Chapter 3
Tsukime saw Himeno walking out of the comfort room and waylaid her. "Himeno-san."
Himeno looked down at her friend. Though Himeno is of average height, the top Tsukime's head reached only Himeno's ear. "Hai, Tsuki-chan?"
Tsukime looked from side to side and pulled Himeno back into the comfort room.
"Hey!" Himeno protested.
Tsukime smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that. I just want to ask you something."
Her friend sighed. "What is it?"
"That guy. The one named Sasame."
"What about him?" Himeno asked, perplexed.
Tsukime fidgeted.
Himeno blinked. This is the second time she saw her friend uneasy. The first was when she caught Tsukime sneaking out of summer camp, which ended up with her friend's confession of her nightly hunt. "Tsukime?"
Tsukime took a deep breath. "He was attacked twice. Two nights in a row."
"You're still hunting vampires up to now? I thought you'd be training to take over you dad's company."
"That too but I can't bear to see your lot thrown to the Daimons."
"So you saved Sasame. Twice."
Tsukime nodded.
"And the problem is?"
"Nothing. Is he one of those people you told me in your letters?"
Himeno nodded. "What is it you want to say, Tsukime?"
She picked up her skirts. "The dance will be starting soon. I have to talk to my father before that."
Tuskime walked hurriedly through the crowd, looking for her father. Seeing him on the other side of the room, she threaded the throng of people. Before she was able to catch her father's attention, the MC announced that the dance for the 18 roses will commence. Tough luck, she thought.
"You should go to the dance floor now, princess," said a blonde man with two small braids hanging over his shoulder whereas the rest of his hair was loose.
She nodded. "I know, Talon. I hope you and Sunshine's enjoying the party."
Talon grinned and held the hand of his raven-haired wife beside him. "We are," he said. "Great party."
Tsukime smiled and left the former Dark-Hunter as went to the dance floor. The music started and she saw her father walk toward her carrying a single rose. He bowed and took her into his arms and they danced.
"You look beautiful tonight, princess."
Tsukime smiled. "Thank you," she said. "You don't look too bad yourself, father. I believe, mother was pleased."
Her father chuckled and whirled his daughter around the dance floor. "She is," he agreed. "After forcing me to retain my original hair-color, that is."
"You do look better blonde, father."
"So your mother had said."
"Father, I want to ask you something."
Acheron Parthenopaeus frowned at his daughter's change in tone. "I'm not letting you out tonight if that's what you're asking."
Tsukime shook her head. "It's not that. There're two guys here, names are Hayate and Sasame. They're Leafe Knights and the Daimons are after them."
"I know," Acheron said. "I want to have a talk with you about that later tonight. Go to my study after the party."
Tsukime nodded. "Yes, father."
Her father let go of her and she danced with different partners. Zarek was her sixth dance.
"Hello, lass. I saw Mr. White Hair following you with his gaze," Zarek said, swinging Tsukime around the dance floor.
Tsukime raised an eyebrow. "And your point is?"
"He's enamored."
"Big words," she said nonchalantly as she forced to calm her thundering heartbeat. She will not allow anything to interfere with her work.
"You know me."
Tsukime changed partners yet again. At last, it was the last dance and she couldn't wait for it to be done so that she could go and find out what her father wanted from her. She was so lost in thought, she didn't notice that she was dancing with a different partner.
"You dance well, puppet."
Tsukime missed a step at the voice. He caught her. "Who gave you permission to be my 18th rose?" she asked, irritably.
Sasame twirled her and pulled her close to him. "I didn't ask permission," he whispered to her ear. "Your father ordered me to dance with you."
Heat rose to her face at their closeness and she struggled to put some distance between them. "My father? How come?"
"I believe, his own words are, no last dance since all the men you knew were old," he replied, tightening his hold on her to stop her from making a scene as they danced around the floor.
"Mister, let go of me or I'll scream," she threatened.
"And embarrass your family?"
Her lips thinned as she met Sasame's stare accusingly. "You blackmailer."
He sighed. "Please, just finish the dance without incident."
"I'll sue you for lascivious conduct, you pederast."
"Whatever happened to your accent? Lost in all your former dances? And don't call me pederast. You're not exactly a child."
"Shut up."
"Sure."
They finished the dance and Tsukime made her way hastily to her father's study. It was located far from the ballroom and Tsukime had time to compose herself. The dance rattled her more than she cared to admit. Sasame was a handsome fellow. There, she had admitted it to herself and waited for her racing heartbeat to calm down. It didn;t. His voice and smell invaded her senses and she furiously ran the rest of the way to the study. Don't save his hide again, she noted to herself.
Her father was waiting for her, along with her mother.
"Sit down, child," her mother said. "Did you run all the way? Remember you're an adult now and thus must act accordingly." She was dressed in a formfitting emerald green gown in ancient Greek style, which failed to keep up with the brilliance of her green eyes and brought out the red of her hair.
Tsukime sat down and folded her hands on her lap in an effort to act calm and collected. "I'm sorry, mother."
"You might be wondering why we want you to meet with us here tonight," Acheron said.
She nodded. "All I know is that it has something to do with the knights."
"It has," her father agreed. "Artemis?"
