Do you love me?

My, my, I just can’t believe how long
it took me to update this. Afraid it’s gonna be like this for the rest of the
chapters too. But the unrevised version really is… ugh. Should’ve revised it
first, maybe, before starting to post it. I know. I’m stupid.

‘nyway, hope you like this chappie. If you do, please let me know.

style='font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'n I n I pronounce thee husband and wife

Gentle sunlight poured in through
errant cracks in the walls and caressed over the closed eyes of the sleeping
couple. A soft breeze carried the chirping of birds and a faraway chattering of
busy voices. Yahiko and Tsubame were blissfully ignorant of it all, hidden away
in a peaceful sleep. It was only a few hours since they had ceased their
‘activities’, and sleep was all they needed to know right now. Just quiet,
peaceful…

“YAHIKOOO!!!”

…sleep.

Merisma hugged her arms to herself and
looked up at the sky. It was going to be a lovely day. A lovely day YahiYahiko
and Rikai to get married. Prince Yahiko and Princess Rikai, her mind
chided her. Merisma shrugged carelessly at what her mind was telling her. She
had a tendency not to use the proper title sometimes.

With light footsteps, she ran through
the forest. Kaoru had ordered her to go and fetch Yahiko for his wedding. She
cursed inwardly. She was already late. Looking around in confusion, she
wondered which tree was theirs again. They all looked alike, and it’s not like
there was a name painted on them. She was already glad when she found her own
tree sometimes.

All of a sudden her sharp hearing
picked up a soft snoring. However still a little distant, she heard it very
clearly. Listening carefully, she followed the snoring and eventually she
arrived at that particular tree.

“YAHIKOOO!!” she hollered, not really
minding she woke half a forest with it.

Yahiko felt warm and happy inside. In
front of his eyes, he saw Tsubame and himself, giving the dog a bath. Tsubame’s
nose was covered with foam, and as he wiped it away, he only smeared it more
since his hands were also full of it.

Then a shrill shriek sneered through
his dream. He woke up and feis his happiness crashing down together with his
dream as he soon enough realized where he was. More precisely, what he had to He He would get married today with a girl he didn’t know and didn’t love. He
would have to swear to be loyal to her, in sickness and in health and all the
mumbo-jumbo. He would have to leave Tsubame on her own.

Tsubame. He looked aside. She was
still sleeping, a sweet smile on her lips.

Merisma’s head gingerly peeked inside,
blushing as she saw they were both naked. “I had to come and get you to prepare
you for the wedding.”

Yahiko reluctantly went sitting
upright, rubbing his drowsy eyes. “What? Already?” he moaned. He was still so
tired. It might not have been a wedding night, but all they had done was
getting down and dirty, that was for sure.

The young girl tilted her head and
crossed her arms in front of her chest, trying to look stern. “It’s almost
noon, Yahiko. Rikai’s already waiting for you, and you still have to wash
yourself and get dressed.”

With an annoyed growl, Yahiko dragged
his legs over the side of the bed and gave the black haired girl a significant
look for her to turn away while he would get his boxers. No, it had not been a
nightmare. He really would get married today. And Tsubame? She was still
sleeping.

**********

The luxury Yahiko was surrounded with
in the dressing room Merisma had brought him to didn’t have a name. He got the
most beautiful clothes for his wedding, clothes that really made him feel like
he was living in a fairy tale now. A long, red cape, crafted from the finest
silk, some kind of breast-plate from very solid material, gloves, boots,
everything to make him look like a young prince. It was completely different
from his ordinary jeans and T‑shirt. It was expensive, it was luxurious,
it was made especially for him, long awaited Crown Prince, saviour of them all,
with the greatest care. And still he would’ve given millions for his old jeans
and T‑shirt. He didn’t need luxury, he didn’t need a noble title. He
needed his life with Tsubame back. But he didn’t have millions. And he didn’t
have a choice either.

