Hi, I'm back again, and all I have to say is: I'm sorry...
I was going to write more chapters before updating, but I ended up just finishing this chapter before getting the uncontrollable urge to post this. I think I might just call this FYR (Four Years and a Reunion excluding the words not capitalized.)
Anyways, Chapter 1 is called 'Missing'.
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.
Enjoy.
Chapter 1 of Four Years and a Reunion: Missing
You know, they always say, "One of the hardest things in life is watching the person you love, love someone else." I never believed them. If you truly loved them, then they would love you too, and if they loved you too, then they would never love anybody else. Four years ago, I found out how true that one sentence was.
Four years ago…he left me.
Four years ago…he left me for him, and he claims that he loves him more than me.
The hourglass broke.
With a crash, the glass splintered into pieces, the sand falling onto the sturdy dark cherry wood table. Its yellow fingers snaked its way across the surface, and finally, finishing its descent onto the white plush carpet. When the blank carpet swallowed the sand, it seemed as if the sand was only too eager to escape the now broken glass shards that pricked the wood surface.
The glass represented a cage…one that mesmerized and trapped the sand. The sand either loved the cage and felt secure in its stolid, unmovable arms, or hated the cage and yearned to get free. When the glass splintered, the sand was able to escape from its cage and find freedom, out where it could get absorbed by the sea.
However, being swept away by icy blue waves was better than being trapped in a smooth glass prison of time, where the only meaning is sliding back and forth between the halves or staying still and always listening to the glass' demands…but sometimes, to protect the ocean from the glass's angry and vengeful wrath, the sand chooses to stay in the glass, wanting to call out to the waves, but yet unable.
Whereas on the beach, the sand is told where to move…but also tells the mysterious azure expanse of water where to go and where each day is a flickering battle between earth and water.
In occasion, though, the sand wished to remain with the glass. Even as gravity pulls the sand away and out of the broken cage, the sand calls out to the glass, empty promises of return. The sand fights the ocean, needing the glass to hold it together, fighting the mass of other sand that trapped it. The sand was drowning under the blue waves. Sometimes, sand did not understand the ocean. What you do not understand is what you fear. The sand feared the ocean, terrified by its cold, mysterious, yet frolicking nature.
Yes, in a way, the ocean was dangerous, and could cause pain. To escape the pain, sometimes sand could hide in a shell, surround itself with a shield…a shield of sand, a pearl in the palm of an oyster. The sand has turned into something precious, something worthy, or so it thinks, to be locked up in glass again…
I only stared at the timer, not understanding what was going on or why it was happening.
The timer's now damaged bottom had been labeled with two words: Fuji Yunosuke. I had a collection of these sand timers on his desk: one for each one of my precious people-Father, Mother, Yumiko nee-chan, Yuuta nii-chan, Yunosuke nii-chan (just a baby), Ryoma (my dark green haired lover), and my personal servant, who tended to my daily life. If my newborn brother's timer had shattered…that could only mean one thing-he was dead.
otouto was born rather sickly, so it wasn't much of a surprise, but still, Mother would be devastated. I rather cared for the little child, and visited him often.
After all, this land of Japan did not discriminate in gender. Yumiko nee-chan would be inheriting the throne. I had plenty of time to waste, which was spent between Ryo-chan and my siblings.
Speaking of Ryoma, he now spoke up, "Syuu. What happened?"
"I…I don't know. This probably means he's dead, Ryoma," I answered with a grave look on my face. Sure enough, a panting maid soon ran into my bedroom.
"Prince Fuji-sama…oh, and Echizen-sama-Prince Fuji Yunosuke has passed away, bless his young soul," she cried. I pretended not to see the glare she leveled at Ryoma, as I really didn't need to deal with that at the moment. I nodded and dismissed her, turning back to Ryoma.
"It's as I thought. If you don't mind, I shall go check up on my mother," my cerulean eyes flashed open and met Ryoma's golden ones. Ryoma stared back into my eyes, and nodded. I love the defiant flash in his eyes, and even though we're not bantering as usual, and this is serious, I can tell from that flicker that he has an unbreakable will. But I'm still shocked that my baby brother is dead. "Right. I'll go now."
