LEFT alone with Satsuki on the terrace, Shindo snatched the shawl from the ground once Takemi was out of sight. He quietly began to straighten the tufts of disheveled hair hanging over her shoulders.
“I will go fetch another shawl for you since this one was on the ground,” he offered.
“But it isn’t really dirty.”
“Nevertheless, I will get another,” Shindo insisted, ignoring Satsuki’s protest. He personally tied the knot on Satsuki’s shawl nice and tight, but Takemi unbound it. He didn’t want the sullied cloth to touch her skin ever again.
Placing a hand softly on Shindo’s arm, Satsuki looked up at him with pained eyes. “I’m sorry you had to go through that... He read my mind...and learned about us...”
Much like Satsuki, Takemi could read people’s minds. She should be able to shield her mind in the same manner he did, but she lacked that ability. While she had read minds throughout the years, she never had to cope with someone reading her mind before. Which was hardly surprising considering she never met another soul with psychic powers. She lacked the means to protect herself from others with powers.
On the flip side, Satsuki couldn’t help but wonder what sort of life Takemi led up until now for him to know how to seal her memories and shield his own mind. Although she was extremely curious, the only way she’d ever find out was by asking the man in question. She couldn’t read his mind since he absolutely never let his thoughts wander unguarded. If she wanted answers, she had to figure out how to get it out of him in a way other than between the sheets.
✦ ✦ ✦
“I had a wonderful time, but aren’t you exhausted, Satsuki?” Miharu said as the party was drawing to a close. She was wearing a shimmering, black pearl evening dress. Boasting an amazing figure to begin with, the formal gown only served to accentuate her beauty, making her positively radiant. As a matter of fact, she was the center of attention among the businessmen throughout the course of the party. If it weren’t for that “baggage” standing next to her, Miharu would have been drowned in a sea of men in their twenties and thirties.
“No, I had great fun. I’m not tired at all,” Satsuki replied with a smile before Miharu and that “baggage” at her side, Manabu. They were in the banquet hall, mostly empty now that nearly all of the guests were gone.
“Be sure to get plenty of rest tonight, okay?” Miharu told Satsuki before turning to Shindo. “Make sure to tuck her in for me. Don’t let her stay up all night, you hear me?”
Miharu made it sound like Satsuki was still a little kid! She was hoping Satsuki would indignantly cry, “Miharu!” and give her one of those adorable dirty looks. But things didn’t go as she hoped.
Satsuki dropped her eyes down to the ground shyly before quickly looking up at Shindo. Noticing her eyes on him, Shindo offered Satsuki a smile. Somehow just watching them made Miharu embarrassed.
Perhaps Satsuki perceived the confusion in Miharu’s heart. She kept the door to her heart closed the whole evening to avoid losing herself in the tumult of thoughts from all the guests. Nevertheless, when she was mentally or emotionally fatigued, her powers would show her glimmers of what people were thinking whether she wanted them to or not.
Peeling her eyes from Shindo, Satsuki turned to face Manabu. “Thank you for coming, Manabu.”
“You’re welcome. You look wonderful in that dress, Satsuki. Shindo has great taste,” he replied despite how grossly inappropriate it sounded coming from the man trying to tear her from Shindo.
“Thank you. It’s a shame we weren’t able to meet this fifth suitor you’re recommending,” Shindo said, bringing up the fifth marriage candidate whose documents still weren’t in order.
Never expecting to hear that from Shindo, Manabu’s eyes grew wide in surprise. But he quickly recovered and barked a chuckle as he said, “You’ll meet him soon enough.”
✦ ✦ ✦
THEY didn’t return to Satsuki’s room until after 11:00. The only thing Satsuki had to do was shower off a day’s worth of fatigue in the en suite bathroom, change into her nightgown, and go to sleep. That was it. But she was still in her party dress as she fervently kissed Shindo in his arms, preventing her from doing any of the things she needed to do. Not that she intended to do any of them.
As if to prove the point, the embracing couple refused to tear their lips from one another. Shindo began to slide the dress off Satsuki’s shoulders.
With a weak, meager plop, the beautiful material that had concealed Satsuki’s body until now turned into just a pile of cloth at her feet. Tonight Shindo slid onto the sheets with Satsuki’s arms wrapped around the back of his neck.
“...I love you...Shindo... I...love...you...” Satsuki repeated those taboo words as they embraced.
“Miss... I love you too.”
Once again, the two broke the forbidden taboo. They savored every moment of the month allotted them.