Tsubame’s heart felt heavy in her
chest. She had woken up when Yahiko was already dressed in his usual jeans and
T. it only took a glance at his crestfallen face to realize where she was
again. Since then it felt like her heart was pressed up against her lungs and
her stomach. It was hard to breathe and to eat. Yahiko’s face hadn’t cleared up
either. She kept on repeating in her head, it’s gonna be okay, he still
loves you, he didn’t choose for it to happen, you’re still gonna be able to see
him. It was like a mantra recorded on tape that kept on rewinding.

She didn’t speak while she helped him getting
dressed. Kaoru was there too, but a happy conversation was not in order now.
She seemed to understand that, though, and Tsubame was grateful for that.

When he was dressed, she finally broke
the pressing silence with a soft whisper. “Yahiko?” She stroked him lovingly
through his hair and smiled gently up at him. He honestly looked on the verge
of tears. “Don’t cry, honey,” she said softly.

Her genuine compassion made her look
so utterly adorable. It actually made Yahiko smile too. “I won’t. At least,
I’ll try,” he whispered. His chest rose with a sigh of love and sadn God God,
he loved her so much.

Kaoru nudged him motherly with her
elbow, feeling very much like a dog in a play of skittles. “You’re ready,
Yahiko.” She pursed her lips and could almost feel his pain transferred to her
own chest at the look he gave her. “Come on, she’s waiting for you,” she said
softly, taking his hand and leading him to his future wife. He was very
depressed, and she could see that all too well. But apparently, she was up to
something, for she gave him a little wink. “We’ll find a solution for it,” she
whispered. “Trust me.” And that was all of a reassuring he got for now.

They could already see her from afar,
a sparkling, vibrant little bride standing in the middle of a small clearing,
bathing in sunlight. Her braids were entwined with a white ribbon and the
tiniest of baby breath. Her wedding bouquet too was mostly baby breath, white
and soft pink, held by gloved hands. The dress she wore had something silvery
in it, simple, but stylish. Her waist was adorned with a delicate belt of
little beads, and on her feet she wore fine, white boots.

“Hello Yahiko,” she said softly. “You
look nice.”

Yahiko had to admit, he was impressed.
She looked very beautiful. But she could dress up as beautiful as she wanted,
it wouldn’t make him love her more. “Yeah, you too.” Just out of politeness,
really. Striding to the makeshift altar, he turned to Kaoru with cold brown
eyes. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner this is over, the sooner I can go
back to Tsubame. I want to go home as soon as possible.”

Kaoru insecurely looked at him, then
at Tsubame with “Haven’t you told him everything”-eyes. “Yahiko, I think you’re
missing out on an important point here.”

Yahiko frowned. “And that would be?”

“You can’t go home tonight.”

Yahiko grew uncomfortable, and Tsubame
clamping her hand over her mouth in seeming horror only added to his unease.
“Why can’t I go home tonight? Do I have to stay here…?” His words froze in his
throat as he all of a sudden remembered what this was all about. Tsubame’s wish
for him to skip the wedding night with Rikai. His promise towards here. It
would be impossible to keep it. That exactly was the point of this whole
charade. They needed heirs. And if he wouldn’t sleep with Rikai, there wouldn’t
be any heirs.

Yahiko stared blankly in front of him
for a moment, then the storm unleashed. “There isn’t ONE hair on my head that
even CONSIDERS sleeping with her! Your daughter or not, Crown Princess or not,
when it comes to that, I will ALWAYS stay faithful to Tsubame!” he shouted.

The dread and desperation appearing in
Kaoru’s eyes was heart-splitting. “Yahiko, you have to! You’re the only one to
ensure our existence! If you don’t impregnate Rikai we will at length die out,
Yahiko!” she panicked, grabbing his shoulders.

“I won’t, Kaoru! I’m sorry, but I
can’t do that to Tsubame! I promised her I would…”

“Yahiko!”

Tsubame’s voice stopped him. “Tsubame?
What’s the matter?”

“I want you to do it.”

The twittering of careless birds was
all of a sound that was produced for at least an entire minute. “You what,
Tsubame?” Yahiko asked, stunned, breaking away from Rikai’s side.

