DISCLAIMER : I DO NOT OWN HARUKANARU TOKI NO NAKA DE

Yume (夢) –上-

I don't know when did it start, but nowadays I am dreaming the exactly same dreams every night. In my dream, I go through an old door. Inside, there is no one. I feel as if I know the place very well. I walk around the room three times, and then go outside to the garden. Roses, lilies, rhododendrons, daisies, and a number of other flowers are lined up against a path. On the start of the road, Ai (愛) is written. 'A path of love?' I wonder. Without thinking, I walk on the trail that leads to the highest peak of a mountain. I do not get tired during this journey; I just walk fast as I can, as if I am searching for something or someone. At top of the mountain, the trail ends, and there stands a man. His head and face are hidden from my view. I do not know who he is. I slowly walk toward him, reaching out my arm, trying to touch him. He slightly turns around and faces me, and then…and then…

"Miko-sama. Miko-sama!"

I wake up. The dream always stops there, just when the mysterious man turns to face me… "Fujihime-sama."

The purple-haired princess is smiling down at me. "I am sorry to disturb you, Miko-sama, but there is a guest waiting for you outside. He says it is an important business."

"Then please let him in," I replied.

The door of the room opened and the man entered. "How is my lady today?"

"To…Tomomasa-san!" I hide under the blankets, since I know why that man has come to visit. He is a ladies' man, and loves playing with many of them. Although he never tries to force me into doing something I do not want to since he respects me, I know that he has his eyes on me as his next mistress.

"Why, why… No need to hide, my lady. Okay, no more playing." Tomomasa-san takes the blanket off of me. "I bring a news from the king."

"From…the king?"

"Yes. He told me that he has some questions to ask you." Tomomasa-san's eyes grow dark, perhaps with anger.

"Did…Did I do something to offend his Majesty?" I begin to worry. 'What did I do lately? I know that I've been meeting Eisen-san and Yasuaki-san a lot… Oh my, is it because…?' I think about the possible reason. Recently, Eisen-san has asked me to join him in the palace.

"Miko, I want you to come to my place and live there for a few days."

"E…Eisen-san!" I was caught off-guard, and was surprised he would ask such a question. "I'm not a member of a royal family. I do not want to be…a burden to your household."

Eisen-san looked sad. "I…I want you to be… Never mind. I am sorry to offend you, Miko." With that he just left.

Since then I haven't seen him for a while. I have almost forgotten about the incident. I have been busy going to Yasuaki-san's place in order to learn meditation. Apparently it is very helpful to me. Meditation helps my mental and inner strength to grow. I have begun to fear less, and face the challenges that come to my mind. Yasuaki-san… Something about him attracts me. I wonder what it is. His long, silky green hair? His odd eyes? Maybe the tear-mark under his right eye? I do not know what it is, but certainly, he attracts me.

Eisen-san is different. He does attract me, and I know exactly what it is : his music. His flute sound can make me happy or sad. It is funny to say, but the sound can and does control me.

"My lady." Tomomasa-san's sudden voice brings me back to reality.

I shake my head gently. "I'm sorry, Tomomasa-san. I'm not fully awakened yet. I am going to go wash my face." I walk out of the room and head to the near-by river.

It is so quiet in this hour. The town is not awakened yet. There is no usual noise of merchants and customers. I just love the morning in Kyo. It is very different from where I used to live… Japan… It seems so long time since I have been at home with my mom, dad… I miss them frequently. Sometimes, it just hurts so much that my heart aches. Fortunately, I have supportive friends here: Tenma-kun, Shimon-kun, Yorihisa-san, Inori-kun, Yasuaki-san… Yasuaki-san… 'Why am I keep thinking about him?' I wonder. I only met him around two months ago… Before then, I did not even know him. I did not even know his existence. Why am I suddenly attached to him? The dream! I first met Yasuaki-san through a dream. 'Can it be that…the mysterious man is…' I close my eyes, trying to picture Yasuaki-san as the man on the mountain. 'Why was I so foolish? It can be none other than him! Oh wait…' There is another person who can be that mysterious person. Acram. The man who almost ruined my life. At first, I thought I loved him. I thought he was gentle and comforting. That was a delusion. He was evil, or should I say he used to be evil. I haven't seen him since the day he left with Shirin. She said that she loved him with all her heart. Why couldn't I? I thought I loved the man, but I let him go.

