69 First Kiss (1/2)

Nocturne blanked out for start of the whole affair. He felt like he was in a dream. He could scarcely believe that this was real. Luckily, he had taken the initiative to disguise himself as a Princess instead of coming back out to the world as the Crown Prince that had mysteriously disappeared a long time ago. Although he had no intentions of fighting for the throne with his great-nephew who was now the Emperor, sending himself out in disguise as a Princess would alleviate him of that worry.

He could marry the person he loved as well as get rid of any potential trouble. That was two birds with one stone.

The main reason why he couldn't remember anything about the ceremony, no matter how beautiful it may have been, was because he just couldn't tear his eyes away from Nine's presence. Everything but Nine drowned out.

In the two years he was gone, Nine's appearance had changed greatly. Not only was he taller than before, the little baby fat that was on his cheeks before had melted away, leaving behind refined and elegant features. If the Nine before was out of this world, the Nine now made him feel like not even someone personally created by the heavens would have been this mesmerising.

Nine had to force herself to keep up this façade as she stared 'lovingly' into Nocturne's deep purple eyes. The anger from before felt strangely diminished now that she saw him in person, as if his mere presence alone could extinguish some of her anger. This feeling deeply unsettled her. For a person who prided control in herself, this loss of control over her feelings made her feel unhappy.

Deltan was glaring daggers into Nocturne's head, but to his ire, it seemed like he didn't exist to the other at all. Unfortunately, nothing could be done about this wedding since their hasty father announced it to the world before telling his younger brother. At first, he was happy for his younger brother, but today, when he saw the bride, he instantly connected the dots.

It was Nocturne, who had made his younger brother angry and terribly sad by disappearing without a word! Although delicate makeup had been used to touch-up the other's face to make him look more feminine, Deltan could tell that his body structure was exactly as how he remembered it. That was to say, it wasn't a 'Princess' that looked similar to Nocturne but was Nocturne himself!

He had to hold himself back from the exclamation that wanted to leave his lips at the indignance he felt. It was already bad enough that the man was in love with his much younger brother, but to force himself into a marriage with him?!

Just wait until this ceremony was over.

”- you may kiss the bride,” the priest said, startling all the drifting parties back to the present.

If anything, Deltan's eyes glared harder even as his face showed a smile. Nine, who caught sight of her elder brother's constipated expression quirked a smile.

Nocturne stared at Nine with shaking eyes. Although it saddened him to admit it, this might be the only ever kiss he might receive from Nine willingly. …He might sneak some. If he really couldn't hold on anymore.

He almost felt breathless, like Nine was stealing all of his oxygen from him, leaving him giddy. It felt like every single one of Nine's actions drove him crazy, leaving him like a love-struck fool all of the time. If he wasn't so deeply in love, he would resent him for this, but since he was, he didn't see anything wrong with it.

Nine's calm features that were ever so otherworldly yet contained valiance seemed ever so striking in his eyes. Had he not been so deeply in love, he would have never imagined himself in a situation like this, with another man. Sometimes, he still couldn't believe he was willing to do all of this for a single man.

But when he caught the shine of deeply hidden kindness and sadness within those eyes, he felt like he was endlessly lost. The way he drew back ever so slightly when someone tried to get near emotionally, but how those he held dear to him could feel his affection so deeply. More than his looks, what Nocturne wanted was to be by this man's side, to support him in his endeavours and be the strength he could rely on. If this wasn't love, then what was it? It was startling, how he had fallen so fast and so hard, but he had the feeling that he would never find anyone else even remotely close to Nine, so he clung on to this strand of hope.

Nine looked down at Nocturne's face that contained a pink tinge and the nervousness that enveloped his entire existence and couldn't help but feel herself soften somewhat. Even though she didn't think she would end up falling in love with this man, the lengths he went to tie himself to her made her feel like she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Where in the world would you find a man that was willing to go to these lengths? She could tell he wasn't gay…but his eyes never strayed from her. Quite honestly, she didn't know how to feel about that. Since she had already resolved to forsake love, then she would stick with her word. If he had the capability to move her heart, then so be it. If he really made her fall in love with him, then she would not be against it. If he ever turned out like Yashiro, she would kill him herself.