Imprisoned to Love You [Edited]

♦⊱ Chapter 10 - Startled ⊰♦

Ruka pov:

A month had gone by since I had been brought to this palace, a little over two weeks since I was punished and began serving Kichiro sama. Every day was a routine with breakfast, lunch and dinner eaten with him, awkwardly giving him company while he worked in his study, and reading light-novels whenever I could to pass the time. When I wasn't with Kichiro sama, Kyo chan was with me – she was pleasant company and I had come to see her like my own sister.

With the days that passed, I had got used to being in relatively close proximity of Kichiro sama. He rarely spoke and the only so called interaction we had had was holding hands, initiated by him. It was mostly awkward for me because I didn't know why he was holding my hand or what he was thinking at that time. As Kyo chan had said, everything was fine because I just did whatever Kichiro sama told me to do.

Since I didn't try to escape again, Kichiro sama had given me a little more freedom. I was allowed to take leisurely walks around the palace and sit in the gardens and enjoy the greenery whenever I wanted to. I had even touched the koi fish in the pond once.

I had got bored of the routine though and wanted to do something besides nothing. I didn't even have my phone because Kichiro sama refused to give it to me in the name of an extended punishment.

I blew a strand of my hair out of my face, my expression one of annoyance. I had already spent time with Kichiro sama today, taken a walk, taken a nap, and taken a walk again, and I was bored. I sighed deeply, "There's nothing to do..."

I looked around the room until my eyes landed on the paper, quill and ink on the study table. I walked to the table and took a seat. Pushing some loose strands of hair behind my ears, I reached for the paper and quill, having dipped the latter in ink. I let the quill hover over the paper for a few minutes wondering what to write or draw. It earned strange looks from the soldiers who were in the room and so I began to sketch what came to mind so as to not make them suspicious in any way.

I spent close to half an hour drawing a vase with an assortment of flowers. It would have looked more beautiful if the flowers were in color but the drawing had come out well nonetheless. Putting the quill away, I held up the paper to look over my work with a smile.

The door opened the next minute and I stood up immediately as Kichiro sama entered the room. I gave him a low bow and kept my gaze on the floor even as he came to a stop just a few feet from me. I was holding the paper I had just drawn on rather tightly causing fine wrinkles to form. I was still nervous around Kichiro sama even though I had got accustomed to being around him. The lack of emotion in his face was always troubling for I couldn't tell if he was calm or angry at any point of time.

I took a step back startled when Kichiro sama stepped closer and reached for the paper in my hands. I took the chance to glance him as he looked over what I had drawn. I averted my eyes when he looked to me.

"Did you draw this?" he asked and I just nodded. "I will keep this."

I looked to him again but he was distracted by my drawing. I wondered why he wanted to keep the drawing – it wasn't anything more than a freehand sketch and surely there were people who could draw tons of times better than this. So, why was he interested in keeping something so...random?

"O-Okay," I mumbled. We were then enveloped by the usual awkward silence that lingered when I was with Kichiro sama.

"Come," he said after a moment. I looked between his face and his hand that he was holding out for me to take. My heart skipped a beat but I slipped my hand into his, mentally telling myself that I had no reason to hesitate. We had held hands a lot of times already so this wasn't any different.