The Emperor's Empress

Chapter 23:

Today was the day for the most awaited last day in Kyoto and the most dreading day for Keiko. She was not yet ready to face Akashi with the same old Keiko. She didn't even know if she could call her nickname for him without faltering. Could she?

Keiko looked at herself in the mirror in the bathroom and assessed her ensemble. She was wearing a black fitted pants and a simple white shirt top paired with red snickers and for her accessories were sunglasses and a small black sling bag that were in her bed. "This should do?" she said as she tied her hair into a bun. She didn't like wind blowing her hair since it was already spring and it was a bit windy to her liking.

"Keiko," Rina knocked on the door and then opened it. She peeked in, seeing that her friend was almost ready. As usual, she was wearing something simple for a date, even if she didn't want to go with the person. Her ensemble was just too simple. "Akashi is outside. It looks like you are going to have a simple date again."

Keiko turned her head towards Rina, a bobby pin in her mouth. She cocked her head, a gesture for her to ask why.

"Well, he is wearing something simple and it looks like you are going to be driven just until the location of your date," Rina explained with an uncertain tone. "I just overheard Akashi's instruction to his driver." She then smiled sheepishly for being an eavesdropper.

Keiko chuckled at her friend's action of being shy after telling all that. She put the last bobby pin that would put some loose hairs in place. "Done," she exclaimed. "Well, it has always been our tradition to date simply even when we are still dating in Teiko. It is more fun rather than being in a fancy restaurant with high chinned people."

Rina giggled and looked at Keiko with an incredulous expression. "We are born from high chinned family, Kei," she implied amusedly. "Anyway, it as you say, dating simply is the best when it comes to your personality. Are you ready to go out then?"

Keiko sighed but nodded her head. "After all, a promise is a promise," she uttered sadly. She accepted the deal, so she had to live with it. "Let me just grab my sunglasses and bag and I'll be out of the dorm."

Rina nodded her head. "I'll wait for you in the entrance. Akashi didn't like to come in and is waiting for you outside."

Keiko nodded in acknowledgement.

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Keiko sat at the far edge of the car, not wanting to be near Akashi. They didn't talk also. Let's just say that it was really awkward for her. He may have apologized but it was also a little bit too late to know what he was asking for forgiveness. Was it for apologizing late or for the mistake he had done in middle school? She didn't bother to ask because it wouldn't change a thing. She would still leave and be back in America after this day.

"Let us have our lunch first before we go to where we are going," Akashi spoke and broke the silence between them. He could feel the brittle atmosphere hovering in the car.