TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE 30TH GRUNA MONARCHY ANNIVERSARY

 I instinctively looked at myself again in the front mirror of my team’s car. Natural-looking face make-up contrasted with very glossy and bloody red lips. The crimson red cut-out body-fitting dress that slightly reveals my cleavage hugged my body just right. The dress is cut out, and it shows a bit of my bare waist. It’s knotted crisscrossed on the back and the hem of the dress stops just three inches below my butt. Plus high heels. I’m showing a lot of skin. Like a lot! And although I hated that I have to dress like this tonight, it’s perfect for my mission!

I only need to do one thing tonight. Befriend the prince.

And how will I do that?

I don’t know! I will do anything in any and every way. My top priority is completing my mission. And whatever way there is, I’ll take it.

I gazed at the person who drove me in front of the building.

 ”Well?” I asked him. “How do I look?”

He appeared to be startled when I asked that question. But he carefully ran his stare from my head down to my feet.

“You look..” It’s like he doesn’t know what to say. “You’re too..”

He couldn’t finish any of his sentences.

“You’re too beautiful, I’m scared. What if guys try to take you home?”

I cackled. “You went too far on your compliment, Isagani.”

“No, I’m serious.”

I had to swallow in order not to lose my composure. But it’s harder than I thought, especially since it was from Isagani.

“If that’s what you think then I dressed up correctly.”

Someone from the backseat cleared her throat. She looked at me giving me looks that I could already tell what they meant.

“Remember to cross your legs and turn your body towards him when you talk to him. Smile seductively.” Here comes her seduction class 101 again.

“You don’t have to coach me, brat. I can seduce men just fine.”

She gave me a skeptical look. “I would beg to disagree on that,” she debated.

And I had to stop myself from throwing my heels on her.

I checked the time on my phone. “I have to go.”

“Good luck, girl!” Geraldine gushed.

“Get back to the camp tonight if you can,” Isagani reminded me and I just nodded.

I stepped out of the car and they immediately left.

I checked the prince’s picture again from my phone. At one glance, I have to recognize him.

He’s the first prince, and he will most likely inherit the throne from Mirando. Well, he’s a prince who’s never been known to the world. And I’ll make sure to make it stay that way. The world will never have to know him.

Mi Casa Restobar. That’s the name of the building I am looking at. According to the information we have, the prince frequents this resto-bar. And he will be coming tonight.

The resto-bar is a three-story rectangular building. The front walls of the first floor, where the restaurant is, are entirely made of tinted glass. The third floor is the nightclub. The second floor is where the bar is situated.

The cold breeze of the evening is triggering goosebumps on my bare skin that’s why I have to rush towards the building.

Where will the prince be? I doubt he’ll be at a restaurant. Will he be on the first floor? Or maybe on the third floor?

I won’t be surprised if he will be on the third floor. He is Mirando’s son after all. And I have a prejudice about people who have Mirando Gruna’s blood running in their veins. Anyone with Mirando’s blood is a bad person to me.

I entered through the glass door of the restaurant. A smiling server approached me.

“Do you have a reservation ma’am?”

I smiled at her and slightly shook my head while still surveying the whole place to look for the prince. I doubt he will be here, but there’s no harm in checking.

“I’m sorry ma'am, but we are fully booked for the night,” she mannerly informed me.

I courteously responded to her, “It’s okay. I’m going up.”

The server left me. And so that’s when I started walking sluggishly, roaming my eyes around while making sure I’m not appearing to be suspicious by doing so, to check if the prince is around. I passed by a couple’s table which at one glance looked like they were having a lovely date. But if you take a glance again, you’ll notice that the girl is crying while eating her pasta. It seems like the guy is breaking up with her and he took her to a restaurant to make sure she won’t make a scene.

An asshole.

I roamed my eyes once again around the whole place. He’s not here.

I left the restaurant and went inside the elevator to go up to the second floor of the building where the bar is situated.

Much like the restaurant, there are people here. But much more lively than on the first floor. Everyone has their cliques and squads drinking and talking on their tables.

The bar is cozier than I expected. A shimmering mirrorball dangling from the ceiling is slowly spinning reflecting lines of lights around the place.

The counter is long with several counter stools, and only a few people are drinking on the counter. Most of the people are sitting on the couches of their table, drinking under the dimmed light of the bar.

A poppy Taylor Swift song is playing in the background. I roamed my eyes around to find the prince.

“Hi, lady. Want company?” A guy with a chiseled jaw came up to me. He denotes the kind of guy who treats girls like a new shiny toy. Only want them when they are new. A jerk for sure.

“Uhmm no. I’m with someone,” I lied.

He still tried to initiate a conversation but I dismissed him right away by leaving him. I glided to every table, smiling my godd--mn mouth like a pageant queen, waving to almost everyone as if I knew them just so I wouldn't look awkward walking around.

When I came to the last table, I found no prince. I silently cursed him inside my head as I walked towards the counter.

“Where the f--k is he!” I breathlessly cursed as soon as I took a seat on the counter stool.

“Who are you looking for, young miss?”

I came face to face with a man whose eyes are so deep and so tantalizing. He has nice thick eyebrows. A pointed nose. And a manly mouth.

He’s a very gorgeous man.

Then I realized--

The prince! The photo on my phone didn’t do his face any justice!

