88. Enigma

447 Words

"Cut! Alright, everyone, that's a wrap! Good job!"

Mitsuo stopped growling, relaxed and rubbed his forehead.

"This damn paint or whatever is itchy," he complained, fighting the urge to scratch his cheeks.

"Bear it like a man!" Taiki snickered from his seat behind the camera crew.

Mitsuo rolled his eyes.

Ken turned around and offered his hand to Satsuki, who was still sitting on the ground.

She looked at him for a moment, but then took it, allowing him to pull her up.

"Are you alright, Yukino-san?" he asked politely.
"Yes. Thank you." she squeezed his hand and let go.

He smiled that crooked smile of his, while she dusted her school uniform.

"You did really well," Ken complimented the actress.

"Thanks. So did you, it's good we managed to nail it at the first try," Satsuki replied.

Truthfully, though, acting had come so easily to her in the previous scene, that Satsuki was not entirely sure that she had even been acting – the confusion 'Kagome' had felt mirrored her own so closely.

'Kagome's world had turned upside down, with her best friend suddenly becoming the enemy, and their enemy just as unexpectedly becoming her saviour.

Satsuki did not fare much better – she felt just as clueless in her inability to figure Narita Ken out. He seemed to be almost as big as an enigma as 'Sesshoumaru' was.

She sighed and broke out of her musings, only to find his dark eyes studying her closely.

"What?" she asked, though her voice lacked its usual defensive tone.

"Nothing, just admiring that adorable pout," Ken replied casually, his lips twisting in amusement.

Satsuki's eyes narrowed, but her cheeks also immediately tinted pink. She couldn't get angry at his blatant flirting even if she wanted to. Instead she squirmed, unable to respond to him. She hadn't much experience of men making advances at her, so she did not really know how to behave. That was partly why she often grew annoyed at Ken and that bloody amused glint in his eyes. Unlike her, he was very experienced. Talking smoothly and showering her with compliments came naturally to him, but she would only feel uncomfortable and remember her insecurities. Somewhere deep down, she felt happy to have his attention. And she had to admit he had been very kind to her.

But then he would turn around, and she would catch a glimpse of the charismatic ladies' man, and that instantly made her feel like she was the awkward and unfeminine teenage girl again, the one all the guys wanted to hang out with but never date.

And yet he was there, looking at her with those dark, glowing eyes.

Why?