The fox-eyed lordling read the card in his hand and looked at his sister who was checking the guest list for any discrepencies.

"What is this?" Kaede asked.

"An invitation card," answered Arashi.

Kaede refrained himself from being sarcastic for the moment at that obvious answer but the tone in his voice hinted his impatience, "What for?"

"The ball we'll be having at the end of this week. Didn't you know?" Arashi asked, looking up at her brother who was standing beside the table.

Kaede stayed silent. The displeasure on his face was enough to show how he felt about another ball in a short span of three weeks.

"What for?" he asked tonelessly but growing up with the boy, Arashi was sharp to hear the childishly sullen tone. If Kaede was not the master of masked emotions, he would be stomping his foot by now.
Arashi put her quill down and proceeded to explain, "Everyone who went to my coming-out ball wanted to know who the redhead was. I couldn't tell them the truth so our parents wanted to give another ball to probably catch the redhead this time and find out who he is. I think they want him to be in the list for my prospective future-husband-to-be."

At Arashi's weary sigh, Kaede questioned her, "Then why agree to this?" Arashi smiled and Kaede thought he saw a tint of red on her pale cheeks.

"You want to see that lord again, do you?" snorted her brother. His sister only gave him a demure smile.


~~~~

Hanamichi wasn't listening anymore after one of the kitchen boys told him that another ball was to be held in the castle this week. His mind flowed with another possibility of being young Lord Hanamichi once again and this time meeting Haruko face-to-face in his true form. The night when he changed for the first time during his period of being a fugitive, he wasn't able to see the kitchen maid nor have she seen him. She was aware of a mysterious redheaded lord being the talk of the ball that night from the other servants witnessing his appearance but she was held up in the kitchen that she wasn't able to get away. Yes, this time he would be there and sweep Haruko of her pretty, dainty feet. The feathered-and-furred boy instantly went on dreamy-mode, oblivious of the shared chuckles and whispers the other kitchen boys were doing behind his back.

Hanamichi furiously scrubbed the pot, jumping from foot to foot as if it could help the various tasks in the kitchen to go faster. The ball has already started and more people than the first night showed up to see if the unknown redheaded lord will show up again. More guests meant more food to prepare, hence more work to do and so the redhead was on edge hoping that the ball would not end before his job was done and slip away unknowingly to join the high-bloods in the party.
After another half hour later, the redhead was finally reprieved of his duties and he immedietly dashed to his room for his transformation from a raggledy being to a handsome lord. This time he was dressed in the outfit as dark and mysterious as the night.... and a feather stuck in his nose. The redhead sneezed and glared at the bird who was already hopping out to the window ledge to fly out into the starry sky. Smoothing out his mussed hair with his fingers he stepped out and headed to the ballroom.

When he arrived people haven't noticed him until he spotted the brown-haired servant girl by the buffett table. As he made his way there, he was aware of a buzz around him and before he could even catch Haruko's attention, Lady Arashi stood in front of him and steered him away.

"Wha...?"

The raven-haired lady gripped his arm tighter, "Your brother, Kouichiro is at the buffett table chatting with a servant girl. If you go there he'll see you."

Hanamichi groaned, making the lady smile. She has more the say, "And your older brother is making his way here. Hide while I keep him occupied."

The redhead nodded and slipped out of the ballroom before anyone dared to pull him back. He was imposing in his height and stature and wearing an outfit glamorous than the first made him look like royalty. He seemed like one of the 'untouchables'.
However, upon remembering his manners, Hanamichi poked his head back into the ballroom and whispered a "Doumo" to Arashi who was still standing at the arched doorway between the ballroom and the corridor to the kitchen, "Thanks."

Arashi nodded before the redhead disappeared again out of view. Turning her attention towards the centre of the ballroom Aota was walking towards her and following behind him was his blonde-banged brother. As she was hoping that the redhead found someplace to hide while figuring out a way to meet his lady-love whoever she may be, Arashi couldn't help but feel happy at the appearance to Lord Aota. My Lord, he's a fine specimen of a man... Keeping him occupied would be a pleasure... A pleasure, indeed....


~~~~

Hanamichi managed to quietly sneak into the tea-room before he heard the sound of footsteps walking towards him. He didn't need to peek and see that it was his brother, Kouichiro who was looking for him again from the heavy and quick steps echoing in the corridor. From behind the door, the redhead scowled at his brother's timing. Just when he was about to show Haruko his true glorious form, he had to run away from being caught and dragged back to a forced marriage. Arashi has told him that she saw Kouichiro chatting with a servant girl earlier on. Hanamichi frown grew darker. That servant girl better not be Haruko or else...

