The Red-Haired Princess || Akagami No Shirayukihime

42. Chills

  Chapter 42:  Chills

Shirayuki yawned, the back of her hand covering her mouth. She was so oddly tired from her trip from Tanbarun to Clarines.

It's been hours since she arrived. They arrived somewhere around after the afternoon. Sadly for her, she hadn't seen Zen, or even Mitsuhide or Kiki. For her information, Zen had been running from meeting to another, keeping him very busy.

Shirayuki stretched her body. Her eyes focused back to the documents Alyne had given her. She looked outside again and the night was already deep blue. It was already thirty minutes to midnight.

She remembered Hiroyuki's words and sighed. For the past one and half months, ever since her twins were born, they've been no outrageous attitudes from a baby. All Shirayuki wants is healing mercies to her children.

The gold-embroidered door opened. It was Zen.

Before Shirayuki even realized it, her body happily ran to Zen, throwing herself onto him. Going away for three days felt like three months.

"Wow, Shirayuki, I knew you would have missed me, but I never thought this much," Zen commented, chuckling.

"Well, I was, actually, just having pity on you, since I know you missed me all the time, so all I have to do is to pretend that I missed you most," Shirayuki answered proudly.

Zen snorted, a bit annoyed of Shirayuki's truthful discovery, and directly went for Shirayuki's lips. At first, the kiss was small. But then grew bigger, and more intense. His hands moved up to her cheeks, squeezing forcefully yet thoughtfully. It wasn't long till Shirayuki gently started hitting him on his solid chest, desperate for air. Their kiss finally broke and took their next session on their settee.

At the back of Shirayuki's mind, she was thinking possible ways to explain everything that happened between Hiroyuki and her.

"So," Zen began. "how was your visit?"

The bleak in Shirayuki's heart was more than anything. She didn't even know where to start from. The information was too much for her, and even to tell. But she summoned stamina and exposed everything calmly to Zen.

As shocking as it was to Shirayuki at first, was just the same to Zen. He soothed her. Hearing such distressing news from Shirayuki was just a hysteria to him. He never expected it.

"It's alright, Shirayuki. For now, I don't think we should be much worried about it." Zen held Shirayuki tighter as he kissed her forehead.

Zen pulled her closer to him. Her head lying on his fast-beating chest, her legs entwined together. The warmth she was receiving was the affection she had been longing all day long.

Zen decided to change the subject so Shirayuki could stop worrying, so he said and asked, "I've got some good news. Wanna hear?"

"Definitely," Shirayuki answered with slight curiosity in her voice.

"Mitsuhide and Kiki are engaged."

"Wow! Congratulations to them." Shirayuki's eyes flashed with happiness. "But when was it?"

"A while after you left. It was quite impromptu, though." Zen answered, his fingers going up and down on Shirayuki's  face.

Just as Zen imagined their conversation to turn into, it did. He was very happy with his hypothesis. Shirayuki was no longer blue. However, he knew she will be thinking of it at the back of her head.

"You know, Zen," Shirayuki's face suddenly transformed into a disturbance. "I think someone has been shadowing me."

"Shadowing you?" The slight of worry heard in Zen's voice. "Since when?"

Shirayuki pursed her lips. "Ever since I came back. It's like they are watching me attentively and painstakingly, plus I can feel it. It really terrifies the soul out of me."

Chills run through Shirayuki's body, making her shake. Zen never thought someone shadowing Shirayuki would give her such chills. He closed his eyes for few seconds. "Don't worry. Maybe your subconscious is just overthinking due to getting lots of notices in one day."

Zen knew he was lying. For his knowledge, there was one person he knew who could really be pursuing Shirayuki's footpaths. He is glad Shirayuki has been careful of her surroundings lately. He was going to make his brother knows about this before things get out of their hands - before he makes his moves.