Suzaku Kururugi stood ridgid, as he was taught by his superiors. Eyes forward. Hands tightly at his sides. Legs straight and aligned.
He felt sore from standing still for so long, but wouldn't dare voice such a complaint.

He stood in front of a curtained window, which let bright, warm sunlinght through the panes. He could feel the warmth of the sun's rays against his back, and it only made him wish more and more that he wasn't standing so painfully still.

He stood in the sub viceroy's office, an unnecesarily large and spacious room. The walls were white. The ground was covered in berber carpet. And the only occupants of the room were the desk, two potted plants, two chairs, himself, and the sub-viceroy.

Before him, said sub-viceroy of Area 11, a pink-haired princess in a simple dress and shawl, scribbled away at the inhumane stack of paperwork on her desk. He couldn't see her face, but by the constant sighs he heard, he could tell she wanted to be anywhere but here, just as he did.

Just as he thought this, he heard another long, drawn-out sigh escape her lips. Her desk chair groaned as she leaned back.
"Honestly, how old do they think I am, 15 or 50?"

She swiveled around to smile at her companion, giving him a tired chuckle as she rubbed her hands.
"How can Japan have so many problems in just one day?" she asked, massageing her palm, "These people want to get married, this person is having a land dispute, those people think this law is unfair..."

Suzaku glanced at her, returned her smile, and returned his gaze to it's previous straight-forward state. "Perhaps you're only getting the brunt end, milady. I'm sure Viceroy Cornelia has much work as well."

The princess frowned. "You're supposed to be sympathetic to me~!"

"My apologies, milady."

"Hmph. You're too stuffy, Sir Kururugi."

Euphemia spun back to her desk, letting out another forlorn sigh. She let her tired fingers flip through the papers she still had left to read and sign.

As sub-viceroy, she was tasked with the final decision on major court cases. Sort-of like a final judge and jury. The job wasn't exciting; today seemed like every day to her.
Land disputes. Hate crimes. Enfringement of the law.
Nothing but a stack of bad news and hurtful feelings.

She set down her pen and papers and opened her laptop. It didn't take long to get to the latest news. Today, they were showing an on-the-scene report of a public protest being done by local high school students. Alot of them wore headbands decorated like the Japanese flag, and waved signs in the air with words like "Here to stay" and "Japanese, Not Elevens" painted in bright colors. The reporter, a stately-looking young Britanian woman, was saying something about the recent rush of protestors.

"- and it's estimated that this percentage will only increase in the coming weeks. Furthermore, the number of hospitalizations due to mob violence has hit an unprecidented rate due to Britanian-"

Euphemia clicked on another news site. A man in a tacky suit and slicked-back hair stood before a bar graph, with a line of guests sitting at a long table beside him. He yelled energetically into his microphone.

"Today, more than 35% of all children born to Elevens are of mixed nationality, meaning that there is an increased number of relationships between Elevens and Britanians! How sick is that? Bunch of mixed-breed mutts-"

She change the channel again, a frown creasing her brow.
A middle-aged male reporter stood in front of a crime scene covered in yellow tape.

"-bringing you live footage of the scene of the crime. A Britannian was brutally murdered today in west Shinjuku, right in front of his apartment complex. Police are investigating a mass number of Elevens, who live not only in the same complex but around the general area. The man was last seen argueing with the local grocer, an Eleven-"

Euphemia closed out of the internet and shut her laptop.

"Just like every day. Nothing but bad news on."

She closed her eyes and let her thoughts run. Not everything was so black and white in this world, right? Surely, there were people that could coexist peacefully, even if they were of different ethnicities!

Just take herself and Sir Kururugi for example. He was a loyal knight to her, and she trusted him with her life. Of course, their own relationship was not so black-and-white either. Outside their workplace, the two of them had enjoyed eachother's company many times; that was what people nowadays called a 'date', right?
The simple thought of the words 'Suzaku' and 'date' in the same context made her face heat up.
It was true; she was very fond of her personal knight. Before he'd ever been that, he was a soldier, an Honorary Britanian, but also her friend. She saw something in him, something different. Maybe it was his straightforward honesty, or his sincere smile, or that akward yet cute way he showed affection. She loved his stubbornness and his kindness, and she loved his strength. She loved his eyes, because they always betrayed his attempts to mask his emotions. She even loved his occasional clumsiness, and how he had trouble with cats even though he tried his best to care for them.
He made her forget the bad things, the hate and the sorrow all around them.
He made her head dizzy and her heart pound.
She always made spur-of-the-moment decisions, because she couldn't think straight long enough around him to plan anything out!

And suddenly, her famous sudden decisiveness kicked into action.

She stood from her chair and stretched her arms over her head.

"Hey, Suzaku? I'm bored now, so I'm going out."

Her white knight bowed his head. "Of course milady. Would you like for me to accompany you?"

She giggled. "Do you even have to ask?"

"Of course. I must ask for a command, milady."

She sighed. "Oh, fine. Sir Kururugi, I command you to accomapny me out."

Sir Kururugi bowed down on his knee, a hand over his heart. "As you wish, my lady."

