While Beauty Sleeps

by Ripley Proserpina

“It’s also sound proof,” I told him. “So when I turn off the intercom, I won’t hear you.”

  “And so I can’t hear you.” Wataru grinned. “While you talk about me to your sisters.”

  I laughed, the burst of sound leaving my chest. “Guilty.” The sound died as neither one of us continued. Wataru stared into the mirror as if he could see me through it, and I watched him.

  Finally, I cleared my throat. “So, you met Aoi at university.”

  He nodded. “We did. She was in our business class.”

  I tucked my legs under me and leaned an elbow against the cushioned side of the bench where I sat. “All of you are princes on Iriogaki. It’s a very small island, it must be difficult with so many royals.”

  His narrow eyes widened in surprise and he rocked back on his heels. “It is.”

  He couldn’t see me nod, but I did. I may not have gone to school myself, but I’d taken my role as princess of Sara seriously. History, government, industry, they were all subjects I’d forced myself to learn. For example, I knew that until Sara had formed a constitutional monarchy, Iriogaki’s royals had exacted higher taxes from their citizens than any of our other islands. Most likely this was because the island was so small and there were four royal families to sustain, but the economic damage was lasting.

  Their main industry was fishing, but because of overfishing and depleted populations, fishermen were forced to go farther out to sea. As a result, they needed more gas and supplies to sustain themselves on longer trips, which cut into their revenues. They were spending more time away from home, and netting a smaller profit at the end of the trips. Iriogaki’s infrastructure was decades old, and educational testing showed students well below the national average in math and literacy.

  “We have something in common,” I said.

  “We do?” Wataru asked.

  “Yes. We’re all dealing with problems we inherited, trying to fix things that aren’t our fault.”

  Wataru smiled and it transformed his face. The sternness melted away and he chuckled. “I hadn’t thought of Iriogaki’s problems as a curse before, but I suppose it’s not dissimilar.”

  “No,” I replied.

  “Do you mind if I sit?” Wataru pointed toward a chair.

  “No. Go ahead.”

  He turned his back on me and eased himself into the chair, sighing loud enough that a blast of static burst through the speakers. Yanking the tie from his hair, he leaned back. “Thank you. The trip from Iriogaki was longer than I expected.”

  “Have you been to the capital before?” I asked.

  Wataru nodded. “We met your parents years ago. I barely remember it though. The trip at least. I’m sure it was more of an adventure than it was this time.” Something in his voice suggested this visit hadn’t held the same appeal as his first, and I couldn’t help take it personally.

  “You don’t—” It was hard for me to find the right way to say this. “You don’t have to be here if you don’t want to. I know, believe me, I know, how weird this is. Here you and your friends are, being paraded in front of me like horses. But you don’t have anything to worry about. I really don’t expect you to fall in love with me.” As soon as the words left my lips, my face heated and I cupped my throat. My skin was warm and slick from sweat.

  “You don’t think we can break the curse?” Wataru asked, sliding forward in the chair.

  “What do you know about the curse?” I asked. “What has Aoi told you?”

  “A witch cursed you when you were presented to the kingdom,” he said. “My grandmother told me the story.”

  “Was she there?” There hadn’t been many other royal families in attendance, but there were a few.

  “No,” he replied. “But she believed in things she couldn’t see.” Wataru suddenly stood and walked around the room. “Do you ever leave this place? Get outside?”

  I shook my head, but remembered he couldn’t see me. “Not anymore. I used to, when I was little, but that was before telephoto lenses and paparazzi. My room doesn’t even have windows.”

  He placed his hands on his hips as he stared in the mirror. “I can’t imagine what that’s like.”

  I turned away, studying my room. I had my piano and computer, and all the books I could want. I painted, knitted, and made indoor topiaries and gardens so I felt like I was outside. “It’s not so bad.”

  Wataru made a noise in his throat like he didn’t quite believe me, but he didn’t push. The door to the room opened and Fuyumi came inside. “Done?”

