Soba ni Ite - Part Five
Title: Soba ni Ite
Author: Shattered Tenshi
Rating: NC-17 (PG-13 this chapter)
Fandom: JE
Genre: AU, Romance
Pairing: Yokoo Wataru x Fujigaya Taisuke...read to find out
Warnings: //points at rating//
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
Soba ni Ite
By Shattered Tenshi
Part Five
Pouring tea into the cup carefully, Taisuke then pushed the cup across the tatami, offering to the other. "Here you go, Aya-sama."
The female smiled at Taisuke. "Thank you, Taisuke-kun." There was silence between them as Aya sipped on the tea and Taisuke just sat there quietly, waiting for the other. "It's been a while since we've seen each other, haven't it?"
Taisuke looked up and blinked before nodding his head slowly. "Yes, it's been a while."
"Aniue must really enjoy your company. Lately, whenever I see you, Taisuke-kun is always following aniue, going somewhere." Aya laughed lightly. "Did aniue bring you to lots of interesting places?"
Taisuke was sure Aya didn't want to know just how much Wataru was enjoying his company, and his cheeks tinted with colour at that thought. He cleared his throat and replied, "No, nowhere really interesting. It was mainly walks around the shops as well as towards Hiromitsu-sama's house." They also went to Wataru's secret spot a few times, but of course, he knew Wataru wouldn't want him to mention that.
"I see," Aya said with a small nod. "Is aniue teaching you a lot of things then?"
Shifting his weight on his feet, Taisuke tried not to blush more as he spoke, "We watched Hiromitsu-sama practicing his calligraphy, and Hiromitsu-sama allowed me to try holding the brush." He tried not to recall what happened afterwards.
Aya's eyes sparkled. "Really? You must show me what you learned then!" She reached behind her, searching for something.
"Eh?" Taisuke immediately waved his hands around. "Aya-sama, don't waste your paper and ink! I didn't really learn that much!"
"It doesn't hurt to show me though, right?" Aya smiled back at Taisuke as she laid a fresh piece of paper in front of Taisuke. "I don't do calligraphy too often either, so I don't mind you using these."
When Aya started to prepare ink, Taisuke immediately shifted closer and said, "In this case, let me prepare the ink? I don't want Aya-sama to prepare ink for me to use..."
Aya laughed, but pulled back. "Alright. You do it yourself then, Taisuke-kun."
Once he was done with the preparation, Taisuke dipped the brush into the ink, careful not to make it too wet. He glanced up at Aya and smiled shyly. "Don't make of me if it's ugly, Aya-sama."
"Don't worry," Aya laughed. "I won't."
Taking a deep breath, Taisuke set the brush on to the paper. Of course, he was writing out the kanji for his name. His eyebrows furrowed together when his hand shook as he wrote, but he continued to try his best to concentrate until the end.
Taisuke let out a small sigh as he lifted the brush off. "It really isn't that great..."
"Let's see," Aya said with a smile, picking up the piece of paper and turning it towards her so she could see properly. "I think it's pretty well done. Taisuke-kun didn't learn how to write properly, right? You should be proud being able to write this!" She paused. "I never realized Taisuke-kun's name was written with these kanji."
A light blush appeared on Taisuke's face. "I don't know the right way my name is written. Wataru-sama and Hiromitsu-sama decided on this for me."
"Really?" Aya smiled softly. "That's nice of aniue and Hiromitsu-sama. They really do like you, don't they?"
Despite knowing Aya didn't mean it that specific way, Taisuke's heart couldn't help but skip a beat nervously. "Y-yes..."
Aya picked up the cup of tea and took a sip again before saying, "Ever thought about a change of scenery, Taisuke-kun?"
"Eh?" Taisuke looked at Aya in surprise. What was the other talking about?
"You haven't heard anything?"
Frowning as he tried to figure out what was Aya talking about, Taisuke slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't know, Aya-sama."
"Well, the Lord is interested in adopting a son or daughter from the branch families," Aya said. "Ojisama has told me to go, saying that I'm worthy to represent the Yokoos and that he was sure the Lord will like me." There was a small, but proud smile on her face.
Taisuke's eyes widened slightly. "Congratulations, Aya-sama!" He then paused. "Eh, you were told to go?"
Aya laughed lightly. "Yes, to the dinner the Lord will be hosting. Many sons and daughters from the branch families will be there, so the Lord can meet all of us."
Tilting his head, Taisuke asked, "What has that have to do with me, Aya-sama?"
