Hello, there! I'm back with a new story! It's a historical universe this time! When I post this story I realized that yesterday was our beloved captain's birthday! So I think this will be a (belated) birthday present, ne?

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rating: K+ for this moment, it will be M for later chapter.

Prologue

Topsy-turvy

Kaigan which located at the subtropical land was once a big kingdom, ruled by the Tezuka's family for centuries. Blessed with the fertile lands, sea on the west side and healthy forest of the southern made Kaigan became the biggest and wealthiest kingdom at that time. For hundreds of years the kingdom was ruled in peace and bliss.

Fuji closed the Kaigan history book. He read the book thousand times already, well maybe not exactly thousands but he read it many times enough to recite the contents to Lord Yukimura's customers.

After the third war against the rebels to take over the kingdom, many branch families tried to kill each other or even the main family to gain the seat to be the king and the king also found himself in a corruption era where his ministers no longer cared about their people anymore. They had only one thing in their minds, their own wealth.

Therefore, King Tezuka the Tenth -who only had princesses as his successor- decided to split the kingdom into four. The second princess was to marry the western lord to strengthen the Navy, Lord Atobe of Hyotei. The third princess was to marry the eastern lord, Lord Tachibana of Fudomine. The youngest daughter of the king was married to the southern lord, Lord Shiraishi of Shitenhouji and the well-known first princess, crown princess was staying in the north to take care of the northen land; the cold and barren land. The crown princess married to one of the minister's son and they kept the Tezuka's name as the lord of Seigaku.

The king's decision wasn't a popular choice and many people rebelled throughout the year. They protested that the king was too shallow, there wasn't any proof that the splitting would bring a better days; so the decision must be wrong. Wars happened, robberies and homicides were not a new thing for people at that time. The king himself did this best to make his people to understand and as time went by, the rebels stopped. The king -ex-king- moved fast to keep the situation better and better. People started to get used to the situation and they found it better to live as their Lord Tezuka wished.

With the smaller area, the lords worked better and finally years after the splitting people came to see the full picture. Years later, Lord Tezuka Kunikazu linked all of the lords and they made a treaty to keep the peace and to support each other. They didn't want another war to face. This time they were optimistic that they had become better than before.

Fuji snorted, they were wrong. Even years after that, Fuji and his family faced a big crisis. They lived in a small and isolated village in the border of North and South. When winter came, they were shivered in cold and when the summer hit, people died in dehydration. Fuji didn't know why they didn't move away that time. Better days? It's only for the rich and nobles.

When he was six, his village was attacked by small rebel group. He lost his family.

At nine, he was sold to Yukimura, Lord of Rikkaidai's family who run many public entertainment places as a slave and although that time slavery was already prohibited but nobody cared about a small boy without any good background and nobody wanted or cared to waste their energy to fight for him.

To be freed from Lord Yukimura's family, he had to pay the same amount of money which Lord Yukimura Sr. had paid to Fuji's seller. That and added some interest, Fuji wouldn't be free until he was twenty.

Fuji, even though was a fragile child he had a strong will to live. He lived for years behind the small room provided for him. Eat whenever they remembered to give him and did any jobs they ordered him to do. He lived there in the lowest level, a nobody.

At thirteen, he heard a conversation between the maids and male servants of Yukimura's family. They pitied how he was a boy instead a girl. He was one pretty boy but it wasn't worth much if he was a a little boy. He heard some of the men laughed and they said there were people who loved a pretty boy too. Fuji didn't understand any bit about their talks but he was certain that what they talked about was anything but good.

At fourteen, Lord Yukimura Sr. passed away and his son, Lord Yukimura Seiichi took over the heirloom. Fuji's life wasn't any better but at least it didn't get worse. Lord Yukimura Seiichi made sure his servants got better treatments than when they worked to his father. Fuji moved into a albeit small room but it was lot better than the previous one. This room was less noisy, he rarely saw mouse or cockroach and the most amazing thing was he got his own bed and blanket!

