"Fine Line"
"The only journey is the one within."- Rainer Maria Rilke
Chapter 15: The Princess's Voyage.
~***~
It was about 7pm now.
My legs were wobbly, just like jelly from all the walking I did today, not to mention the running. I wanted to do nothing more right now than to retreat into my room and collapse onto my bed, and feel the sinfully soft bed on my back, and inhale the wondrous scents of azaleas.
But I wasn't going to be given that, curse whoever is up there!! [1]
There had been an announcement 3 hours ago, which rang throughout the whole compound. Atobe's velveteen and ever egoistic yet charismatic voice had spoke to everyone at the event, seemingly like God speaking into our heads. I guess in this palace, he is God.
He had spoken of the Hime-sama Douchu. And how it was a sole and grand event; and that all other activities will cease. Because all hosts are required to participate, and guests are encouraged to take part.
Squeals had erupted like a volcano around me when the announcement was made. Why are they so excited about one event anyway?
It was to be the last event for the day. The one to wrap up the Prisma Festival Day One. So it must be a huge one.
When the announcement was made, Marui had bid me goodbye to go take care of some stuffs, in preparation for the event. He had of course, left me somewhere which I at least know. If not, even with the map he provided me, I would have been lost…
I met up with Aya and Yura at the reception hall again, and Aya seemed excited as ever about the event. Yura was just serene as usual. Neither excited, neither angry.
"Hime-sama Douchu…." I started. "What kind of event is it?"
Aya shrugged, staring down at the schedule in her hand. "I don't know…it just says here: An event to cherish our wonderful guests."
"Haa….that's helpful." I rubbed the back of my neck.
"We need to wear kimonos for it though." Yura noted, looking at the schedule as well. "Oh yea, congratulations on your win, Kumiko-chan."
"Eh? Oh, thanks!" I smiled a huge grin, and Yura returned it. I was honestly happy to have won something, even if the prize isn't exactly to my liking. And I was even happier people were acknowledging it.
We had 2 hours before the event started, and although I would very much like to sit out of it and go rest, Aya would not let me, and I would also be wasting Marui's kind effort at getting me a kimono off the event runners.
I napped for 30 minutes, as soon as I entered into my room. Aya had gone off to prepare, and Yura was just too sweet to wake me up. Asuka and Rinko weren't as kind however.
They stomped me awake, and locked me into my bathroom, telling me they would not let me out till I showered and got all the chlorine and whatnot out of my hair.
I complied without much resistance, as was usual of me. Not that I could have resisted. Two lions against one rabbit- what are the chances? And I did feel thoroughly sweaty and icky.
"Woah…they have soap bars made out of real lavender flowers…." The materials given to us in our bathroom were just as extravagant as our bedroom. I felt almost guilty using these expensive shower items. Almost.
Because they smelt so nice and were so refreshing to use that I could hardly careless as I soaped lavender shampoo through my hair.
I was given a silk kimono by the event runners. I nearly had a heart attack when he handed it to me. Silk kimono!! The cotton ones were already pricey at times, but silk?!
A kimono's price was usually decided by the deco, how it was made and how well as well as the material.
This one I was putting on was silk. And it was definitely well made.
It was crimson red, with yellow threaded designs, akin to sparks and fumes, on the sleeves and dress. It resembled….fire.
Like a bright glowing fire was burning, against a red and fiery sky.
"Waaah! That looks so good on you, Kumiko-chan!!"
I jumped slightly, and whipped to find Aya at my door. "Cant you knock?!" I moaned, face flushing.
She waved her hand. "Oh you! We're both girls, so it doesn't matter!"
It does matter!! ….to me at least!
I noted Aya was wearing the kimono her mother handed down to her. One I saw her wear a few times, on rare and special occasions.
"Why are you here right now anyway? It's not time yet…" I asked her, sitting down on my bed, careful not to ruin the expensive kimono. I don't think I can handle the charges…
Aya rolled her eyes. "To do your hair of course!! Knowing you, you'd probably leave it as it is or put it in a ponytail!!"
"………" Wow. She really does know me well.
Silently, I sat in on the seat by the dresser, as Aya combed and pulled by hair into whatever work of art she wishes. I don't remember the last time my mother ever did my hair for me.
Aya was always there.
"Aya-chan?"
"Hm?"
I peeked up at her from under my bangs, looking at her through the mirror. "Do you really enjoy going to host clubs?"
She blinked, and then laughed at me. "I sure do! Its' really fun you know, being treated like a princess!"
"But you have Kikumaru-kun."
"Yea…and he treats me like one too. That's why I love him." She stuck her tongue at me.
I frowned at her. "Then why do you go to host clubs?"
Silence suddenly reigned in the room, and her hands ceased moving through my hair. Then she smiled.
