Ch. 7: Fascinated By His Profile
The beautifully arranged office was filled with the sounds of turning pages and scratching pens…-.
After expressing my desire to thank Yanagi for his help, a few days later, I ended up helping Yanagi with his work.
Yanagi: “…I’m going crazy with how much the Sword Dance Ceremony delayed the rest of the regular work. Since you’re apparently so bored, I’ll leave you to sort through these documents.”
(I was the one that pushed so hard to help him though… I just want to be helpful to Yanagi, even if it’s just a little.)
Yanagi: “…”
I sorted each of the documents one by one into different categories beside Yanagi, who sat at his desk with a serious expression.
(Still, this is quite a lot of paperwork… Yanagi has been doing all this work on his own.)
Yanagi: “…”
I glanced at him as he pushed a strand of hair behind his ear.
For some reason, I couldn’t look away from him…
Yanagi: “Hey. Are you that interested in me?”
OO: “!”
Suddenly under his gaze that felt as if it could see straight to me heart, my pulse leapt into my throat.
Ch. 8: Feeling Uneasy
The light gradually broke through the window, along with the breeze…-.
Yanagi: “Hey. Are you that interested in me?”
At his question, I was surprised at how fast my heart started to pound.
OO: “That’s…-.”
Yanagi: “…”
I was so shaken I couldn’t answer, and at that Yanagi let out a small huff of laughter.
Yanagi: “Sorry, but I don’t know how to respond when you look at me like that. I can’t trust a woman who just blithely throws around talk of things like love and romance.”
(…!)
As he said those words, I felt an unexpectedly sharp pain in my chest.
Even though I’d had that cold attitude directed at me time and again, I was filled with an emotion I couldn’t explain.
(Maybe the truth is that I feel something for Yanagi…-.)
I realized that the pain in my chest was a sign of the awakening affection I felt towards Yanagi…
(I don’t want him to hate me more than he already does.)
Driven by that thought, I forced a smile to my face.
OO: “I just… wanted to thank you properly.”
Yanagi: “…”
My voice shook slightly, and for a moment his expression seemed uneasy.
He was sharp and clever, so I figured he might have seen through to my feelings before I could hide them.
(…I can’t let these feelings out.)
OO: “I’m mostly done… with sorting the documents. So I’ll excuse myself for the day.”
Not looking at Yanagi’s expression, I left the office as if I were fleeing something…-.
…
……
As the sky turned a deep red, I was remined of Yanagi’s eyes…-.
In order to calm my conflicted heart, I sat on the veranda overlooking the courtyard.
Servant: “Lady OO, so this is where you’d gone off to.”
I turned to look back and saw a servant who bowed respectfully.
OO: “I’m sorry for just wandering around the castle on my own… I’ll head right back to my room.”
Servant: “There’s no need for you to apologize, my lady… rather, I wanted to offer you my thanks. I have been waiting a long time to find you alone.”
(Huh?)
The servant had a smile affixed to their face, and I suddenly felt uncomfortable.
OO: “…what do you mean?”
Servant: “Prince Yanagi does not let women into his office.”
My unease started to increase as the servant slowly moved closer, so I stood and took a cautious step back.
Servant: “However, for you, he made an exception… I wonder why that is.”
(Why…?)
I was distracted for just a moment by that thought…-.
OO: “Ow…!”
As soon as the servant asked his question, he grabbed my arm painfully.
Ch. 9: Pulling the Trigger
As the sun sank closer to the horizon, the sky seemed to catch fire…-.
OO: “Let go of me…!”
The servant had a strong grip on my arm, and I frantically struggled to get away, but…
Servant: “You should look out for yourself more. You will be coming with me to help restore Lord Shizuki’s honor.”
OO: “…!”
He twisted my arm behind my back and a sharp pain ran through my body.
(No, Yanagi…!)
Yanagi’s face came to my mind, just as I felt like my arm would be twisted off…-.
??: “…I can’t believe you were actually this stupid.”
Servant: “…!?”
As I turned to look towards that chilling voice, the servant went flying.
Before I knew it, Yanagi was behind me, and he lowered his leg that had been outstretched in a kicking motion.
OO: “Yanagi…”
(He came to save me again.)
At the appearance of the person I had wished to see, I felt a tight pressure on my heart.
Yanagi: “…you alright?”
OO: “Y-yes.”
I was somehow able to nod as he looked at me with what appeared to be concern.
Yanagi was clad in a thick haze of bloodlust as he walked slowly to the servant, who was cowering in pain.
Yanagi: “You’re the one who spread the rumors about the Sword Dance Ceremony, right?”
Servant: “…”
Perhaps the servant was no longer able to stand, but he suddenly fell on his back and tried to push himself away from Yanagi.
