Everlasting Spark ~DARK 06~
The little girl was roaming around one of the more secluded areas of Eden’s Garden. Her father had been invited to an audience with King Karlheinz and left his daughter basically to her own devices. They did bring a maid that was supposed to keep an eye on the girl, but she lost her on the way somewhere. Or maybe it wasn’t even an accident; nobody liked being around her for too long.
“Cursed child” some of them would call her in disgust. She was tugging on some particularly high-growing blade of grass when she heard a beautiful tune come from further away. It didn’t seem like it came from a music room, but rather from deeper in the garden. Intrigued, Chiyo followed the music.
What business did someone have playing a violin this far inside some bushes?
Even being that young, the girl was wary of such an occurrence. Lots of adults enjoyed listening to music performances of this caliber, so naturally Chiyo thought that someone as talented would want to showcase their skills to something more than birds and ants.
She tried to see over the tall rose bushes without being found out immediately. What she saw made her gasp in awe.
Standing in the center of the clearing was a blond boy, visibly immersed in the music piece he was playing on his violin. It must have been one of the heirs to King Karlheinz. She had heard so much about him but never actually spoken with him. He really was as talented as the rumors said, the biggest pride of Lady Beatrix.
She could not help but keep staring at him.
“If you’re here to ridicule me again, then at least do it out in the open, Reiji,” the boy said.
Oh no, she got caught! But it seemed he mistook her for someone else.
“I…I’m sorry,” she said quickly. She felt as if she trespassed somewhere she had no business being, “I heard the music and wanted to see where it came from…”
The blond boy came closer and pushed some of the branches out of the way.
“Oh, you’re not Reiji,” he said, “Sorry, I thought you were my annoying brother.”
“You’re not angry I eavesdropped?”
Surely, he did not intend to be found if he played an instrument all the way back here. The boy tilted his head and looked at her for a while, visibly in thought.
“Hmmm… I mean it looks like you did so because you enjoyed the music. I guess I can’t really get mad at that, huh?”
“Sorry…” she said again.
“I said I’m not angry, why are you apologizing?”
The girl bit her tongue before another apology was able to leave her mouth. She was used to apologizing at home a lot. It was like she was but a nuisance to her father and everyone else working at the manor. Being sorry for every little thing seemed like the natural thing to do.
“Anyway, I haven’t seen you around here yet, what’s your name?”
“C-chiyo…” she said warily.
“Chiyo,” he repeated after her, “sounds pretty. I’m Shuu.”
It had started to rain again in the afternoon and did not clear up until late in the night. Shuu was sitting under one of the trees, right outside the house, looking at the old pendant again and again. He did not particularly care about getting wet.
Why did that man send Chiyo here? And why wasn’t he able to control his feelings around her? Plenty of time had passed since they parted ways, why wasn’t he over it yet?
And what was the deal with Ruki Mukami? Why was he so hell-bent on getting close to her? Shuu had never seen him before, but Ruki seemed to know him and his brothers well. Clearly, he must have come from the demon world too.
It was as clear as day that this was one of his father’s dirty schemes, he just didn’t know what exactly it was about yet. It seemed troublesome to try and get to the bottom of it, yet he feared he would never get his peace of mind back otherwise.
Was she working with that guy? If so, what did he offer her, that she would betray Shuu again? He would not walk into such an obvious trap.
“This thing… I should throw it away already,” he muttered to himself before standing up and putting the pendant into his pocket. He really should get rid of it.
When he came back in, Reiji was already standing in the hallway with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
“I hope you at least came to some sort of enlightenment out there. Or are you messing up our floors just for the fun of it?”
He always had to be so damn annoying about everything, how troublesome.
“Not that it is any of your business what I think about, but…”
Reiji looked at him surprised; Shuu didn’t really share his thoughts that often. He probably did not expect any useful input from him.
“That guy, he seems to be toying with us again.”
Reiji frowned.
“Referring to our father, are you?” he asked.
Shuu nodded.
“Ah, well it is true that he has rather peculiar methods of communicating with us, and a strange interest in dramatic scenarios, however, I am sure he must have a good reason for doing things the way he deems best.”
As expected, Reiji would not question their father even if you threatened him with beheading.
“In any case, just so you know,” Reiji said, “I will have a familiar investigate that Mukami family regardless. But was it really necessary for you to make this mess on the floor just to come to this old conclusion of yours?”
Shuu could not care less about that stupid floor.
His attention shifted towards the living room. Somehow it seemed more lively than usual. He saw Chiyo and Yui talk to Ayato.
“Haah? Chichinashi and the curly head together? That’s new,” Ayato said, “Huh? What’s that on your face?”
“It’s called makeup, Ayato,” Chiyo said.
Ayato studied Yui’s face thoroughly. He seemed to not be used to the girl getting a little dolled up.
“It’s cute, isn’t it?” Chiyo asked, practically parading the other girl around the room. It almost seemed like a bit of her gloomy attitude shifted to her old self. Shuu felt an uncomfortable pang in his chest for a second.
“I guess so,” Ayato said, “still weird to see it.”
Chiyo scolded Ayato for not having an eye for the finer things. Shuu had to hold back a laugh; it’s been a while since he had seen her this pouty. Could she really be working with his father? Seeing her like that gave him doubts.
“Ayato-kun,” Yui said, “I’ve been meaning to ask you if you’d accompany me to the store? I wanted to do some cooking, but there aren’t enough ingredients at home.”
“Why would I waste my time with that, can’t you go alone?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be her protector or something?” Chiyo asked, “Letting her go alone practically screams ‘Hello, please kidnap me!’?”
Eventually Ayato agreed to go with her. The rain had let up a little, so they quickly left the house. Chiyo looked at them leaving before her attention shifted to Shuu, who was still standing in the hallway.
He was completely drenched, probably spent his time brooding over something outside and when it started to rain, he didn’t bother to immediately seek shelter. Vampires didn’t get sick; a privilege that was denied to someone like Chiyo. She remembered when she caught the flu and almost died as a child but was forced to just wait it out since there were no doctors in the demon world. She wondered if there was flu medicine in Karlheinz’ pharmacy department. Catching herself staring at Shuu, who was staring back at her, she quickly looked away.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Shuu slowly go up the stairs in the main hall. As she watched him, she suddenly remembered a saying they would tell in the other world: “Vampires only fall in love once.”.
Would she ever be rid of her feelings for Shuu?
