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From the window of his house, baby Sougo could see the bright pink smoke billowing from the castle, announcing the birth of the Princess. He remembers being lost in all the colors of the village just south of the castle. Bustling within the village were other royals and their servants, searching high and low for the perfect gift for the newest addition of the Yotsuba family, the one and only, Princess of the Kingdom. He remembers thinking if he would ever get to see the castle in its full glory. Sougo doesn’t remember much of his childhood, but that is one part that he will never forget.
Not much later than that a great fire breaks out in the village, taking everything from him and leaving him with a scar on his right arm. It takes months to heal but a year to understand that he no longer has a place to call home, that no matter how much he cries, Mommy and Daddy won’t be coming for him. Four-year-old Sougo is sent to the village orphanage once his injuries have been treated. He spends two more years in the orphanage, his docile nature making him a favorite amongst the adults running the orphanage, so it isn’t odd when he’s asked to attend a meeting with a royal servant.
“Osaka-sama of the West River is in need of a new servant boy. Your orphanage was recommended to us by Kujo-sama in gratitude of his now adopted son.” A royal servant says, tall and broad, elegant in the way he stands and speaks.
“Oh,” The orphanage director grins, “Yes, we have one recommendation. He is a young boy, only recently turned six but he will serve very well. Extremely polite and quiet. I’m sure Osaka-sama will be pleased.”
The servant returns the smile, his more natural and sincere than the director’s, “Perfect, is there a time we can arrange a meeting between the boy and Osaka-sama?”
Sougo looks on, the words swirling in his head, still too young to completely understand what is happening before him.
The servant takes a look at him, crouching down to his level, “Child, what is your name?”
“Sougo. I do not know my last name,” He answers honestly, looking into the deep blue eyes of the servant.
The man hums thoughtfully. He holds Sougo’s tiny hands, “If Osaka-sama does not give you a last name, will you take mine?” He smiles shyly, the view of it sends a warmth in Sougo that he has not known since the day of the fire.
Sougo returns the smile, full of warmth and kindness, and nods.
The meeting with the Osaka family is set for the following week. The Duchess immediately falls in love with Sougo, his politeness and timid smile sway her into the adoption but the Duke is quick to stop it.
“I’ve come here for a servant, not a child. You mustn’t dote on him, no matter how young he is.”
The Duchess pouts at her Duke’s response and lets Sougo down from her arms. The sweet scent of jasmines lingers in Sougo’s nose as she fixes her robes as she sits next to the Duke. The Duke takes this time to call in his royal servant and directs his attention to the director.
“Oogami Banri-kun will be completing the adoption process. We are not looking for an heir at the moment and he has kindly volunteered to take care and train our new servant boy.”
The director nodded, “Then the child will be Oogami as well, correct?”
Both the Duke and the royal servant nod. Sougo looks up at the royal servant, wide eyes glistening as the words sink in. He will work for the Osaka family, under the care of their royal servant. Banri smiles at Sougo, kneeling down to his eye level and holding his hand out.
“Nice to meet you, Sougo-kun. You can call me Banri.” The royal servant grins, shaking Sougo’s small hand. Sougo is captivated by the brilliance of the man’s grin and feels himself grin widely, too.
“B-Banri-niisan,” Sougo stutters, making the man in front of him smile even wider. He ruffles Sougo’s hair lightly and picks him up.
“Yeah, Banri-niisan. I like that, Sougo-kun.”
The Duchess coos at the tender moment and quietly whines at her husband for not signing the adoption papers. The Duke smiles tenderly, watching his royal servant and the child exchange grins. He pushes a pen into Banri’s hand and has him sign the necessary documents to make the adoption official. Once complete, Sougo is sent to collect his belongings, all tightly packed into the suitcase he had been given by the director.
They send him off with his new guardian, riding along with Banri in the front of the carriages containing the Duke and Duchess. It’s the first time Sougo gets to see past the orphanage gates in over two years, taking in the warm sunlight with a different feeling lingering in his chest. He watches the cloud pass by, trees and butterflies flying around in the summer breeze. In the distance, he sees the castle, growing closer and closer. He realizes that they’re headed at the castle’s direction, meaning he’ll finally get to see the castle from up-close, and maybe even see the King or Queen or the Crown Prince who had been born a few years ago.
Sougo looks up at Banri and voices his question. He gets a quick confirmation.
“The Duke has some business with the King, so for the night we will be resting at the King’s castle. After tomorrow, we’ll return to the Duke’s residence in the West part of the kingdom. We’ll have to share a room, is that okay?”