"You're always with aniue, right? So I was wondering if you're interested in serving me for this dinner. Of course, I'll be bringing my personal servants, but I thought you'd like to come along as well. You don't have to come into the dinner area if you're nervous. Just come and look around the castle?" Aya suggested.
Taisuke still couldn't quite comprehend the situation, so Aya continued, "And if I do get chosen - I'm not saying I have a high chance, but just in case - would you like to work at the castle under me?"
"M-me?" Taisuke blinked.
"Yes," Aya said with a light blush to her cheeks. "I enjoy your company, and I thought it would be a good chance for you as well. Of course, the Lord might take a long time to decide who he'll be taking in, and it's totally fine if you want to stay here and serve aniue instead."
Taisuke still couldn't quite believe what Aya was telling him. "I...I don't know about working at the castle, but I'd be honoured if you bring me to the castle for that dinner, Aya-sama." He bowed down, hands against the tatami, forehead pressing against hands. "I believe it'll be a good experience for me as well."
"That's great, Taisuke-kun. I'll tell someone to inform you of the plans for that day then."
The day to visit the castle came quicker than Taisuke had expected. He could feel his heart thumping as he followed behind other servants, who were then following two guards and the men who were carrying the carriage which Aya was riding in. He had always seen the castle from far, so to be able to come so close to it, to actually be inside the castle area, Taisuke could feel his head getting dizzy.
Straightening his back, Taisuke tried to rid his mind of those thoughts though. As a servant of the Yokoos, he couldn't bring shame to the family. He will do his best in the castle.
Too busy thinking to himself, Taisuke almost crashed into the person in front of him when they stopped on the bridge towards the castle. He hadn't realized they had arrived. Watching Aya get off the carriage, he bowed his head when the other looked at his direction.
It wasn't until they were inside the castle grounds that Aya spoke to him. "Are you sure you don't want to serve me inside, Taisuke-kun?"
Taisuke quickly shook his head. "I'm sure, Aya-sama. It's better you have your personal servants in there. I thank you for thinking of me, but it's really fine for me to remain outside."
Aya smiled softly and nodded her head. "Alright. You remain outside with the rest of the group then."
The castle was so big, it felt like a maze as they were led around until they almost reached the room the dinner will be served. A servant from the castle spoke up and explained how Aya would go in to greet the Lord first before heading towards an inner room for dinner with the rest of the guests. Those who were not going inside with Aya were to stay here for the remainder of the time.
Once the servant had led Aya away, Taisuke immediately relaxed. The atmosphere at the castle was too different, and he couldn't help but feel tense most of the time. Even though he agreed this was turning out to be an interesting experience, he knew for sure what his answer was going to be if Aya asked him if he wanted to work at the castle.
Suddenly, Wataru appeared in his mind, and Taisuke couldn't help but blush lightly. That didn't mean anything, right? He was not staying at the Yokoos because of Wataru. It was because the Yokoos took care of him and he wanted to continue to repay them, that he'll never be able to repay them enough.
Then, there were more people coming and Taisuke immediately shifted closer to a servant beside him. "What's going on?" he asked in a whisper.
"Silly boy," the man chuckled lowly. "Of course they're the other guests, sons, daughters of the other branch families. We didn't come last after all."
"Oh," Taisuke's mouth formed a small circle before bowing his head as the group passed by them, leaving more servants behind to wait with them.
Taisuke lost count of the number of groups after five. He never realized there were so many branch families, or were the really small ones here as well? It wasn't his business though, so he didn't ask any questions about that.
Keeping his head bowed down, Taisuke suddenly shivered and looked up. Who was looking at him just now? That feeling was like a predator looking at a prey, and Taisuke felt like he should hide right now. He looked around before realizing that it was someone from the most recent group. The man had quickly looked away, but it wasn't hard to lose sight of the man, considering how it was clear the man had status.
Nudging the servant beside him again, Taisuke asked softly, "Who is that man? He's not one of the people the Lord wishes to adopt, right? He looks too old..." Those were words of course he dared to say because he was speaking to a fellow servant.
The servant furrowed his eyebrows together, as if trying to figure out. "Ah, that is Ohara-sama." He glanced around, as if confirming no one was listening to them before continuing, "He's from a smaller branch family, but everyone knows he wants more powers. He doesn't get along with Yokoo-sama at all when they have family meetings at the castle here. He probably came along, so he could promote his son..."
"I see..." Taisuke glanced at the man again. When their eyes met, Taisuke quickly looked away. There was an uneasy feeling within him that the man gave. Also, there was the way the man was looking at him. He couldn't explain exactly what, but he was glad he wasn't going to meet that man again.
