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Lunch is a silent affair for the most part in the royal palace. A long table, which could seat at least 12 people, is only occupied by the three members of the royal family– the King on one end, the Queen on the other, and the Crown Prince in the middle, on his own. The King, Tsukasa’s father, believes it’s bad etiquette to chatter while eating, but makes exceptions for when his wife asks Tsukasa about his studies or his progress in combat class.
Today, however, his parents are engrossed in their discussion of the upcoming Festival of Bloom to welcome the season of spring. Tsukasa doesn’t participate much in the conversation and would much rather focus on his baked four-cheese ravioli, but his ears perk up when his father mentions the royal magician, for whom he has plans to perform a few special effects for the ceremony. That certainly intrigues him, so he listens a little closer to their words.
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A little less than a week passes, and the doors of the dining hall burst open whilst they’re mid-meal, in coming a royal guard. “I apologise for the disruption, Your Majesties, but word has come that the royal magician and his assistant will be arriving soon.”
“Is that the case?” the King murmurs to himself. “Well, Tsukasa, what say you meet them at the door when they do arrive? But you must hurry with your meal, if you’d like to do so.”
“Really, Father?” Tsukasa’s eyes shine. He’s never met the royal magician before, a matter only conducted by kings and queens– his father must trust him enough to delegate this task to him.
He nods. “Bring them to the throne room, your mother and I will meet them there.”
The man with red hair in an odd hairstyle who waits patiently has an amused grin painted on his lips when he sees Tsukasa. The royal magician, Tsukasa thinks, based on the description by the King. What he didn’t expect, however, was just how young he is… or looks? His assistant– the yellow-haired one, who’s slightly shorter and looks even younger– looks around the palace’s interior with a child-like awe.
“Greetings, Your Highness.” The magician folds his body in a sweeping bow, and with a little prompting, his assistant does the same, albeit with a slight stutter to his words. Tsukasa returns the salutations, his eyes trailing to the assistant, as if captivated by him. “My name is Sakasaki Natsume, loyal serving magician to the royal palace. This,” he gestures to the younger boy, “is Harukawa Sora, my assistant.”
Tsukasa gives his knight, Narukami Arashi, a glance, to which she whispers, “We should be heading to the throne room soon, Your Highness.” Tsukasa’s mouth makes an ‘o’ shape, he’d been quite so entranced by the magicians that he almost forgot about that part.
“Please, follow me to the throne room, Sakasaki and Harukawa.” They nod, and Tsukasa leads the way down the large entrance hall, past the grand double staircase, opening the doors at the end of the space.
His parents sit atop an elevated platform, on their respective thrones. They look classy, elegant, grand, majestic, powerful– less like his parents, simple and kind, and more like the people-beloved King and Queen of the New Kingdom of Dimensionnia.
“Mother, Father,” he addresses. “I bring with me the royal magician, Sakasaki Natsume, and his assistant, Harukawa Sora.”
The discussion between his parents and Sakasaki is long and winded, and Tsukasa struggles to grasp the concept. It may be because he’s at least 65% clueless about magic– as much as he hates to admit since his childhood friend, Himemiya Tori of their neighbouring country, enjoys flaunting his knowledge of magic– but also maybe because his eyes keep flitting to Harukawa who is carefully listening to each word and taking down notes in his notebook. He can’t help but find himself enchanted by Harukawa, as absurd as it sounds.
The King notices Tsukasa’s disinterest– or, to be honest, rather the lack thereof– and requests him to show Harukawa around the gardens. He nods, they’re definitely about to discuss something confidential, which is why he’s sending both Tsukasa and Harukawa out.
Closing the double doors behind him, Tsukasa finds his heart fluttering. They’re both alone… other than the fact that Narukami was instructed to trail a couple paces behind the two, far enough where she’d be unable to listen to their conversation, but near enough to protect them if harm ever came their way.
“Have you ever been to the Festival of Bloom before, Harukawa?” Tsukasa asks, as they stroll down the foyer and out of the doors that lead to his favourite palace garden, the Garden of Blue Roses. True to its name, blue roses are indeed planted and scattered across the length of the garden’s walk; but his favourite part of it is the Fountain of Roses, which is situated under a large trellis covered in blue roses towards the end of the garden.
