A.R. Dragonfly Vol. 7: A.R. Dragonfly, #7

By Joshua Piedra

Happiness, joy, anger, & frustration. A myriad of emotions grips Kaito Akihiko that looks to drive him to the point of no return. However, Amber and company are there to help pull Kaito out of the dark abyss he has fallen into. All of which revolves around one simple, yet, complicated singularity:Takumi's secret.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joshua Piedra
• Release date: May 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223721246

Book preview

Preface

Here we are once again! Welcome to Volume 7 of A.R. Dragonfly! This volume begins to focus a bit more on character development but it also aims to tie it into the main story. That character development will help propel the main story forward and progress it in a meaningful way.

At least, that’s the goal! I had a lot of fun writing this one as some spur-of-the-moment ideas were had in this volume... more often than previous ones. A lot of stuff was ad libbed but it still helped enhance the story that I was going to tell.

Truth be told, one of those ad libs accidentally ended up messing up everything I had planned for Volume 8! I ended up having to rewrite a lot of stuff in this volume which taught me a very important lesson: Stick to your original plan!!

Still, I’m pretty happy with the way things have turned out and I hope you are happy with it as well! So, thank you once again for picking up a copy of my A.R. Dragonfly series and, as always, I will see you on the other side in the Afterword!

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

42

It was as if time stood still. The beating of Kaito’s heart intensified, his brow formed droplets of sweat. Every action, every moment, every ounce of retribution culminated into this one, single moment. The moment where Kaito had laid it all on the line, exposing his heart to the elements hoping that it would embrace the sensation of catharsis. The key to that salvation had lied within Amber’s answer. As Kaito stood there in front of a beautiful sunset, bathed in its vibrant hues of orange and yellow, he held out Amber’s half of the dragon scale pendant he had bought before coming on this business trip with his family, waiting for Amber to say something… anything.

Amber was lost in thought for a few moments but her mind became clear as she came to a conclusion. Her expression changed from one of nervousness to one of confidence. She looked Kaito straight in his eyes as if to deliver the message with certainty and without any confusion. 

Kaito… muttered Amber.

Amber reached out to Kaito with her hand, positioning it under the half of the pendant she was being offered. Amber moved her hand upward, the pendant and chain folding up in Amber’s palm. Soon, she cupped her hand over Kaito’s, firmly grabbing it as he continued to stare into his eyes. As soon as Kaito felt her do that, he knew rejection was imminent. His heart would not be cleansed of the fear that gripped it. His heart sank and he had thought of himself as foolish for expecting a different result. He assumed that Amber couldn’t or perhaps wouldn’t let go of the rocky start to their relationship. She could not forgive him for nearly driving her away from the game she loved. Still, Kaito was ready to accept his fate.

Yes, said Amber.

Kaito’s eyes widened with shock. A mesmerizing look came over his face when he heard that one simple word. He was almost in disbelief as Amber’s actions could have been taken as a form of rejection. Still, even after saying yes, Amber had her hand firmly grasping Kaito’s. He could feel it trembling slightly as Amber must have mustered up an insurmountable amount of courage just to deliver that one, simple word. Still, the result spoke for itself. Amber accepted Kaito’s confession and agreed to build a relationship with him beyond just merely being friends.

You… really mean it? You’ll go out with me? asked Kaito, seeking confirmation.

Amber couldn’t muster enough strength to say another word. She simply nodded in agreement and that was enough for Kaito to confirm it. Emotions began to swell up inside of Kaito and he instinctively leaned in and embraced Amber in a hug. Amber wasn’t sure what to do in that situation and just kind of stood there as stiff as a tree. Still, Kaito didn’t mind as he wanted nothing more than to continue to hold her in his arms. Still, a hug has a time limit and Kaito knew his was up. He let go of Amber and politely asked her to let go of his hand. When Amber did, he asked if it was okay to put the pendant around her neck. Amber nodded approvingly so Kaito did just that. He reached around to the back of her neck and fastened the chain together. The pendant hung there and glistened in the lowering rays of the sun.

Kaito thought it looked good on Amber and cracked a smile. Amber looked down at the pendant and even held it in her hand to examine it a little more closely. She was infatuated by its design. As Amber held it, the realization began to settle in as to what she just did. She told herself that she wasn’t prepared to take a relationship to this level, yet, here she was doing exactly that. Amber didn’t know what came over her when she answered but even through all of that uncertainty, Amber had this sensation… this sixth sense that she made the right choice. It was an odd duality of emotions running through her but she decided to embrace the random of whatever may come from this decision.

Amber realized that maybe it would be in her best interest to reciprocate since Kaito was polite enough to fasten her pendant for her. 

Kaito… c-can I do the same with your pendant? she asked a bit sheepishly.

Sure, Kaito nodded, smiling.

