The fourth week of the spring had arrived. Umika contemplated about it while waiting the cakes in the oven to be done. The fourth week of this spring had different meaning for each of this house occupant. For Mirai, it reminded her about the happy moments she had with Ryosuke, but also brought up the sadness caused by her husband’s absence from her life. The fifth day of this week was Ryosuke’s birthday. Usually she would find Mirai spent longer time in the back yard in the night of that day, holding a star pendant while tears flowed down her cheeks. She and Yuri usually let Mirai be alone for that time and made sure Ainosuke did not wake up or see his mother in the weakest state. Mirai had tried to portray a strong mother for Ainosuke despite the pain she had to endure.

She was worried about what Yuri said back then, about what he possibly found out once he reached Hakumei. She prayed for Yuri not to bring a bad news for them.

The week meant differently for her and Yuri. For them, it meant the day when Yuri would infiltrate the kingdom’s contingent got closer. Yuri did not show even a slight nervousness. He seemed excited instead. Somehow it irked her. Couldn’t he see that she was worried about his safety? He was indeed one of the perfect shadows in Hakumei, and the topnotch shinobi, too, but that was five years ago. Well, his skills were still as amazing as back then, but still…

She sighed.

These past two months, they had trained together. Yuri was right. She had slowed down much. She realized the importance of her regained her skills. Thus she did not complain when Yuri gave her strict trainings. Mirai started to worry when she saw bruises in her arm a couple weeks ago, but she had assured her it was just ordinary training.

She jumped literally from her seat as something cold touched her cheeks. Once she looked around, she saw Yuri stood right beside her previous seat, frowning deeply while a bottle of water in his hand.

“Do you want to shorten my life that much, Yuri?” she complained.

“If I was enemy, your life would have ended for real,” he replied with firm tone and put the bottle down the dining table. “Stop spacing out, Umika. You should be more careful.”

She just realized that for these past two months Yuri rarely smiled as he used to do. They rarely had banter, too. He showed his cheerful side in front of Mirai and Ainosuke, but when he was alone with her, he always wore that serious look.

“I know! You don’t need to tell me.” She turned her back to him and walked to the oven as she considered it was time to get it out.

“We’re alone in the house, right?”

“Yes, Mirai and Ainosuke had left an hour ago,” she said while put the hot cake down on the table.

“I’m sorry,” he said all of a sudden, caused her to spin and face him.

“What?”

He walked closer while taking the other oven mitts, putting them on his hands then took the cake that was still in the oven.

“I’m sorry that when I’m away later, you should provide this family alone,” he said while placing his cake beside hers, making them stood so close to each other, side by side.

“I still have some money left and maybe I can borrow some from Aoyama-san, too,” he said more.

The closeness and the unusual words of him made her a bit nervous. She busied herself by taking off her own mitts. “We will manage. Just save your money for the trip.”

After a little tense, suddenly he chuckled.

“What are you laughing at?” she turned to look at him, but it turned out to be a wrong decision as he also turned his head to her at the same time. She froze. He froze. It was so close that she could feel his breath. Her heart beat faster. As she gulped while looking at his face, he took a quick step backward before eventually turned his back against her.

“Don’t forget our training tonight. I’m off,” he said while advancing to the front door.

What just happened? She felt her cheeks were hot that she ran to the nearby mirror. Her face was red. Did he see it? That was embarrassing!

**********

Hakumei was busy preparing for the first visit of Kingdoms Alliance Court. There would be five contingents from five kingdoms, excluding Seiryoku. Every governor of the seven provinces had been ordered to prepare for any inspection before the contingents arrived. As the only route to the capital from the east border, Matsudera would be the first region would be seen by Heiwa’s contingent. Thus, Yuma had seriously worked with his people for the day.

It was the third year he held the position as the governor of Far-East Province after his father passed away. After the war ended, his region granted the title as special region for the importance role it played during the battle with Okamoto. As a special region, Matsudera had different rules than the other provinces. When the other governor of the provinces was chosen by the high-officer examination held by the central government, Matsudera’s governor was chosen directly from Nakayama’s bloodline. The decision was made by Ryosuke after he carried out several direct surveys over Matsudera’s civilians. The result showed that the civilians wanted to be led only by their original founder; that none other than Nakayama Family.

In that sense, it could be considered that Nakayama was the only noble remained in Hakumei, though they did not have privileges as in the past, like having their private army, governed with their own rules, or managing their own financial. Instead, they had been restricted from employing more than a hundred soldiers to guard the castle, had to obey the rules set by the central government though they were given the right to set several local rules such as the time for paying the tax to the central government adjusted with the farming season, and they should report their budget and spending to the central government.

Their over than one thousand family troop had been deployed along the south border, away from Matsudera, right after the war. Later he realized that that was Ryosuke’s way to prevent his family from using the troops against his plans. They complied at first as their loyalty demanded them to. Yet, when Ryosuke started issuing rules to diminish the privileges of every noble, his father started to show disagreement.

