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Title: Ai no Honoo
Author: Andy-chan (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
antimiya88)
antimiya88)Pairings: Ohmiya, Sakuraiba (both main pairings)
Genre: Historical AU, Romance, Drama, Angst (slight)
Rating: PG-15
Summary: Ninomiya Kazunari is a former courtesan, chosen to enter the Emperor's Ooku. There, he meets different people: The Emperor's favorite, Aiba Masaki who, at first glance, seems cheerful and perfectly adjusted to his life there, but proves to be someone with important secrets. He also meets Ohno Satoshi, Ooku's main guard who despises the concept of the Ooku and looks down at its members - particularly the male ones. Nino thinks that the best would be to stay away from him as much as possible. He knows his position well, even if he hates it.The only thing that keeps him strong is a memory...
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the boys, unfortunately.
Part 2
“Good morning, Kazunari-kun” Masaki welcomed Nino as he saw him coming out of his room. “Did you sleep well tonight?”
Nino managed to give only a slight nod.
Masaki smiled as he handed him a cup of tea and opened the main door of the house. “I thought so… No one ever sleeps well when they change environment… Don’t worry about it…”
Nino followed the taller man outside, where he sat at the edge of the small bench existed outside the small house. He was keeping his hair down, wearing a dark red tone flower patterned kimono.
“I remember my first day here…” Masaki kept speaking on soft voice. “I was so lost… I ended up crying not able to close an eye the whole night…”
Nino bit his lip, wondering whether he could ask his mentor what he wanted.
“You know you can ask me anything… never hesitate, Kazunari-kun… that’s why I’m here”
Nino frowned. This man looked almost carefree but never failed to read the situation; he could tell that even if he knew him only for a couple of hours. Having met so many different people in his life, he knew that one thing he could trust was his intuition. “How… did you end up here, Aiba-san?”
Masaki smiled. “I will scold you again. My name is Masaki… We will spend so much time together and keeping that kind of distance would only make things brittle and ineffective… besides I don’t think I’m that older than you…” Masaki turned his gaze from Nino to the blue sky where there were only a couple of clouds keeping the intense sunshine away. “I came here nine years ago… I was sixteen at the moment… Just over the age limit to enter the Ooku… I guess I should consider myself lucky…”
Nino frowned. “Why do you say that?”
Masaki sipped a bit of his tea without looking at the one next to him. “Because the other option for me was death…”
“Eh?”
“I’m an orphan, grown up in the streets since I can remember myself… I never had a home so I never missed one… I guess you can never miss something you’re not aware of… there was this kind old man, or at least that’s what I thought back then, he had found me when I was five and offered to give me food every day as long as I would play a game… I thought it was funny… follow around strangers, taking whatever I can without being caught… I was always fast so even if they realized my presence, I could sneak away easily… That continued for more than ten years…”
“I had never considered what I was doing a crime… it was simply a game… I remember that time we had gone to Edo… I was fascinated… it was a big city… nothing like what I had seen in my sixteen years of life… Yanaka-san, the man that kept me under his protection, would spend all the money I had earned on wine and women so I decided to leave him and continue on my own… I was invincible or so I thought…” Masaki chuckled a bit, shaking his head.
“One day my eyes caught the perfect target… He was wearing different clothes from the others so I thought that he was rich… what I didn’t know was that this person was a member of the royal family; the youngest brother of the Emperor himself… attacking him meant treachery and before I could understand what was happening I found myself locked in the dungeons of the palace… I can’t remember how many days and nights I spent in there… time plays weird games when you’re stuck in the same place but what I remember the most was the day that I was led to the royal court with his Majesty being present. He saved me… I still remember the way he held my chin looking at my eyes… It was intense, as if they were piercing my soul… but I believe he saw through me… that’s why I’m here now…”
“He sounds like…” Nino whispered, still trying to digest everything he had heard.
“…a good and fair man…” Masaki finished Nino’s words.
“Have you ever regretted it?” Nino asked again before he could hold back. “Being a member of the Ooku I mean…” he added fast.
