Chapter Twenty-Four

A/N: Random note about this chapter: I originally intended for this to be a huge dramatic thing but decided against it, as it doesn't really add much to the story. I hope this chapter represents the relationship between Yuu and Shinya well enough as it comes to a close.

As always, thank you guys so much for reading. I hope you've been enjoying these quick updates. :) I had a really bad today and it was nice to sit down and chill and write this.

(Also, I was trying to figure out if Mika is Russian and google knows what's uPPP LMAO)

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The week followed from Yuu treating everyone around him like shit until he decided to give up the idea of school altogether and ended up skipping classes. He figured there was no point in participation considering the plan was commencing tonight (as far as he was aware) and he had already spiraled out of control enough.

Yuu had also decided it would be best to avoid everyone at all costs, which, thankfully, was not a difficult thing to do while he was at home because his family never had family dinners and Shiori-san only hesitantly checked in on him every few hours to make sure he wasn't dead or missing.

Staring at the ceiling, he willed the four walls of his bedroom to contract and close in on him once and for all. He felt like a prisoner in his own home, with the space feeling smaller and smaller with each passing moment.

He craved the feeling of the night breeze on his skin and through his hair, the way it felt to run as fast as he wanted and to be free.

Yuu wasn't sure how much longer he'd last.

To get his mind off things, he threw himself off his bed and entered his closet, rummaging around the back shelves to find a a large suitcase he used when his father had the family travel to other countries for various events. It was an old, weathered suitcase, the black leather peeling at the corners from year of use. He tossed it on his bed, unlatching the locks to reveal the compartment inside.

Yuu began to go back and forth through his clothes, pulling out clothes from his wardrobe to fit different seasons. It was difficult to find articles of clothing that were not tens of thousands of yen apiece, but he managed to fold six full outfits inside, alongside a couple of expensive pieces of clothing and jewelry that could be sold in case of emergency. He then proceeded to throw in other necessary objects: various toiletries, an extra pair of shoes, and a couple of his favorite books.

He was just about to tuck his beloved journal and his trusty fountain pen into a side compartment when the last person he expected to see ran into his room: Shinya.

"Yuichiro-san!" Shinya sounded way too cheerful, a stark contrast to how gloomy Yuu was feeling. "Either you're sick, dead, or stupid enough to skip my fencing lesson this afternoon~! Didn't you remember we had to reschedule since it was snowing?"

"Shinya, go away, I'm not in the mood," Yuu grumbled, turning away from Shinya's smiling face.

"Oh, Yuichiro-san, don't be so mean to your sensei!" Shinya laughed, throwing an arm around Yuu's slumped body and rattling him. "What are you doing? Going on a vacation soon?"

Yuu paled at the thought of yet another secret getting out; if Shinya found out that he was running away that night, he'd truly never be able to make his escape.

"Um," Yuu quickly thought of an excuse, "I'm just packing for Shinoa's and my honeymoon."

"Wait, I thought you were crushing on that one guy," Shinya pulled away, looking confused. Yuu wondered how Shinya managed to be comfortable as he talked about such taboo subjects so casually. "You're still getting married to that girl?"

"It's not like I have much of a choice," Yuu muttered darkly as he threw in a couple more things into the suitcase.

Shinya sucked in a breath through his teeth, not knowing how to respond. Eventually, he spoke. "Let's go for a walk," He smiled timidly. Yuu, who was hesitant, eventually nodded grabbed his coat. The two exited the room and made their way to the back of the castle. They went out into the garden, which was the most scenic place to walk.

Snow still capped the fir trees surrounding the castle grounds, with some snowflakes sprinkling to the ground as the wind blew through the branches. Yuu and Shinya went down the steps, following the path between the dormant plants and vegetables.

"So, what are you really packing for?" Shinya eventually broke the silence, shoving his hands in his pockets as he was gloveless. As he spoke, his breath frosted and curled in the air before dispersing into the atmosphere.

"I told you, for the honeymoon," Yuu repeated firmly, unable to look Shinya in the eye because he was, admittedly, a terrible liar. And, unfortunately for him, Shinya was really good at knowing when people don't tell the truth.

