Disclaimer: I don't own Saiunkoku Monogatari
Chapter 3
Shoto's point of view
"Wake up, Shoto wake up…" Someone whispered over and over to him while Shoto still tried to sleep.
"Just… 5 more… minutes…." Shoto managed to say before he fell asleep again.
"Shoto wake up…" That someone shook him.
"Okay, okay…" annoyed Shoto said and finally woke up to see his that the one who woke him up was his grandfather.
"Remember yesterday you said you wanted to know who your real father is?" Shouka whispered the question.
"Yes, I remember saying that, so?" he replied.
"So yesterday I didn't have the chance to tell you who he is…but I think that it would be better for both of you too talk… So what do you think, would you like to meet your father?" When Shoto heard Shouka his eyes widened in surprise. 'I thought that he'll tell me who he is, but I never thought that grandpa will let even meet him'
"But isn't my father dangerous?" Shoto asked 'I remember that my mother clearly said that looking like him will bring me lots of trouble'
"Dangerous? Where did you heard that he's a nice guy if you're not his enemy" Shouka replied with a soft giggle "But if we're going you have to hurry up. Once your mother wakes up she won't let you meet him" I just nodded and started getting up from bed "Also put on fanciest clothes you got, okay?" grandpa added.
Ryuuki's point of view
Today he had no need to go to the court so Emperor occupied himself with one of the piles of paper work. He was afraid that if he didn't concentrate on something he'll start reminiscing about Shuurei once more. Reminiscing about her wouldn't be s bad if after that it wouldn't hurt so much that she's not here now.
"Your Majesty can I come in?" Ryuuki heard a familiar voice behind the door.
"Yes, come in Shouka" Ryuuki was glad hearing that voice. That voice was one of his closest friends.
"Could you come to the Royal Archives with me?" Ryuuki was surprised 'Did something happened in the Royal Archives? Or is it something that Shouka can't say here because a lot of people come through here hence even walls are not reliable enough?'
"Of course, but what's the matter?" He asked interested
"….." Shouka didn't answer. It seems walls here are not reliable enough after all
"Let's go, you can answer my questions when we reach archives" Ryuuki said with serious tone
When they reached the archives Ryuuki saw a small child about ten-year old asleep with book in his hands. He looked very familiar like he had seen him somewhere, but he couldn't remember where. Then suddenly it hit him. The boy looked exactly like him.
"Shouka what exactly all this means? Do you mean he's my…" Before Ryuuki could finish Shouka just nodded.
"But how?" It was all Ryuuki could say still in shock
"I think about that you should with Shuurei… I brought him here because he wanted to know who his real father was" Shouka said calmly
"Why didn't you say anything about him earlier?" even though Ryuuki trembled with feeling inside it didn't reflect nether his voice, nor his face. It was one of those things that he learned in ten years.
"Shuurei asked me not to tell you about him… I don't know her reasons even if I asked she would never answer…"
"Uhhh, grandpa where are we? I already forgot where we were going…. You know I'm not a morning person… By the way I already forgot why you even woke me up that early in the morning …. I'm still so sleepy … I knew I shouldn't have stayed up the whole night touring the place…" sleepy boy said after he just woke up. " Grandpa who is that man next to you?"
"You really don't remember do you?" Shouka sighed "I should have known better than saying everything before you fell asleep again. Do you remember what question you asked me yesterday?" the little boy quietly stared at Ryuuki still quite puzzled. Ryuuki waited holding his breath until realization hit the little boy in front of him.
Shoto's point of view
'Question I asked grandpa yesterday… What could it be' Shoto kept questioning himself. Usually he was fast with catching up, but when it came to him still sleepy he knew that it'll time. And then he remembered 'Of course that's the question I asked yesterday' Shoto mentally hit himself 'How could I forget…'
"What's your name?" the man in front of me asked. He had the same eyes as Shoto the same golden eyes and the same blond hair. 'Some father…Does he know what good manners is?'
"My name is Shoto Kou and yours?" He asked showing irritation in his voice and the man seemed to be stunned by Shoto's tone 'Looking at his face it seems I'm the first one to talk to him like that' he thought.
"I am Ryuuki Shi" Shoto was shocked 'Wait Ryuuki Shi? Shi as in imperial family…' Soon Shoto regained his composure 'Doesn't matter…Even if he is the Emperor he still is the cause for mother's sadness'
"I'll leave you two alone, you have to discus a lot of things and I have things I need to do myself" After saying this his grandfather left. Shouto had many questions for Ryuuki, but the question he really wanted to ask was really simple.
"So what did you do that made mother leave you?" Shoto asked without hesitation
"I…. I don't know…." Ryuuki replied as his eyes grew distant just like his mother's when she remembers the past
"I don't believe you" Shoto said as he grew annoyed with the man in front of him. Even in his mind he couldn't think of him as his father. Shoto's father is Seiran it doesn't matter if he's not the real one. To Shoto his father will always be Seiran and the man in front of him just an idiot that hurt his mother.