Ryoma stands up from my queen-sized bed and walks over to me. He taps my shoulder softly, and I try not to melt into the comforting touch. It wouldn't do to have the eldest son of the king subdued by a mere gesture. His eyes convey comfort, seriousness, and a hint of snarky defiance. Saa…what's that I wonder? He gently says, "Syuusuke…I'll be here, if you ever need me. I'm not saying I can replace your brother…I'm just saying I'm always up for a game of tennis if you want. You can show me your new counters. I'll definitely break them."
Damn, he always knows just the right things to say when I'm in such a mood. For a moment, I'm tempted to stay with him, but the idea dispels as soon as it forms. My mother needs comforting, and I will be one to give it to her.
I nod slowly, brown locks swishing across my shoulders. "Of…of course. I'll be waiting, so don't disappoint me." I can't help feeling dread…a premonition of a storm to come. I brush it off as a simple emotion because my brother has died.
Thinking back to Ryoma's statement – hm? He'll break my new counters? I don't doubt he will, but it'll be a challenge. I feel amused, and I'm certain Ryoma knows I'm amused as well because his eyes show annoyance and also relief. I grab his shoulders and kiss him.
Fireworks burst in my stomach and I stifle the urge to push Ryoma back onto the bed and have my way with him. Now's not the time.
My muscles loosen and I relax into the kiss. This is part of why I love him. I decide to voice my sentiments, "I love you, Ryoma." Something tells me that this is the last time I'd be saying this for a while, so better do this now.
Heh…hehe…funny, his cheeks turned red. I could stare at that forever- aw; he pulled his cap over his face. He mumbles, "I love you, too."
I grin happily. "What? Can't hear you…" I don't want to hear words like that coming from under a white baseball cap. Ryoma looks up and glares at me. His golden eyes flare with light.
He smirks and says, "Mada mada dane," his catchphrase. "Are your ears going deaf? I know you know exactly what I said." He knows me so well – but I know him better.
Proof – a picture in my pocket. In this particular wonderful photo, Ryoma is wearing the most beautiful frilly pink dress, a hand-me-down of Yumiko's. "All around the hallway…maybe even into Momo's and Eiji's room," I add. Ryoma's face pales immediately. I love having power over people, especially those I hate a lot and love a lot. I love Ryoma a lot, obviously, to have such blackmail over him.
Ryoma is currently considering the horrors of me giving this photo to Momo and Eiji. Let me just say that if even I were in the same predicament as him, I would give up too. Besides, this also had something to do with his father.
"I said: I…love…you…too!" he forces this statement out, glaring at me harder. I can barely stop myself from smiling to show my teeth.
I close my eyes again (as I usually have closed eyes around people anyways – just not when Ryoma and I are having a little fun debate) contentedly, "Well, I'll see you later, Ryo-chan." My teeth start to show in my grin when I see out of my closed eyes (It is possible! How do you think I walk around without hitting anything?) – Ryoma's clenching his fists at the nickname. How cute. I walk out the room, and out of his life.
Four years ago…I left him.
Four years ago…I left him for another man, a man I didn't love nearly as much as him.
The hourglass broke.
The sand from inside spilled over the delicate glass and onto the dark cherry wood table. The sand was like a snake-slithering and wriggling inside the farthest corners of surface. Then, the yellow grains slipped inside of the soft white carpet and disappeared-not that anyone paid any mind. If one lifted up the sand…the sand would only shift out of their fingertips…elusive…and mysterious.
Sand is beautiful, sometimes hard and grainy, other times soft and warm. It's the work of thousands of waves…corroding, eroding, and breaking. Huge rocks, worn down to small grains over time – it's amazing.
