Chapter 30 — The First Meeting with the prince
Morning settled gently over the city, slow and pale, as if the world were holding its breath for what was about to unfold. The Hanma Studio building, usually lively with the day's early routines, carried an unusual tension — the kind that gathers before a storm. Lights were already on. Stylists hurried in with brushes tucked behind ears, assistants lugged boxes of equipment, security staff checked badges twice instead of once.
Something was different today.
Everyone felt it.
For the first time in years, the studio's walls seemed too small for the importance of the moment.
---
Inside the Studio — Early Preparations
The meeting room door opened sharply, and the studio manager stepped out with a clipboard pressed against her chest. She wasn't walking — she was slicing through the air, purposeful and controlled. Every staff member straightened instinctively.
"We'll begin with full studio lockdown at eight," she said. "Security at every entrance. No unauthorized personnel. And send a message to the stylists again: absolutely no phone pictures today. Not even by mistake."
A junior stylist nodded so fast her bun nearly fell apart.
"And," the manager continued, "when Miss Miyahara Yume arrives, maintain professional silence. No gossip. No fangirling. We treat her with respect, but we do not let her control the environment. Today the priority is Haruya-sama."
Those last words carried weight — a reminder that even a world-famous celebrity was nothing compared to the value of a single boy in this society.
Outside the meeting room, models whispered among themselves.
"Is it true she's coming? Miyahara Yume? The Miyahara Yume?"
"I heard she practically begged for the meeting…"
"No… she invested hundreds of millions just for access."
"Is she crazy?"
"No. She saw his photos. That's enough reason."
A silence followed, filled with jealousy and awe in equal parts.
A makeup artist murmured, "I wonder how she'll react when she sees him in person."
Someone replied quietly, "She'll lose her composure. Every woman does."
---
Miyahara Yume — The Queen of acting industry Arrives
Far across the city, a polished black car rolled out of a private underground garage. Inside sat Miyahara Yume, the woman everyone called the nation's eternal muse — but today, she didn't feel like a muse.
She felt like a nervous girl.
Her team sat around her in silence, sensing the shift in her mood. She wasn't usually like this. Yume, who controlled press conferences with a tilt of her chin. Yume, who shut down rumors with a single smile. Yume, who never lowered her guard.
But today she kept touching her earrings, smoothing her hair, adjusting her sleeves — small, delicate movements that betrayed a flutter of excitement and something close to fear.
Her stylist whispered, "Miss Yume… your makeup is already perfect. You look stunning. There's no need to fix anything."
Yume exhaled softly.
"I know," she said. "It's just… this is the first time I'm meeting him."
The car went silent. Even her team knew the weight behind those words.
She had seen his photographs.
She had seen his expression — serene, soft, yet somehow powerful.
A boy with the kind of beauty that didn't just stand out — it pulled you in like gravity.
Her heart beat a little faster remembering that shot where he had looked away from the camera, eyes soft, lips barely parted.
She pressed her hand against her chest, cheeks warming with the smallest, most private blush.
"What am I even nervous about…" she whispered.
But the question answered itself.
Because she wasn't meeting a fellow model.
She wasn't meeting a co-star.
She wasn't meeting an equal.
She was meeting a boy in a world where boys were almost myth-like in rarity.
And a beautiful one at that.
Her fingers curled.
"I must stay calm," she murmured.
Yet she knew calm was the last thing she would be.
---
Studio Entrance — A Queen Steps In
At precisely 9:12 a.m., the studio doors opened, and Miyahara Yume stepped inside.
The air shifted immediately.
Stylists froze mid-step; interns stopped breathing; even the coffee machine seemed to quiet itself. She walked with a gentle grace, wearing a light pastel coat that made her glow, her heels clicking softly against the tiles like a measured melody.
Everyone bowed.
"Welcome, Miss Miyahara."
"We're honored by your presence."
She smiled politely, but her eyes moved with purpose — searching, scanning, waiting.
"Where is he?"
The question wasn't spoken aloud, but every thought inside her carried it.
The manager approached with calm professionalism. "Miss Yume, we've prepared a private room for you. And our staff thanks you again for completing the legal agreements so promptly."
Yume gave a composed nod, though a faint pink touched her cheeks.
"It was no trouble. Truly."
The manager led her inside, but even as Yume walked, she couldn't focus on the room. She kept adjusting her breathing, steadying her hands.
Because soon…
Very soon…
She would see him.
---
Meanwhile — Haruya Leaves Home
Back at home, Haruya stood in front of the mirror, fixing the collar of his light shirt. He felt good today — awake, refreshed, and honestly excited. His modeling post going viral hadn't scared him; in fact, part of him found it amusing.
"So even celebrities want to meet me now…"
He chuckled softly.
This world really was insane.
He grabbed his bag, and before leaving, he whispered to himself:
"Let's do our best today."
He stepped outside, and his two bodyguards followed, opening the car door like they always did. The morning light brushed his face in a soft glow, making him look almost ethereal without meaning to.
He didn't try to look beautiful — he simply was.
