A/N: Happy New Year! A month has already passed, but since I didn't get the opportunity to wish you one before, I'll do it now. I hope this year treats you with love, safety, health and happiness!
This is only half of the chapter I originally envisioned, but since it got a bit too long and there are two clear parts, the best option was to split it up. Therefore, the chapter count has grown once more and although we're nearing the ending, I wouldn't be surprised if it grew again. We'll see when we get there.
Also, happy birthday Rin! He's not really in this chapter but his support is with Makoto, haha.
I hope you enjoy!
With a rough tug, the draped cerulean curtains concealing the balcony doors parted, showering Makoto's face in a bright beam of sunlight.
His eyebrows knitted together like magnets drawn to the other's pull and confusion clouded his mind as he opened his eyes.
A man was standing a few meters away from his bed, an upbeat smile stretched across his familiar face. "Rise and shine, Your Highness."
The fog in his mind dissipated and he remembered where he was, how he got here and that the backlit man in front of him wasn't a stranger. "Sir Minami?" he asked nonetheless, because the why hadn't been cleared up yet. "What are you doing here?"
"I've come to wake you and serve you breakfast, Your Highness," Sir Minami said, gesturing to the tray on the nightstand. On it were various dishes among which a plate of croissants, biscuits, a bowl of berries and a small container of red jam, presumably strawberry - at least some things never changed.
"What time is it?" Makoto stifled a yawn as he stretched his back. It felt like mere minutes since he said goodbye to Nagisa and Rei after dinner and promptly passed out right when he got back to his room; the same room he'd resided in during his first stay here in the palace. The old normal and the new normal were quickly intermingling.
"A few minutes past six," Sir Minami said, "Would you like tea or coffee, Your Highness?"
"Tea please, but you don't have to call me that." Makoto awkwardly scratched at his cheek. "I'm hardly a prince, remember?"
"I've heard all about that, yes, but I don't know how else to address you," Sir Minami said as he poured some piping hot tea from a pot with a blue hydrangea design into a matching cup. "You are His Highness' partner and to me, you've always been a prince, so this seems the most fitting."
The most natural response that welled up on Makoto's tongue was, 'you can just call me Makoto, there's no need to be so formal' but he swallowed the words before they could roll off. What if this was a test? Queen Nanase said the trial would commence at eight, but what if Haruka's parents and their advisors secretly sent Sir Minami to his room to check how he would behave outside of the bounds they set for him? A prince would never tell a servant to call him by his given name, without a title. In the interactions he witnessed, Haruka treated every staff member with the same respect, addressing them with Lady or Sir.
No matter how unnatural it felt, he had to stiffen up and adhere to the boundaries the social hierarchy established. "Alright, Sir Minami. Thank you for the tea."
A light chuckle escaped Sir Minami's lips. "There's no need to be so suspicious. I haven't been sent here to spy on you."
Heat rushed to Makoto's cheeks. His thoughts might as well have been written on his forehead. "That's not, I just-" he stumbled, but there was no way out of this.
"It's alright, I understand your scepticism," Sir Minami said with a hint of a smile. "It's not every day you get thrown into this type of situation, that's why I want you to know that most of the staff members and I, in particular, have your back."
"What do you mean?"
"After everything that happened yesterday, word spread through the palace like a forest fire. Although there are a handful of colleagues of mine who cling to more… traditional values and thus don't accept you as their superior yet, most of us are excited you're here."
How he was perceived by the palace's staff was something Makoto hadn't even considered until Sir Minami brought it up, but now, his curiosity was piqued. "How so?"
"You bring a fresh breeze through this palace." Sir Minami leaned his hands on the frame of the bed at his foot end. "For years, everything has been stale, the same old same old. Your arrival shuffles the deck and breaks the rut. So I was happy to be assigned as your valet. There were a lot of candidates vying for the position."
That left Makoto a bit bewildered. "What exactly is a valet?"
"A valet, or a personal retainer, is someone who helps you with everything you need. I'm kind of like your go-to servant. I'll wake you and bring you breakfast, assist you in washing up and getting dressed, those sorts of things. I do have Mondays and Thursdays off, so you will be assisted by one of my colleagues instead, but if you need anything, please feel free to ask. I'll do whatever I can for you."
"Thank you," Makoto said, figuring that was the polite thing to say. He was a grown man, surely he didn't need help bathing himself and throwing on some clothes. But if that was what was expected of him, then he wouldn't protest. "I wonder why the job was so wanted."
"Based on the limited interactions we had with you, you seemed very kind. That, and His Highness changed completely since he met you and that caught our interest."
"Haru has?" Makoto asked with a frown. He couldn't imagine Haruka being any different than he was now.
Sir Minami nodded. "His Highness has always been rather quiet and reserved. He spends most of his free time by himself, painting in his room, reading in the library, sneaking out to swim in the lake outside of the castle walls - he thinks we don't notice him, but the wet footsteps on the path when he has to hurry back and doesn't have time to dry off properly betray him."
Makoto giggled at the mental image. Haruka was so cute.
"Even at parties, he was never interested in playing with the other children. Instead, he'd sit with late Queen Nanase and munch on some fish snacks," Sir Minami said, but then his expression wilted. "Her death was very hard on him. She was his grandmother, but also his best friend and he retracted into his shell even more after her passing. I don't think I ever saw him smile since that day."
A pang of hurt shot through Makoto's stomach. He knew how much Haruka's grandma meant to him, but hearing from someone else how her death affected him stung.
Contrary to the heartache Makoto felt, the serious look on Sir Minami's face lifted. "Then you came along and it's like the light has returned to his world. His attitude towards you surprised us all, for we've never seen him get along so well with a peer. He took the initiative to show you all sorts of things, he was actively engaging with you, but his aura changed the most. He's been so warm and radiant since you got here and he's constantly smiling. We only got to see you together for a few moments here and there, but His Highness seems genuinely happy when he's with you."