"Not you again," came an annoyed sigh.

Hanamichi turned around to see the same dark-haired guy he fought at the last ball, about to settle down to rest on the dark green couch.

"Kitsune!" Hanamichi enraged, pointing at the young man, "What're you doing here?"

Kaede arched an eyebrow at the choice of name the redhead gave him. Ever since Hanamichi first met him, the redhead couldn't seem to shake from his mind of how beautiful the other young lord's eyes were. They were like fox eyes and Hanamichi couldn't help but compare them to Haruko's soft brown eyes. Why Kaede's sapphire blue eyes kept appearing in his dreams more often than Haruko's after he met him was a mystery to the redhead. Finally the redhead reasoned that it was probably because of his dislike to the raven-haired lordling. Why couldn't he be like his sister? I kinda like her...

Kaede narrowed his eyes at the uninvited guest. After appraising the redhead's look with the stunning dark outfit with diamonds sparkling on the midnight blue robe, Kaede asked, "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the ballroom?"

"Why should I?" scoffed Hanamichi, "I can do what I like."

"Do'aho. This ball was for you."

Hanamichi blinked in puzzlement, "Huh?"

"The people outside want to meet you."
Just about knowing the redhead's big ego from their first meet, Kaede was surpised that instead of a proud laugh, Hanamichi blushed instead. The redhead looked so endearing. Kaede snorted. Not only did he think that the first person he thought looked cute was a guy, it also had to be the annoying ahou.

"I don't want to," Hanamichi mumbled defiantly, shuffling his foot while he pulled at his robe.

Oh, he's endearing all right.
"Whatever," said Kaede, closing his eyes as he settle himself confortably on the soft cushion of the couch. The redhead can do whatever he liked as long as it doesn't interfere with his nap....

"You're going to sleep?! I'm supposed to be your guest! Aren't you supposed to keep me entertained or something?!"

Kaede glared at Hanamichi spitefully.
"Go away."

"No."

