*The sound of the door opening is always the same. The old bell rings once, and the wind brushes against the petals. That day, I looked up without any expectations.

And that was the moment.

Michael Kaiser. The Crown Prince of the Empire. A single breath was enough to recall that name.

Even in commoner's clothes, his presence could not be hidden. The natural distance he kept from others, the familiar silence, and the feeling that the world aligned itself around him.

Chloe was by his side. They shared the kind of space that only people who know each other perfectly can have. The moment I saw them, I knew. They were in love, and that love was already complete.

And yet.

The moment Kaiser's gaze landed on the flowers, my heart reacted first.

It wasn't because he was beautiful. His eyes didn't hold the indifference of someone accustomed to having everything, but rather the loneliness of someone catching their breath.

Our eyes met. It was brief. But in that single moment, I already understood everything.

This emotion is not permitted. This heart will not reach him. He will return, and I will remain here.

Nevertheless, I fell in love with him at first sight.

Before a single word was exchanged, before a flower was handed over, before even calling his name.

I loved a man, not a prince—a man I could never have.

From the moment he stepped into this flower shop, this story had already begun, predicated on the fact that it could never truly start.*