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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 12
“What’s the meaning of this?” a member of the Board said. He was pointing at the mutilated hand of Yorimoto.
“Last night, he was caught to have insulted our Emperor. He had forced the newest member of the Ooku, who hadn’t even shared his Majesty’s bed yet, to pass the night with him claiming that it was his Majesty’s gift” Satoshi spoke calmly.
“So, I am the one who betrayed the Emperor, huh?” Yorimoto hissed.
“You are the one who lied about his Majesty…” Satoshi cut him off before returning his gaze to the Emperor. “This man here, your Majesty, claims that you are the one who gave him Ninomiya…”
“That’s a lie” the Emperor spoke, looking coldly at Yorimoto. “If I ever decided something like that, then I’m sure that it would be a reward for someone who would be willing to sacrifice himself for me, not for being one of the traitors against the throne…”
“No! I am not a trai-”
“I forgot to mention something, your Majesty” Satoshi spoke interrupting Yorimoto again. “This member of the Ooku comes from a village that belongs to the territory under his rule. Due to the debts of Ninomiya’s family towards their daimyo, I doubt the fair nature of them but that’s another story, the latter had taken him as a servant since he was a child… I’m sure Yorimoto wasn’t particularly fond of the idea that a servant, who had managed to sneak away, had come to live safely and what is more, become a member of the Ooku… I’m sure his sick ego wasn’t able to accept it…”
“This is a personal insult against our Emperor… I’m sure the matter can be discussed privately… We shouldn’t-” the same member of the Board spoke.
“Yamaguchi-sama… I have a reason to bring this matter to the Board…” Satoshi said before returning his gaze to the Emperor. “Yorimoto is a traitor. His Majesty just said that…”
“And I have no reason to doubt it if there is the necessary evidence but a matter regarding the Ooku is irrelevant”
“Not when there is a connection between the two of them; the Ooku and the treachery. Yorimoto’s intention wasn’t only to fulfill the desires of the flesh… there was something else behind. As I told you earlier, Ninomiya was a servant of his… the latter was threatened of being punished, sent away from the palace or even executed, since having escaped while being the property of a lord was against the rules of the Ooku – that of course was part of Yorimoto’s scheme – he needed something to obligate him. In other words, he threatened to reveal his past, unless he was willing to help him carry out his plan…”
“Help him carry out his plan?” another member of the Board asked.
“Lies!” Yorimoto yelled, having a frown written on his forehead, obviously from being in pain.
“Silence!” the Emperor said in a cold, commanding tone.
“The truth is that I was aware that he was up to something before he came here… but I couldn’t know exactly how and when… thankfully last night he made it all clear…” Satoshi continued in the same calm tone, entertained as he was to see the fury building up on the prince’s face.
“Speak!” Everyone looked surprised at the prince who had stood up looking at the daimyo with narrowed eyes.
“Of course your Highness. I’m sure you never heard of that…” Satoshi said and made a nod to Sho. The latter put in front of the prince a letter. “It’s Yorimoto’s handwriting…” the guard continued. “But I’m sure you recognize it… you’ve been exchanging letters in the last two years quite frequently, if I may say… but this can wait for now… So, as I was saying” Satoshi turned to look at the members of the Board on his right “I had known that he intended to use an intern as bait… his reasons were double: to kill the Emperor and then accuse the prince of it…”
“WHAT?” Toma exploded.
“You really thought that a rotten man like Yorimoto would be satisfied with whatever you could offer when he the chance to kill you both…”
Toma couldn’t utter a word. This meant that all those years of secret meetings and preparations were in vain?
“Don’t be devastated your Highness. Once a traitor, always a traitor… But to finish what I was saying, I always thought that he would use a woman… one specific woman… the only one who could be that close to the Emperor and somehow was… of great interest to you…” Satoshi smirked when he saw the way the prince’s face became pale. “That’s why I had my eyes on her… I was looking close at her…”
“Even if we all accept your story here…” Toma said in a mocking way trying to find a way to crush the other. “I’m sure it wasn’t lying to your duties… I can even name it disrespectful…”
“You’re making a mistake here, your Highness”
“I am?!” the Prince asked, raising his eyebrow.