Makoto's heart fluttered inside his chest and he smiled to himself. What Sir Minami described felt like a reflection of his own experience. It wasn't like he'd been deeply unhappy before he met Haruka, as he could gather joy from small things like the twins' faces or the applause at the town square when he finished a song, but it was different now. With Haruka, Makoto wasn't the older brother, the errand boy or the street musician. He was Makoto, nothing more, nothing less. As someone in a position where everyone held their breath around him because of his status, Haruka probably felt like that too. When they were together, they were Haruka and Makoto; just Haruka and Makoto.
"Your Highness, I think you should start eating your breakfast," Sir Minami said with a smirk, tearing him from his reverie. "It would be a shame if it got cold, and we have to make sure you're ready at seven."
"Seven?" Makoto asked as he put the tray on his lap. "I thought Her Majesty said my first lesson wasn't until eight?"
"That's right, but for your first lesson you'll need spectacles, will you not? Therefore, an appointment with an oculist has been arranged for you at seven."
"So soon?" He didn't think shops opened until at least eight. Perhaps things were different here in Iwatobi. Although it had been a year or two ago, Makoto remembered his father had to travel for nearly half a day to reach the oculist when he needed new spectacles. "How far is the clinic?"
"The oculist will be coming here," Sir Minami said, "They are expected to arrive around seven, so you'll have to be presentable by then. It's rude to leave our guests waiting."
"They'll be coming for me alone?" Makoto said, guilt creeping up to him, but Sir Minami sent him a comforting look.
"You're an important person now, so this isn't anything out of the ordinary. I assure you the oculist will be compensated more than fairly for their troubles."
Even if that was true, it still felt weird. Back at home, if he wanted something, he had to go out to get it himself. The doctor might've made house calls, but it wasn't like they could afford to hire one for a cold or a minor flu.
But for royals, it was normal to have people come to the palace; going out themselves for every little errand would probably be too much of a hassle with all the attention they'd draw.
So without further protest, Makoto took a bite of a croissant.
After he finished his breakfast, he got ready with the help of Sir Minami. When he saw the suit that was laid out for him, an old one from King Nanase that two of the palace's servants had remade last night to fit his larger statue better, he understood why he required Sir Minami's assistance; there were so many pieces and he had no idea in what order he had to put them on. Sir Minami assured him he'd get the hang of it eventually and informed him that later that afternoon, he had an appointment with the tailors to make him more garbs in his size.
The appointment with the oculist went without too many problems. Makoto had hoped Haruka would be there with him, so he was a bit disappointed when Haruka was nowhere to be found. He wasn't going to make a fuss about something so trivial, therefore he didn't ask about Haruka's whereabouts. Sir Minami was present which lessened the ache a little. It felt nice that, in this unfamiliar environment, he had someone else with him for support. Although he didn't know him well yet, Makoto had a feeling Sir Minami and he would turn out to be not only valet and master, but friends as well.
It would take a couple of days until his spectacles were ready. To avoid postponing his lessons, the oculist lent him a spare pair that were around his prescription. They felt foreign on the bridge of his nose and his ears, causing his skin to tingle a bit, but he supposed that was a matter of getting used to. If he'd be a step closer to making his dream come true with them, then he'd gladly wear them the whole day.
With equal amounts of excitement and apprehension coursing through his veins, Makoto entered the palace's vast library for his first lesson.
The scent of dust and old books was prominent in the air, but it wasn't unpleasant. Considering the majority of his lessons would presumably take place here, he made sure to take in his surroundings to familiarise himself with the room. It was large, far bigger than the library in town. He could easily imagine himself getting lost among the shelves, looming over him with intimidating amounts of knowledge and information. But as far as places to spend hours upon hours went, this was far from the worst.
"Ah, Mr. Makoto. I'm so glad you could make it."
He turned around at the sound of that voice and his jaw slackened in surprise. "Lady Amakata?"
"Good morning, I've been expecting you. Please take a seat," Lady Amakata said, gesturing towards the desk set out in front of her. Behind her on the wall hung a large chalkboard, but the white letters scratched onto black were foreign to him.
"Good morning, Lady Amakata," Makoto returned with a slight bow, unsure what the right etiquette was. He hadn't known the King and Queen's advisor would be present during his lessons. A bead of sweat started to build up at his temple, but he couldn't falter at her sight. "Has the tutor not arrived yet?" he asked as he sat down, picking his words carefully.
Lady Amakata raised her hand to her lips to stifle a chuckle. "I am right here."
Makoto's eyes widened in surprise. "You are my tutor? I thought you were Their Majesties' advisor."
"I am," Lady Amakata said, "Before I was promoted to the honourable job of royal advisor, I was a teacher specialised in language and literature. I taught His HIghness and the other children at the palace for numerous years. Now before we begin, do you have any questions you'd like to ask me?"
"I, um…" Makoto mumbled, unsure whether or not his question was in-line or not. "If you've been promoted, then why are you teaching me now?"
Thankfully, Lady Amakata wasn't offended. "You're a rather special case, Mr. Makoto. A wise man once said 'If you want something to be done well, you have to do it yourself', so we thought it would be most beneficial that I, someone who is aware of the circumstances, is here to oversee your studies and guide you through the process. Well then, if you're ready, I shall explain how your lessons will proceed."
Whether he would ever be ready, Makoto didn't know, but he mustered up his most polite smile as he said, "I am."
"From now on, your days will be split up into three sections. In the mornings, your lessons will focus on the intellectual part of your education. Because you're not literate yet, our top priority will be teaching you to read and write. At the moment, we are not quite sure how long it will take for you to reach an acceptable level of proficiency, so to speed up the process, your other classes will be combined with that as much as possible."
Makoto held up his hand like he was told Ran and Ren had to at school. When Lady Amakata allowed him to speak, he said, "Forgive me for asking, but how exactly will such a combination work?"
"Don't be regretful to ask. During my lessons, every question is permitted," Lady Amakata said, "Although your eyesight prevented you from learning to read and write prior to now, we trust there is nothing wrong with your ears or your brain. So until you're able to read textbooks and encyclopedias yourself, your teachers shall read the passages to you and lecture you like that. For every subject, you will have a specialised teacher, but I will be your head tutor. If you have any questions that you, for any reason, cannot ask the teacher, then I will be there to help you out."