I close my eyes. "I need you," I hear myself whispering.

Out of sudden, he appears. His face is still invisible. He raises his hand and touches my face. I can feel him! He is real! He brings his lip on mine. I close my eyes.

"Choose your own destiny," he says. These are his first words. For the first time, he has opened his mouth. He walks away slowly. He is getting far and far away.

I suddenly open my eyes, back to reality. I look at the direction where he left. Slowly I stand up and follow the trail. I stop in front of the familiar old door. I open it, and go inside. I walk around the room three times, and then go outside to the garden. Roses, lilies, rhododendrons, daisies, and a number of other flowers are lined up against a path. On the start of the road, Ai (愛) is written. 'A path of love?' I wonder. Without thinking, I walk on the trail that leads to the highest peak of a mountain. I do not get tired during this journey; I just walk fast as I can, as if I am searching for something or someone. At top of the mountain, the trail ends, and there stands a man. His head and face are hidden from my view. I do not know who he is. I slowly walk toward him, reaching out my arm, trying to touch him. He slightly turns around and faces me, and then…and then…

"Welcome, Miko. You chose me instead of others who love you," he says.

I squeeze my eyes shut and open them again. "Do…Do I know you?"

The man smiles. "You have not met me before, but I know you through my son."

"Your…son?"

The man nods. "My name is Seibei. I am the one who made Yasuaki."

Gasp escapes from my mouth. I quickly bow my head. "N…Nice to meet you, Seibei-san."

He smiles. "You do not need to be nervous. I saw you often when you came over to my house for meditation," he pauses and looks down at the valley. "It's a beautiful place. Yasuaki was unable to enjoy this."

'What is he talking about? Why did he call me?'

As if he has read my thought, he turns to me and says, "Yasuaki has changed ever since he met you. He no longer is an insensitive doll. He feels and enjoys life. I am pretty sure you have changed him."

"Me? How could I?"

He points his finger down at the end of the road. At the start of the road, Ai (愛) is written.

"Love?"

Seibei-san nods. He opens his mouth and says carefully, "You have two choices : backing down, or facing it."

"What do you mean?"

"You can go down and go to the king's palace. Eisen will be waiting for you. He will be your love. Or, you can stay here and be Yasuaki's love."

I am confused. Why do I have to choose? I do not want to choose. I do not want to hurt anyone.

"You must be wondering why," he turns his back to me and continues. "You were supposed to born here in Kyo as a princess. You were to marry one of the Genbu seishukus, that is Eisen and Yasuaki. Fate, however, was changed. You were born in some other country in different time period. Acram felt your power because you do have the power of Ryujin."

"The power of…Ryujin…" I remember, when I first came to Kyo, I almost destroyed the city. I had mysterious power that could destroy everything if it wanted to.

"You may have noticed that you have a stronger affection for Eisen and Yasuaki than other seishukus."

I have just realized that I do have more interest to those two than others.

"You three were meant to be together. The choice is yours, however. You have to choose one of them."

"What if I don't?" I ask.

Seibei-san looks at me straight in my eyes. "Both of them will lose their power. If you choose one, then the one whom you choose will have his power."

My eyes grow wide with surprise and fear. I use deep-breathing technique Yasuaki-san has thought me to relax. "Do…do they know this?"

"The king knows. Yasuaki and Eisen do not."

'That's why he wanted to see me!' I'm probably sure the king wants to see me in order to make me love Eisen. He does not understand. Orders cannot make a person change her mind about loving someone…

"I already know what you are thinking, and who you value more," Seibei-san smiles, "but you may not be aware of it yet. I know whom you are going to choose. It is easy to read people's mind."

I feel my breathing starting to speed up. "Can I get…some time to think about this matter?"

The man nods and says, "Not much though. You have 48hours to figure everything out. Till then." With that, Seibei-san disappears.

I open my eyes and find myself outside the old door.

"Miko-sama!"

"Yorihisa-san," I say with surprise.

Yorihisa-san seems out of breath from running. "I was looking…all over for you. I heard that you went out to wash your face…and did not come back."

I try to smile at him. "I'm sorry, Yorihisa-san."

"Please do not run off to somewhere again."

I look at the kind, caring man standing in front of me. 'Why can't I…love him…like I do toward Eisen-san and Yasuaki-san?' "Let's go back, Yorihisa-san."