-A Akira? I asked, without the foggiest idea as what was going on.
-Dear Dear
Akira couldn t do anything else aside babbling those words, a slight shaking from her paws and body began becoming stronger, tears appeared on her small eyes and soon raced down her cheeks, all were stunned what was going on? Why was she reacting that way? She began sobbing it was visible she was sad I tried to understand what was happening by asking:
-Akira-chan what is going on?
-Akira? asked Dawn as well, standing up what happened? Are you sad? Are you in pain?
However no one couldn t extract from Akira anything else than some sobbing and sniffs, right when I was about to ask a moment to Kikuri so I could go and get near Akira, she looked at me with such sadness that something inside me hurt and right afterwards she just shouted:
-Richard, YOU ARE MEAN! running right after to the exit.
I was getting ready to follow her when Dawn volunteered to do that herself seeing Akira had just called me mean I knew that Dawn wouldn t make a rushed judgment of what happened and would give me information on what was happening Akira for some odd reason, I was making it official my relationship with Kikuri but couldn t stop thinking about my personal caretaker
-Resuming - I resumed from where I had stopped I wish to be your boyfriend and stay with you Kikuri! Do you accept the proposition from a silly noble?
-O O Of course! replied Kikuri, coming back to reality that s what I always dreamed of! If a mere slave is what you wish for your life sweetie, I accept with pleasure!
-Knowing that I asked is there anyone that is against this? Becoming Kikuri s boyfriend that is?
I swear to everything that is holiest that I begged to myself that Yumi would stand up and protest, that didn t happen for sure however, all of them just nodded and right after that, my blonde nekomimi looked at me and just said: Do as you wish Richard the life is yours after all and stood up saying she wasn t feeling good and left the premises
We decided then to start the feast; however there was more than ten minutes since Dawn went to talk with Akira I believed that she was still speaking with her big mistake on my behalf, a couple of seconds after these thoughts crossed my mind the inumimi entered all flustered in the room, sweating and panting; with a worried face she told me moments later:
-Rick! Akira is disappeared! she said between one panting and another.
-What do you mean disappeared? I asked frozen.
-She isn t here any longer! I tried finding her on the mansion following her scent, but the track went up to the kitchen door and ended outside! she reported.
-Dusk and Dawn! I called both sisters at once can t your two track her down together outside?
-We could rick stated Dawn however as it just began raining I already lost her scent!
-Curses! That isn t good at all! If she is found by guards at this time alone with a slave mark she can even be killed! said, turning myself to Kikuri s direction I need to go after her! Sorry kitten, we shall continue this later alright?
-Not a problem sweetie! she replied while she prepared herself to follow me.
-We will help you Richard! volunteered Dawn, Dusk, Saori, Momiji and Enmie.
-I will stay here in case Akira comes back boy Stephan stated.
After settling those last details, we rushed to the kitchen exits where it was still faintly visible the mark of small paws, however due to the rain they were already disappearing, and considering the current light conditions, it would be impossible follow them, and waiting until next morning was out of question.
I knew that searching randomly around wouldn t do any good as well, I had to follow a search strategy or we would just lose time and probably we wouldn t find her I knew how a nekomimi could be sly and hide as soon as it wanted although Akira s reaction still intrigued me what had happened? I would ask as soon as I found her IF I found her, that is
That thought made my heart give a painful beat, because the mere idea of not being able to see Akira made me really sad that made me want even more find my little nekomimi; with that in mind I gave orders to everyone with me so we could start the search:
-Momiji you go north, Saori you go east, Kikuri go south, Dawn and Dusk look at the west side, as you girls are underage stay close, I don t want the police to capture you now alright? As for me, I will search near all around, seeing Akira couldn t have gone too far! In case you find her, take her home and wait in this same spot, so we shall know that the search ended, I am counting on you!
Having said that we began our searching the area, everyone on their respective area; all shouting at full force Akira or Akira where are you girl? I would run through the local woods trying to imagine where my little one was branches would hit my face the cold rain would almost freeze even the deepest part of my body and thinking that the girl was in a obscure place, which only her little mind knew, wet and abandoned; made something in me suffer I still didn t know why I liked her that much.
Ten minutes passed, then twenty, then half hour, one, two, four, six hours and no one found Akira it was ten to three in the morning and when everyone was reunited on the meeting point none had any news about the whereabouts of her, what just made me more worried. All were already showing signs of exhaustion, no one had stopped for a single moment they were genuinely worried however, I said:
-All of you go back inside, you can sleep; you need to rest for tomorrow.
-But we haven t found out Akira-chan! protested Dawn.
-Please, I don t want you guys to become sick; leave me here and go rest I don t like using this kind of thing but that is an order I said firmly, yet respectfully.
-Where do you want to keep looking for Richard? Do you believe that she is far already? Is there any special place that is very special to her in where she can be in? asked Kikuri, being the last one that was going to leave.
-No as far as I know there is no place that Akira thinks that is spec - I interrupted my sentence midway as I punched my own hand SHE CAN ONLY BE IN ONE PLACE! Kikuri, please; make sure everyone can and will go to sleep, I will check the only place Akira can be!
