MARRIED TO A KITSUNE

CHAPTER XXV

The room fell silent for a long moment. Each of them waiting for Yuuji to laugh and said that he's kidding and they will laugh with him and dismiss the idea he presented.

But he didn't.

Queen Aki felt weak and leans to King Takano as if she's afraid that she will faint at any moment. "Tell me..." she murmured. "...that you didn't mean it. That you didn't really talked with Inari-sama and didn't asked her to make you... I couldn't even dare think about that word!"

"Yuuji," Minori gasped. "What is this all about? Are you out of your mind?"

"I told Inari-sama that the one who has my pearl of life is a human, and in order to be with her I wanted to be like her."

"You've gone crazy."

"Maybe I am Brother, but I didn't regret it." he answered indignantly.

"Yuuji-sama, you don't have to do that. Hono-chan will go home today, I found a way to---" said Katsumi.

"I wouldn't bargain with her losing her memories of me for good and one thing Katsumi-san, I wouldn't allow you to talk with her in private again, like you did last night."

Katsumi's eyes starts to turn red. She was clenching her hand hard. "My prince, please stop this nonsense now. If you do love me---"

"You know you can't question my love for you Katsumi-san, and you know that creatures like us can only love one person for all our eternity." he paused and met her glaring eyes. "I've thought about this for the last twenty years and I realize that if you ever leave me, I can still survive. But will you be able to live without being at Minori's side? Katsumi-san, I have found the person I can't live without."

Katsumi's shoulders trembles and she surprise everyone when she broke into soft sobs. Tears swells from her eyes. "When did you know that I still love him?" she screamed.

"The day I saw you crying under the sakura tree, your heart breaks when you said that my brother gave up on you. It was the most sincere words that you said Katsumi-san." he answered. "Brother," he said and turned to unbelieving Minori, "I know about those diamonds. I know you hid them from me not because you knew what Katsumi-san is but because you don't want her to be my wife. Father knows it too and Toshi."

King Takano nods slightly.

"Yuuji, that's..." Minori wants to reason out that what Yuuji said isn't true. That he's making it up to force him into a confession of his crimes. That he's wrong. He didn't love Katsumi because he couldn't. She's a yako fox, it wouldn't work. But he remain silent. If there's a thing Yuuji made him realize, it has to be that he had been a coward. He gave up on Katsumi for that one stupid reason. "When did you know about the diamonds?" he asked, bowing his head down in shame.

"I saw you searching in the woods before."

"I'm... I'm so---rry"

"You don't have to ask for my forgiveness Brother. The truth is, it's me who should apologize. I'm sorry I almost took her away from you."

Katsumi stood up and ran for the door. She failed to stay compose and she couldn't dare lifting her face for Minori to see how awful she looks like. Yuuji was right. She had loved no other kitsune other than Minori. She love him, but when she remember how the way he looked at her changed when he found out what she is, her heart couldn't help but feel resentment. How can he love her if he cannot accept what she is? It doesn't feel fair. Katsumi never choose to be a yako fox. She knew that she hurt him when she lied to his face saying that she didn't really love her at all but she only said that so Minori will not carry the pain of loving a yako fox. Only Inari knew how much she tried to return Yuuji's feelings but she couldn't. Creatures like them can only love one person their entire lifetime.

This time, Minori followed Katsumi. He let her get away once and he doesn't want to experience the agony of losing her again.

Toshi and Kenta watched as Yuuji fixed them up. They never had the slightest idea that he was carrying such burden for the past hundred years and they can only admire and respect his courage. On the other hand, Honoree was dumbfounded from he moment Yuuji said he wants to be human. A human like her.

"Son..." King Takano called, his voice soothing, "I want to believe that you didn't mean what you said earlier. We both know that's impossible."

Yuuji stare at him. "Then I'll find a way to make it possible. Mother taught me that things worth having wouldn't be easy to have." He stood up and kneels in front of Honoree. He took her shaking hands and kissed it gently. "I'll bring you home while I search for a way to get back to you."

A tear rolls down on Honoree's cheek. She lifts her face and met Yuuji's gray eyes. She doesn't know what to feel anymore or what facial expression to wear. The fact that Yuuji choose her made her head spin and float. The feeling of being chosen, the thing her parents didn't allow her to have, is overwhelming her. She squeezes Yuuji's hand and force herself to speak. "Yuuji-san, I don't... know if I can love you the way you wanted me to."

A half sweet smile formed on Yuuji's lips. "Did I ask you to love me back?" he chuckles. "But know this Honoree, I will love you with all my heart for the rest of my days," they share a long lingering stares as the tattoo on their ring finger glows brightly. He held out one hand to Toshi.

Toshi handed him the crystal ball with small sparkling balls. "Inari-sama gave me this. With this thing you can go back to your world even without me. Just as how the little balls sparkles... always remember that you are love," he sighs and close his eyes. "Do you trust me Honoree?"

The way he said her name makes Honoree's heart leap.

"I'll get back to you no matter what."

Yuuji pulled Honoree up. She has the crystal ball on her right hand while Yuuji holds her left. Then she slowly felt his hand slipping away from her. When she looked down, she saw that her skin's going transparent. "What's happening?" she asked in a desperate voice. Toshi's smiling face was the last thing she saw before everything around her turned pitch black.

"That is one admirable deed, brother." Toshi said, "When will we see her again? I will miss those eyes of her."

"Ojou-sama!" Kenta cried. "Why do you have to do that Yuuji-sama! I'll go follow her!"

"We won't do that Kenta-kun." Queen Aki said. "My son did the right thing."

But Yuuji hears none of their whims. His mind was elsewhere, hoping that Honoree will understand why he must do what he did after confessing his feelings to her. He lifted his hand and watched the tattoo on his ring finger fades away.