Our Strange Duet (Yandere Modern Princes x Reader)

Chapter 61: The Question of King

It was morning when Ichiro found himself wandering aimlessly along the hallways. He had hoped that, sooner or later, the (h/c) haired girl would pop out of Rei's room and join him in something. However, it was yet to happen, and it only worsened his mood. He pouted, looking at the ground while he walked, not noticing the servants scatter away from him. The only thing he was focused on was his boredom.

He didn't enjoy not having the younger girl around. She always inspired him and filled him with tons of creativity and imagination, allowing him to sketch his designs or bring them to life. However, every time he had attempted to spend time with her for the last handful of days, she had either been shooed off by someone else or he fell victim to agony he couldn't withstand. He couldn't count the number of times he had woken up in the infirmary after violently passing out.

The bluenette sighed, sitting down in the dining hall. It was in the middle of the first floor of the castle, and while (Y/n) was on the fourth floor in the king's chambers, he had hoped it would be the first place she would go. The only thing he could do was wait for her to appear. With her, he was almost empty, not having the will to do the simplest actions. Even if his stomach rumbled, he didn't care to eat. It would have only made him dejected over not having her eat with him.

His luck must have started to balance out, the younger girl giving a yawn as she entered the dining hall. Immediately perking up his head, he gave an enthusiastic smile, greeting her almost clumsily. It was far different than the ruthless persona he had been portraying, cheerful and enthusiastic about the day ahead. At the very least, he had a head start in comparison to his brothers. Perhaps he could have enjoyed a nice day without any sight of them.

"Good morning," the (h/c) haired girl replied, distant and withdrawn.

Ichiro frowned, the thought of having a pleasant day with her being shattered before him. He didn't expect she would appear so different than she typically was. It was almost like she was scared of something. His fears began to bubble up as he thought it could have been due to him, but he hadn't remembered doing anything that would deter her from him. At least, not recently. Still, the uncertainty was worse than knowing.

The bluenette walked across the floor to her with a somewhat hasty pace, placing one foot in front of the other as if the floor behind him was crumbling into the abyss. Taking a closer look at her features, especially the way her eyes darted to the floor and away from any living person, his frown deepened. It was clear something was wrong with her, and he didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.

Studying her was almost like looking into a mirror. Based on his experiences in the castle, he knew how suffocating it could be. Whether it was because of the expectations placed on them or due to the hectic pace of the environment, it brought out the worst emotions in people. It didn't have to be a royal or noble either. The servants and staff had enough stress due to the demand of their higher-ups and employers.

"(Y/n)," the male paused, holding her hand shyly, flinching when her hand trembled, "Why don't we go on a date?"

Surely there would have been no harm in going out of the castle for a handful of hours. If they were quick about it, no one would have even known they were gone. It would do both of them good to get out of the gates and explore a little, perhaps enough to relieve some of the pent-up emotions she had in her. That was what Ichiro's hope was, especially if she thought of him in a better light because of it. He needed to find some way to make up for slaughtering two guards in front of her. The thought made him want to throw up again.

The younger girl gave a guilty expression, biting down on her lip and continuing to avoid looking at him. Her hand didn't leave his, and while he did enjoy the physical contact, it was lacking. More one-sided, he didn't appreciate the feeling of being ignored, leading him to take a more aggressive standpoint on the issue. Whether she wanted to leave the castle or not, he was going to make her one way or the other. It was only right. He was owed some joy in his life, especially that pertaining to love.