Same mistake
The Snow PrinceThe glaring sun shone through the window and stings the girl's eyes. She sat up and was drawn by the peacefulness of the guy deep in his sleep beside her bed.
he looks so peaceful~if only he could stay like this.
The more Umika looked at Ryosuke, the more she finds herself captivated by the heart-throb.
if he was a normal being, I am sure all the girls will be drawn to him.
She wanted to reach out to his flawless face and pinkish lips but she drew back immediately after she warned herself of his sharp alertness that could potentially get her killed. An art student, aspiring artist, will not stop at such beauty. She took up her sketchbook and pencil and started doing a sketch of Ryosuke.
After a few minutes of shading, she applied the finishing touches. The sketch is just as dazzling as the model. She smiled with satisfaction at her masterpiece, until she realised this piece of art should be named.
The Snow Prince - was what she wrote on the work in cursive.
Noticing at time, she closed her sketchbook and placed it casually on her desk before running downstairs to join her grandma in the kitchen.
*********
Shortly after, Ryosuke woke up. He looked around in full alert after realizing that he has totally let his guard down for the night. He only heaved a sigh of relief when he noticed that everything seemed peaceful.
I haven't slept so well for a very long time...
he secretly smiled to himself before leaving the room. He washed up himself and approached the kitchen, only to feel a fluffy feeling in his heart as he witnessed the heartwarming scene of a grandma-granddaughter before him.
"Grandma, help me with this, it's too difficult to cut"
"you're really weak. how are you gonna be a housewife next time"
"grandma~ there's so farfetch. besides, I can always find one who can cook"
Ryosuke watched as they bickered and unconsciously giggled at them once or twice. He was surprised how light-hearted and comfortable he feel around them. He clutched his heart and asked himself the question why is it he's so affected by their kinship.
maybe because he never enjoyed one.
"can Ryosuke cook?"
Umika stared blankly at her grandma as she has almost forgotten he is her 'boyfriend'
"sure I can~ if I've the opportunity, I'll cook for you lovely ladies" he finally revealed himself behind the kitchen door and it gave Umika a shock.
before she could react to the sudden entrance of Ryosuke, the door bell rang, saving her from the awkward situation.
"I'll go get it" Umika dashed towards the front door and opened, only to be pulled into the warm and affectionate embrace of ...
"Hikaru~"
"Umika! I'm worried sick about you. where the hell have you been?"
"I~I..." Umika was at a lost as to how she should respond him. for once, she hoped Ryosuke has casted the same spell on him, just like he did to her grandma.
While she brainstormed for a legit reply, she realised Hikaru distracted over something behind her. She turned around and noticed Ryosuke staring right at Hikaru. for some reason, she was so immersed in the role play that she found the urge to explain to her 'boyfriend' about the intimacy in case he gets angry over it. Her nervousness and fear triumph over every other thing when both guys introduced themselves.
"I'm Hikaru. Nice to meet you~ I've never seen you before" Hikaru stretched out his hand for a handshake with Ryosuke.
Umika noticed a smirk on Ryosuke's face and was reminded of the danger he posed. She quickly pushed away Hikaru's hand before Ryosuke reciprocated to his handshake.
"He's Ryosuke..." she quickly introduced to cover up her ridiculous behaviour.
"... I'm her boyfriend" Ryosuke threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close to him, causing her to flush red hot.
It was almost like Ryosuke did it to spite his 'love rival', Umika thought as she looked into his eyes, but she knew this could never be the case.
"i-is that true, Umika? you have a b-boyfriend?" he stammered as he was traumatized by the sudden news that his love of her life is taken.
She nodded helplessly as there's nothing she could do to deny or retaliate. Her future is only death, and there's nothing she could give him from this point on. besides that, when she looked into Hikaru's eyes, all she saw was the hateful, vengeful Suzuka who has secretly loved Hikaru all this while... She felt that Hikaru's love for her only meant betrayal towards her best friend.
