Meanwhile, Hotohori was thinking. She was such a pretty girl. So polite, and so nice... Why did he suddenly feel strange when he thought about her?
Just then, Nuriko popped into the room. "Hotohori-sama!! Haven't seen you in a while!!"
"Hi, Nuriko," Hotohori said dreamily, not quite listening
"Hey, Heika, are you okay?"
"Huh? What? Oh, I'm fine."
"Heikaaaaa. Just tell me what is wrong!"
"Nuriko, you have to meet her! She's just so beautiful, and sweet, and -"
"WHAT??!! Another girl has captured your heart? I must put an end to this competition! Where is she, Heika?"
"In the herb gardens..." Hotohori sighed, not really paying attention.
Nuriko strode away purposefully, leaving the emperor to his daydreams.
When Nuriko arrived at the indoor herb gardens (What a romantic setting!) he was utterly surprised to see Mitsukake and a young girl talking animatedly.
"Whoa. Heika's not the only one she's hooked." He punched his fist into his other palm. "And she's going down!"
The girl turned and saw him. He was shocked with how familiar she seemed.
"Nuriko-chan!! Konninichiwa!" she waved excitedly.
"How do you know Nuriko?" Mitsukake questioned.
She blushed. "Well, I've...um...lucky guess! So that really is Nuriko? Wow!"
Mitsukake had a feeling she was not telling him everything, but he let it drop. "Yeah, that's 'him'." He grinned.
"Hi, Mits, who's this?"
"This is Kin-yuki-san. She *BLUSH* wanted to meet me."
"QUIT IT ALREADY WITH THE BLUSHING!!!" Nuriko whacked him with a frying pan. Then he stopped. As he watched Kin-yuki laugh, a strange feeling came over him.
Suboshi sighed. He needed a new moneymaking scheme so he could afford his little house in the country and marry Yui-sama and live there with her. He needed cash!!
He froze.
//I'm thinking like Tamahome!!!! NOOOO!!!!! Wait. Tamahome doesn't think about Yui! There, that's it. Now, how can I get some money? Hm...//
Suboshi sprang suddenly to his feet (alliteration!!). "I know!! I need to talk to Seiryuu. Or Suzaku. Or any of them. Lessee, how do I get to heaven? Besides with a stupid hole in my chest... Darn. Talk about impossible feats. How am I ever gonna be able to buy a little house in the country and marry Yui-sama and live there with her?"
Then Taiitsukun entered the scene. "Suboshi, you want to get to heaven?"
"Yep, that's about right."
Tamahome leapt up behind Taiitsukun. "The easiest way to get to heaven is to call her 'Sunkake Baba'."
*WHAM*
"Yeah, I can see that. Taiitsukun, I need to get money badly! So that I can buy a little house in the country and marry Yui-sama and live there with her!"
"I _know_!! You've said that about a zillion times. Anyway, I guess I can take you to heaven for a while..."
"ARIGATOU TAIITSUKUN-SAMA!!!!" Suboshi fell to his knees at her feet and began kissing the hem of her dress. She smacked him.
"However, you must pass a test."
"Oh no."
"You must first prove to me that Yui loves you as you love her."
Suboshi grimaced. So first he had to prove Yui-sama's love for him? Blast. "Hai, Taiitsukun, I will." And so he set off to find Yui. (So that he could prove her love, buy his little house in the country, marry her, and live there with her. ^_^)
Nuriko stared at Kin-yuki. She stared back
//Uh-ohhhh. Wasn't the deal that I just get MITSUKAKE to fall in love with me? Not all the Suzaku seishi! Sometimes I could just kill that little brother of mine//
"Heika!" Mitsukake gasped. Kin-yuki spun around. Yup, there was the emperor. And, oh sweet Suzaku, his expression. She moaned aloud.
"Are you all right?"
"Would you like to lie down?"
"Could you use some of my healing?"
"Please, take it easy, Miss!"
"You don't want to over-exert yourself!"
"Sit down over here!"
"I - I'll be all right. But maybe I could spend the night here? I really feel I need to rest a bit."
"All right!"
"Yes, we're sure we have a spare room."
"Then you'd also be right there if you needed anything."
"The town can be dangerous, especially for a young girl traveling alone."
"You'd better stay, definitely."
"Please, allow us to show you your room."
"Arigatou, Heika." She followed the emperor out of the room. The second she was gone, Mitsukake and Nuriko stared at each other, and quickly went back to what they had been doing previously.
