"We'll meet again! Maybe next year." Hyunjin smiled at the girl who had a gloomy face on. When hearing that she looked up to him and smiled while nodding.
"Sure. Have a safe journey."
The guy noticed something was off with her so he turned to Seungmin. "You too, Seungmin."
Seungmin bowed lightly as he replied a farewell. When the Hwang family had fully gone from their eyes they entered the castle while Seungmin turned the other way round to return home.
Eunkyung realised he had not been talking ever since they leave the house. Guilt washed over her.
"Seungmi—" her breath hitched when he turned to her at the same time.
With a smile on.
"Thank you for bringing me along, Your Highness. I enjoyed it." he bowed his head. Eunkyung was tongue tied. Even she hurt the guy's feelings he still talked to her kindly.
Did he not hurt?
Seemingly didn't hear she called out his name earlier, he continued. "Have a good rest, Your Highness." Then he left. Eunkyung could only watched as he walked away.
What... whatever.
She got in and went straight to her sister's room. After a few knocks she went in only to see Eunji reading the report book. "What are you doing?"
She didn't reply, instead flipping to the next page. Eunkyung walked to her and saw a few newly sheets of paper and a list of name. "Are you altering it?"
"I'm dividing men, women and children. Father won't bother to see this so it's better if we give him the accurate number."
Sighing, Eunkyung took a seat and sat next to her, helping her out. She did not know why her father is ignoring the villagers down there. After she moved to the castle it seems like he had already forgotten about it.
In silence, the two sisters did their work together.
༆
Seungmin entered his room and took off his tight clothes, finally giving him air. When he looked at the time it was nearing three in the afternoon so he took a quick shower and laid on his bed afterwards in his bathrobe.
Why is she doubting me...
Truth to be told, he was hurt. Even he might have acted suspicious at some times that did not mean he was the real culprit. He haven't gone gone there for a long time but would the princess listen to him? No.
She should be lucky she's still alive.
Indeed, she needs to be grateful. Seungmin had saved her for four... five... times? He honestly lost count because that did not matter to anyone. Who was he? A mere civilian with title of the son of the royal archer. No one would remember him for the things he do and no one recognized him as himself, only because of his father.
He lifted his bare hand and stared at the long scar on his palm. The scar had been sitting there for years now. He couldn't do anything to make it disappear, it was a permanent scar.
Sadness engulfs him. The memory of years ago flooded in his mind. If only he was more careful and not a beginner before he went there, he would have been able to save them and himself from the guy.
But what can he do? That was in the past. Nothing could change it.
And the fact that no one knows it was him hurts more.
Yet he was accused as the culprit by Eunkyung.
It just hurts.
༆
The next thing she knew, Seungmin didn't talk to her in school. Not even with Jisung. He just stayed in his place and during recess he sat with Felix.
Jisung on the other hand didn't seem to realise what was going on between them. The day passed by like the days before she knew Seungmin except that she couldn't sit well. Guilt still conquered her of what she had done and felt towards him. The princess did not even know how to apologise.
At the end of the day she walked with Jisung to the school gate. The guy was no longer using a driver as he preferred walking after his legs had fully healed. Meanwhile, Eunkyung still needed the driver. For safety, according to her family.
With silent agreement Jisung waited with her in front of the gate. The boy leaned his back on the wall as he looked around. None of them said anything. Even in the class they did not talk much.
The girl's mind was tangled. She remembered what Seungmin had told her the other day at the same place. He suspected something suspicious in Jisung but she couldn't see it. How? How is he being suspicious? He acts normally everyday in school but Seungmin seem so sure. She didn't know who to believe but being Jisung's best friend for years she chose to believe in the squishy cheeks guy.
"Han, are you joining the sword fighting class?"
The guy perked up at the question and nodded eagerly. "I will start tonight. Though it would be boring without you, but I don't have anything better to do."
Eunkyung slowly nodded.
Maybe, just maybe, she knows who to believe now.
"Painting project!"
Just like that, she returned to reality.
Eunkyung looked around. She realised she was in the painting room of the school. Her eyes blinked multiple times.
Oh my, she could not remember what she did the whole day and yesterday after returning home. Her mind was occupied — really occupied with a certain someone. Letting out a small sigh, she hit her head with a fist. It took her hours to think what she should do to gain Seungmin's trust again.
Seungmin's trust?
The question would replay in her mind all over again. What exactly she needs from him that she wanted the young archer talk to her again?
"You've been spacing out since this morning." Jisung pointed out and she took a deep breath. Correction, she had been spacing out since the day before, after they went home.
"Pick a partner." the firm voice of the female teacher greeted her ears. Eunkyung put down her brush and peeked from behind the painting stand, searching for the guy that haunted her non-stop. Maybe she could take this as an opportunity to fix things and explain.
However, her hope crushed when Minju approached Seungmin first. The pretty girl had a smile on as she asked if he already has a partner or not.
Seungmin returned the smile, "I don't have any yet."
"That's a relief to hear. Can I work with you then?"
He nodded, earning a glare from the princess who watched from afar. She clenched her teeth when Minju sat next to him and started to talk.
