Alberu stood awkwardly in the office across from Basen Henituse with the odd feeling that he'd somehow been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

It was a bit ridiculous considering that Alberu had done no such thing and moreso, Basen Henituse wasn't a person who held any power to dissuade him from cookie theft.

Except that was only in a political sense.

In a personal sense, receiving Basen's approval to steak the metaphorical cookies was in all likelihood paramount to his future happiness.

Cale adored his family and he was especially protective of his younger siblings. If Basen did not approve of him then that would put a very serious strain on any hopes of a future relationship with Cale.

And he was quite serious about pursuing a future with Cale.

"What is the nature of your relationship with my hyung-nim?"

Alberu ought not to have been so taken aback. The Basen Henituse he'd met in public events was a thoughtful and tactful person who very rarely stepped out of line. And the Basen described by Cale was a smart and studious boy with a heart of gold.

Neither description remembered the most important trait that Alberu should have remembered.

He was Cale's brother, after all.

And thus his patience for bullshit ended at the exact point that any concern for the well-being of his family began.

Alberu contemplated his answer for a moment. He hadn't had the opportunity to discuss with Cale how and what they'd say to his family and he didn't want to dig his hole any further...

...but he didn't like the idea of lying about it. Especially not now.

He'd accept the consequences later.

"I'd like to propose marriage to him." Alberu said without a hint of shame or embarrassment.

Basen was lucky he wasn't drinking anything because he would have spit it out right then and there.

He gaped at the dastardly prince with disbelief, searching for the joke in his words.

'He's serious.'

Basen couldn't claim to know the crown prince to any extent, they'd only ever greeted one another in passing at public events.

That was why Alberu's expression was so very unnerving. His bright smile that seemed to harold the sunrise was missing and his effortless composure was cracked. Alberu Crossman stood stiffly and looked him directly in the eyes. He looked nervous but determined.

It could have been a rather convincing act, Basen noted with a certain bias still bubbling beneath the surface. However, if it was an act, it was doing a fairly good job of convincing Basen.

He narrowed his eyes.

"What makes you think you deserve my hyung-nim?"

It was an absolutely ludicrous question. Just about anyone else in the kingdom would be demanding to know the exact opposite. Even beyond the issue of gender, how could trash like Cale ever possibly deserve to stand at the king's side? Cale who was infamous for his misdemeanors and drunken fits and abhorrent behavior, at the side of the rising sun of the Roan Kingdom? The crown prince who hadn't even the hint of a scandal to his name?

And yet here was Basen Henituse asking it with absolute sincerity. To him, his hyung-nim really was worth more than a dozen Alberu Crossman's and there wasn't a single thing that could change that, not even Cale's various efforts to put distance between himself and his family.

Alberu could appreciate that Cale's loyalties weren't unrequited. Although he would appreciate it even more if those loyalties weren't causing such dissonance between them. His political mind raced to find the right words to persuade Cale's brother in as tactful a method as possible.

Alberu opened his mouth and closed it again.

This wasn't a political matter. This was familial. A territory that was largely unfamiliar to Alberu, especially since dealing with his own family was largely a political matter.

But Cale's family was different. At least, Alberu's innate instinct for reading people let him know that a political answer would not go over very well with Basen Henituse at this moment.

What about him deserved to be with Cale?

It was a question that cut painfully considering his recent mistakes. Alberu hadn't really considered deserving or not deserving Cale, just that he didn't want to live without him.

Honesty was the only path forward.

"...I can't say that I deserve him." The statement made him wince. Alberu had spent the majority of his life asserting himself for all the things he did deserve. Claiming his birthright with confidence that he didn't always possess. It was pure antithesis to how he chose to portray himself in his life. "But I care about him and I want to make him happy."

It was such a vulnerable statement.

Basen wanted to criticize it. To strike while the enemy was weak. He wasn't normally quite so unforgiving but this was his precious hyung-nim. "So you'll drag him into a position where everyone in the kingdom would criticize him?" Basen asked sharply.

He felt a bit guilty. Alberu did look sincerely uncomfortable at the prospect. "If the alternative is to treat him like a shameful secret, I'd prefer not to do that." Alberu answered.

'The alternative is you go away and leave him alone...!' Basen bit his tongue on those words. Until he'd found out what Cale wanted it wasn't time to chase away this unworthy suitor. As much as the unsavory prince ruffled his feathers, if he was who Cale wanted then Basen wouldn't stand in his way. He'd just ensure that the unworthy and devious bastard wouldn't cause him harm.

