Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The smile on Ren’s face grew as he watched the new gardener hiss and scowl at a dying strawberry plant before angrily plucking off a dead strawberry and whispering to it. The new gardener had only been there for two weeks, but that was long enough for Ren to be sure that he had no idea what he was doing. 

Not that he could say he had much confidence the previous gardener knew much either. There was a reason why so much of the castle foliage looked terrible. And the reason why his parents decided to hire a new gardener. Unfortunately for them, they hired someone unqualified once again. 

He watched as the new gardener picked up the hose and sprayed the stream right into a group of strawberry plants. Strawberries that were very clearly dying from overwatering. 

The new gardener was pretty though. And very entertaining to watch. Though it was probably weird to be watching him from the window. Anyone from the castle could easily be watching if they wished, but still. 

Well, maybe today was the day for him to make introductions. He wanted to at the very least learn the name of the strawberry drowner before he was inevitably fired. 

Ren didn’t wait a second longer to push open his second floor bedroom’s window and climb onto the sill before jumping down. The new gardener yelped in response to the loud sound that came from Ren’s feet hitting the hard ground a few feet away from him. He brandished the hose as a weapon and pointed it in his direction with a manic look in his eyes. 

Ren quickly held up his hands. "Sorry." 

The man in front of him stared at him intensely before frantically letting go of the hose and holding his hands up. 

"Oh. Your highness. My apologies. You startled me." 

It seemed the gardener already knew who he was. That was disappointing. While Ren’s existence was widespread public knowledge, most people didn't know what he looked like. Not that it was odd for the gardener to know. He must have been informed when he got the job.

"It's fine. Don't worry,” Ren answered with a peaceful smile. 

The man looked skeptical for a moment, but it was immediately hidden away with a quick bow. Once the gardener raised his head again, the look was gone and replaced with a polite smile. “Thank you. May I help you with anything?" 

"You're drowning the strawberries." 

"Pardon?" 

"You're over watering them. Or over-watered them. I think they're beyond being saved." 

A scowl appeared on the man’s face for a split second before being replaced with a look of overwhelming sadness. "I ruined them that terribly? I didn't realize. I'm sorry. I'll find a way to fix it."

"I think we'll need more strawberry plants." 

"I'm sorry." 

The other looked even further saddened by the news. It was as if he was about to cry. 

That wasn’t good. 

“It's fine though," Ren reassured. "The last gardener was horrible. He probably messed them up. We can get some plants to replace the dying ones no problem." 

The other man looked at him hesitantly. “Really?” 

Ren nodded. "Yeah. For sure." 

The look of sadness immediately dissipated from the gardener’s face and was replaced with a wide smile. "That's a relief. Thank you, your highness." 

Crisis averted. He didn’t want to make the guy cry. He also didn’t need the castle staff spreading rumors that he made the new gardener cry during his first month. There were enough rumors about him being spread around. 

"Of course,” Ren responded. “I'll make sure more gardening supplies are ordered." 

"Thank you. I really do greatly appreciate it."

That wasn’t hard to believe. With how horrible his gardening skills were, he would probably appreciate any help he could get. 

"It's fine. Though, it's alright if the garden fails. I think everyone has gotten used to it. With the last gardener being terrible and all. Even if you can't garden, I'm sure my parents won't care too much."

He was surprised they had even noticed the first time. 

The man in front of him sent him a heated look for a second before a smile covered his features immediately. "I can garden just fine."

Oh? 

"It didn't look like you could," Ren challenged.  

The man left out a gentle laugh. "Apologies for seeming so, but I am taking my job very seriously. I'll make sure the castle gardens look beautiful." 

Was that so? 

"Don't push yourself,” Ren teased. 

"I'll make sure of it." 

Ren felt his heart speed up at the intensity in the man’s voice. Ren looked straight into his determined eyes and smirked. "I look forward to it then." 

After parting ways with the gardener, Ren immediately did what was needed to ensure that new gardening supplies were ordered. It didn’t take long for everything to arrive at the castle. 

Ren smiled as he spotted the gardener sitting at the side of the garden surrounded by shovels, bags of soil, and several heavy books. He was scowling as he flipped through a book in his hands. 

Ren had been continuing to watch the gardener from his bedroom window when he had the time even after meeting with him. He could acknowledge that it was strange, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop. He was just watching the man working. That wasn’t too weird. Anyone could do that if they wished. Though he doubted anyone else was. 

He was interesting to watch. Ren enjoyed watching him berate the plants and glare at the soil, and he doubted that the gardener would do so if Ren told him that he could easily see him from his bedroom window. 

Everyone at this castle had masks. That was nothing new. People hid their real intentions and feelings behind manners and smiles. Neither he nor the gardener were any different. The polite smiles from their conversation before were merely that. And the gardener hid a lot of rage. 

A lot of rage that the gardener took out in the form of brandishing a shovel and pointing it at a strawberry plant as he scolded it. It was the most entertaining thing he had witnessed at the castle in months. 

Ren smiled fondly as he watched the gardener carefully inspect the soil he was digging for some new plants while looking back to his book every few moments. An intense look of concentration was set on his face as he buried the plant into the soil. 

He clearly was trying. The intensity Ren had witnessed when they first spoke was clearly not fake. He was taking his job seriously, and it made Ren want to see him succeed. 

And even covered in dirt and leaves there was still a certain beauty to him. The way the sun shined onto his hair. The determined gaze. The intensity. 

All of it made it hard for Ren to look away. 

The gardener was sitting on one of the benches reading. He had been doing so for two hours now.

Ren was bored. It was no fun watching a guy blankly read a book for hours on end. 

Maybe he should go talk to him again. It wasn’t as if Ren couldn’t. He was banned from leaving the castle, but there was nothing stopping him from talking to the gardener. 

Yeah. He was going to go talk to him again. It would be more fun than watching him read even if all he did was lie to Ren’s face and show him fake polite smiles. 

Ren pushed open his window and jumped down. The man didn't even look up from his book this time. 

"Hello," Ren greeted. 

Ren waited a second for a reaction before frowning. Must have been a good book. It was kinda…cute how focused he was. Ren must have really insulted him when he said he was doing a terrible job. 

Ren walked over and sat down next to him on the bench. 

The other man jolted so hard the book almost flew out of his hands. "Oh. Your highness. Hello." 

Ren smiled. "Hi." He pointed to the book. "What are you reading?" 

The man fixed his posture and set the book in his lap with a smile. "It's a book about flower growing tips. I'm thinking of a few flowers that may make good additions here. 

Flowers, huh? There was a distinct lack of flowers for a castle garden. A distinct lack of a lot actually. 

Even with the gardener’s hard work the garden wasn’t…great. The plants themselves weren't in as terrible shape. They weren't doing wonderfully, but at least none of them were dead. That was an improvement, but it certainly didn’t look good, much less as beautiful as a castle garden should. If anyone’s jaw was going to drop from seeing it, it was going to be because of how horrendous it looked. 

But, it was still an improvement. 

"You're taking your job seriously," Ren complimented.  

"Of course. The castle's appearance is critical in how others perceive it, and it's my job to make sure the outside is well maintained to give a good impression to everyone who visits." 

That sounded like something written on the job postings on the bulletin board in the village. 

"A lot of work for one person."

One person who didn't know how to garden. Or maybe the problem was that there was only one gardener. Maybe if they had five the garden would be fine. How much were his parents even paying the poor guy? 

The man left out a short polite laugh. "Maybe it is a lot of work, but that's why I need to do my best. I won't fail." 

He clearly was trying his best. And it had only been a few weeks since he started. Maybe in a few months the garden really would be pleasing to look at. Ren wanted to believe it would be. 

