"Louise Sweeney. She's cute."
A friend was walking with Ian on the way back to the dorms. He might have seen Ian and Louise together so Ian tried to reply nonchalantly.
"Was that your first time meeting her?"
"Close up, yes. The Sweeney family is a little special, right? You don't often see them at parties."
The word "special" implied that the subject was not of nobility and their money was dirty.
"Anyway, she's so small and fair and cute."
"You noticed a lot about her."
"I noticed because she's pretty. Is she your girlfriend?"
The question was asked lightly but the intention was deep, especially since he was the son of a great count. It was a political issue for Ian to declare someone his lover.
"No way."
Ian shrugged his shoulders.
"We've been close for so long. Our mothers went to the Academy together."
"Of course."
"If I had to say…she's like my sister? She doesn't have any other brothers, either."
Ian smiled a little at calling Louise his "sister". Come to think of it, if he really had a sister, he would feel the same way. She was the only one who was cheeky enough to confront him so fiercely and watching her react was so much fun.
Ian's and his friend's rooms were adjacent to each other. When they reached their doors they turned to look at each other.
"I'm saying this seriously–"
Ian gripped the slightly worn doorknob of his room. He paused for a moment before his friend pressed him to continue.
"Well?"
"Louise Sweeney is a scary person."
"…What are you saying all of a sudden?"
Ian finally smiled and looked up.
"I'm worried that my dear neighbor would set his heart on someone as scary as my sister."
"So I shouldn't?"
"No."
"I'll keep in mind that cute Louise Sweeney has such a scary brother."
Ian clapped his friend on the shoulder and laughed.
"All right. Keep it firmly in your mind."
"How could I disobey the student president?"
His friend smiled, but Ian found it unpleasant. Everyone always had fake smiles around the crown prince.
Perhaps in that sense, Louise was special. She expressed such a wide variety of emotions on that small face of hers. There were no hidden motives, no hidden anger behind her smiles, and her feelings inside were true to her outside.
However, he was worried as her brother and childhood friend. Louise was hoping to become a businesswoman. What kind of businesswoman would have their likes and dislikes written all over her face? What kind of businesswoman would talk so bluntly and behave insolently? She should do the sensible thing and be polite even to the people she hated.
Like Ian does.
But he couldn't imagine it. He couldn't imagine a version of Louise Sweeney who hid her heart.
'Well, she's smart enough to be the top of the class. If it's necessary maybe she can pull it off with enough skill…'
Ian was still mulling over his thoughts when he saw Louise appear across the dormitory corridor. She glanced around cautiously as if she were looking for something.
My god.
Just when he was internally praising her for her intelligence, she immediately turned up to destroy that idea. He didn't think it was so wise for her to be wandering in the boys' dormitory. Despite the fact that she was supposed to be "The Scary Louise Sweeney" she still appeared cute to the other boys.
Ian waved over to her with a frown, and her face turned red when she saw that she was noticed. Her purple eyes glistened for a moment and her golden hair fell in waves over her shoulders.
Perhaps she was looking for his room. Interesting, but he was still worried.
"I heard you're at the top of the class,"
Ian said teasingly as he approached.
"I am. So what?"
"Well, why is a such smart girl snooping around the boys' dormitory? "
"Is it against the school rules?"
"…Not really."
"Then it's no problem, is it?"
That's true. Sure, why not?
"So what brings you here?"
"I have something to tell you."
"Alright."
Louise smiled awkwardly as some students passed by them.
"This place is a little…"
"Then in my room? "
Ian opened the door and Louise clapped her hands.
"That sounds good. We can be alone in your room."
What a bone-headed girl! Ian flicked Louise on the forehead with his finger.
"You can't say something like that when you're about go in someone else's room."
"But I've always visited your room, haven't I? "
It was a subject of gossip between some of the servants in the palace.
"Anyway, Louise Sweeney, you need to be a little more alert next time around. You might get a bad nickname."
"Ah."
Louise tapped her chin for a moment.
"There are plenty of other places to talk quietly anyway. "
Ian led the way as Louise followed behind. They reached the rooftop of the dormitory building, and when Ian pushed the solid iron gate the crimson sky opened up to them. It was sunset, and the heavens were a canvas painted with clouds. There was a mysterious feeling in the air.
Louise gave an exclamation of delight and ran to the railing before Ian quickly stretched out his arms to stop her.
"Seriously, you little girl–!"
He tightened his arms around her waist and pulled her backwards.
"What are you thinking rushing to the railing like that?"
His shouted words came from somewhere over her head. Louise tilted her head backwards to look at him.
"I was thinking of stopping at a safe distance."
"You must have."
There was an amused smile threatening to split on his face.
"My fiancée must have stood in front of the rail that only reached her knees and enjoyed the sunset very safely. "
A rail that only reached her knees? Louise, who was only looking up at the sky, glanced down at the railing. Indeed, it was a little lower than what she expected.
Of course, his actions were too much. So far she had accepted playing his fiancée, but she couldn't do that anymore.
"When the Leo's love begins to focus on one person, they will become blind to anything else."
Ian needed become more blind. To Stella only.
Louise slipped out of his arms and turned around to face Ian. His silver hair was beginning to resemble the color of the sunset, and that color was very similar to that of Stella's hair, the main heroine.
'Again…You two were meant to be.'
"There's something important I have to say. "
Louise held her hands together politely.
"I'm listening of course. My fiancée is always so serious about everything. "
She was grateful for his light, joking reply. No matter how long the Crown Prince Ian and Louise were together, their relationship had never been serious.
Louise hesitated for a moment, but as soon as she exhaled her words came spilling out.
"I don't want us to be tied down with our engagement."
Did she deliver that properly? When Louise carefully looked up, he replied in shock,
"…What? "
Louise was willing to explain again.
"I'm saying I hope you don't mention our childhood engagement. "
His blue eyes trembled briefly.