The Lonely Prince and His Romcom Dream
Toru’s mornings were always the same.
He woke up in a room far too big for just one person. The ceiling was high, the curtains were thick and elegant, and the bed was big enough for three people. But no matter how grand his surroundings were, they felt empty.
He stared at the canopy above his bed, not really feeling like getting up. But he knew if he didn’t, the maid would come knocking, and he didn’t want to trouble her.
With a sigh, he sat up, rubbing his eyes.
A soft knock came from the door, and as expected, the maid’s voice followed. “Young master, breakfast is ready.”
“Okay…” Toru mumbled, stretching before finally getting out of bed.
—
The dining room was massive. A long, polished table stretched across the room, with far too many chairs for just one boy.
Toru sat at the very end, his breakfast neatly arranged in front of him. Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, fresh orange juice—all his favorites. The maid always made sure to prepare what he liked.
But as he picked up his fork, he couldn’t shake the hollow feeling in his chest.
The seat to his right was empty.
The seat to his left was empty.
All the other chairs? Empty.
He chewed his food in silence, the sound of his fork clinking against the plate being the only noise in the room.
The house was too big. Too cold.
Too lonely.
His parents were overseas, as always. His older brother was in another city for university. The only people in the house were him and the staff.
And they weren’t family.
Toru swallowed his food, but it felt like he was swallowing air.
He glanced at his phone. No unread messages.
Of course not.
His parents only called once a week, if they even remembered to. His brother? Maybe once a month.
He wasn’t mad at them. They were busy. Important people.
But that didn’t change the fact that, most days, he felt invisible.
He put down his fork. “I’m full.”
The maid, who had been standing by the wall, immediately stepped forward. “Young master, you barely ate—”
“I’m fine,” Toru said, forcing a smile. “I should get ready for school.”
—
After a quick bath, he put on his uniform and headed outside. The chauffeur was already waiting, standing beside a sleek black car.
“Good morning, young master,” the chauffeur greeted as he opened the door for Toru.
Toru nodded. “Morning.”
As the car started moving, he rested his chin on his hand, staring out the window.
Today was going to be different.
He wasn’t just going to sit in class, mind his own business, and go home to an empty mansion.
No, today, he had a mission.
He was going to greet Ayumi properly.
No weird comments. No shouting random words. No embarrassing himself like yesterday.
Just a simple, normal greeting.
He clenched his fists. “I got this.”
—
The car stopped in front of the school gates.
Toru took a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale.
His palms were sweaty, so he wiped them on his pants.
He stepped out of the car, standing tall. “Alright, let’s do this.”
The moment he entered the school grounds, his heart sped up.
Because there, near the gate, was Kota.
And where Kota was…
Ayumi was.
His heart thumped loudly.
*Toru, calm down. You’re just saying hi. This isn’t a confession scene in a manga.*
He took slow steps toward them, rehearsing his lines in his head.
*"Good morning, Ayumi. Did you sleep well?"*
Simple. Elegant. Gentlemanly.
He got closer.
Ayumi noticed him.
She looked at him.
It was time.
He opened his mouth and—
“GAH—” He choked.
Kota raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”
Toru quickly turned around, dramatically coughing into his hand. *Okay. No problem. That was just a warm-up. We try again.*
He spun back around, forced a smile, and said, “G-Good morning, Ayumi!”
Ayumi tilted her head. “Good morning…?”
There was an awkward pause.
Toru realized he had no follow-up.
Panic.
Think, think! Say something smooth!
He cleared his throat and blurted, “Did you sleep well?”
Ayumi blinked. “Um… yeah?”
Kota crossed his arms. “What’s with you today? You acting all weird again?”
Toru held back a groan. He was trying *not* to act weird, but it was making him even weirder!
Kota sighed. “Well, whatever. We gotta get to class.”
Ayumi nodded. “See you inside, Toru.”
She walked ahead, Kota following beside her.
Toru exhaled, hands on his knees. *I did it. I greeted her like a normal human being.*
Was it perfect? No.
Did he almost pass out? Yes.
But he did it.
He wasn’t a failure!
—
Toru entered the classroom early, taking his seat near the door. He could’ve sat near Ayumi if he really wanted to. After all, his family donated money to the school, and the teachers would let him change seats if he asked.
But no. He wouldn’t do that.
He had read enough romcom manga to know how these things worked.
His seat, near the door, was perfect.
Ayumi and Kota, sitting near the windows, was also perfect.
Classic romcom setup.
Now, all he had to do was play his role properly.
Slow and steady.
He wasn’t some pushy male lead in a bad drama. He wasn’t going to scare Ayumi off.
Even though he was just a kid, he knew what this feeling in his chest was.
And he wasn’t going to mess it up.
With a determined smile, he sat back, ready to let his story unfold.
YOU ARE READING
THE FIRST TIME DADDY
RomansaMax never imagined his life would turn out like this: a single father raising a lively two-year-old while working at a quiet bookstore. Far from the successful man his wealthy parents hoped he'd become, Max is still finding his footing after years o...
