…a year had passed and the prince was still nowhere to be found…
…his father, the king, fell terminally ill at his son's disappearance…
…and the chief adviser, Kirishima Yuta, had taken oven affairs…
…sorting out the mess that the young prince had left in his wake…
a/n: a million thanks to all of you who've read and reviewed this story : ) arigatou gozaimasu : )
Disclaimer: After months of wishing…I still do not own Ultra Maniac : (
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"There are certain things in life that we just aren't meant to know…yet"
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Chapter 2 – Reminiscence
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Ayu...
She closed the old photo album slowly, flipping the cover over a tear-stained picture, taken a year or so before. It was of her, Nina, and Kaji, back when he was still around. He had been gone for so long, and needless to say, she missed all the times the three of them would simply laze about in the fields or end up in trouble for one of Nina's spells that had gone terribly wrong.
"He just had to destroy everything we had together."
Ever since that fateful day, she had always been wondering, "What was it that made him leave us like that?" She had heard him say that he was sick of her, that he didn't love her anymore. But, as much as he had hurt her, she was still convinced that something didn't quite add up. They had been so happy together. Besides, given how long they've known each other, she had never thought that Kaji would be capable of something like that. And to put it quite frankly, she still didn't.
" I guess some questions would be forever left unanswered."
She placed the album under the glass table and headed out into the spring. He was gone, and as fate would have it, her feelings had disappeared with him.
Nina...
It was such a beautiful day. A robin was twittering about in its nest and the air smelled of fresh spring blossoms. She stretched out on the grassy field, staring blissfully into open sky. From were she was laying, she could easily see the sun, peeking out from behind feathery cloud formations, the multicolored birds, the windblown leaves, Kirishima Yuta's face – wait a minute…
"Yuta, would you kindly move your oversized head away from my line of sight?"
"Oops. Sorry about that." He chuckled as he sat down beside her. "So what exactly are you staring at?"
"Nothing in particular." She grinned, assuming a sitting position. " You're one to be asking questions. What are you doing out of the castle? Is it your day off or something?"
"Nah, let's just say things have quieted down a bit in there. Now that I think about it, this must be the most uneventful day the kingdom has ever had, since…you know…his disappearance."
Silence.
"I still don't get it though." He mused, almost to himself. "Why would he want to take off and leave, just like that?"
She spaced out for a moment. "To tell you honestly, I've been wondering about the same thing as well…"
xxflashbackxx
"Ayu! Wait!" Nina cried out, catching up.
Ayu stumbled, her whole being an emotional wreck. "How could he do this to me?" she sobbed hysterically, "I…I thought he loved me."
Nina tried to comfort her best friend, watching in horror as Ayu passed out in her arms.
xxend of flashbackxx
"…The last thing I remember is Ayu crying, and afterwards…I sort of blanked out." Her gaze dropped. "Something happened, I can feel it. Why can't I remember it?"
Yuta put a comforting hand around her trembling frame. "Shhh…don't stress yourself 'kay? None of us blame you for not remembering. Have you talked this out with Ayu?"
"I tried. But every time I brought up the subject she would burst out crying. I swear I don't know what to do anymore." She frowned. "It's as if I have absolutely no way of finding out what exactly happened."
He patted her lightly on the head. "You worry too much. Something's bound to come up, you'll see. Events like that don't disappear from our memories forever. Even for someone as forgetful as you are."
She glared daggers at him, whacking him playfully on the arm. "Thanks a lot Yuta. You were a big help."
"That's what I'm here for." He rubbed his arm in mock hurt. "I guess I should be used to pain by now, you know, seeing as to how I get hurt every time I do a good deed."
"Yeah right. Keep telling yourself that, Yuta", she laughed, skipping down the slope.
"Nina!" Yuta called out. "I almost forgot, some guy in a cloak asked me to give this to you." He handed her a neatly sealed letter, scowling. "He told me it was very important that this letter reaches you. Beats me though. If you ask me the guy was way creepy. And he sounded like my grandpa – "
"Ookay. Thanks again." She grinned, regaining her pace.
"Just take care of yourself 'kay. I don't trust that letter or whoever it was that sent it."
"Yuta, it's just a piece of paper. Nothing to worry about." She half-shouted before breaking into a dash for her house.
Kirishima Yuta smiled fondly at the figure running down the road.
"It may be just as well that she doesn't remember. She's better off this way…"
Nina slowed down as she reached her front door. Flopping unto the living room couch, she began to inspect the strange letter.
"Funny", she remarked. "There's no sender."
She carefully opened the piece of parchment, studying the familiar symbols scribbled in ink.
"It's a spell." Her eyes widened. "It's a remembrance spell."
"It can't be! Who could have known?" She racked her brains for a likely explanation, but everything she could think of just seemed so far away from possibly being true. That is…save for one…
"Kaji… Could he be back?"
To be continued...
xxIceGurlxx + StarlitxIcexGoddess9074 – Thank you so much : ). Your reviews have really inspired me. I don't think I'm that good though hehe : ). There's still a lot of room here for improvement : )
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