---
Haruya Arrives at the Studio
At exactly 9:28 a.m., Haruya stepped through the white studio doors.
The instant he entered, the atmosphere cracked like glass.
Stylists straightened.
Makeup artists gaspedquietly.
Models froze mid-conversation and turned slowly toward him.
It was the same every time — a wave of silent, instinctive awe.
But today, there was something different hidden inside that silence:
Miyahara Yume.
She was just around the corner, listening to the footsteps, feeling the shift in the room's air as if the universe had realigned itself.
The manager whispered, "Miss Yume… he's here."
Yume's breath caught.
Her hand, resting on the armchair, tightened.
Her heart thumped in a soft, betraying rhythm.
"May I… see him?"
Even her voice wavered slightly — something none of her staff had ever heard.
The manager nodded.
"Whenever you're ready."
Yume inhaled once, twice, then stepped out of the room.
Slowly.
Gracefully.
Almost fearfully.
---
The First Meeting — A Moment That Stopped Time
Haruya stood near the center of the studio, greeting the stylists with a small smile. The lights illuminated him gently, giving him a calm presence that felt impossible to ignore.
And then—
Footsteps.
Soft.
Measured.
Approaching from behind the curtain divider.
Everyone turned.
The room shifted into complete silence.
Miyahara Yume stepped into view — but for once in her life, it wasn't her who commanded attention.
Her eyes found him instantly.
The moment she saw him, her entire expression broke.
Her pupils widened.
Her breath hitched.
Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink.
She looked like a queen who had just forgotten she was royalty.
And Haruya…
When he noticed her staring, he smiled lightly, calm and warm, no tension, no fear.
"Hello," he said politely.
That simple greeting hit her like a pulse of electricity.
For a split second, Yume forgot her training, forgot her poise, forgot every practiced camera-ready expression she'd maintained for years.
She bowed—
Too fast.
Too low.
Too shy.
"I–I'm honored to meet you," she said, voice strangely soft.
The staff exchanged stunned glances.
The nation's biggest star…
The woman who never bowed to anyone…
Was flustered.
Haruya blinked, a little surprised by her reaction.
"It's nice to meet you too, Miss Miyahara," he said with an easy smile.
That smile nearly made her knees weaken.
Inside her mind, her thoughts spiraled:
He's even more beautiful in person.
That smile… how is it so gentle?
I have to stay composed… no, I'm losing it… calm, Yume, calm…
She tried to hide her blush by turning slightly away, but it only made it worse because the staff clearly noticed.
Someone whispered,
"She's blushing…"
Another whispered,
"She's actually nervous…"
Yume wanted to glare at them, but she couldn't even gather the strength.
Her eyes kept returning to Haruya, drawn to him like a tide pulled by the moon.
---
Their First Conversation — Quiet, Soft, Full of Hidden Tension
The manager guided them to a quiet corner so they could speak privately.
Haruya bowed slightly. "Thank you for taking time to visit."
Yume shook her head too fast.
"N-No, it's nothing. I'm the one who… who wanted to meet you."
Wanted.
The word hung in the air.
Yume realized it too late and quickly corrected herself.
"I mean— I admired your photos. They were… extraordinary."
"You think so?" Haruya said, smiling again.
That smile obliterated the last piece of her composure.
She looked down, covering her mouth lightly with her fingers as her cheeks warmed.
"I don't say things lightly," she whispered. "You have… an aura that the camera loves. It feels real."
Haruya felt a pleasant warmth at the compliment.
"I'm glad you think so."
For a moment, they simply held each other's gaze — one calm and gentle, the other flustered and quietly overwhelmed.
If someone dropped a pin in the studio, the sound would have echoed.
---
Staff Reaction — Quiet Shock
Behind them, stylists whispered like a chorus:
"She's in love…"
"No, she's just stunned."
"Look at her face. She's completely smitten."
"I've never seen her blush in her entire career."
"She's gone. She's absolutely gone."
The manager pinched the bridge of her nose.
This was going to be a complicated day.
---
Final Moments Before the Shoot
Yume steadied her breathing and finally found a small thread of confidence.
"May I… watch your shoot?" she asked.
"Of course," Haruya said gently. "I don't mind."
She nodded, relief washing over her features.
"Thank you. Truly."
Their eyes met again — brief, soft, full of something neither of them could name yet.
The lights of the studio warmed.
Assistants began preparing the setup.
A soft current flowed through the air.
And just like that…
The day officially began.
But something had already changed.
Something gentle.
Something intense.
Something inevitable.
Between the quiet boy with the rare smile…
And the nation's most beloved star who had forgotten how to breathe.
— To be continued.
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Author Note 📝
(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡
Hello my dear readers!
IT'S your author king_fuzu here.
I wanted to ask you something today.
Now that Miyahara Yume has finally entered the story… what do you think about her character and personality so far?
Do you like how she acts?
Do you enjoy her shy side around Haruya?
Or do you prefer her confident celebrity aura?
Tell me your thoughts!
Your opinions really help me shape how she will grow in the next chapters.
Thank you for reading! 💖