The rain didn't stop that night.
Neither did Li Xian.
He cried until his throat burned, until no sound came out anymore—until even the pain felt… distant.
Empty.
By the time the sky began to pale, his tears had already run dry.
He sat there, soaked and shivering, eyes hollow.
For a long time, he didn't move.
Then slowly… he laughed.
Soft. Faint.
"…So this is it, huh?"
No answers. No truth. No one.
Just him.
Alone.
Li Xian closed his eyes, taking a deep, unsteady breath.
Then another.
And another.
Something inside him… settled.
Not healed.
Not okay.
Just—quiet.
"…Fine," he whispered.
If the truth only brought pain… then he would simply ignore it.
If he had no right to stand beside Han—
Then he wouldn't.
A small smile formed on his lips, fragile but determined.
"I won't bother him anymore."
No more teasing.
No more playful flirting.
No more crossing lines he no longer had the right to touch.
And most importantly—
"No one needs to see this side of me."
Li Xian lifted his head, wiping away the last traces of tears.
His expression changed.
Like a mask falling perfectly into place.
Bright.
Carefree.
Untouched.
"…I'll just be happy."
Even if it was fake.
Especially if it was fake.
The Next Morning
Sunlight poured into the palace courtyard as if nothing had ever happened.
Birds chirped.
Servants moved about as usual.
Everything was normal.
Too normal.
Han stood silently by the corridor, his gaze distant.
For some reason… he had come earlier than usual.
He didn't know why.
Maybe—
He was expecting something.
A broken expression.
Red eyes.
Silence.
After all, last night—
Han's thoughts cut off as footsteps approached.
Light.
Familiar.
"…Good morning!"
Han froze.
There he was.
Li Xian.
Standing under the sunlight like nothing had happened.
Smiling.
Bright. Easy. Carefree.
As if the boy who shattered in the rain last night… never existed.
Han's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…You're noisy."
"Ahh, come on," Li Xian grinned, stretching lazily. "The morning is too beautiful to be this cold, don't you think?"
The same tone.
The same energy.
The same… him.
But—
Something was wrong.
Han couldn't explain it.
Everything looked the same.
Yet it wasn't.
"…Didn't you sleep?" Han asked suddenly.
Li Xian blinked, then laughed lightly. "Sleep? Of course I did! Why, were you worried about me?"
There it was.
That familiar teasing line—
But it didn't go further.
No playful lean.
No lingering gaze.
Just words.
Empty.
Passing.
Like they meant nothing.
Han noticed.
And for some reason…
That bothered him more than it should have.
"…Don't misunderstand," Han said coldly.
"Mm, I won't," Li Xian replied easily.
Too easily.
For a brief moment, silence fell between them.
Strange.
Uncomfortable.
Han studied him quietly.
This person in front of him—
Who smiled so naturally…
Who acted like nothing had changed…
Who hid everything so perfectly—
"…What kind of person are you?" Han muttered under his breath.
Li Xian tilted his head. "Hm? Did you say something?"
"…Nothing."
But Han didn't look away.
Because now—
He was curious.
Not about the prince everyone knew.
But about the one hidden beneath that flawless smile.
The one who cried in the rain…
And erased it by morning.
Li Xian turned, walking ahead with his usual light steps.
As if the world had no weight on him at all.
But behind him—
His fingers tightened slightly within his sleeves.
Just for a second.
Then loosened again.
And the smile remained.
Unbroken.