[Music Recommendation: "Usui Takumi" theme (Kaichou wa Maid-sama OST)-available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in a loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter ~

While chatting with each other, laughing and crying, we didn't notice that several hours already passed. If it wasn't for Kaiden who arrived at the garden with an unamused expression, we wouldn't know that the party was already coming to a close!

"Great. While you're all here having fun, I was dragged to greet almost every single guest as if I was the birthday celebrant," Kaiden complained. "And you all are here having fun. How nice."

"We're not actually having fun you idiot brother. Hmf!" Crystal answered, rolling her eyes. "And besides, you need to socialize, Mr. Heir."

"Same goes for you, Ms. Heiress. I'm not taking over everything. I have my own company to build. So you do the rest."

"What? No! I want to be a model and actress. I won't—"

Kaiden raised his right arm, signalling Crystal to shut up. Crossing his arms, he asked in a serious tone, "So, care to tell me what's really going on? You've all been gone for hours. What happened?"

His gaze fell onto me after like a strict teacher wanting proper answers. He's most likely doubting Callan and Crystal would give proper answers so he's turning to me.

"You were supposed to go to Verrill's room, right?" he asked, pushing me to spill it.

I glanced over Crystal and Callan. Crystal sighed and Callan shrugged his shoulders. Oh well, it seemed that it was up to me to decide. If it's Kaiden, I guess it was fine to tell him. And so, I told him what happened.

"Pft! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! You like Verrill?" Kaiden laughed out loud, much to our surprise. "That Verrill? What did you see in him?"

"What the—you hateful, stupid brother! What's wrong with that? Verrill is very kind, gentle, and caring… he's a total prince! A perfect prince! Unlike you! You evil, grumpy, loathsome brother! Hmf!" Crystal fumed in anger. She even stood up in her seat.

"If that's your reason, you're blinded," Kaiden chuckled, trying to stop himself from laughing.

"Huh?!" Crystal was dumbfounded. "What do you mean?"

"Out of the three of us, Callan would be the closest to your imaginary kind and caring prince, and Verrill would be the farthest. He's the most evil and savage among us! It just doesn't show since he's mostly silent."

Our eyes widened in disbelief.

"You're kidding."

"No way!"

Crystal and I chorused. Verrill? Evil? Did I just leave my best friend in the hands of someone untrustworthy? I gasped and worried over Hora in an instant.

Kaiden shook his head and smirked, looking as if he remembered some nasty memory.

"He'd make a perfect assassin or spy. No one would suspect him since he looked so kind with that angelic smile of his. But it's true. He really is the most savage one."

"Hmm… now that you mention it," Callan pondered. It seemed that he, too, remembered something awful about him.

"Yeah. One sample was whenever he gets confessions from girls. When he's feeling merciful, he would just say 'Sorry, you're not my type' or 'I don't like you. Go like someone else' or 'I'm not interested', 'You're ugly', 'You're fat', 'You failed at this and that exams'. And what's worse is that he would say all those things while using his angelic smile. It's like his words and facial expression don't match."

"You're lying." Crystal argued. "He's not like that."

"But it's true. Ask Callan."

Crystal turned to Callan.

"Aahhh… Well… There is one instance where I saw him like that."

"And what exactly did he say?"

"Ahmm… actually it's worse."

Sweat formed on Callan's forehead from all the stared Crystal was giving her.

"Worse in what way?"

"H-he told the girl to… hop ten times, then twirl around, and say 'Woof'. And when the girl did it, he said 'Awww. That's so stupid of you to follow me. I don't like stupid people, sorry.' A-and then, the girl cried and ran away."

This time, I'm the one who jolted from my seat.

"I-is this true? H-hora! I left her with him! I should—"

"Don't worry, she's gonna be fine," Kaiden assured me. "Verrill only says and does those nasty things to people he doesn't know or like. He is kind to friends like us. And more specially kind to a girl he likes. I noticed he likes Hora so there's nothing for you to worry about."

Ouch. He shouldn't have said that. Crystal would get hurt. I just told him what happened and he knew that she liked him. Kaiden, you bully brother.

"Also, Crystal, my dear stupid sister, you don't really like Verrill."

"What did you just say? I have liked him since childhood!"

"If you really do, you wouldn't have gifted him a watch."

"Huh? B-but he liked the watch. He smiled at me and thanked me."

Kaiden shook his head.

"He's not fond of accessories, especially anything around his wrists. He loves music so anything that hinders or makes his wrists and hand uncomfortable is a big no. It affects the way he plays."

Crystal was shocked. Thinking about it, Kaiden was right, though. I did notice earlier that Verrill didn't like her gift. But he was so happy with Hora's gift.

"You claim you like him but you don't even know that. It seems to me that you're just in love with the idea of him being the princely person you want, not the actual him as a person. Mother said that's important. You may want to talk to her sometimes."

"But… but…" Crystal couldn't refute him. Her eyes began to tear up again.

"Accept it and move on," Kaiden strictly said. "Stop deluding over him and look for a guy who will love you as you are. And you should do the same. Love the person, not the appearance, or what you think he is. Not everyone is perfect. They will have flaws. And the one you love despite the flaws will be your true love. At least that's what mother says."

Crystal sobbed. "Since when were you talking with mother about love stuff? Sniff… Sniff… I get it. I'll move on. Besides, he doesn't like me so it's useless."

"Crystal…"

Callan and I tried to comfort her. But Kaiden came over instead and hugged her, much to my surprise. I didn't know he could be a sweet brother.

"There, there," he said, patting her head. "Next time, don't just fall for the smiles and looks. They could be deceiving."

Haaah…. And with that, Verrill's birthday party concluded. We all went to the guest rooms to take some rest. I shared the room with Crystal and made sure she got some sleep. She deserved it after all the crying and heartbreaks. I was unable to visit Hora though. I hope she's fine. Verrill wouldn't do anything nasty to her, right? I'll trust what Kaiden said.