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Chapter 11
Aiden stepped down from the stage, and some students appeared, each carrying an instrument and beginning to play.
Had they prepared instruments because they were going to perform the background music live?
To the old-fashioned music played by the students, everyone in the banquet hall began to move in their own ways.
While I was looking at the stage, a huge wall suddenly appeared in my view.
And I ended up hitting my forehead against it.
“I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry!”
I hurriedly apologized and looked up, and a familiar face appeared.
“Could it be… Kongkong?”
The name sounded annoying, but seeing him after a long time made me somewhat happy.
“Senior Liam.”
It wasn’t just Liam.
Noah was standing beside him.
“So Noah’s with you too.”
Both were dressed neatly, in accordance with the dress code for the welcoming party.
As expected of the crown prince, Liam chose a formal uniform with fancy epaulets.
Unlike his usual baggy sleeves, Noah wore a perfectly fitted suit, and his wavy hair was parted and styled naturally.
No wonder they were both candidates for the male lead.
Just having either of them would certainly draw attention, and having both made everyone around glance this way and that.
“This is uncomfortable.”
Noah slightly loosened his tight tie, frowning.
Seeing a slightly rough side on his normally cute face, I could understand why readers would invest in Noah so deeply.
“Noah, make sure your tie is straight at an event like this.”
Liam immediately fixed Noah’s tie properly.
Standing side by side, the height difference between them somehow felt like the “romantic height gap” people talked about.
Seeing the two of them facing each other, Siana beside me let out a gasp.
It seemed that some readers, rather than shipping the heroine with the male lead, quietly hoped the male leads themselves would pair up because of how close they were.
After tidying Noah, Liam turned his gaze to Siana and me.
“This is my friend, Siana Kaibeye.”
“Hello, Senior Liam. Senior Noah.”
“Ah, so you’re Kongkong’s friend. Nice to meet you. I’m Liam Grayson.”
“Hi! I’m Noah.”
Liam didn’t seem to remember Siana, probably just seeing her occasionally when picking me up for classes.
Siana, of course, knew both of them well.
“If there’s anything you need as Kongkong’s friend, feel free to come to me anytime.”
“Siana, even you…”
I shot Siana a resentful look for using that nickname despite knowing I hated it. She covered her mouth and quietly chuckled.
I could feel her determination to make a good impression on Liam.
“Alright, I’ll count on you.”
After responding to Siana, Liam rested his hand on his chin and observed me.
“I almost didn’t recognize you. The power of a dress, indeed.”
It was an ambiguous comment, but it was surprising that Liam complimented me.
My appearance hadn’t suddenly improved, so the carefully chosen dress seemed to have its intended effect.
Feeling pleased, I spun around once in place.
“You look beautiful, Olivia.”
Noah spoke honestly, without any sarcasm.
Thanks to him, I could also be honest—for Noah only.
“You look much more handsome than usual too, Noah. There must be quite a few female students swooning over you today.”
“And me?”
Liam shrugged, clearly hoping for a compliment on his outfit.
“Wow, truly princely, Liam. Clothes really do make the man.”
I merely returned the compliment as I heard it.
His expression subtly changed with the delicate praise.
Words always have a way of carrying meaning beyond intent.
“There have only been two people in the world who have treated Crown Prince Liam like this.”
Noah said, impressed.
The first was probably my sister.
As the heroine, my sister must have naturally drawn Liam’s attention.
Perhaps Liam had already told her something like, “You’re the first person who has treated me this way.”
Having experienced it myself, I realized Liam wasn’t a bad person, so I could comfortably interact with him.
“Since we’ve met like this… Kongkong, I want to ask something.”
Liam kept glancing around instead of looking directly at me, seemingly conscious of the surrounding eyes.
It was unusual, as he typically wouldn’t care about others’ gazes.
Was something wrong?
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Do you already have a dance partner?”
“A dance partner?”
Now that he mentioned it, I vaguely remembered there was supposed to be a dance during the welcoming party.
It wasn’t mandatory, so I had dismissed it from my mind.
I only knew that only students with significant roles would appear on the floor.
So there was no way I had a partner.
“Do you?”
“No.”
When I shook my head, Liam’s expression brightened.
“Then dance with me for one song.”
“Me? Why?”
I asked curtly without realizing it, and Liam’s expression darkened slightly.
“You won’t die from dancing one song.”
Still, I felt like I’d catch some disapproving glares from the female students.
“What about my sister? Wouldn’t it be better for you to dance with her instead of me?”
At events like this, the heroine usually dances with the male lead.
I hadn’t fully recognized Liam as the main male lead yet, but at least within this hall, my sister deserved to dance with him.
“Look over there.”
Liam pointed over his shoulder with his thumb.
Following his finger, I saw Aiden had already swept my sister into a dance!
Without that level of initiative, the heroine being taken was just fate.
I discreetly thought Liam was pathetic for missing that.
“The student council president has to start dancing first. Unfortunately, Aiden beat you to it, so Emma is not an option.”
“What about other friends?”
“So you’re saying dance with Noah and me?”
“No thanks to Noah either.”
I realized Liam was indirectly admitting that his only friends were Noah and Emma.
As the crown prince, wouldn’t he have plenty of friends sticking to him?
Perhaps everyone was too busy seeking their own gain, making it hard to form friendships.
I felt a little sorry for Liam.
“Then why not just refuse to dance? Why me?”
Instead of answering, Liam gestured around with his palm.
“Can’t you see the wild animals around? They’re eyeing me, trying to ‘capture’ me. I have a weak heart and don’t want to be cornered by such young ladies.”
“Ah, I see.”
I had already noticed that being with Liam drew attention, but today, the gazes from young ladies were unusually sharp.
They likely wanted to use the welcoming party to connect with Liam.
It was similar to how Liam couldn’t casually befriend anyone.
“Even with a fiancée candidate, you’re incredibly popular.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“Rosaline Carter. She told me herself.”
“Rosaline is not my fiancée.”
Liam answered firmly.
“Really? It seemed almost a given at the Carter household.”
Even Aiden hadn’t disputed it, so it must have been common knowledge.
“I don’t acknowledge it.”
Liam looked me in the eye seriously and denied it.
“Does your sister know about this opinion of his?”
“Of course.”
When my sister spoke with Rosaline, she had acted as if she didn’t know. It was probably a lie.
Perhaps Liam wanted to clarify things to me as well, not wanting to be misunderstood by my sister.
He didn’t seem interested in being engaged to Rosaline at all.
But would that really be possible?
I narrowed my eyes and observed him.
As the crown prince, how much influence would Liam actually have?
Seeing his strong will, his feelings for Emma must remain unchanged.
“So, you want to use me as a shield?”
“Think of it as helping me out.”
Was it really right to dance with Liam?
Looking at my sister dancing with Aiden, Liam’s gaze also followed her.
He clearly regretted not being able to dance with her.
And apparently, the situation was urgent enough for him to choose me over his beloved sister.
“What if I just don’t dance at all?”
“I’m the crown prince. It would be strange not to dance here.”
He emphasized being a student at the academy usually, but now used the crown prince as justification.
I thought his “prince” excuse was just a tactic to avoid being cornered by female students at the banquet.
Still, I understood his position.
He wasn’t a manager, but he held an important status within the academy.
“Think of it as charity and help me out.”