"I expect great things," Ren teased.  

"Oh. Now, you're making me nervous." 

Ren let out a laugh. "Well, the place looks better now than it did with the last gardener." 

"I'm glad.” A nervous expression appeared on the man’s face. “Actually, I had a request. If you’re willing.” 

Ren raised an eyebrow. "A request." 

That could mean anything. More soil. Another employee. Or something bad like…

"I wanted to order a fountain,” the gardener said. “Or maybe hire someone to add a fountain. I can't say I know how to install one. I can try learning, but I'm unsure how long that would take. I just had a few ideas on how to improve the garden, and I believe it would benefit by having a fountain." 

Ren blinked in surprise before his body sagged in relief. 

Or he just wanted to install a fountain. 

The gardener nervously laughed. “That sounds impudent to ask now that I’ve said it outloud. Feel free to ignore me, your highness. Apologies.”  

"Huh? Oh. No. I can ask."

The man's eyes lit up. "Really? I appreciate it. Thank you." 

"Yeah. Of course." 

Maybe this guy was really just super into gardening. 

"Ren," his father started. 

Ren looked up from his dinner towards the man. The King. The asshole in charge. His father. 

His father who was actually speaking with him today. That must mean he needed something from him. Or needed to remind him of something. Or there was something important happening tomorrow and he wanted to inform Ren now instead of sooner. Or maybe he finally couldn’t stand having to look at him anymore and had decided to kick him out instead of trapping him in the castle. 

If anything, that might have been preferable. 

"We are having a gala in the castle in six months," his father announced bluntly. 

A gala? Well, that explained why they were suddenly starting to care about the castle foliage. They hadn’t thrown a major party within the castle since the old guy was hired two years ago. They always threw their fancy balls in the mansion a few miles away instead. 

"Nobles from all five kingdoms will be in attendance." His father continued with a harsh look. "All."

All? All five?! Seriously? They were having their five kingdom peace gala here? Again. It was meant to happen in a different kingdom this year. They held it last year. And after what happened last year, why would they think he would be okay with him having to spend time with that menace again? 

What was their angle? An apology for his previous behavior? Behavior he didn’t regret? He was right!

His father lifted a glass from the table. "We expect perfect behavior." 

Ren clenched his fists under the table, but maintained his neutral expression. He couldn't show his anger. His feelings. His contempt. "Of course."

His father nodded. "Wonderful." 

Dinner was silent after that. 

The garden had a fountain now. And multiple walkways. And new benches. And arches. 

It definitely helped the garden look better. Though it would look even better if the plants themselves were in better shape. They still weren't dead, but they really could be better. Look more alive. Healthy. Not hanging on their last legs. But they'd look like that for a month now, so clearly the life support the gardener provided kept them from ending their misery. 

The gardener himself was painting a few archways. There were little roses painted on the other three, and he was working on the last. He looked peaceful as he painted. There was also a bit of red paint on his cheek. 

Ren wanted to speak with him again. 

He once again opened his window and jumped down. He marveled at the new additions to the garden from up close for a few minutes before walking over to the gardener. This time it seemed the man noticed him before his approach. 

"Hello Your Highness," he greeted. 

"Hey. The place looks good." 

The man smiled. "I'm glad you think so." 

"The plants could be in better shape." 

The man stayed silent and looked at him with a blank smile. Ren kept his neutral expression in place as he waited for a reaction. 

"I'll do better," the gardener eventually replied. 

Ren smiled. "It's okay to admit that you can't garden."

"I can." 

Ren forced himself to not let out a laugh. Maybe the real reason the gardener wanted a fountain and walkways was so that there would be less room for the plants. It would be a clever plan. 

"If you say so," Ren eventually responded. 

"I apologize for the inadequacy."

"You're fine." 

What was the other man thinking right now? Was he yelling at him like he did with the grass? Maybe threatening him and imagining he was holding his shovel instead of a paintbrush. Or maybe he was quietly scolding him with a glare and telling him he was disappointed in his actions. 

Maybe Ren should stop spying on the guy. Oh well. 

His attention turned towards the arch. Red flowers and green leaves curled up from the bottom until around halfway up the structure. They were simple in design, but a fitting and elegant addition. 

"The roses are a nice touch," Ren commented. 

"Thank you."

They looked better than the real ones a few feet away . Those looked slightly burned and too small. Ren didn’t know enough about plants to be sure what exactly was wrong with them just by looking at them though. Maybe Haru would know. 

His heart ached at the thought. 

"Maybe you should have become a painter," Ren commented. 

The man laughed. "I'm nowhere near that talented." 

He wondered what Yusuke would think. Would he be approving of the new additions or would he be firmly against? 

Ren missed his friends. 

He purged the thought from his mind. 

"You know," Ren started, "I never asked for your name."

The man's eyes widened. "Oh. My apologies. I'm Goro Akechi." 

"Well, it's nice to see you Goro Akechi." 

"Likewise. It's always a pleasure when you come to see me, your highness." 

“You…you can just call me Ren if you want.” 

Goro blinked at him, surprised. “Is that what you want me to call you?” 

Ren nervously pulled at his sleeve. “You may call me that. If you want. Whatever you’re comfortable with.” 

A skeptical look flashed through Goro’s features that Ren would have missed if he had even blinked during that moment. A polite smile quickly covered it up. 

“Alright. Thank you Prince Ren.” 

It felt nice hearing someone other than his parents say his name. It was nice having someone to talk to at all. He hoped he wasn’t making Goro uncomfortable. 

He really wished he could see his friends. 

There were some flowers growing now. They were pretty. Multiple different colored blossoms filled the garden and hung around in small baskets around the fountain. 

It was honestly surprising to see the garden not looking completely dead. It didn’t seem like Goro was having less problems with the strawberries though. 

Ren watched as Goro picked a dead leaf off and glared at it before scowling at the book he was holding. There was dirt in his hair and his clothes looked wet, and he continued to angrily hold a green strawberry. 

Maybe in a few months the garden really would look nice. His parents would be happy with that. They wouldn’t have to explain to every noble on the continent why all of their plants were dead and why no one wanted to fix it. 

And it was nice to see something other than death outside of his window. He wondered how angry Goro would be if he stole some of the flowers to keep in his room. The rose bushes were growing nicely. A few pink and red roses would spruce up the place and make it look more lively. 

He looked back towards Goro who was softly smiling as he started watering a few flowers next to the strawberries. Ren smiled at the sight. While seeing the other man threaten a patch of mint was entertaining, it was also a treat to see him genuinely smile. 

Ren wanted to speak with him again. 

A bird landed on Goro’s hand and he looked towards it, still smiling. His mouth moved as if he was saying something to the small blue bird before laughing as it flew away with a small chirp. 

Ren wanted to speak with him again, but maybe he should just stay in his room and watch. 

He really was being weird just sitting there and watching Goro do his job. Or well, it wasn’t that weird. This was his room. He was allowed to look out his window. Or stare out his window. And if something happened to interest him, he was allowed to watch it. 

He was being weird. 

He should tell Goro that he could see him from his window. 

But not today. Today he was just going to watch. 

Ren was bored again. And Goro was reading. Again. 

The garden itself was in much better shape. The grass was starting to become a shade that he could call green. The fountain was running and clear water cascaded around it and reflected rainbows onto the ground. Colorful flowers grew all around in various states of health. 

The strawberries were still dead, and there were numerous patches of sad leaves, but it was looking better. A lot better. It was impressive. Especially since Goro didn't know how to garden. 

Ren pushed open his window and jumped onto the ground. The garden looked a bit more dead up close, but it still didn't fail to impress him. 

It really might be a decent garden by the time of the gala. 

Ugh. Gala.

