Ch 37. Mistaken Literature

Rosanna's P. O. V:

Staring at me incredulously, Kairos looked like he was withholding a laugh. Lips twitching crazily and the uneven breaths he released. He was amused, alright. But probably dying of weirdness internally.

"Don't ever do that." He stated, ignoring my hands which I pathetically brought down.

"...Won't." I whispered, biting my bottom lips hardly as I came to terms that my awesomeness has failed me. Or I failed it.

Kairos got on the bed and I turned around to stare at him silently.

What do we do now? I miss my phone. I would like to read a lot of novels right now. Especially chinese novels.

...I can use Kairos' phone.

"Where's your phone?" I asked, watching him get settled on the bed, burrowing his head on the soft pillows while his legs tipped off the edge of the bed.

He was how tall exactly? 6'3-5, I assume.

"Why?" Kairos questioned, peering at me with a curious look.

"I want to read online novels."

Should I pout? Can I do that? Will it work? No, nope for both.

"Not with me." He said, taking his eyes off me.

I pouted inadvertently for a split second and then I steadied my expression. It was saddening, really. I have faced countless life and death situations but a simple boredom would end me?

How infuriating!

I've slept enough today and I'm brimming with energy. What can I do? There doesn't seem to be a book or pen in this room. I'd at least be able to write till I was drowsy. But nay, the universe hates me!

"The reports came in while you were asleep. The good news- probably, is that Natalie is not your assailant. But the bad news is you have an unknown enemy."

That... I find that difficult to believe. Natalie is not behind this? And I've got some unknown antagonist who wants my death? Why? In what way have I angered such an entity?

Kairos continued speaking. "An investigation was conducted and the end result is finding a woman with black hair and brown eyes, manipulating the Intelligence System to identify you as a threat. Currently, my people are trying to undercover the identity of the woman and how she got access into the Institution's central system.

It is possible for her to be sent by Natalie but Natalie is not a person who does sloppy works. There would be no evidence or face to trace. So I do not think Natalie is responsible. However, there's still a possibility that she might have become stupid with jealousy and have done something foolish."

"Well, that's some analysis." I said.  "The... Woman who manipulated the Central System, may I see her face?" Oddly I felt I might have better clues if I see the newest antagonist on my list.

"Tomorrow." Kairos promised.

"Kay." I replied. Then we descended into silence.

"Come here," Kairos told me, tugging at my hand gently. I obliged at a snail's pace, face boiling at high degrees as the white haired male lead me into his embrace.

I had my face squashed on his chest, my butt in the air and one arm wrapped awkwardly around his lean waist. And boy did I desire the safe haven of deep within the earth.

Kairos sighed before saying, "Never cuddled with a man before?"

I was tempted to bite his chest in response. Slightly annoyed that my awkwardness was like a blinding beam of light at midnight. But I kept the urge at bay and responded stiffly.

"No."

But I couldn't disappoint my years of reading romantic novels for something as simple as this. But the reality is cuddling required the right mental state for me. Not when I'm a bundle of awkward energy.

Still, I laid by his sides and while my face rested on his solid chest, an arm wrapped around Kairos- loosely, I boldly placed a leg atop his.

Kairos responded by grabbing my waist and pushing our bodies tighter than I thought necessary. But admittedly was more comfortable for me. And his other hand daringly rested on my thigh, instantly making me regret my earlier act.

I regretted not because it was painful or uncomfortable, but because it was pleasurable enough to make me too restless to sleep peacefully. And somehow I wanted his hand to go higher and touch other places.

"Tell me about yourself." I heard Kairos say while I listened to his strong, calming heartbeats.

'He asked this earlier...' and I didn't answer.

"Any specific thing you'd like to know?" I asked, glancing up at him while I shifted and my exposed private part grinded on his leg. 

I was doing nothing intentionally but ensuring my body would be in complete comfort, not waking up with a back or leg pain. The position we were in could cause that if I let my tension make me stiff.

So I relaxed totally and clung to his body like a koala, free of worry.

"Tell me about your life before you came to this world, the revelation written by Miroko Umi and the things you like and dislike." Kairos said.

I took my time in organizing my words before replying.