If you held the sand in the palm of your hand, you must have kept it safe, somewhere in a cage, where no one could get it…ideally in a glass jar high up in the most hidden place. If the sand slid out of your grasp…you could only blame the glass, for not being strong enough to hold it. That is a misconception. It's the beach that truly frees the sand. When you desire sand, you would keep it from where it wants to be, you would hide it away in a secret place. However, where the sand truly belongs is the beach, with the crashing cerulean waves and the stretching expanse of freedom.
The sand yearns for freedom, fighting the glass, but alas, the glass is too mighty for the sand, and holds it back. When the glass finally cracks, it's only due to the calling of the navy tides and enigmatic oceans. Of course, time gets its credit. The sand is immensely devious, slithering through any cracks possible out of the glass.
The allure of the beach fights the glass, and though the glass has kept the sand in for many years, it can only relent, its power drained and gone…the monotony of only smooth, sliding surface to run over. Over time, the beauty of the never-ending cycle of tides only gets stronger, and the sand wears down the glass who tries to hold the sand back. When the sand falls free, it returns to where it knows it truly belongs…its other half.
Sometimes, the sand enjoyed the glass, it's smooth, unwavering surface, the steady, never-changing feeling.
I stop musing over the sand and turn my attention to the wood of the timer-squinting; it reads "Fuji Yunosuke". That's Syuusuke's little brother. Syuu's my lover, but everyone pretty much knows that already, thanks to his annoying like of PDA…
"Syuu. What happened?" I ask Syuusuke.
"I…I don't know. This probably means he's dead, Ryoma," Syuusuke answers with one of his serious looks on. One of his only serious looks. But…he can't be serious, right? Yunosuke can't be dead. He was such an annoying baby, so full of life, so – so alive! Right after he says that, one of the many maids in this castle interrupts our conversation. Che. Annoying.
She whines in a breathless high-pitched voice, "Prince Fuji-sama…oh, and Echizen-sama," and at this point, she glares at me when Syuusuke isn't looking because she and pretty much all the other maids are in love with him, "Prince Fuji Yunosuke has passed away, bless his young soul." Syuusuke nods, turns to me, and dismisses the maid with his left hand.
I smirk. It's nice to know that he doesn't particularly care about the maid.
"It's as I thought. If you don't mind, I shall go check up on my mother," Syuusuke opens his eyes and stares at me. I stare back at him. I've always loved his eyes-so mysterious, so deep and powerful. I nod, and he turns away. "Right. I'll go now." I think he's in shock. But it's to be expected. I can't pretend I'm not devastated too.
I stand up from his comfy shaded-blue bed. Walking over, I gently tap his shoulder. "Syuusuke…" the fact I'm using his full name means I'm serious, "I'll be here, if you ever need me. I'm not saying I can replace your brother…I'm just saying I'm always up for a game of tennis if you want. You can show me your new counters. I'll definitely break them."
I widen my smirk just a little and think about how I'd been the first to break all three of Syuusuke's Triple Counters in tennis. It was then I'd attracted his attention. He'd lured me in with the promise of better tennis games then the rest of those idiotic tennis-pro-wannabes and, of course, his beautiful eyes and the thrill of being with him. Every day was just a new challenge.
Syuusuke nods slowly, "Of…of course. I'll be waiting, so don't disappoint me." His eyes flash in amusement. So he's finally back to normal…great, objective completed.
He turns around and gives me the last mind-blowing kiss I'd have in a few years…but of course I didn't know that yet. "I love you, Ryoma," he whispers. Usually he's playful and annoying, but he seems especially solemn today. Well, obviously, Yunosuke is dead (and I still haven't processed exactly what that means yet), but those four words hold more meaning than usual. He'd even said Ryoma, not that infernal nickname Ryo-chan or Ryo-baby. I'm NOT a baby!
He loves me. I know that. But, hearing the words from him, in such a serious manner makes my cheeks flare red a little. Just a little, but that's enough to make me embarrassed.
I pull the cap over my face once we break apart, and mumble, "I love you, too."
"What? Can't hear you…" Syuusuke replies with a grin. That idiot. He knows exactly what I said. I defiantly stare him down.