Ren purged the thought from his mind.

He walked over to Goro and sat down next to him. 

“Hello, Ren,” he greeted, looking away from his book. 

“Hello.  The garden actually looks like one now. I'm impressed.” 

“Thank you. I'm simply doing my job.”

Ren spotted a pretty set of purple flowers growing next to the bench. “Which flowers are these?” 

“Hmm? Oh. Those are Irises.” 

“They’re pretty.” 

“Yes. They represent royalty and hope, so they’re quiet fitting for a castle garden.” 

Ren looked back towards him. “You put that much thought into it?” 

“Flower meaning is important. You wouldn’t want spider lilies in a castle garden. That’s a bad omen.” 

“I see.”

He really was putting a lot of effort into this. 

“Do you have a favorite?” Ren asked. 

“A favorite?” 

“A favorite flower?” 

Goro looked deep in thought. “I can't say I've ever thought about it before. Do you have a favorite?” 

A favorite flower. He couldn't say he ever really thought about it either. There were so many options after all. So many different kinds of blossoms. Different colors, shapes, meanings, and even stories behind them. It was hard to pick just one when he could barely name any off the top of his head. 

“I'm really not sure,” he responded. 

“It's difficult to choose.” Goro hummed. “Not a fan of your namesake?” 

“You mean a lotus? They're nice, but it's hard to say that they're my absolute favorite when there are so many options.” 

“Is that so? The lotus is certainly a beautiful flower. And there are so many stories connected to it, it's difficult for me not to be interested.”

“Stories? Like what?” 

“Such as how it has been viewed as a symbol of the sun. And there are stories where people believe that the itself sun came from a lotus flower. Some people even believed that the lotus has the ability to resurrect the dead. While in another story, fruits from lotus plants poisoned people into forgetting about their duties and becoming entirely consumed in temptation and desire. And…” Goro trailed off and looked at him startled before letting out a nervous laugh. “Oh. My apologies. I didn't intend to ramble.” 

Ren smiled fondly. “I don't mind. You can continue.” 

Goro looked surprised, but he nodded his head. “Ah. Well, it also symbolizes purity. And in flower language it also represents strength, resilience, and rebirth. It can sometimes also represent estranged love or forgetting the past.”

“Estranged love? That doesn't sound very happy.” 

But he couldn't say it didn't fit him. He definitely felt estranged whenever he walked through the castle. His parents barely spoke with him. Servants and workers avoided him when they could. He wondered how things were outside the castle? 

Did his friends want to get away from him too? He didn't know. He hadn't spoken to any of them in months. He wanted to believe they didn't. They didn't support his punishment when he did last see them, but it could have been a lie. They might be happy to be away from him. Maybe this punishment was what they wanted to have happen to him. 

He clenched his fists. 

No. His friends weren't like that. He knew that they weren't. It wasn't fair of him to be doubting them. 

Being locked in the castle was making him lose his mind. Maybe trying to sneak out was worth the risk. 

“I suppose it is sad,” Goro replied. “But I think it can have a happy meaning as well. While losing someone is normally painful, it can also lead to the birth of new connections. The death of one love to bring further joy in the future. Rebirth in a way.”

Rebirth. All this didn't feel like rebirth. It made him feel like he was wilting. 

He was happy at least Goro was here. Ren would definitely lose it if he had absolutely no one to talk to. Even these short conversations felt like a balm on his sanity. 

He blinked out of his thoughts at the sound of a low grumble. He turned towards Goro who sat with an embarrassed look on his face. 

“A…Apologies,” Goro stuttered out. 

Ren chuckled lightly. “Are you hungry?” 

“I’m alright. I skipped breakfast this morning, but I can wait for lunch.” 

“If you’re hungry, we should get something to eat.” 

“I…I should be focusing on my work. It would be wrong of me to step away.” 

Did Ren make him uncomfortable? Was he just waiting every moment Ren was there for when he would leave? 

“Do I bother you when I come to talk?” Ren asked. 

Goro quickly shook his head. “No. Of course not.” 

“You can be honest. I won't be mad.” 

“I am being honest. I…I truly enjoy it every time you come to speak with me.” His eyes narrowed into a sharp glare, and Ren imagined that this was probably the sight the strawberry plants experienced on a daily basis. “Honestly, I'm insulted that you think I would lie about it.” 

Oh. Well, that was true. It wasn't fun to be accused of lying. 

“Sorry.” 

Goro’s features softened. “Forgiven. I'm surprised you apologized.” 

“Why wouldn't I? I made a mistake. You're right. I shouldn't have accused you of something without reason.” 

Goro shook his head. “In my experience, nobility is never that kind.” 

“In your experience?” 

“Ah. Well, I'd rather not speak of it right now. If that's alright.” 

Well, that experience could be anything. Ren had heard enough horror stories from the village populace about the way most nobles behaved. He could imagine a few things. Some worse than others. He had no reason to pry. 

“Of course it's alright.” Ren smiled politely. “Now, lunch? You deserve a break, and food is important. I won't stand for a castle worker being hungry. But only if you want of course.”

“Leading me towards temptation?” 

Ren held back a laugh. “If that's what you want to think of it.”

Goro looked hesitant. “if it's alright for me to do so. I wouldn't want to impose on your time.”

“I wouldn't offer if I didn't want to.” 

“Is that so? Well, if you insist. I would be foolish to refuse.” 

Ren smiled brightly at the acceptance. 

Goro was watering flowers. Ren was sitting on the bench watching. They hadn't spoken outside of a simple hello, but Ren was content. At least he wasn't stalking him anymore. 

Goro was humming under his breath as he tilted the watering can and tenderly poured water over a hanging pot of some small flowers. Ren wasn't sure which kind of flower they were, but they were pretty. 

He smiled and picked up one of Goro's books that was sitting on the bench. The Art of Planting. A red bookmark was placed inside. Ren flipped to the marked page and snorted at the sight of strawberries. 

It seemed this book was helping though. The strawberry plants weren't making any strawberries, but they weren't dead yet. There was still hope. 

He closed the book and set it back on top of the book pile. Goro had now moved on to watering some hydrangeas. 

Hydrangeas. They had a multitude of meanings from what Ren could recall. Gratitude, grace, and beauty were the more positive attributes represented, but these flowers were also associated with vanity and ego. Ren supposed both of those could very easily be justified to represent the nobility. He wondered which set of meanings Goro was thinking when he chose them. Perhaps both. 

Goro eventually came back to the bench and took a seat beside him. He was covered in dirt and his clothes were a little wet. And yet, he was still so pretty. 

“What do you do in your free time?” Ren asked. 

Goro looked over to him and patted the stack of books. “I read, I suppose.” 

Ren waited for him to continue. He did not. 

“Anything else?” 

Goro looked deep in thought. “Not particularly. No.” 

Hmm…

“Have you ever tried archery?” 

“A little bit.” 

“You want to try it with me?” 

“I would like that.” 

An hour later, Ren began to think that Goro had lied to him when he said he tried ‘a little bit’. Or maybe the two of them had different definitions of a little bit. Or maybe Goro really was just gifted. There was no other explanation for why he was able to hit the bullseye every single time with ease. 

Goro smirked as the arrow slammed right into the target once again. He turned Ren with triumphant glee and a challenge in his eyes. It made Ren’s heart do a little flip. 

Well, if this was the competition, then Ren needed to step it up. 

He needed to leave. He couldn't stand being locked in this castle for even another day. He was going to lose his mind. He needed to see his friends. He needed to see the village. The anxiety was going to kill him if he didn't. 

He missed his friends too much. He needed to leave. 

He could sneak out. Most of the staff and his parents barely paid him any attention. As long as he was back before dinner, he would be fine. 

