"You're mine, and you can't do anything about it..."
It's been a week since Tennou said that to Mayumi, and until now, it won't stop ringing in her mind. What did he even like about her? How come he falls in love with her? Why? she hasn't taken notice of it? She's not that oblivious! As those thoughts kept swirling in her mind, she began to remember how Tennou's personality with her. Besides that, Mayumi also remembers what Shihou has told her before.
"I like the same girl... Miya Tennou likes. So I need to back off."
That's right! How can she forget! She's the one Shihou likes, so it only means that she's the one Tennou likes! How did she even manage to get through this mess?!
"Mayu, are you alright? You've been spacing out lately?" coming back to her senses, she looks to the voice source only to see Rokuhiko and Benihime looking at her, worried. Did she space out again? It seems like she made them worried again.
"Y-yeah, I'm alright! Sorry did I make the both of you worried?"
"Not at all, Mayumi! But the class already ended a while ago and also...." Benihime said as she looked around before leaning into her and whispering,
"Your boyfriend has been outside for a while now waiting for you!"
She realizes that the three of them are the only ones left in the room. The class did end, and she didn't notice.
"Ah yeah, sorry! I'm going now!" Mayumi said quickly, going outside. The reason why Benihime knew their relationship is that she caught them acting all lovey-dovey to each other. It's so embarrassing facing her the next day.
"Shihou?" she called.
"Mayumi, I'm sorry! But I don't think I will be able to walk with you today. I have something to do. Sorry about that. But is it alright with you? Are you going to be okay? Walking home on your own?" Shihou asked, clearly concerned for her safety.
"Ah yeah, I'm going to be okay. Don't worry, take care, okay!" Mayumi said. Shihou smiles and kisses her forehead before waving goodbye.
In reality, Mayumi is scared because Shihou will leave her alone. Once she's alone, she is sure that Tennou will suddenly show up, and she doesn't want to see him at the moment. As if the angel devil or maybe Satan himself heard her request Tennou indeed shows up in front of her.
"Hmm, Kitty, what are you talking about with birdy?" Tennou asks, and it seems like he's trying to intimidate her, and it works for her! She doesn't know how but it works!
"Umm, I'm glad to see you, Tennou-san! But I need to go home now. I'll be leaving now then, bye!" she quickly said as she began to run. But before taking any step further away from him, he effortlessly caught her arm. Mayumi slowly turns her head to him, terrified.
"Kitty, are you avoiding me?" Tennou asks, somewhat sad?
Mayumi can't be mistaken. She heard the sadness in his voice, or that was just her mind playing tricks on her. Tennou loosens his grip on her arm, giving her a chance to flee away from him quickly. Turning to a corner, she saw something causing her heart to break into a million pieces.
Shihou and Hikari are kissing. Hikari's right hand is on Shihou's nape, and Shihou's hand is placed on her waist. When Hikari finally pulled away, Shihou saw her immediately, his eyes widening. That's enough for her to see. Because of what she saw, she quickly ran away. She heard him say something to Hikari before following her. When he caught up with her pace, he quickly grabbed her hand, pulling her to him and hugging her tight.
"Mayu, hear me out, please!" Shihou said, nuzzling his head to her shoulder and tightening the hug.
"Shihou, let me go," she said. Tears threatened to fall. The words Mayumi spoke went unnoticed by the boy as he tightened the hold.
"Please, Mayu!"
"LET ME GO!" she yelled as she repeatedly hit his chest, tears pouring down her face. It hurts her to see that. After all, she loves him with all of her heart.
"Mayu, please! Listen to me first!" Shihou said with desperation as tears started to form in his eyes.
"Eh, what's happening here?" Shihou loosens his grip, hearing the voice. Mayumi took this chance to get away from him and quickly ran away from the scene. When she was far enough from them, she saw Benihime and Rokuhiko talking. They noticed her and looked at her with confusion and worried faces.
"Mayu, what happened?!" Rokuhiko asked, confused and concerned with his friend's state right now.
