Ashi had snuck quietly back inside the townhouse undetected, so when she opened the door to her room, the three maiko girls inside were caught completely off guard.

Satomi saw her first, dropping the hand that held an ornate bronze mirror slowly to her hip. "Big sister…" Her smile was akin to a wince. "We can explain?" The two other girls, who were rummaging through the large chests behind her, froze and reluctantly turned to the door. All three faces were paler than the starch that dusted the rice cakes in Ashi's souvenir bag.

"What are you three doing here?" She asked sternly and then gestured with a nod at the various sized boxes cluttered in her room, most of their contents raided, evidenced by the strewn packaging paper and strings. Ashi mentally sighed in relief at her own foresight to move her tools before having left on her trip. "Did Oka-san decide to turn this into a storage room while I was away?" The matriarch had been against the unscheduled trip but Ashi had fought her to consent.

"Oh, no!" Fumiko spoke, standing abruptly and nearly stumbling on the hem of the oversized robe she wore. "These are all gifts!"

"For you!" Chiyo added, discreetly removing a trinket from her own hair.

Ashi's frown deepened, knowing fully well the answer to the next question she posed.

"And from who?"

At this, all three girls stood together in a giggling fit.

"Why, the prince of course!"

Ashi shut the panel behind her and handed her travelling bag to one of them. Then, dropping to her knees, she inspected the smooth lacquer of the boxes, each engraved with the royal family's seal against a golden pattern of chrysanthemum. Inside held different treasures: hair ornaments, silk robes and threads, calligraphy tools, cosmetic boxes, ceramic jars of pearl powder, incense pillows, and more. All from the highest quality. It was equal to that of a bridal trousseau. Ashi could not help but inwardly seethe. Did he think he could buy her affection and forgiveness so easily, boasting his wealth like this?

"You should have seen the prince's face when he came back," Fumiko said, shrugging off the robe as she and the others helped themselves to the mochi in Ashi's bag, "when Oka-san told him you left on an impromptu trip to another teahouse for a few days, I swear he was…" She stopped abruptly and turned to Satomi. "Do your impression!"

Satomi cleared her throat before deepening her voice as she mimicked the prince. "I don't understand...What do you mean she's not here?" The speech was very polite but had the sharp edge of a concealed blade. Then, she scowled, her eyebrows joining in a dipped center, nostrils flaring below it. "She left?! And you let her?!" She gritted.

Chiyo and Fumiko fell back laughing.

"Oka-san looked like she was going to faint!" The youngest maiko squealed in between breaths of laughter, then looked down to her closed fist in horror. "Oh no! I squeezed a mochi in my hand!" This stirred more humor. Even the corners of Ashi's mouth quirked up.

"All right, that's enough girls." Ashi said, getting them to settle down. "Anything else?"

"Well, the prince wanted to ride over to where you are." Chiyo replied. "But Oka-san actually held him off on that."

"Saying how it's even ruder to pull Big Sister out of an appointment than cancelling beforehand." Fumiko followed, then sighed dramatically. "I was half-expecting him go on an "I am the prince!" outburst but alas…"

"But as a prince he should know that." Chiyo spoke on behalf of their Oka-san.

"You just wanted Oka-san to really collapse, didn't you?" Satomi playfully tugged on Fumiko's sleeve with an, "evil brat!" The youngest maiko retaliated by blowing residual mochi powder from her hand to Satomi's face. This led them to wrestle on the floor, much to Ashi's exasperation.

"Break it up you two." Chiyo intervened. "We have to help get Big Sister ready!"

Ashi blinked. "Ready? I just got back and I shouldn't be expecting clients so soon."

Fumiko rolled up from the floor with a grin. "You have to get ready for the prince."

Ashi narrowed her eyes. "I can't just head to the palace without notice."

"Oh that won't be problem…" snickered Satomi. "He's already here."

Jack gazed out into the back garden from the engawa, trying his best to breathe in the tranquility of the flowers and rock arrangement. The wind chime above signaled a passing breeze. He closed his eyes and exhaled sharply as he turned the teacup in his hands. It had been nearly a week since he last saw Ashi and missed out on their arranged meeting. His heart thudded against his chest as undesired thoughts poured inside his head.

