Queen Of Cards || Akashi Seijuro x OC

Chapter 12

"It means you love him!"

For the past few days, Airi could only think of those words from Yumi. Love? What did it even mean to love?

You love him.

Airi hadn't slept well for the past few nights as she contemplated what to do. Every night, she would lay awake thinking of the meaning; thinking of her president.

Her president.

Shaking her head, she felt the limo slow to a stop. Her family driver opened the door for her and immediately, Airi could hear so much paparazzi that it made her want to crawl in a hole and die. The red carpet that led into the mansion was laid before her, and she hurriedly walked across it, ignoring the shouts of reporters. Many guards were there, preventing the strangers from entering the gates and preventing them from going past the restrictive ribbons.

As far as she could tell, she was one of the earliest there.

"Ai-chan!"

A strong, short frame crashed into her, making her stumble back a little.

"Yumi-san."

"Evening, Airi."

The Totobami sisters greeted Airi warmly before going to the extravagant dining hall. Airi was indeed early, with only staff setting up the finishing touches to decorations and running mic checks. The Totobami sisters' widowed mother, Totobami Kazuya, was chatting with Airi's parents at the table which she assumed was where she was supposed to sit.

"Otou-sama, Oka-sama, Oba-sama, good evening."

"Good evening, Airi. You look stunning." Kazuya gave her the same uptight but warm smile as Terano.

After continuing much unwanted formal talk with the Totobamis, guests started flooding in. Since it was her family's event, she had to go along with her parents and welcome them. Airi was extremely nervous to see Akashi, so much so that her palms were sweaty and she could feel her heart racing.

Finally, after much anticipation, the redhead walked in with a green headed boy, followed by 3 adults.

"Mr & Mrs Midorima! And young Shintaro-kun! Look how much you've grown! Great to see you again, Mr Akashi. And you too young sir! Akashi Seijuro, was it?" Airi's mother gushed at the guests, though Airi knew it was fake. With great grace, Seijuro shook Airi's mother's hand.

"That is I. I'm Airi's classmate and the student council president of Rakuzan."

"Oh, congratulations! Airi dear, please lead the young guests to our table."

After taking their seats at the table, their parents joined them shortly after. Airi's heart was pounding furiously as Akashi and Midorima talked behind her. Soon after, her father made the opening speech, which of course Airi did not listen to, and dinner commenced. The food was delicious, as expected. The only one who seemed to not be conversing over the table was Airi, who was fiddling with her dress and trying her best to not look at Akashi. The said boy was talking to the green-haired boy, Midorima Shintaro, and the Totobami sisters were talking to each other. The adults were discussing business, of course, and Airi couldn't care less.

Soon after dinner had finished, her father once again made a speech to begin the ballroom dancing. The crowd soon dissapated to the ballroom, dancing along to some classical music being played by the hired musicians in the corner. Airi, not wanting to talk to anyone and simply get away from Akashi who made her heart beat ever so quickly, gravitated towards a corner of the room.

Occasionally, people would come and greet her, introducing themselves and trying to get in her good books in hopes of it leading to a more prosperous future with the company. Some would compliment her and move along, others would shake her hand. Sometimes, waiters would walk around with trays of drinks and delicacies, and she would happily accept any sweets she was offered. All in all, her night was blissful and boring.

After deciding she had enough, she made her way out to the garden. Being a large and magestic estate, the manor's garden was nothing short of beautiful.

Sitting on an ivory bench, Airi look out at the sea of flowers under the moonlight. They were all beautiful and well maintained, but her favourite were the red roses. They always seemed to catch Airi's attention in the vast collection, despite there only being one rose bush. Walking over to it and plucking one gently, she admired its beauty, ignoring the slight stinging sensation on her finger.

"Yunabami-san."

Turning her head, she was met with the sight of a tall, green haired boy carrying a pink handkerchief.

"Midorima-kun. Hello."

"Hello, nanodayo."

She didn't question his old fashioned language, taped fingers, or flowery handkerchief. Instead, she was curious about other things. A person, more specifically.

"Midorima-kun... You attended the same middle school as Akashi-san, right?"

"Correct."

"Were you close to him?"

"I was the most aquainted to him, nanodayo. I do not think we were close in regular terms, though. It was simply because he was the captain of the basketball team, and I was the vice captain. He was also the student council president and I was vice president, nanodayo."

"I see... May I ask if he was always this... this.... confident? Pardon me if I'm wrong, but occasionally, his arrogant, emperor self lets slip. Sometimes, he smiles and he becomes very...warm. And kind. It's very much contrasting to his usual cold self."

"So you noticed too. No, Akashi was not always this, as you put it, arrogant and cold. He was very kind and caring, almost motherly. In our second year, Akashi's other personailty was triggered and dominated, but sometimes his domineering side would slip out even before his change, nanodayo."

"So Akashi has two personalities?"

"I couldn't say, nanodayo. Just be careful around him.I don't know how he treats you but I would be cautious if I were you, nanodayo. Now go, your parents were looking for you."

Just when Airi thought she knew some things about Akashi, Midorima's words made her question everything.