At least, he shouldn't have to.
Sweeping the ground, Taisuke was humming a soft tune. It seemed like the kitchen staff decided he deserved a rest from washing dishes and told him to sweep the ground. He tilted his head up to the sky and smiled, squinting his eyes as he stared up the blue sky.
"You seem to be in a good mood."
Taisuke jumped a little and quickly spun around, letting out a relieved sigh when he realized who it was. "Wataru-sama..."
Wataru frowned. "What was that? You're not happy to see me?"
Blushing lightly, Taisuke quickly shook his head. "I...never said that."
"You're happy to see me then?"
"I..." Taisuke lowered his head.
"You?" Wataru said, stepping closer to Taisuke. He grabbed the broom and threw it away, making Taisuke let out a sound of surprise. "Where were you yesterday?"
Taisuke shifted backwards, feeling something different from Wataru. Was the other mad? Why was he mad though? He didn't remember doing anything that would make the other mad, right? "I...I went to the castle with Aya-sama..."
"Why?" Wataru narrowed his eyes.
"A-Aya-sama offered to bring me, saying it would be a good experience..." Taisuke bit back a small sound when he hit the wall. There was no more space for him to back up.
Wataru growled, "And you went with her?" Taisuke could only nod in response. "What were you hoping for then? Do you want to leave here? Do you want to work at the castle instead?"
Looking at Wataru with wide eyes, Taisuke quickly shook his head. "I never thought that, Wataru-sama!" Was Wataru afraid that he was going to leave? His heart felt warm for some reason at that thought.
"Really?" Wataru pressed, now close enough that their chests were almost touching.
Taisuke sucked in a breath of air and nodded his head. "I don't want to work at the castle, Wataru-sama. I..." He paused for a moment before continuing, "I like working here, Wataru-sama..."
With Wataru so close, Taisuke was almost certain the other was going to kiss him right there, out in the open, but all of a sudden, the next moment, Wataru just pulled back and said, "Alright." With that, he walked away.
Taisuke blinked. What was that all about? Wataru cared so much about him staying or going that much? Was Wataru perhaps, jealous? Not that Taisuke agreed that it was anything worth being jealous of.
Patting his chest, calming down his heartbeat, Taisuke then went to pick back up the broom and started to sweep the ground once again.
When night time came, Taisuke had almost forgotten what had happened during the day. That's when Wataru grabbed his wrist and pulled Taisuke into his room though. "W-Wataru-sama!?"
Wataru grinned slightly. "You should have gotten used to it by now, right?"
Taisuke shook his head. How could one get used to being dragged into a room suddenly? "W-what is it, Wataru-sama?"
"I just thought I need to make sure you remember why you might want to stay here instead of going to the castle," Wataru replied with a growing smirk.
A blush immediately covered Taisuke's cheeks. "I-it's okay, Wataru-sama! I'm really not interested in going to the castle, so you don't have to do anything!"
"You actually learned to deny me, Tai-chan?" Wataru sounded amused.
Taisuke's eyes widened and he shook his head yet again. "I didn't mean that, Wataru-sama. I mean...it's just..."
"Why are you so adorable, Tai-chan?" Wataru murmured, brushing his lips against Taisuke's cheekbone.
"I..."
"Yes, you," Wataru continued to brush his lips against Taisuke's nose this time.
In a meek voice, Taisuke asked, "...can I go back to my room now, Wataru-sama?"
Wataru's answer was quick and firm. "No." He gave Taisuke a small push and they both tumbled on to the futon. "I told you I wanted to make sure you remember why you want to stay here, right? I'll do just that, Tai-chan..."
Biting back a whimper, as Wataru crushed their lips together, Taisuke couldn't help but wrap his arms back around the other's neck as sensations and emotions started to grow and overwhelm him.
Taisuke wondered why there were so many situations that made him nervous lately. He kept a tight grip on the tray he was holding and stopped before the door, kneeling down. "Hatsune-sama? I brought the tea..."
"Bring it in then, Taisuke."
Making a sound of response, Taisuke entered the room, keeping his head somewhat downwards. He was still nervous, and what if he make a mistake when looking up? That's why he kept his head down as he poured tea into a cup and didn't raise his head until he offered the woman the cup.
It wasn't everyday he served the mistress of the house after all. Taisuke wondered how long has it been since he actually seen and spoken to Wataru's mother. It must have been at least a year perhaps.
Delicate hands reaching out for the cup, the woman smiled at Taisuke kindly. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Taisuke?"
"Yes, it has."
