Chapter Four

Three Years Later

It's a perfect May morning.

"Michi!" Sayuri waves. "Come on! The train is about to leave!"

Nagisa tackles her a heartbeat later, almost knocking her off her feet. "Nee-chan!"

Michi disentangles herself, laughing. "Nagisa, we're going to be late!"

He grabs her hand. "We'll run. Come on!"

They catch up to the rest of the group just as the final call is echoing through the station. The train is almost empty, with only a few yawning passengers who gape sleepily at them. Michi can't blame them. The four princes, as usual, seem a little too perfect compared to their ordinary surroundings.

Sayuri plops down next to Kaname and promptly dozes off on his shoulder. Michi, who likes to feel the rhythm of the train swaying her, leans against the pole across from her. Nagisa comes up to stand beside her, looking far too cheerful for being awake an hour earlier than usual. Michi eyes his wild bedhead. "Did you roll right out of bed, Nagisa?"

He grins at her. "Yep!"

"Liar," Jirou grumbles, swaying groggily on the other side of the pole. "You were up before I was."

"That explains your bedhead," Michi says wickedly, and laughs as he growls at her. She stands on tiptoe, trying to pat down Nagisa's curls. "Gosh, Nagisa, did you grow again?"

"Two centimeters," he says proudly. "I'm almost as tall as Tatsuya now."

Michi glances over to where Tatsuya is nodding off beside Sayuri. His hoodie is pulled down low over his face, earbuds trailing to his pocket. "Tatsuya, you're not a morning person either?" she teases.

Tatsuya raises his head, his dark blue gaze flicking over her. "No," he says shortly, and looks away. Jirou looks between them and raises his eyebrows. "Aw, did you guys have a fight?" he stage-whispers.

"Shut up," Michi mutters uncomfortably. She'd forgotten about the awkwardness between her and Tatsuya since their last conversation. Now she wishes she didn't remember.

Nagisa breaks the sudden silence. "We'll be at the beach before noon, right? We should have sushi on the beach."

Sayuri revives consciousness. "Sushi?"

"Sushi would be good," Michi agrees, eager to change the subject. Jirou yawns. "We can decide when we get there. We've still got a couple hours before we arrive."

"Where is this private beach house of yours, anyway?" Michi asks, curious. Jirou shrugs. "It's on Nishiki beach, closer to the far end of the island. We'll have to switch trains once we hit the outskirts of Osaka. I've been there a couple of times. It's alright."

"It's alright," Michi mimics. "It's only a private house on the beach, nothing special."

"Don't mock the person who has the keys to the private beach house," Jirou retorts. "I'll make you sleep on the beach."

"If you lock Michi out I'm staying with her," Sayuri yawns. Kaname chuckles. "Sleeping on the beach for the weekend it is."

"Hey, guys, it's our graduation weekend!" Nagisa protests. "We're here to celebrate. Don't go locking anyone out, Jirou."

Jirou grunts. Michi leans over to Nagisa. "He's just grumpy 'cause Sayuri didn't want to sit next to him."

Jirou makes a face at her. She grins back. She's grown to like all the princes, but Jirou is the only one who banters with her. She's almost sure it's friendly. "You wouldn't make your beloved middle school friend sleep out in the cold, would you?"

"Maybe if she asks nicely." Jirou curls his lip mockingly. Michi claps her hands together. "Oh great Jirou, please let this humble peasant girl–" The train rocks, throwing her off balance. Michi squeaks and misses the pole.

Jirou grabs her shoulders and propels her back upright. "Careful, you klutz."

She sticks her tongue out at him and swings into a seat across from Sayuri and the others. "Jerk."

"Baka."

They lapse into silence, broken only by the faint rattle of the train. Michi rests her head on the padded seat and stares out the window.

High school starts on Monday. She can't believe it's been three years.

She flashes back to her first day of middle school, and nestles her face in her scarf to hide a smile. She'd taken it pretty well, all things considered. Even that first day– bewildered, frustrated, scared– she hadn't broken down, hadn't even cried. She'd taken it all one day at a time, figuring it out along the way, trying to keep up with a world that still feels a little unfamiliar, a little fantastical.

She's made a lot of mistakes, too. And she still doesn't know if she made the right choice, going along with her role in this world. Maybe she should have fought it more.

Still, she thinks, glancing across the aisle, it hasn't been all bad.

Sayuri is fast asleep, her shoulders rising and falling steadily to the rhythm of the train. Her hair has lightened over the years; it tumbles over her shoulders in golden ringlets. Her ivory skin is as flawless as ever, her delicate, ethereal features half buried in Kaname's dark coat.

Kaname is resting his head on hers, his eyes closed, but Michi has the feeling he's only pretending to nap. The dawning sunlight glints on his strawberry-blond hair. He's cropped it short for the new school year. It makes him look older.

Movement distracts her; Jirou's noticed her staring. He wiggles his pale brows mockingly, making wide-eyed faces at Kaname. She ignores him, pretending not to notice. Unlike Kaname, who could pass for a college student now, not much has changed about Jirou besides his height. Michi likes to tease him that he should go into basketball or volleyball if he doesn't stop growing. He's already passed six feet in the last few months, somehow managing to avoid the awkward gangly stage the other boys in their class are struggling through.

Figures, she thinks, hitching up her scarf. Tatsuya's the same way. Both of them have broadened out over the last few months, their shoulders filling out, their features becoming more angular. Tatsuya in particular has started to look more and more like an idol, with his jet-black hair and striking dark blue eyes. He's begun to wear face masks or jackets with the hood pulled down low over his face to avoid the random media that pop up when he's in public.

The train rocks. Nagisa tumbles down beside her and curls up without a word, nestling his golden head on her shoulder. Michi smiles and smooths down his curls absently. Nagisa's grown too, lately. He's started to lose the last wisps of baby fat, his round face sharpening, his snub nose lengthening out. His shining amber eyes still remind her of a puppy. She leans her head on his and closes her eyes.

No, it hasn't been that bad, she thinks sleepily. Not since I finally stopped fighting it…

But that had been three years ago, when it all began.

A/N

Random mildly inconvenient time skip? Sure thing. Cheesy shoujo descriptions? You got it.

Things are about to get interesting... hope you're enjoying the story! Please do check out Inso's Law and support the original!

-SpiritofaRose