Chapter 1: Why?
I remember that day very clearly. How could I forget? It was the day my life changed forever. For the better or worse, I had no idea. It would forever stick in my mind, like a dagger being stabbed into my brain - it would simply be too painful to remove, so I would have to leave it there.
It was a chilly November afternoon, the marketplace was busy and over-crowded with people selling and buying all sorts of goods. I remember how my hands felt almost numb and I was clenching my teeth to stop them from chattering. I was hardly dressed for this sort of weather. The goose bumps were visible on my skin and thousands of shivers crawled up and down my spine. The fresh smell of food wafted around me, mixed within the freezing, nipping, cold wind that bit at my bare skin.
I was eyeing the bakery stall, ready to make my attack. I swallowed down hard, biting my lip.
I wasn't a thief; I was simply trying to keep my family alive. I cared for them too much to let them starve to death. I figured anyone would do the same in my position. My family was literally all I had. I was doing this for them. I had to do this for them. They were my responsibility. I needed them.
I crept up to the stall, making sure my head was low to avoid the baker from seeing my face. My mouth felt dry, as my heart was thumping against my ribcage at an uneven pace. I was never good at this.
I reached out. The loaf was mere centimeters away from my fingertips. I was almost there. Maybe my family wouldn't starve. Maybe we would live to see the light of tomorrow, and maybe we would go to bed tonight with our bellies at least half-full. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad.
But all my hopes and optimistic thoughts were crushed all too soon; the small flicker of chance was extinguished before it could even be fully lit.
Two guards, dressed in the palace uniform came storming towards me, the crowds of people parting for them, like the Red Sea for Moses. I immediately retracted my hand, snapping it back to my side and quickly regaining my composure to avoid looking suspicious.
They were both tall, and intimidating with emotionless faces. They didn't even make eye contact with me. My head felt frantic as I stared up at their broad frames. I couldn't get into trouble. Not now. My family needed me. If I went to prison, my family wouldn't be able to survive. My heart was racing so fast I thought it would burst out of my chest. They would have to scrape my remains from the streets' concrete floor.
Their eyes were so stone cold. The temperature seemed to drop a few more degrees as they stared down at me. Looking at me and making me feel self-conscious, like they were disgusted at the sight.
After what seemed like forever, they finally stepped aside. An old, hunched over woman, emerged from behind them, her walking stick scraping against the hard, rough concrete beneath my feet. I watched her closely as she approached. Her hair was as white as the snow that fell on the peaks of mountains. Her face was wrinkled and saggy - as if someone had grabbed her cheeks and pulled them to see how far they would stretch.
The whole entire market place had gone deadly silent. Everybody had stopped what he or she was doing, just to watch as the events unfolded before their curious eyes. I had never experienced a silence quite like this. It was a loud type of silence that seemed to ring and rattle against my eardrums.
She stopped a few meters in front of me. Her eyes pierced right through me, slicing my being into half with her hard stare. I felt as if I was naked, like she could see everything, everything I was thinking, and everything I was feeling, all the blood that was rushing around my body. I felt as though she knew it all exactly as I was feeling it.
"It's her." She said pointing her old bony finger towards me. Her voice was firm, demanding, completely mismatched with her frail and weak appearance.
I frantically looked around for someone to help me, but no one stepped forward. What was going on? Why wouldn't someone help me? I needed something. Anything. I couldn't go to prison. I just couldn't. Sweat began to form on my forehead. My whole entire body was heating up with dreaded anticipation, my blood running cold in my veins, the shivers intensifying throughout my body drastically. They were going to arrest me.
"She's the one." The old woman said coming closer to me, grabbing my chin in between her thumb and index finger. She moved my head side to side forcefully, as if she was examining me like a piece of meat, deciding if I was good enough to buy or not. It felt degrading. I was scared. So scared. My head felt dizzy with confusion and my stomach churned with nausea. She drew her face close to mine, squinting her beady little eyes at me, looking right through me like a piece of glass.
I found that my breathing was ragged, choppy, my chest tightening.
She suddenly released my chin from her bony grasp. Staring at me for a few moments, her expression softening briefly before she turned around and left, walking away from me.
"Take her to the mansion in the country side. Find her family and take them there also. Put her into training immediately." She instructed the guards, they nodded as she made her way past them with her walking stick.
Two white luxurious limos pulled up in front of where she was standing. With the assistance of another palace guard she got into one of the limos and it drove off down the main road of the small village, my eyes following it like a magnet as it disappeared around the corner.
"If you would like to follow us, Miss. You will be able to see your family later." One of the guards said firmly, stepping forward. "If you object you and your family will face brutal consequences." His voice was cold and merciless.
I could only nod. I felt as though if I had tried to speak, my words would only get stuck in my throat and leave me more breathless than I already was.
I could feel the towns' eyes staring at me. I could hear their hushed, urgent whispering, trying to figure out what was going on, who I was, where they were taking me. I could be on my way to execution and none of these people would have eve cared. The thought made me feel even sicker than I already was.
The guards led me into the white limo that was left. Instructing me to get inside and not touch or break anything. What did they think I was, a human hammer?
It was far more fancy and luxurious than what I was used to. To be honest it was my first time sitting in a car. If I ever needed to get somewhere, I would walk, or hitch rides if I could. But never had I been in a car this fancy or spacious.
I felt extremely out of place. I was wearing a dirty dark green t-shirt that was riddled with holes, with knee length shorts, that used to be trousers but I had ripped then since they were getting too short for me. My black, tattered trainers were worn out and were also riddled with holes. And I was pretty sure I had some sort of dirt smeared on my face.
I was scared of what was going to happen to me, to them. I knew the guards were from the palace, because of their uniforms. I had seen pictures in old textbooks in school when I was young.
Was I in trouble with the Royal Family? But, for what reason? I had no idea why I was sitting in this fancy, snow-white limo with no clue to where I was going. None of this made sense.
I looked out of the window, and all I could see were vast green fields. I had no idea where I was or where I was going to end up.
When I opened my eyes, it was dark outside. The sun had gone down and the car had stopped moving. I blinked my eyes, re-focusing my vision and attempting to clear the bleary confusion that coursed through my head. One of the palace guards opened the car door, gesturing for me to get out.
I stared at him for a moment, surveying him, before slowly and reluctantly exiting the limousine.
I gaped at the sight in front of me, a huge white mansion with pillars supporting the entrance. It was huge. Literally the biggest house I had ever seen. It had a large driveway that had been laid with small stones, with a fancy fountain squirting out water in the middle.
Two guards led me towards the mansion, and my heart began to race severely.
There were guards everywhere, outside of the door, in the driveway. They stood there and looked straight on, refusing to make eye contact with me. They weren't looking at me, but I felt as though they were judging me.
I was led through the huge mansion doors. The guards stopped, halting me with them. Both of them turned on their heels and walked briskly out of the door, closing it behind them with a loud and definite crash that sealed my fait.
A small woman wearing a black dress skirt and blazer stood in the entrance hall before me. She wore blood red lipstick that was smeared across her mouth and heavy eye make up that looked like it weighed a ton.
"Hello and welcome to your new home. Everything will be explained shortly." She said sweetly with a small smile. "Follow me." She said as she led me towards another set of large wooden doors. I was so lost that I had no other choice to follow. What else was I supposed to do?
