An Aide /Kamisato Ayato/

20- A Beloved's Past

Shu once fell in love.

She knew how love would take form in ways she least expected it, her heart molded to a man standing as he crouched to the ground and plucked out the weeds. Her eyes darted over to his figure, whenever she passed by the garden—the only thought of a flower was him.

Him and his smile.

Of course, she couldn't grasp him. Even if her heart was so foolish as she'd just been a teenager back then, such society would not allow her.

****

"...So this is it?"

(Name) glanced at the deserted house within this village—distance reached farther from the distance of her residence to the Kamisato's, so far yet still part of the border. If she were to knock on the door right now, and walked in then left this little house with Ayato by her side, then she'd have to part ways with him.

"It is as my intel has spoken," Ayato replied to her question, sounding more like trying to convince himself of where he stood.

He took in a deep breath, before he turned to look at her—being fully aware that after this was over, and once they reached the resolution together, everything they had would disappear like it's an illusion.

"Let's play something before we enter," he offered.

"Not the right time, Milord."

"But it is what I need right now." A smile spread across his lips, charming his face with a balanced look. The politician had long vanished, now that (Name) looked at him longer, lingering onto his stare a little bit more worthwhile.

'Everything would come to an end soon, might as well we do this again.'

(Name) nodded her head. "Alright, what is it?"

"We're going to play questionable or statements. You'll guess if what I say is a statement or a questionable."

She hummed. "Okay."

"Apple is blue?"

"Questionable."

"Orange is a fruit."

"Statement," she was quick to respond. If anything, she found it to be ridiculous playing a game in the middle of trying to achieve victories.

"Thoma hasn't fed the stray animals today."

"Questionable."

"Ayaka doesn't have a fan."

"Questionable."

Ayato took in a deep breath, his minds rushed to find another thing to say just to test her—to test the water. Yet, nothing came up other than one phrase he knew it would've been the last thing both of them needed to heed at this moment. "I'm in love with you."

"Que—," she paused. It surely was a horrible timing to confess right now, wasn't it? She gave him an inquiring look. "..Could you repeat that?"

"I love you."

...How could he say that with ease? He looked away, still keeping his chin up as if what he said didn't end up loosing some screws. Still calm and confident, that's what he displayed—even though his fingers trembled, and his heart pounded in a way he found it comforting and alive, as if each pound reminded him he's alive. "Time's up. It's a statement."

He wasn't planning on marrying her, what future they held together was one that only stars could know. No one else could, not even those owners of fates knew. "I'm not going to pester you into marriage, I won't pester you into anything. You needn't worry about everything else."