Chapter 4: Tormented Angel
Chapter 4: Tormented Angel
“I don’t want to go,” Satsuki declared.
Nearly all of the staff gathered to see her off were dumbstruck by the proclamation. Standing at the front to wish Satsuki a pleasant day at school, Tsubaki’s beautiful almond eyes widened in uncharacteristic surprise.
Satsuki made it all the way to the entrance hall in preparation to leave for school. The moment Shindo extended his hand out to her after pulling up the car, she made that startling declaration.
What could she mean by that? Everything about this entire situation, from rejecting Shindo’s proffered hand to refusing to go, was a first for her.
Noticing a dark shadow replacing Satsuki’s usually sunny smile, the staff wondered fretfully whether she was unwell. Two people knew where the true cause laid: Tsubaki and Shindo.
“I don’t want to go if Shindo drives me,” she elaborated, further surprising everyone, even Tsubaki, who had a rough idea of why her daughter was acting so unusual.
The only person not surprised was Shindo. He didn’t blame Satsuki for turning her head away and refusing to accept his extended hand. Withdrawing his hand, he called Shotaro from the throng of attendants who came to see Satsuki off.
“Mizuno, please drive us,” Shindo ordered.
“...Certainly,” Shotaro replied somewhat hesitantly. He stepped forward and extended his right hand to Satsuki before asking, “Would it be acceptable if I drove?”
Not deigning to answer him, Satsuki silently placed her right hand on his.
The moment Satsuki entrusted her hand to Shotaro, Shindo’s chest grew so tight, he thought it would explode. Always the one to take her hand, his right hand trembled in frustration. Satsuki just rejected him and allowed another man to escort her. He never realized how the loss of such an everyday occurrence would rattle his heart.
Shindo realized Satsuki was angry with him since they returned from the park the previous night. There were only about 220 yards between the park and the back gate that surrounded the Tsujikawa property. They maintained a fair distance apart as they spanned that stretch and cut across the backyard.
To be precise, Satsuki walked ahead with Shindo trailing directly behind her. He never once tried to stand at her side. At one point on the way back, Satsuki turned to look at him with sadness etched into her features. Even so, Shindo refused to move next to her.
The strong belief in their hearts that “we must not touch” combined with the need to set far stricter boundaries than before created a deep emotional gap between them.
Satsuki wanted Shindo to acknowledge their feelings, even if he had to live in fear of “corrupting” her. She didn’t care if he—if they—fell into sin... Satsuki wanted Shindo to promise he would always be with her, but he refused.
Satsuki yearned to stay with Shindo, but he continued to remain true to his position as retainer...rejecting her feelings and advances. That left her devoid of anything but sorrow.
She began avoiding Shindo when he went to her room that day to bid her good morning—actually, she began the previous night. She had never avoided him like this before, not even once.
Now another man was touching Satsuki’s hand. The sight of another taking his place caused Shindo to frown, but he schooled his features so none would notice his inner turmoil. Turning to Tsubaki, who was seeing off her daughter, he offered her a slight bow and said, “If you will excuse me, I will accompany the Miss to school.”
Shindo was not the only one whose heart ached at the sight of Shotaro leading Satsuki by the hand. It tore at one of the maids seeing the Miss off. Still youthful, she came across as a cute young lady. But at the moment, she was also struck with sadness. Noe was the same woman who slipped into the bushes near the fountain with Shotaro the previous night.
What’s going on...? Are they bickering like an old married couple? I can’t believe it! Why does he have to lead her by the hand just because they got into a fight?! Thoughts clearly filled with jealousy lashed out a Satsuki.
“Eiyaa!” Noe’s scream filled the entrance hall.
Eyes flinging to the source of the sudden scream, a senior maid cried out in surprise, “Wh-What happened?!”
Noe held her right cheek in shock. Blood was streaming from a straight gash that ran across her cheek. It looked as if she had been slashed with a knife!
“Let’s go, Mizuno.” Satsuki didn’t even allow Shotaro time to check on his injured lover, urging the thunderstruck man along. If Satsuki told him it was time to go, he had no choice but to go. He couldn’t possibly drop her hand without permission and run to the side of his beloved.
“...Of course...” he replied. Filled with regret at not checking on his beloved Noe first, Shotaro reluctantly escorted Satsuki out the door.
Meanwhile, the maids were thrown in an uproar.
“Did something fly at you?”
“Worry about that later! We need to patch her up first!”
“Are you okay? What happened?!”
No one knew how Noe got injured. They couldn’t possibly know. Yet amidst the commotion, there was one who knew all too well how the injury came to be. He knew who drew the maid’s blood. The answers were painfully clear to him.
“...Miss,” he whispered.
After observing the maids clamor about for a minute, he followed Satsuki out the door. Shindo had no doubt the injury was Satsuki’s handiwork. He couldn’t imagine her directly injuring someone aside from when her powers lashed out subconsciously. Satsuki’s heart was on the verge of breaking. Shindo could feel it in his bones.
***
“NO way...” a girl whispered without thinking. Realizing how loud her voice sounded in the stillness, she quickly pressed her fingertips to her mouth. Yet those were the same words everyone present wanted to say.
The two who always painted such a dreamy picture were currently at the school entrance. Kneeling with the beautiful princess’s hand in his, he would offer a kiss of devotion upon the top of her hand. The gentle smile adorning his handsome face would invite a beautiful smile from her. Each day, they performed that dreamy scene out of the pages of a fairy tale. Yet that ethereal sweetness was nowhere to be found today.
Satsuki’s personal Benz stopped in front of the school entrance like always. All of the schoolgirls who happened to be in the schoolyard or school entrance waited with bated breath. They were eager for the “fairytale” to unfold before their eyes.
Shindo opened the backdoor to the Benz and offered his hand to Satsuki. However, Satsuki slid out of the car without accepting his assistance. As far as the throng of schoolgirls were concerned, that was a bolt from the blue. When the girl whispered, “No way...” she may as well have served as a representative, expressing the thoughts of all present.
Deprived of his express privilege, a deep chill crept into Shindo’s hand traveling down to the fingertips and sending a shiver through his body. Satsuki glided past her retainer without so much as acknowledging his presence as she put the car behind her. Normally she would inquire about his plans for the day. Would he spend the day at her side or did he have to go to the office? Yet as Satsuki walked ahead of him, she showed no sign of stopping to wait up, let alone asking for his agenda.
“Miss,” Shindo hastily called out as Satsuki was about to step through the front doors. She stopped dead in her tracks, her back still turned to him. Shindo bowed to her back and said, “I’m going to park the car. I shall remain on standby here all day, so please call for me if you need anything.”
Satsuki only deigned to respond with the curt reply, “Understood.”
What in the world? What’s going on?