Despite the Oka-san's repeated reassurance of Ashi's eventual return, the icy ball of dread still coalesced inside of him, the unwanted whispers of his secret fears baiting his heart. Perhaps, that night had been a trick of moonlight, and his culminated sadness conjured Ashi's image onto a poor unsuspecting woman who shared the same name. It also was not outside the realm of possibility that this was all some malevolent trick conjured by a malicious spirit or djinn. His fingers laced tightly around the ceramic, the warmth of the tea long gone.

"Your highness."

Jack immediately turned, drawn like a monk to the tolls of prayer.

Ashi kneeled from a respectable distance, dressed in maroon silk embroidered with peonies and peacock feathers. Her hair gleamed brightly from the daylight, accessorized with gold mizuhiki cords knotted and twisted into butterflies. She smiled serenely in her greeting, secretly quenching her ego from his dumbstruck expression. His appearance was much more presentable, his hair fastened securely, emphasizing the square cut of his jaw and sharp cheekbones. His attire however gave nothing away of his highborn status.

Her forehead barely touched the floor when his exclamation startled her upright from her bow.

"Where were you?!"

Ashi blinked. "Pardon?"

Jack put away his tea and crawled over to her, features crossed. "Do you know how dangerous it is to travel? And by yourself? I've had to increase security checkpoints!"

Ah, Ashi thought, that explained the unusual number of people on her way back. She took a small breath and leveled his gaze coolly. "I did not travel a long distance. The teahouse I visited is barely half a day's travel on foot."

"You stayed there for days." Jack pointed out, as though it were a capital offense to the chrysanthemum throne. "And I was informed that this had not been organized beforehand."

She could feel a vein throb in her temple but Ashi masked her annoyance, tilting her head meekly as she concealed her lower face with a sleeve. "Your highness, there is no royal decree preventing me to go wherever I please. And also," She quickly added before he could get a word in, "I suddenly had a lot of free time after a cancelled appointment and I am not one for idle hands."

Jack's eyes widened at her pointed words. Then, all tension seemed to evaporate from him as he sat back on his heels, shoulders sagging with what could only be described as the weight of mason stones. One large hand reached out behind his neck as he looked to her with an almost pained expression.

"...I apologize" His voice softened dramatically. "I had no right to speak to you in such a boorish manner. And especially after missing our agreed upon meeting…" His face scrunched up more, as he searched her face. "I beg your forgiveness." Then, he bowed down in front of her, so low that he merged with the flooring.

Ashi's sleeve dropped, as did her jaw. "Your highness!" She exclaimed, horrified. "Please, raise your head!"

The idea of a prince bowing deeply to a commoner was unheard of!

Jack slowly did so, his face more relaxed. "Please. I've told you to abandon formality. It's just Jack." He smiled. "We have much to talk about." He moved closer to the edge of the engawa, swinging out his legs and signaling her to join him. Ashi arranged her kimono as she sat beside him, her feet dangling freely alongside his.

"Umm…" Jack turned and appraised her. "I...like your dress...you look very beautiful in it." His tongue-tied praise was devoid of any courtly charm. Ashi smiled at him in return, gracefully touching one side of her hair, bringing his attention to her dainty fingers as she let it slide down her jaw to the length of her neck until they rested on her clavicle.

"That's very sweet of you. Thank you."

Jack gulped audibly at her action.

She was much more receptive than last time, speaking and smiling sweetly. It made him nervous. Even back in Aku's future, her presence made him conscious about everything, especially his then burgeoning feelings towards her. Honor-bound, he had tried to distance himself but that only shortened their time together, having only declared his feelings before he was sent back to his original time to finally purge the world of Aku.

Then, she disappeared.

The memory brought a pang to his heart. Although he ultimately did not regret his quest's end, Jack wished he had cherished his time with Ashi more and to have revealed his feelings sooner. All the tender moments they could have shared together had he not left her that morning in the desert filled him with remorse. In the fifty years he had spent in that miserable world, he had always desired a speedy end to his journey. But after having found and then lost Ashi, he wished he could have prolonged their time together.

"Jack?"

Jack blinked, his thoughts receding to the back of his head. "Uh, yes?"

"I asked if your urgent business had been settled." Her eyes scolded him teasingly. "Were you not listening?"

"Oh! Uh...yes of course." He answered sheepishly, colored with embarrassment.

"If I may ask, what was it about?"

Jack's smile thinned, eyebrows sinking.

"I'm afraid it's not a matter fit for conversation. You'll have to pardon me."

Ashi blinked in surprise.

