Chapter 88 Epilogue-Part 4-Final Dreams and Fate (2)

 

 

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Day 2nd, Week 8th of Spring, Year 21st of Hakumei

Love is not all about passion and desire. A true love, I believe, is not something that appears all of a sudden. It needs to be nurtured, like a seed. If it is planted in a good soil, watered and fertilized regularly, and cared with sincerity, it surely would grow to be big and fruitful. The love that I want is the one that could set my heart in ease, making me feel safe to be myself, supporting me in my chosen path, but also fierce enough to make me feel excited, and strong enough to shield me. Just like the love Mother had for Father. And I think, I’ve found it...

**********

Spring was near to its end. Ainosuke could feel humidity thicken in the air. Settling on the back of his black stallion, he inhaled a deep and long breath watching the sunflowers proudly dancing in the breeze. He dismounted and let Hiro roamed around, grassing. He walked to his favorite spot in the meadow under the biggest tree.

Putting his sword on the ground, he lied down on his back. His body was aching from fatigue, and his head throbbing because of lack of rest for the last three months. Staring to the leaves on the branches above, he felt the midmorning sun rays fell upon his skin. He found a bit of peace in the breeze, the sun, and the familiar scent of the place that once his home.

He closed his eyes to seek more comfort the earth provided.

He did not plan to visit this place. After succeeding in creating the cure for the disease a month ago and delegated the team lead to another senior doctor, he returned to the East Royal Academy for he had been a month late for starting his teaching. He in all honesty wanted to straightly go to the capital since his sister must have also started studying there, but circumstance did not allow him to. He needed a week to alter his teaching schedule and delegate it to his colleague. But when he was about preparing for the capital, he was called back to the border. An incident happened with the medicine he sent for Seiryoku that had him reevaluating the formula, and that had taken a couple weeks more.

“Ai-kun?”

He opened his eyes as he heard someone called out his name. He turned his head to the direction of the voice, and saw a young woman. Standing not far from where he lied down was Akari with a mare behind her. She let her mare roamed around freely, joining Hiro in the meadow.

“You have returned from Seiryoku?” she approached. Her steps were light but not hesitant.

He let her come closer and sat down beside him. For a few seconds they said nothing to each other. He was lying and she was sitting beside him, each with their own thought. It didn’t feel awkward even so in the silence.

“Are you having a problem?” she asked when he reshut his eyes. “Did something happen with your project?”

“Why do you think so?” he asked back without opening his eyes.

“Because I remembered back then you always came here when you need to seek a peace of mind.”

A tiny smile formed as memories of their childhood replayed in his head.

“I just miss this place,” he chose not to give a full honest answer to her question. I just need a place where I can  let down my guard without any worry.

“Though Auntie and Uncle are not here anymore?”

The grave of his parents had been dug out, and their remnants were kept secured in Chinen residence until the day his plan would be executed.

He opened his eyes and sat up. “There is another reason to miss this place.”

“Another reason? What is it?”

He smiled, making himself sitting comfortably before answering, “You.”

She blushed but then pouted, “Don’t make fun of me, Ai-kun!”

He chuckled and patted her head once before answering, “Because you are easy to tease.”

She sighed, turning, “Hana-chan didn’t come with you?”

He shifted to lean his back on the tree’s trunk, “Why should she?”

She shrugged, “I thought that you two have always been together.”

“That’s only because she assisted me in my project. And she returned to Matsudera right after it finished.”

“Oh, alright.”

Another silence dawned around them. He stared far to the meadow where his parents’ graves used to be. His chest felt tight. He missed them so much.

“Akari,” he called out softly, preventing his mind to dig deeper into his memories. He did not like dwelling in melancholy.

“Yes?”

“I’m sleepy. Lend me your shoulder.”

“Eh?”

Despite her surprise, Akari did not flinch nor shun away when he deliberately rested his head on her shoulder.

“Give me a moment,” he closed his eyes, arms folded on his chest, comfortably leaning on Akari.

He blocked his brain from thinking about anything. He wanted to feel nothing but serenity at the moment. He needed to unload the heaviness of his heart. The deaths of so many people before his eyes for the last three months had unexpectedly affected him this much.

As silence and the breeze tenderly brushed his hair, with a bit of Akari’s warmth and fragrance, he could find a little peace.

“Hey, Ainosuke,” he heard Akari’s voice and noticed the seriousness despite the soft tone.

He gave nothing to answer.

“You don’t have to shoulder everything alone whenever a problem occurs,” she continued.

Still, he kept his silence.

“When we’re kids, we promised to help each other, you should remember that. Even if I can’t do much, at least I can lend you my shoulders like this moment, or my ears to listen. I’m still your sister.”

At this, he reacted, mumbling, “You know you aren’t.”

