Beautiful was he, with sparkling and pure long white hair and exotic violet eyes. Dressed in only the most elaborate of traditional wear, the male entranced all that peered at his radiant form. A lovely grin on his face, he strolled around and let the people rest their weary eyes on him. As if a magical presence, he filled them up again with energy, prompting them to almost burst with dazzling spirit and vigor.

The male was often treated as a national treasure, kept away from commoners as often as possible. Perhaps that was why he took a strange fascination with them. Prideful though he may be, he enjoyed speculating on what life would be like as a simpleton. Nonetheless, he was not indulging in such a strange guilty pleasure at the moment. Instead, he was parading about the emperor's home, gazing at all kinds of beauties.

Two palace servants stood behind him. One of them held a royal blue parasol over his head to shade his pale skin from the sun while the other fanned him delicately, careful not to touch his form. The male looked at them with interest, but they were boring to him. It was not what he expected when he had been told the empress wished to see him perform for her. Truth be told, he would have preferred to go to the city's center and relish in a culture he had not seen much of.

It was fairly often when he performed for the rulers of their nation. He was often welcomed to the palace with open arms, treated to the finest as if he was their son. His manners and traditional arts were perfected to a degree of a royal, but he was hardly one. Still, the job came with benefits: many, many benefits. He didn't mind it at all, relishing in the luxury he was presented.

Humming, the male walked with perfect posture, his hands in his kimono to keep himself warm from the coming fall. He stared over the immaculately built red bridge, watching as rushing water surged under his feet. It was a strangely calming sight. Continuing along on his walk, the male made up his mind. Taking his umbrella from one of the servants, he wandered along by himself, shooing them off when they tried to chase after him.

"Kyoden, dear boy, where are you going?" a woman questioned, walking with posture as straight as his, regally taking dainty steps with two lines of maids towing behind her.

The white-haired male dipped his head respectfully, twirling his umbrella behind him. The empress gave a chuckle, placing her gloved hands to her red-tinted lips. She was an elegant and graceful being, commanding respect, and with a grin, he gave it to her. She and her husband were great patrons of the arts, especially when it came to him. After all, they had spent more than a small fortune on him. No, it was a very large one, but well worth the investment.

"I wish to see the people," he chuckled, his voice like a song on the wind, pleasing to the ear in a fascinating manner, "Surely your royal majesty would not mind it?"

"Not at all, but you must be here for dinner. We've prepared a fine feast for guests of ours from afar nations. If all goes well, they shall be awed by your beauty and provide a fine agreement toward a bright future."

"Of course. I look forward to it. I shall save my voice as well as I know it pleases the court."

"You must be flattered, Kyoden. No finer musician, singer, or tea pourer in the world."

The male chuckled, giving another respectful nod of the head to the woman. He then continued on his walk to the grand entrance to the palace. There, he would find a carriage and ride out to the capital's center. Perhaps he could sate his curiosity. The thought made a small smirk appear on his flawless features, a joy swelling inside of him. How pleasing it was to see the city fade pass by in the window of the carriage.

And when the wheels ceased to roll, he was granted the ability to leave the small entrappings of the area. It was as if a butterfly was being released from his cage, released to the world. However beautiful or harmful it may have been, he was able to see it without a lens. It was just pure the way it was, untainted by others attempting to steer him away from it. Despite the fact he feared it, he nonetheless stepped forward into the streets with a quaint smile.

The male tucked his hands into his kimono, walking at a reasonable pace for a gentleman, albeit an excited one. He kept his head up high, but not too high as to appear as unfortunately prideful as he was in truth. The streets drew his eyes as nothing else could. It was colorful. Reds and yellows made his lips tug up in an alluring grin. Even if he was staring at the scenery, everyone else in the street was peering at his unusual beauty with wide jaws. What a refreshing sight he was.

Taking one step in front of the other, the white-haired male cautiously - and yet still excitedly - continued to survey the sights. The further down he went, the more shops he saw, seeing vendors, children, even performers. They delighted him in their own simple way. While they were no geisha, it was, at least, something he hadn't seen before. He hadn't considered performers wouldn't be doing traditional arts. Strangely enough, they interested him.

Kyoden remained for as long as he could manage, absorbing the seemingly simple culture before him. It was as if they had taken everything he had been perfecting and distorted it into a mockery. Sighing with great disappointment, he twirled his umbrella behind him and continued to meander down the alley of vendors like a vagabond in a desert. While he didn't know what he wished to see that he truly believed would change his life for the better, one never knows. Thus, he continued on, taking a few looks at some hairpieces for him or even decorative fans. Still, they weren't of the quality he was used to, again disappointing him.

Sooner or later, while he was walking along the streets, he ran into a stall that intrigued him. A girl with (h/c) hair sat there, cooking a delightful smelling array of sweets. She appeared to be employed in a family-owned business, but he saw no trace of anyone helping her. While he wanted to maintain his figure and was not in the business of stuffing himself with fatty foods, a little look wouldn't have hurt.