Kaito handed her his half of the pendant. Amber wrapped her arms around Kaito’s neck which caused him to blush. Amber missed the hook several times which made Kaito wonder if he should offer to do it himself. Just when he was about to do so, Amber finally hooked it and took a step back to see how it looked on Kaito. Just like with Amber, the pendant suited him rather well. 

Are we... well... going to tell the others… about us? asked Amber.

Eventually, yes. I figured that could wait until we get back home. Besides, we’ll be leaving here in a couple of hours so my dad can return the rental car.

Almost as if he was on cue, there was a knock on their hotel room door. Kaito opened it and saw his parents, Yuujiro and Akane, standing there along with Ryunosuke Saigo and his wife Karoline.

You kids hungry? asked Yuujiro.

They had just finished eating room service; however, after seeing the entourage that his father had assembled, it was easy to conclude that Ryunosuke was offering to take them all out for dinner. Not wanting to do anything to cause his father any type of corporate embarrassment, Kaito said that he and Amber hadn’t eaten yet. 

Great! Ryunosuke is treating me and Akane to dinner and said that you two are more than welcome to join us.

Sure. Amber and I are ready to go anytime.

Just meet us downstairs in the lobby in about ten minutes. I need to go to our room and get something from there anyway.

Sure thing, Dad, said Kaito.

While his father didn’t pick up on anything, Akane made quick notice of their matching pendants and slyly smiled while standing behind Yuujiro. After Kaito closed the door, the four of them began to walk away. That’s when Akane wanted to confirm if Yuujiro had seen it.

Did you notice it, dear?

Notice what?

Not surprising that you missed that detail but it would seem Kaito has himself a girlfriend now.

You could tell that just from the fact that they wanted to join us for dinner?

No, I gathered that from the matching pendants they were wearing.

Yuujiro felt a bit embarrassed that he hadn’t noticed that detail. He didn’t know how to respond to that. Ryunosuke and Karoline could only laugh at Yuujiro’s plight which made him even more embarrassed. Meanwhile, back in the hotel room, Amber was a little confused as to why they were going to dinner when they had just finished eating.

Sorry for dragging you into dinner with us Amber but I figured that they came here to ask us that very question. In the world of business, you can’t turn down a dinner offer from the owner of a company. Even though the business deal doesn’t involve me directly, it still does. How would it look if the son of a potential client and/or partner refused to go to dinner? It would reflect on Yuujiro’s ability to teach his children manners and therefore could end up souring the deal. It seems far-fetched but I’ve seen it happen many times back in Japan. Besides, we’re young… our stomachs can handle more food. Truth be told, my grilled chicken wasn’t even all that filling, so I guess it’s still a win for us.

Amber simply nodded. With that, the two of them headed downstairs to the lobby where they waited for the four of them to arrive. A few moments later, Yuujiro led the way carrying an important document with him inside of a leather casing. Behind him were Akane, Ryunosuke, and Karoline. 

They all entered a limousine that Ryunosuke had rented for them. Amber and Kaito looked at each other during the car ride as if to say we don’t belong here due to the upscale nature of the car’s interior. The ride to the restaurant wasn’t all that long. Two Rivers was named due to the two rivers that flowed through it, trisecting the town as a result. One of the restaurants rested on the bank of the river, giving patrons a tremendous view of the water. They even had small open-air islands connected by wooden docks that you would sit at in which to enjoy your meals. Ryunosuke ended up choosing one of the island tables which was large enough to fit the six of them comfortably. A waiter stopped by and took their orders with Ryunosuke making it a point to order whatever they wanted without thinking about the cost. 

Amber was a bit lost as her room service hamburger was the epitome of fine dining. She scrambled to see if they had hamburgers but the menu had no such item present as a restaurant of this caliber would deem serving hamburgers as an insult. Thankfully, Kaito was called upon to order before Amber so she listened in on his.

I’ll take the triple-trimmed filet mignon, Lyonnaise potatoes, the mixed vegetable side, garlic cheddar biscuits, and iced lemon water.

The waiter moved on to Amber to take her order. She internally shrugged and figured that if it worked with Sebastian at The Roast, then it would work here.

Make that two, she said.

The waiter noted a second order of what Kaito had placed and then went around the rest of the table to gather everyone else’s orders. With all orders placed, the waiter headed back to the kitchen to inform the chefs. After the waiter left, another one showed up and wanted to know if there would be any alcohol tonight. Ryunosuke handled that part of the order.

Yes. I will take a bottle of 2014 Le Cortigiane Oneste for the table, and two bottles of Shinola Rosado as gifts for my guests.

The waiter took the order and went on his way.

The Shinola Rosado is the best rose wine I’ve ever had in my life. So much so that I’d like for you two to take the bottles home as gifts. I really think you’d enjoy it, said Ryunosuke.

Thank you very much. My wife and I do enjoy a good rose wine. We’ll make sure it gets put to good use.

