A/n: Thank you everyone for the support I am getting from all of you!

Prince Kousei woke up on his bed the next day and gazed at the green scenery from the windows. He lowered his head and stared at his clothes. He's once again wearing his usual, royal night clothes. Going back in the Empire of Atlantis felt like he was in coma for five years and he had been dreaming that he's in Japan but the reality is, he had been in Japan and his mother passed away there. He realized, too, that he's more comfortable in Atlantis than in Japan. He knew by then that he missed living as a prince. Commoners treated him for six years as a fellow commoner than someone from the Royal Family.

He took a bath immediately inside his own bathroom inside his huge royal chamber to get ready for the Royal Burial of the late Crown Prince Leonardo Peterson.

Five minutes later after he was able to wear his black and gold three piece tuxedo, Frederick knocked on his door.

Kousei opened it for him to enter.

He lowered his head to show his respect to him.

"You're Highness! Are you ready, now?" Frederick asked him.

"I'm about to go, I'll be there," he answered him.

It's been three days already after his friends had come to join him to help him carry the pain of losing his only brother. Taking them in the palace did help him a lot to cope on the reality.

"Brother, now that your soul is in heaven, please help me become a good crown prince. Pray to God for me," he spoke up to himself.

...

Frederick was surprised to see Miyazono Kaori and Tsubaki Sawabe in front of him with Princess Brianna and Princess Jasmine after he got out of the room of Prince Kousei. The women are all wearing black dresses. He took a bow in front of the two princesses and walked away.

It was also at the time Watari Ryota found the four women in front of a bronze pair of double doors engraved with three gold stars. Watari Ryota took his formal bow in front of the two princesses. He had actually practiced it for hours after he arrived in the empire.

His elder sisters saw Kousei get out of the bronze room after Watari Ryota joined Kaori and Tsubaki.

Kousei inhaled sharply after his sisters curtsied in front of him. He knew that he has to get used seeing his sisters curtsy in front of him. He doesn't know them that much since he was very young and they were young when he was separated from the royal family.

Kaori and Tsubaki tried to copy them and made their curtsy in front of him while Watari Ryota took a bow in front of him as a show of respect. Now that they know he's a prince, they knew they have to follow palace rules.

Kousei's glad that they were taught how they should act around him after he returned home in the Phoenix Palace. It's also been a long time he didn't live in Atlantis and so, he's just like them. He's trying his best to adjust. He had to adapt and re-learn many rules, regulations and policies around the palace. He's sure that he would have to learn how to move and act as a Crown Prince when the silver crown is on his head already. He fears that position since it means he will become his father's representative. Most of all, people would be watching his every move and will be critical in his every decisions.

Jasmine and Brianna were required to wear black veils, too. His sister, Princess Jasmine, stepped closer to him and hugged him. "We'll support and protect you, brother. I'm sure that even if you and brother got separated when he was fifteen, your closeness together wasn't broken, thanks to the modern technology we have today. I have also heard that he had always visited you in Japan after he became eighteen years old."

"Thank you, sister," he said to her. "He sent letters to me and I do the same to him. It hurts that I was back here because he passed away. I should have returned sooner. I should have come back with him when I lost my mother three years ago! But if I have come to him that time, I may have never met Miyazono Kaori."

"It hurts to know too that we're going to bury him today. There was something in me wishing that he would just magically wake up and tell us that everything is just a joke." Her tears fell down her fair cheeks. She's worried if he will be able to do the many tasks and responsibilities that a Crown Prince shoulders. Even so, she knew that with their help and with all what their brother taught him, Kousei will be able to be a good Crown Prince. "I'm sure he's going to guide you in your new responsibilities, Kousei. He's proud of your accomplishments. You must know that he was badly worried when news of your mother's death spread out. We're sorry we weren't able to be with you at those dark times."

...

Since Sawabe Tsubaki and Watari Ryota are Buddhists and are not members of the Atlantian Catholic Church, they sat at the back. They could observe that the people were wearing black veils and black, fashionable and elegant suits and gowns to join the Royal Family of Atlantis for the burial of the late Crown Prince Leonardo. They felt out of place due to how different many people are from them.

Tsubaki stared at Kousei who's holding Kaori's hands while they walk around the church. She was so surprised by how the two of them blend around the sophisticated and charming crowd inside the church. The light and aura they give were the same as those around them. She could also observe that Kaori is a good woman for Kousei to be his girl.

Watari Ryota held Tsubaki's hand when he saw Tsubaki's trembling hands. She instantly stared at him. "Why did you do that?"

