Lia wondered around the Komatsuzaki mansion. She hasn't been shown around the mansion quite yet despite having lived there for almost a month so, she decided to look around each of the rooms. She made her way downstairs and went deep into the west wing. She came across a big room with a bar. She looked around the older texture of this bar which took her back to the 1920s in Chicago. Being in this room made Lia want to party like the Bootleggers in the 1920s. But she moved on from this room and headed down to the east wing. So far, it amazed her how the mansion could take her back in time. Then she went out a door that took her to a traditional Japanese Engawa style hallway with big sliding windows where she could almost walk with nature in this hallway. She walked down to the east wing where she found a bunch of tatami rooms.

Then Lia felt a gentle touch on her shoulder but she spun around quickly and gasped at the touch of this hand. 

"Himeko," Lia said as she sighed in relief. 

Himeko just blankly looked at Lia. "What are you doing?"

Lia could feel her palms get a little sticky with her nerves acting up. Himeko just caught her snooping around the mansion. "Well, I thought no one was around so I was just walking around. Not really doing anything." 

Himeko raised an eyebrow. "Well, I can't say I blame you if you thought no one was around. I used to get quite lonely whenever Kazuki wasn't here. The house is quite big." Himeko smiled and began walking towards the west wing. "Come, follow me."

"Okay!" Lia followed behind her. "Where are we going?" 

Himeko opened up one of the shoji screen doors into a room that looked like it was used for a Japanese tea ceremony. 

"Here we have the tea room and you're going to make tea for Kazuki." 

"Me!"

Himeko just nodded and showed Lia how to make traditional Japanese tea for Kazuki. She placed it on a tray so Lia could carry it to him.

"There, one for you and one for Kazuki. He should just be in the room in front of the koi fish pond. That's where his office is." She walked over to one of the pillars. "Oh and one more thing." She pushed a button and all the windows went down to make it look like a traditional style Japanese house. "It's always better to let the sun in."

Lia walked into the hallway that was now outside. Her eyes filled with amazement as she felt the sun rays soak into her skin and listened to the birds' chirp. 

"I have to go out," Himeko said. "Good luck." 

Then Himeko went out and Lia was on her own again. She picked up the tea tray and walked along the hallway down to the room in front of the koi pond. 

"Kazuki."

"Yes, Lia. What is it?

"I've made some tea. Would you like to have some?"

"Ah yes, that sounds nice." 

Lia bent down and placed the tea tray beside her and slide open the shoji door to reveal Kazuki focused on writing. He had his hair tied back in a ponytail and was wearing glasses. 

"Nothing like nice hot tea before bed," Kazuki said. "Thank you, Lia." He turned around and looked softly at her. 

Lia placed the tray down. Kazuki stopped writing, took his glasses off and got up and slide the windows out of the way so they could sit in front of the pond and drink some tea together. Lia grabbed the tea tray and offered some tea to Kazuki. She then sat beside him as they gazed up at the night sky.

"It's a beautiful night," Lia said. 

"It sure is." Kazuki took a sip of his tea and gazed up at the stars. 

Lia siped her tea and felt a sense of comfort to be with Kazuki alone once again. Even though they were not saying a word. 

"How's the tea," Lia asked to break the silence. 

"It's very good. I'm a little surprised you know how to make traditional tea."

Lia shook her head. "It was actually Himeko who showed me how and then she told me to give you some."

"I see," he replied and took another sip. "Where is she now?"

"Well she told me she was going out but I'm not sure where."

"I see. She's probably with Kaito again tonight."

Lia looked down. "Oh, will she be back later on tonight?" 

"Most likely not. Kaito is her mate and she'll want to spend lots of time with him." 

"Oh," Lia shyly smiled. "Does he come over here too?" 

"Yes but sometimes he gets to be too much." Kazuki chuckled and took another sip of tea. "He's a good guy and a pretty good friend of mine but he can also be a real idiot too."

"Really?" Lia's eyebrows raised. "What did he do?"

Kazuki covered his face with one hand and shook his head. "One time he got really drunk..."

"Okay it's a drunk story," Lia cut him off as she laughed a little. "This has got to be funny."

"Well, he somehow made his way all the way back here. He kept asking to see Himeko but I wouldn't allow him to see her in such a state. Then he said he was really hot and wanted to go for a swim in the ocean and this was in the middle of January. The ocean is really cold and the night air is pretty cold during this time of the year. Then he was trying to get me to go to the ocean with him. He then started to fall over so I had to tell him there was no way he was leaving here that night."