“Every aspect of life has its good and bad sides Kazunari-kun… I try my best to focus on the good ones…”
“But…”
“I told you I cried my eyes out the first night… I cried the next five days and nights as well. I had learnt to live free… without any kind of rules or restrictions… I had never experienced any kind of love… I hadn’t even shared a kiss before… I had isolated myself… speaking to no one… so much that Jun-kun felt that it would be impossible for me to serve the Emperor. Yet, he was patient with me and with slow yet stable steps I managed to explore sides of me I didn’t know I had… to control my body… to learn to please…”
Masaki sighed “When the Emperor called for me four months later I thought I would be sent away… I was trembling and I couldn’t remember anything from Jun’s lessons… but his Majesty didn’t do that… On the contrary, he put me in his arms trying to calm me down… he was very gentle with me… and he called me again and again… until I realized that there was a reason for me being here… What he only wants is loyalty…”
“That’s what Matsumoto-san told me…”
“I’m sure he did… You’ll see yourself Kazunari-kun… The Ooku have made me re-evaluate many things in my life… I have found a home… I have learnt how it is… to feel…” Masaki whispered at the end.
There was a trace of sadness in the last words that escaped Masaki’s mouth but Nino felt it was out of his limits to ask. His mentor had already said so many things about himself that took him by surprise.
“How about you Kazunari-kun? How did you end up here?” Masaki asked Nino, having his gaze glued on his trainee.
“I was brought by Matsumoto-san… he was pretending the client at the…” Nino bit his lower lip somehow ashamed. The other one was a different case from his. He was a professional whore… that would never change.
“You worked as a courtesan?” Masaki asked in a gentle tone. “Jun-kun didn’t tell me about it… I’m sure you were the best…”
“Eh?”
“You’re emitting a mature aura that contradicts your youthful looks… and since you were Jun-kun’s personal choice I’m sure you’re very talented in terms of singing as well… He has a soft spot for those who can actually sing… I was never able to utter words following correctly the rhythm of the shamisen…”
“It can’t be true! You’re probably the most elegant person I’ve seen in my life. You surpass even the finest female courtesans I’ve ever known… I’m sure you can sing very well…” Nino’s eyes bulged, not being able to believe that the number one of the Ooku would be not good at singing.
Masaki laughed a bit. “I’m flattered to hear that and I won’t deny that my movements are satisfying for my role but it’s a different thing to have to follow the music tones; especially if they’re too high…”
“But aren’t the members supposed to entertain the Emperor?” Nino asked rather reluctantly.
Masaki smiled. “Who said that I didn’t? I still remember how much the Emperor had laughed when I tried to sing at high notes making everyone in the dining room to close their ears! It was very entertaining! I can assure you of that!”
Masaki laughed and Nino couldn’t help but laugh along. He had almost forgot where he was when he heard an angry voice.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your laughs…” Nino felt suddenly his heart pounding fast. He recognized that voice. It was the man from last night. Even in day light he sounds so scary… Nino thought and raised his gaze to meet the other’s eyes that looked colder than ice. “Have you explained the rules to this new trainee of yours? I suppose Matsumoto wants to see the results fast…” Satoshi continued paying no attention to Nino’s reaction.
“I will Ohno-san. Jun-kun has shown his trust in me and my methods but I suppose it doesn’t lie to you how I train the new members of the Ooku” Masaki replied confidently, looking straight into the shorter man’s eyes.
“No… indeed and I couldn’t care less about this… training of yours…” the guard’s tone was clearly demeaning towards the members of the Ooku “…Though I can’t help but having problems if I meet him wandering around when he obviously shouldn’t have… As much as I dislike it, I also have rules connected to you to follow”
Masaki narrowed his eyes. “He only came last night, Ohno-san… I’m sure he had stress and curiosity…”
“Yes, he might have but it’s already hard for me to do my job… I have so many uninvited guests to keep an eye on…”
“What do you mean by that?” Masaki snapped at Satoshi, looking fiercer than Nino could ever imagine, considering how friendly and polite he was with him.
“Many people that shouldn’t be around the Ooku… like those that are supposed to be limited to deal with the Emperor’s work for example…” Satoshi smirked seeing how pale Masaki had turned. “Please don’t make it harder, Aiba-san”
Nino felt uneasy watching the whole scene. Obviously, the guard was throwing hints against his mentor. A thought that was confirmed, since he saw Masaki lowering his head.
