The Missing Crown//Hajime Kokonoi

#12

Koko sauntered down the hall, his mind crowded. The thought that Kisaki could be behind (y/n)'s disappearance made him want to turn around and beat him to death right now. However, he refrained himself.

"Koko."

The snake eyed boy stopped, and only his head turned to Kisaki, who called to him from behind. "I have no intention of continuing this conversation with you, Kisaki."

"I have a question for you," Kisaki tells him, and Koko, while annoyed, turns halfway toward him. "The princess, she was acting strange yesterday, not herself."

Koko remained composed, "Why do you say that? Is it because she wasn't on your ass about something? I can tell you that it's the simple fact that you remained respectful since the queen was there."

"No," Kisaki lowered his eyes, "I'm talking about how nervous she seemed, the fact that she was at a loss for words. Since when is she at a loss for words?"

Koko furrowed his brows, feigning confusion. Even though he has seen her at a loss for words, Kisaki has not. "Her Highness is under immense pressure, enough to run away," the next thing he said had been so forceful it almost made him sick, "You were right. She was not kiddnaped."

While Kisaki liked Koko saying he was right, he knew he was lying through his teeth, Koko would never in a million years say that, even if it were true.

Kiaski fixed his glasses, "even so, under pressure she has been raised and trained to be able to handle it...it's almost like," Kisaki drifted to the window and back to Koko, "She's a different person."

Koko bit down on his tongue. He knew that Kisaki was perceptive and it would be a problem, but he hoped he wouldn't catch on that quickly. But, Koko remained in attitude and laughed, "You have no place to say she's different, unlike me, you don't know her at all."

With that, Koko made his leave, and Kisaki didn't say anything else.

                                  □●□

"I don't wanna do this!" Himari whines while Yuzuha tries to prepare her for her day with King Seishu. She had fixed Himari's strawberry blonde locks up into the wig to look like the princess and was now styling the wig.

"Why not? He's not gonna eat you," Yuzuha joked.

"Yes, he will!" Himari panicked, "did you see the look on his face? He was so scary and serious."

Yuzuha smiled warmly, "he may look scary, but he didn't have any kind of malice in his tone when talking to you. He was nice to you."

"Yes, but -"

"You'll be fine," Yuzuha finished up with Himari's hair and put her hands on her hips, meeting Himari's eyes in the mirror, "plus Koko and I will be keeping an eye on you from a far, you wont be alone."

The doors to the bedroom opened, and Kokonoi walked in, Yuzuha gave him and once over, "Ah, you're finally back. What took you so long?"

"I needed to figure something out," He muttered and stopped in the middle of the room just staring off. Yuzuha knew well that he was in deep thought.

"Well, I'm taking Himari to see King Seishu now," Yuzuha informs him, and he nods. Yuzuha then began to lead Himari to the door. But her orange eyes catch on the small wrapped box that sat on the princesses study table. Green wrapping paper and white bow. The present from the King. "In just a second, Himari, come here."

"Okay," Himari follows without question, and Yuzuha picks up the box, holding it out to her.

"This was a gift from the King to (y/n), I'm sure he'll have expected her to have opened it by now and is going to ask. So, you open it." She put her hands on her hips as Himari took it, big eyes taking in the gift, but I hesitant to open it.