“Yes… because it did lie to my duties…”
“She has nothing to do with the Ooku!”
“Of course she hasn’t…” Satoshi replied calmly, staring straight into Toma’s eyes.
“Brother… don’t you listen to him? He’s supposed to be the guard of the Ooku and he was-”
“As you said Toma. He’s supposed to be the guard of the Ooku and believe me I made sure he was doing his job splendidly! I might look as if I let things slip out of my hands but I’m neither blind nor stupid” the Emperor spoke making everyone in the room hush.
“What…?”
“Ohno Satoshi, indeed carries the title of the guard of the Ooku at the moment, but do you remember what you had told me when I firstly introduced him to the court and established his position when he first arrived at the palace with me?”
“That there’s no need for such a guard…” Toma finished his brother’s words.
“Exactly and you were right. I had the responsible one and the guards outside… It was more than enough…”
“Then why…? I don’t understand…”
“The Ooku is connected with the Empress rooms in both winter and summer palaces. All women use one exit in case of emergency, right?” Toma’s eyes bulged. “I needed him to be able to wander freely in that area… Women tend to talk…”
“You mean…”
“Ohno Satoshi was never the guard of the Ooku… He’s my spy, Toma…”
Toma looked at his brother, still trying to catch up everything. “But… why?”
“Because he’s the one I trust the most. Not only did he save me from certain death during the campaign against Kirigawa, but he managed to reveal the one who had tried to kill me, even when the evidence was almost non-existent”
“Someone tried to kill you, your Majesty?” some of the members of the Board stood up. “You never said anything… if an action had taken place back then…”
“It would be easier for the enemy to prove me to be insane… or at least, someone with wild imagination… Especially when I still had no clear evidence of who was hiding behind all those movements against me…”
“It was the wisest thing to do back then, your Majesty” Satoshi spoke in a low tone.
“You heard him?! Brother… you’re the Emperor… you have so many respectful consultants and you…”
“I will repeat it once again, Toma. I trust him the most… and believe me I have a good reason to…”
***
“Don’t force yourself…” the voice was soft.
“Where am I?” the Emperor asked opening his eyes with difficulty.
“You are in Shiroki woods, your Majesty…”
The Emperor looked at the man sitting at the edge of the bed he was lying on. “You know who I am?”
“Yes… and I can say that you’re safe”
“I…”
“You were lying unconscious at the edge of the river… luckily a big rock stopped you from get drowning… I tried but failed to find your horse… It must have gone back to your camp. We managed to save you though…”
“We?! Who are you? And if you’re not alone let the other reveal himself to me!”
Satoshi heard footsteps coming closer. “My name is Ohno Satoshi and this is…” he pointed at the taller man who had just entered the small room but couldn’t finish his line. He could sense the way they both stared at each other in front of him. Jun obviously was a handsome man, even if he wasn’t of his taste, and he surely had heard enough during the dinners between samurais, daimyos and shoguns about the Emperor’s preference in beautiful men but couldn’t expect something like that when he had brought the Emperor back to the small hut he was living in with Jun. Especially not from Jun who seemed to have blushed as he felt the Emperor’s curious gaze on him. ‘Who would have thought of that…’
“This…is Matsu-” he stopped for a second as he recognized the way the taller one’s eyes narrowed and continued smiling. “-moto Jun. He’s a practitioner of herbs… he’s the one who cured you…”
“Your Majesty…” Jun said and bowed deeply in front of the older man, trying to find his composure.
“What happened to me?” the Emperor asked turning his gaze back to Satoshi.
Jun let the small bad shaped ceramic bowl with the fresh water, he was carrying, on the table next to the bed and placed his hand softly on the Emperor’s forehead. “You were poisoned… I’m sure you didn’t feel well during those past days…” he smiled when he saw the other nodding “It was working on you slowly… but thankfully I was able to stop it from expanding in your lungs… though, you were having a high fever and you’ve been sleeping for three days… Usually it takes more time but you were strong enough to fight it…”
“Poisoned?! I was with my soldiers the whole time…”
“You should have met with someone else… and if I’m guessing right, I know with whom…” Satoshi spoke out of the blue.
“How…?”