"Hikaru~ I'm sorry"
"you know I've loved you forever! how could you hurt me like that. I'm not gonna give up!"
"Hikaru, I don't deserve your love. we are best friends like always! the one who likes you is Suzuka! she's a great girl"
"I don't know who you are talking about but I don't need you to push me to others!" Hikaru dashed out of the house and Umika ran after, but she was too slow. She watched as Hikaru disappeared before her.
"I'm sorry~ Hikaru, I~" she clutched her heart as if experiencing a heart attack. She felt as if millions of arrows shooting into her heart. it is only now she realised that she has been taking Hikaru for granted and that in fact, she also habors feelings for him.
"I wonder how saint can one be... you could even give up your love for your friend~"Ryosuke approached from behind and teased. Umika quickly wiped her tears and returned to the house, with Ryosuke trailing behind her.
"Umika, where's Hikaru? I thought I heard his voice?" grandma asked.
"he forgot that he has something on so he rushed back~" Umika replied with her slightly nasal voice after crying.
"as always, this silly boy. anyway, Ryosuke, Umika prepared a strawberry shortcake for you. she said you loved strawberries" grandma dished out a small piece of cake topped with a strawberry in front of Ryosuke.
"strawberries?" he uttered to himself and looked at Umika in surprise that she baked it for her.
she avoided his stare as she blushed.
"er~I saw you planting alot of strawberries in your place, so I thought maybe you'll like this"
He moved his head close beside hers, causing her heart to skip a beat.
maybe he thinks I'm a nuisance so he wanted to kill me earlier?
she thought about the current proximity and feared for her life, but instead all was unnecessary.
"thank you~" he whispered in her ears before munching the slice of cake laid on the table.
"it's good!" he couldn't stop his mouth and within a split second, he has gobbled up the cake. Umika smiled as he emitted an aura of happiness from the satisfied smile hung on his face.
he looks so much more at ease outside the cruel forest...
in fact, the days in her house, she is starting to doubt his true self~ he actually doesn't feel as evil and heartless as he appears. his smile seems very genuine and sincere, but it also seems like he hasn't been smiling for a while.
however this feeling of happiness is shortlived. just when Umika let go of her concerns, the fear comes knocking at her door again. this time, in much higher intensity.
*********
Ryosuke stood at the balcony and looked in the direction of the forest. he shut his eyes and tried to sense the mood back home. everything seemed too quiet. since he left the forest, he has been suppressing his worry for Yuri and Daiki, especially the former who seemed to be making the mistake he has made 5 years ago.
he tightened his jaw and gave a frown as he knew it's time to return to his life. one thing he didnt realise is that this place and the people here grown on him, and what he least expected that his carelessness in controlling his emotions have led to a new problem he has to tackle before history repeats itself.
his fist clenched and jaw tightened as uneasiness overwhelmed him when he saw the drawing in her sketchbook.
the snow prince?
there should only be one Mirai~
*********
"grandma! grandma! there's a call for you~" Umika grew fearful when she hear no response from her grandma.
She hung the phone and cautiously looked around the house for her. her heart thumps like a bullet train as thoughts of a possible mishap ran wild in her mind. has she been too comfortable with the kind Ryosuke that she has forgotten the warnings he gave since day 1.
she approached her grandma's room and to her horror, she saw Ryosuke pressing his palm on her grandma's forehead. tears welled up in her eyes as she saw her grandma's eyes dilating, body shivering. she cupped to prevent herself from gasping as she watched her grandma being consumed little by little by her 'boyfriend'
"grandma~ GRANDMA!!!" she burst into the room when her grandma collapsed on the bed. She shook her grandma but there was no response from her, but she's still breathing.
"what did you do to her?!!!! she's so nice to you, why did you kill her????" she sternly looked at Ryosuke who appears calm and compose.
"I never asked any of you to be nice to me, did I?~have you forgotten, your grandma's plight is due to you. if you never let me in, she wouldn't have to suffer."
