Author's Note: I am back! Yatta! :DD I finally found the drive to type this chapter. I hope you like it, I'm finally back to my old self. Thanks to everyone who offered me words of encouragement. I hope you like the chapter. :)) Endnote of love awaiting. :")
Title: A Tale of Timeless Love
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Not mine. It makes me happy but that is the extent of what I get from it. :D
-OoO-
Chapter 15 In the Span of a Moment
"Umikonoe-san, Takahirito-san." Amu glanced back at the hooded figures that were following closely behind her. Their steps were more tentative than her but they were doing their best to keep up with her. Because she couldn't she their expression however, Amu could not gauge the extent of their exhaustion from having to walks such a long distance.
"We should be arriving soon at the arranged meeting place. Do you require a short rest?"
Peeking from beneath one of the hooded figures was a mass of blonde hair and vivid violet eyes."I wish Tsukasa had chosen more common names," Amu heard a female voice mutter under their breath with a hint of displeasure. Utau gave Amu a single shake of her head in answer to her inquiry. The other figure, bearing amber eyes merely shook his head and gave a polite reply, "I believe we still have enough strength to keep going." Tadase answered gently with an easy smile.
Amu acknowledged both replies of her charges and proceeded with her brisk but carefully measured pace. She could walk faster, but her normal pace would be unsuitable to Utau and Tadase's physical capabilities. She knew they were not accustomed to exercise like this, who would make the effort to walk when they had servants at their beck and call?
Amu evaded the other people in her path but made sure to pave a clear way for Utau and Tadase to pass. Moving inconspicuously was hard enough – but having to keep an eye on two members of the Royal Family while she traversed through the Imperial City was proving to be quite a challenge. She surveyed her surroundings, keeping track of their current position in her mental map of the City. The main roads were easy enough to memorize but the inner streets were a maze in themselves.
She paused and spotted one of her landmarks before she bumped into another person as she took a sudden sharp turn. The person steadied Amu immediately and Amu recognized the stranger.
"Reiji was getting worried." The new voice announced with relief in his tone. "I've come to escort you. Reiji guessed right that only one aide would accompany you to the site. He thought it wise for me to assist you…?" His voice trailed off in an obvious question which Amu understood easily enough.
"Amesakura."
Kukai smiled and gave his own pseudonym in reply. "Kohinata."
"These are my companions. Umikonoe and Takahirito." Amu gestured to each of them in turn.
Kukai laughed at the choice of names. "Ame-san, Umi-san and Taka-san, is it? Let us be on our way then. Please follow me. I know the shortest route to our meeting place." He gave a bright smile. Amu looked at her two charges. Tadase was wiping away a bit of sweat on his forehead using the palm on his hand but before Amu could offer her handkerchief, he waved away her concern with a knowing smile. Amu, however, was more surprised to find Utau's gaze focused intently on the ground. The color on her cheeks had not escaped Amu's attention. She was about to inquire if she was feeling tired once more when Utau spoke.
"Your help is much appreciated. We will follow as best as we can," she said quietly, her gaze still focused on the ground. Amu turned back to Kukai and found him with a patient understanding smile. He looked as if he already knew what she would say. Amu felt a pang of suspicion but she did not understand why just yet.
He turned and began walking at a pace similar to her previous design. Amu was glad that he was also taking into account their physical constitution. Their arrangement had changed from Amu taking the spearhead and the two following her – to Kukai being the leader, followed by Utau and Tadase then Amu at the very last.
The difference between both of them was soon much more obvious to Amu. Kukai had no difficulty weaving through the increasingly narrow street. He moved with much more ease than Amu would ever be able to achieve in a crowded place. His steps were sure and decisive; Amu was quite sure that he was absolutely confident that he would never get lost in the Inner Streets. She was inwardly praising him when she realized something.
"Ah, Kohinata-san." Amu called his attention. Tadase and Utau slowed their pace, hearing her voice. When Kukai did not seem to slow down, Utau bravely grabbed his sleeve and he glanced back at her with a surprised expression. "Ame is calling for you." He looked over Utau and Tadase's heads and met Amu's gaze curiously.
"Forgive me if I am wrong – but I believe we seem to be moving farther from our destination rather than closer?" she pointed out with obvious confusion in her voice. Kukai seemed to be moving with confidence, but her mental map of their movement was clearly moving away from the rendezvous point. Her eyebrows knit together and Kukai laughed.
"Really? I must have taken a wrong turn in the previous street then," he said carelessly with a laugh.
Amu was speechless for a moment. "You…were not aware?"
He grinned and shook his head, "I'm not in my best shape. My sense of direction is a little dulled at the moment. Ame-san, you seemed to be have memorized the map of the Inner Streets? Amazing!" he gave her an awed look and she nodded uncertainly. "I remember the directions clearly enough but I'm quite incapable of moving in the right way. Would you take the lead? I can give you the correct directions. We could stop for a bit at that sweet shop. It's not advisable to just keep standing around here."
"But, wouldn't Rei–" Utau began to say but Kukai cut her off swiftly.
"Ritsu-san," he corrected firmly, knowing full well that they could be heard now that the street was very narrow and most people were moving in close proximity to each other. Amu was glad that he had some sense in him.
They proceeded to the said shop he pointed out and Kukai helpfully ordered food for the four of them. He paused for a moment at the counter and had friendly banter with the female shopkeeper for almost a minute. Amu watched her two charges attentively and she noticed the way Utau's lips obtained a sort of tension. They sat themselves accordingly; Amu sat in front of Kukai to better hear his instructions. Tadase chose to sit beside Amu and Utau was left to sit beside Kukai, in a place where Amu could discreetly observe her actions.
Amu could feel a sort of irritated vibe emitted by the Princess. She was looking away from Kukai's general direction with a small frown. It made Amu wonder what had made her so put out. She remembered Ikuto the day of the picnic and she held back a small chuckle. They really were siblings even in this aspect.
Kukai was watching Utau carefully through the corner of his eye too, Amu noticed. When his order arrived, he gave the serving girl a pleasant smile and a cheerful 'Thank you.' – to which the serving girl stammered and turned red. Another wave of a displeased aura came from the Princess.
Kukai cautiously offered her share of the food, "Here," he said with a well-natured smile. Utau only gruffly accepted the plate with two sticks to which different colored balls were aligned.
She stared at it curiously for a moment and when Amu glanced at Tadase's his expression mirrored Utau's. Just as she was about to explain for them, Kukai gave a low chuckle. "I suppose you have never eaten dango before, have you?" he asked with a knowing smile.
"Da…ngo?" Utau repeated, her eyebrows were knitted together. She stared critically at the snack before her, most likely deliberating whether or not she would eat such a conspicuous looking object. Kukai seemed to be barely repressing the urge to laugh. Amu gave him a slightly persuading look and he picked up her message easily enough. A poker face emerged as a result of their silent communication.
