Chapter 4: Secrets unveild
It was a surprise for Fuuko that in just matters of weeks she had been acustomed to the palace grounds. Often times she would be asked to visit the royal family, hunting with the king, martial arts with the queen, and Tokiya's companion whatever the event. It was like she is already part of the family.
"Isn't it amazing?" Tokiya walked around the gardens with his hands inside his pockets.
"Huh?" Fuuko looked up at Tokiya. They had been walking around without any word from the other.
"That..that you seem to be always here. How I wish you're my brother."
"Oh..." 'I wish I could be more'
"By the way, mother asks of your company. We will go for a vacation up at the mountain."
"I don't know...I.."
"Not to worry, we will prepare some things for you. Besides, there's a famous hot spring there-beautiful women-eh?" he winked at Fuuko, who felt heat rising all over her body.
She only nodded in approval.
She sat beside Tokiya in the train amazed at the sight before her. Tokiya only sighed, he had seen the same sight since he was a kid. The train ride will last for an hour and a half.
'Fuuko, please be careful! If they find out who you are then it's over' Yanagi's voiced echoed inside her mind. She bolted upright, eyes wide, pale from the thought.
"Are you okay, dear?" the queen asked her. She nodded and wiped the sweat the was trickling down from her forehead.
'Damn, oh damn! What if they find out? The HOT SPRING! There's a hot spring! I have to be extra careful now' she thought then wiped again her forehead.
Tokiya glanced at her from the book he was reading. He sensed something's not right from the way Fuuko was seated. Her back straight, constatnly wiping sweat from her face. Funny thing was, it's not even hot!
Fourty-five minutes passed after they arrived. Fuuko was busying herself walking around the veranda, in deep thought, when she collided with another person.
"So sorry" she helped the woman with the fallen belongings.
"My my..aren't you something" the woman giggled.
"Pardom me?" she shot a curious glance at her, but the woman walked away thanking her.
She walked away to find Tokiya sitting near the pond. She did not bother to sit at once because something in his aura gave out sadness. She stood transfixed at the spot where she saw him. His head was gazing up at the stars and she could hear heavy breathing. Her feet drifted her towards him and soon she was looking down at the handsome face that seemed to be spacing out.
To Fuuko's recollection she stared at him for about a minute, before he finally snapped out of his trance.
"Hey" Fuuko jerked back.
"Sorry, you seemed to be in a different place" she muttered.
"Yeah...how long have you been here?"
"Uh, a minute" her reply was a faint whisper.
He got up, "Sorry, well I have to go. Dinner's at 7"
Fuuko could have sworn his attitude was rather cold. It wasn't like him to be, she has never seen this side of him. Dinner was more disappointing, Tokiya was silent and Fuuko occasionaly had to glance at his friend. He simply nods at every comment her mother tells him.
'His parents seem to notice his sudden change, but are acting as if it's nothing. Are they doing this because of me?' Her thoughts were interupted when Tokiya nudged him.
He leaned closer to whisper something, "You're not eating. What's wrong?"
Fuuko's POV
I look at the king and queen, who suddenly stop chatting and looked at us both. The queen having caught where I was looking giggled. I felt a blush and when I turned to face Tokiya, his face was inches away. I looked away again and shook my head.
Dinner was an awkward night. I went to bed early to avoid that little incident. The following morning Queen Mikagami invited me to join the gentlemen for a dip in the hot spring. Panic rushed over me as I try to excuse myself telling how bad I feel right now. However, she shrugged it off and told me how hot spring can better my health. I frantically try and get away until...
Queen Mikagami pushed Fuuko inside her room and closed the door shut. She asked Fuuko to sit down on the bed.
"Tell me your name" she said sternly
"Lei, your highness"
"Your real name"
"Whatever do you mean?"
"Tell me the truth or off with your head..." she smirked at Fuuko.
She sighed, "Forgive me your highness, I never ment to cheat or lie-" she was hushed.
