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It was, maybe, noon now and I'd finished off my work for the morning. Akai had mentioned he expected me to take longer at it but here I was, finished early.
He'd finished questioning me on what I'd learnt and we were now sat opposite one another, quiet for a few moments before he spoke.
"I should like to make and have lunch with you." He said, making eye contact with me. "Since you've finished your morning's work."
"That's sweet, Akai." I said after a second and he seemed to shuffle when I said his name but I continued anyway. "I can't expect you to make lunch for me, though."
"Nonsense. When you're immortal, you do pick up a couple of cooking tricks, you know." He replied, his tone joking.
I chuckled softly. To be honest, having lunch with him did sound nice. "Sure. But I'll help you make it, deal?"
"Deal." He nodded and stood up. "Come on."
I stood up too, following after him down the reading stairs.
"I trust you found the kitchen easy enough before?" He asked me and I hesitated before answering, remembering the picture of that woman.
"Yes, but there was something I wanted to ask you." I said as we walked out of the library. He stopped in the middle of the lobby when I said that, turning around. "Anything Chihiro. You can ask me anything." His eyes were serious.
"Well... I was looking for the kitchen and I went in, what I assume was your bedroom and I was going to go but then I saw the picture of that woman and I was just wondering who she was.." I asked him, looking up at him.
"Anything but that, it seems." He turned around and started walking again, opening the door to the staircase and walking up.
I was quiet for a few moments until we reached the top of the stairs and then I mumbled, "You said anything, Akai."
I heard him sigh but he kept on walking and it made me frustrated how he had summoned me here and was treating me like I was the queen of the world but he wouldn't tell me why.
"Akai, please, stop." I reached forward to put a hand on his shoulder and he stopped, turning around to face me. "Why me? Is it something to do with her? That woman?" I asked quietly.
"It's not the time Chihiro. Please, do not ask that as of yet." He reached up to caress my cheek but I sighed and backed up, straight into his bedroom door.
And then I opened it, realising which room it was and going to stand by the bed which was below the picture.
"Look at us and tell me, Akai. I appreciate you being so lovely but I need to know."
Perhaps I was being dramatic. But something about this woman called to me and I hadn't felt so passionate about anything for a while.
"Chihiro, come out of there." He spoke, his tone calm.
