicorn, Seijuro-sama." She commented after a long while of staring.
He glanced briefly at her and gave a short smirk. "Unicorn doesn't exist, Hotaru."
"How do you know?"
"I just do."
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Akashi stroked the hair of the horse from its head all the way to its body.
Hotaru had seen Yukimaru a lot of times since they were a child. Similarly, she had seen the sight of Akashi spending time with the horse. And yet, it never ceased to amaze her how much sincerity Akashi could show in his face when he was touching the animal.
There were few things she knew about it. One, Yukimaru was born during a snowy day, just like Akashi Seijuro.
Second, it was on the same age as Akashi.
Third, Yukimaru was personally introduced to him by his Mother. It was the only animal he treated like this.
Was it because the connection it had to his Mother and the fact that it was born on the same season like him? It was only a guess that never given a chance to be confirmed.
Ever since the first day she saw him with the horse, it had always been the same face. Every single time, it was the same earnest smile. It felt like he was still the same boy from before. That he didn't actually change.
Akashi put the saddle at the back of the horse as he gracefully went up to sit.
Hotaru gave them a way outside.
He didn't have to say it. She already knew that he was aiming for a short run, a short bonding with the horse.
"As expected, Yukimaru only likes Akashi-sama to ride its back." The caretaker commented, obviously wanting her hear it.
She blinked and turned at the person who suddenly appeared from her side.
"Well, Yukimaru is the finest horse in this ranch." he added, nodding a bit at the end.
Her eyes trailed back once again at Akashi who was already far away. From her sight, he was like a thin dot, constantly moving on and on around the wide green land.
He seemed happy though. Something she hadn't seen for a long time. Maybe the last time was during his middle school days.
If he could only feel that way all the time...
"It really looks like a unicorn." she mused, all of a sudden. Watching Akashi Seijuro with the magnificent white horse that looked like it came out straight from a fairy tale was mesmerizing. He seemed like a real prince.
In some fairytale, it was said that unicorn's horn had that power to render poisoned water potable, as well as heal sickness.
If Yukimaru was a unicorn, for sure, it wouldn't hesitate to heal whatever pain that its owner had.
"Eh? Oh," the man lifted his brows, before narrowing his eyes at the horse that was currently running around. "You're right. It looks like a unicorn."
Hotaru fainted a smile, "But Unicorns aren't real."
The caretaker blinked, not sure what to say. Why she had to oppose her own comment, he thought.
If only it was real...