Revelry and Fealty
By Saltwater Romance

Prologue

"Salud!" I cheerfully cried out as I clinked my glass with the one in my friend's hand, bringing it against the bar counter, and then quickly swallowing the liquor. The sensation of the liquid blazing a warm trail from my throat to my naval flushed my cheeks. Despite this, the stupid grin on my face never faltered. Tonight marked the turning point in our lives. Tonight was a night of celebration, and nothing could ruin this joyous occasion.

I watched my dark-haired companion dab a napkin across her lips after finishing the drink. It was rare for Hotaru Imai to indulge in the festivities, but tonight was different. After tonight, nothing will ever be the same.

"How was it?" I searched for a grimace on her face.

Instead, she shrugged with a nonchalant expression, "Okay. I would prefer whiskey though."

I chuckled. It was a universal fact that Hotaru Imai exclusively drank whiskey, but tonight was also my night. So, sugary concoctions were on the table—literally.

I waved at the bartender to grab her attention, "I'll take another one."

"I won't," Hotaru stated flatly, "Just whiskey neat please."

The bartender nodded at us and went on to fix our drinks while greeting the customers that were taking the seats next to us. I propped my elbow on the counter, using it to rest my head as I gazed into two beautiful pools of lavender, "You know, I don't think I've ever seen your eyes sparkle like this before."

She stared at me without blinking, "Why color me surprised, Sumire. I am shocked. Are you hitting on me?"

I chuckled, "No. I'm just saying that this is the happiest you've ever looked. It looks like a 50 pound weight has been lifted off of your shoulders."

A small smile tugged on her lips, "Well, think about it. All of my hard work has finally paid off. I got accepted into the program of my dreams with a full ride. I am going to get paid essentially for conducting research on the topic I've been obsessed with since I was six years old. What more could I possibly ever ask for?"

Being reminded of the hardships we overcame together since we met, my eyes started to get misty. In those days, we would trek three miles uphill from our dingy apartment to the grocery store every week. We would wake up at dawn to get to class after two bus transfers. We would be at the mercy of bad weather, bad traffic, bad bosses, unforgiving professors, and unlucky fate. Most days, it felt like we were fighting a losing battle. Most days, we would survive on packages of ramen, cans of soup, and 88 cent frozen dinners until we were able to receive food stamps. Most days, I cried, feeling like I was suffocating from barely being able to keep my head above water. Most days, Hotaru had to lend me her strength to keep fighting for that piece of paper.

It was worth it. That piece of paper was worth it.

Our blood, sweat, and tears paid off. We walked across that stage together in disbelief that it was finally over.

We sacrificed everything for those degrees—those flimsy pieces of paper that were the only records of our trials and tribulations—but they were worth it. By God, they were worth it.

She was moving forward as one of the top PhD candidates in her field. I was moving forward after securing a position with Giorgio Armani, a luxury brand that I hadn't even dared to dream of working for. We finally made it after those grueling four years.

"We did it, didn't we?" I sniffled as I happily drained the contents from the glass placed before me.

She nodded with that small smile, "We did it, Sumire."

"Pinch me," I murmured, "It doesn't feel real anymore. Have you started to pack?"

"Yes. All of my belongings are in boxes. Tomorrow I will be staying with my brother until the new semester starts."

Her response made me smile; that was so like her to be so methodical and organized. I haven't even begun to pack my stuff.

"Have you gotten winter clothes yet? I heard that it gets unbearably cold up north."

I wasn't surprised to hear her pragmatic answer, "No. I'll get them when I move; I doubt that winter clothes sold here can compete against the cold up there."

I laughed, "True. This year it snowed for the first time in three years, and it freaked everyone out."

My shoulders shook from mirth as someone brushed brusquely against me. My laughter stopped short because all of a sudden, I started seeing double. It was hard to breathe and with every blink, everything would spin around faster and faster. I looked around in a panic as black dots started to form at the edges of my vision, but I could barely turn my head to check our surroundings, so I just focused on her face. Even that was proving to be a chore. What is happening?

"Hotaru," I began, "I don't feel so well…"

She looked just as panicked as I did, "I don't either."

The only problem from her troubling words was that I wasn't able to hear them; I could only read her lips. I grabbed her hand, trembling as I mouthed, "I'm scared."

That's when I saw her eyes roll back, and her body slumped over.

Alarmed, I cried out, "Hotaru!"

This is it for us. I guess we won't be able to enjoy the fruits of our labor after all.

Can anyone help us? Anyone?

Author's Note: This story will be based off the game Ikémen Sengoku (Hideyoshi Toyotomi's route). I definitely have my gripes about this game (though, it is really addicting), but in terms of that story route, I was especially annoyed with how sassy the main character was in the very beginning and how meek/wishy-washy she turned out to be during the rest. I wanted to create a stronger and more independent character that stays true to her nature; I might be too western to accept the main character as she was in the game. Oh well, it did spur me into rewriting the storyline.

This is a warning for those who play that game- you will see strong parallels to it.

To those who haven't, I recommend playing that game (can be downloaded onto your phone for free). And if you're not interested in the game, then enjoy the ride of this story!