The Shadow King's Princess (An OHSHC Fanfic) [Completed]

Chapter Twenty-Five

Zaira

I couldn’t speak, let alone explain.

Kyoya simply raised a brow as silence stretched between us. It was a deadlock of sorts. He wasn’t leaving until I explained, and I wasn’t finding the ability to speak until he leaved.

Eventually, he sighed.

“Go sit down,” he muttered. “You look like you’re about to fall over from exhaustion.”

I hesitated, wondering if I’d be able to get myself to move. Even as that thought crossed my mind, I began making my way over to the bed. Once I’d reached it, I perched on the edge, my eyes immediately going back to his. Guilt started eating away at my heart from the look on saw on his face. It was his normal, stoic expression, but a few emotions seemed to be easy to read, or perhaps it was just that I was getting better at picking them out.

There was concern, something that surprised me, and caused the guilt that I was attempting to fight off.

There was also wariness.

“I meant it,” he commented after a few more minutes passed. “I wouldn’t have a problem staying here all night if it’s needed.”

I bit my lip, dropping my eyes to the floor.

I should tell him.

“It can’t be that bad.”

I can’ tell him. He’ll get mad, or worse, he wouldn’t.

He might not react at all.

I couldn’t figure it out, but for some reason the idea of that happening hurt even more than the idea of him being angry.

The silence became suffocating.

My eyes flickered up to him. His had never once left where I was. As if prompted by my looking at him, Kyoya opened his mouth again. The words that hit the air, however, weren’t his.

“I’m sorry.”

He furrowed his brow in confusion as tears welled up in my eyes.

“What?”

A lump formed in my throat and it was suddenly hard to breath. All I wanted to do was throw myself back on the bed and crawl under the covers that were piled on the side.

“I’m sorry.”

Kyoya seemed even more confused than before, and I couldn’t blame him. There was no way he would be able to guess what I was apologizing for.

“I don’t understand,” he replied after a moment. His words were slow, careful even.

“I…”

Could I say it?

Should I?

“Ichiro…”

The expression on his face froze. His arms which had been crossed over his chest were slowly lowered to his side as he seemed to think carefully over what to say.

I couldn’t breathe, the next words stuck. My eyes dropped away, to keep myself from having to see his reaction.

JUST SAY IT!

“What about Yamauchi?”

His voice was tense, unlike before.

Was it that obvious that anything involving Ichiro by this point couldn’t be good? Or was it because of the way I was acting? Perhaps because I’d been avoiding him?