I was summoned in front of the Sakura tree in the middle of the night.

I was soundly asleep in my room at the far end of the hall when out of the blue, a small sakura petal placed itself beside me, waking me from my deep slumber. It was not a normal petal I know it much, for it would not have awaken my deep and wonderous sleep if it were so.

The flower blade is but a mere illusion of my one and only master, I felt his youki emenating from the small pink object as it fades. Seeing this, I immediately knew what I had to do at that very moment. And so I now stood plainly still in front of the tree that bore that pink flower. Shaking away the unstoppable urge to sleep, when…

"Don't fall asleep on me now."

My master's rough voice in an instant made my body automatically stand straight and my mind alert and awake as if a warning signal had been announced. I want to say to him to never do such a surprising thing again but knowing fully that he is a Nurarihyon yokai, my efforts of even speaking a thing about it will be in vain. So I turned myself to his direction and I greeted the man, "Good evening, Rikuo-sama."

My master made his way towards me, his face wearing a rough one sided smile as he does so. It was amazing how his face doesn't seem to have any trace of drowsiness considering that he is one fourths a human. And not only that, he is, unexpectedly, not in his usual place in the thick branch of this blooming Cherry Blossom tree beside us. Did something happen?

"I just went out a bit..." As if reading my thoughts, he answered me as he looked up at the dark sky above us with an expressionless face, "...Thinking."

Ah, I get it. It is indeed hard to be put in your place right now Rikuo-sama.

It had been many years since my master defeated the Nue that made him the Lord of the Spirits and the one who stands above all yokais and demons alike. It was such a victorious moment for every one of us when we saw them walking back to the Nura mansion covered with bruises, but nonetheless, they were fine. But now, with the times changing and his grandfather aging slower but weaker than ever, a new heir is needed for the maintenance of the lineage of the Nura clan throughout the remaining generations.

And since the curse of the nine tailed fox, Hagoromo Gitsune, is still in tact, the curse that would make the Nurarihyon bloodline cease to exist as time passes. They had decided on the option to make the young man's childhood friend, Ienaga Kana, be the human to provide an heir.

The matter could always wait, but the Supreme Commander had decided selfishly so, forcing the young master to agree and more so, even took the old man's teasing of "you'll never get a decent wife if you act like such a kid..." as a challenge. It was just another daily quarrels of theirs that somehow went wrong...

Smiling at my master's reply, I quietly respond him, "I see,"

During the fight with the Nue, the girl would do her best and help the yokais injured in the war. Helping Wakana-sama with everything she could. Her perseverance and belief that her clasmate, Nura Rikuo, would come back to them carrying their banner of victory gave everyone the strength to move on and fight for their beliefs just as what their master is doing...

And at the same time, the yokais gained respect for her and for a moment, the human girl, Kana, reminded them of the First Supreme Commander's deceased wife Youhime-sama and the Second's very own Wakana-sama.

I should know all this, because I myself thought of the same thing the whole time I was watching her.

And of course, with this kind of mentality, something like this would be inevitable...

"So what does Rikuo-sama need for him to call me all the way from my dreams?" I ask him, lighting the seemingly suffocating atmosphere as much as I possibly could, "Do you want a glass of water?"

A light chuckle escaped his lips as he jumps high and lands on his usual spot in the Sakura, "I just thought that tonight is such a great night. It'd be a waste to see this alone," he said glancing down on me, "would you care to join me?"

Just by seeing his smile, I myself couldn't help but smile as well. Really, what charm this guy brings to me. Seeing as I can't ignore such a small request from him, I turned and seated beside the tree, leaning my back to it's trunk to relax myself as I mutter, "...there's no helping it then."

And for the next few hours we talked, about the life as the new heir, the meetings, the daily fights he has with his own grandfather and how things used to be. And of course about his would-be wife. He kept complaining how everyone seemed to be more excited than he was and that they're all practically planning the ceremony like it were their own. Although I would agree with them, Rikuo-sama isn't good at deciding such things. But knowing this fully, I could only chuckle to myself as I watch him. He may not look like it, but it seems like he himself is a bit excited for it. How utterly cute of him...

He then asked me if there was something I would like to include in his wedding. I merely shrugged at myself and said half jokingly that I would like to cook the meals for the guests to eat, that would be surely a delight to me. To which he immediately rejected with a laugh, saying that I'd be bad if they served frozen foods to the guests at a traditional wedding. Hearing this, I couldn't help but pout to myself that seemed to make him smile wider, "Okay, so how about this, I will let you take part in the wedding." he proposed.

My eyes widen in confusion, "What do you mean, Rikuo-sama? By part, did you mean that I'll be able to participate in your wedding?" I ask him to confirm my doubts that he replied by a silent nod of his head firmly with a small smile.

Seeing his reply, I...

"That would be great!"

"Glad to hear it!" Rikuo-sama said smiling down at my beaming expression, "So what would you like to wear?"

My smiling face then faded at the sudden question, "Wear?" I repeated looking down on my white Kimono, before gazing up at him again with a questioning look, "Is what I'm wearing not enough?"