  Wataru glanced at the mirror and waited. It took me a second before I realized what he wanted. “Um, I don’t know,” I answered. “I guess so. It was a long trip for you, so…” I took a deep breath and a chance. “Fuyumi, do you think we could arrange for Wataru and his friends to stay here?”

  Some people might think my sister’s grin was evil, but I recognized happiness when I saw it. “I think we can do that.”

  “Please stay,” I said to the man who hadn’t stopped staring at the mirror. “Tell Reiji and Goro I’m sorry, but that I’d like to get to know you all better.”

  Wataru bowed, smiling as he straightened. “Do you want to meet Dai first? You may change your mind.”

  If Dai was anything like Wataru, Reiji, and Goro, then I would like him as much as I did them. “No,” I answered, but upon hearing how that sounded corrected myself. “I mean, yes, I want to meet Dai, but no, I don’t need to meet him first to want you to be our guests.”

  “Come on.” Fuyumi gestured toward the door. “This is a lot of interaction for my sister. We’ll come back later.”

  “It was nice to meet you,” Wataru said as he followed Fuyumi.

  “It was nice to meet you, too,” I replied. After the door closed, I put my hand over my heart. Beneath my skin, I could feel it thudding in my chest. A squeal of excitement rose in my throat, and I didn’t bother to squelch it. Throwing myself onto the bench, I stared up at the ceiling of my room.

  I really liked these guys.

  8

  Dai

  It seemed far later than it was when I entered the room where I would sleep. My bags would be collected from the hotel where my friends and I had a reservation.

  The room was very nice, but it wasn’t as nice as I expected. In fact, nothing about the king and queen’s home was what I’d pictured. It was less a mansion, or a castle, and more a large estate. For a while, before I realized just how unavoidable my responsibilities to Iriogaki were, I’d been interested in architecture, so I knew this house had been built in the early part of the last century. The walls were dark, and on this level of the house, had narrow windows that didn’t let in much of the grey outside light.

  I had to bend at the waist to see out the window because the ceiling was so low. I was on the other side of the house, away from the green lawn and cherry trees and instead faced a heavily-shrubbed courtyard that acted as a buffer between the house and the street.

  “Hey,” a voice sounded behind me and I startled, hitting my head on a heavy beam. “Ooo.” Goro winced as I turned around. “Sorry.”

  I rubbed the back of my head and then smoothed down my hair. “What?”

  “We’ve been invited to dinner with the king, queen, and Kumiko’s sisters,” Goro told me. It was then I realized he’d changed out of his traveling clothes, jeans and a sweater, into nice trousers and a button-down shirt and jacket. As I glanced down at my own clothes, I realized we were clad in a similar style and colors. The flight from Iriogaki to the main island had been bumpy, and I knew I’d sweat through my dress shirt.

  “Your luggage arrived?” I asked.

  “I had this in my backpack,” Goro said, turning his back on me. Facing the mirror over a dresser, he adjusted his tie. Upon closer inspection, he did look a bit rumpled. “But the suitcases should be here any minute.”

  As if he’d sensed the event, a knock rapped on my door and a moment later a young man delivered my suitcase. I thanked him and he left.

>   “Have you ever met the king and queen?” Goro asked me as I flipped open the case and removed perfectly hung shirts and trousers.

  “No,” I answered, but then I nodded. “Actually, yes. Once at an event on Iriogaki, but I wasn’t introduced. It was a photo op celebrating the anniversary of the constitution.”

  Goro fiddled with his tie and pushed his glasses up his nose. “Do you think Kumiko will join us?”

  I hoped so. My friends had all had an opportunity to meet her, and when Wataru had descended the steps, he’d worn a half-smile that I’d never seen before. “She’s smart,” he’d said. “I liked talking to her.”

  Goro and Reiji had said something similar, not about her being smart, but they’d both smiled as they talked about her, like in the short time they’d spoken to her, they’d become smitten.

  Of all of us, I thought Wataru would be the hardest to win over, but his smile had lasted the longest and Goro had remarked on the way he’d fairly floated up the steps as we were led to the rooms where we’d stay.

