Miaka POV

After that night, I gonna apologize to hotohori. Although I feel bad for him... But it can't be helped! I love tamahome... I know we just met not long ago but I already feel he is the only one for me, he is irreplaceable... And there! I was standing right in front his chamber door. My hands was about knock the door but... Kinda hard to talk with him... What if he mad with me? Don't wanna talk with me? The more I think the more I can't bring myself knock the door! But before I knock hotohori already knowing I was standing right here "come in, I know you there"

i bring my full courage entered inside. Hotohori well surprised look at me quickly stood up walk toward me. "Miaka? What's wrong?" "Um... I..." I look at the floor can't bring myself eye to eye and accidentally bite my tongue. Great miaka you really great, Ouch even thought not really that hurt. "I'm sorry if I bothered you." What? The one who supposed apologize was me! "My prime minister has been raised me been annoying after me take an empress. He was worried about the need for an heir to the throne. Hahaha.. and I was started panic as well" hotohori said with forced and forced laugh... It must be hurt... "I'm... Sorry..." Ah.. tears already out from my eyes and fall on my intertwined fingers...

My body began trembled and I countless apologize to him... I know that feeling, like when I was rejected by tamahome... "I like hotohori too. You always been kind to me, always taken care of me. Sometimes I feel why I didn't love you like you love me... the feeling I like toward you was a friend, not love..." Hotohori get closer to me and patted my head with soft and warm feel... "Miaka, you don't need to cry... Weren't you the one who taught me the ruler of country that you can't force someone by order?" "But you been kind to me for long! And I didn't given you something's in return!" "But you already found the third and fourth constellation of suzaku for me? And you have to searching more till seven. You already did a lot for me, it's enough for me.." "but still I..." " Then would you let me be selfish embraced you?" "... Ok" after one seconds I said ok he quickly wrapped his arms pulled me in his arms, put his head into crook of my neck... Whispering love and sweet words to me... Hohori... Why you still kind to me?...

Hotohori POV

Flahsback time

"the priestess of suzaku? What's is that?"

"According to the ancient legend, the symbol which appears on your highness neck marks you as one of the seven constellation of suzaku or the protector of the priestess who come from another world and summon suzaku.

"A girl who will appear from another world huh?...

Maybe she will able to save me from the loneliness I feel... Maybe she able to love me as ordinary man not as the emperor...

Surely...

End of flashback

too bad I was hoping too much... But it's okay as long I can feel her warmth now... I shall buried down this feeling... if not, i'll bothered her... I slowly leaned away from her.

"Forgive me. I still have a things had to do" I looked away from her. "Oh.. well then, I head out now. Thank you for your time hotohori" I nodded still looked away from her until I heard her footsteps sound and door closed. I look at toward the door for last time and sit back on my chair.

Miaka POV

I out from his chamber still look at the chamber while run. I'm sorry hotohori... While still running and didn't look in front me I feel I stepping something after 3 step I stopped look under me. It was tamahome. I didn't notice him on the floor...

"Why don't you notice me before stomp all over me!?" He quickly get up said it to my face close "tamahome too, why you sleeping on the floor?" He look away from me and mumbling words with really small voice "How can I tell her I wandering around because I worried about her?" I didn't hear properly though when I ask him what it is he turning ask me "I came looking for you, where have you been?" "No... Nothing!"

Narrator POV

Miaka and the others already prepared things for their another trip finding

The emperor still have broken not over his first love, even if he knows tamahome will take care her, still he just want once out from his palace, joining them set to the trip also protecting his priestess. While he sighed deeply chichiri appear from his desk. "Chi... Chichiri?" The emperor startled after saw his constellation friend suddenly. "I'm back no da!" "Why?..." "Because your majesty seems so sad no da" hotohori flinched at his words and turn his back on him. "even if I was emperor i'm also human, I know tamahome will protect her and I don't have to worry about her safety. But still i feel I don't really do my task as one of the constellation seven warrior..." "Then i can replace you no da!" Chichiri overwhelmed by thick fog, slowly the fog vanish and there's another the emperor standing there.

the emperor startled by his appearance so like his own. "i'm your twin now no da! konan is safe for this moment. i can take your place meanwhile no da" hotohori get flustered by his recommend but when he look closely his face turn 180 degrees annoyed face. "chichiri, I AM A LOT HANDSOME THAN THIS! my eyes more big! my nose more sharp! i look more refined than this! Redo the transformation!" "Geez, i can't look more like you than I do now no da!"

meanwhile miaka and the others stopping by some restaurant for fill their stomach with energy. "we like to eat the best food on here!" miaka take out the bags full of money like a boss "don't spend too much money!" tamahome already frightened out saw miaka take out the bags "don't be like that c'mon! if we hungry we have to fill with food!" "The money are going inside your stomach!" while nuriko ignored the couple wondered where's chichiri goes. after the waiting the food finaly arrived on their table. while the couple didn't sensed their around, nuriko saw how the man who serve thefood for them smirked in gross nuriko get more bad feels and quick warned both of them "Wait! you two don't eat that!" tamahome was about put the food right on his mouth, miaka already finished her food with nuriko "WHAT YOU ALREADY EAT ALL OF THEM!? EVEN MY DISHES TOO!"

miaka suddenly feel suffocated was about collapses but tamahome right on time catch her before she kiss the ground "miaka! are you alright!?" one of the man carrying an ax ready to slay nuriko, nuriko quickly grabbed on the ax and break it into two pieces. "tamahome! miaka! run! these people might be bandits!" the men in unison said "GIVE US THE MONEY!" another men use sword gonna attack tamahome and miaka. when tamahome was ready to hit the sword, the men was stop his movement and fall on the ground. there's hotohori in ordinary clothes carrying his sword.

"your majesty!" three of them quite surprised saw the emperor standing right there and confused he should be in the palace how did the counselor let him escaped?. "why your highness here?" nuriko ask him, "we talk that later. first, what's wrong with miaka?" "There's something on our food, we didn't eat so we fine but miaka might be-" tamahome answer hotohori question "don't tell me she poisoned!? the emperor feel like the sky gonna fall down when he saw his priestess like this. miaka coughed and said "no, i eat too fast then choked, give me the water please"

After that scene they were on the road begin to go to the . but when they in the deep forest suddenly something fall on the ground and there's smoke come out from that something.

"what is this!?" miaka coughed the smell of smoke, "it's sleep smoke bomb! everyone don't breathe it! or you gonna lost conscious" tamahome quick covering his nose,so is hotohori with nuriko, but miaka already fainted on the ground. "MIAKA!" They rushing toward their fainted priestess but immediately stopped by someone hit their head, they ended up lost conscious.

To Be Continued...

I did said I change a little BIT on this story right?😏😏 Still waiting for review...