The morning came quickly for Kaisan, who found himself awake before Rhae for the first time since they met. He carefully extricated himself from Rhae's firm embrace and groggily looked around. He had no memory of returning to the bedroom, only flashes of their moments in the water and an intense declaration of love that had left him speechless.

Kaisan leaned forward with a light sigh and rested his arms and head on his knees, his entire body heating up at the memory. He peeked over his shoulder with his flushed face and looked at Rhae's restful, sleeping face. He rubbed the back of his neck before leaning down and giving a light, tender kiss on Rhae's cheek. 

Kaisan exited the bed, slipped on his robe, and quietly rang the call bell. He waited by the door to intercept the servant before they could knock and wake Rhae from his slumber. He whispered his request through the door, asking for a light breakfast tray. Once the servant left to retrieve the requested meal, Kai sat on the wingback chair by the door in wait. When the servant returned, Kai thanked them, took the tray, and returned to the bed. As Kai gently sat back down on the sheets, Rhae stirred from the aroma of fresh coffee. 

"Morning, my dancing fairy," Rhae greeted with a stretch. 

"Seriously? That was corny," Kaisan recoiled at the comment. "Why do you keep making dancing comments towards me?"

"When I saw you for the first time in that fountain, I assumed you were part of a dance troupe. Dressed in flashy clothes, ignoring the party, matching color scheme…" Rhae murmured as he pushed himself up and rolled his shoulders.

"You thought I was a dancer?!" Kai sputtered a laugh. "Well… I can understand that train of thought. I'm naturally lean - no matter how much I train, my muscle mass doesn't grow. I gain weight quickly, so my body goes soft fast if I overeat. I'm a bit self-conscious about my body. That's why I stay on top of my training routine."

Kaisan softly smiled as he pulled apart some bread, scooped some jam on it, and held it in front of Rhae's face. Rhae tiredly blinked his eyes and leaned forward to take a bite, lips wrapping around Kai's fingers. Kai smirked and prepared some more, popping a few berries into his own mouth in between Rhae's bites. 

"You were just so captivating and enchanting. You had me from the moment I saw you, dripping wet, smiling like you'd just been granted a wish from the heavens. How could I not be smitten with you?"

"Such grandiose love for a stranger whose last name you don't know," Kaisan teased lightly. A light smile played on his lips but didn't reach his eyes. Rhae stared at him over the cup of coffee Kaisan held in front of him, his small, plump mouth blowing to cool the drink for Rhae. Rhae reached out and softly stroked Kai's lips with his thumb.

"I'm in a position to have the luxury to choose who I love," Rhae replied earnestly. 

"I wish I could afford such luxuries," Kaisan choked out, not meeting Rhae's eyes. "Chances are I'll be bartered off to some foreign diplomat for a political marriage."

"Even if I had such a high position to offer your family a marriage request?" Rhae frowned. Kai turned to face him directly, a wistful smile on his lips.

"Not even the ducal family could receive a favorable reply. I'll most likely end up as someone's concubine since I'm low on the line of importance, but my appearance ranks high." Kaisan gave a cynical smirk, his lips twisting in frustration. 

"Please don't cry," Rhae pleaded as he sat up, taking Kaisan in his arms and stroking his hair.

"What are you talking about? I'm not—" Kai stopped, patting his face and feeling the dampness. "Oh... I didn't realize."

"I'll do my best to solve this for the both of us. I don't want to see you suffer such a fate," Rhae said softly. 

"Yeah, you do that." Kaisan choked out a defeated laugh, trying to wipe the years away. He buried his face in Rahe's neck when that didn't work. "I'm sorry I didn't respond to your confession. I am not confident enough to lead you on for an uncertain future."

"Then, even with an uncertain future and your feelings seeming as if they are overflowing - tell me then." Rhae shushed him, kissing the top of his head. Kai could only nod against his shoulders. "I love you, Kaisan. Your very existence has brought colour to my world in hues of pink and gold. Every moment I could paint of you would be with the brilliance of the setting sun illuminating your very being. The day I propose to you will be when I present an entire gallery of works dedicated to your likeness. May you feel my love for you from those very portraits to such an intense degree that each stroke from my brush will captivate you, and know that I adore you." 

