Saiunkoku (Love Potion)

chapter 4

Laughter filled the air as, Niji Hikari sneaked out from behind Kuro and Kouyuu Li. "Umm? Kuro? Kouyuu?" Niji Hikari said lifting a brow. "Huh?" Kuro and Kouyuu Li popped their heads up and turned to see Niji Hikari standing there with concern. "Are you two ok?"

"Huh? Oh." Kuro said with surprise. Where fine. Thanks for asking." Niji Hikari looks towards her resting her hand on her chin. "Umm? Kuro? I just don't get it. Days ago, you didn't seem to care for each other and now all of a sudden, your both in love?" "So what if we are." Kuro crosses her arms narrowing her eyes. Niji Hikari knew she was up to something but what? She may have been quite but she wasn't sneaky. What is wrong with her?

"Umm? Ok." See you later." Niji Hikari waves with worry. "Man. What is up with those two?"

***

The piles of dresses and gowns were hanging on the rafts as, Zara sighs finishing up with another gown and hung it on the raft. Zara flicks her hand on her head with relief. She sat down on the chair feeling as if, she was out in the sun for to long.

Just then, she hears a knock on the door. She sighs feeling annoyed and tired. She heads over to the door and opens it. She looks to see the womanizing young man standing there. "Shuuei?" Zara narrows her eyes feeling more annoyed. "These are for you." Shuuei Ran takes out beautiful red roses and hands them over to her. Zara looks at him feeling even more annoyed. "So how about a date?" Shuuei Ran smiles handsomely at her lifting his brows up and down. "NO!" Zara immediately slams the door on him. 

***

The sun shined brightly as, the clouds slowly began to come in. 

"Man. Now what do I do?" Niji Hikari walked to the backyard with so much on her mind. The stupid king. Fanshi Paru winning again. A dark sorceress, and the fact that every woman is getting their dream man already. What's going on?

***

As soon as Niji Hikari headed back to the castle, she noticed that a lot of women have been getting dates so easily. She remembered seeing how this guy first met this woman and already started asking her out. The woman of course said yes but why? They just met and now their dating? While another one, was immediately wed after a few days later. Some people were happy for her while, some of them weren't. 

Niji Hikari continued to walk until all of a sudden, she sees someone waving at her. "OH!" Niji Hikari notices the purple cloths the person was wearing and when she finally reached towards the person, her smile turns upside down. She looks to see Murasaki standing there holding up her fan slowly peeking out to see her. "Why hello again. Why the long face?" Niji Hikari frowns with a sigh closing her eyes for a second. "Let me guess? Boy trouble." "Yes." Niji Hikari sighs again looking down at the ground. 

Murasaki looks at the young beautiful lady feeling sorry for her. "Well, if you need to say more to him, here's your chance." She looks over Niji Hikari smirking with delight. "NIIIIJI?!" Niji Hikari turns to see that same stupid young handsome emperor coming towards her. 

It was King Ryuuki Shi smiling at her wearing his purple cloths looking as if, he was on his way to an important meeting.

Murasaki smirks at Niji Hikari and rests her hand on her shoulder. "Remember? If he can't see the good in your heart, then he's not worth your time." Niji Hikari looks up but before she could say anything, Murasaki was gone.

"NIJI?!" Niji Hikari turns to see King Ryuuki Shi standing before her. He was holding a cherry blossom tree branch in his hands. The beautiful pink cherry blossom sparkled in the light like the stars in the sky. "Awwwwww, he's going to ask me out." Niji Hikari smiled as, her cheek began to turn pink.

"Do you think Fanshi Paru will like these on our date night?" Ryuuki Shi looked down at the cherry blossom tree branch in his hands with wonder.  "Sure." Niji Hikari says rolling her eyes with disappointment. "OH THANK YOU SO MUCH NIJI! I CAN'T WAIT TO ASK HER OUT!" Ryuuki Shi says with excitement. Niji Hikari sighs looking down at the ground beginning to feel that dark loneliness as, tears began to fall. She rubs them off her face. "I thought you were going to ask me out?" She thought seeing him happy.

