Nagato Kagutsuchi: The Dawn
Ch. 171 - Nagato's Answer And Their Love Promise Ring

At nightfall, in front of the East Sun Inn looks beautiful girl who has dressed up waiting for the arrival of the young man who invited her to walk.

"Why Dragon so long ago," grumbled Iris looking left and right there was no sign of Nagato's arrival.

"Did I keep you waiting a long time." Nagato came to see Iris who was looking upset.

"You make me wait a long time, men can't keep a woman waiting." Iris narrowly turned her face to the side not seeing Nagato.

"I want to take you for a walk tonight." Nagato held onto Iris' palm.

"Don't frown, I admit I was wrong to have kept you waiting" Nagato said as his right hand pinched Iris' cheek.

Iris's face flushed red yet she tried to remain indifferent. His right hand returned Nagato's grip.

"I will forgive your guilt on one condition..." Iris looked at Nagato for a moment.

"Hmm .. okay." Nagato looked at Iris deeply. His face that was not wearing a mask looked very handsome.

"What were you talking about with Hisui this afternoon. I want to hear from you." While walking through the streets of the bustling Capital Daifuzen, Iris looks friendly with Nagato. Some people who saw the two young people walking together just kept quiet and occasionally they glanced at the thought Nagato and Iris were a young couple who had been betrothed.

"The spoiled boy wants to walk with me all day if he gets into the round of 8. But I'm sure he won't come in." Nagato smiled faintly looking at Iris who was looking at him curiously.

"Do you agree?" Iris asked back.

Nagato nodded slowly while looking around them. Nagato's eyes were fixed on a diner filled with lanterns. A beautiful place that made her want to take Iris to dinner there.

"Then I also want to ask you one thing, Dragon. You must obey my words," Iris told Nagato as she clasped the young man's hand tighter.

"alright. Hm ... Iris tonight I'd like to take you out to dinner. There's something I want to say" Nagato said, staring at Iris who was nearby.

"I will follow your words. But only this once" Nagato added.

"What do you want to tell me..." Iris looked curious.

"Let's come with me," asked Nagato to pull Iris' hand gently into the diner.

The arrival of Nagato and Iris made the people who were eating dumbfounded, the handsome young man holding hands with the beautiful girl made them feel envious. Everyone knows Iris but not Nagato. Nagato's good looks also made the women in the diner smile to themselves.

"Dragon. Everyone is staring at us" Iris softly as her head lowered in embarrassment.

"We both look like lovers. Don't mind them. Isn't this what you want?" Nagato smiled faintly at Iris' thin lips. The beautiful girl was amazed by Nagato who took her upstairs to the diner.

The lanterns in the diner make the night atmosphere in the Capital of Daifuzen more beautiful.

"sorry. Young Master and Young Miss. Do you have any money?" The greeting of the diner waiter made Nagato and Iris stare at each other.

"Don't tell me the Dragon didn't bring any money at all," Iris' inner being worried because she felt so embarrassed.

"I have money. Waiter, I booked upstairs for two hours. During that time no one can set foot on this floor" Nagato said, giving the waiter 22 gold pieces.

"Young Master is mostly..." The diner waiter was surprised to see Nagato.

"It's not a restaurant. So prepare your best meal" Nagato said calmly.

Iris's face flushed to look at Nagato. The young man who had come out of nowhere, the unexpected meeting, and the more days his actions made Iris fall more and more in love with the young man who was now taking her to dinner together.

"Good Young Master." The female servant upstairs looked nervous.

The maid immediately left Nagato and Iris upstairs.

Nagato smiled gently at Iris. A smile that he never showed to anyone but his own mother. Iris' heart was pounding at Nagato's smile.

Iris sat on the chair while looking at Nagato who reached into something in his white kimono. Iris also wears the same white kimono as Nagato. Both look very harmonious.

"Iris." Nagato took out a heart ring which was a relic from his mother.

"This is my late mother's ring. Look at this, this ring on my ring finger is the same ring as this." Iris' heart was pounding faster.

Iris tried to remain calm listening to Nagato's words.

"I want you to wear it. This may sound selfish, but I'm also in love with you, Iris. It's my answer to how you felt that night." Nagato held onto Iris' hand gently.

"N-Dragon..." Iris was nervous to hear Nagato's words. His lips twitched.

Nagato wrapped Sarah's ring around Iris's ring finger. While Pandu's ring already wear Nagato.

"You don't have to be jealous when there's another woman with me. This is a testament to the promise between us. You remember, right?" Nagato stuck his ring finger on Iris's ring finger. It is very clear that the two rings when put together form a symbol of two hearts that are fused together.

"Yes, I remember." Iris answered Nagato's words with great embarrassment.