"Daughter, we have decided that you're old enough so we're giving you a assignment."
Tsukime's eyes glowed. This was it. She could hardly contain herself, her first assignment. "Tell, me, mother. What is my first assignment?"
----
A knock sounded on Sasame's door early the next morning. Grumbling, he got up and answered it.
"Ohayo."
Sasame blinked at the voice and looked down at the pixie's face. "Tsu-Tsukime?" he stuttered.
"Ohayo, Sasame-kun," she repeated.
It was three o'clock am, the sky was still dark and the neighborhood as still as a coffin, yet here was Tsukime standing on his threshold wearing a conservative, button-up-to-the-neck Victorian gown on the palest blue, with three heavy suitcases behind her and he still couldn't make up his mind whether to laugh at her attempt on modesty or be alarmed that he didn't hear her coming, just like he never heard her arrival whenever she rescued him.
He chose to be silent.
Tsukime's smile slipped a bit and irritation glowed in her silvery depths. Sidestepping Sasame, she carried one of her suitcases inside and dropped it on the living room mat.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, quite calmly.
"144 fer ye, Sasame-kun. I'm staying with ye while me parents are going on a trip."
He raised an eyebrow. "Why wasn't I notified?"
She looked at him as though he's crazy. "Because, Mr. DJ, it was an emergency trip."
"A telephone call or even a text message would have sufficed. I'm not cut out for babysitting but I'll take exceptions."
"As I said, Code Red emergency. And what on earth are you talking about? Babysitting? I'm not a kid. I'm eighteen and not a kid anymore, comprender?"
"Don't start on your sophisticated language on me, kid. I can make you mum in a second."
"HAH! You don't scare me," Tsukime replied, dragging her second suitcase inside.
Sasame stopped her as she crossed the threshold. "No."
She pouted. "What do you mean no? Do you wish to see me sleeping on the street?"
He shook his head, gripping the handle of the suitcase.
"Then what?"
"I'll help you with the suitcases."
Tsukime flashed a wide smile. "Why, thank you for cooperating, Sasame-kun."
"I'm only doing this because you're causing quite a scene and it's very early in the morning," he mumbled as he carried the suitcases inside.
Tsukime followed behind him docilely and looked around his house.
Sasame watched her looking at his belongings closely. "It's not much but it's home," he said.
"I thought you're in a partnership. Surely your station makes enough money for you to dive and swim on?"
"It does but everything returns to the station for repairs and updating."
"Oh…"
"Have a sit," he said, gesturing to the couch.
"Thank you," she replied sitting down.
He sat on the opposite chair and looked at her.
"Hm?" she asked him, uncomfortable under his gaze.
"Your clothes."
"What about them?"
"You look like the kid you are."
Tsukime narrowed her eyes. "I am NOT a kid!" she fairly shouted.
He stood up. "Tell that to the mirror, kid," he said, walking to the kitchen.
She followed him. "Maybe you need glasses, Monsieur Sasame."
Sasame gritted his teeth instead of replying as he prepared breakfast.
She blinked as she watched him beat some eggs and fry some bacon. "Don't you have a cook?"
"No."
"What about a cleaning lady?"
"No."
"So a squire is out of the question?"
"Yes," he replied holding on at the remnants of his temper.
"You're a poor peasant aren't you? That's why you wanted to have a merger with my father's company."
He put the plates on the table with a soft thump and proceeded with brewing some coffee.
"Why aren"t you answering me, huh? Don't you know that silence means yes? You're really pitiful, you are," she said, sitting on one of the chairs by the table without so much as a by-your-leave.
Sasame started taking deep calming breaths and put the food on the table. His hands were shaking when he gripped the handle of the coffeemaker and poured some coffee into mugs. They're screaming to wrap around Tsukime's graceful neck and wring the pathetic life out of her.
"Just my luck. To be stuck in a place where there is no help anywhere. No one to dress me, bath me, feed me and comb my hair," she complained as she started consuming the food put before her. "Not to mention the house is so… conjugated. It's a wonder anyone can still breathe in here."
He sat on the chair opposite Tsukime and started eating quietly.
"And this food is so low class."
"If you don't like it, you can vomit it back out," he said tonelessly.
Tsukime's hand stopped in midair while reaching for her coffee mug. "Maybe I will."
He looked at her. "Do it," he dared.
She took a sip of coffee. "And if I messed up your kitchen?"
"Well, you'd just have to clean it up, kid."
"Not in your life, buster," she said haughtily. "I will not be treated as a chambermaid."
"Then I'd thank you to stop insulting me in my own house."
"Oh, you were affected? That means it's true. You're just another treasure hunter. Next thing you know, you'd be professing undying love to me and bind me into a marriage. Oh, please, it's so classic."
The insult fell too close to home that Sasame almost choked on his coffee. "Let me refresh your memory, child. You were the one who knocked on my door, not the other way around. And stop acting like the spoiled, only child you are."
Tsukime glared at him and stood up. Slamming down her mug on the table she turned her back at him, mounted the stairs, found her way to the bathroom and slammed the door shut.
A/N: hey guys, sorry for the late update. i hope yo enjoyed reading the chapter3. Thank you, Ritsikas for reviewing my ff.