"y-you!" she grabbed his collar in a fit of anger.
"Ahhhh it hurts!!!" he pulled her hair backwards and forced her to look at her grandma.
"Look at the frail old lady... that's what I do~ so don't ever forget that, or you'll regret. this is the consequence for being too nice to someone. you obviously haven't learn from your friend's betrayal."
Tears dropped onto her grandma as she saw how cold her grandma looked. the uncomfortable position he subjected her hurts her so bad, she can barely move an inch, until he released her from his grip.
"lets go back~" he walked in front while Umika stared at him in hatred.
"I had to set things right. Sorry grandma~" he uttered to himself.
Umika trailed helplessly behind him until they returned to the ice cold forest, the place where there's no warmth, no love, no friendship. it's everyone for themselves. She wiped away her tears and crouched in a corner of the fortress as she prepare herself all over again for her impending death.
Ryosuke looked at her from a distant and felt an unexplainable feeling of sympathy that is remotely familiar to him.
but something else bothered him. Yuri and Daiki didn't report to him~ they should have noticed his return but there's no sign of them. the forest feels unusually quiet , even more than what he sensed from Umika's house. a strong sense of uneasiness ran through his veins as the uncertainty grew. Usually everything is within his control, but this time, he felt exceptionally unsure of what is happening.
he stayed in the fortress and watched over Umika as he feared something will happen if he leaves her alone.
have I mistaken her for Mirai again? why is it I'm worried for her safety. Wake up, Ryosuke, her life is not yours to save!
the night overshadowed them and the darkness tensed her, and even the snow prince.
and the uneasiness finally unveil itself when Yuri brought a message from the Queen.
"Yuri!" Ryosuke ran up to his best friend--minion who is panting as if he sprinted here.
Yuri threw a glance at Umika and his sorry expression is spread over his face.
"what's wrong?"
"the Queen wants to see you...." Yuri paused as he replied Ryosuke and he knew that it's not so simple.
"and her." Umika trembled in fear as she heard Yuri uttered those words. both guys looked at her, and she saw for the first time the uncertainty in Ryosuke's eyes.
"she ~ she has been watching your every move and she isn't please."
that didnt come as a surprise as he knew the Queen has been surveilling him as long as he can remember. her careless revelation of his true self to Umika has definitely endangered her life, just like Mirai's. Guilt surfaced on his mind...that same fear is haunting him once again~
"Let's go~" he took the lead, but Yuri continued staring at the shaken Umika.
"there's nothing we can do but face it together" Ryosuke looked at her helpless face.
"together?" the last word echoed in Umika and left a vivid impression on her.
He's right, there's no other way. I'm gonna die anyway so it's gonna make no difference now or later. I hope he's the one who kill me since he promised a painless death... that's the only prayers I could make now.
"I'm sorry~" I turned to look at Yuri who lowered his head and avoiding my eyes. why is he apologizing to me? I feared even more for what is in for me~
*********
Not only Umika, Ryosuke as well, felt their limbs turn weak at the horror that was brought in front of them. Umika finally understood why Yuri was apologizing ... Umika trembled in extreme fear as she saw her loved ones tied up on a cross. Daiki held his shoulders to warn him of their predicament.
"Grandma!!!!! Hikaru!!!!" she dashed towards the crosses but Ryosuke pulled her back.
"Let go of me~! please~" her cries break his heart. he was literally the cause of their plight. He knew exactly the reason for their unfortunate fate. Hikaru made contact with him; Her grandma also made contact with him and cared for him. it's him who has caused the anger build up in the Queen, furthermore, he understood that this is her way of punishing Umika for showing affection to him, she wants to remind Umika about the evil in my blood.
"My dear Ryosuke~ they are very nice people, aren't they?" the Queen said with an intimidating tone that sends chills down his spine. She ran her fingers on Hikaru's body sending shock waves into him. His screams strikes the bottom of Umika's heart~
"I am really angry.... you know when I'm angry, I can do very nasty things..."
