Sorry..sorry...I told you guys that I will update within 24 hours but it seems that I overestimated myself. Again, sorry about that.

I thank you for the readers who reviewed and follow my story (you don't know how happy I am for that although I did warn that the first chapter should be skipped..hahaha).

I hope you enjoy reading this.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Nurarihyon no Mago

She was sinned. This diligent her, who would have thought that she, will steep this low. Tsurara sighed while rested her head against the bamboo door. It was almost two months ago that she forced herself on her beloved master, or if she wanted to say it harshly, she raped him. Of course she regretted it almost instantly but the pay for Rikuo's forgiveness was not that easy to achieve. She was punished to have sex with him and that last for the whole month.

What made her did such ridiculous action must be lied on the conversation she heard when they were celebrating Kana's engagement.

Flashback

"It seems surreal that the human girl got engaged," Kuromaru spoke while sighing. Tsurara stopped her pace when she heard Kuromaru's voice. She went towards the voice to tell him and whoever he was speaking to that food had served but she stunted when she heard the next thing that was said by Tosakamaru, "And here I thought that she will be Waka's bride. It seems that father's wish of having Yondaime is yet to be fulfilled."

"But what if Waka fall in love with a yokai? I mean, we heard about Rihan-sama and Yamabuki-sama from father right? How painful it was when Yamabuki-sama cannot have a child with Rihan-sama because of the fox curse?" Now it was Sasami's voice can be heard.

"What was it again?" Tosakamaru inquired in which he received double smack in the head from his two siblings.

"Idiot! Isn't it stated that Nurarihyon would not have a child with a yokai," Sasami snarled her brother before putting her palm on her cheek while saying, " or something like that. Right Kuromaru?"

The siblings were too absorbed in their conversation to notice that Tsurara already left the place with a crestfallen face.

End of Flashback

But...

She blushed...

Last night was something different from her usual punishment and it was something she ever wished for. She was tending Rikuo because he was sick and they had normal conversation. Next thing she knew, both of them were kissing and he said he wanted her.

Last night, while they were at it, she asked for forgiveness many times and he replied her by kisses and gentleness. It felt like she was forgiven. She unconsciously drew a smile while covering upper part of her face with her arm.

Sound of footsteps snapped Tsurara out from her reminiscences of the past events. She raised and looked towards the direction where the footsteps of a person can be heard. There he was, the one that she loved so much and the one that she sinned. Rikuo walked while looking down as if there's something interesting on the ground. But she knew better that he was thinking hard on something. 'Must be something about the clan's future,' she thought.

Maybe it's true when people said that love is blind. Look at her, even when Rikuo was wearing his usual worn out kimono and haori, with his messy chestnut lock that a little longer than it used to be, with his matured face that already lost all its cuteness and became as handsome as his youkai looks, not to mention his rough, slender hands; all of them were still wonderful to her. Even with the frown on his face, Tsurara still loved them; well at least he seemed much healthier.

"Waka?" She inquired when she felt that he didn't aware of her presence.

Rikuo snapped out from his faraway thought and turned his visions towards the voice that he knew to well. He had learned how that voice sounded in many occasions. How it sounded when the owner was happy, sad, scared, nervous..and he knew what sound can that voice made when the owner was panting, moaning and...

Tsurara looked at her master's sudden change in the color of his face from a yellowish brown to fully red. Maybe he's not that fine. She closes their distance.

"Waka! Are you alright? Your face is red. Are you still sick but still up from your bed?" She frantically asked while putting her palm on his forehead; intending to feel his temperature.

He gasped on her advance and immediately slapped her hand off. However, he's oblivious to the fact that his action shocked the girl and at the same time hurts her so much.

"I'm okay. It just something that bothers me. A..ahhh.. I need to see Kurotabou now. See you, Tsurara," with that, he dashed off to where he came from, leaving her dumbfounded.

"But, you ordered Kurotabou to patrol with Sanbagarasu this morning?" She finally spoke but more to herself now after snapped out from looking at her hand that just been slapped.