“I want you to do it,” Tsubame
repeated. “I want you to sleep with Rikai.”<
<

“Tsubame, you can’t possibly desire of
me that I will sleep with her.”

“Don’t do it for me. Do it for them.
You heard what Kaoru said, they will die if you don’t, and I don’t want that.”

Taking a deep breath, Yahiko softly
shook his head. “Wow, you must really like fairies a lot.”

“This is no longer about my likes or
dislikes, Yahiko,” Tsubame said softly. “It’s about saving lives. Look at them.
Apart from the fact that they’re so small and have wings and magical powers,
they’re no different from us. They’re living creatures who breathe and have a
soul and emotions and deserve to live, and we have no right to deny them that.”

“You’re right,” Yahiko sighed when his
brains had digested her words. She was so fucking right. “But that’s not the
only problem.”

“What else?”

“There’s gonna have to be some kind
of… reaction,” he said, glancing down. “I can’t do that when I’m with her.”

“So? Think of me then,” Tsubame
quipped.

Yahiko smiled. “You really are one of
a kind, aren’t you?”

Reaching out, Tsubame squeezed his
shoulder. “Good luck, big boy,” she said, returning the smile. “You know I love
you. Always. Now, go get married.”

Rikai glanced aside to Yahiko and
Tsubame from where she was standing at the altar, almost secretively. She knew
they were asking a lot from him. Yesterday he was just a boy with a girlfriend
and a happy, insouciant life. That had all drastically changed in less than 24
hours. In a haze and a rush he all of a sudden was a Crown Prince with all
those responsibilities to carry. She knew she shouldn’t expect too much from
him. But it would all be over, in two days.

“Mother, why does it have to be like
this?” she sighed, casting her eyes down in misery. “This should’ve been a
beautiful day, for both me and Yahiko.”

Kaoru squeezed her shoulder in
empathy. “Just give him some time, honey.” loo looked past Rikai to see what
the couple was up to and saw Yahiko heading their way, seemingly appeasing with
the situation. “He’s coming,” she said, gesturing with her head.

Rikai turned around with a jolt, more
enthusiastically than she’d planned. “Yahiko,” she said, pacing towards him and
meeting him halfway the altar. “I want you to know how sorry I feel for you and
Tsubame. Believe me, I would’ve liked to have the situation differently too.”

“I know,” Yahiko said soberly. “But it
isn’t. Now, let’s just go on, shall we?” He offered her his arm. Smiling at the
gesture, she hooked her own through it and together they walked to the altar.

“Where’s the priest?” Tsubame asked.

“I will be taking the vows,” Kaoru
smiled.

“Oh?” Tsubame said in surprise. “Can I
stay beside you?”

“Sure you can.”

Yahiko stared right in front of him
while Kaoru took vow vows, his face impassive and unreadable. So was Tsubame’s.
She could only guess what was playing behind those cold eyes. Tsubame knew she
was doing the right thing. Obliging Yahiko to stay with her would be extremely
selfish of her. She wouldn’t be able to still love him the same way, knowing
that her selfishness had caused the death of so many lives. Every touch, every
caress, every kiss would scream only one wordrderrder.

“Now, repeat after me, Rikai,” Kaoru
said, having come to the important part. “I, Rikai Himura, take thee, Yahiko
Himura, to be my lawfully wedded husband.”

Rikai smiled and turned to her husband
to be, her smile faltering as she noticed him staring at Tsubame and Tsubame
only. “I, Rikai Himura, take thee, Yahiko Himura, to be my lawfully wedded
husband,” she said, stressing his name so he would look at her. No reaction
followed.

Kaoru noticed his impassiveness, but
refrained from saying something about it. “Yahiko, repeat after me, please. I,
Yahiko Himura, take thee, Rikai Himura, to be my lawfully wedded wife.”

“I, Yahiko Himura…” Surprisingly, he
answered. “…take thee, Tsubame Sanjô…” More surprisingly, he said another name.

“Yahiko,” Kaoru said, wishing this
wasn’t happening.

Ignoring her, Yahiko took a few steps
forward and took Tsubame’s hands in his own.