"Oh no," Lia giggled. "Was he at least okay."

"I made sure he was put to bed after he was falling all over. He was pretty hung over the next morning."

Lia laughed. "How much did he drink?"

Kazuki laughed and shook his head. "Who knows, I wasn't there." He paused and looked into his half filled cup. "Now that I think about it. I think those two got into quite the argument. Not sure what it was over though."

Lia turned her head towards him and rested her hand closer to Kazuki. 

"But," Kazuki said. "Nevermind that. There's been something I've been meaning to ask you. How have you been feeling?"

Lia giggled a little. "I think you've asked me that same question not too long ago. But, I'm feeling really good. Completly healed for the first time. Like I'm reassured my cancer will never return ever again."

Kazuki hand fell towards Lia's rested hand, almost touching hers.

"So I'm very grateful," Lia said as she bowed her head. 

"You've had cancer many times before," Kazuki asked. "Haven't you?"

Lia nodded. "I was around 5 years old the first time I've had it. I had childhood leukemia." 

Kazuki's eyes widened. 

"I was always a sickly child. But I was actually cancer-free until I was 13. I was diagnosed with leukemia again but it was already quite advanced and I was told I was going to die. At that time I was really afraid but, a miracle happened and I didn't die. However, at 15 it came back again. I was told I was going to die again. At that time, I started to get used to going in and out of the hospital."

"I'm sorry," Kazuki responded. "That probably got to be exhausting." 

"It was. But I was determined to finish high school. After I was cancer-free again. I started to go out with Monte and was finally able to have a real high school experience. Then before I graduated. I was sick with it again. Of course, the Doctor's told me not to get my hopes up for survival this time and I actually wasn't afraid of dying that time and decided to live life to the fullest. Monte proposed to me on our grad night but I was cancer-free again shortly after."

Kazuki moved his hand away from Lia and rested it back on his cup. 

"Was Monte your only boyfriend?"

Lia nodded. "Yes. Although he could have just left and have been happier with a much healthier girl. To this day, I still wonder why he would choose someone like me."

"When you love someone," Kazuki began. "You would do anything, make any sacrifice to be with them till the very end. No matter how much it hurts." 

Lia turned around to look at Kazuki whose eyes were staring into the pond. Then he looked up at the stars. 

"So that would mean you've had cancer a total of five times then," he observed. 

"Yes. After I was told I was going to die again. I wasn't surprised but it hit Monte very hard. The Doctor said there was no point in treatment anymore. Even though it was a different type of cancer that time, it was probably from all the chemotherapy over the years. I was just done so I gave up on life. I decided I wasn't going to go on living anymore. I was done suffering."

Lia blinked back tears. She wasn't going to cry in front of Kazuki but then, she felt his arms wrap around her and she was brought into his chest. She wrapped her arms around him as her heart melted into the embrace.

"Lia, the reason I asked you about how you were feeling is because I have something to ask you."

Lia lifted her head up. "What is it?" 

"Would you like to go back to school?"

"School?" 

"Yes. The Academy in Izayoi is like a university in your world. It's where aliens from every district go to become a protective warrior like myself and Himeko but it's not just fighting based. You can take classes you really enjoy and get involved in clubs too."

Lia smiled. "I've never got the chance to go to University. I would like to try it. Thank you very much."

The two finished up their tea and fireworks filled the sky. 

"When the Sakura has bloomed," Kazuki said. "That's when you'll be able to go."

"I'm looking forward to it."

They looked up at the fireworks that were being shot from the city of Izayoi. 

"Wow," Lia said in amazement. "You can see the fireworks from here. Himeko and Kaito probably went to the New years eve festival."

"Probably," Kazuki replied. "You could have gone with her. You didn't have to stay here with me."

Lia shook her head. "It's alright. I didn't mind spending some time with you tonight. Besides, she seemed like she didn't want me to go with her. I don't really want to be a third wheel."

The fireworks eventually came to a stop. 

"I guess that's it for the fireworks," Kazuki said. He patted Lia on the head. "Happy New year."

"Happy 2018," Lia replied.

"Anyway, we should head off to bed. It was nice to hear you open up to me a little bit tonight."