Chapter Text
"Oh, I'm so excited!" Her grandmother gushed, her face all but glowing as the sun hit her face.
"I know you are, grandmother," Shirayuki laughed from the driver's seat, her crimson hair whipping her face due to the breeze coming in through the open windows. "You've been talking about it since we left the house."
"Yes, but you and I haven't gone since, you know..." She trailed, her words delicate. "It's fun to have a girl's vacation again, like old times."
"It is." Shirayuki bit her lip. It had been almost four years since she'd last been. Since her parents passed away, she avoided many things that reminded her of them. This vacation was one of them. It had been a yearly tradition from as young as she could remember.
"Oooh, aren't you excited to see how handsome that Zen fellow must have gotten?"
"Sure," She snorted, shaking her head a bit.
"Or Izana... Ah, what a looker he was!"
"Grandma, please..." Shirayuki groaned.
It wasn't long before Shirayuki had spotted the exit, and taking a soft right, she got off on a semi-busy street, noticing the traffic lined up to get in to the resort. It was quite beautiful, it looked almost like a castle. Tall and bright against the taller trees. The native scent of evergreens and chlorine filled the air as she drew closer to the resort. Two cars from the entrance, she'd spotted the familiar white hair of the boy she'd befriended each time she visited. Leaning her head out of the window, she called out to him, a bright smile on her face.
He looked up from what he was doing and glanced over, his eyes glossing over her hair before recognition rippled over his feature. "Shira... Shirayuki?!" He called, all but running to her car.
With a laugh, she brushed the hair from her face as he approached. A flush was fresh on his cheeks, his eyes vibrant with excitement as he leaned onto the car door and a bit into the window.
"God, it's been so long! It's been... What, three years?"
"Four."
"Oh man, I can't believe it's you! After what happened, I..." He clammed up, running his hand through his hair, "I had thought for sure I wouldn't be seeing you again."
"I thought so, too," She laughed a bit, "But here I am!"
"Here you are!" He echoed with so much joy it felt as though returning to this place was the best idea Shirayuki had ever had. Zen looked to the passenger side, where Shirayuki's grandmother had been watching with a sly grin. "Gran*, you're here, too! God, you don't look a day over thirty. How've you been?"
"You flatter me, little boy." Her grandmother laughed, waving him off.
"Zen! What are you doing? You're holding everyone up! Check them in and keep it moving!" Izana called, and Shirayuki peeked her head out to look at him. He'd gotten much taller since the last time she'd seen him, and his hair was longer. It was almost mind-blowing. She turned her attention back to a sheepish Zen and took his appearance in, too. He, of course, had gotten taller. His body was lean, his features sharper than they had been when he was just a kid. His style hadn't changed much, and his hair seemed whiter than it used to be.
With a laugh, Zen looked down to meet Shirayuki's gaze, "Listen, just pull up, I can grab your stuff and lead you to your cottage. I'll have someone fill in for me, we have a lot of catching up to do!"
"Yeah, yeah," Shirayuki giggled, pulling the car up to the resort entrance. Shirayuki put the car in park and hopped out. Izana stood beneath the resort's sign, his arms crossed and his ever-famous smirk on his face.
"It's been a while, yeah?" He mused, tilting his head slightly.
"It has."
"She just got here, don't antagonize her, please." Zen whined.
"I wouldn't dream of it." Izana feigned hurt before tuning out of their conversation and tuning back to the spreadsheet he held.
Shirayuki popped the trunk of the car open and Zen began pulling their suitcases out. "How long do you plan on staying?"
"A week? Maybe more, depending." She responded, watching as her grandmother struggled to get out of the car. She moved to the other side to help her out, "Here, Grandma."
"Thank you, sugar." She hummed.
"Depending on what?" Zen asked, pulling the last suitcase out and slamming the trunk.
"I... Don't know. I guess we'll find out." She laughed. "Uh, where should I park?"
"Oh, I got it." He murmured.
"No, sweet pea, I've got it. You two kids run along, I'll catch up." Shirayuki's grandmother proposed, making her way around the teal Honda to the driver's side.
"Grandma, you can't drive."
"It's less than a mile, I can handle it." She huffed. "I'm old, not stupid."
