The Prince: Waking Up (5)

Mitsui woke up early that morning, and made sure he all his belongings were packed. His god-mother packed all his things into bundles, and wouldn't even let the maids touch his things. Mitsui spent his last night before the journey consoling the elderly woman that he would be fine and would return safely in a few months. However, Lady Oko just cried, and said how she wished it wouldn't be their last time together. Mitsui cringed as he recalled those words. It is as if his god-mother is convinced he would not be coming back. He knows Lady Oko loves him but she could be overly dramatic sometimes.

Mitsui is already walking towards the palace early that morning. He didn't ride in order not to raise any suspicion if anyone happens to see him. His possessions were only the two bundles of clothes, and the sword that he wore on his waist. His identification, money and some bank drafts were kept in his pouch, which is well hidden in the folds of his clothes. He found the clothes to be very comfortable, though it made him felt vulnerable somehow. He is used to wearing armour and the thick coats of military men. The civilian clothes that he wore didn't give the same feeling of wearing army clothes. He was changed top to toe for the trip. He even cut his hair, to give the impression of an ordinary young man on a journey. Mitsui squinted his eyes to get a better look as he saw the silhouette of a very tall man just outside the palace gates. It is Rukawa.

"Hello, Rukawa. How are you?" he smirked at the young man, well knowing he's in charge of the trip and Rukawa will have to take orders from him.

"Come with me." It was all Rukawa said before leaping on one of the horses that was standing nearby and galloped away from the palace.

"Damn!" It was all that Mitsui can say before leaping on to another horse, struggling with his bundles. Mitsui is not worth the award of the best graduate of the academy if he couldn't catch up with Rukawa. "Where are we going!" He shouted, annoyed at the wind that carried his voice away. However Rukawa did not answer. He just rode on. The irritated Mitsui just decided to follow the stoic boy. It was quite a long ride. Mitsui noticed that they passed the border of the city, and they were riding on a road south-bound. Rukawa then deviated from the main road, and lead Mitsui on a hill and stopped at a clearing. The sun was just up, and the first thing that they both saw is a brash looking red-haired young man, laughing with his hands on his hips.

"I knew you would get it! You seem so smart, Megane-kun." The redhaired youth laughed again. The youth turned at them, when he heared the hooves of their horses. He had a suspicious look on his face. Rukawa jumped down from his horse and Mitsui followed suit.

"Who are you?" the redhead asked threateningly. Rukawa just ignored him, and headed towards the other boy called Megane-kun. "Teme!" the redhead was about to jump on the boy when a voice he knows stopped him.

"Hanamichi. He's our friend." Kogure calmly stated. Mitsui was surprised to see that the Megane Hanamichi was talking to was actually Prince Kogure. He was totally transformed. He had cut his hair, like Mitsui did but his fringes were longer. It reached his brows and was parted endearingly at the middle. His form was visibly smaller as the clothes he wore were the one like what his citizens wore. Unlike the robe that gave him the look of an aristocrat. He was about to give his respects to the prince when the prince pulled him aside and whispered to him not to.

"Hanamichi's not from the palace. He doesn't know who we really are." Mitsui just nodded at the prince.

"I thought an old man that I went to see is supposed to be our coachman." He said to Kogure, still feeling awkward at talking to a prince like that.

"I know. He's the old man's apprentice. The old man is suddenly sick." Kogure explained, while looking at Hanamichi who was staring daggers at Rukawa. He was seated quietly on the carriage, with his arms folded. If someone who knows him sees him, they will be very surprised. It isn't like Sakuragi Hanamichi to hold back his anger towards another person. It seems that the young prince has a certain influence on the redhead.

"Hanamichi, let me introduce you to Mitsui Hisashi, my companion and the other one is Rukawa Kaede." the prince said to Hanamichi. Hanamichi sprang into a standing position, his hands again on his hips.

"I am tensai Sakuragi Hanamichi! Pleased to meet you." He looked at Mitsui with a big smile. He however, gave Rukawa a dirty look. The price of ignoring a tensai!

"Hi. I am Mitsui Hisashi." Mitsui calmly introduce himself. He had a feeling that the journey wouldn't be as smooth as he planned it to be. Not with this loudmouthed baka. He looked at Hanamichi who was busy hoisting his and Rukawa's bundle into the carriage while his mouth babbled nonsense that Mitsui couldn't catch.

"Mitsui-kun..aah. Can I call you that?" the prince asked.

"Yes, your majesty. You can even call me Hisashi if you wish to." Mitsui answered smartly to the odd question. He knows Kogure is a prince so Kogure can do whatever he wants. Shit! Kogure is a prince. Baka! Is that a way to talk to a prince? Mitsui berated himself. "Yes your majesty. You may call me whatever you want." He answered again with a more serious tone.