Yanagi: “I’m sure you planned to play the victim here or something…-. But you’ve been in league with my brother since the beginning, right? All while he’s been obsessing over this woman and neglecting his duties.”
Servant: “Ah!”
The servant froze, realizing escape was impossible as Yanagi brought his foot close to the man’s face.
Yanagi: “…so I’ll let you think long and hard about how you’ll pay for laying a hand on my guest.”
Soldiers appeared from every corner, following Yanagi’s directions as he took complete control of the situation.
(Is it over…?)
Yanagi: “You, come here.”
I was frozen in a daze, and Yanagi gently took my hand.
As we left, the sky overhead had filled with twinkling stars without my realizing.
Ch. 10: The Possibility of a Love Without Strings
The night sky was perfectly clear and beautiful as it spread above us…-.
Yanagi led me by the hand as we walked through the quiet night-time garden.
OO: “Um, Yanagi?”
I timidly spoke up after we’d been walking together in complete silence.
Yanagi stopped and simply turned to look at me.
Yanagi: “You can blame me.”
OO: “What?”
Yanagi: “I don’t want to admit it, but it was my family that caused you to almost get hurt. You have every right to blame me for that.”
His gaze was sincere and unwavering as he looked straight at me.
I knew that Yanagi was accepting this burden because of his role as Head Prince, even though this time the incident had nothing to do with him…
(Yanagi is the type of person who won’t offer up excuses or try to run away.)
Seeing that proud strength right in front of me, my feelings flooded my heart.
OO: “I can’t blame you Yanagi.”
Yanagi: “What, are you a hypocrite? …you do understand that’s strange right? Seeing as something could have happened if I hadn’t noticed?”
Yanagi scowled at me, his expression weighted with his true intentions.
(I can understand now…-.)
————————–
Yanagi: “My maliciously thickheaded princess. I’ve given you a properly warm welcome, so if you’re satisfied, hurry up and get out.”
————————–
Hidden within those cutting words was concern for me as well.
(I’m certain he’s done that since the beginning… so I wouldn’t be exposed to danger.)
As my feelings for him kept piling up, they became too big for me to hide…-.
OO: “…I love you Yanagi.”
Yanagi: “…huh?”
OO: “You saved me. So… I just wanted to tell you, as thanks for that.”
I was very nervous, so I kept my words short, and smiled brightly at him.
Yanagi: “Hah, what’s with that? Exposing your heart so easily like that, it’s like you’re asking me to use you.”
Yanagi’s shoulders slumped slightly, and his expression relaxed into a grin.
(…I love this smile of his.)
The moonlight lit up his smile, making it shine and sparkle.
It was the natural smile I had seen on him once before, when we’d been spending time together on a moonlit night…
OO: “…if it’s you Yanagi, then that’s fine with me.”
I put all my love into my voice, regardless of anything else.
Yanagi: “…well now.”
Suddenly, his voice was deeper and mixed with a sweet curiosity…-.
Yanagi: “In that case, prove it. Show me… this love of yours, with no strings attached.”
Yanagi entangled his fingers in mine and gave me a provocative look.
OO: “Yanagi…?”
Suddenly, the distance between us shrunk, and the beating of my heart kicked up a notch.
Yanagi: “If you’re the type of princess to rest on her laurels, I’ll withdraw my request. Though I want to see if you have just a little bit of backbone. I do wonder if you’ll let me use you and your position as the Princess of Traumere.”
His eyes glittered like the stars above, bright and lustrous.
I felt dizzy just from the allure that simply drifted off Yanagi’s entire being.
Yanagi: “If our relationship becomes public knowledge, it’ll be the perfect opportunity for me to publicly oust those who laid their hands on you.”
OO: “! Relationship…-.”
As I became aware of the meaning of that word, my breath caught before I could say more.
I felt my cheeks flush with heat, and I pressed my hand to my heart in an attempt to calm it, however…
OO: “!”
Instead, Yanagi pulled on our linked fingers and placed a kiss on my hand, as if to lure me in.
Yanagi: “I don’t think I’d be a bad man to have as a lover. Or does this go beyond the limits of the ‘anything’ you mentioned before?”
————————–
OO: “Please, tell me if there’s anything I can do to help you.”
Yanagi: “…you shouldn’t use the word ‘anything’ so easily with a problematic guy like me.”
————————–
OO: “That’s…-.”
Yanagi: “If you’re not interested, we can just pretend this conversation never happened. …would you rather I let the others do as they please and leave them alone?”
OO: “No!”
I frantically shook my head, and Yanagi’s gaze pressed me for an answer.
Those crimson eyes, and the touch of his fingers both seemed to hold a hint of heat…
OO: “…are you sure you’re alright with me?”
Yanagi: “That’s up to you.”
