It was around the usual time in the morning for me to knock on Aurora's door, and before I could even lay a finger on her door. The door swung towards me so suddenly, I literally jumped back to avoid being crushed. But as I soon saw the figure standing at the doorway, my eyes stuck to it like permanent glue.

Every time she moved in her dress, it seemed as if she was wading through a lake of sapphire, with a thousand bright crystals drifting in her wake. Her hair was perfectly woven and done, and she wore glass slippers like the ones in Cinderella, except it looked even more elegant on her.

"Ahem, it's rude to stare at a lady like that." She said gingerly.

Beautiful. Was the first thing that came to my mind, and I probably didn't realize I accidently let it slip through my tongue, until I saw surprise written all over Aurora face, and once she seem to fully register what I just said, her face turned pink and looked away momentarily. Aware of what I just said myself, my cheeks began to burn, but I did my best to not show it. When she turn to meet my eyes again, her expression turned back to neutral as if that never happened. Not knowing how to respond and kind of light headed at the same time, Aurora seized the chance as she gently pushes me aside and walked straight past me. My eyes followed her for a couple more steps before suddenly coming to a halt and said:

"My dear servant, could you make haste with our breakfast, while I see to the struggles of my dearest sister with her dress."

I watch as she brushes her hair aside in a way that made my heart skip a beat, and it left my eyes hanging all the way until her shadow disappears around the next corner.

Breakfast. I thought. And no more distractions.

***

"Here." I said setting down two full hot plates of pancakes.

"Syrup is right on the table, same with the salt and pepper. And feel free to help yourselves with everything else, ladies." I said, rolling my eyes in my head.

"We appreciate your service, servant." Aurora regarded me coldly, which I purposely looked way until her eyes drew attention to somewhere else. And that's when I looked across the table and noticed Aine dress; very in contrast to Aurora dress, her dress was long and sparkly except it was in red instead, it was beautiful, but not enough to move me to be honest. Mostly due because of the impression of her daily habits and manners just doesn't seem to make the cut.

"The car should arrive soon now; I best recommend you all too quickly scrap up your plate. We may leave at the very moment." Aurora said, as she wiped her mouth in a gentle in lady-like way, whereas Aine just kept full on stuffing her mouth with food and fully utilizing both hands when it comes to grabbing.

"Car? I don't recall you mentioning anything about a car yesterday..." I asked.

"Do you seriously expect ladies like us to walk there by foot?" Aurora said with an edge, as she mumbled something about men being dimwits.

"My bad, forget what I just said." I said, raising both hands up in surrender.

Aurora looked as if she was about to say more, but was cut off by the doorbell before she could say another word.

"Well, it seems our ride has arrived. My dear sister Aine, allow me to assist you on getting rid of that smear on your face." And when Aurora meant that, she meant by literally grabbing a cloth from the table and began scrubbing her sister's face like a dirty plate. I watch helpless on one side as Aine squealed and quivered like a livestock that was about to be killed. By the time she let go, Aine face was speck clean with a grumpy stare.

"I hate you! I hate you! Hmph!" Aine looks away and crosses her arm grudgingly as her anger reminds me what a pissed of 6 year old look like.

"Please don't say that, I am just doing what's best for my dearest sister. Remember grumpy faces only make you age faster. Smiles and bright faces are the key to youth." Aurora said as her lips purse into a small smile. Then out from nowhere she tosses a lollipop towards Aine. And as soon as Aine caught it in mid-air, her expression changed one-eighty. From angry toddler to joyful angel. And just by judging from her reaction, it seems no words will reach her during this moment. And when I look at Aurora expression, the message was clear: Leave her be.

"Shall we make haste now? We still have a party to attend." Aurora said as she turns and took her leave. With no other clear choice, we simply followed.