Since they were kids, their fathers had clearly told them, indicating to their different surname—Tanaka and Nakajima— that they were not blood related family.

He felt her shifted slightly before she countered, “Though we aren’t related by blood, just like your father said, we’re still family by heart.”

At the mention of his father, he lost control over his mind that past painful memories flooded, almost suffocating him, but when he thought to pull away, he faintly heard Akari humming. She hummed the song which his mother used to sing when tucking him to bed. Another set of his mother’s memories flashed one after another. He shut his eyes tighter, wanting to hold the swarming tears from falling, but he failed. A few droplets eventually escaped.

It was the first time he shed tears in about ten years since he decided to leave for Kyoukai. He had promised himself to never cry, but it had been unbearable after such a hard days in the border. He had been overconfident. He was not as strong as he wanted himself to be. Not yet.

Akari seemed unaware, or even if she noticed his tears, she didn’t say anything, and he was grateful for that. He found himself relaxing with the lullaby.

After the humming ended, she started softly speaking to him.

“Auntie often told us to always do our best for as long as we live, so even when you’re exhausting yourself like this, I would never tell you to stop what you’ve been doing,” she said. “Helping people, taking care of Hakumei... Uncle and Auntie would be so proud of you. But, Ai-kun, you have chosen the difficult path rather than the easier ones. Thus you should also take care of yourself to be able to continue further. I’m not saying this just because everyone is worried about you, but more because I don’t want you to fail in realizing your dreams... to be the best doctor and save as many life as possible. I knew how much you hate a failure.”

The difficult path...

A realization dawned on him right at the moment.

She knew...

He was not too surprised that Akari had realized all. She was not ignorant nor foolish. Back then when he started investigating about his family, Akari, too, had started her own. They read book together, discussed things, and exchanged opinions. He did not tell her what his father told him, about the secret their family hid, but she must have figured it out, he believed. By listening to the way she talked at this moment, he was sure, she had found out about the truth, but unlike he who declared to everyone, it seemed she chose to stay low and pretend to not knowing anything. That’s just how Akari he knew. Always calm and subtle.

Somehow, he felt lighter, and his heart no longer clenched in pain.

Back then when he was depressed after his mother gone, his little sister was taken away, and his father refused to see him, he had distant himself from others. He filled the hole in his heart by visiting his mother’s grave, and the adults let him be. Perhaps it was because he and Akari were around the same age, for while he refused any other, he let Akari to be his constant company. Just like them at the moment. They would be sitting side by side while facing the grave of his mother. He would be crying silently while she pretended not noticing, and when he felt tired, she would offer him water to drink. Then when the sun set, he would walk leading the young Hiro to the stable and Akari would walk by his side quietly until they returned to the residence and separately went to their respective room.

“Uncle Yuto stopped by a few days ago,” she added after a moment. “I heard he and Father talking. Mirai-chan... she... has been waiting for you.”

“I know,” he eventually responded. “That’s why please let me sleep. I don’t want to look horrible in the first meeting with her.”

He felt a small chuckle coming from her, “You’re always so weird, you know. Why choose this place rather than your comforting bed?”

“You knew the reason,” he nonchalantly answered, attempting to lighten the mood.

“Because you’re worried that Sho-chan would come bothering your sleep and beg you to play with him?” she went along.

When he was a kid, he had avoided taking nap in his bedroom because Shohei would always choose the wrong time nagging him to play, and he could never refuse the puppy eyes the younger pleaded him with. And the meadow was the best place to hide.

“We keep your room as it was. You can use it whenever you visit us,” she informed.

He sighed out the last burden, sincerely wanting to talk, because it was rare for him to be able to reminisce his childhood with such ease.

He opened his eyes and leaned away, straightening his back against the trunk.

“How is Uncle and Auntie?” he asked, sitting side by side with Akari.

“Father and Mother are fine.”

“Sho-chan?”

A scowl formed on her face as she strecthed her arms forward. “He is still staying with Takaki Yuya-san in North Province. And he has been studying like crazy. He wants to beat Mayuko in the next exam.”

“But they pursue different field and major,” he was amused.

Shohei had been studying in a business school in North Province, while Mayuko major in medical science, aiming to be a doctor, in Far East Province under his guidance.

She chuckled, “I know, right? That’s just how silly Sho-chan is. I think he just wants Mayu-chan’s attention, but he kept denying whenever I about liking Mayu-chan.”

Nakajima Yuto often brought his family to visit Nakajima Keito that their children bonded well with the course of time. A sprout of jealousy almost grabbed his heart, but he immediately tampered it down. He was happy seeing everyone’s happiness, for he then was sure that his father and mother did not suffer for nothing.

