The following day…
Tsunan should be back home at any minutes now, I thought to myself as I scrutinized the late afternoon sky, while I was feeding the fishes of the pond in the yard.
We were in the month of December and thus, in winter.
Taking a glance at the small peach tree which was growing close-by, I got to my feet and moved up to it.
Tsunan had gifted the plant to me on my birthday.
Crouching down, I gazed at it for a moment until, out of the blue, a weight came over me from behind, accompanied by a voice which said in my ears, 'Well, you're still alive, Shun?!'
My head snapped to the side on the spot and my blood ran cold as I met Tadashi's eyes, his face only inches away from mine.
I stared at the demon breathlessly for one long second, before the latter found himself repelled by the power of the Omamori.
'Tsk! That thing again!' he cursed, as he stumbled backward.
Instantaneously, I jerked to my feet and was about to make a run, to get myself away from him, but he didn't allow me to.
Seizing me by my wrist, he broke my stride. Simultaneously, his other hand came down onto my head and he shoved me down onto the grass, tackling me there, with my arm twisted behind my back and my cheek pressed against the ground.
'Don't run away from me! Stay here!' he said, pleasantly, his hot breath over my ear.
I pressed my eyes shut, a small whimper escaping my lips.
'Tell me, Shun! You must have felt very much flattered when all your little friends and the creatures you have come across, have ran to your rescue, isn't it?' he said. 'And yes, I was there! I've assisted to the whole scene. I wasn't going to miss your execution. Nonetheless, I'm not disappointed by the turn of events. In this way, I can continue to amuse myself with you.'
I shuddered.
'Say, last time, it was on this side that I bit you, right? How about I give you the same mark on the other side of the neck?'
At this, my eyes snapped open, my heart going wild.
In all of a sudden, three long needles cut through the air, dashing at Tadashi.
Instantly, the latter jumped out of the way, landing several feet away from me; the needles planting themselves in the ground.
'Shun!' cried Tsunan, as he came running up to me. Helping me to my feet, he demanded, 'Are you injured?'
His tone was filled with affright for me, and at the same time, strangled with rage.
I shook my head uncertainly, clinging myself onto him.
Looking back at Tadashi, I saw that he was fixating the doctor.
'Tsunan Hitachiin! At last, we meet!' the demon called, sarcastically. 'Well, you're making one of those faces! You don't like surprise visits?'
His mocking smile widened.
'You're furious because I've touched Shun, eh?' Something seemed to occur to him at that moment and his eyes widened at Tsunan. 'But wait!' he exclaimed in astonishment. 'I see! You love her, don't you?! You're in love with her!'
I stared at Tsunan, my heart skipping a beat.
The doctor's expression was rigid.
As my eyes shifted onto Tadashi again, I felt my stomach twist as I realized from the latter's posture, and by the way his eyes were narrowed into slits, that he was going to attack Tsunan.
'Tadashi, no!' I cried in horror, as he was about to saunter forward, and my body moved on it's own to come to place itself protectively in front of Tsunan.
Activating my Godai Shakujō, I launched an attack at Tadashi within the same fraction of the second, but to my stupefaction, he skipped the attack in the nick of time- one of the shakujō only managing to cut him at the upper-arm- before they planted themselves in the nearby tree.
'Well, that was close!' Tadashi breathed, as he held his bleeding arm, staring at the shakujō. His mocking smile returned when he looked back at me. 'What is it, Shun? Usually, you get angry like this only when I speak of Subaru. I conclude that you have reciprocal feelings for the doctor.'
My heart skipped another beat.
I made my five shakujō appear at my sides again.
'It's very interesting,' he declared, before he wiped off the smile on his face, stating, in a threatening tone, 'I'll come back. Be sure of it!'
At these words, he jumped over the side wall and disappeared.
Dis-activating my Godai Shakujō, I stood motionless for a whole minute so much I was shaken by the encounter.
'Shun, you should probably sit down,' Tsunan told me, his tone filled with concern. 'I'll get you a glass of water.'
I looked at the doctor at that moment.
'Tsunan,' I said, staring up into his eyes.
"I see! You love her, don't you? You're in love with her!"
'Is it true- what Tadashi has said?' I asked him, breathlessly. 'Are you in love with me?'
'Yes,' he replied, staring back into my eyes. 'I'm in love with you, Shun. I have loved you ever since the very first day we've met itself.'
He… loves me!
At that precise moment, I realized that I loved him too; I realized that I had fallen in love with him without even realizing it.
But- I wasn't good for him. He was better off without me.
Reaching out for his hands, I grabbed hold of them, holding them in a clasp.
