I held my stomach in pain and looked at Ai who made her way to me and kicked me in the ribs making me fly around like a ragdoll. I think I might have broken a rib but I think it is only my mind.
Looking at Ai's face, I frowned. I did not want to see her like this. Why did I have to say that thing out loud?!
I started cursing myself internally for my stupidity but I had to deal with this thing right now. Ai was not the best at handling these situations and because she does not know, she mostly resorts to violence. The emotions she was feeling though were the same yet different. Every emotion you feel is the same but the cause of those emotions makes them feel very different too. They either come out on the stop or gets bottled up.
For example, if your friend were to lash out at you and you also get angry at it you feel angry which is normally at the heat of the moment. While if it were your parents, most of the time you don't have such an outburst. Those feelings get bottled in and just go away after some time. In both, you got angry but in one, you let it out and still have some of that anger but in the other one you just keep it in.
Ai jumped and got on top of me picking me up by the collar of my t-shirt gripping it tightly. She was gritting her teeth and her expression was not normal. It was unlike any other expression she ever showed me.
"Why did you lie to me?!" she shouted at me pushing me down hard on the ground and bringing me back up. "You could have waited or not said anything for long. I would have no problem in that but I hate liars the most."
She started punching me on the chest and I felt every single one of the punches. All the emotions behind that punch were felt on my body and I winced and grunted in pain with every single blow on my body. Looking at Ai confirmed my doubts.
Was Ai angry?
No, she wasn't.
"Ai l-"
Before I could continue, I got smacked across the face pretty hard and it definitely got red because it was pulsating. No matter how many times I tried talking to her, the same happened.
"Shut up!" she shouted.
"You said you loved me!"
"But that was a lie right?!"
"You lied straight to my face!"
"I hate liars more than anything!"
In the end, I decided to stop resisting and let her do what she was doing for a little longer. Let her vent out all those feelings and when I think she will listen, I will talk. Say what is needed to be said.
I have been waiting for that moment and it has been more than five minutes now and my body was now aching all over. I am surprised that it did not happen before since the amount of force in Ai's hits was immense. My body somehow got stronger but I did not need to worry about that right now.
"He-"
"I don't want to hear you speak!" she said smacking across the face yet again.
I had enough.
"Ai!" I called out her name in a strong and firm voice and it seems to have done the job. It may not look like it but I put every last ounce of my strength into that one word.
Ai stopped her hands then and there and looked at me. I knew that her punches were getting weaker and slower and it was definitely not due to her being exhausted or tired.
I raised my hand and moved it closer to her face. She wanted to pull back but I had already grabbed hold of it. I felt her cold face and moved my finger wiping the tears in her eyes.
Was Ai angry?
No, Ai could never be angry at me.
"Listen to me, don't cry. I don't like seeing you like this," I spoke softly and gently smiling at her. "You have misunderstood something and let me tell you. I didn't lie. I have never lied to Ai even once even though you broke the promise. I could never lie to you. So please don't cry."
What I did was to stop her from crying but was happened was the opposite which I kind of expected. Her eyes welled up with tears and her lips trembled looking at me. The next moment, she started crying like a baby while leaning down and hugging me.
Even if she was strong.
Even if she had killed.
Even if she is able to defend herself from any threats.
In the end, Tsubaki Ai is the most fragile of the people in the world.
A flower has more thorns because it is so delicate and fragile.
But if you get past those thorns under which she hid her true self, then you will truly understand who she was.
Tsubaki Ai was nothing but a little girl who lost her parents at a young age and only wants to be loved by the boy she loves.
Was Ai angry at me?
No, she was just sad. Sad about the fact that I lied to her. Sad about the fact that she thinks I don't trust her enough to tell her the truth.
And this is the truth.
The truth behind the most adorable little half-vampire I know.
She immediately believed my words because even she could tell how heartfelt they were. They really were.
"I am so sorry Kazu-kun," she said crying and weeping on my chest as I gently stroked her hair. "I thought that you didn't trust me enough. That you lied to me and I don't like if the ones I love, I truly care about lie to me. I hate that. I don't want the gentle comforting words it's going to be okay when it is not. I just want to hear the truth. I just…I just…"
"Shh, it's okay and I mean it. You held onto this feeling the entire time you fought the noble right? So now calm down and let all of those feelings out. I will try to stay conscious until then," I said softly whilst hugging her gently. So cold, yet so warm. That is what I felt.
"I love you Kazu-kun," Ai said.
"I love you too Ai and will always love you."
It took all my strength to say that last line without stopping it did take a toll on me as my eyes closed and I fell unconscious for the second time in the day.
Being unconscious, I was back in my mindscape and this time it was not vacant. Ethan was sitting there on a chair and looking at me signaled me to sit with him. I started walking towards him and a chair appeared right in front of him which was where I sat.
"That was quite a show that you put up tonight. You get an eight out of ten for that," he said to me facing me.
"When did I start getting ranked for a fight I didn't even fight?"
"You didn't? Hahaha, that is a nice joke you say there, boy. This fight was fought by both you and your partner," he said and I tilted my head in confusion making him sigh. "You really underestimate yourself boy. You already knew didn't you? That the noble had something up her sleeve so you were formulating a plan the entire time they fought. You clenching your fist and blood coming out of it was not an accident. Neither was the fact that the girl lost quickly at first. You kind of predicted it."