"Thank you," Makoto said, but even though he appreciated Lady Amakata's kindness, his self-doubt continued to grow. Was his memory good enough to withstand this trial?
"At first, language, mathematics, social studies, history and geography will be your main classes, but as your education furthers, sciences and economics will be introduced to your curriculum as well," Lady Amakata said, "The morning lessons will span from eight to one. After lunch, it will be time for your afternoon lessons, which shall focus on the behavioural aspect of your education. Think of proper etiquette, how to hold your body, to debate in a civilised and well-informed manner, those sorts of things. These lessons shall last until dinner. You'll be expected to dine with the king, queen, and prince every day, so you will be granted one hour to freshen up before then."
The mention of Haruka brought a smile to his face, but he shouldn't get excited yet. Dinner with the king, a man who could drink his blood, every single night. How on earth was he going to survive that?
"If I may give you some advice, then I would recommend paying close attention during your lessons. You never know what His and Her Majesty might inquire about during dinner," Lady Amakata said, confirming Makoto's fear. "After dinner, you will have some time to yourself. You'll be free to do whatever you please, as long as you don't cause a ruckus or do anything inappropriate, of course. Be sure not to stay up too late, though, because you need to be fresh and punctual the next morning."
"I will," Makoto said, "I promise I shall dedicate myself fully to these lessons, as it is an honour to be taught by you and so many other intellectual individuals."
Lady Amakata's lips curled up in a smile; she wasn't immune to flattery. He had to make sure to write that down once he was able to.
"Now, if you do not have any further questions, then I suppose it's time we get started."
On his desk, she laid out a small stack of lined paper, a jar of ink and a quill. Then she walked back over to the chalkboard and used her ruler to point at the first letter of the alphabet that was written out. Once she tied a sound to the image, she instructed him to copy it onto his paper.
The quill felt strange in his hand as he dipped it into the ink. When he hovered it over the paper, droplets of ink splattered against the white, staining terribly and he gasped. "Excuse me, I-"
"It's alright," Lady Amakata interrupted his stammering, "You only need to dip the tip of the quill lightly into the ink. That will be sufficient for you to write for a bit. Don't put too much pressure on the quill, but lightly drag it across the page. You'll notice when you're running out and need to dip it again."
Makoto nodded and did as she instructed, but his hand trembled a bit and the letter came out very wobbly and wonky, nothing like the fine and neat strokes of chalk upon the board.
"It's okay if it doesn't look perfect on the first try," she assured as she peered over his desk. "Now, please write it over and over until it starts to look good and most importantly, until it feels natural."
Before long, the whole page was filled with a single letter. With every attempt, it turned a bit more legible as the quill grew comfortable in his grip, as though it was an extension of his hand. At the bottom was a fine, clear letter that looked almost as nice as Lady Amakata's example and Makoto's chest swelled with satisfaction. Maybe this wasn't too difficult after all.
In that manner, they worked through the whole alphabet. Halfway through, Makoto's hand began to ache a bit, progressively developing into a cramp, but he wouldn't let that defeat him. The harder he worked, the sooner he'd be fluent.
Once Lady Amakata approved of his letters, she wrote a couple of short, familiar words - his name, Haruka, Iwatobi, Sano, et cetera - on the lower half of the chalkboard and asked him to decipher them, read them out loud and write them down.
Although the twins used to lament about school and how torturously boring it was, Makoto found himself enjoying Lady Amakata's lesson. She made sure he understood everything, encouraged him to try again without judgement if he made a mistake and was kind and patient with him. Words that were written differently than they were pronounced were the biggest hurdle he faced - up until then. But Lady Amakata assured him that was normal and he'd learn which words were written phonetically, as she called it, and which were made up of different spelling.
Part of him was almost sad when Lady Amakata told him that was enough for the day. According to her, his brain needed time to process everything it had absorbed and he shouldn't push it too much, else it would only impact his learning curve negatively. That, and there were other subjects that required his attention.
She cleared the chalkboard and wrote down numbers instead. "You weren't familiar with letters up until now, but do you know numbers? Are you able to count properly?"
"Yes, Madam," Makoto said, "My mother is very good with numbers. She taught me everything I needed to know from a young age in order for me to purchase groceries and to check if I was paid the agreed-upon wages."
"That's good to hear," Lady Amakata said, "I will write some exercises on the board so I can see how far your knowledge goes. Based on what you told me, you should have no problems solving them, but if you do have any questions then feel free to ask them. You're also allowed to use your paper and quill for help."
The series of sevens and fours and nines that appeared on the board were no strangers to Makoto, but the symbols Lady Amakata wrote between them were. "Excuse me, what do those… things between the numbers mean?"
"These are mathematical symbols. There are a lot of different ones, but these are the main four you'll have to worry about for now," Lady Amakata said as she pointed at one. "This is a plus, which stands for addition. The minus stands for subtraction, this is multiplication and this one means division."
"I see," Makoto mumbled under his breath, then he got to work.
From left to right, top to bottom, he solved the problems out loud.
At first, they were fairly simple and he could solve them without too much thought. But the exercises got increasingly difficult as the numbers grew higher. At the market, he never had dozens or hundreds of coins to spend, therefore his brain wasn't accommodated to calculating with those large numbers.
When he didn't know the solution right away, instead of telling him the answer, Lady Amakata explained how he could solve the problem. After a while, Makoto detected a pattern and he realised that large numbers weren't overwhelming if he dissected them into smaller, bite-sized portions.
Lady Amakata wrote an exercise on the board and Makoto solved it, sometimes from the top of his head, other times with the support of paper and quill, rinse and repeat. They fell into a steady rhythm, one that was only disrupted with a loud growl of Makoto's stomach.
"Oh my, would you look at the time," Lady Amakata said as she checked her pocket watch. "It's almost time for lunch. I still wanted to discuss fractions and percentages since you might be familiar with those as well, and we didn't even get to any other subject. Oh well, that will have to wait until tomorrow. I'll inform your teachers where we left off today."
