We Meet Once More -- Sucrose x Albedo

Chapter 15

The day before the meeting...

"Your Royal Highness, are your things ready?"

Xingqiu didn't hear the servant as he was counting the items he had in his bag and counting the ones that were missing. Although he didn't feel like anything was missing, he still made sure he needs everything. And boy were there a lot of bags...

"Um, Your Royal Highness?"

"What? Oh, yes! Everything is ready. All packed and loaded. Take the luggage and put them in the carriage please."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness!"

Then, the servants had left with the hefty luggage in their hands.

Xingqiu then decided to walk out to his balcony. Expectedly, the breeze greeted him as it caressed Xingqiu.

"What a relaxing breeze! I wish Chongyun could feel this too."
Xingqiu commented to himself, before slouching and propping his arms on the railings.

Everything was fine and chill when a white dove flapped its wings and landed on the railing. Xingqiu noticed the dove and he smiled at it. Xingqiu petted the dove with his finger on the head and underneath his chin.

"Well, aren't you excited for tomorrow? But... I'm not."
Xingqiu told the dove before he stopped petting it.

The dove tilted its head in confusion.

"I don't wanna get married to a girl I've never met. Nobody wants that. Would you want that?"
He turned to the dove, asking it.

The dove still looked confused. Xingqiu stayed silent for an answer until he realized the dove can't talk to him either. He sighed then chuckled to himself in idiocy.

"Who am I kidding? Why am I talking to a dove that can't talk in return for my question? I might become some princess from a cliché fantasy book."

Xingqiu started singing as a joke in imitating a princess although he really looked like he did take the joke a tad bit too seriously. Holding out his left hand, while his right is on his chest — singing a tune that sounded like those songs you hear in an opera performance — a random bird landed on his left palm. Xingqiu felt the weight and decided to take a look.

"Wait, are you serious?"
He asked before many birds sat on his arm and head.

"You... have gotta be kidding me."
A dead and blank expression formed on his face.
"Well, guess I'm a Princess now. 

But a bird knocked on his head, causing Xingqiu to flinch.

"Ow! Hey! That hurts!"

KNOCK KNOCK

Xingqiu turned around to his door, perfect timing as the birds flew away except the dove. The dove just became curious and walked to the area of the railings to see his door

"Xingqiu, may I come in?"
His mother asked.

"Yes."

She came inside the room, closing his door too.

"What is it, mother?"
He asked.

"I'm just here to ask if you've packed up your stuff... to which I suppose you have already."
She told, looking around Xingqiu's room which nearly looked empty.

"Yes. And before you say anything, I did double-check."

"Good."

The Queen walked away as her question has been answered. However—

"W-wait!"

She stopped her footing, then turned around to see Xingqiu extending his hand out.

"Is there something you'd like to ask?"