Sougo nods, understanding. His legs shake, his grip tightening around the reigns he’s been holding onto. He’ll get to see the castle, not just the outside but the inside. And he’ll get to sleep inside. He’s sure that if his parents were still alive, they’d be happy with him, knowing his dream of seeing the castle would be coming true.
What Sougo did not expect, was the meet the future love of his life inside the castle walls.
The evening at the castle passes by too quickly for Sougo’s liking. Upon arrival, he gets to meet the King and Queen, along with the Crown Prince and Princess. The first thing that catches his eyes is the vibrant blue hair color shared by the Queen, Prince and Princess. They’re almost exactly alike, even in the way the corner of their eyes crinkle when they smile. The second thing that catches Sougo’s attention, is the way the prince smiles. Despite being born in the same year, the differences between them is stark. While Sougo is serious and diligent in the tasks he’s asked of, he can tell that the prince is nothing but giggles and smiles, energetic yelling and playing. Sougo gets the chance to spend some time with them, thanks to the Queen and royal nanny. They run up and down the garden, the Queen and Duchess watch over them over a cup of tea, the princess staying close to her mother’s side, as the other adults congregate in the meeting rooms of the castle.
They’re chasing a butterfly in the garden when the prince trips over his own feet and lands face first into a pile of unattended dirt, scraping his knee in an ugly manner. Sougo’s first instinct is to help the boy up, wiping the prince’s tears away with his shirt, caking it with mud. They’re too far for the adults to hear them so as he’s gently wiping away the dirt and tears, he hums a soft melody, reminiscent of the one his mother once used to hum as he fell asleep. He’d done so plenty of times at the orphanage with the children there and he saw no different with the prince. The prince’s soft cries turned into hiccups and eventually subsided. When the prince was calm, Sougo sat next to him and held his hand, asking if he was okay and if he wanted to return to the Queen’s side. The prince’s nod was all the confirmation he needed. He stood back up and crouched down low enough that the prince could safely climb on his back. Once secured, he carries the prince back to where the Queen, Duchess and royal nanny begin to fuss over them. When he’s questioned by them, he answers truthfully, the prince confirming his story. They’re taken back inside, the prince’ wound taken care of and Sougo is given a bath, courtesy of the Queen, and a change of clothes. The spend the rest of the afternoon in the study room, Sougo’s fascination with books encouraged by the Queen and the Duchess who look on fondly.
“It seems like Prince Tamaki has taken a liking to Sougo-kun,” The Duchess comments, amused at how the prince follows Sougo around the library, shoving his favorite books into Sougo’s hands and forcing him to read them aloud.
“Sou-chan, read this one next!!”
The Queen smiles, “I think this might be the first time I’ve seen him have fun with someone his age. There is only one other child his age, a child of the Izumi family that he attempts to get along with, but it seems Tamaki is a bit too energetic for him.” The Queen chuckles, watching Prince Tamaki pull another book out of his pile and hand it to Sougo, “Their eldest son is a year or two older than Sougo, I believe, but they don’t seem to get along well either. He also does not seem to get along well with the adopted sons of Kujo. I’m very interested to see how his reaction will be when you all return to the West River.”
Sougo overhears the hushed conversation between the royals and turns to look at the prince, “Do you have any friends?”
Tamaki turns to face Sougo, his face scrunching up as he thinks. A moment of silence passes over them before Tamaki finally answers, “Sou-chan.”
Sougo feels his face heat up, hearing the giggles of the women in the room and Tamaki’s grand smile. “M-me? I’m your friend?”
Tamaki nods, pointing directly at Sougo, “Yeah, I like playing with you and I like Sou-chan, so Sou-chan can be my friend, right?”
Sougo’s face feels like it’s being heated directly by the sun, his heart pounding in his chest, as Tamaki continues to smile and laugh. Tamaki’s cheeks are tinted a rose color, too, he notices, as the Queen interrupts to inform them that they’ll be having dinner soon.
Sougo and Tamaki are left with the royal nanny, as the Queen and Duchess were summoned by their respective partners to gather for the adult dinner. Banri greets Sougo after spending an afternoon away from him and asks him how his day went. Animatedly, Sougo fills Banri in with all the details of his day, and how much fun he’s had with the prince. Tamaki interjects a couple of times, attempting to fill in any missing details that Sougo hadn’t divulged. Their dinnertime passes as quickly as it came and then it was time for the children to go to bed.
They’re given one final bath, and Sougo another pair of sleepwear, before being taken into the main hall that leads into the bedrooms. Sougo feels his eyes sting as he realizes that this may be the only day he’ll get to spend with the prince. That after tonight, he’ll be working for the Osaka family, under the guidance of Banri. It seemed like Tamaki was aware of the situation too, refusing to leave Sougo’s side.
