♦⊱ Chapter 31 - Decisions ⊰♦

Ruka pov:

"Hello? Is anyone here?" I said while entering the fortune teller's shop. It was a moment before an old man trotted out from a door behind a big desk with all kinds of parchment, bottles, and intricately carved boxes placed on it.

"Ah, come in! Come in!" he said, giving us a grin, "I'm glad to see that someone turned up today."

I gave him a wary smile before entering the shop and walking up to his desk. Kichiro sama, Kijima san and Tomoki followed suit and we waited awkwardly. The old man frowned while observing the three men before he took a seat and hummed long.

"These men are not from here, are they? They are from a time much before us, the Edo Period, perhaps?"

My eyes went wide in surprise, "Ojii san, you could tell that with one glance at them?"

"I don't like this old man," Tomoki hissed beside me and I rewarded him with a hard nudge.

"Of course," the man replied, grinning again, "I'm not called a fortune teller for no reason. That man, he's an emperor, is he not? Followed by a faithful minister and another who rebels against his ways."

"Whoa." That was all I could say.

"Well, don't just stand there. Take a seat!" He chuckled at the looks of surprise on our faces. We took seats and were served tea. While the three feudal people eyed their tea warily, I took a sip of it. When we had settled, the fortune teller spoke again, "So, tell me what brings you here. How can I help you?"

"Whatever you said about these three is true, sir," I began.

"It has to be," he agreed.

"Is there a way for them to go back?"

He was silent for a moment, observing the trio. He stroked his chin before he said, "Yes, there is a way. I can take care of the preparations to send them back but it will have to be done at midnight, in a place where there are no watchful eyes."

"I understand. Where will it be done?" I asked.

"I think the best place would be is Paradise Park."

"The abandoned park that's considered haunted? Really?" I mumbled.

"Well, no one will come there." He then eyed me with a wry smile, "Don't tell me you really believe that the park is haunted."

I smiled sheepishly, "No, but rumors have me a little uneasy about it nonetheless."

"Not to worry, not to worry at all," he said with a hearty laugh. "Be at the park's entrance at 11:30 and we'll send these three back to where they belong."

"Tonight? That soon?" I asked in mild surprise.

"Of course! It has to be done tonight or they'll be stuck for at least two months."

"Ah, I see...well, I appreciate your help, Sir. How much should I pay you?" I questioned, reaching for the money inside my purse.

"My first consultation is free so don't you worry about the numbers, alright?"

With a word of thanks, we left the fortune teller's shop. We walked home slowly with the trio still tense and twitching at the slightest sounds they heard. Walking ahead of them, I ignored them and gazed at the sky. The thoughts that had been bothering me before returned – thoughts of what I had to choose now. Was I to stay here in my world with my family or choose to go back to the past with Kichiro sama?

It wasn't a choice I could make easily, let alone so quickly. I would miss my family terribly if I left them but if I let go of Kichiro sama, I knew I'd never be able to forget him and move on. I would never be able to fall in love with anyone again. How was I supposed to choose between two families I loved so dearly?

But...I would get married and have a life of my own someday even if I was here. The way I saw it, Kichiro sama needed me more than my family did. Kichiro sama needed love and I could give it to him, I wanted to give it to him because I loved him so much. He had reverted the harsh man he was before we fell in love, perhaps because of the sense of betrayal he felt when I suddenly disappeared. He was always on guard, he was constantly irritated and angry, and the gentleness that he had towards me had faded.

But it was all my fault in a way. It was my fault that he was suffering again, lonely again, angry again, and I wanted to make him trust me and love me again. No matter how passive his facial expression was, I had learnt to understand what he was actually feeling by looking into his eyes. I could still see that there was something gentle when he looked at me but the anger and distrust constantly overpowered that gentleness.

It hurt that I was being pushed away...and I was sure now that I wanted to be with him. I wanted to go back to the Edo Period with him and be by his side always. I loved him and I didn't want to lose him.

Turning my head as I walked, I spared Kichiro sama a glance. He was limping slightly but walking without Kijima san's help. A small smile came to my lips at how handsome he was, how my heart fluttered from the love for him that rose from within me. Setting aside the fact that I truly loved him for who he was, I thought of how lucky I was to be with someone so...beautiful. He was beautiful inside and outside and I loved every bit of him.

I twitched as I yet again heard the giggles of girls as we passed by them. It was hard for them to not gaze and get flustered by eye-candy like Kichiro sama and Tomoki, especially when their pheromones were so strong and intoxicating. Their auras were powerful and authoritative and only added to their presence. I didn't like girls looking at Kichiro sama though. Even though he didn't acknowledge their existences, I still didn't like other women were eyeing him so...passionately. He was my husband – call me possessive but that's just what I felt.