"I don't have dreams. But I want to feel love. My mother always told me that love would make life more colorful. Honestly maybe I grew up with Litha and never cared about you." Nagato looked at Iris straight.

"But I feel you are a woman who will make me realize. I gave you this so you could remember me. I can't tell you why, but I promise." Somehow Nagato's words made Iris feel sad.

"I promise to watch you from a distance. I want to see you smile happily." Now Nagato's eyes stared at Iris' delicate white hand.

"Dragon. I don't understand what you mean. Please don't say anything sad..." Iris held Nagato's hand that was touching her hand.

"I don't know your past. But I want you to be able to share your life with me. You don't have to endure everything alone." Iris looked at Nagato with great sincerity.

"I'm glad to hear it." Nagato smiled at Iris. Then he held himself back from sighing long.

"Do you know the curse?" Nagato asked Iris.

"I know that," Iris replied slowly.

"In my body there is a curse that makes my age only able to last up to 15 years. I've heard directly from my mother when we were living happily." Nagato was silent for a moment. This was not what he wanted to say, he did not want to tell her about his past and grief with the girl he wanted to surprise tonight.

"My goal in life is just one Iris .. I want to kill everyone who has defamed my father. If I were to be given great power, I would kill as many people as possible before my death." Iris shook at Nagato's words. His hand clasped Nagato's hand tighter for the young man to calm down. He could feel anger and sadness at the same time as the touch of his hand on Nagato's hand.

"Do you still love me like this?" Nagato looked at Iris with teary eyes.

Iris stood up and walked over to Nagato.

"Dragon close your eyes" Iris told Nagato.

Unsuspecting, Nagato closed his eyes. His right hand was still held gently by Iris.

Iris looked down at Nagato's closed eyes. His face was very close to Nagato's. Iris's eyes glistened, she could feel the pain Nagato was experiencing. Then, with the gentleness of Iris pushing her head, her hands touched Nagato's cheeks and her lips gently kissed Nagato's forehead.

Nagato's eyes opened, he was surprised to see Iris boldly peek at his forehead. The touch of Iris' lips on her forehead made Nagato's face slightly reddened.

"I promise never to turn away from you, Dragon. I'm not gonna leave you alone. And I'm gonna make you feel that colorful life." Iris smiled sweetly at Nagato.

"Bruck!"

The sound of food falling left Nagato and Iris shocked. Both Nagato and Iris were unaware of the existence of some maids who were delivering food to their dining table.

"Ma-I'm sorry. Please continue Young Master and Young Miss." The waiter who dropped the food was about to run away but his shoulders were restrained by the other waiter.

"wait. Don't leave yet you new servants, Young Master and Young Miss have already paid for the food and this place. You should talk to the owner Miss for dropping the ordered food." The servant who looked resolutely rebuked the clumsy looking waiter.

Iris's face was red because someone saw her peeking at Nagato's forehead.

"Sorry Young Master. Here's the food", the other waiter put the food on the table.

"Foods that fall later we will replace with new ones. So now we can only provide this chocolate cake." The diner waiter put chocolate cake on the table.

"The food doesn't need to be changed. This alone is enough. Remember two hours," Nagato explained to the waiter. Honestly at the moment Nagato was embarrassed but he tried to stay calm.

After the innkeeper cleaned up the food that had fallen to the floor, they left Nagato and Iris again.

The chocolate cake on the table is heart-shaped. Nagato and Iris eyes stared at each other, then they both chuckled.

"Honestly, I'm so embarrassed. I didn't expect you to dare to do that." Nagato gave a small laugh staring at the cheering smile on Iris' thin lips.

"Basic. Forget about that..." Iris was so embarrassed, her index finger touched her thin lips.

"Why? Your first kiss was lost because you kissed me back then. So forget it." Nagato cut the chocolate cake and ate it. While staring at Iris who still looks timid in front of him.

"That doesn't count. I don't think I can be with you anymore, I just want you to be first." Iris looked at Nagato who was eating cake while looking at her.

"Hmmm..." Nagato chewed on the cake while smiling at the words of Iris. Finished eating the chocolate cake, Nagato stared at the night sky as he occasionally glanced at the lanterns.

"I'm relieved. I'm glad I told you all my feelings." Nagato muttered softly.

"Dragon. What you said just now is real?" Iris looked at Nagato seriously.

"really. I'm in love with you. Is it unclear what I said?" Nagato looked at Iris's eyes that looked sad.

"That's not .. that's not what I mean." Iris lowered.

"About your age not to 15. Is that true?" Iris held back her crying.

"Yes, that's right. That's why I want to express my feelings to you. Before it's too late." Nagato looked at Iris' eyes.

