Her Rebirth.

The bookstore was nearly empty, and it was quiet except for the soft ticking of the old wall clock and the gentle rustle of pages turning. Amelia sat curled in her usual corner by the window, her gloved fingers fiddling absentmindedly with the edge of her sleeve, her eyes drifting to the door every few seconds.

It was already late.

Maybe... maybe he wasn’t coming again today.

"Miss Lia," Mr. Thomas said gently from behind the counter, adjusting his spectacles as he began to close the ledger. "We’ll be closing soon."

She looked up, startled, and quickly offered a polite nod. "Oh, of course. I’ll be on my way then."

She stared down at her hands, trying not to look too disappointed. Maybe he’s truly not coming today. I should probably just leave.

With a soft sigh, she stood, brushing imaginary dust from her skirt. As she turned toward the door, she glanced back one last time, her lips pressing into a faint line.

"Good night, Mr. Thom—"

She collided with someone, stumbling slightly.

"Oh! I’m so sorry—" Then she looked up, heart leaping to her throat.

Kai.

He stood there, looking ever so casual, his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat, as a playful smirk formed on his lips.

"Miss me that much? You’re throwing yourself at me now?"

Amelia flushed, half out of surprise and half from something else, something warmer, something far more dangerous.

"You’re late," she scolded.

He only shrugged. "Just came by to pick a book. Didn’t know you’d be waiting."

Mr. Thomas, seeing the exchange, chased them out with a gruff, "Alright, you two, it’s already late. Leave."

They both chuckled and went out of the bookstore.

Outside, the night market was bustling. The scent of roasted chestnuts, sweet buns, and spiced tea filled the air, children dashing past in bursts of joy.

They walked in comfortable silence for a while, each of them just merely enjoying the presence of the other.

Amelia’s thoughts swirled. How should I say it? When? Will he be upset? Does he even care?

Before she could speak, Kai suddenly stopped in front of a vendor selling trinkets and hair accessories. Without a word, he picked up a delicate silver butterfly hair clip with sapphire wings.

"I saw this and thought of you," he said casually, handing a coin to the vendor.

Before Amelia could react, he gently brushed her hair aside and clipped it into place.

"There," he said, stepping back with a satisfied grin. "Beautiful."

Amelia’s breath caught in her throat. They were standing so close now, their noses nearly touching. She could see every detail in his greyish eyes, and she could feel her heart pounding wildly, so loud she was sure he could hear it.

But then, almost in panic, she took a step back and blurted, "Kai—I need to tell you something."

He straightened, his brows tilting in mild confusion. "What’s wrong?" he asked gently.

She looked away, trying to gather her courage. "I’m... I’m getting married."

She didn’t know why she was so scared to tell him and also fearful of how he would react.

The silence that followed wasn’t long, but it felt like it stretched forever.

"Oh?" he said at last, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Congratulations. Who’s the lucky man?"

"You... don’t know him," she replied.

Kai nodded slowly. "And?"

"I just... I don’t think we’ll be able to see each other anymore," she admitted, eyes fixed on the stones beneath their feet. "I’ll be busy, and... my husband might not like me visiting the bookstore all the time."

She couldn’t tell him the truth, not all of it. That as a future empress, her every move would be watched. She couldn’t be seen here, nonetheless with another man. Even if theirs was a purely platonic relationship, others may not see it that way.

Kai watched her quietly, then looked away, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets. "I see. Well... I’ll miss you."

Amelia forced a smile. "Yeah... I’ll miss you too."

And she meant it. More than she knew she should.

...

The window creaked softly as Kai slipped through it, landing soundlessly on the floor of the candlelit office. Before he could even take another step, he heard a sharp, scolding voice.

"Your Highness, where did you run off to again?"

Kai turned around, unbothered by the scolding tone. His fingers reached up, gripping the edge of the lifelike fleshy mask clinging to his skin. With a swift tug, it peeled away, revealing the cold, sharp lines of his real face. His mid-length black hair fell around his face, slightly tousled, and his pale grey eyes glinted under the low lamplight.

Keiser

Standing near the door was Brune Moore, his closest confidant and the only man who dared to speak to him without fear.

"Just playing with a little butterfly," he answered in a slightly amused tone.

Brune’s brows furrowed slightly, clearly used to Keiser’s cryptic responses. "A butterfly? This isn’t the time for riddles, Keiser. Aldric is getting married to Duke Volemont’s daughter."

Keiser’s gaze flickered for a moment. Then he turned fully toward Brune, his posture still casual, but his fingers slowly clenched at his side.

"This could be... unfavorable," Brune continued cautiously. "The Volemonts were neutral. If the Duke aligns himself with Aldric, you’ll lose a critical power balance in the court."

He turned away from Brune and walked to the side table, pouring himself a glass of wine.

Kai leaned back against the table, swirling the wine in his glass but not drinking it. His thoughts flashed to the banquet, when he had seen her as she hid behind the hedge, peeking in with wide, resentful eyes. A foolish, fragile thing. He had almost walked away, but something about her had pulled his attention.

And then, by sheer twist of fate, he met her again in the bookstore.

His only quiet refuge in the capital.

A place where the world didn’t demand so much from him, where he could breathe without being scared someone was out for his life. He had been curious about her at first, found her an intriguing plaything to pass his time. But somehow, she had intruded, becoming a safe space for him. And she did it quietly, without permission... and yet, without resistance from him. He started finding himself looking forward to seeing her, looking forward to the quiet moments, her laughter, the way her eyes darted to him whenever she pretended not to look.

Kai raised a hand and pressed it to his chest.

What was this feeling?

It wasn’t pain. Not exactly. It was... tight. Hot. Suffocating.

The image of her smiling at someone else, at Aldric, flashed in his mind. The thought of her bowing before the imperial altar, dressed in white.....

"I want her," he muttered under his breath, his eyes darkening.

Brune blinked, unsure of what Keiser had said. "Your Highness?"

"I want her," he whispered again, though this time, it felt less like a possessive claim and more like a desperate confession. Then, as if remembering himself, he scoffed and turned away.

"Tell the others," he said. "If Duke Volemont chooses to back Aldric fully, we’ll have to respond. But not yet."

Brune hesitated, then gave a short nod. "Understood."

As he left, Keiser remained standing by the window, staring out at the moon as the image of Amelia’s flushed cheeks as he fixed the butterfly hair clip in her hair flashed through his thoughts.

He clenched his hand tightly over his chest again.

Maybe he should tell her how he felt.

Would she give him a chance?