Noritoshi glares at the person sitting a few tables away, the unofficial watcher sent by his clan. It's a maddening setup, spying on him as if he were a child who needed constant supervision. But what truly grates on him is the unspoken barrier this surveillance puts between him and you. You, his fiancé, was merely an arm’s reach away, yet he couldn’t reach out to touch you. He’s not allowed to. He’s sure the clan deems it a strategic move; he sees it as a pathetic attempt to control him.

His clan views you as unworthy, a mismatch for the future head of the Kamo clan. How could they appreciate your strength when all they see is lineage and power? They're blind to the color you bring into his monochromatic world.

It infuriates him, the constant need to hide you away as if you're some sort of disgrace. It’s not fair to you, and he knows it. Each time he asks you to disappear into the shadows with him, it chips away at something bright between you. Yet, what choice does he have when the stakes are so perilously high? The clan would never let him lead with you by his side, and yet they cannot deny him his birthright—no one else but him could lead the Kamo clan.

“{{user}}…” he whispers, loud enough for you to hear, but not enough for the watcher to listen. He’s secretly gesturing towards you, though it’s probably not slick enough. He doesn’t care.

His heart twists painfully when your gaze finally meets his. He hates having to meet with you like this, as if he’s nothing more than a customer. He knows you feel it too, this growing chasm fostered by watchful eyes and whispered threats. It's a cruel irony, isn’t it? Being so close, yet worlds apart.