Title – Destined Together
Disclaimer – I don't own Cardfight! Vanguard or any of its characters… Only the OC's in this story.
A/N – Greetings! I'm back with new chapter! I hope you all enjoyed the previous chapter! And thank you for liking and reviewing with such wonderful comments –
hirotokai – Reading your comments encouraged me a lot! Thank you so much! I'm grateful that you shared your thoughts and I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. Well, they are getting along fine now… but I wouldn't say about future… I won't spoil it. I do hope you'll encourage me again with your comments and will continue reading. Thank you so much!
Misaki Tokura – Yup, he's jealous but he won't admit it! Well, actions speak louder than words, huh? Anyway, I hope you like this chapter too! Thank you! ^^
'…' - Thoughts
"…" – Speaking
"Italics" – Flash back
Chapter 36
The Day of Festival…
No One's POV
Finally, the most anticipated day arrived. It was a two days carnival. Since it was a Shrine festival, everything needed to be perfect. The market and shops were open before sunrise and the place was bustling with the final touches. The place was filled with fun fair entertainment, amusement park, merchandize vendors and food stalls, different booths and stands and what not. Some people could be seen in colorful carnival outfits and masks. The atmosphere was joyous and auspicious.
Leon Soryu smiled. He was in white and yellow traditional kimono attire along with Jillian and Sharlene. It was early morning yet it was crowded everywhere. It was an important tradition of the island to watch the sunrise on the day of the festival and visit the shrine. Leon watched as his friends decided to accompany him in the Shrine for a small ceremony which marked the start of festival. Leon had to attend to every cultural activity as a chief representative of the Soryu family and he was greatly admired. He welcomed the guests and visitors with his speech and everyone cheered before dispersing to resume their activities.
Once the gang was out of the beautiful shrine after offering their prayers, they relaxed. They wore their casual clothes to mingle in the crowd. The shrine area was beautifully decorated and they watched as the locals celebrated with their traditional dance and music.
"Thank you everyone for joining us" Leon smiled at his friends who dismissed him for such formality.
"Before you all disappear… Do not forget to be on time on the cruise tomorrow evening" Leon reminded everyone. "I'm counting on you, Aichi-san" he added.
"Of course, Leon-san" Aichi smiled and Leon nodded.
"Try not to cause any trouble" Leon looked pointedly at Ren who saluted.
"Of course!"
"Isn't it risky for Kai to walk around in this crowd…? I mean…" Misaki enquired and glanced at Kai.
"I understand your concern… But his uncle has already helped us arrange for security so no worries" Leon told her and passed some templates to others.
"Oh" Misaki surveyed.
"Hmm. You're finally worried about me, Tokura" Kai teased her.
"It's n-not like that! What if-…"
"Thanks" his small smile made her giddy and she looked away.
"I'll meet you all on the cruise. You guys are free to enjoy! Now I'll have to join in the parade. See ya" Leon bid and left the scene.
"See ya!"
Meanwhile, Ren glanced at Asaka who was beside him. He knew she was trying to act normal for everyone's sake. They were here for their vacation after all. He wanted everyone to enjoy their stay but after their last talk, Asaka looked a little out it although she tried to hide it. He knew he was the reason so he had to talk to her. She wasn't the one to lock herself in her room and cry her eyes out after such situations and he knew her well. If Tetsu finds out… He shook his head. His friends were talking amongst themselves so he took the opportunity.
"A-chan" Ren called Asaka.
"Yes… Ren-sama?"
"I know I shouldn't be asking you this but… I want you to enjoy your time here… with us" Ren somewhat felt guilty for saying it.
"I'm fine now, Ren-sama... So don't worry"
"That's good"
"So let's enjoy with our friends!" Asaka smiled.
'Thank you for understanding' Ren gave a curt nod with a smile.
"Where should we go now?" Kourin asked the others.
"Are you thinking of leaving us behind?" came Yuri's voice from behind them.
"Yuri-chan!"
"Kenji-san/Koutei-san!"