“I see. Mayuko perhaps will be the top graduate from my teaching by this rate,” he informed, recalling the outstanding reviews from Mayuko’s previous teachers he read before deciding to take her to be one of his students. “Sho-chan has to work hard then.”

“Yeah, he should,” she agreed. “Anyway, I’m glad that he is willing to study business so that Father doesn’t have to worry about this farm. I knew everything about farming and horse, but I’m in business and dealing with people.”

He let out a silent chuckle. He knew it. She was always timid and shy in front of new people, but he knew the strength she had been hiding under that.

A short silence hung between them until he heard her heaved a sigh.

“I still couldn’t believe Sho-chan doesn’t remember you at all,” she muttered, a hint of sadness in it.

“Couldn’t be helped, his memorization is bad,” he shrugged.

She shoved his shoulder weakly, “Hey, he’s my little brother!”

“I’m your little brother, too,” he smiled acting innocent.

“So?” she challenged him, arching a brow.

He shook his head, now changed into serious mode, “He was just five when I left, and it’s better this way. I even wish Hana didn’t remember me either.”

“Why?”

“She often asked about my parents and what my relation with your family is.”

“She just cares a lot about you,” she defended.

“I know, don’t get me wrong. I don’t dislike her. She is sweet, energetic, and quick-witted. I just... hate lying to her.”

“I’ll talk to her to refrain from doing so,” she stated.

“She listens to you,” he remarked. “But you don’t need to. I’ll talk to her by myself later.”

“Alright then.”

He inhaled a deep breath, absorbing the scent of the meadow. He felt Akari watching him.

He turned to her, smiling with more ease, “Thank you.”

“Eh, for what?”

“For everything. I feel better now,” he replied, standing up to his feet. “I’ll take my leave.”

“You don’t want to meet Father and Mother before you leave?”

Bending down to grab his sword, he answered, “No. I didn’t plan to meet anyone since the beginning, but I’m glad you saw me here.”

“But, could you spare a bit of your time later? Father has been missing you, and... the last time you visit them was three years ago, Ai-kun.”

He considered it while strapping his sword on his waist. “I’ll try, but I’m not sure when it will be.”

She sighed, “Fine. Are you leaving for the capital?”

“Yes. Do you want to send word or something?”

“No,” she shook her head. “Just be careful. I heard robbery happens often lately along the road to the West Province.”

He nodded then whistled loudly to call Hiro. While waiting for Hiro galloping toward him, he reached into his pocket and took out a piece of hair ornament. Handing it out to Akari, he said, “A souvenir from my stay in Seiryoku.”

She smiled, her dimple was visible, “It’s so pretty. Thank you. And please, send my best wish for Mirai-chan.”

He nodded, giving her a sincere smile, then said, “About Sho-chan... when I meet him someday, I hope to meet him as a family.”

He then mounted his stallion without further delay, leaving Akari ponder over his message.

**********

The grand chamber of Seiryoku’s king lit up with aromatic candles. It helped the king, Kamiki Kyuu, to relax his mind. The candle itself was a gift from Hakumei, or more accurately, from the head doctor of Hakumei, Tanaka Ainosuke, before the doctor departed back to his country.

He never expected he and Ainosuke would meet after years of not seeing each other.

He was doing general inspection around his kingdom, and happened to be in the province nearest to the border with Hakumei when he heard the commotion. He knew a strange disease had attacked his people that stayed along the border, and he himself had instructed the prime minister to establish way to manage the crisis. In fact, he was going to ask for the detail report from the local government when his general reported about capturing suspicious figures infiltrating their territory.

He waited for a couple days until the said figures brought into his tent, and it amazed even himself how he could manage to hide his surprise of seeing Tanaka Ainosuke was one of the two captures. He could recognize Ainosuke even after years, moreover the sword Ainosuke brought was still the same. He remembered the sword exactly because it was his own sword which he presented for Ainosuke before Ainosuke departed to Kyoukai.

Both Ainosuke and the other man, Takuma Kenji, were no where showing fear nor panic. They stood calmly and even refused to kneel down before him, and when the guards were about to force them, he stopped the action by dismissing them.

It was only him and his trusted generals in the tent when he started questioning them.

“My soldiers reported that the two of you forcefully tresspassed on our territory. Do you want to deny?”

“No,” Ainosuke did the answer.

“Your name, Tanaka Ainosuke, rings a bell in me,” he taunted.

“I’m the head doctor of Hakumei,” Ainosuke admitted confidently. “You must’ve heard about me, You’re Majesty.”

One of his guards held out a golden badge of Domoto Koichi private insignia and Ainosuke’s sword.

“Of course. The chosen apprentice of Domoto Koichi,” he remarked observing the badge. “And you?” he pointed to the other man while giving back the sword and the badge to his guard.

“Takuma Kenji,” the man answered without even slight doubt. “One among thousands of head villages in Hakumei.”

