Her fingers gracefully paused above the koto*zither, letting the last note quietly fade away.
"Spectacular. Truly a sound not from this world."
"As expected of the jewel of the Yaoyorozu family."
"While not a son, she will bring her clan prestige with her marriage to the Todoroki family successor. A match made and blessed by the Heavens themselves."
Behind the thin bamboo screens, Momo watched the small audience of ambassadors, court officials, and noblemen murmur among themselves. She let a hand listlessly fall on the polished wood of her instrument.
Prestige… the Todoroki family successor…
She had heard all the rumors. Wealthy and powerful, intelligence sharper than a spearpoint, and handsome looks to top it off. The man groomed to be the next Minister of State, maybe even the Emperor "with luck", according to her father.
Also her husband-to-be.
A cramp was beginning to build up in Momo's legs. She shifted awkwardly, the poppy-red kimono shuffling and flashing its embroidered gold chrysanthemums. In the tiny compartment behind the modesty screen, even her breathing seemed amplified much less clothing rustles. The koto on her lap nearly knocked into the screen and Momo froze.
That was close… I don't even know what kind of punishment and disgrace would fall on me if that fell… She involuntarily shuddered. The cold look of her father, constant no matter how high she strived to achieve, was already painful enough. The one time in her working memory when he had looked moderately pleased with her, or something relating to her, was the news of the marriage proposal.
Momo's shoulders slumped. "I don't even know what he looks like," she whispered softly. Momo's fingers grazed the delicate strings. Her pinky's nail caught on the finest, highest string, and plucked a tiny zzhing. It disappeared without a trace in the growing chatter outside.
When the men were finally shown out to speak with her father, the Minister of Defense, Momo's lady in waiting, Lady Ochako, popped her head through the curtain at the back of the box.
"Momo-hime, you may leave now," she called lightly.
Momo let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Her hands unclenched as the tension rushed out. "I see. Thank you Lady Ochako." Rising onto her knees, the princess swept out with her red celebratory kimono train flowing behind her.
"Ah Momo-hime, um… a word, if you may… " Momo blinked and turned around.
"Is it something to do with the celebration today? Perhaps… is Lord Todoroki himself coming?" She felt a slight
stir of hope. Can I finally meet this person?
"No; the betrothed cannot meet before marriage, Princess. But," Ochako said hurriedly at Momo's crestfallen expression, "You do have another visitor."
A block of exhaustion suddenly weighed on both of Momo's shoulders. I don't want this idiotic show with the euphemism 'marriage celebration', I don't want to marry, I don't want to have this person who I've never met in my life control me forever, I- "I'm sorry Lady Ochako… Please, please cancel my appointment with this person. Please don't, don't let anyone bother me." I don't want to talk to anyone right now.
Ochako opened her mouth to protest but caught glimpse of the princess's lackluster eyes. She closed her mouth, eyes filled with pity. "As you wish, my lady," she said softly. Momo threw a grateful glance before walking as fast as her heavy raiments would let her to her private corridor.
o0o0o0o
The bright red kimono would surely be creased all over by morning but Momo could hardly care. She swung her legs as she sat by the open hallway.
"Free… finally," Momo sighed. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back and let the sweet fragrance from the cherry blossoms waft around her. A cool evening breeze ruffled her pale undergarment kimono, creating a whispering sound. The moon was nearly full, and the spring morning rain made the stone garden slick and shining.
Suddenly, an idea popped in her mind. "That's right! It's a wonderfully poetic and beautiful night; perfect for music… " Momo eagerly grabbed the koto she had carelessly placed on the wooden floor earlier. Without a hint of care, the princess let her hands strongly pluck the strings and let the pentatonic reverberate in the empty courtyard before her.
"How long has it been since I've played for only myself?" she murmured. Her fingers nimbly ran along the strings, pressing a little more here, stroking a vibrato to life there. Her cheeks began to ache from a wide, "unladylike" smile. Momo closed her eyes again, happily losing herself under the moonlight. At least no one comes around here except my maids… and they're long asleep now-
Momo's hands froze as her ears pricked. The sound she just heard on the wind- It's stopped but… unmistakable.
"Who… Who's there!"
Momo stared hard into the cherry blossom trees. They were in full blossom but under the full moon, their flowers appeared almost silver. Momo gasped as a black shadow dropped from a branch.
"Who was the one who said they didn't want to see anyone?"
Momo's eyes widened as the figure stepped into the light.
"K… Kyouka!"
Before she knew it, Momo was ripping across the grass barefoot before practically bowling over the other girl.
"Oof! Did you grow taller again?" Kyouka joked but her huge grin betrayed her.
"Kyouka! Kyouka! I've missed you!" Momo cried, burying her face into Kyouka's neck. She still smells like oranges and mint, Momo thought absently before gripping on tighter. She's real, she's here, my precious Kyouka, right here.