"If I remember correctly, 'dango' is a type of dessert, is it not?" Tadase said inquisitively, picking up the stick of dango and twirling it a bit in between his thumb and index finger. He was looked as if he was trying to recall everything he read about it.
Amu noted that their expressions of both were indeed amusing. Utau looked at the snack like it was something poisoned and Tadase seemed to be trying to dissect its ingredients with his mind. She could understand why Kukai was fighting very hard against the urge to laugh openly. She was glad that he had that much tact in this situation and kept as much a calm face as he could manage.
Amu nodded, "It is quite famous to commoners of the Imperial City." Amu added helpfully, replying to Tadase's words.
"Have you tasted it before, Ame-san?" Tadase asked curiously. Amu nodded, "A long time ago," she said a tad softly.
She could not remember when she had tasted it but Amu knew the taste of dango. She had probably tasted it long before two years ago had happened. Amu supposed that her tongue had memories of its own, different from the memories her mind had lost. When she had first seen it before she worked in the Palace, she knew what it was and eating it again had felt nostalgic, like the dango itself was a memory that belonged to her.
Amu watched as Utau carefully took a bite. She paused, looked surprised for a few seconds before she smiled genuinely, "It's delicious!" she exclaimed after swallowing, looking at the food with a new light in her eyes – like a child that had figured out a secret.
Kukai laughed freely this time; he took a bite of his own share but did not show a remarkable taste for it like Utau. "I'm glad you like it. Commoner food isn't really as bad as they make it out to be," he said with a wry smile. Amu was well aware of how Nobles retained a low opinion of commoner food and Amu could not pretend not to hear the bitterness stealthily concealed in his tone.
Tadase took a small bite and gave a smile not unlike Utau's. Utau continued eating happily but with the usual grace of a princess quite forgotten. Amu decided that it was time for her discussion with Kukai to proceed. When she stared at him though, she found him watching Utau intently. A soft smile played on his lips and his attention seemed wholly consumed by Utau.
"Kohinata-san," Amu said loud enough to catch his attention. He turned to her with a somewhat embarrassed expression, as if he had been caught doing something wrong. He gave a slightly forced laugh and Amu realized that he himself seemed unaware of what he was doing.
"Sorry." He muttered and Amu could clearly hear the unspoken sentence that followed.
Amu gave a small sigh. She moved forward to listen to his instructions, choosing not to broach further on the topic. He gave her a brief explanation of where they were supposed to go through and Amu mentally mapped it out, memorizing the route as he spoke. Soon, she was confident enough that she could lead them properly.
During the course of their conversation, Amu had offered her share to Utau who seemed to want more. She smiled happily when Amu had easily given her share and she truly enjoyed what she was eating. Again, Amu caught that strange glint in Kukai's eyes when she glimpsed his expression. Amu could not interpret the content of his expression fully; it vexed her to a degree.
The expression seemed so familiar to her – but she could not place where she had seen it before. Her memory of specific details was almost perfect and to find that she could not remember something slightly irritated her.
Soon after the two had finished their discussion, they restarted their journey in much better spirits after their break. Utau and Tadase in particular were in a much happier mood compared to before – like kids who had received a treat from their parents. Amu gave a satisfied smile as they set out and offered Kukai a grateful nod; he smiled knowingly.
Amu was in the head of their formation once more, with Tadase beside her and Kukai and Utau following side by side behind them. Knowing where she was headed, Amu moved with more ease compared to her hesitant steps before. She was moving more surely now and knowing that Kukai could at least assure her of their surroundings every once in a while, Amu knew they were moving at a much faster pace than before.
Soon they reached a secluded clearing behind a shrine owned by the Minister of the Left. There was a large mat placed on the ground by a bloomless Sakura tree at the very end of the clearing. When they spotted the mat, Amu saw that Kukai paled slightly. He dashed toward the prepared area and knelt on the ground.
The three of them followed after him, Utau with a little more haste than either Amu or Tadase. When they had reached him, Amu found Kukai clutching a piece of parchment with an obvious frown. He heaved a heavy sigh.
He muttered something under his breath but Amu was easily able to make it out. "What is he thinking?"
The three of them might have worn similar expressions because when Kukai turned back to speak to them, he laughed instead. His sarcastic laughter diffused the sudden tension that mounted. "It seems my charge has been abruptly summoned back to the Manor," he said with a small sigh. "Well, Yaya, his aide, will be returning here after she finishes escorting him back to the Manor. We prepared food for all of you; Ritsu-san intended for all of us to enjoy a short meal before we went exploring the city." He explained in an increasingly calm tone. His previous frustration seemed to ebb away now that he was speaking rationally.
"It can't be help. He's always been a wilful person. We'll continue as planned." He shrugged as if to say, 'nothing I can do about it.' His easy going attitude was infectious and soon the other three were beginning to feel relaxed despite the absence of their host.
"Please sit down and make yourselves comfortable." He gestured to the red wooden mat sprawled in the ground which had a soft inner mat made of some sort of cotton. When the three sat down on it, they all wore puzzled expressions. Amu thought the cloth to be quite strange – rather than feeling warmth emitted by the cloth, it felt quite cool against her skin. All of the fabrics she had encountered so far had that distinctive quality in varying levels of heat conduction – but to have it completely removed from the cloth felt bizarre.
"Ritsu-san had it specially made from a certain country. I don't recall which particular country but this is his favourite whenever he has outdoor picnics." Kukai supplied helpfully, noticing their surprised expressions.
"It's such a strange type of cloth," Tadase voiced their thoughts. Utau was sliding her fingers over the surface of the cloth while intently analysing the pattern. Amu did the same and she began to be fascinated by the intricate details of the cloth. There were flowers, bells, and women with wings scattered throughout. They were all beautifully colored and Amu felt as if she could almost touch them from the cloth.
When she extracted her attention from the rug, she found that Kukai had already laid out the prepared food in the middle of the cloth and he was busy pouring out tea for all of them, including their soon to arrive companion. The three of them, removed from their examination of the cloth gathered around him with curious expressions.
"This aroma…" Tadase spoke in an inquiring tone.
"I have no idea what it is either, Taka-san," Kukai replied with a rueful smile. "Ritsu has a sort of eccentric taste with regards to tea. He experiments with different herbs during his free time. This is one of his best concoctions so far." He added the last part more surely.
At their varying dubious expressions, Kukai gave a reassuring smile. "Ritsu always researches the herbs properly before experimenting; he also tests his concoctions before he lets others taste it. Usually, I'm on the receiving end of the latest ones but I have not experienced something overly serious," he said with a laugh.
