✓ the hooded princess • kim seungmin

s e v e n t e e n

If what Seungmin said was true, she felt betrayed by everyone.

She felt like an outcast. After Mina's death she grieved for the longest time she could, and a few weeks after, Sonia died. The nine years old girl could not take all the loss so she was moved to the castle as what her family had wished. It took her a few months to go out from the castle and make friends with the people who lived at the hill that separate the royals with the villagers.

However when Jisung came they started to push her away without reasons. That's how she ended up with the guy until now.

She lost her first few friends and did not want to lose more. So she chose not to associate with anyone in the school. Without knowing, there are people silently watching after her.

Secrets by secrets were being told, but not yet revealed to her. She felt so left out. Somehow she thought that the secrets were the reason why things are happening right now.

The princess' life was hooded by veiled secrets.

Why she was attacked after nine years? Why didn't the culprit do it before?

Thoughts after thoughts came into her mind and her cries got louder. At this point she didn't care if Seungmin was going to tease her for crying. All she needed was just to cry it all out, though it was risky since they were practically skipping classes.

But Seungmin, being a gentleman he was, he pulled the girl into a hug, which none of them expected that to happen.

The guy wrapped his arms around her and rested one hand on top of her head. He gently patted it slowly as her cries were muffled in his chest. Seungmin didn't know what comes over him but he just thought the princess need it at the moment. Sometimes a hug helps.

He noticed how she'd cry everytime she thinks Jisung was behind all of this. She treasured him so much and being betrayed was the last thing she wanted.

Seungmin regretted for not approaching her earlier before Jisung did.

༆

"That's sad."

"I'm sorry."

Jisung hummed with his arms crossed over his chest while staring at the books on Eunkyung's table. "I can just stand there and talk to you."

The princess let out a forced laugh, "And shout while I'm walking? You're going to disturb the juniors." she said while packing her stuffs. "This is so unfortunate."

"What did you do with Seungmin until skipping morning classes though." Jisung wondered out loud. He then glanced to the empty seat in front of his place. Seungmin probably had gone to take the necessities for cleaning.

Cleaning.

Jisung stifled a laugh, "This is going to be the first time I'm seeing Seungmin being punished," then he turned back to Eunkyung. "With you."

Unfortunately, the first teacher who taught their class this morning had already crossed out their names as absent even their stuffs were there on the seats. Eunkyung and Seungmin got into class during the third period while there was no teacher but seeing the records in the book, the third lesson's teacher punished them for skipping classes.

This would be Eunkyung's first time, along with Seungmin. And the image of a princess probably will ruin the moment she's seen walking in the hallway with books on top of her head.

If only I didn't get too emotional earlier...

Lifting the books she picked from the library earlier, Eunkyung walked out with her stuffs. The books were all thick like a dictionary and there were four of them. The princess could only pray for her future.