“Don’t worry Ohno-san. I’ll make sure he knows all the rules perfectly by heart by noon so that he can cause you no problem” Masaki turned towards the house. “Come Kazunari-kun. We must start with the first lesson already…”
Nino stood up hurriedly and followed Masaki. Just when he was about to enter the house he turned his head and saw the guard still keeping his gaze on him. He shivered, as he felt it running through his body. Nervously, he quickly entered the house closing the door behind him.
“I’m so sorry for causing trouble to you… I’ll make sure it won’t happen again” Nino spoke in a tiny voice. He knew well from experience that mistakes could cause you much.
Masaki sighed and placed his hand softly on Nino’s left shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. You didn’t know… besides he’s always like that…”
“Who is he?” he whispered.
Masaki’s face was serious. “Ohno Satoshi is his name… the main guard of the Ooku. None of us know where he came from or what he was before taking his current position. It is rumored to have been a ninja or even an executioner before entering the palace in the service of the Emperor. I can’t tell whether it’s true or not though. What I know is that he takes his task very seriously and that the Emperor trusts him completely. He’s a strange man, Kazunari-kun. I’ll just give you a small piece of advice… Stay away from this man as much as possible…”
……………………………………………..
“You asked for me, your Majesty?”
The Emperor looked at Jun who had entered the throne room, now bowing low, keeping his figure perfect as always. “You may rise, Jun”
Jun did as he was told but kept his eyes lower than the Emperor’s face. In his case, he knew that it wasn’t forbidden to look at him; he had passed numerous nights in his chambers but he wasn’t a member of the Ooku anymore and he knew that, even if it was a simple thing for him to do, it would only bring painful memories.
“You insist on following the rules so strictly…” the Emperor’s voice reached Jun’s ears making him gasp.
“No, your Maje-”
“You can’t forgive me for pausing you from the Ooku… you think that you weren’t good enough… don’t you, Jun?”
Jun didn’t speak… he just lowered his head. He wished he could but his position wouldn’t allow it. What could he say anyway? The Emperor’s will was unquestionable…
“I order you to speak”
“Your Majesty… I… could never doubt or even think to question your decision… I’m nothing more than a humble servant of yours… you have every right to…”
“You lie…” the Emperor spoke again but like before there was no trace of anger. “Please… come closer, Jun”
Jun made a few steps ahead. “Closer” the order was clear and Jun made two more, leaving between him and the Emperor a space not bigger than a couple of inches. He suddenly felt a hand tracing his right cheek. It was a simple touch but it brought back so many memories; memories buried deep inside his head.
“You have changed… you’re still the same beautiful but I remember your skin flawless…”
Jun took a deep breath and opened his eyes, looking straight into the Emperor’s face this time. “That’s why you decided to make me the responsible for the Ooku? Because of my age?”
The Emperor smiled. “Now you’ve spoken honestly, Jun. I did it because I saw the talent in you… You know that sometimes I secretly visit the Ooku… I want to know its members when they’re not in service… and I had seen you… organizing the feast for my fortieth birthday… You’re the one I felt I could trust the most…”
“I know and I’m honored…” Jun replied, trying to be heard as neutral as possible. “I’m more than indebted to you, your Majesty”
The Emperor moved back to his seat. “How about the new one?”
“He has already arrived, your Majesty. His training has been entrusted to Aiba Masaki. He was the one who offered his help and I couldn’t deny his offer. Since it doesn’t go against any of the rules, I thought that it would be the best…”
The Emperor smiled. “Masaki…” his voice sounded a bit dreamy, causing Jun to close his eyes and take a deep breath before continuing.
“He is a natural… I’ve seen him. I’m sure that in one month from now he will be ready to be at your service”
“How old is he?” the Emperor asked, his voice turning back to normal.
“He’s twenty-one but he doesn’t look older than sixteen… seventeen, your Majesty”
“Thank you, Jun. Once again you proved yourself being the right person”
“That statement honors me, your Majesty” Jun bowed deeply low. “Do you want anything else?” he asked politely.
“Inform Masaki to be ready tonight. I’ll be expecting him one hour after dinner”
“As you wish…” Jun bowed once again and without turning his back on the Emperor he stepped out of the throne room.
He had climbed down a few stairs when he turned his head back. “I can’t forgive you because you never really saw through me… you never did… only with Aiba…” he mumbled under his breath and blinked his tears away, as he climbed down the rest of the stairs, heading towards the main part of the Ooku.
