#chuuatsuweek2019

Beauty in the Dusk

A soft wind danced low on the streets and between the buildings of Yokohama, composing an unknown rhythm the leaves on the floor followed, rustling.

"Atsushi?" Chuuya stopped walking and turned around to his friend when he didn’t get an answer if they would meet up tomorrow for lunch. He was walking a little ahead because they were walking alongside a used street while getting home from tutor classes together. “Didn't you-” However, he didn’t finish his question because Atsushi already had stopped walking two meters behind him.

With hearing his name, Atsushi was brought back to reality and he blinked a few times to get fully back to the current moment. “Beautiful”, he murmured in a soft voice, having a soft expression on his face while looking at Chuuya in front of him

“What are you talking about?”, Chuuya asked confused and his forehead formed a frown while the wind blew his longer hair behind his shoulder.

Atsushi hadn’t noticed they had stopped walking and confusion was obviously written all over his face when he looked at Chuuya, standing in front of him with that irritated look on his face. It took him a moment to realize the situation and that he had said it out loud. With wild gestures with his hands and deep red color on his cheeks, he tried to find words for an explanation. “I was- I mean-” Atsushi swallowed his words down and looked away. “Sorry for stopping and spacing out.” He laughed to cover up his insecurity in the situation right now. “I didn’t mean to- We should go ahead, I don’t feel well!”

The frown and Chuuya’s forehead deepened and he stepped a little closer towards Atsushi, leaning into his personal space and touching his forehead with his own by tiptoeing. “What’s up? You don’t seem to have a fever.”

“Ah- I’m just tired”, he quickly answered and tried to walk past Chuuya but got grabbed and stopped by his wrist.

Chuuya raised an eyebrow at Atsushi. “You are a bad liar, Atsushi.” A sigh escaped his mouth and he let go of his wrist. “If you don’t want to tell me it’s okay, tho.”

Atsushi could feel his heartbeat going faster and faster. He really didn’t want to tell him the truth but he couldn’t come up with something else either and seeing Chuuya like that made him feel bad. “It’s the sky.” It wasn’t the full truth but also not a lie.

Confused, Chuuya looked at Atsushi. “So what’s about it?” He turned away from his friend to look up to the sky, Atsushi following with his eyes. “It’s like always, isn’t it?”

“Hmmh”, Atsushi agreed. “Like always.” That his eyes weren’t exactly on the sky alone was something Chuuya didn’t notice but that was good. He didn’t need to know about him comparing Chuuya to the evening sky and its marvelous colors reminding him of the soft color Chuuya’s hair had and how naturally beautiful he looked with the light of the evening sun.

“Actually-” Chuuya started and had a smile on his face. “The sky has the same color as your eyes.”

And your hair, Atsushi thought, cheeks warm and having the same soft smile on his lips.

              Once upon a time, in a faraway land, lived a young prince and his pet tiger. The child had received the tiger cub as a present for his fourth birthday, and since then they had been inseparable. Every day they would walk together around the palace, run through the huge traditional gardens and eat together in the big dining hall; everything the young man did, the little tiger would do. In summer, they would swim in the pond on the palace property, in winter they would roll around in the snow, not caring for status, only enjoying the world around them. Every night, the little tiger would cuddle against the boy’s stomach and they would both fall into a peaceful sleep, lulled by the other’s deep breathing.

              As years went by, the tiger became a magnificent beast, its black and white fur mesmerizing all subjects of the land, while the young boy turned into a handsome young man, his cerulean eyes and tangerine hair the talk of young and old people alike. The elegance of both human and creature was praised by all who saw them; the manners taught to one had been learnt by the other. The two were always seen together still, now traveling across the land to see their dear subjects or visiting other rulers in neighboring countries.

              One day, on one such voyage, the king of a great country joked about, asking for the young man to marry his daughter. The prince laughed, seemingly wholeheartedly, but deep inside he knew the time had come for him to receive more official requests of the kind, a thought that was piercing his heart. He had no interest in marrying anyone, wanting to rule his land with only his tiger by his side. As time went by, marriage proposals became more numerous and the prince’s parents were pressing him to finally come to a decision. Eventually, their insistence became so overwhelming the young man had no choice but to cave in, with one condition: he would decide who to marry during a ball they would host at the palace in a month time. As much as it pained the prince, he knew he had to fulfill his duty, to obey the rules attached to his rank.

              The tiger, seeing the distress in his beloved human, tried to think of a solution to help his friend. The magic of the night sky, though capricious, was renowned the world over for its power and potency. Thus, every night he pleaded the moon, asking for something, anything that would allow him to help the prince. For a month, the tiger would wake up at night, go to the garden and look at the moon, hoping, praying with all his might that the shining satellite would hear him and grant his wish.