“Tamaki-sama, Sougo-kun needs to go to his own room, with his own bed. He needs to sleep, just like you. Playtime is over,” The royal nanny told Tamaki, over and over again.
Tamaki continued to kick and scream, breaking free and clinging to Sougo’s hand, “I want Sou-chan to sleep with me! Sou-chan, Sou-chan!!!!”
The commotion eventually got the attention of the adults in the other dining room.
“What seems to be the issue?” The Duke asks, a severe expression in his face, directed at Sougo.
Sougo begins to stutter before Banri cuts in, explaining the situation.
The King and Queen chuckle, exchanging a look of amuse between them.
The King clears his throat, “Osaka-sama, Oogami-san, if it were alright with the both of you, would you be willing to let Sougo-kun sleep in Tamaki’s room for the night? It seems my child has taken a great liking to the young Sougo.”
The Duke’s severe expression dies, and he agrees. “If it is okay with Oogami-kun, and if Sougo-kun would also like to, I have no reason to decline.”
Banri crouches at eye level with the children, “Sougo-kun, would you like to stay with the prince for tonight?”
Sougo nods eagerly, earning a cheer from Tamaki.
Banri then turns to look at the Crown Prince, “Tamaki-sama, I can let Sougo-kun sleep in your room tonight under two conditions.”
Tamaki nods, awaiting the conditions being set so that he could have his friend sleep with him for the night.
“First, you can’t stay up reading,” Banri says, Tamaki nods in agreement, “And two…” He pauses, looking up at the adults paying close attention to their conversation, “You have to be a big boy tomorrow when we have to leave, okay? Sougo has to go home with me tomorrow. And you have to be okay with that.”
Banri gives the prince some time to think his words through. In Banri’s experience, children may seem like they don’t pay attention but they’re the first to notice if things aren’t right. He’s sure Tamaki is taking careful consideration with what he was just told.
Hesitantly, Tamaki nods. “Sou-chan is leaving tomorrow, so he can stay in my room tonight. Then I’ll say goodbye in the morning.”
The crowd of onlooking adults seem to sigh in relief, and astonishment as they hear the prince’s words. Banri smiles widely, and lets Tamaki drag Sougo off. From the end of the hallway, both Tamaki and Sougo bid the remaining adults goodnight, and enter Tamaki’s bedroom, closely followed by the Queen, Duchess and the royal nanny.
They’re quickly settled into bed and just as the Queen pulls a book to read to them, Tamaki stops her, “No, Sou-chan, sing to me like you did in the garden.”
The women in the room turn to look at Sougo, who in turn is looking back at Tamaki.
“You want Sougo-kun to sing a lullaby?” The Queen asks, looking in between the children.
Sougo speaks up, “When Tamaki-sama fell in the garden today, I sang him a lullaby that my mother taught me before she went to heaven with my father.”
“Yeah!” Tamaki sleepily interjects.
The Queen’s eyes glisten, listening to Sougo retell the story of how he lost his parents. Tears stain Sougo’s face as well, but Tamaki is quick to wipe them away for him, just like Sougo had done to him earlier in the day.
He thanks the prince by singing the lullaby that Tamaki had requested, this time the tune was accompanied with lyrics.
I reached out my hand and caught a smiling you […] I didn’t know that my heartbeats were playing the rhythm of first love […]
Running out of breath, I’ll find you again and again […] Before I knew it, I was being controlled by this slowly swaying first love
Paying close attention to the lyrics, the Queen smiles and quietly exits the room. By the time Sougo notices he’s been left alone with the prince, Tamaki has already fallen sleep. The only sound in the dimly light bedroom are the sounds of their breathing. Sougo shuffles around in bed before sleep finally claiming him, drifting slowly into a dreamless slumber.
Just as promised, Prince Tamaki lets Sougo leave without as much as a protest, though if Banri looked closely, he was sure he could see the tremble of his bottom lip and tears begin to pool in his eyes. Sougo bids farewell to his new friend and the King and Queen who gracefully return his goodbyes. By noon, they’re on their way out of castle walls and on their way to the West River where Sougo will call home.
“Sou-chan, come back and play with me another day, okay?” Prince Tamaki shouts at the leaving carriage. He’s not sure if Sougo would hear it but letting the word linger in his heart made it feel funny.
Its nightfall by the time they arrive, Sougo fast sleep in Banri’s arms. The Duke and Duchess help unpack the carriage and take care of Sougo while Banri gathers the necessary items for Sougo’s new room. In the morning, Sougo is introduced to the staff of the Osaka family. He begins his lessons that same afternoon, training under Banri as well as general educational studies.