“I recognize the methods… sneaky… lower… and irritatingly almost successful…”
“And who is it?” the Emperor asked as he tried to sat up better on the bed.
“Hiroyama Akihito” The answer was firm. The Emperor’s eyes bulged. “I had my suspicions since there were rumors that he would meet up with you…” Satoshi continued lowering his head. “He is wandering these areas along with the best samurais in his service since last winter…”
“How…?”
“I know because I used to be one of them…”
“You were a samurai?! I thought that when a samurai fails to serve his goal he…”
“… commits hara-kiri. You are right. But as you said when he fails to serve his goal. The shogun… there was a personal matter between him and me… but it was when I left that I found who exactly Hiroyama was. He always pretended to serve you when he wasn’t…”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because if I wanted to kill you I would have done it and if I didn’t believe in you I would have revealed neither my real name, nor my identity as a former samurai but I decided to follow the oath I once gave… to protect you even if it meant with my own life”
The Emperor was left staring astonished before frowning. “But it’s been days since I’m here, I’m sure they should have started looking for me…” he said, still trying to understand everything.
“They were indeed… but you were unconscious. Besides... please, look at this” there was a small piece of paper in his hand. “I sneaked in the camp and stole it during the night…”
“I thought you were a samurai, not a ninja…”
Satoshi smiled. “I was always of the perception of using every technique might turn out to be useful regardless its nature… I was trying to find the reason behind this attempt of killing you and then presenting it as an accident…”
“I must condemn him to death!” The Emperor threw the paper on the floor.
“Your Majesty, please… you just woke up…” Jun tried to make the older man comfortable.
“With all due respect I think that it would be wiser not to act at the moment. It’s obvious that there’s something bigger behind it. Since it was supposed to be an accident, accusing him of something like that might give ground to unnecessary rumors about you favoring someone else and that would only bring even bigger problems. Never underestimate the bond and the influence of a shogun or even a daimyo on the samurais in their service”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“Wait and be ready… An attack must be wisely thought if its execution needs to be perfect”
“And what should I do with you?” the Emperor asked Satoshi who all this time kept his head down.
“That lies only to you…”
---
“Bring me your sword and kneel with your head down!” the Emperor ordered. Two days had passed and he was strong enough to stand on his feet.
Satoshi did as he was told. He had closed his eyes tightly and waited for the blade to cut his neck. He had betrayed his oath, even if the immorality of the shogun couldn’t compare to his.
“Stand up!” Perplexed, he did as he was told, daring to stare the Emperor in the eyes. “You are coming with me… You will be my personal guard and spy… You have an interesting view on many things… I liked you… And don’t worry about Hiroyama. We will take the south path. We’re heading to the Palace!”
***
“I knew I had to keep him by my side” the Emperor continued. “Living in a place with so many raptors inside, looking at me as their prey, isn’t the easiest thing to do…” the Emperor turned his attention to the other ones being present. “I’m sure you understand now why he’s here. Please let him finish and then you can ask anything you want”
Satoshi bowed to the Emperor. “Thank you, your Majesty. As I was saying, your Highness, she was the one I firstly thought. My attention then went to the female members of the Ooku since I knew that you were never fond of a man’s body. I was aware of your connections with a few members but surprisingly Yorimoto never approached them… perhaps he was afraid of not being able to keep their mouths shut and killing too many people in the palace, surely wouldn’t be the cleverest thing to do, if he wanted to keep his head on his shoulders.
I couldn’t find the way out until last night… When I followed him, I found out that there was a special connection between him and the boy. Immediately, I informed his Majesty and caught him along with the responsible of the Ooku. As you can read in that letter, his intention was not only to kill his Majesty but portraying you as the one behind everything…”
Toma got closer to Yorimoto and slapped him with all his might.
“Your Highness…” Satoshi grabbed Toma’s arm to make him step away from the daimyo who was kneeled on the floor in the middle of the room. “You don’t have to behave like that…”
“You said it, Ohno! He tried to portray me as the one behind the revolution!”
“I never said that…” Satoshi replied calmly. “I only said that he wanted to portray you behind his Majesty’s death in a way you hadn’t foreseen it. There was no need of him to portray you behind the revolution because you actually are…”
“I was present when he showed my brother the faked, from what it seems, documents… There’s no doubt that the ones Sakurai presented a while ago are his work too!”