Well, I was never really get these kinds of ceremonies, and obviously, it was my first time ever even being in one. The only ceremonies that I am familiar with is Rihan-sama and Wakana-sama's wedding, Rikuo-sama's coming of age ceremony and his ascension to the third heir's seat but it was never as grand as what will my master's wedding will be. And all I ever done in those ceremonies is serve (not cook) food to the guests to eat since not only yokais will be present in them, there are also Wakana-sama's family and close relatives...

Being blessed with such responsibility, I should be more cooperative with all this, not to mention that this is my young master's most important and memorable day, and yet deep inside I am...

"Well if you ask me it is, but I doubt the others would think it," Rikuo-sama replied to me, his brows creasing as he gazes down on what I'm wearing with an analyzing look as he thinks to himself, "What color would suit you then? Kana prefers pink or red if I recall..."

I was grinning to myself awkwardly as I frankly said, "Red dresses don't suit me." followed by a small laugh as I imagine myself wearing one. With my pale white skin and dark hair, I might look like some sort of ghost. Though that is not something new, but attending the wedding of your master looking like one is just wrong on so many levels. Rikuo-sama must have been thinking the same when I notice him let out a small laugh before saying, "Yes, I think so too. White dress suits you best." before staring down at me with a gentle smile that never cease to make the atmosphere around me grow warm, and at the same time fills me with great contentment...

Unknowingly, a smile spread itself across my face...

Silence occupied the next few minutes after as Rikuo-sama and I just found ourselves looking up to the night sky. It was beautiful now that the stars were not covered by the clouds, now finally showing their glistening glow. I couldn't help but ask destiny or whoever made this night happen to keep it this way and let this moment slow down in time for a while longer... But I guess even if Kami-sama did made that simple wish of mine happen, I doubt I'll be wide awake to even see this through. I heave out a silent yawn to myself and was about to rest my eyes and have my sleep when my master's voice rang out to me...

"What do you think?" He then suddenly asks me out of the blue

I glanced up to him with lazy eyes as I calmly tell myself to stay awake, "Of what?" I ask him, looking back down and rubbing my gold eyes awake. Today was much more tiring than I had thought, I can barely keep myself awake. I fear I could sleep at any given moment. This is surely troublesome. I need to stay awake. His mouth kept opening and closing, saying something completely incomprehensible in my ears. Everything was clouded by my own will to sleep.

Clearing my mind for a moment, I managed to faintly hear him...

"Are you alright with this?" He said in a deep serious tone of voice that took me a while to actually process if what he had said is really what I heard. Is he asking if I'm alright with this? With him marrying Kana? Is he asking me as a family member or as his aide? Rikuo-sama is really confusing sometimes that I don't know if he's serious about this or just asking to make a conversation...

But I guess this is something that shouldn't surprise me, despite everything that happened to him, Rikuo-sama is still the same old inexpressive young master he is. And it is because of that very fact that I would dare not answer him despite the fighting urge of my feelings that want itself to be known to him. Very much. Self-control is the something I really need right now, it is such an easy thing to say but once put into action, it is there that you realize how hard it could be, more so if suppressed in such a long time...

Like mine...

So I'm sorry Rikuo-sama...

Since a child, I watched Rikuo-sama grow into a fine young man worthy of being called the Lord of the Spirits. He achieved so many things in such a short time. And every one of those achievements, I was right beside him and protecting him. Seeing him becoming such a fine man, I guess even I can't help but one day feel this way towards him. But now, he's going out there with someone other than me by his side. Through think and thin, and till death do they part. I know very much how wrong this feels and I should have expected something like this to happen one day, but...

I'm very sorry, Rikuo-sama...

I'm but a mere aide, I have no right to even speak of such things to you or to feel this way for you. It would only bring me pains and sorrows if this even keeps up. But I know myself well enough that I could never stop myself from feeling this, so I'll just have to accept things and move on, Carrying this pain with me as I go... I just hope that you'll forgive me for being selfish in keeping instead of discarding these worthless feelings of mine that gives me the only awareness of what my place in this world is...

I then stood up and excused myself to the man high up above me with lazy eyes, "We should very much go to sleep now, we have an early start tomorrow. Most especially you, Rikuo-sama." I said to him before finally bowing, "Well then, good night and thank you for the company, may you sleep well tonight..."

My master remained silent the whole time I was walking away. It pained me. But still, through it all, I found myself letting out a sigh of relief as I thought deep inside my heart that this was fine and that I can still do something for him despite what will occur a few more days from now. But still...

I couldn't help but feel wishful at my master's comment...

White dress suits you best...

This was actually inspired by one story I read, it's a great story despite being a short one and the feeling is all there! So here! I hope you guys liked it. Truthfully, it's my first time writing something like this all angsty and stuff so forgive me if the feelings aren't portrayed well...

I'm an antisocial geek. Love stories aren't my forte...

But I agree with Tsurara on this one though... How sad... T^T

And so tell me what you think of this chapter. I'm still thinking if I will make this a oneshot or not at the moment since I'm not good at love stories. Shounen mangas are what I usually read so I must've adapted that in to my writing... xDD

Anyway, that is all see you!