Royals. (Prince! Komaeda Nagito x Fem! Reader x Prince! Hajime Hinata)

34. The Garden Gift.

((This is my longest chapter to date, and also definitely one of my favorite ones. :)

Thank you so much for all of the support on the story, I appreciate it! Please leave a star if you enjoy, as it motivates me to keep updating my works!))

I slipped into the red dress with the help of my attendants, taking a moment to bask in the glory of the garmet. It fit me like a glove, and it was beautifully made, albeit almost too nicely made.

I did not have much time to question it, however, as after I had finished getting ready, it was time to meet my secret admirer at "our spot".

I began to make my way to the rose garden, the sound of my pumping blood ringing in my ears as I walked. Every step felt like an eternity, but I was determined to at least show my face to whoever had left that note.

Once outside, I began to notice a familiar silhouette standing near the center of the garden. Sure enough, Prince Nagito stood front and center, his white outfit sprinkled with red accents that matched me. It all seemed perfect, too perfect, the way our outfits were designed to mimic each other.

Once I came into view, the prince greeted me with a bow that seemed to linger for a moment too long. Hesitantly, I curtsied back, anxiously waiting for him to break the silence.

And luckily, he did. "You look beautiful tonight, as always."

I felt my face flush at his words, though I fought my hardest not to get swept away by his sweet talk.

"Thank you for coming to meet me tonight, lady (y/n)," he continued, thankfully saving me the awkwardness of replying to his compliment. "I apologize for letting you know on such short notice, but I hope the surprise I left for you made up for it."

I stood there blankly for a moment before realizing he was referring to the dress. I quickly choked out a reply. "Oh, that is alright, your majesty! The surprise was lovely, thank you."

I watched as his lips curled into a wry smile, the prince seemingly disappointed in my answer.

"Lady (y/n), do you recall our conversation the other day?" He suddenly asked me, steely gaze boring into me.

I promise you.

Well, there was no use lying about it. "I remember. You asked me if I would promise my loyalty to you."

And I said yes. I could not help but feel guilty about the entire situation, as the thought of Prince Hajime nagged at my mind. If he were to find out, he would surely be heartbroken, and I was unsure if I could live with causing the troubled prince any more despair than I already had.

Prince Nagito let out a cold chuckle, amused at my response. "Yes, yes. That is correct. Do you remember anything else about our conversation?"

Other than the fact that it was the last time I had seen the prince until that point, nothing came to mind. Thankfully, the white haired prince answered his own question for me.

"Well, I figured it was about time I held up a promise of my own," he continued. "You know, throughout this entire spouse search, I have had multiple opportunities to settle down. All it would take is a simple decision, and this entire operation would be over for good. But, you see, the thing is, I had already made up my mind in the very beginning."

"I know I have asked you for many things," he added, a small frown curling on to his lips. "Things that were unfair to you. I apologize for burdening you with my selfishness. I have only one more question to ask of you."

I felt my heart begin to accelerate as the prince reached in to his pocket, pulling out a small box covered in red velvet. Was this reality? It all began to happen so quickly, and I could hardly keep up.