Oh, whoa! Are those two having a fight? That’s not like Satsuki!
Poor Shindo... I wonder what happened.
The crowd of girls behind Satsuki flew into a whirl of prodding thoughts. Not bothering to wait for Shindo like she usually did, Satsuki slipped through the entrance doors.
Shindo’s shoulders drooped with a languished sigh. His little lady’s pointed avoidance was taking a remarkable toll on him.
With the intent to accompany Shotaro to the parking lot, Shindo opened the front passenger door to return to his seat. When he did, Shotaro called to Shindo from the driver’s seat, “Please head inside. I can park the car on my own. I will leave the keys with the parking security guard, so please retrieve it from him later. When the car from the mansion arrives, I will take that back.”
While on duty, Shotaro spoke politely to Shindo. But seeing Shindo hesitate, he slipped into his normal form of speech as he said, “Go stick by the Miss. Aren’t you the only one with that honor?”
“Yes, but...”
“If the Miss is still out of sorts when it’s time to go home, give me a call. I’ll give you two a lift.” Shotaro was trying to be nice since Satsuki wasn’t her usual self. There was no reason to let his kind consideration go to waste.
“Thank you,” Shindo said and closed the passenger door. Turning on his heel, he hurried after Satsuki.
Watching Shindo stride away through the passenger window, Shotaro whispered, “...Go get her...Akira...”
***
SATSUKI pushed her way into the school building as she greeted her peers. The moment Shindo stepped into the school entrance in hopes of catching up to her, a nervous girl greeted him, “Good morning, Mr. Shindo.” It was Alice.
No matter how big of a hurry he was in, Shindo couldn’t simply ignore the young lady. Coming to a stop, he offered her a slight bow as he returned, “Good morning, Miss Misakimori.”
The curiosity must have been killing her. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, she pounced on him so ferociously she barely had time to breathe. “Say, is something the matter with Satsuki? She walked off on her own. I noticed she didn’t seem herself... I’m worried!”
Alice was expressing concern for his little lady. Shindo offered her a grateful smile as he bowed. “I appreciate your concern. It would appear she is feeling a little under the weather, but I don’t believe it will keep her from class.”
“You’re sure?”
“I am,” Shindo replied with a smile that made Alice blush.
“Um...Mr. Shindo?” Alice began. She repositioned herself directly in front of Shindo, feasting her eyes on his somewhat melancholic visage. “If there is anything I can do for you, please feel free to let me know...”
“Miss Misakimori?”
“If I could be of assistance to you...I...” Alice trailed off, passion gleaming in the eyes the fixed on him. Neither had any way of knowing that Satsuki was watching the exchange from the shadows of the corridor connected to the entrance.
***
“I would happily step down from my position as retainer,” Shindo had said. Those words wouldn’t leave Satsuki’s mind. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say they were constantly echoing in her head. As a result, the tumultuous feelings inside her only escalated. It made the door to her heart swing open against her will and her powers lash out with unfortunate consequence.
“I’m awful...” Satsuki said self-degradingly over constantly dwelling on what Shindo said when it only upset her.
She was sitting at her desk in the Student Council Room with her left hand on her forehead. Her shoulders were slumped as if she were unable to bear the weight of her emotions.
It wasn’t as though she wanted to avoid Shindo. In fact, she wanted him to take her hand. She wanted him to talk to her. She wanted him to hug her tight. However, he wouldn’t be able to do any of these things in the near future. And the fact that he already made peace with that saddened her.
Shindo was constantly at her side. Why did she have to cut his presence from her life...?
“For the sake of your happiness...”
“My happiness...” Immediately after the words came out of her mouth, her lips formed a depreciating sneer. “How could this be...for my happiness...?”
Shindo said that he would quit as her retainer for the sake of her happiness. But he was the one who was always there to protect her, comfort her, and fill her with happiness. And now he was about to leave her side, all for the sake of her “happiness.” How could she possibly find happiness without him?
Pulling her hand away from her forehead, Satsuki raised her head and looked around the desolate Student Council Room. She lacked the gumption to attend class, but didn’t exactly feel like hiding out in her private suite. So her feet brought her here.
Only two weeks had passed since the gory mess Satsuki made here unbeknownst to the rest of the world. The air in the room was so gentle and crisp, it was hard to believe this was the same place where that nightmare took place. It never would have cleaned up so nicely without Shindo calling on the full might of the Tsujikawas.
She failed to keep her powers from going out of control back then. The fact that she killed a man still plagued her with nightmares. Each time one tormented her, Shindo would hold her in his arms, comforting her until she calmed down. He would soothe her by insisting it wasn’t her fault—she had no control over her powers when they went berserk.
With gentle strength, Shindo mended her heart... If it weren’t for him, Satsuki might have lost her hold on sanity after that incident.
“I...” As she absentmindedly turned her head to look across the room, Satsuki’s eyes fell upon a large whiteboard left on the meeting table. She barely reached out to it with her mind and... Snap! Pop...! Snap! Snap! The whiteboard made loud snaps as it split down the middle. Cracks ran throughout both halves, which crumbled to the floor! Broken and smashed, the sorry remains were scattered across the floor.
“I wonder...why...I have these powers...” Satsuki mused.
She never considered these powers to be a threat because she always had someone at her side who stopped her from going out of control. He protected her not only from outside enemies, but also from the greater enemy within.
“If I don’t have Shindo with me...” She tried to imagine what might happen, sending cold chills down her spine. If she didn’t have Shindo with her anymore, who would accept her for who she was, powers and all?
“Jeez, you pulled quite the number in here, didn’t you?” someone said from the glass doors right behind Satsuki. “I can’t believe you popped that weasel’s head off! Good going, Missy.”
Satsuki spun around. “Ah...” The tiny sound escaped her lips, her face tensing.
The Student Council Room was on the fourth floor. Although there was a spacious veranda on the other side of the glass doors, it wasn’t accessible from the outside. Nevertheless, that was precisely where he was standing.
“You look down in the dumps, Satsuki,” he drawled, sliding his finger across the metal frame. The supposedly locked doors popped open with a click. “Or are you just nervous with excitement for your birthday in two days?”
He stepped into the room with that characteristic sardonic grin plastered on his handsome face. The pressure change from throwing the doors open created a draft that stirred his soft, unruly hair.
Takemi Kaido stood before Satsuki.
***
“SHE hasn’t come by the classroom?” Shindo repeated in disbelief. That was impossible.
When he went inside to check on Satsuki in the classroom, Alice seemed distraught when she informed him of her absence.
“When I asked our classmates, they said they haven’t seen Satsuki yet either. Perhaps she hasn’t made her way here yet?” Alice explained to Shindo in front of their classroom door.
Only ten minutes until morning homeroom started. It was absurd that Satsuki wasn’t already in the classroom by now.
