Hoshimi had left her by the fountain, his footsteps barely disturbing the dew-kissed grass as he made his way back into the estate. She watched him go, a strange mix of relief and longing tightening her chest. The conversation with Domino, raw and brutally honest, still echoed in her skull.
She pulled out her phone, the screen still showing the date: February 19th, 2027.
[So much happened in such a little amount of time, I can't believe Elias was capable of that… I thought he was just a child, I should've.. I should've been a better role model but I was jus-just standing there and taking Adrian's abuse]
It was too much for her. But Hoshimi had promised. He would try. And in that, there was a fragile hope she hadn't realized she'd been craving.
She shook her head, a mischievous glint, a defiant spark, ignited in her emerald eyes.
[I'm finally getting freedom, I should just worry about everything later. I finally get to go out again.]
The words from Hoshimi's earlier forced "romantic" monologue, delivered with such flat, sarcastic brilliance, replayed in her mind.
[Ohh, how marvelous you are, the moment I first laid my eyes on you, I fell for you at first sight]
It had made her laugh, a genuine, unburdened laugh again.
[I'm going to miss him. And Kira for that matter, this was the first time I truly had friends in my life. I don't want it to go away, I want days like these to extend forever]
She found Hoshimi by the entrance to the kitchen, leaning against a charred wall, a faint grimace on his face as he watched the cleanup crew. His usually pristine black suit was smudged with ash, a stark contrast to his impassive expression.
"Hoshimi." Her voice was firmer now, less tremor, more resolve.
He turned, his violet eyes meeting hers, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them before settling back into their usual detached calm. "Audrey. Are you feeling better?"
"Better enough to know what I want." She strode towards him, a determined glint in her eyes. "You said you'd get me to school, that I didn't have to worry about a thing."
He raised an eyebrow, a subtle shift in his otherwise blank canvas. "I did. And my stepmother arranged it. You're free from house arrest for a few days, until your house is rebuilt anyways, you should stay at a hotel for the time being."
"Forget school." Audrey waved a dismissive hand, her recent epiphany about fleeting happiness outweighing the allure of a mundane classroom. "I want another date. A real date. I haven't really explored the city before." She met his gaze squarely, her eyes daring him to refuse. "One last date, Hoshimi. Before everything changes again. Before you leave."
His eyes narrowed slightly, a calculating look returning to their depths. "A date?"
[You sure do like taking your time] Domino's cynical voice whispered in her head. [Make sure you actually confess this time before he leaves you]
"Yes, a date," Audrey insisted, ignoring the internal saboteur. "You owe me, after destroying my house. And you said you'd do anything to keep me on that ledge, didn't you? To keep me happy? This is what I want." She knew she was pushing, testing the limits of his calculated kindness.
[Come on Audrey, what makes you think he's even going to accept the date? He's no longer your bodyguard]
A long moment of silence stretched between them, punctuated only by the distant sounds of cleanup. Hoshimi's gaze swept over her, taking in her determined posture, the subtle flicker of green in her eyes. He sighed, a soft, almost imperceptible exhalation that signaled his surrender.
"Fine," he said, his voice flat but without malice. "I don't understand why you're so fond of me though, I don't really see how someone like me is ever interesting."
Audrey's genuine smile, wide and unburdened, burst forth, lighting up her face like the morning sun. "I always took you for the confident type, come on, you should be glad that you're going out with me, I'm pretty gosh darn cute aren't I?"
Hoshimi looked away, his jaw tightening slightly. He let out a dry, short chuckle, a sound so rare it felt like something had gone wrong. He looked slightly embarrassed, his hand instinctively going to the back of his neck.
"This must be the first time I made you laugh," Audrey whispered, stepping closer. "You really do have a human heart, don't you?"
"You're seeing things," Hoshimi replied, turning back to dust off his shoulders with unnecessary vigor. "A byproduct of the mana exhaustion and the stress. Your brain is seeing what it wants to."
"Maybe you're part of my imagination as well then," Audrey countered, her voice playful. "Maybe I'm just imagining things I want to see. A cold, stoic robot who secretly has a soft spot for a 'distressed' girl."
Hoshimi paused, his violet eyes locking onto hers with a sudden, piercing intensity that made her breath hitch.
"If I were a figment of your imagination, Audrey, you'd have much better taste," he muttered, though the edge of his mouth twitched. "Pick a time. And don't wear anything that's hard to run in. Knowing your luck with the last two outings, there's definitely something bound to happen."
"Is that a yes?"
"Yea."