"My teachers?" Makoto asked with a frown.
"You'll be taught different subjects by specialised tutors, I told you that, didn't I?"
She had, but it completely slipped Makoto's mind. The reminder brought a pang to his gut; he was starting to feel at ease with Lady Amakata and he liked her way of teaching. She made him feel as though he made a lot of improvement despite his lessons having started mere hours ago.
"Worry not, Mr. Makoto," Lady Amakata said with a small smile. "I assure you your other teachers are very qualified - in most cases even more so than I am - and have a lot of experience teaching. I will still be here to teach you to read and write and as I said earlier, you're always welcome to come to me if you have any other questions."
"Thank you, Lady Amakata." Makoto stood and bowed to her. "Your lesson has been very informative and I look forward to our next class."
He wasn't sure if thanking a tutor was considered proper or not, but he figured politeness was always appreciated. He had to seize every opportunity he got to showcase himself from his best side. There were a handful of people he needed to impress during this trial and Lady Amakata was among them.
Lady Amakata's smile widened. "It's my pleasure teaching such a zealous student like yourself. Now, let's clean up here so we can go to the dining hall. We mustn't be late for lunch."
Once the library was returned to its original, tidy state, Makoto followed Lady Amakata as she led him through the palace. The days he spent here hadn't been nearly enough yet to familiarise himself with the countless corridors and rooms this huge palace was composed of. It would take him weeks, if not months to get a clear mental image of this palace's floor plan. But hopefully, he'd be able to get to his routine destinations on his own within a couple of days.
The doors to the dining hall were held open by two servants Makoto hadn't had the chance to introduce himself to yet, but he refrained from doing so now. Although he wanted to make sure he greeted every staff member, his gut told him it wasn't wise to divert from the road in front of him. There was a time and a place for everything and even if he liked Lady Amakata, he decided to keep excessive interactions with the servants private. It went against his nature, but the last thing he wanted was for her to get the impression he was more suited to mingle with them than with nobles. It would be long until the eggshells underneath his fancy boots would crack.
Inside, the large table was neatly made with a clean white cloth. Golden candelabras adorned the center beneath the dangling chandeliers. Porcelain plates with blue, floral designs along the rims were set out in front of three chairs as well as with various pieces of silverware; start with the ones on the outside and work your way in, as Rei had told him when the shirt on his back was littered in soot-stains. That night at the palace in Sano felt like a lifetime ago. Rei's pointers on manners brought Makoto as far as he needed to go and now, it was time for some true etiquette lessons.
A man was seated at the table and when Makoto got closer, he recognised the beard and therefore, its owner. Comfort and dread flooded him at once. When he'd agreed to partake in this trial, he hadn't expected the evaluators of it would be there to supervise him. Whether this was positive or negative, Makoto didn't yet know; they witnessed his dedication and perseverance, but also the tiniest of errors. But perhaps, if they got to know him, they would empathise with him more. It would be a matter of time until he discovered if their presence worked in his favour or not.
"Mr. Makoto," Sir Sasabe said as he stood up. "Welcome to your first etiquette lesson."
"Good afternoon, Sir Sasabe," Makoto returned and he bowed to him as well. "Thank you for taking the time and effort to teach me. I shall do my best to not disappoint you."
"I'm sure you won't," Sir Sasabe said with a beckoning smile, "Come, and we'll start straight away."
Makoto walked over to the table alongside Lady Amakata, but she didn't sit down, so neither did he.
"During these lessons, I will teach you how to be a true gentleman. From the way you hold yourself to the way you walk and the language you use, I'll make sure you blend in with royalty in no time. Because we all need to eat lunch, we'll start with dining etiquette. Is that alright?"
"Certainly, Sir," Makoto said, crossing his fingers his stomach wouldn't growl again. "I look forward to all you have to teach me."
"That's the spirit. Now, first things first. If you're in the company of a lady, it is polite to pull out her chair for her." Sir Sasabe grabbed the empty chair next to his and held it out for an invisible woman. "Then, when she's taking the seat, you push it back, but do not use too much force. You wouldn't want to pin her to the table, now would you?" Sir Sasabe let out a short yet loud laugh. "Try it out with Lady Amakata."
Makoto did as he was told and pushed Lady Amakata gently towards the table.
"Excellent. Once the lady is seated, you may sit down yourself."
"Um," Makoto mumbled as he tentatively raised his hand. "When I'm with Har- His Highness, will I be expected to pull out his chair too, or should I allow him to pull out my chair? Or is this reserved for ladies solely? And would this be any lady or only ladies that I am accompanying, say, my sister or my mother?"
"Those are some good questions." Sir Sasabe scratched his beard. "As for your mother, if your father is present then he is expected to assist her, but if your sister is unwed then you can be the one to pull out her chair, given she is seated next to you. If the lady who sits next to you is in the company of another man, he will do it, but if there seems to be no one else, you should always offer. As for His Highness… I'm not sure, to be frank. This is a rather uncommon situation, so I'll have to look into it further. I shall inform you once I know more."
This was one procedure and there were already so many pitfalls and exceptions Makoto's brain was overcooking. At this rate, he would have to keep a detailed list with every rule - and he couldn't even write yet. Why did nobles have to complicate something as simple as sharing a nice meal?
But Makoto didn't waver and kept smiling. "Thank you, I'll eagerly await your findings."
When he was seated and scooted his chair closer with as little noise as possible, Sir Sasabe continued, "Now, take your napkin, unfold it and put it over your lap as so."
With a deft flick of his wrist, Sir Sasabe unfurled his napkin and smoothed it over his lap. Makoto couldn't see him doing it, so he peered to the side and studied how Lady Amakata covered her skirt. He couldn't imagine it could be that difficult, but it was best to pay close attention to everything now than to miss a vital detail and embarrass himself in the presence of the king and queen.