After dropping by their private suite, Shindo came to deliver Satsuki’s bag. Finding she wasn’t here, he wondered where she could be.
“I’m sorry to trouble you, Miss Misakimori, but could you take the Miss’s bag to her desk for me?” After Alice took the bag from Shindo, he offered her a grateful bow and started to leave in search of Satsuki.
“Um... Mr. Shindo,” Alice called to keep him from leaving. “I, uh, would like to help you...look for Satsuki, that is...”
Am I being too forward? Am I stepping out of my place? As such anxious thoughts raced through Alice’s head, Shindo offered her a considerate smile.
“Thank you, but class starts in ten minutes. I’m afraid I can’t take you up on that generous offer, but I appreciate the sentiment,” he said with another bob of the head before setting out down the hallway.
Satsuki wasn’t in her private suite or the classroom. Could she be in the library? Or the nurse’s office? Or perhaps... Shindo’s mind raced frantically. Alice felt her chest constrict as she watched him walk away.
***
“MR. Takemi...Kaido...” Satsuki whispered at the sight of the young man waltzing through the supposedly locked doors.
Hearing his name, Takemi raised an eyebrow, the cold smile never leaving his lips. “Did Alice tell you my name...? Nah...”
Satsuki jumped to her feet when Takemi marched over to her. He grabbed her chin and peered into her surprised eyes. “You heard about me...as a marriage candidate, didn’t you?”
Satsuki glared angrily at him. “Unhand me. That is hardly the way to treat a lady,” she snapped firmly.
Takemi blew a bemused whistle as he let go of her chin. Satsuki sharply turned her head away from him.
“Aren’t you betrothed to Alice? So why would you agree to participate in this arrangement?” Satsuki berated him.
“The great and mighty Tsujikawa picked me as a marriage candidate for the future president, Princess Satsuki! You seriously think anyone would pass up on such a juicy opportunity? When it was presented to my parents, they absolutely insisted that I come back to Japan. I’ve gotta admit, my parents are jumping for joy. They never dreamed I’d get picked for something like this,” Takemi confessed somewhat sheepishly.
He stared at Satsuki’s side profile a moment before continuing, “If this works out in my favor, we plan on calling off my engagement with Alice. The whole thing was a stupid arrangement struck in the heat of the moment between our families’ companies, anyway.”
“That’s so insincere...” Satsuki reprimanded to his face, disgusted by the way Takemi described the situation.
“I’ve been searching for you for ages...” he said with a cold, penetrating look. It wasn’t a baleful glare, but rather, a frighteningly keen gaze. It felt as if those sharp eyes could pierce into the innermost depths of her mind. “And I’ve finally found you at last...Satsuki.”
Takemi mentioned something similar when they met the previous day. She had no idea what he meant. In fact, the things she didn’t know about him outweighed those she did. Takemi’s piercing gaze froze Satsuki in place. Even if she wanted to avert her eyes, would she be able to?
“Choose me, Satsuki.”
“Huh?”
“Aren’t there four other candidates? Don’t bother with them. I’m the one you should pick.”
“D-Don’t be stupid... Why should I intentionally pick my classmate’s fiancé?” Satsuki countered Takemi’s abrasive order, but he ignored her argument and looked at the whiteboard she destroyed.
“Your powers are expanding beyond your childhood limitations,” he observed.
Stunned into silence, Satsuki stared at Takemi in surprise. That proved it—this man knew of her psychic powers. And from the sound of it, his knowledge went back to her childhood. But how? The only people who were supposed know were her parents and Shindo.
“At this rate, your continually magnifying powers will consume you... I’m the only one who can keep that from happening...” he alluded.
“How do you know about that?” Satsuki demanded.
It was too late for denial. Would dismissing him with “What are you talking about?” have been for the best? If she laughed it off claiming, “You’ve watched too many movies,” have been better? No, neither was an option.
The look in Takemi’s eye made it all too clear. It said, “I know everything.” The underlying message in his voice asked a question of “What do you want to ask? What do you want me to tell you?”
“I know everything about you,” Takemi blatantly exposed, maintaining the cold smile upon his lips. “I’m the only one among your suitors who knows about those monstrous powers of yours. That’s why I’m telling you to pick me.”
With his chin slightly jutted up, he literally looked down his nose at Satsuki in condescension as he continued, “Wouldn’t you prefer a spouse who’s not only fully aware of your powers, but also capable of controlling them? If you don’t go for me, you’ll wind up consumed by your own powers and slaughter everyone.”
“...Bite your tongue...” Satsuki snapped, glowering at Takemi, her hands curling into fists.
She was well aware of the dangers her powers posed. That was precisely why she obeyed the rules imposed by Shindo and tried to be careful how she used them. But Takemi made it sound as if she could commit mass murder in a heartbeat. If that wasn’t the epitome of rudeness, what was?
“Do you wield powers of a similar nature?” she asked.
Doors opened for him when they should have remained closed. He didn’t bat an eye at the oddly destroyed whiteboard. Finally, it sounded like he knew about the tragic events that took place in the Student Council Room. After all of this, he might as well come clean.
If he wielded the same type of powers as Satsuki... If he possessed the ability to learn things that should normally be impossible to know... At least then, it would explain why he said he could stop Satsuki. Furthermore, if he was searching for someone with abilities similar to his throughout the years, it would clear up why he told Satsuki he had been searching for her.
Takemi didn’t answer Satsuki’s question regarding whether he wielded similar powers. Not so much as nodding in affirmation, he continued to look upon her with that frosty smile plastered on his face.
Satsuki opened the door to her heart. “...What?!” Her eyes flung open in surprise. The shock was so great, she forgot to breathe for a second.
The blood draining from her face, an uncharacteristic look of dismay washed over her visage. Did she even notice the bead of cold sweat trickling down her temple?
“What’s wrong?” Takemi asked with a big grin, looking down at Satsuki. His eyes were glued to the dismayed girl before him as he gloated.
...I can’t read his mind... Satsuki panicked, her heart thrown into turmoil. For a brief moment, that turmoil disrupted the air around them so badly it outright felt sickening.
Satsuki tried to read Takemi’s thoughts. She was going to search the recesses of his mind to pull on his memories. Doing so would provide all the answers she wanted. Was Takemi a psychic? If he was, what was the exact nature of his powers? What did he hope to gain from approaching her? Alas...
“That won’t do you any good,” Takemi concluded for her. Thrusting his right hand before her, he loudly snapped his fingers in front of her bulging eyes. As he did, agonizing pain raced through her head. Unable to so much as scream, Satsuki’s knees gave out from under her. She tumbled onto her hands and knees.
An electric shock ran through Satsuki the moment Takemi snapped his fingers. It made needle-like pain pierce through her head.
