A/N: Okay. So here comes Chapter three. It's kind of boring, so forgive me. Comments are love!

Disclaimer: Yes I own them. Duh.


Natsume Hyuuga sighed in annoyance as numerous girls began ogling at him as soon as he alighted from the carriage.

Didn't they know he was already engaged, for goodness sakes?

He rolled his eyes heavenward as one of the bolder ladies began approaching him with a sultry look. It was disgusting, to say the least, and he was ready to make his escape. Thankfully, someone came rushing at that moment.

"Lord Hyuuga."

He turned and bowed slightly at the young man who called his name.

"Please come this way, Lady Sakura is waiting."

He nodded and proceeded to follow without a word.


"Good afternoon, my lord. I apologize for keeping you waiting."

The Hyuuga smiled and waved his hand, brushing off the other's apology. "It was no bother, Lady Sakura. Please call me Natsume."

Mikan Sakura smiled shyly and offered her hand. "Mikan."

Natsume kissed he offered hand before helping his fiancée sit down.

"How have you been doing as of late, Mikan?"

The young woman grinned and began to update Natsume on her recent activities, pausing once in a while to answer some questions and smile at the compliments. Soon, their conversation drifted on to other topics and settled, ironically enough, on their prince.

"I hear His Majesty has also been engaged?"

Natsume nodded. "Yes. To Lady Umihara of the neighboring kingdom."

Mikan looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think I have met her once in one of Mother's parties. She is very pretty and is very well-mannered. The Prince has chosen well."

Natsume snorted. "Ruka does not want to marry her."

"But, why?"

"Only he, himself, knows."


Ruka Nogi closed the book he was reading before opening it again to a random page. After a few minutes of reading the same line over and over again without actually registering the meaning of the words, he threw the book across the room.

He was so bored.

He stood up from his position on his wide bed and decided to indulge in one of his favorite hobbies.

Horseback riding.

He decided to roam around the palace's surroundings as soon as he had mounted the horse. He closed his eyes as he felt the wind blowing in his face, he felt so much better. As he breathed in the fresh air, his thoughts drifted once again to the only girl he had loved.

He was had bee younger and naive back then, but the moment he had seen her, he knew he was in love.


"Natsume! Come on, what are you waiting for?" The 16-year-old blond tapped his foot impatiently.

A raven- haired boy, the same age as he, glared at him while maneuvering himself to fit into the small hole they found south of the castle. "We're both going to get scolded, Ruka. I just know it."

The other merely rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Natsume. You're such a spoilsport!"

A fiercer glare was what he got as a response.

They started walking around the village, taking extra caution not to be noticed by any of the citizens.

Ruka was enthralled by all that he saw. Being the heir, he had not been allowed outside the palace grounds and so when he had discovered a hole in one of the walls, he did not hesitate to grab the chance to get outside of the castle.

"It's so beautiful out here, Natsume."

By the look on his best friend's face, Ruka knew that Natsume,too, was as amazed by the things they were seeing as he.

He continued walking, unknowing that Natsume was not following. He wasn't really watching where he was going and was caught off guard when someone bumped into him. The other person fell to the ground unceremoniously and Ruka immediately bowed and extended a hand.

"My apologies, my lady, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Obviously." Without taking his hand, the young woman stood up and dusted off the maroon gown she was wearing. "You should be more careful…my prince."

Shocked, Ruka looked up into amethyst eyes and was instantly captivated.

"W-What…?"

The young woman glanced around them before speaking, "I don't see any guards around, Your Highness, are you sure you should be wandering around unprotected?"

When Ruka failed to respond, the amethyst-eyed girl turned to walk away.

"Wait! Tell me your name."

The lady stopped and turned to face him. "Hotaru Imai. A pleasure to meet you, my prince."

And in a swirl of bright lights, she was gone.


Ruka shook his head. It was useless to keep thinking about these kinds of things, he would only get sad again. So he decided to concentrate on the matter at hand. In about a month, he would be meeting his bride.

Just the thought of it made him cringe.

Lady Ayumi Umihara was indeed, the picture of a perfect lady. With long flowing hair, bright eyes, and a sunny outlook, they were supposed to the perfect match. The fairytale couple. The perfect Prince and Princess, looked upon by others with envy.

But no matter how he tried, he just couldn't erase the image of Hotaru from his mind. Hotaru of the quick wit and sharp tongue; Hotaru of the dark hair and mesmerizing eyes.

He sighed deeply.

Ruka had always believed in soul mates.

He believed, no, he knew, at that very first moment when they met, that he had found his in Hotaru.

Now, even after years of not seeing her, Ruka still believed that Hotaru was the one for him.

And this fact only served to increase the longing in his heart.


Please tell me what you think alright?

I'm so out of ideas right now....