He could leave after breakfast. Most of the staff was busy in the left wing then. If he snuck out of his room into the garden, he could use the gate to exit the interior garden and head to the outside gardens. Then it would be easy to sneak out and make his way into the village. It would take an hour to walk, but it would be worth it. 

There were minimal guards around the garden, so they would be easy to navigate around, and the only other person in the garden was Goro. Ren could sneak past him easily. 

It was a plan. A risky plan. But he was going to do it. He had to get out. 

He packed a light bag and went to sleep committed to his plan, he ate breakfast with a single thought in mind, and he swung his bag over his shoulder and looked out his window with a purpose. 

He spotted Goro in the far corner sitting under a flowering tree reading a book. Perfect. 

Ren opened his window and grabbed onto the sill before shutting it. He then slowly made his way down instead of jumping to limit noise. 

He quickly hid behind a small tree and looked towards Goro's direction. Still reading. Good. 

He looked towards the gate. Closed, but that was fine. It was an easy gate to sneak through. He'd used it plenty of times even before he was locked in. 

He slowly made his way to the gate and smiled once he was standing in front of it. So close. 

He slowly pushed the gate. So close. So close to temporary freedom. 

“What are you doing?”

Ren flinched so hard he had to grab onto the fence to stop himself from falling. When…when had Goro walked over here? When did he stop reading? How had Ren not noticed? 

Damn it. What was he supposed to do? 

“I was…I just wanted to see the other side of the garden,” he replied. 

“It's just grass there. And a few trees.”

Yes. Ren knew that. Umm…

“Were you trying to sneak out?” Goro asked. 

Shit. 

“What?” 

“I was told to monitor the gate. To ensure that you didn't use it in any escape attempts.” 

He was?! 

“I wasn't.” 

Goro didn't look convinced. 

Damn it. He couldn't even make it past the garden. Of course he wasn't going to be able to escape. Of course he wasn't. This gate was positioned right outside his room just to mock him. 

“You can go.” 

Ren’s eyes flew towards the other man. He could…he could…what? Did…did Ren hear him right? 

“You can go,” Goro repeated. He gestured towards the gate. “If anyone were to ask, I’d say I didn't see you.” 

He…he would? He would lie for him? But if he got caught, he'd get in trouble. He would get fired. Possibly even arrested. 

“Get going. Be back quick.” 

But…but…

“I'll be fine,” Goro said with a wave of his hand before turning around and walking back towards the direction of the tree he was reading under. 

Ren looked towards him and then back towards the gate. He…he…

He had to go. He couldn't stand being here. He had to go. He'd be back as soon as he could. Goro wouldn't get in trouble. Ren would make sure of it. But he couldn't let this opportunity go to waste. 

Ren looked towards Goro who was now leaning against the tree looking at him. Ren smiled at him and whispered a quick thank you he knew the other couldn't hear before rushing out of the gate and into the outside.

Ren flipped a hood over his head the moment he made it to the outskirts of the village. His legs slightly ached, and he was parched, but there was still a happy beat in his steps and a smile on his face. 

He was outside. He was at the village. He really had done it! 

It was only another mile of walking before he reached a familiar cafe. He couldn't stop the large smile that spread on his face at the sight of it. His legs hurt, but he broke into a run for the remaining distance and rushed inside. 

It looked the same as he remembered. One customer in the back. Rows of coffee beans. The smell of sweetness and spice. 

And two familiar faces and a cat. 

“Ren!” Futaba shouted. She leaped over the counter and tackled him into a hug. 

Ren huffed as he caught her. Laughter spilled out as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. 

“Futaba. I missed you.” 

Futaba squeezed him tighter before letting go. “Were you finally allowed to leave?” 

“I snuck out.”

Futaba snorted. “I figured. How long do you have?” 

“Three hours maybe.” 

She smiled wide. “I'll make it count.” 

His attention turned towards Sojiro who was looking away from him and preparing coffee. 

He walked over. “Hi Boss.” 

Sojiro set a cup of coffee on the counter in front of him. “Welcome back kid.” 

Ren wanted to cry, but he controlled himself. “Thank you.” 

Futaba filled him in on how everyone was doing. From what she said, it seemed all of them were alright. It was a needed relief. 

It hurt to leave, but he couldn't risk staying longer than he had. He quickly said his goodbyes at risk of a longer goodbye convincing him to stay. 

He made it back to the castle on shaky legs before the sun set. He entered the garden once again through the gate and almost collapsed. He held on to the fence to keep himself steady. 

He needed to work out more. 

He spotted Goro standing near some rose bushes watering them with a small purple can. He smiled and slowly walked over towards him. 

“Thank you,” Ren said. 

Goro stopped watering the flowers and looked towards him. “Hmm? What for?” 

“For this morning.” 

“I don't remember seeing you this morning. Did you have a dream about me?” 

Goro sent him a smirk before turning back towards the roses. 

He didn't need to go that far in pretending he didn't know, but Ren couldn't say he didn't appreciate it. 

“Maybe I did,” Ren responded. 

“Well, I'm honored to be dreamt about.”

Ren chuckled quietly. He needed to find a way to properly thank him. Something to show that Ren really was grateful for his friend’s help. 

His gaze traveled towards a small flowering tree next to him. 

“Which flowers are these?” Ren asked, pointing to the small tree covered with white and pink flowers. 

“Hmm? Those are magnolias. They represent nobility and perseverance as well as a love for nature.” 

“Fitting.” 

“Yes.” 

He pointed to a large yellow flower. “And these are sunflowers, right?” 

“Correct. They represent good luck and loyalty.” 

“You know a lot about this.”

“It is my job.” 

Yes. His job. The one he was definitely trained for before getting. 

“You learn about this stuff in gardener class? I thought you just picked it up in the same books you read trying to figure out how to keep the strawberry plants alive.” 

Ren grinned at the sight of Goro's left eye slightly twitch while his polite smile stayed firmly in place. 

“I'm not sure why you refuse to believe me when I say I know what I'm doing.” 

“Probably because it's pretty apparent that you don't.” Ren smiled gently. “But that's not bad. I mean, it's a lot more impressive seeing how much you've done knowing you practically taught yourself everything over the past couple months.” 

Goro blinked in surprise before turning away and letting out a cough. “Well, I'm glad you're impressed.” 

“Very impressed.” 

Goro nodded while still firmly looking away. 

“Anyway,” Goro started, looking back at Ren, “my mother was a fan of flowers. She taught me about what a lot of them mean.”

Oh. That was sweet. 

“Then you really are an expert.” He pointed randomly to a bush. “And what flowers are these?” 

“Those are roses.” 

Huh? Oh. Yeah. Obviously. 

“Wow. You really do know everything,” Ren replied with fake amazement. 

Goro huffed and crossed his arms. Ren couldn’t hold back a laugh at the sight. 

Ren smirked as he spun his dagger around in his hand. Goro stood in front of him critically examining the sword in his grip. 

After being absolutely decimated in an archery competition yet again, Ren decided to suggest a good natured duel. Goro had once again answered that he had a bit of training, but the way he was examining that sword was far too focused. Or they really had very different ideas on what a bit meant. 

It seemed Ren would soon find out. He was fully expecting it to be fun. 

“Ready?” Ren asked. 

Goro looked up at him with an intense gaze and nodded before entering a more useful stance for a fight. “I hope you weren’t planning to go easy on me.” 

“Never.”

“Good.” 

His opponent didn’t wait another moment before launching himself towards him. Ren smiled widely as he easily moved out of the way. Ren stabbed his dagger at him, but Goro ducked without any hesitation and kicked at his legs in a graceful swoop. 

