“I can’t believe you’re genuine.”
“Why?”
“You won’t even look at me.”
He lets go of me and still keeping his head away. He thinks I’m ugly. Even all this make up couldn’t hide it.
“It’s hard to look at you. I am sorry. You should tidy yourself before they come in.”
He hands a handkerchief to me with his back turned. I feel like an idiot for being so happy. I try to muffle myself and wipe my tears away. Mother is gonna be so upset at me if she sees my ruined makeup.
I open the door and run out. I can’t wait for them to come and get me. I run back to my room and stare at my mirror.
“Setsuna-chan.”
Yumi-chan stands above me. She’s the only person I can hug.
“He hates me,” I say into her stomach.
“What?”
“He can’t even stomach looking at me.”
She kneels down to me.
“Then deny him. Say you don’t want to marry him. This deal benefits the Niwa family more than us.”
He was everything I expected but I wasn’t what he wanted. She spends time fixing my makeup. Fine, I’ll deny him. Seems like something he would want.
“You’re growing up all in one day,” she says to me. “It would have been nice if it worked out. He’s very handsome. Oh and when you see his older brother, Kantarou-sama-”
“I was set on Kyoya-sama.”
“You still have to go through with the meeting. I bet they’re all looking for you. I’ll try to deflect the attention.”
“I have to give him my answer.”
We head to the main meeting room. She said they were all gathered there waiting for Kyoya-sama and I to arrive. The private meeting was supposed to give us a positive impression of each other.
She opens the door for me and the whole room turns to us. He’s here too. I avoid him but he avoids me first just like before.
“Setsuna,” mother stands up.
“She just felt a little nervous so I calmed her down,” Yumi-chan says to me.
I’m still nervous. That man in the military uniform must be Kantarou-sama. This is my first time meeting another royal family. I remember from training that I’m not supposed to speak. Yumi-chan and I take our seats. Unfortunately my seat is at the head of the table next to Kyoya-sama. His family sits on one side and my family sits on the other.
His parents could be mistaken for one person; they’re so close. My parents would never be so affectionate. Father is still frowning. A server places tea in front of me. I keep my head down during the exchange.
“She’s just a child. Nervousness is expected,” his mother says. “She’s such a cute girl. Isn’t she, darling.”
“She is a work in progress but thank you for the compliment, Tomoko-sama,” mother says.
“You’re niece is very cute as well. Have you married her off yet?”
“She’s not exactly a royal. Her mother is disgraced.”
“What a great introduction,” Yumi-chan whispers to me.
“But she’s allowed to stay here because Setsuna likes her.”
I’ve been squeezing my hands this whole time. I look down and see his number crumpled. The numbers are fading because of my sweat. Would he really have talked to me. His words were sweet but I can’t believe them.
“Setsuna-sama, how do you feel about Kyoya?” his mother asks me.
I’m not supposed to talk. But now is as good a time as any to reject him. I look up at him one more time and he turns his head away.
“I…I don’t accept him. I refuse to marry him. I’m sorry to waste all of your time.”
They all look so shocked. Father stands up and walks over to me. He wouldn’t hit me in front of them.
“Come with me a moment.”
I naturally obey. I follow him out. It’s my decision; I refuse to marry him. I’m doing it for Kyoya-sama’s sake.
“Father, I-”
“What the hell has gotten into you!”
I think that’s the first time he’s talked to me in weeks. We’re not far enough away; they can still hear.
“I’m doing this for him. He doesn’t want-”
“You don’t have a choice and neither does he. How dare you embarrass me in front of them! They rule a nation five times the size of ours. You need him if our nation is to survive.”
“I’ll run our nation. I’m the princess-”
“You’ll run it into the ground. You’re an idiot. You would never get a man like that if not for my negotiations. Get on your knees and apologize.”
“Father-”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, sir.”
Father turns around sharply then lowers his anger. I peek pass him and see Kyoya-sama standing in our hallway.
“Kyoya-sama, there was no need for you to come here. Setsuna was about to come back in and apologize.”
“There is no need for that. I understand why she would reject me.”
“No, you don’t have to be so polite.”
“I wanted to ask for your permission to have some more alone time with Setsuna-san.”
More alone time with me. That sounds like an awful idea. Father approaches him and they exchange words. Then father walks back.
I don’t want any more time with him.
Chapter 4: Kyoya
She’s gonna be a challenge. Like I thought, she’s smart. She keeps looking over at me and it makes me look away. She wasn’t what I expected. Maybe it’s the clothes and the makeup. She looks just like a woman and even talks like one.
I thought twelve year old girls were stupid and annoying. Her mannerisms are just like a woman’s too. It’s only because that’s how she was trained.
“Can you do me a favor and rinse all that off,” I say to her.
“I’ll look even worse if I do that. I already know you think I’m ugly.”
“It’s not that I think you’re ugly. I can’t look at you cause you’re too beautiful. It’s overwhelming.”
