𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫

3.4 || Blue Flames

Seungmin wished that even a sentence of Sion's motives and feelings were left behind. If so, he would have at least some sort of guiding light for how to act around Concubine Irene. He always felt strained when having to act out a son who might not even have acted like a proper son, especially when she gazed at him with such sad eyes.

Yawning, Seungmin closed the curtains with magic and got under the covers of his blankets. It was already the last evening of break. Though dissatisfied with the lack of information he found, the lazy boy decided that he should cherish his last day of break by sleeping early.

And so, while Seungmin fell into a dreamless sleep, a page of the calendar flipped, and an unfortunate day befell the Hershian Empire.

School respite finally ended and classes resumed.

For Seungmin, this was indeed a very unfortunate day.

He was so used to spending his time leisurely in the gardens that he couldn't even process getting ready early in the morning, and by the time he came to his senses, he was already sitting in his old seat in the lecture hall, in the back, by the window. Though expressionless as usual, he couldn't help but be a little annoyed inside. Summer flowers were blooming on the tree outside. Could he not be out there with them? Or back in bed like he still would've been during the break? He was already missing the absence of school in his life despite the first bell not even ringing.

"You very much like the window seat now, my Prince."

Thinning his lips, Seungmin continued to focus outside, even when he could feel Alexander sit next to him. Besting to his own logic of keeping silent, he asked out loud, "Why are you sitting here?"

They were no longer working on a project together, so it was a given Alexander would return to his place beside the Crowned Prince in the front. Christopher, who was already sitting there, didn't even seem to bother getting his supposed best friend to sit next to him. Seungmin hoped that he would turn around and call for Alexander to go back.

"I believe I belong right next to you," the Duke's Heir chuckled, resting his chin on his palm. Seungmin continued to stare at Christopher, but the sociable boy was too busy talking to his other friends to notice the glare directed at him. After a while, Seungmin gave up and shifted the gaze of his eyes to Alexander. Alexander held back a laugh.

"You're looking at me with such a peculiar expression," he hummed. "Do you not feel that we make a great pair?"

"That's you and the Crowned Prince," Seungmin countered, standing his ground as Alexander leaned forward slowly.

"As best friends, yes," the platinum-haired boy smiled. "I'll admit we make an awfully nice duo too. But I feel that you and I are a little different."

"Because it's one-sided."

Alexander's lips perked upward as if everything Seungmin said was entertaining to him. He leaned back, and warmth left Seungmin's face with him. It was a strange feeling to want the warmth of someone he wasn't sure he liked.

He unbuttoned his collar, feeling stuffy.

"Look, isn't that the Holy Princess?"

Whispers arose from the class, and even Seungmin ended up turning his head. Marianne walked in after saying goodbye to Princess Analiese who supposedly guided her. Holding the straps of her backpack nervously, the Saintess stepped into the classroom and looked around. When she saw that the back corner seat was taken by Seungmin, she hesitated and scanned the room.

"Does she want to sit here?"

Seungmin didn't see an issue with her sitting near him. He felt calm around her, and she seemed to be on the quieter side, which he preferred. When she did another round of looking around as she slowly went up the stairs to stall time, she made eye contact with him. He bobbed his head to the row in front of him.