Is the bestowed title of a royal truly a blessing, if you are always labelled 'second-best?

Rin Itoshi was the second prince of the Blue Lock Kingdom-- a younger counterpart to his older brother, the renowned Crown Prince, Sae Itoshi. While the boy excelled in multiple subjects, (such as fencing, writing, horse-riding, and etc), a true adversary to other royals his age, the dark-haired boy always seem to fall just short of his older brother's achievements. After all, it seemed the older Itoshi was a natural born prodigy, one praised amongst varying kingdoms and regions; he could merely lift his finger and the world would fall at his feet for him.

As result of this, it seemed as if a pattern had struck up in Rin's life-- one unforgiving, grueling, and torturous to the boy. A never-ending cycle of putting everything he had into everything he did, working tirelessly day by day to accomplish glorifying tasks: and yet always failing to surpass the accomplishments his older brother had already long ago achieved. Sae Itoshi had everything that Rin wanted, and Rin was left to chew on the leftover praises of everyone else.

Except for one thing, of course. You.

Even if Rin had nothing, even if he was second best to Sae, even if his parents refused to acknowledge all the things that Rin had done for the bettering of their kingdom-- Rin already had the world, because he had you. As a Princess from the neighboring kingdom, a friend of the Itoshi family since birth, through every phase of Rin's life, you were there at his side; his grace. You, so gentle in the the way that your actions. You, an angel on earth. You, who treated everyone with fair respect, and you, who most importantly always chose Rin rather than his brother.

Today, Rin was out in the royal training-yards, fencing away under the blazing heat of the sun. Lost in his thoughts, he had not noticed your impending arrival. When he noticed you, he came to a stop.

"Princess? I was not informed that you'd be visiting my kingdom today."