Hurrying back to the small room where they had been staying, Rei quickly grabbed their go-bag and began throwing their meager belongings into it. Roihichi sat on the bed watching her quietly, his face afire with questions. Kaname stood in the entryway. Also quiet, his eyes followed Rei as she darted around the room removing any traces of their stay and ensuring she had packed up everything. Glancing up at Kaname she waved him inside.
"If you're going to be here, it's better that you be inside rather than hanging out in the doorway"
Kaname stepped in, closing the door behind him. Rei zipped up the bag and then sat down on the floor, ready to field some questions before they started their journey. She turned to Roihichi first. As soon as she looked his way, Roihichi hopped off the bed and ran over to her. Leaning into her face, he immediately began spouting off questions: "Who was that guy? Was he Association? He wasn't, was he? But still, I was right to run, right? Why are we leaving and where are we going? Why did he say you were dead? Are we going to visit him?Why was he so mad? Who's this guy here? Why are you –"
"Okay. Enough! Slow down Roi." Rei patted him on his head and gave him a quick smile. " I won't be able to answer all of your questions right now, but I'll answer a few okay?"
Roi frowned, but nodded. He was used to moving fast and having to wait for answers later. "That person is someone really important from my past that I haven't seen in a very long time. Right now, we are going to journey by foot for a few days to a safe place where we can meet with him and his travel companion". Rei held Roihichi's arms and moved nose to nose with him. "That is all that I'm going to say about it for now, but I promise that when we get there, we will have more conversations and proper introductions, alright?" Roi once again nodded slowly and Rei pulled him into her arms for a long hug.
"Look, Kaname and I have some things that we need to discuss before we leave. Why don't you go out and play with your friends one last time before we go? As soon as I'm done here we are going to start on our way"
"Alright. I guess I did kind of leave in the middle of our game anyways.." Roi hopped up and headed out towards the fields.
After he left, Rei turned her attention to Kaname who was leaning quietly against the wall, eyes closed in thought.
"What are you thinking about, Kaname?"
His eyes opened and he looked at her, "I was just anticipating the next words out of your mouth"
"Oh?" Rei lifted a brow, "what were you expecting?"
"You want to know my plans, I presume? I mean, you know I was right there when you told that guy that you would see what I decided?"
Rei shrugged. That was true.
"Okay, well since I don't have to waste time saying it, what are your thoughts and plans?"
Kaname walked to the center of the room and crouched next to Rei.
"That man… I think I understand who he is to you. But who was he to me? Am I right to presume that he is the same person from the story you shared with me? "
Rei could feel heat creeping up her face. "Yes, you'd presume right. But again, that was long ago, and in case I didn't mention that part in the story, the feelings involved weren't mutual- mine were purely one-sided"
Kaname's brow creased, "No, I didn't realize. You'll have to explain that situation a bit better for me. Maybe on our journey to this new location?" He asked, a question in his eyes. "That is of course if you don't mind. I think I rather enjoy uncovering new information about the old me. And of course I'm not quite ready to leave your presence either". He stood up and flashed her that smile again, holding out his hand so that he could help her up.
Rei turned her head, but accepted his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet, saying nothing as he put a hand on her waist to steady her as she got up.
"I'm happy to have you Kaname, but I will warn you, it's not just Zero that we will be meeting with. He's traveling with his, uh… lover? I don't know, I can only guess what their relationship is at this point, but… I suppose it would be fair to say that we all have some… shared history. It…could end up being a lot for you…". Rei stumbled through the words. In reality she wanted to just tell him that if he came, there were a number of ways that this could all go seriously wrong for everybody, but this was his decision and she couldn't really say that she blamed him either.
"Thank you for your concern. I truly appreciate it, but I think I'll be okay" Kaname raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it. "If you're there I feel certain that everything will be fine"
Rei pursed her lips. 'Little does he know…'
"Okay. Well then let's hit the road. Do you need to go back to your place and get your things?"
"Yes, however I don't have much. I can pack and return in a matter of minutes". Kaname stood and walked to the door. Before leaving he turned back to Rei "I'm looking forward to this journey together…Rei" He flashed her a mischievous smile. "It really is a lovely name. How fitting…" and with that he stepped out and shut the door behind him.
