Disclaimer: I don't own FY. It belongs to its rightful creator.
This is for you guys!!!!!!
Still Loving You…
Chapter Sixteen
She was made to lie on a bed despite her protest. She had been glancing around the room, realizing that it was the room she stayed in when she used to be there, when the opening of the double-doors made her snap her head to face that direction. Miaka waited several seconds before a doctor was ushered into the room.
Hotohori was looking concerned as per usual, walking behind the middle-aged doctor, as she took notice. Miaka then felt a warm sensation creeping up her whole body and she had to look away before he catches her gaze and notice her reddening face.
The whole time the doctor was busily attending to her injured ankle and asking her questions which she would just quietly answer absentmindedly, she found herself being conscious of her appearance. Her hand unconsciously reached up to touched her hair. How could she not be conscious? Though she couldn't actually see Hotohori staring at her, she can feel it as the hairs on her skin could attest… not to mention the tingling sensation at the tip of her fingers.
When the doctor was finished, which didn't take more than twenty minutes, he stood up and began putting things back into his black bag after which he shut with a loud snap, startling Miaka though she was blankly staring at it the whole time.
This signaled for the doctor's exit… and a moment alone with Hotohori. Hundreds of thoughts run through her mind yet not one of them seemed to stay put that she couldn't find the right things to say when the doctor was gone. She noticed that Hotohori was still standing there, only 3 feet away.
Is it possible to feel warm inside a wide well ventilated room? She knew the change in her body temperature wasn't in any connection with the atmosphere of the room --- it was another kind of atmosphere.
The seconds ticking by was torturing that she had no choice but to look up and acknowledge his presence and risk the chance of reviving the feelings hidden deep inside though she is already at risk just by being in the same room with him.
It's either look up or be ungrateful for his help, Miaka chose the former.
Their eyes met and it felt like a bottle inside her popped open. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted when a beautiful lady of about eighteen gracefully entered the room, standing by the doorway.
Miaka felt her eyes riveted to the lady in shimmering red silk, with her elegantly tied lilac-colored hair ornamented with sparkling tiny crystals, ruby red lips that seemed to stand out against her porcelain white skin that looked soft to the touch and violet eyes that held depth in them.
The Maiden of Suzaku wanted so much to believe that this was Nuriko dressed as a woman out to trick her as his welcoming surprise but her jealous heart told her otherwise.
Jealous?
Where is Nuriko anyway?
Miaka immediately shut her mouth the moment she realized that it was hanging open. She didn't know if it was from her interrupted word to Hotohori or simply from being caught off guard by the lady's refined beauty.
"Lord Hotohori?"
The way she spoke his name, that silken feminine voice as compared to her unpolished loud one, made her flinch.
Hotohori glanced over his shoulder.
He didn't walked towards her so maybe there's nothing ---
"Houki," came the simple greeting.
The --- Houki walked --- no, floated --- towards Hotohori and demurely smiled up to him. The latter smiled back and then she turned her head to Miaka's direction. "The Maiden?" She raised a delicate eyebrow in question.
Tried as Miaka to make Houki look in her mind as some sly fox from the future, there's no concealing her angelic features. And to top that off, kindness emanated from her. Miaka decided then on that this lady was hard to hate… or maybe just as easy because of this.
Hotohori saw Miaka's features turn sad and downcast though she tried to mask it with a smile. She was good at hiding herself behind her genki smile but not good enough for Hotohori not to distinguish a whole-hearted smile from a forced one. How many times have he reveled at how Miaka's smile always is sincere and not one lacking, he doesn't know.
Miaka sat up by the edge of the bed. "Konnichiwa, Houki-san," came her repressed verbal acknowledgement. She then cast her head down, focusing her eyes on the white bandages wrapped around her ankle as if it was the most marvelous thing she had ever seen since time immemorial.
It was hard though, that of keeping her eyes glued to her ankle. Somehow, she found herself facing them and eagerly pushing the image of Hotohori and Houki being wed off her perfidious mind
Just a bit behind to the side of Hotohori, Houki bowed slightly in return, the smile only seeming to grow brighter. "Nice to meet the Maiden at last."
Silence followed and Hotohori took this opportunity to speak. "Yes. It has been quite a while." The remark appeared to mean something else other than what Houki had said even though he didn't intend it to sound that way.
He could feel Miaka's relief, as the uneasy silence was broken. So she was really good at hiding… or there really wasn't anything to feel guilty about.
"Yes, I'm… we… " Miaka found it hard to make a coherent sentence. Her eyes darted from Houki to Hotohori to her lap, stalling time to gauge the situation.
Assuming that she must be hesitating to mention Tamahome's name in his presence, Hotohori nodded for her to go on, thinking that that would make her loosen up a bit There really shouldn't be any hesitance anyway. She had told him her choice and… he has accepted it.
"Yes, you and Tamahome…," he urged her to carry through yet it came out laced with the slightest thread of bitterness.
Or did he?
May it be a good thing or a bad thing that Miaka didn't detect that slight slip of sensitivity there, a look of despondency and agitation still passed her features. Something that Hotohori didn't expect.
Isn't she happy with him? At the viable answer to the query, a tiny flickering hope sparked inside of him however bad it seemed to be happy about such a plausibility. Tamahome better not be hurting her in any way, he thought darkly albeit found it hard to believe that Tamahome would do something to hurt Miaka. His hand unconsciously rose to the hilt of his sword.
