Thank you for the reviews, favs, and follows! I'm so glad to hear that you guys find the story interesting. Sorry for the cliffhangers! Hopefully, this chapter isn't confusing. Do give me a shout if it is :)

To recap, Atobe found a rather unexpected visitor at his home. But how did it all happen?

*insert wavy flashback effect*

Saturday…about an hour ago…12:35pm...at Kawasaki, Kanagawa prefecture

Akemi would have preferred to stay in bed for the whole day, but unfortunately, someone thought it was a bloody good idea to hold a rehearsal at 10am on a Saturday morning. That certain someone also 'requested' her to drop by at the photocopy shop to collect the printed tickets for the play. Before she could voice her opinion, the regulars – muttering various reasons – up and disappeared in a hurry, leaving her standing on her own in front of the school gates.

But since she was already outdoors and needed to run the usual weekend errands, Akemi begrudgingly conceded defeat and took the bus to the city centre. Thankfully, both the photocopy shop and market were conveniently within walking distance.

Despite the dreary weather gradually settling over the city, the popular street was bustling with eager shoppers hoping to snatch a good bargain from the various pop-up stalls selling mostly perishable products, but also snacks fresh from the stoves.

After paying for the apples, Akemi reluctantly set off to find a good vegetable stall. A weary sigh escaped through her parted lips as she rolled her aching shoulders, feeling like the joints would pop off anytime soon.

Unbeknownst to her, the regulars were watching the haggard figure trudging through the packed street from a safe distance. Despite their initial wariness, a few decided to come along.

A smile of delight lit up Yukimura's features. Insofar, everything's playing out according to his plan. At least with the prearranged rehearsal, he didn't need to cook up a convincing excuse at the last moment to lure the manageress out into the open.

'Phase 1 is a success. And now onto phase 2…'

From the rooftop of a nearby office building, a lone mysterious man was observing Akemi's every move through a pair of binoculars.

"This is Kappa. Target is now moving down the street. ETA 2 minutes at your position. Over."

"This is Delta. Roger. Out."

Akemi lost count on the number of times she'd accidentally (literally) bumped into people who had abruptly stopped in their tracks. Well, it wasn't like fatigue allowed her to pay full attention on her whereabouts. And it's due to this reason she didn't evade a hard shoulder bump from a rude passer-by (actually, Niou in disguise), knocking her into a dark alleyway tucked between two buildings where Team Delta laid in waiting for this moment.

One of them caught her and slapped a cloth soaked with a powerful sleeping agent over her nose and mouth. Her meek struggle lasted for no more than five seconds before she lost consciousness. The man carefully lifted the limp form as his comrade grabbed the bags that had fallen from her hands earlier. The team of two nodded at each other and hastily made their way towards a sleek, black saloon car parked out at the back of a narrow street.

An elderly voice greeted them upon entering the vehicle.

"Good job, lads."

As the driver took them back onto the main road towards Tokyo, Michael glanced up at the rear-view mirror and regarded the slumbering girl sitting between the two security guards with an apologetic look on his wrinkled face.

"Please forgive us, Akemi-sama. But this is for both you and Keigo-sama's good."

Even if it meant going behind the Young Master's back, the butler had no qualms in providing assistance when Oshitari made a call last night, explaining the whole situation and disclosing the plan to him. Like the rest of the household staffs, the young Atobe's recent moody temperament worried him after all (though he vaguely knew what's troubling him).

Once back at the manor, Michael resumed his butler duty, acting as a diversion while the security guards snuck Akemi into Atobe's bedroom. It wouldn't be prudent to cause a furore among the staffs shortly before the Young Master's arrival. After setting her down on the bed, a sealed envelope was placed on the bedside table next to the sleeping form. Loud barks behind the door alerted the guards to Atobe's presence. In a moment of panic, they fled to safety via the balcony just as the door opened.

XXX

Presently at the Atobe's residence…2:02pm

Atobe stared in complete bafflement at the girl lying fast asleep on his bed.

Should he get his eyes checked with the family doctor? Did the rock-heavy bag render him delusional after getting struck on the head?

The Hyotei Captain hastily rejected both ludicrous notions with a vigorous shake of his head. His brilliant eyesight hardly failed him, and for him to be delusional, that's beyond far-fetched.

But –

It paid to be cautious right?

The chandelier above lit up at a flick of the switch, illuminating his expansive room. Rubbing his eyes furiously, he crept closer to the bed for a better look at that pale face.