“Too beautiful?”
“Just wash it off please.”
I’m losing the upper hand so long as she has that face on. She walks away with tiny steps. Father’s look said it all. I can’t allow her to reject me. I need to win her over today.
I’m seeing her title, maybe that’s it. I’m certain a sheltered princess just wants to be treated like a normal girl. If I can be the one to break down these walls for her, she’ll depend on me.
I wait against the wall. This palace will be mine one day. Setsuna-san will be older and with child. I think I’ll get sick thinking about it. That little girl is gonna be my wife. I’ll have to…I can’t think about it. I’m partly thinking about it and I feel like such a pervert.
That’s why I couldn’t look at her in that makeup. I’m much cooler with women than this. After some time she walks back to me. She looks completely different. She’s youthful, childish, and cute.
When I stare at her she feels insecure and puts her hands over her mouth.
“How about you show me around,” I say to her.
“Do you want to see my room?”
Her attitude is different too. She starts walking and I follow. I was intimidated when she looked like an adult but now I feel at ease when she looks like a child. This is what I expected.
“Setsuna-san, have you ever had a boyfriend?” I ask her.
“Of course not. I was trained to be Kyoya-sama’s wife.”
“Trained? Did they tell you what I like?”
“No.”
“That’s something you’ll have to find out.”
“I would like to. If you let me.”
“Does that mean you won’t reject me?”
“I rejected you for your sake. Don’t you feel as though you’d be wasting your time waiting for me to catch up to you?”
She stops in the hall and turns around waiting for my answer. There’s a tease somewhere inside her. She’s getting so hard to figure out. Is she oblivious o
r is she playing a game with me. I feel like she’s the one in control.
“This one is my room.”
I couldn’t even answer her. She opens up and I see it’s plain. It looks like a guest room.
“It doesn’t seem to reflect you.”
“I have to hide the things I’m interested in.”
She gets to her knees and reaches under the bed. I step in and close the door behind me. She seems to be warming up to me.
I walk to her bookshelf. These are all history books. Nothing here reflects a little girl.
“Ah! Don’t touch that.”
She runs back to me. She’s so concerned about this book.
“You’re learning Hangese?” I guess.
I look over at her and she’s blushing. Her mouth twitches unable to say “yes.” These are pretty advanced books.
“So how good are you?” I say to her.
Her eye brows shoot up like she’s surprised she understands.
“Speak to me.”
“I’ve never spoken it out loud.”
She sounds cute.
“You know I speak your language, why did you bother learning Hangese?”
“I…I thought it would be nice to speak behind my parent’s back.”
I start to laugh. She grew up knowing she would eventually meet me. To her, she lived for this moment.
“Have you thought about me a lot?” I ask her.
“All the time. I mean, at times I hated you. I hated that my life had to revolve around you. I wanted to leave and do things like Yumi-chan. I could only live through her stories and watch her be so happy being free.”
It wasn’t like that for me at all.
“But she told me that the day I meet you would be the day I become free. She said, even if I hate my family, Kyoya-sama would be the one to take me away. So she encouraged me to write to you. She delivered all my letters to you.”
I look over at her and she’s hugging her book to her chest.
“Over time, I made you my hero even though I knew nothing about you. So when I met you, I was my happiest but when you refused to see me, I felt as though I made you into something you never wanted to be. I was so concerned with you making me free but you’re the one that probably feels trapped.”
I had my own intentions but I don’t mind being her hero if she needs me. I reach out and bring her closer to me. I hold her at my chest and she drops the book in surprise. I hate when she talks so grown up. I want to give her lighter feelings.
“If you accept me, I promise to be your hero,” I say to her.
“But what about you?”
“You’re the one I want.”
I can’t let go of her. I know she’ll have hardship later on and I don’t know if she can handle it. I feel guilty already.
I walk her back to the meeting area. Our parents seem to be getting along.
“Setsuna, what did you do to your face?”
“I apologize. I asked her wash it off. I found it distracting.”
We both take our seats. Kan-nii eyes me suspiciously. Normally we can only get women to comply by romancing them. That wasn’t the case.
“Don’t you have something you want to say to the Niwa family,” her mother urges her.
“Yes.”
She gets up and walks over to my parents. All eyes are on her. My father is hard to impress. I doubt he’s swayed by her. Due to her family hanging on to tradition we’re already sitting on the floor. She sits down next him.
“I love Kyoya-sama. Please accept me into your family.”
She bows down to him with her head on the ground. That might be a bit much.
“I must admit, it’s nice to see what you really look like. She really is cute,” mother says.
My brothers have yet to say anything. Mother touches her head and Setsuna-san rises.
“Since Setsuna-sama seems taken with our Kyoya, we should make an announcement to the world,” mother says.
“Yes, I would like that,” Setsuna-san says.
Mother seems taken with her. I look at father and see him smirk. That’s strange.
“I would be honored to be a part of your family,” she says.
