Royalty | Vernon

Chapter 20 - Hiding

Byul's POV

Occasionally afterwards I had heart pains, for unknown reasons. It wasn't as bad as the first time but it pursued. Even doctors didn't find anything odd about my heart, only speculating it was a emotional pain, just that my brain signalled it as physical pain. I was going literally nuts at this unexplainable complications.

Since that day Vernon walked out of the hospital room, I regretted my actions and words.

Why is it that I still love him but I'm pushing him aside?

Now on the hospital bed I lay motionless, staring and boring holes into the ceiling. It has been a week and I was getting sick of seeing the same white four walls most of the time except for the daily walks in the park at the back of the building.

Time check: 4.35am in the morning.

I couldn't go to sleep.

Many thoughts swam around my mind.

Where are my kids? Why aren't they visiting me? With this I started jumping into scary conclusions like what if they were kidnapped or bullied by Soo Yeon.

I tossed and turn and the next thing I knew the sky was lighted up as the sun slowly rose above the horizon, it's rays peeking through the gaps of the curtains. I stood up and pushed the curtains aside, letting the rays hit my face.

I smiled a little as the sun appeared to be smiling at me. Looking far out, there were cars and people, an environment that took me a long time to get used to. Going to the supermarket was also a hassle back then when I first left the Castle.

The Castle...

It was like a dungeon, away from sociality, from humanity. Still there were many kids in the kindergarten Victor attended who wished they were Princes and Princesses when it wasn't all glorious at all.

Just as my mind was drifting off, the door to the hospital door opened, revealing Seokmin and Mingyu. I turned around to face them.

"Good news! You've been discharged as of now. You can go change. I brought you a set of clean clothes." Seokmin grinned from ear to ear as he ordered Mingyu to start packing. Seokmin handed me a bag of what I supposed was the set of new clothes he was talking about. I gladly accepted and entered the bathroom, finally being freed from the hospital gown.

Looking at myself properly for once in the bathroom mirror, I could see the changes in my face. It had sunken a little, my dark circles had, well, darkened. I looked haggard. This isn't me. The original me had the healthy glow.

"Hey, you done? You're taking some time in there? Why are you not answering!? Did you faint!?" Mingyu panicked. "Relax, I didn't. You were just paranoid and didn't give me time to give you a reply." I rolled my eyes as I slide open the bathroom door.

"Thank goodness." He placed a hand over his chest, mumbling to himself I barely caught on. "What did you say?" I asked. "N-nothing! Let's go!" He stammered before walking to join Seokmin who had just finished packing for me.

"Where are we going by the way?" I had this unsettling feeling in my gut I didn't want to acknowledge.

"Somewhere far away."

"That totally answered my question, Seokmin."

"It's Seokmin oppa, young lady."

"No."

*cue Mingyu's snickers*
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"Are we there yet? It's suffocating me!" I asked for the umpteenth time. Seokmin snapped his head back at me, scaring me as I had poked my head in between the two front seats of the car Mingyu was driving.

"For the umpteenth time, keep quiet, sit down, sleep if you want." Seokmin frowned at me before settling back into his seat. I slumped back down. This is kidnapping. I don't even know where we're going!

After another hour or so, a village was in sight. I look in bewilderment as I scanned the new environment. "Uhm why are we here?"

"For some time away from the city! Welcome to my grandmother's village." Seokmin spoke in a cheery voice, as if he's the tour guide of the village.

As soon as Mingyu parked the car, a crowd of people had crowded around. I instantly felt weird. It was a whole new environment and the people here consisted of mostly the elderly with few adults and children.

"Seokmin-ah! You've finally come to visit grandma!" An old lady a few inches shorter than Seokmin came to him to embrace him in a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh! And you must be Seokmin's girlfriend!" I was given a bone-crushing hug by the old lady, or Seokmin's grandma.

"Mingyu! My boy!" She gave Mingyu's back a few hard slaps, making Mingyu curl his body in pain. I couldn't help but giggle at the difference in treatment.

"What's your name, dear?"

"My name is Han Byul, it's nice meeting you for the first time." I bowed to her, giving her a warm smile which was reciprocated.

"Byul. You have a nice name. Now let me show you where you'll be staying. As I tour you around I'll tell you the way of life here as well as the rules and regulations. Shall we?"

"Sure."