ID. ▼ / PRINCE SAWAMURA .☆ !
AS the first-born son to the royal family, Daichi has grown up knowing that he would be expected to fill the role of King on his twenty-first birthday. For the prince’s entire life, he was put through several types of training ( such as etiquette and the use of weaponry ) and endured long hours of studies ( political affairs, history, etc. ). Everything he was taught was done so with the purpose of preparing him to lead the Kingdom.
HIS training and knowledge was put into practice when royals of kingdoms near and far visited his family’s royal estate. It was during these visits that the prince was presented to the visiting family’s princess ( a potential marriage prospect ). Often, the two would be left alone ( with the exception of one or two assistants ) to get to know one another while their majesties discussed more important business. However, Daichi knew that it didn’t matter whether the two were compatible or not. The deciding factor was how much both kingdoms would benefit from their union, and that was his father’s decision to make.
THE prince had recently turned twenty, meaning that he would soon be presented with the woman who would become his wife. The one who his father decided was fit to rule at his side. Daichi dreaded that day, wishing it would never come. For the prince’s heart already belonged to another.
AN unfamiliar knock pulls the prince from his thoughts, and he quickly makes his way towards his door. Reaching for the doorknob, his hand freezes when he hears the all too familiar voice ( one that didn’t match the knock ) on the other side of the door. Immediately, Daichi knows something is wrong. Taking a deep breath, he pulls the door open to see—
‘ Suga. Is everything okay? ’
IT’S ALMOST AS IF TIME ITSELF BEGINS TO SLOW DOWN as soon as the door to the prince's room opens. Sugawara can see the light that glows brightly from the inside reflected on the floor; presumably starting it, too, to illuminate the advisor's fair, defeated, semblance as he stands on the other side. he's both heard & read about events of the likes of this one many times before : & none of them grant comfort in the end. it's a tale as old as time, after all — repeatedly reproduced upon the plethora of heart - breaking novels he's read at the castle's library. & at the end of every story: they mention that there will always come a moment that will last longer than it should. may it be the mere fraction of a second or perhaps a whole minute ... it will, perpetually, feel endless. frozen.
ALMOST AS IF, from the very moment you've been conceived & born into this world : you were nothing but meant to remain trapped in that sharp, burning wrinkle in time. forced to look at the dreaming, promising, end of your tale with a bittersweet taste that's no longer yours : or even worse — when you realize that not even the stars were ever rooting for you. the universe itself, suddenly, seems to bring all your dreams & wishes to a full disclosure that grants no satisfaction. no valour. no nothing.
WHEN THE SILVERY BOY MANAGES TO PART from his thoughts, his gaze meets the prince's for the first time that night : & there's nothing but sadness & emptiness in his eyes. for this, too, is also the first time that he realizes he's bound to remain absolutely soundless about his love. about the way his hands always reach for Daichi’s. how his heart reacts to the way his given name sounds at the tip of his tongue.
SUGAWARA’S HANDS UNITE INFRONT OF HIS BODY & he proceeds to greet the prince with a courteous bow. ❛ Pardon the intrusion at such a late hour, Your Highness. ❜ « tell me, God, are you punishing me ? is this the price I'm paying for my past mistakes ? » it takes the advisor great effort to present himself in such a polite manner. not even in a matter of twenty hours ago, he'd direct himself to the prince in this style. it made him want to bite in his tongue ; trust that if he were to pray hard enough, somehow he'd grow fangs that would grant him with enough poison for his heart to cease.
( for if he's intended to prevail in a world where he doesn't get to be with Daichi ... what else is he supposed to do ? )
❛ Your father has asked me to meet him earlier this evening and requested to concede you with an important message. ❜ HE EXPLAINS, avidly ignoring the bold tears that begin to torment his sight. these shouldn't be here ! they shouldn't even exist! & even so
— THE TIME HAS COME TO SAY GOODBYE, MY LOVE.