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There was light coming from inside his room. Oriya froze. He didn’t want to deal with anyone. For a moment he thought of going back to the kitchen or the garden, but he did want to change out of his work clothes. Sometimes he felt dirty in them, and this was one of those nights.
He opened the door carefully.
Muraki bowed his head gracefully. “It’s been a while.”
Oriya crossed the room in three steps. “How? When? They didn’t tell me anything.”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“It worked.” Oriya let Muraki take his hands and make him sit. “Will you stay long?”
“A few days. I missed you,” he said softly.
“Liar.”
Muraki grinned. “You know me far too well. No, I…” He opened his briefcase, reached inside, and took out an off-white envelope. “I couldn’t do this on the phone,” he said, almost ashamed. “Please,” he offered it with both hands, ever so polite.
Oriya stared at it. He couldn’t move, even though he wanted to. “So, you’re finally getting married.”
“It’s about time, is it not? I died once already, and Ukyou…. Who knows how much time she has.”
“Yes.”
“You are happy for me, right?” Muraki sounded uncertain. Like the boy he’d once been.
“You’re leaving me behind again. Both of you. For good, this time.”
Muraki hugged him. It was unexpected, and he stiffened further. “We’ll visit. We’ll always have summer.”
Oriya couldn’t respond. His mouth was completely dry, and his body still didn’t work.
“Tell me you’re happy for me,” Muraki pleaded. Oriya didn’t think he’d heard him so desperate in the last twenty years.
“I am, you idiot, of course I am. And Ukyou.”
“I know I owe this happiness to you. You protected Ukyou, and you kept me safe when I was recovering, and gods know what else you’ve done and never told me.”
Oriya shook his head. “Nothing, I’ve done nothing.”
Muraki kissed the top of his head, the way he’d done ages ago, when they’d first met. “Liar.”
“You should find someone worthy of you, my friend.” Muraki let him go. “Perhaps one of the gentlemen who visited your fine establishment tonight?”
“Annoying old men,” he spat out. “With nothing but sex in their minds.”
“Not them. The young ones. The one with the golden eyes, perhaps? Asami something, isn’t he?” He pretended not to know him, Oriya was certain of that.
“He’s together with that kid, Takaba.”
“You could break them up,” Muraki suggested, and then laughed. “No, not you.”
Oriya hugged himself. He felt cold.
“You move like an Armenian lament. Vaay le le.”
“What?”
Muraki shook his head. “Nothing.” He sighed. “We’re not leaving you. We’re just getting married. Nothing else will change.”
“And I’m happy for you.”
“Even though we broke your heart,” Muraki nodded. “You think I didn’t know? That you covered up my crimes for me just because you were my friend? That you took Ukyou in just because you were her friend? Your love is endless, how can you hide it?”
Oriya snorted. When Muraki talked like a character from a second-rate 19th century novel he couldn’t help himself. Even under these circumstances.
Muraki reached inside his briefcase again. “I’ll read the cards for you,” he said and took Oriya’s hand. “Shuffle the cards until you’re satisfied.”
“Muraki.”
“Do it.” He smiled. “What’s the harm in that? And you know I’m good at these things.”
“Too god, perhaps.” He shuffled as he reprimanded himself. He was happy for his friends. He was. How dare he upset them? He was happy for them. But what about his happiness? He cut the cards. “There.”
“Three or five? Five, let’s keep it simple, but not too simple.” Muraki put down the cards deftly. “Ready? There’s You,” he said as he turned around the card at the centre of the cross he’d made. “The High Priestess.”
Oriya snorted.
“It’s intuition, mystical powers, sexuality. It’s a good card for you. It suits you. You’re growing stronger, aren’t you?” he muttered. “I could feel it the moment I stepped inside your House.”
“Perhaps,” he agreed. He could see further and further away these days.
“The Past… Oh, that’s not good. The Hermit, reversed. Loneliness.” Muraki looked down. “That’s my fault, though, and Ukyou’s, isn’t it? You are surrounded by people, yet you have no friends but us. And we… When was the last time I called you?”
“Four months ago.”
“We treat your House like a hotel. I’m sorry.”
“You are busy people.”
“So you are, but when we come, you put your work at hold for us.”
“I hate my work. You’re my excuse for not doing it.”
Muraki smiled. “And in your future, Love. The Lovers, you see?”
Muraki had manipulated the cards somehow, that’s what he was seeing. He felt a headache coming on.
“The Star, reversed. Oh, Oriya. You should have more faith in yourself. You see? You’re holding yourself back with your attitude.”
“What attitude?”
“Clinging in the past, thinking your only worth is in what you can offer, forgetting that you’re … you.” Muraki put his finger on the central card again. “You are in tune with the world. Magic flows through you.” Muraki stared at him. “I see that. All that delicious energy.” He licked his lips. “Were I to pluck it, I would become a god.” He looked hungry.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Wouldn’t I?” He moved forward, grinning, and then suddenly pulled back. “No, I like Ori-kun as he is,” he smiled softly. “And if my dearest Oriya continues like that, without faith,” he turned the last card, “Oh.”
“Death, reversed.”
“It’s not the future,” Muraki told him seriously. “The future is here,” he tapped the card showing the Lovers. “But you must change in order to get there. You must move on. Otherwise,” he frowned.
“Death.”
“And that would be such a waste,” he sighed. Muraki put his palm on the last card, hiding it. “Promise me.”
“What?”
“The young man who was here tonight. The beautiful one.”
“Liu Feilong,” Oriya muttered. He had noticed him. Beautiful, proud, pretending he wasn’t a third wheel. Lonely, and wanting. Oh, he had noticed him.
“The flying dragon? How … suitable. Promise me that you’ll meet him.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s fate, don’t you see? We’re all at turning points. We’re all in motion, and there he is, the dragon that will help you move on.”
“He’s a stranger to me.”
Muraki frowned. “I came tonight to give you this without knowing why. It just struck me as I was sitting in my office, that I had to do this. Tonight. No other time. I didn’t even know my deck was here until I opened my briefcase to give you the invitation. I think I came to warn you. You must change, or else.”
“And he came to meet me.”
“Yes.”
Oriya smirked. “These things only happen in the trashy novels you pretend I don’t know you’re reading.” And, “I thought you believed in making fate. How many did you kill to make Tsuzuki notice you? Even though he was your destiny?”
“You have a point there. But still, I came to warn you tonight.”
“Fine,” Oriya sighed. “If I meet him again, I will change. I will go after him, and will not keep silent. I won’t give up without some kind of fight.”
Muraki smiled. “Thank you.”
As if such things would ever happen to him. He put his hand on the floor, closing his eyes. I will not die on you, he promised his House. If you help me. Help me? I don’t want to be hung up on Muraki or Ukyou anymore. Help me, please?