The Tale Continues (Saiunkoku Monogatari Fanfiction: Ryuuki x Shuurei lemon)

Chapter 91: You are Part of it too

Shuurei finished all her tasks early. She had promised to have tea with Riou and Ryuuki today. She had prepared sweet bean buns for them to eat. She's excited to see Riou and call her mother again.

Ryuuki, Riou, and Shuurei are just about to have tea when they saw a depressed Seiran pass by. ''Elder brother? Seiran?'' both Ryuuki and Shuurei said in unison. Seiran saw them and just wave his hands. Ryuuki and Shuurei looked at each other. They immediately knew there is something wrong. ''Brother please join us for tea,'' Ryuuki invited and Shuurei quickly prepared another cup for him.

Seeing that it seems like a family gathering, Seiran felt like it is an intrusion if he joined them. ''Uh no, thanks. I'd rather not intrude.''

But Ryuuki quickly went to him and pulled him inside. ''Do not say that brother. You are also a part of our family.'' Riou poured tea to the cup Shuurei had prepared. ''Call him 'Uncle' since he is my brother,'' Ryuuki instructed. He had said that to Riou years ago too but since they rarely meet, Riou is not used to it. Riou knew Seiran's real identity too.

''Please have some tea . . . U-uncle,'' Riou said with uncertainty.

Seiran's eyes became gentle. He smiled and ruffled Riou's hair. ''Don't say it like you are unsure whether to call me that or not. I'd be glad to be called as uncle by Ryuuki and Shuurei's son.'' Shuurei smiled at that. But she silently wondered what is bothering Seiran again.

''I'm sorry. Uncle,'' Riou repeated bashfully. He knew he could only call him that when no one else is around.

''Why won't you play the qin (or koto - traditional instrument of the Shi clan) my son? You've gotten good at it,'' Ryuuki suggested. Ryuuki had learned playing the qin from Ou Ki. He taught it to Riou too and he became better at playing than he is. Ryuuki also sends Riou to Ou Ki sometimes since he is his grandfather. Ou Ki also taught Prince Riou when he was still alive.

''What? Father I'm still really bad at it,'' Riou complained.

''It's already good,'' Ryuuki insisted. ''Let your mother and your Uncle Seiran hear it too.''

Shuurei looked at Riou with hopeful eyes and Riou picked up his qin in defeat. Seiran cannot help but smile. This three really looked like a family. Riou played and made no mistakes despite saying that he is not good at all. He made a beautiful sound that it helped relax Seiran. That must be why Ryuuki insisted that Prince Riou play it.

''You're really good at it,'' Seiran praised. He knew how to play the qin too since he learned about it as a child but he had never played it again.

''Seiran is right. You're really good Riou,'' Shuurei praised.

''See? I told you. You should trust your father more,'' Ryuuki said and Riou blushed.

''My son is adorable right?!'' Shuurei said proudly and embraced Riou. Ryuuki and Seiran chuckled at that. Shuurei is really into treating Riou as her son.

''Now a family hug!'' Ryuuki said and hugged the two. Seiran stared at them. They are so lively. He is sure that they rarely see each other, which must be why.

''What are you looking at? You're part of the family. Come here too,'' Shuurei and Ryuuki both said and pulled him into the embrace.

'It's really warm,' Seiran thought. 'That's right. I'm part of this family too,' he said in his mind and smiled as he closed his eyes. These people are important to him too. They continued having tea after the group hug.

''What had been bothering you elder brother? Is it Jyuusan-hime?'' Ryuuki asked knowingly. ''Did she reject you?''

Seiran looked down. ''Kind of,'' he said in a weak voice.

''Ehhh?! Really?'' Shuurei exclaimed. She had thought that Jyuusan actually liked Seiran. ''But the two of you looked so sweet together.''

''Shuurei's right. I also thought that Jyuusan likes you,'' Ryuuki added. Riou just ate sweet bean buns. Somehow he felt like he knows nothing about this but he had watched some of Jyuusan and Seiran's duels.

''It's complicated. I don't know if she likes or dislikes me. Maybe both. But she said she does not want to marry me,'' Seiran grumbled.

'Isn't it the same?' Riou thought.

''Then why don't you talk to her,'' Shuurei suggested.

''I wanted to, but I can't since she had been avoiding me for two weeks now,'' Seiran revealed.

''But I saw you talking to her in the training ground,'' Ryuuki said.

''That's different. When we are there, we only talk about the military and training. But when I try to get her to talk alone, she quickly goes off with someone else before I could even talk to her,'' Seiran sighed.

''Maybe you need to be more persistent like this idiot here,'' Shuurei suggested with a glance at Ryuuki and Ryuuki pouted.

''Don't tell me you're already giving up Seiran?'' Ryuuki tested.

''Of course not,'' Seiran said with determination and Ryuuki and Shuurei smiled. 'So this is what love does huh?' Riou thought.

''That's good then,'' Ryuuki said. ''My dear son you should practice saying 'Aunt' since you would be calling Jyuusan-hime as aunt soon,'' he cheerfully said to Riou.

''Eh?'' is the only thing Riou managed to say. But he blushed at the words 'my dear son'. It's like music to his ears.

''That's right! Seiran don't give up. I know you still have hope,'' Shuurei encouraged. ''And I know Jyuusan would love to be called 'Aunt' by my son,'' she added excitedly.

Seiran then asked Shuurei a favor if he still would not be able to get Jyuusan to talk to him. And Riou thought, 'isn't that the same as trickery?'

Next Chapter: Friend