"Gai-san!"
There were mixed greetings to the smiling trio, Kenji Matsusada, Yuri Usui and her brother Gai Usui.
"You?!" Ren looked annoyed at Nakadai Reishi, who for some reason was with the trio.
"Hello, everyone!" Nakadai Reishi greeted with a charming smile. "Narumi-san! Tokura-san! Lovely as usual!" he complimented.
"Uh… Thank you" Misaki and Asaka smiled while Kai and Ren glared at the guy.
"So the Emperor and the Empress finally showed up" Akari said, gleefully.
"You read the nicknames in some magazine, didn't you?" Miwa chuckled and Akari shrugged.
The reunion was delightful and everyone shared their greetings. Misaki was very happy as Yuri hugged her in greeting. On the other hand, Kai and Ren looked annoyed at Reishi as he nagged them.
"I hope you two are on good terms now" Yuri enquired Misaki before glancing at Kai.
"Yes…" Misaki smiled.
"Oh. Look at that smile now, huh" Yuri teased. "Well, everyone stay close, okay? People tend to get lost in this crowd" she told everyone, pushing Misaki close to Kai.
"By the way… Nakadai-san will be joining us-…!" Koutei gulped when Ren and Kai shot a glare at him.
"I'm very delighted to spend time with you all" Reishi smiled at others while Kai and Ren looked shocked at him.
"A minute please!" Koutei said and lead his friends a few steps away from Yuri, Gai and Reishi.
"I cannot allow this" Ren was the first to object while the men agreed with a curt nod.
"I'm asking a favor!" Koutei surprised his friends. "I'm sorry! But Nakadai's are very important client so my father insisted. You know how elders are. I already tried to refuse but it was no use. They even stationed guards around us to make sure he's with us! Besides, Yuri wanted to spend time with you all… So, I have no choice. I need your help this time" he said, scratching the back of his head.
"Of course, we'll help!" Miwa and Aichi exclaimed while Misaki, Akari, Kourin and Asaka agreed in reluctance.
"Fine…" Kai and Ren sighed since Koutei rarely asked for favors.
"Thank you!" Koutei looked relieved as they all walked back.
"I had many dates today… but I promised to see you all at the festival so I cancelled everything!" Reishi boasted.
'I'm gonna kill him!' Kai and Ren thought, simultaneously.
"So where to? Arcade?" Koutei asked the men with a grin.
"Hmm… Due to security reasons, we can't go everywhere…" Miwa said and he pulled a paper from his pocket and unfolded it. "But I have a list of places we can visit and enjoy. Aichi and I have already arranged everything beforehand so rest assured" he shrugged.
"You don't need to do that for me. Go ahead" Kai crossed his arms over his chest.
"Don't worry about it" Ren cut in. "We can have fun as long as we're all together!" he shrugged and the others agreed.
"Well… the list is big enough" Aichi smiled as he added "So where to go first?"
As the gang discussed among themselves, Misaki's glances went unnoticed by Kai as she saw his eyebrow twitch at the loud discussion. He had been standing beside her as usual but hasn't said anything. She was certainly happy as she stole glances at him. All this time, she had failed to see or maybe she ignored how handsome he was and why women would flock around him. He certainly was an attractive heartthrob, she admitted. She chuckled as she recalled his 'bouquet throw' from yesterday and wondered why he did that. She saw him looking at her with a quirked eyebrow.
"…" she looked away.
"Hn"
On the other hand, Kai noted the subtle changes in Misaki. She had been smiling more since yesterday evening, he surmised. Besides, she would avert her eyes whenever he looks at her, just like she did now. Did he do something…? Well, he did throw her bouquet... It did perturb him that she had gone to meet some guy and came back in a happy mood so he couldn't help it. Since Touya didn't show up today, he was in a good mood.
"Looks like you're having a good time here" Kai stated.
"Yes… Thanks to you all" Misaki replied with a smile.
"Hn" he grunted and his lips twitched up in a small smile.
"I want to go to the Haunting house!" Ren exclaimed.
