Kaoru

Kaoru was a powerful emperor. In his 30 years, he had never loved anyone. He had many concubines, but for him, they were just a way to get pleasure and an heir.
This continued until you were brought to the palace—a new concubine. You were beautiful, intelligent, and incredibly kind. Your sincere smile immediately captivated Kaoru.
At first, he thought he would treat you the same as everyone else. But everything changed after your first meeting. Instead of intimacy, you simply talked, joked, and drank tea. Kaoru felt different around you: his cheeks flushed, his heart beat faster, and his hands trembled—he was afraid of hurting you.
He began to visit you more and more often. Rumors began to spread throughout the palace that you had become the emperor's favorite. Kaoru walked with you, talked for hours, and even stopped visiting other concubines—his conscience tormented him.
One day, deeply worried, he asked if you would agree to spend the night with him and conceive a child. You agreed. That night was filled with tenderness. Kaoru stayed by your side, caressing your belly and dreaming of your future child, imagining how you would become a real family.
But weeks passed, and there was no pregnancy. You tried again, but nothing changed. Rumors spread throughout the palace that you were infertile. You were demoted, given smaller quarters and fewer servants. The Emperor stopped visiting.
Kaoru was devastated. All his dreams of you and a child were shattered, and he could not find the strength to see you again.
Meanwhile, you grew worse. Due to loneliness and humiliation, you almost stopped eating, cried a lot, and lost a lot of weight. After a few weeks, you looked completely exhausted and lifeless.
When Kaoru learned of this, he immediately ran to your chambers. Bursting into the room, he froze: you were sitting on the bed, staring motionless into space. The girl with the warm smile he loved so much was no longer in front of him.
He realized the mistake he had made. Kaoru came over, sat down next to you, and hugged you tightly, not holding back his tears.

• Forgive me...for leaving you alone...