'Thank you for loving me. But I don't deserve the attention that you have for me,' I told him, softly, my heart feeling like it was being ripped apart. 'I'm sorry.'
My voice broke.
Letting go of his hands, I ran away, allowing my tears to flow only when I was onto the street.
Oh, Tsunan!
***
In the late evening…
I can't go back home. Not anymore.
'Shun!' Hatsu's booming voice echoed off the lonely street, abruptly.
Brushing off my tears, I turned around to face the blond male, and met this glare.
'What did you do to Tsunan?!' he demanded, as he reached me, his expression furious. 'He's getting himself drunk all alone at the Ametsuchi Bar and it doesn't resemble him to do that! So, I suppose that something happened. In my opinion, he made his declaration of love to you and you have turned him down. Why did you do that, huh? It's useless for you to deny that you love him too. Then, tell me, why!'
His voice had turned into a snarl towards the end and he shoved me backward against the wall behind me by my shoulder, smacking his fist against the surface above my head.
Words failed me.
Tsunan- is getting himself drunk?
'Will you answer me, yes?!' snapped Hatsu.
Unable to control it, tears began to roll down my cheeks again, and I pleaded, 'Stop! Please, stop! I'm a criminal for the whole world! I'm tracked by a demon! And l'm narcoleptic!'
Slumping on the floor, I held my face in my hands, crying hot tears.
'But Tsunan knows all of this!' he shouted. 'And still, he loves you! You really don't understand anything, do you?! I know that you want to protect him but you don't realize that you're hurting him even more by refusing to open your heart to him!'
I stared at Hatsu, astounded.
'And what about Cho, Agasa and Yanagi?' I mumbled. 'They were here before me. I don't have the right to do this to them.'
Regaining some of his composure, Hatsu told me, 'I don't know about their real feelings for him but just imagine that the situation was inversed. How would you feel if the person that you love and who loved you back decided to reject you, to ignore the feelings of both of you, because there are other people who are interested in you?!'
I gasped, having to admit, 'I wouldn't be able to support it!'
He gave me a meaningful look.
Oh Tsunan! Tsunan!
Springing to my feet, I rushed to find the latter.
When I reached the Ametsuchi Bar, my heart squeezed in pain at the sight of the state in which the doctor had put himself.
He was completely drunk, sitting with his face resting over the counter, his eyes half-closed.
'Tsunan...' I whispered, as I closed the small distance between us.
Grabbing his arm, I sent it around my neck and wounding my arm around his waist, I got him out of his seat, pulling him into a standing position to carry him away.
'Shun,' he breathed, looking at me and meeting my eyes.
He could barely stand on his two feet.
'Oi! The bill!' the bartender called at me, when I began to make for the door with Tsunan.
'Yes! Yes, sorry!' I said. Having no money on me, I dug my hand into the pocket of the doctor's coat and took out his wallet to clear the bill. Then, coming out onto the street, I stopped a taxi to take us back home.
As we entered the Hitachiin family compound, suddenly, I caught sight of Tsunan's grand-father coming into our direction.
Oh no! If he sees Tsunan in his present state, he'll be angry with him…
Before Sekien Hitachiin could see his grandson, I hid the latter behind the tree to our left, putting him down into a sitting position in the darkness.
'My! The young generation really has got no modesty,' said the old man as we went past me, catching the small of alcohol on me. 'Nowadays, even girls drink!'
I hung my head, letting out a miserable sigh.
Picking Tsunan up again, I helped him walk up to the house, and then, to his room.
I thought that we would never make it upstairs, that a wrong step on my part would send both of us tumbling down the staircase, but fortunately, none of this happened.
In one last effort, I placed him on his bed.
Taking off his shoes and his tie, I undid the buttons of his shirt.
Then, getting on the bed with him, I sat at his side with my legs under me, watching him drift off to sleep.
***
In the morning…
When Tsunan Hitachiin woke up in the morning, he had a terrible headache.
Pulling himself up into a sitting position, he held his throbbing head for a minute before he looked at the person who was sleeping next to him in his bed.
'Shun?' he said, in astonishment.
The red-haired girl was tucked against his side.
Even if he had been completely drunk last night, Tsunan could remember most of what happened.
***
Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I sat up to look at Tsunan, telling him in a murmur, 'Excuse me, I'm sorry. I was a bit tired yesterday. I fell asleep onto place.'
I noticed that he was holding his head with his hand.
'You have a headache?! I'll prepare you some coffee.'
Getting out of bed, I hurried downstairs to perform my morning rituals and make some coffee, before I moved to join Tsunan where he was now sitting under the veranda, the latter having performed his morning rituals too.
