IBFLFR 16

CHAPTER 16……………………………………….

“Why don’t you have some fun chatting about your childhood or something, Your Highness the Crown Prince?”

That was a strange mix of casual and formal speech. Riana finished what she had to say, spun around, and left the room immediately. The awkwardness I hadn’t noticed while she was here now filled the vast chamber.

“……”
“……”

An unbearable silence flowed between the two of us. I needed to say something, but my mouth wouldn’t open easily. I thought about looking at the Crown Prince, but I knew if I saw his face again I’d just end up staring blankly, so I kept my head lowered.

A minute felt like an hour. Just as I finally worked up the resolve to speak first, a voice reached me.

“Miss Rudia.”

I raised my head, and the Crown Prince’s dazzling beauty filled my vision. Ah, I praise thee.

“Well… I have one question.”

“Yes…?”

He scratched his cheek with an awkward expression. Even when he’s flustered, he looks good. As expected, fashion is completed by the face…

“What exactly did you mean yesterday when you told me to be prepared?”

“…?”

What?
My brows naturally drew together. Prepared? Prepared for what? Did I really tell him to be prepared yesterday?

I racked my brain, but no clear memory surfaced. I was sure I’d said something, but was it really phrased like that?

When I looked at him, he averted his gaze slightly, his face faintly red. Was it something embarrassing?

“I’m sorry. Because of the medicine I took yesterday, parts of my memory are missing, so I can’t recall it well. My apologies, Your Highness.”

“Is that so?”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, there’s no need to apologize.”

The awkwardness returned. Damn it, just when the conversation seemed to be going somewhere, my lousy memory killed it. I swear, I’m never drinking again.

Fortunately, this silence didn’t last too long.

“Then you probably don’t remember that I introduced myself yesterday either.”

Before, I’d just felt regret over not remembering. This time, guilt welled up from deep inside me. I bowed my head quickly and deeply, almost slamming it into the table.

“I’m sorry! Actually, that too, I don’t really—”

“Ah—”

Ah? When I lifted my head, I found him standing up, leaning forward awkwardly. Our gazes met at barely a fist’s distance apart.

Perfume…
The scent stabbed my nose again, strong and clear. Maybe it was because he’d undone the top button. From the small space created by his loosened collar, a cool fragrance wafted out.

Is this a man’s scent…?
Unlike women’s perfume, lotion, or soap, it wasn’t sweet but refreshingly crisp. I hated overly sweet fragrances, but this kind was completely my taste.

I let my eyes drop slightly, then lifted them again, and his breath brushed lightly against my cheek.

I slowly leaned back, settling deep into my chair. Ban—who had also returned to his seat—sat down and rolled his eyes as if thinking, then let out a sigh.

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

He swept back his disheveled bangs and clicked his tongue slightly in irritation. The sight of him, who usually looked so neat, now a bit undone as he turned his head, was incredibly sexy. Even the way he lightly bit his lip was perfect. I forcefully erased the wicked thought that a slightly decadent look might suit him better than being overly proper.

“I tend to make mistakes when I’m nervous, so it seems I caused you some trouble, Miss Rudia.”

“It’s nothing to call trouble. Please don’t take it too much to heart.”

I cut myself off quickly, afraid my true feelings would slip out if I talked too long. Ban looked at me quietly, then curled the corners of his mouth into a refreshing smile and spoke softly.

“You seem very cool-headed, Miss Rudia.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. You look very gentle on the outside, but once you talk, you can tell. You act rationally.”

That’s a misunderstanding, Your Highness. I’m neither gentle nor cool-headed. I’m just desperately trying to suppress the nonstop images of your sexy versions running wild in my head.

Relieved that no one could peek into my thoughts, I slowly opened my mouth.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince—”

“It’s a private setting.”

“…Pardon?”

He tapped the table lightly with his fingertips a couple of times and gave me a gentle look.

“You saw how my sister Riana spoke earlier, right? Since this is private, speak comfortably. Instead of that grand title, something a bit more casual.”

More casual… What should I call him?

“I’ll call you Rudia, casually too.”

Just by my name? I didn’t mind, but wouldn’t he?

Honestly, this felt strange as well. When I was young, if you didn’t add surnames or titles when calling someone of the opposite sex, people would tease you as if you were dating.

