"Song of Lovers" by Ai Yuukan

Chapter 5

Samantha tried to walk as casually as possible. She tried not to whistle. That would really look too casual. She didn't want anyone to think she was nervous – coz she wasn't.. right? She gulped. The truth was that she was hoping to run into that guy again.. Aki, was his name, right?

Samantha quickly blushed. It wasn't like she thought he was cute or anything.. well, those eyes had been pretty beautiful.. Samantha reddened even more. No! It wasn't that she liked him! It was just.. that she was bored! Hah! That was it! And she was looking for company! And he seemed perfectly nice and pleasant.. yes.. that was the perfect excuse. Catching herself, Samantha shook her head, blushing. No! No! She wasn't coming up with excuses! She just.. wanted to see him.. She lowered her head. Nothing was wrong with that, right?

Yes, there is something wrong with that, Genbu countered, reappearing in her head. You are my second Miko. Concentrate on your duty on hand and on nothing else.

Scowling, Samantha mentally booted the deity out of her head. "Shut up already! I don't want you near me, understand?!"

The young man paused just as he had been about to tap Samantha on the shoulder. His face fell. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll.. go now."

Samantha whirled around. "Aki!" She exclaimed, horrified. "Oh, no, I didn't mean you! I was talking.. to.. myself.." She made a face. How lame could she get?

Aki looked relieved. "Oh.. you like talking to yourself? Is that another weird habit of yours?"

Samantha flushed, confused. "Another weird habit of mine?" She echoed, beet-red.

Aki smiled teasingly. "Yeah.. besides trying to bump into people 'by accident' so early in the morning. How did you know I would be here?"

Samantha's face was crimson. "I.. er.." She looked down, embarrassed. "I.. didn't really think you'd be here." She confessed, her face red.

Aki laughed softly. "Then it's lucky I came looking for you, huh?"

Samantha's eyes lit up. "You were looking for me?"

Aki smiled softly at the look in the young girl's eyes. Then it was his turn to look shy. "So.. nice morning, huh?" Not knowing what else to say.

Samantha felt the same awkwardness. "Yeah.. I guess.."

"Sammy! Sammy!"

Samantha jumped and turned around. She saw Kathryn running towards her. She smiled at her sister once she came up to her. "Hey, Kate, what's up?"

Kathryn was about to talk, when she saw Aki. "Hey, who's the cutie?"

Samantha and Aki both turned red. Samantha, embarrassed, stuttered, "H-His name's A-Aki. W-We just bumped into each other."

Kathryn blinked. "But.. if you just bumped into each other.. then how do you know his name?"

"Er.." Samantha sweatdropped. Of all times for Kathryn to be sharp, why now?!

Aki came to her rescue.. so to speak. "No.. this is the second time we've bumped into each other.."

Kathryn nodded with understanding. "Oh, I get it. You guys bumped into each other a while ago, then you two came wandering around, trying to bump into each other again.." She looked thoughtful, then critical of Aki's person. "Hmm.. not bad for a potential first boyfriend, Sammy. Congrats!"

Samantha blushed and sweatdropped. "Kate!!" She whined.

Kathryn grinned. "Oh.. so both of you are the shy type? Hmm.. have you two got a lot in common already.." She teased.

Aki was also blushing. "Er.."

Flustered, Samantha tried to steer Kathryn away from the subject. "You were going to ask me something?"

"Oh yeah. Have you seen Miyu or Hotohori?"

Samantha cocked her head. "Which one?"

Kathryn shrugged. "Both, I guess. I really need to talk to them."

Samantha shrugged back. "Miyu's in the kitchen with Eri.. and Hotohori's at the lake."

Kathryn made a face. "I think I'll skip the kitchen." She smiled cheerfully at them as she went past them. "See you two lovebirds later!"

After Kathryn had disappeared into the palace grounds, Samantha and Aki were still silent with bemused embarrassment and shyness. Before long, Samantha decided she had had enough for one day. "I have to go now.. I still have a lot of.. writing, to do.."

"Oh." Aki looked disappointed.

Samantha looked down. "But.. maybe.. I could see you again.. tomorrow?" She asked shyly.

Aki smiled. "Yeah.. tomorrow."