The journey to the safe spot was long, but to her surprise, Rei found it rather enjoyable. They only travelled during the later parts of the day and the early nights- sleeping through the late night and hotter parts of the day. Roihichi had fun pointing out the different types of plants and animals that they passed. Kaname was especially knowledgeable about these things, and he would chatter away with Roihichi about different facts about the animals, which berries could be eaten, and different uses for the plants. Roi found Kaname fascinating and spent most of the day asking him apparently every question that came to his young mind.
"Okay Roi, I think that's enough for awhile" Rei said in exasperation. Roihichi had been going non-stop for hours, burning Kaname's ears about this and that, and Rei needed a reprieve from the incessant chittering. Roi pouted, " But Kaname is okay with it!"
Rei sighed, "Kaname may well be, but I'm not. Go find some of those weird fruit thingies that he said were edible and see if you can pick enough for a good snack so that we can take a small break." Excited to have a task, Roi's frown disappeared, and he grinned broadly "Ok! Kaname watch, I'll bring back all of those ones you pointed out that we can eat- I remember them all, you'll see!"
Kaname smiled and ruffled Roi's hair as the boy flushed happily.
"I'm sure you will Roihichi, you're a quick study. I can't wait to see what you find"
As Roi dashed off, Rei dropped to the ground, casting a pensive look at Kaname "You don't have to humor everything he says you know…"
Kaname carefully lowered himself down and sat next to her. "I'm not humoring him, I like talking to him and I enjoy answering his questions. It's not a bother at all"
Rei looked at Kaname's profile as he stared off into the trees. He was still such an enigma to her. She couldn't get a good grasp on him at all.
He felt her gaze and turned to face her. "I will say though it is nice to have a few moments alone with you" His eyes were warm and kind. "I want to keep learning more about you. Besides, how will I ever win your love if we don't have a chance to talk?" He grinned and raised an eyebrow at her.
Rei stared blankly at him. "I don't' know why you insist on saying such things"
"Because I mean them" Kaname's face was once again serious as he looked Rei directly in her face "I meant the things I said before and I mean what I say now. Is it just that you don't take me seriously?"
Rei turned her body towards him "Yes. It's that I don't take it seriously and it's that I don't have a heart for you to win. I'm sure I've said it already, but my heart isn't available. Someone already holds it and even I can't seem to lay claim to it any longer."
Kaname nodded "Yes, the unrequited love? You're holding out for him to return your love I take it?"
A cynical smile formed on Rei's face. "Ha. No, not at all. Mine is a love that can't be returned." Rei's eyes locked on to Kaname's. "See, he doesn't have a heart available to give either." Rei gave a short laugh and laid back on the ground, staring up into the clear sky with her hands behind her head.
"That's the true irony of this entire situation. It's a sad chain of irony really. I love him, but he can't return my love because he loves another. However, that other can't completely return his love because while she does love him, she also shares that love with yet another, and that other has also given his heart to her, but can never have all of hers… It's all so twisted. I'm not sure if there can even be any happy endings in a story like that…" Rei sighed and closed her eyes 'and if Kaname only knew that he's just another link in this awful chain.' She thought to herself. ' Maybe it's not so bad that he doesn't have to live with those memories'.
A shadow crossed behind her eyelids and Rei slightly opened her eyes. Kaname 's face hung above her as he leaned over her lying body. Rei lifted an eyebrow.
"You're cynical." He told her, his red eyes filled with kindness. "It's not as simple as you would like to believe. If you think that I would give up because you say that… My goal is to reach your heart and once I've found it I plan to claim it." Kaname sat back, taking Rei's hands and pulling her up with him. "You say it's unattainable, but I won't let such a thing stop me."
Rei frowned at him, "I don't get it. Why? You don't remember me and you don't know me well enough to even want something like that."
Kaname smiled. "The second I saw you, my heart knew. It reacted immediately. Though… if I am being honest, the first time we spoke wouldn't actually be the first time I saw you…"
Rei again raised an eyebrow at him.