Fuji worked to Lord Yukimura for four years until Lord Yukimura ordered him to be his groom. Fuji liked this job more, he didn't have to draw water from the well early in the morning, there was no more beating or kicking from the older servants whenever he did something wrong or when they pissed at someone else.

After he reached the eighteen years old, he knew well how to survive in the household. Do your job well, even before people ask. Be ready 24/7 and you would be exempt from punishment.

Fuji laid down on his bed and sighed. In this eighteen years old self he found someone special. As long as he live he never thought that he would have the chance and pleasure to like someone.

Fuji placed his hand on his closed eyes. Really, from all of the people around him, he fell for a merchant who worked with Lord Yukimura. He was a cheerful and charismatic man. Everyone loved him. So did Fuji.

Saeki.

Saeki Koujiro.

He was his sun, he helped everytime Fuji involved in problem and cheered him up whenever Fuji felt down. Saeki even once said that he appreciated and respected Fuji as his nearest friend. He would always remember their precious time and also his precious Fuji. That made Fuji blushed and stammered that he too would always remember his precious friend.

Should he give up on him or should he confess?

Fuji was way into his daydreaming when suddenly someone knocked his door. He looked at the dark sky outside and knew that it was already passed midnight. Whoever behind his door definitely didn't bring a good news. He hopped down his bed quickly and tidied himself as best as he could before he opened the door.

The person behind the door was the last person he thought would be there. He looked at the monochromatic haired man in front of him.

"Saeki." He whispered.

"Hello, am I disturbing your sleeping time?" He smiled brightly.

"No..no.. It's not." Fuji said shortly, in fact I'm in the middle of thinking of you but he didn't say it. "Do you need something? Are you hurt? Or your horse?" Fuji said, panicked.

Saeki chuckled at him and shook his head slowly, "No.. Don't worry I am fine. It's not about my horse, too."

Fuji opened his door wider and invited him to enter. "We can chat in my room."

"I.. Uh.. I will go away, Fuji." He said suddenly.

Fuji gasped, "Away? When? To Where?"

Saeki scratched his temple and answered, "Right now, actually. I don't know where but.. I will miss you."

"Are you going to come back?"

"Perhaps." But the 'Perhaps not' part was emitted from his eyes.

"Why so suddenly? Don't you have to work here?" Fuji leaned over his door to keep him from falling, his strength left him right after he heard the news.

"Yeah, but I can't find happiness. I feel..I feel caged."

Oh, you don't know the real meaning of caged yet, Fuji thought quietly.

"So? What are you doing here?"

"I don't want to leave before seeing you." He added but Fuji didn't reply as he usually did.

"Come on, I will show you something." Saeki offered his hand to Fuji.

"I can walk by myself." Fuji refused to give him a chance to see him defeated.

They walked slowly to the destination. Saeki tried to talk and chat as they usually did but Fuji replied half-heartedly. Saeki, as an understanding man as usual didn't press any longer.

"We arrive."

Fuji looked at the familiar door in confusion, "Huh? Why are we standing in front of Lord Yukimura's office?"

"I want to show you something. It's a special present for my lovely friend before parting away." Saeki opened the door with a light push. Fuji grabbed at Saeki's arm and stopped him.

"We mustn't enter the lord's room as we like. It's prohibited. People may talk." Fuji reprimanded.

"Oh, come on. I have been here for times and nobody talk. It's okay, there's nothing inside. It won't be long, promise."

"Believe in me, will ya?" Fuji contemplated for a moment and let the arm go.

Fuji nodded at the man and entered the room after Saeki. "Come on. Come here." Saeki urged.

They walked to the closed windows behind the lord's comfortable chair and Saeki opened the window.

"It's beautiful." Fuji said after he saw the brightest moon he ever seen. The stars were scattered around the bright moon and Lord Yukimura's garden looked like a small miniature under the moonlight. The night breeze felt so fresh and it brought the nice smell from the garden.

"See?" Saeki asked.

Fuji nodded happily.

Saeki laughed at how easy to amused Fuji. They talked for another minutes, about Saeki's experiences when he came to the office late at night. He even saw something forbidden at this office, Fuji begged him to tell but Saeki brushed the topic away. He said that it was too early for Fuji to know.