From that day on, Sougo establishes his daily routine:
- 9AM: breakfast
- 10AM: math
- 11AM: sciences
- 12PM: lunch
- 12:30PM - 3:30PM: training with Banri
- 4PM – 6PM: languages and literature
- 6:30 PM: dinner with Banri and other staff
- 7:30PM – 9:30 PM: free study time
- 9:30PM - 10 PM: bath and bedtime.
Occasionally the Duchess will interrupt his studies for unofficial bonding time, as well as the Duke will take him out of horse riding lessons every couple of days, weather permitting, but for the most part, Sougo was able to keep his schedule tightly packed, promising Banri and the Duke to work hard and take over the moment Banri decided to step down.
Twelve years go by, Sougo grows up with the guidance of Banri and the Duke. The Duchess still spoils him, just like when he had been six years old but now, she coos over how he’s grown and how handsome he continues to get. Sougo feels his face flush just like the first day but he’s become accustomed to the kind words of the Duchess. While she would never fill the void that his parents had left after the accident, Sougo could see the maternal warmth in her and appreciated her kindness and how she was sure to include Sougo in events that normally only her royal staff would accompany her in. The Duke, too, treated him kindly like a son. He would constantly brag to other royals about how proud he was of Sougo. Though through all the kindness he was given by the Duke and Duchess, they were dimmed by the warmth Banri had given him the day of their first meeting.
Sougo had grown up as a single child but with the kindness shown by Banri, he could feel himself slip into the younger brother role so easily. Banri could not compare to the royals who had given him a home, because Banri had given him his last name and a place to belong. Banri who doted on him, who kindly guided him and corrected him, who had the patience of a virtue whenever it came to Sougo learning something new. Banri, who often held him in his sleep whenever a storm passed through their region, who would sing him lullabies and read him as many books as Sougo had asked for. Banri’s kindness reached new lengths each and every day Sougo was with him and Sougo couldn’t thank the heavens enough for letting them meet that day in the orphanage.
Sougo is sure to let Banri know that he’s thankful, every day. He’s sure to hug him extra tight in the morning before departing and greeting him with a warm smile when their time to train starts. He leaves notes and messages for him with other staff and his favorite snacks in between meal. He still excitedly tells him about his day during dinnertime and asks him to tell stories of his childhood or of the castle and kingdom. At heart, Sougo is still the six year old boy from the orphanage whenever it comes to Banri. He truly came to love all the people in the castle, despite not being a royal himself.
The news came as a shock to him. They had been asked to congregate in the Duke’s largest meeting room along with Banri and the Duchess. The atmosphere seemed tense and Sougo could feel his hands tremble as he took his seat in the large room.
“At age six, Banri signed your adoption papers, giving you his last name. That was the moment you joined us as the royal servant in training. From then on, it has been nothing but a pleasure to see you grow up. You’ve broken records set only by Banri himself, broken all expectations of us, worked and trained harder than I have ever seen any servant of mine do. And now, only a couple of months away from your 18th birthday, I’d like to relocate you to a new location where I believe you’ll strive to meet any and all goals expected of you,” The Duke spoke in his grand voice.
Sougo’s trembling didn’t stop, a nervous feeling in his stomach bubbling as he waited for the Duke to clarify.
“As you’ve become aware, more of your training and duties have become focused on not serving Banri as an assistant but serving me as well. This is not by any mistake. Banri and I have agreed that having you stay here is limiting. So as of this moment, we have decided to promote you to a royal advisor,” The Duke smiled.
Sougo felt the ground under his feet shake.
“But not just any advisor,” Banri continued, “King Yotsuba has taken a great interest in you, so instead of helping Osaka-sama in his duties here in West River, you’ll be assisting the heir to the throne back in the heart of the kingdom.”
Sougo’s world froze over. How could they possibly think what they were doing was a good thing? That separating him from the one family he thought he could finally have. To move him away from his brother, not by blood but by bonds. The silence in the room was deafening. No one dared interrupt Sougo’s racing thoughts. It wasn’t until the Duchess’s hands reached out to him that he could finally move, finally breathe.
“I-I’d like to thank you, Osaka-sama, and Banri-niisama for this opportunity but I’d like to decline.”
The Duke and Banri’s expressions of disbelief were something Sougo was never going to forget. Various emotions passed through each of them ranging from disbelief, disappointment, anger, sadness and then once more disbelief.
“Sougo-kun, is there a reason you’d decline such an offer?” Banri asked, emotions in check once more.