"For the heck of it."
She continued combing my hair.
For…the heck of it?
I stared down at my hands on my lap, fiddling around with them. The lavender scent from the shampoo permeated my nose, and I was reminded of clear lavender eyes, whose owner said something really strange to me when I woke up from my fainting spell today. "Aya-chan?"
She stopped combing again. "Yea?"
"Would you like to go to a host club with me, after this festival?" My face was red as I said this, but I didn't feel stupid or silly.
Aya grinned, and then leaned down to hug me tightly. "Love to!" She continued working on my hair.
"Aya-chan?"
She sighed. "I'm never going to finish your hair if you kee-"
"Thank you."
I didn't look up at her. I kept my eyes casted down, continuing to fiddle with my fingers and pushing my indexes together- like a little girl who was in trouble.
Aya didn't say anything for awhile, but her hands continued to lift my hair into a piece of art.
She clipped on a butterfly clip she found in the dresser, the finishing touch.
"You're welcome."
~***~
All around me, the women and girls of all ages were dressed in beautiful kimonos. Some more simple than others, and some more extravagant. But one thing was for sure- it was that they all looked magnificent.
Just like princesses.
I paled in comparison to them. Even Rinko, Yura and Asuka looked like one- as roguish Asuka is.
"You look fine!" Aya rolled her eyes when I fidgeted around, wide eyes bouncing around from one beautiful female to the next.
"R-really?" My voice was but a squeak, having lost all of the small confidence in myself.
Asuka snorted as usual. "If I have to say so myself, you look better than half of these minks put together!"
Several women to our left gave gasps of horror, glaring at Asuka before turning their noses away. Asuka didn't give a damn about them.
"Oi, oi~ Let's not have our guests fight amongst themselves, especially now, when the event to appreciate you all is about to begin~" Niou's ever slinky and sly voice spoke up, and the man himself slid over to us with his ever sensual gait.
"Niou! What's with that get-up?" Asuka crossed her arms, eyeing the silver haired man up and down. He had on a white dress shirt and over it a black vest, and white gloves. Black slack pants covered his long legs and leather shoes protected his soles.
"This, is what you would call a servant's uniform~ puri." He responded, giving a small tug at his collar.
It might have been a 'servant's uniform' but he looked like a prince!
Asuka deadpanned at him. "I can see that. But why are you wearing it?"
"Hime-sama Douchu~" We turned around, to see the guy Aya partnered up with in the Empedocles and Marui along with someone else I've never seen before. "A princess's voyage, so to speak. And a princess, never travels alone. So tonight, we are but mere humble servants to the ladies of the house."
Aya's eyes alighted. "Ah! Yagyuu-san!!"
Yagyuu bowed at Aya, giving her a swift kiss on the knuckles before turning to all of us and introducing himself in the same way.
"So? What's with the group of ladies just now?" The unknown host asked, eyeing the women who Asuka had offended indirectly. They were still shooting venom at her, and whispering amongst themselves, while another young host tried to ease them up.
"Our dear one here was feeling down about herself, and Asuka-chan here, being the rogue, tried to cheer her up but had offended them with her rambunctious words and voice~!" Rinko said in a sing-song voice, feigning heartbreak.
If Asuka had it her way, I think Rinko would be six feet under right now. But Yura had strategically positioned herself in between them.
Marui looked at me and raised an amused eyebrow. "Did she mean you, Kumiko-chan?"
"Err…."
That host I never known came up to me and stared me in the eye, frowning. "Definitely her. Seems like the type to look down on themselves."
He was suddenly whacked over the head, by Jackal who was passing by and carrying a tray of drinks. "Akaya! Watch yourself!" Jackal scolded before going on his merry way of serving the guests.
Kirihara grumbled to himself and rubbed the place where Jackal hit him.
"Forgive him, Ishimaru-hime. Akaya is one of our youngest, and has a bit of a….attitude problem, shall we say?" Yagyuu said, placing a hand on Akaya's shoulders.
"More like a big problem!" Niou snickered. Then he slapped the boy on the back. "Oi, Akaya. Introduce yourself!"
"Tch." Akaya glared up at Niou before turning to me reluctantly, a small tint of pink on him, as he grumpily introduced himself. "Kirihara Akaya…nice to meet you….." He trailed off.
"Ishimaru Kumiko." I bowed.
Kirihara blinked at me. "Uh…nice to meet you, Ishimaru-san…"
He didn't kiss my knuckles or bowed or did any of those things the other hosts usually do upon meeting. And I didn't think he seemed like the type.
We stood there facing each other, looking elsewhere but front. It was awkward.
Yura seemed to notice my discomfort, and came to the rescue as usual. "So, what did you mean Yagyuu-san, by being humble servants tonight?"