She opened it, gesturing me to follow her inside.
I found myself standing in an extremely fancy office with a huge wooden polished desk and a large leather swivel chair in the middle. There were shields and swords hung on the walls, with knight's armor placed in the four corners of the room. What was this place? I had never seen anything so unusual.
"Come sit." She beckoned as she took her place behind the large desk, in a swivel chair that really was much too big for her small body.
I sat in one of the smaller chairs in front of the desk, my head down and my eyes trained on my lap, twiddling my thumbs as she studied me intently, her eyes burning holes through my head. I was extremely nervous. I could feel the pressure and anxiousness building up within my chest
"So," She started as she put her elbows on the desk and rested her chin in her palm, a pen held loosely between her fingers and a sickly sweet smile stretching across her face.
I looked up at her, finding it hard to look her in the eyes properly. She made me feel uncomfortable.
"What's your name?" I could tell she was trying to make me relax, but it was not working at all.
"Kim Taeyeon." I answered nervously, in a small voice, diverting my eyes away from her persistent gaze.
"Relax, Taeyeon-shi. We're not going to hurt you..." She said with a small smile. "...Unless you make things more difficult." She added. "As long as you do what you're told, you and your family will remain safe." She said with an almost evil grin.
I gulped. "What am I doing here?" I asked in a small voice.
"Well." She leaned back in her chair. "I can't tell you why you're here, but I can tell what you're going to do while you're here." She said with another smirk. "Here, you are going to be trained in the art of etiquette and manners, along with other things that may come in handy."
I looked at her totally confused. All I could think was Why? Why me? I genuinely just didn't understand.
"Don't worry Taeyeon-shi. Everything will make sense soon. Just do as instructed and everything will be fine." She said reassuringly. "You are free to leave. Your family is waiting outside. Someone will show you to your rooms." She gestured towards the door.
I stood up, about leave. "And don't try to escape, there are guards everywhere." She added with a sly smile, striking a nerve of fear in my neck.
I nodded slowly and left the room. I could feel her rat-like eyes on the back of my head. I really didn't like that woman.
Even after the small talk, I was completely lost as to why I was here.
I was nothing special. My family was poor. I had barely any education since I had to drop out to support my family. I didn't really consider myself the best looking person either.
It just didn't add up.
I walked out of the office to see my mother and sister holding each other in a tight embrace. And suddenly, I didn't feel so lost anymore.
My little sister was only 7 at the time. Her name was Hayeon.
Let's just say that she was basically a mini version of me. From our looks to our personalities, we were nearly exactly the same.
She turned around and spotted me walking towards them. She had been crying, I could tell from the puffiness of her eyes and quivering of her lips.
She ran towards me and hugged me tightly.
"Taeyeon-ah what's going on? I'm scared, I wanna go home." She sobbed into my shirt.
"Don't worry. Everything's going to be okay." I said soothingly as I rubbed her back. But really, I had no idea what was going to happen.
The next few months seemed to race past my vision in a contrasted blur. Everything just went so fast, I had found it hard to keep track of everything.
I was learning all sorts of things. I had lessons on nearly everything. I was learning things that I had never even dreamed of. Not only was I learning, I was growing as a person, even if I didn't know what it was all for.
I learnt proper Korean and improved my Hangul immensely. They even went to the lengths of making me learn the basics of a few other languages such as Japanese and Mandarin.
Math and science was something I struggled with, since I hadn't done it since I was 14. And honestly my mind didn't work in such a logical way.
They made me workout every day, to get my body into shape. I learned different types of martial arts and fighting techniques. And slowly I began to see the difference in my body. I was stronger, more toned. I liked it.
I was groomed every day. They even died my hair a golden blonde. And every part of my body had been waxed from any type of growing hair. That was probably the most painful part.
After nearly a year of 'training', they finally told me what it was all for. And when I heard I was very surprised, shocked even. But it all made sense in a weird, tangled up kind of way.
I wanted to object, but they said I had no other choice. There was no other person for the job. There was nothing that I could do to stop it from happening.
Now I'm standing here behind these huge wooden doors, my heart beating like crazy. This is what I have been working for all this time, and now it's finally here. I inhaled and exhaled several times to try and calm myself.
I heard the butler announce my name in a very regal manner.
"Prince Kim Taeyeon has arrived."
The door then opened, bright sun light shone through, momentarily blinding me.
As I walked closer I saw her, the reason for all of this, the person that I was told that I would spend the rest of my life with.
Stephanie Hwang Miyoung.
...
Chapter 2: This Girl?
What even happened last night?
I honestly have no idea. There was a lot of alcohol, I'm sure of that. And there were lots of people. There was loud music, and a bunch of flashing lights. But other than that, last night's events seemed like a big, contrasted blur of names, faces and music, all soaking and reeking of vodka and other types alcoholic beverages.
How did I even get home?
I slowly sat up in my bed, the thumping in my skull intensifying as the taste in my mouth made my lips twist in disgust.
Hangover.
It definitely wasn't my first, but it seemed like the worst one I had experienced yet.
How drunk had I been?
I rubbed my temples slowly in an attempt to ease the pounding pain that was hammering in my head, slowly opening my eyes, which really was a bad idea considering I hadn't realized that the curtains had been drawn back and the sunlight was now pouring in, causing the room to be as bright and well lit as ever. I groaned, squinting my eyes closed again.
Sometimes, I wondered why I did this, but then I remembered it was because I was young, rich and famous, surrounded by a family that looked down on me for not behaving like a member of royalty should.
Could you really blame me? It was my 21st birthday. Did they really expect me to stay in the palace, have a nice little tea party with a bunch of old and important people that I didn't particularly like, plaster a fake smile on my face as they questioned me on marriage?
No. I wanted to go out, have fun, maybe get a little more than just drunk, be with my friends, let loose. Live. And not have to be conscious of this stupid title that hung over my head like a grey cloud, ready to pour down on me.
Really, I should've been used to it by now. I had been living with it for twenty-one years, but that doesn't mean that I was willing to accept it.
My parents, obviously, didn't approve of my behavior and they had a tendency to compare me to Michelle, my older sister, who was perfect, smart, beautiful, talented, elegant and the heir to the throne. Her behavior had always been on point, she knew how to act in front of people, always keeping her image pristine. She had already found a husband, whom she was happily married to.
Michelle would always have to come first. Whatever Michelle wanted was most important, because she was apparently the future of my family and our only hope. Whatever Michelle did was best, and she would always come out on top, because she was always the smartest, the most athletic, the most talented and honestly…I was no competition for her.
No matter how much effort I put into something, she would always beat me. So, eventually, I just stopped trying to out-shine her. I was done with keeping an image. I wanted to be my own person. But it was hard when guards, butlers and maids surrounded you, all hired to try and 'protect' you.
Even in the eyes of the public, Michelle was the perfect daughter, and I was the younger one that failed at living up to expectations, the wild one, the one who set bad examples for those younger than me. Which I suppose was true. I couldn't really argue back, because they were right.
I couldn't even have a boyfriend without it being labeled as 'wrong'. But that didn't stop me, of course. I did have a boyfriend. We have been together for about six years. But as always, my parents disapproved of him.