“You can’t read my mind,” Takemi declared.
Satsuki held her head, still throbbing from the lingering pain. She tried to smooth her face wrenched in agony as she slowly raised her eyes from Takemi’s feet.
“I have a shield in place to keep anyone from snooping around my mind. Unless your powers are stronger than mine, you can’t see what’s going on in here.”
“...So you really do have powers like mine, don’t you...?”
Takemi squatted in front of Satsuki and snatched her chin, taking full advantage of the fact the shock he rendered her brain prevented her from being able to stand. He confirmed, “Yep, just like you, I was born with them. And seeing as you can’t read my mind, yours are weaker than mine.”
“...Mine are weaker?”
“Wanna know just how strong mine are?” Takemi asked.
“...I suppose,” Satsuki admitted. Struck with a sense of frustration, her voice quivered with her first taste of defeat. This was the first time in Satsuki’s life she met somebody else who wielded similar powers. There was a part of her that wanted to know how great they were.
“Would you like me to show you?” Takemi offered teasingly. “I’m game, if it’s between the sheets.” Then he pressed his lips against hers.
Their lips touched... The moment they did, Satsuki swung her head to the side and shoved Takemi’s chest. “Desist at once!” she balked. “What were you thinking?! How dare you...suddenly-?!” Satsuki’s eyes scornfully reproached Takemi as she floundered awkwardly from the sudden kiss.
Meanwhile, Takemi looked troubled as he said, “Jeez, you’re one pain in the ass. I can’t believe you’re getting so worked up over a measly kiss. That was barely even a peck!”
“That’s hardly the sort of thing you do to a lady in the spur of the moment!” Satsuki snarled back. She slowly stood up and supported herself by placing both hands on her desk. “It’s uncouth...” She pressed one hand against her lips.
Their lips barely brushed. Nonetheless, it didn’t change the fact that his lips touched hers. In an attempt to forget the sensation of his lips forced upon her, Satsuki bit her lower lip. She didn’t want her body to remember how his lips felt when she could still recall the sensation of the deep kisses she shared with Shindo the previous night.
“I swear, rich chicks are in a class all of their own. Most girls would go ‘No’ or ‘Stop it,’ but you were all ‘Desist at once,’” Takemi goaded, rising to his feet and brushing off his pants as if dismissing the entire event.
With a big grin, he stretched and asked, “Did you tell that retainer guy ‘Desist at once,’ too?”
Satsuki stared at him in surprise. Did he read her mind to find out she also kissed Shindo? If he did, then he knew that although only briefly, they had kissed with hearts as one. Her feelings for Shindo would no longer be a secret...
“What? I called it?” Takemi sniggered upon noticing Satsuki’s reaction. “I didn’t actually snoop around your mind all that much. I caught wind that ‘Miss Satsuki and her retainer are a thing,’ is all.”
Takemi still didn’t know about the forbidden love shared between the two.
He walked up to Satsuki and combed her beautiful, pitch-black hair with his fingertips. Her hair cascaded smoothly, slipping through his fingers. Soft and silky, simply the touch of her hair sent Takemi’s senses reeling in a wave that started at his fingertips.
“Man, I’d love to see your hair spread out across the bed... I wonder how it’d ripple...” he mused.
“Please refrain from talking like that around me. That isn’t the sort of thing you should casually mention in front of a lady, now is it? You’re being extremely rude, Mr. Kaido,” Satsuki chastised.
“Call me Takemi, Satsuki,” Takemi said, presumptuously referring to Satsuki by her first name after she pointedly used his surname. Slipping the hand used to comb her hair around her shoulders, he pulled her into a side hug.
“For you to get so worked up over a measly little kiss, I bet you haven’t gone the whole way with that attendant yet, have you? It’s all the more reason for me to tousle your hair in bed as your future husband.”
“That is enough...!” Just as Satsuki was about to give Takemi a piece of her mind for his incessant crass remarks, a knock came from the Student Council Room door.
“Is anyone there? Satsuki, are you in there?” came Alice’s voice.
Class should have started by now, so what was she doing here? As if sensing the trouble that would ensue if he ran into Alice here and now, Takemi raced out the glass doors. After being left open all this time, the doors slammed shut the moment he made it over the threshold.
“I’m coming in,” Alice announced. Although no one answered her earlier, the door was unlocked. Figuring it would be best to check to make sure the room was indeed empty, Alice swung open the door. She found Satsuki standing in front of the desk in the supposedly vacant room.
“Satsuki...!” Alice cried. She quickly shut the door behind her and briskly strode to Satsuki.
“Alice, is something the matter? Shouldn’t class be in session by now?” Satsuki managed to muster a smile, suppressing the shock she suffered at the hands of Takemi. She intentionally avoided mentioning he was there only moments ago.
Normally that smile would fill Alice with a soft, airy sensation, but failing to give rise to such feelings in her this time, she shot a condemning look at Satsuki.
“What are you doing here, Satsuki? You know class has started! And do you have any idea how worried Mr. Shindo is about you? Any at all?” Alice rounded on her. I feel just awful for Mr. Shindo. Why would she put him out like this?!
“He is worried sick. He went to look for you in the library...but I believe he should be here soon,” Alice continued. I’m so jealous of the way you make him lose his head!
“What is going on, Satsuki?! You haven’t been yourself all morning. I’m worried about you!” her tirade continued. I wonder what happened between her and Mr. Shindo. They usually get along so well... So well it makes me jealous at times...
“But it isn’t right to upset Mr. Shindo like this,” Alice postulated. Mr. Shindo takes such good care of you...
The thoughts initially flowing from Alice brimmed with concern for Shindo and disappointment toward Satsuki for troubling him. Ultimately, they grew jealous in nature.
You get to keep his smile and arms all to yourself... What more could you want?
“Alice...” Satsuki’s voice dropped to a warning whisper as she repositioned herself to face the girl head on. Eyes burning with the flames of jealousy from the inner depths of her heart, she glared at Alice. “Do you love Shindo...that much?”
“Huh? Uh, what do you mean...?” Alice fumbled, thrown off by the unexpected question. “Ummm...” she hesitated, but could see from the way Satsuki looked at her that her classmate was serious. The expression on her face made it clear she wanted an honest answer.
Averting her gaze from Satsuki, Alice dropped her eyes with flushed cheeks as she answered, “...Yes, I love him.”
Something in Satsuki’s heart snapped with a loud crack.
“I know it isn’t right to have feelings for the man serving as your retainer... Please find it in your heart to forgive me,” Alice apologized. I’ve loved him since I first laid eyes on him. He’s the first true gentleman I’ve ever met...
“It’s why I look forward to seeing the two of you come to school every day. When you come, it means I get to see him,” Alice confessed. Although it’s really annoying the way you show off how close you are...