I looked right into his eyes to see any speck of lie that he was telling but I did not find any. Did I really do something that amazing?
"A battle is fought by two elements. The brain and the raw brute strength," Ethan said raising two fingers. "Either one of them is amazing on their own but in a battle, they would be decimated if not worked together. I know you get what I mean."
"Are you saying this due to my statement earlier? About the pawn one?" I asked Ethan and he leaned back on his chair with a grin on his face.
"I wonder. Now did I mean it in that way?" he said and then looked up as light started filling the dark area. "Looks like you are waking up so do remember clearing everything out with your partner."
The place started breaking down and got enveloped by a bright white light. I fell down from my place and was free-falling to the source of the light and when I thought I reached the bottom, my eyes opened.
I felt a cold hand holding mine and my eyes slowly adjusted to the surrounding. I had something warm covering me and my body was placed on a soft surface. My head was slightly tilted upwards and it felt warm and soft. My eyes followed the hand and they fell on the owner of the hand sitting next to my bedside sleeping with her head resting on my lap. Their body lightly lifted and came down with their breathing.
Seeing their face, a small smile was formed on my face and I looked back at the familiar ceiling. I was back home.
Ai was still holding my hand firmly and looked like she will not let go but it was not that bad of a feeling. Her cold hand felt nice and her peaceful face was a sight to behold. Slowly, my left hand went over to her head and gently stroke her smooth hair. She had changed into new clothes and so did I.
Wait.
"Kazu-kun," Ai muttered in her sleep and her head leaned at my hand stroking it.
Her eyes slowly opened and seeing me, they widened and I saw the look of relief on her face. She quickly jumped and hugged me throwing her entire body mass on mine and both of us sank in the soft mattress of the bed. Ai was rubbing her face on my chest happily flapping her legs. I just gently wrapped my hands around her waist.
"Looks like I have still some fight left in me," I joked and Ai kept cuddling me.
"I'm so sorry," she said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "I did not let you explain and acted without thinking. I even…hurt you even though I was supposed to protect you. I am so sorr-"
"Say sorry one more time and you won't get the little surprise I have planned for you," I said interrupting her. "Actually I should be the one apologizing for saying something insensitive without properly thinking about it."
"No, you did n-"
"I did Ai," I interrupted her again. "About that using you and stuff. I wanted to say something else but the analogy I used was…inappropriate for that moment. I did not think that you were hearing that and I just said it. But I still feel sad. While Ai is the one fighting the vampires and protecting me, I am just doing nothing. I don't want it like that."
"No," Ai said immediately. "Kazu-kun is playing the most important part here. He does not know but he is the one who is protecting me all the time, from myself. So don't think that way. I know you don't like it but let me do it."
Hearing her words, I felt something hit me and I rubbed the temple of my head.
I am seriously an idiot overthinking everything.
"Well you did beat me up so you need to be punished," I said sitting up with Ai still hugging me. I looked at her and she nodded her head. "As a punishment, you will listen to three of my selfish requests. Okay?"
"Okay."
"First, you will never ever hurt or kill a human ever again," I said and Ai looked a bit guilty since I know that she did it to come and save me.
"I promise."
As she said that, I moved my face closer to her and gently kissed her. It was not anything like a deep passionate kiss, just a little peck on the lips. I do need to reward my girlfriend, don't I?
"Second, you will only drink my blood from now on. No other human, just me," I said to Ai and she looked a bit surprised by this. "I don't mind losing some blood for you."
"But what if I couldn't control myself and drink a lot of blood?" she asked worriedly.
"Then I will be spoiled by you for the next entire week."
I chuckled at this and Ai nodded her head. I closed the distance between us yet again and kissed her once again hugging her closer to me. It was a little longer and both our faces were red. Ai, had steam coming out of her head now.
"Last one, I will get the key of the house and you get another nice kiss," I said cheekily grinning.
"Funnya."
"I will take that as a yes," I said and closed the distance between us entering my tongue in Ai's mouth kissing her passionately. After a minute or so, I pulled away and Ai was bright red. She looked so cute right now that I wanted to spoil her as much as she wants but there was one more thing I wanted to tell.
"Ai, I might have lied multiple times in my life about multiple things. It is our nature as humans but there is one thing I am sure I didn't lie about," I said and cupped her face in my hand. "I love you Tsubaki Ai."
With that, I kissed her yet again but this time, I pushed her down on the bed wrapping my arms around her. We have both gotten used to this and our body moved involuntarily knowing what to do.
Yes, I love Tsubaki Ai. I really do and that is something I will no longer hide. I love her with all my heart and I had liked her since the first time my eyes fell on her. When I first saw her in high school giving the speech as the student representative.
I felt something connect between us and a weird warm feeling emerged in my chest. I did not really understand it back then completely back then but now I know everything. I know it all.
I love Tsubaki Ai and I swear to treasure her.
That is my wish.
"Wait, you are wearing my t-shirt aren't you? And this one went missing a year ago."
"Hehe."
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