Minju rang the bell.
She fixed her hair and smiled for better appearance. The bag she brought was checked a few times before she heard the door opening.
"Who is it?" a man clad in archery suit walked out. He squinted his eyes to get a better look.
"Good morning, sir. I am Minju, Seungmin's friend." she politely bowed.
"Ah!" he snapped his fingers. "I remember you. My son's partner for a project."
She smiled, "Is he here?"
"Seungmin is still sleeping, I suppose. He returned home late last night from the castle. It's early in the morning, what brings you here?"
A small crack formed inside her. Her smile slowly flattered as she guessed the possibilities of why he was there. At night. Nonetheless, Minju handed him the bag. "I've got some presents for him. I was busy yesterday and have somewhere to go after this. I apologise for disturbing you this early, sir."
His father took the bag and nodded. "What a kind soul you are. Thank you for remembering his birthday because he was sad he couldn't do anything due to his injury."
"I wish him for fast recovery." she bowed once again. "I'll take my leave now. Have a good day, sir."
Minju left the neighborhood. Her fist clutched the strap of her hand bag as she felt a lump in her throat. She knew Seungmin was not going to be pleased if he found out she was there, but that was the last thing she wanted to do.
Instead of going home, the girl had a driver to bring her to the shore. There, a huge ship was waiting. A lot of boxes were being carried on the ship and she spotted her mother hugging a few of her friends. She approached them.
"Where's father?"
"Oh, my princess. Here, say goodbye to my friends. Your father is already on the ship to arrange our stuffs."
Minju did as what she was told. Her heart clenched as she listened to the women's cries and sad talks. She tried to hold her tears.
After living here for 19 years, her family decided to expand their boutique business. They had gained a lot of profits for the past years and wanted to go to the next step. The boutique here was going to be managed by her trusted assistant.
Minju persuaded her parents to let her stay mostly because of friends. She knew it will take a long time for her to make new friends at a foreign place but after a few discussions, the girl decided to live with them.
"You will get a better study there as well, my princess. We have surveyed the schools there for your future studies." was what the mother told.
She had no choice. She was sure she wouldn't do well if she's apart from her family anyway.
Hence, to Gracine they go.
༆
Eunkyung's face turned bright red.
She just opened the gift from Seungmin after taking a morning bath. What inside was a bit unexpected. She thought it was going to be a dress when she felt the material last night.
Turns out it was a nightgown.
The princess dropped face first on her bed while clutching the lavender colored nightgown to her chest. Her heart was pounding violently. She couldn't stop smiling until her cheeks hurt. So this is why Seungmin acted weird when she wanted to open it.
"A nightgown? Really?" she chuckled shyly. Suddenly the girl turned into a whole different person. The cool Eunkyung seemingly had disappeared, thanks to the Kim Seungmin effect.
She laid on her back and held up the gown. It had a layer of laces and beneath it was a sparse fabric, along with the sleeves. The sleeves were only up to the elbow. Eunkyung slid her hand into the gown and hummed. "It's nice."
Knock knock
She jolted up at the sudden knocks. Panicked, the girl quickly hang the gown and hid it in the closet. She fixed her appearance before opening the door. A maid bowed, "Good morning, Your highness. the breakfast is ready."
"I'll be down in a few minutes." she smiled and closed the door. Another small packaging on the bed caught her attention. A necklace that Seungmin gave along with the gown. The corner of her lips curled up.
She wore the necklace and looked at herself in the mirror. The arrow pendant shone from the sun outside. This instantly brighten up her day.
The princess skipped her way to the dining hall. The breakfast was calm, despite her brother was in a conflict with the king. Eunkyung however didn't miss the mischievous glances she received from her siblings but she just remained silent.
Eunji suddenly cleared her throat, "So, Eunhee, when are you going to shoot your shot?"
Said girl almost choked. She looked at the smiling Eunji while Eunsoo just shook her head. "What?"
"We saw you and Minho last night sipping some tea."
Eunkyung paused from eating further. The fork froze mid-air as she felt eyes on her. She glanced up and met Yoongi's knowing look.
The mother had an amused reaction, "You were with Minho? Have you told him anything?"
"Mother, I did not meet him," Eunhee protested, suddenly flustered at the false accusation. "I was inside all the time with her," she pointed her fork towards Eunji. "And Eunsoo eonnie," it moved to the oldest princess. "And Yoongi oppa." she pointed to her brother. "We were watching a late night show."
Yoongi stifled a laugh while the king warned Eunhee, "Do not point with your fork, my dear."
She put down the fork and turned to her mother, "I did not meet anyone last night. If someone did, it wasn't me."
Eunkyung remained silent, pretending she was not interested in anything about Eunhee when deep inside, she was cursing herself non-stop. It did not take a genius to know that her siblings saw her with Seungmin last night. Sipping tea? That was definitely them.
"Then who?" Eunji inquired, eyeballs teasingly moved to her youngest sister. In seconds, everyone's attention was on Eunkyung.
The girl froze. She slowly munched her food while throwing profanities through her gaze towards Eunji. She timidly met her father's eyes and grinned awkwardly, "Last night was Seungmin's birthday." she nodded to make them believe her. "He came because I couldn't leave the house. That's all."
She continued eating, but her family still looked at her silently.
Eunji scoffed, "Even our youngest sister already has a lover."
Oh god, she wanted to bury herself six feet under.
༆
"What was that?!"
Eunji laughed loudly while Eunsoo patted her head as they walked along the corridor at the second floor. Eunkyung's face flushed deep red.
"There's no reason to expose me like that!" she whined. "So you guys WERE watching!"
