Chapter 144 - Visitors

Lunchtime came and finished. Suzuki Ara and her fiancé had their meal in the confines of the Koutaishidenka's favorite room, which was also now her favorite as well. The wide tatami room in front of the zen garden was like a different dimension. If only she and Ryuu were wearing traditional clothes, they would certainly look like a lord and lady in the Japanese olden times.

The meal was delectable as always that Ara felt so content after eating. She leaned over the table to rest her head; a soft relaxed smile curved her lips.

"What are you thinking about? You look like a happy kitten," Homura Ryuu commented in amusement as he sipped his tea.

"Well, I'm a content kitten," she retorted as she stretched. "I don't think I should live here," she said afterwards, making Ryuu sit straight in alarm.

"Why?" he asked.

He totally looked like he would move heaven and earth to change her mind. Ara chuckled, as she waved at him.

"Calm down. That was just a joke. I was just thinking I'm so pampered here and the food is really, really good I would want to eat all the time. I'll get fat," she explained, and the Koutaishidenka relaxed.

"Well, we can fix that. I'll just tell them to ban you from the kitchen and just serve you the correct portions. Then we can arrange an exercise program for you."

Ara smiled, thinking that Kou was really a very thoughtful guy.

"Wait, what about your therapy? Aren't you doing them already? We even bought clothes for that," he asked afterwards, startling her.

Er…

Of course, she's not on therapy anymore, and the clothes they bought were for her night hunts.

"My therapist said my bones healed well, so I only need to do some morning routines when I wake up to stretch," she answered hurriedly.

"I see. I forgot about that. I'll have Yayoi prepare clothes for you," he told her and she just nodded in agreement.

Not long after that, a servant came announcing the visitors, refraining, of course, to mention their names as he was instructed by the prince.

"They're here," Homura Ryuu told her enigmatically, that Ara became totally curious.

He stood up and held out his hand towards her, and she didn't hesitate to take it. He led her out of the private residential area of the Cedar Palace towards the receiving building for visitors.

"Araaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

From far away, Ara could already hear Rin's voice, and she turned to Ryuu who was looking at her with a dancing pair of eyes. He was totally amused.

"You had my friends come over!"

To say she was delighted was an understatement. She was totally happy. She had been worried about them since Midori sent her a message about Koharu going totally nuts. Even if Gin and her brother already explained that her friends were okay, she still couldn't help but wonder about them.

Huh?

Suzuki Ara realized what she had just thought.

Friends…

She couldn't believe she'd be able to use these words so freely again after coming here. A lump of emotion clogged her throat and she felt her eyes heat up and moisten.

"Ara? Is there anything wrong?"Ryuu asked, noting her emotional state.

He looked worried, so Ara shook her head and smiled albeit letting the tears fall from her eyes.

"Then why are you crying?"

He totally looked concerned as he wiped her tears with his fingers that she let out a laugh.

"Because I am happy," she told him as she tiptoed and gave him a kiss on the lips.

Ryuu was initially surprised, but of course, he wouldn't say no to a kiss willingly given by her. What would have been a simple peck turned into a more heated lock of lips, their tongues entwining as he held her close to his body.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Oh my god they are kissing!"

Rin's fangirling scream broke the romantic atmosphere, and Ara and Ryuu stopped smooching, although he continued to hold her close. The two of them stared at each other with Ara laughing.

"We have to stop. We have guests," she said with a grin.

The Koutaishidenka grinned back. "Should I throw them out?" he asked hopefully, making Ara laugh more and push him softly away.

"Of course not. You already did the trouble of inviting them over. You should let them stay," she responded as she gave him a gentle pat on the cheeks and stepped back away from him in time to see Rin, Midori, Miharu, and even Sonoda walking towards them.

Rin led the group and she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Why did you stop? I was not able to take a photo!" she asked with a giggle, earning her a slap on the arm from Miharu.

"Behave!" the peacemaker scolded Rin, although she and the others too were all grinning and were even blushing from the kissing scene they witnessed just earlier.

The group although controlled their smiles and behaved themselves as soon as they reached the couple as they all glanced at the tall, handsome man next to their friend. When they first saw Homura Ryuu, he was presented as someone so important – the Koutaishidenka of the Homura House. They still didn't know how to act with him now.

Ara sensed their hesitation and awe, and so she took the initiative to break the ice.

"You guys!" She beamed at them as she went towards Rin for a hug.

Her chubby friend totally welcomed the embrace and was even teary-eyed when she held onto Ara.

"Ara, you're so bad. You kept a lot of things from us. We didn't know you've gone through a lot. If the Older Prince didn't tell us, we wouldn't know until now," Rin sobbed as the others except Sonoda squeezed in for a group hug.

Older Prince? Ara was confused at first until she remembered Kazehaya.

Oh…

"You guys…"Ara felt these girls were so sweet. "Sorry for keeping things from you. I will try not to from now on okay?"

The girls finally let go of each other, smiling.

Ryuu cleared his throat from behind, and Ara motioned for him to come closer which the Koutaishidenka did.

Seeing him come closer to them, Rin went into her fan girl mode again.

"Ara, he's really your boyfriend right?"

Miharu bopped Rin's head. "Are you stupid? You just saw them kissing earlier, right?"

With that, everyone laughed at Rin's expense. Even Ryuu's mouth twitched in amusement.

Ara grinned at her friends, her gray-eyes dancing in mischief as she reached out to hold Kou's hand. "Actually, he's my husband."