The atmosphere froze.
The warm orange glow of the sunset no longer felt comforting. The men standing across the street looked completely out of place among the ordinary crowds. Black coats. Cold eyes. Calm expressions that screamed danger.
Ren immediately pushed Lilia slightly behind him.
"…Ren?" she whispered.
"Stay close."
Leo stepped beside Ren, his calm butler smile completely gone. In its place was something sharper. Dangerous.
"The royal trackers," Leo muttered quietly. "I thought we had more time."
One of the men stepped forward.
"So it's true," he said coldly. "The lost prince really was hiding in Japan."
Kaito would've probably screamed dramatically if he were here.
Unfortunately, this wasn't one of those moments.
Ren's eyes narrowed. "Who sent you?"
"The people cleaning up unfinished business."
"Tch. Figures."
Lilia grabbed Ren's sleeve tightly. "They're after you…?"
Before he could answer—
The men moved.
Fast.
Way too fast for normal people.
One rushed straight toward Ren while another circled around toward Lilia.
"LILIA!" Ren shouted instantly.
She froze.
But before the attacker could reach her—
THUD.
Leo slammed his fist into the man's stomach hard enough to send him crashing into a vending machine.
"Touching the princess is forbidden," Leo said calmly while adjusting his gloves.
Lilia blinked.
"…That was cool."
"Thank you, princess."
Meanwhile Ren blocked a punch from the other attacker and countered instantly with a kick straight to the ribs.
The man stumbled back cursing.
"You know," Ren muttered coldly, "I was having a pretty peaceful week."
Another attacker charged him with a metal baton.
Ren ducked under it smoothly and slammed his elbow into the guy's jaw.
CRACK.
The attacker collapsed instantly.
Lilia stared wide-eyed.
"…Why are you both so good at fighting?!"
Leo answered while dodging another strike.
"Royal education."
"THAT'S NOT NORMAL ROYAL EDUCATION!"
Unfortunately…
Things got worse.
More black cars stopped near the street.
Doors opened.
More men stepped out.
Ren clicked his tongue. "You've gotta be kidding me."
Leo frowned slightly. "They brought reinforcements."
"We noticed."
Lilia looked nervous now. "Ren…"
He looked back at her.
And despite the situation…
He smiled slightly.
A small one.
"We'll be fine."
Her heart skipped for some reason.
WHAM.
Ren punched another guy directly into a street sign.
"Leo! Take Lilia somewhere safe!"
"And leave you alone?"
"I'll manage."
"That sounds irresponsible even for you."
"Just GO."
Before Leo could argue—
A familiar voice echoed nearby.
"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!"
Everyone turned.
Kaito stood frozen at the corner holding grocery bags.
Sayaka beside him adjusted her glasses slowly.
The groceries dropped dramatically.
"…Why," Kaito whispered, "does Ren look like an action movie protagonist?"
Sayaka stared at the unconscious men surrounding him.
"…I knew he was suspicious."
Ren looked horrified. "Why are you two here?!"
"We were literally buying ramen!" Kaito yelled back.
One of the attackers noticed them immediately.
"Get the witnesses too."
"Oh no," Kaito said calmly. "I would actually prefer not dying."
The man rushed toward them.
Before Ren could move—
Sayaka stepped forward calmly.
Then kicked the attacker directly in the face.
Everyone froze.
The attacker hit the ground unconscious.
Silence.
Kaito slowly looked at her.
"…You can fight too?!"
Sayaka adjusted her glasses casually. "Student council training."
"That explains absolutely nothing!"
Even Ren looked surprised.
Sayaka glanced toward him.
"…You really attract troublesome situations."
"Not by choice."
"Mm."
Another attacker approached from behind Ren—
Lilia suddenly grabbed a nearby trash can lid and slammed it into the man's head.
CLANG.
Everyone stared at her.
"…I helped," she announced proudly.
Ren blinked twice.
"…That actually worked."
"I am warrior princess now."
"You're holding a trash can."
"A royal trash can."
Eventually police sirens echoed from the distance.
The attackers immediately backed away.
"Tch. This isn't over," one spat before retreating into the cars.
Within seconds—
They vanished.
The street finally became quiet again.
Kaito looked around at the destruction.
Broken signs.
Cracked pavement.
Unconscious men.
Ren standing there breathing heavily.
"…Bro," Kaito whispered slowly, "who ARE you?"
The question hit hard.
Lilia looked toward Ren quietly.
Sayaka too.
Leo stood silently behind him.
Ren closed his eyes briefly.
Then sighed.
"…Not here."
Later that night…
Everyone somehow ended up inside Ren's apartment.
Which immediately felt way too small for this much tension.
Kaito paced around dramatically.
"So let me get this straight," he said while pointing aggressively at Ren. "You fight like a trained assassin, mysterious dudes tried kidnapping you, your transfer student friend talks like a movie butler, and Lilia somehow hit a man with a trash can."
"I defended honor," Lilia said proudly.
"You committed violence."
"Royal violence."
Sayaka sat quietly near the table.
Unlike Kaito…
She wasn't shocked anymore.
Just thoughtful.
Eventually her eyes met Ren's.
"…You were hiding something serious this whole time."
Ren looked away slightly. "…Yeah."
Kaito collapsed dramatically onto the floor.
"I KNEW THE SIBLING STORY WAS FAKE!"
"That's what you're focused on?!" Ren exploded.
"Yes!"
Leo calmly sipped tea nearby. "To be fair, it was not very believable."
"YOU TOO?!"
Lilia tried not to laugh.
Failed instantly.
The tension slowly started fading into exhausted chaos.
Which somehow felt normal now.
Much later…
Kaito finally went home after threatening Ren with "future interrogations."
Sayaka stayed behind briefly near the apartment entrance.
"…Ren."
"Hm?"
She hesitated.
Then sighed softly.
"…I don't really care who you are. Prince or not."
Ren looked surprised.
Sayaka adjusted her glasses awkwardly.
"You're still the same annoying person who sleeps through meetings."
"…That's your emotional speech?"
"Be grateful I gave one at all."
A small smile appeared on Ren's face.
Sayaka froze slightly.
"…You really smile more around her."
Ren blinked. "What?"
She looked toward the sleeping Lilia inside the apartment.
"…Nothing."
Then she quietly left.
Inside the apartment…
Lilia had fallen asleep sitting against the couch.
The plushie from the claw machine rested in her lap.
Ren stared at her quietly.
Tonight could've gone horribly wrong.
If Leo wasn't there…
If Sayaka and Kaito got hurt…
If Lilia—
He stopped thinking immediately.
Leo walked beside him quietly.
"You care for her deeply."
Ren sighed. "You're annoying."
"I learned from you."
"…Tch."
Leo smiled slightly. "The kingdom would be shocked seeing you like this."
Ren glanced toward Lilia again.
"…Maybe."
Then quietly…
Very quietly…
He pulled a blanket over her shoulders.
Lilia stirred slightly in her sleep.
"…Ren…"
His expression softened instantly.
And somewhere deep inside him—
Something dangerous was growing stronger.
Not duty.
Not responsibility.
Something far more terrifying.
Feelings.