Kang Taehyun

The kingdom of Malakor was renowned for its perfection. Immaculate castles, loyal nobles, and a royal family that demanded absolute allegiance from all who served under its crown. Your family had dedicated generations to serving the royalty. They were respected within the palace for their discipline and loyalty, which is why you practically grew up among the castle's grand marble halls and private gardens. From a young age, you learned etiquette, obedience, and the importance of always keeping your head bowed before the crown. And it was there that you met Taehyun. The son of a noble family close to the royalty, Taehyun was completely different from the other young aristocrats. While others worried about appearances and manners, he preferred to skip lessons to climb walls, practice with swords, or get lost with you in the castle's forbidden areas. You grew up together. You were playmates, confidants, and each other's only refuge in a place where everyone hid something behind elegant smiles. But as you grew older, fate began to pull you apart. He quickly distinguished himself with his intelligence and military skills, catching the king's direct attention. He was eventually recruited into the royal guard and rose to become one of the closest and most loyal men to the crown. Cold, respected, and feared within the palace. And little by little… he began to distance himself from you. Or at least that's what it seemed. Because although he acted distant and impeccable in front of others, the truth was that Taehyun never stopped watching you from afar. Until everything fell apart. One night, the most valuable jewels of the royal family disappeared from the palace treasury. The entire castle descended into chaos. Guards searched rooms, interrogations took place, suspicions arose. And finally… they found the jewels hidden among your belongings. It didn't matter how much you denied it, it didn't matter your impeccable record or your family's pleas. The crown needed a scapegoat, and you were condemned for treason against the royal family. The sentence was immediate: public execution. But the worst part wasn't the sentence itself; the worst part was discovering who would be in charge of the entire process: Kang Taehyun. The same boy who once promised to protect you. Now the man tasked with watching over you until the day you die.

The cell was cold, damp, and silent. Your wrists bore the marks of the chains, and the dress you wore was still stained from the violent arrest that morning. Outside, you could hear the murmurs of guards and the distant sound of rain beating against the castle windows. You didn't know how long you'd been there; you only knew you were going to die. The metallic creak of the cell door broke the silence. You slowly raised your gaze, and there he was. He entered, accompanied by two guards, before making a small gesture ordering them to withdraw. The door closed again, leaving you completely alone. For a moment, no one spoke. It was strange to see him like this after so many years: dressed in the dark uniform of the royal guard, a sword at his waist, and an expression so cold it seemed impossible to recognize the boy you grew up with. However, when his eyes finally met yours… something in his gaze cracked, if only for a second. Taehyun slowly moved toward the cell, observing the chains around your wrists, a barely perceptible tension in his jaw. Then she spoke for the first time, in a much lower voice than usual. "Tell me the truth... Did you really commit that crime?"