Morning light slipped quietly through the window cracks.
The sky was a soft shade of orange, and in the distance, the rooster's crow returned like a forgotten song.
Mathien opened his eyes.
He yawned—a small, graceful motion despite his double chin.
His body was still buried under the tiny floral blanket, but he slowly sat up, his posture neat and princely atop the bed.
Then…
He turned his head.
And the very first thing he saw that morning was:
Hana.
Sprawled out on the floor.
Face down.
One arm up, one arm down.
One leg up on a nearby stool.
Hair an absolute mess.
Pillow nowhere in sight.
Her breathing heavy, with a tiny sound like a starving baby cow.
Mathien was silent.
For a long, long time.
His eyes studied her from head to toe.
"So this… is how peasants recharge their magical energy?"
He slowly hopped off the bed.
Walked toward the girl who was still snoring softly, pawing at the air mid-dream.
Mathien leaned in.
Sniffed lightly.
"Still alive."
He sat down.
His big tail curled to the side.
"This girl is a mess. Full of flaws. Full of chaos. And yet she sleeps like the world never hurt her."
A quiet pause.
Mathien lowered his head slightly and murmured in his thoughts:
"Valtherion was filled with war. Everyone around me stayed alert—even in sleep. But her… she sleeps like she believes the world will take care of her."
And for the first time…
Mathien didn't immediately look out the window.
He simply sat.
Watching Hana's foolish, peaceful face as she slept.
And for some reason…
That was surprisingly nice.
Hana's breath grew deeper.
Her eyelids fluttered slightly, as if trying to wake from a strange dream—about the sky falling and the wind sitting on her chest.
But as her body stirred awake, she felt...
Something heavy.
Very heavy.
"A-akkhh..." she groaned.
Her left hand groped at the air. Her eyes were barely open.
"Mathien… Mathie—n… help... I can't breathe…"
Her body was limp.
And right then, something moved… on top of her chest.
Mathien opened one eye. His head swayed slightly.
He yawned.
And realized—
…he was asleep.
On top of Hana.
More precisely—on her chest.
He glanced down.
Her face was red.
Bright red. Like a boiled crab.
Her eyes half-open. Gasping for air.
"…Dear gods."
"I used her as a pillow."
Mathien jumped off dramatically.
His round body landed on the floor with a soft boff!
Hana instantly sat up, panting hard.
"I ALMOST DIED!!!"
She glared at him.
"YOU!! ON MY CHEST!! YOU!!!"
Mathien simply sat on the floor, tail flicking lazily.
"Calm down. You're alive."
"YOU WERE CRUSHING MY LUNGS, YOU KNOW?! I THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A FULL-BLOWN LUNG COLLAPSE."
Mathien raised an eyebrow. "I fell asleep. My body simply sought comfort."
"COMFORT? I WAS TRYING TO BREATHE TO SURVIVE, NOT TO BECOME A ROYAL CUSHION."
Mathien turned away lazily and stood up slowly.
"Then don't sleep on the floor. That's not proper behavior for someone serving as the prince's resting spot."
Hana grabbed her pillow and hurled it at him.
The fat prince dodged easily, leaped onto a chair, and sat licking his paw.
"A dreadful day for the peasant."
"A perfectly ordinary morning for nobility."
The morning sun warmed the room as it crept through bamboo curtains.
Hana was still sleepy-eyed, trying to fix her hair with a tiny flower-shaped clip. Her shoulders sore—from being sat on by a prince not long ago.
From the kitchen came a familiar voice, firm yet warm:
"Hanaaa, come help harvest the flowers before the sun gets too high!"
Hana quickly turned to the door, shouting as she half-ran out of the room:
"Comiiing, Grandma! Just a sec!"
Mathien, who had been lounging on a wooden chair with his legs crossed in his own feline version of elegance, only lifted his chin haughtily.
"Harvesting flowers?"
"Do peasants now collect things they can't even eat?"
He leapt off, following her with a slow stride.
His large tail swayed like a royal banner in the breeze.
🌸🌸🌸
Outside, the fresh morning air welcomed them.
The flower garden behind the house was in full bloom—lavenders, red roses, white jasmines, and sunny yellow daisies.
The ground was damp with leftover dew.
The air was rich with a natural, sweet fragrance.
Hana had rolled up her sleeves.
She carried a small pair of garden scissors and a woven basket.
