Page 26 of Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal
“When the weather’s good,” she said. “It’s a little over four kilometers, and I’m used to it. I spent the last couple years walking to Ingress Academy.”
He caught Suuzu’s eye, then asked, “Can we walk you home, Kimi?”
The polite thing would have been to protest—the time, the distance, the inconvenience. But Kimiko decided to be honest. “I’d like that. Really, I would.”
Akira grinned. “This time, I believe you!”
“I could show you around a little—the prettiest spots, my favorite places.” Kimiko checked the sky as she looped her scarf snugly around her neck. “If we’re careful, we can avoid my mother.”
“Why’s that?” asked Akira.
“I do want you to meet my family eventually. I mean, it would be an honor to offer you hospitality, but….” Kimiko floundered for a way to explain. “Certain members of my family have been putting a lot of pressure on me. I’m used to ignoring their helpful advice, but if you fell into their clutches, things would get awkward.”
“Pressure. Clutches?” Akira caught her arm. “Kimi, do you need our help?”
She laughed. “I’m not in need of rescue, butyouwill be if Mama finds out about your relationship to Lady Mettlebright.”
“Sis?” Akira held up his hands. “Am I missing some kind of reaver joke here? Because I’m not actually a reaver.”
“No, but your closest kin is a beacon, and that’s excellent breeding potential.” Kimiko shook her head. “You’d have a contract under your nose and a pen in your hand before the tea’s poured.”
Suuzu helpfully murmured, “Her relatives want an excellent prospect to improve their bloodlines.”
“Threeexcellent prospects. And I’m really sorry.” She tucked her chin, hiding most of her face behind her scarf. “I don’t want our triad to be about making connections.”
Akira patted her back. “I think I get it. And it sounds like I better find out about prospects and contracts and stuff, since I apparently have ‘excellent breeding potential.’”
Suuzu made a low noise that wasnothappy.
Kimiko shot him a sympathetic look and begged for patience.
He gently rebuffed her apology, saying, “The matter will undoubtedly arise again. Akira should become informed.”
Catching his eye, she expressed the depth of her feelings—abasement and reluctance to do harm, inner conflict and a sense of helplessness.
Akira caught her hand and stared at it. “Whatisthat? You’re always doing things like that. Little stuff. You move like an Amaranthine.”
Kimiko smirked at him. “I’m a reaver. We learn things like this.”
“No,” countered Suuzu. “You are different.”
She paused at the corner, waiting for the light to change. But she flicked him a quizzical look.
“There!” Akira mimicked the position of her feet and clumsily adjusted his hips. “What’s this supposed to mean?”
Suuzu said, “A mild protest, one that does not ask for confrontation. A plea for understanding. It would be more nuanced if she had a tail.”
Akira tried again, and Suuzu’s expression softened. “Not quite. Unless you were intending to proposition the nearest feline.”
He tried again, and Suuzu’s trill carried a note of amusement.
Kimiko chuckled. “You’re either challenging a bear or apologizing to your herd, depending on the set of your shoulders.”
“Hmm.” Suuzu fell in step beside her. “Your fluency goes beyond the expected patterns. Are your people attached to an enclave?”
“Not at all. We’re a shrine family.” A convenience store caught her eye, and she pulled up short. “Say, do you mind if I make a quick stop?”
“Snacks!” was Akira’s stamp of approval.
