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I knew Aki had chased after me with Urufu, saw me die, and miraculously revived me. I could tell the experience made Aki somewhat clingy and he confessed he just wanted to ensure I wouldn't disappear.
I looked up to him, and he lifted his hand to slide through my short black locks that had more silver highlights than before.
“C’mon, Malachi and Itsuki. They're gonna have a loving
moment," Haru whispered but said it loud enough for our group to hear.
"I want to be a part of the mom-AH! Fucking QUIL!" Malachi exclaimed to Quillian, who grinned in satisfaction.
"Move it, Hottie McHot Pants."
"Why didn't you say anything to Quillian?" Itsuki asked Haru as they began to walk towards the exit.
"Because Quillian’s more romantic than both of you and didn't need me to tell him we should leave," Haru replied with a shrug.
They continued walking and left the training room, leaving Aki and me where we stood. I took a slow glance at the door to see Yoshi was still quietly standing there.
"Crimson," Aki whispered. "Are you still upset?"
I was quiet, not liking how lonely Yoshi looked standing at the doorway. I could see the regret coming off him in waves as he tried to remain still.
"...Yes," I admitted, hesitantly looking back to Aki who I assumed would think my admission was silly. Instead, he nodded and pulled me back into his arms.
"Listen. We weren't allowed to say anything. We swore in front of the Emperor himself because not many know who Yoshi really is. Don't get the idea that we didn't want to tell you. I bet my life Yoshi would have told you long before everything happened that led to our meeting earlier today. You're allowed to be upset and don't need to keep denying it," Aki explained.
"Isn't it selfish of me? To be mad..." I questioned. I felt horrible for feeling upset, but I wasn't going to act like it didn't bother me anymore. It really did upset me, but now that Aki put it in a better perspective, I understood just a bit.
"No. Not selfish at all. Took us a long time to find out about it too. Yoshi's pretty good at hiding it, though he sometimes slips up here and there with his royal behavior," Aki revealed.
"Royal behavior?" I asked.
Aki grinned and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "In the Empire, they teach you to eat with utensils instead of chopsticks for when they have foreign guests. We always have to remind him right before dinner to use his chopsticks, or he immediately starts taking every type of spoon, fork, and knife from the drawer."
I snickered, recalling the time I asked Yoshi what he was doing when Haru had served sushi. He’d been quietly complaining about two specific forks that looked identical. Quillian had to come and pat his back, telling him to ‘let it go.’ Then Yoshi seemed to snap out of his puzzled daze and grabbed his chopsticks from the drawer.
"That would explain the time about the forks." I giggled.
"He hates forks. Doesn't get why there are five different names for little forks that all look the same."
"There aren’t really five...right?"
"Too complicated for my brain. Westerners can keep their traditions. Chopsticks are better," Aki declared, before whispering, "and you can stab people with them."
I laughed, slapping his chest playfully.
"That's so cliché."
"The stabbing or chopsticks?" He winked and began to chuckle.
He gave me one more squeeze and leaned in to place his lips on mine.
I closed my eyes, feeling the tension leave my shoulders as I enjoyed the tender kiss. I could sense Aki wanted to deepen the kiss, his fingers digging into my sides as he held my hips, but then he pulled away. I met his hooded forest green eyes, and he leaned in and gave me another quick peck.
Then he whispered, "I really want to kiss and hold you for the rest of the evening till we make passionate love at dusk, but my guilty conscience is telling me I should let Yoshi talk with you."
"Rain check?" I whispered.
"Hai,” he agreed in Japanese.