  “I don’t know,” I answered. I wasn’t sure how Kumiko fit into her family. Her sisters were obviously her best friends and bodyguards. Having sat across from the three of them while Reiji and Goro, and then Wataru, met Kumiko, I also assumed part of their role was to weed out the weak through sheer intimidation.

  I ripped my soiled shirt and undershirt off and put on a fresh one, being sure to choose a different color than Goro wore. I tied my tie around my neck and shrugged into my suit coat all while Goro waited. “What?” I asked when I caught his eyes on me while I checked the knot of my tie.

  “She’s going to fall in love with you,” he said uncrossing his arms and approaching me. “She’s never going to pick me.”

  “Do you want to be picked?” I asked, ignoring what he implied and he shrugged.

  “I don’t not want to be picked, but I don’t really stand a chance against the three of you.”

  “What are you talking about?” I faced him and narrowed my eyes. Goro was smart and funny and my best friend.

  At my question, he glanced toward the door. “It’s obvious, Dai. You, Reiji, and Wataru look like princes.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets, shoulders slumping. “I don’t.”

  “Don’t be stupid.” I looked like a prince? Goro was crazy. I was a giant. I couldn’t walk across a room without being overly cautious because I’d inevitably knock something expensive off a table or tilt a picture on a wall. People ran to the other side of the street when I walked home from university in the dark. If anything, I was the bad guy in a fairy tale.

  “Look at you.” Goro pointed to the mirror. “You look like a super hero. I look like…” He smiled and his dimples appeared for a brief second before disappearing again. “I look like the guy who sits at the computer.” He squinted at something over my shoulder before staring down at the floor. “Never mind.”

  “No.” I stopped him before he could retreat through the door connecting our rooms. “Goro.” My strong suit wasn’t talking about feelings, but for Goro I would try. “Look. If she can’t see what an incredible guy you are, then fuck it. She deserves to be cursed.”

  Eyes wide behind his glasses, Goro’s mouth dropped open. “Dai.” He laughed and shook his bangs out of his face.

  “Seriously, man. All you have to do is open your mouth and she’ll be tripping over herself to choose you. She’ll knock us down in her hurry to get to you.”

  Goro laughed again, and I was relieved to see him straighten his shoulders. He shook his head. “Sorry. I don’t know what got into me. I don’t even know if I want—”

  “I know,” I assured him. “None of us do.”

  Someone knocked at the door before it opened. “They announced dinner,” Wataru said. Reiji stood behind him, examining the artwork in the hallway. I was relieved to see the hat was missing.

  “All right.” I lifted a brow as I looked at Goro. “Ready?”

  He nodded and pushed up his glasses. “Ready.”

  We arrived at dinner before the king and queen or princesses. As we took our seats, I met Wataru’s gaze from across the table. He’d pulled his hair into a low ponytail and wore what were, for him, dress clothes. As I took in the t-shirt he wore beneath a suit coat, I realized how unprepared we all were. What did we think we were going to do? Show up, meet Kumiko, break the curse and turn around to head home with our pockets full of cash?

  The door to the dining room opened and the king entered. Immediately, my friends and I stood, bowing low over our plates until he took his place at the head of the table and the queen was seated at the foot.

  I sensed movement next to me and cut a glance to my right. Fuyumi’s spot was between me and Goro.

  “Sit,” the king’s voice echoed and our chairs scraped across the polished floor as we followed his instructions.

  I had barely lifted my gaze when I met the king’s hard-eyed stare. “My daughter…” King Akihiro stopped when a plate of food was placed in front of him “My daughter, Kumiko, has asked you to stay with us while she gets to know you better.”

  “This is unusual,” Queen Kaori added when it became clear this was all the king had to say.

  I glanced across the table toward Wataru whose food remained untouched. “Thank you for letting us stay.”

  The king chuckled. “It is not up to me. You’ll find if you ever have daughters, all they need do is make a request before you want to grant it.”

  “Is that all it takes?” Fuyumi asked a little wickedly.

  King Akihiro frowned and shook his head. “I hope you found your rooms comfortable.”

  “Yes,” I answered. “Thank you.”

  The queen cleared her throat delicately. “Aoi said you were in her business and marine biology classes.”