……………………………………………
“What are you doing here?” Sho asked bewildered when he saw Masaki entering his office. “Are you out of your mind? Masaki… it’s only noon! We will get caught…”
Masaki knew that he was risking their exposure at the moment but he was very worried. Without slowing down he reached his lover who had just stood up from his seat. “Sho… Ohno…” his hands were clinging on the sleeves of Sho’s dark blue kimono. “Ohno… I think he knows about us…” his voice was trembling as the words came slowly out. “He kept throwing me hints earlier today… if only you could see the way he was smirking… he knows… he knows… what are we going to do Sho?”
Sho didn’t want to make Masaki worry even more and hugged him tightly. Once he could feel the heartbeat of his lover calming down a bit, he moved him so that he could see his eyes. “Masaki, are you sure you were not seen?” he asked as he kept throwing glances at the closed door of his office.
Masaki shook his head. “No Sho. I used the back corridor… the one that starts from the south part of the main building… don’t worry… I was very careful… No one saw me…” his eyes were watery. “Sho… I got so scared… what are we going to do? What…?”
Sho held Masaki tighter and placed his lips on his forehead. “He won’t do anything, my love… as long as he has no proof he can’t do or say anything… and if he does I’ll be the one to confront him…” Sho felt the other stiffening in his arms and added fast. “But it won’t be needed… so don’t worry… please… you have to worry more on that new one trainee of yours… What if he realized you’re not there? He might ask around and…”
Masaki’s heart was still beating fast. “Don’t worry about him… He has a kind heart… and I have made him read the rules at the moment… that’s why I managed to escape and come here… I told him I had to make some preparations…”
Sho sighed. “But still we have to be careful Masaki…”
The other didn’t reply and simply buried his head in Sho’s neck. “I missed you…” he whispered.
“We were together last night…” Sho tried to reason his secret lover.
“He called for me…” Masaki said in a trembling, almost whispering voice.
Sho’s heart clenched at the hearing of that; not only because another man would touch his Masaki but also because of the sadness he could recognize in his secret lover’s voice. “You have to go Masaki… even if it hurts me to even think of someone else touching and caressing you… you have to… he’s the Emperor…” he said, after having taken a deep breath.
Masaki looked up at Sho with teary eyes. “Kiss me…”
“Masaki…”
“Please…” Masaki insisted desperately.
Sho brushed his fingers through the other’s soft hair and leaned closer, locking their lips into a slow yet full of passion kiss.
“Promise me we will meet tomorrow…” Masaki said once they had broken it.
“You have the new one… and Ohno…”
“Late at night… I can sneak out… we can go to the north part of the garden… there we will not be seen… Ohno never goes there”
“It’s too dangerous… Maybe we should wait for a couple of days…”
“Even if it is for one minute… please… I just want to see you… Please… please Sho…”
“Alright… I’ll be there… Now please go back…” Sho replied in a soft voice.
Masaki only smiled. He quickly pecked his lips once again and soundlessly walked out of his office. Sho went back to his seat and looked at all the papers in front of him. He felt a tear running down his left cheek. Why does it have to be so complicated?!
………………………………………..
Nino couldn’t sleep well even if that was his second night there. He got off his futon and put his green kimono on. He didn’t care to tie the obi well; he couldn’t by himself and in a few hours the sun would take its place up in the sky; he could ask Masaki’s help then.
He wanted to go to the small lake again but the moment he made a step towards his bedroom door, he remembered the threatening gaze of the guard. He knew that it was forbidden to wander around on his own but he needed to feel the wind on his face to calm down. Masaki had asked him to learn by heart one of the poems written for the Emperor but not simply reciting it… the way he was instructed to move, made it feel almost like a geisha acting performance, even if its importance was different.
Since he was there he had to prove that Jun had made the right choice. Despite having danced and sang many times in ‘Hanabira’, he knew well that this time was different. This time he would be evaluated by his mentor and couldn’t help but feel nervous. I really need to calm down or I won’t be able to do it correctly in the morning… He was alone in the house as Masaki had informed him he was asked to pass the night at the royal chambers. This room suffocates me… Nino took a deep breath and walked towards the main entrance of the house. Feeling his heart pounding fast against his ribs, he opened the wooden door of the house carefully. There was no sign that weird guard. It’s now or never…
He managed to reach the small lake, without having any unpleasant meetings, and sat next to a bush, so that he could easily hide if necessary. The moon almost full mirrored in the water, making the view in front of his eyes even more beautiful. Nino brought his legs close to his chest and hugged his knees. It did remind him the lake of his small village; even more than he dared to admit.
