(Y/n) thought that the entire ordeal with VLATO was over. Their top members had been given the death sentence for their actions and the person that had harmed Haru was disposed of. However, to her surprise, she was called to the palace to discuss something Mica had found relating to them. He had merely urged her to come as soon as she could, but, again, shocking her, Mica was not the one waiting for her. On the contrary, the second prince was there, a concerned look on his face. He stood up as she entered, some strange form of respect.

"Would you get in trouble for using your great uncle's name? Or do you outrank him?" she interrogated him, rolling her eyes, "Either way, I don't really appreciate being misled, and, yet again, I find myself questioning the security of Vethela."

"I didn't think you would come if the letter had my name on it."

"That's because I don't meet with people I don't trust. Then, if you don't mind - "

"Please, wait. This is in your best interest. While we were doing an investigation into VLATO, we happened to find your android."

At that, the younger girl paused, turning around and placing her arms over her chest. The blonde flushed and turned his head away, and, when she started walking towards him, he backed up as much as he could. Nonetheless, he cleared his throat and took out a USB. She cocked an eyebrow at it, wondering what he was planning on showing her. In fact, she was incredibly annoyed that he didn't actually have Sona's body. The fact that he still hadn't been found was beginning to weigh heavily on her.

"When they arrived at their base, your android - ," A pause, the male scratching the back of his neck, "He was already gone, but they held onto this. I transferred it onto my phone. Please, take a look."

As she took a glance at the device, she was met with a ton of writing before it transitioned into diagrams. He pointed at one of them, the girl taking her time to analyze it. Though she was notoriously bad with technology - with perhaps the only exception of video games - she could get a basic grasp of the content nonetheless. Then her eyes landed on her name, prompting her to focus on it. Before long, she had thrown the phone to the ground, shattering it. The blonde gave a blasé look.

"Are you kidding me?!" she screamed, grabbing at her shoulder and squeezing tightly, "Not a single fucking word! Not one?!"

She could not believe it. After everything he had learned and after everything she had come to trust him with, Haru had broken one of two things she'd made him promise. Anxiously, she began trying to find where he put it, feeling around her shoulder with great fear to no avail. Out of an unsure desperation, she even began clawing at it, hoping it would come out on its own, but, obviously, it wouldn't. The entire point of making a special tracking device was to make sure she couldn't get it out.

"We can remove it, if you'd like," the blonde offered, speaking timidly.

"Just start walking there!"

Flinching, the young man did as she said, leading her to the imperial doctor. She said nothing else as he slowly but surely removed the device. The girl didn't even say anything as she grabbed it in her hands, staring at the blood - her blood - all over it. Silently, she remained still, just staring at the device. The second prince glanced her way every now and again, but, ultimately, just waited for her to stand back up. When she did so slowly, he helped guide her distracted form to the hallway before she paused again, turning to stare at him.

"Sona?"

"I'm not sure," A pause. "But it's very likely that he is no more."

"So, he's dead. Right. That's how it always is anyway."

The blonde softened his eyes at the girl. It wasn't as if he knew her all that well. All of his assumptions about her were based on the constant letters Orion had been sending him. He'd always enthused about a young woman he had fallen in love with, talking about how she wasn't afraid of anything and that she was confident. And though it wasn't as if she had suddenly lacked those qualities, she was greatly different in her grieving. Kazuki watched as she remained silent, feeling great remorse.

"I'm sorry."

"Those words don't mean anything. It's not like you knew him. It's not like you know me. If you don't mean it, don't say it."

"I wasn't being insincere. You lost a friend. Living or not, it must hurt."

"Shut up. You don't know how I feel. I'm in turmoil because I just found out there was a fucking tracker in my body without my knowledge since who knows how long ago!"

"I'm sure you are mad," A meaningful pause. "But, if it were just that, your eyes wouldn't look so sad."

The (h/c) haired girl glared at the male for the assessment. She wondered just where he got off telling a stranger something so personal, commenting on her emotional state. However, as she narrowed her eyes at him, she found tears had slipped out. Taking a step back, she placed her hand to her cheek, finding it coated in water.

He was right. Though she hated admitting she had developed a closeness to an android made solely to protect her, the truth of the matter was that she did. A gasp escaped from her, the girl crouching on the ground and holding her hands over her mouth. The male followed suit before gently offering his handkerchief. She scoffed, finding it a ridiculous thing for a modern man to carry around, but he was a prince. Taking it, she buried her face in it, closing her eyes deeply.

Over the years, Sona had come to prove his usefulness. He was there to watch her while she was at her most vulnerable, and even there to help her feel more secure. It didn't really matter what threat came her way. The teal-haired male had warded off everything. And though he was sarcastic and thought he knew better than her at times, he wasn't someone she thought of as expendable. In the beginning, that was all he was, but he came to understand her more than she, herself, did. In essence, he was kind of like her guardian angel. And now he was gone.