His name is Choi Siwon, the son of a successful CEO. He's handsome, smart and his family is rich. What's there not to like? He's like the perfect son-in-law. But apparently, him and his family were not good people and I was forbidden from seeing him.
I didn't see him often, only rarely when we could sneak around and meet without anyone knowing. He would call sometimes and text me, but honestly, there were times that I forgot that he was actually my boyfriend. We really didn't see each other enough, and sometimes I wondered whether we really would class as being in a relationship.
Well, my parents didn't class it as a relationship, anyway.
It was family tradition, that if you hadn't found a partner by your 21st birthday, you would have an arranged marriage, and, obviously, I wasn't allowed to marry Siwon. My suitor would be chosen by my crazy, old and hunched over grandmother, whom really isn't right in the head. Apparently, she has some sort of 'mystic power' when it comes to matchmaking and whatnot. Not that I believed in it.
My arranged marriage wouldn't be any time soon – they haven't even started the husband hunting yet.
"Your majesty,"
I look up to see Henry giving a small bow as he stood at the top of the stairs. He was the family's longest serving and most loyal butler. And honestly, he was the one I trusted most in the palace.
He straightened his back. His posture perfect and erect. He was a rather thin man, and much like his physique, his hair wasn't very thick either.
"How did you sleep?" He asked, placing the small pile of clothes he had in his arms on top of the chest of drawers, to the right of my bed.
"I slept…okay." I said, massaging my temples, trying to re-cap what happened last night.
"You're lucky…" He said, his back still turned to me. "The guards followed you out last night, they brought you home when you could barely walk." He stated. "You could have gotten into some real trouble."
I purse my lips into a thin line.
Had I really been that bad that I couldn't even stand on my own two feet with out toppling down like a faulty tower? I had fun though…
"Here,"
I look up to find him standing beside me, holding a few painkillers and glass water out to me.
"It'll help with the headache, princess." He said, reassuringly.
I nodded, taking the pills and washing them down with a flood of water, down my throat and into my system.
"Your father would like to speak with you in the throne room."
"The throne room?" I questioned, handing back the glass to him.
The throne room was only used for special occasions. If they were merely getting me into trouble for my antics last night, which I suspected they probably were, they would normally do it in my father's office. Why would they use the throne room for such a petty thing like this?
He nodded. "As soon as possible. I feel it must be an important matter."
I scrunched my brows at him, groaning in protest as I lay back down in my bed, slinging my arm over my head to cover my eyes. "What's going on?"
"Oh, I don't know, your majesty. I'm merely just the messenger." He smiled. "But, do hurry. I've hung your clothes up in your closet."
"Oh, so, you're still alive after last night?" My father asked rather sarcastically. "I'm surprised. Really." He smiled at me cheekily as he sat up in his throne, my mother sitting beside him in her own throne.
Was I really in the mood for this? No. I wasn't.
My head was still aching, and the taste in my mouth was still seeping around on my tongue unpleasantly. My father's sarcasm was really the last thing I needed right now.
"Care to explain?" He asked, raising an eyebrow up at me expectantly.
I glared at him, pressing my lips into a thin line.
My father really knew how to push my buttons.
"I'd rather not." I replied, tightly.
"You'd rather not?" He questioned. "Or rather, you can't remember."
In many ways, my father and I…we were polar opposites. But in others ways, we were the same. It was hard for us to not butt heads with each other, but luckily my mother was a calm, level headed woman, who generally kept this family in balance. My father made the decisions and my mother kept everything in check. It was how they functioned.
"Really. This is not the time." My mother interjected, placing her hand on top of my father's gently. "We have more important matters at hand."
They locked eyes for a brief second, exchanging some sort of secret message between themselves.
"Tiffany…" My father said, a little too sweetly, directing his gaze back at me again and smiling. "We have someone special that we would like you to meet."
I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously, flickering my eyes between the two of them, trying to figure out what was going on. Something really wasn't right, I could feel it hanging in the air, much like a dead weight.
"Send them in!" My father bellowed, his broad voice echoing throughout and down the length of the ridiculously long room.
I turned around towards the two, large double doors at the opposite end of the room as the guards and Henry proceeded in opening them to allow the stranger in.
"Prince Kim Taeyeon has arrived." Henry announced as the doors finally opened fully.
Prince?
I watched as this Kim Taeyeon, made his way towards us. I was expecting a young man in a smart suit to enter, with chiseled facial features, holding his head up and a charming smile on his face, oozing arrogance and confidence. But as the figure got closer, I saw that it wasn't a man…it was a girl.
She was small in height, looked around the same age as me, with golden, chestnut, blonde hair that fell neatly around her milky-skinned face. She stopped in her tracks once she had reached the platform, and smiled up at me.
I eyed her for a moment, and then I felt my father place a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"Tiffany, this is your new husband, Kim Taeyeon."
Husband?
TAEYEON'S POV
The tension hung in the air, much like the silence, that was so thick that it was probable that you could cut in with a knife.
She blinked at me, scrunching her brows together in confusion before turning back around to give her father a questioning look.
I gulped down. I didn't realize that she had no idea why I was here or who I was. Why hadn't they told her in advance?
"What do you mean, 'husband'?" She asked, as if it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. "Is this a joke?"
I frowned slightly. This wasn't going to end well.
"Fany-ah, don't be so rude." The Queen said, trying not to show her disapproval of her daughter's reaction.
"But you guys are kidding, right? How could she," She said, throwing her hand back in my direction, the tone of anger rising in her husky voice, "be my husband? She's a girl, if you haven't noticed already!"
"Tiffany, calm down." Her father said, sternly. "This is no way for you to be acting."
"Oh my god!" She said in disbelief. "You're scolding me on my behavior! You're the one who's trying to force your daughter to marry a stranger, who happens to be a girl, and Dad, if didn't know already, I'm not a lesbian!"
She was beyond angry, and really, I had no idea what I was supposed to do with myself. Should I leave, or should I stay and watch them argue?
"If this was Michelle, you guys would've bent over backwards to find her the perfect guy. But, since it's me, you just decided to pair me up with some random girl-"
"Hwang MiYoung!" The king's voice echoed throughout the room. "What we say is final! Can't you just do as your told for once?" He demanded.
Tiffany inhaled a rather large amount of air into her lungs before turning on her heels and striding past me, tears in her eyes, leaving the throne room with a rather loud slam of the large doors.
I turned my head back to the Royalty before me.
The king sighed, rubbing his forehead in a stressed manner. "I apologize for my daughter's behavior." He said, shaking his head in disappointment.
I shook my head, and smiled at them both politely. "It's okay."
"She's rather stubborn." The queen said. "But I'm sure she'll come around soon."
A few seconds of silence settled between the three of us.
"Do you mind if I go and speak to her?" I asked, looking between them.
They both looked at me, surprised.
"Are you sure?" Her mother asked.
I nodded, quickly. "I'm sure."
They looked at each other before they both sighed.
"Okay, but be prepared. She's not the most friendly of people when she's upset."
"I'll be fine." I smiled.
A maid was summoned and I was led to the princess' bedroom. When we arrived, I dismissed the maid, thanking her for the help.
