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Chapter Text

"Your Majesty~ The villagers are still protesting outside~"

Semi quickly shot his castle steward a steely gaze before getting up from his desk. The king stormed his way to the castle gates where a large group of villagers was being held off by the royal guards.

"Send the troops away," the men and women untiringly chanted. Leading the protest was a face Semi knew all too well.

Shirabu Kenjirou.

Ever since Semi had inherited the throne, Shirabu, a simple villager, had openly expressed his dislike for the new monarch. Be it protests or letters, this man had never missed a chance to show his distaste for King Semi.

But, Semi saw no logic behind the antipathy. Ever since he became king, Semi had answered to his people as much as he could. Semi was intrigued and curious to know Shirabu's reasons for hating on his king.

"Whatever shall we do about this," Tendou, the castle steward, cooed mischievously.

A guard, one of the new younger recruits, approached Semi. "Your Majesty, the crowd is getting more violent. Some of them are beginning to throw sticks and stones."

Coincidentally, a stick came flying towards Semi, but Tendou caught it just in time. "Wouldn't want King Semi Semi's face to be ruined with this disgraceful thing," Semi heard the redhead beside him mutter.

He urged the guards to open the gates. Despite the growing aggression of the crowd, it only took Semi a raise of his hand to silence his people. He approached the protesters. Rather, he approached Shirabu.

"What is all this about," Semi asked stoically. He had his hands folded behind him as he looked expectantly at the copper-haired man.

Shirabu answered in confident defiance, "Soldiers are putting up stations right beside our fields, Your Highness." Semi could hear the venom as Shirabu dropped the last two words, but he didn't bother getting worked up on it. He knew Shirabu was baiting him.

"I ordered them to stay there. Your village chief had reported bandit activity near your area, Shirabu."

The other protesters began whispering among themselves. It was true that a group of bandits has been pillaging the village at night. That's why Semi had ordered a unit to stand watch from the village borders. As Semi expected, Shirabu stood his ground. "Well, Your Majesty, kindly order them to move and find a different spot for their stake-out."

Semi had told himself beforehand that, if he ever saw Shirabu's face and uneven hair at this protest after the first two this man had led, he'd keep himself composed. But, the persistence of this scheming man was getting on his every royal nerve. 

"Shirabu, if you have ideas and suggestions, we can sit and talk this out. I thought I had set the most ideal course of action to handle the rogue problem, but seeing how you're reacting to it, I'd like to get your opinion."

Shirabu looked rather surprised. 'I bet he never expected me to call out to him,' Semi thought as he suppressed a smirk. It took Shirabu a minute to respond, but the king could sense a mix of confusion and hesitation.

"As expected, you should listen to your people! I'll gladly have a word with you, Your Highness. When-"

"Right now."

Semi was just enjoying how scattered Shirabu was and how quickly he would compose himself. He watched as Shirabu turned and began talking with the other protesters. Meanwhile, Semi felt Tendou poke at his shoulder.

"Are you serious, Your Majesty?"

"Of course I'm serious, Satori. Shirabu says that I should listen to the people and I agree."

Tendou squinted his eyes as if analyzing Semi. "If you insist. Shall I get you two something to eat then?"

Semi looked at Shirabu who was still discussing with the villagers. Without turning to Tendou, he answered, "He doesn't seem like a tea and cookies kind of diplomat, but I'd love some."

As Tendou left for the kitchen, Shirabu faced Semi once again, his gaze reinforced with the same stubbornness Semi had always seen.

"Have you discussed your concerns?"

"Yes."

Semi beckoned for the guard from earlier. "Five guards will escort the rest of the protesters back to their village. Understood?"

The guard saluted and ran back to the others who stood by the gates.

"Five? What are they, criminals being taken to jail?"

Semi chuckled, making Shirabu raise a brow.

"Did I say something funny?" 

The annoyance was only cracking Semi up even more. He quickly composed himself.

"Looks like we'll have a lot to discuss, Shirabu Kenjirou."

Chapter Text

Shirabu did not expect the king to invite him to 'talk diplomacy'. At least, not right away.

He followed Semi and his peculiar castle steward through the castle, walking five paces behind them to give himself space to gather his thoughts. Also, he didn't like the thought of walking right beside them, or even anywhere nearer than he already was. Judging by the red head's curious and very unnecessary questions, Shirabu knew that they were talking about him. And, with the distance he had set between them, it was enough to catch a few snippets of their conversation.