"Mada mada dane," I reply. "Are your ears going deaf? I know you know exactly what I said."
Syuusuke takes a picture out of his pocket.
Damn…it's me in a frilly pink dress. Blackmail. I should've known. I should've known it was trouble to let him force one of Yumiko's hand-me-down dresses on me. Ugh.
"All around the hallway…maybe even into Momo's and Eiji's room," Syuu adds with a smirk. My face pales as I nearly choke in horror.
Momo, my self-proclaimed best friend would definitely tease me for life and Eiji…just…no. Eiji is Syuusuke's best friend and the most hyper, agile, and childish man ever. I don't know how he lives a life as a noble being so much like a child, but with Eiji…anything goes.
If this picture leaked to Eiji, the whole kingdom would know in a few seconds. That would include my parents, who lived in a large house in the region next to the palace. My old man…he would look down on me further and never play a serious game of tennis with me! That, above all, could NOT happen.
If it did, my life would be in shambles.
"I said: I…love…you…too!" I force out, glaring at him. Syuusuke's grin gets wider.
He closes his eyes contentedly, "Well, I'll see you later, Ryo-chan." Then he walks out of the room, and out of my life.
…
I'm waiting for Syuusuke to get back. I kind of want to check up on the Queen too, but I think Syuusuke needs his private time with his mother. The clock just keeps on ticking. It's already 11 o' clock in the morning, and Syuusuke's been gone for 2 minutes and 21 seconds…
Its' funny how I used to be annoyed by how much Syuu hung around me; now, I can't stop thinking about him. Maybe this is how a man in love thinks, but I don't mind.
He always finds a way to annoy me-and he always, ALWAYS, has blackmail on me. I can't refuse him…because he has blackmail. I fight with him a lot, but they are all playful fights (which, by the way, he wins every time because of that dress picture), and that's part of the thrill he provides. I'm actually quite proud of being the one of the only ones to be able to stare Syuusuke down when he releases the full force of his creepy eyes.
He reminds me of that beautiful cherry blossom tree outside our window. The blossoms are full right now, as its spring, in fact, April 7th. So beautiful and delicate…
By the way, I kind of wonder how the Queen is doing. She's definitely devastated. I will go visit her later, if she's feeling bet-
…
I think someone just crashed the window in. I'm not sure. Maybe this is all a hallucination, because the man that's standing in front of me is Atobe Keigo, Military General Tezuka's Lieutenant. Can't he just walk in from the door like a normal person?
I know it's him. Who else wears purple shirts with frills and tosses his hair in that fashion?
Jeez, that Monkey King, he always has a flair for extravagant things and grand entrances. "Hey, Monkey King, what do you want?" I ask him with a smirk.
He replies with his own smirk, "I'm here to steal you away." A rose appears entwined in his "slender, pale fingertips" and he throws his boring hair back. Then he glares at me. "I am not a Monkey King, or whatever that vile name you call me is."
"Are you high?" I ask, unbelievingly. "Right, but then again, you've never been sane, wearing those gay purple frilly shirts and whatnot. You really are a Monkey King."
Atobe's face flushes red, "I am not gay. Besides, you love a man, do you not?"
"Yeah, sure, everyone knows you have this huge thing for Tezuka-sama. And before you start talking more about Syuu, at least I don't dress like a woman," I respond.
Atobe's face gets serious. So we're finally getting to what he wants from me. "Speaking of Tezuka-sama, he sent me to get you. And you're coming with me, whether you like it or not. It seems like he wants you back in his arms…" Atobe frowns in distaste and mutters, "Don't know what he'd like with a scrawny brat like you."
"Hm…really? And that scrawny brat comment was unnecessary, you know," I ask. I don't even consider it, I definitely wouldn't leave Syuusuke.
A few years ago before I'd started loving Syuusuke, I'd played intriguing tennis with a stoic bespectacled man named Tezuka Kunimitsu, an industrious ranked officer in the army. I fell in love with him too…we dated for a while.
