Chapter 5
Echizen Ryoma's POV
I stepped out of the car. Finally back at the castle. I already miss the town… I want to see more… Many things I've never seen before, it was amazing… I just can't believe this isn't a dream…
"Your highness, it's already in the afternoon. Time for lunch! We shall escort you to the dining room!" Bunta smiled brightly at me. I nodded and went with them as we made our way to the dining room. My good mood turned bad when I saw someone I definitely did not want to see. Yukimura…
"Oh, it's you…" I sighed disappointedly. He put on an obviously fake hurt expression.
"My, my, Ryo-baby… Aren't you even glad to see me?" he said, looking at me with those disgusting puppy eyes he's making. I twitched.
"Hell no…" I said bluntly and went to take my seat and I sat at the other side of the table.
"So…" he began. "I heard you went exploring the town with Bunta and Jackal. Is that right?"
"Yeah, I did. The castle was boring…" I replied and then took a bite of my lunch. It was western food. I didn't like it much. Of course, I hate western food but right now I'm really hungry.
"I see you frowning again, Ryo-baby…" he said amusedly. I twitched at hearing the nickname he gave me.
"Sho wad..?" I said with a frown and my mouth full. He chuckled.
"Not a fan of western food, eh?" he asked with a smile. I gulped down the food.
"Yeah, so..?" I raised a brow at him.
"You could've said so. So what food do you like?" he asked with utmost interest.
"Japanese..." I replied shortly and took another bite of my food.
"Sou ka… So how was it outside the castle? Was it fun?" he asked me curiously.
"Id washn't dat vad…" I plainly replied with food in my mouth.
"You know… You really shouldn't talk with your mouth full, Ryo-baby…" he said in a worried tone.
"And why should you care?" I spat after swallowing the food.
"You might choke on your food, Ryo-baby… I'm just worried about my fiancée is all." he smiled at me sweetly.
"Don't try to sweet talk me!" I hissed at him. He chuckled heartily.
"Trying to play hard-to-get are we?" he smirked. I snorted.
"Yeah, right…" I said with sarcasm and continued on eating my food.
"You know… I was really jealous that you hanged out with Bunta and Jackal instead of me…" he spoke in a sad tone, pouting.
"Che… You'll probably send me to clothing stores and force me to wear different kinds of outfits…" I muttered under my breath. I looked at him and saw his eyes lit up.
"That's a great idea!" he said happily with a bright smile. "I'll make you try on cute outfits and take pictures of you!"
I really shouldn't have said that…
"For your information, I am not going shopping with you, prince. And never will." I scoffed.
"Oh, but Ryo-baby, you will go shopping with me. When I want something-"
"You always get what you want. Yeah, I know…" I finished his sentence for him. I then remembered about the new discovery I have discovered a while ago.
"Why don't you go out with Mr. Stiff instead?" I suggested, hoping he'd at least accept and not figure out my intentions. He looked at me confused.
"Mr…. Stiff?" he asked me slowly. I nodded.
"Yeah, Sanada…" I answered him. He laughed at the nickname I made for Sanada.
"Oh, Ryo-baby… I would, but I want to go shopping with you." he said, smiling.
"But isn't Sanada your best friend..? You really should hang out with him more." I insisted, trying to act natural.
"Hmmm… Yeah, you're right…" he spoke slowly with a thoughtful look. I silently prayed that he'd consider.
"But I want to get to know my fiancée more!" he chirped. I mentally sighed.
Why is this guy so hard to convince?
"You do that and your best friend might feel left out…" I said to him in a serious tone. He thought for a moment.
"Then… Should we all go shopping together?" he suggested.
"Together? With Sanada..?" I asked eagerly. He nodded vigorously. I smiled.
"Sure…" I replied, trying not to show how happy I was hearing his answer and continued eating my food.
"Great! How about on Saturday then?" he asked cheerfully. I thought for a second.
Saturday… That's in two days…
I gulped down my food and smiled slightly.
"That sounds good…" I replied, still smiling.
Once we get to town, I'll leave those two alone for some time together… They'll forget about me and have fun together and then romance will bloom between the two… Then when they fall deeply for each other, they'll end up getting married and I'll end up getting back home…
I just couldn't stop smiling. It was the perfect plan. It just has to work and it will… I will turn those two into the married couple they were meant to be.
