After two years

Everland Park

Giggling and peals of laughter bounced along the dense trees and colorful flowers. Children ran all around while a woman chaste after them in a blindfold.

"Here!' Here!" hollered the children.

"Here, Miss Waltz!" another girl giggled, running and hiding from the approaching Lilybella.

"Tehehehe. You better ran before I catch you," Lilybella said, tongue licking her lips. Her hands were extending, feeling her surroundings as she took tiny steps.

When her hands felt something, she flung herself forward and laughed. "Ha! I've got you now! Ready for Lilybella's ultimate attack! The tickle tickle beam!"

Ahahahaha!

All the children laughed so hard. Their bodies bent, hands clutching their stomachs when Lilybella tickled a tree.

"How unladylike," said a man inside a car parked near the park. He then looked at the man beside him. "My Prince, we've been spying on Miss Waltz for some time now. Is this enough proof that she is not fit for nobility? What she's doing is against the rules of a noble lady. Should we . . . blah . . . blah . . . blah . . ."

Daniel ignored his guard and continued to watch Lilybella. He didn't know where the hell his guard got the idea that they were spying on her to obtain proof of her breaking the rules of nobility.

Well . . . what he was doing was indeed spying, but that's not the point. He didn't know that they have rules for a noble lady not to play with children. It must be his guard's prejudice—the imaginary rules for a noble lady.

Daniel took another intake of air. Why was he spying again? Ah right . . . because of that.

That bento box Lilybella took out and shared with the kids.

His stomach growled like there was no tomorrow, and saliva dripped from the side of his mouth. When was the last time he had that kind of reaction? A long, long time. Ever since Lilybella left, all food was bland. He thought Lilybella put something in his food and even went to a specialist. But all results were normal.

What was he feeling, then? What kind of hunger was he feeling whenever he saw her?

It was not normal.

And he came to the point that dignity and status were shit compared to his hunger.

"Ah! Your Highness, where are you going?"

His guard called, but Daniel just got out of the car and never looked back. His eyes were turning red, not straying from the food in Lilybella's hand. He had to have it, or he'd die!

"Your Highness?"

Daniel stopped at that familiar yet distant voice. His eyes then went into Lilybella's stunned yet astonished face. All the children scattered at the arrival of a stranger while some went ahead and played with each other.

But Daniel overlooked that. All his eyes took in was hers. Were her eyes always this beautiful? They were big and shiny and . . . full of emotions that took his breath away.

There were many things he wanted to say to her, but all he managed was, "Can I have some of that?"

"Eh?" Lilybella blinked before she scooted over to make space for him and hurried, "Of course, Your Highness. Please have some."

Daniel didn't think and just sat and gobbled everything that Lilybella handed to her. He was in a desert for a long time, aimlessly looking for an oasis. And when he found it after two years, his head spin for a few seconds until he felt like he was floating.

It was so good he might cry!

Daniel flinched when all the food in the box was clean to the last morsel.

"Do you want another serving, your Highness? Though I have to go back home and prepare one for you."

Daniel cleared his throat and fixed his lapel. "Ah no," he said, a bit disoriented, couldn't look Lilybella in the eyes.

"Are you . . . *cough." Daniel coughed between his fists and cleared his throat. "Forgive me for my lack of manners."

"It's okay, your Highness. Lilybella is not into formalities anyway."

"Right . . . So how are you this past two years?"

Lilybella's head tilted to one side and smiled. "Lilybella has been well. She's been into different communities in Everland and is cooking for the children in the orphanage. Lilybella is also a volunteer teacher and . . . and . . . ," Lilybella enumerated with her fingers.

But Daniel wasn't listening. Was her face glowing, or was it the sun? How could her lips be so cute and her voice so soothing? Was he still hungry that he was hallucinating?

"Your Highness?

Daniel blinked. "Y-yeah?"

"Lilybella asked how you're doing these past years?"

Daniel just looked at her before he set his eyes forward. "Nothing much. I was in Burberry for the past two years until I graduated and moved back here. And now I'm doing my duties as the Prince of this country while learning to take over the throne."

"Oh! Your Highness seems so busy."

"Kind of."

"Does your Highness want another box? I could prepare it for you."

Daniel looked at the empty box in his hand and shook his head. "No. I don't want to trouble you."

Lilybella clapped her hands. "No. Of course it's no trouble. Lilybella is happy as long as your Highness is happy."

"Eh?" Daniel's head flung towards Lilybella, "Do you mean it?"

"Eh?" Lilybella's eye rounded in surprised by Daniel's reaction. "Of course. Because your Highness is the Prince of this country, it's Lilybella's honor to make you happy."

". . ." Daniel turned to stone. He didn't know why he felt ill all of a sudden.

"I . . . I see . . ." Daniel muttered after some time.

Lilybella got up to her feet, smiled, and bowed. "Well then, your Highness. It's starting to get dark, and Lilybella needs to go back home to prepare dinner."

Lilybella then walked towards the exit when Daniel called her name.

She stopped and turned to him, who was walking to her with a serious face.

"Your Highness?" she said. Her smile never left her face.

"There is . . . there is something that only you could do to make me really happy," Daniel said in all seriousness.

"Me?" Lilybella pointed a finger at herself when Daniel stopped just inches from her.

Daniel's eyes reflected Lilybella's face. It took two years for him to realize that his mother was right. He didn't know what he felt for her was true or not or if it was just because of her skills in cooking. Mostly because of her skills in cooking. But these past years that he lost his taste, he realized he would do anything to eat her cooking every day.

"Lilybella Waltz, will you be my fiancée again and be my Queen when the time comes?"

Yes, even marrying her. The crazy, chubby woman who won his heart through his stomach.

. . .

. . .

Lilybella blinked many times that she lost count. She then flashed her signature toothy smile, and beamed.

"Of course . . . Lilybella will not marry you."

Daniel's expression dropped, and he turned into stone once more.

Lilybella hopped backward. "Lilybella still liked your Highness, but Lilybella don't want to feel that feeling when you threw me away."

Lilybella grinned, eyes closing like a crescent as she smiled her brightest.

"And besides, Lilybella found something she wanted to do. Lilybella doesn't want to be the Queen anymore. Lilybella just wants to play with children and baked and cook. Lilybella couldn't do that when she is the Queen after all."

". . ."

"Well then. It was nice meeting you, your Highness," she said when Daniel remained like a statue. She waved her hand and walked towards the direction of her house, skipping as she did.

. . .

. . .

"M-my Prince?" the guard said when Daniel just remained stationary on his spot for a whole ten minutes. He waved his hand in front of Daniel's face and recoiled when he suddenly laughed.

Daniel laughed so hard he bent over. He then looked at his guard with a glint in his eyes. It was like his lethargic body was boosted with energy.

"If I became King, I could change the rules, right?" he asked, though he was not really asking.

"Eh?" The guard's sunglasses skewed on his nose before he straightened it in place. "Of course, your Highness. Though you have to get the other––"

"Right. Father is old. It won't be long and he will pass the throne to me," Daniel said, a grin spreading across his face as he looked in Lilybella's direction.

"Until then. I guess I'm the one who's doing the chasing now."