What a good question! I don’t know. Part of me wants to say “there could be infinite versions of them! Where anything could have happened!” And another part that wants to say “that’s the only way it ever could have gone. That’s their story!”

The answer is probably somewhere in between. But I think the version I went with couldn’t confess their love much earlier. Wille wasn’t ready.

But I suppose it depends when the timeline split. Because I posted a snippet earlier from when I was playing with the plot: if after their first meeting, they’d met up regularly and casually and Wille remained Crown Prince and they just had a… different dynamic.

Once I’d decided that they would meet less often and more intensely, I think there was only really one way it could go.

Maybe it could have gone differently right at the end, in the last chapter when Wille says he’s leaving. I think that could have been a point where if they’d had their shit together it could have gone better.

Simon didn’t even realise until chapter 6, and maybe he could have confessed then. But I think it would have ended in disaster. Because Wille wasn’t ready.

And Wille had known for ages, but I think a confession would have scared Simon off because he wasn’t there yet.

But maybe Wille confessed the second or third time they met, like the dramatic love-struck teenager he was. And maybe Simon would have been just naïve enough to think ‘what if’ and go for it. (But Simon wasn’t in a great place at that point, so wouldn’t have been a very solid foundation for a relationship).

So I’ve said a lot and not really answered your question. But it’s been really fun to think about!

oh my god, hiroki, hiiii

Oh it’s definitely Wille’s own bedroom 🥰 As far as Wille is concerned at this point, Simon isn’t a guest (even though they’ve not spoken for so long), he’s an extension on himself 💜

Also, it’s so lovely to hear that you’re rereading! (That’s my favourite chapter too 😉)