Runaway Lover

Good News

Akira Ishikawa's POV

"Good morning!" Shizuka announced cheerfully as she enter the dining area to have her breakfast. It's been a week since Kaito had an accident.

"Good morning, Shizzy." I greeted back as I continue to put butter on my bread. I wrinkled my nose when I smell the strong aroma of coffee on Shizuka's cup. "You seem to be on a good mood today. What's up?"

"Nothing." She replied, placing the napkin in her lap. She placed good amount of food in her plate as we enjoy the breakfast table without any other company.

Ever since Kaito's accident, who couldn't be able to have breakfast here in the dining room. The widow also stopped having breakfast here every morning and that suited me just fine. I hope that she would continue her new routine in the future I don't want to eat on the same table with her ever.

I eyed Shizuka warily when I noticed that she's staring at me with such gleamed in her golden eyes.

"I don't think I like the way you're staring at me, Miss Ishikawa. Care to share what's going on inside your head right now?"

"Nothing, really." She said again as she leisurely sipped her coffee. But I couldn't miss the sparks on her eyes.

"It's just."

"Yes.?" I pointedly look at her waiting for her to spill whatever she'd been thinking right at this moment about me.

She couldn't contain the excitement I saw in her eyes anymore as she stared straight into my eyes.

"Well, the palace was buzzed with the news that the Princess has finally spend the night on the master's bedroom for a whole week now." She announced with such enthusiasm in her voice in my opinion. "Does this mean that the two of you has finally mend your rift? I'm so happy for you both!"

I don't know if I would be surprised that the maids gossiped about us. It's such a juicy news that the Prince and his bride finally shares the same bed.

If it wasn't for Kaito's request that we should sleep on the same bed without anything s****l on it, I will not sleep in his bed.

I sighed deeply as I remember those longs nights. I was not sure if it was Kaito's intention to slowly make me crazy with this new arrangement of ours.

At the middle of the night I would stir only to find out that I was half-draped to his body. I couldn't help but to remember those nights, long ago when we first met.

Oh my God! What is the date today? I asked myself silently as I stood straight from my chair. How could I forgotten.

"Akira?" I heard my sister-in-law inquired casually. "Are you all right? Your thought seems to be miles away from here."

I tried to give her a reassuring smile as I focus my attention back to her. But my eyes still misted by tears.

I suddenly miss her. "Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"What's wrong?" She asked concernedly, squeezing my hand. "You can tell me, Akira. What's bothering you? Is it about my brother? Perhaps, Maeko? She's bothering you again? I can talk to her, you know."

Despite the tears that threaten to fall in my eyes. I couldn't help but smile at her kind-hearted nature.

"I'm fine, silly." I told her with a laugh as I wipe away the moisture in my eyes. "It's just I remember that today was my mother's death anniversary."

"Oh.." I saw sadness in her face as she gazed at me steadily. "I'm sorry to hear that. Does my brother know about it?"

I shook my head. "No, I haven't told him yet." Then, I remember that I haven't heard about their mother.

"How about you? You and your brother haven't talked about your mother to me yet. How is she? Is she still alive? What's her name?"

Sadness crept in her gold eyes. She looked away from me and slowly stirred her coffee. "No, she's still alive, but."

"But?"

Shizuka sighed and stared at me for a long moment. I could see the longing in her face.

"Her name is Midori Ishikawa. She divorced our father when I was still young. Kaito hates her for leaving us. He never wants to talk about our mother ever."

My heart lurched at their story about their mother. I haven't realized that Kaito hates his mother that

much.

"Do you still have any contact with your mother, Shizzy?"

She shook her head sadly. "I haven't talked to her since she walked out of this palace many years ago."

"Do you want to see her?"

Shizuka shrugged, as she wiped her tears from her face. "I don't have any idea what to tell her, Akira."

"You could always start with a simple 'hello'."

She laughed heartily as she took a bite of her breakfast. I'm glad she finally smiled again.

"You are really something, Mrs. Akira Ishikawa.”

My reply was installed when Kaito's bodyguard arrived in the dining area.

"Good morning, Your Excellency. The Prince is looking for you. He said that after your breakfast go directly to his room. " After he delivered Kaito's message he left like nothing happened.

"What's with that look?" I asked Shizuka after Reo left as I sipped in my fresh orange juice, I hid my smile at the comical look she has on her pretty face.

She glared at me vehemently. I bet that glare was supposed to be directed to Kaito's bodyguard.

"Do I look invisible, Akira?"

I shook my head, as I have this look of innocence in face. I must admit that I now start to enjoy this breakfast.

"Not that I'm aware off."

"Did you see what that horrible man did?" She asked in disbelief. "He didn't even greet me like I was not here with you. That man was really terrible person. No wonder he gets along with my brother.” When she noticed that I look at her with such amusement she added softly. "Well, that just my observation. I don't care if we don't acknowledge each other's presence."

