Chapter Text
It was the beginning of the Meiji Period.
But it was the end for Soshiro Hoshina.
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It was the beginning of the Meiji Period and Crown Prince Soshiro Hoshina was bored.
He had everything everyone wanted. Royalty and jewels, servants and expensive food.
But Soshiro Hoshina was bored and everyone avoided him because he was royalty. And Hoshina hated that. He never understood why.
Why did classes matter? Who cares if a royalty and peasant became friends or lovers?
Who cares if Gifted were monsters or not?
Hoshina didn’t see it.
Hoshina lay in his bed, surrounded by luxurious silk and velvets, staring at the ceiling with absolute boredom. He already took a walk around the gardens. He already “helped” out in the kitchen by giving out moral support (since the chefs and cooks didn’t allow Hoshina near the ovens and stoves). He already practiced his sword training with his annoying older brother.
But what Hoshina hadn’t done yet was explore the outer walls of the palace. And that was the definition of “fun.”
So Hoshina sat up and got out of his bed, grabbing the lamest kimono he owned, and headed out of his room, smiling at all the servants and maids that greeted him along the way. To anyone who asked where he was going, Hoshina simply said: “Somewhere fun.”
Hoshina roamed around the streets, watching little children play happily, and he was wondering why they would be happy in such poor conditions. He clicked his tongue and sighed. Then again, Hoshina wasn’t happy as Crown Prince.
He turned a corner, looking at the food stalls on the road, oblivious that he was about to bump into someone and then—
Thud
Apples thudded down the streets, rolling onto the old dirt road. Hoshina looked to the person he bumped into, slightly looking down even though the height difference wasn’t huge. His crimson eyes widened at the sight of the young man.
The male before him had messy two-toned black-and-pink-dusted-dyed hair, eyes the colour of cherry blossoms, and something about his eyes made Hoshina’s heart stop. It was like he met a God, and Hoshina didn’t believe in entities.
Hoshina blinked back to reality, looking at the young man in front of him. The peasant looked his age, but thinner and tired and more mysterious, and yet, he couldn’t take his eyes off of him.
What is this feeling? Hoshina wondered, his hand unconsciously reaching up towards the stranger’s face. He watched the man jerk his head away and Hoshina suddenly felt insecure.
“Sorry,” Hoshina said, bowing his head apologetically. He stepped back, respecting the peasant’s personal space.
Hoshina bent down to help pick up the apples, tilting his head, trying to meet the stranger’s pink gaze.
“What’s your name?” Hoshina asked, one finger slipping under his chin, tilting it upward so they could meet eyes.
“Gen Narumi, Your Majesty.” Narumi replied, his sakura-hued eyes narrowing slightly.
Hoshina tilted his head in confusion, his hand slipping back to his kimono sleeves, mouth widening in a fox-like grin. “How’d you know I’m royalty?” He asked, leaning slightly forwards. “I don’t recall ever sharing about my true identity.”
The peasant coughed awkwardly and shrugged casually, his hands tucked to his sleeves. “A guess.”
“A guess…” Hoshina repeated, his half-lidded eyes opening just slightly, crimson eyes gleaming in the sunlight. He looked down at those captivating cherry-blossom eyes and he felt his heart skip.
Not skipping in the way of poetry and literature.
But quite literally skipped.
And for the first time, Soshiro Hoshina, had nothing to say.
“It’s bad to assume, Gen Narumi.” Hoshina said, his fox-like tone coming back, but his sharp expression softened into something lighter.
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Gen Narumi was a commoner.
A perfectly normal citizen of Tachikawa.
He lived with his foster home, with eight other people. He was always arrogant, cocky in his skills for everything, his pride a bit too much. But why wouldn’t he? After all, Narumi didn’t need to learn the skills. Not really.
The truth was, Narumi was touched. Touched by the Gods themselves.
His majestic cherry-blossom eyes glowed with power that seemed ancient and precious, dangerous and beautiful at the same time. Narumi was able to foresee the future, and not just one— but many.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Millions.
But the power the Gods gave Narumi came at a cost. And the cost affected everyone else who was touched.
The Hoshina royal family, stated a decree where “Gifted” would be captured and executed. They called them “witches”, Akumaonna. They were to be captured and hung on a pyre, burned alive.
Narumi had always been careful. He never stayed out too late, where the royal guards of the palace would patrol the streets of Tachikawa to look around and capture the “Gifted”. He always wore a hood over his head and made sure every morning that his messy black-pink-dusted-dyed bangs would shadow his rare eyes.
When Narumi had left the house in the late morning and rounded the corner, his power showed him the future of running into the Crown Prince. And naturally, Narumi would’ve avoided it with ease, but the Prince was too quick in his steps, and he bumped into Narumi.
Thud
Apples rolled down from Narumi’s basket and his eyes widened and he stumbled backwards before catching his footing, looking up at the Crown Prince— eyes defiant.
Narumi stilled uncomfortably when the Crown Prince reached forwards towards his face and he looked down at the ground, swearing in his head.
How could have things come to this? Narumi thought, his bangs shadowing his eyes. I should’ve avoided him quicker. He clicked his tongue softly in annoyance, crouching down to pick up the apples, before feeling a finger slip under his chin, tilting his head upwards.
Narumi was slightly confused when the Prince had asked for his name, and naturally, Narumi replied.
“Gen Narumi, Your Majesty.”
Shoot, I messed up
Narumi almost swore in the presence of the Crown Prince, biting his tongue to hold the language back. He coughed awkwardly and looked up at the Prince.
“A guess.” Narumi said, shrugging casually to cover up his mistake when the Prince grew suspicious. He hoped the Crown Prince wasn’t sharp-eyed and observant to notice the mistake. He tucked his hands into his sleeves, every instinct telling Narumi to excuse himself and run.
But even so—
Narumi couldn’t make himself to do so.
A small smirk cracked on Narumi’s face, crossing his arms, tilting his head. “Assume, huh?” He repeated, leaning forwards. He watched the Prince’s ears get dusted in pink and he had to hold the urge to laugh.
“Should I bow in apology, Your Majesty?” Narumi suggested, doing a mock bow. He let out a small laugh, humming in amusement.
“The kimono you’re wearing isn’t lame enough cloth to blend in, Your Majesty.” He teased, looking down at his own clothes.
Narumi watched the Crown Prince laugh with him and he felt almost surprised. He didn’t know the Crown Prince could laugh, even though he was just as human as everyone else was.
The only difference was that Hoshina’s family was against people like Narumi and Narumi wondered if such a person could be involved with an evil family.