"Prince Kaiden, I brought a cup of juice for you. Would you please accept it from me?"
Everyone looked at Kana as she presented Prince Kaiden with the glass of juice she had brought. Her hopeful look made her appear more youthful, and her eyes were filled with unshed tears.
She looked like a beautiful maiden who had yet to bloom.
Unfortunately, she chose the one person who had no interest in her.
"I don't think I will drink anymore tonight, but thank you for the offer. I am sure someone else here will take the glass you are offering."
Prince Kaiden turned her down, and shame filled Kana's cheeks. She felt tears stinging her eyes, and the alcohol she had drunk to gain courage suddenly made her head spin.
It was because of all these factors that she ended up uttering the words she never wanted to.
"Why him…? Why not me? I already know that you do not hold any affection for anyone other than your 'real partner,' so I won't have expectations, and I will back down when it is time. So please, choose me…"
The female tugged at Prince Kaiden's sleeve with a desperate look on her face. But Prince Kaiden pulled his sleeve out of her hands and walked away.
"Kana, don't be sad. Come, sit with us…"
A few people told her as they grabbed her arm and pulled her gently toward them. But Kana just huffed and pulled away from them before she headed toward Shuu.
It was all his fault she was in this predicament, after all.
But before she could get to him, someone else did, and she paused. Liam, the crown prince's aide, was giving her a look that told her not to do something foolish and to keep her distance.
So she only gritted her teeth before she walked away. There was no way she was going to give up this easily, and no one would be able to make her either.
Meanwhile, Liam and the others watched her walk away and only sighed in relief once she was gone. Her words had been heard by almost everyone, but no one bothered to continue questioning Prince Kaiden any further.
Liam, who was worried about Shuu and his current mental condition, quickly sat beside him.
"Hey, don't let those words get to you. You look a little flushed. Do you want to head back inside?"
Liam asked, keeping an eye on Shuu.
There was no question about whether Shuu had heard Kana's words or not. It was clear that he had, and he would have realized by now that he was a substitute.
But a substitute or not, he was someone who was needed by their crown prince. And as long as he was needed, it was Liam's duty to make sure he was alright.
"Hmm, I am fine. I think… I just need some time and fresh air. I will go and take a walk now… alone."
Shuu stopped Liam before he could say anything. Shuu's eyes continued to look at Prince Kaiden, who had walked to the other side of the room and was now laughing with the High Elder.
The whole exchange between him and Kana had left a bad taste in Shuu's mouth. But he knew well that there was no point in feeling disappointed.
So he started walking to clear his head.
"Hey, wait-! You cannot just-"
Liam wanted to stop Shuu, but Reina immediately shook her head. She raised her palm, and a small golden bird formed on it. It flew off after Shuu, but it did not seem as if Shuu noticed it.
"Reina, this is-"
"Let him take his time. It's not like we could ever hide the truth from him. It might be better for everyone involved if Shuu comes to the conclusion of what he wants to do and where he stands himself."
Reina told him, and Liam just sighed and stepped back.
In his heart, he knew that it was not right. They were all just taking advantage of Shuu, who had no other choice but to follow them.
But in the face of a bigger crisis, this was a small price to pay.
__________
"Ah, this feels nice. The cool air is refreshing…"
Shuu walked around as the cool air brought him back to his senses. He could feel himself sobering up, and his thinking started to become more and more rational.
But the more rational he got, the more he wanted to cry.
"Huh-! Are these tears…? Why am I crying…? I have no reason to cry…"
Shuu tried to get himself under control. But the more he tried to stop himself, the more his tears fell from his eyes.
Finally, he sat down and let his emotions run through his body and mind. He wanted to feel numb, and if this was the only way to feel numb, then he would accept it with grace…
"What are you doing out here? You should be inside, where it's warm. You might catch a cold if you remain out here like this."
Prince Kaiden's voice sounded soft and caring, and Shuu immediately opened his eyes to look at him.
He blinked a few times to confirm that he was seeing Prince Kaiden and not someone else, and once he was sure, Shuu immediately felt a flush cover his cheeks, and his heart skipped a beat.
"Shuu, is something wrong? You look a little pale. Did someone say something to you?"
Prince Kaiden asked in a polite and concerned voice. It sounded genuine, but Shuu no longer knew whether he believed in that sincerity or not.
After all, Prince Kaiden was someone who pretended to like Shuu in a romantic way and even spent a night with him after having someone whom he cared about a lot.
'Should I ask him about it? But what will I even gain if I do ask? All I will feel is more heartache. I might as well not do that…'
Shuu tried to convince himself, but in the end, he was not able to hold his curiosity back and decided to ask Prince Kaiden about his suspicions.
"Prince Kaiden, you don't actually like me romantically, right? You have someone else in your life…"
There was an immediate silence around them where both did not say anything. Shuu almost regretted opening his mouth and asking that question.
"Never mind, pretend I did not ask…"
He told the crown prince, only for Prince Kaiden to sigh and look at him.
"So you realized it already. Shuu, the truth is…"