Chapter 70 YOSHI

Chapter 70 YOSHI

Mei POV

I glance uncertainly to the women standing around me. With looks of self-importance they're taking care to gather up and adjust their bunches of lilies. Just a few feet away I can see Sonja frowning down at her fistful, plucking away an unruly petal from one of her lilies.

A handful is better than four.

Right beside her is Xiao Shen. With much exaggerated movements she switches arms with her tidy bunch of lilies, which probably nears a dozen.

And an armful is even better than a fistful.

While questioning just how my rival managed to collect so many lilies in the short time she'd been gone, Declan breaks into my thoughts.

"Do you think if I ran fast, I could pick some more for you and be back in time for you to show them?" he wonders, his eyes sparkling at me playfully.

I sigh and smile up at him. "Thanks Declan, but I think it's best this way, the last thing I want is to be announced as Jasper's wife."

"What, you mean you're not?"

I narrow my eyes at him.

"I told you already—"

"Oh. That's right, I forgot, he just wanted to be friends," he goes on, shooting me a look.

"That's what he said," I argue, glaring into his newly forming smile. "Maybe if you would tell me what Cal said—"

Just then the woman begins to speak again and he pursues his lips and looks back up at the stage, apparently entranced.

That Declan.

"Okay, now the moment you've all been waiting for, the rise of the lily. Ladies, I will call out a number, if you have that many lilies in your possession then raise your bouquet, we'll continue on until only one woman remains—"

"What if there's a tie?" Declan whispers, seeming to find his voice again.

I shrug and shake my head. How would they decide then?

"—then that woman is this year's Yoshi. Are we ready?" the woman asks, answered by eager cheers. "Good. We'll start at, four!"

Four.

Slowly my gaze drops down to the four lilies in my hand. They suddenly feel heavy, burning away at my palm. My whole right arm hangs defiantly at my side, refusing to be raised.

Declan, keeping a close eye on me, watches as a small young woman behind me raises her arm, showing her four lilies as proudly as if she had four dozen. Setting his mouth, he reaches for my hand, and before I can protest, rises my arm up for all to see.

Declan!

I open my mouth to protest, attempting to free my hand from his grasp, but it's no use, he just looks back at me with an unaffected smile. Jerking my arm helplessly, I catch sight of Xiao Shen peering over at me, a look of triumph on her face that no sleeve could hide, and lacking a sleeve that particular night, there's nothing between me and her delight. Looking away before I can see Sonja's amused expression, I turn back to him with a glare.

"Declan," I object, with another forceful tug.

"What? You have four, show them proud!" he encourages brightly, holding up my hand higher.

"You're embarrassing me; this is nothing to be proud of."

"Tell that to her," he remarks, glancing at someone I can't see.

Feeling flustered, I look over my shoulder and catch sight of a petite young woman about my age, holding up her small bunch with beaming pride. I flush and face the stage once more. Bad idea. In that moment I lock eyes with Jasper. He offers me a small smile which I return weakly, my face nearly catching on fire.

"Alright," the woman on stage continues, glancing briefly in the direction of Declan and my struggling figures, "how about six?"

With my arm becoming sore, a numbing sensation spreading into my shoulder, I'm abruptly released from his hold. Ahead of us a few women raise their arms in the air of their own free will. Feeling the blood returning to my arm with a prickly warm rush, I glare out of the corner of my eye at him, standing beside me, satisfied.

"Don't look at me like that," he says, still staring up at the stage.

With a frown I flex my fingers. "My arm is half dead thanks to you."

He breaks his gaze from the stage. "Oh, never mind what you did to my arm—"

I narrow my eyes and give him a push.

"Oy, should I raise your arm again?" he cries, rubbing his sore shoulder.

I cross my arms tightly to be safe. "You shouldn't have raised it in the first place."

"It wasn't that bad," he remarks, looking to me unconvinced.

"Yes, it was," I answer stubbornly.

"Okay, how about nine?" the woman on stage speaks as the women with six lilies lower their arms.

I watch on as twice as many arms rise in their place. A blush creeping up over my neck, I glance down the way to see Sonja raising her arm. Xiao Shen stands beside her, absently adjusting her larger bunch. I frown and find myself crushing my own lilies again.

That Xiao Shen.

"Sonja managed nine," I remark, forcing myself to look away from my rival and back to the monk.

"Yeah, I guess so. She could've had twice that if she'd done a lot more eye batting and a lot less talking," he replies, his eyes moving to her, arm held proudly in the air.

"You mean you didn't see her receive those lilies?" I ask, cocking my head at him, smiling slightly.

He blinks and looks back to me with an eyebrow raised. "No, I was out looking for you," he answers matter-of-factly.

"Actually," I go on thoughtfully, pointedly ignoring the monk beside me, "it makes sense. Imagine how many lilies Sonja missed out on because of your hovering."

