Chapter seven: Bizarre feelings...

Kaithenn picked the keys of his automobile from the dining table, "If you are ready, I will drop you off in the town square," he announced after returning to his composed and stern self.

"Yes! I mean now… I am ready now," Yuki snapped out of her trance.

"Let's go then. Your belongings are already in my automobile." Kaithenn headed out of the dining room, his gait, dignified and imposing. Yuki rushed after him.

At the main entrance of the mansion, the woman who helped Yuki dress up before, approached the two with a black cloak in hand. "What you asked for, master," she said and handed the cloak to Kaithenn.

When he received the cloth, Kaithenn stepped closer to Yuki, his eyes locked on hers, and gently wrapped the cloak around her, the fabric draping gracefully across Yuki's shoulders. Kaithenn's hands lingered for a moment, adjusting the fit, his fingertips brushing against Yuki's bare-shoulder with an unintentional tender touch.

"This garment shall provide adequate concealment, I daresay," Kaithenn stated as he eyed the girl.

 Yuki's face turned pink under the man's intense gaze. She managed a nod, attesting to Kaithenn's statement while her dainty frame bashfully retreated into the cloak.

…

Yuki had Kaithenn drop her off at a place with very few people. She then thanked him for the ride and bid him farewell.

She wandered around for a while in an attempt to displace anyone who could have been tailing her.

After wandering for some time, Yuki hurried towards her shop. Her heart beating swiftly as she marched on.

Before long, Yuki found herself on the streets where her shop was. Her heart was pounding for several reasons and none at all.

When she arrived at the shop, it was not opened. Her heart skipped three beats. She went to the shop and twisted its knob, it was unlocked. Yuki rushed inside.

"Jacek!" she exclaimed immediately she entered the shop with a heavy and dark countenance.

"Yuki?"

Yuki squinted, trying to make out the speaker who was seated in the dark corner of the shop. Her eyes slowly made out the hunched frame of a familiar figure. The messy curls of his hair stood out even in the dark. The speaker, Yuki did not doubt, was Jacek.

"Jacek," Yuki called softly, her countenance and heart calmed.

Jacek's eyes gradually widened when they fell on the person that stood at the entrance of the shop. His down casted face morphed into a relieved one. Jacek stood up and took a step forward.

"Yuki…" Jacek's voice cracked with emotions as he called out his sister's name. Then, he rushed to her side, sweeping her into a tight embrace.

Audible heart beats penetrated Yuki's ears as she laid her head on Jacek's chest. Her nose twitched from the strong sweaty scent from Jacek's shirt, yet, she did not shy away from his embrace. Instead, Yuki shut her eyes and wrapped her arms around Jacek's lean waist, a small smile playing on her petite lips.

"You are not hurt, are you?" Jacek finally broke the silence after pulling away from his sister.

Yuki did not respond immediately, instead, she went to open the windows of the shop as it was too dark.

"I am not hurt," she announced while pushing apart the last window to open it.

When she turned to look at Jacek again, Yuki was alarmed. Her brother's appearance was terrible. His curly ginger hair was a tangled mess, sprouting from his head in every direction like a fiery halo. His locks were knotted and unruly, as if they had been ravaged by a storm.

His face appeared drained while the visible dark circles under his eyes depicted his sleepless state.

Jacek's shirt was untucked, and his pants were sagging, giving him a perpetually disheveled look. Yuki finally understood why he smelt like sweat despite how proper he usually kept himself.

Yuki's gaze softened before she sat down on the floor. With subtle movements, Yuki lifted her hand and beckoned Jacek to join her which he did without hesitation. She gently took his head, placing it on her laps with great care.

"Mother?" Yuki asked while stroking Jacek's head with tender motion, her gaze soft and loving as she stared down at him.

"I told her you were sleeping over at your godfather's," Jacek responded.

Yuki let out a loud sigh of relief.

"Tell me everything. Do not leave anything out, did you hear me?"

"Yes. But I will only do so after you have rested up. Please," Yuki pleaded. Jacek looked at her quietly then shut his eyes to take a nap.

…

"Are you sure he did not touch you?" Jacek asked with a grim look.

 Nothing could express the fear that gripped him when he heard that the masked raven had left the casino in the arms of some unknown man. But that fear did not even come close to the horror of actually confirming that fact.

He did not know what to do; he panicked. It was as if his very soul was snatched from his body. When he did not receive any news of the masked raven visiting any of the brothels and hotels he had gone to search for her at, Jacek gathered courage to go home and find an excuse to give their mother.

Then, when he was sure his mother was asleep, he left the house again to continue a search that bore him no result up until that morning when he decided to go back to the shop for a fifth time to check if Yuki was there.

"He did not touch me," Yuki lied on the basis of several contemplations. "He left me in a cold bath which helped me sober up."

Jacek sighed in relief. I guess he is as refined as he appears. I will treat him with more respect when he comes by," Jacek's mood reverted back to normal.

"There is just something about him that does not sit well with me," Yuki thought out loud.

"I am not following," Jacek voiced his uncertainty.

"He looks at me weirdly."

"A look of love?"

"Definitely not. It isn't love. It is just, just…intense. It is as if all my facades crumble before his gaze," Yuki found it difficult to word her thoughts.

"Do you think he knows something?" Jacek frowned.

"I am not sure, though, to me, it felt as if he knew everything. He did not seem curious about me and my looks did not seem to have any effects on him."

"Are you telling me you almost had me panic because your crush did not seem as attracted to you as you expected?" Jacek scoffed and rolled his eyes when he realized he almost gave mind to something trivial.

"It isn't like that. And he is not my crush!" Yuki said, annoyance evident in her tone.

"Well, that is what that looks to me. Men have always thrown themselves to you without even seeing your face. It is only fair that you would get anxious when another who sees you in all your glory isn't interested in you. I understand," Jacek said as he brushed his hand through his hair roughly.

"I said it isn't like that… who cares if he isn't attracted to me. And who said I was looking my best, I was definitely not my best," Yuki pouted with wounded pride.

"But you look your best now. If he was really interested, I say your appearance now could have done the trick," Jacek continued to rouse his sister.

Yuki glared at Jacek without responding. Instead, she stood from beside him and went over to the space where she brewed tea to make herself a cup.

While making her tea, Yuki's eyes landed on the gyokuro tea she served Kaithenn whenever he came by the shop; the tea reminded her of him.

Was the strange feeling she felt in Kaithenn's presence as shallow as Jacek described it? No. It was different. Yuki knew it was different.

Kaithenn evoked bizarre feelings inside her, and she knew those feelings were all but shallow.