A Match Into Water

Love Lies Bleeding

Yuuhime

Tang Xuan was hot. He was really hot. Yuuhime had noted his handsome appearance the moment she saw him, like she normally did, his red hair, his dimples, his freckles.

She felt something different when he gently held his brother, trying to comfort and communicate. At the time, she thought Yamato loved her as a brother should, but he would never do that for her.

She knew she was doomed when he promised to free her.

She planned on just staying a puppet. That's all she knew. The detective agency, specifically Parmi, had offered to find a solution to her music box problem, but she bluntly declined.

"Don't try to free me..."

She thought at first Xuan was trying to get something out of her when he offered to help her.

"What's the price? Give the Union information about the Twilight Order?"

"This is a win-win situation, and you'll also get the help you need."

"Don't worry, I'll be true to my word, unlike Yamato."

"..." She was shocked. She was anxious.

"I will consider your proposal."

She was in love.

The moment she had some time to just sit, she immediately looked up any sort of love guide. Teen magazines, romance novels, blogs, even an actual scientifically proven article, but she didn't get past the first paragraph after she read "manipulation."

The main point everything she read made, though, was to just talk. How does one talk? How could she talk to him? Whenever she did, she always became frozen and stiff. It wasn't very pleasing in the slightest.

She would often go out on walks at night to try and figure out how to even begin to loosen up. Clearing her mind would fill her with confidence, but all that confidence would fizzle out when she was faced with Xuan again.

Even when he was upset, broken, she turned to autopilot to lead her. She was better with written words.

Today would be different. With the invite Xuan offered her, she was going to be her best self.

'What's a good pair of walking shoes...?' She held up two pairs of shoes, one pair being cuter and one pair having taller soles.

'...cuter.'

Maybe if she dressed how she liked, she would feel more confident and could take another step into understanding her emotions.

***

"There you are, Yuuhime." Xuan said once he saw her walking to him.

"Hello." She said, focusing on sounding as warm as she could. His poor eyes were red, he looked so tired and upset despite trying to smile for her and her heart ached just seeing it.

"Raven gave me a list..." He murmured, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. "...the first stop is just right here."

It was a pudding shop. That confused Yuuhime; wasn't these errands for Raven?

"Hm..." Xuan looked around before heading to the counter.

"Excuse me?"

"Welcome, what can I do for you?" The worker said.

"I just have a list." Xuan held out the paper.

"Yes...Ah, from Raven? Everything's ready."

She pulled out a huge box of every kind of pudding. Xuan's eyes widened as he picked up the box, thanking the worker before quickly leaving with Yuuhime.