***

By the time the car arrived at the appointed place of the dock, we were already several minutes behind appointed time. And as soon the 3 of us climbed out of the car, we were immediately greeted with an impatient glare from an unfamiliar face. But as soon as the figure spoke it surprised even myself:

"So slow, what's the hold up again?"

"Ha? Oh wait, you're...Yoshino?" Aine said, her wide widening with disbelief. And I could hardly believe it myself. She was dressed in a beautiful black kimono, single sleek black ponytail, and every time she took a step towards us, I hear wood scrapping against the ground, and that's when I realized she was wearing one of those traditional Japanese wooden flip flops.

"You gotta problem with that brat? Huh!?" Yoshino raised her voice, as she got up in Aine face and stared down at her. Aine who was literally a head shorter than her, had to readjust the angle of her head to stare back.

Aurora shook her head and sighed in response, and honestly there is nothing much I can do beside watch the two interlock in an intense stare down, and possibly demolishing the place at the same time. Then right out of nowhere, a short old man dressed in a tuxedo, walked up to us bowed and said:

"Greetings, sir and le signore. The ship is now ready, my master awaits."

Old butler guiding us, I know how stereotypical. But as soon as he points his hands at the ship, my entire view of the world was refreshed once again.

Man, this guy sure got some big bucks to throw around. I said to myself.

We watched in awe while the ship docks its self and a brief moment later a stair case was lowered down and half a dozen man in tuxedo came pouring down the stair case and lined themselves into 2 two single files, with a clear path lying in the middle.

"I am afraid we have to search each and every single one of you first." The old butler clasped his hands together pleasingly.

And to response of the old butler request, all the girls returned him a sharp nasty glare that would even send the ballsiest pervert running home for mama.

"However, as the master especially requested, the signore can skip the search. So sir I need you to step forth." He looked to me at once. And that's when I knew I was in deep trouble. I quickly look around desperately for help, and my eyes must have really given away the desperation, because it worked right off the bat.

"Listen carefully." Aurora snapped in a colder voice than usual. "He is my servant, laying a hand against him would be the same as laying a hand against me, and your master doesn't want that to happen, am I right?"

The old man paused at the challenge, then decided it wasn't worth the risk, as you can tell from his facial expression he stepped down and resume back to his professional manners.

"You are absolutely right my signora. My apologies, now sir and signore please aboard the ship, and watch your steps below." The old man bowed and gestured his hands towards the stairs case. The 4 looked at each other one last time, and there really wasn't much to be said, so without further a due, we boarded the ship.

***

Once again I was in for a huge surprise. Before us was this marble stairway set on this humongous hill looming over us that might as well be a small mountain.

"Allow me to lead the way, sir and signore. The mansion is at the top of this stairway." The butler gestured as he began ascending the stair case. And from the way this old geezer he wasn't joking, and for once I felt truly sorry for the girls. But when I look and saw Yoshino, her expression was rather calm and reserved. With no complaints what so ever, Yoshino began ascending the stairway, then couple steps in without turning around she said:

"It's just a set of stairs, but you brats should probably take off your heels, don't want to trip and die right?"

Honestly if she was trying to provoke a fight, she was doing a great job at it. Aine surprisingly however didn't take the bait, and what was even more surprising that upon hearing those words, she took off her heels in a heartbeat, and carried them in her hands as she ran up the stairs to catch up. Now it was just me and Aurora standing at the bottom of the stairway as we watch the rest of the party get a huge head start, but it wasn't until they were all out of earshot, I decide to break the ice:

"This tux is honestly killing me. I think I am going to be roast alive from the inside."

"Be grateful servant, this is the only size we have. Now as I was thinking..." Aurora tapped her chin thoughtfully but looked away from me at the same time.

"Thinking about what?"

"Nothing."

"K then, so are we going up or not?"