Hotohori gave her one of the best rooms in the palace. She declined his offer of personal servants, and once she was alone, fell onto the bed wearily.
"Shun-chan, I cannot BELIEVE I was talked into this."
Just then, the door flew open as someone barged in.
"Yui-sama! Yui-sama!" Suboshi called, searching all over Kuto for her.
Finally he bumped into the pretty blonde Miko, having a cup of tea in a four-star restaurant with Miaka.
"Yui-sama!"
"Suboshi! What are you doing here?"
"I was...l-looking for you, Yui-sama..."
"What for?"
Suboshi started fishing in his pocket for the ring he had carried since his father gave it to him when he was very young, telling him in turn to give it only to the one he truly loved. "I know I'm just one of your seishi, and you're the Miko, but I really, really..." //Where is it? I can't fiiind it. Aha! Got it// "...like you, and I want you to have this!" He handed her the ring quickly, and then looked at the floor, blushing.
"Suboshi! It's so pretty! Are you sure you want to give this to me?"
Suboshi nodded furiously, eyes still glued to the carpet. "Yes, I would really like it if you had it." He looked up. "Would you...would you wear it please?"
Yui smiled prettily at him, and slid the thin golden band shaped like a dragon with two sapphire eyes onto her finger.
Miaka took hold of her arm and pulled it across to her. "Wow, Yui, this looks really expensive!! Really, really expensive! Maybe this is *whispering* a token of love!"
"Shut up, you," Yui laughed.
Suboshi looked like he was going to cry. "It is," he mouthed.
"What'd you say, Suboshi?"
"N-nothing!" he turned and fled.
"What's up with him?" Miaka questioned.
"I dunno, maybe your appetite is intimidating."
"Very funny. Yui-chan, he LIKES you. He said so. He really REALLY likes you."
"And I like him, but I'm not gonna play easy to get."
"You baka! He's too shy!"
"Be that as it may. Anyway, _whose_ name rhymes with 'baka'?"
"I don't know," Miaka said innocently, as both girls began to laugh.
"What? This room's never been occupied before!" a male voice insisted, staring at her.
"Heika put me up for the night. I'm from out of town," she answered from where she was curled into a ball at the foot of the bed, poking at her lipsticked mouth with a fingernail, and deciding she'd never be talked into such a thing ever again.
She swore this three times more when she saw who it was. "Hi."
"Who're ya?"
"Yume Kin-yuki."
"Kinda an odd name, huh?"
"What's yours?" she asked, although she already knew the answer.
"I'm Tasuki!"
"Well, mine's no odder then, considering yours means 'the sash used for tying back kimono sleeves'."
"Look, ya impudent little _girl_!"
"Huh," she snorted, and began to paint her nails silver, glaring at him.
"If I had my tessen!"
"You don't?"
"No," he pouted, "That stupid Tama-boy took it, and won't give it back."
"Aw, poor Tasuki," she said unsympathetically.
"Damn straight."
"Watch your mouth around a lady."
"What lady?"
"I can see we'll get along splendidly." She stood, brushed the creases out of her kimono. Tasuki hadn't really seen her before, and now he was struck with the familiarity of her features.
"Ya look like someone I've seen before."
"Really?" she said, sounding almost alarmed.
"Yeah. Oh well, can't remember."
"Good," she said under her breath, and turned straight toward him. "By the way, if you start feeling attracted to me too - "
"What?" Tasuki said, not listening, but instead looking at that _beautiful_ face, that lovely figure, (what figure?) and those eyes!
"I give up!" She pushed him out the door, and locked it.
"Taiitsukun!! She's wearing my ring!! Does that count?"
"No, not really. I have to hear her say she loves you."
"Sunkake Baba," he muttered.
"WHAT did you say????"
"Nothing at all."
"Be Tamahome-like! Go out and get her!! C'mon, that stupid Tama-boy has more courage than you!!"
"It just so happens that I am SHY around people I love!"
"Well, stop being shy! Go assert yourself! Make her understand you love her! Serenade outside her window or something!"
"Leave me alone. I need to think."
Taiitsukun grumpily de-materialized.
Suboshi sat down on a rock. "What am I supposed to do? I really need to ask aniki, but of course he's away in Konan on that blackmail trip. Oh well, it's going to be worth it. Now, how do I tell Yui-sama I love her...?"
He went to seek out Soi.
