The dress code for the reception at the Palace was based on Eastern fashion, with kimono as the main inspiration for women’s dresses and pleated trousers with a long tunic and a sash for men. Colours and patterns were free to choose, save for the white, which was reserved for the Emperor and his elite soldiers. The fabric was also optional, but at least for those invited to the Palace anything short of silk would be frowned upon.

With an obvious air of boredom, H sat in the middle of the shop, his legs spread wide under the indigo blue pleated trousers. A buttoned tunic with subtle blue-white wave patterns hung perfectly over his broad shoulders and the thick blue sash around his waist made his muscled torso even more pronounced.

A smile crept over Ana’s lip while she gazed at him, thinking he looked like a brooding Eastern prince. With his handsome face and a slightly detached glow in his green eyes, he could easily pass for an aristocrat in this attire. Only his messy hair and the scar above his ear interfered with that image.

When he noticed her staring, he first frowned with impatience, but as soon as she stepped from behind the wall in her kimono, his eyes riveted on her and did not leave her again.

She bit her lip and shuddered nervously, feeling uncomfortable standing on display in such a manner.

But H did not shrug her off or smiled with indifference this time. He stood up, walked up to her as if in a daze, and reached with his hand towards her face.

“Umm…H?” She flinched and arched back, unsure of his intention.

With a gentle touch, he tucked a few strands of her short hair behind her ears. During that prolonged moment only she and H existed, everything else around them faded. As the surroundings sipped back into her conscious mind, she blushed and promptly turned her stare down to the side, unable to look in his glittering eyes. His hand moved away, his demeanour changed. A faint smile of embarrassment showed on his lips as he scratched the back of his head. There were others there -- Margot dressed in a green kimono much shorter than hers and the seller, squinting at them with her mouth tightened into a smile.

“Margot, you also dressed up?” With a simpering smile, Ana looked upon Margot, who instead or responding pressed her lips tightly together and narrowed her eyes at her.

“Hey, precious, don’t you look dashing in that– oh, look at that…” Akayev encircled Margot like a predator would his prey. “Margot dear, never noticed those legs before.”

“Akayev, chill… she’s like my little sister…” Despite his insolent comments, Ana was grateful that Akayev joined them. His loud presence softened the tension that arouse a moment ago.

Margot scoffed at her words and crossed her hands in front of her chest.

“What do you want to say with that, precious? It’s not something I’m bothered with.”

“But I am, asshole,” Ana retorted.

“That’s enough, Stemetski, I don’t need you to look after me…it’s fucking insulting,” Margot burst.

“What the fuck, Margot.... what’s with you lately? Everything I say is wrong… ”

Margot angrily rolled her eyes and puffed the air out of her mouth. H retreated to the seats.

“Shit, Hanneghan. You’ve chosen possibly the plainest attire in here. Couldn’t you find something a bit more sophisticated? I’m fucking paying for it,” remarked Akayev.

“With Stem’s money,” H countered in a calm voice.

“Well, that’s debatable...Anyway, I never really expected you to have any taste for fashion,” continued Akayev, who wore the same pieces of clothing as H, only his were in red and gold colours featuring a thick black sash and a golden chain connecting the two parts of the tunic. “At least add some jewellery. Don’t you think so, Miss Lavender?”

The selling lady widened her smile into an even more pleasing one and nodded.

“I’m fine,” said H, his glance flickering towards Ana.

“Bah…” Akayev dismissed H with a nonchalant wave of his hand and turned to Ana. “Let me see you, pretty….Well, not bad, modest and elegant. You look like a lady of the court. What do you think of mine, mmm?”

He grinned widely and spun around, spreading his hands out.

“Hmm… how to put it….” She put on a thoughtful expression, placing her index finger over her mouth. »Each time I look at you, I feel like I’m looking at the sun.” While speaking she shared a conspiratorial glance with H, who chuckled at her words.

“Oh, thank you, dearest,” said Akayev in a tone that didn’t reveal whether he detected Ana’s mockery and simply ignored it, or he was so self-absorbed that he believed it a genuine compliment. “Great! Now that we’re all set, let’s undress and leave the clothes here so that Miss Lavender can adjust them.”

Just as they all began to disperse, Ana saw a smudge of a human figure on the other side of the large shopping window.

“Anything the matter?” H’s voice reached her through the chatter of the others. Her eyes met his for a brief moment, then she turned back to the window, but whoever was there was already gone. “Nah, it’s nothing,” she replied.

After changing their clothes Akayev and Ana both approached the counter and watched Lavender writing down the price for each piece of clothing, the accessories, and estimation for the adjustments of the dresses. Her dark red lips were twisting into a subconscious smile while inaudibly summing up the individual numbers. Underlining the final sum, she handed the paper to Akayev.

Akayev frowned thoughtfully pointing his finger to the middle of the paper. “Shouldn’t there be three dresses, not four?”