Her grandmother, dressed in a simple cloth headscarf, had already begun picking flowers one by one with calm, steady hands.
"Here, dear. Start from that corner. The roses are blooming beautifully."
"Okay, Grandma."
Mathien sat on a small rock near the fence, gazing blankly at the two humans.
"Morning dew. Thorns in hand. Petals in a basket. And they call this... life?"
He tilted his head.
"Even in the palace, flowers were only used to line the queen's path." "And now these commoners treat them like treasures, picking them one by one."
Suddenly, Hana turned toward him and grinned, her hair dancing in the wind.
"Hey, Chiro! Don't just sit there! Watch the basket, okay? Don't let the chickens eat it!"
Mathien lifted his gaze.
Eyes narrowed.
"Am I the flower guardian now?"
But just then, a chicken emerged from the bushes—eyeing Hana's basket.
With noble instinct, Mathien leapt atop the basket and gave the fiercest glare he could muster.
"MEOWWWWW!!!"
The chicken squawked and bolted to the other end of the garden.
Hana clapped her hands.
"Nice! Good job, Chiro!"
Mathien turned his head slowly. His face was flat, but his tail stood proud.
"I didn't protect that basket because you asked me to."
"I merely... uphold my reputation as a majestic creature of this world."
🌸🌸🌸
Night fell slowly.
A soft lamp lit the room, casting a gentle glow across wooden walls.
The night breeze rustled the thin curtain, bringing in the sound of crickets and the faint scent of mint leaves from the garden.
On his royal cushion, Mathien savored a slice of fresh salmon—one Hana had secretly bought from their regular vendor.
The meat glistened.
He closed his eyes the moment his teeth sank into the tender middle section.
"Mmm…"
A quiet sigh of bliss escaped his mouth.
Across from him, Hana sat cross-legged on the floor.
A small blanket over her legs. Hair tied back in a messy half-knot. She watched him silently.
Just watching.
Observing.
Sometimes smiling.
Sometimes nodding softly.
And sometimes… quietly swallowing her own saliva.
Mathien opened his eyes.
Glanced at her. "What?"
Hana quickly shook her head. "Nothing. Just looking."
Mathien squinted slightly.
"Why? Never seen a divine being enjoy dinner before?"
Hana chuckled. "Plenty of times."
She looked down at her empty plate. Then back at Mathien.
"It's just… you really love salmon. Your face goes so peaceful whenever you eat it."
Mathien licked his fingers.
"Because my body recognizes quality. The best energy. The truest taste. The real food of kings."
Hana smiled.
Then murmured softly,
"I've never had salmon before."
Mathien paused.
Stopped licking.
He turned to her slowly.
Hana hurried to explain, grinning nervously. "I mean, it's fine! I just never bought it. It's kinda expensive. And Grandma doesn't really like fancy stuff."
She looked down.
Fingers pinching at the edge of her pants.
"I usually eat boiled veggies, or salted fish. Fried tempeh sometimes. They're good! But… salmon is like something out of a magazine, y'know? It's funny watching you enjoy something I've never even tasted."
Silence.
Mathien stared at her for a while.
No sarcasm.
No mockery.
Just… a steady look.
Then he turned to the last piece of salmon on his plate.
And gently nudged the small dish a few inches toward her.
"…One left."
Hana froze.
Mouth slightly open.
"Wait. For me? No way! You love that stuff—"
"Whatever."
Mathien looked out the window.
His voice flat.
"I'm full. And if you faint from hunger, who'll brush my fur tomorrow?"
Hana laughed softly.
Eyes glistening—but she quickly wiped them with her sleeve.
Then, slowly, she picked up the last piece of salmon.
Brought it to her lips.
And as soon as she took a bite—
Her eyes widened.
"MMMMHHHH!!!"
She covered her mouth.
"IT'S SO GOOD, MATHIEN!!! IT'S SO SOFT!!! IT'S LIKE... I CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN BUT IT'S AMAZING!!!"
Mathien rolled his eyes.
"Obviously. It's royal cuisine."
Hana laughed through her chewing.
And that night…
Under a warm, sleepy lamp and the soft sound of crickets, two very different worlds—a kingdom and a quiet countryside—sat side by side, sharing the final bite of salmon, in a silence that…
For some reason, felt deeply peaceful.
🌸🌸🌸