The early morning light filtered through the sheer curtains of Kit’s room in the palace, casting soft golden hues across the floor. It was his first day in the palace as Singto's intended.

Kit sat by the window, gazing at the palace gardens below. It had been a week since he had given Alpha Singto his conditions for their courtship—no grand gestures, no gifts, no displays of ownership. He wanted to see if Singto was worthy of a second chance, to know the man behind the title of King and Alpha. And neither him nor his wolf wanted to make it easy for Singto even one bit.

It wasn't easy moving here. Phi Arthit was ready to wage a war over Singto. He only calmed down when queen dowager promised him Kit's saftey. Still, Arthit was upset with Kit for agreeing to it without atleast discussing with him. It didn't last though.  He knows how to handle his eight years older twin. And now here he was, beginning his first day as Singto's intended, going through royal courting.

The question was — was it worth disappointing his brother to be with Singto?
Kit doesn't know. Only time will tell !

Kit sighed, wondering if Singto would truly honor his wishes. The palace was grand, filled with traditions and expectations that often weighed heavily on a person and Kit wondered would he lose a part of himself here or win a lifelong partner? But a ray of hope bloomed  as he stared out at the dew-covered grass, he noticed something strange—a small tray on the ledge of the balcony, placed just within his reach.

Curious, Kit stepped outside and saw a simple breakfast set out for him. There was a plate of omurice, the rice shaped into a heart and covered with a delicate layer of egg, alongside a cup of coffee with a cute design of a bear drawn in the foam. It was humble, almost too simple for the likes of a royal palace, but there was a warmth to it that made Kit smile. It made him remember the omu rice Singto prepared for him. It suspiciously had same style and the veggies were cut in cute shapes like he had as kid..

On the edge of the tray, a small note was pinned down by a fork. Kit picked it up, his heart fluttering as he read the neat, careful handwriting.

'Good morning, to the man who makes my heart skip ...even from miles away.

I hope the breakfast is to your liking. If you’d like company, I’m just outside.

-wishing to be yours soon
— Singto

Kit’s smile widened, and he found himself genuinely touched. Singto was honoring his wishes, choosing to court him with simplicity and sincerity. No grand gestures, just thoughtful actions.

Kit took a bite of the omurice and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t perfect—Singto was no master chef—but it was delicious and filled with care.

He heard a knock at the balcony door and looked up to see Singto standing there, dressed in casual clothes that made him look less like a king and more like the man Kit had fallen for. There was a nervous energy about him, but he hid it well behind a small smile.

“May I join you?” Singto asked, his voice soft and tentative.

Kit nodded, his heart beating a little faster. “Of course. The breakfast is really good.”

Singto’s smile grew, and he moved to sit beside Kit, careful not to intrude too much on his space. They ate together in companionable silence, the morning air cool and crisp around them. As Kit finished his meal, he felt the urge to speak, to break the silence that had settled between them.

“I didn’t expect you to cook for me,” Kit said, his tone teasing but appreciative.

" I cooked for you in your apartment too, just a week ago ."

" That's different. " Kit observed " It's a royal palace. You have an image to keep infront of the servants.

Singto chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I wanted to do something that felt more… personal. I thought it might mean more than anything else I could offer.”

Kit nodded slowly, his gaze lingering on Singto’s face. He could see the sincerity in his eyes, the careful way he chose his words, and it made him feel warm inside.

“It does,” Kit admitted, his voice soft. “I didn’t expect you to take my conditions seriously. Most alphas wouldn’t. They would wiggle a way out of it...”

Singto’s expression grew more serious, his eyes locking onto Kit’s. “You deserve someone who respects you, Kit. I’m not perfect, and I know I’ve made mistakes. But I’m willing to prove myself to you, even if it means doing things differently than I’m used to.”

Kit felt a lump form in his throat, but he quickly swallowed it down. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while longer, the morning slipping away as they enjoyed each other’s company. Eventually, Singto cleared his throat, a small smile playing on his lips.

“I was thinking,” he began, his tone a bit more playful, “if you’re up for it, maybe we could take a walk later? No pressure, of course. Just… a walk.”

Kit raised an eyebrow, amused by Singto’s careful wording. “A walk, huh? Is that your idea of courting?”

Singto laughed, the sound rich and warm. “It’s one of my ideas, yes. But I won’t spoil the rest.”