"I know, but-"
"No buts. Go."
-
"She's as lively as she's ever been, huh?" Zen noted with a laugh.
"She is, I don't think she's ever dimmed." Shirayuki sighed, "It can be exhausting."
"I'm sure. But hey, at least here it's nothin' but R, R and R."
"That sounds wonderful."
"It is, I can promise you that." Zen hummed.
"Ah, how's your family? Outside of Izana, who still seems pretty much the same."
"He is, if he's changed at all, he's probably become more insufferable," Zen groaned before continuing, "Dad passed away a couple months ago, Mom's... Somewhere. Probably in the house up by Wistal."
"Wow." Shirayuki's jaw popped open, "Wow, I'm so sorry, I-"
"Jeez, Shirayuki, relax," Zen laughed, although his laugh didn't seem as radiant as it had before, "It's not that big of a deal. I mean, it's a big deal, obviously, but it's like... I don't know how to explain it. I was all but raised by Izana, anyway, so it isn't much different. There's just a lot less yelling."
"I see." She murmured. "Well, I'm glad you're handling it well."
"Yeah... How were you?"
"Hm?"
"I. Didn't get to be there for you when it happened. And I wanted to be, when I heard the news from Father... I couldn't, though."
"Oh, oh," She laughed a bit, "It was... Rough. It was really rough, actually. I refused to leave the house the first year or so. Didn't eat much the first few months. It took a while to warm up to, well, life before it happened again."
"I-"
"But things are good, now! Grandma's still hanging in there strong, I've healed... I mean, being here just proves that, you know? I'm good. And I appreciate you wanting to be there for me." There was a bit of sorrow laced into her voice, and the smile she wore on her face didn't quite meet her eyes, but Zen didn't mention it. Instead, he placed a hand on her shoulder and offered her the kindest smile he could. They remained silent the rest of the way to the cabin.
It was small, a little worn. The white paint was chipping away from the wood. The screen door had a single, tiny tear in it. The interior smelled of old wood and cherry air freshener. The furniture in the living room was velvet and a deep burgundy color, which was a contrast from the striped black-and-white circle rug that was placed between it and the television, which was an older model. The coffee table was glass set on top of a golden frame.
"It's. It could be better, I know, I'm sorry. Next year is gonna be the big renovations." Zen fretted, running his free hand through his hair once more.
"No, no! It's fine. It feels like home." Shirayuki laughed. "I like it."
"Good." He responded with a smile. "Ah, the bedrooms are this way. Which one do you want?" He called as he took a sharp turn down a hallway. "There's a room with pink wallpaper and green wallpaper - pick your poison."
"Green!"
"Like your eyes, good call." He winked, "Is this one your's or your grandmother's?" He asked, motioning toward the gray suitcase he carried.
"Grandma's. I have mine."
"Okay." He disappeared into the pink room while Shirayuki walked past him into the green one. She rolled her suitcases against the bed. It was a twin with generic white sheets. The frame was gold, a little brass-looking in some places, but it was clean enough. She walked over to the dresser to check it out, it looked like birch wood. Two of the drawers were harder to open, and she found one of the cherry air fresheners in the bottom drawer. She pulled it out with a giggle and hung it on the doorknob of the closet, which was beside the dresser. She pulled the accordion door open. It was spacey enough, and there was a hint of a sickly-sweet scent just beyond.
"Moth balls, Zen? Really?"
"It gets hot here! Moths love that!" He yelled from the other room. He must've been unpacking for her grandmother, something he'd always done when they came once he was mature enough to get past granny-panties and worn out bras.
Shirayuki laughed to herself as she closed the door back over. She took a few steps back until her legs hit the bed before falling backwards, stretching her arms out to her sides. The ceiling was an off-white color, with a crack here and there. She could feel the breeze of the open window beside her bed, and she turned to face the source. An alarm clock sat on the bedside table as well as a lamp that looked, well, old. She reached over to turn it on, to no avail. "Zen, I need a light bulb for this lamp!"
"Really?" He whined, poking his head into the room, "We just changed them yesterday."
"Well, it was faulty. This lamp does not work." She replied with a grin.
