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It’s back, and happy about it.

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Her dainty fingers cupped under Matoko’s chin; her face now inches from his. “What do you think you’re doing..? Why can’t I turn my eyes away..?!” Matoko’s mouth then opened.

“Hirika! The bath is ready for you!”

Hirika deviously sensual taunt froze at the sound of Kyohei’s call from another room. Matoko’s retort had been silenced. She now wore a prideful smile.

“Let’s do this…the easy way, shall we?” she said in between taking up her bag and strolling out the room. Matoko sat still with stoic eyes, tuning out Hirika’s question to Kyohei about the bathroom.

“You…!”

______________

“You!”

A loud crack of skin to skin followed after a grown man’s irritated exclamation. Tomoe’s face, absent of emotion, remained turned, a hot pink print now pasted onto her cheek.

“My deepest apologies, Father.” Those words slipped calmly off her lips, leaving the freshly shaven man, clad in crimson yukata & wooden geta, fumed.

“Tomoe.”

“Yes?”

“Tell me. Why did I hit you?”

“Because I was disobedient and did not come home promptly.”

“No. I hit you because though you are a powerful Akayami heir, your mother and I love you. You have never done this before.”

“I know…and I tried to leave…but–”

Her father went on as a woman peeked in. “If a boy swayed you to–”

“NO!” she snapped. “I decide for myself!”

“Then why?”

“Because I found someone worthy!”

“I will be the judge if he is worthy of an Akayami or not. Do not forget who you are, Tomoe!”

“I go out of the norm ONCE, and I discarded my pride. Maybe it’s you, Father, who has forgotten me.”

He stood frozen, cut deeply by her words. Tomoe headed upstairs, as the woman spying hid herself.

“Hi Mother..” she said, without ever once seeing her. She emerged, both shocked and distraught, coming behind him, waist-length ebony hair fluttering around her ivory & magenta kimono, and rested her palms on his chest.

“Mmm…she has become very capable, no..?” she mused airily.

“Ever since she could speak, she has shown great potential to be the one who could revive the true Akayami spirit..” His hazel gaze dropped to the floor. “I was…!”

“You believe you were right, but…the moment you hit her, you forgot the burden she willingly carries daily for this family’s sake.”

She hugged him closer as if in pain. “Don’t you think you should trust in her spirit more…Yusuke?”

*************

I lay here wondering why I resist so much.

Why I keep taking so much upon myself, while sacrificing the one my heart chose.

This was my choice.

I wish all this pain…

would disappear…like a dream…

*************

“Mortal…”

A voice whispered in the night, awaking Matoko from a deep sleep.

“Am I still…?”, he thought, darkness blinding him.

The sweet voice called again, less audibly. “Mor~tal.”

“A female…? Why..?”

“MORTAL!”

“AGH!” Matoko recoiled backward, hitting his head against the bedpost.

“Ah good. You’re awake now,” Hirika said smiling faintly.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” he whispered back.

“Waking you up.”

“Don’t you know what time it is?”

“Not really.”

Matoko grabbed his digital clock, pointing to it. “It’s 3:48AM! Does that mean anything to you?!”

“Yes, but I cannot sleep..” she admitted.

His eyes narrowed. “So you wake me so I can share in the experience.”

Hirika smirked in playful contempt. “This is a perfect time to fulfill my end of the bargain without interruption, don’t you think?”

Matoko rested his head on the bedpost, shutting his eyes. “Might as well.”

Hirika stood from the floor and sat on the bed’s edge. “Don’t fall asleep. That would be rude.”

“How in the world could I..?”

—– Matoko listened as Hirika explained to him his situation & where she had come from —–

Crossing his arms, he stared outside. “Why choose me for this so-called ‘experiment’?”

“No mortal had your potential.”

Surprised, he turned in her direction. “No mortal had my–!”

“Ju~st kidding!<3 Any mortal would have sufficed.”

While giggling, she slipped down to her futon. Matoko laid on his side.

“Ni~ght mortal!”

“Hirika.”

“Hm?”

“My name..is Matoko.”