They all look surprised. Father clears his throat but I see he can’t stop smiling. Setsuna-san looks over at me with a smile. I feel bad for her. She doesn’t realize that joining our family means she’ll never get to see hers again. She won’t be able to see Yumiko-san either. I don’t know if she can handle that.
After lunch we’re showed to our rooms. We’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. In a room by myself I sigh but the pounding on the door makes me sigh harder.
“So, you got her.”
Kan-nii stands at my door. Kira walks in pacing frantically.
“I guess I should ask what you think.”
“I hate her. Pick someone else,” he says.
“Has she mastered Hangese?” Kan-nii asks. “That’s impressive.”
“She’s mastered a few languages. I just found out today that one was Hangese.”
Kira scoffs. He doesn’t want her to be smarter than him.
“I would have never guessed,” Kan-nii says.
“I need you to do me a favor. Invite Yumiko-san for a visit.”
“A cultural exchange? Why? Are you trying to hook me up with her?”
I just want to get her away from here.
“I think Setsuna-san would be happy about it. Arrange it so she can come with us in the morning.”
“Since when do I take orders from you.”
“Trust me,” I tell him.
Kan-nii leaves out. Kira settles down near me.
“Is she really that smart? She didn’t seem smart.”
“I don’t think she likes being smart. She just wants to be normal. Isn’t your brother’s girlfriend pretty?”
He pouts and turns away.
“I don’t like her.”
Chapter 5: Kantarou
This place is a disaster. It’s like a civilian house. Where’s the security? No cameras, no one patrolling the halls. A man could just stroll up the princess’ room without anyone knowing.
“So now you love him. Are you serious?”
“I think so. I mean, he hugged me and I liked it.”
“I’m happy for you but I just hope he’s not playing games with you.”
“Kyoya-sama isn’t like that.”
I lean closer to the door. It’s cracked but I can see them getting undressed. They have so many layers. I should interrupt before I see something I’ll regret.
“Princess,” I say knocking.
“Who’s that?”
The door opens and the little princess stands looking up at me.
“Uh, Kantarou-sama.”
“Sorry to interrupt. I was hoping to have a word with Yumiko-san.”
“Yumi-chan?”
I suppose it is surprising. No disgraced royal would expect to have words with me. This is her only chance. She puts her robe back on and pulls her hair back. I hear these traditional women aren’t allowed to be seen with their hair down.
“Step out a minute,” she tells the little princess.
I don’t know what Kyoya has planned but we need this marriage to work. She’s working hard to make herself presentable. Even a disgraced royal knows how to act in front of the first prince.
“You are close with the princess, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I am a Han commander in charge of palace security. If you wish to be close to the princess you need to know how to protect her. I suggest you take a lesson from me.”
“Uh, really?”
“You’ll be coming back with us tomorrow morning. You have no parents so I don’t really know who you’d ask for permission.”
“I’m not fit to be a bodyguard to her.”
“So you Morinaga women are used to talking back. All the more reason for you to have a lesson in our culture.”
“What are you planning?” she asks me.
> “I’m trying to give your life a purpose. When you’re found to be useless you will be purged from the palace. I’m trying to give you some usefulness.”
“I would never step foot in your country that breeds men like you.”
“Suit yourself.”
Kyoya wanted her out of the palace for a reason. If she refuses, we’ll see what fate awaits her.
“I know you’re planning something. You better not harm Setsuna-chan.”
“Are you threatening me? You really must not know who I am.”
I better leave before I have to show her.
Chapter 6: Kira
I know these people are idiots. Look at their library, it’s outdated. Their technology too.
“Kira-kun,” I hear.
I turn to the entrance. It’s the princess.
“No one really comes in here except me. I didn’t know you like books.”
She walks up to me with that stupid smile on her face. I can’t believe she’s marrying Kyo-nii.
“What grade have you finished?” I ask her.
“Um…not sure.”
Figures.
“I’m working on my degree in history.”
“What?”
“It’s father’s choice.”
Is she really that smart? She can’t be. She eyes the books while I eye her.
“I’m hoping I can give up on all that stuff when Kyoya-sama takes me. I hate studying. I mean, we have our entire lives to gain knowledge. Shouldn’t we be gaining experiences now.”
“Knowledge puts you ahead of everyone else,” I tell her.
“Not me. My role is predetermined and so is yours.”
“I’m not an heir; I have a choice.”
“That’s so nice. But won’t you regret a few things once you achieve your success. I hear you’re already a genius, now should be the time to have fun.”
“That’s not what I want.”
“Don’t you only study cause your father tells you to.”
If I don’t study I can’t compete. My brothers are older and successful. I’ll get left behind. I have to keep up in some way. I don’t like this girl. I don’t like her analyzing me.
“I was hoping we could have fun experiences together. We’re the same age you know.”
“I’m aware.”
“Since I’m your brother’s girlfriend it’ll be like you’re my brother too, Kira-kun.”
The Last Princess Page 2