As Yanagi stroked my burning cheeks, he smiled.
Yanagi: “I have high hopes for you, OO.”
Yanagi’s face came closer, his hair gently brushing my skin.
(Yanagi…)
In anticipation, I closed my eyes and was met with a searing kiss that melted all other thoughts from my mind.
The beginnings of love, like a sweet contract, filled me with happiness each time he touched me.
END
Secret Story: Bargaining and an Agreement
There was a melancholy to where OO had been sitting as the setting sun came through the windows…-.
She’d left the office, and now the place felt far too big.
————————–
OO: “I just… wanted to thank you properly.”
————————–
The way her voice shook slightly was still stuck in my ear, and I let out a sigh.
(…she’s not very good at hiding it. It’s not like I didn’t notice.)
The way I had been raised in this castle of demons, it was natural to compete for power…-.
Without a keen eye for good and bad intentions from others, I wouldn’t have lived so long as the Head Prince.
(I wonder when OO started to look at me differently… probably that night we talked in the garden.)
Since then, I had picked up on the faint feelings that came from the gazes she directed at me…
(At any rate, this has become a problem. I should hurry and draw the line.)
Until now, I’d accepted the kindness she offered, but unless I did something, we’d just continue to go in circles.
And yet…
(I shouldn’t show her that side.)
OO’s expression when she’d been hurt was still etched in my mind.
(…when the Sword Dance Ceremony had ended, you really should have left. For a sheltered princess, I thought I’d just need to threaten you a little and you’d leave…-.)
I knew her true face and even how she worried for me…-.
————————–
OO: “…I’ll be your ally Yanagi.”
OO: “Please, tell me if there’s anything I can do to help you.”
————————–
(…what a meddlesome woman. So irritating.)
It felt like her words, which held no lies, and her gentle smile were changing something in me…
Yanagi: “I already told her I can’t trust a woman who just blithely throws around talk of things like love and romance…”
I had chosen especially sharp words in an attempt to push away her and her feelings.
(This really isn’t like me.)
Where her presence still lingered in the room, I kept thinking unnecessary things.
To focus on something else, I decided to get out of the office…-.
(…she’s not here.)
As the deep red of the setting sun filled the hall, I found myself unintentionally looking for OO…-.
…
……
After I’d rescued OO from the people in service to my elder brother, Shizuki…-.
I took OO out into the deserted evening garden.
(She can torture me as mercilessly as she wants until she’s satisfied. Even though there were other circumstances, it was my family that caused her harm, and I will accept responsibility for it as Head Prince.)
Yet there wasn’t an ounce of blame in her eyes as she looked at me…-.
OO: “…I love you Yanagi.”
Yanagi: “…huh?”
I was completely taken aback by that unexpected reaction, and I just stood there with my mouth open like an idiot.
OO: “You saved me. So… I just wanted to tell you, as thanks for that.”
When she’d finished, a sunny smile spread across her face.
Yanagi: “Hah, what’s with that? Exposing your heart so easily like that, it’s like you’re asking me to use you.”
(…I just really don’t get you.)
No matter how many times she was hurt, OO kept smiling at me.
I ended up being pulled in by her smile, dumbfounded as I smiled back.
OO: “…if it’s you Yanagi, then that’s fine with me.”
As she looked up at me, I could see her feelings clearly.
(Do you love me so much that you’d forgive me, no matter what I do?)
Yanagi: “…well now.”
As she let me clearly see her love, something started to stir within me.
(There really is something wrong with you, telling me those things this late in the game. But that’s precisely why… I think it’d be good to have you at my side.)
In the next instant, I closed the space between us…-.
Yanagi: “In that case, prove it. Show me… this love of yours, with no strings attached.”
(I simply can’t ignore you. I’ll at least acknowledge that much. But… I’m very unwilling.)
I felt every detail of her hand as I easily folded and threaded our fingers together.
(Even if my wary heart is beyond hope or repair at this point…-.)
I felt my feelings for revenge slip further away as I looked deep into her clear eyes.
OO: “Yanagi…?”
OO’s face turned bright red in embarrassment as she looked up at me.
(What are you getting all flustered for now when you gave me such a point-blank confession?)
I felt a sense of satisfaction at her innocent reaction, and I was overcome with the strong urge to bring her even closer.
(I’ll use you just as you wish. My pure and stubborn princess.)
Perhaps unable to handle the closeness, OO tried to disentangle her hand from mine.
But in response, I simply tightened my grip…
Turning her hand around in mine, I placed a kiss on the back of her hand.
(I bet the day will come, someday, when I can truly confide in you. But if it does… I won’t give you a chance to prepare yourself, just like now.)
I placed a kiss on OO’s hand, like a seal.
At this, the start of our relationship without any strings attached, even I felt excited.
END