"It seems like you have become a better young man since I last saw you,”"she said with a light chuckle, eyes twinkling.
Taisuke blushed. "You spoil me with your words, Hatsune-sama."
"Well, it's true, isn't it?" Hatsune drank some tea before asking, "How old are you again, Taisuke?"
"I'm eighteen," Taisuke replied.
"A good age," Hatsune murmured to herself. "It's been many years since we've taken you in, and you've been such a good boy."
Taisuke quickly bowed his head. "It's only right to do so, Hatsune-sama. I can never repay you enough for taking me in."
Hatsune laughed. "As modest as before, aren't you, Taisuke? I've heard you say that plenty of times over the years. Tell me how you’re doing recently? I heard Wataru's quite fond of you and you have gotten to known Hiromitsu-kun as well, yes?"
"Yes," Taisuke replied, shifting on his feet a little at the mention of Wataru and Hiromitsu. "They are both very nice to me..."
"Tell me a few things then!" Hatsune said. "Do you know any little secrets of my son that you think I don't know about?"
Obviously, something came to mind, but Taisuke resisted the urge to blush and shook his head. "No secrets, but the things Wataru-sama and Hiromitsu-sama while I was present..." He told Hatsune about calligraphy, and how they would go around the shops as well.
After listening, Hatsune nodded her head with a smile, "You three really do get along well, even though you're serving Wataru."
Taisuke paled for a second. "Hatsune-sama! I don't treat Wataru-sama and Hiromitsu-sama as someone like me! They're most definitely above me and-"
"You don't have to be so nervous, Taisuke!" Hatsune laughed. "I know. I trust you."
Looking at Hatsune, Taisuke blinked a few times before he took a deep breath and nodded. "Sorry for overreacting, Hatsune-sama..."
She shook her head. "Do you have any intentions of marrying someone, Taisuke? With you three getting along so well, it would be lovely if you all get marry in the same year, wouldn't it?"
"E-eh?" Taisuke wasn't sure if he heard correctly. Marriage...?
"Well, do you?" Hatsune pressed for an answer. "You know, if you see a girl that you like, do tell me! You know you're allowed to marry and whoever you marry may work for us as well, so you don't have to worry about not being to repay us, right?"
Taisuke quickly shook his head, ignoring the weird feelings in his heart. "I really don't have any intentions of getting married, Hatsune-sama..."
"So shy," Hatsune chastised lightly. "You three are all of age to marry after all. It's nothing weird at all if you find someone you like."
"A-ahh..."
Hatsune tilted her head at Taisuke's reaction. "What's wrong, Taisuke?"
Taisuke hesitated, not sure if he was his place to ask. "Wataru-sama and Hiromitsu-sama...already have their marriage partners decided?"
"Ah, they didn't tell you?" Hatsune exclaimed. "Then again, it's only been decided recently. Hiromitsu-kun will be getting married first, as he's the oldest. Their house is probably busy with preparations at the moment. I'll probably send you and a few others over to help out for a few days, alright? As for Wataru, it was decided a few days ago, but a date hasn't been confirmed though." She smiled. "I left it to my husband to tell Wataru, and I'm not sure if he knows it's been confirmed yet."
"I...see..."
Trying to breathe evenly and ignoring the aching of his heart, Taisuke should have realized it, that this wouldn't last at all. What he also didn't realize was that somewhere within him, he actually hoped for this to last forever.
Author's Notes: =O! You didn't have to wait four months for the next chapter! //dies// As I have finished Tears and epic emo series, this will be my main focus for multi-chaptered fic until I finish it. I have too many multi-chapter fic ideas, so I want to finish this before I start anything new.
I'm kind of sure no one really saw this coming. The chapter itself is kind of boring, but there are important hints in there for future chapters. So yes, boring, but important to plot...because like, this does have a plot, okay? XD; And um, I never said this was a romance that was going to be happy all the way? =( And well, with a story set in this kind of era and setting, marriage was just an unavoidable topic, kay? >>'' Oh, and, original characters...don't often use them, but I wanted to keep this story purely only with Taisuke, Wataru and Hiro, so I didn't want to include anyone else that might be recognizable, so yes. X3;
The plan is to get 1-2 more chapters out next month. Considering the last two week or so of February will be exam period, I should have time to write, so even if uni assignments are overwhelming, it won't last. Then when March comes, new semester is quite relaxing, so as long as I'm motiviated, I'll be able to write. I also don't have a lot of ideas for one-shots, so this fic will definitely be main.main.main for me X3 ...unexpected things may happen though. >>'' //whacked//
Anyways, comments are love and appreciated~
Part Six
Author: Shattered Tenshi
Rating: NC-17 (PG-13 this chapter)
Fandom: JE
Genre: AU, Romance
Pairing: Yokoo Wataru x Fujigaya Taisuke...read to find out
Warnings: //points at rating//
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
Soba ni Ite
By Shattered Tenshi
Part Five
Pouring tea into the cup carefully, Taisuke then pushed the cup across the tatami, offering to the other. "Here you go, Aya-sama."
