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 2

Today was not a good day at all. It was through no fault of Seiji's; she only had herself to blame for ruining his efforts. Playing a game of tennis with her cousin didn't sound like such a bad idea.

Aoi was reminded that it wasn't entirely Miyabi who introduced her to tennis. It was actually Seiji, and Miyabi was the one who encouraged and trained her in the sport. Aoi was somewhere around eight, and he eleven. There was some sort of business function that Sakuraba-sama and Okaa-sama had to attend, which was held at a country club. Of course, it was mandatory for her to attend, and in her boredom she explored the grounds with Miyabi keeping a sharp eye on her. The two had found themselves in the tennis courts, Aoi following the strange sounds coming from it.

Whoosh. Grunt. Crack.

They had found Seiji matching himself against the ball machine, and in her curiousity, she convinced Miyabi to let her try whatever it was he was doing. So the two children played against each other since then.

They had somewhat of a tradition to share at least one tennis game together during his summer visits. Their skills, when contested against each other, were evenly matched and their games always ended in close wins on both ends. Aoi had suspicions that Seiji was merely humouring her and letting her win, but for this current play, she really did feel the competitive edge. She could see his surprise at her aggression on the court, and he wasn't holding back this time.

They were currently tied and it would only take one miss to find the winner.

It was difficult to see who would emerge victorious as the ball hypnotically bounced back and forth between them and the net.

The activity did not bring back old matches and friendly games, but a day where she had opened herself a little to her new family. She recalled him watching her and playing against her. Her offering him a cup of green tea and then having it snatched up and greedily gulped down by another girl.

No.

Aoi kept her focus on the ball, on hitting it back to him. At him.

Each swing made her more determined to win.

She couldn't lose. Not to him; not to her.

She would not be defeated.

But for all her exertion, for all her straining, there was a slip in her defense and that bright green ball flew past the edge of her reach.

"I guess, ah... that's game, ah... set, and match." Seiji sounded so distant when he panted that out.

She lost, and yet she was playing her hardest. She gave it her all.

She lost.

She lost to him.

She lost to her.

What came after that realization was unexpected.

Aoi had screamed and tossed the racket in his general direction.

Luckily, it went wide from Seiji, but he was stunned to see Aoi-hime collapse to her knees on the green clay, shrieking and crying.

The green boy had jumped the net and ran to her side, kneeling and wrapping his arms around her, crushing her to him. He pulled her up onto her feet, all the while shushing gently in her ear to comfort her. He had no words for her, and he had listened as she gulped for air and hiccupped, making noises and barely formed syllables. Probably an apology, but possibly just the hysterical babbling of her feelings.

That was hours ago. They were in the car now, simply driving around the city and watching the people bustle to and fro. They hadn't said anything about the incident on the court - it was unnecessary, but it hung between them.

Aoi swallowed, despite her dry mouth. "Sumimasen, Seiji-kun." She was still feeling sullen, still staring down at the duffle bag in her lap.

"That's okay. Shouganai."

The air cleared a little. She didn't look at him, he said no more, and it was enough.

Braking at the stop light, she stared outside.

It was a Sakuraba storefront, where mannequins dressed in bright seasonal kimono were posed behind the glass windows. Aside from the traffic of shoppers coming and going, passing by and through the store, she had noticed one person out of the movement. Some brown-haired young man, bogged down with bags and boxes, was standing still before the display case; he was most likely staring at a purplish blue one with a bright pink obi.

Aoi shook her head. Really, to notice one young man out of all the people in the city. This reminder... that would be quite silly and more painful than she was prepared for it to be.

No, it couldn't be him. It couldn't, because what were the odds, and how prepared was she, and how painful could it be if-

He turned around to reveal his profile.

His eyes widened and he smiled as he saw something in front of him, which was all of those girls, in shades of gold and chestnut and violet and black.

He must have felt someone's eyes on on him, for he turned and caught a fleeting glimpse of blue as his gaze traveled back to Aoi.

With a small gasp, she turned away, just as the light turned green.

The small car shot off, leaving Aoi to stare at her lap, her expression melancholy. She barely noticed Seiji's glance flicker from her to the rearview mirror, watching the storefront with Kaoru and those girls disappear behind them.