"Foolish question. Just because I am wearing heels, doesn't mean I am physically incapable of climbing a set of stairs." And to make her point, she took a few strides onto the stairway, and I counted to 12 and that's things started to look a bit a shaky. And I was right, on the 13th stair she lost her foot holding as she fell entirely backwards, and I don't know who's more stupid, the cold prideful girl, or the boy who was stupid enough to cover her fall with his own body, probably the second. I didn't realize it myself until the moment it actually happened, all I recall was hearing this massive crunch coming from my stomach, followed by an immediate blackout for the couple seconds. Honestly I wasn't even exaggerating and next thing I know, I was lying on the ground trying to blink out the spots of tears in my eyes. A murky voice to the side was calling out for my name:

"Does it hurt?" Aurora said kneeling to one side, as she those intense blue eyes of hers bore right through me, to the point I forgot all about the pain and made me just want to grasp it...

"I am fine..." I lied, and with one hand on the ground supporting I attempted to sit up, but the pain just proved to be too much, as I instantly collapsed to the ground again.

"What am I going to do with you...?" Aurora sighed. Then out of the gloom she leaned forward to me and offered her hand.

Dumbstruck, I closed my eyes and thought speculations such as; it was her clone that was doing all those nice things to me...etc. but realizing how stupid that will sound, I decided to drop it along with all my other silly speculations.

"Thanks." I took her hand with a grin. But as soon as she pulls me to my feet and I let go, my foot began to lose balance and the rest of my body threaten to topple. And just as I was about to pull a reverse tumbler, Aurora came and caught me at the last moment.

"Don't talk, just walk." She said, as she slips off her heels with one hand while propping me up with the other shoulder. The act made me blush a little...fine. When I mean by a little I meant I was blushing like a red signal light. And by the time she was done and was holding her heels in one hand, she hefted her other arm under my shoulder and kind of half dragged and half walking me forward like a wounded comrade solider.

Not knowing how to reply, I decide to keep quiet. The silence dragged on until half way through the stairs, when Aurora suddenly turned and said to me in a low hushed voice:

"Thanks...for saving me back there."

"Nah, I should be the one thanking you right now." I said as my lips fold into a small smile.

"I am going to ask one more time, are you sure your plan will work?"

"What are you talking about? We are already here. No point backing off now, it's only going to make us look more suspicious." Adding confidence to my words, I shifted my Tuxedo slightly, which generated this sand shifting sound.

"If things go bad, I still got this trump card with me, so don't worry, we got this." I said, and noticing we just reached the top of the stairs, with the rest of the party waiting in front of us at the doorway. Aurora didn't really pay them any attention as she seemed like she was about to say something but was immediately cut off by another voice:

"Getting love love, and lovely already, that's why I can't stand brats these days..." One look at the wide smirk across Yoshino face was enough to tell that she wanted to embarrass us to death. Which worked right of the bat, as Aurora shoves me away like a rag doll, with her arms crossed, face crossed. Good thing was, I recovered mostly throughout the way, and I was still able to regain balance after being shoved, it's just now my abs really hurt, yes you heard me, I have abs.

"Is it true my dearest sister?" Aine pupils seemed like they were about to explode.

"I testify on the honor of my name, no such 'sorts' of things or even thoughts occurred between us, this dimwit servant of mine simply tripped and hurt himself. And it's my duty as his master to lend him a helping hand in times of need. That is all." And to add the heartless effect, Aurora even added an 'Hmph' sound at the end.

"So Tsundere." Yoshino commented, and I agree 200% with her.

"Tsunder-what?" Aurora arches her eyebrow in response.

Yoshino however choose not to reply, as she turns straight to the old butler and asked:

"Ignore the rest completely. Just show us the way in now, old man." Yoshino kindly demanded.

"Of course my signora, this way in." The old butler replied. As he walks up to the pair colossal white doors and clapped twice. Immediately the door opened outwardly, and even though we all knew it was just a pair of sound controlled doors, but that still doesn't stop the fact that the doors seems magical.

The old butler escorted us inside one by one, and when it was my turn, I thought:

This is it.

And with no regrets, I stepped in.