Her (e/c) pupils rested on him and gave a confused and yet strangely delighted look. He understood the reason for it. After all, it had been his greatest aspiration in life to bring lost souls the comfort and beauty they needed in everyday life. Smiling gently, he greeted her, watching as she gave a small and somewhat awkward wave. The gesture made him chuckle, closing his umbrella to hold it in front of him. It would be nice to see what she was making, at the very least.

"It's a lovely day, isn't it?" he asked, tilting his head as she handed a plate of mochi to another customer, "The sun feels nice. I don't think I've been in the light for quite so long."

"It must be a luxury."

The younger girl's voice was soft and apprehensive. It caused confusion to stir inside of him, not understanding why she appeared wary of him. He was only there to bring her a rare form of beauty. Then again, perhaps it was because she was working that she didn't have time to give him a polite and lengthy conversation. As such, he held his hand out to her, expecting her to take it, but she did not. She only stared with a frown.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Look around," the (h/c) haired girl sighed, motioning to the large amounts of vendors and hard-working masses, "We're out in the sun every day of our lives to make our living and all we have to show for it is exhaustion."

The white-haired male's lips turned down into a confused and somewhat baffled expression. He hadn't been aware that not everyone had the same luxuries as him. Of course, he knew that he was favored among royalty and nobles, receiving numerous gifts of great value, but it saddened him nonetheless. After all, the people around him seemed to be so desperate to eat let alone think about things such as entertainment.

Tilting his head and pressing his fingers to his lips, Kyoden speculated the visible differences between his lifestyle and the girl in front of him. It wasn't bizarre to see a commoner working many hours of the day. Still, he admired her dedication. The days in the sun she had spent likely took a toll on her, yet she was still making sweets without complaint. Reaching his hand out to her once more, he gave a cheerful smile, closing his eyes with a hum.

"Then I shall give you some fun and rejuvenation. Of course, as a professional, I shall need some kind of compensation, but I'll be immensely generous. Should we settle on 100 yen?"

(Y/n) gave another look of confusion, shying away from the male. She didn't know what he had wanted to offer her nor did she know if she should take him up on his supposed "generosity". After all, even if he looked kind, there may have been something else lurking under his facade. The numerous possibilities of being killed started to appear in her mind, and she resumed her work, once again befuddling the male.

"Following you may prove to cost me more than just 100 yen," she hummed, "After all, if I'm not here to work, I cannot make money to support myself."

Taking the younger girl's words into consideration, the male frowned. For one reason or another, he felt as if he had failed at something. It was unpleasant to be dismissed in favor of laboring in the hot sun, even if it was a beautiful sight. His heart sunk most disagreeably, a feeling of loneliness entering his body. As such, he came up with another alternative. Fetching a coin from his bag, he held it out to her.

"Money won't be required then," he said with hope, his violet eyes sparkling with hope, "I will promise to give you a day filled with luxury and relaxation. It will be enough to let you live out your days with contentment."

"That's very kind of you, but that's what worries me."

"I understand. This is our first meeting, but I feel a kinship with you. If I walked away from you, I feel as though I may regret it deeply. Please. A simple coin toss will decide if you pay 100 yen or not."

The (h/c) haired girl gave another conflicted look, but as the male reached his hand under her chin and lifted it up gently, her heart fluttered slightly. He chuckled as she shied away from him, her bashful nature soothing his soul. However, when she nodded her head, he gave a relieved sigh, flicking the coin in the air. The two watched it spin elegantly, landing in the male's palm.

He held it out to the younger girl, watching as her naive face turned to one of fascination. Her facial features relaxed and she gave a wave to a coworker behind her. The woman rushed to ask what was happening, but when (Y/n) walked away with the white-haired male, it was clear she wouldn't be back for quite some time. And for some reason, in particular, Kyoden's smile didn't fade from his face.

Arriving at the royal palace, the male was given bows by the guards, the younger girl completely bewildered. It frightened her to think she - a peasant - would be walking on the very ground the emperor and empress walked on. She jumped in an attempt to stifle the probability of doing such a thing, but it only amused Kyoden. He seemed to think it was as cute as a kitten swatting at yarn.

Compelled to do so, he arranged for a bath for her, allowing palace servants to do the job. He merely sat in his room and waited until she arrived, fully clothed in a noble lady's kimono. She looked beautiful, much better suited as a noble than as a commoner out in the streets. The male began to do her hair with masterful expertise, tucking in hair ornaments to increase the visual appeal. When he was satisfied with his work, he nodded and showed her to the table.

"What exactly is it that you do?" the younger girl asked meekly, completely out of her element.

Kyoden chuckled, placing a porcelain cup on the table. He then gave a charming smile that made her turn her sights to the ground with pink cheeks. With the utmost of elegance and grace, he lifted the teapot and poured it. To the younger girl, he appeared to be making a waterfall appear. It twinkled with beauty, astonishing her beyond what she had expected. No wonder he was in the palace.

