100

I Miss You

"Em." Akari said as she tried to pull her hand away from Rin's grasp.

"Stay." Rin pleaded. "Your hand feels cool on my head."

Akari frowned. This boy. This boy she loved for 99 lifetimes. Who gave her nothing by tears and heartache is asking her to stay. Akari closed her eyes to push down her emotions. She couldn't let the past repeat itself. Not to her. Not again. She couldn't help herself. No matter how strong she became. This boy would always have a spot in her heart. She felt like a fool.

Then she would think about all those times, Kiko and Rin lied to the King. And her time in the dungeon and her hanging, in front of all the citizens. How they threw rotten food at her. The looks of her parent's eyes when they saw her. Her mother's tears. Her father aging right before her eyes. Her heartbreak. Her regret.

Akari opened her eyes and it met his fiery red eyes. What Rin saw made his heart ache. It brought so much pain to him. That he started crying. He didn't like to see the pain in Akari's eyes. He didn't like how her eyes looked so lonely. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, but he didn't know why he was sorry.

Akari's hand flicked and hit his forehead, making his hand let go immediately so he could rub the sting from her hit.

"Why are you crying, crybaby?" Akari lectured him. "Crying for no reason. Lena and Shane might think I'm bullying the sick if they keep seeing you cry."

Akari rubbed her wrist where Rin held her hand. It was as if she wanted to rub his touch and scent away from her.

"Why did you hit me?" Rin complained. "I'm sick and yet you hit me!"

"I only hit you after you started crying." Akari told him. "Don't play as if you're a victim. You deserved to be hit. You should feel special that I hit you."

"Why because I'm the only one you hit?!?"

"Of course."

Rin broke into a smile and laughed. He missed this. The bantering. The arguments. The silence that they shared. He really missed her.

"I miss you." Rin said.

His confession was answered with silence.

"Why do you keep on disappearing?" Rin asked her. "Why can I never find you?"

Silence answered him once again.

"I should be sick more so you'll come visit me." Rin pouted.

Akari raised her fist up as if to hit him.

"You dare trick me into seeing you by being sick and I'll punch you and really give you something to cry about, crybaby!"

Rin smiled at Akari and grabbed her raised fist. He brought it down to his cheek and spoke.

"Go on then. Hit me. I dare you. Hit me! So then you'll be responsible for taking care of me."

Akari quickly got up, but his hand was still holding her wrist.

"Don't go." Rin told her. "I don't want to be alone."

"You have so many friends out there ready to defend your honor. Why don't you ask them to be by your side?"

"I don't want them. I want you."

"What about Kiko? She's your girlfriend. It should only be right for her to be here."

Rin was quiet for a moment before he spoke.

"You're here right now. So just stay." Rin asked her again. "Please."

Akari closed her eyes and buried her feelings once again. She hardened her heart and sat down. When she sat down, he let go of her hand and closed his eyes.

"Young Miss, please help Lord Rin with this medicine first before he goes to sleep." Shane asked.

Akari took the pill and gave it to Rin. He swallowed it and with Akari's help, he drank some medicinal tea down as well. Rin quickly closed his eyes and fell asleep.

The moment she knew he was asleep. Akari got up to leave.

"Young Miss--" Shane began to say.

"I came as you requested. Do not ask more from me."

Akari left Rin's room and when she did, no one opened their door to look at her or yell at her.