When Love Became a Lie

The Misunderstanding Occur

The marketplace was alive with the colors of spring — fluttering silks, scattered flower petals, music in the air. But Saien stood frozen in the middle of it all, like stone.

His eyes were locked on **Renju** — dressed in royal silk robes that Saien had *never seen before*. There was a sigil on his shoulder. Gold embroidery. **A crown prince’s mark.**

And beside him… a woman. Elegant. Laughing. She leaned close to Renju, touched his arm, and — *kissed him*.

Saien’s breath caught. His heart crashed into his ribs.

He moved.

His boots echoed sharply as he approached them. The crowd shifted like waves around him. The woman looked up first, startled. Renju turned a second later, gaze unreadable.

“Renju,” Saien said, voice hard.

The woman blinked and stepped back slightly, but Renju didn’t react. Not a flinch. Not a smile.

He simply said, “Saien.”

“What is this?” Saien asked, barely containing the shake in his voice. “You told me you were a wandering swordsman. You said titles disgust you.”

Renju’s silence was cutting. Cold. Like the man Saien *used to know* was gone.

“And now you wear the mark of a **crown prince** and kiss a noblewoman like I never existed?”

Renju’s jaw tensed. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“Then *what* is it?” Saien snapped. “Why would you lie about something so important?”

The woman opened her mouth to speak, but Renju raised a hand, stopping her. He looked back at Saien — but his eyes were distant, as if buried under frost.

“I don’t owe you an explanation.”

Saien’s heart clenched.

“You do,” he whispered. “Because I loved you.”

A long silence.

Then, Renju’s voice — low, barely above a breath:

**“I don’t love you anymore.”**

The words sliced through him. Saien stared, unblinking.

“…What?” His voice cracked.

Renju looked away. But Saien saw it — the way his throat trembled, the tears he *refused* to let fall.

“Let’s end this,” Saien said. His voice, once soft, turned to steel.

He stepped back. Waiting.

Waiting for Renju to say *anything* — to fight, to scream, to *beg*.

But Renju just stood there. His face like stone. His fists clenched.

“…Okay,” Renju said quietly.

Then he turned.

And walked away.

With *her*.

Saien stood alone. The moment they disappeared around the corner, his knees gave out. He sank to the stone pavement, surrounded by music, laughter, and people who didn’t know his world had just shattered.

His shoulders shook. Tears spilled, silent and unstoppable.

*He lied to me.*

*He left me.*

*Why did he look like he was the one breaking?*

The street was quiet now. The crowd had moved on. The laughter, the music — all faded into a dull echo.

Saien stood there, frozen.

His legs trembled. His chest felt hollow, like someone had carved everything out and left nothing behind.

Renju was gone.

He had walked away with that woman…

And said *he didn’t love him anymore.*

Saien swallowed the tightness in his throat and forced his feet to move. One step. Then another. Every part of his body screamed with exhaustion, but he kept going — down the cobbled streets, past the orange trees, past the corner where Renju once kissed him beneath the lanterns.

Everywhere he looked, **memories** flashed.

Renju’s rare smile.

His warm hand on Saien’s wrist.

The way he used to whisper his name like it meant something.

*All lies.*

*Was it all a lie?*

By the time he reached his small home, the sun had already dipped below the horizon.

He opened the door, walked in, and didn’t even light a lamp.

He sat on the edge of his bed — slowly, like his body might collapse at any moment.

Then he finally broke.

Silent sobs wracked his chest, tears spilling freely down his face. He curled inward, burying his face in his hands, trying to muffle the sound.

But there was no one to hear him anyway.