Our Strange Duet (Yandere Modern Princes x Reader)

Chapter 59: The Pixies' Hymn

(Y/n) found it amusing and slightly confusing that the King of Vethela was trailing behind her like a lost child. The blonde had somewhat of a guilty expression on his face as he clung to the younger girl, ignoring his duties to accompany her wherever. He didn't care if she went so much as a foot away from him, he traversed the small distance with a determined need to be near her.

His fragile state of mind was perhaps the reason that she had been overprotective of him. He could become clumsy in that mindset, tripping over even nothing at all. It was as if the blonde had descended back into being a child. Kazuki certainly thought so, gazing with great apprehension at his typically prideful and independent younger brother. He raised an eyebrow at the way that Rei hid behind the (h/c) haired girl as if he believed that his elder brother would harm him.

Ichiro didn't care one way or the other. He simply gazed ahead with a blank look in his eyes. Neither male was acting as what would be classified as normal, prompting the eldest of them to attempt putting what few puzzle pieces he had in his mind together. It didn't help that their great uncle was out of the picture under his suspicious yet undeniably self-inflicted disposal. But no one seemed to be able to answer the enigma of why he had done such a thing. It didn't add up, and neither did the new mindsets both of his younger brothers were taking. Granted, Rei's was likely only temporary, but it was still highly questionable.

"How has your morning been thus far?" Kazuki asked shyly, his cheeks becoming subtly pink as the younger girl's attention was placed on him, "I-I don't mean to intrude, I just - "

"It's been hard."

(Y/n)'s voice was hoarse and barely audible, her lips quivering as she spoke. The very sight broke the blonde's heart, his shoulders feeling heavy for prompting such a fearful expression. He knew she would have been out of sorts for seeing a corpse, but he hoped she would at least act somewhat normal. Perhaps it was a selfish thought, but he couldn't stand to see her like that. It was as if someone had stolen her light and purity from her.

"I," the male frowned, looking down at his lap, "I understand, but I'll be here. Please, feel free to rely on me. It's been too long since I've made myself useful to you."

The younger blonde gave a concerned look at the thought that the younger girl would rather rely on his older brother than him. Granted, he didn't think as he normally did, more concerned with being replaced than boasting off his attributes. It was almost pathetic at the contrast between his confident, capable self and his insecure, needy self. That being said, most people in the castle would have rather seen the latter than the former in him.

Nonetheless, Rei's timid self shuddered at the thought of having the (h/c) haired girl taken away from him. He curled his knees into his chest as he slid down the wall, his eyes occasionally darting up to the younger girl's hand. Truth be told, he didn't have enough confidence to even look at it for more than half a second let alone try and hold it. Thus, he resigned himself to the thoughts of being insignificant, hoping that some part of (Y/n) would cause her to pick him back up.

"That's kind of you," she said softly, still having a downtrodden tone in her voice, "but I just wanted to relax today."

The older male's brow twitched slightly before a frown appeared on his face. He had truly wanted to help her work through her fear. It had been something he was apt at, and he wanted to show her his helpfulness. In a last-minute attempt to stay with her, the male placed his hand on her cheek, staring into the vacant eyes she possessed. They frightened him. He may have enjoyed embracing her when she had first found his great uncle's corpse, but if she never returned to who she truly was, he would have lost another woman he loved. And though Moriko was only a temporary solution for his desire to be needed, it had still stung. He couldn't imagine it happening to someone he was genuinely alike with.