He refocused on Ainosuke, “You must’ve been aware about the consequence of your action. So, what do you want by coming illegally?”

“To meet you faster, Your Majesty,” Ainosuke answered. “There is no time to ask for permission. We’d like to talk to you as soon as possible.”

“What is so dire?”

“I believe Your Majesty are aware that people are dying by an unknown disease.”

He perked up hearing this.

“Release their bound,” he ordered. His generals showed hesitation before doing what they were told.

After their arms untied, he immediately asked, “Tell me more.”

“I wish to speak to you in private, Your Majesty,” Ainosuke denied.

He knotted his brows, pondering over the request. He locked gaze with Ainosuke, and could see how serious Ainosuke was with his request. It was not his nature to easily believe someone, but after spending two years training under Takaki Yuya with Ainosuke, he could not disbelieve the younger man.

So, he then dismissed all his generals and instructed them to bring Takuma Kenji to prisoner tent. He saw the reluctance in the oldman, but Ainosuke gave him a nod that eventually they were left alone.

“What is it?” he directly asked.

The solemn gaze Ainosuke gave him turned softer, questioning, “Kyuu-kun?”

He let out a mild sigh, nodding, “Ainosuke.”

A smile broke on Ainosuke’s face, reminding him a lot about their younger days, “I didn’t know it’s you whom I would meet. Though, I knew since long that you’re more than what meet the eyes.”

He let a slight smirk appear. Observing Ainosuke’s face, he remarked, “So are you.”

Ainosuke’s smile turned gentler, “I’m glad to see you.” Then the hard gaze reappeared, “I should tell you something.”

“I’m listening,” he sat down a chair.

Ainosuke muttered, “I dare to assume that this disease is purposely designed and spread.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not a new disease. It’s a mass poison case.”

Ainosuke glanced around, and suddenly walked toward his desk to retrieve a pen and paper. He watched as Ainosuke scribbled something on the paper.

A few seconds after, Ainosuke held out the paper to him. It was a map.

“How well do you know your territory, Kyuu-kun?” he heard Ainosuke ask.

He observed the map, “It’s the north forest near the border of Hakumei.”

Ainosuke nodded, “Before I and Takuma-san were captured by your soldiers, we’d investigated this area.” Ainosuke pointed a place in the map. It was the nearest village to border.

Ainosuke drew a line with his finger and stopped at a point, “Here. It is the source of the malice.”

It was the water spring in the forest.

“What’s with this?” he asked.

“The water supply has been poisoned, Kyuu-kun.”

“How did you know?”

“Because there is no fish in it, and the plants around it withered abnormally. The water also taste different.”

“It could be natural occurence, Ainosuke.”

Ainosuke shook his head, “I initially thought so, but we also found an old campfire which signed that there were people came before us. We made further investigation till this place, and found out something suspicious.” Ainosuke pointed to an area which he drew with black shadow.

“This is a well which recently made. It’s probably not older than a few months. Your soldiers took water from this place,” Ainosuke added.

He knotted his brows, “Why should they go this far? They could have taken the water from the river near their station,” he frowned.

“That’s what I want to ask you, too,” Ainosuke stated.

“What are you insinuating, Ainosuke?”

“I hope I’m wrong, but please hear me out,” Ainosuke took the paper from him, analyzing. “This spring is the source of the river flows along the border of Seiryoku and Hakumei. The further it is from the spring, the poison would lessen and weaken. That explains why this village was attacked first by the disease, and this village was the most recent.”

The first village was in Seiryoku’s territory, the nearest to the spring, while the latter was in Hakumei’s territory.

 “I haven’t found solid evidence, but I knew a material which could cause such damage to people. It’s one that had been blacklisted, so the only way to get a hand on it is in black market. This material works slowly by causing some alergic symptomps, then it paralyze the limbs before it damage the brain and eventually kill the person. The effect could be vary depend on the dose consumed, though.”

“If this case is that bad, why it wasn’t included in my agenda to be discussed with the royal council?” he wondered.

“I don’t know what your officers reported, but if my data is accurate, it could be because it didn’t do much damage to Seiryoku.”

“What do you mean?”

“The victims of this case in Hakumei is tripple of that in Seiryoku. There is only one village in your territory which suffers from this case even though there are about ten villages along the border. The other villages has their own spring to take their water from, that’s probably why they aren’t affected. But this river is the only water source for these village of Hakumei. The reason why there are a lot of victims is not because this disease is contagious, but because people consumed the same poisoned water.”

He considered the explanation. If what Ainosuke told him was true, then what was the purpose? Poisoning people... both Seiryoku and Hakumei, then his soldiers behavior... He clenched his fist as he got assumption what actually Ainosuke wanted to convey: that there may be people scheming against him by creating doubt, ruining Seiryoku-Hakumei’s fragile relationship with this case.