Nakayama Family had been a loyalist of Yamada Family since the first generation. They had devoted all they had to the royalty, thus his father felt betrayed when Ryosuke put restriction on their power. Yet, he himself did not mind actually. After the war, he stayed in the palace for a year as one of Ryosuke’s generals, together with Yuto, General Shida, and General Chinen. Interacting with them had him reconsidered the meaning of his noble status. It was mainly because of his discussions with Ryosuke that he eventually agreed to sign the secret pact to support Ryosuke to obliterate nobility from Hakumei, along with Daiki, Yuto, Yuya, Ryutaro, General Shida, and General Chinen. His decision was a big break of his path of life as it was the first act of him, though indirectly, against his own father; something a Nakayama would never do. The decision also led him to forsake his love life.

That happened when he realized his father’s disagreement escalated to be more dangerous action. He noticed the movement among Matsudera’s civilians. Their civilians were so loyal to Nakayama Family, thus he was worried that his father would use them to stage rebellion against Ryosuke. By seeing his father action, his belief on Ryosuke’s plans grew stronger; that preserving nobility in Hakumei was not wise as it could generate any dispute at any time with any reason. He thought about a way to prevent it, yet he could not find any. Ryosuke had gone beyond his plans by granting Matsudera the title of a special region, and he was told that if it was needed, Ryosuke would take the hard way against his father. That was a tough option for him and also Ryosuke. Then, in the mid of their tense moment, Yuya came offering the solution: arranging the marriage between him and Haruna.

Tying the knot between his family and the royalty would indeed lessen the strain between his father and Ryosuke, at least postponed the time should the dispute could not be evaded. He realized his father‘s health deteriorated, and if his father noticed his siding with Ryosuke, he could be banned from their family and the position of the head family could be inherited by his sister’s husband; and that would only prolong the dispute. He should secure his position as the future head of Nakayama family before his father noticed. Thus, even though he knew he would hurt the woman he loved, he forced himself to agree with the offer to marry Haruna. Ryosuke felt reluctant to agree because the king knew he was in relationship with Suzuka and Suzuka had had enough wounds in her heart that it would be cruel to hurt her once more this way.

He remembered the painful scene when he told her about the decision:

That was the night a week after the decision was made, and a week before he returned to Matsudera. Suzuka stayed in a house he rented for her in the capital while he stayed at the Royal Force Station. He had promised to bring her back to Matsudera once his duty in the palace finished and he would marry her. Thus, breaking the news of his marriage with another woman to her was so painful for both of them.

To his surprise, when he arrived at her house, she had waited for him; her eyes were teary.

“Before you say anything,” she came to stand before him. “Let me tell you something.”

“What is it?”

Suzuka stepped closer and brought her arms around him, burying herself in his embrace.

“Back then… when you told me that you love me, I was really happy because you knew who I am but you didn’t mind. Thus, I answered that I would give you a chance to win my heart, and you did. It’s easy to fell for you once I opened my heart. You’re gentle, though sometimes you’re stiff and strict. You understand me so well, but sometimes you’re stubborn. I’m really happy I have given us a chance. You have made me happy all this time… and I want you to be happy, too, no matter what happen.”

“Suzuka…”

“Let me finish, Yuma,” she said with her voice which started to muffle. “I’m happy if you’re happy. So, please be happy with Lady Haruna and don’t worry about me.”

“You already knew?” He tightened his held on her unconsciously.

“His Majesty came this morning, explaining everything. I’m glad that I heard it from him, not from you. It somehow lessened my pain even just a little,” she answered, and he felt her tears seeped into his shirt at this point.

“You’ve made the right decision, Yuma… so… don’t hesitate. I’m hurt, you’re hurt. But… we will manage to overcome it… somehow. My family had caused so many sorrows for people… and I don’t want my selfishness to be the cause of another sorrow for them.”

Silence stretched out between them. He repeated her words over and over in his mind, and that was the first time for him to shed tears over a woman.

“… I’m sorry, Suzuka…”

“Let me hear it for the last time, Yuma… your feeling for me…”

He pulled away just enough to see her teary face. He felt his own tears fell when he kissed the top of her head then said, “I love you, Suzuka.”

She smiled despite her tears did not cease, “I love you, too. But from now on… you have to forget me.”

“How could I…” he paused when she shook her head, signaling him not to speak.

“It won’t be fair for Lady Haruna if you still harbor feeling for another woman. She will be your wife. You should learn to love her from now on.”

“Suzuka…”

She pulled away completely and then walked past him towards the door. “The night has been late, General. It won’t be good if people know you spend your time here.”

She could not see him when she said that and he took it as a cue for him to leave her alone. Once he reached the door, he halted, “Suzuka… you still can stay in Matsudera if you want.”

She shook her head, “I think I’ll just stay here.”

He gulped. It was heavy even just to lift his feet to step out of the house. They stayed that way for a time until he took a deep breath and forced himself to speak.

“Please, don’t hesitate to come to me should you need any help. Though this relationship has ended, but I still want to be your friend.”

She nodded once, “I understand. Thank you.”

Turning himself to face her properly, he said with his sincere heart, “I do wish you happiness, Suzuka.”

“My wish for you, too,” she eventually looked up with a small smile and tears.

“…Good night, Lady Suzuka.”

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