A Dream Withheld

Chapter 2 - Beautiful Women... and Eiichiro

|| 2.1 ||

|| Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's Point of View ||

I stood on the balcony, the night sky sprawled above, speckled with countless stars, their shimmering brilliance casting a serene glow. The rustle of leaves in the breeze provided a gentle accompaniment to the peaceful scene.

Interrupting the quiet, footsteps approached from behind. I turned to see Sakayanagi Narumori making his way towards me with a gentle smile on his face.

"Can't sleep?" Narumori's voice broke the stillness of the night, his words more of a statement than a question.

Leaning against the balcony railing beside him, I nodded. The others were sleeping within the mansion, but tonight, I couldn't sleep, a rare occurrence in my usually structured routine.

"Yeah," I admitted with a shrug, turning my attention back to the star-filled sky, "And you?"

"I'm always restless at this hour," He replied with a chuckle, the sound carrying a hint of resignation.

Together, we stood in companionable silence, the weight of the night hanging around us, yet there was an absence of discomfort.

"How's freedom treating you, Kiyotaka-kun?" Sakayanagi's voice cut through the quiet of the night.

"It's been good. I've encountered many new things," I replied, my gaze still fixed on the night sky.

"I trust Arisu hasn't been troubling you" He inquired, a smile present at the corners of his lips.

"No, not at all," I assured him, "In fact, her company has been quite enjoyable."

"I'm glad to hear that," He remarked.

As the quiet settled over us once more, I observed as he extracted a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. Taking out a cigarette from the premium looking box, he stopped for a moment, before turning to me.

"Care to give it a try?" He offered, extending the cigarette towards me.

"I'll pass, thanks," I declined, though my curiosity lingered.

"Come on, I know it's not exactly responsible to offer a minor cigarettes, but you should give it a try," he said, a wry smile playing on his lips.

With a resigned sigh, I accepted the cigarette from his outstretched hand and placed it between my lips.

I hesitated for a moment before he flicked the lighter, igniting the tip of the cigarette. As I inhaled, the smoke felt harsh and foreign in my lungs. It was a sensation I wasn't accustomed to, yet oddly intriguing. I guess it made sense why so many people were addicted to smoking.

Sakayanagi watched me intently, his gentle smile ever present on his face, ever in the dim light of the night. After a few moments, I exhaled slowly, releasing a puff of smoke into the cool air.

"It's not half bad," I conceded, drawing another puff from the cigarette.

Narumori nodded in agreement, lighting his own cigarette before taking a long drag. The glow from the embers illuminated his features, casting shadows across his face as he exhaled a plume of smoke into the night air.

"It's an acquired taste," He remarked, the smoke curling around him like a wispy veil.

"Sometimes, the things we're told to avoid can be surprisingly appealing," He mused, turning to me, "That doesn't mean you should do this all the time, you know? This is a one time thing."

It appeared as though he had something on his mind, a topic he hesitated to approach. Sensing the unspoken tension, I suspected it had to do with his relationship with my father. Intrigued, I decided to delve into the matter.