He handed each one of them a half-filled cup. Amu brought her cup near her nose and took in the fragrance of the unusual tea. She distinguished what she could in a matter of seconds, relating each distinctive smell to the specific herb in her reservoir of knowledge. "I can recognize a few of the herbs but there are some that is one scent that is especially new to me."
Kukai smiled, "Wow, I don't recognize any of them." He added quite proudly, looking amazed at Amu again.
"Ame-san, do you have expertise in herbal plants too?" Tadase asked with admiration gleaming in his eyes.
Amu shook her head once emphatically, "Nothing of that sort, Taka-san. I often pick herbs together with my mother back at home. I usually identify most of them by scent because it is much easier. I will not claim to be an expert in herbal plants as you assume me to be. I know a certain few by scent but not all." Amu immediately refuted such a claim easily.
Tadase smiled, "Nonetheless, it is amazing that you can recognize some of them by scent alone. I tend to forget the scent of some of the teas I have tasted before."
"I believe you can achieve the same level with some practice, Taka-san." Amu replied simply.
Utau was the first to take a sip of the tea and she looked puzzled after drinking it. "How odd." Amu and Tadase followed suite after seeing her reaction.
When the tea touched her lips, the taste was quite extraordinary. It was slightly bitter at first but there was a tinge of sweetness that spread out on her tongue after a while. The strangest thing was after swallowing – there was a coolness that remained inside her mouth until her throat.
"Ah…" Amu took in a small breath then let it out; the coolness in her mouth did not disappear immediately.
"This tastes wonderful!" Tadase exclaimed as he took another sip. Utau did not say anymore but continued sipping her tea diligently with a pleased smile. Kukai, on the other hand, downed his portion of tea in one gulp. "This is my favourite tea."
He ran a hand through his hair then suddenly paused and blinked. "Now I remember! Ritsu called it peppermint tea."
"Peppermint? Is it a variation of our normal mint here in Seiyo?" Tadase questioned. Kukai tilted his head to one side.
"I'm not really sure," he said with a laugh. "Ritsu has weird hobbies; collecting herbs and making tea are just some of them. He has a talent with trading so I assume that he got the herb from one of his previous deals."
"Must we still use –" Utau began to say but Kukai cut her off. "It's for your own safety. Please bear with it – if only for today, Umikonoe-san." He added the last name a tad teasingly and Amu felt a bit bothered by the ease at which Kukai addressed Utau. Indeed, he was her fiance's bodyguard – but did that position entail such an acquaintance with the Princess that he could speak to her like this?
She was about to think it over more seriously when a voice suddenly intruded, "Amu-chin!" Amu felt arms wrapped around her neck tightly. There was suddenly a mass of chestnut brown hair covering her vision. With an effort, she raised her line of sight and saw Yuiki Yaya smiling gleefully at her from above.
"I missed you!" Her arms tightened around her neck and Amu was finding it a little hard to breathe.
"Yu…iki…san!" She said weakly and tried to pry Yaya's hands from her neck.
"Yukihino. You're suffocating, Ame-san," Kukai said firmly. At the sound of her pseudonym, Yaya's grip slackened and Amu took a deep breath.
She released Amu and went to stand behind Kukai, where the three of them could see her. She suddenly took Kukai's head in between her knuckles and began to twist them mercilessly with a forced smile. Kukai began to cry out in pain.
"Stop it!"
"Who in the world is Yukihino? Who decided that I would be called that? I don't want such an uncute name!" she said in outrage, still tormenting Kukai.
Kukai finally escaped her reach and began rubbing his temples. "If you want to complain, complain to our master," he said irritably, his eyes still watering from Yaya's attack. Other than Yaya's sudden assault on Kukai, the other thing that surprised her was how Utau had reached out and steadied Kukai by holding onto his shoulders. There was a easiness in Utau's movement that had caught her eye – the fact that the Princess had not hesitated at all to touch him. Amu could not mistake the slight anger in her eyes as she looked at Yaya. That was not the reaction of a lady to her fiance's bodyguard.
Yaya puffed her cheeks, "He's going to get it later," she said ominously and crossed her arms. The dark aura that she emitted was quite frightening and the three kept quiet unanimously, not wanting to have her frustration vented on them.
Kukai moved away from Utau and gave a sigh, "Please bear with Yukihino for now. I'll introduce you to the rest."
Amu noticed that Kukai was also strange. He gave the air of someone embarrassed again, like he had before when she had caught him staring at Utau.
"Amesakura or Ame-san." Amu nodded at Yaya.
"Takahirito or Taka-san." Tadase smiled slightly, clearly wary of Yaya's temper.
"And Umikonoe-san, or Umi-san." Utau gave an obvious frown.
Kukai gestured to each them and last to himself, "I'm Kohinata, by the way." He added like an afterthought with an easy smile.
"I don't like your name, either," Yaya said with a frown and Kukai smiled ruefully in reply.
"I could change it – but it would be too much of a hassle at this point in time now that I've already conditioned them to that name," Kukai said logically.
"All of our names are ugly," Yaya said dejectedly with a very displeased frown.
"But you're still cute anyway, Yaya." Kukai interjected with a smile. "If you keep it up with that attitude you'll become ugly in looks too." He pointed out.
Yaya brightened up immediately. "You're right!" she exclaimed happily and Kukai just shrugged in reply. She sat in between Kukai and Tadase and enthusiastically devoured the food set before her. Kukai poured her a cup of tea and placed it in front of her. She tried to talk with half a biscuit in her mouth and what came out of her mouth was something that sounded like 'Fank oo'. Tadase chuckled and reached out to brush away the crumbs that decorated her face.
"There's no need to rush, Yukihino-san," He said well-naturedly.
Yaya shook her head and pointed a finger at him, "The Imperial Festival lasts for only three days. Of course there is a need to rush! There are tons of things I always miss even though I attend every year!" She announced with her arms crossed.
"Yukihino-san, it's rude to point at people," Kukai reprimanded her firmly, "and you miss things probably because you are always so wholly engrossed with a certain stall and choose to devote most of your time to visiting it every year," Kukai said with a shrewd smile.
Yaya paused her chewing to throw Kukai a look. "That's only because their wares change every day of the festival!" she retorted.
"But you choose to stay there for most of the day and inevitably end up missing the shows of other stands."
"But others might go ahead of me if I'm not there when new wares are displayed!"
"You could just ask them when they plan to display it and return to the stall when they do, am I wrong?"
"But –"
"And this is why you are always fooled into these sorts of things." Kukai gave an exasperated sigh.
Amu closed her eyes and unfocused her attention from Kukai and Yaya's argument. They seemed to do it often, based on the swiftness of their rebuttals to each other. It was not her business to get involved; Amu deemed staying quiet acceptable in this situation.
