Chapter 15: Friends or Lovers? (18+)

*Uneri*

I stared at the number of the room I had received. This room. It was the same one from when Kisara and I last went on vacation...

***

[A Year Ago]

I sighed as we drove into town.

"What's with the sigh, Lt. Uneri? Shouldn't you be a little joyous? We're on vacation here," Kisara said, snickering as she drove the car.

I continued looking at the town. There were a lot of sounds, colors, and scents that reminded me of back home. The climate was similar too. It was bittersweet.

"Say, when was the last time you returned to Raiyama, Uneri?" she asked.

I leaned on my seat. "I have not returned there since I was a private. When my mother summoned me after father got sick."

"No wonder your mother keeps asking about how you're doing."

I sat up. "Mother's been in contact with you?"

She sighed. "How else will she find out how you're doing if you won't answer her letters?"

I stared out the window. So, she already knew...

"Why did you do it? Why cut ties with your family?" Kisara asked.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. If I didn't cut off all contact, the pressure to succeed my father as the next Grand Duke of Raiyama would've continued. My older brother was next in line. I couldn't just take his birthright, even if he was lacking. If brother needed me, I could be an advisor. But it was up to him to ask. Offering would just come off as offensive.

"Why don't you go see your family?" Kisara asked again.

I rubbed the back of my neck. What was I supposed to say? That I didn't wish to be an usurper? Or that I feared getting killed by my brother's supporters who saw me as a threat? That by leaving and enlisting in Kuroriku's marines, I was striving to one day establish a legacy of my own making? That last one, I could and would share, but then I'd have to explain the rest.

Kisara snorted. "Fine, don't answer me. I don't know why I even asked. Here I was, thinking we were close, but it seems I was mistaken."

I turned toward her. Her gaze was focused on the road, but sad. I'd known her since we were kids. In truth, she probably suspected the answer. But having me confirm it wasn't going to change anything.

She parked the car on the side of the road and smiled at me. "Well, enough chatter. Let's enjoy the vacation! Next week, I become your boss again!"

I smiled slightly. It had felt a bit odd to be the same rank as her. And the strange thing was, I didn't mind being below her either. Maybe I was a natural follower, opposed to a leader. Or maybe, I was just a bit masochistic.

Kisara closed the door of the car. "Well, what we waiting for?"

I nodded and followed her into the bazaar. The first stall I came across had multiple peppers. Mother had a thing for the really spicy ones. Brother and I preferred the mild serrano the best.

"Have a thing for peppers, Une?" Kisara asked, crossing her arms.

I smiled. "More like nostalgia."

"Right, your mother loved cooking with them." She giggled. "My tongue felt like it was on fire when I tasted her spicy curry back when we were kids."

I chuckled. "I remembered that. She would also offer you fried bell peppers stuffed with cheese and coated in egg."

"Those I loved." She patted her stomach. "Great. Now I'm feeling hungry just thinking about it."

I could feel warmth in my cheeks. "I can make you some, if you want."

She tilted her head. "You're a good cook?"

I nodded. "Had to learn. Remember those cookies at the new year party? I made those."

Her brown eyes widened. "I had no idea."

I chuckled. "There's a lot about me you don't know, Kisara."

She blushed. "Well, there's a lot about me that you don't know too."

"Like what?"

My childhood friend hummed. "Like. Hmm. Well, for starters, I can play the piano."

I laughed. "Well, that's not a surprise. You're very talented at many things."

She smiled as her cheeks turned red. "You flatter me, Uneri."

I felt my face heat up. "So, shall we go check out the other stalls? Maybe we'll find something else you might like."

Kisara nodded. "Yes, let's."

We headed further into the market, checking out a few stands. Most of the items here were food related. Which made sense, given that Taahid was a desert nation.

After a bit, I spotted a small store with a few dresses in the window.

"Need to buy a lady a gift?" Kisara asked.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"Well, you keep glancing at that shop.

I sighed. "Well, I was wondering what you would look like in one. Not saying you don't look good now, but-" I rubbed the back of my head. Was I really about to confess to my future superior? And in public too?

"Well, how about I try one on?" she said, heading to the store.

"You don't have to," I said, running after her.

She spun around and snickered. "You're so cute, Uneri!"

"Eh?"

Kisara grinned. "It's because you're such a stickler for rules that I find you endearing."

I sighed. "What's that got to do with anything?"

She laughed. "It's not just that. You're also so serious all the time. It's nice to see you loosen up a little."

I sighed. She always had a way of making me feel a little silly. Although, that's what drew me close to her. I could let my guard down a little.

"And I'm happy you're finally taking a vacation," she said.

"Well, you didn't give me much of a choice, now did you?"

She patted my back. "Hey, you're not the only one working hard!"

I chuckled as I looked at an orange dress. "True."

"Want me to try that one on?"

I shook my head. "No. I was just looking around."