“That’s why I hate to see Mr. Shindo put out so much,” Alice explained. Just because he’s your retainer is no excuse to give him a hard time. I think you’re acting like a spoiled brat.
“He seemed troubled again today, so I... I knew class was about to start, but I wanted to be of some help to Mr. Shindo, if even a little... So I set out to look for you...” Why are you giving Mr. Shindo a hard time? You’re being simply awful!
Envy toward Satsuki bloomed in Alice’s heart, giving rise to jealousy. Condemnation akin to hatred was short to follow. Those emotions flowed into Satsuki unabated, eating at her heart.
“Alice,” Satsuki said in a voice that came across as cold to the other girl. “Don’t you have a... fiancé?”
Alice raised her head with a gasp. Satsuki was glaring more haughtily than she had ever seen before. Intimidated by her imposing air, Alice stiffened.
“You’re attracted to Shindo when you already have a fiancé? Wouldn’t you consider that being insincere?” Satsuki demanded, ice dripping from her words.
“Uh, well...” Alice tried to defend herself, but couldn’t force the words out under Satsuki’s icy stare.
“I can’t believe your heart is pining after another when you’ve already been promised to one man... It’s scandalous...” Satsuki sneered.
“No...” Alice whimpered. You’re cruel, Satsuki... I really do love Mr. Shindo...!
Alice’s heart screamed louder as if to make up for her fumbling mouth. But the words of her heart—how she truly felt—only served to rattle Satsuki to the core.
I love Mr. Shindo. I have since I was a first year... I’ve loved him ever since I saw him when I first enrolled in this school... What is so wrong with that? I just fell in love with Mr. Shindo is all!
Tearing her eyes away from the girl, Satsuki had to hold herself up with her hands on the desk. Among Alice’s thoughts, there was one word that greatly upset Satsuki’s own heart. It was the word “love.”
Kaido is only my fiancé in name. I only love Mr. Shindo! Alice’s thoughts were accompanied by mental images of Shindo. One was of him smiling gently. Of him smiling when he talked to her. Of when he set her heart aflutter that time he first took her hand.
I love Mr. Shindo. I love him... I couldn’t care less about that fiancé.
Crack... Crack... The cracking sound came from Satsuki’s heart. It was the sound of the word enclosed in an unbreakable glass case fighting to get out. It was the word “love.” Suffering in agony in that glass case, it was going berserk.
That was the one word Satsuki could never say. Not to Shindo. It was forbidden to tell him that. She could never say it to him. Buried in a glass case deep in her heart, Satsuki could never release this word.
It didn’t matter how much “I love you...” filled her thoughts. Regardless how badly her heart was tormented with the desire to utter those words, she couldn’t.
I love Mr. Shindo!
It was prohibited for Satsuki to ever say such a thing.
“Stop it...” Satsuki whispered with tears in her eyes. Her chest was filled with such horrible agony, she couldn’t breathe.
“Don’t...” she forced out. Why couldn’t she say it? “Don’t look at Shindo like that!”
The moment Satsuki shouted, a heavy pressure crashed upon the air in the room! Under the crushing air pressure, Alice nearly lost her hold on consciousness. As she struggled to stay conscious, pieces of the broken whiteboard turned into sharp, deadly weapons that flew toward her...!
***
“MISS?” Shindo said with a gasp. He sensed an awful aura with acute clarity. It was as if an oppressive air was crushing down on him. He only ever felt this dark aura expand outward from Satsuki when she used her abilities in anger.
Straining his ears in the silence, he slowly scanned his surroundings. The sensation struck in the corridor that connected to the main building on his way back from the library.
Satsuki wasn’t in either the nurse’s office or library. The only other place that came to mind was the Student Council Room. But memories of that horrible accident were still so raw, he found it hard to believe she would willingly visit the room where she was assaulted. Assuming she would never go there on her own, Shindo saved it for last.
Did the Miss use her powers? Why would she use them now? Shindo asked himself, but there was no time to work out the answers. Taking advantage of the empty halls, Shindo raced to the Student Council Room!
***
THE air bore heavily on Alice. Unable to withstand the pressure, she crumbled to the floor with her eyes glassed over. Satsuki’s powers made the remnants of the broken whiteboard fly towards the girl!
The pieces of whiteboard were going to tear Alice to shreds. That way, she would never be able to flaunt the feelings she harbored for Shindo ever again. Her mouth would never be able to call Shindo’s name. The word “love” would never pass through those lips or fill Alice’s thoughts and hurt Satsuki again.
Satsuki’s heart was struck by a flash of sadness, self-pity, and intense jealousy. Overpowered by these emotions, her powers lashed out in a mad rage bent on destroying Alice! By the time Satsuki realized what she was about to do, and consciously tried to rein her power in, it was already too late.
“Satsuki!” The angry yell drew Satsuki’s attention.
The glass doors burst open and Takemi jumped into the room. He immediately turned his attention to Alice, who was about to fall prey to Satsuki’s rampaging powers.
Takemi gasped as he directed a piercing air toward her that made her shrink back.
KA-BOOM! There was a burst of air that made the energy waves vanish in a sudden rush of air. The deadly shards inches from Alice disintegrated into sand!
With the sound of falling sand, the oppressive air returned to normal. The breeze entering through the open doors swirled about the room to purify the space. The room regained its tranquil atmosphere as if nothing had ever happened.
But Alice was unconscious on the floor. Satsuki stood ghastly pale. Takemi was staring daggers at her. Aside from these three, the room made for a perfectly normal sight except for the pile of sand on the ground.
“Don’t act like a spoiled little brat! Can’t you even control your own damn emotions?! I’m amazed you haven’t managed to get yourself killed by now!” Takemi shouted as he roughly grabbed Satsuki by the arm.
“Do you realize what would have happened if I wasn’t here?! You would have killed Alice, that’s what! Do you want to kill yet another person in this room?!”
Her face pale, Satsuki began to tremble. She was horribly shaken by the word “kill.” The sight of Satsuki’s blood draining from her face made Takemi click his tongue in annoyance. “...You’re way too pampered... Sheesh!”
There was no denying the fact that Takemi put a stop to Satsuki’s outburst. If it wasn’t for him, a repeat of the other day would have unfolded in this very room—this time to an innocent.
“I...” Satsuki whispered with teary eyes. She turned away from Takemi to behold the unconscious girl.
Alice was accepted into the high school through the general entrance exam while Satsuki bypassed it. The two girls were together from day one of their high school careers. As fellow members of the Student Council, it was fair to say they were particularly close.