"If you, for whatever reason, need to get up during the meal then you can fold your napkin in half and place it on either side of your plate," Sir Sasabe said, "Next, when a servant pours your drink, offer them a polite nod. You can thank them verbally as well, but not when you're engaged in conversation. It is considered immensely rude to interrupt someone who's speaking to you and if you're the one who's speaking, then it seems as though the servant is more interesting than the person you're talking to. Therefore, it's best to avoid this when possible."
It took every grain of Makoto's self-control to keep his expression neutral. He promised Haruka he would do as he was told, so he wasn't going to argue. So he simply smiled at the servant and nodded as Sir Sasabe instructed him to.
"Don't drink just yet," he continued, "if you're at a dinner party, it's common for the host to make a toast, so keep an eye on them. They might want to say a few words to welcome their guests and thank them for coming. When you get the idea they're about to finish, grab your glass by the stem and raise it in the air."
That was when Makoto made his first true mistake. He'd seen people toasting before, so when Sir Sasabe held up his glass, Makoto clinked his against it. The look in those auburn eyes across the table instantly informed him that was wrong. His heart lurched inside his chest.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I- " he stammered, but thankfully, Sir Sasabe shook his head.
"it's alright, my instructions weren't clear enough. Let's try it again," he said, bidding Makoto a comforting smile. "We raise our glass in the air, without touching the other glasses, and then we take a small sip - with a lifted pinky-finger, of course. Normally, this will be wine or champagne, but for now, we'll use our water. We need you to be sharp for the remainder of your lesson."
Sir Sasabe raised his glass again and this time, Makoto copied him, earning himself praise from his teacher. That alleviated some of the worries from his shoulders.
The actual meal went in the same fashion. There were so many rules it was hard to remember them all, let alone enjoy his food; he was so focused on what Sir Sasabe and Lady Amakata told him that he could barely recall how the tomato soup or the smoked salmon quiche tasted.
Don't put your elbows on the table. Engage in friendly conversation, but don't discuss heavy topics like politics or national problems. Don't polish your own cutlery. Ask questions to show interest, but nothing too personal. Don't talk with food in your mouth. Compliment the host on the food and the tableware even if you don't like it. Chew with your mouth closed. Eat slowly, but not too slow. Clear your plate unless you're allergic to something. Don't burp. Dab at the corners of your mouth with your napkin. Don't drink too much alcohol. If you spill something, apologise but allow a servant to clean it up for you. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Makoto's brain was so fried by all the information it had to soak up in such a short amount of time that it could've been served at dinner. Sir Sasabe told him not to worry: for the upcoming few months, they would be having lunch together every day and he could practice everything he learned without fear of failure. There was no need to memorise the tiniest of details right away because over time, the mannerisms that were expected of him would slip into his natural behaviour and he wouldn't need to think twice about them anymore.
That was a great relief, for Makoto would need all the space in his head for his morning lessons.
After Sir Sasabe announced the meal was over and the after-meal etiquette of cutlery-placement was explained, they went to the throne room for another part of his behavioural lessons: how to walk and hold his body.
A long, fuzzy red carpet was laid out on the floor of the throne room, from the doors up until the grandiose golden chairs. This room was used solely for important occasions, thus perfect for practicing how to make a grand entrance.
At first, Sir Sasabe told Makoto to walk in like he otherwise did. That was the easiest task given to him up until now, but of course, he could find a way to mess up a skill even the average toddler had mastered.
Never had anyone scrutinised his every step quite this literally and he nearly forgot how to walk altogether. With their gazes prickling his ankles, all of Makoto's attention was focused on moving; moving in a normal human manner, moving without delay.
Then, his right boot caught behind his left and he was flat on the floor before he could blink.
He scurried to his feet as though the ground was made of lava and hoped no one had noticed his unceremonious faceplant. But with all eyes fixated on him, that was a bit much to ask for.
And to his misfortune, it weren't only Sir Sasabe, Lady Amakata and a few servants who witnessed his blunder.
"Getting acquainted with the carpet, Mr. Makoto?"
There, at the doors he was told led to the negotiating chamber, stood none other than King Nanase.
"It is simply so marvelous, I couldn't resist the urge to study it from up close, Your Majesty," Makoto retorted and he regretted the words immediately. Being snarky against the man who held his fate in his palm like a crumpled piece of paper, what was he thinking? "My apologies, I-"
"I shall not disturb your lessons any further, Mr. Makoto," King Nanase said, his voice dripping with politeness, but his expression was blank, unreadable. "I'll see you tonight, at dinner."
"I look forward to it, Your Majesty." Makoto bowed deeply and didn't dare to come back up until the doors clicked shut and he was certain King Nanase was gone.
He bit the inside of his cheek. If only he hadn't undone all of Haruka's hard work with one stupid comment.
"Don't sweat it too much, Mr. Makoto," Sir Sasabe said, "Although he might appear a bit cold, His Majesty is a man of humour who knows how to take a joke."
Whether or not he appreciated jokes from someone he could hunt for sport, Makoto didn't know, but he tried not to dwell on it. There was no use crying over spilled milk. He had to pour his everything into undoing any possible damage.
The rest of his lesson went considerably more smooth, but the look inside King Nanase's eyes kept invading his mind like an intrusive ghost. If his suspicions were correct, he was going to be bombarded with questions at dinner and his manners would be under a magnifying glass too. Although he was looking forward to seeing Haruka again, the feeling of impending doom was prominent in each tick of the minute hand.
Sir Sasabe did his best to distract him by giving flamboyant demonstrations with his instructions. From the angle of his head and the speed of his stride to the size of his steps and the position of his upper body, Sir Sasabe explained everything in great detail.
Right when he was about to take Makoto over to a staircase so he could practice his descend, a maid came to inform them the tailors had arrived.
The appointment completely slipped Makoto's mind and he wasn't sure if he was happy with the interruption or not. Walking around back and forth without a clear purpose was more tiresome than he anticipated, but standing still for an extensive amount of time while his body was plucked at by strangers didn't sound like a feast either. Who would've thought he'd come to miss chasing around Mr. Natsume's goat?
