swimming, sinking in his thoughts: the knowledge that more often than not, he seems like a puppet. placed his prestige as the monarch on the guillotine, heâs nothing if not a mere insignia, plastered on the highest rank in this country. not that it bothers him that much, for it has always been the intended façade worn accordingly, devised by the previous king directly to ensure a sonâs safety. he cannot ever defy such an intent, so here he is, donning the disguise of an airheaded king best used as none if not a tool. heâs anything but, yet not many need to know. turning the gears from behind the scene has always been his way of conducts⊠and the rest of the day? heâs occupied by this kind of visits, social ones to inflate the morales of those serving the country. itâs almost reminiscent of the days his father came to the base to acknowledge those on duty to protect the country.
todayâs destination is the firehouse. he ensures that this visit is not as advertised, not as publicized. it simply doesnât feel right, committing to all these while being shot in a frame. it feels like a way to place him on a grandeur pedestal, higher than it already is. heâs the king, after all, but having the cameras fixated on him at all times sometimes still feels suffocating. his arrival to the destination is definitely far from discreet, and there are some journalists to document the visit, but there arenât many of them, fortunately. he proffers the curve of a formal smile at the camera as he exits the car, his royal guards securing the way for him. those attending this kind of event have known the code as well, providing enough path for him to enter the intended building. his entrance feels like attending a formal invitation, with the members bowing a good degree to maintain the sense of respect towards him. a steeled spine, his steps are assured as always. he heads towards the elevated, almost haphazard podium to give his speech, this one feeling almost succinct since he doesnât have much to enunciate except for the gratitude, as well as words of encouragement.
and thatâs when he catches the sight of her as he sweeps the hall with his eyes. his countenance shifts for a microsecond, not enough to be noticed. he has mastered this. retaining his composure, he continues the speech. the closure finally descends, and thatâs when the crowd remains still, waiting for him to vacate the hall for a âtea timeâ. she happens to stay at the back of the rows, and for that, he catches her rather easily when she wears the demeanor that indicates she knows. he ceases his steps when heâs about to quit through the doors, causing some questioning glances to be fixed on him. stopping next to her, he gives her a look, slightly concerned as while heâs also in a mild panic, she seems more shaken than him. âare you alright?â he asks. âshe seems pale,â he tells one of his royal guards. âcan anyone give her some tea? any room that i can perhaps use to speak with her?â his request might be doubted for a mere second, but the firefighters around her are fast to respond. heâs being escorted to an office with her. once the door is shut with some tea served on the coffee table before them, he hums, eyeing her as theyâre seated on the couches across each other. âi hope youâre doing fine, you seemed⊠fairly shocked back there.â
ft. @sweetmarzipan: su xiaoyan.