Because Of Love (Guilty Crown) [Book 1 of the Secret Garden Trilogy]

❤️Chapter 8❤️ A Festival

Festivals are fun and are a wonderful way to spend time with your loved ones
-Aiko Suzuki

THIRD PERSON'S POV

26 August 2039

"Yay~ How much longer before we reach your school Shu?" Aiko exclaimed excitedly.

"A bit further, Aiko," Inori replied.

"Okay Inori! Oh and I love your latest song!" Aiko said.

"Thanks Aiko," Inori replied and smiled.

"Hey Kido, you don't seem excited at all," Shu said.

"What's there to be excited about? I have to work in other words bodyguard this little girl," Kido complained.

"Oh come on I don't think that's the only reason you agreed to go with her," Shu said.

"And what other reason would I have?" Kido challenged.

"Maybe... Because you-"

"We are here! Am I right Inori?" Aiko cut in.

"You are right Aiko," Inori replied.

"Well what are we waiting for? Come on Kido!" Aiko exclaimed and grabbed Kido's hand and ran.

Kido was shouting for her to slow down, yet ignored by Aiko.

AIKO'S POV

We walked passed the booths, then I spotted it...

"OH MY GOD!!!! CHEESE BALLS!!" I exclaimed and ran to the booth.

"Two sticks please!" I said cheerfully.

"Why, aren't you a cheerful one, here you go little girl. For free," the seller said and handed me two sticks of cheeseballs.

"Thanks!" I said and ran off to Kido, passing him one stick.

"Thanks..." he said and took it.

I ate it happily as we walked.

"You still like cheeseballs, don't you?"

"Yup!"

"Just like last time," he murmurs.

"Huh?"

"Do you remember that festival I brought you too before?"

"Hmm... Oh yeah! You still remember?"

"Yeah."

"So... What Tsugumi said was right..."

"Huh?"

+++

~flashback~

21 August 2039

"Hey... Tsugumi... Is it normal to feel alone?" Aiko asked.

"Well I am not so sure... But loneliness is a dreaded feeling... Why would you ask that?" Tsugumi asked

"Well... For as long as I remember it was always me. No one to play with me or talk to me. That was until I met Kido."

"Eh? You both knew each other before?"

"Yeah... There's this secret garden behind my house, I used to love going there when I was little. Then one day, I met Kido... And we became friends..."

"Oh? Then what happened? You seem pretty cold towards him."

"Well, a year later... On his birthday... I went to the secret garden to meet him, but he never showed up. Neither did he for the next several days and it became a month. I felt lonely again. Heartbroken as well. Because he promised, yet he broke it. So I went looking for him, then I heard he was in Funeral Parlour, so I trained myself to kill and get into Funeral Parlour. Just to get to see him again. But I am still pretty heartbroken and angry, sad all at the same time! I just don't know what to do when he is around!" A tear escaped Aiko's eye.