His mind traveled back in time, bringing back memories of his childhood… of him. He was older than him… how much he couldn’t tell… even his face was blurry… leaving only his smile filling Nino’s mind. He would always let Nino play with the water; even throw it all over him without complaining not even once about it. Nino felt as if he was another member of his family or perhaps something more special than that.
His hand found the small pendant he was always wearing around his neck. It was his present. He had given it to Nino when he decided to leave the village in order to find a proper job and help his family, as he had said. Nino always called him Aniki and after so many years it was impossible for him to remember any hint of Aniki’s name.
You are the one who helps me keeping my mind sane… strong… I miss you Aniki… I wish I could meet you again… but I know I can’t… I just hope that you’re doing fine… wherever you are…
He sighed and looked at the calm water once again. Slowly, he made a few steps forward, till his feet dived into it up to his ankles. It wasn’t very cold even if it was still dark. It was then that a sudden idea popped into his head. Biting his lower lip he looked around and after being sure that there was no one around, he opened his loosely tied obi and took off the kimono. The water was indeed quite warm, letting him enjoy the effect it had on his body.
Nino remained in it for quite a long time; it felt so refreshing… as if for a moment all his worries didn’t exist. Once he got out of the water, he was feeling a lot better and decided to rehearse the poem once again. He didn’t put his kimono immediately back on, as the water droplets would destroy it. Well… I guess… I could say it here…
He closed his eyes, and naked as he was, started moving around the way he was taught by Masaki. He tried to be as elegant as possible and his word rhythm slow and clear as it should. He knew that his mentor would be satisfied, if he presented it to him with no mistakes in the morning; what he didn’t know was that there was a specific pair of eyes watching him intensively from the very moment he had stepped out of the house.
***
Satoshi’s hand clenched around the handle of his katana while his eyes, narrowed as they were, kept following closely the movements of Nino’s hands up in the air, that looked as if they were following the rhythm of an unheard music. The more he saw the more he could feel anger building up inside of him. Trying to move around with female grace… to look elegant and fragile… how disgusting… he kept thinking when he saw the other stop his movements and try to pick up his kimono.
“From what it seems you do not seem to comply with the rules… I guess we should have a serious talk, just the two of us…” he muttered to himself and without losing another minute he made a few steps closer to the other who, having his back on him, didn’t seem to have taken notice of his presence.
Nino had just taken a hold of his obi, when he felt someone taking it from him and placing it around his waist forcefully. His heart started beating crazily when he felt a hot breath hitting against his nape. Even though he hadn’t seen who the person behind him was, he was sure it was that guard… Ohno Satoshi.
“I’ve been watching you…” the now familiar voice, reached his ears almost as a whisper, sending tens of chills down his spine. It was the same cold and hostile like before. What am I supposed to do now?! he thought trying desperately to find a way out of there.
The next moment he was made to turn around and meet the other’s intense gaze on him. “Tell me… How am I supposed to make you realize that rules…” Nino felt the grip around his arm tighten even more, making him frown from the pain. “… are not to be broken?”
TO BE CONTINUED…
A.N. Sooo minna here's part 2! ^_^ We found out more about Masaki's past as well as Jun's character... he also has his own deep thoughts, hasn't he?! The Emperor, for those who haven't guessed who he is, will be revealed in the next part! :) We also found out something about Nino. Satoshi's character will remain mysterious for now - I have my reasons for this - but you'll have some first hints from the next part! I promise!!! ;)
Things will start getting more complicated for Sakuraiba and as for Ohmiya... Nino will definitely be in trouble getting caught like that! You'll see what I mean... :P
And yes... cliffhanger... gomeeen but I couldn't avoid it! ^^"
I really hope you enjoyed it and as always your comments are <333!!!
See you next week! ;D
Things will start getting more complicated for Sakuraiba and as for Ohmiya... Nino will definitely be in trouble getting caught like that! You'll see what I mean... :P
And yes... cliffhanger... gomeeen but I couldn't avoid it! ^^"
I really hope you enjoyed it and as always your comments are <333!!!
See you next week! ;D
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calmCurrent Music: Arashi - Movin' on
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