Disclaimer: I do not own Ai Yori Aoshi and Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi. This is the property of Kou Fumizuki, Pioneer/Geneon, and JC Staff.
Blue Monarch
Act 3, Scene 1
Seiji still came to visit her, like clockwork every day. And they would sit in their appointed spot as he preoccupied her with his own memories. It was a strange process, both awkward and familiar that relatives should reacquaint themselves with each other. He was reminding Aoi of things in their childhood that had happened, but which she, for the life of her, could not remember at all. While her own memory was not as sharp as his, she could take those forgotten episodes in her life as vivid dreams. In a way, it was comforting to have someone who remembered her as a child. There was some sense of constancy, stability in knowing that Seiji held that little part of her, and it was freer to go to him for reminiscing than Okaa-sama and Otou-sama.
Some days, she would ask him to repeat a few stories, and he would oblige. He reminded her of his visits in the summertime spent celebrating her birthday and the Tanabata together, reading books in the afternoon, playing in the nearby mountains, and other events during those faraway years of her life.
Seiji was always full of stories and memories, and he was always happy to retell them. He had a very long memory, which Aoi believed was most likely helpful in his work or studies.
Right now, he was telling her about his internship away from and at home, and his own ambitions when he would, inevitably, take helm of one of Sakuraba's satellite companies.
"There are some foreign markets that Sakuraba can break into, I mean, North America has lots of potential, Aoi-hime. The market was always there, but it was never effectively mined. It shouldn't even be a department store, but a boutique! Think of it - Sakuraba Kimono Boutique. And... and... And you're bored of this, aren't you?"
"Hm? No, no, I was not bored, Seiji-kun."
"No one wants to hear about market share and industry growth unless they're in a board room. And I assume that you, most of all, would rather have a better distraction than my ramblings." He was getting up now. "Don't worry, I'll be right back."
He reassured her that he would return every time he would go refill their tea, bring back more sweets, and before he left.
It was so kind of him to do it, even when it wasn't necessary.
Like he had said, they were family.
For now, she was alone, momentarily, and that melancholy feeling crept in.
Familiarity and routine were ideas that Aoi was warming up to. And for a while, she was grateful that things were beginning to settle, that she was regaining some sense of herself. But that meant things were changing, changing without Kaoru-sama, and that scared her. Kaoru-sama was fading from her thoughts, and she thought she was moving on, but it became more and more apparent that she was just deluding herself. There would always be a break in the illusion, and she would brood on that tear until she could stitch the illusion back up again.
But she could appreciate the distractions that were offered to her. It was good to know that people cared, and somehow, it gave her the smallest bit of hope that she could move on.
Until she fell into one of her blue moods again.
"Aoi-hime, are you ready?"
She looked up. She didn't even hear him return.
He was holding a duffle bag in each hand.
"Seiji-kun?"
He beamed at her. "You should go out more, have some air and exercise. I was thinking that we could spend some time in the city."
She held up her hands and shook her head. "No... Seiji-kun... I cannot..."
"I have rackets in the trunk," he sing-songed.
She turned away.
He peeked close to her face. She turned away, arms still up, and he tried to follow until she could only see him from the corner of her eye.
"I saw a smile, Aoi-hime."
Aoi dropped her arms, uncovering herself. Rather, she crossed them and faced him, pouting, ready to give him some small scolding. "Seiji-kun... you are almost as... almost as bad as Tina. I would rather that you did not live in America at all if you find that behaviour amusing."
Her cousin extended his hand, which she took. It steadied her as she got on her feet.
"I take offense to such a comparison. I'm not some drunken gaijin, and I didn't just live in America, Aoi-hime. I also lived in Canada. And Hong Kong, and Singapore... All along the Pacific Rim, so I've learned all types of amusing behaviour to annoy you."
As Seiji escorted her to his car, his chiding rankled at her. She didn't let it flare up too much, as sensitive as she was. He was only trying to cheer her up, to make her laugh her way past her pain. The very idea bothered her again, but she pushed it down. This was a gesture of kindness, not pity. This was someone of her family, as distant as they had been, and she had to appreciate his efforts.
She sat primly in the passenger side of his car, and then felt a weight settle on her lap.
It was one of the duffle bags - blue with pink straps and zipper.
She turned to see him settle into the driver's side, and she put a smile on her face.
He smiled back at her. There was an optimistic twist of his hand as he started the car.
She heard him say that above the engine's rumble: "I think we'll have a good day, Aoi-hime."