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Royals
prologue
"Royalty is a government in which the attention of the nation is concentrated on one person doing interesting actions"
-Walter Bagehot
Kasamatsu Yukio hates his life.
He was absolutely certain that if the imbecile in front of him didn't decide on an order, instead of complaining about how fattening most of the combination sets were, he would explode and lose his temper again; and he couldn't afford to lose this job or get a deduct in his payroll.
They've been a month overdue on rent and if they fell behind anymore, it would put a strain on his mother's medical list; moreover, if she fails to take her medications her health would only deteriorate and she had started getting better too...
So with a deep breath, he asks for the customer's order through clenched teeth— only to wait another ten minutes before the dick wad ordered.
During his night shift of one of the many odd jobs he has, Kasamatsu plops wearily down on the sofa in the lounge after closing and cleaning shop. It was just his luck to receive work where all the annoying prissy little rich kids would frequent. He has no patience for disrespectful little punks whom didn't know how to respect their elders and made the lives of people, like himself, a living hell.
Despite how much he wants to complain, he can't because the pay here is just enough to save money for him and his mother to buy a plane ticket to be with his father in America. With any luck by the end of the summer, they would both be able to fly over there and leave their hard life behind in Japan.
As Kasamatsu sat, he wonders how his father is. He hasn't heard from him in such a long time and his mother always insists that it's due to work— earning for a good life for their family. Rolling his head from side to side he gets up and continues with closing perpetrations.
x
x
"Okaa-san…Taadaimaa.." Kasamatsu walks through the door, dumping off his work bag that carries his three work uniforms, including his school clothes and his school bag. He's about to head to bed, but instead goes to greet his mother properly.
Kicking off his shoes, He makes his way towards the kitchen and finds his mother slumped over the kotatsu, fast asleep. Sighing heavily, he smiles, stroking his mothers rapidly greying hair and realizes that she must've already taken her medication. He notices his dinner on the table and smiles warmly, picking her up easily and taking her to bed. He was going to tell her he got a good paycheck today but it could wait until tomorrow.
Putting the comforter around her, he takes his own blanket and drapes over her sleeping body for the unusual chilly night. He wouldn't be asleep for another two hours doing homework so he had no use for it. Kissing his mother's forehead he turns off the light and retreats to the only other room in the small apartment. He eats his food cold as he studies and finishes his homework.
It isn't much since summer break would be starting soon but later he, himself becomes too exhausted to even realize that he knocks out completely.
The next morning he wakes up to the smell of food and the sound of pots and pans clattering against the stove. He spent all night studying on the kitchen table that groggily, he notices that his work has been set off to the side.
"Ohaiyou Oka-san." He mumbles sleepily as his mother's cheery expression breaks into view. Kasamatsu isn't much of a morning person but when his mother smiles at him like that he can't help but smile back.
Such moments were few and far in between.
"Ohaiyou Yuki-chan." She chirps and he almost groans at the stupid girlish nickname but is too distracted by his mother's happy mood to notice. He hasn't seen her this happy in ages.
So it only meant one thing.
"Ottou-san called?" His question makes his mother's mood dull instantly but only for a second or two before she's back to her chipper mood.
"No, even better. I've arranged for you to go to him at the beginning of break."
"What? But we don't have enough money for the both of us?! We can't possib-"
"Yes, yes that's why I said you, yuki-chan."
"I can't just leave you here along Okaa-" Kasamatsu interjects before being interrupted by his mother.
"Oh nonsense Yuki-chan, I'm a grown woman I can take care of it's not until the end of the summer that I can join you two. Or maybe less if you see your father and get him to wire me the rest of the money." she declares and then adds, "Regardless I'll keep working for the Kise household until you two send for me. It will be perfect! You boys can clean and cook a grand meal. That way I don't have to do any work!"
His mother chuckles at the thought of well thought out plan.
Kasamatsu bites his lip tentatively, clearly uncertain, "Okaa-san I'm not leav-"
"Kasamatsu Yukio! You are going. This is not up for discussion. It's only for a few weeks more I promise." His mother smiles like an angel, therefore he unfortunately could not decline. With a nod, he continues to silently eat his breakfast.
x
x
A couple of Weeks later
Shit why was it so goddamn hot in LA? And how the hell was he supposed to find his father. His father hasn't returned or answered any of Kasamatsu's calls in the last few weeks before his departure and they were left with only an address he had left for letters years ago.