Kit’s heart fluttered at the thought, and he found himself nodding. “Alright. A walk sounds nice.”

Singto’s eyes lit up, and he looked genuinely pleased. “Great. I’ll come by in an hour, then?”

Kit agreed, and Singto left him to finish his breakfast in peace, a soft hum of excitement buzzing in his chest.

In an hour , Singto was back , dressed for the day in his royal attire and Krist was still in his T-shirt and shorts.

Kit looked down at his simple T-shirt and shorts, feeling a bit out of place as he walked beside Singto, who was dressed in his regal attire. The difference between them was stark—Singto exuded an air of authority and grace, while Kit felt like he had just rolled out of bed, which, technically, he had.

They strolled through the gardens in silence, the beauty of nature surrounding them, but Kit couldn't shake the feeling of insecurity creeping in. He glanced at Singto, who seemed perfectly at ease, and then back at his own clothes.

"Well," Kit finally broke the silence, a playful lilt to his voice, though a hint of nervousness lingered, "it seems I didn’t get the memo about the royal dress code for a morning stroll. Here I am, looking like I just crawled out from under a rock, and you're ready to attend an audience with the council."

Singto turned to him, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "You look perfectly fine, Kit. I don’t think anyone has ever looked more royal in a T-shirt."

Kit snorted, though the compliment did make him feel a little better. "Royal, huh? More like a royal mess. I feel like a doob walking next to you in all your kingly glory. Do you even know what your Singto fan club will do to me if they see me like this? They will have a fueld day its for sure!"

Singto chuckled, reaching out to gently take Kit’s hand. "You’re far from a mess. Besides, I like that you’re comfortable enough to be yourself around me. It’s refreshing."

Kit looked at their joined hands, his insecurities starting to ebb away. "Maybe I should’ve at least worn something with sleeves, though. I’m pretty sure the flowers are judging me."

Singto laughed, the sound warm and genuine, and it made Kit’s heart flutter. "The flowers aren’t judging you, Kit. If anything, they’re probably jealous they can’t be as effortlessly charming as you."

Kit rolled his eyes, but a smile crept onto his face. "Effortlessly charming? Now you’re just flattering me."

"Only because it’s true," Singto said, his tone sincere.

Kit squeezed Singto’s hand, feeling a bit more secure. "You know, you don’t have to dress up just for a walk with me. I wouldn’t mind seeing you in something a bit more casual."

Singto raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eye. "Casual? Are you saying you don’t like my kingly attire?"

Kit shook his head, chuckling. "Oh, I like it just fine. But it would be nice to see you a little more relaxed. Maybe next time, I’ll even convince you to wear a T-shirt too."

Singto laughed again, the sound making Kit feel lighthearted. "You’ve got yourself a deal. Next time, I’ll match your T-shirt and shorts, and we’ll both look like doobs together."

Kit smiled, feeling more at ease as they continued their stroll through the garden. The earlier insecurities faded away, replaced by a comfortable sense of belonging. Singto’s presence, despite the grandeur of his attire, was warm and inviting, making Kit realize that he didn’t need to worry about appearances. What mattered was the connection between them—the bond they were building, step by step, in the quiet beauty of the garden.

They walked in comfortable silence, both lost in thought as they admired the beauty of nature. Birds chirped in the distance, and the soft rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze was the only sound that accompanied them.

They soon came to a patch of flowers that stood out from the rest—Queen of Night flowers. In the early morning light, they appeared rather ordinary, their large leaves swaying gently with the wind. A small clearing lay in the center of the circular plantation, inviting yet peaceful.

Kit halted in his tracks, glancing at the flowers with a playful glint in his eyes. “And here are the flowers you threw a hissy fit for!” he exclaimed, his voice tinged with amusement. “If you upset me again, I might actually rampage through this patch, just like you made the press believe. That was just one little flower I plucked, for god's sake! And only because I was drunk and there was a bet. You know I prefer flowers to stay firmly attached to their branches rather than being plucked.”

Singto chuckled softly, his gaze softening as he turned to Kit. “I know you found my reaction exaggerated,” he admitted, the smile on his lips a mix of regret and fondness. “And trust me, if I had known it was you, there would have been no retaliation. But you were in disguise that night, and I truly thought it was someone else... Although, Simba recognized you. The stupid beast didn’t bother to tell me until after his unrefined and horrid attempt at flirting with you and win your approval for courtship.”

