The Fallen Princess

The Fifth Fall

Evan scoffed, brushing a strand of her hair between his fingers before letting it fall, "As if I'm not already aware of that. Would you be in danger if you just kept quiet?"

His sarcasm was sharp, but not unkind—it was the kind of bite he only reserved for people close to him. Eve didn't flinch. She'd grown used to the way he teased, the way he hid genuine worry behind flippant comments.

Instead, she simply redirected. Smoothly. Intentionally.

"I've got a plan," she said lightly, "and I believe your assistance could make a significant difference." Evan narrowed his eyes, sensing trouble long before she said it, "How on earth do you plan to do that?" with a grin full on her face, she declared, "I'm aiming to capture the heart of the kind-hearted prince."

Suspicion evaporated into pure disbelief. Evan leaned back, blinking once, then burst into laughter—loud, incredulous, almost cruel if she didn't know him better.

"You're serious? You're planning to unleash all those flirtatious techniques you've picked up... on him?"

Eve simply nodded, her expression naive yet determined.
Does it sound that wrong?

Evan stared at her for a moment, something like concern flickering across his features.
"Why?"

"He's not the type you can win with flirting," Evan said bluntly. His voice lowered, deeper, more grounded. "And you—no offense—flirt without even noticing half the time."

She stiffened slightly. He wasn't wrong, but hearing it said aloud felt like being exposed.

"In short," he continued, "he's... dense. Painfully dense. A walking brick wall disguised as a prince."

Eve frowned. "Does it sound that wrong?"

"Kind of." Evan exhaled, almost amused. "You'd have better odds picking basically anyone else. There are tons of guys here who'd kneel for you without hesitation."

Eve's jaw tightened, "Firstly, most affluent parents here wouldn't approve of their children dating someone like me—someone fallen from grace. Secondly, many only want to use me. Thirdly, their social status doesn't match what I had before everything collapsed. Only a handful here shared my past status."

Her voice dropped to a whisper, brittle around the edges.
"In conclusion, he remains the most suitable candidate for me."

Evan paused, studying her. Really studying her.
"...Valid point," he admitted. "Still, I strongly advise you to consider someone else. It's just not feasible with him."

"Why not?" she demanded quietly. "My mother already chose him. I won't give up without trying."

Evan's expression softened.
He wasn't trying to mock her—he was worried.

"In my view, he's looking for someone with the complete package," Evan said. "And I don't mean money or beauty. He doesn't care about either. He's never cared. I've seen his family—they radiate humility and warmth."
A dry laugh escaped him. "Which is extremely rare."

Eve swallowed.
"N-no, it can't be... My mother always told me beauty is enough."

"Beauty might sway ninety percent of the boys here," Evan said gently, "but he's an exception. Half the school has confessed to him. Not a single one succeeded."

That hit her harder than she expected.

Her chest tightened.
I never thought I might fail to gain his attention.

Then suddenly—

"AH!"

Her voice cracked, panic shooting through her. Her skin drained of color as yesterday's memory flooded back.