Soon, he got boring. He was the same every day and he no longer offered a challenging tennis game. He was already at his highest potential and never grew. He never asked me what I wanted; he was extremely straight forward although demanding.
He asked me to love him, but didn't love me himself. I couldn't stay with him. After I met Syuu and he showed me his ever growing potential and mysterious self, I broke up with Tezuka.
Slowly, I fell in love with Syuu instead, because unlike Tezuka, Syuu provided me the thrill and defiance I so needed in my life. Tezuka soon grew to be the army general because of his hard working ways, and I rarely saw him after that. Now, hearing that he wanted me back…no way!
I pretend to think about my decision for a second while Atobe pretended he had already won. "Well…I'd have to say…no."
"Ah, Tezuka-sama thought you would say that, brat," Atobe tossed his dull gray hair that he proclaimed was "silver". How I longed to shave that hair straight off… "If so, I have a message from him: 'Remember…I am the general of the military. I have my ways, and I can definitely hurt that lover prince you have hanging around you.'"
How usual of Tezuka. He went straight to the point and even threatened me. However, I can't help but take his threat seriously.
He can definitely hurt Syuusuke somehow; after all, the military obeys his orders. No matter if it is to hurt the prince, as long as he pretends it's an order from the king and queen, the army will follow him.
Not a single person would suspect him…no, not the obedient army master, dog of the monarchs, stoic and rule-enforcing man.
I have no choice. How can I leave Syuusuke? But I can't let him get hurt-I love him too much for that. I also have to pretend I left him of my own free will, because if he knows and goes after Tezuka for me, Syuu may well get injured. This decision will break my heart, but it's worth it if it will keep Syuu safe. No matter if Syuu's heart breaks with mine, at least he will be alive.
"…Let me come with you, Atobe," I glare at him. I can't believe how much I want to kill one person right now.
Atobe widens his smirk. "I knew you'd come around. Let's depart. But before we go, why don't you write your little lover a note? Tell him you don't love him anymore, and that you love Tezuka instead. By the way, this is Tezuka's orders."
I grimly nod. Syuu knows who Tezuka is. Before I left to Syuu's side, Tezuka confronted him. Syuu tries to make me avoid Tezuka, because even though he thinks I can't see it, I know that he doesn't want me near Tezuka. He's going to be furious…and when he comes to argue with Tezuka…I will have to pretend to hate him. It will be hard, but to protect Syuu, I'll definitely do it.
I scribble a note, and then Atobe and I are out of window, and riding away on the horse he's already prepared and tethered to that beautiful cherry tree outside our window. Goodbye, Syuusuke. Don't ever forget me…and I love you.
I stride through the hallways, intent on reaching my destination – my mother's room. When I finally stop, I am in front of an elaborate dark oak wood set of double doors, inlaid with jewels and embedded with nuggets of precious minerals. These doors would cost at least a couple million. I knock twice, sharp, quick knocks on the wood.
They echo through the hall, and I can see out of my peripheral vision, maids stopping and giving me pitying looks.
I hate them.
The looks, I mean, not the maids. I know they mean well.
Still – couldn't they do something useful? Instead of giving looks, they could do something…anything…or if they can't, just stop worrying about it. It's not like those expressions will make otouto come back to life or anything.
The doors swing open and a maid ushers me in, curtseying and holding open the doors.
I walk in – and I'm not too surprised at the scene before me. The curtains are drawn, and my mother is lying weakly on her bed. "Mother?" I call out to her, hoping for a response. I get none.
An elderly maid hurries up to me. I recognize her as Ena, my mother's personal maid for fifteen years. My mother trusts her more than anyone, and Ena is always by her side. "She's in shock. She won't answer to anyone…please, you have to help her! If anyone can, it must be you."
What has mother been reduced to? She's never experienced losing a child – so young, at that, just a few months old, with a whole life in front of him.
All her hopes for him – dashed within an instant, maybe two.
I walk over to her bedside, and Ena pulls up a chair for me. I thank her quietly and settle onto the chair.
