Alinea

After taking a very warm bath, Suzuki Ara's mood improved greatly. She was finally able to rein in her emotions, and the tumultuous weather outside suddenly cleared. The dark foreboding clouds dispersed, revealing a very clear winter sky.

It was as if the awful weather didn't happen earlier at all.

Urgh…

She examined her puffy face on the mirror and felt a bit embarrassed. She had just realized that this was the first day she was with Kou as his fiancée, and she had already made him search for her, carry her, and now take care of her as if she were a child.

And she looked like a swollen monkey.

Urgh…

She went to the bedroom and saw the shirt and the pair of shorts Kou told her about. She checked the simple white shirt and saw that it was too big. Of course the shorts would be the same, but it was the least of her problems. Why?

"How do I ask a guy for u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r?"

She was too shy to ask, but she really needed to have a pair of p.a.n.t.i.e.s and bra. She was really troubled.

"Should I use telepathy?"

She was just jesting of course. Even at the height of her divine powers, she never had that ability.

She was contemplating on what to do, when there was a soft knock on the door, and Ara quickly wrapped herself with the huge towel and opened the door.

It was Kou.

"Uhm… I realized you're lacking in important clothing articles so I finally asked Koga to do a quick shopping downstairs," he said as he handed her a shopping bag with the name of a high end store on it.

Ara looked totally relieved and grateful. "Thanks so much. I was worrying about asking you."

She took the bag and happily examined the u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r and clothes inside. There were shoes in there too. "I hope they fit."

"They will,"Homura Ryuu answered confidently and Ara looked at him in surprise.

"But how did you know…"her voice trailed off as she realized what she just asked and she blushed.

Kou stood there, his handsome face unreadable like always, but his ears were also red. It was a telltale sign that the embarrassment was not one-sided.

"I asked Aki-niisama on the phone. Go get changed," he said softly before turning away, and Ara scrambled to close the door and poured the contents of the bag on the bed.

As Ryuu said, they were all her size. Her eyes glanced at the bra and read the tag: size 34B, and she blushed like mad, knowing that Kou now knew her size.

"Oniichan, I love you, but how could you tell other people that?" she muttered woefully as she wore the clothes. But of course it was an irrational complaint. Kou's not really a stranger – he's going to be her husband, and wearing the correct size was always the best.

Kou got her a peach colored sweater and a pair of fitted blue jeans and black pair of boots. They looked simple, and felt very comfortable on her skin, just the way she liked. She took a note to thank Kou's assistant when she saw him next.

As soon as she's ready, she got out of the room, but not before appreciating the effort Kou had put in there. He had probably asked her brother about her tastes before when he had it redecorated, because the room looked similar to the one she had in Denenchofu.

"Oh, you're done?" Kou's soft voice welcomed her as soon as she went to the living area.

He was on the other side of the room where a bar stood. It served as a partition of the living space and the kitchen. Kou's apartment looked totally modern with its industrial décor, but the place was set up so it would feel cozy. Also, the wall-length shelves of bottles of wine looked amazing.

Ara nodded as she crossed the room towards him.

"Have some tea. It'll make you feel warmer," Kou told her as soon as she reached the bar. There were some wagashi there too, and she looked happy realizing they're from Kuuya.

"Thank you."

"Gin-nii already told me about your request," Kou then said afterwards while Ara munched on her snacks. "I already told them to leave the Okadas alone – but what exactly are your plans?"

"I honestly don't know yet. I just want to go with the flow for now." Ara shrugged. "I'm just a new villain, and so I have to have time to think about my evil schemes to expose Cinderella."

Koutaishidenka frowned. "That doesn't sound reliable."

He looked like he was regretting backing off now, and Ara grinned. "Don't worry. Someone who's totally yandere like her won't be able to help herself from striking again. I'll be sure to get her by then."

Silence hung between them for a while as Kou's ice blue gaze seemed to study her. Ara on the other hand didn't flinch, and challenged his stare with her silver-grey ones.

She's not backing out on this one. Regardless of what others would tell her otherwise. Her bold staring challenge seemed to amuse Kou, and so he sighed, looking like he had given up.

"Suit yourself," he relented, and Ara was happy.

He then stood up. "I'll go take a bath," he said. "After your tea you can have whatever drinks you want," he added as he walked off towards his bedroom.

Left alone, Ara let out a heavy sigh, feeling drained right down to her soul. How she ever had the courage to meet those pair of intense eyes, she had no idea. If it were Alinea, there wouldn't have been a problem. But each time she looked at Kou, memories from Ara took over her senses, and her heart would beat like crazy.

"What's wrong with me?" she wondered as she placed a hand on her c.h.e.s.t.

"Oh well…"she picked up her tea cup and gulped down its contents in one go.

Afterwards, she glanced at the other things on the table – the cans of soda, bottles of other drinks and frowned. With her nervousness, she felt like drinking something stronger.

Hmmmmm…

A mischievous glint lit in her eyes as she looked at the walls and walls of beautiful bottles of wine. Then, a smile spread on her face.

"Kou said I can drink whatever I want," she murmured. She already knew Kou meant the drinks on the table when he said that, but he didn't say that on his specification so she chose to grab onto that loophole.

NYAHAHAHA

With the same adventurous spirit she always felt whenever she managed to sneak out of the castle before, Ara sauntered towards Kou's wine collection as she hummed to herself.