"Are you sure about this, Your Highness?"

"Satori."

"Can you blame me, Semi Semi?" The steward was making weird, excessive gestures with his arms, and Shirabu could clearly see how his eyebrows wiggled and arched with his emotion. "I'm just looking out for you."

Semi didn't answer, making his steward hum in curiosity. However, Shirabu didn't have a care in the world for whatever royal reaction the king would give.

Because, why would he?

As they turned a corridor, the steward asked, "Do you know him then?"

Semi answered nonchalantly, "Perhaps, Satori."

Well that was...odd. Shirabu expected him to answer differently, but that didn't matter now. That, for one, was clear to Shirabu.

Semi stopped in front of double doors while the steward walked further down the corridor. Shirabu made sure he still stood a small distance from the king.

"Sorry about Satori. He can be very curious."

Semi had not turned to face Shirabu, so they stood there in front of the doors a bit awkwardly. The latter scoffed at the sentiment.

"He could've asked for my biography for all I care."

Semi didn't reply. He opened the doors, revealing his spacious study. The left and right walls were filled with bookshelves, the latter decorated a little differently to make it look like some sort of lounge area. Behind the long whitewood desk was a floor to ceiling window that overlooked the main castle gates.

The desktop was littered with scrolls. Shirabu could barely stop himself from scoffing and dropping sarcasm as Semi haphazardly put the scrolls in his desk drawers. Though, one remark did escape.

"Your maids and butlers forgot to clean after you, I suppose?"

Semi laughed, but Shirabu could read his expression like an open book. It was clear that he managed to tick off his royal highness. "Same old Kenjirou."

"What do you mean by that," Shirabu snapped.

"You know what I mean."

Semi gestured to the seat across the desk, and Shirabu sat himself down, but not before scoffing yet again. Semi followed suit then smiled at Shirabu, intentionally mocking him in the process.

"Come on, Kenjirou. You can drop the act now."

"What act, Your Majesty?"

Shirabu was not about to play right into Semi's hands. He'd put up a fight if he had to. But, more than anything, he just wanted to get this conversation over with.

"I came here to talk about your troops harassing my village. That’s it.”

“You’re no fun, Kenjirou. But, very well. Tell me about the problem.”

Shirabu began explaining how the soldiers were being aggressive towards the villagers. "It's scaring many of the villagers. Just yesterday, when one of the farmers was chasing a snake out of the fields, a soldier immediately took him in for interrogation."

"The report said he was waving a hoe in the air while heading towards their camp. Also, he was shouting...how should I put this..."

"Tch. They probably missed the snake that was heading the same direction. Are you sure you read the report correctly or are your troops abusing their power?"

Shirabu had his arms crossed, the fingers on his left hand drumming on his arm impatiently. The incident wasn't just something random either. Some of the soldiers were suspecting some of the older children of being part of the bandits and Shirabu managed to drive them off with threats of reporting to the king.

At first, he never planned to do so. But here he was anyways.

Semi hummed in response, processing everything that the other had just said. Wordlessly, he then rolled out a blank scroll and began scribbling away. From his position, Shirabu couldn’t see what he was writing, but it didn’t seem that he wouldn’t be getting another response.

After a few minutes, Semi finally put his quill down. He began rolling up the parchment and said, “You know, Kenjirou, you’re smart.”

‘There he goes again, suddenly rambling about who knows what.’ Shirabu clicked his tongue. It was a habit of Semi that he wasn’t fond of. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Are you still going to be that stingy? You’re hurting me a bit here, Kenjirou.”

“I suppose you didn’t think about how  I’d  feel when you…” Shirabu cut himself off, his tone becoming significantly more venomous, “Nevermind.”

“Kenjirou, you never told me the problem in the first place. How am I-”

“Yes I did, Eita,” Shirabu got on his feet and slammed his hands on the desk. “But, you didn’t listen to me, did you?”

Shirabu stared Semi down, and Semi paid back with an equally threatening glare. No words were exchanged, but the tension they created would seem, to any outside person, the atmosphere of war. Neither one didn’t seem to be backing down any time soon.

Knock knock.

“Your Majesty, may I come in?”

Without averting his gaze, Semi called out, “Yes, you may.”

