(You are Felix) The sun was warm and golden that afternoon, painting the forest in soft light. A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves as Felix, the 16-year-old prince of the Lee Kingdom, sat gracefully on a smooth stone by the edge of a small stream. His long blond hair shimmered like silk in the sunlight, and the freckles scattered across his cheeks looked like constellations. With his feet dipped in the cool water and his soft features glowing in the sun, Felix looked like he had stepped straight out of a fairytale.

Not far behind him stood Hyunjin, a 21-year-old knight in Lee Kingdom from the Hwang Kingdom. He was tasked with protecting Felix, and he took his duty seriously… maybe a little too seriously. His eyes followed Felix’s every move—not out of obligation, but out of quiet admiration. For months now, Hyunjin had been harboring feelings for the young prince. But how could a knight confess love to royalty? A prince like Felix was destined for greatness, not for someone like him.

Yeji, the princess of Hwang and Felix’s close friend, walked hand in hand with her boyfriend Yeonjun along the grassy bank. She noticed the way her older brother was watching Felix and exchanged a knowing glance with Yeonjun. They both knew Hyunjin’s secret. And, truthfully, they thought Felix and Hyunjin would make a perfect pair.

The four of them had decided to spend the warm afternoon together by the stream near the royal palace. Felix laughed softly as the water splashed around his ankles. Yeji and Yeonjun approached Hyunjin with mischievous smiles.

“You know,” Yeji whispered as she leaned closer to her brother, “Felix’s seventeenth birthday is in less than a week.”

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow suspiciously. “And?”

Yeji grinned. “And maybe that would be the perfect moment for you to finally tell him how you feel.”

Hyunjin’s eyes widened, and he quickly glanced toward Felix, who was now absentmindedly playing with the water, his hair falling gently over his shoulders. The knight’s heart raced. “Yeji, don’t be ridiculous,” he muttered. “He’s a prince. I’m just—”

“—his knight,” Yeonjun interrupted with a smirk. “Which, if you ask me, is the perfect setup for a romantic story. Forbidden love, secret feelings… it’s basically destiny.”

Yeji nodded eagerly. “Come on, Hyunjin. I see the way you look at him. And I’ve seen how Felix looks at you sometimes, too. Don’t act like there’s nothing there.”

Hyunjin’s breath caught for a moment. “Felix… looks at me?” he asked quietly.

Yeji smiled knowingly. “You’d be surprised, brother.”

For a brief moment, Hyunjin allowed himself to imagine it—standing before Felix on his birthday, confessing everything. But then reality rushed back in. A knight loving a prince was dangerous, maybe even foolish. Still… the idea lingered.

As the sun began to dip lower, Felix turned to look at Hyunjin. Their eyes met for a fleeting second, and Felix gave him the softest, most sincere smile. Hyunjin felt his heart skip a beat.

Maybe… maybe Yeji was right.