Ryosuke didn't know what to say cause he knew whatever he says will not atone for his mistake, neither will it save them from the dangerous situation.
"you're my son. of course I'll forgive you." the queen wrapped Ryosuke from the back with her arms seductively and whispered in his ears " I give you one more chance to end their lives in front of me."
though it's a whisper, Yuri Daiki and Umika heard it... the victims too heard the death message in this deafening silence.
"noo~ no please no" Umika cried but her cries was silenced when a huge invisible force pinned her to the ground.
Ryosuke looked at her to ensure she's not hurt, and thankfully she's physically unharmed.
Ryosuke has no other choice but to obey. He walked towards the 2 kind souls with Yuri and Daiki watching helplessly.
He reached out his pocket secretly and was going to stuff something into her grandma's hands when he was interrupted by the frail old lady.
"s~save Hikaru. I'm old already, I'll die soon anyway" Ryosuke was touched by her selflessness and heeded her suggestions since her instructions seemed rational.
"I'm sorry~" Ryosuke started extracting her essence while Umika was forced to watch her grandma die by the second. She helplessly watched the guy she almost fell in love with kill her only kin in the world. Her heartbreaking cries spread across the forest and it reminded Ryosuke of the young Umika witnessing the brutal killing of her parents.
"t~take c~are of U~mika" her grandma's last breathe was spent on this 4 words that Ryosuke hopes to turn a deaf ear. there's no way he can promise her that, in fact he is gonna be the one killing her.
"one more to go~" the queen let out a sadistic laugh as Umika's grandma turned to ice while Hikaru was struggling to escape from the .
"I KNEW YOU ARE TROUBLE! I'm gonna kill you !" Hikaru shouted at Ryosuke's face. Ryosuke seized the perfect opportunity to stuff his very own oracle into Hikaru's mouth, giving the latter a shock. Before Hikaru can react, Ryosuke kick start the extraction process once again, turning Hikaru weaker and frailer until he turned into ice.
"Hikaruuu!!!!! nooooo! it's all my fault!!!! Ryosuke, you're right, if I haven't been nice to you, then they wouldn't have died! it's all my fault!!!" Ryosuke's heart cringed as he heard her every word... if he hasn't been nice to Mirai, she wouldn't have died too. History is repeating itself again because of him.
"Yuri, Daiki, carry them away." he instructed his best friends to handle the 2 ice statutes. and there's a reason why he rushed to dispose of them... every second delayed, they run the risk of having Ryosuke's lie exposed and the consequence will be dire. Ryosuke hoped Yuri and Daiki read his mind and knew exactly what to do.
When he thought everything is over, the Queen made another nerve-wrecking request.
"you said this girl is special isn't it... I wanna see for myself how special she is to get you to treat her unlike other captives... I'll keep her here for tonight"
Ryosuke was dumbfounded, he saw the intense fear in her eyes, but regardless of how reluctant he is, regardless of how much he wants to save her, he's no match to the Queen. There's no way he jeopardize the lives of everyone, including Yuri and Daiki to go against his mum to save her.
He turned a blind eye and acceded to her request. Umika grew so fearful that her limbs gave way and she knelt on the snow in desperation. Ryosuke hardened his heart and retreated from the Queen's fortress, leaving the poor girl alone in his mum's clutches.
Ryosuke touched his face and noticed a drop of tear rolling down from his eyes. his heart aches like a million arrows piercing through his heart.
Who are you to me, Umika Kawashima?
*********
"Ryosuke~ we are really sorry! she forced us to capture them" Yuri and Daiki begged with apologetic eyes.
"I understand. That guy, Hikaru, how's he?"
"luckily we carried them out immediately, he unfroze right after. I brought him to the secret garden~" Daiki replied but with slight frustration.
"Ryosuke, why did you save him with your oracle. that's not you at all!" Yuri worriedly grab Ryosuke by his sleeves and shook profusely.