“Yahiko,” Tsubame breathed. She was
relieved he came to her, but felt guilty for it. He shouldn’t be doing this.
“Yahiko, what are you doing?”

“I, Yahiko Himura, take thee, Tsubame
Sanjô,” he repeated with a gentle smile, “to be my lawfully wedded wife.”

“Yahiko, what is taking you?” Kaoru
hissed with increasing annoyance. “You’re supposed to marry Rikai.”

Yahiko could take no more. He had
played mister nice guy for a long time, but the anger and frustration bubbling
inside accumulated in his chest and burst free from the back of his throat like
a dragon breathing fire. “What’s the big deal?!” he spat. “All I have to do is
knock her up, that’s it. I don’t necessarily have to marry her for that, do I?”

"Comic Sans MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>Kaoru was startled by his sudden
aggressive tone, but the insult towards her daughter overpowered that. “Yahiko,
I would appreciate it if you would mind your language towards my daughter!”

“Make her pregnant,” Yahiko ruefully
corrected himself. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s better, thank you. I
understand your reasoning, but you still don’t fully understand this situation,
Yahiko. You have to make her pregnant on your wedding night. If you don’t marry
her, then there won’t be a wedding night.”

“So? Not like her body will know
thaYahiYahiko shrugged carelessly.

“It just might! Remember Yahiko, we’re
no ordinary humans! We can’t take the risk.”

Yahiko turned his head aside, the
topic clearly not interesting him. “Besides, I thought you said it was harder
for her to get pregnant after her 18^th birthday, not impossible.”

“Oh, you wan sle sleep with her more
than once, then?” Kaoru dead panned.

That effectively shut him up.

“You *have* to marry her, Yahiko.”

“But I don’t *want* to marry her,”
Yahiko persisted. “I want to marry Tsubame. I’m truly sorry and it’s nothing
personal, but it’s her I love, not Rikai.”

“Yahiko, you don’t have to do this for
me,” Tsubame said with a soft tug at his arm.

“I’m not just doing it for you,
Tsubame,” Yahiko said, subtly lowering his voice to a hiss. “It’s just that I
don’t want to be stuck to *her* for the rest of my life.”

Nevertheless, Rikai had heard it.
“Hey…!” she wailed.

So did Kaoru. “You won’t be *stuck* to
her for the rest of your life, as you so eloquently put it!” she snarled. “I
was about to propose to you to stay with Tsubame once Rikai’s pregnant, since
you obviously love her more then my daughter.”

“Mother!”

“But your crudeness towards her might
want to make me reconsider. Now, if you apologize tr anr and ask for
forgiveness really nice, then maybe I will think about it not to.”

“Mother, I need a word with you,”
Rikai growled. She grabbed Kaoru’s hand and strode away from the couple. “What
are you thinking to make him stay with her? He will be married to *me*!”

Kaoru remained relatively calm, not at
all fazed by the fuming of her daughter. “I think it’s quite obvious that he
doesn’t love you,” she stated soberly.

"Comic Sans MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>“But this is *my* marriage and *my*
life we’re talking about!”

“This marriage is nothing but a farce to
create an official wedding night and you know that. Within two days, Yahiko
will be dead and beside the fact that you’ll be pregnant, it will be like he
were never here.” Her voice was soft but firm.

“That’s not true, I will remember
him.”

“The recollection of one and a half
day does not counter balance 18 years, Rikai!”

That was enough to shut her up. At
least for now.

“Do we have an agreement, Rikai?”

“No, we do not have an agreement,
mother.”

"Comic Sans MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>Kaoru sighed and rubbed her temples.

“If Yahiko will be dead within two
days, then he might as well stay with me.”

“Rikai, you know what will happen once
youpregpregnant! It will be a hell for him and I want him to at least spend
those last two days in happiness!”

Lowering her eyes, Rikai heaved a
miserable sigh of defeat. “Okay.”

“Good.”

As Kaoru was about to turn away and
head back to Yahiko and Tsubame, Rikai still grabbed her arm. “We should tell
him, mother. That he will die in two days,” she said.

