Contradictions

~*~

Kido Jou sighed as he glanced up at the door once more. "Hikari-san was supposed to be here ages ago…" he grumbled to himself. For the third time, he straightened the sheets of parchment and realigned the brushes. "I know she hates calligraphy, but this is ridiculous…"

"Hi, Kido-kun!"

He glanced up in surprise and let his shoulders fall as he spotted Hikari coming in through the door. "Oh! I was just wondering where you were," he responded, smiling. Although Hikari could frustrate him, it was hard to get truly angry with her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kido-kun. I didn't mean to keep you waiting." She bowed in apology.

But Jou stood up immediately and gave deeper bows over and over again. "No, no, it's fine! It's completely fine!"

But Hikari just laughed. "It's okay, Kido-kun, don't worry. Now, I suppose it's time for my calligraphy lessons?"

"Um, yes! Of course!" He sat back down, flustered, worried that he had insulted the daimyo's sister. But as usual, she was calm and collected and gracefully picked up her brush to dab it in the black ink.

Jou was Hikari's royal tutor, more or less. Most of the time, women had no interest in learning academics or other related skills, but Hikari had thrown a fit until Lord Taichi had given in and called for one. Jou was an apprentice to Lord Taichi's royal tutor, and so his master found it appropriate to ask if he would tutor Hikari. However, while Jou studied hard and did all of his work efficiently, he secretly hoped that his accomplishments would lead him to become a doctor.

But that was a far-off dream.

"How's this, Kido-kun?" Hikari asked, setting down her brush.

"Hmm?" Jou had been drifting off. "Oh!" He looked at the characters she had painted and smiled. "Once again, very good. Actually, I'd say they're just about perfect."

Hikari smiled brightly. "Probably because I actually practiced this time."

Jou laughed. "Well, that would do it wouldn't it? And don't forget, Hikari-san, that you are the one who requested for these lessons."

"Oh, I know. I'd much rather learn about history right now, but I know this is 'building my cultural background' or whatever, so I go with it."

Jou nodded. "A necessary evil."

Hikari laughed. "Well, it's not that bad."

Suddenly, the door slipped open, and the two looked towards it to find Iori standing with a rag.

"Oh…I-I'm sorry," he stammered upon seeing them. "I was going to clean, but I…um…I'll just go." He turned around to leave.

"No, it's okay, Iori-kun," Hikari called to him. He froze. "If you want to clean in here, I won't be bothered by it."

"Oh…okay then," Iori replied as he turned back around, not lifting his gaze towards her. He bowed. "I hope I won't disturb you." And with that, he started polishing one of the vases on a table.

"Alright then," Jou began again, "why don't you practice a few more characters? Then we can end a bit early on this subject today."

"Sounds good!" she beamed, and she eagerly picked up the brush and started painting.

As Jou waited, he looked around the room fleetingly, letting his mind go off elsewhere once again. Then his eyes laid on Iori, who was polishing the vase, and he noticed that his eyes were flicking upwards every so often.

Poor Iori-kun, Jou thought to himself. He always looks so sad. Not today, though. He almost looks… He focused his eyes on the boy again. Is he…angry?

Iori raised his eyes again. And yes, he seemed to be…glaring, almost. At whom and why, Jou wasn't quite sure. He studied him, trying to decipher the boy's rage...

"Um…Kido-kun?" Hikari asked slowly, looking at him. "Is something wrong?"

"Huh? Ah! I spaced-out again! I'm sorry!" He got up and started bowing frantically once more, but Hikari just laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Kido-kun. Here, how do these look?"

Jou looked down and inspected her work, and he couldn't help but notice that they were painted a little more hurriedly than the first set. But he smiled at that. "Someone was in a rush, huh?"

Hikari turned a little pink in embarrassment. "I guess I couldn't help it…"

Jou just laughed. "It's okay, Hikari-san. We can move on to history now."

"Great!" Hikari grinned as she immediately reached for the large book across the table and opened to the page where they had last read.

"Now I think we were talking about-"

The door opened again, and all three of the people in the room looked over towards it.

Mimi blinked in confusion and disbelief at first, but then she blushed bright red, exceedingly embarrassed. "Oh! Oh…I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt! I was just exploring and I…I…I'm sorry!" She bowed deeply and prepared to turn right back around.

"No! It's fine!" Hikari quickly called back, and Mimi turned to look at her in interest. Hikari smiled. "You must be Mimi-chan, yes?"

"I…um…" She just nodded. "Yes, that would be me…how did you know?"

Hikari laughed. "I recognize you from when I walked in one day to meet you. I met Kouko-chan, but you were still sleeping. Kouko-chan told me your name."

"Oh! Well, um, it's nice to meet you, Hikari-san!" She bowed deeply again. "Oh, and sorry to you, too!" She bowed to Jou.

But Jou couldn't even respond. She…she was one of Lord Taichi's new concubines? Usually he wasn't so crazy about the girls he picked, but this one…she was undoubtedly the most beautiful girl he had ever seen! And suddenly, for the first time in his life, he felt truly jealous of Lord Taichi. He had no desire to be a daimyo, just a doctor, but she…

She was gone, but he did not break his gaze. He just sat there, staring, the image of Mimi seared into his mind.

"Um…Kido-kun?"

No response.

