Dream and Fate

Chapter 10: The First Sincerity

Chapter 10
The First Sincerity

The spring had come. The day for Ryosuke's second coming-of-age ceremony was getting nearer. People were so busy in the Outer Palace. The cooks had been preparing many kinds of dishes in the kitchen while some guards helping to put on the decorations. Mirai observed the works carefully. She had been fully in charge of the preparation since two weeks ago, though Lady Maeko would visited once in a while to check whether the preparation went well and so far everything was just as they planned.

The preparation had been exhausting, but it was a distraction Mirai needed. It had been three weeks after the sightseeing and she barely met Ryosuke. The atmosphere between them became awkward since that day or it might be only Mirai that felt uncomfortable talking to Ryosuke after the rejection she got. In a sense, she also felt that Ryosuke had been avoiding her. He rarely showed up for meals. The only chances they met was when she needed to ask him something related to the ceremony or they bumped into each other on their way to the front gate of Outer Palace.

Regarding the investigation she asked Miru to do, she had not received any valuable information. Miru said that it seemed people in the Outer Palace had been warned to not talk about Ryosuke's past so it might be more difficult to find the truth. The only clue she had was that some of his story involving a girl. His lover perhaps? It was only make sense why he was adamantly tried to prevent the marriage if he really had a woman he loved.

"Mirai," someone called her.

She turned around and once her vision landed on the figure, she burst into excitement.

**********

Ryosuke was walking passed the Eastern Wing when he spotted Mirai talking with a lady. The lady looked familiar but he could not recognize who she was. When Yuto noticed the reason Ryosuke halted, he told him,

"That is Lady Suzuka of Okamoto Family."

Ryosuke frowned, "What is she doing here?"

"You remember right? Lady Mirai and Lady Suzuka were friends during their time in Royal Academy. And from what we have heard during the council meeting, I believe that they were quite close."

When Ryosuke did not say anything, Yuto added, "Don't you think it's good for Lady Mirai?"

"What is good of it?"

"At least Lady Suzuka will give her company while you're ignoring her."

"I'm not ignoring her," Ryosuke countered while starting to resume his walk.

Yuto followed him, "Yeah, you're just avoiding her for weeks."

"No," Ryosuke retorted. "I am just... keeping a safe distance."

Yuto's brows furrowed together in confusion, "Don't you think you're too cold to her?"

Ryosuke did not respond.

"You make it harder for her, you know," Yuto remarked.

Ryosuke halted, "How could you say so?"

"You said it yourself long time ago, that she doesn't suit the palace life. You understand her situation more than anyone else. Yet, you've given her a cold shoulder so far. Shouldn't you be the one who help her most? She has been a part of your life, after all."

"You talk too much today, Yuto-kun," he shrugged it off.

"Eh?" Yuto took a stride after Ryosuke. "You always run away when I say the truth."

**********

Ryosuke was taking a night stroll in the main building of Outer Palace. He used to do that every time he could not sleep. Tonight, he decided to put use of his strolling to pick up some books he had intended to read for a time. During the walk, he reminisced his thought.