-Yes sweetie take care ok? I shall be praying for you said Kikuri while giving me a kiss on the cheek and returning inside.
As soon as I was sure that everyone was home I began running, I had to go fast to the only place in which we haven t looked yet; I don t what made us forget such place, but now my legs took me as fast as they could there; but even if the rain subsided about half an hour ago, I was still totally drenched and very cold, that wouldn t, however, change my will to reach her as fast as I could.
I was at the limit of my endurance when I arrived at my meditation spot, that same place I used to go after when I needed to be alone only three people knew about this little secret of mine and only two alive ones knew about this place, Yumi and Akira in the very corner of this sacred ground was my nekomimi, sitting on the grass hugging her own knees against her face she was sobbing sadly I noticed she has been there for quite some time, because after the minutes I took to silently recover my breath, she didn t move at all I could hear some of her words Why leave me God? What I do?
That brought pain to my heart it was as if I could feel the pain she was feeling at this moment I decided to end this suffering right now, that is why I said:
-Akira-chan - I said with the most gentle voice I could muster at that moment.
-R R R R Richard? shouted Akira, and with a jump, was already standing, with her tail upwards and stiff so much surprised she was.
-Akira-chan what happened? W Why did you run away? I have been searching for you for six hours now! I said while trying to get near her.
-Six hours? she asked with doubt in her voice why for so long?
-Because I was worried sick! I replied unintentionally a little bit louder.
-Richard! Please d d d don t beat me! she begged even stiffer, as if it was even possible; not knowing if she should just run or stand still.
-Why would I beat you my little one? I whispered some inches from her face I don t know what is going on but I am very worried about you you called me mean and ran I couldn t understand you, my cutie -S S S S - she began stuttering as soon as she remembered having said that to me SORRY! I never knew you were going after someone that was going to be discarded like me -Discarded? I asked her while I touched her shaking shoulders and kneed so I could be with my face on the same level as hers w what did you mean by that? I would never discard you! Didn t I promise I would take care of you forever?
-Y Y Yes you did but even though you found a substitute and is going to marry her! tears were resuming to appear on her eyes.
-Substitute? I replied totally shocked where did you take that from Akira-chan?
-The blonde nekomimi with golden fur said that one day you would marry someone and leave me aside said while began crying.
-Yumi? She said that to you? I thought with an anger wave forming inside me.
-Yes she said that soon, very soon you would marry someone and put her in my place - she cried harder.
Yumi had said something like that? It wasn t possible; she wasn t the kind to spread false gossip specially to a defenseless person like Akira what had happened? Something didn t quite fit there I could even think that the little one could be making this up however this suffering seemed quite real to me would this be a misunderstanding? Exactly! That should be it, I would rather it be something of this sort if I ever knew that the blonde nekomimi did something this low just to be mean but I couldn t think about that right now as I had more urgent business at hand right now, and that subject was in front of me right now, crying I hugged her and whispered on her cat-ears:
-Akira-chan don t cry you must have misunderstood I won t marry Kikuri just yet I said while I stood up while still hugging her.
Akira yelped from the surprise when I brought her with me along in the hug; she put her arms around my neck and the paws behind it, her legs went around my waist, with her head resting on my shoulder she asked:
-But dear you even gave a ring to Kikuri doesn t that mean you are going to marry her?
-That would be exactly the situation if I hadn t already made that promise with that noble nekomimi Akira-chan I said with regret in my voice.
-The one we saw at the palace? asked Akira.
-Yes, I promised that if I didn t love someone and was loved back until the day I was thirty years old, I would marry her so unless I begin loving Kikuri, I will need to break our relationship and marry L via -You never loved anyone? she asked me.
-I really liked someone although I believe I didn t get to love her for me to say I love you with feeling straight from the heart is really hard to do, practically impossible only if someone really special appear in my life I might be able to one day loving is a hard thing Akira -What is love dear - she asked while yawned, with her voice already mixed with drowsiness.
I admit, I had to think for some moments before answering that question. What love was to me? What would it be? More importantly, how to explain it to Akira? Without much clue on how I would be able to explain that to Akira, I just though on the only person I loved in my life up to now and replied:
-Love isn t something simple Akira-chan it is a feeling of happiness when the loved person is present the renounce feeling for the sake and well being of the loved one is wanting to be all moments possible with that person of course there are all kinds of love, but this is the one I am referring to -If love is that de ar - said Akira with a very sleepy voice, almost defeated by drowsiness then I think that I lo ve you
That hit me again, that false and irregular heartbeat what was that? What made me feel like that? I felt something similar to Yumi it was weird however it was more pure it was more tender it was stronger
I was pondering about that when a purr came from Akira mixed with a light snore; sleeping peacefully with her head on my shoulder, took me out of my daydreaming carrying her on my arms, I looked at the sky, which was already opening up after the storm; I was the star Nina liked most, the polar star and mentally I asked her that she guided me tomorrow, both in the work reunion and on how to deal with L via.