Kisara laughed and she picked it up. "You sure?"

Was she teasing me? Or just testing me? "If you want."

"Well, I'm going to try it on."

I smiled as she went into the dressing room. "Alright."

While Kisara was trying on the dress, I checked out the other outfits. They had suits as well. Such as for work or tuxedos for parties, including some for weddings. I sighed. The bad thing about Kisara becoming my boss again was that I couldn't ask her out. It would've been improper to do so as her subordinate.

"You okay, Uneri?" Kisara asked from behind me.

"Yeah." I spun around. My face warmed up. She looked beautiful. The dress matched her eyes well. But she looked even better in her uniform. "It looks good on you."

She smirked. "Think so?"

I nodded.

"Then I'll buy it!" She eyed the suits. "Want to buy something for yourself?"

I shook my head. "Was just browsing to pass the time a little. You sure came back quick."

"Of course! Every second counts! I'm gonna go pay for it!"

Huh? But she hadn't taken it off. Did she plan to wear it for the rest of the trip?

I walked outside and stared at the clear sky. This was my chance to make memories with her. And I was spending it doing mundane things like looking at peppers and browsing clothing stores.

A smile crossed my face. Well, just being by her side was enough.

Hmm. If I'd stayed back home, would my parents had agreed to me going out with a low rank noble?

"Something up, Uneri?" Kisara asked as she left the shop.

I smiled at her. "Nothing. Just thinking about the past."

She rubbed the back of her head. "It's something negative, isn't it? Your face looked a bit sad there."

I sighed. "Is it that obvious?"

She laughed. "Hey, what are childhood friends for?"

I smiled slightly. "Well, shall we continue exploring the town?"

She nodded.

"Wait," I said, closing the gap between us.

Her face reddened. "W-what is it?"

I grabbed the price tag and removed it. "You forgot to have this cut."

Her eyes looked disappointed. "Oh, right. Thanks."

I snickered. "What, did you want me to hold your hand?"

"Well, maybe," she said, fidgeting.

I gulped. Was she being serious? I glanced around. No one else was on the street. And it wasn't like I was going to get in trouble for holding the hand of someone still the same rank as me in a foreign country.

I took her hand and pressed my arm against hers.

Kisara gasped. "U-Uneri, what are you doing?"

I smirked. "Isn't this what you wanted, Kisa?"

She smiled and leaned her head against my arm. "Well, if you insist, Une."

We walked like that for a bit.

"So, how about we go to the beach! I brought my swimsuit!" Kisara said.

I felt heated up again. "The beach? Now?"

She snickered. "Of course. When else?"

"Right now?"

She smiled and pointed toward the sun. "Sunset is in an hour. And the sunset is really pretty here."

I smiled. "Alright."

She giggled. "Good. Oh, and let's buy some snacks too!"

I chuckled. "Fine."

She snickered. "So, what do you want?"

"Whatever you're getting," I said, putting my free hand inside the pocket of my khaki pants.

"That's not very helpful, Uneri."

"Well, you'll pick something good."

"Oh, you trust my judgment that much?"

I smiled. "Of course. After all, you're my future superior."

She blushed. "I see. Then I'll have to live up to that!"

I laughed. "I'm sure you will."

We walked together to the lake at the edge of town. Being on the opposite side of it felt unusual.

"The beach is really pretty," she said, taking a deep breath.

"I agree," I said, gazing at her.

Kisara blushed and spun around. "I'll go change!"

It was probably best if I did too. I went to the stalls at the end of the beach and changed into a pair of blue swim trunks and a white shirt.

"Une, you look good," Kisara said as she joined me.

I blushed. She'd changed to a red bikini which revealed a lot of skin. "As do you, Kisa."

She turned away and rubbed her neck. "Well, I'm glad you like it."

I put my jacket over her shoulders. "Although, don't you think you're showing a little too much?" I whispered.

"Oh, right! This is a foreign country! It could be considered improper here!"

I smiled. "Exactly." Although, the actual reason was that I didn't want others ogling her.

She slipped her arms through the sleeves of the jacket. "Thanks!"

I chuckled. "You're welcome."

We went down the beach and played in the water. It was fun. A few times, I would splash her and she would return the favor.

After playing in the water, we changed back to our prior clothes. We then got ourselves some shaved ice.

"The sunset is really pretty, isn't it?" she said as she turned around to stare at the sky.

"It is," I said, staring at her.

She smiled as her brown eyes shined in the orange light. "We should get going."

***

I stared at the bed. Why had I agreed to stay in the same room as her? Maybe I hoped that she would see me as more than a co-worker and a childhood friend.

My face reddened as I realized what I had imagined.

I took a deep breath. We were adults here. Not teenagers.

"Why are you blushing, Une?" Kisara asked she snuck up behind me. She'd changed into a white gown. I could see her red bikini underneath. Had she not changed out of it? Or was that her underwear all of this time?

