She gnawed on her lip, rolling the cool can against the shape of her palm as she held her cell phone pressed against her ear. She stared at the ridiculous array of colours on the wide, awfully cluttered clothing rack, and could already feel the stress of just the sight plume out of her ears like steam.

'White. It simply has to be white…,' she mumbled thoughtlessly with wide eyes as the store assistant pushed away articles of clothing one by one tediously.

A strange grumbling noise sounded from the other end of the receiver. 'I'm sorry to say this Shin-chan, but white doesn't quite…' she paused as if carefully picking her words. 'It just doesn't suit you.'

Shinako stared blankly at the pure white dress the assistant pulled out from within the confines of the large rack in deep thought. 'Natsume…'

'… Yeah?'

'If you're going to constantly going to have a problem with my taste in colour…'

'Then I suggest you get out.'

Shinako's expression immediately soured at the blonde girl's ability to cut her off at the most crucial point in her threats, but nevertheless didn't quite mind this point about Natsume. 'Eep, Shin-chan, I'm sorry! You know I meant that in the best possible way~.'

For some reason, Natsume's tone at that point gave the redhead a ridiculous image of the girl smiling widely and winking at her through the receiver with an index finger on her chin… it somehow seemed so incredibly fitting of her that Shinako worried for her subconscious.

'… Well…,' she started, dismissing the large pearl-coloured dress in the store clerk's arms. 'I'm hanging up, Natsume.'

She didn't give the blonde a chance to respond to her statement and simply flipped her phone shut. Five minutes were simply enough talking to Natsume on the phone, but fifteen? Shinako was certain she lost a bit of her sanity during those hour-long minutes of listening to the girl chatter on about which colours on the colour chart suited her best.

She was the one who certainly contacted Natsume for help on picking the perfect dress, and even though she knew the girl incredibly well for her ability to chew ears off about anything to do with fashion or the like, Shinako trusted her judgment.

But… anything apart from white? It was slightly devastating news… only slightly though.

Shinako had returned home that mid afternoon and immediately began work. She knew the evening would require a lot more effort than the others she'd prepared for, considering it was after all a very special occasion.

She smiled just at the thought as she pulled off the scarf from around her neck and opened the new unread message on her phone. It was from her grandfather:

The first snow

The leaves of the daffodil

Bending together.

- Matsuo Basho

It was an hour after the allotted time for dinner when Shinako glanced at the large analogue clock above the other end of the dining table.

The house was quiet. All she could hear was the light patter of the rain from outside as she took a look at her phone and redialed his number for the umpteenth time. Just where on earth was the man?

If Shinako recalled correctly, he'd definitely announced his goodbye with a firm air of return… or at least she hoped that wasn't just her imagination. It wasn't exactly an odd thing that he travelled often, considering ever since he had appeared that night a year ago in her apartment, he'd been a particularly busy man; apparently running some large business as well as being one of the country's star basketball players. She couldn't quite place her certainty anywhere because of how often he really dismissed the subject with his either incredibly descriptive description or simplistic statement of an answer.

Being with the man was slightly difficult… only slightly, though, considering the time she'd had with him was in fact what she enjoyed the most.

It was odd. The man was odd. But nevertheless, she enjoyed his presence to no end. The Akashi was simply this individual that from the beginning, she could not read. Even now that he was once again within her reach, she wasn't entirely sure of his character as a whole. It was a painful thing to endure; knowing you're married to a man you barely know and yet unconditionally, painfully love, that is.

She sighed at the monotonous message that played through the receiver that stated once again that his number was either engaged or his phone was turned off, and retired to the living room.

She was incredibly certain his flight was scheduled to have landed two hours ago. Where could he have possibly been? She assumed that perhaps the flight had been delayed or so, but the gnawing doubt at the back of her mind told her otherwise…

What if he had left again? What if he would only come back this time after more than 3 years? Would he even come back at all? The thoughts panicked her for a moment. Even though it seemed like it, he wasn't exactly a heartless man… then again, every time he so as mentioned the word 'leave', her heart would go off a mile a minute.