"Well, isn't it too early for that?" Miwa pointed out.
"We should eat first before everything. We'll need a lot of energy today" Akari told them and the others agreed since it was true.
"Okay!"
Some Time Later…
"Ha! We win!" Ren exclaimed as he fist bumped Koutei.
"We're just getting started" Yuri rolled her eyes. "We'll beat you in the next one" she decided.
"I doubt it" Ren smirked.
"Gloating over a simple table football?" Kourin shook his head.
"Really? If it's so easy, why did you lose?" Koutei raised an eyebrow.
"We just went easy on you" Yuri shrugged.
"This brings back memories…" Asaka commented with a smile.
The friendly jeer and taunts flew between the gang.
Miwa sweatdropped. He didn't know how it came to this but when he came back from a washroom break, his friends had already made teams, Ren and Koutei verses Yuri and Kourin. It seemed they were playing the table football. He glanced at Kai who merely shrugged while Misaki was texting her uncle Shin.
"What's… going on?" Miwa questioned but he got no answers.
"How about this? Let's divide in teams and compete. It will be more fun!" Ren said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Is there anyone who can beat me?" he taunted.
"I hear a challenge" Koutei looked fired up.
"Sounds interesting" Kai joined in. "I accept your challenge, Ren" he told Ren who smirked.
And it was decided… Akari pulled out a paper and tore it in small square pieces so as to write their names on each piece. Once their names were written, she folded the small chits of papers and shuffled them. Ren and Kai were team captains so Akari extended the chits in her cupped hands.
"Here. Choose your teams" Akari told the two.
Two teams were formed. Team-A consisted Kai, Asaka, Miwa, Kourin, Yuri and Gai while Team-B had Ren, Koutei, Misaki, Aichi, Akari and Reishi.
"Ne… Misaki-chan… Upset that you aren't in his team?" Akari teased Misaki.
"N-no" Misaki glared at Akari.
"Since this is a competition… What's the prize for the winning team?" Akari asked.
"Hmmm…" everyone thought.
"I know! The losing team will serve the winning team for tomorrow!" Yuri clapped, her eyes twinkling.
"Hoh…! I like the slave idea. Just imagine… Kai serving others!" Ren thought aloud and the others sweatdropped.
"I wouldn't be celebrating before the outcome" Kai taunted. "Because I'm not going to go easy on you" he stated.
"…?!"
The game of darts was decided.
At Dart-A-holics…
"I'm feeling betrayed, A-chan" Ren faked a sigh.
"I'm sorry, Ren-sama. But I can't back down" Asaka looked determined as she readied herself to throw the dart.
"I see" Ren was a little surprised and smirked.
"Let the show begin!"
Aichi started recording with his camcorder.
Asaka smirked as she threw three darts simultaneously. The two darts hit inside the inner ring with number ten and sixteen. The last hit the bullseye.
"Yes!"
"Nice, A-chan" Ren complimented.
"That was amazing, Asaka-san!" Kourin and Yuri smiled and clapped along with others while Kai gave her a curt nod.
"Thank you" Asaka curtsied.
"My turn" Ren said and readied himself.
Ren hit the bullseye first. The second dart hit the inner circle with nineteen when he heard…
"Wonderful! Such a splendid performance, Narumi-san!" Reishi grabbed Asaka's hands.
Ren had missed the last one. Everyone was surprised that Asaka had beaten Ren in the game of darts by one point. Ren glanced at Asaka and saw her retracting her hands away from Reishi with a small smile.
"…?!" Koutei and Reishi looked surprised at the outcome.
"His hand slipped, I guess" Reishi shrugged "Well tried!"
The annoyed Ren grabbed a dart from his side and almost threw it at Reishi but Koutei grabbed him. Ren exhaled an exasperated sigh.
"My hand will really slip if he doesn't stop" Ren smiled sinisterly at Koutei.
