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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

KENJI

I finally spotted Akiko walking near the library and jogged to catch up to her. “Where were you? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” I pulled her into a hug, relieved she was safe. “Are you okay?” I gently turned her face, examining where she’d been struck.

“I’m fine, Kenji,” she said, pulling back slightly. “I just needed some time alone. I was in the gardens.”

“Gardens? I checked there.” She looked off to the side, a sign she wasn’t being honest. “Akiko,” I said softly, “you don’t have to lie to me. It’s me, Kenji. Your best friend.”

Her eyes darted back to mine. “I’m not lying. Maybe you overlooked me. I’m short, remember?”

“I’m not blind,” I said, exhaling sharply. “I could pick you out of a lineup of shadows. I know your size, your shape, your…” I stopped myself before saying something that might sound too intense. “Okay, maybe I did miss you…”

Akiko frowned. “What? Go on, spit it out. You’re always telling me we must be honest with each other for our alliance to work.”

“This isn’t about the alliance!” My voice was rising. “This is about you, about us. Do you even realize how much you mean to me? You were my whole world back when we were kids. And then one day, we were just…separated. It wasn’t your fault, and it wasn’t mine, but that didn’t make it any easier.”

Her expression softened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of the girl I used to know.

“I had no idea it affected you that much,” Akiko said. “It makes sense you were sad about moving, but…why didn’t you try to find me when you got older?”

“I did,” I said quietly. “I went by your house a few years ago, but you weren’t living there anymore.”

“After my mother died, I sold the house to pay for university.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, the guilt piling on. “Your life…the hardships you endured…it’s amazing that…”

“I survived? I know, right?” Akiko laughed, lightening the mood. “Kenji, I’m here now. That’s all that matters.”

“That’s right. You’re a fighter. I’m sorry about your mom, and your dad and everything else that went to hell after I moved. I always liked your mom. I have fond memories of her making us delicious snacks.”

“That’s right, she did do that,” she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. “But after my dad disappeared, she was never the same, not with the depression and the alcohol. I’m glad you never saw that side of her. You only have the memories that I choose to save. And those are the most important ones anyway.”

“I know, but I should’ve tried harder to find you,” I said. “Maybe I could’ve?—”

“Could’ve what? Saved me?” she interrupted.

“No. I mean, maybe,” I admitted. “I don’t know. I just feel like I let you down.”

Akiko placed a hand on my arm. “Kenji, you don’t need to carry that guilt. I don’t blame you for what happened to me. I’ve been through enough to know I can handle myself. That’s all I want. And for you to believe that too.”

“You’re right,” I said, forcing myself to look at her. “You’re here, after all. That says a lot.”

“It does,” she said, her smile growing.

I chuckled. “Yeah, look at us now. Here we are in the most prestigious apprenticeship in the country.”

“Exactly. Let’s focus on why we’re here in the first place.”

I smiled and kissed her forehead, a small gesture I’d come to love. “This, us—it feels right.”

“It does.” It was soft, barely a whisper, but she said it, and that was what mattered. “And Kenji, I also want to say I could’ve tried to find you too.”

“How could you? Even I didn’t know where we were for a while,” I said, shaking my head. “So, do you believe me now? That my worry isn’t about the apprenticeship or our alliance. It’s about you.”

“I do,” she said. “But you need to understand something. I’ve been on my own for a long time. I can take care of myself.”

“Yes, I know that, but it’s dangerous here, and I can protect you. I want to protect you…even if you don’t think you need it.” Why can’t she just accept I’m right?

Akiko gave me that warm, knowing smile that always made my heart ache a little. “Kenji, I know this competition is dangerous. I know the others will do whatever it takes to win. But a bodyguard isn’t what I need right now. I need a friend.”

Friend. Every time she said that word, it was like an uppercut to the gut. I forced myself to remain positive. She wants to fight her own battles. Fine. Knock yourself out, Akiko. But it won’t stop me from doing what I know is right. Whether she admits it or not, she needs me.

“It’s just that my feelings for you…” I started, trying to find the exact words. “I guess they cloud my judgment sometimes.” I looked at her, letting my eyes roam over her face, neck, and body. She had no idea how much I thought about her, how much I wanted her. She had no idea how far I’d go.

Before she could say anything, I pulled her close. She didn’t resist as I wrapped my arms around her. My hands slid down her back, slow and deliberate, until they found the curve of her ass. I grabbed her, relishing the feel of her cupped in my hands. For a moment, I thought she might stop me, but she didn’t.

That was all the permission I needed.

I leaned in, my mouth hovering just above hers, ready to claim what was mine. But she turned her head at the last second, pressing her hands against my chest.

“We’re out in the open, Kenji,” she said, looking around.

“So?” I shot back, my grip on her tightening. “Let them watch. I don’t care.”

“Well, I do. When we’re in public, we need to keep it professional.”

Her rejection stung like a slap to the face. For a moment, I considered pushing back, but then Iron Face appeared and interrupted us.

“I have an announcement. Go to the dorms!”

Akiko didn’t wait. She slipped out of my hold and walked away, her steps quick and determined. She didn’t look back, not once. I balled my fists as I watched her go.

She wanted space. She wanted to do things her way. I was fine with it. But I’d be watching. I’d always be watching. If she thought she could shut me out, she was wrong.