The Training yard
The sun is almost as bright as the day I showed my performance. The Takaki men are training and practicing their moves; some are exercising. Some groups are just gathering and chit-chatting. This place is sort of a meeting and relaxing area for them, I guess. I came here to see my bodyguard after that night. I have yet to speak to him directly.
"Miss Zephyra."
And the man who has white hair, who looks like a bear. The one I challenge him in that event walks toward me.
"Hi."
I greet him.
What is his name again?
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
"I come here to see Jodai."
"He's training at the back, I'll call him for you."
"No, it's okay. I'll walk there."
"..I'll escort you."
"You should go practicing. I'll be fine.
I tell him and end with a smile.
"Please...let me escort, I insist."
"..Sure...hehe."
I chuckle at his behavior.
The bear man walking beside me, more like a bit of a head of me. He slows down his step to match my rhythm. I noticed his white hair when the light hit directly on. It has a little blue in it. His hair is beautiful. I turn to look at my long hair that flows around in the back, and I touch it to see. It also has a slight violet. This man has hair almost like my mother.
"What is your name?"
"...Craius."
"Crai-us?"
"Yes, Miss."
"What a unique name."
"Thank you, you too. Your name is unique and beautiful."
He speaks and looks shy at the same time. He's big and tall, very manly, but has a shy feeling like a teddy bear.
"...Thanks, hehe."
I chuckle at him again.
Finally, we arrive at the back, where there is a sword training zone. I look at Jodai's training. He always looks serious, and his sword is faster than before. My mind is shown the image of him grabbing that guy's head.
"Can I ask something, Miss Zephyra?"
"Um."
I make a sound to him.
"You chose him because he has the same style of fighting as yours?"
"No...But I admit I personally adore sword fighting. It's very calming...but that calmness can take out someone's life instantly."
"..."
"But I chose him because of this."
I explain and hit Craius on his hard stomach.
"!!"
"His abs?"
"Hahahahaha."
I laugh so hard, and people look at us.
"If I choose because of abs, I'd rather choose you. You are…buffer."
I tell him while observing his body.
"!!"
He's blushing, and his face is turning red.
"Hehe, because of my gut, inner feeling...I don't know. I feel something…about him."
"..."
"Master."
And then Jodai comes in.
"Hi."
I greet him.
"What are you doing here, Master?"
He asks with a surprised face.
"To see you."
"..Do you want me to help with anything?"
"I want to talk to you."
"Yes, I'll clean myself then..."
"I don't mind, let's go."
I quickly say to him and grab his wrist.
"!!"
Both of them are a little bit surprised.
"Craius, I'll see you later, nice talking to you."
I tell the teddy bear.
"Y-Yes, Miss Zephyra."
He says it back and bows to me, and then I drag Jodai out of that place. Jodai and I are in the garden, surrounded by greenery and the sound of water.
"I want to talk about that night."
"...Yes, Master."
"..."
I look at him straight, but he's trying to avoid my eyes.
"I apologized, Master!"
And then he kneels on the tiny hard rocks.
What?
"Hmm?"
"I let you down. I left you in danger. Please punish me!"
He says to me, bowing his head even lower.
"..."
"I know that it's my fault that you were in danger...Mr. Kaiza took you out before I cut that man's head."
I put my hand on his head, slowly moving through his black hair to his shaved side and holding his face up.
"I want to say thank you."
"!?"
He looks straight into my eyes.
"You did it all… the guys, you...killed them?"
I hardly explain the situation in sentences.
"...Yes. They came in between... when I tried to get you. So, I killed them all..."
"..."
"I'm not going to punish you...you did a good job."
"But you were still...I don't know what he did to you. You lose out of my sight...I...And I killed all your brother's men as well...Master, please tell me what you are feeling right now. I don't want you to be mad at me."
He's explaining to me, and then I lower my body and almost sit on the floor.
"I don't care about them, so you don't need to worry about other things. Remember what conversation we had at the event?"
I tell him. And I move my face closer to his ear while the other hand is still holding his face.
"You only listen to me...so focus on me. Nothing else matters. Next time, don't let me out of your sight again then."
I whisper.
"...Yes, Master."
He softly answers me. I move my face away from his face and smile at him.
"So stop avoiding me, okay?"
"Yes, Master."
He answers me with a pinkish face on him.
"Zephyra."
And another similar sound calls my name.
"Mr. Kaiza?"
He walks to me and grabs my hand, which touches Jodai's face out of him and pulls me up.
"What are you doing?"
He asks.
"I'm talking with him."
"..."
"You should get up."
I tell Jodai.
"Thank you, Master."
He answers me, and his eyes look back at Mr.Kaiza.
"..."
Why do I feel like the two of them don't get along?
"Mr. Kaiza."
I call him and touch his hand which is holding mine.
"..."
"Are you here for me?"
I ask him.
"Yes..."
"What is it?"
"I just want to see you...I miss you."
"..."
Oh my...
"Should we go?..so we can be alone."
Mr. Kaiza tells me.
I can feel my face getting red and redder.
"Er.. yes."
I answer softly.
Then he's holding my hand properly and takes me out of the garden.
Mr. Kaiza is taking me to the living room. The light is shining through the glass window that is half closed by the blinds, and the mat seats are lying down on the floor. There's a go board on another shortened step inside the room, and the background is decorated with beautiful, magnificent wallpaper in dark red to bright red color, with white swans and gold dragons patterned in it.
"Do...you want to play go?"
Mr. Kaiza asks me.
He takes me here to play go?
"Yes."