  Wataru and Reiji nodded. “We are.” Goro went on, “My family owns a marina and many fishing vessels.”

  Queen Kaori nodded. “You have many fishing villages on Iriogaki. I believe a bill was just passed by parliament granting funds to one of the marinas to improve the docks there…”

  She hadn’t said it judgmentally, many places in Sara faced the same struggle Iriogaki did in terms of poverty, but it did bring to the forefront the main reason we’d appeared at their home. It hadn’t been out of the goodness of our hearts that we arrived to try our hands at breaking Kumiko’s curse.

  Speaking of Kumiko—now that everyone was seated, I could see that there was no place for her at the table.

  “Is Kumiko not coming to dinner?” I asked.

  “No,” Queen Kaori stated. “She does not join us for meals.”

  Fuyumi snorted. “She would if we invited her.”

  Two deeps lines bracketed a frown on either side of the queen’s face as she stared at Fuyumi. She opened her mouth to speak, but with a quick flash of her eyes toward me, shut it again. Whatever it was she was going to say, she didn’t want guests to hear.

  So Kumiko wasn’t invited to eat with her family? Wataru frowned at his plate, but finally lifted his fork. I followed and a moment later, so did Reiji.

  Why wasn’t Kumiko allowed here? I thought about this girl I hadn’t even spoken to yet, alone in her room, eating dinner by herself and my food stuck in my throat. Despite being hungry from a day of travel, my appetite suddenly disappeared.

  “I can tell by your face that you think us heartless,” King Akihiro said. “But I assure you, we are not. For many years, Kumiko—”

  The queen made a choked sound and the king cut off. Her gaze pinned him in place and the man, the ruler of our entire nation, blushed.

  “Perhaps, once you see her,” the queen said, not looking away from the king. “You will understand.”

  Goro dropped his fork and it clattered against his plate. Pale, he quickly collected it. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. Not even Miori, who had seemed the most good-humored of Kumiko’s sisters, spoke. Forcing myself to eat enough to show deference to our hosts was difficult, but I managed it.
<
br />   I wasn’t the only one who struggled. Wataru moved the food around on his plate, and Reiji stared at his like it had personally offended him. The man could not hide what he was thinking to save his life.

  I couldn’t see Goro, since Fuyumi was between us, but the first utensil drop was not the last. I’d never known him to be so clumsy.

  Finally, the king finished and stood, signaling the end of the meal. “I hope you are comfortable during your stay,” he said, bowing his head a millimeter. “Aoi?”

  Kumiko’s sister lifted her eyebrows. “Yes?”

  “Don’t forget the paperwork.”

  “I won’t,” she said and sighed, as if she’d expected something else.

  The king and queen left quietly, neither one sparing us a glance before the door closed behind them.

  “She never joins you?” Wataru asked as he stepped away from the table and pushed in his chair. “She stays in that room with no windows alone while the rest of your family gathers?”

  I followed suit, but pushed with a little more force than I meant to, causing the chair legs to scrape across the floor and slam into the table. It was one thing to be cursed, but from everything my friends had told me about Kumiko, she was kind and smart. There was no reason to isolate her from people.

  “Kumiko—” Aoi began before Fuyumi interrupted. “She doesn’t like to come out of her room. She hates when people stare at her, and she knows that it’s hard for my parents to look at her.”

  Reiji’s mouth dropped open. “They’re her parents.”

  “I know,” Fuyumi answered.

  “They know she’s been cursed,” he continued and his dark eyes flashed.

  “I know,” Fuyumi replied. “But Kumiko is two weeks away from twenty-one. And it hurts my parents—knowing she is the way she is because of them. Each time…they don’t know if the curse will be broken and it breaks their heart to see her. She stays away so she doesn’t hurt them.”

  “What about her feelings?” I asked. Fuyumi’s words sparked a growing fury in my gut. “She’s the one with the curse. She’s the one who can’t show her face without fear. She’s the one—” Fuyumi grinned wider and wider with each statement I made. It threw me off balance and finally I crossed my arms over my chest. “What?”