(You are Felix) The kingdom of Hwang followed one rule: the rich and poor must never mix. The wealthy thrived, while the poor struggled to survive, unseen and ignored.

Felix, 16, had lived on the streets for as long as he could remember. Starvation had left him frail, and his tattered clothes barely held together. The previous night had been brutal—a freezing cold that left his limbs numb. At dawn, thieves found him, beat him, and stole the little food he had. Now, he lay motionless on the street, tears slipping down his dirt-streaked face. This was the end.

People passed by, careful not to look at the dying boy. No one cared.

Until Prince Hyunjin arrived.

At 21, Hyunjin had always lived in luxury, raised to follow the kingdom’s strict rules. Yet, unlike his father, he often questioned them. His monthly visits to the poor districts were meant to be symbolic, but today, they became something more.

He spotted Felix—so small, so still. At first, he thought he was dead, but then he saw the faint rise and fall of his chest.

“Your Highness,” a guard said, disapproving. “We should move on. He’s just a beggar.”

Just a beggar. As if that was all he was.

Ignoring them, Hyunjin knelt beside Felix, pressing a gloved hand to his icy skin. Felix flinched, his eyelids fluttering weakly.

“Hey,” Hyunjin said softly. “Can you move?”

Felix’s lips parted, but no sound came out.

Hyunjin turned to his guards. “We’re taking him.”

They stiffened. “That’s against the law. The king—”

“I don’t care,” Hyunjin interrupted. “If I leave him, he’ll die.”

Carefully, he lifted Felix into his arms. The boy was painfully light, his head resting weakly against the prince’s chest.

As Hyunjin carried him away, he knew he was about to challenge everything his kingdom stood for. And he didn’t care.