"You're troubled are you? You're still stunned that Kousei's a prince," he said to her. "Most of all, you're jealous that Kaori does seem to be accepted by Kousei's family."

She gazed at Kousei who's walking at the aisle already to go at the back of the church after he guided Kaori where she would sit. Miyazono Kaori sat beside his sisters.

Empress Adrianna and Emperor Richard III accepted Kaori as his girlfriend. Since he is fairly young, they allowed Kousei to experience love and being loyal to a woman but still, they hope that now that he's back in the empire, Kousei would choose his future crown princess and the rightful future empress but if he truly loves Kaori, he still could have her as a second wife just like Arima Saki.

Arima Kousei learned that day that Kaori does have a bit of an Atlantian blood in her veins. Her grandfather from her mother's side is an influential Atlantian businessman. Miyazono Kaori is a Catholic because of her mother. She sat beside Kousei's sisters at the second column at the second row of the benches inside the church while Kousei and his father had their designated places inside the church. They sat together on their thrones at the raised platform behind everyone's benches after the priest and the altar servers entered.

Crown Prince Leonardo's glass casket is placed close to the sanctuary of the church by some of the royal servants wearing black shirts.

A holy mass began before the late crown prince's burial where they will see Leonardo for the last time. They listened at the first reading, the gospel, and homily.

The old priest reminded the Royal Family that they have to uphold themselves as a family that serves the Lord and they must always be good models to their supporters and everyone in the Empire of Atlantis. Most especially, he advised the emperor and the next crown prince to obey the great commandments of God: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

He also appeased their sad souls that they shouldn't worry since Crown Prince Leonardo is now with the Lord. He will be guiding them even he's in heaven now. He reminded the people around the church, too that God is good.

After he spoke the homily, he called on the Royal Family to join him in front of the closed, gold coffin. They blessed the gold coffin one by one.

Prince Kousei, Empress Adrianna and Emperor Richard III were the last ones to sprinkle the holy water on the gold coffin.

...

Hours after the mass concluded, only the Royal Family and their relatives were allowed to come with them in the Royal Procession where they would follow the vehicle that would bring the late crown prince to his last destination.

Miyazono Kaori was the only one allowed to come with them since Kousei wanted her to join him. He held her hand while they follow the black vehicle until they reach the cemetery where his brother's coffin was placed where they could say their last goodbyes. He's depressed over his brother's death since his tears that threatened to fall while they are inside the church are now falling like fountain.

She embraced him to show his love and support.

Soon, after the priest prayed for the soul of the late Crown Prince, the emperor and the next Crown Prince were required to have a short speech in front of their relatives for the Necrological Service. Everyone's crying now at that time while Kaori does pity Kousei a lot.

"My brother had been the very best brother I ever had. We may be separated by sea when my late mother passed away in his home country but he still treated me as his brother even if he's busy with his official duties as a Crown Prince. As the person who would replace him and take his position, I hope I will be able to continue my brother's unfinished works," he said to everyone after he stood on the platform with all the microphones on the stand before him. His eyes were very red because of all the tears he shed. He stared at the glass casket and continued, "I lost two important people and I almost lost someone I love. I hope you could have seen her, brother. She's the most beautiful violinist I met and I promise to protect her. Guide me in my new life as the one who would take up the huge responsibility you gave me."

Kousei left the platform and took a bow to his brother who's lying in the coffin. He sat beside Kaori who blushed when he mentioned her.

They listened to the emperor after that. Everyone curtsied and took a bow to him before he spoke his speech. "Prince Kousei had said many things I wanted and so, I'll make this short. As we lay down the late Crown Prince Leonardo six feet under the ground, a phoenix will be reborn. A new young phoenix will be nurtured. I am sure that he is very much like his late brother. Ever since I knew that my eldest passed away, I knew that it will be my youngest who would be the one hurt the most when he learns that his brother passed away since they were very close. In a very young age, he showed how carefree he is and how compassionate he is," he paused and continued speaking, "Leonardo, if your soul can hear me, please keep on taking care of your brother. You know how important you are to him."

Crown Prince Leonardo was soon buried six feet on the ground slowly.

Everyone's crying while his coffin goes deeper and deeper. Before soil is covered on the coffin, people offered white flowers to him. It was the immediate Royal family who sent their last flowers.

"Brother, good bye," Kousei spoke up as he offer flowers to his brother's grave. "I hope you're happy in heaven."

...

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