"Weren't in trouble?!" Kazune exclaimed. " What do you mean, Weren't in trouble? You were freezing and vulnerable when I found you!"
"And who told you to save me, huh?" Karin said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Did it ever cross your mind that I was not in danger and that I might have just decided to stop and rest? Furthermore, why were you running away after saving me? If you ask me, that is a really inconsiderate thing to do!"
"Oh really? Well then... my apologies, Ma'am. Shall I take you with me and tend to your every wish?" Kazune spat with a mocking tone.
Karin's face turned red with both embarrassment and anger. Never had she been made fun of in such a way that was both annoying and enraging. She began to search for a come-back but nothing came to her. Desperate, she managed to utter the words "Yeah...well... no thanks for you!"
Kazune looked at her with a confused look. "No thanks for you"? what kind of line was that? Not only did it not suit the mood and argument, but her face made the line even stranger. As she said those words her face was blushing and hot looking, almost as if she was about to cry about a stupid incident. In fact, Kazune had to do everything in his power to keep from laughing outright at her comment. Keeping his face stern he spoke to the stupidly cute Ice woman before him.
"Even if you weren't ever in danger, you should thank a stranger if they take the time to try to save you. It is only polite."
Karin looked away from him with a pouting face. "I was going to thank you...I guess...but when I woke up and you weren't there...I guess I panicked a little..."
"I thought you had been kidnapped." she said with a guilty smile.
Her words surprised Kazune a bit. More so than her words, he was surprised by how much like a normal girl she was. Someone so terrifying and elegant shouldn't be so normal. Someone so perfect, so pretty, so unreachable... all these things came to mind. The more Kazune stared at her, and more he saw her increasingly confused face since he had not spoken back yet, the more he began to feel a sort of hate towards her. She was probably loved by her family and the people around her. She probably was a normal person in her country. Unlike him, he was a freak and ugly. Kazune wanted to distort her perfect face. Make others look at her the way they looked at him so she could understand his confusion at her kindness and anger.
"Kazune..." Karin asked a little fearfully as she watched his eyes turn foggy and hateful. "Are you alright? I'm sorry if I angered you again... maybe I can help you get to where you were going."
As if breaking a trance, Kazune returned to normal. Looking down at Karin again he stupidly tried to find his words again. "Uh.. what, oh, could you?" he managed to say.
" Sure, where were you going that you had to travel though this forest?" Karin said with a smile.
"I am not sure. I just need to get far away from the town that is south of this forest. It is at war right now and..." Kazune stopped. He wondered if he should tell her why he was running and that he was a wanted man. If he said that there were people after him, she would surely ask why, then he'd have to tell her of his powers. There is a large sum of money on his head, if he told her, she might turn him in a claim the bounty.
"I uh... was drafted and do not wish to fight for the army... I need to just get out of this country so that I cannot be tracked down..."
"Is that so?" Karin asked with a gleam in her eye. "Then you are lucky that you met me." she said with a large smile.
Kazune began to feel uneasy. Had she guessed his real reason? Is she a spy for his side of the war? Would she turn him in? His decision to tell her was stupid, even if what he told was a lie.
"I am a fugitive too." Karin said simply. "My country wanted me to fight for them and I don't want to. We have more in common than I thought."
Could this really be happening? By chance the only Ice woman he had met is also running away from war and was friendly to someone like him. Kazune didn't trust her again.
"This is amazing." Karin said. "It must be fate." she said with a snickering laugh. "As if fate exists!"
"So, will you help me then?" Kazune asked with a certain hesitation. "If we are both escaping then we have no reason to betray one another, right?"
"That is right, I guess. You think I would betray you?" Karin said with a bit of a hurt face.
"Well, I don't know you very well, and you are my country's enemy. I have to be cautious."
"Listen" Karin said. "I cannot turn you in without being caught myself. Vice Versa. And judging by your skepticism, you have not been treated kindly. I will not turn you in and I hope you'll do the same for me."
Hearing those words spoken in her bell-like voice made Kazune feel at ease. She was right. To his surprise, she was more perceptive than he gave her credit for. A pretty young lady who was smart enough to prove his and her loyalty could prove useful. In his mind, Kazune saw her as a formidable opponent and partner.
"Well then, I leave my life to you." Kazune said with a bow. He had never bowed to a woman before, they had never been worthy.
"Just to be safe, how shall we seal the promise?" Karin asked.
Kazune stood looking down at the ground, still in his bowed position. He reached out his hand and grasped hers, getting down to his knees.
Karin's face blushed. "What are you doing?"
"By the power entrusted in the bonds of inseverable vows, I lay this promise of trust and devotion until said agreement is fulfilled."
Kazune leaned in and kissed her hand, withdrawing after a little too long.
Karin's reddened face was calm.
"If said agreement should be broken, death to the betrayer." she said, lifting Kazune's face up to meet her eyes.
She leaned in and gave a kiss to his lips to seal the promise.