I turned away. "No reason."

She smirked as she rubbed my shoulders. "By the way, you didn't fool me back at the beach. You didn't wish for other men to see me like this, did you?"

I sat down on the bed and gulped. "M-maybe."

She smirked as she put her hands on my shoulders. I could smell her citrus scent as she leaned toward me. "You're a naughty boy, Une."

I glanced at her chest. Her bikini top was rather revealing.

Kisara giggled. "Oh, so that's what you like about me? Well, maybe I can give you a little something."

I shook my head. "N-no, it's not! I like you because of how strong willed you are!"

She let go of me and stepped back. "Oh?"

I took a deep breath and stared into her chocolate eyes. "You are always so determined. Whatever you set your mind on, you get it. When you have a goal, you won't stop until it's accomplished. Plus, you're kind."

She grinned as she got onto the bed next to me. "Is that so?"

I nodded. "You're very different from other girls I've met. Most of them only sought to marry into rich families, rather than chart their own course."

"Oh? And you don't think I'm the same? I mean, you are rich."

"True, but you didn't know that when we first became friends."

"Yeah, but I learned that not long after."

"When we were ten," I said, grinning slightly. "Plus, you didn't care about it. You just wanted to hang out with me. You even invited me over to your house."

She smiled. "Those were good times."

I patted her head. "Plus, you know that at the moment, I have no claim to my family's fortune. It all goes to my brother. The most I could claim would be whatever Mother left aside for me."

Kisara nodded. "Well, I wasn't aware of that until later, but yeah, you don't seem like the type of guy who would take it."

I smiled. "You always saw the best in me, Kisa."

She laughed. "Not really! I thought you were a bit of a wimp when we first met."

I snickered. "And yet you still befriended me."

She smiled. "You seemed so sad. Like you needed a friend."

I sighed. "Guess I did, huh?"

Kisara leaned against my shoulder. She wrapped her arms around my right arm and looked up at me. "That said, I don't just want to be friends anymore."

I blushed. "You don't?"

She shook her head. "No."

I gulped. "Well, then what do you want to be?"

She put a finger against my chest. "I know that a relationship between us will be difficult, but we can try to have one in secret."

I nodded. "True. Although, I doubt we'll be able to keep it a secret for long."

She giggled. "Maybe, but that's the fun of it. The challenge!"

I sighed. "You know I'm no good at those sort of things. I'm not you."

Her eyes drooped. "True." She stood up and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Then, how about one night?"

My eyes widened. "W-what are you saying?"

Kisara giggled as she pushed me into the bed. "You're good at playing innocent, but I know you imagined this." She stroked my chest, making my body tingle. "Your reaction when I asked if you were fine sharing an hotel room gave it away."

I sighed. "True, I did wish for a scenario like this, but I'm not ready."

She smirked. "Neither am I, but isn't that part of the fun?"

I felt warmth in my cheeks.

Kisara leaned forward and gave me a kiss. "So, how about it? Can I get a taste of you, Une?"

I smirked. "Even if I said no, you always find a way to get what you want, right?" I pulled her in for a kiss and spun her around until I was on top of her.

She laughed as I began to pull her dress off. "Someone's getting a little aggressive."

I laughed and reached for my belt. "Well, you aren't the only one who's wanted this for a long time."

Kisa smirked. "My, aren't you quite the tiger?"

I licked her neck and chuckled. "You haven't seen anything yet, dear."

***

[Present]

Just recalling that night was enough to make my face heat up. Kisara's teasing and taunting had brought to the surface a side of me that I didn't even think myself capable of having. And she adored it.

I entered the room and sighed. We really shouldn't have let it get that far. A few months after that, Kisara had to go on leave, claiming to be sick. In truth, I'd gotten her pregnant during our one-week vacation.

Kisara eventually revealed to the others that she had a son, but she wouldn't reveal the truth about his father. She kept that a secret from everyone but Major Kine, her older brother. And I was fine with that. The last thing I wanted was for her to lose her position because of me. She'd worked hard to get where she was and I couldn't take that away from her.

Although, hiding the baby's parentage gave rise to various rumors. Some suspected she had gotten knocked up by some upper noble. Others suspected a higher up in the marines. And a couple suspected of me. Although, many dismissed me as the father because of how rule-abiding I was. No one could see the straight-laced lieutenant having a passionate night with his superior. Well, nights.

My eyes widened as I saw a picture on the bed. It had Kisara holding our son when he was born. On the back was another picture. This one was of me holding a three-month Naoto's hand. He was so cute. Little Nao looked a lot like his mommy and uncle, but had gotten my blue eyes.

I slipped the photo into my wallet and took a deep breath. I couldn't let myself get distracted. If we didn't figure out where the raiders were hiding, then they would continue to attack and terrorize people. I had to make the world a better place for my family.