"The first prince of Nanjie and his attendee has arrived."

 

 

Ordinarily, Jun disliked the days he assisted his father in welcoming guests. Such days meant he'd wake up extra early to check up on the female servants to assist them in any way possible to prepare the guest room. It also meant Jun was expected to put on the finest powders and glossy lipstick—accentuate the curves of his body in dresses that, despite all who appreciated such beauty, in his opinion only hung off his body like a limp cloth.

Jun was neutral upon dresses and skirts and such. But, to jump the cracks of condensed rooftops in servant clothes—it was as if the cage he never realized existed...had fallen away on all sides. A unique emotion, one akin to an ecstatic relief, blazed over in his carefree laughter and unrestrained conversation throughout town. And to play the night away with Minato...

Tonight, he and Minato would reconvene again.

Jun put his fist to his lip, hiding his grin from the passing servants. The servants looked confused, but unconcerned. The princess had grown a bit stranger ever since she and the Caller had spent their time together...

Jun knocked on a guest door, not bothering to fold his hands over his stomach nor smooth his dress out.

"Come in."

With a hum, Jun shut the door behind him and sat on the bed. He would cross his legs, if not for fear of ripping the dress's flowing ribbons. Amari stood by the window, combing his hair. His face appeared paler than normal with darkened eye bags.

"You look worse than when you came out of the rain like a soaked rat."

"I didn't want to dream last night, so sleep failed to find me."

"Did something happen?"

"I don't want to speak of the matter right now," Amari cut off.

Jun heeded the pleading gaze.

"Right. Let me aid you if I can."

"I will. Thank you."

"Now," Amari continued, winding the turquoise hairpin through his hair, "what brings you so early? I thought lunch was not for another few hours."

"Right, well, all major guests residing in this manor, alongside my father and my sisters—we will be sitting in for a large feast."

"Oh," Amari nodded, "today is the final day of celebration."

"Yes. An auspicious day. But it's also the day the first prince of Nanjie will arrive. I've been tasked with the job of ensuring you arrive with me in a timely manner."

Amari gave Jun an interested look. "Who tasked you with such? The servant stationed right outside my bedroom who answers all my requests save for death itself?"

"Who would have known how unpresentable you'd be without me here," Jun drawled, tracing the edge of Amari's pillowcase.

Amari chased Jun off the bed with a small lounge pillow, attempting to rein in Jun's evergrowing mischief. They chattered about anything that crossed their minds—nothing was off limits as long as they could conjure it. Throughout, the exhaustion evident in Amari's countenance lightened somewhat. And by then, Amari had put himself together enough to be an honored guest entering a grand banquet.

Without further loitering, Amari was pulled outside the manor in a new direction. The air was cleansed with a grassy aftertaste of fresh rain. The ground was less than muddy, but still gleaming with dew. And with careful navigation on the dry paths, Jun led Amari to a grand clearing, where flat, flowering shrubbery was gorgeously interwoven throughout the space and a stone long table sat, alongside the accompanying stone seats. Turquoise cloths and another decorative thin fabric down the center, cutting the table from end to end. Cushions matched the color scheme. Amari and Jun comfortably sat down within them, after greeting the King and a few of his esteemed aides.

The king, not wishing for Amari to feel compelled to answer pleasantries, left him and Jun to chat quietly among themselves while he held his own conversations. Jun initiated along string of conversation regarding the manor Amari wished to obtain—to which the Amari and the king went down a back-and-forth of details.

Along the way—this string caught itself into a knot, and Jun could no longer follow conversation. His mind wandered, thinking ahead to how, in a few hours, hair would no longer touch his shoulders, clothes would no longer clip close to his chest, and laughter would unrestrainedly leave his lips.

And of course, Minato was waiting.

Minato held Jun's heart up in his hands, as if teasing Jun in blurry night, beckoning for Jun to do anything to make the suns set at their earliest and the lanterns ignite like wildfire. Anything to hear the faint lilt of Minato's accent and the coordinated, yet elegant speech, tease and praise Jun in a back and forth. To see his eyes walk Jun up and down, and flutter over to him, enamored by Jun Mizuhara.

