The night in the Imperial Capital was quiet, except in some places. Especially the Royal Academy. The students were enjoying themselves after their graduation. They have been assigned to their posts and will report for duty the day after tomorrow. Some of them were sent to the frontier and some are to be in the Forbidden City cops. Some were sent to secret services…or some became magistrates, judges or officers according to their ability. The celebration was grand, especially in the Red Unit dormitory. Not only they got the Best Unit of the year, both best students are from the Unit too. Not only that, they are also assigned the best task any graduates from the academy can have.
A young man with long hair was already staggering around the dormitory that changed into a party room that night. Obviously he was drunk by the fact that he was also singing loudly and his face was red. The other laughed when they saw him, and he spat out a few foul words when he realized it.
"He..iish…dghunk..he he he" another boy laughed.He had brown hair but shorter than the other members of the unit and was pointing at the drunk boy. "dringgggg to mush." His hand was still waving in the air trying to point at the other boy but failing because he saw two or three of the other boy. He felt someone pulling him to sit on the cushion.
"Come on, Miyagi. You are drunk yourself. Cut that out."
"But, gagata-kun..he dghunk smash bohhle….bottle..weendoh…he dghunk…" Miyagi pulled the boy's collar so that he was facing him.
"You drink too much that you stink like…" the boy stopped when Miyagi shook him hard.
"I no shink….he dghunk….smash thiiing….burp.."he burped." He dghunk…..gagata-kunng"
Hanagata shook his head, pulling the Miyagi's hands off his collar. Mitsui laughed when he saw the two.
"It seems that he still have his senses while he's that drunk. I think we should call Maki."
"You call him. I have to take care of this one." Said Hanagata pointing at Miyagi. Mitsui scanned the room with Maki. He found Maki helping himself with another chunk of roasted bull. Mitsui grinned.
"Hey, Maki. What are you doing over there. Come here."
"Oh, hi. You want some of this?" he showed Mitsui his plate.
"No thanks. See Miyagi over there, with Hanagata." He pointed to the two. Miyagi was acting like a madman, his hands waving in the air or sometimes hitting Hanagata or pulling his shirt.
"Heh, what happened to them?" said Maki smiling and laughing a bit seing Miyagi's acts.
"Well, Miyagi's drunk. He saw Kyota, who was also drunk and tried to stop Kyota, you know. And Hanagata is stopping him to avoid the two from fighting. You know Kyota, don't you?" Maki sighed, putting his roasted bull down.
"Yes, I know. Even Miyagi, who is drunk is still aware of it. I think I'll go stop him before he does anything stupid." Said Maki, leaving Mitsui. He had to stop Kyota before he causes any damage. Everyone knows Kyota after years of living with each other in the academy. When he's really really drunk, he will smash everything in sight. Bottles, teacup, or even windows. Last year, he even tried smashing Maki's head by using a stool after Maki shaved his own(Maki) head bald.
Mitsui laughed again as he saw Maki trying to stop Kyota from advancing towards the buffet table. Kyota is really like a wild monkey, except no one dared to say that to his face.
"Mitsui, come here." It was Maki again. "Kyota has something important to say. Everyone gather around." Everyone gathered around the two. Maki pulled Mitsui beside him. Kyota slung him arm around Mitsui's shoulder.
"Everyone, as a captain to this unit I believe I have forgotten something very important. Luckily, Kyote here is sober enough to remind me of it. Why don't we let Kyota say it? Kyota, have the honour." Maki backed up beside Mitsui, giving way for Kyota. Kyota, surprisingly enough, raised his glass without spilling the content inside it.
"To our dear, Micchy. The best student of the Academy." He shouted. The others cheered and raised their glasses. Mitsui grinned. So, it is about him. He was quite happy that Kyota could remember about it, even though he doesn't like to make a big fuss about the matter. Of course he's proud and all, but his macho side said 'pretend you're not glad'.
"Congratulations, Mitsui." Maki congratulate him, while giving him a smile.
"Thank you, Maki. Although I didn't expect to hear that from you."
"I know how to appreciate people, Mitsui-kun." Maki pat him on the shoulder. "Excuse me…I have some other business to attend to." Mitsui looked at Kyota who was creating another scene with Miyagi. Not to mention, the poor Hanagata between them, that became the tree for both monkeys to cling on. Mitsui watched intently as Maki approached the three and began ripping Kyota off Hanagata enabling Hanagata to rip Ryota off himself. Mitsui is always fascinated by the influence that Maki has on Kyota. The idiot even obeyed the captain even though he's drunk. Maki is a great person, like a big brother to them all. He's the most skillful at everything, except that he's a few years older than them and he served the country before, in the war with Kounan at the eastern border. He was sent to the Academy by the General he was working under, saying that he is a young man with potential. It is true what the General say but still, he'd never admitted that. Maki's his rival number 1.
