✓ the hooded princess • kim seungmin

s i x t e e n

"I still need to go down there."

"If it is about Mina then forget about it!" Eunji raised her voice, immediately shutting up the princess. "She's gone for nine years now so move on. There's no use if you're still practicing sword fighting or visit her house down there. Let the past go." 

The room filled with silence after that. Only Eunji's slightly heavy breathing and a sound of pen dropping could be heard.

Tears began to pool in Eunkyung's eyes. "I told you not to bring that up."

"What matters now is your safety. Yoongi is out there being hid for his safety to inherit the kingdom. Don't let yourself being hid too, please. Just do whatever father ask you to."

The King remained silent as he watched his two daughters. One filled with tears, one pleaded the youngest. He exhaled and pursed his lips. He then chimed a bell. A maid came in shortly after.

"Invite the lead knight, Lee Minhyuk up here, please."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." the lady bowed before walking out.

"I am not forbidding you from going to school or do any activities," he spoke up. "But you are not allowed to go anywhere without our permission. If you want to be with Han Jisung, I allow you. But never go down there with him, or anywhere alone with him at night after seven. You will also have Kim Seungmin with you, like usual."

Before Eunkyung could say anything, Eunji beat her onto it. "What about the sword fighting class?"

"That is still not allowed."

"And if she goes there? Or anywhere without permission?"

"We will have to send you away to where Yoongi is now or ground you for awhile."

Eunkyung's breath hitched at that. No, being sent away to where his brother was is not terrifying but to live apart from her family does. Also, she'd have a bad image of a princess for being sent away by her family. She didn't want that.

A knock was heard and a man with a bulky figure walked in. "Your Majesty,"

"The villagers will be under Yoon Jeonghan's horsemen starting tomorrow. We will send investigators to look into the forest and check from house to house. There will be patrols at night and they all will be living separately at each corner of the village starting next week. I am going to hold a meeting tomorrow morning regarding to this matter."

"Note that, Your Majesty."

Eunkyung harshly wiped her tears.

She couldn't believe this.

Kim Seungmin.

༆

"What a beautiful Thursday morning to see you frowning, dear princess," Jisung bowed when crossed path with a grumpy Eunkyung that morning. "How's the progress of our art? Do you have any ideas?"

The princess did not reply anything before slamming the locker, startling the poor guy. He immediately sealed his mouth shut and blinked his big eyes for a few times.

Eunkyung examined him from down to up.

He looked different from yesterday.

"Not yet."

Jisung let out an invisible breath that he was holding. When the girl started walking, he caught up to her. "So are we going to the place after school again?"

Poor guy his question was not answered. Eunkyung looked so much angry as the time passed as if she did not want anyone to talk to her. With that Jisung sealed his mouth again until they reached the class.