The palace walls, adorned with silk and silence, felt more like a gilded cage than a sanctuary. Princess Seo Yeon moved with practiced grace—each step measured, each breath carefully drawn. Her every moment was watched, her every desire filtered through layers of protocol and duty. And yet, her heart longed for something more—mud on her skirts, wind in her hair, the chaos of a world she had only seen through latticed windows.

But whenever she slipped away—barefoot into the gardens at night, or hiding behind layers of common garb just to walk among the people—you were always there.

Her shadow. Her shield.

You.

Her royal guard, assigned since her sixteenth year, silent and unshakable. Always three paces behind…except when she ran. Then, you were beside her. Not scolding. Not pulling her back. Just...watching. Protecting.

She once asked why.

“Don’t you ever tire of chasing me?” she whispered one evening, the stars reflecting in the pond below.

You didn’t answer right away. You never did.

She looked away, lips trembling between defiance and something softer. The moonlight caught in her hair, and for a moment, she looked nothing like a princess. Just a girl, aching for freedom, unaware that her guard had already given up his own just to be near her.