Caught by surprise, Ren momentarily lost his balance, but he was quickly able to roll out of the way and stand up before Goro stabbed at the ground. 

Ren stepped a few feet back, and Goro turned around to face him with a fierce expression on his face. Ren smiled widely at the sight. 

“Not bad. For a beginner,” Ren mocked. 

Ha. Beginner. A real beginner wouldn’t have been able to counter his attack that seamlessly. 

Goro narrowed his eyes slightly. “Thank you.” 

Ren smirked and ran towards him. Goro locked eyes. Which way was he planning to dodge? 

Goro's foot moved right, and Ren twisted his body to match. He spun right trying to match his movements, but instead of Goro moving to the side, he dropped to the ground. 

Ren hissed as he crashed into him and began to tumble to the ground. Goro used the moment to grab him and push him away, and Ren huffed as he landed on the ground and rolled to a crouch. 

He looked up at Goro looking down at him blankly. 

Heh. Nice. 

Ren launched himself up into a jump and Goro frowned and moved out of the way. Ren smiled as he landed on the ground and flipped around and swung a fist. Goro grabbed it without an issue and Ren kneed him in the stomach. 

Goro hissed and tightened his hold on his wrist. Ren took a step back and dropped his dagger to the ground before pushing at Goro with full force. Goro crashed onto the ground with Ren on top of him, but his grip somehow stayed firm. 

“What was that supposed to do?” Goro asked. 

“I don't know.”

Goro lifted his sword hand and Ren quickly rolled out of the way. Goro's grip stayed firm, but Ren felt his dagger underneath him and he quickly grabbed it before Goro could roll on top of him. 

Ren smiled and pressed the dagger to Goro's neck at the same moment Goro pointed his sword at him. 

“I guess we're both dead.” 

Goro frowned, but the expression soon turned into amusement. “I suppose we are.” 

Ren laughed. 

When was the last time he had that much fun? It had been a few months at least. 

“We should do this again,” he suggested. 

Goro blinked surprised as if drawn away from deep thought. His face turned panicked and a bright red flush filled his cheeks before he turned away and nodded. “I think I'd enjoy that.” 

“Did you decide to become a gardener because of your mom?” Ren asked softly, touching a petal on one of the red flowers he couldn’t name. Maybe he should get a book of flowers for himself. 

Goro turned away from the bush he was trimming with a confused expression. “What do you mean?” 

“You said that your mother liked flowers.” 

Goro nodded. “She did, and my fascination with flower meaning does stem from her, but I can’t honestly say she’s the reason I got this job.” 

“Then why did you?” 

“I saw a job posting in the village, and I needed a job. I was applying for practically everything, and somehow I was accepted for this one.” 

…

“So you’re saying you don’t have gardening experience.” 

Goro fully turned towards him with a fierce scowl. “Why do you keep saying that?”

“Because it’s true.” 

Goro huffed and turned back to the bush he was trimming. “Perhaps.” 

Oh! He finally admitted it. Ren never thought he’d see the day. 

“I’m glad you finally feel comfortable being honest,” Ren replied.

“More like I was prodded into it.” 

Ren chuckled. “You’re welcome.” 

Goro turned towards him with a glare before turning back to the bush. Ren turned back to the flower in his hand. Maybe it was an amaryllis. They were red. Or maybe a zinnia. He had absolutely no idea what a zinnia looked like, but he'd heard the name. 

“So you’re from the neighboring village?” Ren asked. 

Ren had been to the village dozens or even hundreds of times. He viewed Leblanc as his home more than this castle. He liked to think he knew at least the faces of most of the village people, but he had never seen Goro before he started working at the castle. It wasn’t too large of a community. The major town near the castle was a bit further out in the opposite direction. He'd never been there before. 

It made the castle more isolated. Which was apparently better for security reasons. Ren hated it. 

“I travel around,” Goro answered. “I just happened to be in the nearby village then.” 

Travel? Ren wished he could travel around. He’d only ever traveled further than the village when he went to parties and events with his parents, and those were barely ever something he looked forward to. 

“Where are you from then?” Ren asked. 

Goro stayed silent for a moment before answering. “A town in the north. Near the border.” 

Ren had heard that the northern part of the kingdom was known for its flowers. He didn’t know much else about it. It wasn’t like he had ever been. 

Maybe one day. 

“Why did you leave?” Ren asked. 

“There was no reason to stay.” 

No reason to stay? Wasn’t it his home? Or maybe not. Maybe it was home as much as the castle was to Ren. 

“Why here then?” Ren asked.

Goro shrugged. “No reason in particular. I had no destination in mind.” He turned around and smiled at him. “Or maybe I wanted to meet the prince who attacked a foreign king.” 

Ren froze for a moment before scowling and turning towards him. “And what have you heard about that?” 

Goro chuckled. “That’s a dangerous look, your highness.” He hummed in thought. “And what have I heard about it? Most likely what most of the kingdom knows. Our vicious prince meaninglessly attacked foreign royalty, but due to the grace and benevolence of the victim, our highness was forgiven and only punished with house arrest.” 

His nails dug painfully into his skin as his hands twisted into fists. 

As if that man could ever be benevolent. Forgiven? For what? He didn’t do anything. And that asshole damn well knew it. What lies was he spreading about him? What lies were his parents corroborating? 

“You don’t look very happy with that,” Goro noted. 

Of course he wasn’t! Why would he be? Painting that man as a kind victim as if he could ever be described as kind. 

What did the people in that vicious king’s kingdom think of him? 

“Well, I doubt that the story is true,” Goro commented. “Describing that king in any positive way signals as much. Any attack that hurt him would be well deserved.” 

…

Huh?

“I didn’t even attack him. He fell and blamed it on me because I pissed him off.” 

Goro smirked. “I’m sure that was entertaining at the time.” 

Entertaining…

Ren chuckled. “At the time. He tripped over his own two feet and crashed into a table.”

Goro let out a laugh. “That would have been fun to see.” 

Fun to see? Yes. Actually, it was fun to see. It was very fun to see. It was hilarious. That man was acting like an absolute fool and then did something out of a comedy skit while full of rage. It was funny. Absolutely humorous. He wished there was a way for him to watch it all the time. A way to show it to everyone so that they could share the joy that came from the sight. 

“And what do you have against the man?” Ren asked. 

“I come from the north. I’ve met enough people who he’s wronged to form my opinion on him.” 

There were people who were running away and leaving their homes to come to their kingdom just to get away from him? That was horrible. Did his parents know? Were they really okay with that? Were they really supporting a man who was that horrible over him even while knowing the truth? 

That…that…

He didn’t want to believe that was true. 

“And the people in the village,” Goro continued, “all of them had nothing but good things to say about you.” 

They…they did? 

The village really spoke positively of him? Even after his arrest? 

“And I don’t have anything bad to say about you either.”

And Goro believed it too? 

It was…it was nice to hear. 

Got smirked. “Well, nothing other than commenting on how horrible your aim is.” 

Ren let out a snort. “My skills aren’t that horrible.” 

And he was getting better. 

“Here,” Goro said, holding up a flower. Goro walked over to him and Ren gave it a closer look. It was a small and pink flower that Ren couldn't name. He gently took it from the other, feeling his face heat up. 

“Which flower is this?” Ren asked. 

“A laurel. They represent glory and victory. But this particular one is a mountain laurel. Those represent ambition.” A familiar mischievous grin lit up his features. “And treachery.” 

Ren spun the flower in his finger. “Planning to overthrow the government?” 

“Haven’t decided.” 

“And is that something you should be telling me?” 

“Is it not?” 

Ren couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. “Haven’t decided.” 

Ren brought Goro along to have lunch with him for the tenth time. And even though it was the tenth time, the look of amazement on his face every time a plate of food was set in front of him didn't disappear. It was cute.

