O.o o.O

“...and those are pretty much all the political factions you have to deal with. Any questions?” Ryuichi didn’t even bother suppressing his yawn, sprawled across his desk, cheek resting against a thick tome.

“Actually, I do,” Keita said, looking up from where he had been scratching notes onto a long roll of parchment. “Do personal relationships always define the policy objectives of this kingdom?”

“Why yes, yes they do,” Ryuichi said, bored. “I’m surprised you’re even surprised. If Lord Chancellor Eeteuk has an argument with Lord Kangin you can bet your ass that Kangin will vote against whatever Eeteuk is for, and vice versa, and they’ll all make their friends support them just because. Unfortunately for them, they share the same friends, so it ends up being all abstains except for one yes and one no. Nothing is accomplished and they spend the rest of the day nitpicking each other over new drafts of legislation until Eeteuk finally cracks and throws something at Kangin’s head, which usually signals the end of the day.”

“But wouldn’t that get in the way of, I don’t know, running the country? Especially since this is the Parliament we’re talking about?”

Ryuichi shrugged. “It seems to work. Of course, being the face of the judiciary I can’t really comment on politics. It shouldn’t - and doesn’t - affect my decisions at all. Ryohei says it’s because I don’t give a shit about anyone. Maybe he’s right,” he pondered, placing a finger on his chin wonderingly. “Who gives a damn anyway?” He yawned again, this time leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms over his head. “Are we done yet?”

“But there are almost no politics involved at all,” Keita exclaimed, eyes wide and round. “It’s as if everyone’s acting on a whim, or who they’re dating or who they think is eying their lover or heaven knows what.”

Ryuichi’s gaze sharpened. “Ah, but that is politics.”

Keita frowned. “No, it’s not. Where I come from, politics was about ideologies, policy objectives, whether we should raise taxes or lower taxes or keep them the same, not things like not wearing pink at state functions because that’s Lord Sungmin’s colour or remembering to say that Lord Heechul is the prettiest so that he’d put in a good word for the King whenever he makes a request for funding.”

“Oh really?” Ryuichi raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “You seem to have forgotten that Lord Sungmin is the head of the military. What do you think he’ll say in Council meetings if you want to send some of his men to handle some border disruptions? And what about Lord Heechul’s position as Lord Treasurer and Chancellor of the Exchequer? No doubt Heechul will let Ryohei know that it’s because of you that Ryohei’s fund requests are unable to be met because they ‘just simply don’t have enough money in the treasury.’”

Keita looked contrite. “I’m sorry,” he said in a small voice.

Ryuichi sighed. “That’s okay. Just - why do you want to come back here after having been abroad for so long? You should have just stayed as an advisor there instead of coming here and having to get used to the way things are done here.”

“Uh. Well.” Keita looked away. “Ryohei wrote to me, actually. Said he wanted fresh blood in his Council. Plus, this is my homeland, so...”

“Oh.” What was Ryuichi supposed to say anyway? He twirled a ringlet around his index finger. “Well, we’re a pretty small kingdom, so. And we have a pretty big bureaucracy, relatively. So, I mean. No one ever really, you know, thinks much about whether they want to raise or lower taxes and stuff. Just, you know, if the economy is doing well, we’ll raise, and if it’s not, then we’ll lower. And the details are worked out by the experts.”

“Right,” Keita said. “I should. Um.” He stood up, cheeks flushed. “I’m going to. Take a walk.”

“It’s raining outside,” Ryuichi said bluntly, and Keita looked towards the window, blush deepening on his cheeks.

“So it is,” he said. “Um.”

“Look,” Ryuichi said, “you don’t have to feel awkward about your opinion around me.” He stood from his seat, walking around his desk to stand in front of Keita, who wouldn’t meet his gaze. “How about we go get some tea and you could tell me about the politics of your old home?”

Keita stared at the floor. “I should. Um.”

“Come on.” Ryuichi’s voice was gentle as he laid a hand on Keita’s shoulder. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. I want some strawberry cake. Don’t you want to have tea with me?”

“I do!” Keita said, head snapping up immediately.

“Then let’s go,” Ryuichi said, crossing his arms impatiently.

Keita held out his arm for Ryuichi to take, which Ryuichi did, but only after a sigh and   imperious shake of his head.

O.o o.O

“I was wondering,” Keita began hesitantly, as Ryuichi continued to dump more sugar into his tea.

“Yes?”

“If we aren’t allowed to wear pink at state functions, why were there so many pink outfits at the state dinner where I had my debut?”

“You mean you don’t know?” Ryuichi glanced up with an incredulous expression on his face.

Keita shook his head.

“That was our Valentine’s Day. To celebrate love. Somehow, over the years, it’s become a day where love confessions are made. We have a White Day coming up soon, when return confessions are made. There’s a month in between for you to court the one you confessed to, and to give them time to consider your proposal.”