“I may be wrong, Your Majesty,” he heard Ainosuke emphasized. “That’s why I’m asking your permission for doing further investigation. If you agree, I could propose immediately to Hakumei’s government to sign a joint project so that both the country would have the right for the results.”

“I understand, but until there is a talk with your government, I cannot release you yet from this capture,” he informed.

“It’s alright. I understand that as a king you should abide by the law, and my release without official negotiation will only cause your council to question your authority. But, please allow me to send instruction to my paramedics in the border to prevent more damage until I’m permitted to formulate the antidote.”

He nodded in approval.

The meeting with Hakumei’s prime minister, Morimoto Ryutaro, happened a week after that. As soon as the agreement was signed by both he and the prime minister, he ordered the release of Tanaka Ainosuke and Takuma Kenji. While Kenji returned to his village, Ainosuke stayed behind for carrying out his promise to investigate the suspected mass poisoning case.

He commanded his ministers to provide Ainosuke any help in the research, choosing several of his best doctors and chemists to work with Hakumei’s ones. The result confirmed Ainosuke’s suspicion that it was indeed poison contaminated the spring. Seiryoku and Hakumei made another secret deal by agreeing to not reveal the truth to their people for it could endanger the peace treaty they had so difficultly attained. They proceeded with investigating the case in discret, involving the intelligences of both countries.

Turned out, it was done by a rebellion group in his territory who had been against the peaceful pact Seiryoku had agreed with Hakumei. They saw the pact as a symbol of submission to Hakumei, and they hated it. They had too much pride which caused them to never admit that Seiryoku, their kingdom, had comitted wrongdoings towards Hakumei back then. They wanted to ignite fire in Seiryoku-Hakumei’s relationship by scheming as though he had let his people kill Hakumei’s people by poisoning the spring. They wanted to both provoke Hakumei to start a war with Seiryoku and force him to step down the throne by staging the false blaming. Killing two birds with one stone. They worked with such details that he and his spies could not decipher it sooner before the tragedy happened.

Since their scheme was not one could be pardoned and their move should be stopped as soon as possible before another bigger problem brew, after negotiating with Hakumei’s government, he executed all of the men in the group in silent military operation while the women and children taken to the refugee camps in various regions to prevent that movement rebuild their force. It became a secret treaty between Hakumei and Seiryoku to monitor any movement similar to that.

It was because of Ainosuke that the bigger damage could be prevented. That man was incredibly fast in formulating an antidote, even his royal chemist and doctors were amazed and openly praised him. No wonder then Ainosuke was chosen as the best apprentice of Domoto Koichi.

During Ainosuke’s stay in Seiryoku, they also managed to talk, reminiscing their old days. Neither of them mentioning about Ainosuke’s true identity despite the obvious signs. He deliberately brought Ainosuke into his private study chamber which previously was his uncle’s. Despite Ainosuke’s expertise in guarding his emotion, he still noticed the very slight changes in the younger man’s expression when they stood before the portrait of King Yamada Ryosuke of Hakumei and he showed the sword in the glass display.

“How did you have this?” Ainosuke’s voice was neutral, betraying only curiosity, but the flicker in his eyes when staring at the sword told different story.

“This is the friendship sword,” he answered, keeping a small smile as he remembered about his uncle, Kamiki Ryunosuke. “King Yamada Ryosuke gave this sword to Uncle Ryunosuke as a friendship gift. Uncle valued this so much, as well as the said friendship with the Hakumei’s king.”

He saw Ainosuke’s mouth curved up slightly, eyes never averted from the sword, saying, “The last king of Hakumei. So, the rumor about him extending a hand even to his enemies was true?”

“As Hakumei’s blood, you should know better about it,” he taunted.

“I wasn’t long staying in Hakumei, and even for his people, he remained a mystery despite being the greatest king,” Ainosuke smoothly answered.

He hid a smile as he clearly noticed the yearning to touch the sword in Ainosuke’s stare. He took a step forward and reached out to open the display. Taking out the sword, he handed it to Ainosuke while saying, “Tell me what you think about this sword. Uncle said it was worth a month stock of gold.”

Ainosuke accepted the sword and immediately observed every detail of the sheath.

“Red, black, and golden,” he started when he saw Ainosuke unsheathed the sword and observed the carved on the steel.  “Red symbolized the royal blood of Yamada. Black represented the darkest secrets, be it good or bad, which a royal should bear. Golden meant glory, a wish every leader would have for their country. The combination of these three were the chosen color insignia of King Yamada Ryosuke. Am I right?”

Ainosuke returned the sword to its scabbard, a smirk appeared on his face. “For someone’s unfamiliar with Hakumei’s history, you seem know much about it.”