“Then he will refuse for sure, Rikai.
I will tell him first thing in the morning. You know there’s still a way to
rescue him.” She took Rikai’s hand and gave a gentle tug. “Now, let’s
continue.”

Tsubame clung to her boyfriend while
her eyes remained on the Queen and Crown Princess. “What are they talking
about, Yahiko?” she asked with a swift nod in their direction.

Yahiko chuckled. “Well, Rikai didn’t
seem all too happy with Kaoru’s proposal,” he smiled. “By the looks of it,
she’s giving her a piece of her impudent mind if you ask me.”

“But I thought it was a good idea.”
Tsubame turned her head to him and looked up with sad eyes. “You apologize to
her, okay?”

“What?” Yahiko said, his face twisting
in indignation. “Don’t you think I have the right to be a bit edgy? I didn’t
ask for this, you know.”

“Neither did I, but if that’s what it
takes to stay together, then it’s only a small effort to put your pride aside
for once, don’t you think?” Tsubame pleaded softly.

Yahiko knew she was right. He sighed
and nodded his head. “Okay.”

“That was very sweet, you know,”
Tsubame said after a little pause. “Your little stunt just now,” she explained
as Yahiko frowned at her. “That you wanted me as your wife and not Rikai.”

“But I do want you as my wife,
Tsubame,” he beamed enthusiastically. “Really, if not today, then one way or
another, I am going to make you my wife. And we will be happy, with kids and
maybe a pet. A beautiful house, with a swimming pool, and a sauna and all that
nifty stuff. Just like in this fucked up little fairy tale, we will live
happily ever after.”

Tsubame smiled as Yahiko painted out
their future in front of them. “We don’t have money for all that stuff,” she
said softly.

“Hey, I’m the Crown Prince. I’m bound
to roll in money,” he shrugged funnily.

Chuckling, Tsubame wrapped her arms
around his neck. “You’re so sweet, Yahiko,” she sighed.

“Yes, I am. And I’m all yours.”

“All mine?”

“Uhu. These arms are yours to be
wrapped in” – his arms closed around her waist and squeezed gently – “these
eyes are yours to be admired with” – he gave her his most penetrating and
earnest look – “these lips are yours to be kissed with” – he let his lips
softly brush against hers – “and my love” – he took her hand and lifted it to
the left part of his chest – “my love will always be yours to be loved with.
Always and forever, Tsu-chan. Do not doubt that for even a split second.”

Tsubame was on the verge of tears by
now, both of them actually.

Yahiko shook his head, shaking the
tears that threatened to spill from his eyes away. “Dammit, in a moment I’ll
start crying,” he mumbled clumsily.

Tsubame snivelled and managed to
squeeze out a weak smile. “And Crown Princes don’t cry, I assume?” she said.

“You said it.” He almost felt relieved
to hear Kaoru calling his name behind him as she stood there again with Rikai.
His heart felt a bit lighter at the knowledge of, in spite of his marriage,
staying together with Tsubame, thought the wedding night was still an issue
he’d have to work out, one way or another.

“Rikai, I want to apologize to you,”
he said, swivelling around. His face was impassive, though his voice gentle. “I
didn’t mean to be so rude to you. Please forgive me.”

Rikai was surprised at how easy that
went. “I eh… Apologies accepted,” she stuttered.

Yahiko looked at Kaoru with an
expression of “Am I a good boy now? Can I stay with Tsubame for the rest of my
life?”.

Kaoru’s response was a smile as she
gave him her silent approval. She wasn’t entirely sure he really meant it, but
he’d already suffered enough now, hadn’t he? Moving back behind the altar, she
threw a significant glance to the empty spot next to Rikai.

Good and obedient boy he was (yeah
right), Yahiko took his previous place beside her.

“Let’s try this again, okay?” Kaoru
sighed. “Rikai, repeat after me. I, Rikai Himura, take thee, Yahiko Himura, to
be my lawfully wedded husband.”

Rikai repeated.