"You have that look on your face like something happened," Shinya said under his breath as they passed by one of the gardeners, who was currently trimming the hedges that lined the walkway.

"Everyone found out about my secret," Yuu admitted, nuzzling his face shyly into his scarf as he didn't want to see Shinya's reaction. Shinya said nothing for a while, simply whistling in the wind, and when Yuu finally got the courage to look up, he saw an amused expression on his face. Yuu knew what he was thinking immediately. "You already know, don't you?"

"What can I say?" Shinya shrugged bemusedly. "Castle gossip travels fast. Your fiancée really put on a show the other evening."

"So then everyone knows! That's great! And you know what?" Yuu's voice was rising, the feelings returning even though he was trying so damn hard to keep them under wraps, to make everyone think he was okay. "I even told my father everything afterwards. I don't know how I did, but I managed to come out to him and he slapped me. He slapped his own son, and then proceeded to tell me that he doesn't want me to go down the wrong path and ruin my life."

"And you don't think he's being genuine?" Shinya tilted his head in confusion.

"Of course not!" Yuu exploded. "He doesn't realize that being this way is not a choice! It's just who I am! And then he had the audacity to say he knows how I feel, which is such bullshit, because he does not know what it's like! He got happily married to his wife and they fell in love with no problems!"

"Well," Shinya looked away. "I would have to disagree with you there."

Yuu stared at him, narrowing his eyes angrily. "What's that supposed to mean?" He demanded.

"There were problems with the marriage," Shinya explained slowly, like he wanted Yuu to latch on to every word (as if if he didn't catch it this time, he'd never get the chance to understand). "Quite a few complications, actually. And although he may not look it, Guren, er- King Ichinose has been in the exact position you've been."

Yuu was completely confused now, and he set down the book he was holding and hopped on his bed, eyeing Shinya closely. "Do you mean...."

"Yes," Shinya nodded, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. His eyes glazed over as he spoke. "Your father was torn between an arranged marriage and being with the person he truly loved."

Yuu gasped loudly. "Really?"

"Yeah!" Shinya laughed, amused at his shocked expression. "Wow, you seem surprised! King Ichinose didn't have much of a choice, though. Want to hear the story?" He sat on the bench they were walking by, patting the spot next to him. Yuu nodded and complied, pulling his legs close to himself and turning to face Shinya.

Shinya cleared his throat, smiling to himself softly before beginning the tale. "Guren Ichinose met the love of his life when he was living in France for a year. His father, the previous king, was trying to seal a large financial deal France and Japan, and the way to do so was to marry the two royal families together. It's why you're one-half French, you know," He added in with a laugh, mentioning something even Yuu didn't know about himself.

"Anyway, there was a grandiose ball, and Guren met his beloved, who was one of the performers. They were one of the royal servants, playing the acoustic guitar as entertainment for the party. It was practically love at first sight for the two. They," He started to laugh, "Actually ended up hooking up in one of the guest bedrooms of his fiancée's castle."

"Shinya!" Yuu covered his face with his hands, feeling an embarrassed blush rise on his cheeks. "Don't say such vulgar things so casually! And about my father, no less!"

"Sorry!" Shinya was still laughing, clearly enjoying Yuu's appalled expression. "Anyway, your father was totally whipped. But the king and queen caught him cheating on his fiancée, Kaori, and they banished his beloved in France while they returned to Japan."

"Wow," Yuu breathed out.

"Yes, it's heartbreaking right?" Shinya agreed, a faraway look in his eyes. "Anyway, they got married, and eventually Guren realized to love Kaori, and they fell into a domestic partnership that worked for both of them. In the end, he realized it was for the better that he married Kaori, because peace was achieved and the Drelacian empire became more powerful than ever. But he never forgot his first love, who ended up reconnecting with him over five years later."

"I knew my parents were put together in an arranged marriage, but I had no idea he was in love with another," Yuu shook his head. "I wonder what she is doing right now."

"He is sitting right in front of you," Shinya smirked. "And he's doing just fine, thanks for asking."

Yuu made a highly-embarrassing squeak of surprise, his hands flying up to cover his mouth. "No! You're kidding!" He gasped, his eyes widening to the size of golf balls. "It was you?"