“I did learn something during eight years staying there,” he shrugged.

He heard Ainosuke chuckled, asking with arms crossed before his chest, “Say, what is it that you want, Kyuu-kun?”

He returned with a smirk, answering, “As I remember, you have high respect over King Yamada Ryosuke, so in the name of the friendship he had offered to my uncle, I want to ask a help.”

He was fully aware that he was taking advantage of Ainosuke’s loyalty over his father by making a request in the name of Yamada Ryosuke. Yet, he would do anything to save the throne, not for himself, but for the better of Seiryoku. If he should pass the baton of power, he would make sure that he passed it to the right one; to a true leader who prioritized the country’s welfare over anything.

He had asked Ainosuke to take a few youngster, that he had previously chosen, under his wings. The intrigue in Seiryoku’s politic often involved poison and drugs. He wanted to make sure his trusted minions had enough skill and knowledge to avoid the danger from harming him and his people. To use Ainosuke’s service to train his minions, he had made another secret agreement with Prime Minister Morimoto Ryutaro. The result was that a couple weeks in every season Ainosuke would be lent to Seiryoku with camouflage of doing the follow-up research with Seiryoku’s scientists. Such secret agreement was actually frowned upon in a bilateral relationship, but sometimes people had to choose the best among the worst.

Sometimes, a truth is better hidden rather than unveiled.

Both he and Ainosuke knew best what the meaning of that.

**********

 

Once Shida Mirai stepped out her dormitory gate, as usual, she was greeted by the twin boys, Chinen Toru and Chinen Aoi.

“We come to pick you up, Neechan!” Aoi and Toru cheerfully announced.

She smiled at them, “Thank you. That’s so sweet of you.”

The twin was only three years younger than her, and they both enrolled in Intelligence Academy.

“Are we going straight home, or going somewhere else first?”Aoi the younger of the twin asked while starting to walk.

“Hmm, I’m thinking,”  she considered it.

“Mother ask you to come home soon, though,” Toru chirped in.

“She said she wants to show you something,” Aoi seconded his twin.

“What is that?”

“Don’t know,” both boys shrugged their shoulder.

She frowned a little, “Alright. Let’s go home then.”

She walked on in between the twin, rather towering over them, toward their carriage. Her aunt had insisted for her to use the carriage whenever she travelled so that she wouldn’t be tired. She did not like being treated differently, but she didn’t refuse just to calm her aunt’s worry.

“Mirai-chan!”

She halted before entering the carriage when she heard someone called out to her. She saw two men riding toward her.

“Hide-kun!” she brighten up recognizing one of them was Nakayama Hideaki, her childhood friend, only a few months older than her.

They met when she was eight when Nakayama Haruna visited Heiwa bringing along her sons, Hideaki and Yuki, and stayed in the Embassy with her family. After that, they met twice in Heiwa when Hide came along with his father’s messengers, then once when she visited Royal Academy for the first time and Hide welcomed her group in the Far East Province in behalf of Nakayama Family two years ago.

Quickly dismounted his horse, Hide ran to stand before her, smiling excitedly, “It’s really you, Mirai-chan!”

She smiled in sincere happiness, “Long time no see, Hide-kun. How are you?”

Hide twirled once, grinning, “See, I’m so well. How about you? What are you doing here?”

She lifted her bag which had Royal Academy symbol.

“You’re a student here?”

She nodded.

“Ah, finally! I train in the Defence Force Station. It’s near. Anyway, are you staying in dormitory or Shida manor?”

“Shida manor is still renovated. I stay with Uncle Yuri every weekends. In fact, I was about to go home with Aoi and Toru,” at this she remembered about her cousins whose voice couldn’t be heard around her.

When she glanced around, Hide mimicked her move, and soon they spotted the twin with the man who came with Hide before.

“AH!” Hide exclaimed. “I forgot. Come, Mirai-chan. I’ll introduce you to him,” Hide gestured her to follow him toward the other three who was engrossed in their chatting.

“Senpai,” Hide called out to his friend.

Aoi, Toru, and Hide’s senior turned to face them.

“Please get acquaintance with my friend,” Hide asked.

She made introduction first, bowing politely, “I’m Shida Mirai. Nice to meet you.”

“She is our older cousin, Ryo-nii,” added Toru and Aoi in sync.

He smiled, then returned her gesture, “Nice to meet you too, Shida-san. I’m Ryosuke. Nakajima Ryosuke.”

Her heart fluttered slightly hearing the name. Ryosuke.....

“It’s a nice coincidence, isn’t it?” Hide slipped in. “Both of you take after the last royalty’s name.”

“It’s not coincidence,” Nakajima Ryosuke denied with rather playful tone. “We have close relationship with the last royalty after all. So, it’s fated, right, Shida-san?”