Rikuo walked faster across the hallway disregarding his subordinate's call. His face was crimson-colored and he covered his mouth with his palm.

'What was that?' He thought.

He felt as if his heart would jump out from his mouth with the sight of Tsurara. She seemed sparkling, even with her worried face. The forehead that was touched still felt hot. 'Seriously! What is this?'

'This is bad...'

'This is really bad...'

'No, this is catastrophe.'

'But, how can this happen?' She didn't understand at all.

She frantically was having a monologue before throwing out once again.

This phenomenon had occurred since two days ago. She would suddenly felt nauseous and would threw up suddenly. She really afraid to think the possibility that she's might be p..

No no no...this might be something that she ate. Although he's the only person that she gave herself to and they never use protection all along, that's not possible. After all, they did consider about the fox's curse.

'The fox's curse..'

She was now in the hallway put her cheery face while walking around happily. Yup, this surely something that she ate. How can she possibly thought that ... she didn't even dare to think about that possibility. That would never happen. After all, she's a youkai; much to her secret dismay.

She stopped and shook her head vigorously to kick the thought out of her before clenching her fist and said, " Yup, I just go to Zen-sama to get the stomach medicine.." with a determined eyes.

...

...

...

"Tsurara, you're pregnant."

The said woman literally spurted out the tea that she's drinking upon hearing the mere sentence that came out from Zen's mouth. She secretly was glad that she decided to go to Zen's mansion rather than asked him to come to the main house.

"Wha...what are you saying Zen-sama?! There's must be something in my ears because I heard you said that I was pregnant. How can that be...Hahaha?"

Tsurara stumbled at her words while wiping the mess that she did. She tried to laugh it off but Zen's serious face made her stopped. She automatically showed a horror-stuck expression which made Zen wonder. Later, she rested her hands on her lap and looked down; afraid to meet Zen's intense gaze.

The room filled with a scary silence before Zen started to speak.

"Why you look so scared Tsurara? I never heard about you marrying someone? Who is it Tsurara?" Zen started to inquire and his stern tone made her flinched in worry.

"I'm just curious you know," he began to have a mischievous smirk plastered on his face while resting his chin on the space between his thump and index finger.

Tsurara sighed in relief. It seemed Zen's curiosity was in a good sense. He didn't get suspicious or anything. But, she knew it better than anyone. Zen might not be suspicious right now, but she should never let him know. Zen was really close to Rikuo. She could not risk for having Rikuo to know about this child.

"Umm...Zen-sama. I have a favor. Can you please keep this child's existence a secret from everyone?" She almost sounded like she's begging when she said that.

Her plead erases the smirk on Zen's face. She's serious and he's more curious than ever now.

At the time Tsurara reached the household, almost all the occupants already asleep. She sneakily proceeded to her room while her head already in a mess thinking of everything and anything. Her steps stopped when she reached an opened door which showed her the scenery of a blooming Sakura trees. She stepped out and enjoying the scenery in front of her.

Tonight's full moon basked its light on the Sakura trees that bloomed mightily. On one of the branch of the being, there's the figure of the man that she swore allegiance to in his yokai appearance. Tsurara stood there; staring at the figure as if she's enthralled with it, as a matter of fact, she was. She mused on what she discussed with Zen a while back.

Flashback

"I humbly beg you Zen-sama. Please don't tell anyone in the house especially to Sodaisho and Waka..even Kejorou; in other words, all of them. Please keep this a secret until I decided that I'll tell them," she was in seiza position while bowing her head low to Zen.

Zen was dumbfounded with her action, thinking something big must happened.

"If you tell, I'll freeze you to death."

Yup. It's confirmed that something suspicious had happened that made this yuki-onna went to the extent to threaten him.

Nevertheless, Zen nodded and patted her head,"Don't worry Yuki-onna. Your secret save with me," while giving her reassuring smile.

End of Flashback

Tears already flooding out from her tear glands and threaten to fall across her cheeks. She never expected this to happen. Although she pretended that she didn't notice, she actually realized that Rikuo had been avoiding her. So much that she'd been forgiven; it's more like the matter become much worse. He must be regretting the night. He must felt disgusted with her. How the heck she wanted to tell him that he fathered her child?

