I'm soooooooooooo sorry I took so long with this! It's just, I was in Donegal for two weeks, and then when I got back, I had written most of the rest of 'Keep Walking', so I wanted to type it up before starting new chapters, and then my dad got back from America and decided to break his own rule about the laptop not being allowed to move from my desk since the hinge has broken (seriously, you can't even close it!) and he hogged it for about a week, and then I was away in Portugal. I'm finally home! I know I updated other stories without doing this one in between my holidays, but I find it harder to write this one.

Anyway, this is the final chapter of Part I and it may take a while before much more is updated - I'm not stopping, don't worry - It's just that school is starting in a week or two and since I'm going into 6th year, I'm going to have a lot of work.

This may have been up earlier were it not for the fact that I had to go into school to get my GCSE results. And then I was checking online, for though I got the grades to get back into my school, I was anxious whether or not they'd be good enough to study medicine. I think they will be. Hopefully, at least. I'm really going to need to up my game next year - I did nowhere near as much studying as I should have.

Anyway, hope you enjoy, and please R&R!


1.8. 'I Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You'

Back at the palace, there seemed to be a sort of party going on. Like an impromptu casual ball with everyone who had been at the competition.

I longed to retreat to my room, but Raimundo kept a tight hold on my hand, as if sensing this desire.

He introduced me to almost everyone there, and they were perfectly polite despite the fact that I was Raimundo's former-slave maid, but I still wanted to leave. Though it wasn't as bad as having to sing in front of them, I was uncomfortable facing them knowing that they had heard and seen me sing and were probably judging me inwardly as they put on their polite public masks.

A red-headed boy detached himself from the crowd and approached us. "Jack! How're you doing? It's been a while." Raimundo and this Jack shook hands while I stood there rather awkwardly, wishing Raimundo would let go of my hand. He seemed to have forgotten he was still holding it. Or at least, he didn't seem to notice. "So, what did you think of our singing?"

"You were great." Jack answered, casting a dubious glance at our hands, which Raimundo didn't notice, but I did, and turned bright red, trying to pull my hand out from Raimundo's without attracting his attention.

"Better than Ashley and Omi?"

"Well, I was running a little late, so I only arrived in time to see you singing with this young lady here."

"Oh! Of course! Jack, this is Kimiko. Kimiko, this is my friend Jack from the village." I smiled in greeting, still slightly red.

"And who's Ashley?"

"You don't know who Ashley is?" Raimundo asked incredulously. "Jack, she's practically been stalking me for the last week!"

"Oh, you mean the princess?"

"Yeah. That's her there."

Never know what you're gonna feel

Never see it coming, suddenly it's real

Jack turned to see where Raimundo was pointing and a strange expression crossed his face when he laid eyes on Princess Ashley. Perhaps it was because he was going by looks alone, and that she was far enough away that he didn't notice the amount of make-up she had on, but he seemed dazed. "She's beautiful…" he murmured reverently.

Raimundo and I exchanged raised eyebrows and backed away slowly as Jack approached the snobby princess.

Never even crossed my mind

That I could ever end up here tonight

Raimundo and I stood with amused expressions, watching Jack attempting to talk to Princess Ashley and her cold responses. The poor guy. Instead of her disdainful replies repelling him, they did exactly the opposite, and he just seemed to like her more and more.

Well, hopefully that will distract Ashley long enough that Raimundo and I will actually be able to spend some time together.

I was so nervous in this large room full of people, that my throat had gone rather dry, so I reached for something to drink.

"What are you doing?" It was Raimundo and for a moment I froze. Was I not allowed to, or something? But then I realised that his voice wasn't mad, or accusatory, simply curious. I turned my head to face him, just to make sure I hadn't misread his voice, but his face was tilted to the side in confusion.

"Uh…I'm getting a drink…?" I said slowly, my statement coming out as more of a question, unsure what he meant.

"No, I know that." Raimundo chuckled. I was even more confused now. "I meant why are you doing it with your left hand? You're right handed, aren't you?"

I blinked. "How do you know I'm right handed?"

His eyes shifted and his cheeks looked a bit pink. Is it warm in here, or is he embarrassed?

"I…uh…I noticed…" He fished around for words, before he seemed to remember his original question. "But you didn't answer my question."

"Uh…you haven't let go of my right hand yet." I said awkwardly in a rather quiet voice.

He glanced down at our still entwined hands with an expression of surprise, as if he had forgotten, or just hadn't realised he was doing it. "Oh." He slowly released my hand, almost as if he didn't want to. "Sorry."

"That's alright." I replied just as awkwardly as his apology.

Everything suddenly felt really strange. I glanced over at Raimundo to find that he had just done the same, and we both quickly averted our eyes. The air suddenly felt several degrees hotter, and I could feel blood rush to my face. Why was I feeling like this?