“There’s no need to move me away to the King’s castle, I’m here now and would gladly be able to take up an assisting advisor’s position here in the West River.”
The Duke cleared his throat, “Sougo-kun, the opportunity was given to you by King Yotsuba. Declining could become a risk for those in the West River. Not only that but, what could you possibly do here than you cannot do at the castle?”
Sougo could feel the tears sting in his eyes, “I mean no disrespect when I say this, Your Grace, but what could I possibly do there that I cannot do here? I could continue to train here; I could become your heir’s advisor! I’ve worked with Banri-niisama long enough to understand what this opportunity means but my family is not at the Yotsuba castle. My family is here. You, Your Grace, are here. I can’t possibly leave all of you behind for a grandiose title like the royal advisor of the throne’s heir.” The tears leak without his permission, streaming down his face in hot currents.
He feel the Duchess’s embrace, her cooing to calm down the hot white anger rising in his throat. Banri’s embarrassed chuckle vibrates in the room and Sougo wants to scream and yell at him. How could he think this is what he wanted? After all the discussions in their shared room, after all the heartfelt moments they spend together, how could Banri think that moving away from him was ever an option for Sougo?
Their meeting is dismissed, Sougo not taking a moment’s hesitation to confront Banri in the hallway. Their shouts echo in the grand, open hallways but it ends with a defeat on Sougo’s side. Banri holds him tightly, letting Sougo sob his frustration out on him. The Duke and Duchess watch from afar as Sougo admits his defeat, and then they’re off to plan their journey to the King’s castle.
A week passes and their journey has been confirmed. The King is waiting for their arrival in the early evening of a March’s spring day. Sougo has come to terms with the decision made but not without scolding Banri a thousand couple of times throughout the week. He’s made vows, lots of them, to Sougo that they would exchange letters of minimum once a week. Sougo wanted to keep in touch as much as possible but with his absence, he knows Banri’s duties will keep him busy into the later part of the evening, so he agrees on once per week. The Duchess, too, expects a letter from Sougo at least once a week. He bids farewell to the remaining staff of the Osaka estate and heads off on their journey to Sougo’s new life.
With all the talk and moving of his personal belongings, Sougo hasn’t had time to think about who he will be serving under. He vaguely remembers Prince Tamaki from their childhood days but other than the vibrant blue hair the child wore, his memory fails him. There’s a constant tune in the back of his head, now that he thinks about it, whenever the prince’s name is mentioned but he can’t place where or why the memory of the lullaby his mother left him would be important. It isn’t until he steps foot in the castle that all his memories come back. The running in the garden with a blue haired toddler, the crying and smeared mud on his shirt. The giggles and snacks and most importantly, the feeling of the tiny warm hand in his. He’s in the middle of reminiscing of the childhood memories he left here when a pair of warm arms wrap around his middle, squeezing tightly.
“Sou-chan! You came back!” A bright and loud voice shouts next to his ear.
Without warning, he’s spun around in someone’s arms, the squeezing somehow becoming tighter than before. It’s only when Banri chuckles that he’s suddenly let go, the attacker deciding to focus on Banri instead.
“Ban-chan, you, too!” Banri’s chuckles and the individual’s giggles fill the castle’s extended corridor. Sougo can’t help but be confused until he takes a good look at their attacker. The prince stands with a relaxed grace that he’s unsure he’s seen another royal have. If he remembers clearly, he and the prince are the same age, but he looks nothing of the sort with his towering height and mature yet boyish grin. Meanwhile, Sougo is thin and lean, of average height and he’s sure that glimmer of adventure and energy in his gaze is nowhere near as intense as it is in the prince’s.
“Your Highness, I-”
“Sou-chan, you don’t need to address me all formally and stuff, its weird. Just call me Tamaki, okay?” The Prince grins widely, patting his shoulder in a friendly manner. His gaze lingers on Sougo for a while longer, the intimacy of the gesture bringing the heat out in Sougo’s cheeks which in turn brings Tamaki’s cheek to a same shade of pink. Banri laughs at their reaction, rather the oddness of their reunion.
The prince embraces Sougo once more, “You came back, Sou-chan. I thought you had forgotten about me.” Sougo tries to get a word in but Tamaki continues, unaware, “Sou-chan, there’s so much I want to tell you! So many things I want to show you!”
“Your High-”
“Let’s go to the garden!” The prince doesn’t wait for a response, taking Sougo’s hand and racing off to show him all the new additions to his mother’s garden. Sougo can’t remember if the prince had always been this energetic when they first met, but there’s something comforting about it. Despite the foreign feeling in his chest and the unfamiliarity of his surrounds, the warmth in his hand is the only comfort right now.
