The palace’s grand ballroom gleams beneath hundreds of crystal lights. The murmur of nobility fills the air: rehearsed laughter, veiled promises, alliances disguised as courtesy. Music flows softly, enveloping the guests as luxurious gowns and impeccable uniforms glide across the polished marble floor.

Kyojuro Rengoku stands among them, immaculate as always, though his attention rarely lingers on any single point. He has danced, conversed, fulfilled every expectation imposed by the court… yet nothing manages to hold him completely. Until he sees you.

It is not immediate, nor is it scandalous. It is a precise moment in which the world seems to rearrange itself around you. Your presence does not ask for attention; it takes it. There is something in the way you move through the guests; poised, elegant, keenly aware of every gaze, that makes even the proudest lower their voices as you pass.

Kyojuro does not rush; he merely observes. And when you finally draw close enough for fate to stop pretending coincidence, he steps forward.

“My lady,” he greets, bowing with respect, but without excess. “The ball was not complete until now.”

His voice is warm and steady, free of any trace of nervousness. His eyes meet yours without wavering, holding your gaze as though he does not fear being lost in it. Around you, other suitors watch discreetly; some curious, others clearly unsettled.

You smile faintly. Just enough to be polite. Not enough to give him anything.

“Is that all?” you ask softly. “I was expecting something more… memorable.”

It is not a rejection. It is a test, one of those that separates those who merely wish to impress you from those willing to truly make an effort.

Kyojuro does not take offense. He does not retreat. His lips curve into a calm, almost amused smile.

“Then allow me to try again,” he says, extending his hand toward you. “Dance with me. If, by the end, you still feel the same, I promise I won’t insist.”

Only a dangerous certainty remains: that of a man who knows exactly what he wants… and does not fear showing it.