She devoted her time instead to examining the bloomless Sakura trees surrounding them. Three months had already passed since she started working as Utau's aide. Amu tried to remember the splendour of the Sakura trees in the Palace. But rather than swirls of pink – a mass of blue hair came into her mind accompanied by the ever familiar voice,
"It's not allowed for anyone to touch the pond, much less to actually walk in it,"
She remembered of course, her brain was made to remember these things. These were the first words Ikuto had spoken to her when he had found her wading in the Sakura Pond, searching for her pin. She also remembered how foolish she had been, thinking him to be servant like her. It made her feel like a fool now that she knew him better. How could she have ever thought him less than the man of royal blood that he was?
Because he was Ikuto, something or someone inside her answered. Willful, selfish, unrepentant, stubborn – he displayed all of his faults to her like they were what he was most proud of. She wondered lightly if he was working at all right now. Kairi was watching over him but Amu knew better than anyone that Ikuto always did what he wanted, when he wanted and usually got away with it.
She heaved a sigh and began to think of her own responsibilities. She would have to make better preparations for tomorrow to ensure that their exploration would go more smoothly. Today was satisfactory but Amu knew she could improve and make them move more efficiently somehow. She swirled the contents of her tea cup before she took a long sip. She was busy listing what she had to do when they returned to the Palace and just as she was almost done – "Is that alright with you, Ame-chan?"
Yaya suddenly addressed her. Amu had not paid the slightest attention to their heated discussion – a discussion, it seems that Utau and Tadase had joined somewhere along the way.
"I beg your pardon?" She looked around and found all of them looking back at her curiously. She chided herself inwardly for not keeping track of their conversation.
Yaya clicked her tongue, "Ame-chan, you weren't listening!" she chastised. Amu felt something similar to embarrassment at having Yaya scold her. Yaya cleared her throat to explain and repeat the gist of their conversation.
"Kukai is proposing that we separate into two groups and meet up here at a specific time."
Kukai spoke to elaborate her brief statement. "I thought it would be less of a workload for both of us. I don't think it's easy for you to escort two members on your own so if we split with one each we could move a lot easier and draw less attention from ourselves. There are 5 of us now and it would be harder to keep track of everyone once we return to the Inner Streets," Kukai's reasoning was sound and Amu found that there was nothing she could disagree with in his explanation.
Tadase decided to voice his opinion as well, "I believe it a suitable choice of action as well. All of us most likely have different stalls we want to go to and would take different times to explore the city. By separating, we could take our time and go at a slower pace than we would have to in a big group," he said logically.
"The problem however lies in how we will separate." Kukai pointed out. "I've been making different combinations in my mind but I haven't decided which would be the best."
Utau seemed to be about to speak but Amu had failed to notice. She provided a solution to his dilemma swiftly.
"That is simple enough," Amu replied easily. "I shall take charge of Yukihino-san and Takahirito-san. You shall take charge of Umikonoe-san. This arrangement would be best, seeing as how Yukihino-san and Kohinata-san would not be able to get much progress if they were to be grouped together – and meeting up like this would be no point if we retained our previous arrangement. And you," Amu gestured to Kukai, "seem to get along fairly well with the Umikonoe-san. She is most likely the one that would draw attention among all of us because of her looks. I believe you would be more reliable in a situation where there would be physical contact." Amu glanced at Tadase and Yaya. "And I believe I'm capable enough to handle Takahirito-san and Yukihino-san." She continued in a reassuring tone.
Kukai was nodding in approval as he digested her words. "It would be better for more people to go with you since there would be a lesser chance of getting lost if you were leading them. If you were looking for me and Umi-san, I'm confident that you could find us faster than I could find you."
"Would this arrangement be acceptable?" Amu addressed her charges and Yaya.
Yaya beamed at her and Tadase nodded. Amu was most concerned, however, of Utau's reaction to her proposal. Inwardly, Amu would have liked to be in charge of escorting Utau. She was her aide and it was her duty to watch over her needs at all times. But Amu was not confident that she could protect the Princess if worst came to worst – Kukai, however, who has lived protecting the Souma family's heir would truly be more reliable than a weak girl like her. She would have to place her trust in him.
"I have no objections." Utau answered readily when Amu turned to ask her. Amu gave a sigh of relief and smiled, satisfied with the outcome.
"Ah, but what about these?" Amu inquired, gesturing to the plates and cups they had used.
Yaya smiled and answered, "No worries. Servants will come here in about half an hour to pick them up and take them back to the Manor, I explicitly told them to do so before I came back here."
"For once you actually did something sensible." Kukai said offhandedly with a teasing smile and Yaya responded by pulling out her tongue at him.
"Kohinata keeps treating Yuki like a kid." She complained, using her pseudonym to address herself.
Before another argument could ensue, Tadase interceded. "Shall we be on our way then?" he asked with a pleasant smile.
"We should meet at around half an hour before twilight. Is that acceptable?" Kukai asked and all of them nodded. "Good. I don't want us to be out too late, it would be harder guarding you guys at night."
"Let's go then!" the excitement clearly shone through his eyes and he could hardly contain it in his voice.
Deep inside, Amu felt a little jump in her chest. After all, this was also her first time joining in the annual Imperial Festival. Maybe she was indeed a little excited as well.
-OoO-
Utau gazed at her surroundings with renewed interest when they returned once more to the crowded streets. There seemed to be far more people compared to before. Different kinds of people passed her – ronin, commoners, monks, kabuki dancers and entertainers traversed the streets like it was their own backyard. The buzz of excitement was so thick Utau was sure she could just grab it with her hands. Her eyes roamed ceaselessly. It seemed as if there were so many new things she could discover but there was not enough time.
Utau had not realized that she had stopped walking when something had captured her attention.
"Umi."
Her attention was caught by a street performer who was singing a song she had not heard before. The sound was thrilling and the manner in which the male performer sang was different from how she sang. She wanted to listen closer to the source to distinguish the vague lyrics that was reaching her ears.
"Umi –"
She closed her eyes and tried to follow the source of the sound – but just as she was about to take a step, she felt warm breath brush against her ear.
"Utau," Kukai's voice finally registered and she jumped away from him out of reflex, covering her ear gingerly.
Kukai laughed at her reaction. "Did you find something that interests you?" he asked with a knowing smile.
"Y-yes. There's someone singing somewhere." She pointed to the general direction of the male voice. Kukai tilted his head in the direction she pointed and concentrated for a second. "You're right." He agreed.
He drew closer to her and reached out to her with both hands. Utau froze for a moment and Kukai's hands grasped her hood. He pulled it more firmly over her head; she had not realized that it was beginning to slip off. "Understood. I shall take you there." His gaze lingered on her face for as long as his hands held her hood.
