"Crisis"

A week had gone by and Aido was on the verge of insanity. "She hasn't talked to me! What if this marriage is really over?" He shouted to himself in the mirror. From the sight of it, even he could tell he was falling apart. His eyes were shallow, his hair a mess, his skin pale as ever - he could've been easily mistaken for a man who just broke out of a hospital.

Every time he had caught her walking around the gardens, she'd turn away sharply. He honestly believed the world had come to its final end. Without her, he figured, there was no point in walking the earth anymore-

"Hanabusa." He instantly maintained composure, greeting his father. Their slowly deteriorating relationship had made meetings between them awkward and intense. Aido's father grimaced, seeing the effects of love on him. "We have important matters to discuss-"

"I'm not interested right now father-"

"It involves your human."

… "What of her?"

On the other hand... Haruna lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling... with tears streaming down her face. "He hasn't talked to me! Why was I so stubborn? I should've just accepted what he gave," she moaned, suffocating herself with her pillow.

Obviously, Aido hadn't realized her already-developed amorous feelings for him. Whenever she caught him glancing at her so intensely, she'd look away with embarrassment. His brows were always so narrowed, she mistook his adoring stares as glares.

She could never stay mad at him for more than a day, and with what he has given up to be with her, she couldn't ask for more. She understood that made a terrible lie, but she realized it wasn't reasonable enough to cut all ties with him. "He probably thinks I'm a selfish and rotten person."

This 'Cold War' going on between them was wearing them both out; love is deadly. She recalled the night when she willingly went back to those dirty men because of her father-in-law and Aido was so angry at her for doing that. His exact words, "We made a deal. I'm keeping my promise, and yet you're just taking it like it's some joke. Did you not think of how I'd feel?"

That time, she hadn't kept her promise, and now it was the reverse. However... He was able to forgive her for making such a huge mistake; she had no right to be angry over this deal now. "I have to talk to him," she sat up, eyes open like she just had an epiphany.

She dashed out of her room, forgetting to make herself look at least presentable. Her hair tossed around like a wild tumbleweed as she turned corners searching for the blonde. "Have you seen Aido- er... Hanabusa," she asked the maids. She couldn't just say Aido, they'd get confuse with which Aido she was referring to. She wouldn't want to mixed up with Hanabusa and his father.

They pointed to the main room. She stalked over to the door, placing her hands on the cold handle. She panicked at the last minute; she had been so eager to forgive him that she didn't even practice an apology speech beforehand. What happens, happens right? It would be awkward for her to suddenly barge in and become tongue-tied in an instant.

Without thinking, she pushed the doors open, deciding to let fate take its course. "Father..." she met her worst enemy. He looked at her with little interest, walking past her, but he didn't leave without giving one last smug look. She shuddered, only then seeing Aido distraught.

Apologies would have to wait. "What's wrong?" She sat beside him, seeing his jaws clenched. Was he angry with her? "Did you both get into another argument-"

Her words lodged in her throat when he snaked his arms around her. His lips touched the nape of her neck; he inhaled the sweet scent of her. She figured he wasn't angry, but it bothered her even more. The only times he would do something like this is when he's searching for comfort. "Did father say something?"

Even if he did, she wouldn't know how to fix the problem. She felt so useless; how can he keep taking hits for her? "Haruna," he passive voice reached her, "you know I'd do anything for you right?"

She flinched at those words. "Please don't tell me you're going to do something stupid," she pulled away, searching for an answer in his face. She only saw confliction. She imagined different scenarios of what he had gotten himself into. Seeing him so vulnerable made her frightened; her strength came solely from him. "You're terrified Aido; let's just call off this marriage if your father is threatening you!"

He stared at her; his eyes barely held any sign of life. "He's not threatening me... He's threatening your family." He felt her hands grab him, violently shaking him.

"What did he do to them?" She screamed, terrified that something went wrong.

"Nothing... yet. I would continue to protect them, but my father is much more powerful than I." Her heart slowed as she sank back into her seat, relieved to hear that. Aido could see how much she loved her family; he was envious of them. His family was usually distant from each other- perhaps that's why Haruna treasured her common life. "I can see how much you care about them. I'm glad I accepted my father's offer then."

She panicked. What did he sell to the devil? "What offer Aido? We'll find an alternate solution! Don't do this, huh? Say you won't," she tried to look into his eyes and tell him that she-

He gave a tired chuckle, "What's the matter? It almost seems like you love me."

She stared, afraid to confront her newly developed feelings for him. He shook his head, laughing at how amazing it'd be if she truly did-... Aido froze at her timid expression. Had she... "Aido... I-"

"Don't say it!" She jumped, "Don't tell me you love me... if that's what you're going to say. It'll be hard for me to let you go if you really do."

"Let me go?"

She felt his hand graze hers, his fingertips brushing over the ring on her finger. "I'm sorry, Haruna," she felt a tug on it, "I can't be your Romeo anymore. I never imagined that I would call this marriage off," he pulled the ring off her finger, "but if it means protecting what you love, then I'm willing to give up my love for you."

During their time together, she kept denying their engagement. How could two different people, a flawless vampire and a dirty human, nurture their love to become so pure? Only through sacrifice and struggle did she finally see it become a reality, and when it finally began to blossom... It falls apart.

How can she just be okay with it and leave it to die? "I don't approve," she desperately reached for the ring in his hands, "give it back," she cried.

His hand brushed against her cheek, comforting her even though he was the one who needed it most. "I'm setting you free now, so don't make such a horrifying face. Your family is waiting for you. This is goodbye."

Was there no changing his mind? She was torn between her family and him. "I don't want to choose who I want, Aido," either way, no matter what decision she made would result in devastating consequences. "Isn't there another way where we can still be together?"

The daunting face he was giving led to her conclusion that there was, just that it wouldn't be in their best interests. "What I told you was my decision. However, my father came up to me with a different proposal - one where we are able to still be together."

"I don't understand. Why would you make a hasty decision where we would have to part ways forever?"

"You wouldn't like it one bit... I know I sure don't." She frowned. If they are able to still be together, and Aido thinks it's a bad idea... then it must really be a treacherous idea.

As long as it didn't lead to bloodshed, she thought, it couldn't be that bad. She crossed her arms, ready for anything. "Let me hear it."

He closed his eyes in disdain, wishing she had not asked for it. "Father... came to me, saying that he would ruin your family unless I..." He had trouble conveying it; it disgusted him just thinking about it. "He wants our marriage to be a secret from the rest of the world."

… "That's it?" She raised a brow, ready to strangle him! Something so trivial like that - it didn't matter!

"He wants our marriage hidden behind the scenes, while... to the public, I am married to someone else."

Married... to someone else? She had to share Aido with some other woman while their true love has to be kept a secret? She could barely stand seeing him flirt with other women - how can she...?

"I told you you wouldn't like it."