“I, Yahiko Himura, take thee, Rikai
Himura, to be my lawfully wedded wife.”

Yahiko repeated. Without the
name-switching.

They proceeded with exchanging the
rings, Yahiko’s look distant as he did so. “There, it’s done,” he said when all
the solemn nonsense was over. “Can I go back to Tsubame now?” He rolled his
eyes as he saw the frustrated frown on Rikai’s forehead and the warning look
Kaoru threw his way. Oh please! Did he have to apologize like *all* the time?!
“I’m sorry.” It had almost become like an automatism by now. “*Now* can I go to
my girlfriend?” He caught Rikai looking at him with a smug smirk, as if saying
“She is *only* your girlfriend. But *I* am your *wife*”.

“What?” Yahiko asked, irritated.

"Comic Sans MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'>“Don’t forget, Yahiko,” she drawled in
that spoiled little girl manner. “We’re married now. Even though my mother came
up with the most wonderful idea to make you two stay together, it’s me you
belong to. We are bound together by this wedding ring.”

“Yeah, go figu Yah Yahiko laughed
airily. “Me and you are hus and and wife, and Tsubame’s *only* my girlfriend.
And still it’s her I’m running to. So what does that tell about you, eh?”

“Mother!”

“Yahiko! You apologize to her right
this instant!” Kaoru reprimanded in her royal-like demeanour.

“No! I’m sick of all this! I’ve
already done enough apologizing for an entire century! Now, please, leave us
alone for at least a few moments. We have something to discuss. Coz you see,
tonight, I will have to sleep with another girl!”

Kaoru’s eyes softened, instantly
getting the hint. “You can go,” she said softly.

Jeez, what was this, the freaking
army? Dismissed! Yeah, that’s what it reminded Yahiko of, for crying out loud.
Make one mistake, and you could lick their heels until they deemed them shiny
enough to see themselves in them. For fuck’s sake, he was a Crown Prince!

“Thank you.” Far he didn’t have to go.
Tsubame had take her previous place right next to Kaoru. She was quick to take
his hand in hers and pull him close.

“Glad that’s over,” he whispered.

Tsubame nodded. “Me too. Now comes the
most difficult part,” she sighed low lowered her eyes.

“Tsubame, how am I gonna do this? I
honestly haven’t got a clue what I am to do once I’m sitting there in that bed
with her.”

“I told you, think of me. Close your
eyes and imagine it will be me you’re making love to,” Tsubame said
simplistically.

“It’s really not that simple, Tsu‑chan.”
They had come to the little pond Tsubame had in the back of her yard, and he
went sitting on the edge, cross-legged, so his feet wouldn’t dangle in the
water. He looked over the softly rippling surface and the fish swimming right
underneath like orange giants. “I mean, I’m gonna have to have sex with her. I
have to put my thing in her thing and…”

Oh, quite the professional
explanation. “Yahiko please,” Tsubame chuckled.

Yahiko looked aside when he was
interrupted to where Tsubame had started removing her shoes and socks to soak
her feet in the cool water.

“I know how babies are made, honey,”
she smiled, playfully splashing some water at him.

“Stop that!” Yahiko laughed. “I’m just
saying, Tsubame. It’ll already be a miracle in itself if I can ‘get him up’,
you know. It would be constantly in my mind how unfaithful I am to you, to
think that you are lying there in your bedne ane and…”

“Yahiko.”

“Yes, Tsubame?” He was startled to see
an almostry lry look in her eyes. See, he knew it! He knew it all along, she
was angry with him after all about sleeping with Rikai. “Tsubame, I would never
hurt you, you know that,” he sputtered.

Tsubame had trouble keeping a straight
face at the distrust and panic that sprung into Yahiko’s red-brown pools. Oh,
he just scared so easily when it came to this. Clearing her throat, she went
standing upright. Come one, Tsubame, pull yourself together! “Yahiko,ant ant
you to fuck her and fuck her good so you only have to do this once,” she said
resolutely.

