Disclaimer: I do not own the whole Prince of Tennis series, so there.
Warning: This is a shounen-ai fiction, thus it involves boy x boy relationship. In some parts, there might be angst.
Note: Italics are thoughts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P R O L O G U E
When I was young, my grandmother has told me about the threads of destiny especially the red ones. She told me that the one who has my end of the red thread will be my destined one. My soul mate. I didn't believe her immediately, of course, so I jokingly asked what if my destined one would have the same gender as mine. At first, she glared at me but she nonchalantly said that it doesn't matter as long as you care and cherish one another. I was about to ask her again when she suddenly stood up and told me to follow her to her study.
As we came in the study, she immediately snapped her fingers to cast a room-sealing spell to prevent other people from overhearing our conversation. Then, she pointed to the portrait where a serious-looking yet handsome gentleman stood beside a strikingly beautiful lady with a bewitching smile, who was sitting in an elegant chair, in a flourishing rose garden and she said…
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Flashback)
"Ryo-kun, did I tell you about them?" She was looking at me quite seriously.
I shook my head. "You only told me about that lady. She's the 125th Hiiragizawa, isn't she?"
She softened her look a bit. "I'm glad that you remember, Ryo-kun. You tend…to forget things." I stuck out my tongue at her but she merely laughed as she continued. "What if I told you that the lady there is actually a man?"
I was shocked with that truth. "You're joking, right, grandma? She's too beautiful to be a man."
She sighed resignedly. "I know you would say that, but I'm afraid that's the truth."
"But why would she…I mean, he do that? Did anyone from his family know his secret?" I sat at a comfortable sofa right across the portrait as she also sat beside me.
"It's the whole family secret, Ryo-kun. His true name is Tsukishiro Hiiragizawa, the younger twin of Kyouya Mikage. I take it that you know Kyouya Mikage." I simply nodded. "Ever since time, our clan has been watched by both our allies and our enemies. You know the tradition that the younger twin, who came from the direct line and who has the mark, will become the next head of the Hiiragizawa clan. Just like you." She glanced at the portrait. "During his time, the enemy side, especially the Fukada clan, was planning to kidnap him after they heard that his mother gave birth to them but the clan managed to thwart their plan when they announced that the other twin died. Thus, the deception started. He became Kyouya's younger sister, Tsukihime and dressed and acted like a lady."
I started to get curious about the 125th Hiiragizawa's past. "How did he and that guy meet? I suppose he was closely guarded by our ancestors."
"He was. But one day, his father and Kyouya were summoned by the Emperor to come to his summer palace in Kyoto to discuss some things so his father decided to bring along him and his mother. There, they met, fell for each other and lived happily ever after." She abruptly finished the story.
I couldn't help but whine at my grandmother's obvious cut of his story. "Come on, grandmother. I think there's more to the story than it looks and you know I hate cliffhangers."
She merely chuckled at me as she ruffled my hair. "Not to worry, my dear Ryoma. You'll experience their story soon enough."
I gave her a confused look. "EH?! What do you mean by that, grandmother?"
She serenely smiled at me and then, glanced again at the portrait. "Soon, my dear, soon."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On that day, I forgot to ask if they were connected by the red thread but when I looked back at the portrait, I saw a thin red line tied at their little fingers. I guess they were destined for each other.
Yet I was confused when she said those words…You'll experience their story soon enough…Even when my family left for the States, those words stuck on my mind that made me unconsciously look at my little finger every time if there's a red thread tied on it.
When my family came back here in Japan, I was about to lose hope in knowing my destined one when finally and unexpectedly… I found him.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction. Please review fairly and objectively. Thank you.
