In the village of Seirin, there lived the family of Kuroko. Mr. Kuroko was a simple woodcutter and his wife, Mrs. Kuroko, was a simple seamstress of the village. They had a son, which most people were not aware of, and his name was Tetsuya.

Tetsuya was dearly loved by his parents; which was very fortunate, because Tetsuya was a very picky baby. He cried when his milk was too hot, when his clothes were too rough, when his mother was a second too late in changing his diapers... the list goes on.

"I can't wait for Tetsu to speak," Mr. Kuroko said one night as he slumped on his favorite chair. He just put Tetsuya on his crib when he finally stopped crying and hugged his favorite plushie (hypo-allergenic and shaped like a baby husky). "Maybe he'll finally stop crying."

"Me too, dear," Mrs. Kuroko nodded solemnly, putting down her knitting kit. "It's getting worse each day."

They never found out. Before Tetsuya could talk, he learned how to crawl and walk. Now they have an even bigger problem: Tetsuya always disappears whenever something is not to his liking. And he doesn't like a lot of things, from loud noises, to grass, the smell of cooking food, and cold floor.

Still, Mr. and Mrs. Kuroko continued to love Tetsuya dearly, and provided him the best things they could offer to their beloved son. Out of the whole village children, Tetsuya was the only one with satin sheets for beddings, spring water from Yosen mountain for his drink and bath, and had a nanny even when he reached past the acceptable age people could have a nanny.

Tetsuya was ten when Kouki became Tetsuya's brother. Kouki was an orphan that Mr. Kuroko took when he found the skinny boy in the outskirts of Seirin. Mrs. Kuroko was hesitant taking another child at first, but quickly accepted him when Kouki was exceptionally good at being Tetsuya's playmate, being the same age as Tetsuya and yet proved to be very responsible and mature for his age, handling Tetsuya with the utmost care his parents also provides.

When Tetsuya turned 16, his father turned bedridden from over-exhaustion of work. With no steady income, the family turned desperate and Mrs. Kuroko started worrying over Tetsuya and Kouki's future.

It was one late night when Mrs. Kuroko summoned the two young men to the living room. "There is no easier way for me to say this so here it is," Mrs. Kuroko took a deep breath and folded her hands neatly on her lap. "You two, especially you Tetsu dear, need to be wedded. I can't provide for both of you, especially you Tetsu dear."

The conversation hit Kouki pretty hard (he briefly remembered the dreary days when he was a child left in the woods to die) that Tetsuya had to take his hand gently and lead him to their shared room.

Tetsuya is delicate, sensitive, and all sort of things that are high maintenance. His personality isn't though, at least not when it comes to dire situations like this.

"Everything's going to be all right, Kou-kun," Tetsuya said soothingly to his brother.

"H-how c-can you say that Tetsu-nii? What if we c-can't find someone who will wed me? I d-don't want to go back to-" Kouki hiccuped and took all the comfort Tetsuya gave. "I'm scared-d..."

"I know, Kou-kun, but we have to be brave. I'll work something out for both of us, promise." Tetsuya's words somehow calmed Kouki down and at least that night, the two brothers managed to sleep.

It was inevitable, but it cannot be helped, when suitors after suitors couldn't handle Tetsuya's delicate preference.

It was easy to fall in love with Tetsuya. He's a handsome young man with soft features, polite eyes, and a thoughtful smile. He was smart, able to hold conversations, and friendly enough.

He was just very useless to anything else.

It was obvious that his parents spoiled and treated him like royalty; he had no idea about housework nor had no prior experience to any work in the village. Tetsuya wasn't clumsy to learn all of this eventually but the suitors were already driven away.

Kouki, on the other hand, had a lot of suitors. Most of them were Tetsuya's after they properly met him and decided that Kouki, although average-looking compared to his pretty brother, was capable.

Kouki didn't accept anyone though, disgusted on how they could talk down to his brother in front of him.

"Kou-kun, you shouldn't have been so cold to Haizaki-san. He seemed really interested to you," Tetsuya commented one suitor-less day.

"But he was so mean to you, Tetsu-nii," Kouki weakly protested, although the frown on his face showed more courage than his timid voice. "I'm not going to get married until I'm sure Tetsu-nii has found his love."

"That's... very sweet, Kou-kun, but don't you remember what mother said?" Tetsuya smiled sadly. "I don't want to burden her any more than necessary. Father's health isn't cheap and... I know I'm not the best son to them."

"But you are," Kouki hugged his brother. "The best brother and best son. And don't worry about me. I can look for work."

"But-"

"No but's, Tetsu-nii. Father... I'm very grateful for him and I think I will never be able to call myself a man unless I am confident enough to say I have given it back."

Kouki worked in a lot of odd jobs to compensate the shortage of the family income. He was out of the house before the sun could rise up and would come back hours past dinner. He was completely exhausted every time that he couldn't even reach his and Tetsuya's room and just sleep on the couch.