"Mother…mother!" I shake her shoulder, not roughly, but gently. Ena looks on with worried eyes. I can understand how she feels, just looking at my mother.
Her pale complexion was even paler. No doubt she hadn't moved from this room since Yunosuke got his fatal disease, several days ago.
Her usually glossy smooth skin was so…tired looking, and for the first time I could see wrinkles start to form. Make-up normally covered what beauty was lacking.
Even her hair was greasy – I could tell from that, that she hadn't gotten up to shower in a few days. Her hair was thin and strung all around her, over the pillow, spilling over her nightgown (which seemed to have gotten larger a few sizes, that or she was growing skinnier, which I didn't doubt…), not in her usual up-do.
I try a different way. I'm not sure if this will work, but I hope it does. "Mama?" I call out quietly.
Success.
Her eyes blink open, long lashes fluttering, painting her cheeks with the residues of the crumbly mascara left over from a few days ago, from when otouto had first gotten his illness…and never recovered. "Y-Yunosuke? Baby, is that you?" She reaches her bony hand to touch my face, and recoils when she realizes it's me, and I'm fully grown up.
For a second, a flash of disappointment lights her eyes – then they go dark again. "Syuusuke? What're you doing here?" Her use of contractions such as 'what're' means that she's not completely back to herself yet as royalty generally speak without contractions or slang. That doesn't mean I don't do it when I'm not in the company of officials, though.
I ignore her question. "Mother, how are you feeling?" I smooth back her hair, and I can feel under my hand that she's sweating bullets.
"Oh, Syuusuke, don't worry about me. Is it real? Is Yunosuke really and truly…dead?" Mother grimaces as she says the word "dead". It must pain her to state it.
I nod my head, deeming words too cruel to express out loud. I watch as the first tears grace the corners of Mother's eyes. They pool, and she blinks. At first she succeeds in blinking them away, but more spill out until there are droplets rolling down her cheeks, staining the pillow and bedspread. She makes no sound, just crying in silence. Ena stops in her work bustling around the room tidying it up to let Mother have her moment of silence.
A few minutes later, my mother's shaky voice breaks the soft silence. "Syuusuke…do you think…do you think that it was meant to be this way? Do you think that God meant for my fourth baby to die? Why…why does He do this to me?"
I shake my head, letting my chestnut locks swish over my face sadly. My mother was religious, as was my father, but they let their children choose whatever religion they wanted. In order to be free of ties to any deity or upper being, I decided to remain atheist, as did Yuuta. Yumiko, being the Crown Princess of a Christian kingdom, was Christian. "No, Mother. Yunosuke caught an illness – it's not anyone's fault."
She sighed tiredly. "Syuusuke…where is your father? I must speak with him."
"Father is in a meeting right now, but it should end in a few minutes. I'll get him," I reply, glad that I can respond as normal and not have to deal with my mother's unstable emotions. I understand them, but I'll never be good at comforting her, as she was always busy and I never saw her often.
She nodded and said, "Goodbye, Syuusuke, please hurry."
I answered, "Goodbye Mother." I wouldn't return – just return to my room with Ryoma after getting my father.
I wave to Ena as I walk out (and she responds in kind) then close the heavy doors behind me. Once again, I'm striding through the hallways and ignoring the pitying looks of the maids (again). I drag my fingernails across the clean white walls, not even scraping them, and play a little game with my feet. The floor is gold and bronze tiling, and I tell myself I can only step on the golden tiles – which are the color of Ryoma's eyes. I play this game until I reach an average height wooden door.
Due to my sharp hearing, I hear the meeting just being broken up. Chairs are scraping against the ground, papers are being gathered up, and people are saying farewell to one another. I flatten myself behind a potted plant as people begin to file out. The Chief Advisor, Army General Tezuka (I dislike him for reasons only known to myself and Ryo-chan), butlers that stand around waiting on them…then I see my father.
I walk quickly towards him and whisper, "Father, Mother wishes for you to join her." I hear his quiet exhale of relief as for he'd been banned from the room ever since Yunosuke had – died.