"Kido-kun! Come back to earth!"

"Huh!? What!?" He suddenly snapped out of it, and he immediately looked towards Hikari, who was giggling uncontrollably. "Oh! I…uh…I…!"

"Someone was a bit taken by Mimi-chan, yes?" she teased with a glint in her eye.

Jou immediately turned scarlet and hysterically began to fret, futilely trying to deny it. "Oh, no! I-It's not like that! I-I was just spacing out again, I'm so sorry, Hikari-san! I swear, I-!"

But Hikari just started to laugh and laugh, and even Iori looked over to give a small smirk of amusement. "There's no need to deny it, Kido-kun," Hikari replied. Then she gave him a wink. "I won't tell anyone."

"I…I…" But Jou was at a loss. He knew he wasn't going to be able to lie. Instead, his face just fell. "Please don't. I don't think Lord Taichi would like it very much."

"Oh, it's no trouble, Kido-kun. Trust me, it's better if onii-chan just didn't know certain things." She gave him another wink.

Iori gave a quiet snort from across the room, but both Hikari and Jou barely noticed it.

"Okay…" Jou said slowly. "But…well…i-it's not like I can act on this…" He started to get more logical. "A-And she's just pretty! I mean…I haven't talked to her…I…" He drifted off.

"Well, then talk to her," Hikari said simply.

"No!" he exclaimed immediately. "It would be terrible if Lord Taichi found out, and maybe it's just best if I keep my distance anyway, I mean-"

"I think you're just shy," Hikari interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "If you're interested in her, then talk to her. Simple as that, really."

Jou stared at Hikari in disbelief. "But Hikari-san…that's not…socially correct…"

"Didn't I just tell you that I wouldn't tell anyone? Trust me. Love transcends social status; that's what I fervently believe."

"But this isn't love, Hikari-san, this…oh, I shouldn't be talking to you about this! It's not my place! Forgive me! Forgive me!" He got up and started bowing again.

Hikari held up her hand. "Kido-kun, there is no need to apologize. I like giving people advice on these kinds of things."

Jou blinked for a minute and then sat down in embarrassment. "Well…now that I think about what you said…I think that maybe you are right, but…" He looked up meekly. "I'm just afraid of the potential consequences."

"I understand completely," Hikari replied, "but sometimes these kinds of things are worth the risk if you truly want them."

Jou smiled. "Does Lord Taichi ever come to you for advice?"

"On occasion, because sometimes he confuses the histories of some of the villages in our territory." Hikari giggled a bit. "But otherwise not really. I mean, usually he's not that distressed about anything."

"Hmm!"

This time, Hikari and Jou noticed Iori's verbal amusement.

"What was that, Iori-kun?"

"Huh?" Iori looked up from the vase but then cast down his eyes again. "Oh…no, nothing, it's nothing…"

"No, what is it, Iori-kun?" Hikari inquired.

"Um…well…" He still wouldn't look at them. "It's not my place to tell you, Hikari-san."

"I will pardon you for it, because if it involves my brother, I would like to know." She studied him for a moment. "It is about my brother, isn't it?"

"Yes…" Iori replied quietly, hesitatingly, fidgeting a bit.

"Well, let's hear it then."

"Uh…well…" He looked side-to-side nervously, and then he looked at Jou worriedly.

"Oh!" Jou exclaimed. "Don't worry; whatever it is, I didn't hear it from you." He held up his hand to swear it and nodded.

Iori gave a short nod and opened his mouth. "Lord Taichi…has fallen in love with the concubine Kouko-san."

"What!?" Jou's mouth dropped open in shock. "In love!? With a concubine!? That's…that's preposterous! That's awful! That's-!"

"That's enough about my brother," Hikari interrupted, seething at him. Of course, Jou got up to bow several more times.

But Hikari's anger passed quickly, and she returned to her initial astonished state. She was so surprised, so shocked, that her eyes were wide and frozen. Suddenly, she started slowly shaking her head. "In love with…?"

"I-I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news…" Iori said slowly, shrinking back.

"No…" Hikari said. "It's not bad… I just…can't believe it…" Then she frowned. "I thought…I could have sworn…"

"What, Hikari-san?" Jou asked.

But Hikari just smiled and shook her head. "Nothing. It's nothing." She gave a small huff. "Well. I'll definitely be mentioning this to onii-chan... Don't look so frightened, Iori-kun, I won't mention your name."

Iori nodded and bowed. "Thank you, Hikari-san."

"Yes, this is definitely new...definitely strange. Well, I'm sure he's very confused right now, and I'm sure he wants help."

"Of course, Hikari-san!" Jou agreed adamantly, nodding enthusiastically.

Hikari then glanced at the history book, then Jou, and then gave a lopsided grin of sheepishness.

Jou sighed in amusement. "Let me guess: You really don't feel like studying now."

Hikari smiled. "You guessed it!"

"Well, it's understandable." Jou laughed. "Your brother is more important right now...go to him."

Hikari got up and bowed. "Thank you, Kido-kun. I'm sorry today wasn't very productive."

"No, it's fine. Really it is." He got up and bowed deeper. "Good luck."

"Thank you. I will see you tomorrow, then." And with that, Hikari walked out of the room, leaving Jou to collect the materials and give one more confused look at Iori.

But Iori was already gone.