❛ 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 ❜ | jsc

8

aera was sitting on the familiar balcony, the one on which she spent most of her days on, the one where she had met prince sungchan for the first time.

he had been growing on her, running around in her mind, but now that she had found out the truth about his identity, he had been on her mind even more than before. it almost made her crazy how much thoughts about him floated around in her mind.

she had always assumed by the rumors that the prince was a cold person but the sungchan that she got to know was charming, laidback and sometimes a little bit awkward, but it amused her.

she tilted her head to stare into the clouds in the sky, her hand still clutching the small box that sungchan had lost the day she had found out he was a prince. after he stood up, the box layed there on the bench. she hadn't opened it, wanting to respect his privacy, but she was curious as to what it held.

she had went to the balcony several times a day since the moment she picked up the box, hoping to see him again. she had even visited the training grounds and asked haechan about him, but still she hadn't seen him since.

it was a little odd for her to be waiting around for someone like this, let alone a boy. but something deep inside told her to wait for the prince, even though she didn't know why.

maybe it was because she thought so much about him, even when she woke up, the first thought that came to mind was about him. sometimes, she even dreamed about him.

she was inexplicably drawn to him with a sensation that she had never felt before. when a presence appeared behind her on the balcony, she turned a around to see the person she had been waiting for.

"my prince." she said in a teasing tone as he sat down next to her.

"you aren't allowed to talk to the royal family." sungchan shot back. when he saw her shocked expression, he let out a laugh. "i'm just joking."

"you could've just told me you were the prince you know, it doesn't make a difference to me." aera told him, with a look of betrayal.

sungchan sighed. "it does to me. whenever i attach the title of a prince to myself, i feel so much weight on my shoulders. i hate it."

"i'll just call you sungchan then, or sung." aera smiled understandingly. "so why are you here? since the royal family isn't allowed here" she shot back at him, sticking out her tongue.

sungchan laughed at her. "haechan told me you were looking for me today when i was at the training grounds." he told her, biting his inner cheek. "i'm sorry for not talking to you anymore, i thought you might not want to see me anymore after you found it who i really was."

aera gave him a side glance. "for some reason i feel like i would do anything to see you. i know it's weird since he only met so short ago."

sungchan's eyes widened. "you really feel that way for me?"

aera nodded curiously, not knowing if sungchan had been feeling the same about her.

"oh you dropped this by the way" aera said to change the subject and she handed him the small box.

sungchan took the box, frowning. "oh yeah, thank you." he forced a smile at her. "you didn't open it right?"

aera shook her head. "no i don't want to invade your privacy."

"so you aren't even a tiny bit curious of what's inside?" he teased her.

aera laughed, crinkling her eyes. "of course i'm curious, i just didn't want to-"

aera was cut off when sungchan abruptly opened the box, revealing the beautiful ring that was to be adorned on his fiance's finger.

for some reason, aera felt her heart break to pieces. it was a really weird feeling to her since she wasn't even in love with sungchan, all she knew about him was his name and yet she felt crushed.

"it's really pretty, who's the lucky girl?" aera brought out, hurt seen in her eyes and faking a smile.

sungchan stared at her indescribable expression, and suddenly changed his mind about everything he had previously believed. "i'm in an arranged marriage. i don't have a choice, but i don't want to marry her, i want to find my soulmate."

aera's eyes softened. "could i maybe see your mark?"she asked timidly, wanting to see.

she would be the first person that he had ever shown his mark willingly to. he stared at her with doubt before slowly lifting up his sleeve, revealing the small mark.

it was a dove, simple but beautifully etched onto his skin and aera gasped when she saw the mark, yanking up her own sleeve to stare down at her own soulmate mark.

sungchan stared at her mark too, in awe. could it possibly be a coincidence that they had the same marks, or had she been living under his nose this entire time?

he looked at her before looking back at the mark once again, slowly moving his hand to her mark. when his finger merely grazed her skin, a bright light emitted from both of their marks and then disappeared again.

"it's you." sungchan breathed out, feeling total shock. "it's been you all along"

aera couldn't speak. he was too close for her to function properly, she could only stare at his eyes.

those gorgeous eyes