Between The Laurel Boughs

'The clear sound of water, shimmering fragments of light like gold dust fell beautifully through the swaying laurel boughs. I fervently wished for this moment to freeze just as it is.' Hadrius, the son of the Roman consul Pulcher, flees to study abroad after a homosexual scandal with his Greek tutor, only to return to Rome after four years. In the mansion, Hadrius meets his father's lictor, Tiberius, and falls deeply in love at first sight with the statuesque beautiful young man. His father, displeased with Hadrius's usually timid nature, humiliates him by challenging him against Tiberius, who is then made to teach Hadrius tactics and sword fighting for three months. Spending time together, Hadrius' feelings for Tiberius grow, but when he confesses, he is harshly rejected. On the other hand, Hadrius, unable to resist the urging of his friend Marius, attends a masked ball where he is awkwardly courted by a man named Maximus wearing the mask of Mars...