Author's Note: A slightly shorter chapter, but a very important one. Don't skip this just because it's says 'interlude' at the top.
Chapter 9: INTERLUDE
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'Well, at least Fuji-senpai is feeling a little better' was the thought that was floating about Ryoma's mind when a piece of shocking news was announced the next morning by the captain himself.
The news stunned Ryoma for the rest of the morning assembly as he stood completely still and unresponsive until the assembly was over. His mind did not register Momo-senpai's hand waving in front of his eyes, attempting to seek his attention, nor did his ears detect Kikumaru-senpai's slightly obnoxious yelling.
Ryoma's eyes followed Tezuka's figure as the captain walked back to his office.
Hurriedly, Ryoma ran, following the captain into his office. This action earned him a knowing stare from the captain as he sat down in his chair, silently allowing Ryoma's disrespectful entry into his office.
"Is it really true?" asked Ryoma in a clear panic, slamming his hands on the captain's desk. "Did Rikkai invade Josei Shonan and Midoriyama already?"
Tezuka nodded. "Yes."
The piercing gaze from the captain made Ryoma step back and temporarily avert his eyes, staring instead at the wooden floor.
"You know something," Tezuka prodded.
To that, Ryoma remained silent, unsure of how to reply. Ryoma was especially thankful that his captain was neither nosy nor insensitive when it came to other people's privacy as the topic was quickly dropped there without further explanation.
Instead, Tezuka pursued a different topic.
"What do you think about Rikkai's move?" asked the captain.
Ryoma's unfocused eyes became alarmed. "What do you mean?"
"I'm certain that, given your intellect, His Highness must have had asked for your input on political affairs at some point," Tezuka replied. "As I am his servant, my position requires me to put my country before everything else. You should interpret my question, as well as any future questions both from His Highness and me, as thus."
Ryoma took a few seconds to digest the words. So basically, he's asking me how I think Rikkai's invasion will affect Seishun as a country?
The younger bodyguard paused momentarily, before answering confidently, "This is bad."
"Elaborate," Tezuka commanded.
"Even if Rikkai's motivation is still unclear, the country's aggression can not be any more obvious by this point. Josei Shonan and Midoriyama are two very small countries, but they are not weak. Rikkai may need to pass through Hyotei in order to reach Seishun, but the fact remains that Seishun needs to be prepared for the worst."
Tezuka sighed in a troubled manner.
"I agree. But I doubt His Majesty will do anything," replied the captain.
Ryoma's brows furrow as a flurry of mixed feelings slammed into him – confusion, anger, frustration, and worriedness. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, calming himself a little. When he reopened his eyes, he noticed that Tezuka was staring at him, concerned by his reaction.
"I'm fine," Ryoma breathed.
Tezuka leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed and exhaled loudly.
"His Highness had a talk with His Majesty only a few weeks ago. He convinced his father to halt any moves against Rikkai. His Majesty's decisions are heavily influenced by the prince, not to mention Seishun's pacifist history… It is unlikely that His Majesty will stand against Rikkai for the time being," the captain explained.
Tezuka's gaze shifted towards his hands, and Ryoma found his hands unknowingly balled into fists, his knuckles turning pale from his strength. Ryoma relaxed his fingers, and a dull pain ached from the fingernail marks in his palms.
The younger bodyguard took another deep breath.
"It is time for work," Ryoma announced in a shaking voice.
Turning around quickly, Ryoma sped towards the exit. He heard the sound of Tezuka standing up from his chair, but the bodyguard could not care any less.
"Stop," Tezuka ordered.
Ryoma's hand on the door froze.
"You're not in the condition for work," said the captain.
The bodyguard's eyes remained on the door.
"I will excuse you from work for the rest of the day, Echizen. You must stay here, gather up your thoughts, and calm down before you will be allowed to leave."
Upon hearing that, Ryoma's grip on the door tightened for a slight moment before he tore his hand away. Still refusing to look at Tezuka, the younger bodyguard sat down forcefully on the floor at the corner of the room. He hugged his knees, and his cheeks puffed up just a little bit. Tezuka's gaze softened slightly at the sight of that, and he walked towards Ryoma.
Ryoma felt an unexpected warmth above his head. When he looked up, he found the captain's hand patting his head.
The captain's hand was big and more callused, compared to his own.
"Do you do this to Fuji-senpai too?" Ryoma asked as an offhanded remark.
The warm hand above Ryoma's head froze.
"I used to," answered the captain, his facial expression unchanged. "I haven't done it for a long time."
"Why is that?"
"Fuji got better at handling his own feelings as he grew up. He adapted to his role as the crown prince. You, however," Tezuka let out one of his rare smiles, "the circumstances around you are quite different."
Oh, so he actually can emote, thought Ryoma. Hey, wait a minute! What did he just say? Is he treating me like a kid?
Big, round eyes glared at Tezuka as the young bodyguard processed what Tezuka said once more. A thought struck Ryoma as a certain part of the statement irked him more than being treated like a child.
Tezuka believed that Fuji got better at handling his own feelings and his role as the prince.