Perhaps that day in the snow was the trigger for some sort of personal paranoia?

These crazy thoughts raced through her mind as she turned on her side against the sofa and pressed her cheek on a scatter cushion. She was exhausted, running around like a mad woman almost the entire day shopping for dinner goods and looking for the perfect dress for tonight (which she eventually settled for a medium gray silk one). At first when she'd put it on and stared at herself in the bedroom mirror, she couldn't help but feel incredibly self conscious, because the dress actually made everything about her stand out. Her hair, her eyes; even her skin!

She had felt relatively excited about tonight, but noting that perhaps the Akashi wouldn't after all turn up, felt nothing but a crumbling disappointment. She knew he was no good for her… that he was this tainted individual, and yet she simply could not stay away from the little things about him that amounted to the most delectable points about the man.

His every touch; his unreadable, multi-coloured eyes; his bright red hair in the darkness that glowed as if it were beneath the dim light of setting sun; and his kisses… even the thought made her cheeks warm.

You're no good for me, Seijuro…

The front door opened, and as if on cue her heart fluttered as if she were suddenly standing on the precipice of a waterfall. She shot up from the couch and bulleted for the door as it opened, allowing a cold gust of wind that hit her bare legs first. The dress she wore flittered above her knees in organized ruffles, and even though the icy chill was close to unbearable in the outfit, she couldn't quite care less considering the sight that greeted her.

'Tadaima,' he announced, blinking coolly as he had a hand pressed flatly against the front door.

Shinako stared at him for a moment longer before responding. 'You're late…,' she mumbled, and shortly after he entered the house, whispered 'okairi.'

He stood beneath the doorframe to the living room and undid the scarf from around his neck, and as he did, took great notice of the dining room table a little further away from him on his left. It was set quite nicely with a plate on either end and in the center, a shallow vase that accommodated red and yellow chrysanthemums.

He definitely expected something of the sort. 'How was your trip?' she questioned as she closed the front door with two hands.

He knew Shinako far too well to have not planned anything for his arrival, and a strange feeling bubbled within him, however he overlooked it the moment he turned slightly to address her.

'Shinako…,' he started, outstretching a hand towards her. 'Come here.'

He watched her as she cautiously stared at his hand for a moment, but nevertheless, took it. He pulled her a little closer before swinging an arm beneath her thighs, and she squeaked a reaction before grabbing onto the collar of his shirt for dear life.

'The trip had cost me the bother of dealing with human incompetence,' he explained briefly as he carried her in his arms into the living room. 'It was unnecessary and cumbersome.'

Shinako stared at him blankly (on regaining her cool) as he sat on one of the smaller cream couches in the lounge, and placed her nicely on a single thigh like a child. 'Seijuro, I don't think I'm following.'

'My luggage was misplaced.'

Shinako's eyes widened. 'Is that why you're so late?'

He didn't respond to her question. Instead, he was slightly pre-occupied with taking in every inch of the red haired woman clad in a dark gray silk dress that came across as an incredibly tempting thing to want to just rip off of her.

Ah, and if only she'd known the lengths he'd gone to retrieve the missing luggage! It had taken over an hour for him to once more reunite with the bag he had something particularly special in, however he knew it would be a taxing thing to explain to her right now.

'Oh, Seijuro, close your eyes.'

He stared at her for a moment and watched as a small smile formed on her lips. He didn't like surprises or anything of the like that robbed him of his vision, and even though it would be no problem for him to simply not do what she said, he was somehow in the mood to entertain her.

He felt her hands wrap around his fingers gently as she upturned his palm and within it, placed a cool object. He opened his eyes once more and smiled down at the red crystal chess piece, tracing the tip of his forefinger along the outline of the king's crown.

Shinako watched with delight as he quietly admired the piece, and slowly, he reached into his back pocket. She blinked curiously at the black box as he opened it, revealing exactly the same crystal red chess piece she'd given him, only that it was a queen.

