P-P-Prince Erik??
"H-How may I help you?" I asked him.
"There were some girls following me. I hope that you do not mind if I stand near you while I continue with my shopping," Prince Erik whispered to me.
My heart thumped loudly from how uncomfortably close he was.
"I understand..."
The girls looking at Prince Erik from a distance quickly dispersed after seeing me.
"Did you not want to continue your shopping?" Prince Erik asked.
"I would..."
My wrist is too painful...
Probably noticing my wrist, he took my basket away from me.
"Which books would you like?" he asked.
I pointed to the books I wanted and he helped get them for me no matter how high they were.
I become quite shameless when it comes to books. I suppose becoming a Librarian once before does this to me...
"Your picks are interesting. Are you not interested in the newly released romantic books?"
"There is a kind of splendor to these books because of the flavor the authors put in their writing. I often find myself gravitating towards them incidently," I explained.
For some reason, we went up to the cash register at the same time.
"You have found many interesting reads," Hubert said with a wide smile.
"They all have interesting plots," I responded.
The pile in Prince Erik's basket was even more impressive.
"Do you have a large bag?" Prince Erik asked.
"There is no reason to carry them all back with you. They can make deliveries from here to the Academy," I explained to him.
"I see," Prince Erik said with a look of wonder.
"The Young Lady is quite informed," Hubert noted.
"...I was informed by two ladies in the park," I lied.
The lies just keep piling up...
We left the store soon afterwards.
"Then, good luck," I said towards Prince Erik as I tried to make my escape.
"...Would you like some tea?" he asked quietly.
Can anyone say no to a man who looks like he descended from Heaven?
I wish I could...
We had some tea and snacks at a nearby café with a seaside view.
"This is all very lovely," I commented.
Why am I having tea with this person?
"I was hoping that you would say that," Prince Erik said.
"Although, I think this is a bit much for just standing next to you while you finished your shopping," I said as I began sipping my tea.
"You also helped me pick out some interesting books," Prince Erik said.
"...Any normal person would have done the same thing," I said.
"...I have ulterior motives. If I did not use that excuse to lure you here, it would be difficult to get even one conversation through to you," Prince Erik said.
I flinched slightly.
"Ulterior motives?" I asked him.
"You are my fiancée, are you not?" Prince Erik asked.
I felt like my lungs did a backflip upon themselves.
I tried so desperately hard not to spit out my drink all over his beautiful face.
My heart almost stopped for a moment because of how shocked I was.
"...The cat is out of the bag then. To be more correct, I am your former fiancée," I said.
We were engaged without ever conversing with each other since we were children.
"I heard about your efforts in using the blue teardrop jewel to bargain your way out of our engagement with the King. That takes guts. There is probably no one more interesting than you," he said with a smile.
"His Majesty had no reason to dismiss my wish..."
"I always felt that you disliked me to the point where you would push me into your home's manmade river, but never did I expect that you would go this far," Prince Erik said.
"That time with the river...was an accident," I said as I placed my tea cup back down.
"The incident was a bit traumatic at first and caused me to forget some things, but I remember everything now. I know that it was all an accident and that you do not actually hate me. Not anyone else, it was you that tried to save me. Your face of elation from saving me was unforgettable. From then on, I continued to think about you everyday. When His Majesty informed me of the dissolution of my engagement, I vehemently tried to refuse it. That is why I still consider Lady Arielle as my fiancée."
I clenched my fists over my lap.
Control your feelings, Arielle...
"I do not understand why you are persistent towards this matter..."
"...Did you throw out my flower yet?"
Is he talking about the rose I received at the beginning of the year?
I never had the heart to throw it out yet. It still sits by my window side in earnest and wilting gracefully.
"I threw out such a thing a long time ago," I said coldly.
He chuckled a bit softly.
It has been so long since I heard Erik's laughter that my expressionless face wavered a bit.
"Every year, the student council welcomes new students with white and yellow flowers. It is part of a long standing tradition since the school's founding," Prince Erik said.
...Not white or yellow but a rose?
"The flower you handed me was a red rose?" I asked.
"The meaning behind the red rose is 'romantic love'," he said as he shifted his gaze towards the lake.
My heart raced for a moment.
"Pardon?"
He turned his gaze towards me and stared at me with his beautiful emerald green eyes.
"I personally chose a red rose to convey my feelings for you," Prince Erik said.
The meaning behind a red rose was romantic love...
I held my hand over my mouth.
"...You hardly know of me," I said shakily.
"You like all types of books, flowers, art, and have a gentle disposition. You are a wonderful young lady if I say so myself," Prince Erik said.
I see...he was just interested in my image.
"...I have a lover," I suddenly blurted.
"Is this lover someone I know?" he asked.
Out of the men I know, I only know of a priest in training and my cousin. Both were out of the question...
A colleague?
"...My lover's name is Garett Alvin," I announced. "I am in love with Garett Alvin!"
I am so sorry, Garett...
Prince Erik had a surprised facial expression on his face. It was not long after that someone came to retrieve him.
I ran away as soon as they came to pick him up.