"Stop it! I won't tell you, in fact, I'll help you! heehee" Fuuko never imagined the queen to be this mischevious.
"My..my name's Kirisawa Fuuko"
"Kirisawa? Of the kingdom Jeoff?"
"No madame, I'm not from any royal decent"
"Really? Isn't that surprising? Vert well, Fuuko I am at your service" she bowed at Fuuko.
"Uh..ehehe" she laughed uneasily.
"Just wait and see" the queen tapped her shoulder and winked.
Fuuko was having some serious dilemma thinking. She tossed and turned on her bed. 'Damn, I can't sleep!' She threw her pillow and gave a loud grunt. Not knowing that someone was spying on her from the closed door, the queen gave a soft chuckle and hurried along her way.
"It's no use, I need something to make me feel at ease" she gave a loud humph and stood up.
'Lei, why don't you go with my husband and Tokiya for a dip in the hot spring? It will make you feel better and relaxed' the message of the queen came rushing through her mind. Could it be possible? I mean, there's no one here right? Maybe I would.
Fuuko walked cautiously towards to hot spring. She stood between the side for women and the side for men. Taking a deep breath she moved the curtains for the men and went inside.
"Ahh.." she stretched her arms, "Now this is refreshing". How peaceful could this be? The moon shines from above her, what a sight to marvel.
"I need a bath" Tokiya pushed himself from the chair he was sitting on. He prepared himself for a hot bath and calmly walked downstairs. Tokiya was outside the door when he heard muffling sounds inside the men's bath. Thinking the person must be his father he wanted to sneak up on him.
The steam from the hot water made it hard to see. It soon dawned on him that the person rising to dry himself had a body of a woman. At first he thought he must've went inside the wrong room, but having confirmed his query he was in the right room. The figure was moving towards him. Tokiya began to panic and hid himself behind a stone wall.
"This is risky walking in at a men's bath. I should've stayed at the women's bath" the voice finally spoke.
Could it be? Oh no, he wasn't dreaming. It was....it was Lei and he..she..is..a female.
It was a surprise for Fuuko that in just matters of weeks she had been acustomed to the palace grounds. Often times she would be asked to visit the royal family, hunting with the king, martial arts with the queen, and Tokiya's companion whatever the event. It was like she is already part of the family.
"Isn't it amazing?" Tokiya walked around the gardens with his hands inside his pockets.
"Huh?" Fuuko looked up at Tokiya. They had been walking around without any word from the other.
"That..that you seem to be always here. How I wish you're my brother."
"Oh..." 'I wish I could be more'
"By the way, mother asks of your company. We will go for a vacation up at the mountain."
"I don't know...I.."
"Not to worry, we will prepare some things for you. Besides, there's a famous hot spring there-beautiful women-eh?" he winked at Fuuko, who felt heat rising all over her body.
She only nodded in approval.
She sat beside Tokiya in the train amazed at the sight before her. Tokiya only sighed, he had seen the same sight since he was a kid. The train ride will last for an hour and a half.
'Fuuko, please be careful! If they find out who you are then it's over' Yanagi's voiced echoed inside her mind. She bolted upright, eyes wide, pale from the thought.
"Are you okay, dear?" the queen asked her. She nodded and wiped the sweat the was trickling down from her forehead.
'Damn, oh damn! What if they find out? The HOT SPRING! There's a hot spring! I have to be extra careful now' she thought then wiped again her forehead.
Tokiya glanced at her from the book he was reading. He sensed something's not right from the way Fuuko was seated. Her back straight, constatnly wiping sweat from her face. Funny thing was, it's not even hot!
Fourty-five minutes passed after they arrived. Fuuko was busying herself walking around the veranda, in deep thought, when she collided with another person.
"So sorry" she helped the woman with the fallen belongings.
"My my..aren't you something" the woman giggled.
"Pardom me?" she shot a curious glance at her, but the woman walked away thanking her.