Shirabu sat back down just as Tendou walked in with a tea tray in hand. “The people on duty today can’t brew tea properly if their life depended on it,” the redhead sighed, putting the tray down on the desk.

Semi waved his hand dismissively and gave a small smile. “It’s fine. And, you came just in time,” he handed the parchment to Tendou, “Have this sent to Reon immediately.”

“As you wish, my king,” Tendou cooed as he took the scroll. He turned on his heel and left as quickly as he had come in.

Silence, once again, crept into the room.

Finally, Shirabu got up again, this time a bit more composed. “I’ll take my leave as well then. I apologize for my irrational behavior, Your Majesty.”

Shirabu had just come down from a high of anger and rushed emotions, so there was a lot less bite in his words this time.

And, he did mean that last part. What was he thinking? Lashing out and losing control like that.

“Wait, Kenjirou. I’m sorry-”

“Forget it happened. All we did was discuss a compromise.” He walked towards the door, forcing himself not to give His Highness another look. “And, don’t bother. I remember the way out.”

Shirabu walked out of the study, a single tear running down his cheek.

Chapter Text

The boy that stood behind the castle groundskeeper had the most unique haircut Semi had ever seen. His bangs were weirdly sharp and diagonal. And, on top of that, his hair was more copper than brown and wasn’t like his mother’s jet black hair. He looked just around the prince’s age, if not younger. And, if it weren’t for the nonchalance in his eyes, he would have looked like any other boy to Semi.

“Eita. Eita!” The prince perked up as the sound of his mother’s voice returned him to his senses. “Are you listening to me?”

He barely glanced at her, his focus returning on the other boy. He did manage a reply though. “Yes, yes. I’m listening.”

The queen sighed. “Well, I’m sure you two will get along just fine. Be good to him, Eita, alright?”

Semi stopped to think twice about his mother’s words, but then remembered that she had invited the groundskeeper’s son to come to play with him, the prince. Without ado, Semi grabbed the boy’s free hand and, quite literally, dragged him towards the courtyard, his mother’s voice trailing off behind them. He felt the boy’s hand squirming out of his grasp, but Semi had a tight grip, loosening only once they got to the courtyard.

“You could have warned me before you dragged me all the way here.”

The boy had some bite in his words as if he wasn’t talking to a prince. Semi liked that about him.

He turned to face the other. “Well, you don’t seem tired,” he replied, “No harm done there.”

The boy’s expression hardened into a glower. With those asymmetrical bangs casting a shadow over his eyes, his glare looked as callous as a storm cloud. ‘I didn’t even run  that  fast,’ Semi thought. Still, he raised his hands feigning a surrender.

“Alright, alright. I’m sorry about that.” He then grinned at the other. “So, what do you want to do?”

Semi couldn’t catch what the boy murmured, but he did have a feeling it was a nasty comment. Other than that, the boy still said, “I’ll tell you if you can remember my name.”

The prince laughed. That was an odd request. “Of course I remember your name! It’s…” His voice trailed off. Had his mother even introduced this boy to her son? ‘I’m sure she didn’t. That’s right! This boy is trying to trick me into looking like a fool!’

Out came an exasperated sigh from the boy, “Of course you don’t remember because you weren’t listening to the queen.”

“Then, tell me your name. I’ll remember it this time!”

“How rude. I’m not telling you at all.”

How far was this boy going to take it? Semi debated mentally if he would try and coax it out of him or not. But, he also figured that, at some point, the boy might slip and say his own name. But was Semi really counting on that?

If I had my way, we wouldn’t even be in this situation.

“Fine. If you won’t tell me your name, then you have to play with me. I have this epic soldier figures and a mini battlefield-“

“I don’t play with dolls,” the boy commented.

“They are not dolls!”

Semi couldn’t take it anymore. He glared at the boy, but found that the latter was glaring right back at him. They stood there in silence, glowering and trying to outstare the other.

But Semi most definitely did not win the staredown.

He groaned. He could just play and leave this uncooperative and snarky boy alone. But, if he complained, he knew his mother wouldn’t let him hear the end of it.   Let’s just make this work then.   So, for the next few minutes, Semi kept suggesting other games to play, but the other only kept brushing them off. Never once did he fail to provide sarcasm in his response.

That’s when Semi noticed that the boy was holding a book. An idea came to mind. It wasn’t as exciting as going to the dungeons and looking for a secret tunnel, but it was great for passing the time. “How about we go to the library?”