And with the only given address that's been written on the letters they've received years ago, Kasamatsu had no way of getting in contact with the old man.
Stepping through the doors of LAX, he swallows hard as an uneasy feeling forms in his gut while he looks for a way to get to the address on the paper.
The waves.
The current.
The ocean.
He could hear the water crash against the pier, the cry of the seagulls, the laughter of the people on shore. But most importantly he could hear his heart race against his chest, feeling the adrenaline rush through his veins— freedom.
"Holy shit man, is that Ryouta?"
"Holy fuck it is!"
He doesn't look back, but he can feel that all-knowing smirk form on his lips as he swims forward towards the monstrous wave right in front of him.
The thing about surfing is that once you've come across a killer wave such as this. There was no turning back—The surfer knew it and the on lookers at shore knew it too.
It was either do or die and today Kise Ryouta was going to annihilate that wave.
x
x
"Yo Ryouta!"
His body jerks around as he walks up from the ocean, coming in contact with his American friend Johnny Michaels. Johnny was tall, beach blonde with a gangly body and blue eyes. Compared to Kise, he was the epitome of a typical American teenager.
"Hey! What's up Johnny!" Kise greets after giving his buddy a high five.
"Dude, you totally just demolished that wave." He says, "that was fucking amazing! You even impressed Michelle."
Johnny points to another strawberry blonde not far away from them. She's batting her eyelashes at Kise in a seductive manner as a small but flirtatious smile adorns her lips, greeting him with a silent hello.
Kise quirks an eyebrow, the ends of his lips tipping up into his own smirk; he wasn't at all surprised that Michelle Richards of all people would be interested in a guy like Kise.
Kise was after all the spoiled, rich, super model of Japan.
Too bad he wasn't at all attracted to her, he preferred the 'D' much more than the 'V'. But toying with her emotions was an opportunity he wasn't about to pass up.
His smirk only widens when she struts her way towards himself and Johnny, practically flaunting her boob job in her much too revealing bikini.
"Hey Johnny," she greets then carefully eyes Kise, instinctively licking her lips, "Ryouta, nice wave you caught there. You were pretty amazing."
Kise pushes his hair back, "Well I am pretty amazing."
Michelle laughs, playfully punching him on the arm, "So you're coming to my party right?" she asks.
Kise thinks about it for a moment, but shakes his head, "Sorry babe, not tonight I have class the next day."
"Aww, I'll miss you." She makes this obnoxious pout, that makes Kise want to cringe but for the sake of being polite he holds the disgust in.
"I'll miss you too." Then he adds, "Hey John I'll see you tomorrow or something I'm gonna take a shower."
After receiving the okay from his friend, Kise runs off to the nearest public shower to wash off the brine and the seasalt.
Some would say that Kise has the easiest life for an eighteen year old— attending a prestigious university in California, photo shoots, booze, parties— Living the life of an elite. Kise didn't have a care in the world. No responsibilities— having fun was his greatest satisfaction in life.
The only problem was the lack of happiness it fails to bring him. Kise's life isn't as luxurious and extravagant as people deem it to be.
His mother constantly worries about him and his father hates him.
And why does his father hate him? Because he thinks that the only son of Kaijo Corporations is a dishonor and disgrace to the family name, just because he would much rather prefer to suck cock than suck vagina.
The most amusing part about the situation was the bullshit of an arranged marriage his father created to hide the fact that his only son was, for the lack of a better word, homosexual.
Thus leading to Kise's rebel and exile he's declared from his family for the past three years.
He laughs. He laughs a cynical laugh before dousing his head into the cool spray of the water.
A/N: Hello, Apolla here! I would just like to start off by saying that this is a Kikasa AU loosely based off the Korean drama "The Heirs". Both Artemis and I will take turns writing/editing each chapter, so we hope that all of you reviewers out there will look forward to our work. Anyway, the first chapter is a bit of an informal introduction however it does get the plot rolling. Fair warning though, some characters may be a bit ooc. Don't be surprised when that happens lol— you have been warned.
pls read and review!