James POV.

Two days later...

Hello, my name is James Evermoon. The eldest son of the Evermoon and the future king, and as a king, I must see the country's affairs. The first thing I went through is the discrimination that is happening to demi-humans and to know more about it, I disguised myself as a commoner to see it firsthand.

So far I don't see anything discriminative, maybe because so far I have been surrounded by the demi-human community and haven't seen humans interact with them yet.

"Jack! What are you standing here for?" Someone tugged my shirt and I snapped out of it. "Jack...?" Oh right, I am Jack! I looked down to see Iori is the one who was tugging my shirt. My heart skipped a beat by our closeness and I pulled back.

"Y-Yes! Let's gooo..." As you can see, Iori Namikaze is half-human, half-wolf. Iori has beautiful blonde hair, yellow eyes, and light-tanned skin. We're both the same age so when we first met we got along nicely.

We walked side-by-side as we approached my place. Iori used to live with his parents, but after he reached adulthood he moved out and started living independently. He does visit his parents on the weekend. "So... Where were you this whole week? You just disappeared."

"I had some urgent work to do..."

"I see, I hope you're not cheating on me or something~"

"Ch-Cheating?! We're not even in a relationship!"

"We're not indeed... Should we be in one?" Iori asked teasingly as he leaned in closer.

"S-Stop messing around, no! No!"

"Pfft... You didn't have to reject me so coldly~"

"It's not like that, I--" I am super in love with you, but I'm too shy to admit it and I want to be honest about my real identity before I confess!

"You...?"

"What do you want to eat?" I quickly changed the subject.

"I am craving rice with beef~!" I petted his head and we went to the kitchen.

"Four rice beef coming right up." They're actually five, four for Iori and one for me. My cutie is so gluttonous.

"Aww... You know me well! I'll set up the table."

"Thank you, you're good to me." I busied myself as I take the beef out of the fridge. I was expecting him to stay for dinner so I prepared the beef beforehand.

an hour later I finished everything and Iori helped out with setting the dishes. We started eating without saying anything. I started developing a new interest which is watching Iori's happy face while eating. I'm actually not that great at cooking since I was taught how to hold a sword, not a kitchen knife so I struggled at first, but Iori was sweet enough to teach me and I really like cooking now.

"Seriously marry me Jack~"

"Hahaha... You always say that after every meal." Iori's tail wags happily as I stroke his cheek gently. I wish I can be like this with him forever.

"I meant to tell you that my heat is coming next week so it is better if you don't come over."

"But I'm not a demi-human, I won't be affected by your pheromones."

"I know, but I worry I might sexually assault you. Wolves have it especially bad when it comes to our heat." Being attacked by Iori...? Heh, the thought itself turns me on, but I shook it off.

"Aww... I'll miss you though." Iori smiled and then hugged me tightly.

"Aren't you a cutie?" I hugged him back.

"Pfft... I'm your cutie human."

"Yesh you are~ Yesh you are~" Iori rubbed his cheek against mine and I don't mind his behavior. "We're going out downtown tomorrow, wanna tag along?"

"Sure, I was about to go there."

"Ooh~ Next time let's go on a date~" I blushed at his statement and I pulled away from him before he could see my flustered face and gave Iori the most stoic expression I could muster.

"Wanna stay over?"

"S-Stop messing a-around! O-Only family and m-married couple sleep together!" Ugh, I keep forgetting that people who have Eastern heritage are very traditional. It was cute to see Iori flustered for a change though. I'm gonna marry this man one day!

"I understand, then in that case I will escort you back."

"Thanks, you're nice." I'm not 'nice' I don't care about other people, you're just special to me!

"No problem bro." We walked not too far and not too close to one another. I wanted to hold his hand, but I don't think I have the right to do that. What if Iori thinks it's creepy and becomes put off by me?

"Jack...?"

"Huh?" Iori leaned close with a concerned look on his face. "Are you okay? You've been spacing out for a while."

"Sorry, I was thinking about how we first met." Iori smiled and then nudged my arm.

"You mean how you've been fooled by a bunch of thieves and how I heroically saved you?"

"Th-That wasn't what happened! If I recall I was almost robbed and then you tried to help me, but I ended up saving you." Iori blushed while laughing sheepishly.

"You were so cool, your sword style was similar to Prince James, not only did you look similar to him, but you have similar swordsmanship. If I didn't know better I would have thought you are the same person, but nah, no way you guys are the same."

"Why would you say that?"

