Act 6 - "Sparks of Affection"
"Fuubuki..."
"..."
"Fuubuki..."
"...Who's there?"
"Open your eyes... Fuubuki. It is not time for you yet."
A voice calls out to Fuubuki as he finds himself suspended in mid-air within an endless expanse of darkness. The voice was soothing, enough to calm the searing pain in his chest.
"Who... are you?" he asks again.
The voice does not answer, rather what responded to him is the glowing brightness on his chest that gradually grew as the seconds passed.
"The pain is fading..."
"It is not yet time... my child. The White Sovereign awaits you for its return."
As the voice said those words, a strong gust of wind sent Fuubuki flying into the sea of darkness. The gust stung his face that he was forced to close his eyes.
"Wait?! Who are you?!" he called out desperately.
"You will know the answer soon. You don't need to rush," the voice softly replied before Fuubuki could no longer hear anything but the violent gust blowing him away.
And then...
"Wait!"
Fuubuki wakes violently from his sleep with a loud gasp as he reaches out his hand and grasps the air. His sudden shouting wakes up Akagi who is lying beside him.
"Hmm? What's wrong?" she asks as she slowly sits up while groggily rubbing her eyes. Fuubuki turns his head towards her, setting his eyes on the groggy princess.
"Sorry... just had a... dream. I apologize for waking you up, your highness."
"It's fine, it's fine. Let's go back to sleep..."
"Right..."
After shaking off the strange dream from his mind, Fuubuki then lied back down on the bed, with Akagi immediately following after him.
Ever since Fuubuki's heroic deeds during her grand feast, Akagi's treatment of her bodyguard had been a lot warmer compared to before. One can easily be convinced that it already borders affection. It came to a point where Akagi strongly demands his presence even as she sleeps.
Of course, for the young, innocent knight, it is merely a practical arrangement for him to be closer to the one he is protecting.
"Are you sure you're fine? That scream was quite loud..." Akagi asked again, concern was audible in her voice.
"I'm fine... really. Just a bad dream. Sorry for waking you up, Lady Akagi," Fuubuki replied apologetically.
"There you go again, how many times do I have to tell you? Just Akagi is fine. No need to address me like that."
"But..."
"No buts! I'll tolerate it in public but when we're alone, you are only allowed to call me by my name. Otherwise... I'll get mad," Akagi pouted.
"Hah... Fine... As you wished L- I mean, Akagi," Fuubuki sighed as he submittedly followed Akagi's order.
"That's better. Now off to sleep now," Akagi giggles.
The young princess drifted off to sleep almost instantly with a big smile on her face.
The imagery of the dream still lingers in Fuubuki's mind but he decides not to dwell on it any further. He closes his eyes as he lie down and forces himself to sleep by taking slow breaths.
The following day...
Ignia Castle library.
"No lessons today?" Akagi asked in mild surprise as she and Fuubuki spot Marcellus leaving the library. A rare occurrence considering the old man badically lives there already.
"Ohh, yeah sorry about that. I forgot to tell you but I'll be gone for a few days. I'm going on a trip to Gaea for quite some time to research about something. Also a request from the king to acquire something," the old man replied.
"Gaea? This feels a bit too sudden. Wait... is this about that?"
"Yeah, it's an order from the king, and also what a better way to go out and indulge my curiosity. Anyways, you'll be on self study while I'm gone. Or you know, just do whatever you want. You're an adult now. Your actions are your responsibility," Marcellus chuckled as he head to the opposite direction.
Akagi and Fuubuki briefly watched as the old man disappear around the corner.
"Huh... now what? I suddenly got a lot of free time," Akagi mused.
"Hey Fuubuki, what do you usually do around this time? You were always left out here whenever I'm having my lessons right? Surely you're not just standing around until I finished."
"What I do... I, well... I actually just stand around, unless I get invited in the barracks for a sparring session. Usually I just sit on my spot and wait."
"Your... spot?" Akagi tilted her head, showing her curiosity.
"Yeah, just out there. I just lie down or sit on the edge... sometimes take a nap but I usually avoid that."
"W-well... can we maybe um... go there for now?" Akagi requested shyly.
"If you say so," Fuubuki obliged as he began to lead the way towards the courtyard. The two of them took a nice stroll, taking in the scent of the afternoon breeze.
Shortly after, they reached the area near the edge of the plateau where Fuubuki said he spends his free time on.
"So, this is where you hang out?" Akagi said, looking around.
"I admit, it is a nice view up here but... doesn't this feel dangerous?" she added, carefully leaning over the cliff and taking a quick look on the drop.
"I like high places. It makes me feel calm," Fuubuki replied as he hopped over the branch he usually sits on.
"Hey-! That's dangerous!" Akagi yelled worriedly.
"I know. Don't worry, I've sat here more than I sat anywhere in this place," Fuubuki chuckled but ultimately decided to hopped back on safe ground beside Akagi to not stress her.
