Sunghoon stepped into the familiar confines of his childhood home, the scent of memories enveloping him as he crossed the threshold. Before he could fully take in his surroundings, he was enveloped in a soft embrace, his mother's arms wrapping around him in a gesture of love and warmth.

"I missed you so much, Sunghoon," his mother murmured, her voice tinged with emotion as she held her son close. Sunghoon felt a swell of affection in his chest, his heart overflowing with gratitude for the woman who had always been there for him.

"I missed you too, Mom," Sunghoon whispered, his words a tender reassurance of his love and longing. In that moment, as they stood locked in each other's embrace, the distance of five years melted away.

Sunghoon's heart raced with anticipation as he asked his mother about Riki, his voice tinged with a mix of hope and trepidation. He longed to see his dear friend again, to reconnect with the one person who had left an indelible mark on his heart.

"Mom... Where's Ni-ki?" Sunghoon's words were soft, filled with longing as he awaited his mother's response. Her smile spoke volumes, a silent acknowledgment of the bond between her son and the boy he sought.

"He's in the main market but-" His mother's words were cut short as Sunghoon bowed respectfully to her before dashing out of the house, his determination driving him forward in his quest to find Riki.

"-He doesn't remember you..." His mother's voice trailed off, heavy with sorrow as she watched her son disappear into the bustling streets. She couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Sunghoon, knowing the pain he would inevitably feel when he came face to face with Riki, only to realize that their memories had faded with time.

Oh, how unfortunate Sunghoon must feel when he meets Riki... Her heart ached for her son, knowing that the reunion he so desperately sought would be tainted by the cruel hand of fate.

As Sunghoon navigated through the bustling market, his eyes scanned every corner, searching for a familiar face amidst the throngs of people. The market looked vastly different from how he remembered it twelve years ago, yet he pressed on, his determination unwavering.

Amidst the crowd, he suddenly collided with a short figure, their bodies jolting against each other in the commotion. Sunghoon stumbled back slightly, his gaze instinctively locking onto the person he had bumped into. And there, standing before him, was a boy with wavy jet black hair, his features striking and ethereal.

Sunghoon's heart skipped a beat as recognition dawned upon him, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. It couldn't be... But as he studied the boy before him, the pieces fell into place, and he realized with a jolt of realization that this boy was none other than Nishimura Riki. Older now, yet still unmistakably Riki.

"Riki...?" Sunghoon's voice was barely a whisper as he gazed at the younger boy before him, his heart pounding with anticipation. Riki turned towards him, his expression one of confusion as he met Sunghoon's gaze.

"Who are you?" Riki's question hung in the air, cutting through the noise of the bustling market. Sunghoon's heart sank at the lack of recognition in Riki's eyes, yet he knew he had to try.

"I'm... Sunghoon. Park Sunghoon," Sunghoon replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he introduced himself to the boy he loved so dearly. 

Riki hesitated for a moment before speaking, his voice soft and tentative. "Um... we should talk somewhere more quiet. Would you come with me?" Riki's suggestion broke through the tension between them, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty.

Sunghoon nodded in agreement, trusting Riki to lead him to a place where they could speak freely. Together, they walked through the familiar paths of Riki's neighborhood, the noise of the market fading into the background as they embarked on their journey to rediscover the bond they had once shared.

As Riki and Sunghoon settled into Riki's living quarters, "My name is Park Sunghoon. I..." Sunghoon began, his voice trailing off as he struggled to find the right words to convey the depth of his emotions. Sitting before him was Riki – the boy he had searched for, yearned for, for so long. And now, here they were, together again, yet everything felt different.

Riki sat opposite him, clad in a dark blue danryeong with a light pink dapho, his presence captivating and mesmerizing. Sunghoon couldn't tear his eyes away from him, taking in every detail of the boy he had missed so dearly.

"I..." Sunghoon tried again, his voice steady as he met Riki's gaze, his heart pounding with anticipation. 

Sunghoon's gaze shifted to the flower painting adorning the wall behind Riki, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of it. It was the exact painting he had crafted for Riki all those years ago before he left for the states – a reminder of their friendship, their bond, and the memories they had shared.

"Who... Who painted you that?" Sunghoon's voice was barely above a whisper as he gestured towards the painting, his heart pounding in his chest as he awaited Riki's response.

Riki turned his head, his expression clouded with uncertainty as he met Sunghoon's gaze. "I-I don't know... I can't remember," Riki mumbled softly, his voice tinged with frustration and confusion.

Sunghoon felt a pang of disappointment at Riki's words, realizing that the memories they had once shared had faded with time. Yet, as he studied Riki's face, a flicker of recognition sparked within him – Riki's features, his mannerisms, they all seemed so familiar, as if echoing a distant memory.