"Ah, well." He sighed, "I'll get you one later. Once it's darker and you'll actually need one. I should get back before my brother kills me."
"Izana's wrath isn't something I'd want to test. Get going, boy."
"Yeah, yeah," He waved her off, "Hey, do you wanna go swimming together later? There's this really awesome hot tub here now, and I can bring us some of those smoothies we always used to drink. Although they'll probably melt..."
"That sounds wonderful, Zen. I'll see you there, later."
"Really?" His face lit up, the smile on his face almost looked painful, "Okay! I'll see you later!" With that, he made his way out of the cottage. Shirayuki could see the entrance from her bedroom window and watched as Zen ran for the entrance, his form growing smaller the farther away he got. She laughed to herself before flopping back onto her back, resting her arm across her forehead.
-
"Grandma, I'm meeting up with Zen! I'll be back, later, okay?" Shirayuki spoke as she leaned in her grandmother's doorway. Her grandmother looked her up and down with a grin.
"You look fancy."
"It's a swimsuit, Grandma."
"Polka-dots, though? Flirty."
"Fli- If anything, they're a bit childish." She mumbled with a blush. "Regardless, I'll be back later. Don't get into any trouble."
"I should be saying that to you, missy. Have fun!"
"Yeah, yeah, thank you." Shirayuki laughed. "See you soon."
She wrapped her towel around her waist and slipped into her worn flip-flops before heading out of the door. She pushed the screen door open and greeted the summer night's air that wove its fingers through her hair as she made her way down the steps. Zen was waiting at the end of the stone path, his arms crossed as he waited.
"You know, from a distance you look like Izana when you stand that way." She called with a laugh.
"Shira- That's mean!" Zen wailed, although there was no hiding the laughter in his voice. He straightened his posture and offered an arm as she drew closer, and she thankfully accepted it.
"I know." She giggled.
"Meanie." He stuck his tongue out before changing the subject, "So, is the cabin comfortable?"
"Yes... Save for the light bulb I need."
"The light bulb- I forgot! I'm sorry, Shirayuki."
"I'm teasing, lighten up." She jabbed her elbow into his side with a grin. "I can deal until tomorrow."
"Okay, good." He let out a sigh.
They walked in silence to the hot tub. It was a good silence. The sound of people laughing fluttered from the dining hall, there was still some splashing by the main pool. Occasionally there was a squeal from a teen girl who was probably getting dangerously close to the boy she was with. It almost reminded Shirayuki of the time she lost when she lost her parents. She was 16, the prime of her teenage years, yet they weren't spent the way an average girl would've spent hers. She didn't even have the time to study pharmaceuticals like she planned to. She didn't do anything but waste away in the misery her parents left behind.
The was a wave of warm air, and Shirayuki realized they'd stopped at the hot tub. Bubbles were roaring in the crystal clear water illuminated by blue lights beneath the water.
"I'll be right back, I'm gonna grab the drinks." Zen murmured, setting his towel down on a plastic chair. "Enjoy yourself."
Shirayuki didn't reply verbally, she simply nodded her head with a smile. She, too, laid her towel over a plastic chair before walking to the steps of the tub. She grabbed the metal railing, which was surprisingly cold in comparison to the warmth that surrounded her. With tentative steps, she immersed herself in the water, letting out a sigh of relief once she'd sat down on the molded seat that wrapped around the circumference of the Jacuzzi. She rested her head against the tile edge and closed her eyes for a moment. With every bubble that popped against her skin, another muscle relaxed. Her hair began sticking to her forehead, but she didn't mind. She didn't mind at all.
Her tranquility was interrupted by the sound of a woman giggling loudly and the shushing of a man. She opened her eyes and turned around to kneel on the seat, her hands holding the edge of the tub as she peeked over it. She spotted the source of the sound. A man pulling a woman closer to the hot tub. He was tall, handsome- in a dangerous way. She noted the scar on his forehead, it was the only distinguishing feature she could make other than his body, which was absolutely beautiful. They stopped just a few feet away, and he pushed the woman up against one of the tables nearby. She tilted her head a bit. The man wore a skin tight black tank top and what seemed like worker's pants. The woman was in a short white dress, her curls falling every which way as she tilted her head back to laugh. The man pressed his lips against the woman's neck, and Shirayuki gulped, her eyes following his hands as they skimmed up the curve of the woman's waist, tracing her rib cage up to her breasts.
