When Airi entered, He found Kira sitting on the floor. She was in a helpless state, her limbs stuck tightly together as if hugging herself and covering her ears altogether. She was muttering something he couldn't here.
He walked over, sighing he called out to her but she didn't reply. Anxiety and worry were completely written on his face. He walked closer to her and when he was about to place his hand on her shoulder, the girl cried.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!!"
"Kira..."
he was really worried about her. To think this gentle and sweet girl would show her hostility towards him more than once, he felt that he was indeed wrong.
His expression suddenly changed when the smell of rust touched the tip of his nose. Alerted by the unknown things that are in the dark room, he uttered light and the room lit up at once.
The room was not elegantly decorated like that in the whole school. The walls are bare and made out of stone as well as the floor. What surprised him though was the dirty things that lie messily around the room. On the walls hung metal weapons like swords and axe. There are also some rusted armors and chains.
Airi was surprised, but even more so when he noticed Kira's sobbing stopped. She froze and trembled in fear at the moment the lights opened. Worried, he placed a hand on her shoulder and asked.
"Kira, what's wrong?"
Airi was stunned when he saw her look. Her already pallid pace turned almost grayish from fright. Her eyes went blank and clouded as though lost all its sparkles. She quivered and tears silently streamed from her eyes. From the looks of it, she seemed to have recalled past memories.
Seeing her frightened look, Airi acted quickly upon realization. There is no time to be stunned. He carried her out of the room and pushed the werewolf statue, shutting the room close. He planned to file a complaint about that room later on, but more importantly...
Kira slumped down in the marble floor. Her looks were a mess and her hair twisted and scattered messily covering her pale face. She was wet in tears and her dress were dirty.
There were no longer any sign of dignity or elegance in her. At that moment, she was reduced to noting but an ordinary girl who seemed to be frightened to death as she covered her ears still, hoping to not to hear those scary noises that hunts her.
Looking at her, Airi frowned. It was...he had never really seen her like this. What could this poor little girl could have possibly gone through in the past to be reduced to this state?
He pitied her despite being reluctant to do so. Sighing, he tried to force a smile. He crouched down and carefully brushed her long hair out of her face. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and proceeded to wipe her face full of gentleness.
They were really fortunate that no one else was there at the ballroom. If not, he was unsure how the other students would react when they saw their princess like this.
Being sons and daughters of esteemed families, their public image matters greatly. It was their responsibility to always be dignified and act elegantly at all cost. They must also stand proud and not cower in their own fears. They must not show any weakness that their enemies would use against them. They must always be perfect and flawless that other people would not look down on them.
Despite being only children, they must put up with those rules. It was unfair considering that they also have feelings, and the fact that they are not machines. However, that is their world and unless they did not want to be mocked and bullied, they must abide by those rules the people set up for them.
Thinking about those, he felt relieved at some point. After a moment of waiting for her to calm down, Airi took her to get a change of clothes then brought her to the kitchen to ask for chocolates from the spirits.
Giving her a bar of chocolate, he then took her out for a walk in the garden. He held her hand tightly as if scared that she'll get lost as they walked around the maze. She hadn't spoke a single word yet ever since they left the hidden room. And after a while, the first words she spoke are,
"Iron..."
"Huh?" Airi looked at her confusedly.
"Iron. I'm scared of iron. Especially chains."
The moment she said that, she begun to tremble again and tears started flowing out of her eyes again.
Helpless, Airi sighed inwardly. He smiled at her gently, pulling her to his embrace as he let her cry herself out.
Cold...She was really cold. Her hands, unlike normal people, they were really cold. Her skin was also pale right from the beginning he first met her. He also thought that her lack of warmth was perhaps because of the weather, but after what Sychi told them the other day, he became uncertain.
During all those times he spent with her, she doesn't feel like living. He also never dreamed that he will hold her this way. It's just that the twins were always together he never wished to get too close to them as to pull them apart. He always hesitated.
Everyone also thinks that way. Even though they were so close, it feels as if they're so far away like in a different world apart from theirs. There was like an invisible barrier that separates them. A barrier that everyone was so reluctant to cross over in fear of creating a crack between the two siblings.
However, at that moment, Airi felt so close to her like never did before. He held her like that for the very first time since she met her, and the two of them were also alone that such occurrence never happened before.
He thought that it was wrong. He wasn't supposed to be the one with her now. The person that should be her, hugging her like this and cheering her up should be and only be Kishi. It's because she belongs to her and no one else. She's a person they cannot touch.
After another while, Kira finally stopped crying. She followed him closely tugging the hem of his clothes since Airi did not hold her hand anymore.
In some parts of the maze, there are stone gazebos. Airi took her to one of them. It was covered in flowering vines of beautiful colors, fragrant flowers and fresh grass surround it too, creating a beautiful sight to behold.
The two of them sat there and Kira quietly ate her chocolate as she sat closely to his side.
"Kira,"
"Hm?"
"You don't really like to play with me, do you?"
Taken aback by his sudden question, Kira froze and just nibbled her chocolate, not uttering a word.
Noting her silence, he continued. "Well, it's not like you're having fun playing with me. You seemed more delighted with the girls or with Livi."
He turned to look at her. Seeing the mess she made out of herself, he lowered her arms and wiped the chocolate on her lips and cheeks.
He smiled. "It's not like I'm angry or anything. I'm just worried. You look prettier when you smile but you don't have to force yourself when you don't have to. Everyone understands. They all care for you so you should also take care of yourself."
He leaned one her slightly then hugged her soon after. "But Kira, I understand now why Myth loves hugging you; you're so fluffy. Sigh...I'm sorry. Let me hug you for a while alright."
After Kira finished her chocolate, Airi suddenly stand up. He pulled out his key once more and opened a door from the inside of the gazebo and pulled her in it.
The door he opened lead to the top most part of the tallest tower in the school. Being it so high, the wind was strong and blew their hair. There, the whole view of the school could be seen. It was an overwhelming and beautiful sight.
Smiling gracefully, Airi looked at her and spoke. "Say Kira, Isn't it beautiful?"
Kira just stared at him then the sight in front of her. After long silence she suddenly asked.
"Airi, what is beautiful?"
The wind blew again and their hair flowed with the breeze. Airi was shocked for words but he didn't show it. He was unsure how to explain it and he also did not know where her question even came from.
Forcing a smiled, Airi pretended not to have understand her meaning. "What are you talking about Kira? Of course, beautiful is beautiful, like you and me. We're the personification of beautiful, nothing could be compared to us." He chuckled.
He turned around and looked at view before him. He wondered to himself. Just now, she looked like a doll void of any emotions and no understanding of the world. She was beautiful, yes, to the point that she's so beautiful it is frightening.
A porcelain doll of utter beauty? Damn! she's just a girl.