He held out his hand, "It might get a little rough so please hold onto my hand, Umi-san." He smiled his usual smile – the smile she liked best about him. Utau willingly reached out for his hand and held it but all the while
The two of them began to move and Utau could already here the voice getting louder bit by bit. Utau watched in awe as Kukai expertly maneuvered both of them in the throng of people that surrounded them. Despite how many people they were impeding by their direction of movement, Utau hardly felt any jostling from them. Kukai seemed to be moving steadily, as if he were walking normally.
She could not help but feel somewhat irritated at her pseudonym for the duration of the Festival. She liked it when Kukai called her by her name – hearing a different name leave his lips irritated her. She was not confident that she could enjoy bearing a false name for three whole days. Then she suddenly realized that she might not be together with him tomorrow – Reiji's invitation had only mentioned that they would explore the city on this day.
She began to be anxious. She was starting to feel that time was moving much faster than usual and when she glanced at Kukai's profile, he had that adventurous glint in his eyes. She gave a sigh and realized that it wouldn't do any good to rush things especially not when he was in such a good mood.
Soon the voice was near enough for Utau to understand the real content of the song. She was already face to face with the singer who was already attracting quite a lot of women. Utau could hear the girls around her gushing on about his voice. The young man looked to be about the same age as her with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was accompanying his voice with a melody from the koto that was being played in a somewhat inelegant manner. Kukai let go of her hand and allowed her to go in front of him where there was a better view of the performer.
He finished his song and smiled charmingly at his female audience. His eyes scanned all of them and when his gaze found where Utau was standing, he paused for a moment. A flirtatious smile slowly made its way to his lips. Utau resisted the urge to cringe, wanting to listen to him sing properly.
He winked at her and began to play once more. Utau closed her eyes and focused her attention on the reverberations in his voice. As the song progressed, Utau was feeling more and more disappointed. He had a good voice, that was certain – but the songs he sang lacked essence and meaning. She felt the falsity in the words that left his lips. They were sugar-coated by his sweet voice, but they were plainly dull to Utau's ears.
When he had finished, the audience clapped and asked for more. As for Utau, she had decided that she had heard enough. She turned and was about to address Kukai when the singer's voice became audible.
"That song was for the lovely lady with lavender eyes," he said with a pointed look at her. Utau felt disgust at his attempt to woo her. "Please accept this from me," The singer stood up, carrying a flower he had picked up from the basket beside him with different kinds of flower. The flower he had chosen was a somewhat pretty flower that had numerous small lilac petals clumped together.
"Your beauty is like this flower," Both his hands reached out and Utau knew he was planning to place it in her hair. Just as she was about to evade him, however, a hand shot out from behind her and grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the flower. Another hand from behind her easily plucked the flower.
"Chrysanthemums, huh?" Kukai asked drily. Utau turned to face him and watched as he twirled the flower in his hand. "This flower is a far cry from her beauty. Moon lilies would be a more appropriate choice." The singer was surprised by Kukai's intrusion. He began to look annoyed as he digested Kukai's words.
"Well, thank you for that performance. We look forward to listening to you again, next year." Kukai continued in a more polite tone. Before the singer could answer, Kukai wrapped an arm around Utau's waist and pulled her back into the sea of people.
"Ku – Kohinata!" she called his attention and found him laughing as they waded through the crowd. He let go of her waist and grabbed her hand. He pulled her into step beside him and returned to a normal walking pace.
"He was so absurd!" he exclaimed, on the verge of laughing again, "Your beauty is like this flower," He copied the singer's words with the same tone and broke into another fit of laughter. Utau could only stare at him in wonder until he was sane again. When he began wiping the tears from laughing so hard, Utau posed the question in her mind.
"What are moon lilies?"
At her question, Kukai smiled down at her in a way that made Utau feel suddenly conscious of her appearance. "Moon lilies are my favourite flower. They bloom only during winter nights when the moon is high. In my opinion, they are the prettiest flowers I've ever seen."
"This flower is a far cry from her beauty. Moon lilies would be a more appropriate choice."
His words from moments ago resounded in her ears. He had said that moon lilies would better describe her – and he had just told her that he thought them to be the prettiest flower he had ever seen. Did that mean –? Even just thinking about it made Utau flush with embarrassment.
His finger lightly tapped the tip of her nose. "I'll show you a real one next time," he promised with his usual grin.
"Ku – Kohinata," she mentally scolded herself for her continual blunders but pressed on. "What were you thinking when he was, how do you say this – trying to enter my good graces?" Her question had been serious but Kukai had started laughing again. She stared at him, dumbfounded and somewhat irritated now.
A thought suddenly occurred to her a few minutes ago. Kukai had purposely prevented the street performer from touching her moments ago. Utau wanted to know his reason for doing so and she knew that the easiest way to find out was to just ask him directly. Kukai was not the type to lie to somebody and if it was something he could not answer, he merely remained quiet. Utau was not worried, either he would answer or he would just keep quiet, that was how she had come to know this person called Kukai.
"You make it sound so proper, Umi. There is no need for euphemisms – you meant, what did I think when he was flirting with you?" he asked deliberately. Utau was embarrassed when he had phrased it that way but she nodded and waited eagerly for his reply.
He seemed to ponder over her question for a few seconds. But then he suddenly grinned and scratched his head. "I don't really know what was going through my mind," he said cheerfully and Utau felt the sudden urge to cause him bodily harm somehow.
Kukai must have sensed her intentions because moved a bit farther from her and raised his free hand, the one not holding her own, in front of him to protect himself. "I just…didn't like the idea of him touching you so easily," he said hastily.
Utau's anger abated immediately at his reply. "I beg your pardon?" she had heard him, but she wanted him to say it again more slowly.
"Before I grabbed his wrist, I knew what he was planning – and I felt it to be unacceptable. I…didn't like the idea of him touching you so easily." When he repeated it, Utau did not mistake the tinge of red that touched his cheeks. He was embarrassed!
She smiled reflexively at his expression. "I see," the hint of teasing was unmistakable in her tone.
"A-anyway, where do you want to go next?" he swiftly changed the subject and Utau decided to let it slide. She moved close enough to him that their shoulders were already bumping as they walked on.
"Anywhere is fine," she acquiesced.
"No place in particular?" Utau nodded in reply.
"I have never attended a Festival remember? I do not have the slightest idea of the things I can see during the Festival."
Kukai nodded and began to think of their next destination. Truthfully, Utau would not have cared where they went or where spent their time. She was happy just walking with Kukai – and Kukai's embarrassed expression was not something she could find in any of the stalls scattered around the city. More than the stalls or attractions of the festivities, the thing that interested Utau most would always be Kukai.
-OoO-
"Yukihino-san," Amu said sternly, "I don't see the reason why we had to split up if you intended on following both of them in the first place." Amu addressed the brown-haired girl with the most polite tone she could manage in this situation where they were doing something against her will.