"Urp-! Momo, you're going to choke me!"
"I don't care! Damn you, why did you leave without telling anyone- and for five years! The nerve, damn it, why?!" Momo clamped shut her eyes but they were stinging.
Kyouka didn't say anything for a moment. She gently placed a hand on Momo's head, caressing her. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's… complicated. But still, I shouldn't have left you, I know that at least."
"Damn right," Momo grumbled but her heart throbbed at the words. "And anyway, you're my music teacher," she added.
Kyouka snorted. "You've long surpassed me, M…" She paused. "Momo-hime."
At the honorific, Momo suddenly realized the condition they were in. Even if we're both women… undergarments… oh god.
Momo abruptly let go of Kyouka, flustered. "I-I'm so sorry, I- emotional. Overly so. I apologize for my behavior," she mumbled haltingly, her face slowly heating up. Kyouka looked away, eyes shifty. "Oh no, I shouldn't… have approached you like this, my lady. It was highly improper, especially as you had said you didn't want visitors today."
She took a step back. Her simple robe with a light, beige cloak, was still dusty from her travels. "I will take my leave-" Kyouka began when Momo's eyes widened.
"No! Stay!" she blurted.
Kyouka stared back, wide-eyed. Momo fidgetted, the words clumsy in her mouth. "Er, I mean, if you could, uhm, yes. Such a po-poetic night… I would enjoy it if, ah, um, if we could play something?" she finished lamely.
Kyouka stared a moment longer before letting a small laugh escape. "You really haven't changed, my lady," she chuckled, eyes sparkling with mirth. Momo's heart skittered as Kyouka smiled warmly. Calm yourself Momo, don't be so nervous and making a mess of yourself, she scolded herself inwardly.
With a fluid twist, the musician reached into the burlap sack on her back. "No doubt this gave me away earlier huh?" She carefully pulled out the three-stringed shamisen* and gently cradled it. Kyouka looked up, meeting Momo's eyes. "Let's play something… for old times sake?"
Momo nodded, her throat closing up.
The two sat, huddled together, on the ledge of the long, empty corridor. Kyouka plucked a couple notes, letting them waver into stillness. Her eyes remained fixed to the trees outside though. "Do you still remember how we first met?" she asked, slowly strumming a beat into place.
Momo smiled and nodded. Closing her eyes, she let her fingers begin to run along the zither. Like small shadows, they shyly melted in and out with the timbre of the shamisen. "How could I forget?" she murmured. "I had never even met anyone the same age as me before, and crawling through a hole in the fence was one way to make an entrance."
The beat steadied into a slow rhythm, relishing silence as its second partner. "What, I was curious! It's not like the daughter of a music shopkeeper could ever take a tour of the lord's house." Kyouka slowly began adding a skipping triplet in, creating a livelier melody. The shamisen's singing tone jigged to a little folk tune, and Kyouka paused, an expectant silence. Momo replicated the same tune with a pretty flourish at the end, and Kyouka laughed.
"That is true," Momo replied, this time her turn to pick a lead. Her fingers delicately pricked the strings, softly at first before growing into the sound of rushing water. "But because of you… because you sneaked in and taught me, and Lady Ochako let it go… now everyone thinks I'm so good at music."
"You are good!" Kyouka replied hotly, snapping her gaze to Momo. The shamisen twanged a note. But Momo was staring at her hands distantly as they began to slowly run down the pentatonic scale.
"You see Kyouka, now my father invites all of his most important guests to listen to me play. He says that's why I had become so famous, because he made well-use of my skills. That that's why he was able to get me betrothed to the Todoroki head, Todoroki Shouto. And also… that that's my purpose. To be used by him."
Kyouka, who had been playing softly an accompanying melody, felt her hands fix in place. Momo continued playing, continued speaking in an almost diminished, quiet voice.
"Sometimes, I don't know whether I love music. If I had never learned it, then maybe no one would have married
me?" The princess laughed bitterly. Kyouka felt her heart freeze at the harsh sound on those beautiful lips. "I guess knowing my father though, he would never have let me not marry."
The hands continued plucking and plucking, slightly faster now into the common tempo and melody of tragedy performances. Momo let her untied hair fall over her face, curtaining it. "But at the same time… when I'm with you… when I play music with you… everything falls into place. I can forget that I'm only worth what my father sells me for, that I don't own anything, neither my body nor future, because that belongs to the Yaoyo-"
Clatter. Momo felt the breath suddenly knocked out of her as Kyouka grabbed her, and held her tight.
"Don't say that! Don't you dare say that, Momo!" Kyouka whispered fiercely. She gripped the hems of Momo's kimono with clenched fists that nearly tore the delicate fabric. "You are so much more than that dog-" she spat, "of a father's property. You were the only one who reached out to talk with me, to bother even trying to learn music; even though we're as different as people from two different worlds, you never snubbed me or music and, and-" Kyouka struggled with the words even as the hot feeling wirthing in her chest threatened to burst.