With a gentle air of familiarity, Alice was a very sweet girl who cared for others. Although few were terribly friendly to Satsuki because of her status and demeanor, Alice was completely uninhibited, treating her completely normal. She’d say, “Satsuki,” with a beaming smile. And Satsuki just tried to take that girl’s life...with blind jealousy taking over her powers.
Alice was so honest to herself! She could openly confess that she “loved” Shindo. Meanwhile, Satsuki was forbidden to utter that very word. It tore at her heart. It filled her with so much self-pity.
“I...am...sorry...” Satsuki weakly apologized to Alice, her arm still in Takemi’s grasp. The tears streaming down her cheeks were shed over her own foolishness.
The door to the Student Council Room suddenly burst open. Before she had time to see who it was, Satsuki’s arm was torn from Takemi’s grasp. She was pulled into the embrace of another.
“I would appreciate if you refrained from placing your hands on the Miss.”
Holding one arm, the man who met Takemi’s icy stare with piercing eyes of his own was none other than Shindo.
“Haven’t you heard? I’m one of Satsuki’s suitors,” Takemi snickered while pointing at himself with his thumb. His voice rang boastful to Shindo’s ears.
“I’ve heard, but that doesn’t mean she has chosen you, Mr. Kaido. As you are still merely a candidate, please refrain from stepping out of line,” Shindo advised as Satsuki’s retainer and bodyguard, completely unfazed by Takemi’s arrogant demeanor.
A big smirk spread across Takemi’s lips. With the tip of his thumb, he tapped his lips several times, “Stepping out of line...eh?”
The implication behind Takemi’s words caused Shindo to raise an eyebrow and Satsuki to look at Takemi in horror. She was terrified he was going to mention the kiss right in front of Shindo. She couldn’t bear the idea of Shindo knowing another man stole her lips.
“Hey... Aren’t you that Shindo guy?” Takemi asked, proving Satsuki’s fears unfounded as he showed no sign of spilling her innermost secrets. Hands shoved into his pockets, he ran his eyes across every inch of Shindo’s body.
“The only son born to an upper-class Japanese family that immigrated to Hawaii. After losing both parents in an unfortunate accident at the age of twelve, you were alone in the world with no other family to turn to. Thereafter, you were received into the home of your old family friend, the Tsujikawas, as the retainer for their newborn daughter. I’ll admit, you had decent enough heritage and social status to make the cut to become the retainer for the corporation’s next in line. And thus, you’ve spent even more time with Satsuki than her own two parents these past eighteen years...as her attendant, retainer, and bodyguard... Does that about sum it up?”
“You looked into me? It’s an honor to have you take such interest in me,” Shindo replied smoothly.
After disclosing Shindo’s false background, Takemi’s eyes darted toward the girl held in her retainer’s protective embrace before returning his gaze.
“I don’t know how precious this princess is, but you’re spoiling her rotten. Can’t you see that?” Takemi spat.
“While I appreciate your concern, I must say, even in the eyes of a lowly retainer, the Miss is an extremely kind young lady who always remembers to treat those around her with compassion. She is by no means spoiled—”
“Spare me the exposition! I’m telling you up straight, you are pampering her way too much! You’re doin’ every single damn thing for her. Whatcha gonna do next? Teach her how to have sex?”
The one most taken aback by Takemi’s wild accusation was Satsuki. “M-Mr. Kaido!” she cried. She tried to pull away from Shindo’s arm to argue with him, but his arm didn’t so much as budge.
Meanwhile, Shindo was not about to let Takemi get a rise of out him. If he retaliated, the other boy would undoubtedly poke fun by jeering, “What? You’re the retainer constantly glued to the young woman!”
Apparently Takemi expected Shindo to blow up at him, so he looked a bit disappointed when Shindo simply replied, “I’ll leave that to your imagination,” with a bow.
“Look,” Takemi said as he squatted next to the unconscious Alice. He looked up at Shindo and jutted his chin toward Satsuki, still held in her retainer’s grasp. “Satsuki doesn’t know how to control her own powers because you’ve pampered her so much. That’s why she loses control of them. She nearly killed Alice a minute ago.”
“What?!” Shindo gasped and looked down at Satsuki in surprise before returning his gaze to Takemi.
“You may have kept an eye on Satsuki all these years to keep her powers in check, but that doesn’t cut it. If they went totally haywire, you couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Do you know why? Because you’re a normal person without any special powers of your own,” Takemi explained.
“How did you learn about her powers?” Shindo asked, figuring out Takemi knew of Satsuki’s psychic abilities from the way he spoke.
How did Takemi come to learn that Satsuki possessed special powers? It was a secret that only her parents and Shindo knew about.
The tip of Takemi’s lips curled into a smile. He shifted his attention to Satsuki, looking at her with an air of nostalgia. “I’ve met her before...”
Gentleness flashed across Takemi’s eyes as he gazed upon Satsuki. “A long time ago...Satsuki saved me...”
It was a precious memory he held dear. His expression briefly softened as he relived that memory only for his former stern countenance to swiftly replace it.
Takemi just claimed Satsuki saved him, but she didn’t know what he meant. She had absolutely no memory of ever meeting him as a child.
“You can’t remember, can you, Satsuki?” Takemi asked.
For the life of her, Satsuki couldn’t evoke any childhood memories of Takemi. She was thrown off balance, unsure what it could mean.
Seeing Satsuki wrack her mind in confusion, Takemi provided the reason as to why she couldn’t summon forth the previously mentioned memories. “It’s only natural you don’t remember. See, I sealed those memories away.”
Not only was Satsuki shocked, so was Shindo. This was the first he heard that Takemi was also psychic.
Turning away from the two, Takemi placed his hand on Alice’s forehead. “I’m going to erase Alice’s memories.”
The space surrounding Alice distorted for a moment. Sensing irregular energy wafting off of Takemi, Satsuki squinted.
“I’m going to erase everything she just saw and felt here. Hell, I’m gonna outright erase the entire memory of her coming to this Student Council Room. If we put her on one of the beds in the nurse’s office, we can make up something along the lines that she passed out while searching for Satsuki,” Takemi said, casting a quick look at Satsuki.
For the first time since they met, he sounded kind as he asked, “I’m gonna return the favor I still owe you from back then, Satsuki. If you want, I’m willing to erase the ‘love’ in Alice that could trigger another outburst.”
Beginning to feel her own foolishness, Satsuki was struck speechless.
“As long as Alice holds onto her love for that retainer of yours, there’s no telling when you’ll go into another jealous rage like a spoiled brat over her inner thoughts and feelings. Don’t you think it’d be best to seal it away so that doesn’t happen?”
Shindo looked down at Satsuki and pulled her head toward his chest with his free hand. Now he knew why she tried to harm Alice.
It was by no means a good thing that Satsuki tried to hurt Alice. Yet Shindo couldn’t deny that somewhere in his heart, it made him happy to know she reacted that way over him.
