When Akari landed in her backyard, Akari took a moment to look around.  Everything looked the same when she left five years ago. Several guards made their way towards Akrai and bowed when they recognised her.  Their eyes were lit up in excitement and they were glad to see her again.

“Young Miss.” One of the guards said as he stood straight.  

“Are my parents home?”  

“Yes, Young Miss. Welcome home.”  

Akari nodded her head and began walking up the stairs.  Five steps in, another lightning flashed and a loud boom sounded behind her.  Akari looked back and saw Dean. Her right eyebrow rose up to question why he was there, but Dean quickly made his way towards Akari.  

“I have business that I need to take care of.”  Dean said as he walked up to her.

The back doors to her home were quickly opened and her mother and father ran towards her.  Akari was immediately enveloped within their arms as Emi cried tears of joy.

“You’re back.  You’re finally back.  Thank the Gods you’re alright.”  Emi cried. “I didn’t know when I would ever see you again… if I would be able to see you again.”

Akari hugged her parents tightly.  She missed them dearly as well.

“Mage Koya.”  Jona said as he bowed towards Dean.  “Thank you for taking such great care of our daughter.  Thank you for letting her visit us.”

“There are no thanks to be said.  Akari did all the hard work herself.”  Dean told them. “I have some business here I need to take care of as well.  Might I intrude on your hospitality and ask if you can house me for some time?”

“Of course!  Of course! It would be our honor!”  Jona said as he smiled. “Let's all go inside!”  

Emi held onto Akari the whole way as Jona spoke to Dean.  They were lead to the dining room where lunch had just been prepared and two more sets of dishes were placed onto the table for Akari and Dean.  Jona sat at the head of the table, while Emi sat to his right. Akari sat next to Emi and Dean sat to Jona’s left.

“My dear girl, you’re too skinny.  Here eat more.” Emi said as she piled a lot of food on Akari’s plate, that it became a small mound.  

Akari smiled brightly at Emi and kissed Emi’s cheek.  “My mom loves me the best!”

“Hey. Hey!  What about me!”  Jona complained as he looked at his two most precious women in his life.  

“Daddy, I know you love me a lot, but we all know, you love mom the most.” Akari teased him.  

Jona opened his mouth to refute her words, but with the mischievous look in her eyes, he closed his mouth and nodded his head.  

The three of them spoke as if five years have not passed between them.  Akari told them about her time away, she told them about Selena and Green and about everything that she learned.  She was so animated that she became a completely different person in front of Dean’s eyes.

So his serious and mature student can also be an excited, talkative woman in front of people she cares about.  His heart felt as if he wronged her so much. His eyes could not stop staring at the animated Akari that he did not touch a single thing on his plate.  

After dinner, Emi and Akari went off to have a more intimate conversation, while Jona and Dean sat down to speak.  Dean updated Jona on Akari’s progress and her achievements.

“You mean my daughter has three abilities?” Jona asked as his eyes widen up in surprise.  “She’s the strongest mage you’ve seen in over 500 years?!”

“Yes. One day she’ll be even more stronger than me.”  Dean told him. “Akari works hard everyday to achieve her goals.  She will have a successful outcome with all the hard work she puts into every day.  That is the reason why I let her come back today, because she deserved some time off from her training.”  

“That’s good.  That’s good.” Jona said as he smiled.  “I can finally be settled knowing the fact that she can protect herself and that I don’t need to worry so much about her anymore.  She has grown so much over the past five years. When I look at her, sometimes I don’t even recognise her.”

“Although she’s changed over the years, I believe she is still the same girl you raised.”  Dean told him.

“Yes, she will always be my little girl.”  Jona sighed.

The two of them spoke for a few more minutes before Jona showed Dean his room. Dean checked out his room and nodded his head in satisfaction before opening his door to find Akari.  The moment he opened his door, the door across from him also opened.

Akari had changed into a loose shirt and pants as if she was going to go train.  They both froze when they saw each other.

Akari’s eyes tighten at the thought of her senseless parents housing Dean right across from her room.  

“How long are you planning to stay?”  Akari asked as she closed her bedroom door behind her.  

“When it’s time to leave, I’ll let you know.” Dean told her.   

Akari looked away from Dean and turned to leave.  The moment she did, Dean reached out to stop her. His body moved on it’s own and pushed her against her door.  His legs trapped her legs between his and his body pinned her to the wall. When her free hand came up to push his chest, Dean grabbed her hand and pinned both hands above her head.  

Akari glared at Dean as Dean looked down at her with passion.  Never in his life had he felt such strong feelings to claim her and make her his.  He wanted to own her smiles and soft gazes. He wanted her to speak to him about anything and everything.  He wanted to go to sleep beside her and wake up next to her. He wanted so much to protect her and watch her become a great mage.

“I hate your silences.”  Dean told her. “It drives me crazy when you don’t speak to me.”

Akari was taken back in surprise.  Her eyebrows crinkled in confusion.  What is Dean trying to say to her?

“I used to love the silence around me.  But since you came into my life, your silence is like death to me. Don’t ignore me.”  Dean said as he leaned down to her ear. His lips touched the corner of her ear and when he kissed it, Akari’s body froze. “I told you two years ago, not to fall in love with me. Who would have thought I would fall in love with you instead.”

“I’m not Misah.”  

“You’re nothing like her.”  Dean whispered to her ear as he breathed her scent in. “I was a fool to think that you were similar to her. You and her are nothing alike.”

“I don’t believe your words of love.”  

Dean pulled back enough to look at Akari.  

“It’s okay if you don’t believe me now.  I’ll spend the rest of our lives proving to you how much I love you.”

“You know nothing about me.” Akari told him.

“What I know now, is enough for me to fall in love with you.  Everything else about you, I will spend the rest of our lives uncovering.”

Akari sneered at Dean’s words.   

“You don’t believe me?”

Akari glared at Dean as if what he said were just useless words.  

“I’ll prove it to you...even if it takes me my whole life.  I’ll prove it to you.”

“Just like Misah proved her love to you?”

Dean jerked back.  Akari’s biting remark made his heart ache and yet he became more determined.  

“No.  Not like that.  Never like that.”  Dean growled at Akari.  “I will never kill myself for you.  Instead, I’ll fight to live for you.”

“You’re wasting your time and mine.”  Akari told him. “We’re in my parent’s house, they let you into their home and provided a place for you to stay.  Do not disrespect them by cornering me like this and spewing false promises. You are my teacher and I am your apprentice.  Let's not get our relationship twisted. Now let me go.”

Dean let go of his hold on her hands, but he didn’t step away from her.  

“You will come to see that I am the man for you.” Dean told her.  

When he was met with silence again, Dean leaned down and kissed her.  Her soft lips were tight as he pressed his lips onto hers. She did not open her mouth to him so he lightly bit her lip until she gasped.  He held her struggling body in his embrace as he found his way into her mouth and when his hot tongue met hers, she bit down hard on it and drew blood.  Dean immediately broke the kiss and stared down at her. A smile bloomed on his face as he watched her face light up pink with embarrassment. She was enchanting and so alluring.  His heart beated wildly for her. He felt so much weight lift off his shoulders as he finally confessed his feelings.

“I told you before that I hate your silence. Every time you don’t answer me, I’ll punish you with kisses.”  Dean told her.