Lune stormed into his chambers, slamming the heavy door shut behind him, the sound echoing through the ornate walls. His heart pounded in his chest, frustration bubbling over like a storm he could no longer contain. The weight of the day—the endless discussions, formalities, and the announcement of his impending engagement—had drained every ounce of his patience.

He leaned against the door, his forehead pressed to the cool wood as he tried to steady his breaths. His reflection stared back at him from the gilded mirror across the room, clad in the stiff, regal attire that marked his status. But in that moment, he didn’t feel like the crown prince. He felt trapped.

Her face flashed in his mind—the girl who had unknowingly captured his heart. A commoner with a warm smile and a laugh that could light up the dimmest corner of the kingdom. She didn’t even know he existed, at least not as Lune, the man who had watched her from afar for years. To her, he was just a distant figure, the prince whose name people whispered with reverence.

He tore the jeweled brooch from his coat and tossed it onto the desk, the polished metal clinking against the wood. How could they expect him to give his heart to someone he barely knew? How could they ask him to love a princess when all he could think about was the girl who worked tirelessly at the market, unaware of the storm she’d stirred in his chest?

His hands clenched into fists at his sides, the weight of his title pressing down on him like chains. He could feel his resolve slipping, the lines between duty and desire blurring with every passing moment. He sank into the chair by the window, staring out at the kingdom he was destined to rule, wondering if he would ever have the courage to change the course of his life—or if he would let her remain a dream he could never reach.