If Yuu looked closely enough, he could see the faintest of blush appearing on Shinya's cheeks, but he wasn't sure if it appeared because the twinge of embarrassment or the frosty weather outside.

"Yes, it was me," He answered. "Guren and I had an affair when we were both seventeen years old, just like what you're doing with that boy."

"Mika," Yuu told him his name, tired of people referring to him otherwise. It felt so refreshing to say, like it was the first step into accepting it was actually something real, something tangible.

"Mika," Shinya repeated, as if to test it out. "How cute. Anyway, now that you know your father's backstory, you can see why he's so shocked you're doing the same thing as him. Your father has been through it all, but he decided to make the decision that was best for the country, not what was best for him. Your father, as cold and heartless as he seems sometimes, actually regrets the decision that could've made him his happiest."

"But that doesn't make sense!" Yuu cried out. "Why didn't he just tell his parents he didn't want to marry my mom, just like I'm trying to do! If he understands so well, why won't he let me be myself?"

"In this world, Yuichiro-san, we don't get to be ourselves," Shinya was serious now, all traces of amusement gone from his face. "We get to be the person that everyone else expects us to be. That's just the nature of growing up."

Yuu didn't know how to respond to that, so he ducked his head and stared his hands, which were clasped tightly around his legs.

"Your father regretted it, but it ended up being too late for him. I hope you make the right decision, Yuichiro-san," Shinya told him. "It's up to you to figure out which is more important to you. But you're running out of time, so careful speculation is out the window. It's time to follow your heart and go with what you think is best, before it's too late."

Shinya stood up after receiving no response, ruffling Yuu's hair, much to his chagrin. "Come on, Yuichiro. It's getting cold. We should head back inside." He offered his hand out to Yuu, who gratefully took it and rose to his feet.

"Thank you, Shinya," Yuu said honestly as they headed back inside. The wind whipped around them, making Yuu's scarf flitter angrily behind him. "Without you to confide in, I probably would've gone insane."

"Anything for a friend," Shinya answered, patting his shoulder. "It's good to have someone to rely on from time to time. I've seen you grow up, Yuichiro-san, and I must say I'm quite glad you've discovered this about yourself. Within the last couple weeks you've truly become a different person, and I think it's all going to work out for you. Just you wait."

Yuu wasn't too confident about that, but he agreed anyway, just to instil some long-needed hope in his mentor slash friend. "Let's hope so," He mumbled, flicking snow out of his hair as he ran his fingers through it, a bad nervous habit he couldn't break.

Shinya walked him all the way back to his bedroom, waiting by the door as Yuu yanked off his coat and tossed it over his desk chair. "I have to get back home, so I'll see you sometime soon?"

That comment, so casual in nature, practically sent an arrow through Yuu's chest. He knew he wouldn't see Shinya for a long time, maybe not ever again, once he made a run for it that night. Still, he blinked back the tears and ran towards Shinya, suddenly pulling him into a hug.

"Woah!" Shinya laughed, almost toppling over if it weren't for the wall catching him. "Hey, no need to get all sentimental on me now! This isn't goodbye forever!"

But judging by the tone of voice in which Shinya spoke, they both knew that may not be true. As dimwitted and airheaded as Shinya liked to act sometimes, Yuu knew he wasn't an idiot. From the moment he walked in, Shinya knew exactly what Yuu was planning to do, and he was trying hard not to show his upsetness.

"I hope you find whatever you're looking for when you run away," Shinya said lowly into his ear, squeezing Yuu tightly, protectively. "But promise me you'll come back to visit once you do."

Yuu pulled away, laughing through his tears. "Of course I will. I still haven't beat you in fencing yet."

"And you never will!" Shinya exclaimed, a teasing tone evident in his voice.

"You'll never see it coming!" Yuu joked, letting go of the hug. "Thank you again, Shinya. For everything you've done for me all these years."

"I wouldn't do it for just anyone," Shinya said truthfully. "You really are an excellent young man. Well, I must be off. Stay safe! Don't do drugs!" Yuu laughed at his comment, watching him head out the doorway.