He leads Harukawa towards it when he shakes his head in response. “Sora has not, Your Highness. He has only recently turned of age to leave the village.”
The age rule is not new information to Tsukasa, for he had heard of the story explaining it before. Years ago, children of magical descent were forbidden from leaving their village on the outskirts of the kingdom lest they were to lose their powers. To prevent the extinction of their kind, tight security is enforced, fences and gates encircling the area are patrolled by appointed guards of the village. Those who turn eighteen are allowed to leave the village for the first time, so Harukawa must be the same age as him.
“… What is life in the village like?”
Harukawa smiles wistfully, his fingers brushing across the inscriptions on the fountain’s basin coping. “Loud, but in a good way. It’s lively and spirited, with children gathering in the square to play games while adults watch them from their patios with tea cups in their hands. It’s a tight-knit community, Sora would say. But, if Sora was to be completely honest with Your Highness, he’d say it gets lonely at times.” He shakes his head indignantly. “But it’s not all bad. Sora gets to live with Shisho and Senpai, so it balances out!”
Tsukasa is quiet, taking in the heft of words. He takes in the sight of Harukawa drifting his hand across the gentle streaming water of the fountain, the droplets of water from his fingers sinking into the stone of the coping where he rests his hand, which later evaporates under the warm sun.
He reads the inscription on the fountain again before they leave, though he already has it memorised by heart.
Amidst the roses’ bloom, love flows softly,
known only to the heart.
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Tsukasa sees Harukawa more often than he’d expected, though he’s not complaining, what with Sakasaki’s frequent visits during the month prior to the festival.
He’d gotten much closer to him over the past month; he’d learnt his favourite colour, his hobbies, his favourite food, about his synesthesia magic. He had discovered the meaning of his name, what his favourite magic is– anything under the sun that asking about could seem as normal as possible, he’s got it stored securely in his hippocampus.
He gazes at Harukawa from afar, watching him attempt to charm the flowers into dancing. They droop over sadly, instead of waving in the wind. He watches Harukawa flop over, equally as sad as the flowers. He chuckles, before making his way over.
“Stumped?” Tsukasa questions with a beguiling smile, sitting down on the grass beside him. He didn’t mind if his pants got dirty.
Harukawa shrugs. “Sora can usually do it just fine, but Sora supposes he’s a little nervous…” he trails off, with a slight pout. Cute. Wait, what?
He moves his hand up to touch Harukawa’s head, patting it and ruffling his hair. “Uh… Y-Your Highness?” Harukawa’s careful words break him out of his reverie. God, what is he doing?
His cheeks flash a bright crimson that almost rivals the intensity of his red hair. “I-I am so sorry, Harukawa! I don’t know what I was thinki–”
“It’s alright, Sora doesn’t mind,” he gently cuts the frantic apologising short with a shake of his head. His face is tinted with a much tamer, warm pink, but a small smile adorns his lips. The flowers seem to perk up in the presence of a happy Harukawa.
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The Festival of Bloom is a nationwide celebration, though a vast majority of the events are indeed held in the capital where the royal family resides.
The palace is hectic in its arrangements in the week leading up to the festival and Tsukasa finds himself caught in a crossfire. Between his combat classes, royal studies and festival preparations, he can’t even have time to himself anymore. It certainly doesn’t help that he doesn’t get to see Harukawa who is practising his magic, cooped up in the guest chambers with Sakasaki.
The day of, however, Tsukasa has been freed from the shackles of work for once. But he can’t count his blessings too quickly, not when nobility from all across the nation and its neighbours are around– for it means his parents are bound to set him up with a young maiden. A king is not complete without a queen, they always tell him. As if he cares, he likes to believe he’s perfectly capable of running a country himself.
Which is why he’s hiding from his parents. He’d trekked up a hill high enough that his parents wouldn’t dare to (though perhaps they might send some guards instead) and found Harukawa sitting there on a ledge.
“Harukawa? What are you doing here?” he asks, a bit afraid to move any closer to the cliff.
Harukawa turns around, his eyes widening in surprise when he sees Tsukasa. “Sora doesn’t do well in crowds,” he explains. “His synesthesia magic goes haywire where there’s a lot of people, and Sora doesn’t want to accidentally reveal he’s a magician… so, Sora came up here to hide.” He grins bashfully as he swirls his finger to create a trail of sparkles that matches those of the ones happening down at the festival. “What about Your Highness?”