The female smiled at Taisuke. "Thank you, Taisuke-kun." There was silence between them as Aya sipped on the tea and Taisuke just sat there quietly, waiting for the other. "It's been a while since we've seen each other, haven't it?"
Taisuke looked up and blinked before nodding his head slowly. "Yes, it's been a while."
"Aniue must really enjoy your company. Lately, whenever I see you, Taisuke-kun is always following aniue, going somewhere." Aya laughed lightly. "Did aniue bring you to lots of interesting places?"
Taisuke was sure Aya didn't want to know just how much Wataru was enjoying his company, and his cheeks tinted with colour at that thought. He cleared his throat and replied, "No, nowhere really interesting. It was mainly walks around the shops as well as towards Hiromitsu-sama's house." They also went to Wataru's secret spot a few times, but of course, he knew Wataru wouldn't want him to mention that.
"I see," Aya said with a small nod. "Is aniue teaching you a lot of things then?"
Shifting his weight on his feet, Taisuke tried not to blush more as he spoke, "We watched Hiromitsu-sama practicing his calligraphy, and Hiromitsu-sama allowed me to try holding the brush." He tried not to recall what happened afterwards.
Aya's eyes sparkled. "Really? You must show me what you learned then!" She reached behind her, searching for something.
"Eh?" Taisuke immediately waved his hands around. "Aya-sama, don't waste your paper and ink! I didn't really learn that much!"
"It doesn't hurt to show me though, right?" Aya smiled back at Taisuke as she laid a fresh piece of paper in front of Taisuke. "I don't do calligraphy too often either, so I don't mind you using these."
When Aya started to prepare ink, Taisuke immediately shifted closer and said, "In this case, let me prepare the ink? I don't want Aya-sama to prepare ink for me to use..."
Aya laughed, but pulled back. "Alright. You do it yourself then, Taisuke-kun."
Once he was done with the preparation, Taisuke dipped the brush into the ink, careful not to make it too wet. He glanced up at Aya and smiled shyly. "Don't make of me if it's ugly, Aya-sama."
"Don't worry," Aya laughed. "I won't."
Taking a deep breath, Taisuke set the brush on to the paper. Of course, he was writing out the kanji for his name. His eyebrows furrowed together when his hand shook as he wrote, but he continued to try his best to concentrate until the end.
Taisuke let out a small sigh as he lifted the brush off. "It really isn't that great..."
"Let's see," Aya said with a smile, picking up the piece of paper and turning it towards her so she could see properly. "I think it's pretty well done. Taisuke-kun didn't learn how to write properly, right? You should be proud being able to write this!" She paused. "I never realized Taisuke-kun's name was written with these kanji."
A light blush appeared on Taisuke's face. "I don't know the right way my name is written. Wataru-sama and Hiromitsu-sama decided on this for me."
"Really?" Aya smiled softly. "That's nice of aniue and Hiromitsu-sama. They really do like you, don't they?"
Despite knowing Aya didn't mean it that specific way, Taisuke's heart couldn't help but skip a beat nervously. "Y-yes..."
Aya picked up the cup of tea and took a sip again before saying, "Ever thought about a change of scenery, Taisuke-kun?"
"Eh?" Taisuke looked at Aya in surprise. What was the other talking about?
"You haven't heard anything?"
Frowning as he tried to figure out what was Aya talking about, Taisuke slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't know, Aya-sama."
"Well, the Lord is interested in adopting a son or daughter from the branch families," Aya said. "Ojisama has told me to go, saying that I'm worthy to represent the Yokoos and that he was sure the Lord will like me." There was a small, but proud smile on her face.
Taisuke's eyes widened slightly. "Congratulations, Aya-sama!" He then paused. "Eh, you were told to go?"
Aya laughed lightly. "Yes, to the dinner the Lord will be hosting. Many sons and daughters from the branch families will be there, so the Lord can meet all of us."
Tilting his head, Taisuke asked, "What has that have to do with me, Aya-sama?"