Nope, it's definitely her alright.

He stepped back, gripping the spot between his eyes with a pained expression.

Why? How?

Nobody uttered a word about a guest on his way here, and considering how she was shunning him for unknown reasons, Atobe doubted she'd invited herself in, much less dropped by at his home for an impromptu visit.

Venting a weary sigh, he decided to put that aside for the moment and turned his attention to the sealed envelope he only took notice. Forgoing the use of a letter opener, he tore the side of the envelope and slipped the letter out.

The paper, torn from an A5 notebook, was covered in crinkles and there was an ugly tear running halfway down the page that was hastily patched up using adhesive tapes. As such, tt was almost impossible to make out the handwriting which looked uncannily familiar.

He shrugged his shoulders and began to read the letter.

Keigo,

It has come to my attention something transpired between you and Rikkai's manageress for the past few days. Whatever it is, please do sort out your current state of relationship with her. I'm afraid the sanities of a few individuals are wearing thin and on the brink of eruption. Having heard of your frequent visits to Rikkai, we've (various we's and I's were crossed out and written above one another) taken the liberty of presenting you with Akemi-san in full form. You handle the rest. ;-D

Oh, and by the way. Knowing you're jumping with joy right this moment, you can thank us on Monday.

Your ever faithful chum...

His eyebrows twitched madly at the sketch of a pair of round glasses at the bottom (in lieu of the sender's signature). One look and he instantly knew which scum-of-the-Earth penned the letter.

'Yuushi! How did he –?' Atobe returned to gripping the spot between his eyes as he tried to subdue the onslaught of headache as though a ten-inch nail was being driving into his skull. 'How did he know ore-sama have been coming to Rikkai!?'

He shook his head furiously.

'No. No need to get worked up over this,' he berated himself, scowling at that piece of paper and then at Akemi. 'More importantly, she's here at ore-sama's house (specifically his bed). This is a golden opportunity not to be wasted. Ore-sama might as well ask her directly.'

Before he could do anything though, a draft from outside caused the letter to flap noisily. He glanced down and blinked in surprise. There was another part to the letter written on the back. Frowning in puzzlement, he flipped the paper. His eyebrows soared higher and higher the further he read.

Just as he reached the last sentence, another blast of cold wind drifted into his bedroom. Movement and a soft distressed noise prompted him to glance at his bed. Akemi had rolled onto her side and was curling up into a tight ball. Her face was contorted in discomfort, and faint tremors were racking her body.

As though acting on automatic mode, Atobe quickly went to shut the balcony door, cutting off the remaining draft. He took out a spare duvet from the wardrobe, threw it over her shivering form, and lastly, tucked one of his pillows under her head. He stepped back to examine his handiwork, feeling absolutely pleased with himself when Akemi was sleeping peacefully once more moments later.

He jerked in surprise at the sudden change of event.

"Just what's ore-sama doing?" he sighed exasperatedly. "But…" He stooped down to her eye-level, squinting at the prominent dark circles peeping from underneath her lashes. "When did she last sleep?" He fell into a pensive silence, gripping his chin as he watched her mumble incoherently in her sleep.

Come to think of it…

He straightened up and was about to grab his forgotten gym bag when something caught his eyes. There was a pair of black flats on the floor (her shoes were removed by the security guards), and a familiar handbag sitting on the velvet cushion.

…the few times he caught her off guard, he noticed how worn-out Akemi appeared before she slapped on that horror-stricken expression of hers at the sight of him.

Were they (sleep deprivation + shunning him) related?

Atobe wondered, as he unclasped the Humboldt penguin keychain from the bag's zip and held it up to the light to examine the unassuming accessory he bought for her on the trip to Tokyo Skytree. He had originally asked if she wanted the stuffed fur seal doll, but…

XXX

(Weeks ago at the Sumida Aquarium's souvenir shop)

"What about this, Akemi?" Atobe patted the fur seal's head, looking absolutely pleased with his finding. "You can sit on it while reading."

"Have you grasped the size of that thing?" Akemi raised a sceptical eyebrow, bending down to poke the seal's nose. "Even if it fits through my bedroom door, it will take up half the space in my room. Besides, I doubt it's comfortable to sit on for a long period." She took a look at the price and balked. "And it's so expensive!" she blurted, dropping the price tag as though electrocuted.

"Oi, oi. Are you forgetting who ore-sama is? Why –" He broke off abruptly when she shoved something in front of his face.