"After this..there must be many tougher days for you but remember that I will always miss you."

Fuji looked at the garden, "I will miss you, too."

"I know. You are my best friend." Saeki messed Fuji's chin length hair.

"I like you." Fuji blurted.

"I like you too." Saeki replied.

Fuji was stunned by his answer. He turned around and looked at Saeki's eyes but he found out that his like was different from Saeki's. If in Fuji's were hope and love, Fuji found understanding and sadness in Saeki's

This is my last chance, "I like you, more than just a friend."

Saeki pulled his hand away from Fuji's head.

"Fuji... I.."

"Take me with you." Fuji pleaded.

"I can't. I don't even know where to go."

Fuji shook his head quickly, "It doesn't matter. I have no one here..please.."

Saeki looked at him and sighed, Fuji almost smiled happily when he thought that Saeki would accept his request.

"I'm sorry but I don't think bringing you will be a correct decision. I.. I'm sorry, Fuji."

A tear fell from his eyes and slide on his cheeck, "Please.. I can help. We can go together and I will help as much as possible. I won't hinder anything you do, so please.."

Saeki brushed the tear away, "Fuji.."

"If you can't because of what I said just now, forget it. I won't say anything about it anymore and I will forget it too so please—"

Saeki placed his hands on Fuji's shoulders and shook him softly, "Fuji!"

"The place where I will go might be dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt. Understand?"

Fuji avoided Saeki's eyes.

"You are safer and happier here."

You don't know.

"I will try to keep in touch with you."

Liar.

"About what you said just now—"

Fuji placed his hand on Saeki's lips. "Don't."

The taller man pulled Fuji's hand away and kissed his knuckles. "I'm flattered, my love."

"But we can't be more than just friends, can we?" Fuji pulled his hand away quickly and hid it behind his back.

"I'm sorry."

Fuji sighed at the man, "Why? Because I'm a man?"

Saeki scratched his head this time and didn't find a right answer to the question.

Fuji turned around and looked back to the night view from the window and leaned on the window frame. "It would have been easier if I were a girl, wouldn't it?"

Saeki followed Fuji's action and thought for a moment, "I don't know. I think..we are better off being friends than lovers. We will only bring misery to each other if by chance we were together."

Feeling a drop of tears started to fall, Fuji blinked them away while snorted, "If you say so."

"Fuji.."

Fuji held out his hand to stop Saeki, "I understand. Okay?"

"I just want this to come clear between us. You are the most important person to me."

"Hmm.. I know, you too." Fuji closed his eyes and nodded.

Saeki took something out from his coat, "Here."

Fuji opened his right eye and looked at Saeki's hand. On his palm there was a string of lovely blue-purple flower about fifteen until twenty centimeters long. "What's these?"

"Wisteria flowers. I was told that people from far away called this Fuji, just like your name."

"It's pretty."

"Yeah. It's my gift for you." Saeki stretched out his hand.

Fuji shook his head, "I can't accept it."

"Why?"

"As long as I live I learn that I must not to accept a gift from a stranger, moreover an old man." He joked.

"I might be five years older than you but it doesn't mean that I am an old geezer, you brat." He replied while laughing. "Well, you can't refuse it."

"I can." Fuji insisted.

Fuji didn't budge from his position.

"If you said so, well..I will just throw it away." Saeki tossed the flower in his palm for a moment and readied to throw it through the window.

"Wait! Stop!" Fuji protested quickly. "Why are you trying to throw it?"

"Why? I got it especially for you but you don't want it. I can't bring it with me, too so it's better to throw it away, isn't it?"

Fuji bit his lips and added, "I will take it, you cheater!"

Saeki laughed and placed the flower on Fuji's hand carefully. "I hope this will cheer you up whenever you feel down, Fuji."

The younger man who looked at the flower in sadness shrugged, didn't have any strength to reply.

Saeki saw that and wanted to caress Fuji's head but decided to stop. He didn't want to make his friend saddened more.

"It's time to bed. Let's go. I will accompany you to your room before I go." Saeki said cheerfully.