Asaka was relieved that Ren was acting like himself. In any normal situation, she would have been skipping with joy to receive a compliment from Ren but not today. She felt somewhat saddened that her boss really wasn't much affected as he joined his team. He was very unpredictable. She sighed. At least some part of her felt at ease. It felt a whole lot of burden has been lifted from her shoulders now that he knew her feelings. After all, it wasn't his fault for whatever she felt. Maybe she needs to try harder…
'No time to mull over past. I just have to be… by his side' Asaka thought and smiled.
"Here's your prize, Miss" the shop owner handed Asaka a small box. "It's an Omamuri amulet keychain. You're lucky, Miss" he told her.
"Thank you…" Asaka smiled. 'I want to give this to Ren-sama… but I don't think he'll accept it…' she thought as she stared at the Red and white keychain in her hand.
"Next is… Bike ride" Aichi read the note after he closed the camcorder.
At Bike Arena…
"Well, that's my call" Miwa grinned at his teammates.
"Leave that to me" Kourin told Kai and stepped up with a smirk.
The Bike Arena was close by and they reached it in few minutes.
"Be careful, Kourin-san…" Aichi said. "She's very good at this" he told others.
"Really?" Akari bit her lip. She grabbed the corner of Miwa's jacket and told him "If you win this, you'll get free food in my café for a week, Miwa-san"
"Eh? Uh… Thanks" Miwa shook his head and smiled. "I accept your bribe, Akari-san" he winked at her before leaving while Akari stared at his back, wide-eyed.
"Ehem" Misaki smirked when Akari looked abashed.
The teams stood by as they watched Miwa and Kourin got ready for the ride. The two stood over their bikes and wore their helmets. The rest of the teams waited to cheer them on. The bikes started and the engines roared.
"Go!"
Everyone watched with fascination. Kourin and Miwa were at par, neither backing down. Yuri, Asaka and Aichi cheered for Kourin while Kai was busy looking at Misaki. Gai was in-charge of camcorder recording and Yuri told him not to miss anything.
"Go, Miwa! Go!"
"Go, Kourin, go!"
For a few seconds, Miwa slowed and Kourin went ahead of him. Ren's team's breaths hitched as they anticipated the worst. Misaki unconsciously grabbed Kai's wrist thinking it was Akari's.
"Is he-…!" Misaki paused, noticing Kai. "Sorry!" her face heated up.
"That's cheeky, Tokura" Kai told her with a smirk. "But I don't mind" he shrugged.
Amidst the racing heart, she had missed the race. In few seconds, Miwa had geared up and rushed past Kourin. Miwa had won the race.
"That was so cool!" Akari complimented the racers.
"Thanks!" Miwa grinned and Kourin smiled.
"That's amazing!" Aichi smiled at the two. "The score is 1-1. Now let's proceed to… Bowling ball" he told the others.
At Bowler's Edge…
"Cool. Let's play, Aichi" Koutei said, fired up.
"Sure!" Aichi agreed.
The two played well and Koutei won the game. Aichi congratulated him along with others.
"Sorry, guys. I lost" Aichi smiled at his team, sheepishly.
"Don't worry about it" Kai shrugged.
"You did well" Kourin added with a smile.
"Right! My brother will take revenge!" Yuri exclaimed.
"This is not a war…" Gai sweatdropped. "Anyway, what's next?" he asked.
"Next is Ring toss" Aichi read from the list.
"I'll win for you Tokura-san" Reishi smiled at Misaki who looked annoyed.
"Gai, don't you dare lose" Kai looked scary to Gai.
Gai gulped "Of c-course!"
"Stop scaring my brother, Kai-san!" Yuri told Kai.
"Defeat him, Gai" that was Ren.
"Uh… he's (Reishi) in your team, Ren-san…" Aichi pointed out and Ren shrugged.
"I don't care"
And the games continued….
Gai had won against Reishi despite the murderous glares from Kai.
Next, Kai won the cooking contest against Akari despite Akari teasing him.
And then, Misaki had lost against Yuri in rifle shooting. Misaki couldn't focus since Yuri told her that Kai was watching her. It was already lunch time and they decided to eat some lunch. Ren was in charge of booking a diner for them so he led them to the said place.
