The Gateway

~*~

Two arms grabbed him without warning and a chorus of both cries and cheers echoed from behind him. He felt like he was in a whirlwind – what was happening? He looked up and noticed that the two men who he had seen the night before were leading him away with iron grips. It was too surreal. He had...had actually been chosen?

He looked over towards Lord Taichi, and...oh, Kami-sama, he was still staring at him! He seemed mesmerized...and Koushirou returned the heavenly gaze until he was whisked behind a heavy purple curtain.

"Koush-Kouko-chan!"

That voice...

"Mim-Misumi-chan!?" Koushirou's mouth dropped open in shock. "You...you got picked, too!?"

"Yes, yes!" The two men let go of Koushirou so he could run over to Mimi and embrace her. "Oh, this is amazing!" Mimi squealed. "It's just like we dreamed, Kouko-chan! Can you even believe it?"

"It's so..." Lord Taichi's eyes appeared in his mind again, and his stomach lurched in happiness. "It's so surreal."

"I know, it's unbelievable!" She clapped her hands in joy. "Just think: We're going to be living in Paradise for the rest of our lives – with Lord Taichi!" She sighed happily at the thought.

"Your friend is rather...enthusiastic."

Koushirou turned around to find that the thinner man with the blue hair had made that particular comment. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, not at all. Just making an observation." He gave a sharp smile.

"Don't listen to him! He's just bitter because the process took a couple days longer than last year!" the auburn-haired one piped up. "Although I have to say, it's kinda funny, 'cause he ended up picking the two he wanted within hours of each other..."

"Wow, how long did it take?" Mimi asked, not having heard.

"A week," the blue-haired one replied wryly. "It's infuriating."

"Oh! Well, I'm glad he waited, otherwise we wouldn't have been picked!" Mimi exclaimed. Koushirou nodded in agreement. It still hadn't quite sunk in yet.

"Yes, well, we'll need your names," said the auburn-haired man. "We're the official guards of the concubines, so you'll be seeing a lot of us."

"Ah, of course, I'm Misumi," said Mimi.

"And I'm Kouko," said Koushirou.

The men both nodded. "I'm Daisuke, and this is Ken," said the auburn-haired man. "Lord Taichi should be in here any moment."

"Okay, thank you Daisuke-san, Ken-san." Mimi and Koushirou bowed.

Suddenly, they heard the rush of curtains.

They quickly rose from their bows and stood straight as arrows, watching the sun-like Lord Taichi walk into the room and grace their presence. Koushirou began to shake; what if he immediately regretted his decision after a second look? Or what if...what if he would discover his secret that night? Oh, that would be devastating!

"Konnichiwa," Lord Taichi greeted, nodding to his new concubines. "Welcome. I suppose I don't know exactly what to say to you two; in fact, Motomiya-kun and Ichijouji-kun could tell you that I never know what to say every single year." He glanced over at Daisuke and Ken and they nodded in affirmation. "Well, perhaps I should just kind of...brief you. Although, I would hope that we won't be heading into a war." He smiled.

"'All's fair in love in war!'" Mimi couldn't help but pipe up, grinning.

He turned to her and smiled. "Yes, I suppose that's true. Although, you are aware the concubinage is a little different than polygamy? You are not my wives," he told them firmly, "and so love is not required. I do not expect you to love me, and in return, you should not expect me to love you."

Koushirou was a little taken aback and hurt by that, but Lord Taichi was right – that wasn't the custom.

"Now, I suppose we need formal introductions. May I ask your name?" He turned to Mimi first.

"Misumi!" she recited brightly.

"And...and you?"

Those eyes again; they were boring into him like fire, and Koushirou had to catch his breath, "K-Kouko," he answered, half-exhilarated, half-petrified.

Ken cleared his voice. "Your family names are required so we can deliver them the proper payment."

Proper...payment?

Oh, Kami-sama! We forgot about this, too!

He looked at Mimi. She was completely lost. What to say? They couldn't give out false names; they would be found out somehow.

"We're orphans," Koushirou decided to say. "We...we have no family."

"Oh," Ken said. "My deepest apologies for your misfortune."

"Same," Daisuke added from behind.