When they had separated, rather than Amu taking the lead – Yaya had taken the lead as if it was what she had intended from the start. Yaya, however, was so focused on Utau and Kukai that she had not heard a word she had said.
"Yuki –" Amu reached out to shake Yaya's shoulder but Tadase's gentle but firm hand stopped her. She looked at him questioningly. Tadase kept his gaze on Yaya for another moment before her turned and replied to her silent question.
"Ame-san," he called her attention with a soft voice but his eyes were serious and understanding. "I believe she has her reasons. There must be something she wants to confirm – and it's something she can only understand by watching both of them." Tadase's voice was reasonable and patient.
Amu closed her eyes for a moment and pushed back all of the words she had begun preparing to convince Yaya to abandon her mission of spying on Utau and Kukai. Amu herself had noticed the strangeness of their relationship but she had never even entertained the idea of breaching the Princess's privacy to satisfy her curiosity. She found such an act to be highly improper and unexpected from a mere servant. She could not so easily consent to something like this.
"I'm afraid –" she was about to voice her real thoughts but Tadase already knew what she planned on saying. "Will you go along with this for my sake?" he asked with a knowing smile. He knew exactly how to make her obey – he must have already grasped the principle of her character.
Amu sighed heavily and readjusted her posture, "Of course, Takahirito-san." She agreed, concealing the reluctance in her voice skilfully. Tadase gave her a rueful smile and motioned for them to follow after Yaya. Amu and Tadase drew closer to her; she was still watching the pair intently with all of her attention. Amu glimpsed her expression and lost the last of her will to stop her. Yaya was determined – more determined than she had assumed. She was already near impossible to dissuade normally, but now that Amu could see she was serious, she believed there was no chance she could convince the girl otherwise.
Yaya stopped in her tracks. Amu traced Yaya's line of sight to where the pair had abruptly stopped on the main road. Amu watched Kukai's expression changed from curious, to worried and then to playful just before he leaned towards the Princess and whispered in her ear. Utau jumped back with an expression Amu had not anticipated. The Princess was flustered and her face was slightly red. Kukai's expression bothered her as well; there was that softness in his expression that Amu still could not quite place.
Kukai readjusted the Princess's hood and covered a third of her face from them. After talking for a bit, he let go of her hood and offered her his hand which Utau had taken quite cautiously, in Amu's opinion. They were once again on the move – and Amu, Tadase and Yaya continued their pursuit. Throughout their whole espionage, Yaya had not said a single word. She had only watched the two of them without fail, with a stoic expression plastered to her face.
The two of them had stopped to watch the performance of a young man playing the koto. Amu understood why such a thing would catch Utau's attention. She was bothered however when it was obvious that the Princess had attracted the attention of the performer. He dared talk to her so improperly and the way he looked at her irritated Amu to a degree; she wanted nothing more than to pull the Princess away from an ugly situation that would likely arise from the attentions of the male performer.
Already, the girls surrounding the pair were looking at her with envy. But the Princess seemed determined to listen to a song from him. Amu could tell that she wanted to leave at once as well – but her interest in his music had not waned despite his display of personality. When the performer played another song, she focused not on his figure but on the sound he was making. After a while, Amu could tell that she was not at all impressed with his music. When Amu turned to look at Tadase and Yaya, she found that Tadase seemed to share the same sentiments as Utau based from the frown he wore.
After the young man sang however, the situation changed abruptly. He began to make an approach on the Princess. Amu felt her jaw clenched as she watched them from the sidelines. She wanted very badly to slap away the hand of the young man reaching out for Utau.
Truthfully, Amu herself wanted to step between the lowly performer and her Highness. Amu believed that it was absurd for him to think he even had the right to address her so casually in such an unsightly manner. The same thoughts seemed to have plagued Tadase as he looked ready to come between them as well.
It was only when Kukai had grabbed the wrist of the singer that Yaya slowly made a smile. Amu silently applauded Kukai's choice of action. He had uttered something that seemed to have insulted the performer but he gave his signature smile and made a clean escape. Tadase looked relieved once the pair had escaped into the crowd. Yaya watched as Kukai and Utau's heads blended in slowly with the people before they disappeared completely.
"So that was it," Yaya muttered under her breath. She gave a triumphant smile and clapped her hands together in glee. She muttered something else but Amu was not sure if she had heard right. It sounded as if she said something along the lines of, "Be happy, Kukai." But that would be such a strange thing for her to say because the Princess was engaged to Reiji-dono, was she not?
Amu was so busy mulling over it that she failed to see comprehension dawn on Tadase's face. Amu was just surprised to find that both he and Yaya were exuding pleased auras. He, too, was staring at the direction they had disappeared to as if he was earnestly wishing for something.
"Where do you want to go, Taka-chin?" Yaya asked brightly, returning to her normal carefree self. Amu was still trying to discover what they had understood but Yaya and Tadase were not giving her the chance.
"Shall we go, Ame-san? There is so much to see." Tadase inquired. Amu could not deny the excitement in his voice. It was clear that both of them had no intention of going deeper into an explanation, so Amu settled with leaving it for a later date to think over. She sighed and succumbed easily enough to their demands.
She still wondered what she had missed but Amu was also not the type to let things get in the way of her duty. So just like always, she set her personal emotions aside and chose to perform her duty. Her emotions were inconsequential – what mattered was that she did what she was required to do.
-OoO-
"Your Highness, I've brought you tea." Kairi spoke in a deferential manner as he entered Ikuto's Office. Ikuto was completely barricaded by piles of paper. It took a while for Kairi to determine a route towards his table but soon enough, he was placing Ikuto's tea cup before him. He was still reading through one scroll with unusual focus. It was the first time Kairi had seen Ikuto putting so much effort into his work.
"You haven't rested since this morning, Your Highness. Please rest for a few minutes."Kairi implored, noting the fact that Ikuto was almost halfway done with his irregular amount of work. He seemed to be more determined to finish his work this time around. Kairi was sure he would be able to finish all of it before the second day of the Festival even started; Kairi was curious but it was not his right to ask Ikuto's intentions so he chose to remain silent like always.
He was tasked to watch over him and he did not really feel an inclination to join in the Festival activities in the city. He watched as Ikuto swirled the contents of his cup before he took a slow sip. He closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to enjoy the warmth of the tea. Kairi could sense the fatigue when he gave a low sigh.
"Kairi," Ikuto opened his eyes slightly, his gaze still directed at the cup in his hand. "If I finish my paperwork early, there would be no reason for you to remain here to watch over me." He continued quietly. Kairi immediately understood what he was trying to convey to him. He was telling him to join the Festival once he finished all of his duties.
Kairi was aware that if Ikuto would order him to leave the Palace and join the Festival – he would have no choice but to obey. He had been curious moments ago but now that Ikuto's intent was plainly obvious, he almost wished it wasn't true.
