15 It's Love

Aoi in fact doesn't kill me. I still wary though. He might be looking for an opening. He might strike when I let my guard down and not ready for him. I won't get fooled. I'm a second commanders of Whitebeard's pirate, I don't get fooled easily. It's already been a week but he hasn't do anything yet. I'm concerned. I hope his silence means that Kii is able to convince him and not him plotting to kill me.

"Honestly, Aoi-nii isn't plotting to kill you Ace-kun"

Kii said one night when I stayed in her room. I was telling her about past me childhood. She rolled her eyes at me when I keep looking at the door, expecting Aoi to burst through it.

"Even Aoi-nii wouldn't want to witness his sister in an indecent position, Ace-kun. Especially when he knew her fiance will be there" she said then.

After that we've been spending night together more often. Sometime we just talk all night. Sometime we will just cuddle or play game together. Anything we do is always fun. Is this what love is?

Kii is bolder now. When we are alone she will sometime stare at me with a smile. It makes me flustered at first. How can I not? The woman I love is looking at me with a cute smile. My dark side always telling me that she was seducing me when she did that. She tells me that she loves me more often too. But sometime she will apologize without reason. For me it is without reason but for her it's because sometime she thinks about past me when she is looking at me, she said. She seems bothered so much about it, maybe I should tell her that we were the same person? That boy and me. Come to think about it, it maybe also the reason why Aoi and even Midori sometime looking at me pitifully. She must have told them that she likes me, Er, the me before.

Midori confessed to her that she was bullying the pink thing because she was jealous that Akai is in love with that pink thing. We found her crying under one of the classroom windows one day, she look so devastated and brokenhearted. Inside the room was Akai and pink thing. They were kissing. Even though Midori was never thinking of Kii as a sister, for Kii Midori is always her beautiful Nee-sama. Kii didn't say anything, she just sat herself beside Midori and stay. I had no choice but stand there waiting with them. It was disgusting. I thought that pink thing is already have a fiance. Noah from the Zoland house if I was right. The man introduce her to Nii-Sama and I at one occasion. He was a candidates for our aides that's why he had privilege to introduce someone to us. Yet, she did that with Akai? I knew she had no shame but Akai comes from a distinguished family. We nobles know our manners yet they fucked in a fucking empty classroom? I was a pirate but I don't think I was that disgusting. She already had a man for one. And anyone might overheard them (like us) if they did it in a place like this. If it was someone else and not us, they would have been in bad situation. Their families would have lost face. It feels like eternity until they left. Midori was covering her mouth tightly, tears flowing on her cheeks. Her dignified appearance ruffles. Kii is sitting beside her, hands covering her ears, eyes closed as tightly. I leaned my body to the wall. No need to describe my expression, I knew I have a disgusting expression on me. We stayed like that for hours until Midori threw herself at Kii and bawled. In the end Midori spent that night curled in Kii's bed after she confessed everything. Her love for Akai that drove her to bully that pink thing. How she was always scared that Kii would take her place in the family. How she love to show Kii that she was more loved by the family just to reassure herself that it was okay for her to stay, that they still love her even after they had a biological daughter. She just didn't want to be discarded, to be alone, she said. Kii didn't interupe her and didn't comfort her either. She just tighten her hug on Midori and said that "Nee-sama is Nee-sama and will always be Nee-sama". Midori broke down after that. She cried herself to sleep.

I can understand Midori's feeling. To be scared of being thrown out, to be alone. But doesn't mean I agree with her way to do things. I definitely can't forgive what she has caused Kii because of her own insecure. It's not Kii's fault to be born as the Wallace's daughter, as her little sister. Kii looked at her sadly. I don't like it when a sad expression appear in her face. It made my heart cracks. Kii lets Midori took her bed. She hugged me very tight as we curled on her sofa that night.

"if I was Nee-sama and the one inside there was Ace-kun, I would die" she told me.

"that would never happen" I told her back.

"I know. But I love Ace-kun. Just thinking about Ace-kun loving someone else is already make me anxious and suffocated. I wouldn't able to accept the idea about losing Ace-kun" she confessed

"Kii, you're my life. I'll probably died first before I even thinking to have someone else in my life beside you"

"I know that" she pressed frustratingly "I knew it's hurt if the love of your love share their love with other, yet I... " she trailed, eyes glancing at past me painting.

I kissed her there. She wouldn't believe me yet if I told her then that we were the same person. I plan to finished telling the boy, past me story to her before I told her everything. So she would understand. So I told her that loving the boy in the painting is the same as loving me because when she looks at that boy, it was me that she was thinking about anyway. Just with a different faces. The looks on her eyes that time made want to push her down and did her right there right then had Midori wasn't in the room with us.

My feelings for Kii is definitely called Love. So does her feelings for me. Midori feelings for Akai can be called love. So does Aoi's feeling for Kii, it's just a different kind of love. Akai's feeling for that thing maybe also called love. That thing feelings tho, it can't be called love, can it?

Midori stopped her bullying act after that and choose to follow Kii around on her free time. Not long after that Aoi joined them. It's small things but at least Kii is finally able to get to know her big sister.

