Ota's PoV

The next morning after Miu entered my life.

"You were a grump, as always, in the mornings. You scared her." Baba said during breakfast.

"I can't help it if I'm not a morning person."

That evening, it's almost eight o'clock, Miu still isn't back. I was doodling with a pencil on a sketch book. Understandably I sketched a puppy. I haven't thought of this name since she left, but 'Koro' suits Miu very well, too....

"Aren't you afraid that kid might've ran away?" Soryu suggests in a suspecting tone.

As soon as he said that, the lounge door opened to Miu's giggling.

After she went into the suite. Baba said, his eyes still averted: "I've been thinking this for a while...but, doesn't Miu remind you of...I dunno...you?"

I knew he wanted to say Arian's name but is dodging the subject. I sigh, it's about time that I should stop avoiding it, I respond, "she does remind me of Arian from every angle."

"And she looks like you." Eisuke added. Which made me shiver.

"That doesn't mean or confirm anything." I deny firmly, refusing to believe the theories that they were trying to suggest.

***

The next day, which is a Wednesday, I decided to pick Miu up at her high school. She's at a very exclusive high school, only the best artists gets in. She said she studied visual art and dramatic arts. Just like I did.

"But Miu! I really love you!" I heard someone say and follow the voice to a corner of the school yard. There I see a boy talking to Miu. He had a desperate expression, but she looks like she couldn't care less.

"I told you since the day we've met that I get tired of relationships easily, and you said you were okay with that." she said calmly in a low voice, "and now I'm tellin' ya. I'm bored, so get out of my sight."

That boy walked away with a heart broken expression, she turned around and spotted me. She grinned and waved like nothing's happened.

I don't need no reminder of how I was like before I met Arian, and here, Miu was like a perfect replica of me, toying with other people's feelings.

"Ota? I guess you saw, huh?" she said, with a fake expression of pity.

"Are you always like that?" I ask her on our way back to Tres Spades.

"Mmhmm, yeah, so? I did warn them I'm no good."

Misaki's PoV

"You wanna come with me to my studio instead?" Ota suggested out of nowhere when we were on our way to Tres Spades. And of course I would want to go there. No other girl could've gotten the privilege to get a glimpse of where he makes his incredible creations.

"Your dad once made a painting modelled after me..." I remember mom once said our of reminisce. It was a bird in a cage with a black background. The red bird turns blue under the shine of direct light, just like the gemstone in her necklace.

I see the painting as soon as I enter Ota's studio. I stopped dead. I ask him if he painted it, he nodded while looking away, not letting me see his face.

Hey.... I'm getting suspicious. A few years ago, I was overjoyed when I found out I had the same surname as the famous artist, I thought what luck! But when you think about it....

A paint brush was stuffed in front of my face before anything else came to mind. I look up and see Ota having a head band pushing his hair up. He was measuring with his paint brush. Is he drawing me? I think as he pulled his brush back and start doodling.

I kept patient and just took a seat beside the bed. Ota's focused on his drawing as minutes passed by. My hopes were up when he smiled and turned the board around, but I should've known better from this artist. It was a beautiful sketch of a puppy golden retriever. It was well-drawn but he was measuring at ME the whole time!

"Jerk." I mutter.

"What! You're cute like a puppy." he walked over and ran his fingers through my hair and mumbled, "and your soft sandy blonde hair matches her perfectly. Your soft hair...just like hers...." his voice faded more and more at the end and his smile dropped as he turned back to his work.

Who is this 'her' he's talked about so many times? And he becomes sad whenever he mentions 'her'.

***

The next day, at school. Our drama class is going to the music room for piano sound effect in one of our plays.

When I finished, I walk down from the left side of the classroom, I felt my ankle hit something and I fell over. Instead of the hard concrete ground, I fell into something warm and strong. I glance back, nothing was on the ground that I could've tripped over. How'd I even trip? Then I look up to those strong arms around me and see that boy again.

Tailed by four girls...just staring at me.... Now I remember, his seat was on the far left of the classroom.

"Whoa! Beau! Why do you always get the pretty girls?" someone from behind him whisper-shouted. I was about to thank this guy who caught me, when he muttered so only I could hear, "geez you're really heavy."

"No kiddin'! And this time, the most popular girl in school..." I hear some faint voices say.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I say, I felt his arms tightly around my waist. But he quickly let go when I try to get up. I was opening my mouth to thank him one more time, when he said again, "try not to be so clumsy next time."

I can't help but to stare at him in shock. What's his problem?! I end up just walking away with a glare.

His name was Beau right? His handsome face and chestnut blonde hair are so mesmerizing, but why's he being so rude? This is very new to me as boys have never been anything but nice to me.

"Miu! There you are!" It's the middle of class, the drama class is still all in the music room. And Ota came outta nowhere--again--in front of our classroom.

"Oh em gee! Is that Ota Kisaki?!" one of the girls squeal, and all the rest follow her example. Oh yeah, he is a celebrity, after all.

Just as I take two steps towards him, he grabbed my wrist and ushered me to go along while dragging me out of squeals and gasps.

"How--where--why--" I stutter. We're walking on the streets, power walking. Ota has an excited expression on his face as he led me forward.

"I gave the principal an autograph and she let me in." he said while sticking out his tongue. I sweat drop, "the principal doesn't have any principle at all...."

"And where are you taking me?" I ask as I try to keep up with his walking pace.

"I wanna show you something." he said as he quickened his already-fast walking pace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Published - February 2015

Edited - May 16, 2016