𝔽𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 ℂ𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕟 || 𝕂𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕥𝕠 𝔸𝕪𝕒𝕥𝕠

11. Memories Both Good And Bad

"What do you mean you've done all of it already?" The king exclaimed in disbelief. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

Kanari nodded. After all, a few hours still counted as sleep.

The king shook his head vigorously, his eyes skimming the papers Kanari set on his desk. The morning sun hit the chandelier above, scattering specks of light across the office. Kanari watched rainbow flecks dance in Ayato's hair as he continued sifting through the files.

Without warning, the king suddenly looked up, his eyes meeting Kanari's. She immediately looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment at getting caught staring. A soft chuckle from the king only made her flush more.

"By the way, I want you to look through this," he said, opening one of his drawers. He pulled out a file and handed it to her, looking at her intently.

Kanari took the papers, the words printed at the top immediately catching her eye.

The Yashiro House for Orphaned Children

Pressing her lips together, she nodded slowly. She stood up and went to her own desk, not taking her eyes off the document. As she read the carefully penned letter, she tried to conjure up an image of the place she spent her teenage years at. She remembered the indigo tiled roofs, and the dark wooden floors. The huge sakura tree in the courtyard. The nights she snuck outside to play-fight, mimicking the guards she watched during lunch break. The look of her caretaker's face when she'd asked if they had a chess board here, the first words she'd spoken after arriving for a whole month. All the people saying she'll be safe and happy here.

Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the king secretly observing her reaction to the papers.

"You're supposed to be there as the royal palace donated money to the place, Your Majesty," informed Kanari, her eyes scanning the page.

"Oh?" The king exclaimed dryly, not even bothering to feign surprise.

Kanari squinted at him, suspicious. "You don't sound surprised."

"They've asked me to be there a few times in the past," he explained, leaning back into his chair and slipping his hands into his pockets. "I usually ask my sister to stand in for me, but maybe this time I'll go."

"Why the change of heart?" Inquired Kanari. Talking to the king was starting to feel more natural now. The king didn't seem to mind that she used his form of address less and less, and he never chastised her for asking anything.

"You grew up there, didn't you?" Countered the king, expertly avoiding the question like the politician and professional rascal he was.

Kanari nodded, eyeing him suspiciously. She'd never told him much about her upbringing, but she supposed he could've just looked through the records and whatnot.

"Are you okay with going there, then?" Ayato asked, uncertainty plaguing his voice.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I merely wanted to make sure there won't be anything... triggering for you."

Kanari stared at him coldly. "I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Your Majesty, but it is my duty as your royal advisor to accompany you on official outings, is it not? I do not think that I should be exempt from said duty for the trivial reason of being slightly discomforted by something." Her tone was the same one she used when stating facts to especially annoying councilmen.

"Kanari, you almost had a panic attack yesterday," whispered the king, frowning. "That is neither slight discomfort nor trivial."

Kanari let out a small sigh and looked down at her desk. Did he have to remind her that she nearly broke down in front of the king?