"Oh, of course." In that moment, she had not considered the possibility of him denying her anything. After all, he had thrown himself at her with worshipping devotion since the night they met. She could not help but be a little miffed. "I was just curious…" She said, eyeing him wondrously. "Considering you left so suddenly."

The corners of his eyes sagged with guilt. "I'm sorry about that." He reached for her hand, caressing the knuckles with his thumb. "Please know that I was truly looking forward to seeing you."

Ashi squeezed his hand in return, her reply tinged with gentle consideration. "I confess...I was quite upset when you stood me up for the second time around. But it was still childish of me to leave just as suddenly. I'm sorry for that."

Jack could not help but grin at her admission. "Ah. So you did leave to punish me."

In playful anger, Ashi snatched her hand back and folded her arms with a pout, tossing her head back with a disapproving grunt. Jack was only too happy to play along.

"Please, Ashi. I could not bear it if you ignored me now after having me suffer in wait."

Ashi eyed him with the indifference of a cypress deity. "Oh? Did my Oka-san and sisters fail to give you a good reception?"

"Oh they did! The guest house they arranged for me was very accommodating."

Her face scrunched up in confusion. "Guest house…?"

"Yes," Jack said, "that small house over there." He pointed to the far right corner of the garden, where the facade of a small structure stood unassumingly, half-hidden by a maple tree in front of it. Ashi's face blanched, her eyes blinking rapidly as thought it could dispel the truth.

"Jack! That's for gardening tools." Surely Oka-san would have offered him the finest inn in the city or at the very least, the best room in the townhouse. But to allow him to stay in what was essentially a shack? Him? The royal prince? "Please. Tell me you jest."

Jack laughed at her evident concern. "It's fine. I wanted a quiet place to meditate, close to the garden as possible. Your family did make sure to dress it with all the trappings of comfort...even if they did disapprove of my choice."

"But it's not proper." Ashi insisted with heavy punctuation. "A person of your standing should not have to settle for"—

"Ashi." Jack calmly interrupted. "It did not matter whether it was a grass pillow or the mossy grit of a fallen tree, they were all luxuries to me so long as I could rest." His eyes softened, a veil of memory coming over him.

"Are you speaking of your quest?" She asked quietly.

"Yes." Jack nodded, closing his eyes as he spoke. "I've travelled perhaps more than thousands of li, learning to adapt with little to no comforts. It really doesn't matter what my lodgings are."

But it should, Ashi thought. Royalty stood on a pampered pedestal, looking down at the masses that suffered and supplied for their wealth. The stories she had been told since birth were full of their misdeeds and their manipulative deception. Looking at Jack, he seemed so harmless in his humble robe and inoffensive nature...but she was taught better. A serpent's scales could hide beneath the leaves.

"Also…" Jack continued, lifting his lashes to look at her. "I wanted to be as close as possible when you returned."

No doubt to impose your fantasies! She bristled in her mind, agitated by her own musings. But outwardly, she tilted her chin and flashed him a smile worth its gold. He was at once captivated and she further inflamed the color in his cheeks with words savored on her tongue.

"You do me great honor, my prince."

His mouth parted. And slowly, Jack leaned forward, eyes preying intently on the rosy lips that sourced her silky words.

"Ashi"—

"Your highness"~! came a singsong voice that immediately made Jack pull away, his back as straight as a reed. Ashi peeked behind her shoulder as Oka-san ambled into view.

"I just procured the most wonderful—Ashi!" She staggered back in shock, nearly dropping the burden in her arms. "You're back!"

Ashi bowed her head. "I'm home, Oka-san."

"I was beginning to worry! I was going to send a messenger out if you had not returned by tomorrow," clucked the old woman as she lowered onto her knees, setting down her wrapped items. "I brought the prince's midday meal."

Ashi frowned in confusion. A midday meal? Only country people ate three meals a day. Jack already scooted over on his knees as though investigating a treasured find, one hand rubbing his chin in curiosity.

"It's the finest hayazushi in all of Edo!" Oka-san boasted, as though her very own hands molded the contents inside. "I thought you would enjoy it. I'll have these plated and Ashi can pour you a drink." She turned to her charge with an instructive nod. "She can play you the shamisen or zither while you eat."

Ashi made to excuse herself to prepare but Jack held his hand up.

"There is no need. I want Ashi to share this with me."

Both Ashi and Oka-san stared at him in astonishment. "Your highness…" The matriarch began uncertainly, sharing concerned glances with Ashi. "Ashi will have her meal afterwards. Women eat after the men, it's the standard"—

"I think it's silly." Jack injected lightheartedly. "I see no reason why we have to dine separately."