Ryoma still remembered how Fuji-senpai was when he talked to his bodyguard that night – his confession to the fact that he disliked being the crown prince, his silent search for comfort, and his crying…
Something's not right here.
"Do you… really believe that?" Ryoma asked.
"I am confident in what I say," replied the captain. "I believe in Fuji."
Ryoma was about to ask another question, but then pursed his lips shut.
He had no right to comment on the nature of their friendship, Ryoma felt. Tezuka and Fuji had known each other for much longer than he knew either one of them, and he was not even as close to Fuji as people like Kikumaru-senpai or Kawamura-senpai.
Fuji's crying voice as he thanked Ryoma echoed within the young bodyguard's head.
Ryoma shook his head; there was a misunderstanding between the captain and the prince, but he could not say anything about it. Or rather, he shouldn't. They could figure it out themselves; they were close friends, after all.
"Echizen," Tezuka's voice interrupted Ryoma's thoughts.
Ryoma met the captain's eyes.
"Who is Echizen Nanjiroh to you?"
Ryoma's heart froze and sank.
The captain continued, "The Samurai Emperor – Echizen Nanjiroh. The most successful emperor in the history of Seishun. He abdicated his throne at the height of his reign and, as a result, the country plummeted. It was only in the recent few years that the current emperor restored some balance and order amongst the people. I'm sure you know all about him – about how dangerous he is."
Cautiously, Ryoma questioned, "Are you implying that he is a criminal in your eyes?"
"No, that has no bearing in the matter; he is a part of the royal family, and will always be treated as such, since he was never convicted of any crimes. However," Tezuka removed his hand from Ryoma's head, "I'm sure you already know what I want to say."
Ryoma's face darkened as he understood what his captain meant without even thinking.
Echizen Nanjiroh might have been a successful emperor, but his leave made him divisive within the country. Half the people loved him, and the other half hated him. The half that hated him contained people that despised him enough to attempt a failed murder, leading Nanjiroh to flee the country.
The last name "Echizen" was an uncommon one, and just hearing it once triggered mixed reactions from the people, the last time his name was mentioned in public. If the public found out that a relative of the previous emperor is now working for the crown prince…
The prince might be put in danger, simply because Ryoma was by his side.
Therefore, he could do nothing but lie.
"Echizen Nanjiroh means nothing to me," he told the captain.
"Do you know the consequences of betraying the throne?" the captain pushed further.
"What are you trying to say?" Or rather, what do you want me to say? Ryoma asked the latter half on the question inside his head.
"Lying to the royal family is an offense punishable by death," Tezuka explained. "I don't want you to suffer for what is not your fault."
Eyes wide in shock, Ryoma noticed nothing but sincerity in Tezuka's expression. Ryoma sighed in defeat.
If there was one thing he could promise Tezuka to make him feel better…
"I swore to Fuji-senpai," Ryoma said. "I swore my loyalty to him. I will never betray him."
Ryoma was not sure whether that worked. Nothing visible changed in Tezuka's expression, but the captain did not pursue the topic any further and retreated to his chair.
A dead silence hung between the two.
The talk about his father reminded Ryoma of why he came to Seishun in the first place as well as why he chose to work for Tezuka – and by extension, Fuji – even knowing the risks. He truly trusted Tezuka, he realized. The captain's strength and charisma made it difficult not to do so; even without explicitly saying it, Ryoma could feel the care the captain had for him.
Unlike…
Ryoma pinched himself for his straying mind.
"What would you have done," asked Tezuka suddenly, "if you were the one in charge of the country?"
Ryoma snapped to attention and answered, "Right now? Nothing directly to Rikkai. There's nothing we can do, but maybe I would try to strike an alliance. Especially with Hyotei. There's no way Atobe Keigo would do nothing about this, judging by his personality."
Not to mention Hyotei is located right between Rikkai and Seishun, so Hyotei is in a much more precarious position than we are, Ryoma added in the back of his mind. If Rikkai wants to get to Seishun, they need to go through Hyotei first.
Ryoma remembered that he had not visited the Monkey King in a long time. He shrugged it off though – Atobe was most likely at the end of his wits with the Rikkai situation and he was the cause of it all, so the Monkey King probably did not want to see his face anyway.
Tezuka raised an eyebrow. "Judging by the way you speak, do you know Atobe personally?"
"Nope," lied Ryoma. "He's famous for being narcissistic and many other things."
The younger bodyguard found it hilarious that the captain silently accepted that answer.
"Your answer is very sound," Tezuka commented. "You would have been a very good pillar to Seishun, if you were the crown prince."
Ryoma's eyes narrowed. Was he comparing me to Fuji-senpai? Or… my old man?
The young bodyguard was getting tired of talking to his captain already, and it had only been around twenty minutes at most.
"But I'm not the crown prince," Ryoma retorted quickly, "so it would be best for you to not think about the what-ifs."
"You're right."
"By the way, can I leave now?"
Author's Note: Whew, Ryoma's POV is hard to write as always. The fact that he's hiding spoilery stuff doesn't make it any easier to write.
Please leave a review/favorite/follow if you like it. All my motivation comes from the readers' support, and I get really bummed otherwise. QAQ