"You look oddly like him. Just... more mature?" Riki's words caught Sunghoon off guard, his gaze locking onto Riki's as he processed the implication of his words. Could it be... Did Riki somehow remember him, even if only subconsciously?

As Riki's gaze lowered to the floor, a rosy hue tinted his cheeks, and Sunghoon couldn't help but wonder – was he blushing? 

"I painted that for you, Riki, I look like him. Because i am the person who gifted it too you" he confessed softly as he held his breath anticipation running through his vein.

Sunghoon's heart raced as he watched Riki's reaction, his confession hanging in the air between them like a fragile thread. The flicker of recognition in Riki's eyes filled him with a glimmer of hope, a silent plea for their connection to be rekindled.

"I painted this for you, Riki," Sunghoon repeated softly, his voice laden with emotion. He watched as Riki's eyes widened in surprise, the realization slowly dawning upon him.

"You... painted this for me?" Riki's voice trembled with disbelief, his gaze shifting between Sunghoon and the painting before them.

Sunghoon nodded, a bittersweet smile playing at his lips as he rose to his feet. Riki followed suit, his expression a mixture of wonder and confusion. Sunghoon gently pointed to the side of the painting, where his initials, P.S., were carefully inscribed.

"I-I never... I never saw that," Riki's words faltered, his voice barely above a whisper, before they were interrupted by the sudden burst of someone entering the bedroom.

The door burst open, revealing a boy with brown hair, slightly taller than Riki, adorned in a light blue danryeong and a white dapho. His foreign appearance caught Sunghoon's attention as he entered the room with an air of urgency.

"Riki! There you are—" The taller boy's words trailed off as his gaze fell upon Sunghoon, his expression shifting to one of surprise and suspicion.

"Who are you!" The taller boy exclaimed, his voice sharp with curiosity and caution.

"I'm... Park Sunghoon," Sunghoon replied, offering a respectful bow to the newcomer, who raised an eyebrow in response.

"Park Sunghoon? As in the Court Justice Park Family?" The boy's voice was laced with questions, his gaze scrutinizing Sunghoon as if trying to discern his true intentions.

Sunghoon nodded in acknowledgment as the taller boy introduced himself, accepting the offered handshake with a firm grip, "Nice to meet you, Park Sunghoon," Jaeyun greeted, offering a courteous handshake.

"But I am sorry," he continued, his tone carrying a blend of apology and determination, "I need to take Riki for a gathering." Jaeyun's gaze flickered briefly to Riki, who appeared torn between staying and leaving. "Which Riki is extremely late for," Jaeyun added with a slight hint of urgency, emphasizing the importance of their departure.

"So we must be going," Jaeyun concluded, he took Riki's hand and began to pull him away, Sunghoon felt a pang of disappointment at the sudden departure. Yet, he managed to muster a wave and a smile as he bid farewell to Riki.

"See you later, Riki-ah," he called out, his voice tinged with warmth and affection.

In response, Riki flashed him a boxy smile, his expression filled with genuine fondness. "I'll talk to you soon, Sungho—" Riki's voice trailed off as Jaeyun guided him out of the room, leaving Sunghoon with a sense of longing and anticipation for their next meeting.

As the door closed behind them, Sunghoon couldn't help but smile at the memory of Riki's adorable smile. Despite the brief encounter, it was enough to reignite the flame of hope in Sunghoon's heart, fueling his determination to reconnect with the boy he had never stopped loving. And for that, he was grateful.

Sunoo scolded Riki as he lightly tapped him on the head with a hairbrush. "You absolute idiot! You were supposed to be here 2 hours ago!" Sunoo exclaimed in frustration, his tone laced with irritation as he continued to brush Riki's hair back into place.

"I'm sorry..." Riki mumbled quietly, his voice barely audible as Sunoo worked on his hair. Despite his apology, Sunoo didn't let up, his movements precise and efficient as he smoothed Riki's unruly locks.

"Riki-ah, please look up. I need to do your makeup," Jungwon interjected, his voice calm yet firm as he prepared to apply soft rouge to Riki's face. Riki sighed, feeling a sense of regret wash over him as he complied with Jungwon's request.

"Why am I doing this again?" Riki couldn't help but question, his tone tinged with exasperation as he begrudgingly submitted to the beauty regimen.

"You didn't decide, your mother did," Jaeyun interjected, his tone matter-of-fact as he shook a bottle of extracted oils from flowers, intending to imbue Riki's clothing with the delicate scent of dried flowers and roses.

Riki's expression turned defensive as he blinked aggressively, his gaze fixed on Jaeyun. Meanwhile, Jungwon applied eyelash ink to Riki's lashes, urging him not to move with a quiet command.

"Why would men want to date men? Isn't that like against the law?" Riki's question was sharp, his confusion evident as he challenged the norms he had been taught.

