THE PRINCE IN HIS UNDERWEAR

Leyla walked beside Naru, smiling in his direction, but she couldn't help but notice his behavior. He was excited, but it didn't seem like it was entirely because of her. Something was off.

"Why are you so excited?" she asked, trying to make sense of his reactions. "I mean, we found another clue. I know this is important, but…"

Naru straightened his back almost immediately, as if carefully thinking of an answer. "Well, it's not just that… It's not just the clue. It's part of a bigger picture."

"What picture?" she asked suspiciously, stopping for a moment.

"Well, when we find the artifact… everything will become clear. If we find it, we can prove I'm not guilty, and then… the marriage contract will disappear."

Leyla sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "So after that, I can go back to my world, and you…"

"That's right," he said with a thoughtful look. "But that… that's all I know."

"So you just want to 'get rid' of this marriage?" she asked, suddenly feeling uneasy.

Naru looked at her, his eyes narrowing in a serious expression. "I never said that. You have no idea how much you mean to me, Leyla. This marriage… all of this is complicated. I know I tricked you into coming here, but… I'm saying this for you, I can see you want to leave."

Leyla paused, caught off guard by his response. "You don't want that, do you?"

"I don't want you to leave," he admitted. "I don't want to lose you, but this…"

He hesitated and took a deep breath. "To prove my innocence, we have to go through all of this. And then, I probably won't have the right to keep you, will I?"

"Naru…" she whispered. "You don't have to tell me all of this. No one is forcing us to finish this search, not now or in the future. Maybe this isn't just about the evidence and the artifact…"

Naru fell silent for a moment, looking at her with a gentle expression, as if he didn't know what to say.

"That's why I'm trying to make everything right. And then… what happens to us, who knows?"

When they arrived at the palace, Naru was so excited about the new clues that he almost forgot to stop talking. As they headed toward their room, he immediately approached the wardrobe to change. Leyla, on the other hand, stood by the door, aware of how exhausted she was and in desperate need of a quick break.

Naru started undressing, completely unaware that Leyla was still there. Without a second thought, he pulled off his top, leaving him in nothing but his underwear.

"Naru!" she exclaimed, stunned, turning her head toward the wall. Her heart started pounding.

Naru paused for a moment, smiling. "Why are you blushing? There's no reason to be shy. I'm sure you've seen much worse than this. Or… is it just because it's me?"

Leyla felt her heart race even faster, but she didn't have the courage to look. "No, it's not that," she stammered, still facing the wall. "It's just… not exactly normal."

"Well, there's nothing to be ashamed of," he said with a smirk, sitting down on the bed. "Actually, I'm sure you should relax. These travels through the yokai world and artifact hunts must bring a lot of unusual experiences. I'd expect you to be used to everything by now."

Leyla slowly turned her head toward him, her hands clenched into fists. "I think you should behave with more respect," she said, though her voice was soft. "I'm not used to things like this."

"And what does 'things like this' mean? You've never been with anyone before?" he asked, smiling, but with genuine curiosity in his eyes.

Leyla was visibly shocked. She froze for a moment before she could respond. "Well… no. Never," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, clearly embarrassed.

Naru was taken aback. He looked at her in disbelief, and his heartbeat quickened—not because of the revelation itself, but because of something else. He admired her. "Never? Does that mean… you're actually a virgin?"

Leyla nearly exploded from embarrassment. Naru noticed her nervousness and quickly added, "Don't be ashamed. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I find you even more fascinating."

"That's right," she said, though her face was practically crimson. "But I haven't… seen anything like this before, at least not in real life."

"So," Naru said with a wide grin, "I guess I have an advantage, huh? More than most people."

Leyla looked at him in disbelief, but then she couldn't help but smile briefly. Naru was ridiculous in his confidence. Clearly, he didn't grasp the seriousness of the situation, but somehow, she suddenly felt lighter.

"Honestly," she added, trying to sound serious. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

"Well, what can I say?" Naru smirked, his voice much softer now. "Sometimes, advantages… are just opportunities. But Leyla, if you ever want to know more about all of this… trust me, I'm not here to throw you off balance. Maybe we've just started an incredible adventure."

Leyla didn't have the energy to be mad. Instead, she simply sighed, trying to relax because, despite everything, she knew this wasn't just about him. The connection between them was growing deeper. And in her own way, she was ready to open up.

"Then I'll probably annoy you even more, but… this will pass," she laughed, already realizing that a new chapter in their relationship had just begun—with laughter, a hint of embarrassment, and each step bringing them closer to something new.