This will go good…
Yukimura Seiichi's POV
After a while, I finished eating my lunch and so did my cute Ryo-baby. He stood up and took a drink of his water. I also stood up but before I could leave, I couldn't help but notice that he was quite in a good mood today so I had to ask why.
"Quite cheerful now are we, Ryo-baby?" I remarked. I watched amusedly as he almost choked on his water.
"Are you really that excited to go shopping?" I asked in a curious tone. He put his cup down on the table and wiped his lips with his hand and smirked.
"Of course… I'm going shopping with my fiancé, aren't I?" he said and the moment he said that I felt like bursting with happiness. He was actually happy to go shopping with me and he actually acknowledged me as his fiancé!
Could it be? No, Yukimura… It's too soon to expect you've already got him. But I just can't believe that he actually acknowledged me as his fiancé! I felt so happy just hearing him say so!
I just couldn't resist but put on a wide smile. I couldn't believe my ears.
"You're really that happy?" I asked in a tone of disbelief. I wanted to make sure I heard him right. I desperately waited for his answer. I saw his lips slightly curled into a smile and he nodded. I couldn't resist a smile. I knew I had a huge smile on my face. I probably looked like an idiot but I didn't care.
My insides filled with joy, I grabbed onto Ryoma's arm. He looked at me weird. I pulled him into me and gave him a kiss on the lips and then pulled back with a smile still on my face. I saw him standing still with his eyes as wide as saucers. I saw some servants had shocked looks on their faces and some had blush on theirs. I chuckled.
"That's our first kiss, ne, Ryo-baby?" I said happily and went to the door of the dining room to take my leave. As I was leaving, I heard a loud shout that came from the dining room.
"YOU BASTAAAAAAAARD….!"
Your reaction is quite delayed, Ryo-baby…
I thought and chuckled to myself.
Ah… Such a good day…
Echizen Ryoma's POV
"That bastard..! I hate him! I hate him! I HATE HIM!"
"Oh, your highness… It wasn't that bad..! You and prince Yukimura finally had your first kiss!" Bunta said nonchalantly.
"But I never wanted one!" I growled, squeezing a pillow tightly around my arms.
"You had your first kiss with the prince! Everyone would want one from him!" Bunta chuckled. I could tell he was happy with the progress…
"He wasn't my first kiss…" I muttered. Bunta's eyes widened.
"EH..?!" Bunta exclaimed." T-Then who..?!"
"My first kiss was with my childhood best friend in America…" I sighed and buried my face on the pillow.
"I see… What's his name..?" he asked me with curiosity in his tone. I raised my head and opened my mouth to speak.
"Well…" I began and remembered that memory when I had my first kiss.
"Ne, Ryoma… Don't you think they're such a nice couple?" my best friend said to me while he was pushing me on the swing.
"Dunno…" I shrugged while holding on to the swing.
"Wouldn't it be nice to have someone you love?" he asked me. I didn't know where he was going to.
"Probably... Why are you even asking me, senpai?" I looked back at him with a frown. His questions were too hard for me. He chuckled softly.
"Iya… It's just… I have someone in mind…" he replied mysteriously with a smile.
"A girl..?" I asked with a smirk on my face.
"Saa… Just someone…" he replied even more mysteriously.
"Come on…" I pouted. "Why don't you tell me?"
"You really wanna know?" he asked with a big smile on his face. I nodded.
"So who is it?" I asked curiously.
"Well… That someone is a boy…" he said slowly. I nodded and listened to him with whole attention.
"He's younger than me… He's really cute… He's quite blunt, arrogant, and rude, but he's such a sweet boy…" he said in a quite dreamy voice.
"I wonder who…" I muttered with a thoughtful look on my face. My best friend just chuckled.
"He's quite slow too…" he added. I thought of many people who'd fit with the personality he gave. None I knew fit the descriptions.
"Dunno any guy like that…" I muttered to him.
"Want me to give you a hint? That is… if really want to know." he said with his smile still plastered on his face. I always wondered if it was permanent.
"Yeah, shoot." I said, still swinging on the swing.
"He's my best friend…" he said and I stopped swinging. He held on to it from behind me. I turned my head to his direction and I suddenly felt something on my lips. Lips… My best friend's lips... I froze for quite a while until he finally backed away.