When he went into the room where the tailors had set out their platform, his eyes were playing tricks on him. For a second, he saw Rin and Gou standing a couple of meters away from him, but that hallucination was cleared after he blinked three times. These tailors happened to be redheaded too, but their locks were more vibrant, more fierce than Rin and Gou's. Where their hair resembled aged red wine, these tailors' locks reminded Makoto more of the tips of the fire crackling inside his father's furnace.
They turned around at the sound of footsteps and their faces confirmed they weren't the Matsuokas. With matching grins, they introduced themselves as the Shiina siblings; Akane and Asahi. Besides their appearances, it wasn't surprising to hear they were related, for these types of businesses often were family-owned. They greeted him with such enthusiasm that parts of his discomfort melted away.
They seemed nice, so when Sir Sasabe told him he would have to leave him alone with them as he had another appointment to attend to, panic didn't take over his senses like it otherwise might have.
The tailors got to work straight away and when the door clicked shut, the older sibling, Akane, asked, "So, how did you meet His Highness?"
The unexpected question made heat rush to Makoto's cheeks. "I, um- that is…"
"It's alright," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "We know all the ins and outs of this palace. As tailors, that is kind of our job."
Makoto highly doubted that was part of their job requirement.
"Excuse my sister, she's very inquisitive," Asahi said as he handed Akane a tape measure. "People tend to tell us all about their lives when we're measuring them. It's easy to share what's on your mind with someone you see every once in a while, but who isn't involved in your life otherwise, since there are no consequences."
"Anything you say will remain between these four walls, we promise," Akane said, "So… how did you meet?"
Although Makoto didn't mistrust them when they said they could keep their lips sealed, it didn't seem safe to dish out the truth when it was supposed to be top secret. For all he knew, they were instructed by King Nanase to interrogate him, to test his resolve and integrity.
Instead, he repeated the story Haruka and Nagisa meticulously rehearsed. "Up until not too long ago, I was a street musician. Between my odd jobs, I'd grab my guitar and head to the town square to earn an extra coin. One day, Haru- Prince Haruka was there to watch my performance. He dropped some money into my cup and we started chatting, and the rest is history."
"Ah, how romantic," Akane sighed like the advisors predicted her and many others would. "That reminds me of how my fiancé and I met."
"You're getting married, Miss Akane?" Makoto asked.
"In February. I'll be making my own dress," she said with a beaming grin. "I was at the bakery one morning and when I was about to pay for my loaf, the coins slipped through my fingers and rolled through the shop. They stopped against the shoes of a man standing at the back of the line and he picked them up for me. We started chatting and the rest is history; he isn't a prince, though, but the owner of an inn."
Makoto smiled at her anecdote. The chances of her accidentally meeting a prince were very slim, but Makoto's own story wasn't one based on truth either.
"When you met His Highness, did you know he was a prince?" Asahi asked, looking up from his clipboard where he noted down the measurements his sister told him.
"I didn't," Makoto lied, "He tossed a large sum of cash into my cup but he was dressed quite modestly, so while I had an inkling he came from a family more wealthy than mine, I had no idea of his true assets, let alone his title."
"I'm surprised His Highness struck up a conversation with you," Asahi said as he scratched his chin. "In my experience, he's rather aloof and quiet- not that he isn't polite or kind, he always answers the questions we ask him. But unlike our other clients, he never brings something up himself or elaborates beyond what's necessary. Outside of the garment-related discussion, then."
That didn't surprise Makoto. "He tends to be quiet, but I'm pretty talkative so I guess he just got swept up in my conversation. I felt an instant spark with him and I think he felt it too, so I suppose that made it easier for him to step out of his comfort zone and open up to me."
"At that moment, you had no idea he was a prince, right?" When Makoto nodded, Akane continued, "So how did you find out?"
"On the night before his departure, he arranged a picnic for us at the place where we first met. It was pretty fancy, with expensive wine and fish - which is scarce in my hometown - so that astonished me, but I wasn't perceptive enough to see what that implied. I just thought he went all out on our last dinner together." Makoto chuckled at his hypothetical naivety while Akane swooned over the description. "I asked him if there was any way he could prolong his stay, but he said that even though there was nothing he wanted more, he had to go back. That was when he told me he was the crown prince of Iwatobi."
"That must've been shocking," Asahi said. "What did you think afterwards? Was it like a dream come true?"
"It was shocking, but not a dream come true." Makoto shook his head. "I realised almost immediately that meant we couldn't be together and that shattered me." Musterring up the crestfallen expression wasn't too hard, not when he felt that exact heartache seconds after their first kiss. "After that night, we said goodbye and I thought that was it. That I would never see him again."
"Were you upset with him for lying to you?" Asahi asked.
"I was for a moment, but I realised he didn't deceive me in ill will, that it was solely for his protection and privacy," Makoto said, "I was mostly upset that our lives and social standings were too far apart to be bridged. I mean, a lowlife pauper and the crown prince of a grand kingdom, what else was I supposed to expect?"
They were both standing and working, but Akane and Asahi were clearly on the edge of their seat, waiting for the point in the story where the tables turned. Makoto wanted to oblige, but this was a part that wasn't scripted and he had to improvise.
"During the time he was gone, I felt miserable. The only way I can describe it is that I got a taste of heaven, only to be thrown back into the void. And believe me, you don't know how empty the darkness is until you've experienced being bathed in light," Makoto said, "But then, when I had completely lost hope we might one day be reunited, Prince Haruka showed up at my doorstep. He said he couldn't forget about me either and that he's willing to do everything in his might to be together with me."
"How wonderful," Asahi said, averting his head to hide the tears welling up.
"How did you manage to make it work? I can't imagine the king and queen were excited to accept you into the family. Nothing personal, I'm sure you're lovely, but like you said, social differences and all." Akane stepped down from the platform and rolled up her measuring tape.
"I don't know exactly how either," Makoto said, "It appears Prince Haruka had a good conversation with Their Majesties and explained how important this was to him. They're very benevolent and want nothing more than for their son to be happy, so they gave us their blessing."
That was not how it went down, but in case the tailors were sent by King Nanase, then talking positively about him might've worked to his advantage.
