It was October 8th, Gendai 398—Utaka’s birthday. As thanks for him surviving sixteen years, Okimi wanted to give him something to look forward to. Without mentioning a word to him, his mother set up a grand party and invited just about everyone who could make it there within a week. Utaka didn’t hear about it until Okimi told him that morning.
They were all sitting down for breakfast, Okimi wearing her odd ‘scheming-mother’ expression. That alone was enough to warn him, but he still asked.
“What are you plotting, Mother?” It was an odd combination of humor and wariness that he hadn’t completely intended.
Okimi laughed, another ill sign. “Make sure you look presentable, boy. I’ve invited a few hundred people to the palace. You don’t have to be fancy, just be…nice-looking.”
“Is it too late to convince you otherwise?” Utaka asked dully.
She shook her head. “It’ll be fun, Utaka; I promise. And besides, you need to socialize more—you’re a loner as it stands now.”
Utaka only mumbled something that resembled protest if he said it loudly, knowing full well that Okimi wouldn’t change her mind. After they ate, he decided he might as well look somewhat more likable by changing into an outfit that wouldn’t be so shocking to see a prince wear; his current attire was closer to a servant’s outfit with its dull colors, since he didn’t venture outside much.
Guests started arriving around noon; the only people Utaka recognized was Fujita Takeo and his sons Masaru and Ninsei. He hadn’t even known there were so many other people that were close by. Fujita Masaru, the older of the two, came with his admirer Chinen Suzu. The four of them entertained conversation before Okimi forced Utaka to mingle with people he didn’t already know.
It was boring and, to him, a waste of time. He would have preferred a day alone—or even a day to travel, albeit not very far—rather than spend the afternoon around strangers. Utaka wasn’t interested with holding a conversation with any of them, really; most of them still did the ‘bow and state your name’ traditions required when meeting a prince when he introduced himself as such, so it got dull quickly.
As soon as Utaka was sure Okimi was busy doing something else, he left the inside of the palace in favor of the courtyard. He conspired with Fujita Ninsei for his exact escape route, with the latter calling over the guards at the front gates so Utaka could leave the party entirely. At that point, half the afternoon had passed—there wasn’t much left to do in the day, nor was there anything particularly interesting. It was still better than being in a party that was thrown for him without his consent.
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Fortunately, he went into town so infrequently that no one recognized him—anyone who would was likely at the party. Utaka hid away in one of the public gardens; he would have preferred to go into one of the ‘private areas’ just so no one would bother him, but all of them had their gates closed.
Utaka walked through the garden until their was a nice place in the corner to sit down. He didn’t have anything to do, but at least he could take a break from people for a little while.
That plan seemed to be doomed the moment he decided on it; a girl around his age passed by the area and paused.
“Oh. Someone’s already here.”
Utaka stood and offered a bow. “I can leave. I’m just avoiding a party.”
“Is that what’s happening at the palace?” The girl asked. Utaka nodded, and she sighed. “I got lucky, then. My father wanted me to see what it was, but I’m not particularly fond of crowds.”
“Too much noise,” Utaka agreed. “And it’s always chilling when there is silence.”
The girl nodded, wandering a bit further into the little area and leaning on one of the trees. “It’s hard to find people that aren’t social,” she mused. “I mean, I’m not a recluse, but people can be…”
“Dull?” Utaka guessed. “Frustrating? Maddening?”
She chuckled. “All of the above.” She stood up for a moment and bowed. “Kaiba Erize. It’s a pleasure to meet someone like-minded.”
He bowed again for pleasantry’s sake. “Likewise, miss. Gin-Mashimo Utaka.”
Erize paused for a second, then gave him a confused look. “You’re the prince? Whenever I heard of you, you seemed more…” She glanced him over again, then came to a blunt conclusion: “Charming. Taller, maybe. I imagined you looking…slightly less pathetic. You’re not lying, are you?”
Utaka laughed; it was almost refreshing to hear someone other than Okimi be so blunt. “If only I heard that more often—it would be a nice change of pace.”
“So you’re not lying?” Erize asked curiously.
“I’m not,” Utaka said.
They carried on a conversation for a while after that; when Okimi tracked down Utaka, she almost looked pleased. Nonetheless, he was dragged back to the party before nightfall—albeit Erize came with him thanks to Okimi’s insistence.
Erize ended up getting along well with the Fujita brothers—Utaka’s only friends at that point. In time, Utaka and Erize took a romantic interest in each other and pursued it; Okimi was especially happy about this, turning a blind eye to the pair’s less traditional aspects in favor of maintaining her son’s social improvement. It seemed to remind her of the king before he left—a love that started out wonderful, then grew more distant until his departure. Utaka had promised both Okimi and Erize that he could—and would—be better than his father.
How did he even have the illusion that those days would last, making promises he couldn’t keep?