14: The Salvia Flower

I decided to visit Fabio after my work and to my surprise he’s already doing well. He’s planting new flowers and he’s even singing. I wonder how he overcame the sadness of his parent’s death.

“Fabio!” I shouted.

He looked back at me and waved his injured hand. “Hi Ervin!” he shouted back.

“Wow! I see you’re doing all better now.”

“Yes. Thanks for a certain someone,” he said with a smile on his face. He’s back to his normal self or maybe he upgraded a little bit? Did he become more jolly?

“Certain someone, huh? So, you’ve got yourself a new friend is that it?” I asked.

I admit I’m a little bit annoyed at the fact that someone had made Fabio better instead of me. We’ve been friends for a long time now. I know everything about him and we share our hardship and joyful moments.

“I can’t say if we were friends. You know there’s a huge difference in our status,” he said while watering the flowers.

“I hope I’m hearing it wrong,” I said while staring at him.

“I tried to push him away, Ervin. I tried to follow the rules of the palace, but I feel so safe around him. I open up without any hesitation,” he explained.

I paused when I realized who he was talking about. I know it was Yamabe Hisahito, the prince and the soon to be the emperor. I know that these rules are not enough to stop the past from happening again. It’s already starting and as much as I want to stop it, I have no power. Everyone is scared of what‘s about to happen again because they know what the consequence may be. I, of all people, know how painful it was. I should be the one who needs to stop this before it gets out of hand. I do not believe in curses, I do not believe in prophecy, but this situation is making me believe in the things that the old man said.

“Fabio. Please promise me that you won’t get yourself involved with the royals. There’s nothing good that will come out of it,” I said while holding his hands.

He stopped watering the plants and said, “I’m already involved with the prince. I tried to stop myself but he keeps on coming here to talk to me. You know how much I’m weak for pretty things and once I hold into one I cannot let it go.”

I know about that, Fabio. If only I can tell you the reason why, but now is not the time. Everyone has their reason, everyone wants to hide it and keep it a secret, but I know the day will come that the truth will finally be out and everyone will be free from the burden of hiding something. As of now, we are obliquely hiding it away and let everyone forget about it, but it looks like the past is repeating itself and the fear of those days keeps on coming back to us.

“I’m doing this for you, Fabio. I beg you, please, listen to what I’m telling you,” I pleaded.

“Why are you being too serious? It’s not like you to act this way,” he said while looking at me, suspiciously.

I’m just too scared that I let my emotions control me. I need to calm down before he catches on.

I laughed so hard that it made him surprised. “I was just joking with you! I’m just happy that you are okay now,” I said with a smile on my face. Fake it until I make it.

“I got worried for a second there. I never saw you that serious in our 5-year friendship,” he said, laughing.

“You see something new every day,” I said as I looked away. I need to talk to Tanaka and the others. They need to know about this and maybe ask them for advice. I seriously don’t know what to do in this situation.

“Where are you going?” Fabio asked as he watched me walk away without looking back.

“I need to go back to work,” I said as I continued walking away.

Ervin has been acting weird since he came here earlier. He keeps on talking like there’s something bad that is about to happen. I don’t actually get it and him being serious is making me worried. I know that there are rules about us servants not being allowed to interact with the royals, but the prince and I had a great connection. I feel like we could be good friends. He never made me feel like I’m just a lowly servant, he just talked to me like a normal person. If I would close my eyes you won’t even tell that a prince is the one who’s speaking. The moment where he listened to my problems made me realize that there’s no wall between us, that we are equal in each other’s eyes. He comforted me without doing anything, just his presence is enough for me to calm down. It sounds weird and cheesy, but this is what I’ve been feeling. I understand how worried Ervin is, but he still chooses to support me. I’m so lucky to have a friend like him.

“Why are you smiling there like a creep?”

I looked behind me and saw the prince. My heart is not ready to see his beautiful face!

“Prince! What are you doing here?” I exclaimed.

“I wanted to see the flowers,” he said while holding a book. “And to see you too.”

I smiled as I tried to ignore what he last said. I do not want to make things weird so, I decided to act like it was nothing for me even though my heart’s going to burst out of happiness.

“Sure! Look at this new flower that I planted,” I said while pointing at the salvia.

“There’s no flower?” he asked as he walked towards me.

“I just planted it yesterday after you left, but that flower looks like the heliotrope but they have different colors but have the same lovely meaning,” I said with a smile on my face. I will impress the prince with my knowledge about plants and flowers. I’m sure he’ll ask me what the lovely meaning that I was talking about.

“The blue salvia means thinking of you while the red one means forever mine. As for the heliotrope, it means to love and devotion,” the Prince said with a huge smile on his face.

My eyes grew wider in surprise. I didn’t know he learned about the hidden meanings of flowers. I guess he does know everything, there’s no chance I can impress this smart prince. I laughed at the thought that I look stupid trying to impress a royal, but I’m happy he’s here again.