Amidst the shadows and the secrets

Night Sixty-Seven

She nodded. "I don't mind taking a nap." Are we alone? She didn't see anyone else or felt a presence and pulled him closer. "With you, sure." She kissed his cheek. 

"If only, Chisana." He closed his eyes, hearing her quiet wish, which made him wish he could. "But in my room, they will leave you alone." Finding a loophole, he let her use the bathroom first.

This is nice. Close enough, because the others aren't far away. She could lay down on the couch and felt a blanket over her. "Thank you.'

"You had every right to react that way, Chisana." He covered her up and stole a quick kiss. "Get some rest." He saw her snuggle away under the blanket. "I'm not going anywhere."

✦✦✦ 

"Yui!" Chisana called out to her.

Turning back, Yui smiled. "Where do you spend most of your time?"

"My room, Reiji's room for tea and a chess game, the library, or garden." Chisana heard her friend laugh. "Where do you spend most of your time?" Thanks for that opening for a conversation about Ayato.

"Uhm, game room, my room, or the garden." Yui had to think of it.

Chisana closed her eyes for a second to think. "We don't spend much time together, do we? Well, how about now? Let's get some fresh air outside." And less ears listening. Subaru can keep a secret.

Yui liked it and walked with her to the kitchen and outside. "I do like it here."

"I asked about the whole bride thing, and Reiji explained it to me. Did you know we're supposed to choose one of them as our future husband?" I'll keep it more open and include myself. Even if I made my choice. Chisana gestured to the garden below them. "Let's go for a walk. We're inside way too much, anyway."

Agreeing, Yui shook her head. "I had no idea about choosing someone and that he would be... my husband? I don't want to marry anyone because I'm eighteen. That's way too young to marry anyone."

"That's custom for them if someone would survive the awakening. Why didn't you ask anything about that? You seem to spend a lot of time with Ayato. Couldn't he explain a couple of things for you?" Chisana slandered on the path between the roses.

Yui thought about it. "He doesn't talk much about that. When I first arrived I heard I was a prospective bride but nothing more. And nothing after that either."

"Then what do you talk about with him? What do you think of him?" Chisana chooses her words carefully.

"What do I think of Ayato-kun? I wouldn't know. He can be pushy sometimes, but in his way, he cares about me. Otherwise, he wouldn't call me Pancake. You only get a nickname if someone cares about you, right?"

Still unsure and maybe insecure about a couple of things. "Well, I talk about a lot of things with Reiji, and he's patient enough to answer my questions. After you have made a choice, only he would bite you and no one else." She grabbed Yui's hands. "Even if you make a choice, it's not like you have to marry him within six months. Those things take time to arrange. Isn't it a man's job to propose to us women? Even if you choose Ayato, he would still take his time to propose..." She checked if the garden was empty. "I searched for a few things myself online. It's normal to be engaged for a year or more while you try to arrange a wedding. Some engagements take several years. I wish to get married if I'm twenty or older and there is nothing wrong with that."

"Is it?" Yui couldn't stop a smile. "But I have no idea who?"

"I think deep down you already made your choice but something is stopping you. But you only answered half of the question. What do you talk about with Ayato?" Chisana reminded her. Is this even getting through to her? Maybe she needs to find herself first, like I did. But what Reiji did with me, won't work on her.