"Both of you?" Lord Taichi's eyes shifted back and forth from the nervous two. "You knew each other beforehand?"

"Yes, My Lord!" Mimi squeaked. "We helped support each other for many years!"

"I see..." He raised an eyebrow. "Where did you get the makeup?"

"We saved up enough money to buy some, My Lord," Koushirou made-up on the spot. "We...we wanted to look presentable for you..." He blushed as he looked away.

Lord Taichi broke into a cool smile. "Something tells me, Kouko, that makeup would not have been necessary for you two."

More blushing. Oh, oh...he is so charming!

"Now, Motomiya-kun and Ichijouji-kun will show you to your room," Lord Taichi said as he started to turn around. "There, the other concubines can answer any of your questions. Oh," he paused as he looked back at them. "And don't be expecting anything tonight. I have the courtesy to let you settle in." And with that, he slipped past the curtain, leaving behind a trail of his glory.

"This way." Ken and Daisuke guided them to a hallway and then to a large room with only a large mattress and a few rows of drawers on each side. There were two other girls there, one with short, auburn brown hair and the other with long, purple hair.

"You will be rooming with Sora and Miyako. Dinner is in a few hours. You will have it brought to you. Good day." And with that, the two guards slid the bamboo door behind them.

"Oh! So he has picked the two of you in the same day!" the purple-haired girl exclaimed as she rushed over to them. "That's so unusual! You must be excited!"

"Yes, definitely!" Mimi replied, immediately taking a liking to her.

"Well, good! I'm Miyako, and this over here is Sora-chan."

The auburn-haired girl nodded and bowed her head. "Pleased to meet you." She sat extremely poised and had a sense of peaceful grace to her, which Koushirou particularly admired.

"So what are your names?" Miyako asked.

"I'm Misumi, but you can call me Mimi," Mimi answered, bowing. Koushirou gave her an astonished look, but she gave him a private wink.

"I'm Kouko," Koushirou told them, bowing as well.

"Nice to meet both of you!" Miyako said, grinning. "So basically, this is our humble abode. We hang out here a lot, embroider, play the shamisen, eat our meals, and just talk. We get to walk in the gardens a lot, and some nights, well, he'll just pick one of us." She smiled as she turned to Sora. "Although everyone knows that Sora-chan is his favorite."

"Oh, stop it, Miyako-chan," said Sora, sighing in amusement.

"It's true!" She turned back to Mimi and Koushirou. "She was his first concubine ever, so they really know each other well. There are some rumors among the servants that they're in love, but Sora-chan insists that's not true..." She said that with a bit of her own disbelief.

"I heard a similar rumor," said Mimi. "Everyone says that the reason Lord Taichi is so uncaring about picking new concubines is because he's in love with one of them."

"I've heard that, too," Koushirou added.

"Yes, well, it's not true in the least bit." Sora didn't say it with any sort of bitterness. "And while people may talk, I know the truth, and that's all that matters to me in my heart."

The girls nodded. "Good for you!" complimented Mimi.

"I love your red hair!" Miyako exclaimed, running her fingers through Koushirou's hair. "It's so vibrant!"

"Th-thank you," Koushirou stuttered, although he had to admit that he was somewhat relaxed by the gesture.

They spent the afternoon chatting, talking about their lives before becoming concubines. Koushirou found that he was actually comfortable sharing about his family, although both still maintained that they were currently orphans as to not have conflicting stories. And he grew to understand why Mimi had told them her real name, even if inadvertently. They both seemed incredibly trustworthy and understanding; and besides, it's not like they were familiar with their tiny village. And also, it wasn't as though their names were announced to the public. But of course, Koushirou had to maintain his female name.

The hours passed quickly, and the door suddenly slid open.

"Oh, hey Iori-kun!"

A young, brown-haired boy a couple years younger than Mimi and Koushirou set down two trays filled with the girls' dinners.

"Hi, Miyako-san, Sora-san, um..." He looked up meekly at Mimi and Koushirou.

"Oh, he's so shy!" Miyako laughed as she ran over and gave him a hug, much to Iori's embarrassment. "This is Iori-kun. Iori-kun, meet Mimi-chan and Kouko-chan!"

