[January 2010] [Word Count: Free!] [Theme: "It isn't what it looks like!"]
Title: The importance of pulling out, pt. 2
Author: beyondthemoor
Genre: humour
Word Count: approx. doesn't-matter-because-it's-a-free-count! :D
Rating: T for misleading sexual connotations...
Characters: Seiran, Ensei, Shuurei, Kouchou, Shuuei, Kouyuu
AU/Cannon: Cannon-ish
Theme: "It isn't what it looks like!"
AN: Many thank you's to Majochan for letting me borrow her visual plot-bunny. (Her SaiMono gallery is full of Way Too Much inspiration!)
Seiran tried to pretend he didn't feel his spine stiffen reactively with a latent self-preservation instinct whenever Master passed through the kitchen that evening.
And failed.
When he brought in some dried wood from the shed to keep by the stove and the bed-kangs, leaving a deposit beside Shuurei's in her room, he felt the hair on the back of his neck tingle in alarm.
And as he said goodnight to her on his way to his own room (she was still miffed and would have ignored him, but sighed and muttered a begrudging 'sleep well' back), he didn't fail to notice the way Master Shouka's eyes followed his every move, waiting to hear his door slide shut with a soft clack.
For the first time since he'd been taken into the Kou residence as their retainer, the young man felt concern for his well-being.
And it was all because he'd forgotten to pull out…
"… forgot to pull me out of that stupid competition at Kouchou-neesan's!" exclaimed Shuurei angrily.
"Which competition?" Kouyuu asked, about to take a bite of manjuu.
"The one she holds every year?" surmised Shuei, sneaking around behind the younger advisor and nipping a bite of the pastry from the other man's hands.
(Kouyuu blustered angrily and snatched it away, loudly cursing the sword-master who seemed to delight in teasing him. The dark-haired man only smirked in response.)
"Oy! What competition!"
"The Kougarou Idol competition," she sighed in resignation, drawing another bun from her bento to throw half-heartedly at Shuei to curtail the escalating antagonism. "It's open to all the employees, not just the, er, customer service representatives, so it is fair game. It's a talent show, and the winner's portrait is printed on all the promotional materials that circulate."
"It brings in a lot of business for that particular individual, and for the Kougarou as well," added Shuei, thinking aloud.
"And Seiran forgot to pull your name out of the running?"
Her baleful glare was all the answer Kouyuu needed.
"He's been looking a little under the weather lately, maybe he's had something else on his mind?"
"No, that's just because my father found out and isn't taking it well that his daughter could end up as the poster girl for the Red Light District."
Kouyuu and Shuei looked at each other knowingly over her head.
"… I'm sure it'll work itself out," assured Shuei, picking up another bun and gazing it over thoughtfully.
-until Kouyuu smacked it out of his hand and railed, "Stop looking at the manjuu like it's something naughty!"
"Jealous? Would you rather I looked at you? Pictured you dressed up for a night with Madam Kouchou?"
Shuurei sighed in resignation as Kouyuu went purple in his retaliatory ranting.
… but it did give the men something to think about…
That evening, Kouyuu met Seiran just inside a palace gate, and together they came up with a plan.
Kouchou looked the pair of stoic men over with a dispassionate eye.
"No."
Seiran persisted.
"It was my mistake, please excuse her."
"Please think of her reputation! If she has to force herself to play or behave badly in order to fail the competition, she'll never be hired again as a musician; if she plays well, she will win and never be hired again by a respectable employer-."
The powerful woman glared at Kouyuu meaningfully.
"… Er, another institution may find her… previous commitments… not a very fitting preparation… to her formal abilities…"
Painted lips pursed, elegant eyes narrowed.
Seiran resisted the urge to elbow the blundering administrator in the gut. Just.
"We will do whatever it takes to correct this misunderstanding," he pleaded, bowing his head to the Leader of the Kiyou underworld.
His companion looked at him in surprise a moment, but awkwardly followed suit.
Arms crossed under her ample bosom, a perfectly shaped brow arched.
"Anything?"
A pause.
The woman turned away, preparing to leave.
"A-Anything-!"
With her back to them, they missed the faintest sparkle in her eyes.
