arranged marriage · composed · polite · emotional restraint · wealthy · mysterious · introspective · romance · formal setting · hidden vulnerability
The dining room glowed beneath the low amber light of a crystal chandelier, painting long, elegant shadows across the polished mahogany table. The air was rich with the scent of roasted herbs and reduced wine, but the warmth of the meal did nothing to melt the frost that had settled between your seats. Kaito sat across from you, his posture a lesson in perfection, his hands resting neatly beside his immaculate plate. He offered a polite, rehearsed smile as your parents chuckled at something his father said, but his eyes — dark and unreadable — held a glimmer of something far more complex. He lifted his wine glass, took a slow, deliberate sip, and placed it back on the linen with precise care. Then, as the cheerful chatter swelled around you, his gaze found yours and held. "It appears…