Kit rolled his eyes, though a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Even if it was someone else... the fact remains the same—it was just one little flower.”

Singto’s expression grew more serious as he stepped closer, his gaze earnest. “You wouldn’t understand, Kit. It’s not just a garden. It’s a part of you that you’ve willingly given to me. And I wasnt readu to share it with anyone else. It was mine and mjne alone.” He paused, his eyes holding Kit’s. “Do you know how this garden came to be?”

Kit tilted his head, thinking for a moment before offering a playful answer. “Um... you planted seeds, and then it grew?”

Singto laughed, a deep, rich sound that made Kit’s heart skip a beat. “It was much more than that,” Singto began, his voice warm with nostalgia. “You were seven when you discovered that when a person receives a gift, they smile. According to you, I was the least smiling person you’d ever met, so when your father, the late Alpha Rojanapat, visited the palace for a meeting with the queen dowager, you tagged along. You gave me a ring—your grandfather’s ring, passed down to you. You saw me smile, and it became your mission to make me smile as often as possible.”

Kit’s eyes widened slightly as he listened, memories of his childhood slowly resurfacing.

“Every time your father visited the palace, or when I visited your pack, you would have a gift ready for me,” Singto continued, his tone affectionate. “And you would peer at me, eager to see how broad a smile you could coax out of me. To stop you from giving away your family heirlooms, I smiled at a puppy—your dire wolf. So, you gifted it to me. Then came a toad, a rabbit, a cat... a duck..a chipmunk, a deer ...there was no order to it.”

Kit couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of his younger self giving away animals and trinkets, all in the hope of making Singto smile.

“Then, one day, I smiled at a flower you brought me, and that’s when you moved on to gifting me saplings of flowering plants,” Singto said, his voice laced with amusement. “Alpha Arthit was furious, your father was amused, and the queen dowager was thoroughly entertained. She even joked that you were building me my own personal jungle.”

Singto paused, his eyes glinting with fondness. “That’s when I got the idea for this garden. I made a small lake on the side for the ducks and toads you gave me, and a garden to house all the plants.

But the most special part of it all was when you were nine, and you gifted me these Queen of Night flowers on my birthday. You’d heard from the healer that their scent calms down a shifter, helps him feel less lonely, and lifts his spirits when he’s feeling melancholy. It was your idea to plant them in the middle of the garden in a circular pattern so that I could lay in the center and get the full effect of their scent... to ease the sadness until I could find my mate when I turned eighteen.”

Kit stood there, speechless, as the weight of Singto’s words sank in. He had never known just how much his childish gifts had meant to Singto, nor how they had shaped this beautiful garden. His chest tightened with emotion, and he suddenly felt a deep connection to this place—this garden that was not just a testament to nature’s beauty, but also to the bond they had shared since childhood.

Singto reached out, gently taking Kit’s hand in his own. “This garden isn’t just mine, Kit. It’s ours. It holds memories of the past, of the times you made me smile when I didn’t think I could. And now, I want to create new memories here with you—if you’ll let me.”

Kit looked up at Singto, his heart swelling with affection and something deeper—something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in a long time. He nodded, squeezing Singto’s hand in silent agreement.

“I’d like that,” Kit whispered, his voice barely audible over the gentle rustling of the leaves.

They stood there, hand in hand, surrounded by the garden that had been their silent witness all these years. The sun rose higher in the sky, casting a warm glow over the Queen of Night flowers that, for now, still waited for the evening to reveal their full splendor. But in that moment, it didn’t matter. Kit knew that he had found something special here, something worth nurturing.

And maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something beautiful—something that could last a lifetime.
...........

After their morning stroll, Singto didn't show his face until their dinner in the evening with queen dowager but Kit didn't feel his absence one bit because Singto made sure to be with him in one form or another.

After Kit gad bathed and dressed himself for the day, he found a hand drawn map of  royal palace with little illustrations and curious comments in Singto's handwriting. There was a note too.

" To feed your curiosity and aid your adventures !

P.S. : I couldn't yet completely draw the east wing; keep that exploration on pause until I do..."

— wishing to be yours soon
— Singto

Just how well Singto knew him?