He pushed up his glasses and was about to speak but Niou did not allow him to."Why don't us all head out to the courtyard, where the event will begin ~piyo?"
He threw an arm around Yagyuu's shoulder and began leading the calm man out. Although Yagyuu did seem slightly annoyed.
The rest of us followed, and whilst the rest ensued into endless chatter, I still can't help but eye the girls we passed.
Marui blinked, and stopped in his conversation with Aya for awhile. "Hm?"
"What's wrong?" Aya asked him, noting his odd face, and was about to follow his line of sight but he snapped back.
"Ah, nothing~" Pop.
We stepped out of the front doors and an airy gasp left my throat.
"B-breathe, Kumiko-chan!" Aya stammered, patting my back a bit too harshly, as she too was so taken by the outside that she didn't notice.
I didn't even registering the painful hits on my back. My mind was elsewhere, and it did not register the pain- it only saw the beauty of the night in Atobe's Crystal Palace.
All the lights that had been set up, all the little origami that had little bulbs set into them, all the fairy figures delicately holding a small candle in their hands- everything that I suspected would light up at night, and everything I didn't- their beautiful and crystal clear lights illuminated the grounds!
Dreamy silver dusted the lanes, and sparkling gold lit the air. Crimson rose filtered across surfaces and aquatic blue melded with it.
"It's so beautiful…" I couldn't help the gradual fall of my mouth, so I clasped my hands over it.
I had never seen anything so magical before.
The hosts with us, they too stood there, amazed by the sheer beauty of it. They might be used to the amazing and the glorious and were regulars here to this palace, but even they had to admit beauty when they saw it.
All around us, many hosts and guests alike were going about, admiring the place which had suddenly came to life. In the morning it had been a static beauty, one that stayed there eternal for eyes to forever appreciate.
Now at night, all those beautiful statues of lights and decorations had jolted to life together and created a whole new place for us, right in the palace.
If one did not believe in the idea of a place changing overnight, after they saw this, they would believe in it.
The lot of us converged around by the fountain, whose statues seemed almost real when illuminated by the lights, and I almost thought I really was staring at angels.
Atobe was there, surrounded by many girls and women, and I did not how to he did, but he talked to all of them at once.
It wasn't too long later when Atobe took up a mike, and all the women around quickly backed up, knowing he was about to make a speech. Wow, how loyal and intuitive.
"First off, let me start by saying thank you, to all of the ladies who has supported us for so long. And I wish you all to know that this particular event tonight is a tribute to all of you."
When Atobe put it like that, I felt like I shouldn't be here. I wasn't a regular or loyal customer. Heck, I went to two different hosts clubs in less than a week!
I closed my eyes and swallowed down the unidentifiable feeling I was going through. It made me feel slightly sick.
"It's nothing as grand as some of you may expect it to be. We made this simple for one sole reason."
"A grand house, champagne for juice, kobe beef for toast, saffron for sauce, Le Parker Meridien Omelet for lunch, butlers and maids by your hand and foot, a garden of crystals and gold…. Some may think that is the life. That nothing can get better."
"Don't tell me that guy has Le Parker Meridien omelet's for lunch…?!" Asuka whispered harshly to herself.
"But we must not forget the sheer thrill and joy when one wins at a simple goldfish catch, the serenity of a walk through the park, the wondrous homemade cooking of your making or your mother…and also the bliss of having your friends around you as you do all these things."
"…………"
"Surprising, isn't it? Hearing those things coming from him."
I jolted out of my trance, and looked up at Marui beside me. But his eyes were trained on Atobe at the front.
I faced back to the front. "Yea…"
"And as such, I hope you all would enjoy the Hime-sama Douchu, a Club Prism special- where we integrate the simplicity and sophistication of life. And as Leonardo Da Vinci put it: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
Everyone gave a loud round of claps, and it would have probably gone on if Atobe did not raise an arm, and snap his fingers. Everything and everyone went stone silent.
How the heck did he do that?
"And before I forget, a princess, never travels alone. Hosts, please choose your princess for the night."
"Eh?!!" The crowd of females instantly went into shock at the sudden announcement. Some were confused- what did they mean choose your princess?! Some were elated- they were going to get some quality time with their hosts!
I was scared.
My heart suddenly pounded, and I could hear it in my ears. C-choose a princess?
I could already see, some hosts approaching a girl or woman of their choice, and asking them to be their princess. And I gulped. No one would choose me, that's for sure.
And I was right as I watched Yagyuu turn to Aya, and bow. "If Yunami-hime does not mind, I wish for you to be my princess for the night."
Aya giggled into her hands. "I'd love to!"
Niou raised a condescending eyebrow at Asuka, and the girl huffed. "What?"
