The grand corridor of the royal palace echoed with the sound of polished boots. Ren walked beside Shinomi, his heart unsteady with every step. The summons from the King had come early that morning, brief and cold: "His Majesty requests an audience. Both of you." No further explanation.
The guards at the throne room opened the gilded doors without a word. Inside, the King sat alone on his throne—no advisors, no nobles. Just him, resting one arm on the armrest and the other rubbing his temple like he'd been carrying the weight of the entire kingdom since dawn.
Ren and Shinomi bowed in silence.
The King's eyes drifted first to Ren, then locked onto Shinomi with unreadable intensity.
"So," the King finally said, his voice calm but heavy. "Tell me, how long were you planning to keep sneaking through windows before announcing to the entire kingdom that you were lovers?"
Ren flushed immediately. Shinomi, unfazed, lifted his head and met the King's stare squarely.
"We didn't plan it. It simply… happened," Shinomi answered firmly.
"Happened?" The King repeated, eyes narrowing. "A scandal unfolds at a royal ball. Nobles are whispering, foreign envoys are asking questions, and now there's talk of marriage petitions and revolutions. And you say it just happened?"
Ren stepped forward, voice timid but brave. "Your Majesty… we never meant to cause unrest. It's just that—"
"I know what it is," the King cut him off sharply. "It's that this fool—" he pointed at Shinomi "—thinks the rules of nobility and politics don't apply to him. You've always acted like you had nothing to lose."
Shinomi didn't flinch. "That's because I've already made my choice. I chose Ren. And I will continue to choose him, Your Majesty. Even if it means stepping down from the court. Even if it means exile."
The room fell into thick silence. Even Ren gasped softly.
The King rose slowly from his throne and descended the marble steps, each step deliberate. He stopped in front of Shinomi, close enough to reach out.
"You really mean that?" the King asked in a low voice.
"I do."
The King turned to Ren. "And what about you, boy? Are you willing to bear the burden that comes with him? His enemies, his war-bound future… his recklessness?"
Ren hesitated, but only for a breath. "Yes. I love him. I'm not afraid anymore."
The King stared between them. His mouth pressed into a hard line as emotions warred behind his eyes—pride, fear, anger, and… resignation.
"…Then I have no choice but to watch this unfold," he murmured. "But know this—if you bring ruin to this kingdom with your love, I will not protect you."
Shinomi nodded. "We don't want protection. Only acceptance."
A deep sigh escaped the King as he walked back to his throne. "I don't know if the world is ready for this… but maybe—just maybe—you're the ones who will change it."
He waved a hand, dismissing them.
As Ren and Shinomi turned to leave, the King's voice called out one more time.
"Shinomi."
They paused.
"Don't make him cry again. Or I'll consider you the kingdom's enemy."
Shinomi bowed with a small smile. "Understood, Your Majesty."
Outside the throne room, Ren exhaled deeply, and Shinomi took his hand quietly, squeezing it once.
The fight wasn't over—but for now, they'd won a piece of peace.