“Perhaps,” she replied, slightly smiling. “General Nakajima was His Majesty Yamada Ryosuke’s best friend, wasn’t he?” She subtly observed her new acquiantance.

“So I was told,” he answered with his smile, then turned to Hide, “Hide, we better hurry. Father wouldn’t allow us to join in his private training if we’re late.”

“Oh, right,” Hide faced her. “Mirai-chan, we have to go now. But I’ll visit when I’m free.”

“Alright.”

She watched as Hide and Ryosuke returned to their horse. Ryosuke mounted first, then bellowed, “Please send my greeting to Uncle Yuri and Auntie Umika.”

“Okay!” Aoi and Toru yelled back.

When Ryosuke turned his mount around, Hide did not immediately follow him, instead he hurried back to her.

Taking her free hand in his, Hide smiled warmly, “I’m really happy to see you again.”

She smiled back and nodded, “Me, too.”

“Then,” Hide gave her hand a weak squeeze. “Good luck.”

Her heart warmed seeing Hide’s concern gaze. After giving her a pat on her head, Hide ran to mount his horse and galloped after Ryosuke who had taken some distance.

She could feel her lips curving up.

“You are close with Nakayama-kun, Neechan?” she heard one of the twin asked.

“You and he called each other by first name,” added the other one.

Instead of answering, she turned around and entered the carriage. Once they settled inside, she smiled and told them, “He is my best friend.”

Hide was the first person beside her parents that did not treat her differently just because she looked weak. And it was only when she was with him that she could express her thought without any reservation. To her, Nakayama Hideaki had been a precious presence.

**********

 

Chinen Umika was cooking for dinner as she heard her sons loudly bellowed a greeting. She shook her head when soon after she heard running steps coming closer. She turned off the stove at the same time the door to the kitchen slid open.

“Mother!”

She turned around and received a kiss on each of her cheek. Her sons grinned after pulling away.

“We’re back!” They said in sync.

She giggled, “Welcome back. Where is Mirai-chan?”

“I’m here Auntie,” came the answer from the door.

She saw her niece standing with a smile, holding her school bag. Releasing herself from her sons, she advanced toward Mirai.

Giving the girl a hug, she asked, “How was school?”

“It went well,” Mirai kept the small smile.

“Ah, we met Ryo-nii and Nakayama-kun, too!” chirped in Toru.

“And Ryo-nii sent greeting for you and Father,” Aoi added.

“Oh,” she beamed. “You met them? That’s good Mirai-chan, because we’ll have dinner with Nakajima family next week.”

“Dinner?” Mirai calmly responded.

“Yes, and that’s why I want to show you something. Let’s go,” she took Mirai’s hand and led her to walk.

“We want to see it too!” Toru and Aoi complained.

“No way!” she refused. “You two better hurry to the Academy. Yuji-kun said he wanted to give you new technique.”

“Really?!” both her sons exclaimed in delight. Yuji was their admired senior, and perhaps their idol next to their father.

“Then we’re going now, Mother!” Toru and Aoi ran toward the exit.

“Get home before dinner!” she bellowed.

“Okay!” they replied before disappearing completely.

When it was only the two of them, she told Mirai, “You, too, better change your attire first. After that, come to my room. Okay?”

Mirai nodded, “Then excuse me, Auntie.” She bowed slightly then left for her chamber.

She sighed watching her niece’s back.

Mirai was so quiet, even more than she remembered. Though Mirai told them that she was just fine, she knew her niece better. She was not alright. She bet that the truth of her identity had been weighing her down. Hikaru sent words that Mirai-chan was so sick that he was afraid of losing her. When they told Mirai about the story of her real parents and brother, her illness became worse, but when Ainosuke’s letter arrived, it miraculously helped Mirai to recover. She didn’t know the content of the letter, but she was glad that it could make Mirai’s health be better.

But...

Ever since Mirai arrived at the capital, the girl never once asked about Ainosuke nor their parents, and somehow it made her unease. Mirai-chan she remembered had always been curious about anything, thus it bothered her when she looked uninterested.

“Auntie,” Mirai knocked on her door, and she beamed beckoning her to come in.

She had laid several dresses on the bed. She wanted Mirai to try those on.

“What is this, Auntie?” Mirai asked.

“I want you to choose what dress to wear for the dinner next week, Mirai-chan. Try this on,” she held out a lime green dress.

“I could just wear my own dress, Auntie. No need to be this fancy,” Mirai looked bothered with the dress. “It’s not a formal dinner, isn’t it?”

She took the lime green dress when she saw it didn’t complement Mirai’s skin. She choose the royal blue one, “It’s only a friendly dinner. We occasionally hold it with Nakajima, Arioka, and sometimes Morimoto family, too.”

“Then I wouldn’t need these dress, right?” Mirai countered.