“Ah. I’m guessing the theme for the White Day ball will be white, then?”

Ryuichi grinned. “Yeah. I have a dress for it already. Got it from the Izaki twins. Can’t do without them, you know.”

“The Izaki twins?”

“Their family owns the biggest shipping, trading, and import-export conglomerate in this country. I would have never been able to get this dress on my own. They went to the East for their recent holiday, and brought me back this gorgeous gown. One of a kind, stitched with diamonds and pearls and silver thread.” Ryuichi sighed happily before munching down on a fat red strawberry.

“So...” Keita ducked his head, lips stretching into an inexplicable grin.

“What is it?” Ryuichi asked. “More questions?”

Keita shook his head, flushing slightly. “So...at the Valentine’s Day ball...did that count as a confession?”

Ryuichi choked on his strawberry cake. “Did what count as a confession?”

“That - when I...” Keita clutched his teacup tightly.

Ryuichi didn’t answer.

“It did, right? It did?” Keita looked up eagerly. “So - so by the White Day ball, will you give me an answer?”

Ryuichi stood up abruptly, chair scraping against the varnished wood floor. “I refuse. I do not accept you.”

Keita blinked, surprised as Ryuichi stormed out of the sitting room, and Keita gazed forlornly after him, wondering what it was he said that brought such an outburst.

“You shouldn’t take it too hard, you know,” Manami said, gliding into the room through another entrance.

Keita whirled around, standing up and bowing as Manami gave him a gentle smile. “You were listening?”

“Well.” Manami smirked behind her fan.

“Were you eavesdropping?”

Manami snapped her fan shut. “Let’s not call it that. I was merely passing by when I happened to overhear your conversation with Ryuichi.”

“Oh.” Keita sat down back in his seat.

“Look, it couldn’t hurt going a bit slower with Ryuichi. He went through quite a bit last year and he’s sort of...still recovering from it.”

Keita’s eyes widened. “Was he injured?”

“Not exactly,” Manami said slowly. “Come, have some more tea. I don’t think Ryuichi will come back downstairs any time soon.”

O.o o.O

For the next two days, Keita avoided Ryuichi, reading about the history of Ryohei’s kingdom in the library instead of visiting Ryuichi, and taking long solitary walks on the grounds of Ryuichi’s estate. Ryuichi himself made no effort to be seen, going out every day for dinner at his friend’s places so he could avoid the one meal they shared in the evenings.

By the second week of March, the grey winter skies of February had given away to clear blue, and flowers were beginning to sprout and bloom in the carefully tended gardens.

Ryuichi woke up on the tenth of March, and when a servant brought his morning tea, he brought along a note from Keita, which simply read, Thank you. Farewell.

“Thank you for what?” Ryuichi said aloud to himself, irritated that Keita had left without even saying goodbye, irritated further that he didn’t understand why he was so irritated, irritated even further when his servant answered, “Probably for Master’s kind hospitality the past few weeks.”

“Well, he had overstayed his welcome anyway,” muttered Ryuichi, because Keita had ended up staying much longer than the two weeks initially proposed.

“Of course,” his servant answered demurely.

“How rude of him,” Ryuichi continued later, completely out of the blue as he was fitted into his dress.

The maids shared a glance - they had heard about Lord Keita’s farewell note, of course. “Yes, Master Ryuichi,” they chorused, and Ryuichi huffed louder than usual as they tied him into a corset.

“Not even giving a proper greeting before leaving. The audacity!” Ryuichi glared at his reflection in the mirror as his hair was carefully curled and arranged.

“Yes, Master,” his maid said, hiding her smile behind a particularly large blue bow.

“I’ve never met anyone as rude as he,” Ryuichi declared over afternoon tea with Manami. “The nerve of staying in my estate for a month and then disappearing without a greeting or notice or letter - or anything!”

Manami rolled her eyes as she bit into a mini blueberry tart. “But there was something,” she retorted. “There was that thank you note. I like Keita. Short and to the point. Doesn’t fluff around with words - unless, of course, you’re into that sort of thing.”

“Certainly not!” Ryuichi declared, fanning himself furiously with a lace embroidered silk fan.

“Well then,” Manami countered, “since you hate wordy depositions and documents, I should think you’d appreciate Keita’s card more than a four-foot long roll of parchment detailing exactly how thankful he is for every single little thing that has occurred over the course of the last four weeks.”

Ryuichi glowered silently into his strawberry cake.

Manami sighed. “Do cheer up, Ryuichi. I don’t understand why you’re so angry anyway. You’ve been complaining about him incessantly since he set foot in this house, and now he’s gone. What more do you want?”

What more did he want? Ryuichi wasn’t so sure himself, either.

O.o o.O

Filler chapter. :D Because second part was getting waaaay too long. One more scene (or maybe two) and then I'm done~!

XD I know, I suck. T-T *ducks*