Lyra's eyes peaked open slowly. There was a raging and pounding storm in her head giving her the mother of all migraines. The room was dark but she couldn’t tell if it was day or night. She felt delirious, wondering how she got into her bed. She was laying on her front, most of her face buried into the plush pillow. The pain suddenly surged throughout her head making her groan and bury her face into the pillow more.

“You're awake,” a voice came.

Lyra turned her head to the side to see Kanda walk over and sit beside her on the bed. “Just about,” she mumbled.

“How are you feeling?”

She closed her eyes again. “Like all your fangirls are banging their drums of war in my head.”

He chuckled quietly. “Ouch. Do you think you can sit up?”

She slowly pushed herself up and turned to sit up against the pillows facing him. Looking at the room now, she saw all the blinds had been closed to block out most of the morning light. She also noticed she was still in her dress, which she was honestly grateful for. It would have been embarrassing if someone had to come and change her. All her makeup was smudged but Kanda didn’t say anything in case it made her feel uncomfortable.

“Here.” He gave her a couple of tablets and a glass of water.

“What are these for?” she asked, taking them from him.

“They’re pain killers. Extra strength so your headache will go away quicker.”

Lyra smiled a little before taking the tablets and swallowing them down with the water. “Thank you, doctor.”

He returned her smile and took the glass from her. “You should freshen up and I’ll order some breakfast for you.”

She gave a single nod, closing her eyes as she rubbed her forehead. “What time is it?”

“Just after 3p.m.”

Her eyes snapped open. “What?!” she yelled before clutching onto her head due to the pain.

Kanda held her hand. “Lyra, it's fine. Everyone knows how late it got last night. Just relax, okay?”

“Okay...”

Lyra slowly made her way to get out of bed, Kanda helping her up. As she stood, her head grew a dull pain and she began to feel dizzy slightly. Her brain was still frazzled and she needed to just take things slow. She rested her head against Kaunda’s chest to try and regain her composure. But he didn’t mind at all, loosely holding her around her shoulders. He didn’t want to rush her. It was then that Lyra spotted the extra duvet and pillow stacked neatly on the couch.

“Kanda? Did you sleep on the couch last night?” she asked quietly.

“I did. I wanted to make sure you were okay during the night.”

She lifted her head, looking up at him with a soft frown. “I would have been okay. You would have slept better in your room. Or...” She looked at her bed and the sheer enormity of it. “You could have slept on this bed. I wouldn’t have minded.”

Kanda smiled. “You need your own space. And besides, that couch is surprisingly comfortable.”

She looked up at him again. “You really are too good for me, you know that?”

“I should be saying that to you,” he said before pressing his lips to her forehead. “Now go.”

Lyra gave a nod before going into the bathroom. She closed the door behind her before leaning back against it. She lifted her hand up in front of her, looking at the large diamond ring on her finger.

‘No, Kanda. You seriously are way too good for me. You deserve so much better than me. And so does Sesshomaru. I’m weak. I’m a liar. On one hand, I have Sesshomaru. He’s given me his heart. A human. My actions are going to lead him to turn against humans again. He trusted me with his heart and I’m going to break it. I’m never going to see those mesmerising gold eyes of his or those special smiles he would show only to me.

‘And on the other hand, there’s Kanda. The kindest and sweetest man with a heart of gold. With or without the pact, he was willing to give his heart to me. So much trust. So many promises I simply cannot keep.

‘Why do they love me? Two amazing yet two totally opposite beings. Both of them have given me their hearts through love. One I’ll have to break. And the other I can’t return my own heart to. I don’t deserve their love. And they don’t deserve a heartless monster like me...’

Lyra hadn’t realised how much time had passed or that tears had been streaming down her cheeks until there was a knock at the door. She quickly wiped her tears away.

Kanda spoke through the door. “Lyra, are you okay in there?”

“Yes. Yes, I’m fine. I'm just going into the shower now,” she answered.

“Okay.”

Lyra went and quickly turned the shower on to make her excuse sound more believable. She took a deep breath before going to the large sink area. Upon seeing the state of her makeup and how wild her hair looked thanks to the hairspray, she dead panned. Kanda didn’t make her feel like she was a mess at all. She was starting to get annoyed at how nice he was. By now she should really be head over heels for him. ‘Dammit, Kanda. Stop being so nice.’

She washed her face of all the makeup before combing the tangles out of her hair. It was quite difficult to take off the dress by herself but she eventually managed to do it. She hung it on one of the hangers in the bathroom and hooked it on the rail. She took the diamond earrings off, then the necklace Kanda gave her and finally the ring, placing them all on the vanity table.

Stepping into the rainforest shower, she let out a deep sigh as the water washed over her body. She blocked out all thoughts that were going into her mind. She had already done enough thinking. She didn’t want to think anymore. All she wanted was to enjoy that single moment. To relax her body and mind and escape all her worries even for just a short time.

Once she was done showering, she switched off the water and grabbed one of the luxury towels. She dried her body before towel drying her hair. It was a good opportunity to take advantage of the luxury robes but she opted for the fluffy one rather than the silk.