"Tsurara?"

The voice disturbed her train of thought. She immediately turned her sights towards the owner of the voice; the figure on the sakura tree.

"Are you okay? Why are you crying?" Rikuo was already jumped off the tree and now standing in front of her. His face showed a genuine concern.

Tsurara didn't realize that her tears already flooding down from her cheeks. She tried to wipe them away but the tears didn't stop. The tears fall to the ground in the form of ice.

"Ara? Why is it I'm crying I wonder? There's maybe something in my eyes..hahaha," she forced a smile while the tears still running through her cheeks.

Rikuo panicked when he saw many ices formed from her tears. He scratched his head and after been immobile for seconds, he cupped Tsurara's cheek while trying to wipe the tears away. The next thing Rikuo did is something she already experienced but did not expect.

He pecked her lips with his before drown to a much deeper one. Tsurara was caught by surprise. Her eyes still opened when Rikuo decided to end the kiss. Tsurara touched her lips with her trembling fingers gently; as gentle as what Rikuo did before. Her cheeks are fuming red. Rikuo chuckled.

"There you go. I already stopped the tears," he said while smiling gently at her. She could see a hint of red on his cheeks but she didn't have the chance to peruse it because he already took his place on the Sakura tree.

She summoned the courage to climb the tree to sit beside her master. Rikuo just smirked when he saw Tsurara stumbling to get into the right branch. However, when she almost reached the right branch, her foot slipped and she was facing the danger of falling. Before she managed to do anything, a hand reached her waist and pulled her up; putting her beside him.

"Whops, careful there."

"T...thank you Waka," Tsurara managed to say in shock.

'That was close. How terrible if I manage to fall down after learning that I'm pregnant. Stupid..stupid Tsurara!' she self-monologue before the night's wind stroked her cheek.

"Umm..Rikuo-sama, aren't you cold?" She asked.

The crimson-eyed man adjusted his seat before replying, "Not really, but it's good if I can get my haori." Despite saying that, Rikuo never thought that Tsurara would cover him with a sea blue-colored scarf.

"Whoa, thanks Tsurara. It's warm. Did you do it yourself? It looks hand-knitted," he asked with amazement.

Tsurara giggled a little seeing her master's childish reaction before shyly replied, "It's not a well done work since this is my first time doing that. I always kept it with me so that I can give to you when I see you, but apparently you're busy lately," she progressively looked down while saying that.

Rikuo looked at the gloomy woman besides him. He was aware that he had avoided her since their last night together. How could he face her when every time he saw her, his heart would beat like he had running a 50km marathon. Not only that, his face will automatically went hot and he wanted to hug her and never let her go. Even he didn't understand why he was behaving like that plus, there's the guilt that he felt towards her.

In order to erase the gloomy atmosphere, Rikuo coughed and assured the Yuki-onna, "It's not a flattery but for a first timer, you did a good job," he smiled at her.

Seeing the smile that she thought she never got back, Tsurara felt a sense of relief splashed through her. That's why she thoughtlessly said, "It's all thanks to Ienaga-san for teaching me. She really good at this," before she realized her mistake. Even Rikuo was surprised.

Little that Tsurara knew that the reason that Rikuo was shocked is not because she awoken his painful memories; but rather, he was surprised because a mention of Kana's name didn't give him the pain that he used to have. He looked at the frightened Tsurara, his face softened and a tint of redness can be seen on his cheeks.

Meanwhile, Tsurara didn't dare to look at her Waka's eyes and kept looking down while blaming herself, 'You're an idiot! Why the heck you mentioned Ienaga-san? Look! Rikuo-sama was surprised.'

"The moon is beautiful aren't there?" his voice made her stopped her self-blaming and shifted her head towards the sky. The sky was filled with hundreds of star and the full moon which cheered her up. The previous interaction seemed to not happen at all.

"How beautiful. The sky is beautiful isn't it?" She commented in awe.

"Yes you are," he whispered. Unbeknownst to her, Rikuo's eyes were set to her, not at the sky.

