Categories > Anime/Manga > Saiyuki
The hallways of the palace could be surprisingly empty, considering how many youkai lived and worked here. Hwan knew it wasn't as many as when the King was alive and reigning, but it still seemed... off, somehow. Maybe it was just the atmosphere hanging over the place, a little perversion of nature.
Alright, a lot of perversion where Dr Nii was concerned.
He'd gone off with the queen again. It disgusted her, really. He disgusted her, yes, but Gyokumen disgusted her more. How that woman could rut with Dr Nii one hour and complain about humans the next. And Hwan pretended she couldn't hear Nii's voice teasing her, saying she had a crush on Gyokumen.
Hwan turned from the hallway into a smaller room. It was dark and ill-used, but it afforded a lovely view...
... when someone wasn't already sitting in front of it. One of Kougaiji's assistants, the pharmacist. Yaone. She was draped over the upholstered bench, absorbed in a book. Hwan couldn't help observing that she was rather beautiful when she wasn't trying to hide behind Kougaiji.
"If you're going to keep me away from the window, you might as well enjoy the view," Hwan said, a bit more of a smile in her voice than she intended. Yaone jumped up, obviously not expecting anyone to find her in here.
"Did... did you need me for something?" Yaone asked quietly. Embarassed? Yes, definitely embarassed. She sat up, delicately folding her hands over her book.
Hwan shook her head. "I wasn't looking for you, just someplace quiet. I'm surprised to see you without Kougaiji and his... bodyguard, though."
Yaone blinked. "They're, ah, discussing some things."
"Like Gyokumen-sama and Dr Nii are doing?" Hwan asked. She liked the way the young youkai blushed just a bit at the implication. Hwan sat down on the bench facing the window, forcing Yaone to twist to look at her.
"I'm sorry for keeping you, I'll go," Yaone said, starting to stand.
Hwan put a hand on her arm. "Stay. Enjoy the view." She sat back down, swinging her legs up onto the bench so she could turn. Yaone studied the sunset, bloody and gorgeous, and Hwan studied Yaone.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Yaone asked.
Hwan nodded, never moving her eyes. "It is."
Alright, a lot of perversion where Dr Nii was concerned.
He'd gone off with the queen again. It disgusted her, really. He disgusted her, yes, but Gyokumen disgusted her more. How that woman could rut with Dr Nii one hour and complain about humans the next. And Hwan pretended she couldn't hear Nii's voice teasing her, saying she had a crush on Gyokumen.
Hwan turned from the hallway into a smaller room. It was dark and ill-used, but it afforded a lovely view...
... when someone wasn't already sitting in front of it. One of Kougaiji's assistants, the pharmacist. Yaone. She was draped over the upholstered bench, absorbed in a book. Hwan couldn't help observing that she was rather beautiful when she wasn't trying to hide behind Kougaiji.
"If you're going to keep me away from the window, you might as well enjoy the view," Hwan said, a bit more of a smile in her voice than she intended. Yaone jumped up, obviously not expecting anyone to find her in here.
"Did... did you need me for something?" Yaone asked quietly. Embarassed? Yes, definitely embarassed. She sat up, delicately folding her hands over her book.
Hwan shook her head. "I wasn't looking for you, just someplace quiet. I'm surprised to see you without Kougaiji and his... bodyguard, though."
Yaone blinked. "They're, ah, discussing some things."
"Like Gyokumen-sama and Dr Nii are doing?" Hwan asked. She liked the way the young youkai blushed just a bit at the implication. Hwan sat down on the bench facing the window, forcing Yaone to twist to look at her.
"I'm sorry for keeping you, I'll go," Yaone said, starting to stand.
Hwan put a hand on her arm. "Stay. Enjoy the view." She sat back down, swinging her legs up onto the bench so she could turn. Yaone studied the sunset, bloody and gorgeous, and Hwan studied Yaone.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Yaone asked.
Hwan nodded, never moving her eyes. "It is."
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