“...You don’t need to do that...” Satsuki responded in a sad voice. Held in Shindo’s protective embrace, she clutched at his suit with both hands and closed her eyes. “You don’t need to erase that. Please don’t.”
“Don’t blame me if you lose control again,” Takemi replied. He looked at Satsuki clinging to Shindo with her back turned toward him as he whispered with a sigh, “Fine. I’m only going to erase what transpired in here from Alice’s memories. Sound good?”
If he erased the love Alice felt for Shindo, it would probably lighten the emotional burden on Satsuki to a degree. It would reduce the number of girls who looked yearningly at Shindo by one.
But it was simply unacceptable for someone to crush another’s feeling of “love.” No one had the right to intentionally steal the wonderfully warm and gentle emotion that filled a person with euphoria as their heart sought another.
Satsuki was jealous of Alice. She was jealous of how the girl could openly think and express her love. Such actions—and thoughts—were forbidden to her.
How she wished to openly express her love. If only she could split open this shell of a body that constantly encaged those magical words, grab the glass case buried in the depths of her heart where they continually fought to break free, and pull them out... It would be so wonderful. So joyous! But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. That was precisely why Satsuki didn’t want Takemi to erase the love Alice harbored in her heart for Shindo.
Removing his hand from Alice’s forehead, Takemi lifted her up. “I’m taking her to the nurse’s office. I’ll make up some story about how she started to feel sick and passed out when I came to see her.”
Shindo lowered his head in a bow as Kaido headed toward the door. “Thank you, Mr. Kaido.” Already behind the retainer by this point, the words stopped Takemi in his tracks. “I genuinely appreciate all of the assistance you have provided the Miss.” Regardless of how he did it, it was true Takemi helped Satsuki. As her retainer, Shindo was obligated to express his appreciation.
Takemi, on the other hand, didn’t so much as bother to turn around as he told Shindo, “Satsuki will be mine. Don’t you forget it.”
His head still lowered in a bow, Shindo stiffened as he clutched one hand. He accidentally tightened his grip with the hand wrapped around Satsuki, relaying the distress in his heart. Surprised, she looked up at him.
“Later! I’ll see you at the birthday party in two days,” Takemi declared before disappearing from the room while carrying Alice. Rather than keep her eyes transfixed on his back as he strode away, Satsuki couldn’t pull her eyes away from Shindo’s side profile—his pained and frustrated—side profile.
“Shin...do...?” she called, gently touching the side of his face. In all their time together, had she ever seen him make an expression this out of character before? At Satsuki’s touch, Shindo offered a small smile as if reprimanding himself for nearly losing control. Releasing her from his protective arm, he fell to one knee before her and lowered his head.
“I am terribly sorry. It would appear you endured great strife because I was unable to be there for you,” Shindo apologized. It wasn’t his fault. Satsuki was the one who disappeared. Nevertheless, he took all of the blame. “It’s my duty to constantly remain at your side and protect you. It’s a sign of my own incompetence when hardship falls upon you. Although I am prepared to accept any punishment you see fit, please show mercy on me.”
His mind was still repeating Takemi’s parting words, “Satsuki will be mine.”
He was one of Satsuki’s suitors. With a background similar to that of Tsukasa, his talents earned him a place of respect among the rest of the Kaidos. Above all else, he not only possessed the same type of psychic abilities as Satsuki, they were at a magnitude capable of stopping hers when they went out of control.
There was a very strong chance Satsuki would choose Takemi Kaido. She would pull away from Shindo. He would have to see her walk holding hands with another man every day. The day she would smile at another man and give her body to him was—nigh.
“Shindo...” Satsuki fell down to her knees before her retainer as his thoughts grew increasingly dark and frenzied. “I’m sorry...about how I’ve treated you all morning. It felt like you were pushing me away last night... I felt lonely...”
Shindo raised his head. When he did, his chest was filled with such pain, he could barely breathe. He was met with such a forlorn expression on Satsuki, it felt as if her life were ephemeral, doomed to end at any moment.
“I’m sorry...” she apologized in a pained voice that quivered. She sounded like she was about to break into sobs.
With each passing day, Shindo’s love for Satsuki only grew stronger. Each day, he stuffed that love into the depths of his heart. That was how he got through life so far. Could he bear to endure more than he already did? It didn’t help knowing there would soon come a day when she offered her hand to another man, smiled at him, and gave herself to him each night.
“I’m willing to accept my destiny... But I want you to stay at my side, Shindo...” Satsuki continued in a trembling voice with tears forming in her eyes. “Because...I...” she floundered. She yearned to say it. She desperately wanted to force the words out of her mouth.
“Miss...” Shindo cooed as he extended his arms, pulling Satsuki into a strong, yet gentle, embrace.
“Shin...do...” Satsuki clung to Shindo as tears ran down her porcelain-white cheeks.
Shindo’s deep voice reverberated through her body, wrought with such pain and suffering it felt as if her emotions could tear it asunder. “If I could make love with you right here and now...I would happily fall to the depths of hell...”
“Then let’s fall into the depths of hell together… Meet me tonight within the secret confines of the wisteria…” Satsuki invited, creating a forbidden promise between them.
It was outright cruel how sweetly those words rung. Their passions didn’t have long left to wait to be fulfilled.
***
“HAVE a nice day, Miss.” Shotaro’s rich voice echoed in the entrance hall as he took a step before the line of attendants. None of the attendants, maids, or even her mother who came to see her off, could hide their relieved smiles.
“Well, I’m off!” Satsuki replied in a beautiful voice. Her right hand was firmly held by Shindo as he escorted her.
There was no hint of the dark aura from the previous day. Satsuki was back to her usual, kind self, emitting an aura that could raise spirits simply by looking at her. People raved that she was “delicate as a flower, beautiful as an angel.” She was proving it to be true.
Satsuki went to school yesterday emitting rancorous vibes. Something must have happened since, for she proceeded to turn around and return to the mansion that very morning. If that weren’t surprising enough, she came back held in Shindo’s arms!
Although everyone was afraid she had fallen ill, they were also struck with a wave of relief. The strained atmosphere surrounding Satsuki that morning had dissipated. Held in Shindo’s arms, her expression when she returned seemed softer. Although somewhat down, it was clear she was back to her usual self. Above all else, everyone was relieved to see she returned with Shindo tending to her.
“Wait, Shindo.” Just as she was about to go out the door, Satsuki stopped as if she remembered something at the last minute and pulled her hand free of Shindo’s grasp as she turned around.
Everyone wondered what was wrong as they watched over her in silence. Satsuki came to stand before the young maid she injured the previous morning at the end of the procession.