"Congratulations, Mitsui!" said another person accompanied with a loud slap on his back making him cough his drink out from his nose. Who the hell did that? Mitsui was sure he's going to shove Maki's roasted bull into that person's nose. "Oh, my. Mitsui-kun. Did I startled you?" Startled me hell. Why, I'm gonna get you! Wait..I recognize this voice.
"Kazushi!"
"Oh, Mitsui. Don't sound so shock. You know I'm gonna be here tonight. I promised you I'd come, didn't I?"
"This is 'our' party." He stressed on the word our. He knows that the party is only for Red Units members. "This party is not for some soldier, like you"
"Hahaha….Mitsui-kun. Have you forgotten? I'm also a member, although I graduated earlier. I have such big responsibilities. Unlike you, I am not so unlucky or should I say, lucky to be posted right after my REAL graduation day."he sighed. "And one more thing, I'm no soldier. I'm a captain. A captain, Mitsui-kun."
"It sounds all the same to me." 'Creep' " So, how's life?"
"Kind of you to ask. You know, life is just as I expected. I went to the border and now I'm on leave. I'm going there again in a few days. I'll see you off tomorrow. My father told me to do so, even though you know how 'caring' I am."
"Thank you, my so kind 'brother'. I'm glad you came to visit me. Actually, I am planning to see you father tomorrow before I answer to my duty." Mitsui sighed. He pulled a chair and sat on it.
"Is anything wrong, Mitsui-kun?" Hasegawa neared his face to the other man's face. The he grinned when Mitsui tried to shoo him away. "I see, it must be your postings."
"Shut up!" Mitsui pushed his face away, frowning.
"That must be it!" said Hasegawa, laughing. The laugh seems to attract attention when two other guys approached them.
"Hasegawa! Long time no see." A guy with a real gentlemanly looks raised his hands, and giving a polite smile.
"Ikegami. Long time no see you too." Hasegawa replied with the same enthusiasm. "Hi to you too" Hasegawa gave his friendly greetings to the other man beside Ikegami.
"Hi" the Garfield-eyed Fukuda answered him curtly.
"Ikegami, you know what's wrong with our Mitsui-kun here?" Hasegawa asked in such a manner that annoyed Mitsui. Ikegami look shocked.
"Mitsui-kun? Are you still upset about that?" he asked. Mitsui shrugged.
"I guess I'll just have to live with that. I have never imagined that I'll get to do something like that."
"Hey….you two." Hasegawa seem slightly annoyed when he cannot understand what the two were talking about.
"Mitsui-kun is posted at the Imperial Capital, at Sunset Palace. Under the Fifth Royal Household, whatever that is." Explained Ikegami.
"Fifth Royal Household, you say?" Hasegawa rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hikoichi! Come here. I need to ask you something." Hasegawa signaled Hikoichi who was sitting in a corner, jotting down notes in his note book. In his left hand, he held a half empty glass. He instantly stood up when he heard Hasegawa with his hand holding his note book and pen in a stand by mode.
"Yes, Hasegawa-san. What do you want to know?" he asked.
" Do you know anything about the fifth Royal Household. It's about Mitsui's posting. I've been to the palace once but I don't know anything about that."
"Yes, Mitsui-san. You are quite lucky I suppose. Being under the Royal Household, means you work under, I mean really really under one of the royal family members. But I don't know which royal family member is the third Household."
"Eh! What does that means?" Mitsui asked, dumbly. Unusual of him to do so.
"It means, you receive straight orders from the royal family."
"Why is it called a household then?" It was Hasegawa's turn. Hikoichi flipped through his notebook. Then. He shut the notebook and shook his head.
"I don't know that Hasegawa-san. But, I know that the palace consists of many buildings you know. There's the east wing, west, south, north and so on. There's also the Violet Garden of the Queen, the Empress's private palace, the workers housing quarters. It's not one huge building. I mean of course there are many huge buildings but as I said before, there are many huge buildings. So.." He stopped when he saw Mitsui glaring at him and Hasegawa looking at other places. Ikegami looked bored and Fukuda, well Fukuda's just Fukuda.
"Straight to the point, Hikoichi." It was Ikegami who finally say something.
"Oh…you see. Each royal family members live in separate building. Each with their own private place and servants. Each place I guess is the household of each family members. So, I guess they named it that way. And that's where Mitsui-san is going!" he ended his talk happily. "Congratulations. From my notes, I don't see anyone that has been posted under the Royal Household."
"You make me sound as if I'm going to be a servant or a maid." Mitsui said, coldly. It is obvious that he is truly annoyed, and not happy about it. Everyone knows that the student from the academy, especially would like to serve the country in the military, on the battle field. It is each family's pride and the ambition of many young man. The Kutou empire is one of the most distinguished, and many were looking forward to serve the Emperor. The Emperor, known to be a good and just man. Being a military officer, is the most suitable profession for that purpose. 'It seems that I'll just have to serve one of the royalties perhaps. The Emperor's household can't be the fifth , right? Harh!'