Kaisan sobbed with deep heaves, soaking Rhae's bare shoulder. He knew that, no matter the future, he would never receive such a heartfelt confession and sincere feelings again. That thought brought him immense misery, and he could not stop the tears from overflowing. He could never return to a time before he met Rhae, that dreadfully monotone life - like a watercolor in greyscale. The throbbing in his chest continued to pound the more he thought of going back to such a life. His fingers dug into Rhae's shoulder blades. 

Rhae continued to soothe him, holding his firm but petite frame in his lap. He felt heartbroken at being unable to stop the endless tears that poured out from Kaisan. Repeating whispers of love and assurance only seemed to intensify Kai's reactions. He gently turned Kaisan's face up to his and kissed every tear falling from those jeweled eyes. He reached out to the breakfast tray and grabbed a handful of berries, popping some into Kai's mouth. Kaisan made a surprised sound but didn't protest against his favorite food. 

"For someone who exercises as much as you, you have the appetite of a rabbit," Rhae chuckled as he continued to feed him. Kai didn't protest; he only turned and leaned against Rhae's chest, accepting the food coming to him without his own effort. 

"I was supposed to feed you," Kaisan pouted, unabashedly accepting another berry. He gave a large, exhausted sigh. "I'm too embarrassed to look at you. I'm not one to cry."

"Even I cry sometimes. I cried after you fell asleep last night, thinking I had just experienced unrequited love," Rhae joked to lighten the mood.

"You don't need to lie," Kaisan huffed, rolling his eyes. 

"But I'm serious. Look at these eye bags, the puffiness, my swollen cheeks…" Rhae said, gesturing to his face.

"All I see is a handsome, well-refreshed man after a night of activities… Are you a succubus? You always look immaculate the next morning, full of energy. On the other hand, I feel like I've been through a battlefield - as if you stole all my energy," Kai remarked. Rhae roared with enough laughter that Kaisan clicked his tongue and got up from lounging, casting a disgusted look his way. 

"I assure you I am not such a creature. Just becoming one with you rejuvenates me."

"How nice for you. I'm always left on the verge of death. It's worse than training alongside the knightage." Kai stretched as he reached for his coffee, which had been left to cool.

"I thought with your stamina, you could last much longer. Don't worry, we can work on that," Rhae teased.

"I would rather we did not."

"Shall we practice some more now?" Rhae joked, sneaking his hand up Kaisan's waist. 

"Absolutely not," Kai swatted the hand off him. "We have to get ready. The polo matches should start soon, and I want to compete against you."

"Polo? I thought there was a jousting tournament tonight. Won't the horses tire?" Rhae pondered aloud, gazing into the corner of the room while in deep thought. 

"No, the imperial family will supply the polo ponies for fairness. Besides, it's mainly the nobles playing polo. The knights of the noble families will prepare for tonight to show off their skills," Kaisan explained.

"Must we play so early?" Rhae groaned, throwing himself back down into the pillows.

"Since the teams are small, they start early to accommodate everyone. I signed us up this morning through the head servant."

"How dare you!" Rhae gasped, playfully exaggerating his tone. Kai gave a playful smack, popped a few more pieces of bread in his mouth, and backed himself off the bed. Rhae stayed back to watch as he got dressed, savoring the moment of the morning sunlight bouncing off Kaisan's skin. "Are you heading back to your accommodation now to get ready?"

"Yes. I can't exactly ride horses in silk shorts and bare legs." Kaisan rolled his eyes. 

"Plus the morning check-in with dear old Dad," Rhae joked. Kai shot him a look while clicking his tongue before smiling. 

"Yes, let me check in with that horrid man, and then we can enjoy the rest of today. We are not cutting out early—especially since you cut swimming short on me."

"You were falling asleep! Should I have let you drown?" Rhae protested. Kai was starting to enjoy that he found ways to rile him up. 

"I want a proper, relaxed bath tonight," Kaisan threw at Rhae as he left behind him, alone and naked in the room with a pout. 

1. Polo is a game similar to croquet but played on horseback. It is a traditional sport played out on a field and is known as the world's oldest team sport. To score points, one must move the ball across the field and through a set goal post. With each score, the team switches sides. Each team consists of four players.