"Well... For instance, you're not as the rumors say about the Prince. They say he's a ruthless man who beheaded a noble at a young age because that nobleman didn't listen to his demand! Also, the prince is racist, I heard he's the same as the King, he thinks that demi-humans are beneath him. Also! Also! I heard that Prince James is cold, manipulative, and narcissistic." Jesus Fucking Christ. What the fuck are all these crazy rumors?!

I killed someone at a young age?! Wait... I did something like that! Wasn't that the scumbag that hit my baby brother? I was surprised to see that I had it in me to kill someone. I blanked out when I saw Noah's injured face and the next thing I knew I beheaded the bastard. That was my first kill, after that killing humans became less scary, not that I do it that often. I only kill in self-defense and it's the last resort. My dad is not racist, he just doesn't give a shit about what is happening between humans and demi-humans. The last one was the knife that killed me... Yes, I do present myself as someone who's stoic, but I was never manipulative or narcissistic.

"Hiya! Jack Kailem~ You're spacing out again~"

"... To be honest, I didn't have thoughts about demi-humans, my opinion was they just exist. When I was almost robbed by them I thought they were awful, but you saved me and I realized there are people like you, not just bad ones." I caress his cheek gently while smiling at my savior.

"I-I only did what any person would do."

"No... If our roles were reversed and you were in that alley back then I wouldn't have saved you."

"That's so mean!"

"It's the truth, I'm not a nice person, but after meeting you I think I want to be a better person. If I see you in danger now I will not hesitate to put my life on the line for you." I said as I caress his cheek.

"If you caress my cheeks and say something like that I'll get the wrong idea." I want you to get the wrong idea. I wanted to tell him that, but I shouldn't be selfish.

"... Sorry." I pulled my hand away and I escorted him back home. "Goodnight Iori."

"Goodnight Jack."

I woke up early and got ready for my outing with Iori and the rest of his friends. "Your Highness." Christine suddenly showed up.

"Christine...? I didn't call out for you." I said.

"I am aware your Highness, the winds are carrying rain. I can feel it."

"I trust your intuition, Christine, maybe because your element is electricity you can sense storms coming."

"That is a possibility, do be careful, I have brought you an umbrella."

"Thank you as always."

"You don't need to thank me, your highness, may Amaterasu protect you."

"May Amaterasu watches over you." And just like that, she disappeared. Rain huh... But the weather is sunny, it's so clear and I can't see any clouds in the sky. Should I not bring an umbrella?

No, Christine is always right about the weather. I decided to trust Christine's word and took the umbrella. Once I was ready I left for downtown to meet up with everyone.

"Jack~" Iori called out to me and snuggled up close which made me blush.

"So this is your boyfriend Iori, the infamous Jack~" A demi-human girl said. She is half-cat, has short purple hair, fairly skin, a beauty mark under her bottom lip, her height is a few inches taller than Iori, I think she's around our age.

"Jack and I are not like that, yet~" Iori said. Yet?! Wh-What does that mean?!

"Um... Nice to meet you, my name is Jack Kailem." I said.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Ena Kishimoto, I'm one year older than Iori and you. I heard all about your love story, my Iori told me about how he saved a handsome man who resembles the crown prince. For a second I thought you were the real crown prince!" Ena said.

"... My Iori?" How dare you call him 'my'?! He belongs to me! No, no stop. You have no right to say that. Iori is his own person, he doesn't belong to me or anyone.

"Oof I keep forgetting that we're not in the hood... It's an Eastern culture thing. I was born and raised in Evermoon, but my parents are from Eiko so I picked up their tradition. When I say my Iori it's more like my-dear-close-friend-that-I-share-deep-bond-with kinda thing."

"Ah, I see..." I trailed off then looked at Iori with a sad expression. "Am I not a-dear-close-friend-that-you-share-deep-bond-with?"

"O-Of course you are!" Iori said then pulled away from me feeling flustered.

"Then why is it that you don't call me my Jack?"

"That's right~ That's right~ is he not a close friend~?" Ena asked.

"Th-That's because Jack is a human, not to mention he's you know an Evermooner." Iori stated.

"We're also Evermooners even if our parents are immigrants, also a friend is a friend no matter what race they are."

"You have a point, but I feel shy whenever I think of calling Jack so intimately." Ena smirked at Iori which confused me.

"Let's go, Gen and Gorou are waiting for us near the Nyarbucks, they're dying to meet you Jack!" Ena said as she grabbed my arm and dragged me away.