Euphemia slipped her long hair under a plain cap and looked around. This was the dangerous part of the plan; if anyone caught her now, she'd never hear the end of it. And worse, she wouldn't get to spend time with Suzaku.!
Oh, the trials of youth.

Sure that the coast was clear, she snuck out the back door of the main seating room, silently begging the door not to creak or groan. She let out a sigh of relief when it shut again, and ran off into the warm summer afternoon.

She arrived in the designated meeting place, a small park afew miles away from Ashford Academy. There were street vendors up and down the sidewalk selling numerous snack items, and people both Britannian and Japanese hanging around like it was such a normal thing.
Euphemia loved this place. It was how she thought all of Japan should be.

Not far from the park's center fountain, leaning against a tree, was a boy dressed in a plain button-up shirt and jeans, with a pair of round glasses atop his nose. Euphemia giggled at his 'oh-so-clever' disguise.

"You look like you're here for a study session, not a date~!" she lilted, approaching the boy with a skip in her step.

Suzaku showed her a rare smile. "Well, I didn't have much on me at such short notice. Sorry, Prince-"

"Shhhh! Not so loud! Don't call me that!"

"R-Right. Sorry... Euphie."

Euphemia looked around. Not very much was happening at this time of day; an elderly couple was sitting on a bench feeding pidgeons, an Ashford student was purchaseing a hotdog from a Japanese vendor, some ducks were swimming across a pond...

However, right in front of them, at the park fountain centerpiece, a young couple strutted hand in hand, one of them holding two amplifiers, the other holding what looked like a large radio. Euphie watched as they quickly set the equipment in front of the fountain, twisted some knobs, and turned to face each other.

Music came pouring out of the speakers, making the water in the fountain quiver. The couple who had set up the equpiment started to sway about in time to the music.

Why don't we just turn that TV off?
315 channels of nothing but bad news on
Well it might be me, but the way I see it,
This whole wide world has gone
Craa~aaaa~zy~!
So baby, why don't we just dance?

Euphemia squealed, clapping her hands together. "Oh, Suzaku~! I love this song~! Let's dance~!"

Affirmentioned brunette boy blinked, suprised. "What? Dance? Oh, but I'm not very good at tha-"

"Oh, don't be such a stuffed shirt~! C'mon~!"

She tugged on his sleeve, but he didn't budge. He looked around nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I-I really don't think I should... I mean, someone might recognize me..."

Euphemia pouted. "Sir Kururugi, I command you to dance with me."

"...As you wish, my lady."

She quickly grabbed on to his hand and tugged him in the direction of the fountain centerpiece. And, though he still had reservations against it, Suzaku followed suit.

The princess planted her feet firmly on the cobblestone and held out her hands. "Alright now, Suzaku, put your right hand on my hip."

Suzaku jumped back, stunned.
"Wh-wha!? I beg your pardon, princess, but I shouldn't-"

"Oh, now, don't be silly Suzaku. The proper way to dance with a lady is to have one hand on her waist and the other interlocked with her own hand. Surely, you know that?"

"Erm... why, of course, my lady."

He bowed slighty, trying to hide his nervousness. "May I have this dance?"

With a giggle, Euphemia held out her hand. "Of course you may~."

This little bitty living room ain't gonna look like much
But when the lights go down and we move the couch
It's gonna be more than enough
For my two left feet
And our two hearts beatin'
Nobody's gonna see us go cra~zy

Suzaku took the princess' hand in his and, with some aprehensive feelings, placed his other hand atop her waist, giving it a gentle squeeze. Euphemia giggled, almost melting at his touch.
More and more people were joining in on the dance, and couples more akward that they tried their hand at their own styles of dancing. One particular couple was simply holding hands and swinging about, the boy giving his partner a twist every now and then.

The princess and her knight stepped to the side, then back, and to the side again, watching their feet and eachother all the while.

So baby why don't we just dance
Down the hall
Maybe straight up the stairs?
Bouncing off the wall
Floating on air
Baby ~
Why don't we just dance?

Soon, Euphemia found herself stepping easily of her own accord. She simply kept her eyes on her lead, who was still looking down at his clumsy feet.
She felt bubbley and light, as if she was floating on air, though in reality she was just moving around her partner's feet. She felt as though she could drift away into the music...

Baby why don't you go put your best dress on?
And those high-heeled shoes you love to lose
As soon as the tunes come on?
On second thought,
Just the way you are
Is already driving me cra~aaa~zy~!
So baby why dont we just dance?

"Euphie? Are you okay?"

Suzaku swayed to the side, letting the princess fall into his arm. She sighed happily, a dreamey look on her features.

"Oh, yes. I'm perfect~."

He smiled sweetly, pulling her back up and holding her closer. "That is most excellent, my lady."

It was as if he was washing away all of her worries.
He always seemed to have this effect on her. A simple smile, a touch of his hand, and anything that weighed her down seemed to suddenly dissapear. That heavy burden on her shoulders of the sub-viceroy seemed so much lighter now. Wasn't she upset about something not a long while ago? She couldn't for the life of her remember.

The world seemed so much brighter with Suzaku there to dance in step with her.