DISCLAMIER – I DO NOT OWN HARUKANARU TOKI NO NAKADE

Under the Cloudless Sky

Ryujin no Miko looked outside the window. She had been contemplating on what her protector did and said. Yasuaki did not have any feeling. If he were not to move around, he would have looked like a dead. When he had told her that he could not let the Miko die, he still did not have any emotion. He even said that his feeling did not exist. "Yasuaki-san…" Akane found herself murmuring his name.

"What is it, Miko?"

Akane turned around when a familiar voice spoke behind her. "Y..Yasuaki-san!" She was very surprised to see him standing with his back on the door. "W…What are you doing here?" Akane asked, trying not to sound too impolite.

"I heard you calling my name. Also your spirit seemed unfocused," Yasuaki said as he walked toward Akane. "Is everything okay?" he asked, still showing no emotion.

"I'm fine," she said, avoiding Yasuaki's eyes.

He noticed how uncomfortable she was. "You do not look fine, but if I'm making you uncomfortable, I'll leave." He turned around to head outside when he heard Akane's footsteps behind him.

"Ano, Yasuaki-san," Akane said.

He turned around and met her gaze. He waited for her to continue.

'I can't do this. I can't tell him that…' "Ano… Do you want to talk a walk around the garden with me?"

"At this late hour?"

'I must have sounded foolish. Come on, it's ten at night. Who would want to walk this late?'

Yasuaki nodded. "If you want, Miko."

They both walked slowly to the garden. The sky was clear and cloudless with thousands of twinkling stars looking down at the garden. Even though the flowers were not bloomed, their beauties still shone with the stars lightening them. Akane and Yasuaki sat down on a wooden bench that was facing white liles.

Akane glanced at Yasuaki, who was looking up at the stars. She found herself amazed when she realized that Yasuaki looked alive when gazing at lively nature.

As if he had felt the Miko staring at her, Yasuaki looked at her and met her gaze. "It's a beautiful night, Miko," he said coolly, still no emotion in his words.

Akane nodded. "Yes, it is. The sky is…huge. I can't seem to find end of it. Well…there is no end of the sky, but…" She found herself trembling and shivering.

"Are you cold?"

Akane smiled and said, "A little, but it's okay."

Yasuaki took off his coat and wrapped it around Akane.

"Yasuaki-san! You'll get…"

"Don't worry about me. I do not feel cold. Even if I do get cold, I do not care."

"But I DO," Akane suddenly stood up and looked down at Yasuaki. "I do care if you get cold, and," she turned around and avoided his eyes. She could not finish the sentence. 'I felt warmth…when you hugged me…when you protected me from being killed…'

Yasuaki got off the bench. He looked at Akane and found her crying. Suddenly, he felt something…something sad… He touched the marble under his right eye. Without thinking, he walked behind Akane and put his arms around her, and hugged her gently, as if she were a fragile crystal.

She found the warmth. It was all over her body. "Y…Yasuaki-san." She turned and hugged him. She called his name over and over again.

He realized…what it felt like…when someone cared about him…and when someone…loved…him. He raised her chin and met her bright eyes that were full of life. He lowered himself and let his lips touch hers. "Miko," he whispered as he kissed her. When he finally separated his sweet lips from her, he hugged her, not gently but fiercely as if trying to absorb her. "Miko…" He loosened his grip a little, and looked down at Akane. Although it was dark, the stars showed how Akane was bright red because of blushing.

She finally opened her mouth and said, "I wanted to say that…I love you, and thank you for saving me today."

Yasuaki smiled. For the first time. "You are welcome, Akane."