She walked away to find Tokiya sitting near the pond. She did not bother to sit at once because something in his aura gave out sadness. She stood transfixed at the spot where she saw him. His head was gazing up at the stars and she could hear heavy breathing. Her feet drifted her towards him and soon she was looking down at the handsome face that seemed to be spacing out.
To Fuuko's recollection she stared at him for about a minute, before he finally snapped out of his trance.
"Hey" Fuuko jerked back.
"Sorry, you seemed to be in a different place" she muttered.
"Yeah...how long have you been here?"
"Uh, a minute" her reply was a faint whisper.
He got up, "Sorry, well I have to go. Dinner's at 7"
Fuuko could have sworn his attitude was rather cold. It wasn't like him to be, she has never seen this side of him. Dinner was more disappointing, Tokiya was silent and Fuuko occasionaly had to glance at his friend. He simply nods at every comment her mother tells him.
'His parents seem to notice his sudden change, but are acting as if it's nothing. Are they doing this because of me?' Her thoughts were interupted when Tokiya nudged him.
He leaned closer to whisper something, "You're not eating. What's wrong?"
Fuuko's POV
I look at the king and queen, who suddenly stop chatting and looked at us both. The queen having caught where I was looking giggled. I felt a blush and when I turned to face Tokiya, his face was inches away. I looked away again and shook my head.
Dinner was an awkward night. I went to bed early to avoid that little incident. The following morning Queen Mikagami invited me to join the gentlemen for a dip in the hot spring. Panic rushed over me as I try to excuse myself telling how bad I feel right now. However, she shrugged it off and told me how hot spring can better my health. I frantically try and get away until...
Queen Mikagami pushed Fuuko inside her room and closed the door shut. She asked Fuuko to sit down on the bed.
"Tell me your name" she said sternly
"Lei, your highness"
"Your real name"
"Whatever do you mean?"
"Tell me the truth or off with your head..." she smirked at Fuuko.
She sighed, "Forgive me your highness, I never ment to cheat or lie-" she was hushed.
"Stop it! I won't tell you, in fact, I'll help you! heehee" Fuuko never imagined the queen to be this mischevious.
"My..my name's Kirisawa Fuuko"
"Kirisawa? Of the kingdom Jeoff?"
"No madame, I'm not from any royal decent"
"Really? Isn't that surprising? Vert well, Fuuko I am at your service" she bowed at Fuuko.
"Uh..ehehe" she laughed uneasily.
"Just wait and see" the queen tapped her shoulder and winked.
Fuuko was having some serious dilemma thinking. She tossed and turned on her bed. 'Damn, I can't sleep!' She threw her pillow and gave a loud grunt. Not knowing that someone was spying on her from the closed door, the queen gave a soft chuckle and hurried along her way.
"It's no use, I need something to make me feel at ease" she gave a loud humph and stood up.
'Lei, why don't you go with my husband and Tokiya for a dip in the hot spring? It will make you feel better and relaxed' the message of the queen came rushing through her mind. Could it be possible? I mean, there's no one here right? Maybe I would.
Fuuko walked cautiously towards to hot spring. She stood between the side for women and the side for men. Taking a deep breath she moved the curtains for the men and went inside.
"Ahh.." she stretched her arms, "Now this is refreshing". How peaceful could this be? The moon shines from above her, what a sight to marvel.
"I need a bath" Tokiya pushed himself from the chair he was sitting on. He prepared himself for a hot bath and calmly walked downstairs. Tokiya was outside the door when he heard muffling sounds inside the men's bath. Thinking the person must be his father he wanted to sneak up on him.
The steam from the hot water made it hard to see. It soon dawned on him that the person rising to dry himself had a body of a woman. At first he thought he must've went inside the wrong room, but having confirmed his query he was in the right room. The figure was moving towards him. Tokiya began to panic and hid himself behind a stone wall.
"This is risky walking in at a men's bath. I should've stayed at the women's bath" the voice finally spoke.
Could it be? Oh no, he wasn't dreaming. It was....it was Lei and he..she..is..a female.