"Okay. Hisashi.." Kogure tried Mitsui's name. It felt weird to address someone he barely knew with his first name. Mitsui inwardly slapped himself as he sees the prince's awkwardness. He was supposed to protect the prince! "Hisashi, you must not call me Your Majesty, for obvious reasons. You know the purpose of this trip right? You can call me Kogure… or Kiminobu." The prince continued. Mitsui could swear he saw the prince blush. But he couldn't tell if his eyes tricked him.

"Yes, Kogure." He opted for Kogure as he considered calling the prince with his first name would be disrespectful. After all, first names are reserved for intimate acquaintance or loved ones.

"Kiminobu. I think we should go now." Rukawa said to Kogure. Mitsui was a bit surprised to hear Rukawa call the prince Kiminobu. He didn't know that Rukawa knows the prince before him.

"Wait, Rukawa. Are we the only ones going with the prince…..I mean Kogure?" asked Mitsui. There are supposed to be two servants to attend to Kogure on their journey. He had arranged that. Mitsui actually planned the whole trip with Gohiki.

"Yes." Rukawa answered nonchalantly.

"Actually it was my idea." Kogure spoke as he sees the look on Mitsui's face. Kogure knew Mitsui had spent the last month planning the trip and worked really hard on it. He knows from his observation that Mitsui wouldn't take it easily if he knew that it was actually Rukawa's suggestion that the party shouldn't be so large. Rukawa had arranged with the old man so that Hanamichi will also tend to Kogure. Actually, Kogure can manage by himself but for formality's sake…"I think I can mange by myself. After all, it is easier if our party is smaller. Don't you think so?"

"Yes." Mitsui had to agree.

"Let's go then." Kogure said as he climbed into the carriage. Rukawa sat beside him before drawing the curtain close. Mitsui sighed and took the only seat left, that is beside their redheaded coachman. Hanamichi gave a yell before whipping the horses into a gallop. And off they were into the journey. Kogure knows not what awaits them but he is determined to make the most of the journey. This is the trip of my life.

Koshino sighed looking at the young man sitting quietly by the stream. He was so bored waiting for the other young man that he decided to approach him.

"Hey! What are you doing there? I'm not waiting for you. I'm hungry. I'm going home!" with that Koshino thumped his way towards home. Koshino walked sulkingly towards home. He couldn't wait to eat Saeko's cooking. It would be tasty. His uncle had left for the market early this morning to buy chickens. Koshino love chicken. It would be very tasty. Mmmmmmm….When he got home, he's going to wash his hands and help his cousin set up the dining table. Saeko would…damn!...Saeko would scold him for leaving that stupid guy out alone.

"Koshkosh-kun. Wait up!" the said stupid suddenly came running towards him. So he finally stopped and turned towards the boy who he thinks stupid.

"Why did you leave me there? I almost got a fish for lunch!"

"Aki-san." Koshino cringed at his address of the other man." We must be home early today. Uncle wants us to help with the herbs that we collected yesterday." Koshino explained slowly. The other man pouted.

"Can't we stay a bit longer? I'm sure I would get one of the fishes for lunch." Koshino glared at the pouting man. His mind was screaming curses at the other man. This Aki is really really annoying. He had been a major source of headache for Koshino since they found him. It seems that Sendoh banged his head really hard when he fell into the river that he forgot everything about himself and somehow his memory erased from a certain period of time in his childhood. When he first woke up, he was very childish. After a month of careful tending by Koshino, Saeko and his uncle Toki, Sendoh is gradually healing.

Only his identity remains a secret. They know he was a soldier but they did not know which camp he belongs to. They decided to keep it a secret knowing the strained relationship between the two countries, they know they'd have hell to pay if they misidentified Sendoh's camp. Of course they didn't know Sendoh's name, they just called him Aki-san because the word Aki was engraved on the jade locket he was wearing when they found him. This, of course irritated Koshino because he is now called Koshino by everyone. He no longer could use his nick name Aki-chan to avoid confusion among the villagers. Koshino quickly reminds himself the fact that Sendoh was actually only a sick guy, a (developing) child at mind and as an apprentice of a famous small town doctor or healer, it is his responsibility to take care of Sendoh, and treat him with utmost sincerity and kindness.

"Come on, Aki-san. We need to be home early. I promise I'd take you fishing tomorrow if you finish your medicine." Koshino promised while taking Sendoh's hand in his own.

"Promise?" Sendoh asked. He had not moved even though Koshino was tugging gently at his hand.

"Yes, I promise you." Koshino replied and that made Sendoh smile. Somehow, it made Koshino feel proud and happy at the same time. "Let's go."