"Just get me this one," she said with an exasperated tone.

Now, he's the one who's sceptical.

"Harh?" He snatched the offending object from her hand to regard it with an air of superiority. "This measly keychain?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, turning around to browse through the other stuffed toys on display. "I like penguins." Reason: they're amusing to watch. Her soft brown eyes appeared to glint mischievously when they briefly flicked his way. "Anyway, you're sort of like them."

"What do you mean sort of?" he demanded irately, jabbing a finger at the keychain. "There isn't a smidgeon of resemblance between ore-sama and some fish-smelling, flightless sea bird to begin with!"

"I disagree," she retorted airily, removing a stuffed penguin toy from its shelf before turning to face a seething Atobe. "You know what they say about penguins and their black-and-white plumage?" He gave her a dubious look. "They're like little men dressed up in suits – sharp and smart. You always look like that," she grinned widely, effectively smothering the fiery anger.

Atobe's actually wearing smart casual for the occasion. Nevertheless…

A smirk crossed his features after a moment of stunned silence.

"Undoubtedly." He chuckled, swinging the keychain around his index finger until it was a blur. "You have a weird imagination."

"Hey! That better not be an insult!"

XXX

Needless to say, following that genuinely honest comment (that sounded like a compliment to him), Atobe ended up paying for that keychain and subconsciously putting even more (unnecessary) effort on his appearance.

To the Hyotei Captain, that felt like ages ago, as he returned the keychain to its usual place. He had once wondered if Akemi shunned him because he'd unknowingly done or said something atrociously despicable, thus offending her and causing her to abhor him for it. Though he quickly rejected that absurd idea, it would unconsciously drift into his mind without fail. But seeing this trinket dangling from her handbag, Atobe was rest assured that hatred never existed.

His dark blue eyes strayed to the fireplace at the opposite end of his bedroom. The very same stuffed penguin toy that caught Akemi's attention at the souvenir shop was there, sitting idly on the mantelpiece. It was a rather funny thank you gift from her.

"You always look like that," she had smiled warmly at him; her cheeks flushed a deep shade of rose ('slightly' altered by his mind)

Despite the occasional friendly banter during that trip, she had a great time and was smiling so much as though not having a care in the world. (Truth)

When was the last time he ever saw her smile?

Atobe paused beside the sleeping form and bent down to sweep her long fringe from her face, tucking the strands of black hair behind an ear. Akemi didn't stir, only burying her face deeper into the pillow after a while; oblivious of the world outside dreamland.

He picked up Oshitari's letter and skimmed through the texts; a deep scowl on his face.

Sort it out?

If he had known what's wrong with Akemi, the situation would never deteriorate so badly in the first place - not if he could help it.

For a moment, Atobe deliberated on waking her up just so he could start interrogating her. But, he quickly banished that idea upon seeing how content she looked while asleep, and settled instead on taking a hot bath to clear his mind. He might have taken a quick shower back at the gym, but hot baths trumped showers any day.

Anyway, he doubted she would wake anytime soon – considering her fatigue and love for sleep (self-confessed).

With that in mind, he left Akemi's side and flicked the light switch off, plunging the room in darkness with the only source of light coming from the windows. Thankfully, it was just enough for him to make his way towards the bathroom; a wineglass and a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne in his hands.

XXX

Meanwhile, in a far off island somewhere in the tropics, Akemi was having the time of her life relaxing on the sandy beach and enjoying the sound of waves crashing onto the shore. The sun wasn't strong, but the heat provided was just right. A gentle breeze blew and there's a delectable fruity aroma in the air.

A smile of content tugged at her lips.

"This is just pure bliss. I've never felt so comfortable in my whole life," she sighed softly, rubbing her face on the delightfully soft pillow. "Can such a thing exist? What is this luxury?" she giggled, wriggling her toes and feeling the gritty sands rubbing against her skin.

Speaking of luxury…

Akemi inhaled the air deeply; her entire body felt like it was being intoxicated by the mild musky fragrance wafting to her nose. Strangely, the scent was very familiar and comforting. Yet, nothing rang a bell even as she tried to remember where she'd smelled it.

Suddenly, an ominous blanket of dark clouds rolled over the beach, obscuring the sun completely. The wind picked up rapidly, kicking up sand and ruthlessly thrashing the trees behind. A flash of lightning and roar of thunder ripped through the atmosphere. Heavy rain poured down, washing away the cheeriness and drenching a flabbergasted Akemi with dismay instead.

