A/n: I hope you are liking the book!



"We finally graduated Junior High School!" Tsubaki exclaimed while she and her friends we're walking to go to Arima Kousei's home to celebrate.

Watari Ryouta happily added cheerfully, "I hope we can still be friends even if all of us have different schools. It looks like Kousei and Kaori were the only ones who would keep on staying together in one school."

Kousei and Kaori blushed. Ever since the time Kaori survived her illness, they had become close until they became an official couple.

"I'm glad that my father would allow me to study in Okutsu College of Music Preparatory School," he spoke up as he hold Kaori's hand tight. "Kaori and I could keep on playing our music together."



They were already in front of Kousei's house while the sun was setting when a black car with a gold flag with three gold stars attached at the car parked in front of it. Kousei's eyes widened in surprise and began sweating after he saw the car that parked in front of them. He badly wanted to hide but he can't even do it. A young man who looked European got out of the car and bowed in front of Kousei as gesture of respect. He does have round, blue eyes and blonde hair. He's also wearing a white suit.

Kaori, Ryouta and Tsubaki were surprised when they realized whom the man represents after they realized what country the flag symbolizes. They were bewildered why someone from the Empire of Atlantis would park and bow in front of Kousei.

He knelt and began to speak formally in front of Kousei as a sign of respect to him while he speak in front of him. "Prince Kousei, you are ordered by the emperor to return in the Empire of Atlantis. You could continue and further your studies in our empire rather than stay here."

All of his friends were shocked by how the man addressed him. "Didn't he say I can study in Okutsu Music School?" he asked him. "Why is my father calling me back home? Is there anything wrong happening in the empire? Why does he need me?"

"There was an emergency that happened and he needs you back, Your Highness. You have already completed junior high school here," he spoke back. "After your mother's death, you do know that the emperor have full responsibility to you now."

Tsubaki scrutinized Kousei while he's talking to the man who came from Atlantis. "Kousei, isn't your father a businessman? Why is he calling you, 'Prince'?"

Kousei gulped. He was shocked more when he saw his old, white-haired butler get out of the car. He could feel his heart beating fast. He might not want to reveal who he truly is to his friends yet but by the appearance of Edward Thomas, the Royal Family Butler in Atlantis, he knew that he can't hide the truth anymore. He had to tell his friends the truth of who he is. He hid the truth for five years with the help of the Japanese Government who agreed to hide his real identity.

"My father isn't a businessman. The truth is, I am a Royal Prince from the Empire of Atlantis. That's who I really am. I have Japanese blood from my mother. Six years ago, mom chose to leave the empire. She wanted to get medical attention and raise me here rather than in the Empire of Atlantis while she was sick," he informed them. "She wanted to get away from the Atlantian Royal Family since she became sick. She took me here with her. Despite all that, I knew that there will be a time I would come back in the empire where most of my relatives live."

Everything he said surprised his friends. They can't believe that he is a royalty and he came from a huge empire in the middle of Europe and the Americas. They couldn't believe that he had kept something huge about himself for so long.

The Royal Family, the Phoenix Dynasty, rules the empire absolutely but with some limits. The emperor cannot make laws as that is the job of the Parliament that are voted by the public. The emperor can only approve laws and sign laws since World War 2 when they adapted a new constitution but still ruled by the Phoenix Dynasty who had been ruling the empire since ancient times. It has strong relations to the royal families of Japan, UK and Saudi Arabia.

The ancient Atlantian Royal Family were pagans who follow the Greek Myths in the Ancient Past but because of the modernization that began during Renaissance, the Royal Family had become Roman Catholics but in the Enlightenment Era, that was the time they chose to create a different sect away from the Vatican City. The emperor had created the Atlantian Catholic Church. It's ways are still the same like how Roman Catholics do but he had lessened the power of it to him and to his descendants. All members of the Royal Family are required to become members of that church. Atlantian Catholic Church follows the ways and few traditions of the Roman Catholic Church but they broke away from it and made the empress, the leader of the Church.

In the Empire of Atlantis, the Emperor could have a wife and only one concubine or he could have two wives at the same time but no concubine. The second wife has no power to become an Empress even at the death of the first wife of the emperor but the children of the second wife still have the same status as those with the first wife. The second wife's children could still become emperors. Arima Kousei is a prince that came from the Atlantian Emperor's second wife.

His friends backed away for a while when they have noticed that Kousei wanted to speak to the man who knelt down in front of him again.

"Isn't it too quick, Secretary Frederick? My father, the King said that I'll return back when I become twenty one. Besides, I'm not the Crown Prince!" he replied to them. "My friends know who I am now but still, I want to stay here."

After he said those words, he asked his friends to give him privacy while he talk to the two officials assigned to protect and look after him after Arima Saki passed away. Before Kaori left, he assured her that his love for her is real after he gave her a kiss on her forehead.



After some time, they have entered Kousei's house where the two adults could talk to him privately.

"Your Highness, the Emperor and Empress is expecting you to return," Secretary Frederick spoke up.

"Why?" Kousei asked.

Frederick and Edward do not know how they could make sure that the news they would break wouldn't hurt him but they know that no matter the set of words they tell him about it, the prince will still be hurt.

"Your Highness, I hope you don't panic with the reason why you have to return," Frederick spoke up. "Crown Prince Leonardo have passed away, Your Highness. Since you are the only male heir left, you are automatically the new Crown Prince. It is your duty to return..."

He still had more to say but he stopped talking suddenly when Kousei's Butler cut him. "Fred, stop. The prince isn't listening to you anymore."

Kousei began mourning after he heard the reason. He doesn't want to believe them that Leonardo is dead. "You're lying! My brother is still alive!" cried Kousei as he shake his head and his hands began shaking.

Edward held his shoulders to help him focus. He repeated, "You're the new Crown Prince, Your Highness. He passed away because of an accident he received on the road. His car crashed and it killed him instantly."

Since Kousei is close to the late Crown Prince, he couldn't stop crying. They brought him inside his room where they calmed him down. Minutes later, after Kousei was able to change clothes, he covered him with a blanket so he could rest after that stressful day.

"The prince is close to his brother when he was still in Atlantis and even if he stayed here for his studies even after his mother died, the late Crown Prince Leonardo took care and loved his only half- brother," he said to Fred. "It's going to be hard for him. The duties of a Crown Prince could still be heavy for him while he's very young. We'll have to protect him. Call Seto Hiroko. Tell her to come here."

"Yes, sir," Fred replied after he took a bow to him.



A/n: Thanks for reading! Don't forget to vote and comment!