"Soi, how do you tell someone you love them?"
"Word-wise or action-wise?"
"Word!" Suboshi said quickly.
"Well, since you're going after a girl, and not Nakago-sama - " Suboshi made a horrified face " - you'll maybe want some flowers. Girls like flowers. And then you just have to make it as melodramatic as possible. Girls love soap-opera stuff."
"Are you sure?" Suboshi was scribbling it all down on his wrist.
"Yes, of course. Good luck."
"You too!!"
Suboshi ran off to buy some flowers.
Amiboshi stared at his wrist.
"Flowers...melodrama...? What is my otouto DOING?"
He quickly wrote, "Otouto, what's up?"
"What kind of flowers does Yui-sama like?"
"Lilies? Roses? I don't know."
"Darn you."
Suboshi stopped writing, and Amiboshi eased his kimono over his head. Still in the under-slip, he went to the closet to see what his other choices were.
"Red...red...red...red...you know, the Suzakus really need some imagination."
He sighed, and put a robe on, then went to seek out help for the red problem.
It wasn't long before he bumped into Chiriko.
"Salutations. What is your moniker?"
Amiboshi blinked. "Um... Yume Kin-yuki, sir." He bowed.
"Oh, don't bother with formalities! I'm Chiriko. Are you in need of service?"
"Well, actually, I'm looking for a change of clothes. My wardrobe seems to consist mainly of...red."
"It consists only of red," Chiriko said mildly, "But I can find you some other clothing, in a different colour, if you wish."
"Yes, I do rather."
"All right, come with me."
Chiriko led him through the palace, and at last stopped outside a huge room. When he opened the door, Amiboshi saw that it was a gigantic closet, filled with hundreds of outfits.
Chiriko sidled among racks of clothing, and finally pulled out a light blue kimono with darker blue stars all over it, and a silver obi to match.
"Does this appear well to you?"
"Yes, it's very nice, Chiriko-san. Arigatou gozaimasu."
"You're very welcome. This room has thousands of garments. I believe that it belongs to the royal harem, but anyone can enter and borrow an outfit."
Amiboshi nodded, murmured another thank you, and then fled back to his room to change.
Chiriko stared after "her", a strange expression growing on his face. He put a hand to his cheek, as though in surprise, and whispered, "Is this love?"
Just then, Nuriko popped into the room. "Hotohori-sama!! Haven't seen you in a while!!"
"Hi, Nuriko," Hotohori said dreamily, not quite listening
"Hey, Heika, are you okay?"
"Huh? What? Oh, I'm fine."
"Heikaaaaa. Just tell me what is wrong!"
"Nuriko, you have to meet her! She's just so beautiful, and sweet, and -"
"WHAT??!! Another girl has captured your heart? I must put an end to this competition! Where is she, Heika?"
"In the herb gardens..." Hotohori sighed, not really paying attention.
Nuriko strode away purposefully, leaving the emperor to his daydreams.
When Nuriko arrived at the indoor herb gardens (What a romantic setting!) he was utterly surprised to see Mitsukake and a young girl talking animatedly.
"Whoa. Heika's not the only one she's hooked." He punched his fist into his other palm. "And she's going down!"
The girl turned and saw him. He was shocked with how familiar she seemed.
"Nuriko-chan!! Konninichiwa!" she waved excitedly.
"How do you know Nuriko?" Mitsukake questioned.
She blushed. "Well, I've...um...lucky guess! So that really is Nuriko? Wow!"
Mitsukake had a feeling she was not telling him everything, but he let it drop. "Yeah, that's 'him'." He grinned.
"Hi, Mits, who's this?"
"This is Kin-yuki-san. She *BLUSH* wanted to meet me."
"QUIT IT ALREADY WITH THE BLUSHING!!!" Nuriko whacked him with a frying pan. Then he stopped. As he watched Kin-yuki laugh, a strange feeling came over him.
Suboshi sighed. He needed a new moneymaking scheme so he could afford his little house in the country and marry Yui-sama and live there with her. He needed cash!!
He froze.
//I'm thinking like Tamahome!!!! NOOOO!!!!! Wait. Tamahome doesn't think about Yui! There, that's it. Now, how can I get some money? Hm...//
Suboshi sprang suddenly to his feet (alliteration!!). "I know!! I need to talk to Seiryuu. Or Suzaku. Or any of them. Lessee, how do I get to heaven? Besides with a stupid hole in my chest... Darn. Talk about impossible feats. How am I ever gonna be able to buy a little house in the country and marry Yui-sama and live there with her?"