Samantha ran away before the rest of her body broke out in blushes. For some reason, she really liked that Aki! And she barely even knew him!

"Aki?" Samantha peered out from behind a tree. She had found a note in her room.. and although her ancient Chinese wasn't all that sharp, she had thought Amiboshi had written to meet her near the lake.. at the eastern end, surrounded by trees. But she was here.. and he was where..?

Sighing, she leaned against the tree to wait. Things were going along smoothly, story-wise. Genbu had ceased pestering her.. for the moment.. But she also had other worries. At this moment, Vivien was with Miaka in Kotou. There they would meet Nakago.. and Lilian. Samantha was anxious to hear from Lilian.. but not as keen to hear about Nakago. At the thought of the cruel Kotou shogun, she shuddered. If only she could be with Vivien now.. so she could see for herself in Lilian was doing okay.. but she had to stay here with Kathryn. She was also staying out of curiosity. So far, she had only known the story as it flowed with Miaka. But while Miaka had gone to Kotou for Yui, she knew nothing of what had transpired in Konan at the same time. And she did want her notes to be thorough..

As she leaned against the tree, waiting.. she suddenly became aware of a haunting, beautiful melody casting their enchantment over her senses. Straightening, she looked around and smiled softly when she saw Aki sitting in the branches above her, playing his flute. She relaxed against the tree and let her heart absorb the magic of the music.. It was so.. beautiful..

As the music continued to enchant her heart, she felt something within her rise like a cool splash of water. The feeling began to rise until it overwhelmed her heart.. Then the music stopped. She looked up, puzzled, and met Aki's own puzzled glance.

"Is something wrong?" She asked curiously.

Aki had a strange expression on his face. "No.. It's just I felt.. a bit.." After a while, he shook his head. "It's very hard to describe.."

Samantha smiled softly. "Don't worry about it.." She closed her eyes, remembering the beautiful melody. "It sounded.. beautiful.."

Aki smiled softly in thanks. For a while, they just listened to the sound of the chirping birds and the gentle breeze rustling through the trees. Samantha looked up at Aki again. "Could you.. play it again..?"

With a gentle smile, Aki obliged. Soon, the magical notes renewed its enchantment on her heart. Samantha sighed happily as the cool wave rose again and splashed over her heart. Aki's music.. no.. Aki.. was doing something very beautiful to her heart.. She could feel herself relaxing..

Soon, she became aware of another instrument playing.. but she didn't pay it much mind. Her eyes were closed as she allowed her soul to become one with the music. The other instrument's song soon rang a familiar bell in her. It was a.. violin. She smiled softly. She used to play the violin.. The violin and the flute sung together in beautiful, melodic harmony.

Soon, the music ended. Samantha sighed, her heart calm and content. Suddenly, she and Aki heard another sound.. Startled, she opened her eyes. It sounded like.. a wolf howling its lonesome, sad melody to the moon, but.. different. It almost sounded.. like a woman singing.. She looked up at Aki and shared puzzled expressions. Soon, however, it was gone.

Samantha didn't see it.. but Aki did. His eyes narrowed in sudden suspicion as a long sea-dragon tail splashed quietly back into the water. A sea.. serpent?

"Stupid Vivien.. who does she think she is..?" Samantha muttered irritably, and accidentally splashed a little too much ink on her fresh scroll. Scowling, Samantha tossed aside the brush and sat on her bed.

Vivien had somehow managed to sneak away.. again.. to join Miaka, Nuriko, and Hotohori to find the rest of the Suzaku seishi. And she had slipped off in the dead of the night, too, to top it all off! Ooh.. that Vivien.. She was going to pay once she got back. Now she was stuck here.. AGAIN.. with a heartbroken sister and the annoying servant gossip. Oh, joy. Then she sighed. At least she still had Aki.

Someone knocked on the door. "Come in." Samantha called out, selecting a scroll and unrolling it to read.

Aki walked in. Samantha smiled. "Hey, Aki. What's up?"

Immediately, Aki looked up. Samantha sweatdropped. "I mean.. what's going on?"

Aki immediately looked suspicious. "W-Why?"