They enter the garden and Sougo is brought back to his childhood, the first time they ran into the garden, passing the gazebo full of roses. Now, the gazebo bloomed in bright shades of purple and blue, their colors intertwining each other. Where the purple left an empty space, a blue flower bloomed in between them, always together, blue and purple. In the distance, Sougo could see the bright blues and purples of a wisteria tree. Tamaki’s notes his gaze and takes him to see the tree in its full glory.
“This is where it happened, remember?” Tamaki points at the base of the tree, “I fell here, and you sang me a song to make me feel better. We were six but I still remember.”
Sougo smiles softly at the distant memory.
“I had the tree planted here where it happened because every day, I wished for you to come back.” Tamaki sits under the lowest branches of the tree and tugs Sougo down with him, “Sing for me?” Tamaki gives Sougo a hopeful look.
Sougo feels his face heat again, something that’s starting to become common in the presence of the prince but relents. He starts off the soft melody, broken and unsung for over a decade but the words resonate in his heart.
“You’re the most important.” “That’s love” What am I supposed to do now, after so long? […] But I won’t let go of you again […]
I reached out my hand and caught a smiling you […] I want you to know that my heartbeats are playing the rhythm of first love.
He feels Tamaki’s hand in his again, but the warmth extends over their palms, to their intertwining fingers and then he feels Tamaki rest his head against his shoulder. The moment is soft and intimate as Sougo finishes the verse he knows and the only sounds in the enclosed garden are those of the chirping birds, hiding amongst the trees. Sougo isn’t sure what changed in the years of their encounters but the feeling in his chest is pure, lighthearted and content. They stay like that for what feels like forever until Tamaki mumbles something again Sougo’s clothing. Sougo doesn’t need to hear it to know what the exact words are.
Welcome home.
Evening arrives soon and Banri, the Duke and Duchess are forced to stay the night. It’s Sougo’s last night with Banri and he wants to make the best of it. They share some private time in the library and Sougo thanks him for everything. They share laughs and cries, a moment just for the two who have become like brothers to each other. Its late by the time they decided they need to go to bed. They share one last hug before parting and Sougo tries to keep the loneliness at bay. His heart aches but there are new feelings lingering there and for now, while he hurts, he’ll let himself feel sad. But he knows that staying here will be the best decision he’s ever made. When morning arrives, Sougo cries. He’s saying goodbye to his family while standing next the one who will make it all worthwhile. He’s a swirling mess of emotions, causing the others to cry along with him. They all finally manage to end their farewells and Sougo watches the carriage leave without him.
The King and Tamaki give him the rest of the day off to adjust to things around their castle but once Sougo gets his routine restarted with the duties of Tamaki’s advisor plus his additional training, no one can stop him. He’s the witness to many of Tamaki’s tantrums when things don’t go his way but also to the hardworking side of him that does in fact try his hardest. He’s the victim of Tamaki’s shameless flirting, mostly when Sougo doesn’t let him do or eat whatever it is he is craving at the moment.
A year into it and he’s immune to it, immune to the fleeting touches and looks, the gestures of kindness. Sougo assumes it’s just his playful manner so he trains his heart to not flutter or stutter when Tamaki stares at his face for too long, or when their hands brush and linger when he’s handing Tamaki documents to look over. What he’s still not used to is when they enter the garden and sit under the wisteria tree. He’s still not used to the way Tamaki softly asks him to sing, sometimes the song he sang so many years ago, sometimes a new song. Or the way Tamaki would gently lay his head on Sougo’s shoulder or Sougo’s lap and watch him with an adoring gaze that made Sougo feel like he was standing under the searing sun. The fluttering and stuttering his heart did would come back tenfold, looking at the way Tamaki’s gaze would soften under the breeze and shadow of that wisteria tree.
There was a yearning in Sougo’s heart, one that asked for Tamaki to press his lips against his, to hold him tight and close. Sougo knew the thoughts of the prince fulfilling his fantasies were inappropriate but as long as they were never uttered out loud then they didn’t exist, right? But unfortunately for Sougo, his mind and body were against him. Tamaki could feel the linger gazes, the yearning looks of adoration from Sougo’s eyes and without a second thought, brought Sougo’s lips down to where he lay, head in Sougo’s lap. Realizing the position was probably uncomfortable for Sougo, Tamaki struggled to sit up without detaching his lips from Sougo’s.
It was soft, sweet, and simple. Tamaki could feel Sougo hesitate, wanting to pull away so without taking his lips off of his, he says, “I’ve been dreaming of the day I could do this.” And with that, Sougo lets himself go. He returns the kiss, deepens it, and steals Tamaki’s breath. Kissing under the wisteria tree, the one that Tamaki had asked to be planted as a symbol of his love and want, had been Tamaki’s longest living dream.
