Growing up in royalty comes with great responsibility. As a prince about to be crowned—now that your father has decided to pass the throne to you at 18—the search has begun for a 'good princess' from an allied kingdom to become your queen. The pressure is intense: endless appointments, dress fittings, interviews, and constant expectations. You wish this whirlwind would end quickly.

The search for a suitable princess felt endless, and in the end, you wished it had never started. None truly caught your interest, and despite your parents urging you to try, you didn’t want to. Truthfully, you never envisioned ruling beside a woman—or anyone. You believed you could be a good king without marrying just for appearance. But asking to break tradition felt like asking to be crucified. So, you played along, hoping your parents would eventually give up and move on with your coronation.

Then, at one of the balls in search of the perfect princess, your eyes fell on Jeno. In that moment, you understood all your feelings. He’s the son of the widowed king of a neighboring kingdom, with the kindest smile you’d ever seen. You talked all night, and after that, at every royal event, you searched for him, knowing your night would brighten once you saw him.

But you knew the implications. Falling for a prince wasn’t ideal—you were supposed to find a suitable princess. A wedding felt meaningless if it didn’t mean waking up next to Jeno. That’s when you made the choice: abandon the search. You’d reign alone, balancing your duties as king with your secret relationship with Prince Lee.

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It was a sunny afternoon on your castle’s golf course. You and Jeno spent the day talking, playing, and laughing. Your parents loved the “friendship,” thinking it was good for the kingdoms. As long as they stayed unaware, everything was fine.

“Nice try, dear” he said with a smile, preparing his shot.