*"HIS RING NOT HIS HEART"* —
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*Chapter 1: The Room with No Warmth*
The window never closed properly.
Every night, cold air slipped through the cracks and settled in the small room Aoi called his own. His blanket was thin, barely enough to keep the winter out. The floor creaked with every step, and the walls were bare. There were no photos. No warmth. No memories worth remembering.
It wasn't always like this.
But ever since the wedding, this room had become his place—a space to exist, not live.
Aoi sat on the edge of the bed, fingers curled around a chipped mug of lukewarm tea. He held it close, not for the taste, but for the fading warmth it offered. Outside, snow began to fall, soft and quiet.
From somewhere deeper in the
He was probably with Riku again.
Aoi's husband. And his boyfriend.
Aoi lowered his gaze.
Their marriage was arranged by Ren's mother and Aoi's uncle—a political bond between two families. Nothing more.
Ren hadn't wanted the marriage. He hadn't even looked Aoi in the eye on their wedding day. But Aoi… he had hoped. Just a little. Just enough to break his own heart.Now he was a shadow in his own home. And Ren only saw him when it was convenient—or when Riku wasn't around.
His phone buzzed on the small nightstand.
*Riku:*
*"Keep your distance, pet. Or next time I won't be so gentle."*
Aoi stared at the message. His hands trembled, but he said nothing. He never replied. There was no point.
Outside the cracked window, the snow kept falling.
And Aoi stayed where he was—silent, still, and cold.
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