Thankfully, the Shiina siblings didn't dwell on this rather unbelievable, if he did say so himself, anecdote. "I'd love to hear more of your stories later, Mr. Makoto, but let's get the important stuff out of the way first, shall we?" Akane said as she went over to her little foldable table and opened a thick book. "We got an order for a dozen suits, so you need to select some designs."
"I can pick them myself?" After so many surprises in one day, Makoto's eyebrows might as well have earned a permanent spot right beneath his hairline.
"Of course, you're the one who has to wear them, right?" Asahi said.
While that was true, Makoto hadn't expected there would be so much freedom for him in the process. He thought the tailors would measure him and someone else, perhaps even King Nanase himself, would choose his outfits. Maybe this was another test to see if he was capable enough for such an endeavour.
Makoto hopped off the platform and peeked over Akane's shoulder.
"As you can see, we have a ton of designs you can choose from," she said as she thumbed through the assorted pages. "Do keep in mind that for now, we'll be making everyday garments, so you might want to reserve the more extravagant looks for parties."
Staring into this book felt the same as trying to decipher the writing inside an encyclopedia: he didn't understand any of it. Each design seemed very extravagant to him, with intricate golden details, floral prints and puffed shorts. Back at home, dressing up nicely meant wearing a shirt without soot stains and trousers free of holes. What was considered a fancy suit in the eyes of nobles?
"There's… a lot to choose from," Makoto affirmed, trying this best to sound impressed instead of at a loss. "All your designs are so marvelous, I don't know where to start. Since you are so experienced, can you advise me which outfits would suit me?"
"Of course!" Akane chimed, "That is part of our job too after all. Is there anything you don't want? Like a specific colour or pattern?"
"Well, I'd like to keep it a bit simple," Makoto said, "After all, I don't want to draw any attention away from Prince Haruka. He is the one who should stand out between the two of us."
"A humble look, huh? It's very honourable that you feel this way, but your appearance should compliment His Highness'. You have to look like you belong together," Akane said as she searched for a specific page, "How about something like this?" She pointed at a blue suit with puffed sleeves, shorts and white tights. "This is all the rage currently, we're making these by the masses."
It was something he couldn't see himself wearing in a hundred years, but he couldn't bash on their hard work, insult their designs and paint himself a rude man. "That looks nice," Makoto said with a strained smile, "Although I would personally prefer long trousers if that is possible."
"We can do that," Asahi said as he took some notes, "If you have any other alterations in mind then let us know."
"It's a shame, though. You seem to have a good pair of legs so I'm certain shorts would look great on you," Akane said, "but I understand if you don't feel comfortable wearing that yet. Maybe sometime in the future."
Makoto awkwardly chuckled along. "Maybe."
With the guidance of Akane and Asahi, Makoto managed to select the designs that seemed the least-far removed from the garments he was wearing. Perhaps Akane was right and he would grow more confident showing off some risqué looks, but for now, he was glad to stay inside his comfort zone.
The meeting with the tailors ate up a large portion of the afternoon, so after waving goodbye at them as they took their leave, Sir Minami came to pick him up. His bath was steaming and waiting for him, thus he was taken back to his chamber to wash up and get ready for dinner.
Sinking inside the hot bath his valet prepared for him felt like an embrace from home. Although the intrusive thoughts of what was ahead made it difficult to relax, Makoto tried his best to let the water do its work. To rinse the fatigue from his pores and rebirth him as the new version of himself: Makoto, apprentice-prince-partner.
After a while, Sir Minami returned with a held-out towel. Makoto didn't feel like he was ready yet for the confrontation with King - and Queen, but mainly King - Nanase, but he left the bath without protest. Not only would it make him seem like an intolerable brat, being tardy for his first dinner was a sure way to shave off some points on his trial-score. Getting to be with Haruka again was a beacon of light in this dark premonition.
Sir Minami combed his hair in a neat, slicked-back style, but his locks remained stubborn as ever and reassumed their original position as his hair dried. There wasn't much time to try again, so Sir Minami vowed he would find a product sooner or later that made Makoto's hair bend at his will.
After spraying him with a cologne or perfume of some kind that was so strong it nearly sent him into a coughing fit, Sir Minami presented him with another old suit of the King's: a white one with embroidered blue details along the sleeves. Once he was all dressed up and studied his appearance in the large mirror, he felt a bit more assured. He looked the part, now he only hoped his poignant smell wouldn't ruin King and Queen Nanase's appetite.
Downstairs, he took a deep breath, put on his most polite and self-certain smile and strolled through the open doors of the dining room.
A long ivory cloth was spread over the entirety of the large table, which was a bit redundant when only four sets of plates and cutlery were laid out. Three of the four chairs behind them were already occupied, with King Nanase sitting at the head and his wife and son on either side.
Luckily, his empty plate stood beside Haruka: his heart soared at the sight of him. It had been less than a day since they last met, but Makoto had missed him so.
"Good evening, Your Majesties, Prince Haruka," he said with a bow like Rei and Sir Sasabe taught him to. "It is my greatest pleasure to join you for dinner on this lovely evening."
"Mr. Makoto, we're so glad you could make it," Queen Nanase said, "Please take a seat."
"Thank you." Makoto sat down like he practiced and unfolded his napkin. As he was placing it over his lap, something warm and soft fluttered across his skin and he gasped.
A hand grasped onto his, thumb rubbing soothingly over his knuckles. When his eyes darted over at Haruka, he was met with a tiny but unmistakable smile. Out of the view of Haruka's parents, Makoto turned his hand and laced their fingers together. How nothing more than a touch and a smile could ground him was simply amazing.
As their dinner was served, Queen Nanase asked Makoto a handful of questions regarding his appointments with the oculist and the tailors. Makoto answered her with a smile and tamed enthusiasm, wanting to come off as willing and capable, but not desperate. The conversation was rather surface level, so Makoto didn't feel too concerned about being open and honest.
When everyone was sifting through their soup, quietness engulfed the table. King Nanase hadn't spoken a word to him yet, but his gaze was latched onto his body, searing his pores with every bite he took. But Makoto didn't say anything in the spirit of one of Rei's main tips: only speak when you are spoken to. It was rude to chat with a full mouth anyway.
