I had frozen after hearing the prince's words, my eyes fixed on him. After a minute, he burst out laughing.
"Every time you act so shocked!" he says.
Argh... Because I was so embarrassed!
"Would you please stop with the jokes, Your Highness? I'm going to start getting angry."
"All right! No more jokes!"
"I find that hard to believe..."
"I find myself agreeing."
"Stop it!"
"Just think for a second! Do you really think you can do your job without joking around?"
"I think most people do do their jobs without joking around..."
"There you go again, always having to disagree."
No, I'm pretty sure I was just pointing out the logical facts...
There was a knock at the door...
"Hm? Come on in." Prince Roberto says.
"Excuse me, Your Highness. I brought tea..." The servant came in carrying a tray with two teacups on it.
"Oh? Don't tell me. Al ordered you to spy on me?"
"Th-That's not..."
The poor servant was clearly flustered and the teacups rattled upon the tray. Prince Roberto laughed to see his handiwork.
"Tell Al that he can't stop our love."
"Prince Roberto!" I exclaim.
"Out with you, Alberto clone!" The servant bowed awkwardly and ran out of the room. "Shall we have some tea?"
I sat down at the expensive-looking table as directed and looked across at the prince. Prince Roberto gracefully poured tea from the teapot into the cups.
He's always screwing around, but he still is as elegant as you would expect a prince to be...
"Here you are."
"Thank you very much." I tried the tea that Prince Roberto had served. "It's delicious..."
"My family has drunk this particular blend of tea for generations."
"The tea of the royal family, huh? I'm kind of jealous..."
"Really? Doesn't every family have some favorite tea that they always drink?"
"Well, my family is just a normal family, so there's definitely no tea we've drunk 'for generations'. But we do run a confectionery, so we always drank tea that went well with sweets, I suppose."
"A confectionery!?"
Prince Roberto stared at me wide-eyed. I asked, without thinking, "Do you like sweets, Your Highness?"
"How did you know?"
"Well, your eyes lit up the moment I said the word..."
"You can see right through me, my dear [Y/N]!"
"No, your face is just so expensive that I could hardly miss it..."
"Wow... You're so lucky, growing up in a place like that. So did you get to eat all the sweets you wanted as a kid?"
"Uh... Well, to some degree, I suppose..." But can't a prince eat all he wants of anything?
"And you got to look all you wanted?"
"What?"
"I love to see different sweets all lined up. They're all so colorful and I get excited just thinking about what I should get!"
"That is true. Looking at candy may be one of the best parts of having it."
"One time, I tried asking our dessert chef. I was like 'Just this once, make me so many sweets and cakes and pies and stuff that you can fill the whole dining table!'. Then a certain someone chewed me out for being childish."
"Alberto?"
"You learn quick, my dear [Y/N]."
"Thanks for the compliment."
"That's why I have so many books about sweets. Al can't get mad about books."
I looked over to where the prince was pointing and saw a huge, beautiful bookshelf.
"So many books... May I?"
"Go right ahead."
There were not just cookbooks, but books on every possible subject on those shelves.
It looks like Prince Roberto is actually a bit of a bookworm, though you'd never guess it...
As I looked over the spines of the neatly organized books, I came across a book from one of my favorite authors.
Oh! I wanted to read this one...
I reached out and flipped through the pages. Prince Roberto spoke up from behind me.
"I like that one, too."
"Yes, this author is great. Was this one good?"
"You haven't read it yet?"
"Not yet."
"Then you'll have to tell me what you think." As he spoke, he gestured for me to take the book with me.
"You'll let me borrow it? Thank you very much, Your Highness!"
I hugged the book to my chest happily. Prince Roberto pouted.
"Hey, now..."
"Oh, I'm sorry! I shouldn't bend your precious book..."
"Shouldn't you be hugging the guy who lent you the book, not the book you got lent?"
Huh?
He smiled wickedly as he held his arms out wide.
"Come on."
"No way." I turned on my heel and went back to the table.
Like I could just hug a prince...
After we'd finished our tea, I continued with the measurements. I sometimes had to hold the prince down while he squirmed, but I somehow managed to finish. Prince Roberto looked haggard by the time we finished.
"You're surprisingly sadistic, dear [Y/N]..."
"Just doing my job, Your Highness."
"Now that you've measured me once, we don't have to do it again, right?"
"As long as your body shape doesn't dramatically change, we should be fine."
"Thank god..."
"Oh, but I haven't measured you for pants yet. We'll have to do that another day."
"Show some mercy, woman!" His shoulders slumped heavily.
"Regarding the shirt for the party, is there any particular material that you had in mind?"
"Material? Hmm... Something that feels good."
