The bustling marketplace was alive with music, laughter, and the scent of fresh spices. Han weaved through the crowd with practiced ease, dodging merchants and slipping an apple into his sleeve with a smirk. But then—he saw them.

They stood at a silk vendor’s stall, fingers grazing the fabric, eyes filled with quiet wonder. They didn’t quite belong here, yet they looked as if they had been longing for this moment forever.

Han forgot to move. For the first time, stealing was the last thing on his mind. Then, as if sensing his gaze, they turned—and their eyes met.

He should’ve looked away. He should’ve disappeared into the crowd. But instead, he took a step forward, drawn to the person that belonged to the royalty like a secret waiting to be discovered.

"Not every day you see someone like you in the marketplace," he mused, a grin tugging at his lips.