The boy’s expression suddenly softened. ‘I got you now,’ Semi thought triumphantly.

“The library? Wouldn’t someone like you think that as the most boring place in the world?”

“Hey! Just because I’ve been suggesting all these more exciting stuff to do doesn’t mean I don’t read.” Semi leaned over with a victorious smirk. “So?”

The boy looked down at his book. The cover was all worn out and the paper seemed old, Semi noticed. The boy nodded wordlessly and Semi smiled.

“Alright!” He took the other’s hand again. “Off to the library we go!”

He was about to take off, but turned to the boy instead. “But, this time we won’t run.”

The two headed to the library. As they stepped inside, Semi couldn’t help but notice the other’s mesmerized expression. The prince guided him through the shelves, both of them grabbing every book that they found interesting. Before long, they had plopped down in the reading area and were reading the day away.

Semi was the more enthusiastic type of reader, blurting out things that he read that he found interesting. While he kept doing so, however, he noticed a lack of sarcastic comebacks to his interjection. Curiously, he looked up from his book and saw the boy heavily immersed in his reading, his nose buried in a thick journal. The prince pursed his lips when the boy didn’t notice him at all.

“Hey,” he called out. No answer.

The prince closed his book and walked over to the other, peering over his shoulder. “What are you reading?”

Semi half-expected him getting brushed off snarkily. Instead, the boy just answered, but rather absently, “A traveler’s journal…” His voice was really soft, but Semi managed to hear it. He sat on the armchair with exaggerated interest.

He started reading along with the other, pointing at the illustrations and throwing around question after question. The boy kept answering with familiar sarcasm, but the animosity between the two somehow decreased along the way.

Having read almost half a dozen books, Semi decided he wanted to know more about the boy. “So,” he started, catching the other’s attention, “How did my mother end up inviting you to play anyway?”

The boy turned to the book, and Semi thought he was being ignored again. To his surprise, he got an answer. “I was with my mother who was tending the garden. I…didn’t really want to be here so I tried to leave. The queen saw me and—“

“Decided you looked around my age and thought we might get along so asked your mother if she would let you come to play?”

The boy scoffed, but it wasn’t dismissive like usual. “You’re sharper than you let on.”

“Hey!” Semi pouted, but he couldn’t keep a straight face for more than two seconds. He laughed, and maybe the other couldn’t stay that serious either, because Semi saw the faintest smile tug at his lips.

He never thought spending an entire day in the library would end up as fun as it was now. The hours flew by like seconds, and neither of the two noticed that it was almost evening.

Knock knock.

The knocking sound had snapped both of them out of their reading and imaginations. The queen and the groundskeeper emerged from the double doors. The latter smiled at his son.

“Come on, Kenjirou. Time to go home,” she called out.

Kenjirou.

The boy closed the large book in his hands and grabbed the one he had brought with him. He jogged over to his mother and held onto her hand almost immediately. Then, he turned to Semi, but the prince was first to speak.

“I didn’t expect to have that much fun cooped up in the library all day, Kenjirou.”

“You truly are the worst.” Despite the words, he held a small smile. “Your Highness.”

Your Highness. He didn’t even call him that once.

“Your Highness!”

The young Kenjirou faded, and Semi was pulled back to reality. “What? Oh, Satori. Sorry, what were you saying?”

The red-headed steward pouted. “Nevermind what I was saying. Is there something wrong?”

Semi arched his brows, trying not to look suspicious. “Wrong? Nothing’s wrong, Satori.”

“You can’t fool me, Semi Semi. It’s about that villager, isn’t it?”

Giving in, Semi sighed. Tendou was right. There  was  something wrong. And, ever since he got into that fight, if one could call it that, with Shirabu, Semi couldn’t get this strange feeling off his chest. “Satori, would you mind?”

“If you spilled your problems and questions and asked me for some advice on how to solve said problems and answer said questions? Why not at all, Semi Semi~”

“If you had a misunderstanding with a long-time…friend…of yours, but you don’t seem to know the problem, what would you do?”

The steward poured tea into a cup, not bothering to look at Semi. Instead, he beckoned at the doors of the study. "Funny. He didn't even close the doors when he left. What a lousy exit."

Semi didn't even notice that. Right now, though, the doors were ajar. It made him wonder.

Does Shirabu have an open door right now?