"Miss, today is moonlight festival! Let's go to the market!" Kiya said excitedly as she bounced into Ai's room.
Ai smiled at her young handmaiden. At 15 years old, Kiya is an energetic young lady with a bright positive view of life. Her thoughts went towards Kiya in her previous life.
When things started to go downhills, Ai released an order that Kiya be sent away to another land. Ai didn't want innocent Kiya to get involved and caught up in the darkness of the world. And if she could, she wouldn't have gotten anyone involved at all.
Ai remembered how Kiya had broken down upon receiving the order. Crying and kicking away the other servants who tried to drag her away from her precious miss, Kiya had desperately clang to Ai as she pleaded over and over again to let her stay.
But yet Ai's mind was made up, she steeled her expression and coldly walked away as her young companion was dragged away by force. Ai's expression turned pained as she reminisced the events of her past life.
"Miss! Miss! If you don't want to go, we don't have to go! It's this servant's fault for suggesting such! Miss, please don't be sad!", the present Kiya said worriedly as she noticed the solemn expression on her young miss. She mentally slapped herself for causing such grief towards her young miss.
Ai immediately brightened up and shook her head.
"Oh no no, Kiya, I was just thinking about something else, let us go to market then!", Ai assured as she gave a gentle smile to Kiya.
Ai had decided, she will spend her every waking moment with her loved ones fully and she will no longer be blinded by her obsession like her last life. She will treasure them and she will not ever lose them again.
At the Market
"Miss! Look at this beautiful hairpin! It will suit your fair hair really well!" Kiya gushed as she held up a sapphire hairpin curved in the shape of Phoenix.
Ai took a look at the hairpin, it was truly as beautiful as Kiya said, and the craftsmanship was indeed one of quality. Ai was about to purchase the item when a nasal voice called out.
"You must be the highly-acclaimed Miss Shizuka! I'm Miko Yamato, Magistrate's daughter! We had met once at the ball!"
Ai's hands froze in the air. Miko Yamato. Her love rival from the past life. Miko Yamato has violet eyes and matching purple hair that flowed down to her waist in waves. She has a delicate face and large doe-like eyes that fooled men into buying her innocent facade. But Miko was truly a cunning fox in disguise.
In her previous life, there were very few households who could match the influence and intellect of the Shizukas and Yamato household was one of the few who could rival them. Miko Yamato had vied for Jin Omaru's attention and she was obsessed with him as much as Ai, if not more.
The downfall of Shizuka household was largely orchestrated by the Yamatos and Ai wouldn't be surprised if Miko was the ringleader all along.
Ai turned away immediately, she has no mood to deal with such cunning fox and honestly if Miko wants Jin Omaru, feel free to have him all to herself. After all, Ai couldn't be bothered with such man, and he's definitely not on her to-do list. At least not in this life.
Suddenly Miko Yamato reached out to grasp Ai's arms. Visibly angered at the unwanted touch, Ai shook her arms away to break free. Miko, being a top-notch actress, she created an exaggerated fall, grabbing the attention of everyone around. By now, every single eye was on Ai, glaring disapprovingly at her "unruly" behaviour, while glancing pitifully at the "innocent" beauty on the ground who was injured by such barbaric and ill-mannered girl.
Miko Yamato smiled inwardly. She had been hearing news of Ai Shizuka being a well-bred and peerless beauty and it was gnawing on her mind. This position belonged to her and solely to her. So she had set out to destroyed Ai Shizuka's reputation and it was her good luck that she ran into her today.
Suddenly Miko heard a masculine voice asked, "Miss, are you alright? Is she bothering you?".
Miko's inner smile widened. Another victim had fallen to her tactics. She lifted her head with a false sad expression and was about to reply when she realised that something odd was happening.
The newcomer's back was facing her and he was currently asking Ai Shizuka if she was alright. What the fuck?! I'm the "victim" here! Miko raged internally as she glared at the blonde hair of the man.
While on the other side, Ai was shocked to see a familiar face. She remembered the blonde-haired man. What was his name? Wait, it's Kit! Kit Koyozoki!
Excited to see a familiar face, Ai yelped out happily.
"Kit! Long time no see!", she exclaimed, completely forgetting that she was not supposed to know him at all.
On the other hand, Kit sweatdropped. He knew that the young miss would probably know him from the previous life but exclaiming out in open like this... It was almost asking for tongues to start wagging.
"Ah... You know me?" Kit asked, feigning ignorance as he tried to save the day.
At his question, the young miss's eyes grew wide in shock as if only realising her slip-up and Kit mentally slapped himself. This miss was way too careless and didn't even know how to act at all. No wonder the purple-haired wench was able to manipulate and cause a scene.
"Ah... Oh.. I heard about your.. erm... achievements and I'm your biggest fan!", Ai stuttered.
At this point, Kit felt like stabbing himself to escape this torture and he mentally slapped himself so hard it probably left a bruise. A mental bruise.
The young miss could have come up with a better excuse such as a childhood friend or something yet she stated achievements. Kit's whole existence was known to very few and it was highly embedded in secrecy. There was no way his praises would be sung by masses and complete strangers.
"Ah I see… shall we go have tea to celebrate this moment then?" Kit asked reluctantly, his mind was just desperate to get out of this awkward situation as soon as possible and the sooner was the better for his sanity. Why the hell did he even get involved in the first place?! Usually, he would just watch in the shadows and at the sideline, unnoticed and unperturbed.
Ai was about to nod in agreement to Kit, when shrill voice screeched, "My ankle is swollen! Someone help me!"
For a moment, Ai had forgotten Miko upon meeting Kit and throughout Miko had remained on the ground, trying to play the victim. It seemed that her patience had run out for her to screech in that manner.
Ai turned towards Kit to see if he would help her, yet Kit simply walked towards the shopkeeper, passing him some money to buy the Phoenix hairpin that Ai was looking and also some extra money to escort Miko away. His exact words were, "Could you kindly move this pretentious woman away, here's some money for your service".
Ai held back her laughter. For a man like Kit, he hated the pretence and schemes the most, since his family background was scarred badly by such actions.
Miko fumed in shock. "How dare he! You half-blood freak! I will find you and make you wish you were never born!" Miko Yamato raged internally as she stood up immediately by herself, forgetting her act.
Right now, every eye turned disgusted at her deception and Miko blushed deeply in embarrassment from being exposed. She turned her hateful eyes towards Ai and Kit, as she dashed off indignantly.