DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse Studios, etc., i.e., not me.
I'm just borrowing them for a while to spin a tale
Submitted to the Saiunkoku Fic LJ's Fic Battle
for Prompt 34) Hakumei and Kouyuu: Hakumei fanboys Kouyuu
and Saiun Challenge LJ's 'Obsession' Prompt. Won First Place.
Through Starry Eyes
By firewolf
September 2008
"Hakumei, you will stay away from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, that prison, and Li Kouyuu!"
That had been the command of his father then, and Hakumei had no choice but to obey if he didn't want to be disowned. However, now that Kouyuu sama was finally released Hakumei was determined to visit him. His father was still unhappy, but it had helped to hear that Yuri Hime had taken Kouyuu sama back to the main Kou mansion and estates. Politically it was seen as the Kou Clan's implicit approval that Kouyuu sama had his father removed from office.
'And Reishin dono *was* rightfully removed.' Hakumei thought vehemently.
If the man hadn't kept slacking off and pushing responsibility to his son and the rest of the department, Kouyuu sama would never have been accused of overstepping his position. It just wasn't fair!
Hakumei knew his father thought he had an unhealthy relationship with Kouyuu sama and was surprised the aqua haired scholar hadn't fallen from grace in his eyes with his arrest. But then the boy knew it wasn't Kouyuu sama who was at fault. The months he spent working under Kouyuu sama in the Department of Civil Affairs rigidly cemented Hakumei's admiration for his hero.
The man was smart, industrious, patient... And he was the only one who cared about lighten the load of the beleaguered officials in the Ministry of Civil Affairs whenever the Secretary decided to slack off. Hakumei knew Kouyuu sama had also spared all the other officials from possible persecution by taking responsibility for not reporting on Reishin dono's slacker-dom earlier fully upon himself.
And at the end of the day, once he awoke from his coma, Kouyuu sama had done the right thing expected of a responsible civil official and acted against his own father! His *adopted* father, a man who was no blood relation and who took him in and raised him. Hakumei could not begin to imagine the agony and fears Kouyuu sama must have faced to do what was right. How could he not continue to admire this man?
Yuri Hime had been surprised when he arrived at the Kou estates with arms loaded with flowers and fruit. Hakumei thought that quite understandable since very few in Court would want to be seen or associated with the ex-Assistant Secretary.
Kouyuu sama already had a visitor though. Ran-Shoga-- ex-Shogan actually, was sitting with his friend when Hakumei was shown to Kouyuu sama's rooms. However, the man graciously relinquished his seat beside Kouyuu sama's bed to him and let them have some private time. Hakumei would be forever grateful to him for that kindness.
"Hakumei?" The boy was quite stricken to see that Kouyuu sama still looked and sounded so frightfully weak from his long imprisonment and recent recovery from his coma.
"Kouyuu sama?"
"You really shouldn't have come. The Courts--"
It was incredible to Hakumei that despite all he went through Kouyuu sama would still think of others first. That he cared far more about Hakumei's future than Hakumei himself.
Hakumei couldn't hold himself back anymore. "Kouyuu sama!" He flung himself onto the man's lap and cried. He didn't care about the rest of the world. He swore that he'd follow Kouyuu sama to the ends of the earth.
*~*
Yuri Hime peeked into her son's room worriedly as the boy sobbed wildly on Kouyuu's lap while he awkwardly patted his hair. "Are you sure that boy is right in the head?"
Shuuei gave her an encouraging smile. "Hakumei's harmless. And really, Kouyuu needs to know there are others who care about him aside from us."
Yuri Hime gave him a sceptical look making Shuuei sigh. "Call it loyalty or obsession, Hakumei is good to Kouyuu. And if it starts going down a dangerous path... Believe me, Yuri Hime, I will take care of it." Shuuei's hand rested on his sword. "And if not me, either Seiran or Ryuuki will take action on Kouyuu's behalf.
"We will not *ever* allow Kouyuu be hurt again."
Kouyuu's mother nodded to Shuuei, accepting his promise. There really was little more she could ask for Kouyuu's sake.
~owari~
Thanks for reading.
Cheers, firewolf
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