"You're always with aniue, right? So I was wondering if you're interested in serving me for this dinner. Of course, I'll be bringing my personal servants, but I thought you'd like to come along as well. You don't have to come into the dinner area if you're nervous. Just come and look around the castle?" Aya suggested.
Taisuke still couldn't quite comprehend the situation, so Aya continued, "And if I do get chosen - I'm not saying I have a high chance, but just in case - would you like to work at the castle under me?"
"M-me?" Taisuke blinked.
"Yes," Aya said with a light blush to her cheeks. "I enjoy your company, and I thought it would be a good chance for you as well. Of course, the Lord might take a long time to decide who he'll be taking in, and it's totally fine if you want to stay here and serve aniue instead."
Taisuke still couldn't quite believe what Aya was telling him. "I...I don't know about working at the castle, but I'd be honoured if you bring me to the castle for that dinner, Aya-sama." He bowed down, hands against the tatami, forehead pressing against hands. "I believe it'll be a good experience for me as well."
"That's great, Taisuke-kun. I'll tell someone to inform you of the plans for that day then."
The day to visit the castle came quicker than Taisuke had expected. He could feel his heart thumping as he followed behind other servants, who were then following two guards and the men who were carrying the carriage which Aya was riding in. He had always seen the castle from far, so to be able to come so close to it, to actually be inside the castle area, Taisuke could feel his head getting dizzy.
Straightening his back, Taisuke tried to rid his mind of those thoughts though. As a servant of the Yokoos, he couldn't bring shame to the family. He will do his best in the castle.
Too busy thinking to himself, Taisuke almost crashed into the person in front of him when they stopped on the bridge towards the castle. He hadn't realized they had arrived. Watching Aya get off the carriage, he bowed his head when the other looked at his direction.
It wasn't until they were inside the castle grounds that Aya spoke to him. "Are you sure you don't want to serve me inside, Taisuke-kun?"
Taisuke quickly shook his head. "I'm sure, Aya-sama. It's better you have your personal servants in there. I thank you for thinking of me, but it's really fine for me to remain outside."
Aya smiled softly and nodded her head. "Alright. You remain outside with the rest of the group then."
The castle was so big, it felt like a maze as they were led around until they almost reached the room the dinner will be served. A servant from the castle spoke up and explained how Aya would go in to greet the Lord first before heading towards an inner room for dinner with the rest of the guests. Those who were not going inside with Aya were to stay here for the remainder of the time.
Once the servant had led Aya away, Taisuke immediately relaxed. The atmosphere at the castle was too different, and he couldn't help but feel tense most of the time. Even though he agreed this was turning out to be an interesting experience, he knew for sure what his answer was going to be if Aya asked him if he wanted to work at the castle.
Suddenly, Wataru appeared in his mind, and Taisuke couldn't help but blush lightly. That didn't mean anything, right? He was not staying at the Yokoos because of Wataru. It was because the Yokoos took care of him and he wanted to continue to repay them, that he'll never be able to repay them enough.
Then, there were more people coming and Taisuke immediately shifted closer to a servant beside him. "What's going on?" he asked in a whisper.
"Silly boy," the man chuckled lowly. "Of course they're the other guests, sons, daughters of the other branch families. We didn't come last after all."
"Oh," Taisuke's mouth formed a small circle before bowing his head as the group passed by them, leaving more servants behind to wait with them.
Taisuke lost count of the number of groups after five. He never realized there were so many branch families, or were the really small ones here as well? It wasn't his business though, so he didn't ask any questions about that.
Keeping his head bowed down, Taisuke suddenly shivered and looked up. Who was looking at him just now? That feeling was like a predator looking at a prey, and Taisuke felt like he should hide right now. He looked around before realizing that it was someone from the most recent group. The man had quickly looked away, but it wasn't hard to lose sight of the man, considering how it was clear the man had status.
Nudging the servant beside him again, Taisuke asked softly, "Who is that man? He's not one of the people the Lord wishes to adopt, right? He looks too old..." Those were words of course he dared to say because he was speaking to a fellow servant.
The servant furrowed his eyebrows together, as if trying to figure out. "Ah, that is Ohara-sama." He glanced around, as if confirming no one was listening to them before continuing, "He's from a smaller branch family, but everyone knows he wants more powers. He doesn't get along with Yokoo-sama at all when they have family meetings at the castle here. He probably came along, so he could promote his son..."
"I see..." Taisuke glanced at the man again. When their eyes met, Taisuke quickly looked away. There was an uneasy feeling within him that the man gave. Also, there was the way the man was looking at him. He couldn't explain exactly what, but he was glad he wasn't going to meet that man again.
