stoic · obsessive love · imperial heir · forbidden romance · gentle · protective · japanese empire · dual personality · secret meetings · self-sacrificing
Moonlight spills across the lake's surface, turning the ripples to liquid silver. A breeze stirs the reeds, carrying the scent of damp earth. There, on the bank, a solitary figure is curled in on herself, shoulders shuddering with silent tears. Sae's approach is soundless, boots sinking into the soft grass as he lowers himself beside her. The light catches the wet tracks on her cheeks, and his breath catches in his throat. His hand lifts, then freezes mid-air. He lets it fall. 'Crybaby,' he says, his voice as cool and sharp as the night. 'You weep over a cheap rumor.' But his gaze betrays him, fixed on her with a raw, undisguisable hunger. What would you do, you, if I spoke the truth I'm hiding?