Chapter 9
"O-oh my!" Misaki cried and pulled away from Akihiko. "It's almost midnight!"
"Oui so it is..." Akihiko said, confused.
"I'm sorry I-I have to go", Misaki said hurriedly and backed from the silverhaired man.
"Go?" Akihiko grapped the boy's wrist. "Why?"
Misaki wrenched his arm from Akihiko's grip. "I c-can't..I really need to leave right now. Au revoir!" And with that he turned and ran off back back to the ballroom holding his dress up from stumbling.
Akihiko stood there couple of seconds dumpfounded. Then his brain started to work again and he took off after the boy. "Wait! Come back, please!" Akihiko cried.
Misaki ran through the crowd and dodged the guests who jumped out of the way, surprised. He heard Akihiko calling after him but kept running.
Akihiko swore fluently under his breath and rudely pushed people out of the way as he watched the boy speed ahead of him. He couldn't lose that boy again. He quickened his pace and didn't give a damn thought of how ridiculous he looked chasing a boy through the crowd.
Outside the clock tower lurched to indicate one minute to midnight.
Finally Misaki broke away out of the crowd and ran down the front hall. He saw the pumpkin-turned-carriage waiting for him, the mice-turned-horses stomping impatiently at the ground.
"Wait!" Came Akihiko's voice.
Misaki ran down the many stairs and in process other of his glass slippers fell from his foot. He didn't have time.
At the bottom the footman grapped Misaki and practically threw him in tot the carriage and slammed the door behind him.
The driver flicked the reins instant when the footman regained his place and the horses took off.
The minute hand on the clock lurched again.
Dong!
The carriage came to the path leading to the town street just as the silverhaired man emerged at the top of the steps.
Dong!
The carriage raced down the dark tree-lined path.
Dong!
They were almost at the entrance.
Dong!
Shops and houses flashed by in swirls of dark colour.
Dong!
Now they were halfway through the village.
Dong!
We can't make it.
Dong!
He would never see him. He would never feel such joy again than when he was with Akihiko.
Dong!
He would spent the rest of his life in misery. He would never forget the handsome and kind man who was his first kiss.
Dong!
The carriage started to shrink and color faded from white to orange. The footman, driver and the horses all started to change back as well.
In a bright flash of blue light, Misaki found himself sitting on the pumpkin in the middle of the road. He looked around and he realized that they were almost to the place where the country road turned into the town road.
He looked down at the ground. He felt a little nudge on his shoulder and he looked up seeing Frou, the horse looking down at him. Bruno dog sat beside Misaki and whined a little.
"I'm sorry", Misaki apologized in a low voice. "It was my fault we didn't make it home. It was just so wonderful being with..him." Misaki looked at his dress that had returned to shredded rag. But..on his left foot..
One green glass slipper remained. Carefully Misaki stood up and removed the slipper examining it in wonder. How did it remain? Could it need its pair to vanish perhaps?
Whatever the reason was, Misaki was grateful it did not disappear. It was a reminder that all that had happened tonight was real and not just beautiful and terrible dream.
"Thank you. Thank you so much." Misaki whispered and held the slipper close to his chest. He stood in silence, savoring the sweet memories that were still fresh in his mind. A small tear dropped from the corner of his eye.
He wiped the tear away and bend down picking the mice from his feet. He craddled them in his arms with the slipper and started walking down the country road. "Time to go home."
Little while ago
Hiroki was waiting but suddenly..
"Hiroki there you are!"
Both him and Nowaki seperated from each other and looked shockingly to the person who was speaking. It was Fuyuhiko.
"I need you for a minute." He said and didn't seem to notice the guard beside Hiroki.
"U-um yes I'm goming, Majesty." Hiroki replied and followed the king. Not until he looked sadly at Nowaki.
Nowaki just smiled but with sadness in his face. Hiroki walked away with a broken heart.
"Look, my son is really dancing with someone." Fuyuhiko said and smiled at his son and the lady he was dancing with.
"Yes."
"Could you perhaps tell me who is she?" He asked.
She? Oh. He doesn't know that the one he's dancing is a male.
"I'm sorry sir but right now I can't come up with a name." Hiroki said. He didn't want to be the one to tell that the person Akihiko is fond of is a boy and not a girl.
Hiroki looked at Akihiko and the mystery boy walking to one of the terraces and disappearing from his view. Hopefully he's lucky with his partner.
Sigh. Such a problem.
I'm sorry it's really short. Been a little busy with school but now I have a week vacation from school and I tried to write some more because I want to finish this but I want this to be done properly. Hope you like it so far and I'll continue soon...