"I wasn't hovering, I was out looking for—"

"I'm a lily short because of you, and then I lost another with Cal—" I wince as soon as the words leave my mouth.

His eyebrows rise further. "Cal too?"

"It's one of those blank spots," I explain simply, looking back to the stage to escape his curious gaze.

"Over my dead body."

I blink and snap my attention back to the monk.

"Excuse me?"

"Over my dead body," he repeats. "That's what Cal said."

My lips part in surprise. I stare at Declan with confusion.

"I, what?"

Smirking, he just shrugs. "I don't know anything beyond that. One moment they're discussing Jasper's proposal to you, the next moment Cal is out of his seat and storming out of the room. It was under his breath, but I know I heard him say it as he passed me: over my dead body."

I feel my face burn, my heart pounding in my chest. Declan places a steadying hand on my shoulder.

"You're not gonna faint on me, are you?" he teases, amusement plain on his face.

I shrug off his hand and shake my head, more to clear my mind than deny fainting; I'm feeling a bit light-headed.

A strange sort of giddy excitement fills me, replacing my momentary panic. A small smile pulls at my lips.

"He said that? Are you sure?"

He eyes me uncertainly. "If I say yes, are you going to start doing that giggling thing?"

My smile vanishes and I nudge him in the side. "No, now answer me."

"Okay," he replies, still observing me carefully, "I'm positive that's what I heard. What it means, hard to say, although I have some ideas."

My mind whirling, my emotions moving in and out of confusion and delight, I barely notice the woman on stage announcing the next number of lilies.

"Alright, we're nearing the end here; is there a dozen out there?"

Mirroring the beginning of this ceremony, only a few hands rise into the air. One of them is Xiao Shen's. I glance around to see if I can spot her rival for the crown, and catch sight of two more bouquets in the air. One is made up of only roses.

Naomi.

I frown and my gaze finds Sachi, but the playwright's attention isn't on his actress, it's on the third and final contender: Miss Miyuki.

Declan looks down at me and the two of us share a look.

This isn't going to be good.

"Well, it seems we have more than one complete bouquet," the woman on stage begins, looking down at the three women in surprise. "This happens only rarely, but we do have a way to decide."

The woman stands to the side and gestures toward Jasper.

"Mr. Miyuki, please pick your wife."

He blinks, startled at suddenly having to make such an important decision. Uncertainly he walks to the edge of the stage and looks down on the mass of people below him, three elegant arms held into the air.

As I look up at his nervous figure his eyes meet mine and I know in that moment that he wishes he could pick me. With perfect timing his grandparents drive this idea home.

"THIS IS A CONSPIRACY! HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PICK WHOEVER HE WANTS AS HIS WIFE!"

"THESE OTHER WOMEN JUST BATTED THEIR EYES AND GIGGLED TO GET THOSE LILIES, WHAT'S INSPIRING ABOUT THAT?"

Despite the furious blush raging over my features, I can't help a small satisfied smile sent Xiao Shen's way. She briefly catches my look, then pointedly ignores me, smoothing her dress self-consciously. Standing behind her and to the left is Naomi. The actress stands holding up her roses with a glowing face, though occasionally her gaze drops to the medium and her cheeks color.

That Xiao Shen.

Even farther toward the right and up close to the stage stands the refined Miss Miyuki, her creamy skin continuing up to the pale bouquet she holds, a testament of her beauty. I focus once again on Jasper.

Who will he choose?

"Have you made your decision?" the woman asks with anticipation.

He manages a weak smile. "I have."

There's a pause as he looks once again at his choices, then draws in a deep breath.

"Naomi Stiles."

The silence is suddenly filled with loud applause. I break into a genuine smile, looking back at the actress, who lets out a cry of surprise.

"Joji! Joji, can you believe it?" she exclaims as she's being hurried up to the stage, passing the playwright.

He manages a kind smile. "Good for you, Naomi!"

My eyes quickly find Xiao Shen, hoping to savor the look of disappointment on her face, but I'm stunned to find her looking rather composed, clapping along with the crowd.

"Naomi Stiles, this year's Yoshi Miyuki!" the woman announces from the stage as the actress climbs up, accepting a hand from Jasper.

The applause carries on, several people from the crowd whistling. Blushing and smiling brightly, Naomi waves down at her adoring audience.

"Any last words before we get you backstage and ready for your performance?" the woman wonders, looking to the delighted actress.

Naomi pauses in her waving to glance at Jasper.

"Yes, actually," she answers, smiling kindly at the heir to the Koku Inn. "This is the first time I have ever received this honor, thank you very much."

He smiles and lowers his gaze. "You're very welcome."

"What a wonderful end to this evening's ceremony. There you have it, Hollow Crest, Mr. and Mrs. Miyuki!"

Naomi and Jasper bow their heads to the cheering mass of people and then silently begin to file off the stage, Naomi still waving all the way. I glance at Sachi and catch sight of him lowering his hand, a strange sort of smile on his face.