"So... high places make you calm huh? That's a weird inclination."
Akagi then sat on the soft grass, taking in the surrounding view. Spending years holed up in the castle denied herself this experience for quite a long time.
"The wind feels nice," she said as she relaxed her body.
Fuubuki then sat down beside her. He wasn't ordered to do so but somehow he could tell that Akagi was waiting for him.
An awkward silence hangs between the two, although the awkwardness can only be felt by Akagi. Fuubuki's eyes were pointed straight ahead, seemingly towards the unknown.
"Hey uh..." Akagi said, trying to break the silence. Fuubuki turned his attention back to her.
"Just curious but how are you feeling now?" Akagi asked.
"How am I feeling?"
"Y-yeah. You know what I'm talking about. Even though you survived, your body was still poisoned. We can't be too sure," Akagi shyly averted her gaze.
"You've been asking me this everyday. I told you, I'm fine," Fuubuki replied, giving her a reassuring smile.
"No like I said-- oh nevermind..." Akagi lets out a sigh of submission. She knows that this conversation won't go anywhere so it's better to just drop it.
"You know I've been studying a lot about the origin of the poison you just drunk..."
"You did?"
"Y-yeah... I was... well... in case it starts acting up again I want to be prepared. That's why I asked my father to request for some Fruit of Rejuvenation from the Gaea region."
"Wait, isn't that where that old man said he was going?" Fuubuki said, remembering their short interaction earlier.
"That's right, father seems to have assigned him for the job."
Fuubuki's eyes widened slightly. Somehow he felt that the people around him were doing too much for his sake that it felt odd for him. His mind was overwhelmed by the kindness he was receiving from everyone, especially Akagi.
"Why? I don't get it, why are you and the king doing so much for me?" he asked.
"Huh? Well that's... I don't exactly know what my father's reason is. As for me... y-you saved my life after all! I had to repay you right? Also..." Akagi trailed off as she was carefully mulling over the words she should choose.
Suddenly, she straightens her face and directly looks at Fuubuki's eyes. The blush on her face is getting more vivid each second their eyes are looking at each other.
"Fuubuki... I... have something to tell you. Would you mind hearing me out?" she asked.
"Of course. It's my duty to listen to you after all. Tell me anything," he replied with a curious expression. He could feel that the atmosphere was getting tense. An unknown pressure began to press down upon him as Akagi's face became serious.
"No, I don't mean for you to listen to me as my knight, or servant. I... I want you to hear me out as yourself."
"As myself..." Fuubuki thought it over for a bit. Then, mirroring Akagi's serious expression, he faces her and nods.
"Alright, I'm listening, Akagi."
"Good. Then, here I go..." Akagi takes a deep breath.
"I know that we had such a rocky start. I never thought things would turn out like this for me either, but I'm glad it did," she began.
"Throughout all the times you stayed beside me, I couldn't help but become fond of you, more and more each day. And that night... not only did you sacrifice yourself for me, but you also gave me that dance to save my precious day... those were the last straw..." she trailed off again as she gathered her courage. She clasp Fuubuki's hands and leaned in closer so that he could see very well the sincerity in her eyes.
"I... I love you!" she declared.
Having confessed her feelings, Akagi felt liberated. Her mind which was being burdened by this emotion felt lighter now. But it's not over yet. She eagerly awaits Fuubuki's answer to her confession.
"..."
Her worries got worse as she noticed a look of confusion on Fuubuki's face. Did she somehow botched it up? Did she move too fast. Should she just have let things flow naturally rather than forcing it? Nevertheless, it has already been done. Fuubuki's silence made her tear up a bit but she held out.
"Fuubuki?" she asked shakily.
"Eh? Ah, yes?" Fuubuki asked in return, seemingly unaware of what he should do.
"Y-your answer?"
"Answer?"
At this point, Akagi was already about to burst into tears, but until she hears a flat out rejection, she was determined to hold them back.
"I said I love you... aren't you going to say anything back?" she said.
Fuubuki tilts his head.
"I'm sorry, what does that mean?"
Akagi's eyes widened in surprise.
"..."
"...huh?"
Suddenly, the pressure she had been feeling vanished without a trace. Rather than feeling worried, she got confused as well.
'What does that mean?' she repeated in her mind. Is this guy for real? Is he just playing with me?
Then it dawned on her. Akagi remembered Fuubuki's origin. Just to make sure, she decided to ask him.
"You don't know what love is?"
"It's the first time I've heard something like that."
"Huh? Are you serious? You've never heard about it before? Not even from your parents?!" Akagi asked. Her confusion now turned into bewilderment.
"I have no parents," Fuubuki bluntly replied.
"That can't be! Everyone has parents! How would you be born then?" Akagi exclaimed.