"Why are you crying, Mayumi?" Benihime asked, also worried as to why the girl was crying.
"I-I just got scared, that's all."
"Are you sure?" Rokuhiko asks with worry filling his voice. Mayumi nods, wiping her tears.
"If you say so, but Mayumi, did you forget?"
"H-huh? Forgot what?" she looks at him, confused by what he means.
"Didn't Seichi-sensei ask you to go to his office after class?" Benihime said, reminding her about the incident earlier.
"Huh?" Mayumi tried to remember what had happened. Thinking hard, she starts to remember something.
~~~•••~~~•••~~~•••~~~
She is lost in her thoughts when someone smacks her head with something hard. She annoyingly looks up only to see her father's angry face, causing her to sweatdrop. She wasn't expecting to get caught but knowing that he was the teacher, it was about time.
"What do you think you're doing, ah Mayumi?" her father asks, anger laced in his voice. It's the tone that she doesn't want to hear. She's aware that he's going to scold her later.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't listening..." she said, head down in shame.
It's the first time this has happened to her; the worst thing is that her father is their teacher. She felt embarrassed; she was the class president, after all.
"And why is that?" he asks, full of strictness. His voice clearly shows his upset that his daughter wasn't listening in class.
She looks down, unsure of what to say, she already felt embarrassed about what happened, and she's aware that if she told him her concerns, he might beat someone up; she doesn't want that to happen.
"You're not going to talk?" he continued as he put his hand on her table, and his brow furrowed. He's upset! She made him upset! She can already see her mother's unapproving smile just from this. She is sure that her father will tell her mother about her tardiness; the possibility of scolding is not quite far.
"Let's talk after class, you got it?" her father said, seriousness and anger can heard in the tone. By the looks of it, she doesn't want the school to end because she knows that she's dead!! Should she have an impromptu sleepover with her friend?
"Okay, I'm sorry..." she said, still looking down. She wasn't expecting things to happen like this. She felt terrible, but her previous thoughts still linger in her mind. Maybe she should try asking her friends about it? Or not.
"Just because you are my daughter doesn't mean you won't listen to the lectures anymore. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand. I'm sorry it won't happen again," she said, finally looking up to her father. She could see how upset he was with what she had done. Well, she is undoubtedly not herself right now! Her father starts to walk back in the front of the class as she sighs again.
~~~•••~~~•••~~~•••~~~
"T-That's right, I forgot about it! You can go on without me!" Benihime and Shihou look at each other, confused, wondering what's happening to Mayumi.
When Mayumi came to the teacher's office, she saw her father, anger written on his face. Also, there are two other people inside, and one of them is the last person she likes to see.
"D-dad?" she asks, confused as to why these two are also here.
"So, you finally came, huh?" her father said, glancing at her with a disapproving look.
"Sorry, I came late."
Mayumi faces the other two people and greets them with a bow.
"Nice to finally see you in person. Ma. Yu. Mi. Chan!" the white-hair man said. He looks like a fox.
"Well, since you already know this Miya kid. I won't bother to introduce him anymore. But this one here is Tsugami Arihiko, you know him, right since you're studying and all," her father said with great annoyance.
Mayumi stands there confused, and she doesn't know what to do. Why? Somehow she can see sadness fill her father's eyes. What's happening? She feels like something will happen.
"Y-yeah, I heard him many times now by Sumi-san."
"I know you won't like this, and I'm fully sure that I don't like this even a little bit!" frowning, her dad turns to her, facing her with a scowl on his face.
"W-what do you mean, dad?"
"As you already know, this fox here is the ruler of our country and the one organizing the stuff about the 12 families."
"Where is this going, dad?" Mayumi asks. She's getting scared as the minutes pass, and she swears she saw Tennou smirk.
"The Miya kid choose you as his bride. I'm sorry, Mayumi! But in cases like this. I don't have the power to do anything."
By this, Mayumi saw the sadness in her father's eyes. The sorrow she can see in her father right now won't disappear unless she acquires her freedom back.