The conversation quieted as a servant ran up and whispered into the King's ears. And upon his firm nod, the servant waved his arm in the other direction, palm flapping toward the table.

Jun tapped his fingers against the table as if trying to contain Minato in his mind from spilling out. He restrained the smile trying to show through his lips. He wondered where to take Minato tonight, as the last night—where they could run so deep in the kingdom it would be as if that place would have frozen time altogether.

"The first prince of Nanjie and his attendee has arrived," the servant announced.

Jun wondered if Minato would want the same street food they had last night, or if he had more of a sweet palette. It would be something to consult him over later. The dim echoes of welcoming pleasantries floated around the table.

"Thank you all," the voice responded.

Jun froze. His heart plummeted from the highest rooftops of Beijie at an inescapable velocity to the ground. His evening plans were washed away by a tide of fear—like a death sentence that seized every waking pore in Jun's body. It was as if Amari himself called down lightning to smite Jun. And everything after crumbled away.

The prince cupped his hands and bowed with a handsome, dazzling smile.

"I am the first prince of Nanjie, Minato Hirawa."

Noticing Jun's stiffness and lack of response to his nudging, Amari realized at a glance who the prince was. The one who confessed to liking Jun. But what stunned him was Leishan at the prince's side, now dressed in formal Nanjian attire. When Amari's gaze collided with Leishan's, he could only look away in embarrassment.

The so-called confidence of announcing to Leishan how they'd never see each other again for this lifetime...was awkwardly torn down.

A servant directed Leishan and Prince Hirawa to the only open seats. Leishan across from Amari. Prince Hirawa was across from Jun.

Sharp needles punctured Jun's heart, methodically, one by one, as Prince Hirawa's passing gaze swept over Jun. Every second it touched him, traced over his hair or pleasant make-up or pristine day gown—stung like the angry clamp of fire. Jun wasn't sure if he was breathing–his mind was flooded with terror.

What if Minato knew? What if he knew? What if he recognized Jun Mizuhara as Princess Xinyi?

Prince Hirawa, only upon noticing Princess Xinyi returned his gaze, smiled politely. Jun felt nauseous–was it polite, or was it knowing? Did he know?

Did Prince Hirawa see the man he danced with the night before, pressed against the wall, and kissed sensually against the melody of adoration? Did he see the man who would sweep him off his feet and assuredly take him to and from every location with ease? Did he see the man, who's features he was infatuated with—his disguised, boxy torso and long, straight legs?

Jun didn't know who Prince Hirawa saw–

And it strangled him.

The voices speaking around the third princess of Beijie rattled and multiplied as if in an echo chamber. Princess Xinyi chewed through the tasteless meal, each bite becoming harder and harder to swallow. Princess Xinyi, his father mentioned. Princess Xinyi responded with a blank, empty smile, as taught. Princess Xinyi, her sisters teased, isn't Prince Hirawa so interesting? He has similar hobbies as you. Princess Xinyi laughed politely, bringing his voice to a higher, more feminine pitch.

That was how Amari found out–and Minato would discover it too. He would discover–he would know–he would find out–everything will end–

"You travel around as much as I do, Princess Xinyi," Prince Hirawa spoke with a gentle, but distantly polite smile. "It would be a pleasure to hear your favorite places in the kingdom."

A banging shatter of ceramic silenced the conversations. All heads turned to Amari. The shards of his glass were now split against his half-full plate of food.

"My apologies," Amari smiled, "my hand slipped."

"Are you hurt?" The first words Leishan had spoken the entire time were directed to Amari.

"No, fortunately. I am feeling unwell and hope to return to my chambers. King Qianlong, I apologize, but could I ask that the Princess may retire and lead me back to my room? My sense of direction here is poor, and I'd appreciate the company."

Amari did not spare Leishan a single glance. Only when the King nodded his head did he stand up. The fog in Jun's stare slowly receded, focusing on the hand held in front of him.

