~Kaoru~

Darkness. That's all I ever feel nowadays. The emptiness of the space around me... the unknown flow of time. That pretty much sums up my life. 

And yet... I had hoped for more than this. Not to be my father's successor, I've never wanted that. Ruling over everyone, the pressure, being forced to marry a high class woman that I don't even love - not me. I haven't come out to my father. I don't want to let him down. He's already got Hikaru's kidnapping forever on his mind.

To be honest, I had tried to defend myself. However, when you are a beginner at the spell of protection it can take a full five minutes to cast. Not my fault.

But what that wizard said totally caught me off guard.
*Flashback*
The spell hit me and I immediately felt all my limbs go numb and time slowed down around me.

"Ha. Loser." The voice sang out, "Loser! Loser! Loser!"
Losing balance, I fell onto my bed. Was this the end? "Shame too. If only you knew that all this time your brother was right here."
What?! Hikaru really here?!
"Too bad that he's about to be slaughtered along with his fellow knights."
No! This can't be! You can't do this! All this time and has been here under our noses! There was so much I wanted to scream but I only had enough energy for one.

"No! Not Hikaru!!!!!!"
*End of flashback*

So that's it really. I'm going to live the rest of this life unconscious and my twin is dead. But just then, the most remarkable thing happened. I felt something. Someone shaking me.

"Kaoru? Kaoru come on wake up! Please!" The fact that surprised me most though, was my body responding and my eyelids fluttering open. When they did, they revealed a black haired man wearing simple clothes and looking dead worried.

"Who are you?" Was all I could mumble. His face clearly showed sadness, "You don't remember me? Or recognise? I guess it has been five years since I last saw you and you were awake."
"Five years?!" Finally, I found the strength to sit up. "I've been asleep for five years! And all the knights are dead, along with my brother!"
"Yes. Most of them anyway. And wait what?! Your brother?!" He exclaimed, ok mate, calm down. You're still a stranger to me anyway.
"Most of them?" I inquired, my head tilting sideways.
"Well, I survived, Kaoru. The others... all dead. I've seen the bodies."
The way he calls me by my real name, not bothering to add 'prince' to it...

"Hikaru?" The face lit up with a bright smile, "Yes! You do remember me!"
"I would never forget you! It's just that you look so different it confused me, but I suppose that's what I get for napping for five whole years." I stated.
"Ha! Yep, you should take a look at yourself to be honest." He joked.

Why would I want to...? Ah! I'm now twenty! "We better get out of here." The sentence immediately pierced through my thoughts. "Why Hika?" I may be five years older but I am going to still act like a damn fifteen year old.
"Do you want to get caught and put back to sleep? Or petrified like your parents?" That's news. Poor mum and dad. I swear I'll return once I've created a plan. "No of course not. Let's go Hikaru. It's nice to see you again."

Once we were out in the open, he turned to me, hugged me and said, "Its nice to see you too Kaoru."

"Huh?! Kaoru's alive?!" A sort of gender ambiguous voice rang out. We turned to face a girl with short brown hair and reddish robes. There's only one girl I can think of that would also call me by my name. "Haruhi?" Hikaru looked at me with shock like he recognised the name.

"Yeah. Omg this is great!" She strode up to me, "But just what did you think you were doing not using all those spells to protect you! Baka!" She then proceeded to punch me in the gut. Her idea of a 'joke'. As I was spluttering  on the ground, I managed to chock out the fact that maybe I was only a beginner at protection spells. "Oh... yeah. I forgot." Hikaru sweat dropped. "So let me get this straight. Haruhi? You teach Kaoru magic spells too?" Too? Hikaru's a mage?
"Well. Of course! Who did you think was hiding under the other black cloak?"

"Huh?!" Me and him faced each other exclaiming at the same time. "You were my classmate?!"
"But that's-"
"But it's-"
"But it was." Haruhi butted in. "Now quit talking in unison. It's creepy."
We smirked, "Oh is it now?" She shrieked, "Stop it you two!"

"Why don't you like it?" This earned another squeal, "Please stop."
Hikaru stopped with me straight away. I faintly remember teasing him about liking someone, I could tell he did. I wonder if Haruhi is the one he's fawning over. Probably. I don't care about her romantically so he can have her. She's both a friend and teacher to me. Also, even though I haven't told anyone yet, I'm gay. What should I call it... aha! Hikaharu! Yay! New ship!

"It's not safe out here so would everyone like to stay at my house while we figure out a plan?" Hikaru glanced over at me. "Cool! I've never been to your house before!" I jumped up and down, this is gonna be fun. "Alright but Kaoru it's not as fancy as your castle." Does he really think I'll hate it because it's not fancy? I'll love it because it's not fancy! "That's perfectly fine Hika!"

"Ok so let's go to mine!" He fist bumped the air.
"Yay!" Me and Haruhi clapped our hands. If only we had known what was in store for all of us. Especially me.