FLASHBACK – KAGEYAMA PAVILION GARDEN – YEARS AGO
The cherry tree was in bloom. Pink petals fell silently, covering the grass with a fragile carpet.
Malpoyl played alone.
He threw a ball against the pavilion wall, caught it, threw it again. He was seven years old. No friends. No brothers available. Just him, the ball, and the wind.
A girl approached.
She was small, shy, her hands clasped in front of her. A simple dress, a bit too big. Her hair tied in two messy pigtails.
"You're playing alone?"
Malpoyl looked at her, wary.
"My name is Nazuna. My mother works here."
He straightened up, puffing out his chest.
"I am Malpoyl Kageyama. Heir to the clan."
Nazuna blinked.
"…Is that good?"
Malpoyl deflated. He wanted to impress, like his older brothers. But it wasn't working.
"Actually… I have no friends."
He lowered his head.
"My father doesn't want me mingling with the commoners."
Nazuna thought.
"Then I'll be your friend."
Malpoyl looked at her, surprised.
"What do you know how to play?"
"…Nothing."
"Me neither. Just fighting."
Nazuna smiled.
"I can beat you."
In an instant, he struck her. His fist hit her shoulder. She stepped back, hit the cherry tree, and fell.
Nazuna started crying.
Malpoyl panicked.
"Hey… I… it's not…"
He tried to calm her, but nothing worked.
Her mother burst in. The servant. Her face red with anger.
"Nazuna! You foolish girl! Who allowed you to approach the young master?"
SLAP.
The slap echoed under the cherry tree.
Nazuna held her cheek. Her eyes welled up.
Her mother grabbed her arm.
"You're going to be punished."
She dragged her away.
Malpoyl stood alone under the cherry tree, helpless.
---
MIDDLE SCHOOL – FOLLOWING YEARS
Every day, he crossed paths with Nazuna. In the hallways. In the garden. In the courtyard.
He didn't dare speak to her.
He was ashamed.
He trained with his older brother, Benimaru. Benimaru made short work of him. He threw him to the ground, again, again, again.
Malpoyl got back up. Always.
One evening, after training, he wandered in the garden. He saw Nazuna. She was feeding a prisoner.
He approached.
The man had dark circles under his eyes, dirty clothes. An infiltrator from another clan.
"Why are you feeding him?" asked Malpoyl.
"Because he's hungry," Nazuna answered.
The man looked up.
"I did nothing wrong. I just wanted to see my daughter." His voice was broken. "They locked me up for that."
Malpoyl exchanged a glance with Nazuna.
"Do you want to run away?"
The man nodded.
They opened the door.
---
THE NEXT DAY – THE DRAMA
The council was gathered. Malpoyl's father, impassive, announced the sentence.
"The heir freed an infiltrator from another clan."
He turned to Nazuna.
"And you, you influenced the young master."
Nazuna lowered her head.
"It's not her fault," said Malpoyl. "It's mine. I forced her."
His father didn't flinch.
"Then here is the sentence."
He pointed to Nazuna.
"You will be Malpoyl's personal servant. From this day forward, you will forget your freedom."
He turned to his son.
"And you, you will be re-educated. Personally. By me."
Malpoyl clenched his fists.
From that day on, he was never the same again.
---
BACK TO THE PRESENT – LAUNDRY ROOM
Nazuna washed laundry with other servants.
"He's the worst, that one," one of them said. "Malpoyl. A real tyrant."
Nazuna looked up.
"That's not true. He has a good heart."
The servants burst out laughing.
"Ah, here she is, his little sweetheart."
"Nazuna defending her young master."
"You're ridiculous."
Nazuna blushed.
She didn't answer.
---
MALPOYL'S ROOM – A LITTLE EARLIER
He meditated, sitting cross-legged on a tatami mat.
Knock knock knock.
A young servant entered, trembling.
"G-good morning, sir. I'm bringing you your tea."
Malpoyl opened his eyes.
"Who are you? Where is Nazuna?"
The girl stepped back, frightened.
"She… she's busy, so…"
"I asked you where she is."
He raised his voice.
The girl collapsed. The tea spilled.
"I'm sorry! I'll change that… I'm sorry…"
Before he could answer, Benimaru entered.
Tall. Calm. Smiling. He took the servant's hand.
"Don't worry."
He whispered in her ear. Gently.
"Come to my room tonight."
The girl blushed.
Benimaru turned to Malpoyl.
"Learn to talk to women, little brother."
He looked him up and down and walked out.
The other servants followed, snickering.
Nazuna caught up with the young girl.
"He's not mean. You just need to get to know him."
The other servants interrupted her.
"Don't listen to her. Malpoyl is trash."
"Benimaru, now he's a prince. Did you see his muscles?"
They laughed together.
Nazuna clenched her fists.
It's not true. It's not true. It's not true. You don't know anything about him.
---
MALPOYL'S ROOM – EVENING
"Nazuna."
She entered.
"Prepare my bath."
She obeyed.
She washed him. In silence. He belittled her, as always.
"You're slow."
"You don't even know how to scrub properly."
She didn't answer. She didn't force anything.
She cherished these small moments.
Even if they weren't together. Even if he didn't show it.
For her, they were the best moments of her life.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…