I knocked gently on the door, not wanting to seem rude. No response. I gave a few more knocks on the wood, only to get no answer.
Taking a stab in the dark, I gently turned the doorknob and pushed open the door. I was nearly blinded by pink as I surveyed the room, looking for an upset princess that went by the name of Tiffany. She was nowhere to be found.
I fully stepped in, closing the door behind me.
The room was decked out in everything one could possibly need - a mini-kitchen, a fancy desk, a bookcase, a mini living room with a few couches and a flat screen TV, and much more. The whole room was open-planned, so no matter where you stood, you could see everything.
I spotted a flight of stairs at the opposite end of the room, so I took my chances and proceeded to walk up them.
When I reached the top, I saw a bed with a crying princess on top of it. Her head buried in her hands as she sobbed endlessly. My eyes softened. I felt bad for her. I really did. I mean, she was being forced to marry a complete stranger and her parents hadn't even told her beforehand.
The least I could do was show her that I wasn't a complete weirdo.
"Uhm…Excuse me?" I said awkwardly, my hands in my pockets.
She quickly looked up. Pursing her lips into a thin line when she saw it was I, taking a deep breath as she did so.
Hwang Tiffany was pretty. It was an undeniable fact. Even when her mascara was smudged and her cheeks were streaked with tears. She was still pretty.
"What do you want?" She hissed, wiping at her eyes to get rid of the tears.
"Nothing." I shrugged, taking a step closer and looking around her room. I felt her quizzical eyes on me.
"Then why did you come here?" She asked, annoyance still lingering in her tone.
"Oh, I just wanted to ask you a question as all." I said, looking over at her.
"Can't you just leave?" She said through gritted teeth.
I sighed, coming over and sitting beside her on the bed. She was surprised, obviously.
"I really am sorry for all of this." I said, as sincerely as possible. "I thought you already knew about me and stuff."
She only stared at me, not saying anything. I had caught her attention.
"My name is Kim Taeyeon, I just turned twenty-one a few months ago." I introduced, extending my hand to her, which she didn't take. Only looked at me as if I was crazy.
I dropped my hand in disappointment, heaving a defeated sigh. "Look, I just want you to know that…I understand how you're feeling, and I don't blame you for reacting the way you did. I'd probably be the same." I smiled.
Her expression softened.
"Can we maybe be friends?" I asked hopefully, not wanting things to be any more difficult than they had to be.
She sighed. "Now, please get out."
...
Chapter 3: Terms and Conditions
Kim Taeyeon.
I stared at the ceiling, my eyes glazing over the pocket holes in the plaster, repeating the name in my head as I thought back to the previous day in which I had met the short, blonde girl that had been labeled as my new husband.
I didn't really know what to think of her. She was strange to say the least, and there was something oddly charming and handsome about her that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I mean…could a girl really be 'handsome'? I wasn't sure, but somehow this Taeyeon girl had managed to pull it off.
She was quite unlike anyone I had ever come across. The way she had spoken to me as if I was just some random commoner, a normal person was…refreshing, and as she spoke, I couldn't help but analyze her and her mannerisms closely. I had even taken the small dimple on her chin into account and came to the conclusion that she was one of these people that was just undeniably cute.
Did I find her attractive?
I couldn't exactly confirm it. I had only ever spoken to her once. So, I couldn't really know the real her yet…
She was, in all honesty, a mere stranger. Despite her age and name, I had no more information about her.
She could be a freak, a psychotic maniac that secretly wanted to murder me. Or, she could be a greedy gold-digger that only wants my hand in marriage so she can mooch off of my family's wealth. I mean, why else would she agree to marry me? I was just as much of a stranger to her as she was to me. There had to be a reason, no one just agrees to marry someone that they've never met. Why did my parents even choose her in the first place?
And what was that whole 'Can we maybe be friends?' thing about?
I couldn't trust her, I really couldn't. I would steer clear of her. I am not going to marry this Kim Taeyeon, no matter what my parents say or do. It was never going to happen.
I was more than just furious with my parents. How could they do this to me? They didn't even tell me what was going on beforehand. What did they expect? That I would jump for joy and throw flower petals everywhere as I rode my magic unicorn over the rainbow to land on a pot of gold?
No. They were inconsiderate. They were forcing me into a marriage without even consulting me about it before they picked my suitor.
There were two things that I was going to do. (1) Stay away from Kim Taeyeon, being as cold toward her as possible. (2) Break this marriage apart.
There was no way in hell that I was going to marry Kim Taeyeon.
TAEYEON'S POV
When I opened my eyes to the sound of my phone blaring and rattling on the nightstand, I noted how much light was streaming in through the windows and how sunny it was outside.
I groaned in protest. I hadn't slept last night, with all of this pressure and stress bearing down on my chest, leaving me to feel claustrophobic and breathless.
I groped around blindly for my phone, hitting the answer button as I pressed it against my ear and mumbling out a rather slurred, "Hello?" into the device.
"Taeyeon-ah!"
I perked up, my eyes flickering and the weight sitting on my chest suddenly seeming more bearable. I smiled.
"Hayeon-ah," I said, making the happiness in my tone rather prominent. "How are you and Mother?"
"We're fine." She said. "We're both missing you like crazy though. The mansion is so boring with out you!" She whined.
"I'm missing you guys too." I replied, softly, the guilt rising up within my throat.
"What's the palace like? Is the princess nice? Is she pretty? When's the wedding?" She threw questions at me, and all I could do was try my best to dodge them.
"Everything's fine, Hayeon-ah." I chuckled, hiding my uncertainty. "Don't worry, I'll fill you in on the details later."
"Okay." She said. There was a pause and I could tell she wanted to ask something.
"Hayeonie, are you okay?" I asked, gently.
"Yeah…" She answered quietly, with a hint of hesitation. "When will we see you again?"
The guilt that had been traveling up my throat had all meshed together into a rather large lump that made me feel sick, and I swallowed down, hard, trying to wash it away. I was never good at my lying, especially to Hayeon or my mother.
But I had to protect them. This was all for them.
"I'll see you soon, I promise." I said, pulling a blanket over how I was truly feeling on the inside. I really didn't know when I was going to see them again, or if I was ever going to see them again. But, I couldn't let them know that. I'd be hurting them too much. As long as they were safe, nothing else mattered.
"Really?" She had lightened up considerably.
"Yes, really." I assured.
"I can't wait!" She squealed. "Will you show me around the palace? Will I get to meet the princess?" She asked, excitedly.
I let out a light laugh. "Of course."
"I'm so excited!" She announced. "I'll go get Mother so you can speak to her."
"Oh, wait Hayeon-ah." I said, quickly.
"Yeah?"
"I have to go now, but tell her I said hi. I'll speak to you soon."
"Oh, okay. I'll let her know."
"Thanks. I love you, bye."
"Love you, bye."
And then she hung up and the phone call was over, and I was essentially lying to my family. I locked my phone, burying my head in my hands, and letting out a deep sigh that was pressing down on my rib cage.
Was it bad that I was lying?
All I wanted to do was protect them. I don't know what I'd do if they ever got hurt because of me. They were my responsibility, my family, my…everything. I didn't want to lie to them, and I certainly didn't want to be in this situation, either. But, there was nothing that I could do at the moment. I had involuntarily been dragged into this.
