Akagami no Shirayukihime - Chapter 16

I like the chapter cover~ And no, it's not only because my favorite bishie's in it. I just really like the fashionable design of his princely costume in this image. It's not as fancy as CLAMP's design, but it's still beautiful~ And oh, one of his accessories reminded me of the primseeds the princes in +C: Sword and Cornett use.

Mitsuhide continues to observe Zen (He makes a good stalker and he doesn't deny that what he's doing is "stalking" LOLz), while Zen's in the palace and when Zen plays with Atori. He notices that Zen's expression is usually cold or indifferent, but with Atori he smiles like his age. He begins to think that Zen might actually lonely. Oh that's often the consequence of people born in rich families or of high social status. So sad . . .

Mitsuhide had doubts on Atori though and reports about it to Izana. The older prince tells him to continue investigating.
On Zen and Atori's last meeting during the daytime, they joke around like usual but Zen confesses to Atori that he looks forward to meeting with Atori the most and it in fact puts him at ease (I think he also said something like that to Shirayuki. LOLz Shirayuki's not the first love. It was pretty "gay", no wonder they joked about it being like that. Bwahahaha!). Their meeting ends with Atori requesting Zen to try to sneak out during the night because his shift had changed.
After several days of not meeting each other, Zen was finally able to sneak out but was surprised to see a wounded Atori.

It turned around that Atori's acquintances wanted to make use of Atori's friendship with Zen to make threats to Izana. Mitsuhide had arrived in the scene and so did Izana. Oh you think Izana wouldn't be doing Zen-investigating as well? Ohohoho! I knew it that he cares about Zen a lot too!
They express their anger to Izana for what he did but it turned out that Izana just gave the leader what he deserved. The one they had believed is actually a traitor.
That got them confused, then they decided to dispose Zen since he's useless to them now anyway.

Izana and Mitsuhide took care of the older guys (they are so awesome~) while Zen confronts Atori. Atori aims an arrow towards him and expresses his resentment towards the prince. This makes Zen draw out his sword as well (I am so happy that Zen didn't stay shocked too long). But before Atori could shoot again, Mitsuhide finishes him off. Zen kneeled before Atori and watched his friend die. . . . WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!! *cries* Poor Zen . . .

Atori said that he might have been better if Zen wasn't a prince at all. I think he didn't really betray Zen. He was wounded after all! So something must've happened before Zen arrived. My guess is that they are ordering him to kill Zen, but he doesn't want to. Yeah, he shot an arrow at Zen, but it didn't seem to have aimed on a vital spot. And Zen was able to shield himself with his sword . . . and during that time he used to suck (at least against Mitsuhide, haha!). Ah well, Atori being a traitor was something I already expected. But to my surprise, I think Atori didn't really betray him. Him enjoying Zen's company had been real. Poor Zen to lose his first close friend . . .
Zen had locked himself in his room but he finally goes outside a month later. (In present time, the only time I remember him locking himself in his room is when his workpile is driving him crazy. Haha!)

Mitsuhide gives Zen the blade from Atori's arrow. Zen feels sad that his trust has been betrayed. Mitsuhide advises him to continue doing so, for through that he may learn to see who his friend and enemies are. He had also promised Zen that he'll protect him. Mitsuhide's a Zen fanboy now. Haha! I think he felt admiration and respect towards Izana but with Zen, he felt sorry for the boy and the more he spends together with Zen, the more he becomes attached to him (Hmmm . . . things that happen if you stalk someone too much? hahhaa!).
After that, Zen makes a goal of becoming someone Mitsuhide could be proud of. He starts by lessening their distance from each other: forcibly making Mistuhide call him without the honorifics when it's just the two of them. Yay to the beginning of the Zen and Mitsuhide friendship!!!

In present time, Zen assures his three close aides that even though he had a talk with Shirayuki, he's not cutting ties from any of them (Zen's not the type of lover boy who will forget his friends for his girl!!! See what a decent lover boy he is??? He's not focused on one thing too much. Oh I'm so proud of him). Mitsuhide's happy that Zen is now in his chosen path.

I have always been curious on how my favorite best friends in this series have become so close so I'm very happy for this flashback~

Mitsuhide isn't exactly Zen's first friend, but we can say that Mitsuhide had been the first that Zen could fully trust, and Mitsuhide made sure of it. Zen might have been considered a little emo for mourning for his friend for a month, but he was a very lonely boy and Atori is his first friend! He has the right to go emo all he wants!
Fortunately, he was just sad of what happened (he didn't go:"I was butt hurt and I'll have my revenge and I won't trust anyone ever again and other shoujo crap similar to that") and Mitsuhide had given him good advice. He finally recognized a friend in Mitsuhide and has cheered up. This character knows how to move on. I'm so proud.

Little does he know that the brother he admires/fears also cares for him a lot! I know the Mitsuhide and Zen friendship is his plan all along! We can catch him being happy when the two are finally getting along. He knows of his little brother's loneliness and knows what he needs. Daaaaaaaaaw~
And have I mentioned that Izana's so awesome in this chapter??? Kyaaaa!!!

But of course, Zen is still my number one. Whatever expression he wears, he's still so cute~ And I'm so proud of him. He had been a naughty boy (well, until now), but he's no idiot. I love him~ I love him~ I love him~

These are the saddest part in the chapter for me:

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

CRYING ZEN!!! BAAAAAAAAAWWW!!!!!!!!!
MY BOXES OF TISSUES AREN'T ENOUGH!!!!!!!

And oh, here are some of my favorite parts in the chapter:

I just love the idea of: MITSUHIDE PWNS ZEN!
It's fun to see Zen abuse Mitsuhide but it's also fun to see Mitsuhide get the better of Zen~ Hehe
Hahahahha!

That was really touching but it's sort of something to say to a lover and I'm so amused that they both also got disturbed by it. Hahahaha!

Mitsuhide blushing's so cute~ But I think he was just embarassed with his thinking position, not that he finds the girls pretty . . . unlike what those girls seem to think. MITSUHIDE x KIKI forever (damn, now I wanna know how those two met Kiki.)

The idea of Mitsuhide staring at Zen and he was caught amuses me a lot. Haha!
Mitsuhide can't help it . . .his little boy had grown up and he's becoming nostalgic. Hehe~

It's a wonderful Mitsuhide and Zen centric chapter. I love it. I'm ending the post with another lovely image of the two:

THOSE FACES! LOLz! What's that for, Zen?