Even before Alibaba entered the room, Kouen was already there. Alibaba slide the sliding door to see couple of scrolls on Kouen's table, sometimes Alibaba wondered when Kouen woke up. Alibaba was pretty early, yet he always see Kouen already working.

"Morning." Alibaba greeted him, but Kouen didn't even reply when he was so absorbed in his work. He didn't mind because it's just how his days went, although he needed some time to get used to the cold treatment from Kouen when he was working. It amazed Alibaba a little bit, because Kouen was really serious about Kou Empire.

Maybe he could learn something from Kouen personally.

When the sun rose high enough, Alibaba glanced at Kouen's direction. "Do you want me to take a cup of tea for you?" He offered. With a small nod from Kouen, he went to the palace's kitchen and ask for some tea. He brought back a teapots and two small cups back to the room. His hand skillfully pouring the tea to the cups and offer it to Kouen. Again, Kouen received the cup with a small nod as 'thanks' to Alibaba.

They got back to work. Alibaba was focusing at his work too, reading past history about Kou Empire and also writing the meeting they had the day before so Kouen could have the records of it. When he heard a small tap on the table, he stood up and poured another cup of tea for Kouen.

Alibaba began to understand every single of Kouen's body language when he needed something. Kouen will tap his fingers on his table when he needed refill on the cup (and he thought it was way easier than pouring it himself), or knock the table to call Alibaba if he needed something with his work. Alibaba wondered whether it's really hard to just say it out loud.

The only time Kouen will stood up and talk to Alibaba is when Alibaba whined for a long time about having a break and his hand could be broken any time if he kept writing. Of course, Kouen is not that cruel, although he is actually a one.

"Can you be quiet while working?" Kouen asked Alibaba who kept pouting. Finger poked Alibaba's cheek repeatedly until Alibaba was annoyed.

"I just want to take a break! I haven't had lunch yet!" And a soft growl was heard from Alibaba's stomach, Kouen couldn't help but laughed a little bit. He patted Alibaba's hair, trying to tame the hair that seem to stand up despite being patted repeatedly.

"Well, just give me another minute." Kouen lift Alibaba up with ease and he sat down on Alibaba's chair, made Alibaba sat on his lap. With his hands circling Alibaba's waist, Kouen started to kiss Alibaba's neck.

"Not again…" Alibaba whispered, he didn't seem dislike it from his reddened face. When he felt the kiss reached to his cheek, he felt something ticklish on his neck. His body jerked, accidentally hitting Kouen's chin with his shoulder.

"Ouch—what are you…" Kouen growled, and he was kind of in the mood to be affectionate to the Balbadd prince. Alibaba yelped and letting out a silent scream, it was clear from his expression that he was terrified when Kouen rubbed his chin.

"Your goatee was tickling me…" He never like the goatee—besides it tickled him from time to time, it made Kouen looked older too. Kouen is not young, but he's not that old either. He understood that Kouen thought his beard was cool, but no one agreed with him.

"Don't you think it added more dignity in me?" It was the sole reason for him to grow his beard. He tried to build up the mood again by forcing Alibaba to face him and kissing his lips. This was one of his favorite thing to do with Alibaba, getting affectionate no matter how weird it sounded to him. Alibaba was adorable, like a doll, and his over-reaction was always amusing.

When the kiss broke, Alibaba inhaled a lot of air.

"Of course no, it looked really bad on you." Alibaba answered it honestly, he didn't really need to sweet-talk the Emperor of Kou Empire at this time, right?

But that flipped a switch in Kouen.

"What did you say?" Kouen growled again, this time louder. Alibaba jumped and his back crashed to the table. A loud 'ouch' can be heard from Alibaba.

"Don't get near me! Go away!" Alibaba was terrified, he could see Kouen's anger metaphorically formed behind the Emperor's back. He tried to shove Kouen away, but his wrists were caught by Kouen.

"You little… What did you say earlier?!"

Alibaba is so dead.

"Koumei-san! Help me!" He just shouted any name that appeared in his mind and that name is Koumei, who he planned to meet to whine about Kouen.

In that second, suddenly the door was slide open and Alibaba could see Koumei was there. It was too good to be a coincidence and now he's confused.