Chapter 331 - I don't understand

*UNEDITED*

Chauncey took a seat on one of the prop settings as he continued, " I was usually compared to my brother seven years older and my well known father. Because I was always compared to them I grew irritated."

"Your older brother?" Setsura repeated as she sat down beside him.

"In order to someday pass my older brother. I did my best following all the orders people gave me," Chauncey mumbled. For long he followed those instructions believing that if he did that, then eventually he would become a real member of the family. In the end what did that do? He surpassed his brother, but it lead to his older brother resenting him.

"Ooh, so that's why now...."

"What's with that comment?"

"Ah nothing..." she trails of when she realized something, "I see, so that's why you can play the character as someone uninhibited and lively. That's the part of you that you usually hide from us."

The part of him he usually hides? It's true he doesn't usually smile around other people.

"Playing a part huh? Well it's the only part of him that I don't know well," he mumbled.

"Ah, this reminds me. During the first time I arrived in the Meiji era you were really threatening."

Threatening, it's more as though he didn't know how to act around her. "That was before I accepted and adapted to this new surrounding". Although perhaps it may have seemed different to her. "I haven't really changed though. I guess we can assume that it's the fruit of my mothers education. Do you want to know why I was named Chauncey?"

"There was a reason?"

"When I was born, we had a particular guest there who could see the future. After taking a look at me he said, ' This boy, from what I can see from his face. It seems he is capable of destroying fate.' My father thought it was interesting and almost named me something vicious but mother was completely against it. So she decided to name me ' Chauncey' in hopes that I end up a normal good looking guy."

"Though, your mother's prediction is right on the mark."

Right on the mark huh, though he isn't exactly normal is he? He ended up joining the mafia society, despite his mothers wishes. His mother tried to raise him as a normal boy. 'Your father already has two other heirs.' Indeed, his existence seemed rather unnecessary. He could easily have lived a normal life like his mother wanted. But, that's not what happened.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips at that. "But even so mother was still worried, so she ensured that I would be someone who grew up with good manners," Chauncey continued speaking about his family. Strange enough he's getting in to this. He never spoke about his family before with anyone. He didn't even talk about it with Natasha before. It felt strange, why does he end up talking about these things with her?

"So that's how things are huh? I think I get..." Setsura's sentence fell short when they feel a sudden gust of wind.

A breeze?

Flick.

The room was suddenly covered in pitch black.

....the lights went out? Must be due to the weather, the ceiling must be open after all.

"Chauncey, are you there?"

When he sensed the girl's change in tone he pulled her into his chest, "I'm here don't worry". In the pitch darkness, his voice seemed to be the only thing that acted as a ray of light. Yet such a contact was sending her heart beating rather quickly.

Setsura away slightly, " U--m Chauncey, I'm okay now," she murmurs. But after the girl spotted the white flicker she rushes back in to his arms and holds on to him tighter.

His gaze lands on the girl in his arms, she really isn't as strong as she looks huh?

Indeed, appearance really can be deceiving...

This girl, despite being surrounded by so many people. Despite being loved so much, how come she still has such a lonely gaze in her eyes? She's really quivering, she must really dislike the darkness. Now that he thought about it, something like this happened before didn't it? The first time he saw her weak side, it was back when they were trapped in that mansion together. It surprised Chauncey when he saw her fall apart because of her nightmares. Ever since then though, Chauncey thought to watch over her.

He didn't know what it was. Did she suddenly look like a weak girl who needed protecting? That certainly can't be it, after she left the haunted mansion. Setsura became a lot stronger. Her tongue became sharper and she picked a lot of fights with him for no reason.

So, why did he suddenly feel the need to protect her from harms way? Chauncey didn't understand it very well. Then again, he does feel like recently he has become crazy. Yes, he must be losing it. Even though Touma gave instructions for him to watch over Setsura before. Surely those instructions didn't include his stalker like behaviour. Setsura treats him very well now, but if she knew how he deliberately followed her around after that time. He could imagine the look on her face already. She would certain scorn him for his behaviour.

When he heard a familiar cry from above he blinks, come to think of it. They did say they'd wait right? "Taiga-san? That was Taiga-san right?"

Despite it being dark, he could make out two figures. Chauncey sighed when he saw them, 'so it really was those two.' The bartender didn't strike him as an idiot type. But, he tends to go along with the foolish one named Taiga quite a bit.

"Huh? Chauncey and Setsura?"

Suddenly the lights flickered on and they glanced over, at the person at the door way. Oh it's the man from earlier, "What are you people doing here?"

"Takajo-san...!" 

It was right then where Chauncey realized what type of position Setsura and him were in. Their gaze meet and then Setsura suddenly drew herself back, " I-I'm sorry."

Chauncey was about to tell her that it wasn't a problem, and she did no harm. However, Chauncey noticed something strange about her.

Huh? Why is she so red? Was she that scared? He tried to recall if she acted like this before.