"Something that feels... good?"
"Yup. Something like that! I'll be waiting!"
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I had come to the city to try to find fabric for Prince Roberto's new shirt. I was at the fabric store that I had researched before I came, trying to find a fabric that would fulfill the prince's request. I decided on an indigo blue silk that glided over the skin. I left the store and wandered around the city for a while when I stumbled across the used clothes store Prince Roberto and I had gone into the other night.
Might as well go in...
I browsed my way through the store, eventually ending up in the denim section where Prince Roberto had stood the other night. Just then I saw the exact pair of jeans that he had liked. A shopper was holding them up to the light, mulling over them.
"I suppose I could get these, too..." Then he threw them onto the pile of clothes that he already had slung over his arm.
Those jeans...
"I can always get them next time."
"I didn't have enough money! Hahaha!"
Before I knew what I was doing, I had walked around to block the stranger.
"Huh? What is it?" the stranger asks me.
"Would you be willing to let me have those jeans?"
"Huh?"
"I'm so sorry to ask, but..."
"Um, these are men's jeans, you know?"
"Yes, I know that..." What should I do? I can't say that Prince Roberto seemed to want them...
"Oh... Are they for your boyfriend?"
"Not exactly my boyfriend, but... they are a present for someone important to me."
"Hmm. Too bad. If it's for your boyfriend, then I can't help you. I want these jeans too, you know. Now, if you were single..."
The shop clerk, who had been hovering nearby, joined in our conversation.
"Did you want to get those jeans as a present for the prince?"
It was the same clerk who had been working at the register the night that Prince Roberto and I had come.
"Oh... Yes, I had hoped to..."
"Huh? Prince!?" He looked suspiciously at me for a moment and then his attitude suddenly changed. "H-Here..." He held out the pair of jeans.
"What? Are you sure?" I grabbed his hand and shook it. I was so happy. "Thank you so much! I'm sure the prince will be thrilled!"
But the man tried to pull away from me, almost seeming afraid. "I... I hope that you have your eyes open..."
"What do you mean?"
"It's good to dream a little, but, you can't expect to just give the prince a present and get close to him."
"What...?" I stepped toward him, but he ran out of the store as fast as he could.
Oh... I get it.
I finally realized that he must have thought I was some silly girl, believing in fantasies about snagging a prince. It was embarrassing to be thought of in such a way, but I would take it in return for the pair of vintage jeans.
As I walked away, carrying the paper bag that held the jeans, I thought to myself,
I bought them on a whim, but what am I going to say when I give them to him?
I didn't know when his birthday was or anything; I couldn't find any good excuse for giving the prince a present.
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Sitting in front of my sketchbook, my eyes strayed to the paper bag sitting on top of the sofa.
And what am I going to do with those?
I still hadn't thought up a good reason for giving Prince Roberto the jeans.
"I'll just hand them over and let the chips fall where they may."
That's certainly less likely to be misconstrued than coming up with some elaborate story or something.
I decided to give Alberto a call. But the phone just kept ringing in my ear, without any sign of anyone picking up. I tried calling again, but there was still no answer.
Hmm...I guess I'll just have to go give the jeans to him myself.
I jumped up and headed for Prince Roberto's room. I stopped in front of the door to Prince Roberto's room and took a deep breath.
As long as I don't offend him, it's fine...
I slowly raised my hand, knocked hesitantly on the door, and no one answered.
Is he out?
I had almost decided to give up and go back to my room, when at last I heard a belated "Yeah?"
"Ah! I'm sorry to bother you at this hour. It's [Y/N]."
"My dear [Y/N]!? Hold on! I'll be right there."
"Okay..."
He must've been doing something...
After a minute, the door opened and Prince Roberto stood in front of me in a bathrobe. His hair was wet and his damp skin glistened.
Wow... he seems... different.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
I tried to keep calm, but I couldn't help my face from flushing.
"Oh? Did I get you all hot and bothered?" He peered into my face as he asked.
Trying to shake off how flustered I was, I declared hotly, "Not at all!"
"I suppose not! Sorry. I'll go put some clothes on, so have a seat."
He disappeared into his sizable closet. I lowered myself down to sit on the sofa.
Phew... Seeing him straight out of the shower is a bit...
His voice called out from within the closet.
"So what's going on? I wouldn't have expected you to stop by like this, dear [Y/N]."
"I'm sorry to drop in unannounced. It's nothing important, but..." I held the paper bag tightly in my hand, feeling the soft jeans within.
In no time at all, Prince Roberto came back in, properly attired.
"Hm? Are you feeling unwell? Your face is pretty red."