At least, he shouldn't have to.
Sweeping the ground, Taisuke was humming a soft tune. It seemed like the kitchen staff decided he deserved a rest from washing dishes and told him to sweep the ground. He tilted his head up to the sky and smiled, squinting his eyes as he stared up the blue sky.
"You seem to be in a good mood."
Taisuke jumped a little and quickly spun around, letting out a relieved sigh when he realized who it was. "Wataru-sama..."
Wataru frowned. "What was that? You're not happy to see me?"
Blushing lightly, Taisuke quickly shook his head. "I...never said that."
"You're happy to see me then?"
"I..." Taisuke lowered his head.
"You?" Wataru said, stepping closer to Taisuke. He grabbed the broom and threw it away, making Taisuke let out a sound of surprise. "Where were you yesterday?"
Taisuke shifted backwards, feeling something different from Wataru. Was the other mad? Why was he mad though? He didn't remember doing anything that would make the other mad, right? "I...I went to the castle with Aya-sama..."
"Why?" Wataru narrowed his eyes.
"A-Aya-sama offered to bring me, saying it would be a good experience..." Taisuke bit back a small sound when he hit the wall. There was no more space for him to back up.
Wataru growled, "And you went with her?" Taisuke could only nod in response. "What were you hoping for then? Do you want to leave here? Do you want to work at the castle instead?"
Looking at Wataru with wide eyes, Taisuke quickly shook his head. "I never thought that, Wataru-sama!" Was Wataru afraid that he was going to leave? His heart felt warm for some reason at that thought.
"Really?" Wataru pressed, now close enough that their chests were almost touching.
Taisuke sucked in a breath of air and nodded his head. "I don't want to work at the castle, Wataru-sama. I..." He paused for a moment before continuing, "I like working here, Wataru-sama..."
With Wataru so close, Taisuke was almost certain the other was going to kiss him right there, out in the open, but all of a sudden, the next moment, Wataru just pulled back and said, "Alright." With that, he walked away.
Taisuke blinked. What was that all about? Wataru cared so much about him staying or going that much? Was Wataru perhaps, jealous? Not that Taisuke agreed that it was anything worth being jealous of.
Patting his chest, calming down his heartbeat, Taisuke then went to pick back up the broom and started to sweep the ground once again.
When night time came, Taisuke had almost forgotten what had happened during the day. That's when Wataru grabbed his wrist and pulled Taisuke into his room though. "W-Wataru-sama!?"
Wataru grinned slightly. "You should have gotten used to it by now, right?"
Taisuke shook his head. How could one get used to being dragged into a room suddenly? "W-what is it, Wataru-sama?"
"I just thought I need to make sure you remember why you might want to stay here instead of going to the castle," Wataru replied with a growing smirk.
A blush immediately covered Taisuke's cheeks. "I-it's okay, Wataru-sama! I'm really not interested in going to the castle, so you don't have to do anything!"
"You actually learned to deny me, Tai-chan?" Wataru sounded amused.
Taisuke's eyes widened and he shook his head yet again. "I didn't mean that, Wataru-sama. I mean...it's just..."
"Why are you so adorable, Tai-chan?" Wataru murmured, brushing his lips against Taisuke's cheekbone.
"I..."
"Yes, you," Wataru continued to brush his lips against Taisuke's nose this time.
In a meek voice, Taisuke asked, "...can I go back to my room now, Wataru-sama?"
Wataru's answer was quick and firm. "No." He gave Taisuke a small push and they both tumbled on to the futon. "I told you I wanted to make sure you remember why you want to stay here, right? I'll do just that, Tai-chan..."
Biting back a whimper, as Wataru crushed their lips together, Taisuke couldn't help but wrap his arms back around the other's neck as sensations and emotions started to grow and overwhelm him.
Taisuke wondered why there were so many situations that made him nervous lately. He kept a tight grip on the tray he was holding and stopped before the door, kneeling down. "Hatsune-sama? I brought the tea..."
"Bring it in then, Taisuke."
Making a sound of response, Taisuke entered the room, keeping his head somewhat downwards. He was still nervous, and what if he make a mistake when looking up? That's why he kept his head down as he poured tea into a cup and didn't raise his head until he offered the woman the cup.
It wasn't everyday he served the mistress of the house after all. Taisuke wondered how long has it been since he actually seen and spoken to Wataru's mother. It must have been at least a year perhaps.
Delicate hands reaching out for the cup, the woman smiled at Taisuke kindly. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Taisuke?"
"Yes, it has."
"It seems like you have become a better young man since I last saw you,”"she said with a light chuckle, eyes twinkling.
