The Head Lord and the Rat Thief {Kamisato Ayato FanFiction}

Chapter 17 ~ The White Flower and the Liar

Chapter 17 ~ The White Flower and the Liar

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       Caiome heard the door opening, so she raised her eyes only to see Ayato entering with his head down, so he didn't even notice her. He closed the door behind him, and only when he turned back to her, Ayato stopped in the middle of the room, making eye contact with Caiome.

       "What are you doing here?" he asked somehow surprised.

       "Chit-chatting with Mother and Father," she said, shrugging, playing with the brush.

       "What?" Ayato said confused, as in a whisper.

       Caiome pursed her lips, while Ayato approached her with small and calculated steps. Although he wore his fancy clothes, he had removed his coat, remaining only in shirts with cuffs at the wrists.

       "I'm studying," she said. "And your parents help me from time to time. Your dad gave me a brilliant idea about how to approach all these useless history lessons. Or at least keeps me company. And it's quiet here. The only quiet place."

       Ayato sighed briefly, stopping in the middle of the room. He sat down slowly on his knees, and Caiome frowned when he placed his hands in front of him and bowed down to the ground, touching the floor with his forehead. Caiome almost stood up at how strange it felt to watch him do this to her, although she was aware that he wasn't bowing to her, but to his parents.

       Then Ayato stood up, approached the tables, and lit a koboku stick at each one, placing them in their holders.

       "You are right," he said, placing the incense stick on the table under his father's portrait.

       Looking at them standing side by side, Caiome really saw no difference between their auras. It was clear that they were father and son, but there was also a big difference between them. Kamisato Kazashi didn't have the same expression as Kamisato Ayato had. And Kamisato Ayato didn't have the same intent in his eyes as Kamisato Kazashi, even though they had almost the same eye color. They were father and son, but the son couldn't be more different from the father.

       "It is really chaos in the entire house," he continued.

       "Then why didn't you leave?" Caiome said. "Unlike me, you're allowed to leave the courtyard. I'm sure you could find something to do in the city," she muttered, looking back at her book, trying to find the sentence where she left off when Ayato entered the room.

        "I could," he said. "Usually it is like this."

       "So why didn't you?" she repeated.

       Ayato didn't answer, seemingly thinking about his response or rather considering whether to say it or not. Eventually, when Caiome looked at him again, Ayato decided not to tell her anything.

       Instead, sat between Caiome and the table with offerings. Tapping his shoulder slightly against hers, she no longer felt the scent of the freshly lit incense sticks, but a light, fresh, and clean fragrance. It didn't take her long to realize that Ayato probably just washed his hair or wore freshly washed, dried, and ironed clothes. But no, this scent clearly came from his hair or from a perfume applied to his skin.

       "How is the studying going?" he asked.

       "Pretty well," she raised her chin. "I've already reached the recordings about your dad. Lord Kamisato Kazashi caused headaches for the Commissions, right? A little bit more, and I'll finish this book. You see, it didn't even take me a whole week."