In the 227th year of the Benchu Era, Kingdom of Purple, Crystal City, Amethyst District, Ishtar Private Upscale Villa
Shizuru held a paintbrush, meticulously sketching the golden-haired beauty lying naked on the sofa in front of her. Though she appeared focused, Shizuru had been frequently daydreaming lately, reflecting on the important conversation she had with her elder sister a few weeks ago. It was not a sisterly talk; it was a discussion between a queen and her subject. The Queen of the Kingdom of Purple had confessed to Shizuru the content of her communication with the King of the eastern Kingdom of Light over the past few years and the agreement to marry Shizuru to him a year later. Shizuru was shocked, but deep down, she had sensed something coming. Her elder sister had been unusually concerned about her emotional state in recent years, always inquiring about the presence of a special someone. And Shizuru's answer was always negative. Each time she gave this response, her elder sister seemed relieved, as if she had expected it long ago.
Although she said "no," Shizuru knew within herself that it was because she was engaged in a forbidden love not recognized by the country. The beautiful person before her was her secret lover for over a year, maybe more. Since their first encounter in the Central Garden, they had entered each other's worlds. Shizuru had accompanied her from a tender child to a mature, breathtakingly beautiful young girl. Kimoon lay on the sofa, eyebrows relaxed, innocent and romantic. Thanks to the villa's automatic temperature control system, despite being unclothed, she was comfortable. The people of Crystal City had long discarded the constraints of clothing, often appearing nude or clad only in delicate chiffon. Outside, with the popularity of various surrealistic and cultural ideas, gender norms in Crystal City had long been blurred. In recent years, the legalization of same-sex and polyamorous marriages had become rights that the people of the Kingdom of Purple were actively advocating for and discussing.
Kimoon's fingers moved slightly, slowly opening her eyes. When she saw Shizuru, dressed in her carefully selected chiffon, painting her as usual, she gazed at her lover with affectionate eyes while maintaining her sleeping pose.
Shizuru had already depicted the perfect figure, and her gaze once again swept over Kimoon from top to bottom. Immediately, she picked up another brush and mixed various pigments to create a color resembling pink and red. She added love bites one by one on the canvas at the neck, chest, and thighs of the beauty, just like the real-life enchantress.
Having completed the painting, Shizuru obtained another precious addition to her collection. Over the years, she had collected portraits of Kimoon in their secret art book. The collection included memories of their first meeting in the central garden, their visit to the amusement park and riding the Ferris wheel together, the first time visiting Kimoon's Ishtar Villa, and the portrait Shizuru painted in the exquisite garden. A year ago, during a casual moment, Shizuru joked, "It seems like I've painted every portrait of you; all that's left is a nude one." At that moment, they were in the living room, and Kimoon blushed at the remark, immediately grabbing Shizuru and heading upstairs to the bedroom. That night, their relationship progressed not only emotionally but also physically.
As Shizuru reminisced about the sweet moments, Kimoon woke up and approached, her hands encircling Shizuru, and her fingers teasing the sensitive peaks. Kimoon, like a gentle cat, leaned against Shizuru, nuzzling her neck.
Shizuru chuckled, "Want to do it again?"
Kimoon's gaze was hazy, seemingly half-awake, full of smiles as she looked at her lover. Then she glanced at the painting in Shizuru's hands and let out a clear laugh. Taking the painting from her beloved's hands, they went upstairs, entered the bedroom, and closed the door. Soon, sounds of passionate intimacy emanated from behind the closed door.
Shizuru woke up again, lying in bed. Watching Kimoon still sleeping beside her, she thought about the carefree days of youth, contrasting with the present worries about the future.
The first time Shizuru visited the Ishtar Villa, she had already encountered Kimoon several times in the central garden. She was curious about the child who often stared at different flowers before leaving before dark. Occasionally, Shizuru would greet Kimoon. "Today, I ran into you again," she said. Kimoon usually just looked at her shyly, not saying a word until Shizuru left to start painting nearby.
One day, unable to resist, Shizuru followed Kimoon to see what she would do next. She found Kimoon passing through the main street and entering the villa area of the Amethyst District. The Amethyst District was the core region of Crystal City, housing the royal palace Crystal Palace, the Saint Purple Orchid Academy, and the central garden. The villa area was the diplomatic core area, where ambassadors and representatives from foreign countries mostly resided. Is she a child from another country? Shizuru wondered. However, she did not continue to follow but turned back towards the palace. Shizuru was not familiar with political matters and didn't know which foreign envoys lived in the villa area. If fate allowed, she hoped to visit someday.
Fate arrived again. A few days later, Kimoon returned to the central garden, this time holding a small box of cake. She seemed to be searching for something. Suddenly, her gaze locked onto Shizuru, who was painting not far away. She hurried over, hands outstretched, offering the cake, and lowered her head, making her expression unreadable.
"Is this a gift for me? Thank you, I love it!"
Shizuru joyfully accepted the beautifully wrapped chocolate cake. She noticed a card on the packaging that read: In three days, birthday party at Ishtar Villa. So, this adorable girl was inviting her to her birthday party. Despite their limited interaction, Shizuru was genuinely happy to receive the invitation. She gently caressed Kimoon's face with her hand, leaned over, and planted a soft kiss, whispering in her ear, "I'll be there on time." Kimoon, whose face rarely showed emotions, looked surprised and amazed. Her face turned red rapidly, and she ran away.
Such a cute and shy child, Shizuru thought.
Three days later, Shizuru arrived as promised. After ringing the doorbell of the luxurious Ishtar Villa, a beautiful woman in fashionable Purple Realm attire opened the door and welcomed her in. Shizuru noticed a resemblance between her features and Kimoon's, but upon further observation, realized they were not mother and daughter. Shizuru also discovered that she was the only invited guest. The beautiful woman introduced herself as Ishtar Yoko, coming from the Kingdom of Light, entrusted with taking care of Kimoon, the child of an acquaintance. Yoko, Shizuru suddenly recalled, was the name of a rising composer and artist in recent years. Apparently, Yoko was currently working as a contracted composer and manager at Saint Purple Orchid Academy in the Kingdom of Purple.
As Shizuru and Yoko conversed happily, the birthday party's protagonist, Kimoon, listened quietly. Shizuru suggested drawing a portrait of Kimoon in the beautiful garden, and thus, the story between the two officially began.