Chapter 1 THE MASK

The chandeliers of the Imperial Grand Hotel glittered like stars frozen in place-perfect, brilliant, unreachable. Beneath them moved Tokyo's elite: politicians in charcoal suits, their spouses in gowns that whispered old money. Waiters weaved through the crowd, silver trays held aloft like shields. Cameras flashed, every click preserving moments designed to appear effortless.

Reiji Takamura walked through it all with a calm that had been rehearsed since childhood.

His suit, black velvet with a mandarin collar, hugged his tall frame like armor. Not a hair on his head was out of place. Every nod he gave was subtle, every smile precisely measured. The son of Satoru Takamura did not sweat. He did not stumble. He did not speak unless necessary.

He belonged to this world-on paper.

A woman stepped into his path. "Reiji-sama," she cooed, offering both hands like a dove. "You grow more handsome every year. The nation is lucky."

Reiji bowed slightly. "You're too kind."

His voice was smooth. Controlled. His stomach, however, churned under the weight of every eye in the room.

From across the ballroom, he saw his father standing like a statue carved from power. Satoru Takamura didn't need to move to dominate. He had built his reputation on presence alone. And he had made it very clear: Reiji would inherit everything-whether he wanted it or not.

Tonight was the beginning of that future.

A subtle change in the room's energy. Heads turned.

Reika Mori entered, fifteen minutes late, as planned. She wore white-an echo of wedding whispers. Her hair was sculpted into an elegant twist adorned with pearls, her red lipstick immaculate.

She walked toward him with effortless grace, pausing at the center of the ballroom like she belonged there. Of course, she did. The daughter of a prominent diplomat, raised on etiquette and reputation.

Reiji met her halfway.

"Mori-san," he greeted, his voice carefully neutral.

"Takamura-sama," she replied just as coolly.

Their hands touched-not quite a clasp, just enough for the cameras.

The flashes came instantly.

"You look... content," she murmured between smiles.

"As do you. Smug even."

"Smugness suits me," she said. "So does white, apparently."

"Is that a dig?"

She turned her face slightly for the camera, smiling wider. "You'll never know."

"Let's pretend, then," Reiji said.

"Oh, we're pretending already."

They faced the photographers together: a perfect image of promise. And yet, in the lines between them-tension.

From the press section, a longer lens captured the moment with more hunger than the rest. Ryo Kanzaki adjusted his grip, watching Reiji's expression like a hawk. Not the smile, but the corners of the mouth. The weight behind the eyes.

Click.

He smelled something.

Upstairs, Thirty Minutes Later

The night wore on. Reiji fulfilled his duties-handshakes, smiles, small talk delivered in perfectly portioned phrases. But it was all exhausting.

He slipped away to the terrace above the ballroom.

The city stretched beyond the railing in a blur of glass and neon. Tokyo never truly slept; it pulsed, alive with ambition and secrets.

He lit a cigarette, letting it hang between his fingers.

The door opened behind him.

"You'll ruin your lungs," his father said, voice as smooth as polished steel.

"I don't inhale."

Satoru Takamura stepped beside him. "Symbolism, then. How poetic."

Reiji didn't respond. The silence grew heavier.

"The engagement will be announced next week," his father said flatly. "We'll make a joint statement. Exclusive with Yomiuri."

Reiji exhaled smoke into the wind. "So it's done."

"It's necessary. You know this."

"Necessary doesn't mean right."

"You're not here to do what's right," Satoru said, eyes narrowing. "You're here to continue the Takamura legacy. One day you'll thank me."

"I doubt that."

His father studied him. "Smile more. You have her. You have position. There are worse fates."

"I have a name. That's all."

Satoru turned and left without another word.

Reiji stayed, eyes on the skyline, alone with the one thing he could still claim: silence.

Elsewhere - Shibuya, Same Night

In a dark basement lit by flickering neon and candle stubs, Akira Tsukino moved like chaos given form.

He stood shirtless before a massive canvas, silver-blue hair tied back, fingers smeared with paint. His jeans were torn, splattered with color, his boots heavy against the concrete floor. Music thumped from old speakers. The gallery space smelled of varnish, sweat, and whiskey.

The painting was violent. A clash of reds and golds like a war on canvas.

"Akira, slow down," Yuki called over the music. "You're going to pass out."

"Good," Akira said without looking. "That means it's working."

Yuki rolled his eyes. "You're such a drama queen."

Akira finally stepped back, panting. "It's not drama if it's true."

He tossed the brush aside and grabbed a bottle of water. Yuki, ever the flirt, slid a hand across Akira's lower back as he passed.

"Is this one about Tomo?" he asked casually.

Akira froze for a beat. Then shook his head. "No. Not anymore."

Yuki lifted his camera and snapped a shot. "Then who's it about?"

Akira stared at the painting. "Someone I haven't met yet."

Back in the Ballroom

Reiji reentered the party to find Reika laughing-genuinely-with someone he didn't expect.

Misaki Watanabe, a journalist known for her brutal honesty and sharp suits, stood close enough to whisper. Her hand brushed Reika's arm.

Interesting.

He approached them with measured grace.

"Ladies."

Misaki turned to him with a fox's smile. "Takamura-san. Enjoying the attention?"

"It comes with the suit."

Reika gave him a sidelong glance. "You missed the best part."

"I'm sure it'll be on the morning news," he replied smoothly.

Misaki's eyes narrowed. "It will. Some of us know how to spin a story."

Reiji glanced at the press line. Ryo Kanzaki was still watching him.

Let him watch.

Let them all watch.

He could play the part. For now.

That Night - Takamura Penthouse

The city glimmered far below. Reiji's apartment was silent, sterile. White marble, black leather, glass and chrome. He poured himself a glass of whiskey and sat at the edge of the bed.

In his hand, the engagement ring sat inside its velvet box. Cold. Untouched.

He didn't open it.

He just stared.

Then he picked up his phone. Scrolled through the headlines. The photos.

Reiji Takamura & Reika Mori: Tokyo's Crown Couple?

Political Union or Modern Love? The Eyes of Japan Are Watching.

His thumb hovered over the screen.

He deleted the notifications.

Meanwhile - Akira's Loft

Akira lay on his back, shirt off, staring at the ceiling, one hand hanging off the edge of the mattress, the other still stained with paint.

The canvas leaned against the wall. Red and gold. A shadow behind glass.

He didn't know why he'd painted a man's face in the corner. Sharp cheekbones. Eyes like winter.

He hadn't seen that face before.

Not yet.

But something in his gut whispered: Soon.