When Tetsuya woke up because of a sudden loud noise, went down, and saw Kouki collapsed by the door, Tetsuya decided to take drastic measures.

"No way I am going to let Tetsu-nii work!" Kouki shouted, or at least as loud as his voice could go. He looked down, and Tetsuya caught a hurt look in his brother's eyes. "The villagers are mean to Tetsu-nii. They don't want to bother getting to know Tetsu-nii and understand why you are you. T-they said... I don't want anyone calling Tetsu-nii useless." Kouki was in full tears by the time he's finished, his body leaning hard to Tetsuya for support. He was shaking from both anger and sadness.

Tetsuya held him as close as he was capable. "I don't care what others say about me. All I care about is the fact that Kou-kun loves me so much." He kissed Kouki's hair. "Please let me help, Kou-kun."

Tetsuya was stubborn and finally, Kouki relented. He still refused to make Tetsuya work so they made a compromise. Tetsuya will be hanging out on the notice board and determine which part time work is more efficient for Kouki.

The result was immediate and the two brothers managed to come back home before dinner with the same amount of money. Apparently, Kouki would accept random requests, mostly with the biggest reward. Unfortunately, he failed to take into consideration the amount of time the work would actually take, and the logistics of each work. With Kuroko, everything was cut back.

"Tetsu-nii is so smart! Everything seems so easy now."

Tetsuya smiled at the genuine compliment his brother gave. Leave it to Kouki to remind Tetsuya that he wasn't useless; that there is something he could do.

Tetsuya was hanging around the notice board as usual. An umbrella was perched over his shoulder and he was jotting down all the requests when he saw a crowd quickly gathering at the village square. He watched from afar, curious enough to pause his scribbling but not enough to actually come there.

"Ah.. thank you, thank you~!"

As the crowd came closer, Tetsuya finally saw the object of attraction... or rather a person. He was perched on top a white horse and waving rather enthusiastically at his audience.

Tetsuya never met anyone with hair as gold as this stranger, and when their eyes briefly meet, curtains matched his window.

It seemed the sparest of glance was enough for Tetsuya to capture the stranger's attention when the latter stopped in front of Tetsuya. Tetsuya unconsciously lowered his umbrella, wary of the stranger's gaze. He looks too enthusiastic for a first meeting.

"What's a pretty bird hanging around alone?" His voice wasn't deep, boyish at best, but his tone radiated with confidence and affection that Tetsuya found himself blushing. Just slightly.

"I don't particularly enjoy being called pretty, especially from strangers." Tetsuya could feel the growing animosity of the crowd - how dare he act so snobbish to a dashing fellow? He merely shielded his face with his umbrella more and started looking for a blind spot to disappear from everyone's sight, especially golden boy.

"I apologize for being too honest with my words," golden boy replied without missing a beat. Tetsuya quietly classified him as a natural charmer. "May I have your name then to address you properly?"

"... Kuroko," Tetsuya relented.

"Kuroko," golden boy smiled wider. "I'm Ryouta."

"Pleased to meet you Ryou..." Tetsuya's eyes widened at the realization. The name is so painfully familiar, it was drilled in his head ever since he could remember. "Prince Ryouta..?"

"Ah, I'm quite popular, aren't I?" golden boy - no, Ryouta, laughed. "But I guess it can't be helped.. although it's always unfair that people know me so well while it can't be said the other way."

Tetsuya carefully ignored the fact that a prince, the famous handsome prince of Kaijo, is flirting with him. "There is no need for that, my prince. I am hardly special."

"So humble Kurokocchi.." Ryouta said in a wistful tone. "You'd make a lovely-"

"Tetsu-nii!"

Tetsuya let out a breath he never knew he was holding. Ryouta's presence was overwhelming, more than anyone Tetsuya had ever met. He was friendly but Tetsuya knew better than to assume the blonde prince is just that. His voice held some kind of power and Tetsuya didn't want any part of it. Tetsuya never felt so happy to hear his brother's voice.

"Kou-kun," Tetsuya turned his attention completely toward Kouki, his stance relaxing at once.

This did not go unnoticed by Kouki (nor to Ryouta). "I'm done for the morning. Let's go back for lunch."

"I'm done with my task as well," Tetsuya took Kouki's hand, holding it as though to steady himself. He spared a glance at Ryouta and offered a polite nod of acknowledgement. "It was nice meeting you, my prince. Please enjoy the rest of your visit in our humble village."

"Will I meet you again, Kurokocchi?" Ryouta asked, his voice tinted with nothing but pure interest. Tetsuya did not answer the question, pretending he didn't got to hear the hidden invitation.

Because for all the charm of the Kaijo Prince, Tetsuya's world is too small to start meddling with royals.

Ryouta is not the kind to give up, though. Not when this Kuroko person is so pretty.