"But"—

"In fact," Jack continued without missing a beat. "It's such a beautiful day that perhaps we can have a picnic and watch the flowers as we eat." His eyes turned eagerly for Ashi's approval.

"Well I…" Unsure, she looked to her Oka-san for guidance, engaging in a silent conversation of shifting eyes and faint gestures. There were really no other options in this predicament and Ashi could not draw out her hesitation either.

She accepted.

Ashi clutched the bottle of sake close to her obi as she kept a respectable distance behind Jack. Oka-san made sure that they had all that they needed for their little excursion. She had taken Ashi aside before they left, lecturing her to be mindful about taking liberties. Her words however were contradicted by the encouraging twinkle in her eyes that rivaled the sparks she lit for their outing.

Jack carried mostly everything. Lifting the rolled up straw mat over his shoulder as he held the wrapped boxes of food and utensils by the secured knots. The bottle of spirits was all she won in her insistence to help.

He truly was an odd prince. She had expected he summon a palanquin or rickshaw or, at the very least, servants to carry their wares and shade them with parasols. Instead, he opted they walk to their destination, immersing in the fair-weather scenery of their languid pace.

He abruptly stopped in his tracks, halting Ashi as well. The brim of his straw hat concealed his face as he turned around. "Am I walking too fast?"

Ashi shook her head. "No, I'm perfectly able to keep up with you."

"You're far behind though," he noted.

"Well…" Ashi rubbed her lips together, wondering if royalty had a different practice to the common etiquette she was taught. "I'm supposed to stay a few steps behind you."

The words were barely spoken when he marched over to her side, regarding her with a gentle smile. "I prefer if we continue like this." Her eyes widened, a protest cusping on her breath, but Jack paid no heed as they resumed walking. They were now two handspans apart, his sleeve brushing occasionally against hers.

"Would you like to take my hat?" He offered after a time. "If it's too sunny for you."

"I will have to decline..." She posited, wryly amused at the image of wearing such a ridiculous article to her finely coordinated ensemble.

"Oh! Of course." He said, realizing the same thing. "Your head would be too big anyway"—his eyes flashed in horror— "Ah! Not that you...I—I meant your hair! Your hair is too big—um but in a good way! Your head is normal sized! Perfectly so!" The items rattled in his energetic ramble.

He looked so foolish that Ashi could not help but laugh.

They spread out their mat under a large tree facing the river. Swarms of children lined the other riverbank, most of them wading in the calm shallow waters as others hoisted colorful kites into the sky. Jack watched in amusement as Ashi filled his cup.

"There is no better sign of prosperity than watching children play." Jack said, taking a sip. Ashi quietly agreed but found her eyes more drawn to the paper butterfly and fish dancing in the sky. The patterns on one butterfly wing resembled deep red eyes, eyes she had been taught to worship.

"Ashi?"

She blinked away, startled. "Yes?"

Jack leaned back against the tree, a nervous tic in his voice.

"I want to ask you a question…"

Ashi squared her shoulders, painting on her demure smile.

"And what may that be?"

"Were you...happy as a child?" He asked. "I'm sorry if it's preposterous of me to ask given the country's recent history. But were you...happy? Before Aku?"

Happy? It was such a silly word, bred from ignorant whimsy. A concept that had been corrupted by those in power, which her mother had expressed time and again. True happiness could only be attained through their master Aku. Everything else was an ephemeral dream.

Nothing is without suffering. Those who sow the darkness, reap the light. It was a statement echoed throughout her training. One Ashi relied on to banish the madness that manifested itself during the harshest of trials.

"Ashi?" Jack broke through her thoughts again, waiting for her answer.

Her fingers tightly gripped the neck of the sake bottle.

"Of course I was." Ashi beamed with a light shake of her head. "My prince. You ask the strangest questions."

He did not say anything, merely studying her face with a thoughtful expression. Ashi hastily looked away.

"Come now," She set aside the bottle and unwrapped the meal they had come here to enjoy. "We should eat."

She removed the lid of the two-tiered boxes, the aroma immediately wafting out. Slices of different fish draped enticingly on each cushion of vinegared rice. Ashi's mouth watered despite herself and Jack seemed to share the same sentiment, grabbing a box and digging in.

With his bare hands.

Ashi shrieked, garnering the attention of a few onlookers.