“Of course… What you say is objectively right…”
“Thank you” Toma spoke smiling triumphantly as he turned to go back at his seat.
“If we assume that there was no evidence…” Toma had frozen at his spot. “You had everything planned carefully... With the smallest detail… What you hadn’t taken into consideration was Yorimoto… He hasn’t burnt your letters as you were asking him to… he had them all with him… he needed them to prove your betrayal…”
Toma turned around. “What letters?” his eyes throwing flames of anger.
Sho looked at the Emperor who nodded. “Here!”
Toma looked at them for a couple of seconds and gave them back to the guard. “Are you kidding me? What kind of evidence is that? These documents aren’t mine. It’s not my handwriting and nowhere is my stamp to validate them, as well!”
Satoshi stepped forward. “Of course it’s not your handwriting. If it was, it would be a mistake of a ten-year old boy. As for the stamp, indeed without it there’s no clue of the identity of their redactor… and that would immediately make them invalid…”
“So, you admit that they are invalid!” the prince almost yelled at the other.
“I never said they are invalid. Once again you’re putting words into my mouth. As I said, without a stamp they would be invalid and such documents of high importance couldn’t get risked of not fulfilling their purpose”
“But there’s no stamp!” the prince insisted.
Satoshi turned his head to Sho who took a deep breath before coming closer to the prince. “Indeed there’s no stamp, your Highness. But I’m sure you’re aware of the fact that a document, particularly when it is of high importance, can be marked by its redactor using an alternative method… known as blind sealing…”
“This is just a speculation!”
“If you excuse me…” Toma gulped when he saw the other taking a candle in his hand placing it a few centimeters lower the paper he was holding with the other one. “It takes a few seconds to appear… due to the heat… Here…”
Toma was handed the paper back with his personal seal being visible in a light grey tone at the end of it.
“Sakurai, please start reading them please!” the Emperor ordered his counselor.
Sho cleared his throat and immediately started reading, causing whispers to fill the room. He was in the middle of the third one when Toma burst into laughs.
“All I hear is about rice and trade! I admit that I’m not proud of wanting earning behind my brother’s back but I always loved money and I was bored being in the palace all day…”
Satoshi lowered his head smiling. “And of course your crime would have been not important, if you indeed had written about trade and secret profit but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. I have to admit that you were way too clever… writing in code… who would have thought that such an innocent-looking letter of yours about a field of rice could actually mean success in your plan to take the throne, right?!”
“What?”
“Sakurai Sho managed to break your code… Till then my suspicions were based on scattered information. I was sure of your identity but I couldn’t base the accusation on any kind of solid evidence not when there was no but thankfully, here it is now! We have what we wanted in our hands!”
“So the one who broke the code, as you claim, is Sakurai Sho… How interesting! The one, who behind my brother’s back is sleeping with his favorite member of the Ooku, is the one finding out the code?! I’m sure he broke it with great zeal. He had to find a way to hush me… since I knew of their affair that more or less could mean his death. Aren’t I right, Sakurai-san?!” Sho thought he would faint. He expected that matter to come to surface but he couldn’t stop his heart from beating crazily against his ribs.
“What?” this time it was the Emperor who was left astonished.
“I’m sorry, brother. I didn’t want you to find it like that but I can’t keep listening to accusations without base. It’s obvious that everyone is trying to make me look as the mastermind behind everything. Didn’t it pass by your mind that this man, in whom you believe so much, can have made it up? Since it has gone this far, I need to call someone, too!”
“Who?”
Toma smirked. “Matsumoto Jun… I’m sure he has some interesting things to say…”
………………………………………………..
Jun made sure the liquid was at the right temperature. He knew well that everything could go wrong, if he wasn’t careful enough. Once he was sure, he brought it to Masaki’s lips opening them forcing it to go in his mouth. Squeezing it with some force for a couple of seconds, he let the other rest. His pulse was still almost zero but his eyes were responding well to the light, indicating that everything was going according to the plan.
