Mine
Their days continued, the same way as Manami continued coming to Akihiro's office. Sometimes she would offer him tea or coffee, sometimes she'd stay just reading near Akihiro, sometimes she would be organizing his things.
"Those things are the servants work, don't take that away from them," Akihiro once said.
"It doesn't matter, I'll just lessen their work then," Manami replied nonchalantly.
Akihiro just shook his head and stood and walked out of the room.
"Hey, don't leave me here," Manami called out as she followed him.
"You want to organize those thing, right? Then organize it. I can't concentrate if someone as noisy as you are is doing things in my work area."
"Don't be like that, you should get used to it we will be doing the same thing in the near future anyway."
Akihiro moved his hand away when Manami tried to hold it, "You are not my wife or anything, don't act in such a way."
"I may not be your wife yet, but I am your fiance now. No one will dare compete," Manami smirked.
"Then I must apologize cause I do love competing," another voice came from the hall way in front of them.
"And who might you be?"
"Just someone," Haruka replied.
She walked forward and held Akihiro's hand pulling him to her side. This caused both Akihiro and Manami to be caught off guard. She then stepped forward and stood in between them.
"The only reason I came here, is to make this man mine. And I don't mind competing to anyone who will try to take him away," Haruka said with dignity.
(Flashback)
"No, father. I will not be marrying that girl. I have no intention of marrying anyone from your candidates."
This was back when they just returned from another battle, and it's been a year since he had fallen in love with Haruka.
"Then I am right," the king replied.
"Huh?"
"The person who got your attention, it's that zero right?"
Akihiro averted his eyes.
"Why of all people, why her? You could have chosen someone else, why choose a zero, indeed she's a great knight but she's a zero. What if your children will inherit it. Then who will continue the ability of our bloodline?"
Just then the door opened.
"You really are not allowed in here," one of the guards say as he tries his best to stop the person from coming in.
"I don't care, I'm going in and no one can stop me," a woman's voice replied.
"Wha- Haruka!! What are you doing here?" Akihiro asked surprised by her sudden appearance.
"How Impudent," the king roared.
"I came here because, I've heard about that woman becoming your wife," Haruka actually ignored the king and pointed at Akihiro.
"You- How dare you ignore your king, why would you be here in the first place?"
She stepped forward and looked straight in the king's eyes, "The only reason I came here, is to make this man mine. And I don't mind competing to anyone who will try to take him away."
Akihiro and the king was taken aback by her declaration.
(End of Flashback)
"You are an outsider, you have no right to be in here," Manami rebuked.
"Who cares if I'm an outsider or not? I'm here to marry him, nothing more nothing less," Haruka still replied.
"You-"
"Shut it, woman. You may be the daughter of the general of the first squad but I don't care. This man is mine and mine alone," Haruka replied.
She faced Akihiro then pulled him along leaving the dumbfounded Manami.
After reaching the palace garden she instantly sat down on one of the benches and finally breathed.
"Huuuuuu, that was nerve wracking," she then said.
Akihiro laughed at this scene,
"What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing, I'm just amazed at how bold you are," Akihiro replied as he sat down beside her.
"If I want something and I know I'm not doing..."
(... it in a bad way, then I don't plan on losing in anything.)
*SLAP*
"What's wrong with you?" Haruka was startled when he suddenly slap his face.
"Nothing," Akihiro replied as he thought,
"But what I said awhile ago, I was serious. I am dead serious,> Haruka then said seriously.
Akihiro looked at her before sighing then he stood up. Haruka thought he would be leaving but was actually startled when he knelt down in front of her.
"I don't want to show them that I care for you, I don't want them to know about you until the conspirator were caught. I didn't want that that's why I tried my best to avoid you. But..."
He then looked up and looked straight in her eyes, "My feelings never changed. But what I want to know is the you I am looking at right now, the current you and stop looking for the past you. I want to love you as dearly without the hindrance of 'you were like this' or 'you were like that' or 'that's so like you'. I want to be with you and leave in the present time. So until then I don't want to confess, I want to confess to the present you."
Haruka's eyes welled up with tears, she came here not knowing if her love will be reciprocated. But after knowing about the her in here, she thought that if her love was reciprocated then it will be because of her past. And yet everything was wrong, he was protecting her at the same time getting to know the new her. She felt a warm feeling washing over her.
"I really do love you after all," Haruka said as the tears flow from her eyes.
Akihiro smiled at her before standing up, "Now I really can't let you be near me for a while."
"Eh?"
"With what happened today, they'll be watching you even closer."
"Ah that is."
"Eureka, you are here right?" Akihiro suddenly called out.
"*sigh* Why do I have to always be at the wrong place at the wrong time?" Eureka replied as she walked out.
She came because Akihiro called for her, she was on her way to his office when she passed through this place and hear their conversation.
"That's because your timing is bad," even though he acts nonchalant about it, in reality when Akihiro noticed that she was there, he felt embarrassed.
"Why did you call for me, your highness? It's good to see you, Lady," Eureka said respectfully.
"You've heard what I have said. I want you to take Haruka home with you, she will be staying there until we get the conspirators. You are the only one who can protect her."
"Is sir Yukimura not strong enough?" Eureka asked in turn.
"He is not as free as you are. I allowed you to not regain your position to give you more time just as you asked. So now I'm going to take some of that time of yours," Akihiro replied.
"I understand."
"You've heard. For now you will be staying with her. Theo will still stay with Yukimura's family. You can trust her."
"Don't worry I never doubted her," Haruka replied looking at Eureka.
*****
"I'm sorry, I will be barging in your home," Haruka apologized while they are walking.
"That's not my home so you don't have to worry about it. I only live there that's all."
"So you only live here as well? In this kingdom?" Haruka asked after hearing her answer.
"I indeed live here and... it is my duty to protect it."
"You have tasked yourself with something as heavy as that, but after that what will you be doing?"
"Eureka stopped walking and looked up at the sky, "I have no idea. I don't even know if I'll be able to reach the point of after the great war."
"Why do you plan on dying?"
"I don't but I also don't know if I'll survive."
"Have you ever cared for yourself?"
"Myself is something that shouldn't have existed. It had caused so much. We have arrived, the third room after climbing up the stairs is not used, you can take that for yourself. I shall be staying in my room as well. Please feel free to ask for my assistance once you need something," Eureka said after opening the door and letting her in. She then went ahead and walked up the stairs.
"Something that shouldn't have existed..." Haruka repeated her words as she watch her ascend the stairs.