The Prince’s First Love Was Me Chapter 5

I kept my head bowed, fidgeting with my fingers as I slowly moved forward.

My heart was pounding so hard that it felt like someone was beating a drum inside my chest.

‘Phew. No need to be nervous. Just take one good look at Aaron, introduce myself nice and clearly, enjoy a delicious meal, and then head home.’

Following Chris’s instructions, the men lined up in a row, facing forward.

I had been near the back when we entered the central hall, but once we lined up, I somehow ended up near the front.

‘At least Paul is standing beside me, so I feel a little more at ease… NOT! I’m even more nervous! This is the first time these two are meeting! It’s a historic moment!’

“Are you okay?”

Hearing my rough breathing, Paul turned his head slightly and mouthed the words to me.

I forced a smile and nodded quickly.

He must be nervous himself, yet he was still worrying about me. As expected of our precious little baby squirrel!

“Everyone is here.”

After speaking, Chris stepped aside.

A moment later, we heard the sound of a book closing from the front.

The men pressed their lips together as if they had rehearsed it.

An oppressive silence settled over the room. It was so suffocating that I almost felt as though I were alone despite being surrounded by so many people.

Just as I began to wonder if the tension would crush me until I fainted, a voice tinged with a sigh rang out.

“Everyone, raise your heads.”

His words were polite, yet somehow they sounded like an order.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Everyone present raised their heads without delay.

I, too, took a long breath, gathered my courage, and slowly looked straight ahead.

‘Oh my God. Jesus.’

The moment I laid eyes on the blond prince, my legs nearly gave out. I barely managed to keep myself from falling backward.

‘Is that a painting? A sculpture? There’s no way that’s a real person. A person, you say? Ha! Who do you take me for, a fool?’

Aaron was sitting in a plush chair with his legs crossed, leaning back almost as if he were lying down as he looked at us.

Perhaps because of his expressionless face, his presence felt sharper than ever.

Small gasps escaped from the men who were seeing the prince in person.

Well, it had been a full five years since Aaron had last appeared at an official event.

His deep, brilliant amber eyes slowly swept over each person in the room.

After silently looking everyone over for a while, a bored expression soon appeared on his face.

“Introduce yourselves. Starting from that end.”

Aaron pointed with his chin at the man on the far right.

The man he had singled out hurriedly announced his identity in a loud voice.

“I’m John Winster! I run a small shop in the capital’s shopping district! It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness!”

Aaron gave a slight nod, his expression revealing nothing about what he was thinking, then beckoned Chris over.

Chris approached and bowed his head. Aaron looked up at him from an angle and quietly said something.

Chris took notes in his notebook based on Aaron’s words.

I had no idea what they were discussing, but I hoped Chris would never stop writing.

Because Aaron’s profile was ridiculously sexy right now.

The way he looked up at an angle emphasized his sharp jawline. And those brief moments when his eyes lowered, then lifted to look up again… How could anyone be so captivating?

‘This is amazing! Absolutely amazing! I could stare at his face forever and never get bored!’

“Next.”

The introductions continued in order, and at last, it was Paul’s turn.

Since I was right after him, I straightened my neck and grew tense, too.

“I’m Paul Baker. I currently work at a restaurant in Bolodo Plaza.”

Keeping my head facing forward, I moved only my eyes, shifting my gaze back and forth between Aaron and Paul.

My eyeballs felt like they might pop out from trying to look so far to the side, but I couldn’t possibly miss such an important scene.

‘Well, Your Highness? Isn’t our pink squirrel just adorable and lovable? Just wait until you hear Paul sing during the talent show later. You’ll fall head over heels for him! Your smile will be so wide it’ll reach your ears!’

Aaron stared at Paul with a strange expression, then gave a slight nod.

“Next.”

Then he turned his gaze toward me.

Oh no. The moment Aaron looked at me, my face started heating up.

At this point, the only thing I could do was get this over with as quickly as possible.

I cleared my throat, gathered every ounce of strength I had, and shouted at the top of my lungs.

“HELLOOO! I’M LIAAAM NIXOOON!”

Paul had to be the only person who inspired that fragile, protective instinct in others, so I made sure to project my voice as loudly as possible, showing off my overflowing energy.

“I WORK AS A CHOCOLATE DELIVERRRRRY MAN AT A CAFÉ IN BOLODO PLAAAAAZA!”

My introduction was practically a scream, and the room fell abruptly silent.

But I didn’t care. Having successfully finished my introduction, I puffed out my chest and raised my head proudly.

At that moment, Aaron’s full, red lips parted slightly.

‘That’s my turn over, right? Whew. I was nervous, but at least I got through it without making a mistake.’