'Ty-typhoon!?'

Akemi frowned.

No…

The air was still, and though she could hear the muffled sound of rain, she's completely dry.

Curious, her eyes fluttered open on their own accord.

Ah, it was only a dream.

Akemi breathed a sigh of relief. She was safe from the howling thunderstorm, spattering rainwater on the pristine windows, with a roof over her head; though it was slightly disappointing the tropical beach wasn't real too.

Glancing about, she realised it was a King-sized bed she's resting on. What she thought was warmth from the sun was in fact the thick duvet draped over her body. The soft pillow half her face was buried in held that musky scent. (Was it cologne?) The fruity aroma in the air seemed to originate from that opened door – a bathroom perhaps – filling the dark bedroom with Wagner's The Flying Dutchman.

She perked her head up at a strange noise coming from the foot of the bed.

A silhouette of a man stood slightly hunched over a chest of drawers, mumbling irritably under his breath as he rummaged through the pile of clothes for his favourite pair of socks. He had – to his chagrin – overlooked the need to bring his clothes along since he was well used to dressing in his bedroom. Unfortunately, that wasn't ideal at the moment.

His frown deepened. The room was darker, making the task of locating those elusive socks vexing. He could turn on the light, but since it might stir the person occupying his bed, he decided against it.

Moments later, flashes of lightning illuminated the room considerably. With a note of delight, he found that pair of socks and picked it up.

Suddenly, Akemi felt extremely woozy as blood drained from her face at an alarming rate. But just as her eyes threatened to roll to the back of her skull, she quickly shook her head vigorously and blinked…and blinked…and blinked.

No matter how many times her poor eyes blinked until the action actually hurt, the mirage remained.

Perhaps, she should be thankful that it really wasn't the ghost of the Dutchman wrapped in nothing but a teeny-weeny (to her) towel that was dangling limply from his hips. Either way, to be in the same room (did she mention dark already?) as a naked man – a spectral apparition or Atobe Keigo (or anyone else for that matter!) – with her…in bed was just…

By this time, her brain had stopped working.

Though her mouth was agape, wide enough to let a buzzard in, she didn't scream like the end was nigh. Nothing but a sporadic wheeze that sounded like she was being strangled sputtered from her throat.

Atobe froze at the noise behind him; cold sweat breaking out all over his chiselled body.

'Damn…'

XXX

A maid abruptly stopped in her tracks and cast a puzzled look at the Young Master's bedroom where a commotion of some sort could be heard behind the door. Unbeknownst to her, peace at the Atobe's stately manor was about to be disrupted.

The door was roughly thrown open at the hinges. A dishevelled Akemi (fell off the bed in a moment of panic) came stumbling into the corridor, squealing shrilly and looking all the world like she had seen a ghost.

But why was she blushing furiously?

An equally red-faced Atobe burst out from the same room seconds later.

"Akemi!? Come back! Ore-sama can explain everything!" he shouted desperately; demonstrating his remarkable skill at multitasking by calming his stormy damp hair and buttoning his shirt at the same time.

"Bochamma!?" the maid gasped in horror behind her hands; utterly scandalised by the scene before her very eyes.

Atobe skidded to a halt; his cheeks turning a deeper shade of red at that look she was giving him. "It-it's not what you think!" he insisted, frantically buckling up his belt (very misleading action indeed). "Erase it from your memory, Anna! And don't tell anyone what you saw! Understand!?" he ordered fervently.

"Y-yes! Understood!"

Without another word, he started after the Rikkai student who was already a dark dot in the distance.

For someone who hadn't slept properly for days, she sure could run fast. Still, he was quickly gaining on her.

"Akemi!"

"Get away from me, you exhibitionist! Nudist! Pervert!" she shrieked, running past several bewildered maids who had darted away to avoid getting hit by the human bullet currently flying across the manor.

"Don't shout things like that, idiot! It's misleading!" he barked hotly; ignoring the whispers that followed them. 'You're not running away. This is ore-sama's home!'

"Then why was I in your bed of all things!?" she shouted back, her voice easily carried to the far reaches of the long corridor. "Oh, my eyes! You tainted my pure, virginal brain! You're despicable – a perversion to all that is good and natural of this world!"

"For the last time, ore-sama was only looking for clothes!"

Akemi was finding it hard to believe. Seriously, he could have put on a bathrobe instead of prancing about his room, scantily clad in nothing but a towel.

She shook her head vigorously. Nothing made sense anymore.

