Chapter 278 - It's Why There's Rain

"Guess what? I'm not human. I'm a god…"

Homura Ryuu's hot breath fanned against her ear and the side of her neck, tickling her. But what made her smile more were his words.

A god?

Suzuki Ara laughed.

This big puppy sure knew how to joke. She pinched his cheeks then pulled them as if she was pulling sticky rice making him do funny faces.

"Yes, yes – you are a god – the sexy god, the handsome god, the gorgeous blue-eyed god. My god, my god, why are you so cute?"

She said this while she played with his face, unknowing of the pairs of eyes watching them from afar.

The servants led by Yayoi had been totally worried the two of them would fight, and so they surreptitiously followed the Young Master and the Young Lady, prepared to play referee in case they started arguing. But it never happened. They didn't know what the two of them talked about as they were far away. But, although at first, the couple looked totally serious while they talked, the heavy atmosphere was not there, and now, they were witnessing something as cute as this. 

It was a funny picture they were making. The imposing prince of the Cedar Palace was being squished by his smaller wife. Who'd ever thought someone would be so brave to do that?

Then again, the lady still had no idea of her husband's real identity. They wondered if the lady would change when the time she found out came.

"Look Little Young Master Byakuya, your mother and father are fine," Emi told the puppy who was panting in her arms.

Along with Yayoi and the other servants, she was hidden behind the dojo wall overlooking the gazebo in the middle of the manmade lake. She had followed Yayoi with the dog in her arms to check how they were.

"Alright, the Young Master and Miss Ara are both okay so let's get back to our posts."

Yayoi clapped her hands, and the servants happily dispersed. 

"I think I should bring Little Young Master with me for now," Emi suggested, and Yayoi nodded with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Good idea. Let Little Young Master's parents enjoy their time alone first," the old lady said with a giggle as she and Emi went away to go back to their duties.

Back at the gazebo, Ara had just finished pinching Ryuu's cheeks and was now patting them before she tiptoed to give him a peck on the lips.

"I'm not kidding though," she heard Kou complain softly, and she laughed some more.

"I know, I know, and I wasn't kidding too. You're so cute," she cajoled but regretted it as soon as she saw his eyes glittered mischievously once more.

"And sexy, and handsome and gorgeous," he added, reciting her earlier words, making her blush and pout.

"Even if you're a deity, then all the more that it's understandable that you did what you did," Ara then said, making Ryuu raise a brow.

"Being petty, stubborn and selfish – if these are just parts of the recipe for being human, then these summarize the entirety of a god's personality."

This time, Homura Ryuu was dumbfounded. "What do you mean?"

"Gods are like kids. They are only nice to those they like and not really to those they don't. They are mostly petty, stubborn and selfish. If not, why bless one nation and annihilate another? For example the god of the seas. Doesn't he bless his people with fish and bountiful sea harvest while sending tsunamis to those who do not worship him?"

The Koutaishidenka was again thoughtful for a while, contemplating her words carefully before clearing his throat and answering. "Y-you're right…"

Ara smiled at her fiancé. It seemed Kou had never considered this before and had now realized the truth to her words.

"So if gods are like that, why can't humans? Humans mirror deities, I was told," she added. "So, I'm not going to be angry that you have that side to you. I am already satisfied that you felt remorse about the past. But the important thing for me is what we have now. At least, now we will be wise enough to talk things through before we react to anything."

"Right," Homura Ryuu readily agreed as he straightened. He studied his fiancée for a while before smiling. "I'm glad that you're very understanding."

"Hey – not on everything okay? Try to cheat on me and you'll see," Ara joked.

"Yeah, yeah, didn't I already say I'm exclusive?" he teased back, making Ara laugh once more. Her crystal clear voice sounded very pleasant to his ears.

"By the way, after lunch, you will have some visitors," he informed her, making her curious.

"Visitors? Who?"

Suzuki Ara was not expecting anyone. She hadn't told anyone about her connection to Ryuu aside from Aki. Then again, her classmates and the others from the other class already knew about them yesterday when Kou came to pick her up from the train station.

"You will know later," Ryuu answered enigmatically as he tugged her along back into the house.

Ara tried to pester her fiancé about her coming guests, but he didn't say another word about it, so she had no choice but to be patient and wait until they arrived.

The two of them spent the morning touring the huge house. Even if Ara already knew the history of the Cedar Palace, as the guide from the Homura House in Hakone had told them snippets of its history when they were there, she was still amazed by what she saw.

"Oh my God, why are these in here? Aren't they going to be safer at a museum?"Ara asked as she eyed all the treasures in one of the rooms.

Just like in the older house in Hakone, the Cedar Palace had lots of treasures kept within its buildings. But the items at this place were more valuable than the ones in the older residence.

"This house is technically a private museum," Ryuu informed her. "Don't worry, our security here is topnotch. Nobody would dare try to steal something and leave unscathed."

The confidence in Ryuu's voice was clear and Ara totally believed him – not that she's worried anyway. In case someone did dare try to steal from this place in the future, she would even volunteer to beat that person up. The more the thieves, the merrier Ara would be.

Banzai!