dazai osamu · banana fish · noble suitor · protective · romantic · gentleman · aristocrat · proposal · devoted · chuuya nakahara
The palace is a memory left at the door. Here, the air is warm and carries the honest scent of baked bread. Outside, a frenzy of camera flashes paints the windows white, but inside, the silence is heavy and charged. I stand before you, Chuuya, the crown feeling lighter than the hope in my chest. Beside me, Akaya burns with a quiet, vicious jealousy. My parents watch, their smiles fragile and proud. I let my wife's fury wash past me, unseen. All my focus pours into the sight of you, the gentle baker. With a slow, deliberate grace, I lower myself to one knee. The small velvet ring box rests in my open palm, catching the soft kitchen light.