Momo froze, stockstill, and Kyouka gave a small gasp and let go. "S-s-sorry, I am so sorry my lady, I-I-I-" A blush blossomed on her cheeks, making them rosy as she stared down. "I-I should really go, yeah, I must, must be bothering, yo-"
Kyouka didn't finish before Momo leaned forward.
Her lips were so soft, like kissing a ripe peach. Kyouka felt faint as she caught whiff of the delicate, clean scent of sandalwood incense mixed with the heavy aroma of cherry blossoms. She began to tilt her head subconsciously when Momo broke off.
"How greedy you are, Kyouka." Momo smirked a little as Kyouka's ears burned like a bonfire in winter. But her grin faded as Kyouka covered her face.
"You don't… like it?"
Kyouka gasped and looked up sharply, shaking her head vigorously. "No! No, I-I've, I always wanted to kiss you!" she blurted helplessly. "I-It's just…just… " She hung her head. "You know… me… you… "
Momo's eyes widened before narrowing to slits. "Is it because of my marriage? My class?" When Kyouka didn't answer, Momo looked away, expression darkening. "Of all people, I thought at least you would be able to see past what I am on the outside." Damn this marriage, damn it, damn it, damn it-
"N-no! That's not it, it's just, we're both women, and your reputation-" Kyouka began but Momo leapt to her feet, eyes blazing even as tears began to well painfully.
"Damn you, Kyouka!" she yelled, her voice ringing. I don't care who hears me, let my father come and see for himself who- maybe more accurately what- his daughter is! "God, I hate you, and your music, and, and-"
"If I'd never met you then maybe I would've been happier!" Momo cried. That's not true, that could never be true-
Kyouka snapped and she jumped off the ledge to stand in the garden. "Yeah in your happy cage of a life!" she snapped. No, that's not what I want to say! "You're just a pawn to your father, a spineless doll! I hope you have a lovely, inane life with your Lord Todoroki!"
Momo flinched. "I… I… " A pawn… a spineless doll… "Why did you even come back! I thought I was in love with you, and right until now, that you might have loved me, but clearly you're just the same as everybody else!" Amidst her blurry tears, Momo snatched the familiar shamisen lying to the side. It's pale and willowy body was inordinately light in her hands. "Take your shamisen and leave!" She threw it.
No-!
At the same time, loud voices and lights began to flicker. Momo whipped around, and saw candlelights beginning to grow and spread like wildfire across the rest of the mansion. The murmuring began to grow into a persistent chatter and Momo felt a chill run down her spine. I forgot… all of those guests are also staying the night.
Kyouka! She's in danger, I have to get Kyouka out of here fast-! "Kyou-"
But when Momo turned around, the raven haired musician had disappeared, leaving not even a shard of the instrument behind in the dust.
o0o0o0o
I never meant to say that, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, please God, Buddha, if you exist, let me tell her that I love her and that I'm sorry.
A splinter slid into her index finger, drawing a pearl of dark blood.
o0o0o0o
When Kyouka crept into the garden the next night, through the fence that she had once crawled through but had now been turned into a secret gateway just for her, she saw the maids sweeping away the barren room.
The girl slumped down in the shadow of a cherry blossom tree. "I'm too late… " she murmured. Her thoughts hazily retraced the argument that she had already recounted an uncountable number of times. 'You might have loved me' Of course I was in love with you… I left for five years… because I didn't want to be close to you. Because I knew you would marry and leave. Because I wouldn't be able to take that. But of course I came back… "I could never leave you." She gave a bitter laugh, the sound of it making her want to curl up. The petals from the cherry trees fell into her shadow, their colors blanched in the night.
But now what's the point? What's the point now if I drove her away myself?
o0o0o0o
Kyouka…
The wooden carriage rocked violently and the tortoise-shell bachi* pluck nearly flew out of her hands. She gripped it even tighter, and only hid it in the folds of the snow-white marriage kimono when her retainer announced, "We have arrived at the Todoroki household, Momo-hime."
Momo dug her shaking hands into the cloth, stilling them.
You always forget your bachi, Kyouka.
*koto: a type of ancient Japanese zither with thirteen long strings. The body is made of wood.
*shamisen: another ancient Japanese instrument. Looks a bit like a banjo but with a longer handle; it sounds more purposefully untuned to me too (but that's a personal opinion).
*bachi: the large pluck used to play the shamisen. It's mostly made of wood but it can have an ivory or tortoise-shell handle.
A/N: A historic AU one-shot for MomoJirou! I listened to "Soloists of the Ensemble Nipponia- Japan" (on YouTube) while writing this, and I think it gives a pretty good idea of the music that I was trying to describe. Hope you liked it, and thank you for reading this fic!
~LavenderIceCream