Samantha cocked her head. Aki was sure acting strange today. "Er.. I mean.. how are you doing today?" Ancient Chinese slang was sure limited.. at least to her knowledge, anyway.

Aki relaxed. "I.. need to go away for a while.."

Samantha's eyes darkened with dismay. Aki, too? Oh, things were just great today! "You, too?" She slumped. "Why?"

Aki hesitated. "I'm going to visit my.. home-town."

Samantha sighed. Well, that was a reasonable excuse, at the very least. "Oh.. When will you be back?"

".. Don't worry. I'll be back around the time his Majesty returns. So.. it won't be that long.."

Samantha frowned. Hotohori..? How did he know when they would return..? She shrugged. Maybe it was nothing.. She sighed, resigned. "Very well.. but when are you leaving?"

Aki looked away. He had a strange, focused look in his eyes. Suddenly, Samantha wondered where the gentleness she had come to know had gone.. Suddenly.. he didn't look like himself. "I must leave right away if I want to make good time.."

Samantha sighed. "If you must.." But she smiled up at him. "But do you have to leave so soon?"

The gentleness was back in his eyes. He smiled gently at her. "I could spend the rest of the day with you.. but I have to leave tomorrow.. first thing in the morning."

Samantha's heart twittered with glee. She blushed, embarrassed at the myriad thoughts running through her mind. "That's a relief.."

For a few minutes, Aki and Samantha both said nothing. They were both too shy to say anything, really. Finally, Aki asked, "Do you want to go by the lake again?"

Samantha smiled. "I'd love to."

They spent their last afternoon together just listening.. to the song played by Aki's flute.. and the mysterious, sweet, haunting notes of a violin.. The sun was low in the sky.. and Samantha was very aware that soon there would be no sun at all.. and then this night.. this beautiful night.. would be over.

As Aki played, Samantha got lost in the melody.. and the memories it brought forth. For some reason.. she remembered of how she had been after hearing Miaka's story from Tetsuya and Taka. She remembered feeling.. longing.. and joy. Before meeting her penpals, she would have never believed such a bond between lovers could exist.. a love that could transcend the boundaries of time and space.. She had rejoiced at the discovery.. but she had also longed to feel a similar love of her own. She tried to remember the stories Tetsuya and Taka had told her of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho..

Of course there were the four deities.. one of them being an arrogant weasel of a god, and each of them had seven seishi. But Taittsukun was a deity, too.. the most powerful one, anyway. Oh, well.. But the names of Suzaku's seishi were a little harder for her to remember.. Of course there had been Tamahome, Nuriko, Tamahome.. then Tasuki and Chichiri.. and Mitsukake. Ah, yes. There had also been Chiriko..

"I wonder who's playing that beautiful music.." Aki mused.

With a start, Samantha realized Aki had stopped playing. She listened.. and indeed, she could still hear the strains of a violin playing in the distance.. Then a few seconds later, it stopped. Puzzled, she turned to Aki. "Who do you think was playing that beautiful music?" She asked curiously.

Aki looked equally clueless. "I have no idea." He said honestly.

Samantha shrugged. "Well, she plays beautiful music, whoever was playing that violin.."

"Violin?" Aki queried, curious.

Samantha smiled sheepishly. "Uh.. it's an instrument played in my world. I used to play the violin.. ."

Aki immediately frowned and his gaze sharpened. "Your.. world?"

Samantha blinked. "Huh.. you mean I didn't tell you..?"

"Tell me what?" Aki asked rather sharply.

Samantha wondered at the sharpness of his voice but shrugged it off. "How come you don't know?" She asked instead. "I thought everyone in the palace knew who I am.."

Aki sweatdropped. "You mean.. you're not a palace courtesan?"

Samantha's eyes boggled. Then, embarrassment and shock overwhelmed her. "A palace what?! You thought I was a prostitute?!"

Aki winced. "Sorry."

Samantha's head was hurting. Oh.. the humiliation. He thought she had been a palace prostitute.. oh, how degrading. Did she look like a palace courtesan? She stayed in her room all day for heaven's sake! Writing and reading like any respected scholar would! A courtesan?! "What.. made you think I was a.. courtesan?"