The silver haired man sighed, and then smirked. "Chiyoko-hime, would you like to be my princess for the night?"
Asuka seemed to reddened (that's a first) and then crossed her arms. "Whatever." And they were off on their own way.
A mop of dark blue hair made its way over to Rinko through the crowds, and I recognized Oshitari Yuushi. "Will Rinko-hime do me the honor of being my princess?"
Needless to say, Rinko squealed and instantly had a hold of him.
Kirihara rubbed his head and shifted on his feet. He took a peek at Yura. "Erm…I don't know you well but…would you…." He couldn't finish it.
Yura smiled and took one of his hands. "I don't mind."
It wasn't only the hosts that were asking; some of the invited guests had brought their friends along- so there were other males around. Those too, were asking their prospective partners to be their princess.
It brought a slight elation to me, to see so many people instantly pairing off easily. I had always admired the amazing beauty of how people clicked together, how they interacted with one another. Which is why I was also amazed at how rival host clubs could work together in close quarters, and how hosts can work with other hosts in peace and be friends, when they are competing for customers.
But…
My heart was still dim. I wasn't a regular. I hardly knew the hosts. And I wasn't beautiful or fun, like Rinko-chan and Aya-chan was. I wasn't brave like Asuka-chan. And I wasn't sweet like Yura-chan.
I looked down to the ground, and my hands clasped in front of me quivered from the force that I was holding them together. As I thought, I should have stayed in my room and slept.
Social gatherings never worked out for me.
I felt hurt from all this of course; but no tears came either because I also expected this.
I was used to this.
I turned to head towards the main doors, and someone suddenly tapped me on my shoulders.
Looking around, I faced the ever dancing eyes of Marui.
"Marui-san? What are you doing here?" I asked, looking at him weirdly.
He rolled his eyes. "I'm a host. I work here."
I frowned, shaking my head. "That's not what I meant. I mean, where's your…erm, princess?" It felt weird saying that.
He smiled at me, and flicked me on the forehead. "She's right here."
My eyes widened and pink dusted my cheeks. "E-eh?" R-right here...?! Didnt that mean....--No, no. Nah. It didnt mean me...Nope!
I felt something warm, and I looked down to see he had taken hold of my hands, holding it in his gentle grasp.
"Kumiko-chan."
I gulped and looked back up at him, the pink on my cheeks turning into a deeper shade of red when I saw how kind and soft his eyes were. Youth danced in their depths, but with that youth, there was also maturity.
"Will you be my princess?"
At any other time, I would have questioned where was the 'tonight' part in his line. At any other time, I would have raised a weird eyebrow at him, and then asked if he was pulling my leg. At any other time, I would have said no, because I didn't like social activities.
But this wasn't any other time.
"Y-yes."
1) lol me XD
Kobe beef- a really, reaaaally expensive beef in Japan. Ordered once…and never ate a bite cause I couldn't hold down beef meat. Sniff. Parents and brother ate it all T_T These cows before they are sent to the butcher are fed the best of the best soybeans, hay etc etc, massaged and brushed regularly, have their own private bedrooms, classicals and Mozart are played to them, are given beer and wine to drink, bathed in shochu…shit. They have a better life than me T^T
Saffron – Price for a kilogram of these things go from US 1100$-11000$.
woah. I just noticed I had 54 reviews altogether for this fic?! D: oh man, I didn't expect to get THAT many throughout the whole fic XD aww thanks all of you who reviewed every time and also took time to review! Help me aim for 100 now, okie?! XD
but woohoo~ I think I made up for the one day( yesterday) which I did not update with the two updates todaty ;D I cant believe myself! Did I accidentally eat crack without realizing it, and is now on some weird fire and typing away at my poor keyboard which is about to break from all the typing?!
Thanks for reviewing last chapter guys! Eheh, I probably didnt leave enough time for other people to review the last chapter....xwX
Juunin- lol I know the Indians do it, making pictures on the floor out of rice, but its really hard haha. They do it often at a certain time of the year in my country, and when their celebration day rolls around, they also put rice drawings on the ground in my school xD haha isnt Kumiko always herself? xwX ...I'm not really too sure what you mean though lol XD; *is a bit high right now*
PhoenixRage92- I know. Its evil =(
elusivemelody- OH noeees!....for you at least. Hope you dont check your mailbox yet...if not you'd be seeing this message which meant you read through this chapter and isnt studying for your exams!! D: Yea, I know a lot which are discontinued, sadly =( And some of my faves got deleted too! Oh my poor, poor favorite Sasori story...snifff. Why did she stop writing?! T_T And you should have hearted Marui a lot from the start ;D I know I did~ evil prince stole my heart XwX But so did Sasori...ohohohoHH!! Really want to write a Sasori and Marui story now! *runs off to type new story*