Mirai was getting restless as she could not wait to step out of the palace for the first time. She had worn her winter-travelling clothes. Miru had also prepared some foods to bring. They currently wait for Ryosuke to send someone to pick them up. And when the guard came, they did not wait any longer to leave.

Ryosuke, Yuto and several men dressed for winter-travelling stood near the front gate of Outer Palace. When Mirai arrived, Yuto was the first to notice.

“Good morning, Lady Mirai.” Yuto smiled friendly.

Unable to hide her excitement, Mirai returned the smile, “Good morning, Nakajima-san.”

“Here,” Yuto led her to Ryosuke. “His Highness has waited for you.”

Upon seeing her, Ryosuke left from padding his stallion to approach them.

“Good morning, my lord,” Mirai smiled her greeting.

“Morning. You only bring her with you?” Ryosuke referred to Miru who stood behind her.

“Do I need to bring someone else, too?”

“No, if you think she is enough.” Ryosuke turned to Yuto, “Bring their ride, Captain.”

Yuto signed to his men to bring the mares for Mirai and Miru.

Mirai eyed the mare given to her in awe.

“Do you like it, my lady?” Yuto asked.

Mirai beamed, “A lot.”

“His Highness has chosen it for you …”

“Captain!” Ryosuke intercepted. “Let’s depart soon.”

Yuto took the signal and walked himself toward the front of the group beside Ryosuke who already settled on his ride. Mirai and Miru would be right behind them while the other men would follow behind.

***********

They had spent two hours riding until they reach a certain hill. It was almost time for lunch, so they decided to look for a place.

“I haven’t been in this area before,” Mirai spoke. She eyed her surroundings, not recognizing even a thing.

Ryosuke took a side glance at her. At some point during the ride, Yuto had deliberately asked Mirai to ride beside Ryosuke while Yuto brought his mare to patrol the surrounding.

“Then, enjoy the view while you can,” Ryosuke replied.

“But so far my eyes can see, there is only snow,” she pouted childishly.

“It is winter after all.”

“But I have wished to see something wonderful.”

“I did not promise you something like that.” Ryosuke countered. “I only asked if you want to come for sightseeing.”

Mirai sighed. I can never win any argument with him.

“Isn’t it wonderful?” Ryosuke sudden change in tone startled Mirai.

“What?”

Ryosuke stared far to the horizon, his voice serenely asked, “To be out of the palace and forget what you have to do for the time being, isn’t it wonderful?”

Mirai followed where his eyes looked at and seeing the broad horizon laid in front of them, as if unrestricted, giving a sense of freedom. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”

They stayed on horizon-gazing until Yuto broke the tranquility.

“I found a place to rest, Your Highness.”

Ryosuke nodded his approval, “Then rest we should.”

The place was seemingly a mountain hut. From its state, they knew it was intended as a temporary shelter for traveler who passed by. Mirai had suggested them all, including the guards, to sit together in the hut and Ryosuke had supported her idea, but Yuto had something else in his mind. He insisted for Ryosuke and Mirai to eat in the hut, while Yuto, Miru and the other guards would eat outside. Two against twelve, Ryosuke and Mirai were outnumbered.

Having no other choice, Ryosuke and Mirai sat facing each other and started to eat the meal Miru had served them.

“May I ask something?” Mirai asked between their meals.

“What?”

“It seems that you and Captain Nakajima are quite close.”

“So?”

“Are you two friends?”

Ryosuke thought for a while, “You can say so.”

“Since when did you know him?”

Ryosuke narrowed his eyes, “Are you interrogating me?”

Mirai shot her head up, surprised, “No. No. I just…”

Ryosuke suspended his meal and waited for Mirai to continue.

“I just want to know you more, that’s all.”

Instead of replying, Ryosuke resumed to eat. Mirai watched him in wonder.

“Is it wrong?” Mirai left her food untouched.

“No.”

“Then, why don’t we use this time to get to know each other? Don’t you want to know me more?”

Ryosuke almost smirked hearing her last sentence. Do I want to know her more?

“No.”

Sensing Mirai stilled, he added, “I have known everything about you after all.”

Mirai stifled a gasp.

Ryosuke sensed Mirai had stopped eating completely and he did not like it. First, he did not like people watching him while he was eating. Second, he did not like Mirai to not eat properly. Third, he did not like her abandoned the food that had been prepared with effort. He could go on and on to make reasons. Yet, he just had to do something to make the woman before him ate.

“Ten,” He said suddenly.

“What?” Mirai was confused.

“I had known him since we were ten.”

Getting the response she wanted, Mirai beamed. “How did you meet him?”

“I was training under his father.”

“Oh!” Mirai exclaimed happily. “I heard that training under General Nakajima is hard, wasn’t it?”

“It wasn’t as hard as training under your father.”

“EH? You… you were trained by my father, too?”

“Aa.”

“Wow!”

“Eat now,” Ryosuke shifted the topic suddenly.

“Eh?”

“I have answered your question, so eat now.”

Mirai nodded stiffly, “Al-right.”

It had not been five minutes when Mirai eyed him hesitantly, and called, “Hey?”

Ryosuke looked up from his food, obviously annoyed. “What?”

“Can we be friends, too?”

Ryosuke was taken aback. He difficultly formed a coherent reply. He said the first word came to him.

“Why?”

Mirai looked at him with wary, but a sheer of hope hanging in her eyes.

“I think since we share the same fate, it will be easier to work together if we’re friends. Don’t you think so?”

Ryosuke stared at her as if she was out of mind. Sharing the same fate? Being friends?

“No.”

Mirai narrowed her eyes, “What do you mean by no?”

Ryosuke put down his food completely and looked up to Mirai, sitting straight. “No, though we are stuck in the same problem, my fate is different than yours. So, no, we’re not sharing the same fate.”

“We may work together, but to be friends, I cannot promise you that. So, no, we don’t need to be friends to work together, just put the trust on each other, being alliance.”

Mirai was dumbfounded by Ryosuke’s blunt rejection. She opened and closed several time, but eventually dropped her eyes to the floor and resumed her meal. It turned completely quiet.

Seeing the hope in Mirai’s eyes faltered, guilty crept up to Ryosuke. Yet the hard side of his heart told him that it was for the better. She had to learn to not have too high expectation on people. Just like what he had learned from living in the palace.

Ryosuke returned to his chamber after the council meeting was over. He had expected Yuri to appear right after Yuto closed the door behind him. Yuto had greeted Yuri with his usual smiling face, but soon he noticed the grim on Yuri’s eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Yuto asked.

“Just waiting for Ryosuke’s explanation,” Yuri said, eyes locked on Ryosuke.

Ryosuke heaved a sigh, “Don’t make that scary face, Chii. You make me nervous.”

“It’s not time for a joke,” Yuri retorted.

Seeing his attempt to lighten the mood failed, Ryosuke sank on his chair behind the desk. Yuto eyed both of his friends confu