Wasn't she supposed to be at the market in Kawasaki? Why was she at the Atobe's residence!? And where did her shoes go?

More importantly…

"What the heck is going on!?" she cried; a look of utter dismay on her face.

Atobe turned around a corner and skidded to a halt. Behind the window at the end of this short corridor, the rain was pelting heavily out there. If anything, the storm seemed to be gradually strengthening. A good thing though, since that would deter Akemi from going outside, and thus capturing her would be made difficult.

Frowning, he strolled towards the window. "Strange…Ore-sama's certain she turned this way."

What he found instead was Beat staring at the drapes for some weird reason. At the sound of his footsteps, the dog turned his head around.

A brilliant idea hit him.

Grinning, he crouched down to his dog's eye level. "Beat! Ore-sama need your nose." A look of puzzlement crossed the dog's face. "You can help ore-sama find Akemi! Do you remember her scent?"

Beat hadn't quite forgotten how his beloved master had been neglecting him recently when he's vying for love and affection – just like earlier. So with his tail and head held high, he pointedly ignored him as he padded past a rather befuddled Atobe.

"What gives?" the Hyotei Captain muttered. "If this is for not taking you out for a walk…" he trailed off when the tail disappeared from view. He crossed his arm with an indignant huff. "Geez, what a diva." (Pot calling kettle black much) Sighing wearily, he followed after his dog. "Beat!"

Heart beating wildly behind her chest, Akemi waited for a full minute after the Atobe's voice completely faded before peering behind the drape. Deeming the coast was clear, she stepped out from her temporary hidey-hole.

'That was so close,' she sighed in relief, feeling slightly out of breath from the running. 'Thank you for not giving me away, Beat. I'll buy you the best dog food in town.'

Akemi surveyed the little corridor apprehensively. All things considered, there was no way she would leave this place for fear of bumping into Atobe on the way out (worst case scenario). There was (surprisingly) only a pair of double doors here. Where that led to, she didn't know. But, breaking the window and jumping to freedom was definitely a no-no. She wondered which was worse – the possibility of falling to her death or putting herself in debt for vandalising the Atobe's manor.

Stopping in front of the artistically carved doors, she gave them a contemplative look, wondering if she had been to this part of the manor on the first night she met the heir apparent to Atobe Zaibatsu. This was the second time she's here. Furthermore, their little tour around the manor never finished.

Her stomach clenched in guilt, but she quickly shook it aside and let herself into the dark room without a moment of hesitation.

Just as the door closed behind her with a soft thud, a purple head poked out from the main corridor.

An evil grin spread across his face.

"Got'cha!"

XXX

Undoubtedly, she had never been to this part of the manor. Seriously, something as majestic as the Atobe's private library would be one of those trivial things she could recall on a whim even when she's covered from head to toe in wrinkles.

It was quiet, peacefully so. Not even the thunderstorm outside could upset such tranquil atmosphere, for it was nothing but a faint whistle to her ears. The library was bathed in sufficient natural light filtering from the large windows for her to move around. Her bare feet moved noiselessly across the carpeted floor as she strolled down the aisle between two towering bookshelves.

She inhaled deeply, a small smile tugging at her lips at the wonderful smell of timeless age. Looking around her, various literatures from all four corners of the world were tucked within the confinement of this room. Poetries, biographies, volumes of science journals, and even –

"Fairy tales and folklores?" she raised an eyebrow, fingers brushing the golden letters emblazoned on the spine of a book (translated into English) about Norse mythology. "Hmm… intriguing," she smiled.

Unable to withhold her curiosity, Akemi gently pried it off from its perch and started to leaf through the book. Though there were many signs of age, the book was evidently well-looked after by the owners. 'Hopefully, that will be me one day. Ahahahahahahaha – Ah!' Her cheeriness died off abruptly.

"Where is this train of thought going?" she sighed exasperatedly.

As she returned the book where it belonged, another to her right caught her eyes. After a moment of hesitation, she removed it from the shelf.

"'Grimm's Fairy Tale'," she read the name of the book on the front hard cover aloud. A look of dread crossed her face upon opening the book to a random page. "I-is this another bad omen?"

Staring back at her was a picture of a forlorn-looking green frog with a crown perched on its head. The amphibian was gazing longingly at the happily oblivious princess playing by the pond from behind the veil of reeds.

As she slowly flicked through the pages, the nightmare inadvertently drifted to her mind.