Tsukasa chuckles. “I ran away. My mother was so keen on introducing me to a neighbouring nation’s princess, but I’m not quite as excited about that as her, to be honest.”
“Does Your Highness have no plans on getting married?” A bold question, coming from someone with no status like Harukawa– but Tsukasa doesn’t mind.
He hadn’t really thought of it that way, it’s more like his duty or obligation as the crown prince to settle down with a wife. “I’m… not too sure about that.”
Harukawa gets up from his spot, brushing himself off and choosing to settle on a large flat rock much farther away from the edge. When Tsukasa stands beside him, he finds that their faces are on the same level.
He gazes into Harukawa’s eyes. They’re a glimmering blue, brighter than the sky, than the sea. They sparkle like the trail of aquamarine glitter he traces in the air, shining under the light of the sun. How… pretty.
His brain runs on autopilot, and unconsciously he leans forward. His hand brushes Harukawa’s cheeks gently and Harukawa’s eyes widen. “Is… Is this alright?” He nods slowly. Tsukasa moves closer before placing a light, fluttering kiss on Harukawa’s lips.
“Your Highness?” Narukami’s voice rings a sharp larum, cutting his mindless thoughts into half. “Are you here?”
Tsukasa takes a step back, and another, and two more. “I– I apologise deeply, Harukawa. I must take my leave now!”
Harukawa doesn’t move when Tsukasa runs in the direction of Narukami. “Apologies, Narukami. Have you been looking for me long?” His voice is calmer now, less frantic than before.
“Not at all, Your Highness. Were you with someone? Did I interrupt something?”
Tsukasa shakes his head. “No, you did not.” His brain is still hazy, and he’s slightly delirious from his first kiss.
Kiss. The taste of Harukawa’s lips was like strawberries– he likes that. He would’ve stayed to enjoy the festival with Harukawa had Narukami not come and look for him.
The events of the festival go by in a blur, and he never saw Harukawa again after that.
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“Harukawa is absent again this time, Sakasaki?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Your Majesty, Tsukasa thinks. It’s hard to get used to the title. His father had abdicated his title as king when he became ill, too sick to run the country. Tsukasa was then, in turn, crowned as the 11th King of the New Kingdom of Dimensionnia. “I think Your Majesty would know why better than I would.”
Tsukasa shakes his head, he really doesn’t. “What is the reason you seek an audience with me today, Sakasaki?”
Sakasaki doesn’t take long to respond. “I plan to retire from the role of the royal magician, Your Majesty.” He sees the flabbergasted look on Tsukasa’s face, so he elaborates. “I would like to open an academy for magicians.”
Intrigued by the idea, Tsukasa allows him to explain further. By the end of it, he obtains a solid understanding of Sakasaki’s idea and schedules a meeting alongside his royal advisers to discuss this topic another time.
However, more pressing matters weigh on his mind. “Who will be the one to supersede you in your role, Sakasaki?”
And to that, the magician gives a grin. “Your Majesty, I would like to recommend Harukawa Sora as the next royal magician.”
There is no bias to his words. Harukawa has, since their last meeting, improved greatly, according to Sakasaki’s monthly reports from the village to the palace.
But, alas, this is not Tsukasa’s sole decision to make. Consultants and advisers hold much power in swaying his choice– and that includes his dear, beloved parents.
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Dinner is more or less a joyous occasion today. His father had finally regained enough strength to join them in the dining hall, after weeks of eating in his chambers, with no company but his wife.
They no longer sit so far apart, the warmth of what seems like a normal family a pleasant surprise to Tsukasa. His mother sits next to his father, fussing over his every move, while he is seated across them.
“Father, Mother,” Tsukasa addresses, with the intention of discussing… well, Harukawa. They look up at him, curious. Without trying to give the former king a heart attack, he eases into the news gently. “Sakasaki plans to open a magic academy, to, of course, educate young magicians. As such, he plans to retire.”
He watches his father’s face as he reacts to his carefully crafted words. It doesn’t seem to faze him as much as Tsukasa thought it would. “Well, who will oversee the job of royal magician in lieu of him?” Tsukasa’s father asks, with a calm look on his face.
