Delusive Play [Akashi Seijuurou x OC]

Chapter 10

It was a picture of Akashi Seijuurou, with a girl linking her arms with him – with a face so eerily familiar to her own.

Yuurei felt the world spun as she stared at the picture situated neatly inside the broken frame. Her heartbeat quickened and her emotions swirled relentlessly, unsure of what to feel at the moment and her mind fall into a blank state, unable to get the image of the smiling girl that stood next to Akashi Seijuurou out from her head.

Just as she about to look at the picture again, Yuurei heard the door clicked open. She almost fumbled while placing back the broken frame at its original place and quickly turned to look at the figure leaning on the doorframe. It was Akashi and his piercing gaze was definitely fixed on her intently, as if analysing her and Yuurei could only silently prayed that Akashi wouldn't notice her little discovery on his desk.

"Good morning to you, Yuurei," he greeted as he walked in casually, his lips forming a smirk, "I hope you have a good slumber last night."

If her face was pale due to what she discovered a few minutes ago, now her cheeks were stained with crimson as she suddenly realized where exactly she was right now. Thanks to his unnecessary words too, Yuurei was quite sure that Akashi wouldn't notice her disturbed self just now. That being said, the thoughts of the discovery just now surely wouldn't leave her mind unless she decided to do something about it – which was quite impossible since it was involving Akashi Seijuurou.

Thus, Yuurei composed herself again – faking it from Akashi who thought she was trying to calm down from his words earlier. "How did I end up here anyway?" she asked without any hesitancy, only to realize how hoarse and horrible her voice sounded due to the fact she just woken up. Once again, a blush blossomed on her cheeks as Akashi's smirk grew wider and she immediately cleared her throat while throwing a nasty glare in his direction.

"Believe it or not, a certain someone was crying on the street last night and out of pity and considerable sympathy, I consoled that someone until she ungracefully fall asleep in my arms." Akashi crossed his arms as he moved closer towards where she stood.

A part of her wanted to deny what Akashi just said, but considering she did wake up with a throbbing headache this morning, she had no other choice but to believe whatever he said. With a frown, Yuurei simply muttered, "Oh," a fragment of silence ensued between them and she finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper, "Thank you."

Noticing the lack of enthusiasm in her reactions, Akashi raised a brow at her attitude. "Oh? What makes Yuurei so quiet this morning?" he said as he begin circling the girl who just stood there, almost impassive. There was something different about her and somehow he couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was yet.

"I can be quiet whenever I want, Akashi," she replied back harshly, "And I just thanked you, isn't that better than giving you a verbal fight at this hour?"

"So you believed what I said?"

"I don't think you are desperate enough to kidnap someone – so yeah, I do believe your story even though it sounded a tad bit exaggerated."

Akashi now stood in front of her as he searched for her eyes. Yuurei, noticing the sudden intrusion into her personal space, wanting nothing more than to move a step backward to avoid the scrutiny his gaze held but a pair of hands immediately clasped on both of her shoulders as she tried to move. The action initiated from him almost made her stumble but luckily, she did not fell.

Irritated by the sudden contact made by Akashi, Yuurei looked straight into his eyes and for a moment, she felt her breath caught on her throat. His mismatch gaze was intense with feelings that she couldn't name – it resembled a tsunami of emotions resembling pain and regret and melancholy mostly – and hidden behind those eyes were a story of agony and sorrow, of love and loss.