"I live- or lived, in a family of six including me. My mother was a spitfire, a softie and a tiger all at the same time. Her personality contrasted greatly to mine which made us clash a bit too often to consider it a healthy relationship. The only semblance I have of her is her soft heart. And trust me, I don't know if I took the worst or best trait."

The words came out like an open dam.

I breathed. "My father was not always in the family picture-- he was a distant reclusive fellow who seemed to have several walls surrounding his heart. If you attempted to climb those walls, you'd probably ascend to heaven along the way. But he was the greatest in the eyes of the public. My relationship with him was- I'm sorry, is this what you wanted to hear?"

A soothing hand patted my curls of a forest, and Kairos' voice eased whatever tension I had in my heart.

"Unless you feel tired, go on. The night is long and the sound of your voice isn't exactly irritating. Pleasant, even. And your story is... Interesting."

My lips were hooked in a small smile and I trailed circles at the corner of his waist.

"Well, then. As I was saying... My relationship with my Dad wasn't the best or worst. It was neutral but I kind of hoped it would go beyond surface level as he is my biological family. But I can boldly say I was treated better than the boys-- my elder brothers, I mean."

"Ah, here comes the first. His name is..."

I talked for a long a*s time. Like a parrot with exceeding vocal energy. This was me spending the accumulated energy of my earlier rest.

"My favorite colors are Black, White, Red, Green, Blue, Purple, Peach. Well I'd love to add gold and pink to that list but anymore and I think you'd just tell me I don't have a favorite. Like every other person I've told. But the truth is, I extra love them all! Except yellow, ew. And I'm pretty specific about the kind of blue, green, purple and red I like. For example, emerald green, royal blue, dark purple and hot red."

Like usual, Kairos commented. "Your choices are... Intriguing."

"Are you lying to me?" That voice was too bland to seem the least bit interested.

"A lie would be saying I'm absolutely intrigued by half the sh*t you sprout."

I gasped. I sat up on the bed and glared at Kairos. With a dramatic harrumph, I lied back down on the bed and turned around to face anywhere else but him. Him and his revolting honesty. How abominable!

It was fun being dramatic and hearing Kairos' pained sigh. Odd joy filled the depths of my soul. The urge to cause more pain to him excited me. And worried me. Somehow, I didn't want him to feel tired of me.

Kairos draped his hand around my waist and pulled me close to his body. I shivered from our contact. I might be getting addicted to this touch.

"As fearful as I am to listen to you talk, please continue."

And I did as he said. Going over my likes to my dislikes. From my love of chocolates to my eternal dislike of mean people.

Kairos' presence, his embrace and the lovely room temperature made me pour out my heart freely. Anything and everything, I told him. Even the unusual things like my period cramps. I don't even know how I got there but I did, and then I told him about my accumulated years of sorrow during those three days.

It is one of the most greatest feelings to speak your heart out in the presence of another, without care of judgement and have an attentive listening soul whose remarks are inoffensively sarcastic with a mindset of infuriating humor.

There was something serene I felt while Kairos held me. It was like an unidentified storm was located and stilled. My heart was rejoicing as though lying in his arms was one of the reasons for my existence.

"Do you know why I did that?" I asked, recounting a tale of when I did something stupid. Like adding sugar to a classified something.

"Oh no, why? I'm very interested in hearing about your teenage adventures of the use of brain and discovering common sense."

"Exactly, so-"

I'm immune to his comments at this point. So I chattered freely.

But it got to a point where I stopped, when I had nothing more to say. And then I remembered Kairos asked me about the revelations of Miroko Umi.

"Oh, Kairos?"

"Yes?"

"About the um... Revelations of Miroko Umi. I think you mean the story I read back in my world?"

"Yes." He said, confirming my assumptions.

"Oh, okay. I don't really know where to start but I have an idea. Say, why don't you talk about yourself and if there's anything different from what I've read, I'll point it out. There shouldn't be anything new you don't know but if there is, I won't hesitate to tell."

"Is this an attempt to get me to talk about myself?" Kairos asked, busting my scheme in a few seconds.

Somewhere along the earlier long conversation, which we-- or I specifically, spent talking about myself, Kairos and I had reverted our cuddling posture to the first position. My face on his chest, body leaning partially on his and his arms holding me still.