He’s wearing an amber-colored double-breasted two-piece suit. He emulates a young wealthy businessman especially with his clean-cut hair, and an expensive-looking silver watch on his left wrist.

He looks so.. neat that it’s kinda intimidating.

He raised his eyebrows at me, but not in an offensive manner, to solicit an answer to his question.

“Uhmm a guy,” I thriftily answered.

He stared at me like he was waiting for me to support or add details to what I just said. But I didn’t speak again.

“Okay,” he murmured as if he’s amused. “Drinks?” He raised his glass a little.

“Sure.”

“Is whiskey fine?” He had the courtesy to ask me.

“Anything’s fine,” I replied.

He glanced at the bartender. “Whiskey for the lady, please.”

“Right away sir,” the bartender responded.

In Maharlica, when someone offers a drink you have to accept it no matter what or else you will come off as ‘rude’. I don’t know why but it’s ethically inappropriate for Maharlicans to refuse someone’s offer when it comes to alcohol. I don’t know how this became a social norm, but yeah, it is.

I eyed the prince.

So he wasn’t on any of the tables. He’s sitting on the counter and drinking alone. Not what I expected. I thought he’d be wilder since no one knows who he is. I imagined him to be having fun with lots of people. With lots of girls, particularly.

Three seats away from where he is sitting I could see a couple of girls giggling while stealing glances at him. It’s like they’re urging each other to muster up the courage to talk to him.

I looked at the prince’s face. I kinda get why. He is a very attractive man with perfectly symmetrical facial features. He also emanates this friendly aura around him when he smiles that makes him easy to be with.

Then one girl finally stood up and walked towards the prince.

“Hi handsome,” she seductively called. “Would you mind having fun with me tonight?”

She courageously placed her arm around the prince’s shoulder.

“Hey beautiful,” the prince responded with an amiable smile.

I was about to interrupt their going-good conversation because no one else should get his attention tonight but me. But the prince dismissed her by saying, “I have a lady here.” He glanced at me. Which means he was referring to me, right?

He subtly and slowly removed the girl’s arm using his one hand, perhaps to make his rejection less offensive.

I saw the girl give me an annoyed look and marched away.

Sorry girl, didn’t mean to.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized all of a sudden. “I just said that to avoid them. I hope you are not offended by it.”

So he does not fancy women. Interesting...

“So,” I blurted out. I crossed my legs and made sure my body was facing him to start a conversation, just like how Geraldine taught me. “Why are you here drinking alone?”

He had no hesitation when he flashed his eyes down on my bare crossed thighs.

“What’s wrong with drinking alone?” he said in response.

“Oh, you’re no fun!” I roared.

The right corner of his mouth curved up at what I said.

When my whiskey was served to me, I took a sip on it. A guy came to the counter and sat on the seat next to mine. I am very aware of how that brown-haired guy steals a glance on my bare thighs now and then.

“So what’s your name?” I asked the prince.

I caught him glancing at something on my back. He seemed unfocused but answered anyway. “Neuron.”

I cackled. “You’re kidding. You mean you’re a nerve cell?” I can’t hide the fact that his name sounded so funny to me.

When I was told about his name, I thought it was funny. But hearing it directly from him made me crack up.

He narrowed his eyes on me. “Fun fact. Your body can’t function without neurons.”

“That’s not even a fun fact,” I whined.

“I’m Neuron, but if you don’t like my name, then you can call me baby.”

“W-what?” I didn’t mean to but I stuttered. Like what the f--k!

And then we both laughed at his greasy pick-up line.

But his uneasiness started to become more visible.

What is wrong with him? Am I making him uncomfortable? Uh-oh. This is not good. I ought to make him befriend me.

He suddenly took off his coat then he covered my thighs with his coat.

“What are you doing?” I enquired almost in an annoyed tone.

He keeps glancing at my back. I turned around to see what he’s looking at. And it's the brown-haired guy. I raised my eyebrows at him because he looks like a creepy pervert openly glancing on my thighs without feeling any shame.

“Your dress really suits you,” Neuron explained which made me face him again. “But I don’t want you cold.”

I stopped myself from grinning. What a lame excuse. I know he just doesn't want that brown-haired guy feasting over my bare thighs.

So it’s fine if he’s the one looking? But not fine if other guys are looking? Territorial... I like that.

“What’s your name by the way,” he said.

“I’m Rathna,” I answered. “But if you don’t like my name, then you can call me baby too.” I imitated what he said earlier.

When our eyes met each other we both chortled and then completely let out our laugh. We clink our glasses and drink together that night.

I never realized how much I drank already. I never expected to enjoy his company so much. He’s so fun to talk to that I found myself enjoying our conversations without even reminding myself about my mission. I sat there laughing over his lame dad jokes.

“Do you know what type of tree grows people, and not fruits?”

“What? That’s impossible! There’s nothing like that,” I stated.

“Yes there is,” he insisted.

“What do--”

“Coun-tree.”

For the nth time, I laughed.

Even the bartender and some of the servers were listening to him from the other side of the counter. They also laugh whenever I laugh over his silly jokes. I supposed, they already know him since he’s a regular here.

I never planned to get drunk. But I got drunk.

I never planned to pass out. But I passed out.

I never planned to sleep beside him.

But I woke up the next morning on his bed. Inside his bedroom.