The Escape From Empress (Anime Story)

Chapter 7: Soulmate

- Tsukiko Hokke's POV -

"Please, excuse me, Empress, but I would like to talk to my son-in-law." Mother got up from the couch she was sitting on walked toward Yukiharu and me.

Yukiharu got up from the couch we were sitting on. "Greetings, Queen from the House of Kanshi. What makes you come here?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Mother sat down on the couch that Keiji was sitting on. "How do you feel about Tsukiko?"

"Mother, Tsukiko is right there," Keiji said.

"You're right. The crown prince might say something bad about her." Mother smiled happily.

"Actually, I've enjoyed Tsukiko's presence for a day." Yukiharu looked at me softly. "She made me realize something that I never thought about."

The empress gasped. "This is the first time I heard you say that about anyone. I'm surprised."

"I'm surprised too." I awkwardly giggled.

In the Bedroom

Yukiharu and I entered our bedroom. Immediately, after I closed the door, Yukiharu laid on the bed.

"That took so long." He put his hands behind his head.

"Yeah," I sat on the bed. "Did you really mean what you said?"

Yukiharu closed his eyes. "Of course not, it was all an act. We gotta make them believe that we're engaged."

"Why's that?" I asked.

"I have goals I have to achieve." He got up from the bed and left the room.

In the Royal Library

"Excuse me, can you show me where the romance novels are?" I asked the bookkeeper and the bookkeeper took me to the aisle. "Thank you so much." I slowly walked through the aisle to find any interesting novels. As I was walking I accidentally bumped into someone. "I'm so so...rry..." Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat. 

"It's okay, it's my fault." The handsome man, standing right in front of me, smiled brightly. "Wait, could you be Princess Tsukiko?" 

My heart skipped a beat again. "How did you know?" I blushed. 

"You're the talk of the House, the princess engaged to the crown prince." 

"Yes, of course." I tightly stood still, trying to make a smile that was natural but it wasn't. 

"Were you looking for a specific book, Princess? Maybe I could help you find it." The handsome man closed the book that he was reading in the aisle. 

"I'm just trying to find an interesting book." I looked back at the bookshelf. 

"If it helps, I recommend Our First Kiss." He showed me the book that he was reading. "It's been a tragic love story between a traveler and a princess. The traveler came from..." 

"...from another world and fell in love with the princess." We said in unison and then giggled. 

"You've read it before?" He handed me the book. 

I grabbed the book and held it tight. "Yes, I read it when I was little. It was really enjoyable." 

"Little? This is a really complicated book to understand at a young age." He smiled. "You must be really smart."

I blushed harder. "Thank... you..."

1 Hour Later

We continued to sit on a table at the library, talking about our favorite novels.

"I haven't met a person who loves novels as much as I do." He put his head on his hand.

"I also have not. Everyone thinks I'm crazy for liking depressing novels, but what they don't know is that there's romance in it." I formed a huge smile. "Romance is literally my life."

The handsome man giggled. "We should do this again sometime." He stood up from his chair.

I looked out the window and saw the sunset. "It's this late already?" I stood up as well.

"I'll see you around." He exited the library.

I continued to stand in the library, just hearing my heart beat. "I think I found my soulmate."

At the Royal Dining Room

I happily twirled my food on my plate across from Yukiharu.

"Are you done with your food?" He asked.

"No, but you would never guessed what happened to me today!" I put down my fork and sat their happily. "I met this really handsome man that has the same interests as me."

Knock Knock

"Come in," Yukiharu said.

The handsome man entered the dining room. "Your Highness, after dinner, you have many documents to complete."

Yukiharu pouted. "Jiro, I'm eating dinner right now..."

"I'm sorry but you have a lot to do." He bowed down and smiled at me. "Hello, Princess."

I blushed and looked the other way. "Hello..."

"Tsukiko, this is Jiro, my assistant."

My eyes widened. Assistant???