"I asked you before, and I ask you again... Did you habour the same feelings for the girl like u did for Mirai?~ Your behaviour these days clearly did not resonate with your reply"
"w-what?" It was the first time Yuri was alerted of Ryosuke's change of heart.
"you warned me, and you made the mistake yourself instead?!" Yuri added.
"No! I did not! not ever she's gonna replace Mirai!" it's a lie, cause he's not even sure of his true feelings anymore. as Daiki noted, he's going all out to save her. but he chose to suppress these thoughts and stick to the status quo.
"her grandma and Hikaru, the both of them didnt get a choice when they encounter me, neither did they step into the forest on their own accord. if I have to use a word to describe, they're innocent... and... she did care for me when I was sick. I have to return that favour... she asked to save Hikaru, and that's what I'll do" Ryosuke cited the excuse and psyched himself that this is the truth...one other fact he didnt reveal to his friends is the other request made by her grandma..."take care of Umika" that line continues to torment him as he searched his conscience for answers.
"Where are you going?" He stepped away from his friends.
"secret garden~"
"we'll go with you."
"no. I want to be alone!" Yuri and Daiki watched as their lonely master disappeared deeper into the forest.
Ryosuke entered the secret garden. it's the only safe place to hide Hikaru since it's literally the only place that the Queen cannot enter. it's his self-constructed forest out of unconditional love and yearning for the one girl he let into his heart, and hence the garden only allowed those which resonated with it to enter. Hikaru's selfless love for Umika is the key to unlock the garden. Similarly for Yuri and Daiki whose unconditional brotherly love for Ryosuke gave unlimited assess to the land. The Queen's love for Ryosuke however is derived from her desire to possess him and is nothing genuine or sincere.
Hikaru is laid on a bed of leaves, unconscious and cold. His heart is frozen and there's no possibility of him waking up soon. he's almost a vegetable. if not for the oracle made of Ryosuke's blood and tears that's protecting his soul, he would have already died.
Ryosuke carried him and lay him right in front of Mirai's tree. A glowing circle forms around the tree, enclosing Hikaru within it, as if the tree is guarding over his body.
"thank you, Mirai~ and sorry... it's all my fault another innocent life is lost. and his life is in danger... I don't even know what's gonna happen to Umika. I feel so useless! Mirai, tell me what to do?" he knelt down and cried to an extent that the onlookers Yuri and Daiki felt his heartache. It has been long since they see him cry to such extent.
at the other side, the Queen is subjecting Umika to such extreme torture that's extracts every bit of happy memories in her, leaving only the darkest, most depressing part of her. Her scream of pain and lost can be heard throughout the forest and it penetrates deep into one's heart, transmitting a chilling effect across the darkness.
Ryosuke, of course, have realised by now the kind of torture she's receiving from his mum, something no human can endure, except the kind-hearted Umika. He knew by now that he cannot sit by and do nothing. By nightfall, he has a plan formed up in his mind. He waited for his opportunity when his mum is out hunting, and sneaked in...
She crouched in a corner, with her knees tugged close to her body, shaking in fear. The torment has withdrawn every bit of happiness that she lived on, slipping into a pit of darkness that looms over her. Flashes of the horrific brutality she witnessed as a child recurred in her brain, torturing her every body cell, sending chills down her spine. Ryosuke approached her cautiously and in his most gentle tone, called her name "Umika~"
Her head remained low, buring her face in between her knees. She hysterically screamed like as though she's haunted by a ghost of some sort.
"AHHHHHHHHHH..... GOOOOO AWAYYYYYY!!! I'M SORRY....PLEASE GO AWAY!"
"Umika~ it's just me... Ryosuke..." Ryosuke squat down beside her and comforted her with a soft pat, but she's screamed and cried even louder and harder than ever.
His heart cringes at her traumatised state.
Whatever did the Queen do to leave her in such undescribable condition? He clenched his fist.
