Chapter Text
Haru’s hair was really heavy. So, you can’t really blame him if he enjoys placing his hair on the hook attached to the windowsill as he daydreamed and stared at the forest around the tower. He dreamed that one day, he would have enough courage to jump out of the tower and slide down smoothly using his hair, and then, it’s the warm feeling of sun on his skin and the ticklish sensation on his feet from the grass.
It took him awhile to realise that his hair felt a little heavier than usual. Earlier, when he looped his hair on the hook as he daydreamed-- it didn’t feel as heavy, did it? Shigemaru did use Haru’s hair to get in and out of the tower, but Shigemaru had already come that month. It couldn’t be Shigemaru. Shigemaru was heavier. Perhaps his hair had gotten stuck on something? A brick, or a stubborn tree branch?
Wait—maybe Shigemaru was actually coming back! Shit. Maybe he lost some weight or something? His… old caretaker wouldn’t be this heavy, so chances it was either Shigemaru or some inanimate object. With a nervous, shaky breath, Haru looks down and checks what is making his hair so exceptionally difficult to hold up.
Oh my god. It’s a person.
It’s not Shigemaru, which calms Haru down a little. But Haru remembers that he doesn’t know who was climbing up this tower-- a lodging supposed to be hidden away from any civilians and villages-- and his heart rate quickens once more. Maybe this stranger was going to save him? Use Haru’s hair for his own gain? No, happy thoughts, Haru, happy thoughts.
It was at this point where Haru thinks Shigemaru might have been right. The outside world was dangerous for sure-- Haru should really consider things like this the next time he thinks of escaping and wandering the world on his own.
Nevermind that though, what’s Haru going to do about the stranger now? The stranger most probably would have bad intentions since Haru was hidden from the commoners and villagers—only a person with dark intent would be willing to snoop around (presumably) Shigemaru to find Haru.
Haru decides to hide behind a wall, lying in wait for when the intruder sets foot inside the tower in order to properly knock out the stranger and inspect him. For..- obvious reasons, the young man was nervous to meet someone other than Shigemaru after eleven-too-long years inside the tower.
When Daisuke finally gets up to the window he hauls himself up and into the small, cramped tower. The rope that he’d used seemed to come from behind a wall and strangely enough-- looked like hair. But no one’s hair was that long, right? “Hello..?” Daisuke called.
Without wasting a second, and lunges at the stranger, taking a hold of his arm before flipping him over. Thankfully, Haru’s flip managed to be powerful enough for the stranger’s landing to create a loud ‘blag!’ that resonated around the whole tower. So. That was one thing done.
Hastily, Haru pulls his hair back from the hook outside. Once Haru is satisfied with how his hair was kept, he takes a pan in case the stranger wakes up and he proceeds to crouch in front of the stranger who laid flat on his stomach— preventing Haru from seeing the stranger’s face. Careful not to wake him up, Haru rolls him into a position where he faces upright.
“He’s dressed.... pretty nicely,” Haru tells himself, his nose and forehead wrinkled as he inspects the stranger’s intricately designed clothing. Haru decides to avert his attention from the stranger’s clothing to his face.
Haru discards the pan, extending out his hand to brush back the several strands of the stranger’s hair that seemed to escape from his gelled hairdo. Maybe it was because of Haru’s ungraceful flip. He almost feels sorry for being too violent to the stranger. Almost.
It takes Haru a second to realise that the small gasp of suprise had come from him. Who wouldn’t be mesmerised? The stranger had narrow eyes and thick eyelashes, a clear complexion, his pointy nose and firm red lips. (They looked firm, at least.) He’s beautiful. Haru’s reminded of the young, handsome boy with the midnight hair who appeared in his dreams. But there was no way. This guy was someone bad, right?
Haru shouldn’t judge this stranger by how he looks anyway-- It’s better if Haru ties him up on a chair so the stranger is restricted when he wakes up. He won’t have access to Haru’s magic since Haru needed to sing first, and he wouldn’t be able to cut Haru’s hair off.
In the process of tying up the stranger, Haru almost trips on a brown, stuffed object, delaying his operations. Out of curiosity, Haru picks up the brown object which looked somewhat like a satchel. Thick bills of crumpled money, pouches of coins, a map… hair gel? and a small dagger were revealed to Haru as soon as he opened the stranger’s satchel. All things inside the bag seemed to be carelessly shoved inside, as if he was in a hurry—
A realization crosses Haru’s mind. Haru closes the satchel and throws it somewhere out of reach. This stranger was clearly a thief.
Daisuke awoke with a jolt, fearing that a royal guard or someone in authority had knocked him out. Daisuke, supposed heir to the throne, caught stealing money when he had tons of it.
No, though. He was inside the tower he climbed using the golden, shiny rope that magically fell down when he ran out of ideas to enter the tower. Daisuke notices the same rope which he used to climb the tower is being used to tie him to a chair..
The rope was like nothing else that Daisuke has ever seen. He’d seen a lot of expensive and rare things that cost a fortune and this rope could compete with a majority of them. It looked like it was made of gold, long, sturdy, soft to the touch and pleasant to look at. Daisuke wonders how much the highest bid will be if the rope were in an auction in the market.
Also, why did his father know of this place? What secrets was he keeping now?
“You’re....” Daisuke’s head snaps to the left, where he heard a voice. There was a silhouette hiding in the shadows. Perhaps he could make a friend out of him and buy the magical rope. “...A thief. How did you know my location?”
Daisuke’s eyebrows furrow, noticing the silhouette of a cooking pan along with the mysterious man who probably owns the magical rope. “Thief?”
“How did you know my location?” The silhouette asks again.
“Pardon, I don’t even know who you are.” Daisuke replied, frowning at the silhouette’s assumptions. He wriggled a little, trying to move forward so he could see the silhouette’s face better. The voice was familiar, akin to the voice of the person Daisuke knew. Had known.
Finally, the person steps forward and reveals himself. The first thing that Daisuke notices is that the golden rope was actually coming from a person, since it was hair. He was impressed to see that it was owned by a young man, since it reminded him of… well, Haru. If Daisuke keeps on comparing this person to his childhood friend, then he would find hope in meeting Haru again—which Daisuke had long decided as impossible.
“This is the last time that I’m going to ask. How did you know my location?” The young man raises his pan, threatening to hit Daisuke, but the latter was unfazed. “Who are you?”
“Spare me the interrogation. I request that you set me free, since the person of my motives is not here and I no longer plan on staying here, Haru.” Daisuke said, looking down on his tied-up feet. Before he even realized it, he’d called the stranger Haru. The mood in the room had shifted, as if Daisuke had said something he wasn’t supposed to. The other male lets out a stifled gasp, pointing the pan at Daisuke again.
Daisuke looks up. …Did he really think a pan was threatening? He sees the brown eyes with a golden hue widening in shock, thin lips parting to let out a syllable. His nose was still the same, still pointy yet a little more small. The smooth, long, golden hair of the lost prince grew even more beautiful. If not for the magic, it’s worth keeping since it comes in handy for going in and out of the tower.
It is Haru. Daisuke came looking for his father to announce the news (and ended up snooping around his things)—but oh well, after pain and agony, life is full of pleasant surprises as well, isn’t it? Daisuke found Haru. The only person he has ever trusted so wholly.
“You do know me! Stop lying, it won’t do you any good!” Haru points the tip of the pan to Daisuke’s nose, causing the latter to cross his eyes and involuntarily look at the ‘weapon’. “I will ask for the last time: Who are you and how did you find me?”
Ah. Could Daisuke really call this a reunion? Haru doesn’t recognize him one bit.