^^hes close to being able to wink we are not safe
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Jungwon's POV
The song came to an end, and I bowed and kissed the top of Yena's hand, before standing up straight again. Her cheeks were all pink now. I chuckled softly. We had some small talk while dancing and got somewhat closer to each other.
"Ahem, your highness." I turned to see Heeseung hyung bowing at me.
"Heeseung. What brings you here?"
"The king is asking for you, your highness."
"Okay. Wait for me." I smiled slightly to Yena. She nodded and smiled back. Meanwhile, the other girls surrounding us had started glaring at her.
"He means the both of you." And my jaw dropped slightly. Huh? HUH??
"Oh....." And I turned to Yena. She looked slightly nervous and fiddled with her fingers.
"It's fine. I will go with you." She said softly.
"Okay." And I reached out my hand for hers. But just as she was about to accept it, another came and intercepted her.
"You-" I blocked Heeseung hyung from acting up.
"Sorry, but what business do you have with my sister?" It was Sunghoon. Of course.
"Oppa.. it's fine." Yena patted the skater's shoulder.
"You, shush. Now, your highness, What is it you want with my sister?" His cold eyes bore into mine. I've never met someone whonwas this brave to stare straight into a royals eyes before.
"We just danced. Now, my father is asking to see us." I simply replied.
"Oppa, it's fine. I can handle myself." Yena jabbed her brother with her elbow.
"No. You can't go with him." He hissed at her.
"It's fine." She glared back at him.
"Fine. But don't, don't, stay too long." He emphasised on the 'don't' before letting Yena go to me.
"Got it." She replied and walked towards me, gently grabbing my hand.
"We can go now." She whispered to me. I nodded and led her to my father. I turned back to observe her brother, who was glaring at me. So I glared back as well. Yena seemed to notice.
"I'm so gonna kill the both of you." She muttered.
"Pardon?"
"The both of you are acting like 3-year-olds. Grow up." I'm offended. Hmph.
"Hmph." She looked shocked as I huffed.
"What?" I raised an eyebrow at her perplexed look.
"Nothing. Just never knew a prince could sound that cute." She shrugged and continued walking. I felt my cheeks heating up.
"Jungwon. I see you've found a girl." My father greeted. I mentally rolled my eyes.
"Yes, father." I bowed slightly. Meanwhile, Yena had her head down.
"Hello." He greeted Yena. She just bowed and nodded her head.
"She's shy." I said. My father chuckled.
"So, are you planning on inviting her to stay?" My father asked. I stayed silent.
"Jungwon?"
"If she wants." I murmured.
"I'm fine with it." I heard Yena murmur.
"Not so sure about your brother though." I whispered back.
"It's fine. I'll hit him later."
"Pfft." I bit my lip to stiffle my laughter.
"Ahem." My father cleared his throat.
"Sorry." I said.
"Yena-ssi, you may go. Jungwon, stay." Awman...
"Thank you, your majesty." She bowed before leaving. I caught the figure skater observing us with his cold gaze through the mask. He started at me for awhile, before going to his sister.
"What do you want, dad?"
"So, you've finally forgotten Eunhee?" I felt Heeseung hyung tense up. I gulped. Ugh not again...
"No..."
"Then Yena?"
"She just.... She's just different." I muttered. Ugh.
"I see. This is the file of all the girls and their backgrounds. Take a look and choose 5. Oh and, ask Yena why she isn't employed." He handed me a file. Dammit. Random number generator time. Except for Yena.
"She isn't employed?"
"No, she isn't. So ask her."
"Must she be employed to be my wife?" I raised an eyebrow.
"No. But you know the media." Fvck. Ehem. Sorry.
"Yeah got it. I'll go find her now." I muttered.
"Go ahead." I bowed and then left.
Fvck you, reporters...
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Yena's POV
I rolled my eyes as I continued walking away from oppa, who was nagging at me for spending time with the Crown Prince-Jungwon.
"Yah! Park Yena! Are you even listening?!" He frowned.
"Can you just relax? I'm fine!"
"You're fine until you're alone cornered by those sluts in that ballroom." He glared.
"Oh.."
"Yena just, please. Don't associate yourself with those royals. They're.... well, trouble. At least, trouble for yourself."
"Huh?"
"You think they like you? They're fakes. They're faker than all your idols out there. And worse. They have power. Absolute power over everything. If they don't like you and don't want you by their son's side, they're gonna tear you apart. From the inside out. Until you're nothing left." Oppa's eyes had gone dark.
"But maybe they actually are nice. You never know-"
"Oh Yena.... stop being so naive. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. They're filthier than all the homeless people out there. In their hearts."
"Oppa, maybe we shouldn't judge them too soon. After all, you've never known any of them before. How can you say that based on some assumptions!? The prince has been so nice..."
"So you wanna live with the Crown Prince huh? Thought you never even cared?" Oppa scoffed.
"No... it's not like that...." How do I describe that feeling I feel with him? It feels so comfortable... so warm... so familiar...