But that look of erratic emotions was only momentary for the next instant, Miaka was beaming from ear to ear. "We're both contented," was all she said, nevertheless it was enough to blow off whatever renewed hope there had been just seconds ago.
She didn't want to lie anymore than she wanted the topic of Tamahome to be brought up. But as hapless as her life has turned out, the one thing she prayed to avoid was being conveyed out like some weather talk. Miaka realized that it was even Hotohori who took the initiative.
That's because he has already moved on with his life unlike you who still adamantly clings to the past as if that could lead to the future, she reprimanded herself. I must not let him pity me! It's enough that I've caused him this much trouble… It's bad enough that I've lied to him but… to pity me… I wouldn't be able to take it. Inwardly, she shook her head.
Hotohori knew that for Miaka's sake, he have to appear happy about listening to any stories Miaka have to share concerning her life with Tamahome and he happy with the course his life has taken now, a consequence of her past decision. He couldn't let her bear the burden anymore: she thinking that because of her, he still is unhappy. After all, they were now both proficient at hiding from each other, both knew the familiar game from what their circumstances had taught them.
So with a smile that felt more like a betrayal to his heart than making it feel good because of the "good" choice he is doing, he exclaimed, "That is… go --- great!" A bit louder than usual. A closed fist to his mouth, he cleared his throat seemingly aware of his "unproportioned" exclamation.
Silence again hung in the air. It was thick enough for a knife to cut through it.
"Well." Houki said in a bright voice. "It is best that we leave Miaka, " she turned to smile at her as if to say if it's okay that she call her that way before turning back her gaze to the man beside him, "alone for a while. She needs rest."
Hotohori felt grateful for the chance to get out, sort his jumbled feelings and prevent his mouth from blundering anymore of his real emotions. He smiled, somewhat relieved. "Yes. That we must do." And with a smile that held so many things yet promised nothing in particular, Hotohori exited the room, followed by Houki whom after she was out, a guard came to shut the door.
Miaka didn't know what to do the moment she was alone. So she threw herself facedown on the bed and curled into a ball. Her ankle protested so she didn't move it any further.
What was that all about? She asked herself, brows knitted together.
So much had happened that it wasn't long before she fell into a restless slumber.
Somehow, the image of Hotohori and Houki together bothered her more than she expected.
~*@@@*~
Yui marched towards Nakago's chamber, the scene not so long before still vivid in her mind.
Something's not just right. Yui hoped it isn't something that will sabotage her happiness with Tamahome.
Happiness? a voice in the back of her mind asked.
"Yes, happiness," she mumbled in reply to the annoying voice's query. She didn't acknowledge that she herself do not sound convinced.
The moment she was in front of the huge double doors, she raised a fist and knocked twice with her knuckles. When she heard a grunt, she didn't bother to waste another one for confirmation to enter so she pushed open the door.
"Nakago?" she didn't bother to shut the door silently behind her before entering any further.
The rustling of something like sheets could be heard from the left side portion and Yui noticed the shadows playing against the walls. The rooms here were divided only by walls and no doors were added. She walked towards the sound and was a bit taken aback though the situation that greeted her was not that surprising. She willed herself not to blush though she didn't look at them as she spoke.
Nakago sat on the bad with the sheets covering his lower extremities. Soi, for her part, had her bare back to her, sitting on the edge of the bed, a white blanket hiding her nakedness. When Nakago spoke up, she watched her over her shoulder.
Both didn't find the situation to be embarrassing at all.
"Miss Yui."
"I need to talk to you."
~*@@@*~
It took Nakago a good fifteen minutes before he emerged from his room, followed by Soi, who as soon as she went out turned to the opposite direction thereby leaving the two alone.
"What is so important that you can't wait for me in your room?"
Yui went straight up with her question. "Have you done something to Tamahome?"
Nakago didn't look surprised or even affected by the note of upset and apprehension in the Maiden's voice. His face remained expressionless. "What made you think that?"
Yui eyed him suspiciously as she spoke. "He's been acting strange lately."
Nakago felt just tiny bit of surprise and worry so that they didn't even register on his face… or maybe he was just good at hiding emotions. "Oh? Maybe you're tying him down too much."
Yui was not to be dodged. "Just answer my question, Nakago. Did you or did you not put Tamahome under a spell?"
"I'd really not be having this conversation with you." He then strode past her.
Yui turned her head and shot daggers at him over her shoulder. She turned her gaze back in front of her. "I demand to know." She calmly stated though all she really wanted to do was yell at him; she knew better of course, that that attitude wouldn't get her anywhere with Nakago.
It seemed to do the trick for she saw, out of her peripheral vision, that he stopped. "Do you really want to know?"
Fear crept up her body but she refused to be shaken by it. So in her calmest voice, she responded, "Yes. I do."
To be continued….
Author's Notes:
Hmmm… Okay, so will the secret (if there ever is) finally come out? If so, will this knowledge make Yui realized that living a life in forced actions is not worth it… or will she grasp on to what little bit of happiness it offers? Hopefully, more actions next chapter. Miaka and Houki got to have an unexpected talk and um… you'll be reading more of Tamahome next time! So T&M fans, watch out for it (that is, if you're still reading this ^_^).
So, go leave a thing or two to say! Feedback!
Again, thanks for reading this and sorry for the loooooooong wait. Next chapter is just around the corner now that I'm free from school obligations! *cheers* ^0^
