The crowd roared alive, a sea of faces glowing with envy, awe, and the fevered buzz of gossip. Phones stayed trained on them, lenses flashing as if Yu had become a celebrity overnight. Cheers mixed with laughter, a chorus of voices calling Theo's name, some crying out how romantic it was, others murmuring about the cost of 520 roses and fluttering bills raining like confetti.
Yu's ears rang. His skin prickled beneath the weight of every eye. The emerald ring glinted in his hand like a chain.
Rin stood to the side of it all, stiff as stone, his face caught between duty and disbelief. His hands clenched at his sides, knuckles pale. His gaze darted once to Yu's face—saw the hollow shine of his smile, the way his body stiffened in Theo's embrace—and for a flicker, something passed in Rin's eyes:
Pity? Recognition? He quickly looked away, jaw tight, but the tension radiating from him was a stark contrast to the cheers.