"Nice to meet you." He bowed deeply. "Enjoy your meal." And with that he quickly closed the door and scurried away.

"Iori is an orphan as well," Sora explained after he had left. "His father died nobly in battle, and his mother grew sick with grief. She passed away as well shortly afterwards. Shogun Yagami greatly admired his father, General Hida, so he let him stay with Lord Taichi as a servant. And trust me, that's a lot better than the miserable orphanages around here."

The girls nodded sadly and sat for a moment in silence, automatically inclined to pay respect for the dead, but Miyako quickly broke it and they started chatting again.

"So how many other concubines are here?" Koushirou asked as he accepted a bowl of noodles.

"You two make twelve," Sora replied. "He chose me and another girl named Nuriko-chan first, when we all were thirteen." Mimi and Koushirou were both about to ask tons of questions because it was such a young age, but she stopped them. "And before you ask, he didn't request anything of us until we were fifteen."

"Wow, that's awfully nice of him," Mimi commented, nodding happily.

"Yes, we were both very gracious, and so were the other girls." She said the next sentence without flinching once: "He chose me first."

"What an honor!" Mimi exclaimed.

"So will we get to meet the other girls?" Koushirou asked.

"If you'd like. Miyako-chan was picked when Lord Taichi was sixteen, and we grew very close. So he permitted her to switch rooms with Nuriko-chan so she could be with me. It was absolutely nothing against Nuriko-chan, for she had her own close friends. We mingle sometimes, but Miyako-chan and I usually keep to ourselves."

Mimi and Koushirou nodded. "So...I have a question," Koushirou began.

"Yes?"

"Why...why aren't you able to have any contact with your families?"

Both of the girls' faces fell. "It's just the custom," Miyako replied sadly. "It's like, this is our new life. Our old life doesn't exist anymore. Contacting them would be entering back into that old life."

"I understand, but that seems so...so cruel!" Mimi cried.

"It's not Lord Taichi's fault," Sora said. "Honestly, I believe that if he had the choice, he would let us. But his father would never allow it. It would be a disgrace to the family."

"His father must be extremely strict," Koushirou mused.

"Well, that's a whole other story. Now please, eat. I'm sure you're hungry."

~*~

Daisuke and Ken checked in on them before they went to bed.

"You settle in okay?" Daisuke asked, giving them both a smile.

"Yes, thank you," Mimi replied. "You're really nice for a guard! Him, on the other hand...he kind of gives me the creeps!" She glanced over at Ken.

Daisuke laughed. "Don't mind him. He really lightens up when he's feeling comfortable." He whispered to Mimi, "Unfortunately, that's rarely around other people."

"Oh? And what makes you so special?" Mimi asked.

"We have many assignments together," Ken interjected as he walked over. "Everything seems to be fine. I bid you girls good night." He seemed to give Daisuke a glare.

"Ah-! Yes, good night to you all!" And they went as quickly as they came.

"Well, I don't know about you girls, but I'm ready for some shut-eye!" Miyako chirped as she changed into her nightclothes.

Koushirou looked away. Oh, great, now what? "Hey...Sora-chan?"

"Yes, Kouko-chan?"

"Is there, um... Where is the washroom?"

"Oh, right across the hall."

"Thank you." He scooped up the nightclothes and started walking towards the door.

"Oh, Kouko-chan! No need to be modest, we're all girls here!" Miyako exclaimed as she spotted him.

Koushirou looked back nervously and caught sight of Mimi biting her lower lip.

"I-I'm sorry, I just... I'm not used to this..."

"Yeah, I've never even seen hi-her naked!" Mimi quickly added.

Miyako and Sora looked at each other and shrugged. "I just hope you won't be like this before Lord Taichi!"

Koushirou blushed as he quickly rushed to the washroom to change.

Kami-sama...what have I gotten myself into?

~*~

A/N: Oh, I am just having so much fun writing this story! It's why the updates are so fast. I feel sort of guilty, not focusing on "Samson," but I simply need to write a much less-serious story! I hope you're enjoying your read!

Oh, I've also decided to throw several more couples in here, so just be prepared for that!