"You…" My eyes widened. I felt a blush creep on my cheeks. I couldn't say anything. I was too shocked to form any words. I felt like there was a force preventing me to speak.
My best friend kissed me…
"Ryoma… I like you…" I felt my face go warmer. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"S-Senpai…"
"Syusuke, Ryoma… Syusuke…"
I blushed and squeezed the pillow tighter. I felt so irritated with myself for acting like a shoujo manga girl…
"That's so cute!" Bunta suddenly said admiringly. I looked at him as if he grew another head.
"So? What did you say?" Bunta asked me. He was so close to me. I didn't realize he was. Just a while ago he was just standing there and now he's sitting on the bed. He looked really desperate to know what happened.
"I told him I'd think about it…" I replied and he looked crestfallen.
"But why..?! So did you get to answer him?!" he asked out loud which made me winced.
"I didn't… He had to move back to Japan…" I said, trying not to sound sad. Then I saw Bunta crying with snot coming out of his nose.
"What the- WHY THE HECK ARE YOU CRYING..?!" I shouted. He continued crying.
"So sad…." He whimpered. I looked at him as if he was an idiot which he really was…
"So…" he said after he stopped crying. "Did you get to meet him again?"
"No, not really…" I answered and he looked disappointed and cried again.
"Such tragedy…" he whimpered and blew his nose with a handkerchief.
"It's fine anyway…" I sighed heavily.
Why am I even dealing with this idiot?
"But..." he started. I looked at him and paid full attention. "Yukimura wouldn't leave you because he loves you!"
I snorted at his statement. All I knew that the prince is a pedophile…
"Yeah, right…" I said sarcastically. "He just likes little kids…"
"What? No..!" Bunta exclaimed with a frown. "Yukimura seriously loves you!"
"Oh, please… Don't even try that with me…" I gave a heavy sigh. "I don't understand why you guys are so desperate on trying to make me fall for the prince…"
"That's because we want you as our princess and only you!" Bunta replied to me happily.
"Why's that..? Can't you pick another person to be your princess..?" I groaned. He shook his head.
"We all want you to be our princess!" he said cheerfully with a big grin.
"Why me..?" I asked with a deep frown. His grin got wider.
"Well, you see, we have never seen the prince so happy. The prince had always been so serious and never actually smiles truly… But when you came here, the prince showed true happiness and we're glad that you came here!" he stated gleefully.
"So you guys really want me here...?" I asked with a slight smile.
"Of course, your highness!" he answered me with deep sincerity.
The place is more awesome than my own… And it is much more fun… And Yukimura does seem like a nice guy even though he's pedophilic, sadistic, idiotic, absurd, wishy-washy, and a complete and total bastard…
"Hn… I'll think about marrying the prince then…" I replied with a thoughtful look on my face. His eyes lit up and he looked so much like a dog that got a treat from his master.
"Oh, thank you, YOUR HIGHNESS!" he glomped me. He hugged me so hard I was choking.
"H-Hey… Stop that…" I choked. He quickly let go of me and bowed.
"I apologize for my behavior, your highness!" he apologized quickly.
"No, it's fine… And call me Echizen…" I replied to him. He looked at me with a shocked expression.
"B-But your highness, I couldn't!" he stuttered. I shook my head.
"That is an order, Bunta…" I said and crossed my arms.
"H-HAI..!" he answered compliantly and bowed.
"Stop with the formalities…" I frowned. He looked unsure.
"But I'm a servant and you're royalty…" he said in a shaky voice.
"I'm not and who cares? You can call me anything you want, you know… So don't be so formal… I don't like it…" I said awkwardly. He just nodded.
"I will then, Echizen!" he smiled and gave me a thumbs up. I just smirked.
"Much better…" I said with a satisfied look on my face.
"Ah! And Echizen…" he said out of the blue.
"Yeah..?" I raised a brow.
"Can you tell me more about you and that Syusuke guy?" he asked pleadingly. I twitched.
"You wanna know more that badly?!" I said with an incredulous look on my face. He nodded and his eyes shined. He waited for me to say something.
"Fine…" I sighed and began telling him about my best friend. He fully paid attention. He laughed and cried. He really enjoyed listening to me talking about Syusuke… Weird…
Time passed by and it reached night… A knock was heard from the door.
"Come in…" I answered and the door opened. It was the seaweed guy.
"Oh! Akaya! You're here!" Bunta said. Seaweed or should I say Akaya just frowned.