By the time the third and main course was served, King Nanase still hadn't grilled him like his teachers had warned he would. Makoto was almost starting to hope he would make it through this dinner unscathed, but that was too much to wish for.
King Nanase pricked his fork into a marinated potato and brought it to his mouth, then halted. "So, Mr. Makoto, how was your first lesson with Lady Amakata?"
Makoto nearly choked on his sip of wine but managed to swallow it without spewing it out over the table. What a crisis that would've been. "It was great. Lady Amakata is a very skilled teacher and she taught me how to write the alphabet and a variety of words such as 'Iwatobi' in the blink of an eye."
"Splendid. So how long will it take until you're fully literate?"
There it was. A question that could make or break his image, not necessarily by his answer, but by his actions thereafter: if he said he'd be reading novels in a matter of weeks but didn't deliver, then he'd made a fool of himself by overestimating his intelligence. On the other hand, if it took too long, then he'd come off as slow and thick. How could he get out of this paradox?
"Well, that's… difficult to say." Makoto gnawed on the inside of his lip. "There are a lot of variables that complicate the process."
"But you just said yourself that Lady Amakata is a very skilled teacher," King Nanase said with a quirk of his eyebrow. "Doesn't that mean it depends on you and your performance?"
"It does," Makoto said, mentally scratching his head. "But… I don't know yet how my lessons will be scheduled and how much time each day will be dedicated to reading and writing. Therefore it is impossible for me to currently make an accurate estimation." Good thing he spent so much time around Rei and absorbed all his fancy words and turns of phrase. "However, I assure you that before the end of the trial, I will be completely literate."
Given he had no idea when that would be, Makoto hardly supported his claim, but he had to say something to appease King Nanase. Who would've suspected a conversation with potential in-laws would make Makoto sweat more than an entire day working in the field would?
"How about your afternoon lessons with Sir Sasabe? How did you experience those?" Haruka asked, successfully changing the subject.
Makoto smiled, relieved. "They went well. I find it a bit difficult to unlearn old patterns and behaviour and replace them, but Sir Sasabe is a wonderful teacher as well and so far, I cannot foresee any obstacles that would prevent me from adapting swiftly."
For a moment, Makoto glanced at King Nanase, waiting for him to bring up his blunder from this afternoon. But King Nanase stared intently at his plate and kept his mouth shut. Was he going easy on him, or was he saving his comments for a later date?
Fortunately, the remainder of the dinner went without too many hiccups. There were a couple of tough questions directed at him from both the king and queen, but nothing hard-hitting. He was grateful for Haruka's presence more than ever, for he posed as his shield for sharp remarks and blunt curiosities.
By the time he was stuffing himself with the last bites of crème brûlée - as the man who served it to him had presented it as - night had fallen and Makoto was positively exhausted. He was used to being tired and weary after a long day, but it felt so different than it did usually. His brain was overworked and his limbs ached in ways he never experienced before. Contrastingly, the desire to lay down his head and drift off into a peaceful sleep was very much the same.
When Queen Nanase said Haruka and he were excused for the night, he had to resist the urge to let out a huge sigh. With a smile and a bow, he thanked his hosts for dinner and the pleasant evening and told them he was already looking forward to their next meal together. He made sure to maintain his good posture and graceful stride as he exited the dining hall, but once the doors fell shut, his back slumped. Hopefully, Sir Minami would be standing ready to help him out of this complex suit and into his sleepwear.
As he was ascending the stairs leading up to the hallway where his bedroom was located, a call of his name halted him.
"Makoto!"
The familiarity of the voice and way of addressing instantly soothed him. He turned around and was greeted with Haruka's beautiful face at the bottom, illuminated by the warm glow of the lights lining the walls. Despite his fatigue, the corners of Makoto's lips curled up. "Haru."
Once Haruka was on the same step as him, he asked, "Are you going to bed already?"
"I was planning to," Makoto said, "Why?"
"Oh." Haruka's expression dropped. "I was wondering if you'd like to wander through the garden with me."
A pang of conflict shot through Makoto's gut. There was nothing he wanted more than to spend some time with Haruka alone after such a draining day and so many impressions, but his eyelids were heavy and his legs felt like apricot jelly. He probably wouldn't make it past the rows of hydrangea bushes, let alone to Grandma Nanase's gazebo. "I'd love to, Haru-"
"But you're tired, right?"
There was no use trying to come up with excuses, not when the truth was evident on his face. "Yeah, I'm really sorry, I-"
"It's alright, I understand. You've had a long day." A small smile lifted Haruka's cheeks as he caressed Makoto's arm. "Maybe some other time."
"Definitely, I promise," Makoto said.
"You should go get some rest, so I won't bother you any longer," Haruka said and retracted his touch, "Goodnight."
Haruka turned to walk off, but Makoto wouldn't let him get away this easily. After checking if they were alone, Makoto swept Haruka up in his arms. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
A lightbulb appeared over Haruka's head and it brought a sly smirk to his mouth. He cupped Makoto's face in his hands and captured his lips in a tender kiss.
Conscious of their surroundings, Makoto couldn't lose himself in Haruka like he yearned to, so he kept their exchange rather brief. "Goodnight, Haru," he whispered when they parted. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight," Haruka repeated before pressing a last chaste kiss to his mouth.
No matter how stressful this day had been, with such a lovely closure to the night, Makoto was bound to have sweet dreams.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
I dearly hope this is the year I can finally get this fic out in its entirety, but that's been my goal for the past couple of years, so who knows? lol. Nevertheless, I'm going to do my best to get the next chapter out as quickly as possible. I've already made a start and I don't think it will be a super long one, so I hope to post that one soon.
Until then, you can find me on Twitter and Tumblr at DatHeetJoella for more MakoHaru content between fic updates. You can also send me a message on Curious Cat if you'd like.
Thanks again for all your support, I hope to see you at the next update. For now, I wish you a lovely day! ^^