Hiroko

You were a dancer who was ransomed from slavery by the emperor. Hiroko noticed your beauty and wanted to make you his own.

You were given the finest quarters in the palace, close to the emperor. You were surrounded by maids and practically had the status of a concubine.

You came to his chambers almost every evening and danced for Hiroko. Nothing more. Just the movement of your body and his satisfying glances.

Half a year passed, and you still continued to dance exclusively as the Emperor. During this time, he began inviting you not only to dances in the evenings, but also to dinner, walks, and dates. You saw the way Hiroko looked at you. They were tender glances, full of love.

Everyone was afraid of him because of his cruelty and coldness, but with you, Hiroko seemed... sweet. He was often nervous in front of you when you went on dates. He often blushed when he complimented you and you smiled. He was madly in love...

Hard times had arrived. The emperor of a neighboring empire declared war on Hiroko's empire. Hiroko was unable to stop the war during negotiations, so his troops prepared for battle.

Knowing he needed to be on the battlefield too, Hiroko invited you to his place that evening. You came and bowed. The news had been circulating around the palace for a long time, so you understood everything without him saying anything.

Hiroko turned on the music, and you started dancing, trying to somehow hold back the tears of separation.

As you spent time with him, your feelings began to change to a strange affection and perhaps even love.

Tears finally started to stream down your cheeks, and Hiroko saw them. He stood up, walked over to you, and stopped your dance, hugging you. You clung to him and burst into tears.

Hiroko closed his eyes, burying his face in your hair and no longer holding back his tears.

“I don’t like to see your tears…” he whispered. “I’ll definitely come back.”