“Harukawa Sora is his candidate of choice, Father. Sakasaki recommended Harukawa himself.”
“We shouldn’t be talking about work right now,” Tsukasa’s mother chastises as his father opens his mouth to speak. “We should be spending time together, as a family.” They both listen to her obediently, for who would challenge one’s wife and one’s mother? They’d be a fool to do so.
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And after weeks of discussion, Harukawa Sora officially inherits the title of Royal Magician. The succession ceremony they hold at the palace is the first time Tsukasa’s seen Harukawa since the Festival of Bloom two years ago.
Standing slightly taller at twenty, the roundness of Harukawa’s face at eighteen had sharpened over the period he hadn’t seen him. Still with a sunny exterior, but with a little less glimmer to his eyes. A gorgeous aquamarine all the same that still charms him every time; Tsukasa would get lost in the sea of his eyes if he didn’t force himself to focus.
Harukawa bows deeply, and Tsukasa feels as if he’s been transported back to when he first met Harukawa. “Your Majesty,” Harukawa greets. He no longer has that uncertain, wavering tone– his voice is confident, but young and youthful.
The silence looming over their heads as they walk is slightly awkward and tense, and Tsukasa wishes he could tell what was running through Harukawa’s head.
Nevertheless, Tsukasa clears his throat, earning him Harukawa’s attention. “I had been meaning to ask, Harukawa, but, uh, what was the reason for your absence in the capital for so long?”
Harukawa blinks. It’s obvious he hadn’t been expecting that– after all, who would? “Sora, um… did Your Majesty not run away after,” and in a hushed whisper, “kissing Sora? Sora believed Your Majesty wouldn’t be pleased to see him after that occurred.”
It’s now Tsukasa’s turn to blink in confusion. “Run away? I don’t recall doing such a thi– Wait, perhaps you’d mistaken my leave for… running away?”
“Your Majesty was so frantic that Sora assumed he was upset.”
Oh.
“I was worried someone would see us, so… I left when Narukami called me,” Tsukasa explains, shaking his head. That had been the root cause of the problem this whole time? Well, if that isn’t news to him!
“Sora didn’t know… Sora’s sorry if he ever caused any issues!” Harukawa bows apologetically, his hand over his chest, his eyebrows scrunched in worry.
Tsukasa lifts his chin up as Harukawa’s body is still bent. “You needn’t worry so much, Harukawa. It was a slight misunderstanding, that's all.”
The pout Harukawa has on is almost kiss-able. Tsukasa should really stop thinking about such improper things.
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Harukawa’s succession ceremony arrives with a festive cheer spread across the nation. Harukawa is to debut publicly for the first time, to be introduced to the nation properly as the royal magician of the New Kingdom of Dimensionnia.
The day must be rather nerve-wracking for Harukawa, as is expected, so Tsukasa doesn’t question when Sakuma announces the arrival of the almost-former royal magician, who brings in tow a blue-haired man– Aoba Tsumugi, Sakasaki’s fiancé, or better known as Harukawa’s ‘Senpai’. The two are like family to Harukawa, according to the magician himself, who has been living with them ever since he started learning magic.
“Are you ready, Sora-kun?” Tsukasa overhears Aoba talking to Harukawa. The man has a really calming and gentle voice, sweet but not sickly sweet.
Harukawa nods his head. “Sora is always ready when Senpai and Shisho are with him!” he chirps, all anxiety seemingly rid of his voice. Sakasaki smiles when Harukawa says so.
Tsukasa peeks out of the curtain– people have already started to fill in the seats of the event hall. Harukawa’s new magician hat, bejewelled and bedazzled with gems of his choice that match his new robes, sits on a pedestal in the centre of the room.
The herald announces his parents’ entrance to the hall, and soon it’s his turn, before Sakasaki and Harukawa. He takes his seat on the throne, watching as Harukawa enters the room, with as much poise as he could possibly carry. He holds a sceptre, with a green orb, in one hand, a soft smile on his face when his eyes meet Tsukasa’s. Tsukasa’s heart skips a beat, averting his eyes to the pointed hat lined with a green fabric instead.