After wearing her ring and necklace again, she grabbed the earrings and left the bathroom. Returning into the room, she noticed the cleaners had already come and gone. Everything looked spotless again. Kanda greeted her with a smile just as a knock came at the door.

“Perfect timing,” he said before going to answer the door.

Room service had arrived. The man pushed in a trolley with an array of breakfast items and Lyra quickly found her stomach was rumbling. She didn’t realise how hungry she was. There was toast, poached eggs, fruits, a selection of juices and the choice of tea or coffee. After everything was set out onto the table in front of the couch, Kanda thanked the man and let him out before closing the door again.

Lyra took a seat on the coach. “Come and join me, Kanda,” she called, patting the space next to her.

“I’ll sit with you but I’m not going to eat anything,” he said as he sat down. However, Lyra's puppy eyed pout made him change his decision. “Okay. One slice of toast then,” he chuckled as he took one.

She smiled victoriously before grabbing herself one. “Good.”

As she took a bite, she relaxed a bit. Lifting her feet up onto the couch, she turned and leaned back against the arm of the couch so her body was facing towards Kanda. Her robe only just made it to her knees when she was standing. But now with her knees bent, the material rose up a little over her thighs. She hadn’t realised as she enjoyed the slice of toast like it was the best thing in the world. However, Kanda did noticed. He was shocked but didn’t want to say anything to embarrass her. He tried to hide the blush threatening to creep onto his cheeks and quickly looked away.

“Does your head still hurt?” he asked quickly to divert his mind.

“No,” she answered, shaking her head. “That was some pretty amazing medicine you gave me. I actually believe you’re a doctor now,” she joked.

He laughed. “I’m glad. Do you remember much of what happened last night?”

Lyra sighed. “The last thing I remember is talking to my friends at the bar.”

Kanda just gave a nod. “Okay.”

She looked at him, her brows furrowing with concern. “What happened? Did I do something when I was drunk?”

“No, no, no,” he dismissed with a chuckle and wave of his hand. However, Lyra gave him a look. “Yeah.”

Her expression instantly became filled with worry. “Oh no! Was it bad?” she asked, holding the sides of her head.

Kanda tried to answer very carefully. “It was bad. But not too bad. But kinda bad.”

Lyra felt like crying as she closed her eyes. “Just tell me the damage.”

He told her everything he knew. In the morning, he had contacted Lyra’s manager to find out what had happened since she was there at the time. He found out how much she had drank and exactly what she did in her drunken state, including all the trips and falls. By the time he had got the truth about what the group of women had said to her, his parents had heard a fake version of the story. Rumours and different version of the story had been passed around. Kanda had found his parents and Renji, who were all asking him questions but he told them what really happened. Some people had even taken videos and pictures so their morning consisted of stopping the press from posting them onto their websites. Money came a long way to sort out problems like these.

Lyra listened to him explain everything, eventually hiding her face in her hands from the shame. “I’m sorry, Kanda. I’m so, so, so sorry,” she mumbled into her hands.

“Don’t, Lyra,” he hushed.

He moved her hands from her face but she was still too ashamed to make eye contact, keeping her head lowered. He gently lifted her chin up and she soon met his gaze.

“What those women said to you last night...” He smiled at her softly. “You are far from boring. They have no idea what they’re talking about. In fact, I believe they’re jealous that they can never be as amazing as you.”

Lyra tilted her head. “I think they’re jealous that I’m marrying you.”

Kanda shook his head. “You’re smart, kind, beautiful. Everything they can never hope to achieve.” He spotted the necklace he had given her around her neck, reaching to it and lifting the pendant. “Every time you look at this, remember what I told you.”

She breathed out softly and smiled. “Thank you, Kanda.” She cupped his cheek and brushed her thumb over it. “You truly are amazing.”

He took her hand and kissed her palm before gently squeezing it. “You know, I was born into a rich family, grew up in mansions, had the best education, drove luxury cars. My lifestyle has always been expensive.” He let out a sigh, looking down at his hand holding hers as if he was in deep thought. But Lyra remained quiet, waiting for him to continue. “You have been my beacon to reality. You make me more humble and modest. Ever since I met you, I’ve been appreciating the smaller things in life. The finer things.” He looked back into her eyes again. “And I love you so much for that.”

Lyra felt like crumbling and turning into dust right there. “Kanda, I-"

“Lyra, I want to apologise,” he suddenly said, taking her by surprise.

“For what?” She looked at him with confusion.

“I know the past couple of days have been hard on you and you handled everything so well. I found out from your friends that you prefer things to be more toned down,” he explained. “And everything so far has just been wild. I want to make things up to you. They also told me that you love ancient architecture and historic buildings. So, today I want to take you to the Imperial Palace. We can just walk around, go sightseeing. That sort of thing. How does that sound?"

For the first time since she had returned, Lyra actually felt truly excited. Her face and eyes lit up with the brightest smile.

