“Mm…”
Wishit said with a bewildered smile and a tilt of his head.
“Did you feel uncomfortable because I talked casually? Don’t tell , were you offended? But I an, this kind of honorific is against the hierarchy too…”
“…?”
Wishit, who had been muttering, then smiled brightly.
“Fine. I wish we could talk to each other more comfortably.”
“What are you saying? Don’t be silly.”
I tapped Wishit on the shoulder and added.
“Hurry up and run, dude. You have to keep moving if you want to burn fat.”
“…”
“Hey, since you’ve co this far, don’t even think about leaving and just join .”
“Oh, oh. Okay…”
So I pulled Wishit’s arm, who seed to have no intention of running, and he was dragged in confusion.
We started running side by side.
“Isn’t the air nice in the evening?”
“Yeah, it’s pretty good.”
“How refreshing. Let’s go out and exercise together every day from now on.”
Wishit, who was running at my speed for a long ti, smiled and nodded.
“Well, okay.”
“I’m a little touched that you’re running with while you hate sports. Thank you. I’ve been so bored running alone.”
“What do you an I hate it? I like exercise. Physical fitness is essential.”
“Sure. Pfft…”
“Oh, you don’t believe ? I did 20 laps of the training hall with the Knights Order at the palace today too.”
“…”
Wishit’s expression as he made eye contact with looked serious.
My pace, which was accelerating, slowly slowed down and then stopped.
‘What are you talking about?’
“Knights Order? 20 laps of the training hall?”
“Just in case, I’m no bluffing. All of the knights have good stamina, so everyone does that. Of course, I am the best.”
“…”
“Oh, don’t worry, I have enough stamina to run with you every day after leaving the palace.”
With a handso face, Wishit said with a grin.
‘What’s this? What—?’
What is this? Seriously. The sense of incompatibility I should have felt earlier, and this insecurity that I felt late like a fool…
I quickly sent a ssage into my head.
Wishit, who stood a couple of steps ahead of after I stopped, tilted his head and looked back at .
The tension made my mouth dry.
‘I’m in trouble.’
The one before right now is not Wishit.
Looking back carefully, the atmosphere was also subtly different, and above all, Wishit wasn’t the kind to play pranks like this.
I should have noticed the first ti we t and he muttered sothing I didn’t understand…
‘No, how did I not notice that? It was an unexpected appearance, wasn’t it?’
I defended myself it wasn’t because I was stupid.
Who would have imagined that at this ti, in this place, a human who would never co would appear? I hadn’t doubted it for a second because I’ve been Wishit, who had this face 24 hours a day.
But the water that has already been spilled, even if I try to defend myself…
This handso man in front of is…
The real thing.
‘Why is the crown prince here!?’
It was the real crown prince, Lark van Rashmagh Descarde.
“…”
“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you running any more?”
Lark asked, tilting his head.
‘Oh, my God. Why are you giving this ordeal?’
How many atrocities have I committed to this man I haven’t t in less than 10 minutes?
“Mm, hello.”
“Hurry up and run, dude.”
My mind went blank.
‘L-Let’s hope…’
I took a slow, deep breath, put my hands together, and bowed down.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
“…?”
“I have made a mistake…”
“What are you talking about? Why are you speaking formally all of a sudden?”
Lark asked with a smile on his face.
‘I wish I could get mad at anything. How could I recognize the real crown prince? We even talk casually to each other and run together on the playground on our first eting!’
Blaming him on the inside made no difference.
It was only my situation that I confused him with Wishit. Anyway, I was in a situation that was close to blaspheming the imperial family.
“My friend and… Your Highness looked so alike, so I misunderstood for a mont.”
“Hmm?”
This is also an excuse!
Lark burst out laughing.
“So you didn’t know who I was until now? You’re saying you mistook for your friend?”
“Yes, but you’re completely different when I look again. Sothing must have gone wrong with my eyes.”
“Oh, is there anyone in this capital who looks so confusingly like ? That’s surprising.”
“No, you’re completely different. I have a disease where I can’t distinguish faces well…”
“Oh dear.”
Lark narrowed his eyebrows in regret. Seeing the playful expression on his face, he didn’t seem to believe it.