"Well, I don't have memories of them, nor did I have something similar throughout all my life."
"Really? Then what was your earliest memories?" Akagi asked, now genuinely curious about Fuubuki's past that her confession was pushed to the side.
"My earliest memories were... yes, the earliest I can remember was when I woke up beside a river. I lived alone for some time, eating fruits off trees. And then I found my way to the city where I became a fruit thief for years. That's basically my life," Fuubuki summed up as he reached for the deepest part of his memory.
"That was your... earliest memory? Then that was ten years ago since your reign of terror was that long. Assuming you're my age, you're already quite grown up by that time! You should have some memories before that!" Akagi said, her mind working in full capacity as she made deductions in her head.
"It's no use thinking about it. Even if I did have memories from before that, I don't have any clue," Fuubuki dismissed.
"I see... I guess it makes sense that you've never heard of love before... hmm. But you could've at least read about it right?!"
"I can't read..."
"Ahh! This is getting more complicated than I thought! I'm more frustrated now than worried about my confession," Akagi said as she messily scratched her hair in irritation.
"You can just tell me what it means, then I can give your answer," Fuubuki calmly replied.
"I-It's not that easy to describe... different people have different interpretation of love..."
"It's fine. I trust your word."
Akagi blushes. Despite having just confessed, she feels like she wants to do it again.
"Well, you know... love means... wanting to be with someone," Akagi said, unsure of her description.
"Huh... so it's that simple? If I want to be with someone that means I love them?"
"No! It's not that simple! There is this warm feeling inside you that you feel whenever you're with someone you love. Also you have to um... right! Ask yourself 'Do I want to spend the rest of my life with this person?' If the answer is yes, then that's... love?"
Fuubuki stares at her silently, waiting for a clear definite answer.
"Love is... love is..."
Akagi's mind starts going haywire as she thinks of a proper way to describe the feeling, but there is just too much to say that she can't decide which one to tell to perfectly describe the feeling. Her eyes darted all over the place as her blushing gets worse.
"Love is..."
Then, her sights focus once again on Fuubuki's face, and an uncontrollable feeling welled up inside her. She placed both hands on his shoulders as she began to slowly lean in, her eyes closed shut.
"Love is... this..."
Fuubuki's eyes widened once more as a soft, pleasant sensation tapped onto his lips. Akagi's lips were now on his. An indescribable feeling welled up deep inside him. A fiery sensation that felt as if his chest was burning.
The kiss lasted for quite a while before Akagi finally pulled away. Her eyes half-open as the high of the contact still lingers. She finally did it. Her first kiss.
She looked at Fuubuki's face after the sensual contact. It's mild but she could finally see a blush on his face as well. Perhaps this method of hers worked a bit too well.
"I can't quite put it into words... but I hope you can feel what I'm talking about now," Akagi said, seeing Fuubuki's expression.
"Well? Can you confirm it now?" she pleads again for her long-awaited answer.
The heat from Fuubuki's chest after the kiss refuses to subside. The fiery sensation intensifies as the seconds pass. He thought it was just some strange feeling...
Until...
"AHHCK!!!" Fuubuki suddenly doubled over in pain as he clutches his chest with his hand.
"Eh?! Fuubuki?! What's wrong?! Fuubuki?!" Akagi began panicking as Fuubuki suddenly began howling in pain.
"My chest! It burns! AHCK!"
"H-hey! What's going on?! Fuubuki! Fuubu--"
The world started to get hazy in Fuubuki's view. The sounds he hear began to get muffled as the heat he feels in his chest went from burning to searing. Not long after, he collapsed on onto the ground, beside the panicking Akagi.
A while later...
"...no it can't be that, the symptoms are too different."
"What if it's an after-effect?! We should've gotten the fruit earlier! Now he's-- wait... he's waking up!"
"Young Fuubuki! Young Fuubuki!"
Fuubuki jolts awake as he notices several presence around him. He sits up from his position and takes a look around.
Akagi, King Helios, and Marcellus were surrounding him as he once again finds himself in the table of the library. At this point he's already getting used to the smooth, wooden surface against his back.
"Fuubuki!!" Akagi screamed in joy as she immediately went and hugged him. Her eyes were a bit red. It seems she has been crying for quite some time.
"Oh good! See? I told you he's fine," Marcellus said with a confident tone.
"The king and... the old man?" Fuubuki said in confusion.
"I have a name you know? Marcellus is fine young man. No need for honorifics," the old man chuckled.
Fuubuki sat up feeling dazed while Akagi was still clinging onto him. He placed his hand on his forehead as he attempted to recollect the events prior to this.
"W-what happened to me?" he asked.
"Lady Akagi said you suddenly fell unconscious after screaming in pain. She was quite convince that it was the poison you drunk but I literally cannot trace any more remains of it from you," Marcellus answered, scruffing his beard as he recalled Akagi's words.