Taisuke blushed. "You spoil me with your words, Hatsune-sama."
"Well, it's true, isn't it?" Hatsune drank some tea before asking, "How old are you again, Taisuke?"
"I'm eighteen," Taisuke replied.
"A good age," Hatsune murmured to herself. "It's been many years since we've taken you in, and you've been such a good boy."
Taisuke quickly bowed his head. "It's only right to do so, Hatsune-sama. I can never repay you enough for taking me in."
Hatsune laughed. "As modest as before, aren't you, Taisuke? I've heard you say that plenty of times over the years. Tell me how you’re doing recently? I heard Wataru's quite fond of you and you have gotten to known Hiromitsu-kun as well, yes?"
"Yes," Taisuke replied, shifting on his feet a little at the mention of Wataru and Hiromitsu. "They are both very nice to me..."
"Tell me a few things then!" Hatsune said. "Do you know any little secrets of my son that you think I don't know about?"
Obviously, something came to mind, but Taisuke resisted the urge to blush and shook his head. "No secrets, but the things Wataru-sama and Hiromitsu-sama while I was present..." He told Hatsune about calligraphy, and how they would go around the shops as well.
After listening, Hatsune nodded her head with a smile, "You three really do get along well, even though you're serving Wataru."
Taisuke paled for a second. "Hatsune-sama! I don't treat Wataru-sama and Hiromitsu-sama as someone like me! They're most definitely above me and-"
"You don't have to be so nervous, Taisuke!" Hatsune laughed. "I know. I trust you."
Looking at Hatsune, Taisuke blinked a few times before he took a deep breath and nodded. "Sorry for overreacting, Hatsune-sama..."
She shook her head. "Do you have any intentions of marrying someone, Taisuke? With you three getting along so well, it would be lovely if you all get marry in the same year, wouldn't it?"
"E-eh?" Taisuke wasn't sure if he heard correctly. Marriage...?
"Well, do you?" Hatsune pressed for an answer. "You know, if you see a girl that you like, do tell me! You know you're allowed to marry and whoever you marry may work for us as well, so you don't have to worry about not being to repay us, right?"
Taisuke quickly shook his head, ignoring the weird feelings in his heart. "I really don't have any intentions of getting married, Hatsune-sama..."
"So shy," Hatsune chastised lightly. "You three are all of age to marry after all. It's nothing weird at all if you find someone you like."
"A-ahh..."
Hatsune tilted her head at Taisuke's reaction. "What's wrong, Taisuke?"
Taisuke hesitated, not sure if he was his place to ask. "Wataru-sama and Hiromitsu-sama...already have their marriage partners decided?"
"Ah, they didn't tell you?" Hatsune exclaimed. "Then again, it's only been decided recently. Hiromitsu-kun will be getting married first, as he's the oldest. Their house is probably busy with preparations at the moment. I'll probably send you and a few others over to help out for a few days, alright? As for Wataru, it was decided a few days ago, but a date hasn't been confirmed though." She smiled. "I left it to my husband to tell Wataru, and I'm not sure if he knows it's been confirmed yet."
"I...see..."
Trying to breathe evenly and ignoring the aching of his heart, Taisuke should have realized it, that this wouldn't last at all. What he also didn't realize was that somewhere within him, he actually hoped for this to last forever.
Author's Notes: =O! You didn't have to wait four months for the next chapter! //dies// As I have finished Tears and epic emo series, this will be my main focus for multi-chaptered fic until I finish it. I have too many multi-chapter fic ideas, so I want to finish this before I start anything new.
I'm kind of sure no one really saw this coming. The chapter itself is kind of boring, but there are important hints in there for future chapters. So yes, boring, but important to plot...because like, this does have a plot, okay? XD; And um, I never said this was a romance that was going to be happy all the way? =( And well, with a story set in this kind of era and setting, marriage was just an unavoidable topic, kay? >>'' Oh, and, original characters...don't often use them, but I wanted to keep this story purely only with Taisuke, Wataru and Hiro, so I didn't want to include anyone else that might be recognizable, so yes. X3;
The plan is to get 1-2 more chapters out next month. Considering the last two week or so of February will be exam period, I should have time to write, so even if uni assignments are overwhelming, it won't last. Then when March comes, new semester is quite relaxing, so as long as I'm motiviated, I'll be able to write. I also don't have a lot of ideas for one-shots, so this fic will definitely be main.main.main for me X3 ...unexpected things may happen though. >>'' //whacked//
Anyways, comments are love and appreciated~
Part Six