But was it just my imagination, or did my cheekbones hurt?

It felt like my cheeks were twitching.

I absentmindedly touched my face, then froze.

My face was scorching hot, for one thing, but more importantly, the corners of my mouth were raised so high they seemed to be reaching for the sky.

‘What? What’s wrong with me? Don’t tell me… I’ve been smiling like this the whole time?’

Only then did I realize that at some point, I had started grinning at Aaron and hadn’t stopped.

‘I’m seriously losing my mind.’

I hurriedly wiped the smile off my face and pressed my lips together.

And then it happened.

A light chuckle escaped between Aaron’s slightly parted lips.

“Gasp!”

Caught off guard by Aaron’s smile, I smacked my thighs repeatedly to keep myself from screaming.

He was too beautiful! A hundred times more seductive than when he had a blank expression!

Aaron had been talking to Chris, but when he noticed me making such a fuss, the corners of his mouth lifted again.

‘You’re killing me. Don’t smile. No, smile! Wait, don’t smile! It’s bad for my heart. No, please smile! I want to bury myself in your dimples!’

It was truly a battle between spear and shield.

I was afraid that if I kept looking at Aaron, my uncontrollable feelings would eventually burst right out of my mouth. So I decided it would be safer to stop looking at him altogether.

‘…But why is Aaron smiling already?’

I belatedly remembered the original story and frowned.

In the novel, Aaron didn’t smile for the first time until Paul sang.

The fact that the story was already changing in subtle ways left me feeling strangely uneasy.

‘Nah, he probably just thought my face was funny. Who wouldn’t laugh at a roasted sweet potato grinning right in front of them?’

After convincing myself of that and shaking off my thoughts, I stole a glance at Aaron, who was watching the next person.

According to the original story, Paul was supposed to be the one who made Aaron smile. But now that I had actually seen him smile, I couldn’t help feeling happy about that radiant face, no matter who had caused it.

And besides, I was the one who had made Aaron smile!

I hadn’t intended to, but I couldn’t help feeling a little proud.

‘Hmm. Maybe I should try my luck a few more times. His smile was just too pretty.’

I gazed straight ahead.

Aaron was slowly rubbing his chin, looking bored with the world. It was as though the smile I’d just witnessed had been nothing but an illusion.

I cracked my knuckles and licked my lips.

‘Ahhh, I want more. I want to break that stiff, statue-like expression of his!’

The more rigid his expression became, the more some inexplicable perverted streak and competitive spirit awakened inside me.

“I’m Donna Bassett. I also work in the shopping district at the plaza…”

Perhaps he sensed my burning gaze, because Aaron’s eyes, which had been focused on someone else, slowly drifted toward me.

The moment our eyes met, I immediately flared my nostrils and curled my lips into a mischievous grin, as if I’d been waiting for this very moment.

It was an unconscious reaction, born from my desire to make him laugh.

I didn’t even consider how I might look to him.

My desire to make him laugh was stronger than my desire to look pretty.

Aaron saw me straight on, then discreetly covered his mouth and adjusted his posture.

“…Next.”

There was the faintest hint of amusement in his voice.

At that moment, a wave of joy spread through my entire body.

‘Yes! That’s what I’m talking about! Oh, this is so thrilling!’

I silently cheered in triumph.

If I wasn’t going to see him again after today, what did it matter if I made a fool of myself?

As long as I could keep seeing Aaron’s beautiful face, that was all that mattered.

A little while later.

Once all the introductions were over, Chris, who had finished taking notes, stepped forward.

“From this point on, only those whose names I call should remain here. Everyone else is free to return home.”

Chris carefully opened the first page of his notebook.

I couldn’t remember the last time the sound of a page turning had made me this nervous. Maybe back when I was taking an exam.

I felt like someone waiting to hear whether they’d passed an interview the moment it was over.

I wasn’t particularly hopeful.

As someone who had reread the original novel countless times, I already knew the results.

Three people would be selected here.

The sons of noble families who might cause trouble had already been eliminated from consideration. First, there was Paul, the original male lead.

“Paul Baker.”

And two extras who barely had any role in the story.

“Donna Bassett. Denian.”

See? Everything was going just like the original.

I gave a bitter smile at the thought that I wouldn’t be able to see Aaron’s face anymore.

Well, if I stayed friends with Paul, maybe I’d get another chance to see Aaron from a distance.

For today, I’d be satisfied with having made Aaron laugh and head home.

I was trying to soothe my disappointment by guessing what might be on the dining room menu when—

“Lastly.”

Chris continued speaking, even though I had thought he was finished.

He flipped through the pages, then seemed to find what he was looking for and pushed his glasses up.

“Liam Nixon. That is all.”