"Ryuuki?" Niji Hikari finally speaks up. "There's something else I'd like to ask you?" Ryuuki Shi turns back to her. "Of course and me as well. How would you like to be a lady in waiting or my servant?" Niji Hikari looks at him feeling like she was frozen to the ground. She felt like, she couldn't even say the words or she was stuck in a pit filled with lava.

"I can't be your lady in waiting." Niji Hikari responds feeling bad. "Ok then how about my servant?" Ryuuki Shi responds with joy closing his eyes for a second twisting the cherry blossom tree branch in his hands. Niji Hikari began to make fists closing her eyes for a few seconds. Her face turned red like she was a volcano ready to explode. "Ryuuki? You don't really love her and she doesn't really love you." "What?" Ryuuki Shi looks at her narrowing his eyes. "THAT'S REDICKULACE! WHY WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!"

"Ryuuki?" Niji Hikari steps forward trying not to let the scariness get the best of her. "I'm sorry but it's..." She was cut off by Ryuuki Shi. "DON"T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!" Niji looks away for a few seconds and turns back to him with the sadness in her eyes. "BUT THE MOST IMMPORTANT THING IS....!" She was cut off by Ryuuki Shi. "THE MOST IMMPORTANT THING IS THAT I LOVE HER!" "WELL IT'S NOT TRUE LOVE!" Niji Hikari talks back to him making fists and narrowing her eyes at him. "YES IT IS!" Ryuuki Shi responds back to her. "NO IT'S NOT! IT'S FAKE LOVE! DON'T YOU SEE?!" Niji Hikari moves her hands around with anger. "I'M THE ONE WHO TRULY CARES ABOUT YOU!" Niji Hikari looks down at the ground and looks up at him with her eyes watering. "I'M THE ONE WHO WANTED TO GET TO KNOW YOU! "I'M THE ONE WHO DIDN'T CARE TO MEET ANY ROYALS! I'M THE ONE WHO NEVER ASKED YOU FOR ANY STUFF! DON'T YOU SEE?! ALL I EVER WANTED WAS TO BE YOURS AND WEATHERED IF, YOU WERE THE KING OR NOT, I'D STILL CHOOSE YOU FIRST!"

Ryuuki Shi glares at her with anger with his face turning red. "Well, to bad because I HATE YOU!" Ryuuki Shi turns away crossing his arms with his eyes closed. "Fanshi Paru is the one I love and the one I'll choose to marry. Weather you like it or not. If you want to still be my servant, my doors always open but I don't love you. I'LL NEVER LOVE YOU!"  Niji Hikari froze beginning to feel like she couldn't move at all. Then, she narrowed her eyes looking up as, he slowly began to exit. "YOU WILL NEVER BE SENKA SHI!" Ryuuki Shi stopped walking and froze opening his eyes. He just stood there with his eyes widen and dropped the cherry blossom tree branch onto ground.

Niji Hikari quickly turned away and stormed out of the backyard rushing to get away from him. Murasaki, Zara, and Warai entered. "HEY?! HIKARI?! How did it go?" Warai said with joy. Niji Hikari stormed right passed them. "Umm? Warai? I think Niji needs some alone time." Zara said crossing her arms looking at the king with anger.

Ryuuki Shi turned to see his daughter Chouka Shi standing there looking at him plucking her lip. Her eyes watered. "Father? How could you?" Chouka Shi stormed off. "CHOUKA?! WAIT?!" Ryuuki Shi reaches out his hand to her. Then, he turns to see Murasaki, Zara, and Warai standing there narrowing their eyes and crossing their arms at him.

Little did they know, a mysterious person was watching them in the shadows.

 She reached the forest not to far from a dark looking area laying her face and body down on a rock sobbing. She continued to sob until, she suddenly heard a familiar voice. 

That was very brave of you.

Niji Hikari looked up to see a shadowy person smiling at her with pride. "Come with me?" The gothic looking person reached out to her. "I have something to show you."