"Thank you, Syuusuke," he says back quietly, and departs, trying not to look too hasty, but failing. He knows how depressed Mother is, and he really loves her.
Finally, finally it's time for me to head back to my own room. I can't wait to spend more time with Ryo-chan.
I should be grieving, but I'm not.
With Ryoma by my side, I feel like I can get over this. My strides this time pace up in speed and in no time I've reached my bedroom.
There seems to be no sound from inside, but I know better. Ryo-chan is just sleeping, and I prepare to sneak in stealthily. He always looks the cutest sleeping, and I have to take a picture. Besides, once he realizes what I'm doing, and he'll give me another cute picture – his scowling face.
I quietly turn the knob, sliding my hand slowly as not to make a sound. The hinges are just oiled, so they don't creak at all. Peeking my head inside, I confirm that there is a lump in the bed. I sneak in and pull back the covers a little so I can see his head – but there's nothing there! What I thought was Ryoma was actually just the bunched up blanket.
He's really sneaky. He's probably hiding in the bathroom or something. He has to be, it's not like he'd be out of the room or anything. Taking a quick look out the window to make sure he's not in the tennis courts adjacent to my window, I advance towards the bathroom. Opening the door, I ready myself to pop in and say, 'Found you!' cheerfully.
Ryoma's not there either. I take a cursory glance around my room again. Hm, where could he be hiding? Then, I notice something out of place. One window has the curtains drawn over it, the other does not. I'm certain that when I left the room both curtains were to the side.
I pull the curtains aside – and gasp. Nothing usually surprises me, but this does. The window is broken.
I look in my garbage can, and sure enough, there are glass shards in there that have been cleaned up. The window was shattered, jagged edges peeking out of the gap. I bend down under the window. I smooth my fingers against the carpet, finding the spilt grains of sand from the hourglass and also tiny glass particles. Whoever had done this hadn't cared about me finding him or her.
Someone had walked from one of the room to another – as the sand that had spilt near the table next to the door was now by the window, opposite the door. Was it – could it be – Ryoma? Now I was frantic.
He had to be here somewhere…he couldn't be gone. Whoever had kidnapped him would pay…
I opened my eyes to their most intent and murder-containing glare. A maid opens the door to deliver lunch, but my aura immediately makes her squeak and run away, hastily shutting the door behind her, holding the tray with one hand shakily.
I begin my search for more hints. I look everywhere – Ryoma's nowhere to be found. I emit a low growl. This wasn't so funny anymore. I swear, when I find the thief that stole Ryoma, I will see to it personally that he's executed. No one touches my possessions without paying.
Sitting on the bed, I try and think rationally. My thoughts drift to the kidnapper. He or she'd obviously didn't take much care in hiding his attempt, so maybe…maybe there would be more obvious clues around.
I stand, my back pressed against the door, and sweep the room with a careful look. There's a piece of paper on my desk that I hadn't noticed before. It stuck out of the bottom a few of my papers and I thought – this could be a note.
It was highly unlikely, but it was a chance.
I practically leapt across the room and grabbed the note. The first words I notice are:
-Echizen Ryoma
I'm elated. Maybe this will be the crucial clue as to where he is. But – strange – he always signs 'Love, Ryoma'.
I don't hover on this point, as my blood begins to boil at the rest of the note.
Syuusuke:
I have to go. I'm sorry. I love Kunimitsu. I can't stand you any longer. If you want to confirm it, I'll be at Kunimitsu's.
-Echizen Ryoma
I clench the paper in my hands, not knowing whether or not to believe it.
Would Ryoma really go back to Tezuka?
Would he show Tezuka all his sides, like he did me?
Would he touch him like he touched me?
Most importantly:
Would he love him like he loved me?
I will probably end up editing this later, and I'm sorry if it's not that good, but I'm trying to slowly improve and write chaptered stories.
Note: I can't define what year this is - I tried and failed, so just label it whatever time you want, as long as there's royalty and not super modern technology.