"Yeah, I was surprised as well that I couldn't help but come along. Are you sure you're feeling okay, young Fuubuki?" Helios asked.
"I'm fine... your highness... I don't feel it anymore..."
"Geez, stop making me worry so much!" Akagi suddenly exclaimed as she pulled away briefly and looked Fuubuki in the eye.
"In any case, it seems everything is fine now... but just to make sure, we really need to get that Fruit of Rejuvenation as soon as possible," Helios muttered.
"Agreed. Let's finalize the details of that trip and leave this two alone for now," Marcellus suggested.
With that, the two of them left the library, leaving Fuubuki and Akagi on their own. Akagi is still staring at her knight with a teary face. Her expression was a mix of worry, sulking, and anxiousness.
"Ugh... I've been falling unconscious a lot lately... I'm failing as your protector..." Fuubuki groaned.
Upon hearing his self-admonishment, Akagi cupped Fuubuki's cheeks and forced him to look her in the eye.
"Are you really feeling alright?" she asked, pressing for an answer with utmost certainty.
"I'm fine... really... you don't believe me? Also what's with that face? You're blaming yourself again aren't you?" Fuubuki replied as he gently held her wrists.
"Of course I am! You just went and screamed in pain after I..." she cut-off remembering what she boldly just did earlier.
Akagi calmed herself down. A blush forming on her cheeks as she tried to recollect her mind to say her next words.
"I'm angry you know?" she said.
"Angry? I'm not blaming you..." Fuubuki replied clearly not getting the atmosphere.
"Yes you're not blaming me, but what do you expect me to feel? You just went and screamed in pain after I... kissed you..." Akagi finally said, trying not to stumble on her words.
"D-did you dislike it that much?! And you haven't given me your answer yet! Or was that it? You are repulsed by me so much that you feel physically in pain after just that?!"
Fuubuki couldn't help but listen to her ramblings. Although there were some words he couldn't quite understand, he can tell what it was mostly about.
"So that thing you did to me... that was called a kiss?" he asked innocently.
"Y-yeah! It's something that you only do with someone you love, someone special to you. I wouldn't do that to just anyone..." Akagi explained, although she was also quite unsure if that was the proper way to say it.
"I see..." Fuubuki briefly replied as he tapped his lips with a finger.
"Tell me, did you hate it that much?" Akagi pressed again. His opinion on the kiss mattered to her so much that she did not care if she comes off as annoying.
"No... at the very least, I can say that I don't hate it," Fuubuki answered. His admission made Akagi breath out a sigh of relief.
"Then what did you feel?"
"What I felt..." Fuubuki clutched his chest as he recollects the sensation he felt from earlier.
"It was as I said... my chest really felt like it was burning. At first it was just a pleasant kind of warm but it suddenly started flaring up..."
"A... pleasant kind of warm?"
Akagi repeated. Her eyes were beginning to shine as it looked like she might get the answer she wanted after all.
"Yes. The moment our lips made contact, there was this... feeling that I just... I can't put it into words."
A hopeful smile forms on Akagi's face. She tries to hold in the joy inside her heart as she continues to listen on Fuubuki gathering his thoughts.
"I don't know if this is what you call love... but..."
"But?"
"This feeling... I want to feel it more. Akagi, I may not know if what I feel now is the same as you.... if it really is love. However, if this is fine for you, then I'll happily learn more about this feeling from you," Fuubuki finally said. It wasn't exactly a direct reciprocation of feelings but it was enough for Akagi.
Tears of joy flood out of the girl's eyes as she finally got her answer. She gave Fuubuki a tight embrace. However, unlike the previous times that she hugged him, this one was filled with affection, and Fuubuki could feel it in his bones.
"Thank you! Thank you so much! Don't worry, I'll be sure to teach you everything about love so that there will come a day when you can confidently say that it really is what you feel!" Akagi exclaimed from the bottom of her heart. Her emotions were overflowing as the tears kept flowing out.
The warm feeling from within Fuubuki began to resurface once again. This time however, it was no longer painful. It was the kind of warmth that he finds pleasant.
The warmth reminded him of something that he has yet to do. After all, the way they did it earlier is not exactly memorable in a good way.
He briefly pulled away from Akagi and looked her straight in the eye. The curious princess returned his gaze. Confusion is evident in her eyes.
Finally, in a bold move, Fuubuki leaned his face in, copying Akagi's movement from earlier, and locked themselves in a gentle kiss.
Akagi was caught off guard by the sudden gesture as she did not expect him to make a move. However, she decided not to dwell on it any further and melts into the kiss instead. She wrapped her hands behind his neck and pulls him in, deepening this sweet feeling.
The satisfied princess pulled away happily. They once again exchanged affectionate glances with each other. For Fuubuki, it was a new feeling that he is yet to explore, but for Akagi, it was a dream come true.