"Let's depart."

Jun let Amari's firm hand pull him up. Jun stepped to the side and bowed politely at the guests, before leading Amari out of the garden, unable to look Prince Hirawa in the eye.

The prince didn't pay the shrinking figures in the distance any attention, leaning over the table toward Leishan.

"Did you manage to talk to Amari," Minato whispered.

Leishan shook his head, expression wilting. "Not at all."

"You didn't start the conversation, did you?"

"...I couldn't find the right moment."

"What do you mean moment, I even gave the seat to you—"

Upon catching the net of stares watching them whisper back and forth across the table, Minato sat back in his seat with a cough. Leishan and Minato turned their heads in opposite directions, smiling awkwardly.

*

"Jun!" Amari scolded half-heartedly, calling him back to attention. "What happened back there? Are you alright?"

"Your concern moves my heart."

"Jun."

"What?"

Jun shot him a questioning glance, before resuming his careful pouring of tea. The colors of his careful makeup matched his dress, though now it had long since been rubbed away. His hair too, was tied up into a bun. The aromatic, flowery scent wafted up in steamy clouds. Jun handed Amari's teacup to his waiting hands, then sat down beside Amari on the lounge seat.

Jun raised the teacup to his lips. But, before the rim touched his lips, he set it down with a little clink and slumped against Amari's shoulder.

"Don't play around with me. You know what I mean," Amari sighed.

"This was my escape," Jun began slowly, voice muffled, "to be free and unrestrained—to work and laugh with commonfolk. A place where they don't see Princess. They only know Jun Mizuhara. Amari, you don't understand, the sensation of my heart settling comfortable in my chest. The way my feet touch the ground and the words leave my voice—it's comfort. It's perfect."

"You can't live like this forever. At least, I don't believe you can–you fell apart back there–you understand this better than I."

"I know," Jun whispered.

He sipped his tea, letting the warm liquid soften his tense posture.

"Up until now, it didn't matter if they found out. My father, my siblings, even the kingdom from top to bottom. It didn't matter—I'd just become the princess who wanted to blend in among the common folk. But the moment I saw Minato, it struck me. What if he recognizes me? What if he finds out? And if he does, what if he doesn't..."

Jun's voice cracked, "What if he is disgusted with me, and doesn't love as he thought he did? Like my existence... somehow falsifies everything we've experienced together? What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know."

Jun laughed dryly, "I didn't expect you to."

"All I can offer is that... you have to tell him. You won't be able to hide it for as long as you think you can. Perhaps with the passing traveler, Minato Hirawa–but not with Crown Prince Hirawa of Nanjie. Oh Jun... how your troubles are so overwhelmingly unique in circumstance. But it is because they are so unique that it must be you who resolves them."

Jun didn't answer while taking a long sip of his tea. Finally he sat up, "What is between Minato and I—is a unique circumstance. And tonight, I'm not sure how I will face him, knowing he is the prince. I'm terrified–everything that makes up us–is fragile."

"But you want to see him." Amari stated firmly, rather than with a questioning tone.

"But I can't."

Amari placed down his empty cup and stretched, back arching like a cat, before pouring himself a second cup of tea.

"I recall when I first met you both, you were pinning ribbons to my cape. While you were busy, I asked a question regarding how he felt of you. And he told me, 'I'm afraid if I get any closer, this affection will burn out. What do I do?"

Jun froze, thinking about how he fell into Minato's tempo last night—from the night onward. It thrilled Jun. The forward reciprocation and the earnestness burnt brighter than ever before. He was too busy becoming enthralled with Minato's romanticism to begin to realize how he had controlled the pace into confession.

"What did you tell him?"

"Then, don't let it burn out. You have to tell him–or else everything you've both worked for... will disappear."

Jun put his head in his hands, "Right. Right," he trailed off.

For as long as he needed, Amari waited at Jun's side. And eventually, Jun resolved himself.

For tonight... he was going to tell Minato everything.