My little lost Kouyuu-Puppy
General Ran Shuuei went through the corridors of the palace and sighed exhausted. As always was his work for the emperor tiring and stressful, but it was also delightful for him. After all was he one of the view who had received a “flower” from the emperor, no less a purple iris. A flower that stood for complete trust. Yes, the emperor was truly worthy of being the ruler of Saiunkoku- the seven colored country. And that is why he, Ran Shuuei, fourth son of the Ran family, had accepted the purple iris which meant in the language of flowers: “I trust you” and also “Swordsman of flowers.” Yes, he had in that moment decided to follow the man known as Shi Ryuuki, his emperor. But he was not the only one who had received that blessing of trust. Another one has the privilege of the exact same flower. And that was secretary Li Kouyuu. They both knew each other from childhood days, and although Kouyuu did not know of this, but Shuuei was secretly in love with him.
Shuuei does not even know when it really began that he felt more for him than just a friend, but his unrequited love over many years was it that had made General Ran Shuuei into a known playboy and skirt chaser. If he could not get the one he loved than he could at least get comforted by a beautiful woman once in a while. And to top it off, maybe that would someday make his little beloved Kouyuu jealous. He at least got angry every single time when he heard that he, Shuuei, had yet spent another night at the brothels in Kiyou.
Shuuei stopped his feet when he saw a just too familiar scene before him. There stood in the middle of the hallway secretary Li Kouyuu and shouted his anger into the air, ruffling his hair and wearing a grimace on his face. Shuuei smiled and stepped behind his friend with a smirk on his lips. He than put his face beside his ear and whispered:
“Are you lost yet again, my dear Kouyuu?”
Startled Kouyuu moved his head and had almost kissed him. Embarrassed he went a few steps back.
“Why don´t you just admit that you are lost and ask for directions?”
Angrily Kouyuu looked at him and glared protesting.
“Why should I ask for directions when I am not even lost?! And what business of yours is that anyway, Shuuei?!”
“Don´t be so mean, when I am merely concerned about you. So then where is it that you are headed, my little lost lamb?”
Kouyuu punched him slightly.
“Who´s your little lost lamb?! I am not one of your stupid women so quit it! And I was on my way to the archives!”
“To the archives again? To see Shouka-sama?”
“So what?”
Shuuei sighed resigned. Shouka-sama was probably his greatest rival in some way. Even though it was definite that Shouka-sama would never be interested in Kouyuu in a romantic way, but still. Kouyuu respected him and looked up to him.
“Really now, Kouyuu. Shouldn´t you know at least the way to the archives? After all you are there almost every day! You are so hopeless!”
“Shut up!”
Kouyuu sulked and crossed his arms.
“So what?! It´s not my fault that this stupid palace is so huge that it is like a maze! It´s the architecture that´s at fault here, not me!”
Shuuei chuckled and shook his head.
“Yes, yes... It´s the architecture, not you. Now come and follow me. I´ll bring you there so don´t lose sight of me, you hear?”
“As if that´s gonna happen, you jerk! And by the way, you don´t have to lead me, if you have nothing to do there!”
“Oh, but I have. I have to bring a lost puppy there so that it won´t end up crying somewhere in a corner.”
“Wha...! Oh, forget it! Fine! Now move it, you annoying General!”
Kouyuu took his hand and dashed forward.
“Ehm, Kouyuu?”
“What?”
“That is the way to the lavatories.”
Kouyuu blushed and turned the other way. Shuuei opened his mouth to say something, but got interrupted instead.
“Don´t say it! If you do, I won´t forgive you!”
Shuuei snickered and nodded. How cute his little puppy was!
When they finally arrived Shouka-sama was nowhere to be found. Strangely enough was that this place was the only one where Kouyuu didn´t get lost.
“It seems like he isn´t here, Kouyuu. Did you need something important from him?”
Kouyuu shook his head.
“No, I just wanted to talk to him for a bit. I am free right now, so I thought I could go and visit him for a bit and when needed I would have helped him, too.”
“Is that so...”
Shuuei scratched his head and looked out the window. The sun already set and colored the sky in its warm veil.
“Say Kouyuu. How about you and I go out for today. We are both free right now after all.”
Kouyuu thought about it but then shook his head.
“No. In the end I´ll be drunk and unable to get home, while you´ll be drunk and in the bed of a woman again.”
“So what? Doesn´t it always happen like that? Besides you were the one that said that you wouldn´t care about it.”
A little pained Kouyuu looked at the floor.
“Maybe... But that was then and this is now. And I just don´t like it anymore! It annoys me to no end when I see you leave with one of those beauties. It just feels strange and I dislike it, so I don´t want to tag along with you anymore, Shuuei.”
Shuuei looked at him, a little hope glimmering in his eyes. Could it really be that his childlike plan that went on for years now finally bore fruit?
“What do you mean: it feels strange?”
Kouyuu blushed a little.
“I- I don´t know. I just dislike it, that is all. I get a little bit angry... maybe...”
Shuuei smiled, knowing.
“Is that so?”
He walked a little closer to his friend and tried to look at his face, to be able to see into his eyes.
“Don´t you dare get the wrong idea now! That means nothing! I mean I dislike women and I dislike your skirt chasing, too! So it´s probably just a mixture of both, got it?!”
“Really...?”
Shuuei took Kouyuus chin between his fingers and forced his face up, so he could look at him properly. Shuuei chuckled when he saw his friends expression.
Kouyuus face was bright red and he seemed extremely embarrassed. His blue-grey eyes glanced to the side and averted his dark brown ones, which were looking at them, asking.
“Kouyuu?”
“Wh- What?”
“Are you actually feeling what I think you are feeling?”
“H- How is that even possible?! Just because I think women are stupid doesn´t mean I´m turning to men now!”
The General snickered.
“Well, yes, but I didn´t say that, did I?”
Kouyuu looked at him angrily.
“Shuuei, you...!”
“Never mind. Besides it wasn´t too far off. I am a man after all.”
“What?”
Shuuei gently kissed him. The only way Kouyuu knew how to react to that, was to stare into his brown eyes which always reminded him of autumn, when the trees had almost no leafs left to shed. Their lips parted and Kouyuu was breathless, unable to speak. The only thing he knew was that he had liked it. That short moment of merging, even if it were only their lips. His face turned deep red after realizing what just had happened and he covered his mouth in disbelieve.
“That is what I thought you might have felt. That you love me and perhaps felt jealous over those ladies. Well, I will leave you alone now, because I know that I will be otherwise punched to death by books.”
Still shocked Kouyuu could only look after his leaving friend who had just announced his feelings and his own ones to himself.
“You are always so goddamn rude, Shuuei... you're so goddamn sure of yourself.”
Kouyuu plumped down on the chair, shook his head in disbelieve and stared out of the window where the sky now had gotten dark.
