To Love's End | Shigure Sohma

Chapter Fourteen

Amai stayed up for a while that night, looking at the engravings in the necklace. She didn't really know anyone whose name began with the letter 'S'. At least not anyone she would have had a relationship with. And then she thought that the necklace probably wasn't hers at all. It could have belonged to someone else with the same initial. But deep down in her heart she knew that that necklace was hers.

The next day, she tried her best not to dwell on the necklace too much but she wanted to see that girl again. There was something about her that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was the way she behaved around her. It was like she knew something.  It was like she knew that the necklace opened and she wanted her to read inside.

Wearing the necklace again, she got ready and left the house. It was a Sunday so she knew that Tohru would most likely be at her home. She wanted to show her the necklace.

She got into her car and drove to the house where she had first met Tohru. It had taken her only ten minutes to drive there from her apartment so she wasn't that far at all. Once she was parked up, she walked up the house and knocked on the front door. A few seconds later, she heard someone call from inside.

"I'll get it."

***

Tohru and the boys were all doing their homework in the dining room. Shigure was in his office typing up his sequel story, Amai's photo beside the screen providing him with motivation to continue typing. He had a deadline after all. Her birthday was in a few months and he needed to send it to his publisher before then.

There was a knock at the door. He didn't want the others to be disturbed while they were doing their work so he got up left his office, closing the door behind him.

"I'll get it," he told them.

He made his way to the front door and slid it open. As soon as he saw who was standing there, his heart skipped a beat. His eyes widened as he looked at the beautiful woman, her bright blue eyes sparkling and her hair seeming as luscious as always. She was 21 years old now and although she still looked the same, he could tell that some of her facial features had matured slightly. His heart was beating so fast and his mind became numb.

Amai looked at the man, confused as to why he was staring at her in such a way. It made her blush slightly as his grey eyes gazed directly into hers. She found it strange that both times she had been to that house, two of the members seemed to not know how to greet people.

"Um, hi..." she said awkwardly.
"Hi..." he breathed out.

And then it suddenly hit her. Her eyes almost popped out of her head as she remembered who he was.

"Shigure?" she asked.
His eyes widened as his heart began to race with hope. "You remember me?"
She smiled, her face lighting up. "Of course! It took me a while but I remember. You're the one who found me on the side of the road almost four years ago."
His heart dropped but he smiled sadly. "That's right... Such a small world. How... How are you?"
"I'm well, thank you. I'm a teacher now."
"Wow! That's great. I recall you telling me it was your dream."
She nodded. "How about you?"
"Oh, the usual. Just passing through life." He sighed. "What brings you here?"
"Oh. I actually came here to see Tohru. I had no idea you lived here, too," she smiled. "I even came by just last week."
"Really?" he asked, acting completely surprised. "It truly is a small world."
She nodded. "It truly is."
"Anyway, Tohru is inside." He stepped aside. "Please, come in."
"Thank you."

She entered, taking her shoes off at the front before Shigure led her inside. He felt tense and nervous, wondering if she remembered anything as she walked through. She spent almost an entire year with him in the house. Unfortunately, Amai felt like it was her first time there. Nothing came back to her. They soon entered the dining room where the other three were still doing their homework.