Of course, she's pretty and all. No guys would reject her.
"Eun?" Jisung tapped on her shoulder. Eunkyung turned to him with a questioning look. "Let's be partners."
Without thinking twice she agreed. They were already sitting next to each other so they waited until other students had found theirs.
Both of them remained silent as Eunkyung stared at the paper in front of her while Jisung's eyes glued on the paint brush in his hand. He twirled it a few times, doing the fingers trick until it fell down on the floor. He silently gasped.
"Mr Han."
The boy got up and bowed, "I'm sorry, it won't happen again."
"Sit up straight and don't look down, Han." the teacher warned him. Jisung nodded and apologised once again before he collected the paint brush and sat down. Eunkyung eyed the guy discreetly. That was when she heard a whispering from her left.
"He always do that, did he not know the manners?" voice one asked.
"I wonder how many years he attended the royal classes. He should attend one again." voice two.
"Also, he called the princess as baby. I know they are close but where's the formality?" back to voice one.
The princess heaved out an invisible sigh. This was normal. Han did not have any close friends at school because of how he acts. No formality, especially towards her. He would always be seen alone if Eunkyung was not around. Other royals refused to befriend him. But he have some friends from the sword fighting class.
Even so, why do people dislike him so much?
Her family and Seungmin. They seem to dislike the guy as well. That just doesn't sit right with her. Is there something that she did not know about him but everyone else did? No way. Han is her best friend. She knows him better than anyone else.
"Pay attention!"
Her eyes drifted to Jisung. The guy immediately sat up straight and faced the teacher. With that, she did the same.
"As what you've learned each paintings has their own meaning, their own interpretation, and their own story. It is not the same for each individuals. However, for this project, I want to see the bond between you and your partners. Come up with a painting that tells a story. It can be something fictional — that didn't happen in your or your partner's life but it has to have a meaning that both of you agree on and feel."
The teacher looked around, her eyes bored into every students' soul before she continued, "The bond must be seen not only from the story, but also through the way you paint, the colors that represent your stories and yourselves, and the way you present your work."
"I'm giving you four weeks to complete this project. Do you have any questions?"
After three seconds of silence, two or three students echoed a no. "Good. Now today, I'm giving you the chance to discuss your work with your partners."
Jisung turned to Eunkyung and gave her a smile that made his cheeks stood out more. The girl stifled a laugh, "This is a bit hard."
"I know," Jisung scooted closer to her while reaching for the sketchbook and a pencil. "Don't we have the strongest bond among these students?"
"Café or restaurant?"
Jisung looked up, and in sync, they both answered,
"Café."
"Restaurant."
The guy scoffed. "Should have known you'd choose fancy."
Eunkyung snickered, "Not the strongest one I guess."
"Opposites attract." Jisung shrugged. "What are we doing for this?"
Both of them fell silent. None of them could give any idea in the short amount of time. The princess blinked her eyes a few times as she blanked out to the paper in front of her. Same goes to Jisung, his fingers stopped playing with the pencil.
Nothing came out.
"We aren't the perfect chemistry—"
"You are not breaking up with me."
The girl lightly laughed at his fast reply and shook her head. The guy pouted when his ideas had seemingly gone away. In sync, both of them turned around to look at other students who were actively speaking and sketching.
"It's due in four weeks, right?" Jisung questioned after spotting a pair of group choosing the colors.
"How do they work so fast.." Eunkyung sighed as she returned to her paper and leaned her back on the wall behind her. She looked in front of her and saw a glimpse of Seungmin (probably) explaining his ideas to his partner. Minju paid full attention to him and nodded between his pauses. They looked like a perfect match for this project. With Seungmin being the ace and Minju the teachers' favourite, they would get the highest mark, she assumed.
And people will start liking them.
Subconsciously she rolled her eyes and sat up straight. Jisung raised a brow while watching her unsatisfied expression. "What's wrong?"
She was pissed off.
So she glared.
Jisung was lightly taken aback at her action. "W–why..."
"Let's just do this later. We still have another four weeks."
The squirrel resembles guy pursed his lips and blinked his eyes in disbelief. Was this the real Eunkyung? He wanted to ask that but she's obviously looked like she wanted to kill someone so he kept his mouth shut and nodded.
His eyes narrowed to where she stared.
oh.
༆
Seungmin bid goodbyes with Felix and looked back to the gate. The person he was hoping to see wasn't there yet. Either she had left, or she's still in the school's building.
He waited at their usual place. Leaning on the wall, he stared at his shoes and kept looking around. It only took two minutes for her to appear with someone — Han Jisung.
Eunkyung halted in her steps as Seungmin looked at her, and glanced to Jisung, then back to her. She held the urge to roll her eyes in front of him.
"We're going to a café for the project."
Jisung furrowed his eyebrows, "Why are you reporting it to him?"
The girl huffed, "Because of a dumb reason." With that she left. Jisung just trailed behind her, leaving Seungmin behind.
A small, sad smile appeared on his face.
right, why expect people to appreciate you.
༆
if you don't know it yet, this book is on-hold + i'm currently inactive so please don't urge me.
vote, comment and share pls ><