I glanced at Raimundo again out of my peripheral vision, and saw that he seemed to be in the same way I was. So it couldn't be my feelings for him then, that were making me act like this…

Things change

When you don't expect them too

No one knows

What the future's gonna do

I never even noticed

That you've been here all along


I didn't understand it. I had spent the last week in which I was saddled with Ashley the limpet wishing I was back with Kimiko. And now that it was just us again…it felt…I don't really know a word for how it felt, but it definitely wasn't how it felt before. Something underneath felt the same, but the most prominent feeling was entirely foreign, and I wasn't sure why.

I was also noticing things about her. Not that I hadn't before – I had always noticed pretty much everything about her, bar a few things that are completely incomprehensible to anyone but a girl – but I seemed to be noticing how I felt about it. Like how much I liked her hair – long, luscious and silky smooth, as I knew from the many times it whipped my face when we were riding, or how a few strands would fall onto my shoulder as we sat under our cherry blossom tree; how big and bright her eyes were – and how they always seemed to sparkle; how tiny she truly was… I had mostly thought about that in relation to how she must have been treated in childhood to get to be so small, but now I noticed how delicate she is, even though, if you called her that, you may not live very long – I think I'm the only one who's ever gotten to know her so well, that I've seen her temper.

It was as if… I dunno…as if there was some sort of magnetic pull causing me to look at her. That was the first of many times, when I couldn't keep my eyes off of her.

I can't take my eyes off of you

I know you feel the same way too

I can't take my eyes off of you

All it took was one look

For a dream come true


Raimundo turned to me and opened his mouth, looking as if he was trying to find the best way to put something. Panic rose in my chest, all sorts of incredible ideas chasing each other around my head, but he shook his head.

"Would you like to dance?" It was clear that it wasn't what he had wanted to say, but I nodded anyway and he took my hand again and led me towards the dance floor.

We gotta good thing going on

Right here is right where we belong


There was something about the way she felt in my arms. Something…almost, as if something had been missing, and she was somehow my missing piece…

You never really know what you might find

Now, all I see is you and I

You're everything I never knew

That I was looking for


As we danced, I tried not to think too much and ruin the moment, but it was rather hard since my mind had just went into overdrive. I was dancing with Raimundo, Prince Raimundo, who, I had recently realised, I had feelings for.

It felt good. I knew it shouldn't have, but it did.

I can't take my eyes off of you

I know you feel the same way too

I can't take my eyes off of you

All it took was one look

For a dream come true

I could see Ashley fiercely glaring at me from where she was still trying to brush Jack off. Unsuccessfully, might I add. I got the feeling that she wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon, but hopefully she'll back off a little and try to come up with a new plan.

Can't take my eyes off of you

Oh, oh, oh, yeah

So let the music play

Can't take my eyes off of you

Yeah, the feeling's getting stronger

And I never ever felt this way

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alright

I see everything

In your eyes

Alright

Something's happening

'Cause everyone's around

But you're the only one I see


It felt like we were the only two people in the room as we continued to dance. As we gazed into each others' eyes, we forgot everyone else. Forgot that we were in the palace ballroom, with all of the people who had been at the competition. Forgot that most of the people in the room were royalty or nobility or at least fairly rich.

We just kept dancing, absorbed in each other.


I can't take my eyes off of you

I know you feel the same way too

I can't take my eyes off of you

All it took was one look

For a dream come true

I can't take my eyes off of you

Feelings like I never knew

I can't take my eyes off of you

From the start

Got my heart

Yeah, you do

Can't take my eyes off of you

As I lay in bed that night I thought over everything. The way I had held her hand without even noticing, and even when I did notice, I didn't want to let go, it felt so…I dunno. What I do know, is that it didn't feel as if it was something I wasn't supposed to do.

And then there was the way I felt standing so close to her in there, the way I had opened my mouth to tell her something, but I had absolutely no idea what.

And how she felt in my arms. And the way I had felt while she was there.

It was… It felt… indescribable.

I dunno, but while we danced, I felt happy. Really happy. I mean, happier than I've ever felt, happy.

I mulled it over for another while, turning over to try to get some sleep. My eyes flashed open when I came to the only conclusion that made sense.

I liked her. I mean, liked her liked her. God, I sound like such a girl.

But it was true. I felt for her much more for anyone else in the palace, in the village, the kingdom, the entire world…

I lay back against my pillows with a sigh. There was no way she would ever like someone like me. I mean, sure, I'm a prince, but Kimiko isn't like that. The fact that I'm a prince would make people like Ashley like me, but not Kimiko. She sees past titles and outward appearances, to the real person inside. She'd fall for someone based on their personality.

There was no way I'm good enough for her. That's what I told myself. Still do, actually. But that didn't mean I stopped liking her. Far from it…


So what'd you think?

By the way, the parts where Rai interrupts Kimiko's telling of the story, it's Rai from the future telling it, whereas Kimiko is in the near future or present, as in, her narration is shortly after the action actually takes place.

Okay, so from now on, since I can't seem to get the stupid thing to skip a line between verses and choruses, I'm going to put XXXXXXXXXXXXXX between them. Unless, of course, anyone knows how I can get it to skip the line?