All I could do was play along with how they wanted me to, get married to the princess and try and find a way to get me and my family as far away as possible.
"Sorry to disturb you, my Prince."
I removed my face from my hands and looked up to find Henry poking his head through the door.
Prince? This was going to take some getting used to.
I smiled at him. "It's no bother, Henry-shi. And, please, call me Taeyeon."
He returned my smile and nodded, stepping into the room with a pile of clothes stacked up in his arms, which I assumed were for me.
"Okay, Taeyeon-shi." He said, with a small bow. "Here are a fresh set of clothes for you. Please get dressed quickly and someone will come shortly to escort you to the dining hall for breakfast. Your Highness the King, has some things that he would like to discuss with you and the princess." He informed as he placed the stack of clothes on the dressing table.
"Oh, thank you very much, Henry." I said, giving a small bow, which he returned and then left.
I really hope this isn't something serious. I groaned as I slung myself out of the comfy confines of my bed to get dressed.
With the aid provided by one of the maids, I had successfully made my way to the dining hall. As I walked in, I saw the whole royal family sitting with an extravagant breakfast before them, except from Tiffany, who was nowhere to be seen.
The King and Queen, Michelle and her husband, Donghae, along with Leo, Tiffany's younger brother. I had met Tiffany's siblings once before when they came to meet me for the first time along with their parents. It was more that they were examining me than anything else as they spoke to Mrs. Park, the woman who was in charge of my training.
They all smiled at me, I bowed in respect saying my greeting rather formally.
"Taeyeon-ah! Come and sit! The cooks have provided us with a divine breakfast this fine morning!" The King announced happily, gesturing for me to sit down.
I smiled and nodded, taking my seat. Just as I sat down, Tiffany then entered, sitting beside me in the only vacant seat available. She didn't even spare a glance at me.
"Good morning, my dear." Her father cooed. He was obviously in a rather good mood this morning. "Did you sleep well?"
"I slept fine, thank you." Tiffany replied simply, not much emotion in her tone as she proceeded to eat.
I followed suit, eating what had been placed upon my plate as the empty silence came, only filled by the sound of utensils clattering against plates. I really had no idea how Tiffany was ever going to accept this marriage, it seemed as though she hated my guts. I frowned slightly.
"Taeyeon, Tiffany."
I looked up from my plate, over the table to the King as he clasped his hands together.
"I think that it's important that we discuss plans for the wedding." He said, looking between us expectantly. I could see Tiffany tense slightly from the corner of my eye. I swallowed down my mouth full of food as the queen proceeded to talk.
"We've come to realize that it's unfair to force the marriage upon you so soon." The Queen continued, nodding to herself. "And so, we have decided that the wedding will take place in five months, and in these next five months you two will be able to get to know each other before you are wed." She explained.
"And what if we don't get along with one another in those five months?" Tiffany asked, the anger bubbling in her tone.
"You will still have to proceed with the marriage."
Tiffany suddenly stood, slamming her hands down against the table. "That's not fair on either of us!" Tiffany yelled, the volume of her voice filling up the tall room.
"Tiffany, stop being so unreasonable." The Queen said sternly, her expression hard.
"I'm not the unreasonable one here! You're the one forcing your daughter to marry a girl when she's straight!" I was actually worried that Tiffany was about to flip the table.
I kept my head bowed, my eyes trained on the food on my plate. What else was I supposed to do?
The King stood also, rage flaring in his eyes. "Enough!" His voice boomed, echoed. "You two are getting married, and what we say is final!"
They stared each other down for a moment, silence and tension solidifying within the room. Tiffany threw her napkin on the table and left, not forgetting to slam the door shut behind her.
The King sighed, crumpling back down into his seat, rubbing his temples in frustration. "Breakfast is over. Taeyeon, I'd like to speak with you in my office."
He closed the door, crossing the room and sitting in the large leather chair behind the desk. He gave me a friendly smile, leaning forward.
"I'm sorry about that little argument this morning over breakfast." A streak of sadness made itself prominent in his dark eyes. "Tiffany can be a hard nut to crack." He chuckled, masking his frustration and anger with his younger daughter. I gave him a sympathetic smile and nodded.
His office was expensive looking, decorated in blue and white, with fancy-looking furniture and a large bookcase that took up one entire wall.
"You'll be sleeping in the room that you stayed in last night over the course of the next five months, and after the wedding, you'll be moving into Tiffany's room." He explained. "You can use all the facilities that the palace has to offer, and all the maids and butlers are here to serve you. You are part of this family now, a part of the Royal tree." He said leaning back in his chair. "Do you have any questions?"
I bit down on my bottom lip, constructing the words within my head before I spoke it aloud.
"When can I see my family?" I asked, in an even tone, looking him straight in the eye.
He sighed, running his fingers through his thinning hair.
"Give it at least a month." He said with a nod. "After that, you can invite them here and they can also meet Tiffany. But, you can't let Tiffany know your background or the conditions of this marriage." He warned. "If she finds out, she'll definitely refuse to marry you and she'll probably run off with that Siwon boy." He muttered, shaking his head.
Siwon? Did she have a boyfriend or something?
But the matter of the fact was I needed to get along with her. Be her friend, not her lover. Treat her like a sister. That way, things won't be so difficult and she won't be so hurt when I decide to leave. Things would be simpler this way.
This was now my new life, and there wasn't much I could do to change it.
...
Chapter 4: Im Yoona
I dug my hands deeper into my pockets, sauntering around and taking in my surroundings for future reference if I ever got lost in this massive place. The palace was truly beautiful, but in a strange way, it was beautiful and sad at the same time.
Throughout my life I had stayed and slept in the most dirty and dingy of places imaginable, and when we were able to sustain a place to stay for a while, it was never luxurious and would often lack the necessities, but even so, those places had the slightest sense of home, but here, it felt cold, lonely. Not really home at all.
But maybe that was because I was unfamiliar with it, and the vast amount of space and confusion that it provided. The mansion that I had lived in with my family, before I came here, wasn't even a quarter of the size of this place.
I felt so small here, so helpless and lost.
The palace grounds were cut up into sections, the middle being where the main house was and where the royal family would generally live in, behind that was the huge garden that seemed to go on forever, to the right wing of the grounds was the private hospital and beside that was were the gym was located and only the members of the royal tree could use these facilities, to the left was the servants quarters, where all maids, butlers and other members of staff stayed and slept when they weren't working.
I was lucky that the King had given me information about the palace because I would've been even more lost than I already was.
This place was like a mini town. It was unbelievable. Never in my life would have I imagined that I would essentially be part of South Korea's royal family, set up to marry the princess on conditions that put my life, and the lives of my family, at risk.
I stopped for a moment and looked up at the sky, slightly tinted a dreary grey that matched my emotions perfectly, and I wondered if Hayeon and my mother were okay without me. Were they missing me? What were they doing now? Did they think about me as much as I thought about them?
I inhaled deeply, heaving a sigh and looking at the ground beneath my feet. I felt so lost. I really didn't know what I was doing here or how I was going to get out of it. A lump rose up within my throat, and the weight pressing down on my shoulders seemed to get heavier.