"Marui-senpai… You were supposed to be at work, not chatting…" he complied. Bunta flinched.
"E-Eh?! I forgot!" Bunta exclaimed. "I'm so sorry!"
"You should be… And his majesty is waiting for his fiancée…" Akaya stated and looked at me. I got out of bed and wore shoes.
"I'll be going now, Echizen! Talk to you again soon! And Akaya, take care of Echizen, okay?" Bunta said happily and left. Akaya frowned.
"Come with me… I'll take you to the dining room." he said to me and turned his back and started walking. I followed behind him. We silently walked together but then he broke the silence.
"You know…" he began. "You really shouldn't be making friends with servants."
"And why not..?" I asked in a demanding way and frowned. He blinked.
"You're the prince's fiancée… You're going to ruin his reputation if you keep that up." he said quite rudely.
"I'm just the fiancée. I can be replaced too, you know." I scoffed at his statement.
"Well, just because you're his fiancée doesn't mean I'll give respect to you." he snarled. I glared at him.
"Quite a brat you are, aren't you?" I said in an icy tone.
"So are you…" he smirked at me. I smirked back at him evilly.
"Wait till the prince hears about this…" I muttered. He glared at me.
"Don't you dare." he growled, looking like a dog.
"Whatever you say…" I smirked one last time.
"Che!" he sputtered and didn't say anything after.
When we got to the dining room, I saw Yukimura already sitting on a chair. He noticed my presence and he immediately had a big smile on his face. I sat on the other side of the table as usual. And as usual, the food was already prepared and ready to eat. This time we're having Japanese. Yukimura kept looking at me admiringly.
"What are you looking at?" I glared daggers at him. He smiled angelically at me.
"Oh, nothing… I'm just happy to see my fiancée." he said in a gentle sing-song voice.
He does seem really happy to see me…
"Hey… I've got a question…" I began. He nodded and gestured for me to go on and so I did.
"Do you… Love me?" I bluntly asked him, earning weird looks from the servants. Yukimura had a shocked look on his face. I don't see why my question is such a shock to him. Okay, embarrassing. I blushed slightly. Then I saw Yukimura's face slowly showed a smile. A sweet smile and his eyes showed love and sincerity in them.
"Of course I do…" he replied lovingly. And with that, I knew he was serious about me. I felt my whole face went hot. A gentle and soft laugh escaped from his lips.
"But…" I spoke. "You don't know me and I don't know you. Why is it that you chose me when I'm a complete nobody to you?"
"Oh, but Ryo-baby, we have met before in the past. I was surprised when I found out it was you. Echizen Ryoma… I've longed to meet you and now you're here with me…" he said as if his dreams had finally come true.
"What..?! We have?!" I exclaimed incredulously. He nodded with a sad smile.
"Yes, you don't really remember… But we have… I can't expect you even remembered our promise now, can I?" he sighed deeply and then smiled slightly at me.
"I'm sorry, I don't…" I apologized. I could see it in his eyes he was really disappointed but he just shook his head and kept a smile on his face.
"You don't have to smile if you're not really happy…" I muttered in a low voice but enough for him to hear. He tilted his head in confusion.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Ryo-baby…" he narrowed his eyes slightly and showed me a look that he couldn't understand but I knew it was a lie.
"Don't lie. I know you're disappointed that I couldn't remember but I'm right here now, aren't I?" I said to make him at least cheer up a bit.
"Seen right through me, eh?" he mused. I smirked at him.
"Of course…" I replied in a cocky tone. Yukimura chuckled.
"You always have… Ever since we were little…" he said fondly. I tried to remember memories of him and me but I couldn't. Nothing came to me.
"Don't try to strain yourself, Ryo-baby… You don't have to try to remember if you can't really remember…" he spoke in a worried tone. I just nodded and ate dinner but I still couldn't try keeping my mind off of what he said about us meeting when we were young…
Yukimura, you're quite a mystery, aren't you..?
END OF CHAPTER 5
TheBitterMoon: Finally done with this chapter… Next chapter will be released when I want to (like I always say…)… Just be patient..! ^_^ Fuji Syusuke and the others will appear in later chapters… If I've made mistakes like incomplete or repeated sentences, I apologize for that. I can be forgetful at times when editing… I'm an amateur but hey! Nobody's perfect.