I clicked my tongue before responding gruffly, pinching his waist as punishment for being smart. How utterly disgusting.

"We're not the best of friends but I've told you my secrets. Now I need to know yours so we remain in peace forever."

His hand moved dangerously to wrap around my lower back, Kairos' other hand moving further up my thighs and I almost melted.

(A/N: Guys idek if this is possible in this position. I think it is. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

The little sparks were threatening to ignite my soul but I resisted.

"Very well, let's get you informed about my 'secrets'." Kairos said.

Oh man, he was really okay telling me? Score! He's getting less defensive with me.

"Kairos Berry Athanasius. Sixteenth prince of the Imperial Family. Sixteenth in succession to the throne of the twenty one eligible heirs. Bastard son of the King with a whore of a mother."

"Ms. Elisabeth isn't a whore." I interjected hastily, somewhat pissed at how he casually introduced his mother.

"She was before she met my father. But the name still stands till date, doesn't it?" His words dripped with nonchalance.

"If you can find anyone who'll say it openly, sure. But you-- as her child," I poked his chest. "-Cannot disrespect her for what she did to have you live. Even if it was not a good choice."

"I would not be disrespectful if she stayed true to a mother who does everything for her child."

"What are you-" My words were cut off by Kairos' next words.

"She's become something else, Rosa. And before you say she has to live her life-- your family is always apart of your life. F*cking multiple men to drown her sorrows in disguise of living as she pleases, all to hide a broken heart. If my mother cared about me as she did before, she'd see pass her self-pity and indulgence, and stop giving the world a reason to hate.

The battle for the throne is not a playground. There is only one victor and the others in loving memory. If she wants to live at all, if she so desires a future where I'd have peace, then my mother would pull her sh*t together and help me rather than make the road more difficult."

I didn't know what to say. And it's what happens when you judge wrong and accept reality as otherwise.

What is Kairos actually saying?

My voice cracked a bit. "The Elisabeth I read of was a woman who was despised for her past. Not present. With a son who could care less."

"And the reality is her past is her present. With a son who couldn't afford to care more than he's tried."

In the book, everytime Kairos was in his mother's presence, the air would be stringent and contempt seemed to be lathered around his every word. While his mother's voice held pain.

I considered him an inconsiderate person who couldn't move passed the past of what his mother did for herself and him. But the truth is, the Author failed to portray certain indepth realities.

I'm so confused. In what manner was the book written? Perhaps as a prophecy which foretold the actions of the individuals and not the reason behind them.

I thought it was the Writer's way of not always directly stating what was happening or what happened, but explicitly hinted for the readers to use their brains. But if it isn't a work of fiction... It means my interpretation of what was written could be mere guesses from lack of detailed information.

The f*ck?

"Sorry," I said, placing my hand on his chest. "Each individual's coping mechanism varies and it's not always a good act to keep themselves from completely falling apart. I cannot suggest your efforts to help your mom will be fruitful when you've not dealt with your own problems. But I do know it would work well if both of you didn't give up on each other and rather, provided strong emotional support.

Kairos, I don't know your pain nor can I wear your shoes- they're oversized." I giggled. "But I can look logically from a third person's view and see beyond your emotions. What exactly have you done to help your mother? When did you try? Do you think there's a different way to do this? I might not have told you- but I'm a friggin amazing uncertified therapist. Let me help. That's my favorite sentence."

I stopped for a bit before continuing. "I also understand if it's not in my place to request that or be judgemental to your affairs. But I firmly believe in adding my positivity. Even when not required..."

I received silence in response to my words but soon, Kairos' hold tightened and I heard him speak.

"Let's continue this whole conversation tomorrow, okay?"

My fighting- helping- justice complex spirit was roused but I knew it wouldn't take a few seconds talk to get myself that deeply involved with Kairos. Or will it?

Anyways, I agreed. "Okay. Promise? I'm nosey and I know it."

"Promise." Kairos weaved his fingers in my hair, something I've come to notice he might like doing.

"G'night, Admiral. A quick reminder that your complicated royal identity is not all you're made of."

"Night." Maybe I felt him smile. Or it was my desire to see him do so.

Seems like my illogical empathy followed me to this world.