“I would love that!” she gasped.

Kanda chuckled at her sudden energy as she enveloped him in a tight hug. The thought of having a relaxing day out was just what she needed. After finishing off breakfast, Kanda left her to get ready. He collected her once she was done but before they could go and enjoy the day, Lyra had something she needed to do. Kanda took her to his parents room and they invited her in. Renji was there too. She looked down as she stood in front of Kuba and Kasai, Kanda at her side.

“I am shameful and embarrassed for my behaviour last night,” Lyra began. “And I apologise for all the damages and mess I have cost you.” She then bowed slightly. “Please, forgive me.”

Both Kuba and Kasai smiled. “Lyra, my dear, you have no reason to apologise,” Kuba said as Lyra stood up straight.

Kasai went to her and held her shoulders. “We’re not mad at you. It was a party for you anyway, so whether or not you got drunk doesn’t matter to us.”

“The only people we’re mad at are those women and the people who tried spreading rumours,” Kasai added. “Don’t feel disheartened.”

Lyra smiled gratefully. They were all so nice to her and she considered herself lucky. At least they weren’t a super strict family who would have punished her for her drunken charade. With everything settled, Kanda told them what he had planned for the day and he and Lyra set off.

The palace was in walking distance and the journey there was breathtaking itself. To reach the palace, they had to go over a bridge which went over a lake surrounded by willow trees. They walked hand-in-hand over it, taking their time to see all of its character. Everything was historic, each stone and brick of the bridge showing stories from the past centuries. Despite it being a popular place for tourists to visit, the place still held a sense of serenity.

And for some reason, Lyra felt a strange familiarity to the place.

“Now this is something money can’t buy,” Kanda said as they took in the views of the lake and trees.

Lyra smiled and breathed out softly. “It really can’t.”

He gently squeezed her hand. “Come on, let’s keep exploring.”

They continued further in, coming across a traditional Japanese garden. The garden was filled with even more people but it was still well maintained and it was clear the tourists respected the history. The grass was luscious and green, huge sakura and wisteria trees in whatever direction they looked. There was also a dedicated stone garden which lead them to the front of the palace.

The building was clearly very old and the age could be seen on the materials it had been built with. The government had done a great job on restoring it as much as they could, leaving it looking as grand as it must have done when it was first built. Again, Lyra kept feeling as though she had been there before. She brushed off the thought though. ‘Maybe I’ve seen this place in pictures before. Yes. That must be it.'

They both were in complete awe the further they ventured in. Kanda was most excited having never been to such a building before. Lyra had visited museums and other traditional buildings in the past. One of her favourite past times as a child. She told him all the facts he could remember about the architecture of the building and designs. They soon entered a large room. The floors were made of solid wood. It was still smooth and it maintained its shine. The ceilings were high and the room was bright. There was a group huddled around a large painting which was hung on the far wall. It was tall, almost reaching the ceiling so it could be seen on the other side of the room.

The painting had become faded over the years truly showing its age. It was hard to make out what the painting was depicting but it was clear to see that it was a portrait of a couple. The colours may have faded but the outfits of the couple were very white for the male while the lady wore more of a red colour. It was now protected by a glass case to preserve its longevity. Kanda lead Lyra towards the group, joining the back of it as they both became curious about it. A tour guide at the front of the group began giving information.

“Curators and specialists have found this painting to be around 500 years old,” he began. “It’s a very special painting showing its time throughout history. No one can be certain as to what the story is behind this painting or if there even is one. It could simply be the whim of an artist from the time. The painting has not moved from its place even during the time this place began growing as a tourist attraction.”

Murmurs could be heard from the group, everyone growing more interested.

“However,” the tour guide continued, “as you can see, although the painting has faded over time, it looks as though it is a painting of a couple. From their clothing to the workmanship of the painting, it is clear to see that they are high class people from that time. Perhaps even former royalty.”

“That’s amazing,” Kanda whispered. “It must be a priceless piece.”

Lyra nodded. “It really must be,” she whispered back.

The tour guide carried on after his pause. “Historians speculate that this couple were the first ones to own this very palace. No one knows who they are but it’s nice to believe that this couple still have a presence in their home.” He then used a stick to point to something on the painting, the stick gently tapping on the glass case. “If you look closely, the woman in the painting is also carrying a baby.”

Kanda squinted his eyes slightly before whispering in astonishment. “Oh, yeah! I see it. Can you?”

“Yeah,” she smiled. “I wonder who these people are.”

“Me too.”

After another small pause, the man continued. “This palace holds many secrets and stories that we will unfortunately never know. To think the people in this painting once owned this palace is a beauty in itself. Who were they? What was their story? Are the generations that came after them still around today?”

Another soft murmuring filled the space as people told their friends and family what they thought. The tour guide smiled, tapping his stick on the floor to gain everyone’s attention again.

“There is one more thing,” he spoke with mystery making everyone giddy with excitement. “Legend tells us one thing. If only one. Legend says that the people in that painting... The people who owned this very palace...were demons.”