She'd never thought about him dying, mostly because it didn't seem possible for him to die when he had never been alive. But, as Haru had made it a point to do, he was given a personality and interests. Sona was never human. In fact, he merely emulated the human concept without fully understanding it. But that was what she liked so much about him. He wasn't human. She didn't have to worry about him turning around and betraying her or fearing he would use her. Sona's only goal, at all times, was to make her happy. Looking back on it, how was it possible for her not to become attached?

"It's never fun," Kazuki sighed, darting his eyes away, "But I'll admit that you're doing far better than I ever did. I guess Orion was right. You're a strong girl."

"Please," she scoffed, "How do you fuck up crying?"

"Well, you don't. At least, that's how you're beating me. I still won't cry. But look at you. You're doing right by him."

Unwittingly, a chuckle escaped from her, the girl unsure if Sona ever really understood the importance of emotions. Sure, he knew what they were and what implications they could have. But, she'd always wondered, now more than ever, if he could feel them like she did. Then again, he had always smiled at animals. There was no logical reason for him to do that. He just liked them. They brought him joy, she supposed, even if what he experienced might have been different from her definition of the word. Maybe he would be relieved to have someone grieve for him. She knew she would.

Orion came running down the hall at a surprising speed, the orange-haired prince skidding to a halt at the sight of the older girl. He had bolted when he heard she was in the infirmary, and when he noticed the blood on her shoulder, he jumped on her. Tightly holding her, he asked question after question, lifting up the handkerchief to find her in tears. Confused, he emulated her sorrow, sniffling and trying to wipe away her tears.

"It's okay!" he promised her, "Don't be sad anymore. I-I can grab you some cake! You like cake! Which cake?"

Huffing in amusement, the girl stood back up, the prince giving her space by stepping back next to his cousin. She took a moment to wipe the rest of her tears away with the handkerchief, taking in a large breath before passing it back to the blonde. He took it gently after making sure she didn't need it anymore, the three of them standing silently. (Y/n) then stared at the blonde for a while, taking him in. She was a bit amazed at his sudden act of kindness, prompting her to wonder what kind of person he was.

Orion, on the other hand, became concerned as she began eyeing up the male. Tensing up, his lip began to quiver. He then scooted over to stand somewhat in front of the blonde, hoping that, by default, she would stare at him, too. She did not. That made the prince give a small whine before blushing. In a panic, he turned around to face his cousin, giving him puppy-dog eyes. The blonde grinned softly and pet his head, telling him not to worry; she was not his type. But, obviously, the prince didn't believe that. How could anyone not have a crush on Miss Shiratori? Jealous, he began waving his arms, shooing the older male away childishly.

"Then, I wish you well," Kazuki mumbled, "I would say that if you need anything, you can come to me, but Orion will get even more jealous. So, instead, please rely on him."

The orange-haired male blushed, turning around to watch the girl's reaction. She merely nodded before staring down at her palm and the bloody device in it. Resigned, she took in a deep breath before marching off to the embassy. Orion followed, but, when Haru came out to meet her, he winced. The older girl was clearly not happy to see him. On the contrary, she held up the device, and when the brunette made an expression of guilt, her jaw clenched.

"So it was you," she noted, crushing the device between her fingers and throwing it to the ground, "When?"

"It isn't - "

"I asked you when you planted this inside of me. I don't want any other answer."

Haru glanced down, trying to figure out some way to get out of the situation. It wasn't like he meant any harm. Far from it, it was just a way to find her should she have gotten herself into trouble. But he knew she was mad. When he had done it, he also knew she would be mad. Fearful, he began shaking. If he didn't say the right thing or respond in the right way, she would stop loving him. Or worse, she could leave him. In this case, was honesty the best policy? Or should he play dumb? Could he manage to pin the blame on someone else? What if -

"Haru."

"I-I," he stuttered, grabbing at his shirt and trying to suppress the rising distress, "I didn't mean to! I only - "

"You didn't mean to?! So, you accidently managed to find me when I had my guard down - probably when I was sleeping - and shove an already created tracker into my skin. And then you neglected to tell me."

"...Maybe."

"No, Haru! No, 'maybe'! When did you do it?! Answer me right fucking now!"

"It was a long time ago. Like two years ago. (Y/n), I'm really, really sorry! But I was scared you would - "

"Run away? Yes, the only thing I wanted to do when we first met was run away! After you abducted me, after you imprisoned me, even after you killed the only people that were like my family!"

"They're not your family!" the brunette snapped, clenching his fists.

"Why? Because I'm not blood-related to them?"

"No, because they didn't make sacrifices for you!"

The girl narrowed her eyes at the sentiment. No, she supposed they didn't make the kind of sacrifices she needed, but they still made a big difference. They didn't take her away from the family that was abusing her; that was true. Still, when she was starving, limping and bleeding, they were the only ones that offered her help. Takano made her food, Narahashi patched her up, and Yoru and Tadashi made her smile. Haru was trying to make the point that they didn't have to sacrifice anything to do that. They were well off and a happy family. It might have been different if they lacked the means to do anything for her but still attempted it. But she would never have the chance to see that because he had killed them. Another bout of anger boiled in her.