For several nights, Akemi struggled to understand the meaning behind it.

Considering her phobia towards the amphibian kind, could it be a subconscious warning from her brain (it's a complex organ after all) that Atobe would turn into someone she loathed with every fibre in her body?

But she refused to believe the Hyotei Captain would do anything to spite her (conveniently forgotten yesterday's and the more recent bedroom incidents) enough to warrant a lifetime of hatred. Yet, no matter how she looked at it from different angles, this and none of the reasons she could think made any logical sense – not even the slightest. Her sleep-deprived state didn't help at all, but it was a habit hard to kick away. Due to this, her sleep had been plagued with the same nightmare. Thankfully, she always woke up before that kiss was made.

Often, Akemi regretted ever modelling the White King after Atobe (the self-importance, narcissist attitude of his). She thought it would make the play more captivating for the audience. Anyway, a little humour never did anyone bad; which was why she stuck to Yukimura's original idea of turning the King into a frog. (Alternate interpretation: She finds Atobe interesting and funny despite his insufferable ego)

The flicking stopped abruptly.

Akemi blinked in surprise at the picture of the princess flinging the frog at the wall – for she was expecting the princess to kiss the frog.

'Hmm…what if…' she began to ponder again, flipping to the very last page of the chapter of 'The Frog Prince'.

Here, the story's happy ending was accompanied by a picture depicting the frog-turned-handsome, young prince asking for an elated princess' hand-in-marriage.

She gripped her chin pensively, scowling at the cliché scene before her.

There were other ways to break the curse as portrayed by different authors, including tossing the frog at a wall just as it was written here (sounded fab) and letting the slimy amphibian sleep on the princess' pillow for one night (she retched at such possibility). For the tennis club's play, she had reimagined that scene by having the White King running to the Princess' rescue as a tree was about to fall on her, only for him to be struck down by it after he pushed her away in time.

Breaking curses with a simple kiss happened to be the most popular and overused amongst others in both literature and films.

Akemi snapped her eyes up from the book with a gasp as comprehension dawned on her.

What if this revolting piece of information was stored inside her subconscious mind? Then it would make perfect sense for her brain to whip it out and alter the White King's transformation scene in the dream!

So, it wasn't a bad omen after all!

A smile of delight lit up her features at having solved the mystery behind that dream.

"Keigo-san! I got to tell –"

Oh, but wait...

She froze.

Haven't she been avoiding him for days on end? But, she couldn't help it at all. She was utterly terrified her dream would come true that it turned into a primeval urge to run like her adolescent life depended on it at the sight and sound of Atobe. Plus, every time she saw him, the image of a frog-head would pop up and – well, the rest was predictable.

However, the fact she'd carelessly disregarded his feelings because she was so wrapped up in her dilemma remained.

"What should I do!?" Akemi fretted, gripping her head agonisingly; not realising she had dropped the book on the floor. "I must have hurt his feelings and insulted his man-pride the size of the Milky Way. It's my fault! But how am I going to apologise to Keigo-san!?"

Thus, the reality of her cold, heartless attitude towards the innocent Atobe had finally hit her like a mountain of neglected ironing.

Concealed in the shadows, a certain someone was struggling to apprehend this melodrama spewing from the back of the library. 'Still –,' he grinned ominously as he rubbed his hands together in glee; a plan beginning to take shape at the sight of a feather duster nearby, '– sounds to ore-sama like someone has finally come to her senses. Delightful!'

"Ah, that's right! Books! They're a wealth of knowledge!" (The other being the internet) Akemi glanced frantically about, trying to peer through the darkness for a something useful. "There must be something in here that can help –"

The rest of her words abruptly died on her lips as she stiffened in horror at a flicker of movement in the shadows out from the corner of her eyes. Heart beating erratically, she glanced about her suddenly dingy-looking surrounding.

Akemi chuckled nervously. "M-must be my imagination. I haven't been sleeping properly after –"

Creeeaaaaaakkkkk

She nearly jumped ten feet into the air at that noise. An eerie silence soon descended on the library. Outside, the howl of the thunderstorm and frequent lightning flashes was starting to unnerve her. A spine-tingling shudder crept up her skin.

"I-is somebody here?" she said in a weak voice, regarding the shadows fearfully.

Another flicker of movement prompted her to turn around.

Nothing…

She began to slowly backpedal; eyes darting about nervously for any signs of a fellow human being (preferably, alive and friendly). Just as she was about to stick one foot behind, something lightly brushed the back of her fingers.

