21 A Distant Cousin and Fiancé Candidate

Jeremy pulled up from the very familiar drive way of our villa. It has been a year at most since I have come back. And with Jeremy dropping me off, it feels like the good old days.

The car came into a top by our front door. I was about to open the passenger door to exit but Jeremy stopped me.

"Wait." Jeremy hurried outside and opened the door for me. "Welcome back princess." He made an all too familiar smile. It was his charming smile that I loved to look at. He reached his hand to help me out of the car.

But his action just now felt really odd for me. Everything has change since the day I broke our engagement off.

'Why is he doing this now?' I thought to myself.

Because I felt uncomfortable, I didn't take his outstretched arm and exited the car on my own.

"Thank you, but there is no need to help me out Jeremy. I can do it on my own." I said with a neutral smile.

'If in the past I was spoiled by you, the me right now is very much independent.' I thought.

"Is that so?" Jeremy had a sad smile on his face. My heart clenched with his expression but I cannot just pretend that nothing happened a year ago.

"Why are you doing this, Jeremy?" I confronted him. "Do you want me to pretend that nothing happened between us, that we can go back as being childhood friends?" I felt bitter inside. I cannot but help to feel that he was taking my feelings for granted.

"N-No… it's not that." Jeremy looked perplexed after what I said. "I didn't mean to anger you. I…I just want to get close to you like before."

"Well you have to work hard just to make that happened Jeremy." I said with a blunt face. "You don't expect me to just forgive you after what happened, right? And I don't have any intention on getting between you and Angelika's relationship. I would rather stay far away from the both of you."

'What the heck are you doing Ana?!' I scolded myself. 'Isn't one of your missions to get Jeremy back from the clutches of Angelika? Then why are you pushing him away?'

I know what Eros told me about Jeremy being my soulmate and all. But my heart isn't made up of rock or steel. I can't just let my sentiments go just like that.

"But Ana… please just give me a second chance." Jeremy looked remorseful. "I am sorry to hurt you, I didn't mean to. I thought that you only see me as your big brother and never thought you felt that way for me. This past year left me thinking. And seeing you now, I thought I cannot lose you. Please give me another chance to make it up to you."

"Are you that selfish Jeremy?!" I scolded in anger. "You cannot lose me and want me to stay as your childhood best friend and still continue your relationship with Angelika, is that it? Do you think I am that foolish?" It was the same as in my past life. Jeremy didn't push me away even with knowing my true feelings for him. He only pushed me away after I did something very terrible to Angelika.

"No, no, no." Jeremy shook his head hard and grabbed my shoulders. "A-Angelika and I… we are…we are…" I can feel his grip tightened that a flinch in pain.

"You and Angelika are what?" I deep voice of a male came from behind me. I was yanked out of Jeremy's hold and into someone's embrace, it felt warm and safe.

'This scent, I know this.' I caught a sniff of the person that was embracing me, the scent of white sandalwood.

The first time I smelled this scent was inside Shiki's apartment. At first I thought it smelled that way because he used sandalwood in his canvasses. But when I am near him, I can smell it in his body.

"Who are you?!" Jeremy said with a hint of anger.

I looked up and saw Shiki's beautiful face. His black silky hair was swaying with the night wind, his black eyes had a hint of red glow.

"Shiki?!" I asked in disbelief. "Why are you here?"

"Didn't I tell you I would be here?" Shiki said nonchalantly. Then I realized I was still in his arms.

"Y-You can let me go now." I whispered to him. I can see a playful smile from him as a reply.

"You let go of Ana!" Jeremy scolded.

"And what if I say I don't want to." Shiki mocked Jeremy.

"You… Who are you to hold her like that?" Jeremy was clearly annoyed and I didn't know why it bothered him that much.

"Who am I?" Shiki smiled mockingly. "I am Ana's distant cousin."

"Distant cousin?" I said in confusion. Then I remembered that Shiki was a death god. He can make any identity he wishes to be.

Jeremy looked a little relieved with the word cousin but what came out of Shiki's mouth surprised us both.

"I am also a candidate to be Ana's fiancé." Shiki said with a grin.

"What!!!" Jeremy and I both said out loud in disbelief.

'A candidate to be my fiancé? What the hell is this?' I thought to myself.

"What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean candidate?" Jeremy roared in anger. He charged towards where Shiki and I were standing.

Shiki let go of me suddenly when he saw Jeremy walking towards us in anger. I caught my footing and balanced my body. When I looked their way, I saw Jeremy holding Shiki by the collar.

"How dare you say such things?!" Jeremy said in anger.

"Of course I dare, because that is the truth." Shiki said with a blank look. "You can ask Mr. and Mrs. Berkin about it if you don't believe me."

Jeremy was visibly furious right now. This was the first time I saw him this mad, not even in my past life when I did a terrible things to Angelika.

"Stop this!" I tried to push the two away from each other but to no avail.

"Ana, please step back." Shiki said with a neutral voice.

"Step back Ana. This is between the both if us." Jeremy said in anger.

"But…" I didn't want this two to fight in front of my home.

Then I saw father and mother coming out of the front door.

"What is this commotion?!" Father roared.