I didn't answer her. Instead I stood from my chair and grinned at her.

"If it bothers you so much. Why don't you just confront him and tell him what you feel about his cold shoulder."

"I don't care about his cold shoulder towards me."

"Yeah, right." I agreed cheerfully, raising an eyebrow in her direction. "Sorry about the mistake. I must go now, Shizzy. Your temperamental brother is already looking for me. Excuse me, will you?"

I walked out of the dining area and went straight to the master's bedroom. Once I arrived inside his room, he said. "What took you so long to have breakfast?"

"I had a nice chat with Shizuka."

"About what?" He asked with a frowned on his strong eyebrows.

"About your mother." I could see the change on him.

His magnificent gold eyes turned wintry in my direction and in that moment I knew that I crossed some f*******n topic. A topic which he would be very much like don't talk about ever.

He looked away from me and muttered. "It seems that my younger sister can't keep her mouth shut again."

I gave him a disapproving look, as I stood next to his bed. "Don't blame her, Kaito. Our conversation just brought us there. Besides, today was my mother's death anniversary. I missed her terribly."

"Akira..."

"Shizzy told me that you haven't contacted your mother since she left this estate is that true?" I asked him while ignoring the glacier ice he threw in my direction. Like a silent warning that he doesn't want to talk about his mother.

"Yes." He answered in a clipped tone.

"Why?" I asked, sitting at the mattress staring deep in his eyes. "Why are you so mad at her? Don't you miss her? It's been years for Pete's sake!"

“You don't know anything." He said coldly in my direction. "She's a heartless woman. She left us to be with her lover, that's why I hated her."

I scowled in his direction. "Why on earth did even you know that?"

"My father told me." He answered furiously. "Our own mother left her three young children to be with her lover. Do you think that she's a good mother, Akira?"

Even though his words were formed about what he felt about his mother I could still detect a hint of sadness in his voice. I grabbed his hands to mine.

"Are you even sure that your father didn't lie to you?"

He glared at me intensely. "My father wouldn't lie about that!"

"All right, fine." I agreed with him, I smile slightly to his furious face. "But don't you think that it has happened a long time ago? I'm sure your mother has already regretted her decision to leave her children behind. You are lucky enough that your mother still alive unlike me. I cannot see my mother again even if I want to."

"Enough about her, babe." He said devilishly as he gently touched my cheeks. "How about the morning kiss you promise me last night."

I shook my head in disbelief. He's still stubborn about the topic of his mother. So I took his face in my hands and gave him a brief peck on the lips before marching out of his room.

"Is that a kiss?" He asked from the bed when I neared the wooden door. "And where the heck are you going again?"

I threw him a mischievous grin. "That's enough for now. I need to go in my room to call my sister. It's our mother's death anniversary, after all."

"Can't you do that phone call here?"

I winked at him before I went out of his room. "Sorry, I need this conversation to be private, Your Excellency. Don't worry. I will be back as soon as I can."

Once I was inside my room. I dialed Aki's number after a few rings her husband answered my phone call.

"Haru, where's Aki."

"Sorry, sister-in-law," Haru Yanazaki said on the other line, he sounded distress. "She can't talk to you right now."

Uneasiness sneaked into my spine. "Why? What happened to my twin sister?"

I heard his sighed deeply on the other line. "She's been having a severe morning sickness. The doctor advised her to have a complete bed rest for the next few days. I knew that you might call since it's your mother's death anniversary. Aki and I planned to go to Tokyo for this day to be with Ryusei but then we learned about her pregnancy."

"Oh well done, brother!" I congratulated him happily.

My twin sister was finally pregnant with their first child. I'm so happy for them but I worried about her morning sickness, mine wasn't that harsh like hers.

"Thank you," He said thoughtfully, but I still could hear the anxiety in his voice. "I'm worried about her, Akira."

"She will be fine." I told him arrogantly. "That's my twin sister we are talking about. She's a Satou. She's a strong woman."

"You are right," He agreed ruefully on the other line.

"How about you? How are you? Does that man treat you well?"

I smiled at his protectiveness towards me. "I'm fine, Haru. Now that I had a chance to talk to you can I ask for a small favor, brother?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Can you look for information about a woman named Midori Ishikawa?" I asked my brother-in-law.

"Okay," He replied and not asked anything like why do I need information about the woman. I am grateful for it. "It might take a few weeks before I can gather information about her. Wait a minute, I think I know who might be able to help us. He has a knack in finding missing person I swore he has connection with the devil himself. He might help us. I would just call him, I couldn't wait for him to unleash his sarcastic humor."

"Thank you, brother." I said to him with a smile before disconnected the phone call. "I owe you one."