              The day of the ball had finally arrived, and the prince was getting ready in his chambers. Servants were helping him with his kimono, laying layers after layers of lush, heavy fabric, tying intricately embroidered fabrics around his waist, arranging his hair with different accessories and ornaments. The graceful tiger always found by his side was nowhere to be seen: he had disappeared in the middle of the night, leaving the poor prince alone with the lump in his throat and the knot in his stomach. The ball started soon enough, a cacophony of music and chatters. The prince was smiling and talking and dancing, entertaining his guests as best he could despite his heavy heart. A few hours went by, and the prince still couldn’t make up his mind on who he would marry, none of his suitors leaving a lasting impression on him. All he wanted to do was run out of the room, find his tiger and cuddle with him, patting its soft fur until he fell asleep.

              As the prince was trying to think of where his beloved animal could have gone, a young man entered the ball room. He was dressed in the most splendid kimono ever seen, its pure white fabric laced with extremely intricate designs, threads of black, gold and silver delicately dancing all over the clothe. His hair looked like it was shining, a magical pearly glow only broken by the darkest strand of hair flowing on one side of his head. His eyes were the colors of sunset, deep violet meeting bright yellow in an enchanting blend. He walked across the room, his steps confident, his head held high, charisma flowing from him and catching everybody’s eyes.

              The prince, realizing the room had gone silent, turned to where the gazes had all shifted to. His eyes fell on the young man walking towards him and his heart skipped a bit. He didn’t know why, but this stranger seemed extremely familiar, as if he had known him his entire life. The man in white approached him and knelt in front of him, delicately holding the prince’s hand to his lips and leaving a soft kiss on top of it. At the contact, the prince’s mind flashed with images of the past and a genuine smile graced his lips, a sight that hadn’t been witnessed for a while now. The two men stayed still for some time, lost in the other’s gaze, unable to move or say a thing. The silver-haired man eventually stepped back, bowing down again before walking away from the prince. The ball continued for the rest of night without any other noticeable event. The prince was still making an effort to dance with all his suitors, gallantly talking with them as they waltz together, but his mind and eyes were elsewhere, always searching for the man in white around the room, and always finding his captivating gaze in the packed crowd.

              The end of the night was drawing near, and it was finally time for the announcement everybody was waiting for. The prince was standing at one end of the room, the king and queen right behind him. All the suitors were lining in front of them with one knee to the floor and their head bowed, a string of colorful men and women impatiently awaiting their fate. All of them had tried their hardest to get the prince’s attention all night, with words or physical actions, and all thought they would become the next addition to the royal family.

              Without a word, the prince stepped forward, examining everyone’s face meticulously. He didn’t like to be the bringer of bad news, but his choice had been made for some time now, and he knew it would disappoint many in this room. He started walking, his feet gliding slowly in front of the lined courters until he was facing the very last bowed man. His silver hair was falling over his face, hiding his expression, but his body looked relaxed, as if unaware of the tensed atmosphere surrounding him. The prince bent down in front of him and put his hands on each side of his face, guiding him into making eye contact. They both smiled and the prince suddenly pulled the other up, his hands travelling down to his hips. The silver-haired man just had time to put his hands on the prince’s shoulders before this one propped him up and started twirling, their kimono dancing around them in flashes of colors, the two men giggling softly.

              The red-head finally put the other man down, realizing such an act was not befitting of his rank. Not that he cared, but his parents and a lot of other people were still in the room, and he didn’t want them to witness this reunion. This reunion, yes, because the prince had immediately recognized his beloved tiger in the eyes of this young man. He didn’t know what magic came into play, but he was grateful for it: the only creature that he had been close with for so many years had returned and in the best way possible, saving him from a fate he thought he couldn’t escape.

              Eventually, the ball came to an end and the guests left the royal palace, some of them frowning in disappointment, others smiling from the sight of true love they had witnessed between the prince and this unknown, handsome stranger. None of them had realized the man in white had never introduced himself, not once mentioning where he was from, which kingdom he was representing: his charisma and manners had spoken for themselves, the only proofs they needed of his royal upbringing, gaining him respect from all who had seen him that night. Even the prince’s parents had fallen under the same spell, elated by the prospect of their son finally marrying, never asking the man who he was or which country he was from. Had they asked, the young man would have answered that his territory extended for miles after miles, encompassing forests and rivers, mountains and seas; he reigned over many, for every animal knew that, in these lands, the only ruler was the mighty tiger, the king of all nature.