She grinned. Perhaps having a husband who can practically see even the smallest of details into the future wasn't at all that bad… at least she wouldn't have to worry about them matching clothes at events or even having difficulty naming their kids when they decide to have some.

'Happy anniversary…,' she whispered, still smiling like a thrilled child in front of a dozen birthday presents.

Oh well. She couldn't help it. The man simply did these sorts of things to her she on any other occasion would never allow.

He stared at her for a moment in acknowledgment of her words, however she knew him far too well to actually expect a verbal response out of him. It simply wasn't like the Akashi to issue any sort of congratulations… and yet she didn't mind that part about him. She was simply content with the fact that he'd returned home. That he didn't leave her again like she thought he would with all the other trips he'd taken relentlessly throughout the year… and that she actually managed to survive a year of being married to the Akashi of all people.

You really are no good for me, Seijuro… but I want you more than anything in my life.

She was so consumed in her long train of thoughts that she didn't have enough time to react to the powerful grip he'd suddenly had on her wrists. He yanked her forward into his lap and snaked his arms around her waist, gently removing a single strap of her dress as it fell beside her shoulder.

He leaned forward, pressed his lips against the front of her throat, and eventually massaged her neck with his tongue comfortably. She wasn't entirely sure when she'd ever get used to this sort of incredible attention he gave her. Even though they'd been together for an entire year of marriage, his touches still made butterflies take flight within her belly.

'No, Seijuro, dinner first…' she mumbled with some difficulty, trying to keep herself composed, however he distracted her suddenly as his teeth grazed the soft skin of her neck.

His eyes were unmoving; however she was certain she could see a growing ember in them that lit the multi-coloured orbs in a most exquisite way. It was an incredibly rare spectacle considering she would on any other occasion never be able to read him, and yet at this point, she could tell exactly what he was feeling.

'We're not done giving gifts…' he simply stated as a smug smile spread on his lips, and with that, he leaned forward again and muffled his wife's bubbling protests with his lips against her own.

I need you more than anything in my life, apart from an energy drink a day to deal with you. That even though you're such a beautiful disaster and an ugly yokai, Seijuro; I'd rather not have anything if I can't have you.

Afterword

You know what? I'll be completely honest with you; beautiful reader; in saying that I had written this entire story with knowledge of Akashi only via Wikipedia (which doesn't exactly provide much, mind me saying).

It was an incredibly tough challenge working with him considering his awfully strange personality, and yet at the same time, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It isn't often that I get to work with such a complex character, and even though there is so little information about his personality provided, that just posed as an even greater challenge for me: to be able to develop him in a way I would have personally liked to have seen.

And the one 'person' that helped me do that had to be Ashikaga Shinako. She as well is quite the strange character, and somehow even though she and Akashi are quite different, I managed to bend her personality around his slightly because I know that change and Akashi are two words that will never be in the same dictionary, ha-ha.

One of my reviewers at some point had actually asked me about the peculiar coincidences between characters, for example: Midorima and Shinako both being Shin-chan's as well as sharing the same personality traits; and Natsume and Kise somehow being related to one another (as well as the surnames! Who would have known Ikina and Kise both have something to do with the colour yellow?).

I'll be honest; I never even considered those possibilities from the outset of the story! Do you know I actually had the entire thing planned out from chapter one to twelve at some point? The story was in fact supposed to be a lot shorter than what it turned out, with a lot more definitive events, and chapter twelve was supposed to be the final chapter.

However, dear reviewers, boy did you guys help me out a lot. If it weren't for your feedback, this story would have not been so popular, and never in a million years would have been in the least successful! I want to extend a huge thank you to all you wonderful people out there that reviewed, followed, and favourited this story because without your support, I would have never even completed it. ^.^

So BEFORE I LEAVE, I want to leave you all with one question…:

Should my next fan-fiction victimize our lover boy Kise Ryouta or our incredibly superstitious horoscope maniac Midorima Shintaro? Your answer will decide my next work, so please be sure to PM me or drop a review with your answer! ;D

Lots, and lots, and an awful lot of love,

~ damntationSUSHItruck