"......."


~~~~

It was already late in the night when Arashi decided to look for the redhaired lordling. Aota and his other brother has just gone and after excusing herself from her friends and group of admirers, the raven-haired lady went quickly towards the tea-room where the redhead went into hiding the first time he came here. Knowing Kaede's preference to sleep in the tea-room to escape social functions like this, she hoped that the two teenagers would not be fighting again or she would be forced to humiliate the two by pulling at their ears.

Slowly, she pushed open the door and squinting her eyes to accomodate the lack of lighting in the room caused by the near dying fire in the fireplace, she was unprepared to see her brother sleeping peacefully on his favourite couch in the whole house. Oh, that was not unusual at all to see but what was totally out of place was that Kaede was curled up against the slightly taller body of the redhead who was also dozing fitfully on the same couch. Hanamichi was surprisingly projecting protectiveness over her brother by the leg thrown over Kaede's own but in turn Kaede showed total possessiveness by the clutching of the redhead's front shirt with his hand and the other wrapped around his back.

Well, Arashi thought, This is an improvement.

Not wanting to disturb the peaceful scene but not wanting her parents or the servants finding Hanamichi in the arms of her brother either, Arashi gently shook the redhead awake. She has learnt never to wake her brother if she could help it.

"Mmmhh," Hanamichi mumbled, cracking open one sleepy eye, "What?"

"It's already late," Arashi spoke softly, "Your brothers have gone home."

"Oh," the redhead said before yawning and stretching his arms, "Thanks."

With non-chalance, Arashi asked, "What happened here?"
Turning around to look at Kaede beside him, the redhead blinked a few times as if trying to clear his brain. In an instant he lifted his leg off of Kaede's but wasn't able to get far away from the other boy since the raven-haired lordling was still holding him tight. Looking back at Lady Arashi, Hanamichi blushed and explain in embarassment, "We were fighting... and... and he went to sleep... I mean... he was being a bad host! He-he..."

Hanamichi didn't know how to explain it to the gracious young woman who helped him twice already, without making him look like a trouble-maker but also not wanting to say what a detestable guy her brother is. He and Kaede have started fighting like before but after the third punch, the fox-eyed boy dropped his fist and laid down on the couch claiming that he didn't want to waste his precious sleep fighting a fool. Hanamichi was outraged but his yells feel on deaf ears. Exhausted by the fight and the earlier duty he had to perform in the kitchen before he changed out of his fur-and-feather disguise, the redhead decided to join Kaede for a quick nap but finding no other place as comfortable as the one Kaede was lying on, Hanamichi settled himself beside the raven-haired lorldling and instantly fell asleep. He didn't count on both of them to be drawn towards the comfortable source of heat offered by the other and he certainly didn't count on the feeling of reluctance to break away from the other young man. Hanamichi blushed harder when Kaede shifted closer towards him to burrow closer to his chest.

Arashi took pity on the redhead and patted his arm to calm him down. She could ask her brother later when he would wake up but right now she has to help the redhead out of this jam. With a firm tug at her brother's fingers, Arashi managed to free Hanamichi from Kaede's grasp without waking the boy up. The redhead breathed a sigh of relief and asked for the time. When she told him, the boy groaned.

"It's late. I have to go..." Hanamichi told her apologetically. The cook probably already has 10 sky-high stacks of dishes and cuttlery to be washed by now.

"Oh, that's too bad," said Arashi sincerely, "I take it you haven't met your lady yet?"

Hanamichi shook his head miserably.

"Hmm... maybe the third ball might be the lucky one," wondered the lady out loud.

"Nani?"

"I will hold another ball in a few weeks time. My parents would not object to it I'm sure of it and you would have another chance of meeting your lady," she told him.

Hanamichi's eyes went wide, "You'd do that for me?"

Arashi smiled, "It would be my pleasure. I'd hate it if one misses on the opportunity for love."

The redhead's bright smile was rewarding enough.
"Doumo arigato gozaimasu!!" thanked Hanamichi enthusiastically, "This time love will prevail!"

Arashi chuckled. The redhead looked really kawaii with his warrior stance. She has never met a person as bright as a burst of sunshine before and as she turned to look at her still sleeping brother, she doubted Kaede hasn't as well.

It was the night of the second ball held after the coming-out of lady Arashi. More people have come as all of them have already heard of the mysterious redheaded lord appearing in the first and second gathering a few weeks before and they were certain he would appear again in this one. They weren't aware that the person they were expecting was busy cleaning all the pots, pans, dishes, cuttlery and whatnots as it piled up as tremendous amount food was being cooked and served for the large amount of guests.

"Hurry up! Hurry up!" snapped Hanamichi as he yet finished cleaning and scrubbing another stack of expensive kitchen wares. The ball has started five hours ago but his work didn't seem to be over just yet.

"We're going as fast as we can!" snapped his friend back as he brought him some dirty dishes.

"Yeah," said another kitchen boy, "Cool it. It's as if you were the one they were waiting for out there."

The redhead bit back a response as the rest of the kitchen staff laughed at him. If only he could tell them, then they would see who they should be laughing at...