"Ena! Over here!" A tall demi-human called out to us. He's half-wolf, his build is slender same as Iori, his brown hair is a bit fluffier though, he has the same yellow eyes as Iori but of course Iori's eyes are prettier.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Gorou! I have brought Jack too!" Ena said as she presented me to Gorou whose eyes were wide.

"E-Ena! Th-That's no Jack! Th-This is the crown prince James Evermoon! Let his highness go!" Gorou shouted.

"No, no! Jack resembles the prince but I can assure you he is not one!" Gorou scanned me from head to toe then smelled me.

"... Something about you is fishy..." Gorou licked my cheek and I froze in my place before hearing an angry growl from behind me. I turned around to see that it was Iori who was growling and his fangs were showing. Iori yelled something in Eikon, the language of the people of Eiko, I could only make out some of what he said as I studied the language in college, though I'm not fluent. Iori said "Jack is my" erm something, I don't know what is that word. "Whoa... Calm down cousin, you know I have Gen." Oh? Iori and Gorou are cousins? I mean they're both wolves, but I didn't want to assume anything. My Amaterasu, I sound racist.

"And if you ever touch him again I'll kill you!" Iori said then pulled me by the collar and licked the same place Gorou licked.

"Is this some kind of custom the people from the east do?" I asked and Ena replied by smiling.

"Honey I brought-- What's with this hostile atmosphere?" A tall man with a dark skin, huge physique, sharp brown eyes, and long white hair, he's half-tiger. He glared at me and squared me up as his eyes travel to Gorou and Iori. "Is he bothering you both?" Is he trying to scare me? What a joke.

"No, no darling he is..." Gorou whispered something into the man's ears which made him relax his muscle and smile.

"Oh thank goodness, I thought you were one of those racist people who bother us. To be honest, these people scare me, but the moment I pretend to look scary they run away. You... You weren't scared by me which terrified me more..."

"Eeeh?! He wasn't?!" Ena, Gorou, and Iori said in unison.

"You surprised me, but no, I was not afraid of you. I'm used to being in critical situations and I met people who are like you in my life before. All strong from the outside, but soft and sweet from the inside." I commented.

"Holy fuck." Ena cursed.

"Ahem... Nice to meet you, my name is Jack Kailem." I said as I offered a handshake which he took.

"Nice to meet you too, my name is Gen Morisaki, I'm Gorou's mate and Iori's childhood friend." Gen said.

"Where are we going today?" Ena asked.

"I know this really nice restaurant around the corner, my treat!" I said which made Ena smile.

"Kyaaa! I love you Jack! You saved this broke soul!" We walked together to the restaurant and I entered the establishment.

"I know a really nice ta--" I stopped midsentence when I realized I was the only person inside. "Guys...? What's wrong?"

"Oh... Erm... The sign..." Ena said.

"What sign?" I asked.

"Over there Jack." Iori pointed out, just as I'm about to look at it I hear a scream.

"Kyaaa! Ew! What are those barbaric monsters doing here?!" Someone yelled.

"Get out of here! You don't belong here!" A staff member yelled at the gang.

"Disgusting freaks! Can't you see the sign? No barbaric creatures! Go back where you came from!" Another person yelled. I looked at the sign which said 'We do not accept demi-humans as customers' What the actual fuck?

"Kyaaa! S-Stop!" Someone threw a tomato on Iori's face which made me snap out and draw out my sword to strike.

"May Amaterasu be merciful!" I said and just as I'm about to kill the bastard who harmed Iori, I was hugged from behind by none other than the person I love the most in the world.

"D-Don't Jack! Let's just leave!"

"You'd be DEAD if it weren't for Iori! If it weren't for a demi-human!" I shouted at the employee.

"Get out of here!"

"You haven't seen the last of me! I will make you regret this you piece of shit!"

"Jack stop! Please! You're making a scene!" Ena pleaded and I compiled.

"What the fuck was that?"

"Iori, are you okay? Here, have this." Gen said as he handed me a handkerchief to Iori who was wiping the tomato juice out of his face.

"This is nothing, we're used to being mistreated like this." Ena said

"This is fucked up. You shouldn't be used to it!" I retaliated.

"What do you expect us to do? Riot the whole country just because our needs are not met? Last I checked Earthia did that and the country now is never the same." Earthia was a magical country, but the citizens were incompetent and took the land for granted and rioted, people took advantage of the riot and caused chaos to the point that the once-prosperous land became a wasteland.

To Be Continued...