Chapter 134 - Sliver

"Never! I've been searching for you for several lifetimes. I will not let you go…"

Ara found herself in another tight embrace. She, however, was still surprised by Ryuu's sudden outburst; she was not able to say anything as her heart raced like crazy inside her chest.

Conversely, Ryuu who had just declared something so passionate earlier was also reeling. He had no idea why, but hearing Ara tell him to let her go made his chest fill with dread. It was unexplainable, sudden, and yet, all familiar.

What was this feeling?

There was no masking or misunderstanding the fear he had felt. He was truly afraid, and so, he wondered if they did meet and were together in the past, was their story a happy one or not? Something told him at the moment that it was somehow the latter.

For the first time since he became aware that he was a returner to ancestry, Homura Ryuu cursed his blurry memory. He wanted to know now more than ever.

"Ryuu?"

Ara's voice drifted in his ears, and he realized he'd been holding her tightly. He loosened his hold, and let her stand properly in front of him. His blue gaze, hot and intense, he gazed at her beautiful visage that reflected her worry.

"I'm sorry. I guess it's bad of me to even think about that," Ara apologized as she smiled sheepishly at him – or at least attempted to smile.

The air between them had never been so awkward like right now.

Ryuu shook his head. He had to agree with Ara that her thinking was too advanced and negative, but he had to admit that the sudden flashbacks had also caused him to overreact.

"It's bad. But it was your honest thought," the Koutaishidenka murmured before letting out a heavy sigh.

"Let's go," he said as he took Ara's hand and guided her to one of the waiting chairs on the side to make her sit down.

He then sat beside her. They stayed like that for a while, just quietly staying close to each other, each one busy with his and her thoughts.

"Err…"

Ryuu turned to his right to see Ara looking up at him. She looked a bit crimson, so he wondered what made her feel embarrassed. "What is it?"

Ara hesitated for a while before speaking. "Er… where did you get your lines?"

"Lines?" Homura Ryuu, heir of the Homura House had no idea what those were.

Ara pursed her lips as if preventing a smile from forming. Ryuu squinted at her.

"Lines… like er…"Ara cleared her throat. "Never! I've been searching for you for several lifetimes. I will not let you go…"

She mimicked his earlier words in exaggeration making the Koutaishidenka who had been serious when he said those words earlier dumbfounded.

This woman…

He finally understood what she meant by lines. His fiancée thought he was just mimicking a dialogue from a random book. He was… speechless.

He opened and closed his mouth as he tried to search for words, but failed.

"Oya… has our Young Master finally lost the first argument?" an amused voice rang in the dojo, and the couple turned to see Yayoi smiling at them as she approached.

Tailing after her was Emi who was carrying the newly bathed Byakuya. They had given the pup his second bath for the day as the little guy peed and rolled in it again while Ara was finishing her breakfast. Since she was anxious to find Kou, Emi had offered to take the puppy and clean him.

"Oh, he's clean again!"

Ara was delighted to see Byakuya again. His semi-dry fur was so fluffy; he looked like a black and white cotton candy.

"I didn't lose an argument," Ryuu informed Yayoi unhappily.

"If the Young Master says so," Yayoi agreed with him so easily, but of course her eyes danced in mirth, saying otherwise.

"We were not arguing. We were just talking," Ara told them as she stood up to take the puppy from Emi.

Emi carefully handed Byakuya over. "Miss Ara, take the towel too. Little Young Master Byakuya is still a bit wet."

Upon hearing the way Emi addressed the puppy, Homura Ryuu, raised one raven brow at the women. "Little Young Master?"

Ara giggled at Ryuu's expression. "Because he's the son of the Young Master, they call him Little Young Master."

Ryuu was about to say something again but gave up. If his wife wanted the puppy to be their son, then so be it. He stood up ready to leave.

"Where are you going?"Ara asked.

Ryuu looked at her as he gestured towards the corner where the servants who had vanished earlier to give them a private moment had returned. One of them hurriedly went towards the Young Master to hand him a towel.

"I'm going to take a shower and change," he answered as he took the towel to wipe the beads of sweat on his forehead and neck.

"Oh…"Ara nodded, her silver eyes following his every move as her cheeks turn a deep shade again.

Ryuu realized his fiancée must be thinking something naughty as she looked at him. She wouldn't blush like a peach if not, and so he smiled at her teasingly.

"Why? Do you want to come with me?"

Ara scowled almost immediately. "Pervert. Who wants to go with you," she countered, which made everyone look down and stare at the floor with smiles on their faces.

Ryuu was totally aware of their surroundings but didn't care anyway. He and Ara would get married the next day. His people should get used to them flirting out in the open.

His grin widened. "Then don't miss me too much," he told her before turning to leave them with Ara who he was sure was definitely miffed sputtered.

"Y-y-you –"

He stepped out of the dojo laughing to go to his quarters. As soon as he was sure that Ara couldn't see him anymore, however, his smile vanished replaced by a grim look.

Earlier, when Ara told him to set her free, an image of another version of her from another time flashed in his mind. It was the same scenario as when he got Ara the ring from Ginza. He had experienced a sliver of memory from Kresnik.

That time when Ara had told him they were friends and he got mad, his sudden anger had given him a peek into his locked memories. Earlier, he had gotten angry too, and another flashback occurred. It was of her from before telling Kresnik to let her go.

"What does this mean?"

For the umpteenth time that day, he felt frustrated not retaining all his memories. He had the feeling that he should know. If Ara was indeed the same person as the one in his past life, then it must be why she was the one who was fated to be his partner in this life. He wondered if the purpose of this existence was to correct something that they all had failed to do in their past incarnations.

"Wait a minute…"

An inspiration suddenly hit him, and he rushed towards his room where he left his phone and dialed Kazehaya's number. When the call connected, he hoped the other could help him out.

"Gin-nii, do you know what the exact words of the prophecy were?"