~~~~

Arashi looked at the man before her and thanked the Lord who gave her the chance to meet someone as special as him. Lord Aota have been the most interesting and charming companion all night and everyone in the ball saw who the raven-haired beauty of the kingdom preferred to have company for the remaining evening. As she was enjoying Lord Aota presence from the moment he stepped into the castle, Arashi coudn't help but let her mind wander to her brother. He has been distracted all night and he stayed in the ballroom longer than usual before finally slipping out to escape his bevy of admirers. It was as if Kaede was waiting for someone or something to happen.


~~~~

Hanamichi at last made it into the ball as the remaining guests were leaving in their gilded carriage. They didn't notice the redhead running up to the side steps except for a fox-eyed lord who was sitting on the stairs waiting for him. Kaede didn't know why he couldn't drop off to sleep as usual but he knew it was because of the redhead. After last night, he really wanted to see him again to talk.... no, Kaede didn't really like to talk but maybe they can do other things?... Maybe touch and hold each other again?
Arashi has told him about finding him and the redhead embraced in each other's arms a few weeknights before and he did not believe it at first. Appalled, was the word but he wasn't stubborn to finally allow himself to think of his actions. In the redhead's arms he felt such warmth, comfort and security as deep as when he was a baby lying on his mother's bosom. Although the redhead was an annoying person to be with the short two times they have been together, Kaede would easily place his trust on the redhead. Compared to other people the redhead was open and sincere in his words and actions and as irritating as the redhead was, the fox-eyed lordling knew that he was not such a bad person to be with. If they hadn't gotten on the wrong foot like they had, they probably would've been best of friends. That is, if the redhead was able to stay long enough for him to get to know him better. He understood that the redhead envoked feelings in him that nobody has ever done but he also wanted to know why. Surely it was not only because of the reasons he listed off just now. There has to be more. When he heard the sound of hurried footsteps coming his way, Kaede looked up and his train of thoughts was lost.

The redhead looked more amazing than before. The outfit shimmered like the golden sun and the redhead although looking exhausted as if he has run cross-country to be here, looked gorgeous with his flushed cheeks and wind-blown hair. The redhead eeped when the raven-haired lord suddenly appeared before him.

Licking his dry lips as he controlled his tired pants, Hanamichi finally spoke, "What are you doing out here?"

"The ball has ended," Kaede told him. Hanamichi stared at him before stomping his foot in frustration.
"Dammit!"

Suddenly they heard a voice of a person about to walk out of the main door of the castle and quickly Hanamichi ducked out of sight. After a second thought, the redhead pulled Kaede with him behind the pruned hedges beside the castle - not wanting to risk the chance that the raven-haired lord might announce the people of his whereabouts.

The redhead made a motion of silence with his finger on his lips as the last guests walked past them. Kaede found out that he couldn't tear his eyes away from those pouty pink lips. His mind was awash with the redhead scent as the other young man was just about pressed against him to accomodate their size in their paltry hiding place and that sense of warmth and comfort was there again. This couldn't just be any feeling of brotherhood or comradaire for what does he really know of this mysterious lordling. Beside, why was it that his heart beat so fast and loud that he could hear it pounding at an erratic tempo in his ears? Kaede was taken aback when he found himself leaning closer for more of the heat, the touch and the masculine smell of the other young man. He has heard of this 'affliction' from some of the lordlings he met about men liking other men in a sexual sense. What was that word...? Fey? So was he sick then? How can he cure this sickness, he wondered as he unconciously took hold of the redhead's sleeve to steady his position behind the foliage.

"Haruko!" hissed Hanamichi when he recognised the voice of the servant girl talking with a man. When the redhead realised that it was Kouichiro who was doing his damnest to woe the brown-haired girl, Hanamichi felt like barging out and beating his brother black and blue but the grip on his arm made him remember the reason why he shouldn't be doing so.

Kaede was probably being protective but he couldn't shake the feeling of possessiveness and jealousy when he saw the look on the redhead's face. He couldn't let the redhead go just yet.

When Kouichiro was finally gone Hanamichi allowed his body to slump against Kaede's lean one. "Haruko..." moaned the redhead in dramatic sorrow.

Kaede rolled his eyes and sighed, "A'hou..."

Hanamichi lifted his head and glared at the fox-eyed lordling, "What do you know."

"I do know that you should not give up," Kaede said tonelessly but firmly.

The redhead snorted, "You don't understand."

To Hanamichi's surprise, Kaede shook his head, "Not of your life, no. But when you want something you go for it."

"What, like you do?" the redhead scoffed.

"Yes like.... like me..." Kaede faltered. His words were being thrown back at him, demanding for him to live it up.

"Hah," Hanamichi barked, "I think all you go for is a chance to lay to sleep."

Kaede lifted his finger and brushed the redhead's smooth cheek as he stared into the brown eyes meaningfully, "Sleep is not all I go for."

Hanamichi's face was a mask of confusion before the words and action sunk in. His eyes went wide and he was still staring as Kaede kept trailing his calloused finger along his face in a leisurely and reverent fashion as if wanting to memorise his facial structure to memory.

"Ah, there you are!"

The two quickly broke apart when Arashi appeared before them in a beautific smile, "Everyone was wondering where you were and I see Kaede has found you..."

"Lady Arashi?" a male voice coming from behind her.

"Lord Aota?" the lady was startled, turning around, "I thought you have left."

"I seem to have misplaced one of my gloves here. Do you mind if I search for it?" asked the lord.

"No, not at all. Let me help you find it. The servants might have seen it somewhere," Arashi offered.

"Thank you, my lady... oh, hello, Lord Kaede. I thought you've retired by now," said Aota when he saw the lady's brother in the shadows of the castle walls.

Kaede shrugged.

"Well, I'll accompany Lord Aota back into the castle, Kaede. You help our 'other' guest home, ne?" Arashi emphasised, knowing that her brother would understand. After the 15 year old lordling nodded, Arashi and Aota walked away to search for the missing glove.

Kaede waited for the couple to disappear from view before he turned around towards the redheaded lordling. Kaede cursed.

Hanamichi was gone. And all that was left of him was a golden shoe.



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