Out of rage, out of mind, whatever the reason may be, he forcefully pulled the pathetic girl into his arms and wrapped her tightly, giving her any warmth and comfort he could in his capacity. Her cries were deafening, not in the literal sense but more painful to the heart and mind than to his ears. Regardless of how violent she struggled, he maintained a firm grip of her, keeping her cozily in his embrace as if she is about to be taken away. She never stopped her sobbing, never stopped her fidgeting...
"Listen! I SAID LISTEN" he revealed his most precious oracle of all, the one held by his love, and held it in his hand. a white glow emitted from the oracle ran through his body and into hers via their bodily contact. Her cries softened and her condition stabilised, though her tears continued to flow.
Ryosuke wiped the tears off her face and looked at her with a soft expression. "Keep this with you. It'll keep you safe for now. I promise you that you only endure the next 3 hours. Once breaking dawn, I'll ask for your release." She listened conscientiously. Ryosuke looked into her swollen, reddened eyes, and rudolph-like nose, and felt a surge of sympathy and urge to stay by her side. He stepped away the moment he sensed the return of his cruel mother. The moment he turned away, her cold hands grabbed his arms and she looked into his eyes.
He saw the excruciating pain and agony in her eyes that seemed to be begging him to take her away...if not, kill her with his hands, end her life as he promised...
"I'll be watching over you~ Trust me this time." he painfully pushed her hands away and disappeared in a flash of light.
********
That 3 hours was long... it seeemed like forever, for Umika, and Ryosuke.
He shut himself in the fortress, sat in his usual meditation posture, staring emotionally at the handkerchief Umika used to bandage him when he was in the form of rabbit. He blamed himself continously for failing to curb his feelings and hide his true self, causing such grave problems time and time again. Still, he tried hard to figure out the reason behind his concern for the girl he swore never to throw a second glance. But all that ran through his mind was Mirai begging him to save her.
"What's the connection between the 2 girls? Why is it I feel that my heart is breaking apart"
The moment dawn break, he dashed towards the Queen's fortress, only to remain calm when he approached her. His anxiousness has to be supressed or worst consequences may follow if his mother finds out about his concern for a prisoner.
"Here, my son. She is indeed precious...Keep her within sight, cause anytime, I will summon her back to satisfy my cravings." Umika walked lifelessly as Ryosuke led her out of the fortress. Her limbs are weak and her face is pale and frail. He saw her clutching the oracle in her pocket tightly and knew that her fear has not ended.
By the time he brought her back to his fortress, her legs gave way and she knelt on the icy cold snow.
"Umika!" fresh tears ran down her cheeks. There's so much the oracle can help, but her dwindling inner energy is not one of it. Her eyelids turned heavy and her limbs turned cold... A proper energy transfer process is not possible in the midst of her resistance, a fast and direct one could be her only chance to survive the ordeal. He cannot bear to see her suffer anymore.
"One day, you will regret saving the rabbit" he uttered. He brought her close to him; with his hands fixated on her cheeks, he slowly and tenderly pressed his lips onto hers. In her subconscious mind, she was shocked, yet too weak to resist; she was shy, but too tired to blush. Fortunately or unfortunately, it was her first kiss, taken by the snow prince who appeared evil but Umika believed her heart despite everything that has happened, that he is a kind-hearted guy forced by circumstances to act against his true self. they looked into each other's eyes, and they saw an endorsement of feelings which involves a complex combination of subtle comfort, trust... and ual satisfaction.
it didn't take long for the transfer to exhaust them both and they collapsed into each other's arms...with their hearts tightly sealed as one.
love
it shouldn't have started
the day you let yourself into my heart
is the day the seed of unrest is sowed
it will only grow stronger and not weaker
it has to be uprooted, branches cut,
before the flower blooms
and when it does,
the thorns will prick and leave you to bleed to death
the unimaginable heartache
and excruciating pain will take away your innocent smile
the smile which touched my heart
The long-lost feeling has returned, making him realise now he is indeed making the same regrettable mistake ...
the same mistake that cost the life of a girl he thought will be his first and last....
Comments