“Is your injury going to be okay? Does it hurt?” Satsuki asked, brushing her fingers against the large Band-Aid on Noe’s cheek. “I hope it doesn’t leave a scar. I’ll pray it heals quickly for you!” It was her fault the maid got hurt to begin with. Satsuki smiled apologetically at her.
All those watching sighed as if to say, “The Miss is so wonderful!” over her display of kind consideration, but Noe was horribly shaken by the encounter. This was the first time Satsuki ever spoke to her personally, let alone touched her!
“Th-Thank you...for your kindness...” It took all she had just to force that out.
The gentle breeze surrounding Satsuki enveloped the whole room.
***
IN front of the school entrance, the sighs that filled the air may very well have been sighs of relief. Admiration, envy, and above all else, tender relief consumed the throng of schoolgirls.
The princess and her knight had returned. As always, the princess graced her knight with an elegant smile as he offered a kiss of devotion upon her hand. O how the girls yearned to behold this scene after being deprived of it yesterday. They loved to watch the forbidden fairy tale unfold.
“Satsuki, good morning!” Immediately after Shindo left to park the car, Alice ran up to greet Satsuki as she did most mornings.
“How are you feeling today? Is it true you went home early yesterday after all? I was worried about you,” Alice said to her, chipper as ever. It seemed like Takemi truly did erase the events of yesterday from her mind.
“Yes, but I’m fine. Are you sure you’re okay? I heard you collapsed during your meeting with Mr. Kaido,” Satsuki replied, pretending as if nothing had happened.
Feeling a bit awkward that such news traveled all the way to Satsuki, Alice looked embarrassed as she shrugged her shoulders. “I’m okay. But...I don’t actually remember ever seeing Kaido. I guess I wasn’t feeling too great yesterday. It’s all a blur...”
“I see... Take it easy, okay?”
Simply the sight of Alice was enough to nearly replay memories of the sin Satsuki almost committed the previous day. But the next words out of Alice’s mouth put a stop to her increasingly negative thoughts. “I hope you have a pleasant day today as well, Satsuki. It is the eve of your birthday, after all! I’m looking forward to the party.”
Satsuki would soon turn eighteen. She would meet her suitors at the party. And a month thereafter, she would have to choose one of them. Then Shindo would quit his job as her retainer. The hourglass indicating the time limit before they were split apart would turn over tomorrow. In a month, Shindo would no longer stand constantly at her side. So she decided to give her all to him before that happened.
***
“ISN’T it pretty...?” Satsuki whispered, looking up at the wisteria from where she sat beneath the lattice a half an hour before she usually went to bed. She had invited Shindo here with one purpose in mind—their secret promise to finally be united before they were torn asunder.
The flowers were in full bloom. The pale purple petals danced over her head as they tumbled down. It was as if they were welcoming her mission there.
“With you sitting here, the wisteria look even more beautiful,” Shindo complimented. He held his hand up to one of the wisteria flowers dangling from the trellis and seared the beauty of the flower into his eye before returning his attention to Satsuki. His thoughts prioritized Satsuki over the newly ingrained beauty of the flowers and overwrote it with her image.
“I first met you here, Shindo...” Satsuki’s eyes filled with gentle remembrance of that day. “I knew the moment I saw you... I knew I wouldn’t want you to ever leave me. I...fell...in love with you...at first sight...”
Whoosh... The petals that fell around Satsuki slowly drifted up and swirled about her.
“And then I came to expect that you would be at my side forever. It became normal for me to lock those thoughts and words deep within my heart... I had to keep them...locked away...” Satsuki said slowly as if talking in a dream. As she revealed her innermost thoughts, Shindo knelt beside her.
“As I grew aware of my destiny...those words began to struggle to break out of me.”
Rustle...! The wisteria overhead shook violently. The vines were trying to stop her from saying more—from committing the sin she longed to commit.
“But let me tell you...Shindo.” Her voice quivered as she formed a smile. “I...” the word came out tremulous. In hopes of offering her support, Shindo cupped her cheeks in his hands.
The wisteria shook and rattled wildly. Despite the wisteria’s best efforts, Satsuki pushed forward. Gazing into Shindo’s eyes, Satsuki saw how they overflowed with love for her. Pouring all of the love throughout the years into her words, Satsuki declared, “I...love...you...”
Rustle! The wisteria grew tumultuous, scattering petals across the two. As if in an attempt to hide them, the petals completely surrounded them as they fell to the earth only to rise up once more. The wisteria stirred noisily in hopes of preventing them from saying more. The surrounding trees came to its assistance.
“I love you too, Miss...” Shindo’s confession reached Satsuki’s ears unhindered by the ruckus of the trees and wisteria. She heard him loud and clear.
Shindo pulled Satsuki toward him and the two kissed. As they engaged in a long, long kiss, the wisteria trembled happily, yet also sadly, as it rained petals over the couple.
“Shin...do...” Satsuki’s dreamy voice escaped from her lips as they pulled from the kiss. She called his name in an impassioned voice, wanting him.
“Miss...” he also whispered passionately, equally desiring her. His hands ran over the length of her body, treasuring her every curve.
Swish...! The wisteria flowers scattered across the ground burst into the air. In the middle of the petal storm, the two fell upon each other.
“I’ve loved you...and only you...all these years.” Words like from out of a dream echoed in Satsuki’s ears. “I love you...”
Overjoyed by Shindo’s passionate words of love, Satsuki felt as if her heart and body could soar. She didn’t even notice when her dress or Shindo’s suit were cast off into the pile of wisteria petals, which were quickly buried under a new pile of petals.
“I love you...Shindo...” Satsuki’s body yearned to release the words again and again. In a passionate frenzy, Satsuki acted on that desire by pulling him into a kiss and running her hands along his tempered abs. “I love you... I love you so much...”
Shindo’s hands left no inch of Satsuki’s flesh unexplored, filling her with a sense of pleasure unlike anything she ever felt before. Bewildered by her first experience with sexual euphoria, Satsuki covered her mouth with both hands to keep her voice from slipping out.
But Shindo lowered her hands and smiled gently down at her. “...You’re free to make all the noise you like... I personally find that more enjoyable.”
“Shindo...” Satsuki pouted, feeling as though he was teasing her. Nevertheless, she was quick to take him up on the offer.
The wisteria flowers stopped stirring...and quietly shed their petals.
“I love you...Miss...”
“Shin...do...”
Under the protective watch of the wisteria flowers, the two finally became one. As if shedding tears, the wisteria rained its petals upon them. Its petals fell in a flurry of pity for the two lovers.
They would only make the other suffer with their hearts interlocked. This would only bring them pain. Yet they nonetheless plunged headlong into each other’s naked embrace in an evening of passionate lovemaking. Because they knew their time together was running short.
They had strayed into the labyrinth of falling wisteria petals.