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The grand meeting chamber of the royal palace was unusually quiet, filled only with the faint ticking of the ornate clock and the cold weight of tension.
Cassian and Shinomi stood before the King's elevated dais, side by side but entirely still. Behind them, the massive golden doors had been sealed shut.
The King sat tall, cloaked in ceremonial black and crimson, his gaze steely and sharp. He said nothing for a long moment—only stared at Shinomi with an unreadable expression. The silence bore down like thunder.
Finally, Cassian broke it with a cautious bow. "Your Majesty, I—"
"I asked," the King's voice cut through the room like a blade, "what the hell happened down there?"
Cassian flinched at the sheer force behind the words. Shinomi didn't move.
The King stood, stepping down from his throne. His boots echoed through the chamber. "Shinomi," he said darkly, "what do you think you did at the ball?"
Shinomi met his gaze, his own posture unshaken. "I kissed someone I care for."
The King's brows twitched. "Someone? That 'someone' is a boy. Do you think this is some kind of joke? In front of nobles, dignitaries, and allies? Do you understand the kind of uproar you've caused?"
Cassian lowered his head. Shinomi didn't flinch.
"And you, Cassian," the King turned to his son, "do you understand the consequences? What if you get influenced by his recklessness? What if you start entertaining such foolish ideas? What will I do then?!"
Cassian opened his mouth but didn't speak. He glanced at Shinomi, who still hadn't looked away from the King.
Then Shinomi took a deep breath.
"Your Majesty," he said firmly, "even if Ren is a boy, I will never leave him alone."
The King's face froze.
"Even if I have to fight the entire kingdom for it," Shinomi continued, "I will protect him. If you expect me to give him up for the sake of image or politics—forget it."
His voice echoed with a dangerous clarity. It wasn't loud, but it was powerful.
Cassian looked at Shinomi with surprise. He hadn't expected such defiance—such certainty.
The King narrowed his eyes. "You'd put a servant boy above this entire kingdom?"
Shinomi stepped forward, unafraid.
"If this kingdom turns its back on someone like Ren—loyal, brave, and kind—then maybe the kingdom isn't worth defending."
The King's fist clenched, but then he paused.
There was something in Shinomi's expression—something unshakable, something real. He wasn't bluffing. The King knew this prince. Shinomi was the sharpest blade in the empire, the one person even their enemies dared not cross.
If he were to turn away from the throne...
They'd lose their greatest weapon.
The King sighed slowly, the weight of politics dragging heavy across his shoulders.
"I see," he murmured at last, his voice quieter. "So this is how far you've fallen."
"I haven't fallen," Shinomi replied. "I've just found someone worth standing for."
The room fell silent again.
Cassian, for the first time, hoped the King would understand. Maybe... let them go.
But the King only turned away.
"Get out. Both of you."
Neither argued.
As they exited the chamber, Shinomi's expression didn't change. But Cassian glanced back once and saw the flicker of concern in the King's eyes—brief, hidden, but there.
Maybe the tides were turning.
And maybe, just maybe, they'd be able to protect Aiden from what came next.
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