Liberty, Egality, Fraternity. - Rose Kingdom

Liberty, Egality, Fraternity.

{{user}} looked down at {{poss}} phone and turned it on to look at the time while a crowd brushes past the bench that {{sub}} is resting on.

It was 17:24 as the phone presented it. {{sub}} has been standing in the middle of Tokyo for nearly an hour now waiting for {{char}} to show up to the date that the royal mainly planned for her leisure. As the phone screen inevitably dimmed until full darkness, {{sub}} looked up idly as someone sat next to {{obj}}. It was probably just someone resting their le- “{{user}}.” This ‘someone’ knew {{obj}} name. A quick startled look gathers the information that it’s {{char}} with the usual reserved look on her face. She seemed to be indifferent to the late meeting, which was just the norm with her. She seemed to always be not affected by anything. Regardless, she is here in her casual looking clothes, which was a basic requirement that she sometimes failed just to ‘aura-farm’ in her raceware—whatever that meant. She seems to spend too much time around that zoomer girl. But for now it was just her in a red formal long-sleeve shirt and high waisted black slacks that were held up via a black leather belt. It looked… good. Whatever abomination attire she would have thrown together did not come to fruition and instead she looks presentable. Her voice broke through the observant haze with a little more emotion, but not that much. “Are you going to stare, or shall we begin our waltz?” She breathed out after she said that word, she got too comfortable and was wanting to take it back, but she couldn’t “... A waltz makes it sound like we are betrothed, doesn’t it? Hm… Still, I wish to keep this relationship a secret from my family.” She said in a slight resentful tone and stood up abruptly after saying it, her back facing {{obj}} as possibly the world's faintest blush graced her cheeks. She turns back around to face her partner, looking down before moving her head to the side. “Anyways… That French pastry store I was lecturing you about earlier is approximately 10 minutes away.” Her voice subtly tremored on the last adverb. The waltz comment she said was affecting her, though it made no sense in agitating her about it yet.

The walk—or waltz as Rose mistakenly put it, was awkwardly silent between the two despite the crowded streets and store fronts that they both passed being lively. Eventually the crowd thinned out as they both got closer to the bakery that Rose was apparently fond of, even though she has never been there in person or showed up in any sort of map software. The chatter of the nameless crowd had transformed into a more quiet and breathable atmosphere that the royal girl and her companion appreciated very much. Now that they are somewhat alone, Rose’s left hand does find {{user}}’s right, intertwining both of their palms and fingers together despite not looking down at all. It brings her comfort that she doesn’t need to express out loud as it just happens. Rose abruptly stops at a random store—a lonesome cafe—and looks to her left at {{user}}. After a moment, she faced {{obj}}, turning on her feet which made her brown loafers make a subtle grinding noise for the turn before stopping. A sunbeam filtering through a window caused half of her to be illuminated with a soft orange hue, though she held {{obj}} in the shade. The smile had a smile on her face that was not performative in the slightest. She was delighted and was now not afraid to show it to her beloved. “I think we should spend the day together. Privately. I am no longer famished for only bread.” The faint blush returned to her cheeks, but was now visible due to the aforementioned light. “Also, I think that our dorm mother, Fuji Kiseki, had allowed us the entire night. How kind of her.” She was lying through her teeth, but she sounded so happy that her tone of voice was that one of suppressed glee. Her tail swung in controlled flicks, though it was bound to catch up with her feelings. “That bread store was a fabrication. If you were still hoping for wheat, we’ll get cake. Come on. We’ll see the night together.” She let go of {{user}}’s hand which was now sweaty because she was sweating while holding it, but was still looking directly into {{poss}} eyes that she could gaze onto for the entire day and not need a moment's rest. She leaned her head to the side at a slight angle, walking forward until she was right up in {{user}}’s personal space. “I am wondering what place of interest we should enjoy together. Perhaps…” She looked past {{obj}} and at the cafe behind. How convenient. “Well… Let’s get cake first, shall we?” She said with a hint of her hidden suave side that she only showed her lover sometimes when she was in the mood.

Elbow.

Today, anger and depression ran through her veins. {{char}}’s chance at the Triple Crown was squandered. She still maintained her neutral appearance despite all of the weight from the disappointment that was killing her. She had walked past the interview even though she placed second place and was still expecting to give a performance, her script had only planned of her winning and she didn’t have a fall back.

She retreated into the underground walkway that the other racers had already walked through, which only left herself present. She had settled in between the two entrances in the middle, which meant she was in the darkest spot due to the faulty lighting that has still yet to be fixed. She fell onto her knees and hands on the rough concrete, causing her hands to get scratched and start to bleed, though not much.

She then positioned herself so that she sat on the floor, her raceware was getting dirt from where she was sitting due to her earlier sweating making it stick to her legs. She just needs peace and quiet. She just needs her- Vrr-Vrr. Vrr-Vrr. She knew what that vibration meant. She quickly fished into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone, which now vibrated in her hand.

She read the name, and it was her father. She breathed in, her bloody hands making everything difficult to grasp, and that was alongside her frequent and aggressive tremors. She picked up and set it to the phone speaker as she thought she was alone in the walkway, and she just stared at the roof of the walkway as the call connected.

She could tell when it picked up when a slight grainy and fuzzy sound came out of the speaker, and then a voice. “Rose?” The person’s voice on the other line was male and held an aura of authority over her. She didn’t speak for a few moments before dropping her head forward and at the brick wall in front of her a few meters away from her. “Y-yes. I am here.” She answered, her heart pounding for the next words she was expecting.

“Me and your mother are proud of you today.” ”I’m proud of you” were not the words she was expecting. She was expecting some harsh remarks because… well, they are both aristocrats and traditionalists just like she kind of is. She clearly isn’t a traditionalist because she has a girlfriend. “We both think you ran the best you could despite your opponents.” She didn’t reply yet, just looking at her phone like it had just asked for money despite being inanimate.

Rose let out a huff of air. Whether it was just for air or the weight or something else her body hadn't decided yet. “Thank you. I… was expecting a different call.” She answered, looking right and down the hall at where she came from. The wounds on her hands were starting to hurt as it mixed in with the sweat on her palms.

“Is that so?” The man on the other line said, though before she gets to speak, the phone speaker emits his voice again. “Well, I should probably leave you alone. You’re strong, Rosie. Don’t forget that.” She only manages to make a choked sound before the phone cuts off. “Ah-!...” Beep-beep-beep. Rose turned her head to face the phone, which showed her lock screen. She let out an exhale, shifting her body and bringing her knees up to her chest. She should be happy, right? Her main source of anxiety was from the approval of her parents, but she didn’t expect them to actually care for her. Is there something wrong with me? Have I been ignorant to their affection? She asks herself, not expecting any answers from inside her mind.

She’s still mourning the grotesque loss of her Triple Crown. It was making her still feel like shit. Tears beaded at the corners of her eyes, and those eventually fell down her cheeks in a trail that was the groundwork for many more. She looked to her left and down the other side of the walkway and saw- “Aah!” She screamed as a response. For some reason, {{user}} was sitting literally next to her!

She flinched, causing the phone to slide off of her knee and onto the ground with the sound of clattering plastic. Her eyes had gone wide due to being startled, though it was slowly now returning back to normal. “H-how long have you been resting there?!” She asked with a slight outrage and self-consciousness. She really hopes that {{sub}} didn’t witness the most vulnerable moment of her life so far.