Ryu's POV
'I don't know why Zen wants me to deliver these stuff over to Kiroyuki... Why exactly does she need this much paper and new ink? What's in this envelope?... It's already past midnight... She's possibly not working right now, right?' Before I knew it, I was already at the doors of her newly created office.

I knocked onto the smooth and detailed engravings of the oak wood door and cleared my throat so I could speak louder since I don't really talk all that much. "K-Kiroyuki, it's Ryu..." Is she even in her office right now? "Kiroyuki? I have your supplies..." I waited for a few seconds and was about to open the doors until I stopped myself.

'Wait... Would she get mad if I just enter? It's fine if I just go in and place her things down, right?... Why am I getting so worked up about this?' I sighed both mentally and physically and opened the door to see a sleeping Kiroyuki. I closed the door and walked closer to her desk. I put the stack of paper and other objects onto the desk and stared at her sleeping form. 'She actually looks peaceful, calm....and cute.... She must of been really tired doing...paperwork?'

The reflection of the moonlight to Kiroyuki's small face made her skin sparkle as her turquoise hair glowed as if it were made of crystals in a foreign cave. Her long eyelashes clashed against one another as her small and pink lips were slightly agape to breathe in a slow and steady pace. Her small yet fit figure was memorizing of pure beauty.

I grabbed a nearby blanket and draped it over her shoulders. 'I hope her back won't hurt later... I guess if it does, I'll make her some rubbing lotion for it.'

I unconsciously touched her hair and smoothened it out. 'It's so silky and soft! Her hair is really long... I wonder why it changed colors... Kiroyuki is really pretty...' Processing on what I had thought, I jumped back as I slapped my mouth in embarrassment of my thoughts. I felt my cheeks burn with a warm fire igniting inside me and smacked my forehead with my left palm. I coughed to regain my composure and turned to look at Kiroyuki once more and found her awake....staring at me....

I shrieked and jumped back a bit as she angelically laughed at my reaction as I felt my cheeks burn....like a lot...

Kiroyuki's POV
'....ugh.... How long have I been sleeping.... Huh? A blanket-'

*Slap*

I whipped my head to my left to see Ryu... Well his back to be specific. 'Did he slap himself?!.... Hehe, that's too adorable~.' He turned around with a second late reaction of shock and surprise and shrieked backwards. 'I guess I surprised him... I guess he put the blanket on me.'

I couldn't help to burst out laughing outside of the bubble that I tried keeping in and saw Ryu's red face. I had calmed down and smiled at Ryu as he lowered his sweater from covering majority of his face.

"Hey Ryu! Thanks for the blanket!" I reached over to the lamp on my desk and turned it on as it lit up to make the area touched by it sparkle. I walked back over to face Ryu as his eyes was in awe, staring at the blank but wide office.

"H-hi Kiroyuki... S-so what were you d-doing?" I  giggled and motioned him to follow me as he nodded his head. I opened the balcony door to say 'hello' to the cool and starry night and new moon. I breathed in the cool and fresh air from the high-tops and gleamed as I rushed to the cold railings.

"W-woah.... Y-you could see the herb garden!" I turned slightly back to Ryu and smiled cheerfully as his face just grew a slight bit red but....Ryu actually looks really....handsome... I blushed and just smiled as Ryu walked over to my side to look at the starry night and view besides me.

"Yeah, I think the herb garden looks beautiful from here! Well anyways I was doing some paperwork." He turned to face me but I was facing the sky as I listened to what Ryu was going to say.

"Paperwork? Already?" I nodded my head and leaned back as I held onto the railings as an anchor and felt my twin tails swing back.

"Yeah, well it's actually planning for an upcoming ball of mines..." I hummed a bit and set myself back straight to actually face Ryu correctly.

"So you're planning a ball for yourself, right?" I hummed and nodded in response as Ryu had a face of confusion, curiosity, and....concern?

"Why do you look concern Ryu?" I fully turned my entire body to look straight into his eyes as he must of felt weird and shocked that I noticed, but I continued to do so.

"U-um, well is t-that s-safe to d-do...?" I stared at him confusingly for a second and came to realize what he had said. I sighed and turned back to face the calming starry night and swirling colors of the night sky.

"Well Izana said that it'll help create stronger bonds with other lords, dukes, or ladies and that Clarines would gain more respect. He also said that all of Clarines would protect me, but I find that a bit weird since I thought it was the other way around. I also want to protect Clarines back.... Plus I'm pretty sure that's why Izana wanted me to train the guards and soldiers soon..." I felt Ryu jumped besides me and turned my head to face him confusingly as he stared at me in shock.

"H-he asked you to t-train the g-guards and soldiers!?" I blankly nodded my head as he gave me an 'o' face.

"... I wonder what's in hold of my future..... The sky reminds me of home..." I felt my eyes water as I shielded my eye from Ryu and the sky. I didn't want anyone to see me break down if I do so because my knees feels like thinned-out fondant. I couldn't stop shaking the slightest bit and gave Ryu my back. (Okay, not literally! (つД')ノ)

"Kiroyuki..."
Ryu's POV
'She's hurt... She's going to break down right now...'

I gently and slowly hugged her from behind trying as much as possible to not make this feel awkward since I felt my cheeks burn like a cooking oven. She had stopped shaking as I continued to hug her, but with more care and sincerity.

"Ryu...." I tightened the hug a slight bit before letting her go to face me with her slightly red eyes filled with tears. Her cheeks were stained with fresh tears and her mouth was left agape. I stared into her swirling blue eyes of emotion and beauty and held onto one of her hands. I didn't know what had gotten in me, but I felt the need to care and to be with her...

"It's okay Kiroyuki.... I know..." Her eyes widened in shock as she leaned closer to my face, but I actually didn't falter or get flustered like I would usually do.

"W-what?! When?!" I sighed and gave her soft and small hand a tiny squeeze.

"Since the first time I saw you..." She gasped and gave a silent 'oh' and directed her attention to her right. "Zen and Obi told me what they knew while you were rushed to the medical wing because of your extremely high fever."

"Y-you knew a-all along?" I nodded my head as she suddenly embraced me into a tight hug. This time I was actually taken aback with surprise and a gasp. "I'm sorry Ryu... Even if you knew or not...I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to burden you..." I shook my head as her silken hair was slowly falling out of her ribbon. I stroked her hair as she hugged me tighter. "Are you mad Ryu?" I felt her shake a bit and I knew that she's scared of my reply.

"No..." She looked up at me in question. "I trust you... Plus I don't think I can get mad at you..." She blushed a tint of red which made her look beautiful... The moonlight brushing onto her pale skin and eyes make them glitter as the remaining tears shimmered like diamonds.

"R-Ryu...." I hummed in response. "C-can we stay in this p-position for j-just a bit?" I smiled internally and hummed a 'yes' in response.

We were both in each other's warm and caring embrace...under the bright and shining moonlight that reflected her beauty of both pain and happiness... As the stars and moon seemed to get bright... I came to realize that....
.

.

.

.

I like Kiroyuki......

A/N
Holy shiitakes! Ryu is starting to develop a crush on Kiroyuki! It's not LOVE yet but it will be soon! Hehehhehehhehe! (Fangirling...) Now I'll try my best to upload a new chapter for Christmas and I'll publish it on Christmas Day, so wait until then! Bye bye~! （≧∇≦）