“Make sure you prove to us that you are indeed strong… I might have never said it to you but I admire you Aiba Masaki. At first, I wanted to reveal your secret relationship with Sakurai Sho when I found out but then I figured out that you truly loved him… purely… as it suited you… as purely you loved him… even if he was something like a protector to you… I knew your feelings for him, even if they weren’t those of someone in love, were honest… otherwise you wouldn’t cry after having come back to your room from spending the night with your lover…”
Jun looked at the paper he was holding in his hands. He smiled. He knew what was written on that paper because he was the one who had helped Masaki write it.
***
“You want to write him a letter? I think it’s the poison working inside of you…”
Masaki lowered his head. “I just want to apologize. I can’t lie to him, Matsumoto-san… he always treated me with so much love… he always made me feel safe. I can’t have this burden on my shoulders. It was hard for me… hiding all of this time… being obliged to lie all those times I was spending the night in his chambers. I… will be dead… He won’t be able to do anything to me. You can give it to him afterwards… You can say that I had asked you to do that only in case of something bad happening to me…”
Jun smiled. “Somehow, I envy you. How can you still remain so pure?”
“Please, Matsumoto-san!”
Jun gave it a thought before going to the small table that existed in his room and took out his brush. “Fine… Come here, I will help you with the strokes…”
Masaki beamed him his wide smile before sitting next to him. He had started feeling weak and the nausea was becoming stronger every passing hour but he had to do that. He had to lie to him about his life but his conscience couldn’t let him lie about his feelings… not to the one man that had showed him so much care and love.
***
Jun sighed as he unfolded the paper and started reading.
Noriyuki
If you are reading this then I am already far away but I want you to know that even there I have a wide smile. You were the first person who ever believed in me… I always thought my place was at the streets… It was you who treated me as someone deserving someone’s attention. I always felt safe in your hands…
You introduced me to the pleasure the flesh can give you slowly. Always taking notice of my limit… Always respecting me as a person. Even when you made me yours for the first time. There was not a single moment that I felt used… I can only say that I felt treasured and loved… I write these words with a big smile on my face; proof that I still remember that night fondly. I thought that I had found love… the kind of love between two people who are this intimate … I honestly did… but then I met someone… I won’t reveal his name. He’s not at fault. I am… But… he made me realize that I had misjudged things; the kind of love I was feeling for you was different.
At first, I tried to ignore it. The torturing need to meet that man’s eyes… the need to have them look back at me… but then I kept dreaming about him… and I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I thought that I deserved to die but then I remembered your words. You had always told me that love was the most beautiful thing that could occur between two people. Could love be a bad thing?
I couldn’t find the answer. For several months, I avoided him, knowing that if our eyes meet, it will be inevitable. But then at some point, it became unbearable… I became his… and then it was painful… painful because I felt betraying you every single time I spent the night with him… betraying you every single time you were speaking words when I was spending the night with you. Yet I couldn’t stop it.
But, egoistically I don’t regret it. Because it was something true. I was his and he was mine… and it was something magical… the kind of magic you had talked of so many times in the past, telling me that only good people deserved it… like a sign of the Gods.
Perhaps you hate me now that you know about it and you will have all the rights to… But I needed to be honest with you. I sincerely never meant to hurt you in any way but I guess I ended up doing so. I want you to know one thing. Even if my body betrayed you, my feelings never did. I swear that even if I didn’t love you, the way you wanted me, I loved you. You were my protector, my brother, the one who made me believe in myself.
And exactly because you are who you are I strongly have faith in you. Your magic, this wonderful mystery of love, wasn’t with me… you deserve someone better than me… because I know that you are a good person… More than you think yourself. Open your eyes… I’m sure you will meet then that pair that will create this bond… where no words are needed.
I won’t ask for forgiveness… I don’t deserve it. I will just say thank you… thank you for making me who I am today; I might have flaws, weaknesses but I have faith in me…
Thank you,
Masaki
Jun read it for the third time since he had kept it with him before throwing a fast glance at the other who was lying pale. “I really admire you, Aiba Masaki…” he muttered before hiding the letter under his clothes when he heard a guard calling for his name. He opened the door, not knowing what to expect. “What is it? His Majesty has asked me to take care of the ill…”
“The healer was called… You are asked to be present at the Board”
“Fine. Let me take something from my room first though, please… It will be important, since I’m asked to be present there…”
“Very well but hurry!”