“Dressing up a little won’t be too much, Mirai-chan. It’s better to look good rather than bad, right?”

“But wearing these kind of dress is not my style, Auntie,” Mirai said. “I don’t want to change the way I am just to impress people.”

Hearing this, she smiled while letting out a mild sigh in amusement. “I understand, but... how if you just consider it as my gift for your admittance in Royal Academy?”

She saw Mirai was about to refuse, so she hurriedly added, “You don’t have to wear it for the dinner. You can keep it for someday when you need such dress.”

Mirai inwardly let out a sigh, but she noticed it nonetheless. Her niece eventually stepped closer and observed the dresses. When she saw Mirai picked two of the simplest dresses with the same dominant color of sky-blue, she couldn’t help to think about the old past.

“Your mother also disliked wearing fancy dress, and sky blue was your father’s favorite color,” she blurted out.

Mirai halted from choosing, then mutter the question, “Whom did you refer that to, Auntie?”

“Eh?” she was surprised by the question.

“Which mother?” Mirai looked at her. “And which father?”

She could not read Mirai’s expression. What feeling underlied those question... she was wary over that.

All of a sudden, Mirai smiled, calm and solemn, “I’ll take these two, if it’s alright with you, Auntie.”

She nodded, but encouraged by the sorrow she caught a glimpse on Mirai’s eyes before, she pulled Mirai into her arms.

“Auntie?”

“They all are your parents, Mirai-chan,” she uttered, referring to both couple: Ryosuke-Mirai, and Hikaru-Ami. “They all love you just the same.”

Mirai returned her embrace, “Auntie,” she said. “I understand what you’re telling me, but this matter is not something I could just take in. I need time to get used to it.”

“Mirai-chan...,” she did not know what to say.

Mirai pulled away, “I’m sorry, Auntie. I will return to my chamber.”

Mirai took her chosen dresses then, without waiting for her response, stepped out of the room. It was only a few seconds after that when she heard a familiar voice calling out to her.

“Umika.”

She looked up to see her husband, immediately standing up and mustering a cheerful smile, “Oh, welcome home. I didn’t hear you.”

Yuri gave her a small smile, but did not step further into the room. “Where is Mirai-chan? She isn’t here?”

“She returned to her bedroom a moment ago. You’re looking for her?” She walked up to the door.

Yuri shook his head.

When she arrived before him, Yuri put a hand on her shoulder, straightly telling her in a low voice, “Ainosuke is coming.”

She widened her eyes in surprise.

“He is still outside the city. He’d still need a few hours more to reach the capital, but I’ll go fetch him,” Yuri informed. “After dinner, you bring Mirai-chan to that place, alright?”

She understood Yuri asked her to bring Mirai-chan to their secret ground. “Okay.”

“Good,” Yuri remarked. “That way we can prevent anyone from noticing their meeting, including Toru and Aoi. I’ll have Yuji to give them extra training tonight.”

“I understand,” she nodded. “But...,” she hesitated when she remembered Mirai’s reaction previously.

“What is it?” Yuri asked.

She shook her head, mustering a smile, “It’s nothing.”

“Don’t lie, Umika,” Yuri warned her.

She gulped, admitting, “I’m worried about Mirai-chan. Is it wise to make her and Ai-chan meet tonight? Mirai-chan seems have not accepted the truth yet. Should we not wait a few days more?”

Yuri softened his gaze, “Making her wait any longer would not be wise instead. Mirai-chan is not as patient as she seems, Umika. She had asked me several times when the project with Seiryoku would end. If you’re worried about her reaction, then so am I. It definitely will be hard for them, but they both need this meeting.”

“I know that, but...,” she trailed off.

He brought her into his embrace, whispering to her, “What will happen will happen, Umika. Don’t be too worried. It’s not good for the baby.”

She pulled away, surprised, “You already knew?” She was only going to tell him tonight.

“Yes, I threatened your doctor to tell me,” there was a satisfied smirk on his face, making her frowned.

“Nah, don’t be upset. I’m happy, you know,” he smiled sweetly that she could not help but smile back.

“I need to hurry,” he said at last.

She nodded, “Be careful.”

After giving her a quick peck on her forehead, Yuri immediately left. She looked at the direction of Mirai-chan’s bedroom. She knew Ainosuke loved his sister over anything, but she hadn’t been able yet to estimate how much his sister would reciprocate that feeling.

**********

 

Outside the city, a few distance from the gate of the capital, Chinen Yuri perched on the top of a tree. He observed his surroundings. He was waiting for Ainosuke. As the head of Hakumei’s Intelligence Bureau, he was supplied with many informations that even the prime minister might not know. It was his duty after all to sort out the informations before reporting them to the higher authorities, including the news that Tanaka Ainosuke had left his post i