Ren smiled fondly as Goro ate a fruit tart. 

He had first brought Goro to lunch with him as a sign of thanks for the gate incident, but he quickly realized that there was no real reason to not bring him more than once. His parents only had dinner with him. No one would stop him if he had lunch with the pretty gardener everyday.

“A fan of fruit tarts?” Ren asked. 

Goro quickly nodded. “I've never had one before.” 

Never? Well, Ren was happy to change that. 

“Are there any desserts you want to try?” 

“Cheesecake.” 

Oh. That was quick. 

Ren smiled. “I’ll ask them to make a cheesecake tomorrow then.” 

Goro really was pretty. The look on his face at that moment only made him look even more beautiful. The sparkle of excitement in his eyes mixed with hesitant hope. The small smile. The way he held onto his fork just a little tighter and sat up straighter. 

The way the light reflected on his hair. The small cut under his eye after an unfortunate incident with a branch. 

Ren wanted to kiss him. 

Huh? 

Oh. Alright. 

Sure. Ren wanted to kiss him. That wasn’t too surprising. Of course Ren would go and develop a crush on the gardener. 

He couldn't say he was upset by it.

Ren smiled at the sight of the strawberries growing nicely. It seemed Goro had finally figured them out. And just in time for the gala. 

He frowned at the thought. There was less than a week left until then. He could hope it would go smoothly, but he doubted anyone would make it easy for him. 

But that was future Ren’s problem. 

Ren walked up and stood behind Goro who was picking a strawberry off. 

“Good morning,” Ren greeted. 

“Good morning,” Goro replied. He stood up holding a few bright red strawberries. “Do you want to try one?” 

“Is this an assassination attempt?” 

“Maybe.” 

Ren really did want to kiss him. And now since he had realized it, the thought refused to leave his mind. 

“I suppose I’ll take the risk,” he replied. 

He reached forward and grabbed a small strawberry from Goro’s hands and took a bite. It tasted like a strawberry. A little more sour than he was used to but still good. 

“It’s definitely a strawberry,” Ren commented. 

Goro rolled his eyes exasperated “What else would it be?” 

Ren smiled and took another bite without a response. 

People had started arriving for the gala. Ren decided it was best to stay away until he was required to be around anyone. His parents hadn’t yet complained, so he figured they must agree. 

He looked out his window to see Goro picking flowers and placing them in a basket. 

The garden itself looked astonishing. If Ren hadn’t seen the transformation himself everyday, he would have thought that everything was newly bought just for the day and destined to die by the end of it. 

It wasn’t the best garden ever seen, but it was a garden. A garden with walkways and benches and a fountain and arches. And, more important than that, a garden with living trees, strawberries, and dozens upon dozens of flowers. Some hung from the arches. Some were set in baskets on the fountain. And some were growing nicely on trees and bushes and the ground. 

It wasn’t the most beautiful garden, but Ren loved it. 

Ren opened the window and jumped down. Goro turned to look at him before continuing on with what he was doing. 

“Hey,” Ren greeted. 

“Hello Ren. How are you?” 

Ren shrugged. “Too many people.” 

Goro plucked a purple flower and placed it in the basket. “There certainly are. I hope no one ruins my hard work.” 

Ren was going to be upset too if anything terrible happened to the garden. He was too invested in it, and he was already annoyed with everyone. 

He couldn’t even leave if he wanted to. Too much of a risk to sneak out while there were so many guests coming in and out. 

“They should all hopefully be gone in a week,” Ren responded. “I’ll help you fix anything that’s ruined.” 

Goro smiled. “I would appreciate that.”  

So pretty. 

“Are you collecting the flowers for something?” 

Goro looked down at his basket before looking back at him. “Your parents wanted flowers to decorate the hall.” He frowned. “But all of my ideas were rejected, and they decided to do whatever they wanted. They used begonia as an entrance decoration. I’m not even sure why they asked for my opinion at all.” 

“Begonia?” 

“It’s a message to beware.” 

Oh. Well, that certainly was the opposite of what his parents probably wanted.

Ren smiled. “Maybe they should beware.” 

“Is the vicious prince planning to attack another noble?” 

“Not planning to. I was thinking maybe you were. You certainly seem upset.” 

Goro sighed. “Don’t tempt me.” 

“Oh? But that’s my name isn’t it.” 

Goro snorted. “I suppose.” 

There was some dirt on Goro’s cheek. Ren wanted to wipe it away. He kept his hands to his sides. 

“So what are the flowers for if not for decoration?” Ren asked. 

“I thought I’d collect some for myself. And umm…” He hesitated for a moment. “And for you as well. If you would like some.” 

He collected flowers for him! 

“I’d love them,” he responded. 

Goro nodded and held out his basket. “These are for you then.” 

Ren took the basket from him and looked at the multi-colored flowers in awe. “You don’t want any?” 

“I already dropped off the ones I wanted in my room.” 

Ren smiled softly. These were all for him. Goro collected flowers for him. 

“Which flowers are these?” He asked. 

Goro stepped a bit closer to him and gently grabbed the petal of one of the red flowers. “This one is a camellia.” He touched a different red flower. “And this is a lily.” A bundle of small blue ones. “Forget me not.” A purple one. “A pansy.” A burgundy one. “And a scabiosa.  I picked this one up from the village. I don’t have them planted here.” 

It was a dark color which was different from the bright colored flowers scattered across the garden. 

“I think it’s pretty,” Ren commented.

Pretty for sure. The color was gorgeous, and he liked the look of the small cups coming together to form one flower. 

But at the same time looking at it made him feel melancholic. 

“What do they mean?” 

Goro looked at him and smirked. “Figure it out yourself.” 

A challenge? Well, Ren would be happy to accept. 

Ren matched his expression. “Alright.” 

He found a book of flower meaning easily enough in the castle’s library. It wasn’t even too difficult to sneak past people in that area of the castle. It seemed no guest was interested in books. 

The book listed flowers in alphabetical order, so he started with C. 

Camellia. Adoration. Desire. 

Forget-me-not. Love. Remembrance. 

Lily. Beauty. Purity. With the red ones signifying warmth and desire. 

Pansy. A desire to be thought of and remembered. With the purple ones saying that the other occupies their thoughts. 

Ren could feel his entire face heat up more and more as he looked at each flower’s description. 

Was he…were these intentionally picked for him? Did Goro want him to read into it? The meaning was clear if he was. 

Or was it just a set of flowers? Flowers he happened to pick up because he thought Ren would enjoy their appearance or smell. Maybe he wasn’t thinking about the meaning too deeply when he picked them for him. 

But that thought didn’t seem right. It felt like he wasn’t taking Goro seriously if he were to underestimate him like that. Goro wouldn’t just ignore what they meant. It would be an insult to think so. 

Then…what? Was this…was the basket of flowers meant to be a confession? 

His heart started to beat faster at the thought. 

He flipped the page to the last flower. 

Scabiosa. Unfortunate love. 

Unfortunate? 

He traced the words with his index finger. 

Why was it unfortunate? 

Because he was the prince? Or maybe because he was a criminal. Or maybe he just thought his feelings weren’t returned. 

Ren needed to talk to him. 

He quickly stood up and rushed over to his window overlooking the garden. The only light outside came from a few lamps hung around. Goro was nowhere to be seen. 

Of course he wasn’t there. He must be in his own room at this time of night. He might even be asleep. It wouldn’t be right for Ren to disturb him. 

Later. Ren would speak with him the moment he had a chance. 

And he would confess. 

Ren’s suit was uncomfortable. And he didn’t think it looked all that nice either. Maybe the designers were trying to make a fool out of him. 