Unlike back at Atobe's bedroom, her lips ripped apart as a piercing scream tore through her throat.

She wheeled around on the spot. For a brief moment, she saw Atobe sniggering amusingly at her. Then, she was stumbling backwards after accidentally losing her balance, and hit the bookcase with an involuntary yelp.

The marble sculpture of a griffin above her head wobbled precariously on its perch for a moment before it began to tilt forwards.

Suddenly, it wasn't all fun and games for the Hyotei Captain anymore.

Uttering a curse under his breath, Atobe chucked the feather duster aside and rushed forwards.

"Akemi!"

XXX

"Mmm…that hot food really hit the spot," Anna the maid sighed in content as she strolled down the corridor.

An image of the Young Master bursting out from his bedroom after Akemi randomly popped up in her mind. She shook her head furiously, scolding herself. Sure, he's still going through that sensitive, pubescent stage and probably couldn't control his hormones at times (Anna has an older brother, so she knows), but the Young Master would never do that kind of stuff, because that would spell the end of his life if his parents caught wind of it.

Nodding resolutely, the maid returned to the library to resume work. Although upon entering and turning the lights, perhaps…she should have stayed longer for the cake.

A griffin statuette, the feather duster she left behind, and books were strewn messily across the floor. Nearby, the Young Master was sprawled on his back with Akemi crouching on her hands and knees above him; both looking equally befuddled at the maid's sudden appearance.

Her cheeks scarlet, Anna hastily staggered back; shock and embarrassment etched across her face – for she'd just walked in on a steamy, amorous moment (or so she thought).

"P-p-p-p-p-please excuse me, b-bochamma – Akemi-s-sama!" she apologised, bowing profusely. "I-I-I didn't mean to intrude! Good day!"

The door closed behind her with a resounding bang.

The two high school students blinked in puzzlement.

To explain the whole situation briefly, Akemi avoided receiving a nasty head injury after Atobe had thrown himself and pushed her out of harm's way just in time. But he made sure to shield her from the fall by twisting around in mid-air, so that he landed on ground instead. Coincidentally, the maid came in while Akemi was halfway to getting off the Hyotei Captain.

So at least, there was no misunderstanding between the two.

"Are you alright?" Akemi fussed, helping him to sit up. "Do you hurt anywhere?"

Atobe dusted his shirt. "Nope, ore-sama's fine." He turned to her. "You?"

She sighed in relief and visibly relaxed. "I'm fine too. Thank you for saving me, Keigo-san," she smiled gratefully.

He eyed her suspiciously. "You're not angry at ore-sama for frightening the wits out of you?"

The smile wavered a little. "I am a little annoyed," she admitted sheepishly, scratching her cheek. She dropped her gaze ruefully. "But…"

Atobe paused in the middle of sweeping his hair to a satisfied state, watching Akemi picked up the books from the ground one by one.

It was a while before she spoke again.

"I don't have the right to stay mad..." she briefly flicked a glance at him "…especially not with the way I've acted towards you for the past week. I-I understand it's inexcusable. You must be hating me now – angry at me because of it." She inhaled deeply, seemingly for courage. "But –" she hugged the small stack of books to her chest while gazing at him pleadingly, "– please, will you forgive me?"

Atobe scoffed. "Angry? That goes without saying. Ore-sama did nothing wrong."

She flinched sharply, feeling even worse as he went on telling her how he was absolutely infuriated, annoyed, offended – and the list went on. Could she just curl up and die in the dark corner of the library right now?

"But–" Akemi perked up a little "– ore-sama don't hate you. Think about it. Ore-sama wouldn't have bothered to hunt you down in the first place if that's true." He waved his hand airily. "A simple communication could have solved this problem in a heartbeat."

Akemi could only stare at him speechlessly; taken aback by his maturity even if he spoke arrogantly. As the initial shock ebbed away, her lips began to stretch into a smile.

"Which brings us back to the main question."

The smile froze as a look of dread crossed her features. She jerked back with a startled cry when two hands grasped her shoulders. Atobe clung onto them with a look on his face as though silently telling her that there would be terrible consequences should she choose to run again.

"Why were you avoiding ore-sama? Spill," he commanded with that sternness of a revered buchou he was.

Akemi sputtered nonsensically as she floundered for a single word. No way was she going to tell him the truth.

It's. Just. HUMILIATING.

The Hyotei Captain raised an eyebrow at her perfectly flushed cheeks.

