Moments of Leaning Close - Vocaloid 神威がくぽx巡音ルカ

💜💗💜💗💜 Story 💗💜💗💜💗 Chapter One: An Afternoon for the Prince and Princess Afternoon sunlight passed through the tall arched windows of the castle and fell across the spacious royal sitting room. The garden outside was in full bloom, roses climbing the white stone walls, and a light breeze carried their faint fragrance indoors, lending even the stately palace a touch of tenderness. As prince of the kingdom, Kamui Gakupo had always carried himself with a calm, unhurried composure. Whether at a formal court banquet or when handling affairs of state that demanded caution, he could always keep his head and meet every matter with poise. Yet within this castle, there was one person who could make him set aside the formality of a prince and show a gentleness entirely unlike his usual self. That person was his fiancée, Megurine Luka. Their betrothal had long since received the approval of the royal family and the nobility, but the relationship was not merely a political arrangement built on family, status, or the interests of the kingdom. From first meeting to true understanding, they had come to know each other's character, and through countless moments together, they had confirmed their own hearts. Now, even though the wedding date had not yet arrived, each already regarded the other as the most important partner in their future life. To Gakupo, Luka was not only the princess who would one day govern the kingdom beside him, but the person for whom he willingly set aside time amid his busy duties. And to Luka, Gakupo was not only the elegant prince beloved by his subjects. In her eyes, he was someone who listened earnestly to her trivial stories, who quietly prepared hot tea when she was tired, and who occasionally said embarrassing things on purpose, then watched her reaction with a faint smile. This afternoon, Gakupo had, for once, no affairs of state demanding his immediate attention. He sat on the wide sofa at the center of the sitting room, his sword laid across his knees as he carefully polished the blade. The silvery metal caught the sunlight from the window, gleaming finely with each movement of his hand. His sword was not only a symbol of his royal status, but also the weapon he had used since childhood during his knightly training, so whenever he had free time, he would personally inspect the blade and hilt to make sure every detail was in perfect condition. A pair of light footsteps sounded outside the door. Before Gakupo even looked up, he had already guessed who it was. "Gakupo!" Luka walked into the sitting room with a cheerful voice. She had clearly just come back from the garden and was in excellent spirits; even her usually dignified gait was a little lighter than normal. When she saw her fiancé on the sofa, her eyes brightened slightly, and instead of first asking whether he was busy as she usually did, she walked straight over to him. "Hm? What has you so happy?" As he asked, Gakupo moved the cloth he was using on the blade slightly aside, so she wouldn't accidentally touch the unsheathed weapon as she approached. Luka didn't answer right away. She walked up to the sofa, rested her hands lightly on the backrest, and then, with a playful, coquettish cheer, simply sat down and leaned her body against Gakupo's back. Her movement was so natural, as if she had done it countless times before. Gakupo felt her weight faintly against his back, and the gaze that had been focused on the blade softened. He turned his head slightly and saw Luka nestled contentedly against him, a smile rising to his lips before he knew it. "It seems someone especially wants to cling to me today." "Is that not allowed?" Luka lifted her face, her tone brimming with a smile of perfect entitlement. "Of course it is," Gakupo answered gently. "My fiancée wants to sit beside me. Would I refuse?" "Good." She smiled even more happily and deliberately shifted a bit closer, pressing her shoulder and back more snugly against his. Gakupo looked at her like this, and a trace of indulgence surfaced in his eyes. He didn't hurry to resume polishing; instead he first set the cloth aside and adjusted his posture slightly so she could lean more comfortably. "What good thing happened in the garden today?" "I saw that the gardeners finished pruning the roses on the east side, and I found a few new buds that are about to bloom," Luka said eagerly. "I want to invite you to come see them once they open." "Just looking at roses makes you this happy?" "Looking at them with you is different, of course." She answered without a moment's hesitation. Gakupo was briefly taken aback, then let out a low laugh. "I see. Then I'll certainly be there on time." "You can't back out, you know." "When have I ever broken my word to you?" Luka tilted her head and thought about it seriously. "I guess never." "Then the princess may rest assured." He picked the cloth back up and was about to continue tending his sword when his gaze happened to fall on the top of her head. Then, as if he had noticed something amusing, he spoke with a smile. "Luka, your crown is crooked." "Huh?" Luka looked up at once. The cheeks that had been smiling a moment ago suddenly showed a flicker of panic, and she hurriedly reached up to touch her head. The delicate princess crown was an accessory she had chosen especially for today, and it had sat neatly in her hair, but after her light-footed walk in and her unhesitating plop down beside Gakupo, it had shifted slightly to one side. "Really? Is it very noticeably crooked?" As she asked, she carefully tried to adjust its position, not even sure whether she should move it to the left or the right. Gakupo didn't answer right away, only turned his head and watched with a smile as she tried hard to set the crown straight. "A little more to the other side." Luka did as told at once. "Like this?" "Hmm... it seems to be a bit off again." "Gakupo!" She finally caught the faint amusement in his tone and couldn't help puffing out her cheeks and glaring at him. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" "I'm only checking carefully. After all, this is Her Highness's crown." "Then come and take a look for me!" As she said this, she turned slightly and leaned her head toward him so he could inspect it. Gakupo finally couldn't hold back his laughter. He set down the cloth and gently reached out to straighten the crown for her. His fingers avoided her soft hair as he carefully adjusted the ornament's position, checked that the fastening hadn't loosened, and only then withdrew his hand, satisfied. "There. Now it's perfectly straight." Luka raised her face and looked at him earnestly. "Really?" "Really." "No more lying to me." "I promise." Hearing his promise, she finally smiled again. "Then I forgive you." "I'm grateful for Her Highness's magnanimity." Gakupo said it with a perfectly straight face, but Luka heard the teasing in his words and couldn't help laughing as she patted his shoulder lightly. "You were clearly teasing me on purpose!" "Because your reaction just now was adorable." "...Gakupo!" This time, her cheeks truly flushed a faint pink. Though the two were already engaged and long accustomed to being close, whenever Gakupo spoke such frank praise with such a serious expression, Luka still couldn't help feeling shy. He didn't keep teasing her after that, simply picking the cloth back up with a smile and resuming his polishing. Luka sat properly again, still leaning against his back, as if she had no intention of leaving at all. After a while, she suddenly reached out and gently tugged on Gakupo's sleeve. "What is it?" "Nothing, I just want to hold your hand." Hearing this, Gakupo set his sword down in a safe spot beside him and held out his hand to her. Luka immediately took hold of his fingers. Their palms came together naturally, her fingertips tightening slightly, as if she had finally gotten what she wanted, and she settled back against him with satisfaction. Gakupo looked down at their joined hands, his thumb lightly stroking the back of hers. "Aren't you planning to go back to your own room today?" "I only just got here." "So how long do you plan to stay?" Luka thought about it, deliberately putting on a serious look. "Until you finish polishing your sword." "That might take a while." "That's fine. I can wait." She said it so naturally, without a hint of reluctance. Gakupo turned his face and saw her nestled peacefully against him, and something soft deep inside him seemed to be gently touched. As a prince, he had been taught from childhood that he must bear responsibility, protect his country, safeguard the people in the castle, and remain sufficiently vigilant at all times. His sword had accompanied him through long years of training, reminding him of the responsibility that strength carries, and that he must never forget his duty out of complacency. Yet now, sitting on this long sofa and feeling his fiancée lean on him without any reservation, he understood all the more clearly what meaning everything he worked to protect truly held. He wanted the kingdom to be at peace, wanted his subjects to live in security, and wanted Luka, on every day to come, to walk into his life with a bright smile just as she did now. "Luka." "Mm?" "After we're married, will you still come running to find me like this?" She froze for a moment, then turned to look at him. "Why wouldn't I?" "I only wanted to be sure." "Then you'd better get used to it," Luka said with a smile. "Even once I'm queen consort, I'll still come find you. If you're in the study, I'll go to the study; if you're in the garden, I'll go to the garden. And if you're sitting on the sofa like today, of course I'll sit beside you." She paused slightly, her grip on his hand tightening a little. "Because I love being by your side the most." Gakupo gazed at her quietly. This time, he didn't use a joke to hide his feelings. He lifted their joined hands and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of hers. "Then I will always keep a place for you." Luka's eyes softened. "And not just a place on the sofa, you know." "I know." Gakupo answered with a smile. "A place at my side, too." She couldn't hold back her smile any longer and simply leaned in, kissing him lightly on the cheek. Gakupo's eyes widened slightly, clearly not having expected her to do that so suddenly. "That's your reward," Luka said, a little smugly. "A reward?" "Mm, for straightening my crown." "So Her Highness's rewards are this precious." "So you'd better cherish it." "As you command." He lowered his head slightly, his eyes full of laughter. Outside the window, the sunlight gradually shifted westward, falling on their joined hands and lighting up the now-straight crown. The sword rested safely beside the sofa, the task that had demanded his focus set aside for the moment, while Luka remained leaning against Gakupo, eagerly sharing the little happenings of the garden with him. Now and then she would ask about his recent training; now and then he would ask whether she had met anyone interesting today. They talked about daily life in the palace, and about the things they wanted to do together after the wedding, from the newly planted roses in the garden to plans for an outing someday in the future. Each topic seemed ordinary, yet filled with anticipation. To outsiders, they were the prince and princess blessed by the kingdom, two members of the royal family about to become husband and wife and share its burdens together. But on this afternoon, they were simply an engaged couple who loved each other deeply. One liked polishing his sword in his spare time, the other liked finding a comfortable spot beside him; one could easily notice when her crown was crooked, the other would smile contentedly at his tenderness. When Luka once again rested her head lightly against Gakupo's shoulder, he naturally turned his body slightly so she could nestle against him more comfortably. She closed her eyes, a happy smile on her lips. Gakupo watched her for a while, then relaxed his shoulders too, letting her lean peacefully against him. He knew that many responsibilities still awaited them on the road ahead, but when he thought that, whenever he returned to the castle, he would see Luka walking toward him with a smile, the challenges yet to come no longer seemed so daunting. And the crown that had been set straight stayed safely in the princess's hair. As though even this ancient castle, in the afternoon's soft glow, were quietly bearing witness to the love between the prince and princess, a love that had long since taken deep root and needed no proof to anyone.