"My prince?"
I looked up to be faced by a maid, her face distorted with concern as she looked at me unsurely.
"I'm sorry to bother you." She bowed quickly.
"It's quite alright." I smiled, placing my hand on her shoulder, indicating her to stand straight. I didn't like how people were always so formal with me now that I was a prince. I wanted to be normal, and the formality made me feel slightly awkward. She blushed slightly.
"The Queen has requested that you join her on the balcony. She said it's nothing serious, and that you're free to decline her offer if you wish."
"I'd love to join her on the balcony." I smiled, hiding the emotions that seemed to slosh around in my stomach, "But you'll have to show me the way. I'm not quite familiar with the grounds yet."
She nodded quickly and led me to the balcony, but as we walked through the main house, I realized that there was more than just one balcony, there were several and it seemed that every corridor we turned into, looked the same as the one before.
"How does anyone find their way around here?" I joked lightly as we made a left turn and stopped at a set of double doors.
The maid turned to me, looking surprised that I had even spoken to her in such a friendly manner.
"You get used to it after a while." She stated, her eyes avoiding mine. "Please, follow me." She said tightly, pushing the doors open and entering.
I followed her in quietly. The room had been colour coded, so everything was in between tones of white and beige. Not a single item out of place, and not a speck of dust in sight. The palace sanitation team really did have a good method if they managed to keep everything looking this prim and perfect.
The room was furnished with white leather couches, a wide screen TV, and a small dining table, topped off with a rather large bookcase. On the walls hung different pictures of the Royal Family themselves, my eyes lingering on the one of the princess when she was just a child. Tiffany had always been pretty, it seemed. At the far end of the room was a set of rather large glass doors that led out to the balcony. I could see the queen sitting on a chair, her back facing us.
"Your highness the Queen, is just waiting on the balcony for you." The maid said, gesturing to where the queen was.
I gave a small bow toward her and smiled. "Thank you very much."
She bowed in return and left quickly. I made my way over to the glass doors, pushing the handle down and opening it slowly. I stepped out and the cool breeze washed over me gently. It seemed to have brightened up, for the sun was now brighter than it was previously.
I inhaled the fresh air, finally closing the door behind me.
Sensing my presence, the queen turned in her chair and smiled at me warmly. I bowed in respect.
"Come," She called. "Take a seat."
I did as told and sat down in the vacant seat beside her. She was silent for a moment as a refreshing wind blew softly over us. I looked out over the palace garden, and all the gardeners working efficiently, the maids, butlers, guards and other members of staff scurrying about here and there.
"What do you think of the palace? Do you like it here?" She asked suddenly, turning her head to look at me, catching me off guard.
I looked at her and nodded. "It's very beautiful here."
Her eyes flickered warmly, and she smiled. "I'm glad."
She turned her head away and looked over at the garden, a very slight smile on her face. She must have been in her mid to late 40's, and she emitted a kind of beauty and confidence that a Queen should. She was very respected for her charity work, among other things, and a lot of people saw her as an inspiration. She was firm, but had a gentle side to her that made you feel comfortable, but always on your toes. I wondered if Tiffany was anything like her mother.
"I know you're worried about marrying Tiffany." She said suddenly, her eyes trained on the gardening staff. "It's only natural."
I pressed my lips together, thinking of a response, but before I could even come up with something she continued to talk.
"I know Tiffany can be cold and stubborn, and she has a temper just as bad as her fathers…" She lamented.
I had only known the princess since yesterday, but I could already tell that these things were all true.
"But…" She continued, "…underneath all that, there's a kind and caring girl with a heart of gold. She just needs someone to draw it out of her." She turned and looked at me, an elegant smile on her face "And I honestly think that that person is you, Taeyeon."
Tiffany and I had only ever spoken once, and that's when she had been crying about having to marry me, and then she told me to get out of her room. Not to forget that she completely blanked me this morning at breakfast. Why on earth would the Queen think that I could be the person to bring the real Tiffany to the surface when it seemed as though she hated me.
"You don't believe me?" The queen asked, her eyebrows raised when I didn't respond.
"It's not that I don't believe you…" I hesitated slightly, trying to find the more appropriate words to say, "It just seems that Tiffany has no intention of marrying me. Forcing her into this just seems like an impossible thing to do." I heaved a sigh, rubbing my forehead in frustration.
"Don't worry." She smiled, "Everything will work out. It always does."
I wished that I could have her amount of optimism. When I first met the queen, I hadn't expected her to be so down to earth and friendly. She spoke to me as if I had known her for years, and that in itself, made me feel slightly more at home.
She stood. "I've got some things to do. But I'll see you at dinner." She said, looking down at me. "Thank you for joining me today, Taeyeon."
I quickly stood and bowed. "The pleasure is all mine."
The dinner table wasn't as tense as I had expected it to be. I was glad to see that the King and his youngest daughter had calmed since breakfast, but even so, no one talked and we ate in silence.
I suppose no one had anything to say, so the large room was filled of the sound of metal cutlery tinkling against plates.
The dining hall door opened and in entered Henry. He went to Tiffany, leaned over and whispered in her ear, not wanting to disturb everyone else's dinner. Since I was sitting right next to them, I could hear what was being said.
"Sorry to disturb your meal, My Princess. But it seems your friends have arrived. I have sent them to your room."
"Thank you, Henry." Tiffany said, dismissing him, wiping her mouth with a napkin delicately and standing up, ready to leave.
"Where you do you think you're going?" The King asked from across the table, looking at his daughter expectantly.
"My friends are here. They're already waiting for me." Tiffany informed in a rather firm tone.
"In that case, you can take Taeyeon with you." He said, giving her an innocent smile.
"What? Why?" She questioned quickly, a hint of outrage in her voice. I kept my head down.
"Well, I think it would be nice if Taeyeon, your future husband, were to meet some of your friends. Don't you, dear?" He asked, leaning a little over to his wife.
"Oh yes, I think it would be very nice." The Queen agreed.
Tiffany let out a small huff. "But father, I don't think Taeyeon would enjoy the company of my friends. And besides, she's still eating." Tiffany reasoned, keeping her cool.
"Nonsense! I'm sure she'd love to meet your friends, and she's nearly done with her plate." The King replied.
"But fa-"
"No buts. It's either you take Taeyeon with you, or you don't go at all and I'll get Henry to send your friends back to their rightful homes." He challenged.
I felt her glance at me in annoyance, heaving a sigh. "Fine."
There had been a few things that I had learnt about Stephanie Hwang MiYoung in the little time that I had been here - one of the most prominent being her rather fiery temper. But in the last minute or so from following her, I had also learnt that she was an extremely fast walker when she wanted to be.
Did I really want to meet her friends?
Possibly. In the future when the two of us were on better terms. But right now? No. I really didn't want to go in there and introduce myself as the new prince to a bunch of people I had never met before.
"Tiffany-shi…wait up." I called, trying to keep up with her and her fast pace.
She stopped abruptly and turned around, and if I hadn't been paying enough attention, I would've walked straight into her, but luckily my reflexes were good enough, so I stopped myself just in time.
