Ningyō no Ohimesama (The Doll Princess)

To Win a Bet

{MIHO'S POV}
After staying in the palace a few days. Aoi hits it off with Shiro and Akegi, who're curious about someone who's younger than them but already an emperor.

They've been hanging around him a lot recently, and I've heard gossip of a bet that's valid up until Aoi returns to Zoral.

Quite frankly, it's getting annoying. They're totally monopolizing him! I mean, I can spend every day with Aoi once we get back to Zoral if I so choose, but he's spending more time with my siblings than with me. We never have a chance to be alone!

Shiro and Akegi are so preoccupied with teasing Aoi, I'm honestly surprised when Akegi comes to my room and wants to spend time with me.

*one hour later*
{AKEGI'S POV}
Miho, why do you always wear blue?" I ask, giggling as I think of the two eavesdroppers in the hallway.

Shiro and I made a bet with Aoi that we can embarrass him again, after seeing him all flustered when we barged in on him brushing Miho's hair.

He's so uptight all of the time! And from what Miho's told us about their past together, he's been this way since he was a kid. It's not always easy having everybody look to you for answers, especially people older than you are.

I mean, what kind of adults let two kids boss them around anyway? The entire situation is mind-boggling, but one thing is clear: Aoi is always on his best behavior. He's too proper!

Everybody needs to loosen up sometimes! That's why Shiro and I decided to mess with Aoi a little, break down his imperial façade to the boy underneath. We don't want our little brother to injure his back, always trying to carry the world on his shoulders.

Right now, Shiro is watching Aoi closely to see if our little sister can win us the bet.

"Huh?" Miho looks down at her simple dress, knee length and aqua blue, with her rapier strapped to her side. "I don't really think about it anymore."

"But why though?" I ask eagerly, partially for the bet and partially out of genuine curiosity. Miho's candid response stuns even me.

"It's my favorite... color." Miho smiles shyly. "Before I knew it, I fell in love with blue."

On the other side of the door, Shiro gasps. I'm guessing we won the bet. Or he stubbed his toe.

Unfortunately, Miho also hears the gasp and flings open the door, rapier at the ready.

She comes face to face with Aoi and shrieks. He definitely heard. Aoi is flushed crimson from his neck to the roots of his hair.

Miho just about dies. She turns her rapier on me. "What's... the meaning of this, Ane-sama?!"

Shiro clears his throat. Up until now, he was in the background, covering his mouth.

"We made a bet with Aoi-dono that we could can embarrass him. If we win, we can call his name without honorifics." He explains the bet to Miho.

"Sorry for leading you on. This was the only method we thought might work." I apologize.

Miho looks miffed, but she's no longer about to stab me with her rapier so that's something.

Aoi recovers his composure. "That's unfair."

"What, using your weakness against you?" I tease, noting when he doesn't deny it.

"Our bet was that you two could embarrass me, which you could not. It was Miho who did that. Therefore, it should be a tie if I can make Miho blush in return." Aoi stubbornly insists.

"You're a sore loser, aren't you?" I sigh.

Shiro and I glance at each other, then accept. After all, Miho's still has trouble sometimes with expressing emotion on her poker face. If anyone can keep a stoic face for us, it's Miho.

Aoi walks casually up to Miho and leans down, and whispers two words I can't hear into her ear.
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For those of you who've forgotten, Aoi means "blue" in Japanese. Miho said:

This could also be heard/understood as "[I] fell in love with Aoi."

I wonder what he said back? Mwahahahaha! Suffer and wait to find out! 😈