Harukawa kneels before him, asking for his blessing that they’ve rehearsed so many times. So many times and yet Tsukasa cannot help but let his breath hitch in his throat. “Your Majesty,” he addresses in a small voice. “Harukawa Sora stands before you, in his promise to protect and care for this country, to forever stay loyal to you and the nation. Will Your Majesty grant me the power to do so, as the Royal Magician of the New Kingdom of Dimensionnia?”
Tsukasa swallows, and nods. “I will.”
And Harukawa stands up, making his way to where Sakasaki stands, and kneels in front of him too, allowing Sakasaki to place the hat on his head. As it touches his head, Harukawa glows, gaining himself a lime green streak in his bright yellow hair. A streak that symbolises his oath to serve the king and the country.
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At night, Tsukasa finds himself wandering in the gardens (though does it really count as wandering if he knows the place like the back of his hand?), unable to fall asleep. His thoughts consist entirely of one very pretty and adorable magician, who just so happens to enter as Tsukasa sits down on one of the benches.
“Your Majesty?”
Tsukasa looks up in unadulterated surprise when Harukawa, who had been consuming his every thought, stands in front of him. “Harukawa,” he manages to stammer out. His face must be incredibly red, he thinks, feeling the warmth bloom over his cheeks; if Harukawa noticed, he didn’t comment on it.
“Would it be wrong for Sora to presume His Majesty couldn’t sleep either?” A smile tugs at the corners of Harukawa’s lips.
God, Tsukasa is not one of your strongest soldiers.
Tsukasa moves over so Harukawa can sit beside him. “Not at all, Harukawa,” Tsukasa says. “Is there perhaps anything wrong with the facilities of the chamber? Shall I have one of the staff look at it?”
“No, there’s nothing wrong,” he replies. “Sora’s just… giddy with excitement, he supposes. Can’t exactly sleep well, but that’s just him.”
Tsukasa lifts a hand to hide the laugh he has to hold back. Just how adorable can one person be? “I understand. That was me on the night of my coronation– I believe I can sympathise with that feeling.”
Now a silence that can only be described as awkward, yet calm, clouds over their head, a stillness in the wind and the trees and the water of the pond. His breath gets caught at the same time, as he watches Harukawa turn towards him. He tilts his head curiously. “Is Your Majesty okay?”
“I… I think so.”
“It seems as if something is on His Majesty’s mind,” Harukawa comments; he knows Tsukasa all too well.
“Perhaps… Would you grant me something, Harukawa?” Is it wrong for Tsukasa to want to gamble on this longing, this yearning of his?
Harukawa nods. “Your Majesty doesn’t have to ask. Sora would do anything Your Majesty asks of him.”
“That’s not right, Harukawa. I do not think it’s right of me to get what I please,” Tsukasa murmurs. “I fear I shouldn’t be allowed to.”
“Why is that so?” Harukawa asks, confused. Of course, in his eyes, Tsukasa should get what he desires, because Tsukasa is the king. But reality is, Tsukasa shouldn’t be given this power because he’d certainly misuse it.
Tsukasa draws a breath, his face leaning closer to Harukawa’s. “Because it’d be selfish of me. Selfish to get what I want. Selfish to even ask it of you. Yet… I plead that you allow me this small pleasantry I wish of you. That is… to, well, kiss you again. I’m afraid I won’t ever get the chance to once more, if I pass up this opportunity of mine now.”
Harukawa laughs softly, a laugh that sends jitters through his body. “Is that all His Majesty wants?”
“I’d love nothing more than just that, Harukawa,” he confirms with a soft whisper.
“Well, it’s Sora’s job as the royal magician to grant what His Majesty wishes for, no?” Sora grins.
He leans in and brushes his lips against Tsukasa’s. It’s soft, delicate, sweet, fluttering. It sends a whirl of butterflies through Tsukasa’s stomach. It’s enough to satisfy Tsukasa for decades, but greed may just be his deadly sin. He’s a greedy person and wants more than just a single kiss. Harukawa casted a spell upon him when they had first met, bewitched him, left him wishing on a shooting star for more. But, alas, he holds himself back, because the stars that twinkle above them in the dark sky crossed that night, misaligned. They’re not meant to be together, so he holds himself content with that one last kiss.
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