Fuji suddenly grabbed Saeki's sleeve, "Kiss me." He said.

"Wh..at?" Saeki said in surprise.

"Kiss me, for the last time." for a momento.

"I don't know.. You might regret it one day." I don't want to hurt you.

Fuji grabbed the sleeve tighter, "I won't. I want it and I hope, in the future it's you who regret that you leave me behind."

"Fuji.." They stayed there while Fuji looked at his in desperation and determination while Saeki in distress and guilty.

"Alright. One last time." Saeki whispered.

Fuji took a sharp breath and Saeki stepped closer to him. He cradled Fuji's face carefully with both of his hands and his face came closer little by little to the smaller man.

Fuji automatically closed his eyes and he could feel Saeki's breath fanning his lips. The next thing he felt was a pair of soft and warm lip touch the tip of his eyes and slowly moved to his cheek and finally his lips. It was a new experience for him, he never kissed or been kissed by anyone before this.

The kiss ended as soon as it came.

Saeki drew away from Fuji's side and smiled weakly, "Good night. Have a nice sleep."

With that he walked away from Fuji.

"If.." Fuji said quickly and Saeki stopped.

"If by chance you come back, could we try?" He asked desperately.

Saeki didn't turn around and answered, "I don't think so. You are meant to be with someone much more greater than I am." He cheered and took his exit quickly, leaving Fuji alone in misery.

Fuji crouched down and sobbed silently.

Liar.

###

Fuji spent the next day alone. He didn't want to meet or talk to anyone. He cleaned the stables and then the horse, twice. He worked until he felt too tired to think.

He sat down next to the lord's favorite horse and caressed it's head.

"Is this what people say as heartache?"

Fuji looked at the horse and talked to it since he knew it wouldn't talk back and more importantly, it wouldn't spread the talk to anyone else.

He heard someone opened the stable door and a deep voice called for him.

"I am in the farthest row, Sir." Fuji answered and ran to the man at the door.

"Good afternoon, ." Fuji greeted.

He hummed his answer as he usually did everytime Fuji greeted him. "Do you need something, Sir? Oh, is Lord Yukimura looking for his horse? It will be readied in five minutes, I have washed and cleaned him properly and so did the saddle."

"Leave them alone. Lord Yukimura needs you now."

Fuji didn't like how Sanada said the words. He threw his apron and washed his hands carelessly while checking all the things were alright.

He tidied himself before closing the stable's door and following the taller man into the main building. He seldom entered the main building from the front entrance since he was a servant then he ought to enter from the back door.

always entered from the front door, though. He was neither Lord Yukimura's family nor his servant. Fuji was curious but nobody could answer his questions.

They entered Lord Yukimura's office, the same office where Fuji lost his heart to someone else. Lord Yukimura sat on his chair comfortably.

"Good afternoon, my Lord." Fuji said automatically.

"Fuji. Let's cut this short, shall we? I don't want to waste too much time. Did you or did you not enter this room last night?"

Fuji startled, "I..."

Lord Yukimura waited patiently to his answer, "I.. I.."

"It's better to answer it honestly, Fuji." Mr. Sanada said.

"Yes, my Lord."

"So, you entered my office last night. In what purpose?"

"Pardon?"

"Why did you go into my office without permission last night?" Lord Yukimura asked again and this time in a higher tone.

"How—?"

"How can I know? The maid found something inside my office this morning." He put several petals of Wisteria's flower. "I ordered the footman to search around the house and I found this.." He put the same flower that Saeki gave him last night.

Fuji took a sharp breath and knew his lord got him.

"Now, we have our evidence. So, tell me why were you entering this room?"

"It's..personal reason, my Lord."

Lord Yukimura raised his brows, "Is it that personal that you would let me to cut off your head?"

"What!?" Fuji surprised by the question.

"The reason why you entered late in the night because you stole my money, didn't you?"

Fuji staggered back, "No! I didn't do it! I swear, my Lord! I didn't do it!"

"Then why?" Lord Yukimura sighed when Fuji kept his silence, "I am not unreasonable like my father but if you don't give me the right answer, I can be more dangerous than my old man." He threatened.