"Wait! Shinya!" He called, to which Shinya froze and whirled around.

"Yes?"

"Do you still love my dad?"

The same familiar faraway look crossed over Shinya's featured, and he nodded without hesitation. "He's probably long since forgotten about our affair all those years ago," He responded honestly, leaning against the doorframe. "But I'll never stop loving him."

"Isn't it painful?" Yuu asked. "To see him act like someone he's not, to put on a mask each day he wakes up?"

"It hurts a little less each time I see it," Shinya told him. "After twenty years of being in the shadows, you eventually get used to it. But at least I get to be with him sometimes, and that's good enough for me. I know I probably deserve more, but love makes you make crazy decisions."

After a moment of thought, he spoke again. "Which is why I won't tell anyone you're running away tonight," He winked. "Sometimes we all have to be a little bit insane to get what we want." A soft smile played on his lips, and it would be the last time Yuu ever saw Shinya smile like that.

And before Yuu could say anything or even deny Shinya's statement, Shinya wished him well with a "Goodbye, Yuu," and turned on his heel, disappearing around the corner.

Flabbergasted, Yuu stood there to fully process what Shinya had said. The wise words resonated with him, and he had a feeling they'd stick with him for as long as he lived. He closed his door and leaned against it, sighing and wiping the happy tears from his eyes.

He finally called me Yuu, he thought to himself, laughing. It's about damn time.

- - - -

8 o'clock was the planned time for Mika to arrive for them to run away. He was to wait for Mika's signal on the balcony, escape via the trap door in his escape room, and make a run for it, never looking back.

At least, that was the plan.

Yuu crossed the room to where his suitcase waited for him, still opened and shoved to the top with things he'd packed. He secured the latches on the suitcase, lugging it towards the balcony doors. After setting it down, he pulled his desk chair to a spot where he could see Mika the moment he hopped onto the balcony.

Picking up a book he's already read five times before, he mindlessly flipped through the pages, trying to distract his nerves by focusing on the book. He read the familiar words, immersing himself in the papery dystopian world. He kept checking the clock. 8:02. 9:46. 10:23. 10:35. As time slowly crept on, Yuu grew more and more restless.

By eleven in at night, dread had sunk in, and Yuu was positive something wasn't right. Was it because he asked Mika to leave earlier? Was this his way of saying he's given up on the plan? Yuu had so many unanswered questions, and decided to take matters into his own hands.

After putting on his coat, scarf, and shoes, Yuu yanked on the side of the bookcase to reveal the secret door to his escape room. Shutting the door behind him softly as to not alert Shiori-san, he tugged the suitcase up the stairs and then down through the trapdoor. When he was outside, he cut through the path in the forest to loop around the royal grounds before taking the long away around the nobles' neighborhood. It was a shortcut Mika had told him about, one Yuu never even knew of.

By the time he reached Mika's house, it had began to snow again, freezing Yuu's hands to the point that it hurt to move his fingers around. Still, he willed himself to knock rapidly on Mika's front door after thundering up the front steps.

When the door opened, Yuu expected to see the smiling blonde answer the door, but instead it was that teenage girl Yuu had met the last time he was there. Akane, Yuu recalled.

"Oh, it's you!" Akane didn't look happy, but relief had washed over her face. She held open the door to welcome him into the home. "Please, come in. Are you going on a trip?"

"Thanks," Yuu nodded respectfully to show his appreciation, taking a step through the threshold, feeling instantly warmer in the house. "And yes, something like that. Where's Mika?" He looked around. "We were supposed to meet tonight, but he never showed up."

"Well, about that," Akane immediately paled. "You may want to sit down."

"Why?" Yuu started to panic. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"You could say that," Akane twiddled with her messy side braid, avoiding Yuu's angrily terrified gaze. "You see, Mika, he's..."

"He's what?" Yuu cut her off impatiently.

"He's been arrested by the royal guard."

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A/N: This story is going to be coming to a close soon (maybe 3-4 more chapters?), but I am considering having a Mika's POV chapter to describe his backstory before I get to the climax of the plot. It would be two chapters after this one (so chapter 26). Please comment/vote to let me know if you're interested!!