The male then bowed to her and began to play his shamisen, striking chords, and notes in a wonderfully intertwined fashion. The sound of it made her heart soar as if she were transported into another world. Soothing her nerves, it took her worries away from her and injected her with utter satisfaction. And it only increased the moment she heard his stunning voice, her body shivering with unimaginable adoration. Tears were even brought to her eyes, rolling down her cheeks to symbolize the allure of such a voice. Was 100 yen really all he wanted to ask of her? Perhaps he truly was incredibly generous.

He continued to entertain her with numerous traditional arts, dancing splendidly and holding his fan in such a way he only appeared perfect. It was inhuman to have such a masterful hold on numerous arts. His calligraphy, dancing, singing, and even poetry rendered her speechless. She even trembled at times, and tears were the only way she could express her fondness for his refinement.

"Are you hungry, my lady?" he asked, escorting the younger girl through the halls, "I'd like to invite you to dine with me."

"L-Lady?"

Kyoden shivered with joy at the way the younger girl responded. She was naive and sweet, and for some reason or another, he took delight in her reactions. While she was not dignified or noble in the slightest, he rather preferred her that way. He had gotten attached the moment he graced his delicate ears with her name. She was like a stray cat he found in a gutter. Perhaps he could clean her up and take her home with him. Yes, that would be nice.

"Of course. I'm servicing you, so you are my lady."

The (h/c) haired girl blushed from ear to ear, pink splattered across the bridge of her nose. The look on her face made the white-haired male smile brightly. It was charismatic and only made her turn redder. She couldn't even look at him without her cheeks bursting into flames. He took pride in that. More than he ought to have.

As Kyoden escorted the younger girl to the dining hall, she was once again surprised by the luxury presented to her. There, in front of her was the emperor and empress, dazzling and radiant as the sun. Without a thought to what she was supposed to do, she immediately dropped to her knees and bowed, shivering. The empress brought her sleeve to her mouth and giggled, looking over at the male accompanying her.

"Dear boy, what have you gotten yourself into?" she asked, motioning for the younger girl to raise herself from the ground.

"This is my mistress for the day. I shall service her until the sun sets. Can she accompany us to dinner?"

"Of course. As long as she has manners."

Kyoden beamed brightly at the permission he received and even more at the younger girl's nervous state of mind. It was an honor to be in the presence of an emperor and empress, and eating with them was even more so overwhelming. One could tell the surprise on her face when she was seated in between great nobles. However, the white-haired male had performed beautifully, having enough to soothe her nerves.

Strangely enough, despite the normal amount of things expected of him, the white-haired male felt energetic about performing. He may have delighted everyone else, but his eyes were focused on the (h/c) haired girl. Her simplistic nature made him take delight in how she responded to his every movement. Utterly breathtaking, he couldn't help but let his mind race. He adored it, those feelings.

Even after his performance, he felt it stirring inside of him. She was waiting for him, standing patiently with stars in her eyes. He couldn't help but smile wide at her admiration of him. It made him feel appreciated and utterly respected. The sun may have set, but he simply refused to let her leave so soon after they had been acquainted. No, he thought deeply about the excuse he could concoct to remain with her for at least a while longer.

To give himself more time to figure out what he could possibly say, he turned down the carriage ride. Instead, he walked back to the younger girl's home, escorting her while delighting her with pristine conversation. He found himself far more attached than he had thought beforehand. After knowing that, he couldn't very well let her slip from his hands. His heart pounded uncomfortably at the thought of never seeing her again.

When they had arrived, his heart dropped, almost as if it ceased to beat at all. He clutched at his kimono as she stopped walking, opening the door to her home. Reaching out in concern and confusion, the male was met with a kiss on his cheek. For once, he was stunned, unable to formulate a response. Instead, he touched gently to his skin where her lips had been placed and blushed with reckless abandon.

"Come see me tomorrow morning," (Y/n) smiled, "I'll treat you to mochi and daifuku to thank you."

The girl then disappeared behind her door, safe in her home. Still, for whatever reason, the male could not bring himself to leave the spot where she had kissed him. Instead, he sat there the entire night, his mind becoming lost in thought. If it were just the thought of his sudden love for her, it may not have gone too far. However, the more and more his sleep-deprived state got to him, the darker his thoughts twisted.

When the morning came, he imagined things he never would have. Paranoia seeped into him, thoughts of others attempting to steal away the younger girl corrupting him. She had treated him to the sweets she promised, but he fed her, himself, his hand running over her lips with a cold look. That was when he suddenly pulled her aside and prohibited her from breathing. He had not expected to do such a thing, but when her body fell to the floor, a sick grin appeared on his lips.

He would be able to perform for her and take delight in those expressions of hers whenever he so pleased. Why wait through the night when she could have been there by his side the entire time? It seemed such a perfect thing, sending shivers down his spine. A coincidental meeting had led to a renewed passion for traditional arts. And who knew? Perhaps he could have trained her to become a geisha and join him in making the world more...beautiful.