“It’s four. Margot’s as well,” confirmed Ana.

“That we didn’t agree on… only the necessary expenses--“

“Margot’s as well,” she repeated in an edgier tone; “since she was supposed to go to the Palace and not you, and since this is my money anyway…. You’ll still be left with quite some, so just buy the fucking dress.”

“All right, precious, let it be, but that’s only ‘cause she looked so damn hot in it.”

Her lips snarling up in disgust she left Akayev to settle the bill and paced around the shop aimlessly, almost bumping into H upon making a turn. With a stiff expression on his face, he handed her a small box. “Something to go with that dress,” he said, looking everywhere but at her.

“What’s this?” Ana furrowed her brow and opened the tiny box. A couple of silver earrings in the shape of cherry blossom were in it. “Oh....” She kept staring at them. “They are lovely, H. Did you tell to Akayev…..he’s just paying—“

“This is from me.”

“Oh….but…. why would you… that bastard should pay.“

Covering her hand and the box in it with his, he pushed it gently toward her. “It’s fine, really.”

At a loss for words, she nodded and was about to put the box in her pocket when Margot snatched it from her hand. “What’s this Stemetski? Did you buy yourself some jewellery? Great idea, let’s make Akayev spend some more money!”

“No, no…Margot, give it back!” Ana demanded, chasing after her.

“Just let me see it…” Margot avoided her with ease and opened the box. Seeing the earrings she first turned her stare at Ana and then looked up at H who averted his stare.

“Oh, I see. Nice present, H,” she said quietly. She returned the box to Ana and walked out of the store. Looking at H Ana shrugged and followed Margot out.

Margot stuck to an awkward silence, which became even worse when H joined them.

“I’ll get Akayev.” With a sigh of relief, Ana re-entered the shop and waited for Akayev, who just departed from the counter.

“The merchandise is paid for…all of it,” he reassured her, tilting his head toward Lavender, whose fingers moved through the taels on the counter at an admirable speed.

“Great, let’s go then.”

“Why so impatient, beautiful…Don’t you enjoy shopping time with me?”

With a scoff, she turned and headed for the exit. H and Margot met her with an odd look in their eyes. “What?” She frowned at them. “Is there something on my face?”

H opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Akayev: “Margot, now that you got the dress, you’re welcome to come to Superior….anytime…free entrance for you…” The wink that followed his words gained an eye roll from all and prompted banter between him and Margot that went on for a while.

Ana absently looked up at the mighty wall, which extended high behind the shop. Her stare followed its tainted white surface down to the entrance gate to the Forbidden City. The long line of people in front of it was visible from the shop. The guards were checking and letting in one person at a time. The security measures tightened because of Tengu’s attacks. In a couple of months’ time she'd be standing in that line too.

A roaring sound of a motorcycle at full throttle broke off her line of thought and shut up Akayev and Margot. The group turned their heads towards the noise. The driver of the motorcycle on the street across the shop was seemingly looking in their direction. The thick green coat he wore and the awkward way his right arm hung by his side, made it easy for Ana to identify him despite the black helmet that covered his face.

Hesitating about what to do, she checked with Margot and H, whose eyes were telling her that they recognized him too. Oblivious of the biker’s identity Akayev didn’t notice their bewildered stares and hissed a few choice curses against the noisy machine and its owner.

“I better go and see what he wants.” Ana departed with a glance of guilt at H.

“Heey…where are you going, precious?”

She ignored Akayev’s question and crossed the street with the intent to deal with Tengu in a quick and cool manner, and return to the group immediately. But as soon as she saw his eyes smiling at her through the open visor, butterflies filled her stomach.

“Isn’t that pushing it?” she asked with a glance at the gate and imperial soldiers.

“It’s not like they know who I am…”

“Oh, they’d know if they saw you…” she retorted and smiled. “I get it....you're enjoying it, don’t you? ”

The smugness in his eyes confirmed her assertion.

“How did you know where to find me?”

“I have my ways…”

“Are you alone?” The Aynu was the first person that sprung on her mind, prompting her to cast a precautionary look at the surroundings.

“I’m alone. Hop on!” He handed her a helmet.

“Huh…” Ana took the helmet and stared at it unsurely. “I wasn’t…Where are we going?”

“For a ride…”

Looking at Tengu on the light-blue vintage motorcycle Ana couldn’t think of anything sexier and more appealing at that moment. She knew accepting his enigmatic invitation was a bad idea, but that fuelled her desire to go with him even more.

Akayev's call for her was a sign to make a decision. She gazed at Tengu once more, her eyes searching deep into his, then she put on the helmet, and straddled the motorcycle.

Tengu waited until she adjusted to the seat and twisted the throttle a few times. She hugged him across his torso, clinging tightly to his body as he put the motorcycle in motion. That she left without any explanation, she remembered only when they were already far away from the group.