Her pretty face was now just mere inches away from mine, her breath washing over my face. I swallowed down. Being this close to her, I noticed how brown her eyes were and how soft her skin looked and how well her face was structured. My heartbeat seemed to quicken as her gaze pierced right through me.
She turned back around, and walked over to a set of large wooden doors, placing her hands on the handles and that's when I realized I had been holding my breath. I went and stood beside her just as she was about to open the doors. I could hear the sound of female chatter on the other side.
"Just don't embarrass me." She said, before pushing down the handles and opening both doors.
As soon as Tiffany walked in, their chatter hushed for a few brief seconds, and in chorus they all squealed with delight and engulfed the Princess into a group hug.
I stood awkwardly behind them, hands in my pockets, not sure what to do with myself.
The hug dispersed, and they all stepped back, continuing their chatter with Tiffany as they stood. And suddenly, all at they same time, they finally noticed me standing there. They all looked at me curiously, wondering who I was and why I was currently standing in the bedroom of South Korea's princess.
Tiffany looked my way, "Oh yeah. And this is Kim Taeyeon. My future husband." She said dryly, gesturing in my direction.
I wet my lips and gulped as they continued to stare. "Hello, it's very nice to meet you all. I hope we can become friends." I bowed and stood.
When I looked up, surprisingly, they all smiled at me kindly, making my face redden a little. They were all undeniably beautiful, and I didn't really know where to look. They all bowed toward me at roughly the same time.
"Let me introduce you to everyone." Tiffany muttered, pulling my arm closer to the girls. "This," She said gesturing to a girl that I had seen before somewhere, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. She was stunningly beautiful, with long chestnut hair, oozing a confidence like no other. "Is Jung Jessica, my closest and oldest friend. Our families are very close, and have been for years."
"It's very nice to meet you." Jessica said politely, shaking my hand.
But before I could reply, Tiffany had pulled me away and closer to another two of the girls. "This is Lee Soonkyu, but everyone calls her Sunny, and Kim Hyoyeon. Both of them are close family friends." She introduced quickly, not giving me a chance to greet them properly. "And this," She said, gesturing to a girl who was tall, beautiful, with big brown eyes. Her body was undeniably slim, and her smile was kind and friendly, almost too friendly. "Is Im Yoona, an old childhood friend. Our families are currently doing business together." She introduced, "And that's everyone." She concluded.
I felt nervous underneath Yoona's pretty eyes, and when I turned to Tiffany, I found that she had already taken a seat on one of the couches and was now chatting happily with Jessica, Sunny and Hyoyeon. I frowned.
I turned back to Yoona and smiled, and before I could do anything else, she pulled me along to sit with her on a vacant couch.
She leaned her head on her palm, and looked at me, a slightly flirtatious smile on her face.
"So, Taeyeon-shi, where are you from?" She asked, moving a little too close for comfort.
I shifted uncomfortably. I couldn't tell the truth, I had to lie, because telling the truth was too risky.
"Uhm…I'm from Seoul. The Gangnam district specifically." I said and she nodded.
"Really? I'm from Seoul too." She smiled, her eyes twinkling as she gazed at me. "I suppose that explains your good looks. How come I've never seen you around?"
The second thing that I learnt about Hwang Tiffany, was that her friends were extremely nosey, and that they made it hard for me to dodge questions that required the truth, which was something that I couldn't give.
Yoona was a natural flirt, and I was just naturally awkward.
That was the first time that I encountered Im Yoona, and that night when I settled myself into bed I was left thinking about her.
...
Chapter 5: Then It Hit Me
I could feel the frustration, the tension, and the anger pump through my muscles as the sweat dangled off of the tip of my nose. My lungs burned, but I continued as hard and as fast as I could, throwing punches and kicks in every which way.
He dodged them, blocked them and tried to counter me with every chance he got. The instructor was watching from the sidelines and I could tell that he was on edge in case someone got hurt, especially since the both of us were fighting so intensely.
With one final grip, twist, pull and flip, a thud was heard and Leo was on the ground, defenseless.
He put his hands up in surrender, and we both smiled at each other in amusement, both of us panting for breath. I held a hand out to him, and he took it as I pulled him up to stand.
The instructor clapped loudly, the sound echoing through the studio as he sauntered over to us.
"Wow. That was brilliant." His hands were still clapping. "You guys are a good match. It's nice to have someone who can actually challenge Leo for once. I have to say, Your Highness, you've really impressed me with your ability. It's hard to find people who are willing to take on such a fierce fighter like Leo, here."
Leo and I smiled at each other.
"Thank you." I bowed. "And please, just call me Taeyeon."
He chuckled. "Why of course, Taeyeon." He handed the both of us a towel and a bottle of water. "Go take a break, you two have earned it after all the hard work you've done today. Great job."
We thanked him and bowed respectfully before pulling off our helmets, and other pieces of protective clothing we had used. We went outside of the studio to cool off, both of us still breathing hard.
I took a swig of my water, letting it run down my throat swiftly before leaning back on the wall. I sat down on the ground, Leo following quickly behind.
I wiped my face with the towel I had been given, trying to calm my rapid breathing. My skin and muscles felt like they were burning, but I liked it in a strange way. It made me want to work harder.
"You're really good." Leo praised with a smile, nodding as he downed another gulp of water.
Hwang Leo was the youngest member of the immediate royal family. He was a quiet boy, but also very easy and pleasant to talk to, unlike his sister who hadn't even acknowledged me properly for the whole month I had been here.
I had become closer to Leo. He was, really, my only friend. We shared a common passion and interest for martial arts, and that's how we became to bond so quickly. I kind of looked at him like a little brother.
"You too. And you're so young."
He smiled again and looked away, his eyes tracing over the shape of the palace grounds and the workers and servants that could be seen pottering about here and there. And it was then that I realized how busy everything seemed here. A year ago there'd be moments that would feel as if everything was in a standstill. But now, there was always something to do, to say. There was never a moment of pure, peaceful silence anymore. I missed it.
"So…how are things going with my sister?" Leo asked, out of the blue.
I scoffed a little. "Things…aren't really going anywhere. I haven't really spoken to her at all. So…I don't really know."
Leo hummed thoughtfully, tilted his head up to the sky a little. "Well…I think…that…" Leo was the type of person that if he didn't have anything to say, he'd simply stay silent. But when he did have something to say, he would say it, but he was always very tactful with the way he spoke. "…You should try and spend time with her." He said, finally.
"Yeah…but how? It seems like she hates my guts. I seriously doubt she'd want to hang out with me." I sighed, the weight pressing down on my shoulders again.
"Well, it seems to me that you guys are getting married in about four months, and neither of you have made a real effort to get closer to each other. You guys are, really, going to have to spend the rest of your lives together, whether you get along or not. So…why not try and make it easier for the both of you and get closer?"
I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth in thought and realized that I hadn't really thought about it that way. I was too focused on my family.
"You're right…but I don't even know what she's into or what she likes." I reasoned.
He shrugs. "To be honest, I'm not really that close with my sisters either, so I can't really help you there." He looks down and checks the time on his watch and sighs. "I need to go. I have a music lesson in thirty minutes." He stands up, brushes the dirt off his shorts and looks down at me. "Don't worry about it. You'll think of something. I'll see you later."