The only thought running through her mind was, "Where the Hell is Zen?"
The woman looked down a bit and settled right on Shirayuki's hair. She let out a scream, and Shirayuki shot straight up, as did the man.
"Oh my God!" The girl squealed.
Shirayuki was flushed head to toe and covered her eyes quickly. "I'm so sorry- I had no idea anyone would come here, I-"
"Naw, it's not your fault," The man spoke up, and Shirayuki took a peek between her fingers and met the eyes of the man who spoke. It felt as though a shock ran through her, her hands fell to her sides. They were unique, a color she'd never seen before. A rich flaxen color. They glowed daringly in the dim light around her. His eyes were fixed on her hair for a moment before they dropped to her eyes. He seemed to have hesitated for a moment before a sly smile crept across his face. "Sorry you had to see that, little miss." He turned back to the woman he was with, lacing his hand with hers sensually. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's let this little lady have it for the night."
"But, Obi-" She began to protest.
"Come on, I can think of a few better places we can go." The man glanced back at Shirayuki before dragging the woman off, who glared at Shirayuki as she stomped off, reluctantly following him.
She stood there for a moment, dumbfounded by what had just happened. They were gonna- oh, God. Shirayuki reddened a deep shade of crimson as she quickly sat back down in the tub. She didn't even wonder where Zen was at this point. She could only think about that man- Obi was the name she had heard? That tall, virile man with yellow gems for eyes and could probably cut diamonds with his arms. She blushed even more and in a flash brought her hands back up to her face.
"Shirayuki? Are you okay?" Zen asked, a bit of humor in his tone. "Sorry it took so long, I got chewed out by y brother for bringing drinks here but... Oh well."
"I'm good, good, cool, ah, can you hand me mine?" She struggled for words. Why was she so flustered?
"Uh, sure, here you go." He took a step into the tub and reached over to hand her the drink. She pumped her straw in the drink for a moment before taking a sip, savoring the taste, and setting it down on the edge.
"Say, Zen," Shirayuki trailed off in an odd tone.
"Yeah?" He tilted his head as he climbed in and sat opposite her, his arms resting on the edge of the tub.
"Who is Obi?"
"Obi? Why?" He furrowed his eyebrows.
"I- I heard his name from a few people passing by. It wasn't anything bad. He seems popular, though."
"You can say that," He rolled his eyes, sinking into the warm water, "He is really popular. Can't be helped, though, the guy's definitely good looking. But he has this... Attitude... That I don't like about him. He's one of the new dancers here and all of the girls went crazy when he showed up."
"Oh, yeah?" Shirayuki perked up a bit. A dancer, huh? And popular with the ladies...
"He's an okay guy, I guess. He hasn't wronged me in any way, it's just... I don't know. He doesn't seem very trustworthy? Or he's suspicious. None of us know anything about him. He kind of just... Showed up and asked if he could dance for us. We were in the market, anyway, couldn't really say no. My mother thought he'd bring in more people and he sure did." Zen continued, waving his hand in the air as he spoke.
By this point, though, Shirayuki had zoned out. Dancer. Explains the body, she guessed, they had to be good looking. He seemed too good looking. Not in the ethereal way Zen was- Zen was beautiful, his features were soft and his voice as smooth as glacier water, there wasn't an imperfection in sight. This Obi fellow, though, he was... Rugged. He seemed to have carried himself in this dangerous way and his features were sharp as a knife, his voice coarse and the scar on his forehead just added to his attractiveness. Maybe "attractive" wasn't a good enough word- sexy would be better. The thought of the word made Shirayuki blush. She'd never thought that about anyone, let alone someone she didn't even have a proper conversation with.
"...Yuki?"
"Huh?"
"You zoned out there a minute, you okay?" Zen laughed, his hand was in front of her face as though he were trying to snap her out of a trance, which in a way, he definitely was.
"Sorry, yeah, I'm good."
He didn't reply, he only nodded, and she did the same. They fell silent, and Shirayuki realized that this vacation might be the most interesting one yet.