Then Taiitsukun entered the scene. "Suboshi, you want to get to heaven?"
"Yep, that's about right."
Tamahome leapt up behind Taiitsukun. "The easiest way to get to heaven is to call her 'Sunkake Baba'."
*WHAM*
"Yeah, I can see that. Taiitsukun, I need to get money badly! So that I can buy a little house in the country and marry Yui-sama and live there with her!"
"I _know_!! You've said that about a zillion times. Anyway, I guess I can take you to heaven for a while..."
"ARIGATOU TAIITSUKUN-SAMA!!!!" Suboshi fell to his knees at her feet and began kissing the hem of her dress. She smacked him.
"However, you must pass a test."
"Oh no."
"You must first prove to me that Yui loves you as you love her."
Suboshi grimaced. So first he had to prove Yui-sama's love for him? Blast. "Hai, Taiitsukun, I will." And so he set off to find Yui. (So that he could prove her love, buy his little house in the country, marry her, and live there with her. ^_^)
Nuriko stared at Kin-yuki. She stared back
//Uh-ohhhh. Wasn't the deal that I just get MITSUKAKE to fall in love with me? Not all the Suzaku seishi! Sometimes I could just kill that little brother of mine//
"Heika!" Mitsukake gasped. Kin-yuki spun around. Yup, there was the emperor. And, oh sweet Suzaku, his expression. She moaned aloud.
"Are you all right?"
"Would you like to lie down?"
"Could you use some of my healing?"
"Please, take it easy, Miss!"
"You don't want to over-exert yourself!"
"Sit down over here!"
"I - I'll be all right. But maybe I could spend the night here? I really feel I need to rest a bit."
"All right!"
"Yes, we're sure we have a spare room."
"Then you'd also be right there if you needed anything."
"The town can be dangerous, especially for a young girl traveling alone."
"You'd better stay, definitely."
"Please, allow us to show you your room."
"Arigatou, Heika." She followed the emperor out of the room. The second she was gone, Mitsukake and Nuriko stared at each other, and quickly went back to what they had been doing previously.
Hotohori gave her one of the best rooms in the palace. She declined his offer of personal servants, and once she was alone, fell onto the bed wearily.
"Shun-chan, I cannot BELIEVE I was talked into this."
Just then, the door flew open as someone barged in.
"Yui-sama! Yui-sama!" Suboshi called, searching all over Kuto for her.
Finally he bumped into the pretty blonde Miko, having a cup of tea in a four-star restaurant with Miaka.
"Yui-sama!"
"Suboshi! What are you doing here?"
"I was...l-looking for you, Yui-sama..."
"What for?"
Suboshi started fishing in his pocket for the ring he had carried since his father gave it to him when he was very young, telling him in turn to give it only to the one he truly loved. "I know I'm just one of your seishi, and you're the Miko, but I really, really..." //Where is it? I can't fiiind it. Aha! Got it// "...like you, and I want you to have this!" He handed her the ring quickly, and then looked at the floor, blushing.
"Suboshi! It's so pretty! Are you sure you want to give this to me?"
Suboshi nodded furiously, eyes still glued to the carpet. "Yes, I would really like it if you had it." He looked up. "Would you...would you wear it please?"
Yui smiled prettily at him, and slid the thin golden band shaped like a dragon with two sapphire eyes onto her finger.
Miaka took hold of her arm and pulled it across to her. "Wow, Yui, this looks really expensive!! Really, really expensive! Maybe this is *whispering* a token of love!"
"Shut up, you," Yui laughed.
Suboshi looked like he was going to cry. "It is," he mouthed.
"What'd you say, Suboshi?"
"N-nothing!" he turned and fled.
"What's up with him?" Miaka questioned.
"I dunno, maybe your appetite is intimidating."
"Very funny. Yui-chan, he LIKES you. He said so. He really REALLY likes you."
"And I like him, but I'm not gonna play easy to get."
"You baka! He's too shy!"
"Be that as it may. Anyway, _whose_ name rhymes with 'baka'?"
"I don't know," Miaka said innocently, as both girls began to laugh.
"What? This room's never been occupied before!" a male voice insisted, staring at her.
"Heika put me up for the night. I'm from out of town," she answered from where she was curled into a ball at the foot of the bed, poking at her lipsticked mouth with a fingernail, and deciding she'd never be talked into such a thing ever again.