"That's the thing, they don't," Jaeyun replied casually, his focus on his task as he continued to create the scented perfume. "You're just there to seduce them. So they would help us in our country. The colony princes are just stupid like that." His explanation was delivered with a hint of disdain, reflecting his cynical view of the political games at play.

"I hate my mother for this," Riki mumbled under his breath, the bitterness evident in his voice, echoed by the unanimous agreement of the three boys around him.

"We as well," Sunoo sighed, his frustration mirroring Riki's as he styled his hair with practiced precision. Jungwon's expression softened as he applied rouge to Riki's face, his voice carrying a note of genuine concern. "You think we don't? We're gonna miss you," he muttered, his words tinged with sadness at the impending separation.

"This isn't going to go well, something bad's going to happen, I just know it," Jaeyun interjected, his tone grave as he sprayed the scents around Riki's clothing. Riki frowned at his words, a sense of foreboding settling over him. All he wanted was to go back to Sunghoon, to be with the person he missed dearly.

He didn't want to go and seduce random men, to be used as a pawn in his mother's political games. Why would she want him to do this?

Jake rubbed his cheek affectionately, his expression filled with genuine affection. "I'll miss you, Riki. Please stay safe," he said softly, his concern evident in his eyes. Riki nodded in response, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

"I will, Jakey-hyung," Riki mumbled, as he affectionately called Jake by his English name. The warmth of their friendship providing a small comfort amidst the uncertainty that lay ahead. Jake was more than just a friend – he was a pillar of support, a brother in all but blood, and Riki was grateful for his  presence in his life.

Riki stood regally next to his mother, resplendent in his beautifully embroidered light pink danryeong and white dapho adorned with delicate flower patterns. His hair was expertly braided and tied in a small ponytail, adding to his youthful yet elegant appearance.

As his mother conversed with the political figures, Riki's attention drifted, his thoughts consumed by a longing for someone who mattered more to him than any of these formalities.

"Nice to meet you, sweet boy," a voice interrupted his reverie, pulling him back to the present. Riki turned to see an older boy approaching, his foreign appearance suggesting a British origin or perhaps one of the colony princes. Without hesitation, the older boy placed a hand on Riki's waist, drawing him closer with a familiarity that made Riki's skin crawl.

Forced to maintain a facade of politeness, Riki offered a faux smile and leaned in closer to the older boy, playing his part in this elaborate charade. But inside, he seethed with frustration and resentment.

He hated doing this – pretending to be someone he wasn't, allowing himself to be used as a pawn in his mother's political games. All he wanted was to break free from this suffocating world of expectations and obligations.

 All he wanted was to be with Sunghoon.

Riki sat before his mother, his nerves palpable as he mustered the courage to voice his inner turmoil. "I-I don't want to do this... please stop making me do this," he pleaded, his voice trembling with fear and uncertainty as he kept his gaze fixed on the floor.

But his mother's response was cold and unforgiving, devoid of any empathy or understanding. "It doesn't matter how you feel, Riki," she began, her tone cutting like ice as she dismissed his concerns with callous indifference. "This is for Korea. We are Japanese. We might as well help them."

Her words struck Riki like a blow to the chest, the weight of her expectations crushing him beneath their suffocating burden. He despised the way his mother had become entangled in the political machinations of Korea's Councillors, her ambitions driving her to sacrifice even her own son for the sake of her own advancement.

As he sat there, powerless to defy her will, Riki felt a surge of anger and resentment building within him. But beneath it all, there lingered a deep sense of sadness – sadness for the loss of his own agency, for the betrayal of his mother's love, and for the shattered dreams of a life he had once hoped to live.

Sunghoon's steps faltered as he entered the event alongside Heeseung, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of Riki. Despite the grandeur of the occasion and the presence of other colony princes, Sunghoon's focus remained singular – he couldn't shake the image of Riki from his thoughts.

As he scanned the room, his eyes landed on a scene that made his heart sink. There was Riki, engaged in conversation with Watanabe Haruto, one of the colony princes. But something about the interaction didn't sit right with Sunghoon. Despite the outward appearance of flirtation, Riki's forced smile and tense demeanor betrayed his true feelings.

It wasn't the genuine smile that Sunghoon knew so well – the one that lit up Riki's face with warmth and sincerity. Instead, it was a facade, a mask carefully crafted to conceal his discomfort and unease.

Sunghoon's gut churned with a mix of concern and jealousy. He knew that Riki deserved better than to be subjected to the unwanted advances of someone like Haruto. And in that moment, he made a silent vow to himself – he would find a way to intervene, to ensure that Riki was safe and free from harm. No matter the obstacles, Sunghoon couldn't bear to see Riki suffer any longer.

Sunghoon's jaw clenched as he observed the distressing scene unfold before him. Despite being counted among the colony princes