Fuji was wringing his faded trousers.

"I.. I came with my friend to talk, my Lord."

"Should you do it here?"

"He said that he wanted to show me something and we talked. We left after that."

"What did he show you?"

Fuji didn't answer.

"What did you talk about?"

This too, wasn't answered by Fuji.

"Okay, fine. If you won't answer just give me your friend's name. I will ask him instead."

Fuji looked at him in pained expression.

"Why? You don't have any name to give? Are you lying to me?"

"No! I would never!"

"So tell me the name, bastard!"

Fuji winced but didn't say anything.

"Tell me why or who did you enter this office? Is it that difficult?! Huh?!" Lord Yukimura took his writing case and threw it to Fuji's direction. It landed on his temple and left a wound there.

"It's nothing important, my Lord but I swear we didn't take anyone's money." He gritted his teeth.

"If you insist." He waved his hand and Sanada nodded.

Fuji was thrown into Yukimura's basement for next ten days. They asked for first two days but Fuji didn't speak at all. They then stopped giving him foods and gave him a bit bread and plain water for the next three days while punishing him for not telling the truth. The rest days they gave nothing to drink let alone something to eat.

Lord Yukimura visited him at the next day. He looked so regal and charismatic than Fuji who sat on the cold floor.

"Where is Saeki Koujiro?" was the first thing Lord Yukimura said after crouching down next to Fuji from outside the jail.

"I don't know." He answered weakly.

"Look, a maid saw you exited your chamber with Saeki Koujiro that night and if it wasn't you then it was Saeki who stole my money."

"It was neither.."

"Then where is Saeki Koujiro? I will ask his testimony, too and it will be easier for both of us."

Fuji shook his heavy head slowly.

"Such a persistent boy. Do you know how much he stole from me?"

Lord Yukimura whispered the nominal and Fuji startled, "It's impossible for him to steal moreover that much, my Lord!"

"Are you telling me that you stole it instead, then?"

"I didn't. We didn't!" He groaned in pain, they used many kinds of whip those days and some of them caused infection.

"I'm tired repeating this conversation, young boy. So today I bring a good news and a bad news for you, which one would you like to hear first?"

Fuji was too weak and too annoyed to answer so he closed his eyes instead.

"Seems like you can't decide, can you? I will do it for you, then." He said confidently, "The good news is, I have a friend who gladly lend me the money to cover the lost."

That's good, then.

"But the bad news is.. However generous he is, I have to pay it back to him, don't I? So, you will help me."

Fuji looked at the lord in dislike, "I have prepared two options for you. First, I can sell you to one of my friends and I need only add a bit to clear it but it would be so sad wouldn't it? Then I thought about the second option, you can stay with me but I have to add the stolen money into your debts, huh?"

Fuji despised this man, he truly did. His breathing was ragged and he shouted to the lord but there wasn't any sound produced. He lost his freedom, his love, even his voice now.

"Don't worry. You have at least twenty years to pay them. Ah, how long will your last debt cleared?"

"In next two years, my Lord." Sanada answered for Fuji when Fuji decided to crouch down to the floor instead of answering.

"That's good. It means that you have another twenty two years here. Congratulations!"

"I want to sell you to the excavations field but I cancelled it. My customers will love to meet you and that is more beneficial than selling you off, don't you think so? We can't waste a pretty face, huh? We rarely get a precious boy with blue eyes."

Fuji protested and cried to the lord but he ignored them. "Next time, don't you ever think to betray me. No more. After this I will give you a new job and this time I wil make sure that you won't even have the time to think about betraying me."

Lord Yukimura stood up and left the young man sobbing and suffering alone in the cold cell.

The door thudded loudly when the lord left. Fuji felt the door was not only close the way out and light from the outside into this cold jail but also his bright future.

The last question before he fell into the darkness was..

Is there a light, out there for me?

I ended up making Yukimura a bad guy this time. Sigh.. Don't hate me. It's quite difficult to write historical au, isn't it? I will write it with all my best. This is the prologue. See you at the next chapter, soon. Have a nice day! :-)