He left and went back into the main house. I watched after his silhouette, as it got smaller, and thought about what I was supposed to do.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out to see a picture of Hayeon flashing on the screen, she had sent me a text message, but that's when the perfect idea hit me.
Deep breaths as I lifted my hand to the door and knocked quickly. I waited. No answer. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, thinking through what to say one last time.
With one more puff of air, I placed my hand on the door handle and pushed the door open slightly, poking my head through the gap.
It was empty. She must've been on the second floor then.
I entered the pink-coloured room, carefully closing the door behind me. I took another breath before making my way over and climbing the stairs to the second level of the huge room. I reached the top and found the princess, lying on her bed, reading some sort of fashion magazine.
"Uhm…Hey?" It came out as more of a question than a greeting. I mentally smacked myself.
She looked at me lazily from behind her magazine, a tinge of surprise in her dark eyes.
"What do you want?" She asked, ice and disinterest in her tone.
"Well..." I dug my hands into my pockets and took a few slow steps forward. "I…was…just…uhm…-"
"Look, Taeyeon-shi, " She cut me off. "If you don't have a reason to be in here, then I have no problem with getting the guards to escort you out."
I stared at her in disbelief. "Wait, no. I do have a reason."
"Then why don't you spit it out instead of wasting my time?" Her eyes went back to her magazine, resuming flicking through the pages.
I took another deep breath and steadied my voice. "Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out with me today…that is…if you have nothing else to do." I looked down at the carpet, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly.
She put her magazine down, and sighed. I looked up at her to find her with an unreadable expression on her face, her lips pursed.
"What makes you think that I'd want to hang out with you?"
I shrugged. "To be honest, I don't really know. I just figured that all of this mess would be easier if we got along a little better. I'm not asking you to agree to become my best friend, I'm just suggesting that maybe we should make things a little easier by trying to get to know one another."
Her expression softened slightly. She looked down at her lap in contemplation before letting out a sigh of defeat.
"Okay. I'll hang out with you, but it depends on what you had in mind."
A smile formed onto my lips. "I can't tell you just yet. I want it to be a surprise."
She rolled her eyes. "Seriously? How old are you? Can't you just tell me?"
I shook my head. "No can do. It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you what it was, would it?"
"Fine…" She mutters, getting off of the bed. "It better not be something stupid."
"Do you really need to cover my eyes?"
I chuckled to myself as we walked and the scent of fresh flowers, and streaming waters wafted into my system, my hands over Tiffany's eyes, preventing her from seeing anything.
"We're almost there anyway." We walked a little further up the cracked path, before I stopped Tiffany in her tracks. "Okay, we're here." I said, removing my hands from blocking her vision.
I bit down on my lower lip, anticipating her reaction.
She stepped forward, turning and looking around, taking everything in. "Wow." She says, looking back at me. "This place is…really beautiful."
Flowers of all different colours had begun to bloom in the grass, the sun was shining and the breeze was rolling in gently. Perfect weather.
"Where are we?" She asks, wonderingly.
"Come." I said, gesturing for her to follow me. "It's an old abandoned park, over-grown and deserted. It seems like everyone has just forgotten that this place ever even existed. I used to take my little sister here all the time." I smile as we strolled down the slightly worn-out concrete, thinking about my little sister who I hadn't seen in awhile.
"You have a sister?"
I nod slowly, glancing up at the sky, our footsteps in sync. "Yeah, her name's Hayeon. She's eight, nearly nine." My smile gets a little wider as I think about her.
"Have you got any other siblings?" She asks, with a surprising hint of interest.
I shake my head. "Nope. Just Hayeon. You have a older sister and a little brother, right?"
She nods, looking over at me.
"I've been doing martial arts with your brother lately. He's really good." I praise.
"Leo does martial arts?" She questions with a frown.
I chuckle lightly. "Yeah, how can you not know? He's your brother."
She just shakes her head. "Oh, whatever."
I shrug it off as we continue to walk. I looked around and remembered the other surprise I had in store. "Wait here." I said, jogging ahead of her.
"What? Why?" She asks quickly.
"Just stay put!" I yell back at her as I run around the corner. I smile to myself as I pick the bikes up from leaning against the lamppost. I pushed them back around to where Tiffany was waiting, a bike either side of me.
"Surprise." I say once I reach her.
She looks at the bikes and then to me. "There is no way in hell that I'm getting on that thing."
I frown, looking down at the bikes. "But why?
"B-because…I just don't want to." She states simply.
"Oh, come on. You have to at least give me a better reason than that."
She mumbles something under her breath that I fail to hear. I scrunch my face up in confusion and lean a little closer. "What'd you say?"
She huffs, looks up at me in annoyance and says, "Because I don't know how to."
I knew that rich people like Tiffany and her family would usually get carted around in a limousine or whatever, but isn't riding a bike a thing that most parents teach their kids? Maybe I thought that way because of the way I had been brought up. Cycling and walking were the cheapest forms of transportation, therefore it was something that you had to learn.
"Really?" I ask, slightly amazed.
Her cheeks began to turn a slight pink. "Yes." She muttered.
"How come?"
"I don't know. I just never did. I never really had anyone to teach me." She said, avoiding my gaze.
A smile crept onto my face. "Well…you're in luck."
She looks at me, confused.
"Because I'm going to teach you."
She shakes her head, backing away. "No. No way. I knew this was a bad idea."
She begins to turn to walk away, but I quickly grab her arm and hold it loosely, my grip gentle. She looks at me, stunned, almost.
"Please?" I beg. "I promise you, I'm a great teacher. I taught my sister, and she's not even nine yet. If a eight year old can do it, I'm sure you can, too."
She pulls her wrist away, and we end up going back and forth at each other. Me, convincing her to let me teach her, and she, saying that there was no way in hell she was ever going to get on a bike.
I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but she ended up agreeing, eventually, after what seemed like such a long and tedious squabble.
She tried and failed several times, and after a few hours, she finally began to get it.
"Okay, this is good. You're making quick progress." I smile at her in a friendly manner as she sits upon the bike. "Now, try one more time." I urge. "I'll be right beside you."
She breathes deeply and nods a few times before she takes off. At first, I hold the back of her saddle and jog beside her, but as she begins to get more engrossed into the cycling, I slow down my pace and eventually let go.
I stood and watched with a smile on my face, proud almost.
From a distance, I see her ride over a large pebble, I hear her squeal as she begins to wobble. Without much thought, I sprinted towards her and before I could register where I was and where Tiffany was, something warm and perfumed fell on top of me, causing me to hit the ground, the wind getting knocked out of my lungs on impact.
I groaned inwardly, scrunching my face together in pain.
My first thought is, I've broken one of three things - Tiffany, the bike or myself. I, then, open my eyes to see Stephanie Hwang Miyoung's face just a few centimeters away from mine, our noses just about touching and her breath bearing down on my lips. My second thought is that Tiffany's eyes are that of a deep, pretty brown. She had eyes that I wanted to look into for a very long time. My third, and final, thought is that Tiffany is beautiful, very beautiful.
Her body is warm, and for a moment we just stare at each other. The park, the sun and the rest of the world slowly fade and diminish into nothing.
Tiffany Hwang had hit me like a literal ton of bricks.