Yahiko’s mouth repeatedly fell open
and closed again, doing a very good impression of the fish they were sitting
next to. His cheeks felt very hot all of a sudden. Did that just come out of
*her* mouth?! “But Tsubame…” he yelped, jumping upright himself.

“You heard me, Yahiko-chan.”

“How many times do I still have to
tell you not to call me that! I’m a man now, so you call me Yahiko-*san*!”

“Oh, you’re a man, aren’t you?”
Tsubame murmured, pulling him closer to her. “So then, act like one. I want you
to fuck that girl, Yahiko, so good and so perfect that she doesn’t know right
from left when you’re done with her. But not too perfect. Perfection’s for me.”

Yahiko looked aside, rubbed his eyes
and looked back. Tsubame’s face was sincere. She was not joking about this.
“Tsubame, I don’t know what to say,” he breathed.

“Then shut up.”

Stupefied. Again. Bite me,
Yahiko thought.

“Come with me. I’ve got something for
you,” Tsubame said. She grabbed her shoes and socks and pulled him behind her
towards their tree. There she headed for the bathroom, and came back with a
black parcel. A velvet box, Yahiko thought, with a white ribbon around it. It
looked pretty expensive.

“What’s that, Tsu-chan?” Yahiko asked,
looking down on the parcel with curious eyes.

Tsubame had to smile. He just didn’t
know how much he was acting like a little boy now, eager to open his present.
And Yahiko liked getting presents. “That’s for you,” she said, handing it over
to him. “It’s a present.”

Yahiko looked up, his eyes shining as
bright as the smile on his lips. “A present? For me?”

“Yes,” Tsubame nodded. “Coz in case
you had forgot, it’s your birthday today. Go on, open it.”

GB'>Yahiko opened it. Inside lay a gold
necklace, snugly nestled amidst white satin. It was a little heart with a Y and
a T engraved in it. “Yahiko… and Tsubame?” Yahiko whispered, looking up.

“That’s right.” Tsubame took it out
and hung it around his neck. “This way I’ll always be with you, in your mind
and in your heart. Even tonight.”

Yahiko couldn’t resist the urge to
kiss her, long and gently, pouring his heart and the promise to come back to
her in the kiss. “I can’t say how much I admire you for this, Tsu‑chan. A
lot of girls would’ve turned theick ack and walked away.”

“I know that,” Tsubame smiled. “But
I’m not “a lot of girls”. I’m Tsubame. I’m your girlfriend. I love you and I’ll
keep on loving you for as long as I live, no matter what. Because I know,
Yahiko, that there is no-one on this whole planet who loves and trusts me as
much as you do. Now, I won’t say it won’t be hard for me to walk away within a
few moments with the knowledge that you’re gonna sleep with another girl
tonight, but the thought that you will sleep with her wearing this necklace
will comfort me. And tomorrow I will come back, and you will be waiting for me,
right Yahiko?”

Yahiko nodded. His eyes prickled and
he had to swallow a few times to get rid of the lump in his throat. “Right,” he
said.

“Then it will all be over, and we will
be together forever.”

“Yes,” Yahiko nodded again.

“I have to go back home now, Yahiko.”

“No. stay, Tsubame. I need you,”
Yahiko pleaded, taking hold of her hand.

Tsubame gave him an apologetic smile.
“I have to, Yahiko. We haven’t been home for the entire night. Do you have any
idea how worried our parents will be?”

Yahiko lowered his eyes. Good thing
there was at least one of them who had some common sense left in this twisted
fairy-tale. And used it. “That’s true,” he sighed. “What are you gonna tell
them?”

They walked back outside in search for
Kaoru to change Tsubame into a normal human being again. The little altar was
already deserted, but following their ears, they soon found her in a t trt tree
that was decorated for the feast. They went back outside for the
transformation, Rikai watching from a little distance. She watched how they
kissed, how they hugged, refusing to let go, then kissed again.

It wasn’t fair. Not fair that it was
Tsubame Yahiko was kissing. Not fair that he was right to kiss her. Not fair
that he would die within two days and they had to say their goodbyes for a
second time. For good.

No, not fair at all.

To be continued…