I watched Heath's confident stance shrivel as he took a step back. 

But it was too late.

"I've missed you!" The culprit grabbed Heath before he could escape and hugged him. Heath tried reciprocating the hug but the other person kept snuggling into his chest. Heath's face turned ten shades of white as the girl raised her head and smiled at him. "Haven't you missed me, Heathy?" 

"Y-yes?" 

I was trembling. This was...too funny. Can't... laugh! Heath will kill me if I do. The girl finally noticed me and gave me a funny look. 

"And who are you?" This rude and straightforward girl was Mary Qail, the duke's precious daughter and also... the love rival in Heath's route. I smiled at Mary.

"Oh, I'm Rael." Didn't she just see me walking out a minute ago? She gave me a look over before returning to merge—er, hug Heath again. Heath looked like he was in pain as he gently tried pushing her away. I saw him give me a look as Mary practically climbed him. 

'HELP ME.'

I gave him an innocent smile. Didn't he say we weren't friends? There was no reason for me to help him. Heath tried shoving Mary but the girl was persistent, clinging to him like a koala to a tree. 

"Mary, um, Rael and I were discussing something important. I would appreciate it if you—"

"Then I should listen, yes? There's nothing for you to hide from your future wife after all." She purred as she grabbed his arm and hugged it close to her. And then she stared at me as I tried not to snort.

"Heath, we can leave this discussion for later." Heath was sending me desperate looks but I tried ignoring them.

"But I'll be busy later."

"Then tomorrow. Have a lovely date—"

"Rael. Please." I sighed. I guess I have no choice. I'll have him owe me and use it for later. I had to at least have a civil relationship with the only person that I could trust, right? I grabbed at Heath and Mary grew annoyed.

"What are you doing?" She gave me a dirty look and tried slapping my hands away.

"Mary, was it? Heath and I were discussing something important—"

"I told him already that I'm staying," She began but I cut her off.

"—so could you kindly and very politely, piss off?" Mary had her mouth open in shock. She began stuttering.

"Y-you can't say that! And let go of him, he's mine!" 

"I can and I did. I'm merely saving him from a crazy delusional girl. Now shoo before I call the guards and tell them that one of the prisoners has escaped and is cosplaying a bratty girl with her daddy's money." I felt my lip twitch but kept a straight face. 

I pushed her hands off of Heath, his clothes wrinkled now, and dragged him away from a stunned Mary.

I looked up and saw Heath giving me a surprised look as well. I shrugged. "She was testing my patience so I snapped. Now I suggest we run before she starts screaming." Heath didn't reply as he began running out of the ballroom, with me following him. Just as we've left the ballroom, we hear a scream and burst into laughter. I nearly tripped as I kept on laughing and Heath had to stop his running to breathe. We stood in the hallway for a while, madly grinning at what we'd done. 

"That was..." Heath didn't have any words and resorted to laughing again. I chuckled.

"I've always wanted to say that to her."

"Oh, so she's like this in the future too?" I stare at him.

"She's worse in the future." Heath puts a hand over his face.

"Dear gods... How is that even possible?" I was tempted to tell him that he picks her in the bad ending, but refrained. I take a deep breath. I'm not too sure how being rude to Mary might change the plot but...

I saw Heath smiling and laughing to himself as if picturing the scene again. As annoying as he was, it felt good to have made him laugh. Heath caught me staring and his smile faltered. He opened his mouth to say something and stopped.

"Right, uh thanks." He finally let out.

"It's fine." Just don't forget that you owe me. I'd say this out loud except it'd probably ruin this hard-to-come bonding moment. I'm sure that after this Heath will continue to ignore me unless he needs something. But that's alright. Friendship and comradeship take time! Baby steps!

Heath lowered his head and tried talking when a booming voice interrupted him.

"And after all that mingling and eating, a bit of screaming too—" The announcer laughed at his joke, "—I think it's time for the birthday child to pick someone to dance with, don't you all agree?" 