Their dream had been short-lived, as Tamaki’s royal servant came shouting into the garden, breaking the spell of love between them, “Sougo-san, there’s a letter for you. It’s urgent!”
Sougo felt the ground shake beneath them, the flowers shrink at the news that awaited him in the letter written in Banri’s handwriting.
“Sou-chan, what is it?” Tamaki asked, taking his empty hand and holding it, squeezing for comfort.
“They need me back home. The letter doesn’t say much but that your father has been sent a letter, too and that they need me, and the King at the West River,” Sougo whispers into the cooling spring breeze. “I have to go, Tamaki-kun. I need to go.”
Sougo runs off in the direction of his room, hastily packing things and awaiting the King in the large extended corridor. Tamaki is watching him from the end of the hall. Sougo wants to reassure him he’ll be back but he isn’t sure if that’s the case. Tamaki, who was currently begging his father to let him join them, was scared beyond belief. It had taken Sougo over a decade to return to him, would this time be the same? Would he have to wait another decade for Sougo to return and for Tamaki to feel like he could breathe? He was so sure their love story had just started but now he felt like it had been left on pause. No discussion of their, very obvious, mutual feelings to each other, just kisses exchanged between them like a summer’s crush. Tamaki just has to sit here and watch the love of his life ride away on the carriage that took him away the first time?
He chases after the carriage, watching how Sougo looks back at him, tears in his eyes. He sees him stand up and yell something back towards him. He relies on the spring breeze to return his feelings back.
I’ll come back. Wait for me!
Please come back! I’ll wait for you.
It had long passed midnight by the time they arrive. He doesn’t wait for the carriage to fully stop before he’s dashing his way through his childhood home, trying to find Banri, the Duchess or the Duke. Anyone who can tell him what’s going on. One of the older maids rushes to his side, taking him into the Duke’s bedroom, relaying information that had spread throughout the region. He walks into the bedroom where he lays, wheezing, just barely holding on to his life. The Duchess sits next to him, holding his delicate hand, standing up once Sougo bursts into the room. She’s sobbing seeing Sougo hold the Duke’s other hand, kissing it tenderly and scolding him for keeping his illness a secret from everyone.
“I didn’t ask for you to be here so you could scold me, child,” The Duke wheezes, “Before I leave, I have a single request. It’s the most important task I’ll ever assign you.”
Sougo is in tears, hearing the weak voice of the Duke, “Anything for you, Your Grace. I may serve the King and the Crown Prince now, but Your Grace will always and has always come first.”
The response causes a smile to break out on the Duke’s pale face, “Oogami Sougo-kun. Will you please take my last name and become the sole heir to the Osaka family name?” The Duke clutches Sougo’s hands in his, awaiting his response.
By this time, both the King and Banri have gathered in the room and are looking expectantly at Sougo. Sougo looks back at Banri, who has his hand resting on his shoulder. A single tear escapes from Banri but he nods, encouraging Sougo to fulfill the Duke’s dying wish.
“Your Grace, if this is what you wish, I cannot deny. But you need to live long enough to see me become your son. You need to live long enough to see me take your place and make the West River proud. You can’t leave me, Banri and Her Grace just yet,” Sougo says, between his sobs.
The Duke coughs out his reply, agreeing to staying strong until the process is complete.
Sougo thinks he’s in the clear for tonight but then Banri is handing the Duke a stack of papers, followed by the Duke’s official seal. Banri then passes the pen to Sougo, waiting for him to take it but Sougo’s too confused to understand what is happening.
“Sougo-kun, you have to sign it. The Duke is waiting,” The Duchess says softly in the otherwise silent room.
“No. No! NO!” Sougo begins protesting, tears blinding his vision. He’s being held down, but his vision is too blurred to see who exactly is holding him. His mind isn’t registering the words leaving his mouth, but he picks up a couple of them in the crazed haze that’s taking over him, “You can’t leave us. You can’t leave me, if I sign this you have to stay here.”
It takes half an hour for Sougo to calm down and process the situation. The longer he hold off on signing the forms, the more the Duke suffers, holding onto his last breath so he can officially hand over his position. Banri lets him back into the room and he sits next to him, just off the edge of the bed.
His voice is raw when he speaks, “Don’t leave until everything’s done, okay?”
The Duke nods and Sougo takes the pen being handed to him. He signs the documents and is pronounced Osaka Sougo, Duke of the West River, sole heir to the Osaka family.
