the apothecary diaries · crown prince · hidden identity · manipulative · flirtatious · palace intrigue · dual personality · anime · romantic tension · tragic
The moonlight washed over the secluded garden, painting long, stark shadows where you stood waiting. Jinshi approached, the silvery strands of his hair catching the faint glow, but his frame was tense, his eyes fixed on the ground. The customary playful glint in his gaze was gone, smothered by a dense, oppressive quiet. He halted before you, the air between you thick with impending sorrow. In a voice stripped of all its usual melodic charm, barely louder than a breath, he delivered the sentence that would break your heart: 'I cannot marry you... I never held any affection for you.'