"Do you wanna stay cooped up in the castle for life? Do you never wanna see your family again? Do you never want to be able to walk around the Han river reading Kim Namjoon's books? Do you never wanna be able to ice skate again? Do you never ever wanna be free again? Be yourself again? Do you want to stand by that person, who hasn't even taken off his mask once in 18 years, and fake a smile everyday despite being miserable? Huh? Do you? Do you wanna be trapped? In this place? Do you think you could stand that? Never being able to do the things you want. Never being able to see mom again. Or Yeji. Or me? Do you?"
"I...."
"Park Yena, wake up. This-" He pointed to the center of the ballroom."-is just a fantasy. A dream. And dreams never come true. A dream is just a cover up for the harsh nightmare called reality." He took a deep breath. "I'm gonna get a drink." And he walked away, leaving me in deep thoughts. I sighed before just walking to a secluded corner of the ballroom, closing my eyes and thinking through whatever oppa said.
"You know, you shouldn't be in a secluded, dark corner with your eyes closed." My eyes fluttered open and I was met with the prince. Oh...
"Oh.... your highness."
"I told you to call me Jungwon. It's fine by me."
"Ok then..... Jungwon." I smiled softly. He smiled back.
"Wanna go dance?" He asked.
"Hell no- I mean, ahem, no. Sorry." He chuckled.
"It's fine. You don't have to be so formal." He smiled.
"Ah ok..."
"So.... wanna go somewhere?" He asked.
"Huh?"
"Come." He took my hand gently before pulling me away from the ballroom.
"Whoah." I sighed in awe. We were at the roof of a tower, perhaps.
"Careful. Don't fall." He said, gripping my hand tightly. I looked down to see us really high up.
"Okay. Whoah." I looked at the sky again. It was dotted with many stars, which shined brightly in the night sky.
"Here. Sit." Jungwon gently pulled me down to sit next to him. I carefully treaded over and sat next to him.
"How did you find this place?" I asked.
"Just.... wandering. This is the only spot in the whole castle where you can see the scenery nicely. It's.... for me to detach from reality...."
"Oh... wow...."
"So.... what do you work as?"
"Oh... I just help my eomma at the restaurant."
"Hm...."
"Why?" I turned to him.
"It's just...."
"Did you research on me?"
"Eheh... maybe." He scratched the back of his neck.
"I know I have a degree, and a good one in fact. But.... I just.... wanna help my mom. It's the only way I can pay it back to her when she adopted me 18 years ago."
"Wait, you're adopted?" He looked shocked.
"Yeah. I thought you did your research?"
"Oh... For the record, it was my hyung, not me."
"You have a brother?"
"No... he's a friend. He's been my friend since we were born. He's like the brother I never had. He's also my right-hand man."
"Ohh." I nodded. But something was bugging me.
"I have a question though." I said.
"Hm?"
"Why do you always wear a mask?"
"Oh...."
"Y-you don't have to tell me if you don't want to..."
"No it's fine. I feel like I can trust you."
"Ok then..."
"I was nearly kidnapped 18 years ago."
"What??"
"Yeah. To conceal my identity, I wear this mask."
"But won't it make you more obvious?"
"In some ways, yes. But if I'm being targeted, I can just run away and slip off the mask. They'll never know how I look."
"Ohh... that makes sense." I nodded.
"Yena."
"Hm?"
"Can I cry?"
"H-huh?" I blinked several times.
"I come here to cry..." I saw him gulp.
"....Why?"
"18 years ago, I was nearly kidnapped."
"Uhuh?"
"In my place, a girl got kidnapped."
"Oh my gosh...."
"She... she's Heeseung hyung's sister, and the first girl I ever crushed on..."
"Oh gosh... I'm so sorry." I bit my lip and patted his shoulder gently.
"You don't have to say sorry. I need to... tell someone.... I can't tell Heeseung hyung everything. I don't want him to take the blame. Anyways, it was my fault. That night... if I never told her to chase after me, we would have never ran out of the castle. And she would never have been kidnapped... And Heeseung hyung tries to blame himself, because he was there but didn't stop us. But it isn't his fault. It's mine...."
"I'm sure she won't blame you..." I patted his back. I heard him sniffle.
"I know she won't. She's an angel. But.... I rather she blame me and resent me, than let me go...." He sighed.
"..."
"..."
"What's her name?" I asked softly.
"Eunhee. Lee Eunhee."
And my head started hurting.
"Ah." I softly cried in pain, clutching my head. I felt an arm around my shoulder and the other one on my waist.
"Are you okay?" Jungwon asked, concerned.
"Y-yeah..."
"Come on. Let's go now. It's cold." He said before reaching out his hand to me. I gladly took it and followed after him carefully. But my mind was preoccupied.
Why does Eunhee sound so familiar when he says it?
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double update cos y not
and its masquerade ball pt. 2 anyways
bye :")
WHAT THE F-