I shook my head with a sigh and looked ahead. Rather than worry about a few people admiring their looks, I had to figure out how to make Kichiro sama trust me again and how to tell my family my decision. I didn't get a chance to actually think about it though because I stumbled as I was glomped by someone from behind.

Tomoki pov:

I couldn't take my eyes off Ruka as she walked ahead of us. She seemed lost in thought but had glanced reverently at that b****** Lord Kurai before looking ahead with a melancholic sigh. I narrowed my eyes as questions rushed through my mind. Did Ruka really love him? Had she really married him willingly, not because she was forced to?

I clenched my jaw and fists, annoyed with her. I would have done away with Lord Kurai and taken Ruka as mine if not for my wish to not hurt Ruka and her family.

Everything in this era was so different from what I had been used to, even Ruka's lifestyle. The way people dressed, walked around, spoke – everything was strange. Not only strange but perhaps even unusual. The clothes that Ruka was wearing now stuck to her body, similar to the clothes I had seen her wear when I first opened my eyes in this world, making the desire to make her mine bubble within me greater.

My train of thought was interrupted when someone ran at Ruka. I was seconds close to yelling in anger and ripping the head off the man who embraced Ruka from behind, his arms wrapped around her shoulders. I felt immensely angry that a man was being so casual with her but I didn't get the chance to give him what he deserved before he spoke.

"Ruka chan, my savior!"

I narrowed my eyes dangerously, waiting for the man to let go of Ruka so I could punch him square in the face. However, seconds before I could do that, Ruka turned and gave the man a bright smile, as if she was happy to see him.

"Hiro!" she chimed and embraced him properly, irking me. Lord Kurai and his minister too looked angry as well but Ruka didn't notice our gazes as she spoke to the man after pulling out of the embrace. "Hiro, how have you been? It's been ages since I saw you!"

"Ah, I'm so sorry for not contacting all this while, sweetheart. I've been super busy," he answered with a shake of his head.

I clenched my fists hard enough to feel pain from my nails digging into the skin of my palms. I was getting angrier by the moment – how dare he call Ruka as sweetheart?! Although, Ruka seemed alright with it. What was wrong with her?!

"You always say that," said Ruka with a laugh. "Anyway, what was the part about me being your savior? Anything I can help with?"

The man, Hiro smiled sheepishly, ruffling his hair as he spoke, "W-well, we have a performance right now, actually, and the guitarist couldn't make it. I was wondering if you could, you know, stand in?"

"The guitarist couldn't make it or he stood you up?" Ruka asked, raising a brow with a playful smile.

"He stood us up," Hiro mumbled with a deep sigh.

"Alright, I'll stand in. What song are you playing though?"

"Toss the Feathers – you'll get to play the electric guitar."

"Are you serious?!" Ruka sounded really excited. She was grinning from ear-to-ear. "I'm definitely not missing out a chance like this! Let's play!"

"Awesome, c'mon," Hiro said, coaxing her to follow.

She turned to us for a moment and smiled, "I hope you don't mind if we stall going home for a bit. This is my best friend Hiro and Hiro, these are my friends Kichiro sama, Kijima san and Tomoki."

"Kichiro sama?" Hiro mused, eyeing Lord Kurai strangely.

"Long story," Ruka passed it off with a wave of her hand, "I'll tell you some other time. Let's go now, hmm? We don't want to be late."

"Yes, let's go, sweetheart," Hiro responded and took a hold of her hand to drag her to wherever they were going to play music.

"Kijima, what is she doing with another man?! It seems she has forgotten that she is my wife!" Lord Kurai growled menacingly and I flinched at the venom in his tone. His anger and possessiveness of her was actually a little intimidating, but that didn't mean that I would back down from killing him and taking Ruka for myself. She would return to where she really belonged.

"It seems that Her Highness, Ruka sama has forgotten her place but you must restrain from punishing her until we reach her home, Your Majesty," his minister said.

"B*******," I hissed, angry at what was happening now. First some man embraces Ruka so freely and then Lord Kurai voices out his displeasure and desire to punish Ruka. I would have to teach both of them a lesson for even thinking of hurting Ruka.

Nonetheless, we followed Hiro and Ruka into a small room that we reached by walking through a slightly dark alleyway. There were a lot of people gathered there and it was noisy with constant chattering, though behind tall curtains. Ruka and Hiro stopped in front of a woman who looked rather angry. She was sitting with one leg over the other, a rather embarrassing way for a woman to sit, and wore a dress that reached to just above her knees. I clenched my fists, a sudden burning rising within me as I remembered the way Ruka was dressed last night, wearing short clothes that showed off her slender legs.