Jun nodded and walked fast towards his room when he caught with the corner of his eyes Nino looking at him worried and gave him a small nod to follow him.
“Are you alright?”
“I am!” Nino replied fast obviously wanting to say something more. “I wanted to thank you. Last night, your words…
“I only spoke of the truth… but you better go to your room now” Jun said as he took something that looked like a small box covered in cloth in his hands.
Nino frowned. “What is going on?”
“Nothing to worry about. I am asked to go to the Board…”
“You? Why?”
“I don’t know, Ninomiya-kun” Jun placed one hand on the other’s shoulder. “Remember what I told you. Have faith in Ohno Satoshi… Go to your room… I’m sure you will be asked by the Emperor very soon”
***
Nino nodded and left fast. The responsible of the Ooku was right. He had to get ready. He took the small pendant in his hand and looked up at the sky. “I have faith in you, Aniki…”
………………………………………………..
The doors opened revealing Jun who entered and bowed.
“He’s the responsible of the Ooku!” a member of the Board spoke out loud. “His duty is there, not to be present here!”
“His status might be low but I had a reason for calling him!” Toma said.
Jun smirked as he lowered his head. My status… I chose my status to be low… I can’t wait to see your face…
***
Jun was watching the two men from afar. He was inside the hut and couldn’t do or say anything. He had wanted to reveal his identity his whole life, to get his revenge for those who had killed his family and had made him survive in the woods, making poisons. There would always be ill passer-byes or those needing revenge… He didn’t care… he needed money to go to the Emperor… but when the chance was on landed his feet, he had thrown it away.
If his identity was revealed, then he would be sent back to his lands… and he didn’t want to… From the first time he set his eyes on him, he knew he didn’t want to leave him. He thought that the other had noticed him as well but seeing them now preparing the horses to go, he knew he was wrong. If only Ohno could say something… their eyes met again and then he saw the other leaning closer to the Emperor, telling him something that certainly had to do with him. He wasn’t stupid… he could tell by the way his eyes were locked on him, soon followed by the Emperor’s piercing ones.
---
“What about my friend?” Satoshi dared to ask as they were getting ready to leave. He might have argued many times but Jun had helped him survive.
“I have a healer at the palace” the Emperor said as he walked towards the two horses that were waiting for them.
“He has an excellent talent in music… I thought that with his looks perhaps… he could entertain you during dinners… When I was a samurai I had plenty of opportunities to meet entertainers but his talent is something exquisite…”
The Emperor turned to look at him curiously. “You mean you and him…?”
Satoshi denied it immediately. “No, your Majesty. This kind of feelings has died in me… It only brings pain… but… I have heard him during the nights… secretly…”
The older man said nothing in reply. His eyes following Jun who was coming closer with a basket. “There are some fruits and bread for the road… I hope you will reach the palace safely…”
Jun was startled when he felt the Emperor’s hand touching his feather-like. “You have many things inside of you… I can feel it… but you are beautiful…” he made him turn so that he could look at him better. “Your eyes are piercing… your whole composure is strong… that’s interesting…” his right hand brushed through Jun’s hair. “Have you ever slept with a man?”
Jun shook his head, avoiding the Emperor’s intense gaze.
“Do you find the idea attractive or repulsing?” the other asked in the same neutral tone, clearly not caring whether Satoshi was in front of the scene or not.
Jun looked at the other with eyes full of hope. “If the other is someone that I admire enough to save his life, then I find it attractive…”
The Emperor smirked. “Sharp tongued, straight to the point. Interesting indeed…” he leaned closer so that their lips were only a few inches apart. “I’m glad to hear that, Jun” he stood where he was before. “Pack your things, you’re riding with me…”
“I will come to the palace?” Jun asked with eyes sparling of joy.
“Yes”
“As what?” he asked, feeling his heart thumbing painfully against his ribs.
“As a member of the Ooku” the answer was clear and was leaving no merge of doubt.
Jun nodded and ran into the hut to take a few things that he needed, followed by Satoshi. “You can thank me”
“For what?” Jun asked without throwing a single glance at the other.
