Chapter 5
A few tears I hadn’t managed to hold back fell, plop, onto the stone floor.
My eyes were burning; I couldn’t stop crying.
But I was terrified that my makeup would smudge, so I desperately tried to stop the tears.
Sniffling, I dabbed at my wet eyes and forced myself to look up.
“…Are you all right?”
“Kyah!”
“Shh.”
A man suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the corner of the balcony, glancing around nervously.
Before I could react, I found myself standing close to him, eyes wide in shock.
The bright light from behind him made it hard to see his face clearly.
It had all happened so suddenly that even my tears stopped.
“W–who are you? How did you get here…?”
“I was here first. The lady came in suddenly, closed the door, and began to cry.”
So — when I came out here to hide, I’d walked into a balcony that was already occupied.
My face flushed red. He’d seen me crying like a fool.
“I–I’m sorry. I didn’t realize anyone was here.”
“It’s fine.”
When he saw I had calmed down, he released me and took a step back.
The moonlight spilled over his face, and I finally saw him clearly.
Golden hair that shimmered under the silver light, soft yet sharp blue eyes — the kind of face that made people stare.
He looked gentle but strong, warm yet regal.
And I knew right away who he was.
‘The male lead of this story — the Crown Prince, Killian! The one who’ll marry Eve Lotesier!’
How could I tell? Because no one else could possibly look that much like a male lead.
In the story, Killian often hid his identity and occasionally escaped into balconies like this to avoid people who recognized him.
He tilted his head slightly, glancing through the balcony door before looking back at me.
“…Ever since you came in crying, I’ve been wondering.”
“…”
I looked away in embarrassment, pretending not to hear him.
But Killian wasn’t the type to let things go.
“Were you crying because of unrequited love?”
“…”
So he had seen everything.
Mortified, I kept my head down.
“It’s all right,” he said quietly. “I’m in the same situation.”
His self-mocking smile softened the air.
Right. At this point in the story, Killian also had an unrequited love — for Eve.
“…It’s about Lady Eve Lotesier, isn’t it?” I asked.
He didn’t answer at first, but when he finally spoke, his voice was lower, cautious.
“How did you know that?”
“Honestly, is there a single man in this ballroom who doesn’t have a crush on Lady Lotesier?”
“Ah.”
He nodded, accepting the answer easily.
“I also know who you like,” he said.
So he had noticed me earlier — probably from watching the ballroom.
He looked at me steadily.
“It’s Lord Irisel, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“People who grow up together — it’s common for one of them to develop feelings.”
“You’re right.”
And unfortunately, I was the one who had fallen.
The one who longed for someone she could never have.
“Lord Irisel is popular himself,” Killian continued. “You must feel anxious, knowing your feelings might not reach him.”
“I do. I know it’s hopeless, but I still can’t stop.”
“Why do you think it’s hopeless?”
Of course, from the Crown Prince’s point of view, that made no sense.
He had never known what it felt like to be powerless in love.
“Irisel likes Lady Lotesier,” I said quietly.
“Eve?”
“So we’re rivals in love, Your Highness. You and I.”
“I know I can’t compete with her, but… that’s just how it is.”
Killian studied me for a moment, then spoke bluntly.
“Well, yes. Compared to Eve, anyone would look plain.”
“…You’re very honest.”
“I’d rather be honest than give someone false hope. It’s better to see yourself clearly than live in illusion.”
“Fair point.”
He really was sharp-tongued.
“But,” he continued, “you have more charm than you think. If you present yourself differently — show a side he’s never noticed — you could surprise him. Sometimes that shock is enough to make a man suddenly see you as a woman.”
“I tried that already,” I muttered. “Do you see this dress? It shows my shoulders, neck, and even some chest. Everyone said men like that sort of thing, but he didn’t even blink.”
Since he was being honest, I decided to be honest too.
Killian looked me over for a long moment before shaking his head.
“It doesn’t suit you.”
“…What?”
“It actually lessens your charm. You have a cute, lovely kind of appeal. You should emphasize that instead.”
Eve had a mysterious, fairy-like beauty. This kind of elegant, revealing dress fit her.
And since I thought that was Hares’s type, I had worn something similar.
But apparently, it was all wrong.
“Thank you,” I said quietly.
Killian’s taste was probably sharper than mine, so I bowed politely.
He looked down at me thoughtfully for a while, then said,
“I don’t usually make this kind of proposal, but… what do you think about us working together?”
“Working together? On what?”
“For that unfeeling man who can’t even say you look nice — he clearly needs a bit of motivation.”
“M–motivation? From me?”
What could I possibly do to motivate Hares?
“Think of it like market logic,” Killian said calmly. “When everyone desires an item, but one person owns it without realizing its value — then one day, they notice others reaching for it. What do you think happens?”
“They’d cling to it.”
I understood immediately.
“So, you’re saying we should pretend to be close — to make Hares and Eve notice?”
“Exactly. Eve’s just beginning to explore society, meeting new people, realizing her charm. She’s enjoying the attention — but I don’t like it.”
“And what if our little act backfires?” I asked. “What if they think we’re actually dating, and they end up together because of it?”
“That’s fine. Then we can just date for real.”
“…Are you serious right now?”
“Honestly, you’re not my type,” he said bluntly, “but if Eve ends up choosing Lord Irisel, you wouldn’t be a bad second option.”
“You really are strange.”
Too straightforward! And I didn’t like him that way either!
“Still,” I sighed, “it’s not a bad idea. I’ve already decided that even if my friendship with Hares breaks, I’ll at least try this once.”
“I’ll help you with your appearance,” Killian said matter-of-factly. “At this rate, not only will your childhood friend overlook you — marriage itself might be difficult.”
“It’s not that bad!”
Rude! There had to be at least one man in this world who’d like me!
“You have good features. They just need refining. So, I’ll take that as a yes. Meet me tomorrow at 2 p.m. — Lisbell Street, number 3. I’ll help you.”
“…All right.”
I hadn’t expected the male lead himself to offer help like this.
But compared to getting rejected outright, it felt like a better option.
I nodded. Killian smiled faintly, his lips curling upward.
His pale blue eyes gleamed with a mysterious light — beautiful, but impossible to read.
‘Killian is the calculating type — the kind who smiles sweetly but manipulates everything behind the scenes.’
Yes, that was him. The man who appeared gentle but always moved people like chess pieces according to his plan.
I had no idea what he was really thinking, but for now, he’d been honest with me.
So I decided to accept his offer.
After all, there was no real risk. If it went wrong, we could just walk away.
“…By the way,” he said suddenly, “your crush is heading this way.”
“Wha—?”
My cheeks were still warm from crying. I asked frantically,
“Do I look like I’ve been crying?”
“Completely.”
“Where?!”
Killian raised his hand and gently brushed his thumb under my eye.
Startled, I squeezed my eyes shut.
“There,” he said softly, pulling his hand back just as—
The balcony door opened.
“Hey, pig— Wait, huh?”
It was Hares. He froze when he saw us.
I quickly turned and stepped toward him.
“Oh. You’re done already?”
“Yeah. Here’s your lemonade. But…”
He looked between Killian and me, suspicious.
I took the glass, pretending to act natural, and sipped.
Please, please, don’t stare too long at him, I prayed silently.
“Wait a second,” Hares said suddenly.
Then he took off his jacket — and draped it over my shoulders.
Since I was small and he was tall and broad-shouldered, the jacket completely engulfed me.
I blinked up at him.
“Why?”