"Hmm?" she turned to him.

Rikuo let out a heavy cough before looking towards the sky.

...

...

...

"Tsurara," Rikuo broke the silence that engulfing them since ten minutes ago. He still looked towards the sky.

"Yes Waka?" Tsurara already shifted her attention towards him.

"I'm sorry for everything. For these months that I had tortured you," Rikuo turned and looked at her.

Seeing his regretful eyes, Tsurara shook her head, "No, I'm the one who should apologize for hurting your feeling, breach your trust and for for...forcing myself on you."

She continued even though he wanted to say something.

"These past months I consider them as my punishments. I deserve this. You should not feel sorry Waka," she assured him while patting her palms on his hand.

Rikuo removed his hand from hers, really, this girl actually could make his heart raced with a mere touch, "Nonetheless, I should not do that. That time I'm really confused and really angry. I want to make you pay for it," he looked down, reminiscing and regretting on what he did to his loyal aide and guardian.

She let him think; afraid to disturb him before he turned to her with an unfathomable face.

"I mean, you are the one who raised me and most of my childhood, I considered you as my older sister. Now, I consider you a part of my hyakki-yakou. You are precious Tsurara..."

She looked at him. Hurt.

"...and I'm still confused."

Although he said it vaguely, she knew in an instant that he should never know about that child and she should not bother him with it. Rikuo was amiable, she knew it very well. And she understood that he would accept the child no matter what. However, she only wanted happiness for him. Being selfish once was enough. She cannot trouble him anymore. No more.

With that in mind, Tsurara raised and kissed him on the cheek which caught him by surprise. Rikuo looked at her in shocks and with apparent blush.

"Now the frowns between your eyebrows are gone," she giggled while putting her index finger between her eyebrows indicating how much Rikuo frowned before.

Within time, both of them chuckling to each others and spending the night identifying the constellations that they used to learn back in their school days.

"Are you sure about this Tsurara?"

Nurarihyon gave an intense glare to the Yuki-onna. He's having a hard time swallowing and coughing his drink upon hearing that the girl in front of him voiced her reason for meeting him that night.

Tsurara just sat there nodding with a determined look splashed on her face.

"What is the reason that you suddenly decided to leave?" Nurarihyon still unsatisfied about this. He knew that she will never leave his stupid grandson's side and now she determinedly hoping to do so.

She faced her head down, thinking. Nurarihyon noticed that she grips her furisode tight as if she summoning courage.

"I'd done a terrible sin to a person in this household. I don't wish to tell you who is it but I need to leave because of that."

Her reason seemed unclear and of course that does not satisfy the all-knowing Nurarihyon, but more importantly...

"You know that I'm not the one you should ask the permission to but to Rikuo; considering that you are a part of his hyakki-yakou and he's now the Sandaime."

His matter-of-fact statement shocked her. She really forgot about that part but she struggled to appear nonchalant upon the great leader.

"I'm aware of that Sodaisho. That's why I spoke to you given that I cannot spoke to Rikuo-sama himself. As a matter of fact, I hope that he didn't know until I'm leaving. You understand right; that I will not be able to leave if I ask him?" she said while gives a pleading look.

He shrugged and nodded to her.

"I'm really against this you know. But since you said that you are going to meet your mother, I allowed you."

Rikuo looked at the sky while smiling. His hand was holding the blue-colored scarf. He remembered the night that he spent with her on the tree. After that, his mind and heart cleared out. He smelled the scarf that Tsurara gave her, taking the hint of her smell (well she did kept it with her all the time isn't it). He realized it now; his feelings towards the ice maiden.

He clenched the scarf and determined that he will tell her his feelings. She must be happy and seeing her like that, he also would be happy.

'Yosh! I need to prepare my heart to tell her my feelings tomorrow'

Unfortunately, little that he knew that at the very same night, the said snow woman was preparing to leave the household without his consent.

We keep slipping out from each other without fail

That's the end of chapter 2. How is it? Good? or bad? Please review.

Before I forgot, the next chapter's update depend on my schedule and ideas. So I hope you guys can be patient.