Of course he wasn’t going to say any of that outloud. He didn’t need to get on anyone’s bad side more than he already had. 

He entered the dining hall beside his parents and silently took a seat. He made sure to keep his gaze away from everyone. 

He stayed silent throughout breakfast. It was easy enough. No one spoke to him, so he tuned everyone out. No one ever said anything important when he was around. 

Breakfast ended with little fanfare. His parents led the royalty to the meeting hall while the rest of the nobility scattered across the castle in an attempt to entertain themselves and prepare for the gala in the evening. 

Ren rushed to the garden. He wondered how angry his parents would be if he entered the gala covered in dirt. 

He opened the door to the garden and stepped outside. No one was there. 

That was alright. Ren could wait. It wasn’t like he had anything better to be doing. His parents didn’t want him in meetings and they also didn’t want him talking to anyone. He was better off sitting on a bench alone. 

Ren waited for an hour before he grew too bored to continue sitting and doing absolutely nothing. Maybe it would be smarter to wait at his bedroom window. 

Like always. 

Lunch time came and Goro still hadn’t come to the garden. Ren grabbed a plate of sandwiches and snuck back to his room without speaking with anyone. He accidentally made eye contact with one woman. He didn’t know who she was. 

He sat at his window with a plate of sandwiches and a book. People came and left. Goro didn’t show up. 

The sandwiches were gone. The sun had set. And Ren was forced to leave his room and go to the hall. 

He had to make an appearance. It would be unbecoming if he didn’t. 

Unfortunately. 

He stepped inside along with his parents doing his best to ignore all of the eyes on him. It was easier to hide away during breakfast when everyone was focused on trying to wake up and fill their stomachs. 

He grabbed a glass of whatever he saw first and claimed a portion of the wall for himself. 

As long as no one spoke to him, nothing would go wrong. He could just stand and observe and eventually leave with no problems added to his list. 

“Prince Ren!” 

Damn it. 

He easily slipped on a pleasant smile before turning towards the person who called for him. 

After that, it was just one conversation sometimes paired with a dance after another with people who thought it was funny to speak of the events of the previous year and his punishment without actually speaking of it. He didn’t find any of it amusing. Just tiring. 

He let out a sigh as he was left alone at the food table for a moment. He grabbed a few items and placed them on his plate before turning back around with an approachable expression. 

Maybe he could sneak out soon. He’d spoken to enough people to fulfill his duties hadn’t he? He just wanted to eat and go to bed. 

“Ah. There you are.”

Ren froze with a small quiche halfway to his mouth. He took a deep breath and set it down on his plate before turning around with a blank expression. 

“Hello Your Highness.” 

“It seems you’ve learned manners in the past year.” 

Ren narrowed his eyes as he spotted a man looking at him behind a familiar set of ugly glasses. His bald head reflected the light from the chandelier and layers of cloth were draped over his figure. 

The bruise he had given himself the previous year had faded. As expected. Ren was disappointed it hadn’t been permanent. 

“I haven’t learned anything new,” Ren replied with a pleasant tone. 

King Shido narrowed his eyes. “Or maybe I spoke too soon.” 

Ren stayed silent, his gaze set on the other man. 

The king’s expression twisted into a ugly glare. “Do you want a repeat of last year?” 

“Do you? I wouldn’t mind actually attacking you this time.” 

“I would mind what I say if I were you.” 

He should. He absolutely should. He could get himself killed if he said something wrong. 

But he didn’t want to silence himself. He didn’t want to hide and pretend to be kind to a man like this. He wanted to be worse. He wanted to yell and attack and force everyone to look at him and admit to the other’s crimes. He wanted to unleash his rage instead of feeling like he was being consumed by it. 

But he couldn’t. He absolutely couldn’t. He needed to behave. He wouldn’t accomplish anything by getting himself exiled or killed. 

“Apologies. I was attempting to make a joke.” 

“It wasn’t funny.” 

“It seems comedy isn’t my forte.” 

“Seems not.”

Shido grinned as if he just won something. Maybe he did. 

“Well, I won’t take more of your time.” 

And he walked away. Ren gritted his teeth and stood in place. 

It wasn’t forever. It wouldn’t be like this forever. He just needed to get through it. 

But he was done with tonight. Absolutely done. 

He plastered on a smile and gripped his plate tightly as he walked to the exit and left. No one tried to stop him. 

He somehow found himself sitting on a bench in the garden again. He was supposed to head back to his room. 

Oh well. 

He was alone. It was fine. 

And the garden was peaceful. It helped. 

He took a bite of quiche. It was as good as he was expecting. 

He wished he knew how to make one. Cooking seemed like it would be an enjoyable task, but the chef’s in the kitchen wouldn’t even let him come inside, let alone teach him how to make anything. 

He let out a sigh and looked up. A myriad of stars and the moon shone down on him.

The world really was beautiful. He wished he could see more of it. 

But he was trapped in the castle. He was previously able to sneak to the neighboring village without his parents being angered, but his cage had become even smaller since then. And now, if he left, he would be punished worse than being stuck in a giant castle filled with servants. 

Maybe he could just run away. Leave the castle behind and travel far away. Hide in a small village and live as a commoner.

And then what? Get disowned? Be accused of treason for no reason? Have a death warrant sent out? 

At least now he was still the prince. He could change things one day if he waited. 

But he really hated waiting. He hated being stuck. He hated doing nothing. He hated being useless. 

There was too much happening for him to be locked in a castle doing nothing. 

He wondered if his friends continued exposing criminals after he was locked away. Futaba hadn’t said anything about it when he had gone to visit her. 

He hoped they hadn’t stopped. 

He wished he could still join them. 

He wished he could do something.

But was following his desires worth the consequence? 

Maybe. 

“Hello, Your Highness.” 

Ren immediately sat straight at the sound of a familiar voice. 

“Goro?” 

Goro smiled and sat down next to him. “What brings you here? Party not fun enough?” 

Ren chuckled. “You could say that.” 

He held out a mini quiche. Goro took it and had a bite. 

“Why are you here at night?” Ren asked. 

“To water the plants. Some of them need to be watered daily, and your parents sent the servant head a note telling me not to do it during the day while the nobles can see me.” 

Seriously? Would someone die if they saw someone watering a rose bush? 

“Sorry,” Ren said. 

“You didn’t do anything.” 

He hadn’t. He hadn't done anything.

That deserved an apology, didn’t it? 

“I don’t mind too much,” Goro continued. “It’s a beautiful night.” 

Ren looked over at him. The lights from the lanterns combined with the stars and moon bathed him in a soft glow. 

It really was a beautiful night. 

He should say something. 

“Well, don’t mind me then,” he said. “You should do your work. I don’t want to bother you.” 

Or maybe he shouldn’t mention anything now. He should bring up the flowers and his feelings some other time. Or after Goro was done working. Not now. Not when he was busy. Not when Ren would only be an annoyance. 

“Speaking with you isn’t a bother,” Goro stated, standing up. “I won’t take too long.” He gave a small bow and turned towards the direction of the hose. 

Ren grabbed another quiche from his plate and turned his gaze towards a patch of rose bushes. Bright red and pink flowers covered it entirely. 

He knew what roses meant. Love and happiness. 

He took a bite of his quiche. 

He could still hear the music playing from the ballroom. Or maybe the music was just playing throughout the entire castle. He didn’t notice the sound of it before. 

It was a gentle song. One designed for a slow dance. It sounded peaceful. 

The quiche was done. His plate was empty. 

He should leave. He should go back to his room and get some sleep and move past the day. 

But…

He looked towards Goro who was watering a basket near the fountain with a small purple watering can. He looked back to the roses. 

