"Gee that Gaillard. He spends all day with Aichi-sama, no fair!" a girl pouted as she played with her dark locks, twisting and twirling them around.

"Ah, how cold of Aichi-sama and that selfish Gaillard keeping milord all to himself. Wouldn't you agree Neve?" another with lavender hair followed.

"Shut up, besides Gaillard is in charge of caring for Aichi-sama. This was something we all agreed upon and Gaillard was fit for the role so quite your complaining, especially you Rati." The scruffy one answered the two. Unfortunately enough regretfully, the two had a gut feeling what came next. "Sera! Rati get to work!"

"Yes!" the two answered simultaneously, scurrying the area.

"Mmm, it's so boring and I'm bored, ahhh!" she groaned. "Everything would've been so much easier if those dumb people would've just been obedient like the good little puppets they are and forget everything like the rest of the world, tch." Rati complained. "That dumb Kai Toshiki, this is his entire fault! Making us have more work than needed!"

She skipped the empty halls, twirling and spinning here and there, her arms spread out, as she hummed to herself. She ignored orders and stuck her nose around the palace where it didn't belong, fooling around here and there. Unable to satisfy her ennui, practically knowing the palace from every nook and cranny she turned to and dashed through the halls having only one idea in mind. It was a place where she could keep her poise and maybe find some sweet relaxing peace from everyone's constant nagging. Rati slowed down the pace a little as she reached her destination as she found herself in what she believed was the most prestige area of the castle, the veranda. From there she could see the moon and count the stars. Rati closed her readily taking in the nights relaxing scent.

"Rati?" a familiar voice called

She sighed;" Now I'm hearing things…"

"Rati?"

"Aichi-sama…"

"Rati it's me. Are you ok?" the voice asked so genuinely in such a sweet gentle tone.

She felt one hand placed on her shoulder and that when she turned to look who was behind realizing she wasn't hearing things. Her eyes sparkled; she displayed a smile in return, "Aichi-sama!" Rati rejoiced. She wrapped two arms around him and squeezed him tight.

"Rati there's no need for formalities, I've told all of you already its ok." Aichi said returning the embrace.

"Nonsense! You're our king!" the samller argued

"You mean friend." The blunette corrected.

There was just no convincing the Quarte Kinghts, no…Gaillard, Sera, Neve, and Rati his friends to drop the honorifics. They've begun to do so after he took the throne. For as long as he remembers in his memory they've always been there for him and not once turned their backs on him. As someone who valued friendship more than anything he would do anything for them and so he took the throne.

Rati may have been the only girl in their group but to him he's always thought o Rati like his little sister. She was silly and quite playful, but for some reason when he tried to mix in the qualities of responsible, and scolding with Rati it didn't fit in right with her persona. It was almost as if they all belonged to someone else, someone dear, so precious…but who?

As much as it bothered Aichi from day to night sitting on that throne he couldn't help but feel lonely. Why? He had his friends, people that encouraged him, pushed him higher to greater limits, to change, to become the leader he is today. So why, why did it the thought make him waver and doubt? It was wrong, from a glance everything seemed perfect, but inside something was amiss, something stolen that robbed him from who he truly was; something so dear. But what?

Aichi only hugged Rati tightly in encouragement that all of this was real, that none of this was a dream, everything is real. Yet what was it he was questioning? His friends? His role on throne? Who he was? Where he was at? His past? His friendship? What?

"Aichi? Something wrong, you don't seem alright. You're shaking."

"Ah, sorry Rati." Aichi apologized loosening his grip. "I've just about a lot lately."

Rati let go of Aichi to look him in the eye. "About what?"

Aichi lowered his lids, his eyes looking the other way, smiling "Don't worry about it, it's nothing." He reassured.

"I see. If it's about the throne you know we can always help you."

"I see thank you but I'm doing fine."

"Eh?" A young girl with short peach hair and blue eyes let out as she dropped her cards after a sneeze.

"Emi are you ok?" her friend asked concerned, "You've been out of it lately today are sure? It's not quite normal of you to act this way."

"Oh no, don't worry about me Mai-chan. It's just I feel like I'm forgetting something."

"Really? It doesn't seem that way. After all Emi-chan you're the most responsible person I know. Maybe it's your brother?"

"Brother?" Emi repeated.

"Ah!"Mai covered her mouth, "Sorry Emi-chan, I don't know where that came from it just slipped."

For a slight moment Emi felt a pang of sadness tug at her heart. But she couldn't quite break it down or find the reasoning why such a wave of emotion washed away at her at hearing the word brother. Something was off, she believed Mai for a second but not shortly after it was that she remembered she was an only child.

"Emi? Are you ok? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to say anything wrong. Did I do something bad? Emi?" Mai cried out.

"Eh? Mai-chan is something the ma-huh?" tears? " Wha-what is this?" Emi asked, wiping the away at the tears rolling down across her cheeks." I'm crying? Why? That's odd. I'm sorry Mai-chan you did nothing wrong. I don't know why I'm crying. I just…" Why? She questioned herself. "I don't know…"

What am I forgetting?