“For convincing the Emperor to take to the Palace with us… Your looks were helpful but you better master music…”
“Why did you do that?”
“You fell helplessly in love with him” Satoshi replied seriously.
“I did not. I just obey because he’s the Emperor” Jun replied fast.
“Of course… that’s why you didn’t reveal your true identity… Matsushima Junichi… because you did not… I don’t judge you! It surprised me positively that you could actually show some true feelings… it is as if we have reversed our roles…” Satoshi came closer to him. “I just want to tell you one thing… now we’re even”
Jun sighed. “No emotion. Always with a motive…?!”
“No… only with logic… emotions makes you feel weak”
“Whatever…” Jun grabbed his things and walked towards the exit. “But never expect a thank you from me…”
***
His eyes were locked with Satoshi’s before turning his attention back to the prince.
“Your Highness…”
“Tell them who Sakurai Sho is! He has betrayed my brother!”
“He hasn’t… I can assure you of that, your Majesty…”
“You were the one who found in my chambers the…”
“I’m afraid you’re making a mistake. I was the one who placed it there, your Highness…” Jun said staring back at the dumbfounded prince. “But first, let me introduce myself the way I owe to the Board”
“There’s no need for that, Matsumoto. Your status is well-known” Toma hissed irritated.
“My status, of which you spoke so disapprovingly, was a clear choice of mine and I don’t regret it. Following the man that I fell in love with isn’t downgrading me as a person!” Immediately, whispers could be heard all over the room, leaving the Emperor, including Satoshi, astonished. “But let me say that I have every right to be here” he walked closer to the Emperor and after having bowed on him, kneeling on the ground, he gave him the small box he had carried from the room.
The Emperor took it and frowning opened it. His eyes bulged. “Where did you find this?”
“I didn’t find it… I own it…” Jun said in a low voice, not daring to look at the man in front of him.
“But this is the coat of arms of the Matsushima…”
“I know…” Jun replied almost whispering.
“The whole family is dead. If I remember well there was a fire that-”
“There was no fire, your Majesty” Jun said not letting him finish his words. “There was a murder… only that from the family there was one that managed to survive…”
“Who are you?” the Emperor asked with no trace of anger… only surprise.
“Let me introduce myself properly, your Majesty” Jun’s voice was trembling. “My name is… Matsushima Junichi”
Toma couldn’t believe his ears. “WHAT?”
TO BE CONTINUED…
A.N. Sooo minna here's part 12! ^_^ Late... I know..... once again gomeeeen! *looks down ashamed* But at least once again it's long, right?! xD
Satoshi has trapped Yorimoto even worse than the latter thought he would be and Toma, despite getting anxious with the whole things, has tried to cover things up with no success... Also there was a big revelation about Ohno!!! I don't know whether you suspected of something like that or not but I think he was wandering way too freely around the garden and the palace... and I'm sure that his secret meet-ups with Nino would have been more difficult if he was a guard indeed! We also found out the connection between him and the Emperor. It's logical that the latter would trust him, right?!
Now, Aiba... I wouldn't just let him play the role of Juliette! loool I'm sure that he wouldn't want to lie this much to the one man that actually gave him shelter and helped him so much. He's too kind for that. He loved and respected the Emperor, so he would want to be sincere. I have a reason for doing that... The Emperor, after the revelations of Toma on the Board, will be sure of the identity of the man that Masaki's speaking. Perhaps that might play a role for him and Jun... you'll see! ;)
Jun also was brave enough to speak out his love for the Emperor without a shame! Yay! And he revealed his true identity! There lies the reason for 'working' with Toma as you have read in the previous chapters! The prince has a reason for yelling like that at the end! You'll understand what I mean in the next one in which everything will be out and everyone will face the fate he deserves!!! ;)
Also, I know that Nino played a small role here but I promise he will be back triumphantly in the next chapter... He has played his role for the moment and there are many things yet to be revealed! I believe everything comes out in a clearer way than before even if Ohno's full plan and reason for saying all those things, as well as Jun's reasoning and cooperation with Ohno will be revealed later! *hides*
I really hope you enjoyed it and as always your comments are <333!!!
See you soon! ^_^
Current Mood: 
determined
determinedCurrent Location: my room
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