Hope ~Yato x Reader AU~

Chapter 41: Shrine

Silence consumes me as I tug my shirt over my head, letting the material fall over my abdomen, the sensation of cotton gliding over my skin. I can't help but stand here. Stand here and fidget with the fabric of my shirt, my finger tracing the wrinkles. My mind is running rampant with a million different thoughts at a million miles. So much has happened tonight. So much that has a smile pulling at the corners of my lips.

As the hums of the dining hall continued to grow, Kaito kept his fingers twined with mine, his thumb stroking the back of my hand. His eyes collided with mine, the light returning to them as he flashed me a warm smile. He looked so happy. So genuinely happy and relieved to finally be free. And, to be honest, so was I.

"Well, it appears my engagement was just terminated," he grinned. "I am now a free man."

I cocked a brow, chortling, "Are you, now? Are you a bachelor?"

He snickered, gingerly tightening his grip on my hand, warming my heart as he smirked, "Well, I didn't say that."

I just giggled, playfully hitting his shoulder while shaking my head. Even after all that, I could still find a reason to smile. Maybe it was because Kaito was there. Maybe it was because he no longer was obligated to marry a woman he didn't love. Or maybe it was because he knew all there was to know. Regardless, I felt so happy at that moment.

He gave my hand another soothing squeeze before turning to Dr. Itchi and my parents. The smile he had been sporting melted into a flat line. At that, seriousness sprawling across his smooth features as he glimpsed between the three.

"Doctors, Father...I'm sure you're all aware that we need to talk," he said sternly, his voice never wavering; not even as YM/N met his stare. "Preferably in a private setting."

My parents and Kaito's father all exchanged glances before YM/N nodded, "You're right, Kaito. We all owe you answers."

He scanned them, his features softening. With a sharp inhale, he sighed, "But not tonight. Dr. L/N YM/N, tonight you should celebrate. You worked hard to earn the Paxton Free Young Award, so you should enjoy yourself. We can talk about this tomorrow."

They all perked up as YF/N pressed, "Kaito, are you sure? I mean, this is a very important conversation. Do you really want to postpone it?"

Kaito glimpsed at me, his stare practically begging for guidance. I merely flashed him a small smile and squeezed his hand in reassurance. He knew what he had to do. He didn't need my approval.

He once more turned to them and answered, "Yes. It's been this long. So, what's one more night?" He motioned to the shindig, encouraging them. "Go on. Go enjoy the night."

Expressions of surprise plastered across their faces before one by one they began to trickle away. One by one they headed back to the festivity, though YM/N stopped. She glanced over her shoulder, her stare meeting mine. At that moment, something happened. It was as if a veil had been lifted, allowing me to see beneath the surface of my mother's eyes, and what I saw hitched my breath.

Tears.

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. What kind of tears, I couldn't deduce. Tears of joy? Tears of frustration? Tears of sorrow? Happiness? I couldn't tell, but I knew they were there. I knew that I saw them.

"Y/N," she said abruptly, her voice hoarse from fighting those tears. "Tomorrow, at some point, I'd like to sit down with just you. I feel like there's a well overdue apology that I owe you in particular."

My breath lodged itself into my throat at that point as I felt my limbs tingle. In all those years, I never thought that'd be something I'd hear YM/N say. Never in a million years, yet there she was, her eyes boring into mine as sincerity poured from them.