"Jack..." She lowered her tone, pink with embarrassment. "What are you doing?"

Jack chuckled. "I find that this is best eaten with by hand."

"But I have chopsticks!" She said, presenting them to him like a god to a primitive being. "There's no need for you to...eat like this…"

To her frustration, he still declined, enthusiastically plopping more fish and rice into his mouth in rapid succession. Ashi squeezed her eyes shut, controlling her rising temper. This is….fine. She told herself. He was a prince. A weird one but he could do as he pleased. With a sigh, she focused on her own share, picking at her food with actual utensils.

"Ashi!"

Ashi inwardly grumbled as she forced another smile.

"Yes?"

She was met with a slab of yellowtail meat thrust to her face. "Have you tried this yet?" Jack asked eagerly, as though she did not have an identical set of her own. "It's the best one so far!"

Ashi winced, grabbing his wrist with the intention of gently pushing it away when an idea struck her. Just as it had come to her, Jack realized his own action and tried to withdraw, sputtering apologies for his bad manners. Ashi however did not release his hand, instead, she tugged it closer. He made a choked gasp as Ashi took the food from his fingers with her mouth, lips and teeth grazing his skin. She leaned back, quietly chewing in satisfaction. Swallowing, she batted her lashes innocently.

"Please don't tell anyone about this..."

His only reaction was staring at his own hand in disbelief.

They rinsed out the boxes and washed their hands in the river before packing everything up, with the weight of their load significantly reduced.

An amezaiku artist on the street distracted them as they both stopped to watch him pull and shape softened candy into small creatures. It was so enthralling that Jack asked the artist if he could try it. For a good fifteen minutes, Ashi (and the rest of the crowd) took pleasure in Jack's sad attempts at recreating the artist's lifelike goldfish. Every time the candy hardened, he had to start all over again. Eventually, he gave up and paid a generous sum to the artist. Then, he presented Ashi with his misshapen sugar sculpture on a sick.

"It sort of resembles a flower….right?"

"Oh yes, definitely." She said, being nice about it.

As they continued their way back, crossing a stately bridge, Jack paused to gaze at the water, their reflections staring back at them.

"It still amazes me…" He said, his words aching with emotion. "That you're actually here."

Ashi lightly cupped his hand on the railing, peering up to him with a tender expression as she whispered, "I'm not going anywhere, my prince."

His eyes softened at her words. Drawing a breath of courage, he bent his knees, face leaning forward. As the gap between their lips shortened, Ashi retrieved her hand, spun around, and simply walked away. Jack with his puckered lips blinked in dismayed shock.

"We should hurry back." She said cheerfully, as though nothing transpired. "I promised the girls a game of Go."

Ashi did not spare him a glance, not even once after they returned to the townhouse. Jack could not help his eyes from trailing after her, following her every moment as she came to and fro the room where they held games. They had not even said a word to each other as well, with Ashi too busy indulging her sisters over trivial matters.

She was sitting primly between two of the maikos, engaging in light-hearted banter, paying no heed to the current match.

"You should keep your eyes on your opponent, your highness." Fumiko spoke up, reminding Jack of his turn.

"Oh right." He nodded apologetically, pulling a slate from the kitani bowl and placing it on the board without a second thought. The moment the piece made a soft clack, his gaze immediately flew back to Ashi. Fumiko sighed as she began rearranging the black and white stones.

"Ahem."

"Oh." Jack returned to the tenchimasa board. "I see that you beat me again. You are quite skilled."

The young maiko did not seem pleased with his praise though.

"How strange." Satomi laughed, giving Jack an excuse to look over to where Ashi was again. "Fumiko usually never wins at Go."

"The odds were in my favor today." Fumiko mumbled haughtily as she began putting away the slates and clamshells.

"Your highness," said Chiyo, "Since Ashi has returned does that mean you will be going back to the palace?"

Jack blanched at the reminder. He had promised his parents that he would only stay with the karyukai until Ashi's return. He still had some responsibilities in court and now that she was back, he would have to keep his word. He tried not to betray his thoughts with a stiff smile.

"Yes. That is correct."

Satomi grinned.

"Will Ashi be coming with you?"

"Satomi!" Ashi admonished.

"What? He came here for you."

"You should not speak so forwardly!"

"Actually…" Jack meekly intervened. "That's a matter I would like to discuss with Ashi...um in private." At this, the maiko girls glanced among another with a mischievous smirk, much to Ashi's chagrin.