The lunch was served and everyone enjoyed it while having casual conversation along.
"Well… the results are… 3-3. So it's a tie" Aichi concluded.
"Now we have to decide with a team game" Yuri added.
"Hmm… Then this seems good" Koutei pointed at 'Paintball War' arena on the list.
"Let's conclude the winners with this game" Aichi said.
"Ok!"
At Paintball War Zone…
Now it was… Team Kai vs Team Ren.
The teams were ready with their gears and masks on. The rules were slightly different from the regular game. Kai's team (Asaka, Miwa, Kourin, Yuri and Gai) wore blue combat suits while Ren's team (Koutei, Misaki, Aichi, Akari and Reishi) had red combat suits on so as to identify the 'enemy'. They were to target on opponent's black circle on the front (abdomen area) and back side (upper back) and capture the enemy flag (Red and Blue). Everyone had five chances so they had to be careful while shooting the luminescent gel paint. To make it more fun and harder, they were to play it in dim lights while also saving themselves from attacks. The team that has captured the enemy flag will be the winner. The time limit was twenty minutes.
The lights dimmed and the buzzer went on.
"Attack!"
The teams dispersed and went in hiding. They were looking for their targets… Blue flag was guarded by Aichi and Kourin while Misaki and Yuri were in charge of the red flag. In few minutes, Kai's team went in attacking mode while Ren's team turned defensive. But, they couldn't just mindlessly shoot on anyone since their shots were limited. Besides, the goal was to capture enemy flag.
"I got you" Ren shot straight at Reishi.
"I'm in your team!" Reishi exclaimed in disbelief.
"I didn't know it was you. Sorry" Ren waved his hand, dismissively and Reishi sweatdropped. "Anyway, be discreet or you'll be dead in no time" he said and hid behind his post.
"Woah! That was close!" Miwa was hit on his chest and dived behind a wall for cover.
Misaki glared in the dim lights. Somebody had shot at her but she had successfully dodged it. Now that her spot was given out, she had to move somewhere else. Yuri was close to the flag and was waiting. She motioned Misaki that someone was close by so she has to stop them. Misaki crouched down, ready for an ambush but someone suddenly tackled her from her side.
"What the-…?! Nakadai-san?" Misaki recognized him.
"I'll protect you, Tokura-san!" Reishi said and suddenly he was hit right on his back.
"Oh? First save yourself" that was Kai's voice.
'Seems like everyone is into the game' Misaki sweatdropped and hid from the approaching 'enemy' who was Kai.
Amidst the war, Misaki didn't know how many of the either teams were left. The time was running out and she had to take down at least one of the enemy or avoid getting hit. She jumped out of her hiding spot and shot at Kai. He wasn't there! He had dodged her attack and now… He was gone.
"I didn't expect you would kill me, Tokura" Kai stated. "Well, a game is a game" he added.
His voice startled her from behind and she noted the amusement in his voice. Someone had shot at her but Kai had grabbed her wrist and pulled her aside. He had saved her… In the next moment, she turned to shoot at him but…
"Got you"
"Wha-…?!"
And Kai had shot. She was hit straight on the target on her abdomen and she was surprised. She glanced down to see the smeared blue paint and looked up at Kai's smirking face. Her heart skipped a beat. She felt nervous to be so close to him with him holding her wrist.
The buzzer went on signaling the end of the game which jerked Misaki and Kai let go of her hand. The lights went on. Miwa had captured the red flag so the winner was Kai's team.
"Yes! We won!" Kai's team celebrated while Kai smirked at the losing team.
"Now… Someone was eager to get served by me, huh?" Kai said, looking at Ren.
"Ha-ha! It was a joke!"
Now, they had handful of prizes and rewards so Miwa asked one of Kai's bodyguards to take the gift bag to Kai's villa. It was late afternoon and they decided to have some tea and snacks.
"Next stop is amusement park!" Miwa announced with joy.