Here too, people considered it polite to add “Young Lady,” “Miss,” or something similar after a name, or to put “Lady” in front of it. It felt odd to me, but as the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do—and I’d been following that rule.

For a Crown Prince who’d observed those rules for over twenty years to call me by name alone was quite exceptional. Others might misunderstand and wonder what kind of relationship we had.

“Do you dislike it? If it made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry.”

I shook my head at him, who apologized before I’d even said I disliked it. Refusing the Crown Prince made no sense, and there was no reason to reject him calling me by name first. Honestly, I wasn’t used to calling him “Crown Prince” either.

“It’s fine. You can call me by my name.”

For a moment, his expression seemed to brighten. Apparently satisfied, he straightened his posture and spoke quietly.

“Thank you.”

His lips paused slightly, then opened again.

“Rudia.”

“……”

Damn it. It was just my name—why did my heart flutter just now?

With a face like that, he could seduce people just by saying their name. I’m jealous. He could go around calling women by their names and they’d all fall for him. He’s got the natural talent of a playboy.

“Rudia?”

That pleasant voice washed over my ears again. I felt like I was melting. I bit my lip lightly, pulled myself together, and forced a smile.

“Th-then what should I call you? Your Highness Bertasiline—”

“Ban.”

“…Pardon?”

“Just call me Ban.”

But Ban isn’t his name? When I blinked, he grinned.

“It’s my nickname. My name is long, so everyone close to me calls me Ban. So you can too, Rudia. It’s short—nice, right?”

“A n-nickname?”

Calling the Crown Prince by a nickname?

“Alright… Ban.”

Not bad. This is kind of a jackpot. No need for grand titles or anything.

But should I add “Your Highness” after Ban? Ban Your Highness… that’s weird. Then Mister Ban? Sir Ban? Ban…

“You don’t need to add anything. Just Ban is fine.”

“Haha…”

I really need to practice my poker face. It felt like everyone could easily read my thoughts. Could they see everything? I thought I was managing my expressions pretty well…

Anyway, once the conversation finally loosened up, various topics flowed by lightly. I could finally understand why people introduced themselves as soon as they met.

Just dropping formal speech and calling each other by name or nickname made me feel a little closer to him. Even though he was the Crown Prince and the distance between us was still vast, it felt like, at least for now, we were simply two people talking to each other.

After chatting for quite a while and touching on different subjects, I tilted my head in confusion. He hesitated briefly, then spoke carefully.

“You know what I asked earlier.”

“What you asked?”

“Um… that… ‘being prepared.’”

“Prepared?”

Oh right, he had asked about that. What on earth did that ‘preparation’ mean? I couldn’t even remember saying it. If I asked him what it meant, I’d just put myself in an awkward spot.

“Why did I even say something like that to you?”

“Hmm.”

I rested my fist under my chin and thought for a moment. Why did I say that?

“Isn’t there any clue?”

“A clue?”

“Yes. Like what state I was in, or what I said right before that.”

He narrowed his eyes, lips pursed, trying to recall yesterday. His slightly furrowed brow, squinting eyes, lips letting out a faint groan—if there’d been a camera, I would’ve captured that moment. If I’d had a phone, I’d have filmed it. It was that perfect.

I caught a glimpse of his collarbones—so deep they cast shadows. People say both men and women are obsessed with collarbones, and when I was younger, I didn’t get why. But seeing them in person… they could really be that sexy. This is driving me crazy. Is he openly trying to seduce me? I just want to go for it.

I forcefully suppressed the urge to plant a deep kiss on him and burn through this black night until it turned white. Damn it… get a grip! You’re a total pervert right now! Do you want to be labeled a creep?! Calm down!

But how am I supposed to stay calm with a man like that in front of me… That’s just cruel! Either open everything up or button it up properly—pick one! Ugh…!

“I think you asked if you could make one request.”

“A request?”

What kind of request?

“And right after that, you told me to be prepared.”

That didn’t make sense. Could “request” and “be prepared” really go together?

“What condition was I in at the time?”

“You were all woozy because of the medicine.”

Cute. I chuckled softly at the image of Ban spinning his head around.

“The medicine I took was…”

“It was an aphrodisiac. Not very strong, but if you take it while you’re already tired, it kicks in right away.”

“Then when I asked if I could make a request, I was already woozy from the aphrodisiac, and then I told you to be prepared?”

“Exactly.”