"Unless you need me, I shall be here." He replied steadfastly, hoping that he would allow him to stay and assist him even if there was nothing to assist with. He did not realize that he was already clenching his fists and readying himself to argue.
Ikuto put down his tea cup and smiled at him, "When I'm finished, I want you to go to the Festival," he said with a tone of finality. Kairi knew that tone well enough, it sounded wistful but it was indubitably and order he was required to follow. Kairi knew it was not his place to protest but he wanted to serve Ikuto and if Ikuto was not allowed to join the Festival, he wanted to join him in his solitude here at the Palace. That was what a real aide would do.
"But Your Highness –" he was already preparing himself to convince Ikuto to let him stay but Ikuto would have none of it.
"Either you leave…or I leave," he said seriously. There was no hint of jest in his tone and Kairi knew he would not be convinced, no matter what he said. Ikuto was usually aloof but there were times where he could be serious as well. Kairi half-heartedly admitted defeat and let out an inaudible sigh.
"Understood." He agreed, inwardly wishing he could refuse the order. But he did not want to cause others unnecessary trouble, so rather than forcibly making the Prince do something irresponsible he readied himself for another scolding from his sister. He knew it would come if Ikuto would finish early and it was unavoidable.
Ikuto drank the last of his tea, "Thank you for the tea. I have rested enough." It was Ikuto's way of telling him that he should be left alone to finish his work. He picked up the scroll he had been reading before and returned to his work without waiting for a reply form Kairi. Kairi silently and carefully picked up the tray and Ikuto's cup. Going through his previous route, he was able to exit the Office faster than when he was trying to get to Ikuto.
Once he was outside the hallway, he gave a disheartened smile. "Does this mean that he considers me more of a hindrance now? He wouldn't send me away otherwise." He stared at the sky that was nearing twilight.
He turned on his heel and made his way back to his work station, all the while thinking of ways he could make himself useful to Ikuto again.
-OoO-
Nagihiko always loved the silence just before a performance. That still moment where he could hear his heart beating and feel the blood rushing through his veins; he loved the thrill and the feeling of excitement that would spread throughout his body, to the very tips of his fingertips. It was something that nothing else could let him experience.
He let out a deep breath and let it out as the same time he opened his eyes. With one precise movement, he began his performance. The swish of the fabric, the movement of air, the sound each of his movements made – he manipulated all of them to form them into a beautiful melody. It was something he knew he was born to do. Whenever he performed, he could hear nothing else but the music he was making through dance. It was only on stage that Nagihiko felt that he was part of a different world – a world which no one else could enter but him.
Each step he made, to Nagihiko, it was simply adding another note to his masterpiece.
Suddenly, a short clap interrupted his symphony.
"Nadeshiko," his mother said sternly. "Do you think the audience would be pleased with such a performance?" her tone was sharp and reprimanding. Nagihiko flinched inwardly.
"I've told you over and over again that a lady does not move so gruffly," his mother continued severely.
Nagihiko directly met his mother's gaze. "Please let me try again. I shall rectify my mistakes as soon as possible." He spoke in a determined tone, but inwardly he was already rebelling.
He could not move like a lady because he was not one, in fact. But such an excuse was not acceptable in the Fujisaki family. All of the successors were men – and they were all better dancers than any woman. Nagihiko had tried to figure out what had been the secret to their skill once but his father had only replied that it all came down to one thing.
Knowing yourself.
Until now, Nagihiko did not understand what his Father had meant by that.
He paused, and started again – clearing his mind once more and beginning his dance.
When his Mother had dismissed him, Nagihiko had immediately returned to his room to ponder over his mistakes. There was something that his mother was constantly expecting from him. From the day he first learned how to dance, there was this glimmer in his Mother's eyes that made him feel pressured to do better than his current level.
This was the first time he was going to perform outside the Imperial Palace – the first time he would perform during the Imperial Festival. His mother's scolding did not usually bother him but now that he would perform soon, her scolding was slowly decreasing his confidence that he would perform satisfactorily. If he was not good enough for his Mother, would he be good enough for the citizens of the Imperial City?
He was constantly overwhelmed by such thoughts and he would lay awake at night thinking over and over again what it was that he lacked as a performer. No matter how hard he practiced or how much he thought over it – he couldn't shake the feeling that his masterpiece was always left incomplete in a way.
"Nagi."
"Nagi, wake up." His eyes slowly opened and he found a familiar robe by his face. He blinked a few times and realized that he had actually fallen asleep on his study table, a quill still twined in one of his hands.
"Rima," he uttered her name without hesitation. Her scent was enough of a hint for him. He raised his head to look at her and found her looking down at him with a small frown.
"Have you been sleeping properly, Nagi? Your eyes are bruised," she said disapprovingly. Nagihiko shrugged – one of his boyish gestures that he did not dare do in front of other people.
"I've been trying to sleep but I cannot seem to catch my sleep anymore," he replied softly. Even he could hear the tiredness in his voice. It wasn't something that could be hidden so easily now. Before, he could easily pretend that he was in perfect condition even if he had a fever. But now he felt completely drained and overcome with fatigue that even just speaking was tiring him.
"You should retire for today, Nagi. Else you will collapse during your performance tomorrow." This time, Nagihiko could tell that Rima was starting to sound a little worried. She was convincing him but Nagihiko did not even have the strength of argue anymore, he felt dizzy by just being awake. He nodded and allowed her to put him to bed. Just as she was about to leave however, Nagihiko held her hand and kept her in her place beside his futon.
"Rima," he uttered her name with a desperate tone. He knew even she had heard it in his voice. She stilled and paid him all of her attention. He did not even need to look to know, he knew her well enough.
"Yes? Is there anything you need?" she asked dutifully, in a way an aide would ask her master.
Nagihiko had one arm covering his eyes. "I'm scared," he uttered in a voice that was barely audible.
After a while, Rima slowly pried away his grip from her wrist and she held his hands within hers. The coldness of his clammy fingers slowly dissipated through her warmth. Rima said nothing at first but Nagihiko was sure that she had heard his confession.
"Nagi, you are a great dancer," she answered simply.
"But I am not good enough." He replied bitterly, clenching the fist of the arm covering his eyes, "Everyone keeps looking at me like I can further improve myself from this level… and I'm scared, Rima," he repeated in a distraught voice, "I'm scared that maybe this is already the limit of my improvement. I'm scared that I won't be able to surpass my level right now."
Every one of them acted as if he had so much potential and that he would become someone as great as his father and all the other heirs of the Fujisaki family. They acted as if it was a fact – and Nagihiko was also afraid of betraying their expectations and reveal that he was actually inferior.