"H-honey? I got us some help..." Hiro said, sounding sheepish. He was sort of hiding behind Ruka and flinched when the woman glared at him.

"Found us some last minute help, hmm? That's good but don't think it changes anything!" she scolded.

"Honestly, Hiro, hiring someone who would betray us in the end – what were you thinking?"

"C'mon, honey, I didn't know he would stand us up!"

The woman scoffed but her expression lightened when she looked at Ruka. She smiled wide and embraced Ruka. "Oh, Ruka dear, it's so good to see you!"

"T-Tama...c-can't breathe..." Ruka wheezed and was soon let go.

"Oops! I guess I was a little too excited there!" the woman laughed. "I'm just so happy to see you! And glad that the most-of-the-time useless husband of mine found a reassuring stand-in for our song today."

"Honey, you're not supposed to say those kinds of things about your husband! Especially in front of other people!" hollered Hiro.

"Guys, this is Hiro's wife, Tamaki. And these are my friends Kichiro sama, Kijima san and Tomoki," Ruka took care of introductions again.

"Nice ta meetcha'll! Oh, Tamaki-Tomoki! We rhyme, hon!" Tamaki san regarded me with a smile. I was not comfortable with how...friendly she was though. I merely nodded and just watched as they spoke amongst each other for a few moments.

"Think you can handle this baby?" Tamaki san asked while handing Ruka a guitar – it looked a little different from the one she had played before though. It was smaller in size and was blue.

"Definitely – let's rock the stage!" she said, eyeing the huge crowd behind the curtains. She paused though, "Oh, Tama, would you mind giving me a mask to wear? I'm not a permanent member and I'd prefer not showing my face and getting you guys into trouble."

"Right!" Tamaki san said and handed Ruka a half-face mask.

Putting it on, Ruka then turned to us, "I'm sorry I'm making you wait. I'll just perform one song and then we can head home, okay?"

I nodded but Lord Kurai and his minister just narrowed their eyes. Ruka resisted a sigh but stepped out from behind the curtains to stand in front of the screaming crowd. Lord Kurai stepped towards the open end of the curtains to get a closer look and not wanting him to beat me in any way, I stepped to the end of the curtains as well.

"One, two, three, four!" one of the people standing close to Ruka and sitting behind several strange-looking barrels said.

At the fourth count, Ruka's friends began to play the different instruments in a tune that I had never heard before. The music itself, the sounds of the instruments being played together were sounds I had never heard before. But it was truly amazing – the tune was entrancing in a way.

It was a few moments of the music after that Ruka struck the strings of the guitar she held in her hands. The sound was different from what I had heard her play before in the Red Eagle Organization's hideout, which was odd, but her skills were just as amazing as then. Every note she played sounded perfect with the music being played by the others. She was thoroughly enjoying the music as well, shaking her head and tapping her feet with every beat of the song. She even walked closer to the audience once eliciting cheers and whistles from them as they enjoyed the music as well.

The song was amazing and Ruka looked amazing – I couldn't take my eyes off her.

When the song came to an end, the audience cheered loudly again. Giving them bows, Ruka and her friends returned to where we were behind the curtains. She stopped in front of Lord Kurai, smiling as she asked, "Did you like the song?"

He merely narrowed his eyes silently and Ruka's smile fell. I noticed her clench her fists but smiled again to cover up the hurt that flashed in her eyes. I fumed at how he was treating but remained silent to not create a scene.

"Your Highness, what instrument is that?" the minister asked.

"It's a guitar, just like the one at the castle," she answered with a wholehearted smile to him.

"But it didn't sound the same," he said, sounding mildly suspicious.

Ruka laughed softly while looking over her guitar. "The one I have in the castle is an acoustic guitar. This is an electric guitar. They're both played in the same way but they produce slightly differently sounds."

"I see," the minister mumbled.

I watched as Ruka handed the guitar to her friend Hiro. They exchanged a few words before we left this noisy place. Ruka was in a good mood, humming as we walked to her home. I watched her, just as Lord Kurai and his minister did, but with wonder of what was going on in her mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

RUKA HAS MADE HER DECISION! I REPEAT - RUKA HAS MADE HER DECISION!

She's going to return to the Edo Period with Kichiro sama! Yay!! ^w^

BUT...he's still so angry at her and hates her TwT How is she going to convince him that she didn't leave him deliberately? How is she going to regain his trust and be with him??

Vote!

COMMENT!!!

:D