"It's been a long time since I went to one! And I'll get to go with you all! I'm so excited!" Akari exclaimed, starry eyed.
"Right. I'm looking forward to it" Misaki smiled.
"Yeah. It's been so long…" Miwa wondered. "Come to think of it… We haven't had this much fun since a long time" he said.
"So let's make more out of it, everyone!" Ren smiled.
"Yes!"
Aqua Force Amusement Park
Since they had Leon's VIP passes, the gang had easy access to every place. They didn't want to be served as VIPs but it was sometimes necessary for security reasons. The place was bustling with crowd but the guards were on high alert. Once they entered, they decided to try different rides first. The rollercoaster ride was fun but…
"I don't feel good…" Reishi said as he rested on a bench.
"Aichi, you okay?" Kourin asked in concern when Aichi took deep breaths.
"Yeah…" Aichi exhaled.
"Eh? It's just one ride. Man up you two!" Gai exclaimed.
"Hey, I found it!" Ren exclaimed as he pointed at the Haunted mansion.
The gang looked at mansion setting and was surprised. The building did look like a real mansion and the men were curious to explore it.
"Isn't this too much…? I mean… it actually looks like a real mansion…" Asaka pointed out.
"Hmm. Anyone who is not coming is a chicken!" Ren stated and hurried to his destination.
"Wait for us!"
Inside the Haunted Mansion…
(A/N – This is just a representation. I did not mean any harm to anyone and I also didn't mean to scare anyone. If anyone doesn't like horror please skip this scene)
"I think we should head back…" Akari gulped as she grabbed Misaki's arm.
"Yeah… I have a bad feeling about this…" Misaki looked anxious.
"This is all hoax. Keep it in mind" Kai told the two as he walked beside them. He smirked as he added "You can hug me if you're scared, Tokura"
"…?!" Misaki looked wide eyed at him while Akari giggled. 'Is he serious?!' she thought.
"Don't tease my friend when she scared, Kai-san" Akari commented and Kai shrugged.
They had walked through the massive stairs that lead them to the upper floor. The ladies looked unconsciously alert while the men looked bored. They now walked through the never ending corridor that felt like a maze. The dim lights in the corridor seem to blink, switching on and off. The paintings looked creepy enough. The faint noise of dripping water could be heard along with the occasional whispers from the shadows. They walked along the weird looking creature statues and mannequins along the way when they came across a bloodied doll. With a loud creak, the door across the doll opened automatically and the doll walked in before disappearing in the darkness.
"It wants us to follow it?" Miwa quirked an eyebrow.
"No way am I going in there!" Yuri gulped, grabbing Koutei's arm.
"Heh. It's not even scary" Ren commented and looked in far end of the corridor "Let's go in that-…"
Suddenly, one of the doors from the dark end of the hallway opened with a loud creek, its noise reverberating through the hallway. Something like shadowed figure emerged and its deep throaty laugh echoed. Some reptile-like creature leaped from the ceiling in front the gang, catching them off-guard.
"Kyaa!"
"What the-…?!"
The panicked ladies tried to get away, turning to run back from where they came from. Following their suit, Kourin and Aichi held each other's hands as they searched for exit.
"Wait!" Miwa and Ren tried to stop them and sweatdropped when they saw Yuri dragging Koutei and Gai by their collars.
Kai, Miwa, Ren and Reishi turned to look on the other side since they heard a woman's giggle. The woman was beautiful in a white kimono yet fishy in such a setting. Her laugh was melodious and she motioned them to come closer. Reishi looked mesmerized and went closer.
"Wait-…" Miwa tried to stop Reishi but Kai and Ren cut him off.
"He'll be fine" Ren shrugged while Kai smirked and then…
"N-NNOOOO!" they heard Reishi shouting for help as he was dragged away.
'These two are more evil…' Miwa sweatdropped as they walked off to other side, leaving Reishi behind.
At the same time, the ladies halted when a crouched figure of corpse like lady crawled in front of them, her dark hair covering most of her white face. It started to crawl towards them so they ran in random directions. Misaki and Asaka ran together while Akari ran off alone. Yuri dragged Koutei and Gai along with her.