The embarrassment she felt buried her alive. They needed to gather in the meeting room but Eunkyung had a strong urge to jump from the second floor. As long as she's not breathing, she would be fine for the rest of the day. Her sister joked nothing further as they were approaching the meeting room but they burst out laughing when seeing the youngest's darken expression.
She was fully embarrassed.
In the meeting room, everyone was quiet until the king arrived with his wife. They thought the ruler would be the one who lead the meeting, but their guess was wrong as soon as Yoongi stood up.
"We have received a report that Cho Yunseo and Han Jisung are currently residing in a cottage at the village. Their men are yet to be known and found but there are possibilities that they live there as well."
Eunhee poked Eunsoo's arm and whispered, "Is the cottage Sonia's?"
The older nodded. Eunkyung heard that and blood inside her boiled.
"Yunseo owns a lot of bombs. There's still some left in his old house that are being taken care off. The villagers' lives could be in danger if we start do anything to hunt him hence, we are planning an evacuation of the people."
A man in his thirties raised his hand, "Where will the villagers stay for the meantime, then? They are many."
"There's an old orphanage house in the town and we will only evacuate 60 percent of them who live near the cottage." he replied. "This evacuation however needs to be kept as a secret. We have informed the head villagers and it takes a few days to observe the real villagers to avoid from evacuating his men. The orphanage house will be opened as a few days private ceremony in the public eyes."
"So we need a few disguise to bring the villagers here."
༆
Soobin put the boxes aside. He dusted his hand and stretched his back after a long day. Sweats trickled down after working for hours under the afternoon sun. The tall guy wishes he could drink some iced tea, oh that would be really nice.
"You're done?" a woman in her fifties appeared. She had a floral headscarf keeping her hair still and an apron over her flowery dress. The woman squinted her eyes because of the sunlight. Soobin nodded while wiping his sweat with a towel that hang around his neck.
"All done, Mrs Ki."
The woman shook her head with a sigh, "I've been telling you for years and years to just call me Wangja, my name."
He just smiled brightly and nodded without actually intending to call her that. Sure, they have known each other for a really long time but Soobin just thought calling the older without honorifics is unnecessary.
"Is there anything else can I do?"
"Yes! Yes, of course." she pointed at him with her wooden spatula. "Get in and have lunch. Minhee has prepared cold water for you."
His eyes twinkled in excitement. He shyly bowed and went inside the small restaurant. It was break time so there's no people for him to serve.
Ever since Minhee's father's death because of the murder a few months ago, Soobin had been helping their family a lot. The old couple only had a seven years old child. Usually her husband would do the heavy jobs like hunting and carrying the boxes but now that he's gone, Soobin took over his place – except that he did not do hunting.
Soobin found out that Minhee adored Eunkyung, the princess he hugged when first time meeting her. Wangja panicked when he did that but Soobin reassured her, telling her that Eunkyung was her friend and she wouldn't mind about it.
While he was devouring the food – especially the cold drink, – Minhee spotted an old man he recognized in front of their shop. He got up and opened the door.
"Ahjussi, do you want to eat here? We are having a break right now."
Soobin glanced up and saw the little boy was talking to the leader of the village.
"Ah, Minhee my little boy. Can I meet your mother for awhile? There is something important I need to inform."
The boy nodded and ran to the back of the restaurant. The old man stepped in. Soobin politely greeted him. Soon, the woman came and they sat at the table next to him.
Soobin did not mean to eavesdrop, but their conversation was loud and clear.
"The royal knights came yesterday," the leader initiated. "They informed me that the murderer is currently living here so the people need to move quietly but as soon as possible."
Soobin glanced outside and there were two men he had never seen of in casual outfit lingering in front of the restaurant.
"I am now trying to inform everyone with the help of the knights out there," the old man said, confirming Soobin's assumption. "You will be moving at an old orphanage house in the town for a few days–"
"No." Wangja suddenly protested. Her facial expression turned sour with mixed of rage. "I need to meet those who killed my husband."
"Wangja,"
"I need to see them die in front of me!" she suddenly yelled, startling everyone. Minhee stopped reading his cartoon book and scurried next to Soobin in fear.
"Hyung..."
"Shh... it's alright." he smiled bitterly while caressing the boy's head.
"They have a lot of bombs, Wangja. You need to understand that. Besides, we don't know who else are siding with the murderer." the leader tried to calm her down but she kept protesting.
"What about my restaurant?"
"The royals will provide food, money and other necessities."
"Liar, they barely do anything."
"Mrs Ki," Soobin intervened. "What leader Heo said is true. The king is the one who barely does anything but the prince is finally here. I'm sure he will help you."
"How did you know?"
The guy smiled softly, "The news is all over the town even at my place, Mrs Ki."
The leader and the woman exchanged glances. Of course, the villagers are always the one who missed every news that happened up there. They were very distant with each other.
Eunkyung used to complain about this to him all the time. She had lived at both places and felt the very obvious difference. The princess couldn't do anything either. It is always like that since forever.
"But Minhee doesn't want to leave..." the small boy whimpered.
Soobin lifted him up to his lap to console him. "Minhee, do you know who lives up there?"
"Who?"
His smile grew wider, "The pretty princess."
Minhee's eyes instantly sparkled. "The pretty princess?! Really!"
"Of course! Her house is up there, near the town you're going to live. You've never been up there, have you?"
The boy shook his head and faced his mother. How fast the child's thinking had changed that he begged Wangja to move there to let him meet the princess.
"I will help you move your stuffs, don't worry." Soobin reassured her before looking at Minhee, "and we will meet the pretty princess soon, okay?"
Minhee was supposed to be the excited one, but Soobin was more. Beyond happy even.
He couldn't wait to meet her again.
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