Basen frowned deeply. "If that's what hyung-nim wants." He gave the villainous prince a scathing once over. "What sort of happiness could you actually offer him?"

Alberu wondered how it was that the young nobleman that was seven years his junior was more difficult to deal with than the entirety of the political opposition that he'd fought over the years. Perhaps because of how much more personal Basen chose to make things.

At least when opposing aristocrats had decided to take their criticism into personal attacks he was able to fight back. Now he had no choice but to expose himself to this.

Well, there was always the choice to give up and walk away. Aside from the incident today, there was very little linking Alberu and Cale together in a tangible way. But despite the ease with which that escape could be achieved, Alberu didn't even consider it.

He didn't come to the Henituse villa with a faint hearted intention. Today he would leave with or without Basen's approval but he would not leave without making his intentions clear.

It still didn't make answering Basen's question any less awkward.

"I'm able to bring him happiness by staying together." It was a simple and vague answer but a lot of the specific things he knew that made Cale happy weren't necessarily appropriate to bring up with his younger brother.

"He didn't look happy earlier." Basen sniped and glared at him.

It came down to that at the end.

Alberu sighed softly. Despite his determination to be sincere with Basen, he'd still been reserved with his answers up until now. He still didn't quite like having to admit to weakness in this way but ultimately, this was the only way he'd be able to clear anything with Basen.

"...that was my mistake." The complexity of the situation made it difficult for him to explain matters clearly. For that matter, Alberu still hadn't found out how or why their dreams had connected in such a way so how would he go about explaining it to an outside party? He'd still have to restrict the story, at least until he could confer with Cale. "I told Cale that it was best if we ended our relationship. I was wrong and I regretted it, which is why I'm here now."

Basen's gaze could freeze fire.

Despite the lack of genetics connecting the pair, Alberu felt very much that it was moments like these that the familial resemblance really showed through. A part of him really dreaded dealing with the rest of the Henituse family now that he'd learned that the most docile of the bunch was this unforgiving.

"Clearly you're not a right fit if you'd leave him on a whim." Basen crossed his arms and Alberu sort of wondered if there was anyone in this household that remembered he was the crown prince. It was more likely that none of them cared. "You claim to be serious now? Why should he trust you? You're an unscrupulous glib degenerate who dares to play with my hyung-nim's heart."

Truly, the Henituse household was a force to be reckoned with.

"I'm not playing with his heart."

It was the wrong thing to say but Alberu felt a bit wronged by the accusation. He was just as confused as Cale was to learn that the dreams were real and while he made the wrong decision at that time, he'd made a rational decision based on the information he had at the time.

"Prove it." Basen argued back, equally heated.

"I'm trying to." Alberu felt a bit helpless in the circumstances. There really didn't seem to be any winning with Basen and he was entirely uncomfortable with this amount of emotional sincerity displayed to a near complete stranger. "I realized I couldn't live without him and I was an idiot for thinking I could. I don't deserve him and I don't know how I could make him happy but I love him and I'll be proposing with or without your approval!"

Alberu huffed, his cheeks darkening with rouge embarrassment as his own words played back in his mind and the mortification of it all settled into his heart.

Ah, this would be a day that kept him up at night to cringe for years to come.

Basen appeared a bit taken aback by Alberu's broken composure. It was a novel sight. The sunny crown prince reduced to an irrational mess like this.

Cale had that effect on people.

Basen crossed his arms, ready to nitpick at every little thing and really see how far Alberu could be pushed but...

Maybe it was the pity in his heart for how pathetic Alberu looked or maybe it was because he had to admit that Cale had looked a bit happy when the pair left the dining room. Either way, Basen didn't quite have the heart to berate Alberu further.

...at this time.

"I hope you understand that he'd be within his rights to refuse you." Basen said, less biting than before but still without affection or mercy.

"Of course." Alberu scowled, his face still a miserable maroon.

"Then it's hyung-nim's decision. Even if you're a deceitful reprobate, I'll concede to hyung-nim's wishes."

Really. Absolutely no one here remembered he was soon to be king. Alberu was reluctantly impressed by Basen's audacity. He really was Cale's younger brother.

"I can agree to that." Alberu said, feeling that perhaps the worst was over.

Of course when the door was opened to the hall, there was a servant with a benign smile awaiting to guide him to his carriage.

Alberu didn't like to reflect on the memories that followed that particular meeting.

Indeed, the Henituse household was impressive.