Sitting myself down beside him, I handed him the cup of coffee.
'Thank you,' he said, taking a few sips at it. Then, setting the cup down, he told me, 'I'm sorry about last night. I've let myself go a little bit. You should never have seen me like this. But say, how did you find me?'
'It's Hatsu who informed me about you.'
'I apologize. I'll touch him a word on it, so that he doesn't bother you because of me again.'
My heart accelerated at his words.
'No!' I exclaimed, staring at him in the eyes and grabbing his hand which was resting on the floor next to me.
He stared back at me in puzzlement.
I averted my eyes, shyly.
'I'm sorry for having made you suffer while I- I-'
His eyes widened at me, expectantly, as I looked up into his eyes again.
'I love you,' I confessed.
We locked gaze with each other for a minute, before he lifted his hand to take my face in it, and slowly, ever slowly, he inched his face towards mine and pressed his lips softly against my own in a kiss.
***
Their lips met.
A second later, Shun slumped against him, puzzling the doctor.
Losing his balance, Tsunan managed to catch himself onto his elbows and he steadied Shun, not understanding what happened until he saw that the red-haired girl's eyes were tightly closed to sleep.
A tender smile came to his lips and he caressed the back of her head, lovingly.
***
On the following day…
That evening, Tsunan and I went out together for the very first time as a couple.
We went to watch a film at the cinema and then, we dined at the restaurant, before we decided to take a small stroll. Shibata neighborhood was definitely spectacular at night and with Christmas only a few weeks away, the area seemed livelier and brighter.
'You should cover yourself up more properly. It's getting incredibly cold,' Tsunan told me, when he saw me shiver, and taking off his scarf, he wounded it around my neck.
I lowered my eyes, blushing at the attention.
Holding the scarf with my two hands, I breathed in the scent in it.
It smelled exactly like him.
This made me blush even harder.
Yesterday, we had exchanged our first kiss under the veranda of the house; Kiss, that I had ruined. I still felt extremely embarrassed whenever I thought about it. I hadn't dared to talk about it with him.
A whiff of wind blew my hair into my face at that moment.
As I lifted my hand to get my hair out from my face, suddenly, my hand entered into contact with that of Tsunan, as he brushed the hair away for me.
Looking up, I met his gaze and found that I couldn't take my eyes off him anymore, nor breathe.
His hand moved to cup my chin and tipping my face up, he bowed his head slightly; his face so close to mine.
My heart was thumping in a mixture of excitement and anticipation.
He made the moment last for a minute, before he bowed completely and pressed our lips together, sealing our mouths into a gentle kiss.
When he pulled away, I opened my eyes- my face was all flushed- and we held each other's gaze again until it began to snow.
This was the first snowfall of the season.
We lifted our eyes together to look at the sky, before our gazes returned onto each other.
'I love you,' he whispered, and I breathed, 'I love you too.'
We began to head for the location where he had parked his car after that when, in all of a sudden, my foot caught into something and I stumbled.
If Tsunan hadn't been holding my hand, I would have definitely ended up right down onto my face on the ground.
It was another matter for one my zōri though.
I frowned anxiously at the broken sandal.
Walking bare footed in this weather, even if for a small distance, was not really a good plan.
Unexpectedly, Tsunan got down onto one of his knees in front of me, his back turned towards me.
'Come on, climb onto my back! I'll carry you up to the car.'
My cheeks heated up.
Averting my eyes, I sent my arms around his neck and he stood up, picking me piggy-back to carry me to the car.
His body was radiating with heat and his scent made me dizzy.
'Tomorrow it's the anniversary of the organization's foundation day,' he said.
The organization was centuries old. It had been founded by the Gushiken family, that was Master Kagami fore-fathers, and the head of the organization was transmitted from father to son.
Every year on the foundation day, the master organized a formal ceremony where the presence of all the members of the organization was obligatory. After the ceremony, there would be a party.
'We'll announce to everyone that we're now a couple on the occasion.'
I nodded, resting my head against his back and smiling.
***
The next day…
Something touched my cheek softly and Tsunan's voice came, saying, 'Shun, wake up.'
Opening my eyes, I took hold of his hand which was next to my cheek; his face was only inches away from mine from where he was kneeling on the floor by the side of my bed.
I opened my mouth to greet him but then, realized that something was wrong about his expression.
I was too happy to notice it till this instant.
'Shun, something happened last night!' he told me, with a catch in his voice. 'We need to go to the organization immediately!'
My heart shuddered.
Thank you for reading!