"Kira.. Why are you here?"
He was standing all alone and turned his head towards her. An angelic smile appeared on his charming face as he saw her surprised expression.
A rising Star and the King of Stars in the same place- no Star was equal but they were all dazzling.
The main difference between Lee Changhyuk and Kira Atsui was the air they were emitting. One was an intimidating bad boy who looked like a seductive devil while the other was a calming angel who just popped out of heaven.
And this Prince of Heaven, who always seemed so blindingly far from her even during the times they were together, was he really here in Hakone?
"Shizu.." A gentle smile reached his eyes as he called her name, assuring her that it was really him.
He hadn't flinched from that spot since he reached the hotel, searching for her figure in every group of people. Now that he saw her, he could breath slowly. She looked so beautiful in the black yukata. It reminded him of the happy past where they went to a lot of festivals together. He would show her off to all of his friends during those times but now when he almost reached the top, he had to bury everything and left her behind.
Kira switched his gaze to the towering figure behind her who walked with a calm pace to catch up to her. His face still looked as arrogant as always it simply looked natural on him that Kira couldn't tell his ears almost bled from hearing her sweet name came out of his mouth.
"I thought Kumo Bell is arriving tomorrow morning?" She said while cautiously looking to the right and left, checking if any Cheerful Youth crew was around.
"We changed the schedule, Kuran and the others are also here."
She rounded her mouth, forming an 'O' then scratched her head. She seemed somehow uncomfortable with the whole situation.
"Can we talk?"
A frown formed on her brows "Now?" She hesitantly asked Kira and the latter replied with a simple nod causing her expression to turn even more melancholy.
Why now? Didn't he always reject her?
She was suddenly faced with the greatest dilemma in her life. Deep inside her, she knew she should talk to Kira and move on as friends with a clean slate. The love between the two of them was real and deep it was almost scary. After all, they were each other's first love.
They said first love was the most painful love cause you went all out and gave everything you had to the other person. It went deep, so deep that some people couldn't even forget about it for the rest of their life.
So she understood if he suddenly decided to talk to her. They needed the talk to be able to move on.
But why couldn't she nod her head as usual and follow him? She lifted up her chin to look at the silent Star beside her.
He met her gaze with indifferent eyes but one look and he could tell she wanted the 'talk' too. She looked so troubled that her eyes were pleading for help.
How could he help her? He was more than willing to take her hand and hide her away but he knew it was not what she needed and wanted. His heart was crumbling with every breath he took.
He didn't like how he called her name. He didn't like how he looked at her. But above all that, he didn't like the sad expression she had because of that guy.
A smile appeared on his nonchalant face. He nodded his head then said "Go Miruku chan. Don't you want to talk to him?"
Shizu blinked once as she was trying to digest his words. She did not expect Lee Changhyuk to tell her this thing.
"Why?" Was all she could say to him.
His devilish eyes were so captivatingly beautiful it locked her eyes from trailing else where. He looked as playful as always but that attitude was also what made him unreadable. "Won't you regret it if you don't go?"
Her eyes widened in bewilderment. "You.." What do you know?
Those words didn't leave her lips. How far did he know about her and Kira? Did he also think of her as a seductress and scandalmonger?
Well, that conversation could wait, couldn't it? She forced a smile and lowered her lids. "You are right.. I'll probably regret it."
The Cheerful Youth crew was not here, when else would she have the chance to talk to Kira without a bother?
An unreasonable pain stabbed his chest with every word she said, yet a quirky smile still appeared on that handsome face.
Shizu finally nodded her head to Kira as she accepted his invitation then quickly turned her gaze again to face Lee changhyuk.
"Go and change your clothes, they are still wet. I will text you when I see Andy and.. I will not take long." Shizu promised him.
Lee Changhyuk nodded his head and gave his usual mischievous wink to acknowledge her. "Go." His voice was firm.
Shizu didn't wait long to jog towards Kira. Her black yukata swung like butterfly as she approached him.
Lee Changhyuk lifted his lids and the smile slowly left his gorgeous face as he met with Kira's. His eyes blazed with darkness so intense that Kira felt like his soul was getting swallowed.
His shoulders tensed instantly, goose bumps rising on his exposed flesh. It was only for a short moment but Kira could see those eyes clearly. That arrogant pair was too overwhelming they were not empty threats.
Why? Why did he feel like he should never confront this man?
They said it took a monster to recognize another monster.
The twins were right. Something was definitely not normal about this guy. He had seen so many big Stars with mind-boggling presence so he was familiar with their domineering and overbearing comportment.
Those Stars were on a completely different level cause they knew what they were doing, could move an entire industry with a single word and were aware of their worth. No man with any lesser sense of confidence and pride should have this demeanor. Who in the world was this guy?
Lee Changhyuk diverted his gaze and quickly put on his usual devil-may-care front. If he didn't want her to leave then he shouldn't have let her go.
Was he being too arrogant? Didn't he already decide to endure any hell in order to be with her? So shouldn't he at least endure this much? He just wanted to make her happy. Even though it was at the expense of his own heart.
His heart was bleeding, he could not stand seeing her with another man so he quickly turned around then left the ex-couple like nothing happened.
Kira who still had his eyes fixated on Lee Yuki could only swallow a dry air as his tall figure walked further away from them.
Shizu pursed her lips as she stood quietly beside Kira. She was studying this familiar face carefully. Why did he look so tense?
"Kira.." She called his name softly and he snapped back to meet her beautiful big eyes. His eyes tendered as he finally got to see her from up close. How long has it been again?
"Should we go to the café for tea?"