Until Then (Stray Kids Hwang Hyunjin)

Four

Alex had never been one to enjoy fancy meals on dinner tables, so having one with a royal family she had never heard about was a nightmare for her.

Everyone would momentarily glance at her then turn to their food again except five certain people would stare at her longer.

Alex tried her hardest to fit in with the rest of them and eat in a posh manner like her mother had taught her to but couldn't help feeling insecure at all the stares.

"I heard about your condition," the man who stood at the end of the table spoke. Due to how everyone had to place their utensils down and stop eating as soon as he opened his mouth, Alex noted that he was the King. "Amnesia, was it?"

The lady beside him scowled but dared not say anything.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"What a shame you lost all your memories," The princess beside the woman scowling said with blatantly fake sympathy. "Does that mean you forgot your own mother?"

Everyone expected her to frown or at least show some sign of sadness but it was only the prince beside her who lived up to their expectations.

"M-my mother?" Alex asked.

"Wow, you really don't. Let's give a round of applause to the world's worst daughter. Must I remind you of what happened to your dear mother?" The princess sitting beside the other one that spoke up laughed.

"Stop it, Hyuna. This isn't a laughing matter," the prince beside her scolded before looking back at Alex. "I'm sorry for my rude sisters."

"Their your sisters?" Alex questioned and he nodded.

"Eunbyul is the one sitting beside the First Queen, she is the First Princess and Hyuna is the one beside me, she is the Fifth Princess."

"And you?"

"Huh?"

"Who are you?"

"Oh, I am Chan, the First Prince."

Alex nodded.

"It's a pleasure to meet you...although I am pretty sure we've known each other for a long time," Alex played along with her act but that only made the lady beside the King, who she guessed was a queen, scowl even more.

"I am the Second Prince, Woojin," the prince that was sitting beside Chan smiled warmly at her. "This is my sister Hana, the Second Princess and my brother, Seungmin, the Eighth Prince," he added. Hana also smiled warmly at Alex but Seungmin's wasn't as warm...nor was it much of a smile.

Alexandra turned her gaze to one of the princes with blond hair and he instantly smile.

"I am the Third Prince, Minho and my siblings will introduce themselves," he playfully said, earning a playful slap from the girl beside him and a glare from his brother.

"I am the Sixth Princess, Minjung and this is Yongbok, the Seventh prince," Minho's sister introduced both her and her brother.

"I am Seo Jiyeon, the Third Princess and my brother, Changbin over there is the Fourth Prince," a girl with short hair spoke, grinning widely at Alex.

"And I am Jisung, the Sixth Prince, my sister Yeji is the one sitting beside you, she is the Seventh Princess."

Alex smiled at each of the princes and princesses before her gaze landed on the boy beside her who hadn't introduced himself.

Chan sighed.

"He is Jeongin, the Ninth Prince," he introduced him.

Alex furrowed her eyebrows.

"Wait...so he has no siblings?" she asked and silence fell upon the table.

Everyone glanced at Jeongin briefly before going back to their breakfast.

Alex gazed across the table in utter confusion.

Well done, Alexandra. You messed up again.

But what exactly was wrong with what she said?

"May I excuse myself?" Jeongin asked, speaking for the first time that morning.

The King nodded slowly and the Ninth Prince hurried out of the dining hall.

Alex couldn't help feeling guilty but what exactly had she said to have everyone reacting like that?

"He does have a sibling," Yeji whispered quietly to Alex.

"Really? Did something bad happen to her? Where is she?" Alex whispered back.

Yeji sighed as she avoided eye contact with the girl.

"She lost her memories and forgot him," was all she responded with.

Alex furrowed her eyebrows.

"That's terrible..."

Yeji heaved another before finally looking at Alex, annoyance written all over her face.

"Are you honestly that dense? Or are you just pretending to be dumb?"

Alexandra's eyes widened at the princess's words and she instantly felt terrible. She was a burden once again.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Yeji asked, putting her gold eating utensil down and pushing her bowl away from her.

"I really don't...I'm sorry to be a burden and all. I'm just...so confused by everything."

Yeji huffed.

"Read between the lines, Suzy. You lost your memories, you forgot him."

Alex continued looking at her in confusion earning an annoyed sigh from Yeji again.

"I guess you really are dense. He has a sister, you are his sister."