" I had already seen you many times in the town before our meeting the other day. The first time was at the town well, and when I first laid eyes on you, something inside pulled me to you. Even still I stayed back and didn't approach. I watched you tirelessly pump buckets of water and then without a word you dropped them at the doors of the town's elderly who were unable to get their own. You made sure no one noticed you and you dropped them and left without a word. I think you did the same on the day we finally spoke if I'm not mistaken?" Kaname tilted his head towards her, but Rei intentionally averted her gaze, a low heat, slowly creeping up the back of her neck.
Kaname continued, "Since I'd come to this town, I'd learned of the family who lives just at the edge of town. The one where the husband disappears for days on end and returns only to beat on his family and run off with the meager earnings that the wife makes down at the brothel. Imagine my surprise to be out in the late hours one night and to see a lovely, yet formidable woman wearing a veil, take him down to the ground and reduce him to tears in a back alleyway. Word spread the next day of some promise he'd made that he would never return again, and of a large sum of money he'd left to help his family. Gossip of course spread like wildfire, but no one truly knew why, except myself and that mystery woman I suppose…" Kaname paused and looked at Rei straight on.
"So… all this to say that yes, I do have my reasons for wanting 'something like that' and they are not as shallow as you may think. I know how I feel and I know my own mind. In fact, that's something I think you and I may have in common… "
Rei opened her mouth to reply, but before words could come out, Roihichi came bounding out of the woods, a knapsack filled with fruits and berries and an excited look on his face. "Kaname! Kaname! Come see what I found! I'm sure I got all the right ones, come see!"
Kaname looked at Rei and flashed her a warm smile before getting up and joining Roihichi as he spread out the contents of his pouch.
Rei watched the two of them in wonder, still trying to process Kaname's words in her mind 'You say it's unattainable, but I won't let such a thing stop me'. What utter nonsense…
Rei sighed, "I wish I could say that I loved him from the moment I saw him, but that would be a lie. The truth is I hated him when I first met him. Him and his brother. The cursed twins of the Kiryu family. They had what I wanted and I immediately loathed them both for it, but especially Zero. He was massively talented, but not only that, he came from the prestigious Kiryu clan. A clan that was well-renowned, while my own heritage of the Souma had to be hidden and suppressed- a secret never to be shared with anyone. I was lonely. I had no family, and he had a large one - parents full of love who passed on their teachings and took them home and taught and loved them." Rei paused, her eyes wistfully drifting to her memories of the past. She and Kaname walked side by side under the moonlit sky, Kaname carrying a sleeping Roihichi on his back and listening intently as Rei answered his questions about her own past life.
"I lived at the Association. After my mom died, it was the only home I knew, and it was a cold one. I became cold. Like she had warned me, I trusted no one, and the warm, friendly boy with the Kiryu name and the loving family, who wanted to be my friend, angered me most of all. I have to admit I was pretty cruel to him at the time" Rei huffed "At that time, he was so different… Even when I was mean, it didn't bother him at all, he was still kind and continued to reach out to me. He left after his family died, and I knew he went to live with Kaien, but I didn't see him for a long time afterwards, and when I did – he had changed. Dramatically. The kid he used to be was gone and he resembled the one that I had been instead. It kind of saddened me". Rei stopped talking and looked over at Kaname, "I'm sorry to burden you with all of this…It's unnecessary…".
Kaname placed his hand on hers, his warm red-brown eyes smiling down at her. "No, it's fine. I find that I like to hear about your childhood and the person that you were. Hearing about your past is fascinating. Though I will admit, it does make me think a bit about what I might be missing in my own…" His smile faltered and Rei could see the sadness behind the smile in his eyes. Tentatively she placed her other hand on top of his. "You know, I'd also like to hear about you. You may not have stories of the past to share, but I'd love to hear about the new memories that you've been making…" She looked up at him expectantly " Will you tell me about the new person that you've become and what you've experienced these last years?"
And so their journey continued this way for nearly 3 days. Laughter-filled treks with the three of them during the day, and during the evenings and late nights, Rei and Kaname would take turns carrying Roihichi and talk quietly between themselves, walking under the stars, until they finally made camp for the night.
Rei was dreading the conversations that she knew would come once they met up with Zero and Yuki, and she began to desperately wish that she could delay the meeting, instead prolonging these quiet nights spent under the moon with Kaname by her side. She knew however that it wasn't a possibility and as they finally reached the outpost Rei drew in a deep breath, ready to face her atonement.