"Very well…" Fumiko said in a songlike manner. "We should pester Oka-san instead then."

"Would not want to disturb you both," snickered Satomi as the three of them tiptoed outside, not bothering with the basic formalities of exiting.

Ashi could only shake her head.

"Forgive them, Jack." She said. "For speaking and acting familiarly towards you."

"No, it's fine." Jack assured her. "I much prefer speaking to people without worrying about rules."

"Yes." Ashi smiled, folding her hands neatly on her lap. "I've noticed how liberal you are."

"Would you...view the garden with me?" He asked, getting up on his feet and extending a hand towards her. Ashi took it and they stepped out to the garden for what would undoubtedly be an important conversation.

The crickets began their soft recital, celebrating the moonlight as Jack laid on his futon, distraught. His conversation with Ashi played over and over inside his head like the holographic images of the distant future. He could not sleep, her answer ringing between his ears.

"I'm sorry, Jack." Her words echoed. "But I can't accept such an offer."

He had invited her to stay at the palace as his guest, and she had refused. Jack didn't understand. She had been more than encouraging with her dewy-eyed looks and endearing words that he did not imagine. He remembered how she ate off his fingers and immediately regretted it, rolling onto his stomach to abate the memory. The blood burned hotly in his cheeks that the sheets seemed at risk of catching fire.

Jack sighed into his buckwheat pillow, hoping sleep would lay claim to his troubles. As he laid once more onto his back, he realized that perhaps he was rushing into this. Rushing her. Of course, this Ashi did not match his feelings and she had responded to his eagerness with such poise, that it was worthy of admiration. The more he thought of it, the more shame filled him, lumping in his throat like a squeezed pebble. Tomorrow before his departure, he would apologize to Ashi for his impudent behavior.

There was a rustle outside.

Jack immediately sat up.

"Who's there?" He called out cautiously, listening to the approaching footfalls.

A figure's shadow lent itself to the screen doors.

"Jack?"

His eyes widened.

"Ashi?"

He scrambled out of his futon and managed to slide open the panel without making a ruckus. The cold air infiltrated his dwelling but it did not register to Jack. Even in the faint cloud-covered moonlight, he could make out her features. She stood, carrying a bundle in her arms.

"I'm sorry for waking you." Ashi said timidly. "But it's rather cold...and I can only imagine it must be colder for you out here." She removed her slippers and stepped up. The old wood did not creak as she sat on her heels to lay a thick folded blanket in front of him.

He did not know what to say besides the obvious.

"It's late." His tone was more clipped than he intended.

"Yes..." She said, her fingers laced uncertainly. "I...suppose I should go then. Forgive me."

"No, wait!" He reached forward, encircling her wrist in his hand. "I didn't mean to sound dismissive. I appreciate your kind gesture...but you did not have to worry about me. I didn't lie when I said I was comfortable." He trailed off with a nervous laugh, scolding himself at the back of his mind. Releasing her hand, he tried to recover with an awkward smile. "Thank you...and good night."

As his fingers grasped the material of the blanket, Ashi's hands cupped over his.

His head whipped up, meeting her stare.

"I'm the one who must ask forgiveness…" She whispered. "For I'm the one who lied about my being here." Then, she took his right hand and lifted it to cradle her cheek. Jack's mouth parted in surprise as his fingers reveled in the warm satin softness of her face. He watched in awe as she turned her head to press a kiss into his undeserving palm, her eyes never straying from his.

"I have to clarify something with you...my prince. About my answer earlier." She said quietly. "I can't accept your offer…."

His lungs swelled as Ashi moved closer, leaning up to him until their breaths mingled between their lips. "...not yet."

Not yet...

She lowered his hand and pulled away. This time, Jack did not stop her. Not even as she put on her slippers and walked back inside the house. Of course, she must have wished him a good night's sleep. The formality was ingrained in her.

But the thunderous beating of his heart must have swallowed her words.

Another chapter off of my back. I hope you enjoyed. Please do leave a comment about what you think and I apologize for any typos and stuff. As always, any errors will be rectified at a later time. Lots of things are happening for the jashi fandom, mainly the jashizine in which I am a part of. You can learn more about it by heading over to the homepage (jashizine dot tumblr dot com).

Heads up! I'm going to be abroad for a couple of months, but I'll still work on the next chapter while I'm away. Thanks always for your support and I hope to hear your feedback!