Alone Together

"Fu-" Jerome bit his tongue when someone jumped out of the bush that made him slightly jump from his seat.

His heart almost stopped but when he realized who it was and he could feel himself getting annoyed all because of the invader's identity.

"Your highness... What are you doing here?" The nobleman asked with annoyance, his usual composed tone and demeanor are not present anymore.

Rowan sheepishly chuckled, he was messy with leaves on his hair and dirt on his clothes, "Sorry, Princess... for visiting late." He stood up properly and dust himself off, as if it did something.

The black haired man let the latter approach and sat down on the bench with him.

The crown prince sighed and laid his head on the bench, just like Jerome did earlier.

Jerome sighed as well and laid his head on the bench just like the red haired man did, both of them staring at the stars.

"How did you even invade the knights?" The nobleman asked without looking at him.

"I'm the crown prince..."

There was a moment of silence before the said prince changed his answer, "I sneaked in."

"Your knights are not reliable then... I could've been killed."

"I guess so... I'll talk to them tomorrow."

Somehow, this kind of talk made Jerome comfortable that he could only chuckle softly, making Rowan look at him, "What?"

"Nothing... just... this is nice, you know? No titles... No need to mind what other people think... No need to think about how to be successful." He asked, looking back at the prince.

The red haired man stared back at him, now realizing what drew him to the shorter, "It's like you're out of his world." He suddenly commented.

The noble pursed his lips at that and chuckled sheepishly, "Haha... yeah..."

"You also speak differently sometimes, like you're trying to fit in." Rowan sat properly making Jerome sit properly as well and look at him, flustered.

"I-Well... I'm a commoner, your highness."

"I told you not to call me that when we're alone."

The black haired man sighed, "What are you even doing here?"

Rowan sighed at the question, "I have nowhere to go. I argued with my father."

'Wow... I wonder why... And what is he? A teenager?' Jerome sarcastically thought, "And you came here...?"

"A man craves comfort." The crown prince looked at him with soft pitiful eyes, making the shorter look away.

"And you think I'm the one to provide it? We're not even close."

"Really? I think we're quite close." The red haired man chuckled.

He then looked up the stars again, "You're the only one who never treated me as a prince... maybe I'm craving that kind of treatment... humane."

The latter looked at him with pity, he kept quiet, letting Rowan speak again, "My father treats me as an heir, everyone treats me as a prince... even an enemy... a threat but you..." He chuckled before speaking, "You treat me as an annoyance... I like that... not much people can express themselves well with me... they're either acting nice or trying to gain my favor. Marshal is honest but he's still kind since I'm a prince."

Jerome actually felt guilty and he sighed, "I'm not annoyed at you..." The prince looked at him, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm just annoyed that I have to work hard for everything. I have to think constantly how I won't be trampled by the nobles who thought of me as a threat and yet you... can just do anything you want and will still have the throne." The black haired man admitted, avoiding the taller's gaze.

His words are from him who experienced what the novel Jerome experienced and from what that character didn't manage to say to Rowan. Since he was blinded with rage and envy.

Rowan looked at the shorter before looking at the sky again to take a moment of silence.

He eventually broke the silence himself, "I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't be." Jerome immediately replied, "It wasn't your fault. We were just destined to have such lives."

He sat properly again, facing the prince, "You know... I'm the same as the other nobles, I'm the same as the other commoners... I'm just human too... I crave for comfort and I choose my well-being first. What makes you think I'm not using you too?"

The red haired man kept his eyes at the sky, "Have you really? Tell me... before you became a noble... what was your goal? What was the real reason why you became a noble?"

The black haired man looked at his hands, "To live a comfortable life unlike how my parents died... they worked hard until they got sick yet the noblemen who they worked for treated them as tools... I don't want to die as a tool."

"Then what does that have to do with me?" Rowan sat up to look at Jerome, "You're only trying to survive... the others... they're just greedy... like how Hardwicke was."

Jerome also looked at him, "You're defending me too much."

The prince chuckled, "To be honest, I've been noticing you since then."

'Stalker?' The black haired man narrowed his eyes at the latter.

Rowan noticed it and he immediately defended himself, "Not like that! I don't stalk you!... Okay, just once! Only because you won't tell me who you were..." He said as he sat down, facing the shorter.

The red haired man then continued his words from earlier, before he noticed Jerome's judging eyes, "Back when I was still roaming around the discreet streets of the kingdom and even the outskirts, I would sometimes notice you... At first I never put any mind to it since it could've been a coincidence but don't you think it's the universe tying us together in a string of fate?"

The latter stared at him and then chuckled, finding it all ridiculous.

"Hey! Don't laugh!" The crown prince pouted as he whined.

"I'm sorry... just... you're really idealistic..." He chuckled softly and Rowan blushed, not knowing if it was because of the sight of the usually composed man laughing at him or because he was embarrassed, he was yet ready to acknowledge whatever he was feeling around the nobleman.

"Well... it's just that I once saw you with your parents... you're happy even when you have dirt on your cheek. Then I saw you again, running to a pawnshop, still as messy as before but you looked so determined, every time that I would roam around, you're doing the same thing... Then you disappeared, and instead of seeing you walk by... I collided with you once you came home from a tavern, probably where you were working... Then I saw you dancing with Marshal at the Rosaria Festival."

Jerome stared at the prince, he was quite shocked at how Rowan was always around him and has been noticing him yet he was the one who never did.

"I never knew you were the one I was pinning before infiltrating Hardwicke's factory... I was investigating the disappearance of most commoners and it led me to that place... can you even tell that it was a coincidence that we met there?" The red haired man asked as if the latter has the answer.

"What more is that I faced you again at the auction... and then finally you became a noble... I... I was actually quite proud when I realized that you were the same man that I've been noticing since we were kids..."

Jerome blushed at that, feeling a shiver up his spine. It really was too much of a coincidence to call it as such.

The nobleman was speechless, 'What could I even reply to that? Dang? Really?' He thought to himself.

Rowan noticed the latter's silence and awkwardly chuckled, looking away, "Well... It was just probably me making a big deal out of it... I'm sorry to creep you out..."

The black haired man looked at him, chuckling softly, "I wouldn't say that I believe you... magic is possible, right? What if fate too?" His own words made him worry about the future.

Since there's a possibility that he is destined to die, and Rowan might be the cause. Very much like in the novel.

The crown prince smiled at his words, "You're really nice."

Jerome huffed, "Don't take my words as kindness."

The red haired man chuckled again, "Sure... Like I don't know that you're the one spreading the protective rings around the commoner's areas."

'He knew even that?' The nobleman was shocked, "Are you sure you're not a stalker?"

"I'm not!... I just got curious..." Rowan looked away, feeling embarrassed. Maybe he got a tad bit curious about Jerome.

The shorter chuckled, "You need to go home, your highness..."

"Told you... don't call me that when we're alone."

"Alright, Rowan..."

The crown prince stared at the nobleman, somehow being called by his name—only by this man made him feel warm inside.

Jerome felt warm as well, thinking that he was embarrassed to call the prince and his favorite character from the novel by his first name. It felt strange, as if he hasn't been familiar with the man for a long time.

When in fact, he already read Rowan's life story.

It took them a moment before Rowan spoke and look away, "Alright... I have to get going now..."

The black haired man looked away, confused at what he was feeling, "Alright... be careful..."

The crown prince looked at the shorter and smiled, "I will... Jerome." He said and walked ahead.

Leaving the said man to stare at Rowan's retreating back.