I suddenly felt so embarrassed that all I could come up with was nonsense. I looked at Prince Roberto's hair curling around his ears and said, "So your hair is naturally curly, is it?"
He started to run his hands over his hair as if he were embarrassed.
"Oh, don't point it out! I normally always have it styled, but I just got out of the bath, see..." I never thought I'd see a prince act embarrassed over something so simple... It's kind of amusing. "So you came here just to make fun of my hair?"
"Oh! No, not at all..."
"And here I was, all giddy with excitement that you came to see me..."
"Oh, don't say it like it's some big deal that I'm here, Your Highness."
"S-So cruel..." He flopped down beside me as he pretended to be hurt. "So? What are you really here for, then?" He put his face so close to mine that we practically bumped noses and I suddenly felt nervous again.
"Um, here." I held out the paper bag.
"What's this?"
"A present for you."
"What? Really? Can I open it?"
"Of course."
He opened the bag and pulled out the jeans with a gasp.
"These are..."
I nodded jerkily.
"They looked so good on you, so..."
He kept staring at the jeans in his hands.
"But why are you giving them to me?"
"To... to thank you. For before."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes..."
"I'm... I'm kind of seriously moved right now..." Prince Roberto looked unusually sober.
Thank goodness, it looks like he likes them, at least...
"Okay, then I'll wear these on our next date."
"D-Date!?" My eyes flew up and Prince Roberto had a dumbfounded smile on his face.
"You always take me so seriously!"
"But you just said that w-"
"I think being too serious is a fault, my dear [Y/N]."
"Well, I can't just change my personality like that, now can I, Your Highness!"
Then he smiled gently. "But thank you for the jeans. I'm really happy." He wrapped his long arms around me and hugged me tightly.
Wha...?
"Um... you don't need to... it's okay!"
"What is?"
"Y-You don't have to hug me or anything..." I couldn't help pulling away from him.
"Is there something wrong with me hugging you?" His pure and innocent eyes left me at a loss for how to answer.
"I'm just not used to it..."
"Well, then..." And he wrapped his arms around me again. "We'll just have to get you used to it." My chin was resting on the prince's shoulder and I couldn't move an inch. The prince, still fresh from the bath, smelled faintly of soap.
Shoot, my heart is racing!
I couldn't even fight him off and so I just sat there silently going red in the face. The prince had released me from his embrace in mere moments, but my mind was already blank. I was too embarrassed to look Prince Roberto in the eyes and so I stared at the floor as I spoke.
"Then if you'll excuse me..." I hesitantly lifted myself up from the sofa and Prince Roberto stood up, too.
"I'm going to treasure these jeans forever, you know!" He walked all the way to the door with me, as if nothing had happened.
I can't keep getting flustered every time that he gets grabby or I'll never be able to hold onto this job...
We stopped in front of the door and then the prince spoke out as if he'd just remembered something.
"Oh, wait here." He came back carrying a paper invitation. "There's a party at Nobel Michel."
"You mean..." Of course I had a lot of memories of that castle.
"Lord Michel said that you should definitely come, as well."
"What? I should?" When I looked, I saw that the invitation was indeed addressed to me.
"You will come, won't you?" If Lord Michel himself invited me...
"Yes..."
"As my date." He smiled spontaneously at me.
"A-As the prince's date?" I couldn't possibly... "Please give me some time to consider it."
"Whaaat? Dear [Y/N], do you hate me that much?" Prince Roberto was sulking as he spoke.
"Of course not. It would be a great honor. But... but for someone of my standing to go as a prince's date would be... presumptuous, Your Highness."
"Your standing?"
"Yes, Your Highness." I answered him naturally, as it was only a simple fact. But Prince Roberto, for one brief moment, seemed to look lonely in a way that I had never seen before.
Huh...?
But then he was smiling brightly like always.
"You don't have to worry about that!" Was it just my imagination...?
"So think about it, okay? I'm looking forward to a positive response!" He waved both of his hands gaily, sending me off with a bright smile until his door closed, and he was gone from sight.
Attending an elegant party as the date of a prince? How could a nobody like me do that?
Just then, I noticed a stain on my sleeve. It was the sauce from my lunch that afternoon. I couldn't help bursting out laughing.
"I knew it, there's no way I'm princess material." And, just like that, I was on the long walk back to my own, common, room.
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The door slowly swung shut and [Y/N] walked away, her head hanging low. When the door had clicked shut, Roberto slowly let his hands fall down to his sides.
"So, your standing, huh..." He went back to the sofa and lovingly picked up the jeans that [Y/N] had given him. "Thank you..." He hugged the jeans to him with both arms. And Roberto, his expression wistful, seemed to be thinking seriously about something.