Aki sweatdropped. Oh, how to explain..? "Uh.. I basically thought you could either be a palace servant or a palace courtesan.. Since you never do any hands-on work around here.. I thought you must be.. a.." He made a face. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

Samantha smiled weakly. "If I were my sister Vivi, yes, you'd be in a crumbled heap at my feet right about now. If I were my other sister Lily, you'd have a big red slap mark on your cheek. If I were Kate, you'd be screamed into submission." She smiled cheerfully. "But I forgive you. Besides, we never exactly asked each other about our backgrounds, anyway."

"That's true.." Aki suddenly got an idea. "Would you mind if we start over then?"

"Nani?"

Aki smiled sheepishly. "I just want to get this right. So you're not a palace.. uh.. heh.. uh.. never mind. Then what are you?"

Samantha smiled nervously. "I'm not sure if you'd believe me if I told you.."

Aki grinned. "Try me."

"I'm the Genbu no Miko."

"NANI?!"

Samantha sweatdropped. "Yeah, except that I'm the second one. I am a seishi of Taittsukun, and my seishi name is Tei. I have just recently been served as a slab of service-meat to the 'god' Genbu as his second Miko."

Aki frowned, thinking hard. "So now you're a Miko with seishi powers.. What are they exactly?"

Samantha frowned. He really was taking this in quite well. "Well.. I have the power of ice.. so far. But according to Kate, I have two other powers that haven't been activated."

Aki shook his head. "Incredible. Just incredible."

"What is?"

"I'm falling in love with a Genbu no Miko. How unlucky could I get?"

Samantha blinked. "W-What did you say?"

Aki sweatdropped, realizing he had just spoken that thought aloud. "I-Iie.. It's nothing. Oh look at the time, I've got to go..! Ja!"

"Aki! Matte? What did you mean when you said that?" Samantha scrambled after him. "Aki!! Aki!"

"Are you feeling ill, Tei-sama?" Miyu asked her former mistress worriedly.

Samantha blinked, startled. "Oh! Miyu-san!" She smiled reassuringly. "No, everything's fine.." She looked at the scroll she was holding in her hand blankly. "Just.. peachy." She muttered distractedly. Aki's last words were just too much! Was she supposed to feel happy because he admitted he was falling in love with her.. or heartbroken because he had also said he was 'unlucky' because of it? She frowned, disappointed. What was so bad about a guy and a Genbu no Miko falling in love with each other..?

"Tei-sama?"

"What? Oh, yeah.. Can I help you, Miyu-san?"

Miyu smiled. "I was asking you about your sister, Tei-sama.."

Samantha frowned, confused. "Did she toss another servant out off her room again?"

Miyu sweatdropped. "No.. but she hasn't been herself lately.. and I'm.. worried.."

Samantha sighed. "It seems me and my sisters are all doomed to have love troubles.."

"Love troubles?" Miyu blinked. "No.. I wasn't referring to the emperor and your sister.. I was referring to Shoshi-sama's behavior.."

"What's wrong with it?" Hadn't she already set Kathryn straight on the importance of being true to herself?

"Shoshi-sama seems distracted lately.."

And why shouldn't she be? Samantha rather felt sorry for her elder sister. Kathryn was supposed to take Houki-sama's place.. even if she didn't want to.. That meant she had to marry Hotohori-sama.. Yes, she couldn't possibly blame her sister for acting distracted. It was her right!

".. Tei-sama.. I found this on her desk.. It was right there.. and I couldn't help but notice.."

Samantha frowned disapprovingly. "You shouldn't look at Kate's writings, Miyu-san. I'm very disappointed in you."

Miyu blushed. "I really couldn't help it. The first sentence just.. leapt at me.. but I promise you, I didn't read any further. I just couldn't get it out of my mind.."

Now Samantha was curious. "The first sentence..? What did it say?"

It said, "' Tendou, my love.. I need.. to see you..'" Miyu looked troubled. "I didn't read anymore.. but I'm confused.. Does Shoshi-sama love two people?"

Samantha's eyes were as round as saucers. "Who in the hell is Tendou?!"

Miyu blinked. "Well.. I haven't been working in the palace long.. but I believe Tendou was Houki-sama's first love.."

"NANI?!"