"We just need to kick it!" Gai's voice could be heard in a distance.
Meanwhile, Misaki and Asaka huffed from running as they had turned around the corner. They found themselves in some room. It was frightening. Now they had to find the exit and their friends. On the other hand, Akari was scared out of her wits. She could hear footsteps behind her but no one was around her. She tried to calm down. This was all fake, she reminded herself. The organizers did go overboard with the scare. No wonder children and old people weren't allowed…
"Where is the exit?!" Akari exclaimed to one of the doors.
'Oh' she sweatdropped when she read the sign 'To Exit' with an arrow near the iron staircase 'Finally!'
Once Akari reached the end of the stairs, she was relieved. "Miwa-san!" she cried, happily.
Miwa looked surprised when Akari clinged to him but noticed her shaken state. "It's alright, Akari-san…" he coaxed and thanked the dim lights for covering his blushing face.
"Thank you…" Akari let go of him and exhaled, deeply. "Where are the others?" she looked around.
"I… got separated from them. I was with Kai and Ren and suddenly someone grabbed my hand and I was in some room alone" Miwa told her.
"Oh my… That must have been scary" Akari shook her head. "Anyway, let's get out of here" she entwined their fingers and led him away.
"…!" Miwa looked surprised at her bold move.
"Sorry… I'm just making sure I don't get lost again" she said without turning to look at him as she was blushing.
Miwa smiled at her back "You're very honest, Akari-san"
On the other hand, Misaki and Asaka had found their way down from the first floor. Along the way, they had encountered way too many scares. They jumped when they heard the piano in the hall, playing a random piece and hugged each other. The ladies gulped and were about to run off when they heard familiar voice.
"They'll pass out, you know…" it was Kai's voice.
Relief washed over them as Misaki and Asaka ran towards the source of the voice. They turned around the corner and were overjoyed to see Kai and Ren near the piano.
"…Kai" Misaki said in relief as she ran towards him.
"Ren-sama…" Asaka sat on her knees and exhaled, grateful that they were safe now.
"…A-chan!" Ren approached her. "You okay…?" he looked worried as he extended his hand to Asaka.
"Yes…" Asaka smiled in relief as she grabbed Ren's hand and stood up.
On the other hand, Kai was surprised when Misaki tackled him in a hug, wrapping her arms around his torso. He could feel her shaking hands before she relaxed. He didn't hug back but stood as he rested his chin on top of her head. It must be a terrible experience, he thought.
"…You're safe with me" he coaxed.
"Sorry… I just-…" Misaki paused when she heard his heart beating faster than normal. "…Your heart…" she frowned in worry and his eyes widened for a split second.
"…?!"
"Are you scared?" Misaki enquired as she let go off him.
"Let's just head out" Kai said and cleared his throat.
The rest of their friends were already waiting outside with a passed out Reishi. Yuri splashed some water on his face and he woke up with a start.
"I'm impressed. As expected of Soryu's" Koutei complimented.
"That was… too much" Kourin shook her head and the ladies agreed with her.
"Can we just enjoy some normal rides now…?" Yuri said with her hands on her hips.
"Sure! How about Water caves…?" Miwa suggested.
"Sounds good!" Akari smiled.
After few more rides….
"So… We're done with rollercoaster, Haunted Mansion, Fun house, River caves… Now Ren-san and others are enjoying the Ghost train…" Aichi trailed off.
Ren had insisted on Ghost train ride but the ladies opposed the idea so the men except Aichi went to enjoy the ride. Ren had challenged the men by saying 'Don't be a sissy' and the men were dragged along. Misaki was glad as Ren dragged Kai away. It was the second time she had tackled him in a hug like that and she was glad he didn't say anything. It felt natural for her but that doesn't mean he wouldn't feel repulsive if she keeps touching him without his permission.