That pink thing returned my jacket one day. She gave it to me when there were a lot of people presents. It caused an uproar. Rumours starting to spread that I was having an affair with her. The hell this people thinking? Even my sweet Kii is annoyed by the rumours. I burned the jacket then. It was filthy anyway I wouldn't want to wear that ever again. Lexy was shaking his head when he witnessed me burning it while cursing at that pink girl.

Of course I've told Kii why that thing have my jacket. Still, I was really worry that she decided that I was not worthy to love anymore and leave me. I might destroy a country or two if that happens.

Aoi looks eternally amused. His eyes sting me so much. His glare is already been adopted by Midori. Kii though...

To my relief she did not leave me but become more affectionate. When pink thing trying to talk to me she would just comes and hug me from behind, or sat on my lap, or just press her body into me.

The most memorable one was when we were attending Rhuifen's birthday party. There was small get together only for his close friends. We were invited so was that pink thing and her friends. Two obnoxious lady whom had the same poor manners as her. She suggested that we had a picnic under the stars and ask questions about each other to get along well. I don't want to get along well with a being like her, but I was outvoted so there we were sitting in circles on the ground.

Her friends were pushing her to sit beside me, she was pretending to be shy and awkward. I bet she was waiting for me to invite her to sit beside me. Hah! Keep dreaming pinky!

Then Kii was snuggling herself to me. Hands hugging my shoulder from behind and put her head on my collarbone. Her lips brushing into my skin. I shivered.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Never better" I said breathlessly to her. My hand reaching to caress her hair.

I noticed pink thing narrowed her eyes at Kii in the corner of my eyes. I saw Nii-Sama trying to hide his laugh. He knew I'm weak at Kii's touch yet he was laughing at me? Traitor. Rhuifen was blinking his eyes rapidly. Aoi plant himself beside me and stared. Have I told you that his stares were sting?

Kii sat on my other side with Midori next to her. Pink thing took a seat beside Midori followed by her fiance beside her then her friends. Beside them were Rhuifen's two escorts which name I forgot with Rhuifen himself sat between them, then Akai and finally Nii-Sama beside Aoi.

"okay. Who is going to ask the first question?" pink thing said clapping her hands cheerfully.

"me, me, me" her friend chorus.

"how about we honor the birthday boy first?" Akai said playfully nodded to Rhuifen.

"hmm, Angela-chan. Between us who is your favorite?" he asked pink thing that but his eyes were on Kii. I need to put my guard on him too.

"Kyaaaa" pink thing said covering her face, body shaking right and left. "Rhuifen-sama is mean. I couldn't decide. I love you all equally" she answered.

Please don't include me in those "all" part I want to said. I opened my mouth but was interuped by her friends.

"Now, Angela-chan. Please ask questions!" she cheers.

"ah, who should I ask? um, um, Arzen-sama if you don't mind. What is Arzen-sama favorite things to do in private?" she said with a blushing face.

"it's private" I said coldly

"ah, Arzen-sama. We agreed to answer questions about each other. Answer like that is unacceptable" she replied poutingly

And when did I agree to that? Aoi were pinching my side in warning to not make scenes so I had no choice but answer her.

"holding Kii, hugging Kii, kissing Kii if she was with me or thinking about how Kii was in..." I said monotonously before Aoi put his hand to cover my mouth.

"yeah, it's better stay private" he said.

"Ace-kun" Kii groaned. Midori was patting her shoulder, eyes narrowed at me.

Pink thing was opening and closing her mouth like a fish. It made her look uglier.

"ask questions then" Aoi said letting his hand go.

"Aoi-chan, what kind of girl do you like?" I said again in monotone voice

"who is this Aoi-chan? You know, literally I'm your older brother... Your highness" Aoi complained adding 'your highness' as an afterthought. He usually Just call me Arzen, or stupid prince, or any other insult. Jeez, Aoi must be really hate me back then, Huh?

"for your information, I like pure, beautiful and elegant ladies" he continued.

"like your sisters, Huh?" Nii-Sama commented

"yup. Now Arren Nii-Sama, have you found your ideal lady yet?" Aoi answered, beaming at Nii-Sama. They have become close in the past years and Aoi respected him a lot. I think he is even Aoi's idol now.

Nii-Sama answered with a kind smile. "I might be or might be not" he said. His eyes looking at pink thing. Uh oh, the danger alarm rang in my head.

Just like that we were take turn (forced in my case) to answer questions from each other. It was harmless until I saw the thing giving her friends secret look. As her friends giggling together, I knew they were scheming something bad.

I was right. Midori was asked about the person she likes. She stuttered an answer and look very down after that. Probably remembering that her loved one would never be hers. Pink thing looked at her with hidden smirk. I'm sure I was the only one who witnessed it. What can you say, I'm a pirate. Pirates are observant when they were in the middle of enemies' territory.

"Lady Kii, would you mind to answer my question next?" pink thing's friend Lady Vellum said to Kii. She was used to be a brave and dignified lady, spending time with pink thing changed her to become such a giggly girl. What a shame.