She swore this three times more when she saw who it was. "Hi."
"Who're ya?"
"Yume Kin-yuki."
"Kinda an odd name, huh?"
"What's yours?" she asked, although she already knew the answer.
"I'm Tasuki!"
"Well, mine's no odder then, considering yours means 'the sash used for tying back kimono sleeves'."
"Look, ya impudent little _girl_!"
"Huh," she snorted, and began to paint her nails silver, glaring at him.
"If I had my tessen!"
"You don't?"
"No," he pouted, "That stupid Tama-boy took it, and won't give it back."
"Aw, poor Tasuki," she said unsympathetically.
"Damn straight."
"Watch your mouth around a lady."
"What lady?"
"I can see we'll get along splendidly." She stood, brushed the creases out of her kimono. Tasuki hadn't really seen her before, and now he was struck with the familiarity of her features.
"Ya look like someone I've seen before."
"Really?" she said, sounding almost alarmed.
"Yeah. Oh well, can't remember."
"Good," she said under her breath, and turned straight toward him. "By the way, if you start feeling attracted to me too - "
"What?" Tasuki said, not listening, but instead looking at that _beautiful_ face, that lovely figure, (what figure?) and those eyes!
"I give up!" She pushed him out the door, and locked it.
"Taiitsukun!! She's wearing my ring!! Does that count?"
"No, not really. I have to hear her say she loves you."
"Sunkake Baba," he muttered.
"WHAT did you say????"
"Nothing at all."
"Be Tamahome-like! Go out and get her!! C'mon, that stupid Tama-boy has more courage than you!!"
"It just so happens that I am SHY around people I love!"
"Well, stop being shy! Go assert yourself! Make her understand you love her! Serenade outside her window or something!"
"Leave me alone. I need to think."
Taiitsukun grumpily de-materialized.
Suboshi sat down on a rock. "What am I supposed to do? I really need to ask aniki, but of course he's away in Konan on that blackmail trip. Oh well, it's going to be worth it. Now, how do I tell Yui-sama I love her...?"
He went to seek out Soi.
"Soi, how do you tell someone you love them?"
"Word-wise or action-wise?"
"Word!" Suboshi said quickly.
"Well, since you're going after a girl, and not Nakago-sama - " Suboshi made a horrified face " - you'll maybe want some flowers. Girls like flowers. And then you just have to make it as melodramatic as possible. Girls love soap-opera stuff."
"Are you sure?" Suboshi was scribbling it all down on his wrist.
"Yes, of course. Good luck."
"You too!!"
Suboshi ran off to buy some flowers.
Amiboshi stared at his wrist.
"Flowers...melodrama...? What is my otouto DOING?"
He quickly wrote, "Otouto, what's up?"
"What kind of flowers does Yui-sama like?"
"Lilies? Roses? I don't know."
"Darn you."
Suboshi stopped writing, and Amiboshi eased his kimono over his head. Still in the under-slip, he went to the closet to see what his other choices were.
"Red...red...red...red...you know, the Suzakus really need some imagination."
He sighed, and put a robe on, then went to seek out help for the red problem.
It wasn't long before he bumped into Chiriko.
"Salutations. What is your moniker?"
Amiboshi blinked. "Um... Yume Kin-yuki, sir." He bowed.
"Oh, don't bother with formalities! I'm Chiriko. Are you in need of service?"
"Well, actually, I'm looking for a change of clothes. My wardrobe seems to consist mainly of...red."
"It consists only of red," Chiriko said mildly, "But I can find you some other clothing, in a different colour, if you wish."
"Yes, I do rather."
"All right, come with me."
Chiriko led him through the palace, and at last stopped outside a huge room. When he opened the door, Amiboshi saw that it was a gigantic closet, filled with hundreds of outfits.
Chiriko sidled among racks of clothing, and finally pulled out a light blue kimono with darker blue stars all over it, and a silver obi to match.
"Does this appear well to you?"
"Yes, it's very nice, Chiriko-san. Arigatou gozaimasu."
"You're very welcome. This room has thousands of garments. I believe that it belongs to the royal harem, but anyone can enter and borrow an outfit."
Amiboshi nodded, murmured another thank you, and then fled back to his room to change.
Chiriko stared after "her", a strange expression growing on his face. He put a hand to his cheek, as though in surprise, and whispered, "Is this love?"