They all had a laugh except for Amber and Kaito who had no idea what they were talking about. Then again, their world consisted of blasting and/or tearing to shreds textured polygons representing 3D models of fictional characters. To them, a mushy flavored ice drink from a local convenience store was considered a high-tier beverage.

Amber and Kaito planned to remain silent but Yuujiro ended up breaking that silence with a bit of an embarrassing statement.

Kanojo omedetou gozaimasu! (Congratulations on your girlfriend!)

If Kaito were drinking anything, he would have spat it out all over the table at that very moment. Perhaps he should be thankful that he wasn’t. Still, the look of shock on his face was priceless. The four of them had a pretty good laugh at Kaito’s reaction. Amber kind of just sat there as still as a stone due to the fact that she didn’t speak much Japanese despite watching a ton of anime. She did remember hearing part of that phrase before and she knew it meant congratulations. She had to think about that first word as it did sound familiar to her. Before Amber could figure it out, Kaito spoke up.

H-How did you know!? We haven’t told anyone yet!

Akane slyly pointed to her chest. Kaito then looked down at his and noticed the pendants. He facepalmed pretty hard as it was so obvious that even Yuujiro missed it before being told by Akane. Ryunosuke couldn’t help himself and prodded into the situation a bit further.

When did you two decide to start dating?

I actually asked her right before my father came to invite us to dinner.

Talk about perfect timing! How old are you two?

I’m 19 and Amber is 21, sir.

Even more perfect! This calls for a celebration! said Ryunosuke with a casual wink to accompany his exclamation.

When Ryunosuke said that, the waiter returned with the wine that he had ordered. He soon placed another one.

What is your oldest and most refined red wine right now?

Ours would be a 2014 Nagual del Marzo, sir.

May I trouble you for a bottle of that as well? This one is a special gift for the newly formed young couple over there. Don’t worry, they are of legal drinking age, I made sure of it.

The waiter smiled at Kaito and Amber and nodded before heading back to the wine cellar. Ryunosuke just lied through his teeth for Kaito but it was, indeed, true in Amber’s case. Still, Ryunosuke seemed like the type where he wouldn’t mind turning a blind eye if Kaito had a few drinks on his watch.

A few moments later, their dinners arrived and they all looked absolutely amazing. They truly reflected the reputation of the restaurant as well as its upscale atmosphere. Eating food only fit for high society under a moonlit sky on the water was truly an experience for Kaito and Amber. Their dinner was probably the best food they had ever eaten in their entire lives. Even Amber remarked at how wonderful her dinner was even though she almost committed the gravest sin anyone could have ever done. When her steak arrived, she reached out and went to grab a bottle of ketchup. Before anyone else at the table could see what she was doing, Kaito quickly bumped Amber’s shoulder and nervously shook his head no.  

At the end, Ryunosuke picked up the bill without even looking at the total. It made Kaito and Amber a bit jealous as neither of them could throw money around like that. Amber, technically, could if she hadn’t given her tournament winnings to Sebastian to keep Things N’ Stuff open. Still, seeing Ryunosuke just throw money around like that without a second thought only made her dream of a day where she could do the same.

With their wine gifts in hand, they all left the restaurant and headed back to the hotel. Ryunosuke thanked them for coming all the way out and that they would be in touch to discuss further business. After they departed, it was time to head to the airport to catch their flight home. Amber and Kaito quickly packed everything and met Yuujiro and Akane down at their rental car. After they were checked out of the hotel, they headed back to the airport where it was, once again, first-class seats on the way home. 

As Amber sat there on the plane, she began to wonder if she had made the right choice by agreeing to date Kaito. So far, things have gone well and she even received the best meal of her life. On the other hand, she had zero experience with being a girlfriend to anyone and was afraid that Kaito might find it odd that she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to bring it up on the plane since she was within earshot distance of Kaito’s parents and she didn’t want them to misunderstand the situation. Amber decided to wait until the plane landed and Kaito’s parents brought her back to her apartment. 

The car ride back was one of tense silence. Amber and Kaito didn’t really say much to each other. Yuujiro and Akane didn’t say much of anything, either. It was just a long ride of dead, peaceful silence. Amber was a bit thankful that it was that way; however, as it gave her time to think her decision through. The longer she thought, the more uncomfortable she became with her decision. As they were in front of the building, Amber nervously spoke up.

K-Kaito? Can I talk to you for a bit?

Sure. Mom, dad… I’ll walk home. It’s not far from here anyway.

Okay, just be careful getting home. If you need to, just stay the night at Amber’s said Yuujiro, which caused Kaito to blush.

With that, Kaito and Amber stepped out of the car and Yuujiro drove off. Once they were gone, Amber invited Kaito inside her apartment. Once inside, Kaito stood by Amber’s kitchen counter and waited for her to speak her