"How is Arzen-sama in bed?" she whispered at Kii's nod, in a not really a whisper voice, mind you, as we all still can hear it. Smile hidden behind her fan.

Aoi was choking on his tea while Nii-Sama patting his back. Rhuifen stared at Kii intently. Midori gave her a disapproving look.

I can see through her. She must be thinking that Kii would be too shy to answer or Kii was going to gave them negative answer. Kii is young, only fourteen years old, she might think that we haven't did it yet. Then, if that was Kii's answer she would have a way to manipulate it to fueled the previous rumours of me having an affair with pink thing. What I can't see is the reason of why they went that far just to create a baseless rumours about my relationship with Kii. We are a happy couple, thank you very much.

"Kyaaaa, Liebe-chan... so bold!. There is no way Arzen-sama would do such a thing. Arzen-sama is a respectful gentleman" pink thing said high-voiced. Her hands cradling her cheeks.

Hey! I'm a normal healthy grown up boy. What do you mean there is no way I would do such a thing? Are you insulting me? You don't think I'm capable of doing that? Rude!

Kii smiled awkwardly. Her face was deep scarlet. She glanced at me and then ducked her head. Cute! I smiled then. When she glanced at me again, I raised my brow. Go on, tell them I tried to convey. Kii's eyes found mine. She stared at me unfocusedly.

"a beast" she said softly.

"Excuse me" pink girl and friends said almost in unison.

"He devoured me like a beast" Kii said.

I smile boardly at her answer. Then as if she was just realizing what she said. Her eyes went wide. She turned to bury her face on Midori's shoulder. Midori instinctly patted her head.

"why did I said that?" she moaned.

"... No..." pink thing said.

"Kii..?" Akai's voice heard faintly.

"Arzen..." Nii-Sama sigh softly.

Hey! It's not my fault she was always looking adorable when we did that. I can't help myself, you know. It was as if I'm never get enough of her.

The other were speechless and turning their face awkwardly.

Rhuifen was holding his cup tightly.

Aoi was gripping my collars, shaking me back and forth.

"Don't look so smug, you idiot prince!" he said. Ah, there it was. His insult was back.

In the middle of those, I was still grinning.

Even after hearing that, pink thing still hasn't get the idea that I only interested in Kii. That I love Kii very very much and only need Kii in my life. Her friends will praise her in front of me more often about how good she is. Pink thing goes as far as showing part her body to me and start to talks with seductive voice. She also will turn up with her two buttons shirt unbuttoned that will show me her breasts when she tries to talk to me. She even hug her hands in front of her chest to make it look bigger. She is more endowed than Kii. But hey! Kii is still growing up! Beside her body doesn't arouse me at all. It has an opposite effect from what she intended. By doing that she disgusted me more.

She already had many men in her life. What does she want from me anyway? Maybe it is because I am a Crown Prince (in title only but she doesn't know that). Maybe her intentions is to be the queen?

I hope Ether will open Nii-Sama's eyes soon. I shudder at the thought of Nii-Sama marrying her and makes her became the Queen of this kingdom. Even if I plan to go off to be an adventurer with Kii right after Nii-Sama's coronation as a King, this kingdom is still my home. I don't want it to have such a Queen.

I lay my head on Kii's lap. I told her that I'm worry about Nii-Sama.

"let's find a fine lady for him then" Kii tells me.

Aoi who was sprawling on my bed snorts.

"Aoi-san" Midori said in reprimand.

"sorry Nee-sama" he said clearly still amused.

"it's not a bad idea. Prince Arren is too kind. He is in danger if he keep meddling with that kind of lady" Lexy agrees.

"hmm, let's try" I said.

So thus, we tried to observe every respectful ladies in the Academy. We found no one. Most of them will just want power. Or will just lust over Nii-Sama. Like pink girl. It was lucky really that Nii-Sama is busy with council's work and classes, he is a future king (though it is still secret) he work harder than us that he hasn't spend alone time with pink thing (according to Lexy's report). Yeah, I asked Lexy to stalks Nii-Sama and immediately interfere if pink thing start to advance towards Nii-Sama. What? I'm worry.

Before Nii-Sama get suspicios we decided to stop looking and just get one of us to stick to Nii-Sama as often as possible when he has free time.

We don't have much hope about that but fate said otherwise. I never believed in fate. Fate or destiny, is things for you to choose it yourself. That is what I always think. Still think until now. But for Nii-Sama and her, it must be fate. I'm glad to say that we've found suitable person. We were looking too far outside last time, we didn't realize that there is a suitable lady among us.

It's Midori.

She is perfect. Well, if it was few months ago. She will be a no no no. Reason? She is terrible at Kii. Now though, she has improved a lot and have turn into a new leaf. Everyone know that Midori is Wallace's adopted daughter and doesn't have any relation to Kii, so it won't be a problem for her becoming Nii-Sama's bride even when Kii is mine.

We didn't play matchmaker. We didn't interfere on them or push them together. We just watch it happen. It took time. With Midori still healing from her broken heart that caused by Akai and Nii-Sama who was still in love with pink thing. But when it happened, I proud to say that it becomes a beautiful relationship.

It's Love that found them.