Chapter 169 - Lost & Found

"Well, tomorrow's your marriage registration. You're going to be a married man. Congratulations and good luck," Kazehaya Gin told Homura Ryuu with a sincere smile.

"Thanks," the Koutaishidenka answered but an evil grin formed on his face right after. "But the one who needs luck is you isn't it?"

Ha?

Gin looked at the prince like he was out of his mind. "What do I need luck for?"

"Your own love life of course," Ryuu deadpanned. "After today's telecast of the IBEC party where you flirted like a pervy peacock, you should pray Emi still likes you."

The last line of the Koutaishidenka's words stunned Gin into silence.

"What?"Ryuu asked the suddenly turned statue with a frown.

"What did you say?" Gin looked shocked. "Emi… likes…me?"

Hearing his question made Ryuu burst out laughing, something that had become the norm these days. It was as if he was making up for all his years of unsmiling and brooding.

"Well, you go find that out for yourself. Not everything in this life is spoon-fed," Ryuu scoffed as he stood up.

Kazehaya Gin of course also stood up to follow Ryuu, but the Koutaishidenka waived him off as soon as they stepped onto the engawa. "Don't follow me. I'm going to pick up my girl, you just worry about yours," he said as he left, leaving Gin rolling his eyes in frustration.

"Damn lover boy," Gin muttered under his breath as he squatted on the floor, with his hands propping the sides of his chin. "Worry about my girl huh?"

He frowned.

"I have no girl – I have girls! PLURAL!" Gin stuck out his tongue at the direction where Ryuu disappeared like a brat and did an about-face as he scowled.

But his scowl vanished, replaced by surprise when he saw Emi standing there. The two of them stared at each other in awkward silence, until Emi couldn't take it anymore and she bowed down, biting her lip as if she realized that she had done something terribly rude.

"I-I'm sorry for startling you, Young Master Gin," she apologized as if it was her fault.

Normally servants really weren't allowed to stare at the Young Masters, but Kazehaya Gin didn't mind. It gave him enough time to look at her in the face anyway.

The girl cradled Ara's new puppy in her arms. She had her body curved as if trying to make her already small frame smaller so he would act like he didn't see her.

Kazehaya then wondered on which way this girl liked him if her reaction towards him was like this – as if she was bracing herself in fear of his reaction towards her. Then again, he remembered the very few times he encountered her and the way he acted towards her since knowing she was the Makura, and he sighed.

Of course, she would be afraid of him.

He was always a monster towards her – more of course because of his anxiety that she would be a hindrance to Ryuu's and Ara's relationship which was crucial to avoid the bloodline to die out, partially his bias towards the Makuras, and of course his feelings towards her.

It seemed that her anxiety over this meeting made her hold onto Byakuya a bit tighter than comfortable, and so the little puppy started wiggling too much until it got free, dropping on the floor, and running towards Gin.

"Little Young Master!" Emi cried as she tried to run to take him back, but the puppy went to circle Gin's feet so she couldn't really go fetch him.

With a sigh, Gin picked up the little guy and stretched his arms towards her to hand it back. Emi looked troubled, unsure whether she'd take the dog or not. But, since he was the Young Master, she basically had no choice.

Gin watched as she reluctantly stretched her arms and carefully took the puppy back from him while making sure they wouldn't touch. This made the wind caster a bit upset.

"What's with the ' little young master '?" He'd never heard of a more ridiculous title for a dog.

"Uhm…Miss Ara said the Little Young Master is her son, so…" Emi's voice trailed off.

Gin knew because the conversation about the dog's title was actually very silly and that she realized how ludicrous it was that she stopped speaking. He too didn't want to talk about the dog's nickname anyway. They could call the pup Koutaishidenka Junior for all he cared.

Today, Kazehaya Gin had learned a lot of things – discovered how serious of an idiot he was. He'd been acting like a total jackass lashing out at anyone connected to his curse without caring about the other person's situation, all because he felt miserable.

He was aware it didn't justify his actions, but he did them anyway.

Ryuu was right. He was a stubborn fool.

Aki was right. Regardless of whatever Emi might have ended up becoming – be it a mindless seductress or not, it wasn't her fault. She was the biggest victim of them all.

Because he continued to stare at her, she felt restless and shifted on her feet.

"Y-Young Master, this servant was just looking for Miss Ara to return the Little Young Master. But Yayoi-san said to bring him to the Koutaishidenka first since Miss Ara is with her brother."

"I see," Gin commented. "Ryuu went to get Ara. You can leave the puppy with me," he said and Emi didn't hesitate to hand over the dog back to him.

Having done so, she quickly made a bow and turned to leave, but at some impulsive moment, he called out to her.

"Homura Emi."

Emi of course stopped and reluctantly turned around to face him again. Seeing her dejected look, Gin sighed, shifted the puppy in one arm as he used his right hand to fumble in his pocket for something he'd been keeping there all this time.

His fingers caressed the object, its intricate surface so familiar to the touch after so many years. Tonight though, he would finally give it back to its original owner.

Gin removed his hand from his pocket and extended it towards Emi. "Here."

Emi had no idea what he wanted to give her but took it anyway. As soon as she held it though, her eyes widened recognizing the sakura hair clip she had lost years ago. It was a bit damaged, as if it had been snapped in two but repaired, but it was still as pretty as she had remembered it.

It was the only thing she had from her real family – the only object she had received from them before she was given away. She had been depressed thinking she had lost it. But…

She immediately raised her eyes to look questioningly at Gin who just shrugged.

"You lost it when you nearly fell off the bridge where we first met. I couldn't find an opportunity to give it back until now…"

Emi was speechless, much too surprised to be so, but Gin didn't want her to say anything anyway. If there was someone who had to say something, it was him.

"Homura Emi," he began, his voice sounding more serious than before making her stand up straighter as if bracing for a scolding that would come. 

But of course, it wouldn't come.

"I'm sorry," Gin said softly, his hazel eyes warm and a sad smile spread his handsome face. "And goodbye…" he added as he turned around and left with the dog.

He didn't look back. He couldn't.

Learning that she was never Ryuu's lover and learning that she probably liked him back didn't change a thing. He still did and said those scathing words to hurt her many times. Most importantly, he was still the cursed being that would have to die. Knowing that she liked him too just gave him all the more reason to walk away.

Of course, he was unable to see the tears formed and fell from her eyes as soon as he left or how she hugged herself as she fell on her knees on the floor and wept her heart out.