At best, the excuse I ca up with as a lifeline was to act like a noble lady with a facial recognition disorder…
I raised my hands and covered my face with mixed feelings.
“I’m truly sorry.”
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
Lark laughed at my apology.
I couldn’t make eye contact with him, so I stood still, but I felt Lark approaching.
“Princess. Look at .”
“…”
I asked, looking up at him, who was just around the corner with one hand down.
“Will you forgive ?”
“I’m not angry at all.”
“Really?”
“Really. Aren’t you the one who was deceived?”
“Mmhmm.”
There seed to be no falsehood in his generous deanor than expected.
I swallowed my embarrassnt and said.
“Thank you. Your Highness is as broad-minded as the Robben Ocean.”
“Ha ha ha!”
What’s so funny? I feel like I’m in hell and I’m barely alive.
Lark asked with a smile as he scratched the back of his neck in an awkward mood.
“Are you going to run more?”
“No, that’s it for today…”
“Why don’t you talk casually like before?”
I shook my head straight away, disgusted.
“If anyone hears it, I will be arrested for contempt of the imperial family. I don’t want to go to prison.”
“Who’s going to send you to prison if I agree to it?”
“Nevertheless. Since I was born in the Descarde Empire, of course I have to be polite to Your Highness.”
Lark said with a chuckle.
“So, do you have ti? Can I talk to you if you’re not busy?”
“…”
His suggestion brought to a halt.
‘Aha. I was wondering why the Crown Prince was here. He must have co to see on purpose.’
Now I understand a little bit.
I had already expressed my refusal through Victor, but it must have been disappointing from the crown prince’s point of view. So he ca all the way here to et in another way.
He must have heard from Victor that I workout here every evening.
‘How ticulous.’
He pretends to be nice on the outside, but he has a lot of thoughts on the inside.
“Alright.”
I nodded, alert, and then pointed to a flat rock in the corner of the vacant lot.
“Oh, wait.”
As I was about to sit down, Lark, who reached out and stopped , pulled out a handkerchief. Spreading it out on the rock, he nodded and suggested a seat.
‘Well-learned manners. Not bad.’
I said thank you in a low voice and sat down. Then Lark flopped down right next to .
The distance was quite close, so I slowly moved my hips and opened them up a little.
“…”
Lark looked at my action of dragging my body away.
I laughed awkwardly and said.
“I sweat a lot. Just in case you sll sothing.”
“… Not at all? It’s okay. I am a person who has been wallowing with sweaty knights in the dust of the training hall all day.”
“Nevertheless. I am embarrassed.”
Lark’s eyes narrowed as I resolutely held out my palm and distanced myself from him.
‘I’m really sorry, but I have no intention of getting involved in a relationship like that with you.’
His face was so handso that it hurt, so if I looked at it for a long ti, I might beco really mad.
I opened the canteen I was holding, moistened my throat, and avoided Lark’s gaze.
“I am thirsty too.”
“Oh.”
I was embarrassed to drink water by myself, so I handed the water bottle in embarrassnt, but paused.
“But I put my mouth on it…”
“It’s alright. Can I have a drink?”
“Yes, alright.”
Lark took the water bottle from and tilted it with a grin.
He could have drank it without his mouth touching… But he drank the water with his lips pressed against the mouth of the water bottle, trying to attract attention from .
The wet lips and the hard neckline that draws a big curve every ti he chugs water caught my eye.
Again, I scratched the nape of my neck and sighed inwardly, thinking.
‘… This person is a player.’
A versatile perfectionist. If he had lived for a long ti, the crown prince would have left a mark in the history books as a rare saint.
Lark was, indeed, a man who could do everything as he was rumored. Even shaking won’s hearts.
‘I’m not impressed by his modest beauty, but I can’t help but feel a sense of crisis because of his Adam’s apple… How aweso!’
I politely admitted it and said.
“Your Highness, I have sothing to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“If my guess is correct, I think you are soone who doesn’t like to waste ti on trivial things. So I want to tell you in advance.”
“… What?”
“I.”
After clearing my throat once, I looked directly at Lark.
And, as if surrendering, I held out my palm and said.
“I have no intention of developing into a romantic relationship with Your Royal Highness. I’m sorry if I misunderstood. If Your Highness wants anything from , don’t bother.”
Lark paused in surprise at my words.
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