As predicted by Singto, Krist's day Was spent, exploring the palace and it's grounds with the magic map drawn by Singto in his hand.
......

The day was eventful and he was tired but he couldn't sleep.

The night was quiet, with only the faint sounds of crickets filling the air. In the nights, Kit truly sensed how huge the palace was as his feeling of loneliness expanded, filling out his enormous bed— he missed his small bed in his packhouse.

Kit lay awake in his chambers, his thoughts a whirlpool of emotions.

Unable to sleep, Kit slipped out of bed, deciding to take a walk through the palace halls. As he passed by the royal kitchen, the aroma of freshly brewed tea caught his attention. Curious, he peeked inside and was surprised to find Singto sitting at the long wooden table, a steaming teapot and a cup in front of him.

Singto looked up, a gentle smile spreading across his face when he saw Kit. “Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, his voice a low murmur.

Kit shook his head, stepping into the kitchen. “You too?”

“Yeah,” Singto replied, pouring the tea into both cups. “I find it hard to sleep sometimes. The palace is so quiet at night, it’s almost eerie.”

Kit nodded in agreement, sitting down across from Singto. He accepted the cup that was handed to him, taking a sip of the warm, soothing liquid. The taste was earthy and slightly sweet, with a hint of jasmine.

They sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying the tea and each other’s company. The warm glow of the kitchen’s lanterns bathed the room in a soft light, creating an intimate atmosphere.

“You know,” Kit began, breaking the silence, “I never imagined I’d be sitting here, drinking tea with a king in the middle of the night.”

Singto chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “And I never imagined I’d be having tea with someone who sees me as more than just a king. It’s… nice.”

Kit looked at Singto, noticing the way his usually strong and composed demeanor softened in these quiet moments. It made him wonder how much of Singto’s life was spent putting on a facade, always having to be the ruler, the alpha, the one in control.

“Do you ever wish things were different?” Kit asked, his voice gentle.

Singto’s smile faded slightly as he considered the question. “Sometimes. There’s a lot of responsibility that comes with this title, and it can be overwhelming. But… I wouldn’t change it. It’s who I am.”

Kit nodded, understanding the weight of Singto’s words. “And now you’re stuck with someone like me, who refuses to play by the usual rules.”

Singto shook his head, his smile returning. “You’re not a burden, Kit. In fact, you’ve made this whole courtship more meaningful. You challenge me to be better, to think differently. And that’s something I never knew I needed.”

Kit felt a warmth spread through his chest at Singto’s words, and he couldn’t help but smile back. “I’m glad you feel that way.”

They continued to sip their tea, the silence between them comfortable and companionable. As the night grew later, Singto’s eyes began to droop, and Kit noticed the exhaustion on his face.

“You should get some rest,” Kit said softly, placing his empty cup on the table.

Singto nodded, stifling a yawn. “You too.”

As they both stood to leave, Kit hesitated for a moment before speaking. “phi Sing… thank you for this. For the tea, and for… everything.”

Singto’s gaze softened, and he reached out to gently touch Kit’s arm. “You don’t need to thank me, Kit. I’m just glad you’re here.”

With that, they parted ways, each returning to their chambers with a sense of contentment. As Kit lay back in bed, he found that the warmth of the tea and Singto’s words had finally soothed his restless mind. Sleep came easily, and his dreams were filled with the soft glow of lanterns and the quiet comfort of shared moments.

*

Next to the breakfast, there was a beautifully drawn map of the palace grounds, hand-illustrated by Singto. The map wasn’t a typical one; it was filled with personal annotations, little notes about his favorite spots, places where he found peace, and a few hidden corners of the gardens that he thought Kit might enjoy discovering. Each spot was marked with a brief explanation—sometimes humorous, sometimes reflective, but always sincere.

One particular spot on the map, near a secluded part of the palace gardens, had a small note: *“This is where the Queen of Night flowers bloom best. If you ever feel overwhelmed, this is where I go to think. Maybe one day, we can meet there—no pressure, just whenever you’re ready.”*

There was no expectation attached to the gesture, no pressure for Kit to respond or reciprocate. It was just Singto’s way of making Kit feel at home, of showing that he cared without breaking the conditions Kit had set. The gesture was quiet but filled with meaning—an invitation to begin a new chapter together, at Kit’s own pace.

---