"Don't cry. I don't want to see you cry." Nagato approached Iris. Then she wiped away the tears that came out of Iris' eyes.

"But..." Iris cried so hard.

"Dragon. You're evil. After saying it like that, you-you..." Iris cried so much.

"sorry. But I will fight my disease. No, no crying. I want to see Iris who is cold, indifferent and uncaring. It wasn't Iris who was crying and meek like this", Nagato smiled as he wiped Iris' tears. His heart ached remembering his life.

"Eat this chocolate cake. Don't you like sweet food." Nagato reached out his hand which held a spoon containing pieces of chocolate cake.

Iris took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Open your mouth. Aaaa!" Iris held back a laugh seeing Nagato. Then he opened his mouth slowly.

"How does it feel?" nagato asked while looking at Iris who was chewing on a chocolate cake.

"Mmmm .. delicious." Iris smiled as both of her palms touched her cheeks.

Nagato smiled at Iris. Twice Nagato had seen Iris crying for him. The cold attitude that Iris often showed to others as if it had never existed, Nagato only remembered the current Iris.

After finishing the chocolate cake. Nagato and Iris chatted for 2 hours upstairs.

It didn't feel like 2 hours had passed, Nagato and Iris returned to the Eastern Sun Inn. Nagato's hand held Iris's hand as he exited the diner.

"Thank you Young Master. Thank you Young Miss." Dozens of waiters bowed to see Nagato and Iris leaving the diner.

"Is there anything I can do to help, Dragon?" thought Iris inwardly recalling the illness Nagato was talking about.

Iris could feel Nagato's sometimes unstable emotions. Sometimes he wanted to know Nagato's past which made Nagato like this. But Iris wants to make Nagato more open to her.

"Dragon. Can I ask you one thing?" Iris asked while looking at Nagato.

"Byeah" answered Nagato.

"What do you like about me?" asked Iris curiously.

"Do I have to answer that question?" reply Nagato because he did not want to say embarrassing things back.

"Should. I need proof. Look at this." Iris pointed her ring finger at Nagato.

Nagato let out a long sigh, his hands scratching his non-itchy hair. Then he pulled Iris' hand quickly.

"Dragon!" Iris was confused to see Nagato.

Nagato brought Iris back to the East Sun Inn. With quick steps Nagato continued to hold Iris' hand towards her room. Arriving at his room, Nagato immediately closed the door of the room.

"Do you need proof?" nagato asked as she looked at Iris straight.

Iris nodded softly returning Nagato's gaze.

"See this." Nagato pointed his ring finger at Iris. The beautiful girl saw the same ring as him on Nagato's ring finger.

As Iris's attention focused on her ring, Nagato kissed Iris' lips quickly.

Iris felt her body stung by something, how shocked she was to see Nagato acting like that.

Iris slowly closed her eyes, and caught a glimpse of Nagato's sharp gaze.

The breath of the two hunting down, Nagato released his kiss and touched his lips.

"I shouldn't have done this," Nagato murmured softly feeling guilty.

"But you've done it" Iris said shyly looking at Nagato.

"You forced me to do something like this" replied Nagato.

"Do you like my lips?" asked Iris timidly by putting on her innocent face.

"Huh? No. .. You need proof, right. So I kissed you," Nagato replied in confusion.

"Keep what do you like about me?" asked Iris fiercely. He ignored Nagato's answer.

"I like to see you jealous," dyed Nagato while bringing her face closer to Iris's face.

"Hmph! Basic," Iris grumbled at Nagato's hand.

"Naagato. Have you gone home?" Emi's voice from outside the room made Iris and Nagato startled.

"How is this?" Nagato whispered in Iris' ear.

"Grandmother would be upset if she knew we were alone like this. We are not old enough yet, Dragon," whispered Iris worried.

"You're hiding in my bed" said Nagato, pulling Iris' hand and pushing the girl's body gently into her bed.

"Dragon! What are you-" Nagato smothered Iris's mouth so as not to speak.

"You sleep next to me. Don't get out of this blanket" Nagato ordered, only with a soft nod from Iris.

"Norato." The knock on the door made Nagato pretend to be asleep.

"What's Grandma Emi doing?" sahut Nagato with a lazy tone. He slept on Iris' back who was hiding beside him.

"May Grandma Emi come in." Emi is back from outside the room.

"May," Nagato replied briefly as he pulled his blanket over his clothes.

Then Emi went into Nagato's room. He saw Nagato's room lights being turned off, there was only a candle lit in the room.

"Why do I feel the familiar cold in this room," Emi said confusedly as she walked over to Nagato's bed.

"Wire," Iris's inner fear.