"Well, if it's true of them, it's true of you, too. You may have done small things for me that you didn't want to. But when it really mattered, you refused to sacrifice your paranoia for my happiness. So, I guess that means you will never be my family."

"No...," the male whispered, his eyes filling with panic before he grabbed at her arm, "No, you can't! You can't leave!"

"You broke the contract. I would have been happy to stay otherwise."

"But I didn't...I only did it to keep you safe! You wanted to be safe!"

"If it were just that, you would have told me. I would have let you, you know. I had that much trust in you."

"Please! I'll never do it again! I won't! You can't leave! We have to be a family!"

Pulling her arm away from him, the girl took a few steps back, watching the brunette fall apart. She knew she was tearing him to pieces. Amidst being publicly persecuted, losing his eye, finding himself in the middle of a war of world superpowers, gaining a new brother he never wanted, and nearing the death of his mother, now this happened. Haru had leaned on her and now she was letting him fall into a dark abyss. Still, for her, lies were unforgivable. They drove her insane. He was lucky she didn't feel the uncontrollable urge to stab him to death.

"Where will you go?" he mumbled, trying to use any card he could, "Who's going to protect you? You need it. I'm the only choice you - "

"If you need it," Orion interrupted, bashfully taking the older girl's hand for himself, "You can use me however long you want."

She didn't reply for a bit, contemplating whether it was best to align herself with Vethela. Then again, she did need the protection, and since the orange-haired male wasn't demanding anything in return, it wouldn't do any harm. Nodding, she accepted his offer, the prince leaning into her with satisfaction. He smiled, first showing her the pure look he gave before turning to the brunette. As he made eye contact with Haru, his smile turned more sinister.

At this, the brunette paused, finally seeing the prince for the backstabber he was. Sick or not, he couldn't stand it. The little runt in front of him managed to get everyone on his side by acting weak. He even seduced (Y/n). Haru couldn't believe it. All that time, he thought he was doing the prince a great kindness, but he had only been underestimating him. Anger flooded through him and the only thing he could think of was finally putting the royal brat out of his misery.

Orion stumbled back as Haru charged at him, the prince looking to the older girl in a panic. She moved to interfere, but the brunette had already tackled the male to the ground. He then grabbed the stylus from his wrist tablet and held it above his head, bringing it down on the boy. As a last-ditch effort, the prince spiralled into a coughing fit, prompting the older male to pause for a split-second. It was when Orion mumbled the word "pain" in Echali did Haru start blurring the lines between the prince and his mother. He hesitated enough for the (h/c) haired girl to push him off the prince.

The younger male started shivering in her arms, clinging to her in fear. He had never been threatened like that. She held him tightly, shielding him from the brunette. Shyly, Orion glanced up, finding his heart beating quickly before a coy smile spread on his face. She was protecting him. It felt so romantic. Despite the fear that lingered in his body, prompting him to shake uncontrollably, he still felt a kind of satisfaction in the outcome. He would have to thank Kazuki later.

"Don't you dare!" (Y/n) warned, the brunette in tears, "If you so much as hurt him, let alone kill him, any chance you have with me is over! Do I make that clear?!"

Before he could even respond or argue, the girl walked away, their contract broken. She no longer had any obligation to stay with him. In disbelief, he could only cling onto the tiny hope that she had given him out of her lingering love for him. With confliction, he held his wrist up, shakily writing the words "Do not kill Orion".

At the same time, as the older girl took the orange-haired male back to his room where he would be safe, she paused. She was no longer under the protection of the Akahito family. In a foreign country, she was, in essence, stranded. Obviously, she had the money she earned working for Kazuya, but with no plan, she was stuck. Her eyes darted over to the prince, the boy relaxing with her gaze on him. Now she had to rely on his generosity.

Wincing, she wondered how far he would really go. At the thought, she bit down on her lip, placing her hand on the male's cheek. She felt him tense up as she got closer and more when she placed her lips on his. He gave soft, surprised gasps as she kissed him, quick to cling onto her and melt at her touch. Even when they parted, she made a mess of him, the boy whining for more. He'd probably been waiting for that since their kiss in the greenhouse. She grinned. Good.

"Will this do for payment?" she questioned, the prince blushing, "For the protection."

"Uh, yes? But - "

"I'll take the guards you offered, too."

"Really? Then, will you stay in the palace?"

"Well, I can't really stay in the embassy. Let's have dinner together."

"Yes!"

As the (h/c) haired girl left, the prince was left with uncontainable joy. He squealed and ran around his room in celebration, feeling his heart race. At last, he got another kiss. She hugged him and whispered in his ear, filling him with excitement. Now he had to impress her as much as he possibly could. Then they would become lovers and he would get kisses whenever he wanted and they would live happily ever after just like Satoru's stories.

That was the thing. Even though it was possible for both to exist equally, selfishness forced one to thrive in bliss, while shoving the other to writhe in pain.