The king’s palace was peaceful as usual. Like sprinkling rain, the moon dropped soft shards of broken light, and the firelight danced with yellow and red. It reminded her of how her heart felt and so Ashite smiled brightly at it. The entire time she was walking back to the palace, the silence felt like a pleasant dream.

The inside of the palace was darker than the outside, but it was a comfortable darkness. As if no one was there, it was quiet, and in a few places, the lamp lights were lit. Even as they walked up the stairs, the warmth that Ashite felt in her hands made it impossible to hide the smile on her face.

“Your Highness.”

The 3rd floor of the palace. After escorting Ashite to the front of the room, Lu Havre handed her the flower bouquet and was about to bid her goodnight.

“Hmm?”

This was a spontaneous whim. Ashite knew this well. But she did not want to leave him standing in this dark hallway for long. And so, she asked a question.

“Will you…come in for a moment?”

Lu Havre, for a moment, narrowed his eyes.

Silence. Then he nodded his head. The lamplight was faint and the shadowed expression of the man’s face looked unfazed. But if you looked more closely, anyone would have been able to tell that this attempt at calm was on the verge of cracking at any moment. However, Ashite was not able to tell.

Ashite was about to grab the doorknob when Lu Havre stomped over to the door and opened it. Gently. Ashite tiptoed a few steps back. Then he turned to look back and Lu Havre closed the door so that not an inch of even a tail of his red cloak was left behind. The only thing left now was the lingering red aftertaste that serenely settled down upon them.

There were lamp lights lit here and there around in the inside of the room. Ashite looked down at the bouquet for a moment.

“Your Highness. Will you sit on the sofa for a moment?”

“Of course.”

Lu Havre walked to the sofa. Ashite walked quickly also. Then she put the bouquet and the flower petals on top of the table. When Lu Havre approached the sofa, he found something there.

Two flower vases and a handkerchief. Ashite picked up the handkerchief and handed it to Lu Havre with both hands, respectfully.

A deafening silence ensued. His emotions were again starting to squirm. His red eyes took turns looking at the handkerchief and the woman. The woman wanted to lower her head but she continued to keep eye contact with him. She did not try to avoid his gaze.

“Lu Havre. There is something I…prepared for you.”

The hand that gave him the handkerchief was warm to the touch. Ashite’s face blushed furiously. It had been such a long time since he had been waiting for her. She was about to bite her lips but instead, she continued to say what she had been meaning to. The words were not refined.

“I wanted to give this handkerchief and flower vase…. The night is deep and it is late but I wanted to give it to you so I called you into my room for just a minute.”

The red eyes were now sparkling. His emotions were too strong to express in words.

Lu Havre thought to himself. <>

He had wanted to receive a present from her more than anyone else, but when he actually received it, he was even more immensely ecstatic. No, ecstatic was not a strong enough word. He couldn’t even find the right words to describe it.

Ever since he had spent time together with her, every day felt surprisingly new, novel, and satisfactory.

And so, his feelings had grown exponentially. The seeds had budded quickly into flowers. And once those flowers bloomed, he showed them all to her truthfully.

This had never happened to him before. But he had always accepted the things he needed to accept. So, he accepted these emotions and feelings and was able to mold them carefully to show them to her. He suppressed the deep-seated greed and only showed that which was beautiful because he wanted to preciously guard her, even from his emotions about her.

And so, Lu Havre, again, beautifully molded his emotions and put them into words.

“Thank you. I love it very much.”

She smiled brightly. Her smile was like bouncing raindrops. Then, she reached out with her white hands and gently placed them on his wrist. A strange something seemed to fill his heart. He was having trouble containing himself. Although he had made up his mind to guard her delicately, he was afraid that he would cause it to break and disappear.

If only she gave him even the smallest opening. If only she took just one step first, no, if she was to come just a little bit closer….

“Oh… Your High—”

He held her hands tightly. He wrapped his arms around her soft shoulders. He brushed the back of her shiny hair. Then he leaned down.

“…Ah.”

He kissed her. He wanted to let her know how hot his heart felt every time he looked at her. There had never been a time where he had poured out such affection to anyone, and he wanted to whisper to her that the only person to have made him feel this way was her. His emotions were now so full in his heart that they overflowed and fell onto her body, her heart, and anywhere. He wanted to engrave them wherever he pleased. No, Ashite was already practically sitting on the table. Lu Havre had trapped Ashite between his arms. This action was instinctual and Ashite gulped nervously.

“Oh…”

The man kissed her again. The woman bit her lips and lowered her head further. Chin, her soft profile, neck, clavicle. His lips traveled down fast. Every place his lips had touched her skin left a lingering warmth. She was unable to say anything. Her heart was beating incredibly fast. She could not ignore the electrifying feeling. The image of him filled her vision. Her purple hair fluttered as it absorbed the lamplight.

“…Mm…”

Lu Havre leaned into Ashite’s shoulders. Ashite gripped tightly onto whatever her hands were holding: the edge of the table or the handkerchief. The delicate hands, arm, shoulder, chin, everything seemed to be trembling. Lu Havre, as if finishing up, kissed her clavicle deeply. He took in, swallowed, and let out his breath.

The hot and passionate greed was rising within him.

Ashite’s entire body was becoming so hot, it was hard to stand it. She couldn’t control her breathing. She was unable to. Her heart was beating too fast. It was so fast that it didn’t feel real.

“Ashite.”

The low voice brought her back to reality and relayed a warmth into her body. The purple hair touched his skin and tickled him. Ashite closed her eyes tight. Examining her red face and black lashes, Lu Havre took a step back. Then, he hugged her lightly and pat her back.

“Are you alright?”

<> There was no time to calmly decipher what was going on. Ashite, without realizing it, nodded twice.

“Oh, yes…. I’m alright.”

Lu Havre brushed back her soft hair. And again, he resisted the desire to say the thing at the tip of his tongue. As expected, it was not just a spontaneous whim.

“Ashite. I wish you would speak to me a bit more comfortably,” he said, slowly and gently.

The warmth of their touching embrace flowed through to the other. The emotions bubbling inside came out in words. Ashite rolled her tongue. Truthfully, she had all but lost the capacity to calmly understand what he was saying to her. All she knew was that they were the words of the man holding her tightly in his arms.

“…Yes. I will do that. Lu Havre.”

Lu Havre slightly stepped back. He examined the woman’s face. Ears, forehead, nose, eyes, cheeks, lips, every part of her face was red. Lu Havre gently brushed the woman’s cheeks.

Again, the heat rose through her entire body from the tips of her feet. She had to say something. Ashite opened her mouth to speak.

“Oh…. Uh…. It’s nothing much….”

“No. I really love it.”

Lu Havre didn’t stop smiling.

“The handkerchief,” Lu Havre began as he put the handkerchief immediately into his pocket. “I will always keep with me.”

Then he looked at the flower vase on the table. Paul’s ceramic vase and the white flower vase. Ashite, with slightly trembling hands, handed him the one from Paul. It looked like a beautiful glittering flower. Bedroom, woman, two vases. Lu Havre thought of something.

“And I will leave this in my bedroom.”

He pecked her lightly on the cheek. She was about to speak when Lu Havre whispered something into her ear. Ashite covered her mouth with her hand. Lu Havre smiled slyly then took the flower vase and walked to the door. It was not a big room, and it didn’t take very long, but it felt like an incredibly long time to Ashite.

“Then, Ashite. Sleep well.”

As if not wanting to say goodnight, Lu Havre opened the door, and at the same time, Ashite slowly sat down.

The door was closing. The door made no sound. Inside the room, the lamplight filled it with its warmth.