Samurai ↔ Nishimura Riki

sixteen

"Now that's no way to greet your beloved cousin, right? Give me a kiss."

Heeseung leaned towards her teasingly, pointing at his cheek. She swats his hand, glaring at him. "Are you crazy? No way," she spats. "That isn't even sanitary, you should know that as a doctor."

A pout formed on his lips. "Why so mean? I thought you loved meee~" he whines like a needy baby.

She flicked him in the forehead. "In your dreams, Lee."

He massages the spot she hit (no doubt that it was painful) but nonetheless winks. "In my dreams, we're a lot more intimate." he says flirtily before turning to the prince. "You brought a companion?" He flicks a finger at Riki, his professional side returning. "Cloaks off, please. This is a clean environment."

"Heeseung-"

"My staff won't say a word," he assures her, causing her mouth to drop open in surprise. Heeseung smirks. "Relax, I know he's the prince. You can't be more obvious with the cloak. I can sense his aura from a radius of a mile. Next time, try glamour or concealing his aura." He examines Riki from head to toe skeptically. "So you're the prince huh? Nice to meet you." Extending a hand, he tilts his head, "I'm Lee Heeseung, her cousin. Has she attacked you yet?"

The audacity of this man! Hyewon resisted the urge to strangle him. Riki gave her an annoyed sideways glance like, seriously, you came out here to see your cousin?, before replying, "Almost, but not yet," he says carefully before shaking his hand hesitantly.

The doctor glances at her, nodding approvingly. "Really? Dang, Hyewon, that's a new record for you." he comments, cracking a small smile from the prince. He turns back to him. "Usually, she's the one to attack first and ask questions later."

"She is." the prince agreed.

"Boys, will you stop painting me in a barbaric way and talking about me when I'm right in front of you? I'm sure you two can share more unpleasant details about me, but now's not the time," Hyewon interrupted. "Heeseung, I need a check up with you."

"A check up?" He raised an eyebrow. "You came all the way here to get an ordinary check up. Gee, for a moment I thought you came here for me. Is that too much to expect from you?"

"Yes. And," she interjected, narrowing her eyes at Riki suspiciously. "I invoke the right of patient privacy."

He stepped forward. "I'm joining you two whether you like it or not-" he started only to be stopped by Heeseung.

For once, she was grateful for her cousin. He held up one hand apologetically. "Sorry, Your Majesty, but she has a point. It's customary for the patient to decide whether or not they want to share or keep the results private. I'm afraid you'll have to stay outside."

Surprisingly, the prince only huffed but obeyed reluctantly, backing away from the two, perhaps wanting to keep a good impression on the doctor. Hyewon snorted at that thought.

"Well?" Heeseung beckoned her to his office. "Come on in."

-

The door swung shut behind her. The room was a lot cleaner than she expected, which came as a surprise. Must be a doctor thing.

He swept away the papers, leaving a clean, empty area on his desk. "How's Yeonjun?"

She shrugged. "Fine as always. Although I think he's smitten with my handmaiden." she adds wryly, eliciting a small chuckle from her cousin.

It had been a long time since she had last seen him, which was at the academy, before she had left for training as a samurai warrior at the palace. Which was about... four years? Maybe five? The only way they kept contact was through letters (which to some outrageous ones she blatantly refused to reply to) and it was only recently until he decided to open his own clinic.Heeseung was a Chiye, the same as her, although he specialized in healing and earth magic rather than clairvoyance. He was the only family member she could stand on her father's side and the only one willing to treat her as one rather than ignore her like his many family members.