The music continued to play behind him. 

He stood up and walked over to the rose bush and easily plucked a bright red one, being cautious to not prick his finger on the thorns. He looked at the flower underneath a nearby lantern. It was beautiful. Perfect. 

He spun the flower around in his fingers. He let out a deep breath and steeled his nerves. 

He wasn't going to leave yet. It didn't feel right to leave something like this for another day. 

And everything really did look beautiful. 

The music stopped. He turned around and slowly walked over to where Goro was still watering the flowers near the fountain. He stopped in front of him and held out the rose. “For you.” 

Goro looked at him confused, but he took the flower and eyed it curiously. “A red rose?” 

“A little cliche I suppose.” 

Goro looked at him hesitantly before staring back down at the rose blankly. “Cliche? Then I would assume you know its meaning already.” 

“I think it would be difficult to find someone who doesn't.” 

Goro's expression remained blank. “And what am I supposed to make of that?” 

Ren smiled. “I'm sure you're smart enough to figure that out.” 

Goro continued to blankly stare at the flower. 

Ren waited a moment for the music to start up again before holding his hand out palm up. “May I have this dance?” 

Goro finally looked back towards him, a slight flush on his face. “I can’t say I would make a good dance partner for you.” 

“That’s alright.” 

Goro hesitated for a moment before nodding and setting the rose on the fountain. He grabbed Ren’s hand tightly and stepped forward. Ren’s heart began to pound faster at the contact. 

“Now what?” Goro asked.

Ren chuckled and pulled him closer before setting their limbs into place. “It’s a simple box step.” 

“If you can do it, then I’m sure it must be simple.” 

Ren rolled his eyes but the amusement didn’t leave his face. “It’s easy. Just follow my lead.” 

Ren began to move and Goro looked down at his feet with an intense look and followed his movements. It didn’t take long for him to step on Ren’s foot. 

“It’s fine,” Ren assured. 

They continued. Goro stepped on his foot again. And another time. And once again. And again. 

“You are bad at this,” Ren teased. 

“Shut it,” Goro hissed, staring at the ground with intense concentration. Ren let out an amused laugh and continued. 

The song changed to another one, and Goro’s skills improved. By the third song, he wasn’t stepping on Ren’s feet at all. 

“See. Simple,” Ren commented. 

Goro hummed in agreement and kept his gaze fixed on the ground. 

Eventually, the music paused, and the two of them were bathed in silence. 

“Is the party over?” Goro asked. 

“They’re probably just taking a break,” Ren answered. “It’s not that late.” 

Goro nodded and looked up from the ground and at him. Ren’s mouth almost parted in awe. He wasn’t confident he would have been able to dance properly if Goro hadn’t been staring down the entire time. 

He really wanted to kiss him. 

And he was so close. 

Ren set a gentle hand on the other’s cheek and leaned in. Goro froze at the contact. His lips were soft. Tasted like cheese and apples. 

Goro’s grip on his hand tightened as he relaxed and returned the kiss. 

It was… soft. Gentle. Sweet.   

Different from how he imagined it. 

But not bad. Definitely not bad. 

It was—

What was he doing?

He pushed Goro’s hand away and took a step back. 

Fuck. 

“Sorry,” he whispered. 

Goro looked back at him as if he was in a daze, a finger pressed to his lips. “Huh?” 

“Sorry,” Ren apologized, louder. 

Goro stared back at him for a moment before shaking his head and letting his hand fall to his side. “For what?” 

“I shouldn’t have kissed you.” 

Goro’s eyes widened before his expression twisted into a scowl and he stepped forward. “Excuse me?” 

“I shouldn’t have kissed you so suddenly. I should have asked first or—” 

“I kissed you back.” 

“That doesn’t mean you wanted it. I shouldn’t have assumed just because of the flowers. And the dance. And—” 

Ren slammed his mouth shut as Goro grabbed his collar and pulled him forward. 

“If I didn't want it, I would have done something about it.” 

“I just…I just want to make sure you're not afraid of telling me no.” 

“You're conceited if you think anything about you scares me.” 

Well, maybe that was fair. Goro certainly wouldn't be a second away from attacking him if he was scared of the consequences. 

It was…it was gratifying to know that Goro felt that comfortable around him.  And that he really did return his feelings. 

“Kiss me again,” Goro demanded. 

Ren smiled and obliged. 

Ren was floating on cloud nine the rest of the week. Nobles continued to wander around the castle, and he continued having to attend to his duties revolving around them, but even the rudest person he spoke to didn’t dampen his spirits. He spent his mornings being polite to guests and his evenings helping Goro take care of the garden. There was very little that could have absolutely ruined his week. 

And, by the end of the week, he was back to his normal routine of having nothing he had to do besides attend dinner and his few instructional sessions with teachers who really couldn't care less. So, like usual, he spent his time with Goro in the garden. 

The plants had all been taken care of, so the two of them were sitting at the fountain with a chessboard between them. 

And he was really struggling. 

He stared intensely at the board trying to evaluate each of his possible moves and trying to predict what Goro would do next. It hadn't been working well for him so far, but that didn't mean he was supposed to stop trying. 

He moved his knight. 

Goro immediately moved his rook. “Checkmate.”

How…how did he miss that? 

“Want to play again?” Ren asked. 

He needed to be better. That was an absolutely idiotic loss. He could have easily prevented that. 

“Ren?” 

He immediately turned his eyes away from the board at the serious tone Goro's voice took. 

“Yes?” 

Goro hesitated for a moment. “May I ask you something?”

“Of course.” 

“What's the purpose of this?” 

“Huh?” 

“The purpose of you spending time with me.”

…What? 

The purpose of Ren spending time with him? Where had that come from? 

“I like spending time with you,” Ren answered slowly. 

Goro didn't look pleased with that answer. “You talk to me. You spend time with me. You kiss me. For what purpose?” 

Huh? Was that not clear? 

“I like talking to you. And spending time with you. And I like you.” 

“So then what do you want?” 

“I want to spend more time with you. And I want to be your boyfriend if you want that too.” 

Goro’s frown deepened at that and his hands curled into fists in his lap. “For how long?” 

How long?
“What do you mean?” 

“I don't think everyone would be pleased if they were to find out that the prince was romantically involved with a commoner.” 

Oh. That’s what he was worried about. Ren was so excited over what happened that he almost forgot that it might turn into a problem. 

“We don’t have to tell anyone now,” Ren answered.  

“But you will have to eventually. What then?” 

What then indeed? What if his parents caught him? Or maybe a servant would tell them? Or maybe his parents would try to get him to marry some noble for some political or monetary reason or whatever. Or maybe Goro would get fired and Ren couldn’t see him. Or maybe a million other different things would happen. Things he couldn’t even begin to imagine now. 

Or maybe everything would end perfectly somehow. Maybe everything would work out. 

“I don’t think I can really predict what will happen in the future,” Ren responded. 

“You can try.” 

“I could. And I could easily be wrong. We could come up with a million different ways things could go and still be wrong.” Ren smiled. “But I’m sure about how I feel now. And right now I feel I want to try.” 

Goro turned towards him with a blank expression and a gaze that seemed as if he was staring directly into his soul. Ren held his gaze. 

Eventually, Goro turned away and sighed. “Alright.” 

“Alright?” 

“Yes. Alright.” 

“Alright? As in you heard me or as in you want to try.” 

“Both I suppose.” 

Ren’s face split into a huge grin. “Good. I’m glad.” 

Goro nodded and turned towards the chess board and started moving pieces back to their starting places. “Let’s play again.” 

“Do I get a kiss if I win?” 

“You won’t win.” 

“We’ll see.” 

He did not win the chess match. 

But he did get a kiss.