The Duke chuckles in delight, hearing his son’s title uttered by the King and his officials. “Sougo, I have always considered you a son to me. Thank you for making this happen.”
Sougo takes the Duke’s hand and lays a soft kiss on the back of it, “I have never considered you less than a father to me, Otou-sama.”
Hearing the words uttered by his son bring a smile to his face. He clears his throat and asks to be left alone with the King, the Duchess and Sougo.
“Yotsuba-sama, I have a single request for you.”
“Any of your wishes will be granted, Duke Osaka.”
“Please let us arrange a marriage between the throne and the West River. My son is undoubtedly infatuated with the Crown Prince but will see my untimely death as his reason to stay in the West River. Please take him back to the castle with you when he is ready to return. Please let my son live in bliss next to the man who has captured his pure heart. My dearest wife will handle the details in my place.”
The King chuckles at Sougo’s outraged reaction but accepts, “If that is what you wish, I cannot decline a reasonable request.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. It has been a pleasure serving under you. Please be sure to take good care of my wife, and my son. I leave them in your care.”
The King feels his throat close, watching his once childhood friend draw his last breath, “Rest easy, old friend. They are in my care. We will meet each other soon, dear friend.”
And with a final goodbye, the Duke closes his eyes, and drifts off to his eternal sleep.
It takes Sougo a month and a half after being appointed as the new Duke to return to the King’s castle. In between rearranging the funeral services for the Duke, to the official ‘coronation’ so he could officially take his place and then the obligatory celebrations for his 20th birthday, time has passed by without him noticing. He hasn’t seen or heard of Tamaki since the night he left in a hurry. He wonders how Tamaki has handled himself in the month of being apart from one another. If he’s still hurting from being left behind or if he’s stopped loving Sougo.
No one has tried to bring up their marriage, afraid of the consequences of doing so. Sougo hasn’t given it much thought either, too busy with multiple affairs to do so but he’ll be returning to the castle soon. The news hasn’t been made public yet, so to Sougo’s knowledge only those informed were the families of both involved parties which included Sougo, Banri and the Duchess of the Osaka family and the King, Queen, Prince and Princess of the Yotsuba family. He’ll have to face Tamaki once he returns and he’s more concerned about his reaction to it all rather than everyone else’s reactions to the news.
They’re arriving at the castle and Sougo expects to hear Tamaki’s loud shouting greeting him from the gates but there’s nothing, but an uneasy silence filled through the property. They begin to unpack at the corridor and there’s still no sign of Tamaki, making Sougo much more nervous than he had been during the whole ride.
Out of nowhere he sees the bouncing curls of the princess, “Are you looking for someone, Sougo-sama?” Princess Aya giggles.
“A-ah, no. I was just admiring the castle’s change from the spring to summer. There aren’t a lot of colors left from the spring,” Sougo explains, taking a look around.
“I see… Have you checked the garden yet? I think some of the spring flowers are still here and they’re looking brighter now, I think,” The princess laughs. She takes Sougo by the arm and pulls him towards the garden entrance. “There’s someone waiting for you. Don’t keep him waiting, okay?” She shoved Sougo into the garden, closing the door behind him and leaving him locked inside with whoever was waiting for him.
There were tealights lighting the path to the wisteria tree which he so often visited. It had felt like years since the last time he had visited the tree but in reality, he knew it was no more than two months. Against the tree, dressed in all white and holding a bouquet of purple and blue flowers, stood the Crown Prince. He fidgeted nervously, unaware of Sougo’s presence. When Sougo finally made his presence clear, Tamaki attempted to hide the bouquet behind his back.
His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, “W-welcome back.”
Sougo walked up to him, a question in his eyes. He let Tamaki continue instead of asking. Tamaki embraced Sougo tightly, his voice just barely a whisper, “I missed you, my love.”
Sougo doesn’t get the chance to react at the nickname, as the prince kneels in front of him, holding the bouquet in one hand, and a small jewelry box in the other. “Osaka Sougo, Duke of the West River, you are the one person who managed to change my life from the moment you sang to me under this tree when we were younger. Your voice, your kindness and warm heart have captured me from that very moment. When you sang to me again that same night, the lyrics of your first love, I can admit I had no clue what you were saying but it sounded nice. But then you had to go away, and I didn’t know why but it sucked and made my heart feel empty. I knew you for a day and you managed to change my life.
Now let me do the same to you, let me change your life, and your last name. I don’t want our relationship to start off as an arranged marriage, I want you to be with me because you want to. So, Osaka Sougo, will you marry me?”
I want you to know that my heartbeats are playing the rhythm of first love…
“Yes.”