"Crap! That's my cue! Well cya!" I didn't wait for a response and ran back. I made it right before they started looking for me. I went to the announcer and stood there. Now it was time for phase one of my plan. I took a deep breath and began walking. 

While running away with Heath, I spotted a certain guest. Knowing where the guest was, I walked there, under the watchful eyes of others. I met eyes with a girl who smiled at me. Ah, wasn't that Rael's original dancing partner? The one he humiliated along with himself? Wasn't her name... Corina? I smiled back but didn't walk up to her. Finally spotting the person I'd been looking for, I walked up to them, bowed, and offered a hand.

"May I please have this dance with you?" The person in question turned and we locked eyes. Striking green met my gold-brown eyes. I nearly froze with fear, scared that the person might decide to kill me a little earlier than expected when he put his hand in mine. 

"Yes." Ru Hasselt answered though he didn't look very happy to have been asked out. I heaved a sigh of relief as we walked up to the empty dance floor. This would be nerve-wracking. Dancing under judgmental eyes... I feared what might happen if I messed up.

"Shall I lead?" Ru gave me a weird look as he was nearly a head taller than me. I blinked. I tried explaining.

"I'm better at leading so—" 

"I'll lead." Ru didn't let me finish as he put his hand on my shoulder blade and hand. I tried not to glare as I put my hand in his, cupping it and on his shoulder. I nervously waited for the music to start. Having nowhere to look, I stared at Ru. He stared back and spoke.

"Why did you pick me?" I decided to be honest.

"I wanted to get to know you." I saw Ru give me a curious look. "Isn't it a good thing to have a prince get to know another prince?"

"Right." He grew quiet and I looked at him. 

Ru Hasselt. He was the Crown Prince of Tenn, the neighboring country of Urel, and the next heir to the throne. He had a strained relationship with all of his family members, except his father, and older sibling who was currently studying abroad. He learned to shoulder his burden and complaints by himself as he prepared to fulfill his duty as the future king. However, that all came crashing down at his awakening. Something had gone wrong. He was unable to do magic. If he even tried, it'd backfire and cause him great pain. Ru managed to start in Lore Academy while suffering from the pain. He grew accustomed to it. 

One day, he got a letter in the reception, forcing him to leave class early. He read the letter and felt his heart sink. Buying the fastest carriage while he tried processing what he'd just learned, he returned to his castle being quiet. He saw attendants crying in the hallways, and the gloomy expressions of others. Finally, he stumbled outside and found three caskets displayed, all of them carrying the corpse of his father, mother, and younger sister. Someone had assassinated them. Ru, devastated by the news, grew more distant and cold as the years went by. He became twisted and cruel, borderline sadistic in the way he treated others and himself. He stopped caring about his curse and used magic more and more. 

By the time he started his fourth year, he collapsed from his injuries. Had Ophelia not found him when she did, he would've died. Ophelia handes him the ring that her mother had given her. And he starts to recover. She tries carrying him to safety but fails and decides to use a healing spell on him. Ru wakes up and sees her before passing out due to sheer exhaustion. 

That's how Ophelia saves his life. I did consider just letting Ophelia save his life again but to let him suffer that much for two more years? I'd be a cruel person to allow it to continue. All I knew is that a certain onyx ring could break the curse or at least halt it. And that was good enough for me. But how would I give it to him? I wasn't a cute girl like Ophelia so I had to be slick about it. 

"...?"

"What?"

"Aren't you going to dance?" I hadn't even noticed that the music had started. My face grew red as Ru began leading me around. Damn, the dance hasn't even begun and I already embarrassed myself.

"You're not that good at dancing," Ru said.

"Really? I didn't know that." I sarcastically remarked. Oh crap! Don't show attitude to him or he'll use this as an excuse to kill you! I forced a smile.

"You're good at dancing though so I'm in safe hands." I saw Ru's lips twitch before he spun me. I nearly fell but he caught me and tried not to scowl at his amused expression.