"Not everyone is born perfect, Nagi." She sounded a little irritated. "The person placing the heaviest burden on your shoulder is yourself. Do you think all the other heirs achieved results overnight? Of course they didn't – they had to work hard, possibly much harder than the effort you are putting in now. Talent is something you are born with but skill is something you achieve with practice. If you think you aren't good enough then you simply lack practice. Do not go setting your own limit, because when you do you would not even try to overcome it will you? If you believe that you are only until here then you will only ever reach until here." He voice was everything but reasonable, she sounded somewhat upset even.
"I –" he was about to reply but Rima was clearly not done yet.
"I can't believe you have been losing sleep over such a simple thing." She gave a sigh and raised his hand to her face. She kissed his knuckles lightly, as if she had merely brushed a feather over it. "Just do your best, Nagi. Do you best, enjoy what you're doing and everything will surely be alright. I'm on your side, what is to be afraid of?" there was a confident edge to her voice that made Nagihiko laugh reflexively..
He pulled away his arm from his eyes and stared at Rima's face for a few seconds before he closed his eyes. "Good night, Rima." He muttered softly.
Rima smiled. "Good night, Nagi."
She held his hand until his breathing steadied and reluctantly let go. She watched him sleep soundly for the first time in weeks. He had even slept with a smile on his face; Rima felt extremely relieved. She was glad that Nagihiko had finally opened up to her about his problem. She had waited patiently for him to tell her but he had stubbornly kept it to himself, carrying the burden on his own like always.
"Idiot," she whispered, but there was no spite in it. "I won't… let anyone say you are worthless."
-OoO-
"Kohinata, you seem to be skilled in dealing with women." Utau observed as once again, he had managed to bamboozle another girl at a different stall to do what he wanted to do. Kukai looked back at her with a surprised expression. "Was it a lie when you told me before that you had no experience with women?" Utau asked a little sharply, not directly meeting Kukai's eyes. She kept her gaze locked on the piece of pottery she was holding in her hand.
"It wasn't a lie." Kukai replied offhandedly, Utau sneaked a glance at him and found him admiring a different piece of pottery. He knelt down and examined a bigger vase which had also caught Utau's eye moments ago. He brushed his fingers over the surface of the pot with a tentative look. Utau put down the small ceramic vase in her hand and knelt down beside him.
"Then why can you talk to other girls so easily?" she asked and Kukai chuckled at her question.
"Does it seem that way to you?" he gave her a sideways glance and she blushed under his scrutiny. Utau shifted her gaze to the pot in front of both of them and answered.
"I suppose," she answered hesitantly with a hint of embarrassment. "It was obvious in the sweet shop we went to before. Even the waitress was embarrassed after you talked to her." She added sheepishly.
"Ahh," Kukai placed two fingers on his chin, "But I only met them recently."
Utau was surprised, "Truly?" she breathed out. But when she had been watching them, they seemed to get along pretty well. They acted like old friends in the way they had bantered with each other. Had she been wrong?
"Truly," he answered with a smile. He stood up slowly and Utau followed him, determined to keep up this line of conversation. "It was only recently that I had the freedom to leave the Manor as I pleased. I explored as much as I wanted and the lady back at the sweet shop was kind enough to offer me some dango when I forgot to bring some money with me on one of my trips."
He was still moving around the stall, looking over each piece the owner of the stall had made. Nothing else had caught her attention in the shop but Kukai seemed to find something of interest in each piece. He devoted most of his time to inspect each piece fully.
"If I looked as if I could easily talk to them, you should see how I talk to girls who I don't know personally. Daiichi would always tease me about it after. I've learned from experience of course, on how to handle other girls," he said matter-of-factly.
Utau frowned, "Experience from whom?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion. Kukai turned back to her with a sceptical smile. He laughed at her clueless expression.
"Who else? You, of course." He answered like it was obvious, before he turned back to what he had been scrutinizing. "I think I told you before that you were my first female friend. Yaya is like a little sister so she doesn't really count as a female acquaintance. Plus, you've met her. Experience with her does not apply to others." He added the bit about Yaya with a dry tone and a low chuckle.
Utau was glad that he had averted his gaze after he gave his reply. She was really glad he did not see how swiftly the blood had rushed to her cheeks after he replied. Utau instinctively turned around afterwards, her face still burning. She tried to cover it up with both of her hands and hastily pretended that she was also examining something.
"Did anything catch you eye, Umi?" Kukai asked and Utau panicked as she heard his voice closer than before. She knew he was coming over to see what she was looking at. She turned around and pushed what she was holding in front of her, hoping it would divert his gaze from her.
"T-this looks interesting!"
There was silence for half a minute before Kukai was suddenly laughing uncontrollably. Her surprise at his reaction made her look up at him automatically, forgetting that she was trying to hide. One of his arms was clutching his abdomen and the other was covering his mouth. He was trying so hard to stop laughing so much that tears were forming at the corner of his eyes.
She suddenly realized what had sparked this fit of laughter. She glimpsed the drawing on the vase that she held in her hands and her face flamed all the more. She had picked up a vase with the drawing of a fat naked man eating grapes in what she assumed was an elegant position. It wasn't beautiful in any way and Utau felt so ashamed that she threw the vase at Kukai and ran from the shop.
She wasn't thinking as she wove through the crowd, passing by each person; she also had not realized that her hood had fallen off her head. She stopped running when the realization that she had no idea where she was anymore struck her. She surveyed her surroundings and found nothing that was familiar to her at all. She closed her eyes and counted one to ten. When she reached the reached ten, she was calm enough to think logically of her situation.
To sum everything up, because of her reckless actions she was very much lost.
She gave a sigh and moved to lean against the wall of one of the shops. She was still pondering on how she would get back to Kukai when a hand abruptly grabbed onto the sleeve of her robe.
-OoO-
Endnote: Summer is over, boo! But on the bright side I have this chapter as a reward for getting through my first year of college! Banzai! Who needs a love life when I have my Darling Kukai? :DD Anyway, thankfully, I got over my slump about two months ago and now that a new school year is about to start here in the Philippines I'm sad to say that I will definitely be busy again. I'm sorry if I keep making you wait like this. Plot bunnies are really hard to come by in between Bio70 and Organic Chemistry. The next time I will update will probably be from October to November which is the next break I'll have. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter update. I kind of rushed it before school started again so I might have a few errors here and there. BTW, the next chapter is already half way done because I really hate cliff hangers, I had to use one here out of necessity. I am literally out of time to type already and me being me, typed out the continuation to satisfy myself. Hopefully, I may find some time to finish the chapter in between working days. Wish me luck at school! I really missed you guys! Till next time! :D
PS. And if it's not too much, I hope you can leave a review because I have an uncanny feeling that I've lost my touch again. You don't know, your review might give me the drive to finish the next chapter faster. I hope to update faster!