We sit across from each other and play in the middle of darkness with a natural light coming through.
"Did grandpa scold you?"
I ask.
"No, if you mean about that night."
"..."
That night...a lot of things were going on, everything happened so fast, but the thing that I remember so well was the night I was so damn out of my mind I couldn't control myself at all, at the club and also in the bedroom.
Just thinking about it, I can't even breathe properly.
I shake my head, and he notices it.
"Don't worry."
"Um."
I make a sound and nod at the same time.
"You probably don't want to take me with you again after that, haha."
I try to make it funny to light up.
"Actually, grandfather thinks it's a good idea to take you. Outside of the unexpected situations, you did a good job."
"Hm, I didn't do anything except shredding the blood all over."
"You, just you, existing, with your calmness and piercing eyes can intimidate many people. And the...surprised action of yours makes them even more careful of their behavior...And to be honest, I love the way you did it.."
"!!"
"Even if I don't like people to lay eyes on you, but.. I better do my best to show people that you're mine."
"!!"
Fuck, fuck, stop it...
I put my hand on my chest and pat on it.
"..."
He's watching my reaction.
"I also love how you act impulsively...you're honest... to your feelings...like that night."
"..."
"You pulled me to kiss you so many times."
"!!!"
"I'm...I'm sorry, Mr. Kai..za."
I'm stammering, answering him and putting the white go on the board.
"Zephyra..."
"Y-yes."
"You can't put it there."
"!!"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiza."
"Stop saying sorry."
"Sor.. yes."
"And when..."
"?"
"When will you call only my name again."
He doesn't stop shooting embarrassing words at me, oh my god. Please, just stab me right in the heart right now.
"Hmpt."
I make an upset sound to him.
"Why are you pouting your lips..."
"I'm focusing on playing.."
"You're mad?"
"No... Mr. Kaiza."
"..."
"I'm embarrassed right now. If you can't tell."
"...forgive me..."
I glance at him, and he's smiling.
"Mr. Kaiza...about...Achlys."
"?"
He stops smiling slowly.
"I don't think he will accept...what happened..."
"You mean...about you?"
"About Jodai killing his men and, yes, about me..."
"Can you be honest with me, Zephyra? What is the relationship between you and him?"
"...Back then, he treated me like one of his younger sisters.. even though he didn't treat others like the way he treated me."
"..."
He stops playing and listens to me attentively.
"I thought he still sees me as his younger sister... try to help, to protect, but that night it seemed different… I felt different. I don't know, Mr. Kaiza, what he was thinking, or perhaps he was just being sarcastic like I always did to him."
"..."
"If it does make sense."
I finish the answer.
"...He will."
"?"
"Then I think he will proceed with his steps. Sooner or later, he will do something about it. Probably, he already began his plan."
"I apologize for Jodai, Mr. Kaiza. He did all of that because he wanted to do his job well and because of me..."
"I admired his purpose and his madly deeply trying to get you, Zephyra. I will not punish a guy for that. But what I meant it's his plan to get you back."
"!!?"
"Master!!"
And then Jay interrupts our conversation.
"?"
We both turn our heads to him.
"We have guests... I mean, for Miss Zephya, he asks for her."
"He?"
I ask.
"The son of Stygians."
Jay.
Achlys?
"Speaking of the devil."
Mr. Kaiza speaks up.
Then I hurriedly get up, and about to get out, Mr. Kaiza stops me by grabbing my right hand.
"..."
I look at him. And then I put my left hand over his hand and push out gently.
"Zephyra? I don't want you to go see him."
"If I don't see him, he might cause more trouble. I don't want him to do something like that in your place."
"He might hurt you again."
"He won't."
"You know what I mean...I know what he will do to you..."
"..."
I still push his hand away, and then I give my palm to him properly.
"Then go with me, stay with me."
I tell him.
Then he puts his hand on mine, holds it gently, and steps closer to me.
His face seems pleased.
"Lead me."
I tell Jay.
When we are about to step into the front door, I see sunlight coming through my eyes. I blink once and trust Mr. Kaiza to lead me outside. I open my eyes and see the man with black hair wearing his black shirt and black pants. Only his skin and his eyes are different. He looks at me immediately after I notice him.
"Hm, you come?"
Achlys ignores a guy in front of him and also the people surrounding him.
"..."
"I thought I only asked for you."
He is still looking at me.
"Master."
Jodai calls me while glaring at Achlys.
"Take back your sword and come here, Jodai."
"Yes, Master."
He answers me, walks toward me, glances at my hand, which is holding Mr. Kaiza tightly, and stands beside me slightly behind.
"Are you breaking in?"
I ask.
"Why did you see me that way, Zephyra? I saw Mr. Saya on the way in. He allowed me inside himself."
He explains.
"Aren't you going to invite me inside?"
"..."
I look up at Mr. Kaiza.
"Why don't you ask Mr. Kaiza.. it's his house."
I tell Achlys.
"..."
His mischievous face starts to fade away, but the man next to me turns to make that expression instead after I say that.
He's waiting for Achlys to open his mouth.
"Would you mind if I come in to talk with your fiancé?"
"..I mind...but I will not be the closed-minded future husband, so come in."
They are being sarcastic to one another.
I hope it will end fast.
I glance at Jodai, and he steps closer to me.
"Don't do anything unless I tell you."
I whisper.
"..."
He nods.
I'm about to pull Jodai's sleeve, but Mr. Kaiza takes me inside first. So, I glare at Jodai to send him a signal.
"Yes, Master."
He understands my expression very well and follows me after Achlys.