Then, it hit him.

The grip on her shoulders loosened as he leaned forward, cutting whatever appropriate space there was between them. A mischievous smirk tugged at his lips.

"Are you by any chance finally acknowledging ore-sama's good looks, Akemi?" he sniggered, poking one of her rosy cheeks. "Is that why you kept running away? It's too much for you to handle? Hmm?" He wriggled his eyebrows. "Well? Say it. Don't be shy! You saw that majestically sculpted body of ore-sama did you not?"

"You're revolting!" Akemi retorted crossly, slapping his pesky hands away as she hastily stood up and resumed tidying up the mess. "If you want to dream, go do it in your sleep!"

Unperturbed, the Hyotei Captain shifted around to rest on his side, leaning his head on the hand that was propped up by the elbow on the carpeted floor as he regarded her scarlet cheeks with amusement.

"Don't you just lie there, lazy bone! Lend a hand!" she chided harshly, carefully putting the books where they belonged. She added airily, "Or is the heir apparent unable to move even one finger because his inflated head is in the way?"

"You better take that back, or there will be serious repercussion, missy," Atobe seethed, gritting his teeth in an attempt to reign in his fiery temper. If he really was a ball of fire, the carpet below him might be burning into ashes.

Akemi turned her head pointedly away without a peep, thus vexing him even more.

But her offhanded remark was evidently a joke as proven by the giggles after she failed to smother them behind her hand. Moments later, she was laughing so hard, her stomach was in stitches.

Rolling his eyes in exasperation, Atobe picked up the griffin statuette and rose to his feet.

"You're one mature lady," he dryly remarked, carefully setting the sculpture back on its shelf; fully aware of Akemi's presence beneath his arm.

"Here's a pot calling kettle black," she sang.

XXX

Akemi didn't know how they'd ended up having (extremely late) lunch together at the private dining room.

It was a rather confusing day, and the question of her current location remained.

When she brought it up, all she received was a mere 'don't know' and a murderous look on Atobe's face when Oshitari's name was mentioned. Right then, she told herself it's best to stay away from the crime scene.

Putting that aside, Akemi was actually enjoying the lively atmosphere; she was forgiven and her shoes were back on her feet. Michael seemed to be soaking in the cheeriness too as the two youngsters exchanged amusing tales and just basically catching up. Beat, unable to bear staying apart from his beloved master for more than an hour, was snoozing happily at Atobe's feet. At least, his master was no longer ignoring him. Atobe, for his part, was glad everything's settled.

Except…

"Look," Akemi sighed exasperatedly after the umpteenth attempt to wheedle the truth out of her. She gestured at him with the teaspoon. "I'm not running away from you anymore, and I've unblocked your number just as promised." Honestly, breathing down her neck while she did that was unnecessary – talk about paranoid. "So, can you please let this slide? I swear to you there won't be a repeat."

Atobe didn't look at all convinced as he watched her drink the tea.

"Really?"

"Honestly."

"Definitely?"

"Positively."

"No going back on your words?"

"Cross my heart or I get struck lightning."

No sooner had those words been uttered, a fork of lightning tore through the skies and a thunder boomed.

Atobe quirked an eyebrow. "Alright?" he asked, calmly stirring his tea with a teaspoon as the maids fretted over the girl sitting across the table.

"Y-yes - I think so," Akemi gasped between breaths, clenching the front of her dress where she could feel her poor heart hammering in protest at the abuse it got from the scare.

Fortunately, she had put down the teacup before that happened.

Perhaps, luck was on her side today since Atobe didn't broach the subject anymore as the two went for a stroll around the manor.

But she was about to discover the horrors of having one's hope trampled.

"Akemi," Atobe started, strolling towards Akemi who was admiring the fresco at the middle of the ballroom; Beat scuttling right beside him.

"Yes?" she responded absently.

"Ore-sama will stop badgering you for the truth."

She snapped her eyes from the ceiling to stare at him through wide eyes. "Eh? Really!?" she gasped happily. "Thank you!"

"But on one condition."

"Condition?" she raised an eyebrow, wondering where this was going as he stopped in front of her.

Atobe gently grasped her hand and picked it up.

"We dance."

Silence stretched as they stared unblinkingly at each other.

Akemi paled.

How did everything lead to this?

Incidentally, Sumida Aquarium is part of the Tokyo Skytree Town complex. I hope Atobe and the other canon characters aren't cringe-worthy OOC up to this for reading and see you next chapter!