These past few days, she felt at ease with him and she could feel he was too. She was grateful that Kai was helping her to avoid Reishi who being annoyingly clingy. She knew she cannot be rude to him since he was a Nakadai. Amidst the rides, they had been munching on different snacks and dishes along the way to keep up the energy. They also took pictures and shot videos together.
"I'm never going to Haunted mansions again…" Akari said.
"Hmm… But it was fun" Yuri said and the others agreed.
"It's not a bad thing to experience once in a while" Misaki smiled.
"Really? You had Asaka-san with you. But I was all alone!"
"Well… true. You're brave, Akari-chan"
"It's getting late… What's taking them so long…?" Aichi wondered aloud.
"Don't worry. They have guards" Yuri shrugged. "Hmm! This is delicious!" she exclaimed as she ate a dumpling.
"Hey, there's the Tarrot card reading shop! Let's check it out" Akari suggested with a smile.
One Hour Later…
The night life of the fun fair reenergized with the addition of glowing and twinkling lights and lanterns all around, enhancing the beauty of it. The gang was enjoying the giant Ferris wheel ride. The spacious cabin was round and could easily fit eight to ten people with a pillar in the center. People could enjoy the 360 degree view through the glass windows. Kourin and Aichi sat together followed by Koutei, Yuri, Gai and Miwa. Reishi sat beside the cabin door, followed by Ren (he didn't want Asaka to seat beside Reishi), Asaka, Akari, Misaki and Kai at last. Asaka was thankful to Ren as he sat between her and Reishi.
A few rounds later, the giant wheel came to halt so as to view the scene from the top. The gang was taking in the breathtaking beauty of the evening atmosphere of the beautiful island.
"See that villa? That's Kai's" Miwa told Misaki, Akari and Kourin.
"Ohhh!" the ladies looked surprised.
"And that's the shrine we went"
"Ohhh"
"And that's Nakadai resort" Reishi pointed in another direction.
"Ohhh"
"And that's ocean" Ren pointed at the sea, sarcastically.
"Just sit down. You're blocking the view" Kai shot at the guys.
The gang continued to chatter. Misaki glanced around her friends and smiled. They all looked happy. Yuri and Koutei looked like they were in their own world as they talked just like Aichi and Kourin. She was happy for her friends. Reishi and Ren were again taunting each other while Akari was showing something to Asaka on her cellphone. Miwa and Gai were busy recording by the camcorder. Finally, Misaki glanced at Kai and was surprised to see him looking at her. His eyes held such gentleness and she felt heavy under his gaze. She glanced away from his trapping gaze.
"Your… villa is close to the Soryu Inn…" Misaki blurted out, surprising herself. 'What am I saying…?' she thought, looking at the said villa.
"Hn. Let's go spend some time there. Everything is already arranged" his words shocked her.
"…?!" Misaki tensed. "W-what…?" she stammered. 'What does that mean?!' she wondered in anticipation.
"We'll spend the night and-…" Kai paused when she looked at him wide-eyed. "Hn?" he tilted his head.
"N-no"
"Why? Miwa and others want to" he quirked an eyebrow, bemused.
"Oh" she let out a relieved sigh. "Okay…" she agreed.
"Tokura… Were you thinking we would be alone? You should've said so…" he gave her a sly smirk as he moved closer to her so that their shoulders touched. "You're so bold" he stated, amused.
Just then the fireworks boomed in night sky, enhancing the beauty of the atmosphere and catching everyone's attention. It was exhilarating. Misaki glanced at Kai beside her before focusing on the fireworks. She knew she was blushing and was grateful that the fireworks covered her embarrassment. She was smiling because of him. She realized she hadn't thanked him for his help in the haunted mansion.
"Kai?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you for earlier…"
"Anything for you, Tokura…"
To be continued…
A/N – So heartwarming! Everything's going good for now. I do hope you all enjoyed the rides with the gang as well! So how was their first day of the festival? Will be waiting for your thoughts! I tried to squeeze the chapter as much as possible but it's quite long so I hope it's not bothersome. Thank you for reading! ^^
