Who am I, you may ask? I am Kim Myungsoo, ruler of the most beautiful kingdom in the land: Inspirit. To my people, I am also known as L, The Great. I’m powerful, rich, handsome, and every single person in my kingdom bows down to me.  Ladies would give up just about anything to be with me. Tall or short, everyone bows down to me with respect. I’m a ruler, a king, and I loved every second of it.

            However, I’m not a king yet. My father still rules the land with my mother by his side. I am still considered a prince, sadly. Although there were perks to being a prince. I got to hang out and leave the castle as I pleased. I didn’t have any duties or responsibilities. To others, I may seem like an out-of-control teenager who has selfish needs and is corrupted by royalty. To me, this was normal.

            One day a bad storm approached the kingdom of Inspirit. Peasants everywhere in the village ran for cover, horses were kept in their corrals, and merchants stored their carts in the sheds. Meanwhile, I was quietly resting in my enormous bedroom in the castle, enjoying my afternoon slumber.

            Suddenly, I heard a ruckus outside my window, which viewed over the front yard of the castle. It sounded like a girl yelling. It was greatly disturbing my sleep and I grew frustrated and angry.

            “Aish!”

            I flung off the covers and grumpily peered out the window.

            That was when I saw her.

            She seemed to be glowing, in a way. Even with her hood on her face seemed to shine, and she seemed to be sparkling. She was peeking through the gate of the castle, looking for something. She was yelling, probably calling out a name. Her long, wavy hair blew across her face and she curled a strand behind her ear to keep it out. I felt my heartbeat accelerate the entire time.

            Suddenly not feeling tired anymore, I dashed down to the front yard. I grabbed an umbrella and went outside to where she was. As I approached she backed away from the gate a bit and I stood there, staring at her for a long while before saying, “Your business?”

            “My dog, he ran into your castle through the gate rails, your majesty,” she said softly.

            I was smiling like a fool, a plan formulating in my mind. “I’ll let you come in to fetch him.”

            Her face brightened. “Really?”

            “IF,” I added, “If you agree to one condition.”

            She shrugged. “Okay what’s the condition?”

            I smirked mischievously. “I’ll tell you the condition, after you accept our deal.”

            “Okay, deal,” she said.

            I opened the gate to the castle and walked along with her as she searched around for her puppy. I couldn’t help but smile at her continuously as she walked in front of me. I felt like I could stare at her forever, just looking at her beauty. Now I knew what love at first sight felt like.

            “Oh! There he is!”

            She smiled happily as she found her lost puppy, who had been jumping in mud puddles in the rose garden.

            “What are you doing running around the majesty’s castle?” she said to her puppy, rubbing its wet and muddy fur.

            “Now you must accept my condition,” I said.

            “What is it, your majesty?” she asked sweetly.

            “You must stay with me, here, forever.” I leaned in closer to her and said, “As my wife.”

            Her happy expression suddenly turned sour as her eyes turned bitter.

            “W-What, your majesty?” she asked shakily.

            “I don’t think you know, but few girls manage to amaze me, let alone make me smile. But strangely you, a complete stranger, managed to do both in less than 10 seconds of a first meeting. That is what I call once in a lifetime. Therefore, you shall stay here with me in the castle, as my new bride,” I said.

            The sour expression she had on her face bothered me.

            “Excuse me, your majesty, but we barely know each other. We don’t truly love each other, and I’m not suited for the throne. I have my own things to attend to, I cannot stay here with you,” she said.

           “Why not?” I asked. “I’m the prince, the future king of Inspirit. I can give you anything you want, why wouldn’t you want to be with me?”

            “Do you want an honest answer from me, your majesty?” she asked.

            “Yes, please do answer honestly.”

            She cleared . “Your majesty, even though you may have everything a girl could ever want, your personality is horrible. You’re arrogant, selfish, and you think that the whole world revolves around you. Sadly, it doesn’t. I can never marry someone like that. I’m sorry, but I must leave.”

            She made a move to leave but I forcefully grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

            “Not so fast,” I said. “We made a deal. You can’t leave. You’re now stuck here, with me, whether you like it or not.”

            “But your majesty-

            “No buts. It’s settled. Your home is now the castle. Whatever is mine, is yours.” I grinned. “Don’t look so glum, my future bride. You’ll warm up to things. You’ll learn to love me.”

            “Love doesn’t work that way,” she said. “I’ll never love you.”

            Hearing her say that, I felt my heart crack into pieces. But I hid this pain as I said, “You’re getting wet. I’ll have the maid get you some new clothes. Now scurry on inside, Princess.”

            She looked like she was about to cry as she realized that there was no point in arguing with me. With a frown, she headed inside the castle.

            “Wait, Princess,” I said.

            She turned around.

            “Your name?” I asked.

            “Naeun,” she said softly. “Son Naeun.”

            Naeun. What a beautiful name.

            Naeun didn’t talk much during the preparation week for the wedding. She would only nod or shake her head for every question and gave short, quick responses. I tried talking to her many times, but it was hard since she would never say much. I took this as a personality trait of hers. Maybe she just didn’t talk much. Little did I know that she was deeply annoyed and angry about me practically forcing her to be my bride.

            “What did you think of the lobster and ham, Naeun?” I asked at dinner.

            She didn’t say anything as she picked at her food.

            “Naeun I haven’t seen you smile in a while,” I commented. “Is something wrong Princess?”

            She sighed in complete frustration and pushed her dinner plate away as she got up and said, “I’m not eating anymore.”

            I got up and followed her, grabbing her arm as I spun her around. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “You barely eat, you’re thin as a stick, and you don’t even talk to me. I gave you everything. You used to be a small peasant girl and now you’re about to be L, The Great’s wife! You have riches, money, extravagant dresses, everything. What’s making you so unhappy?”

            She bit her lip and looked up at me angrily. “You, Kim Myungsoo.”

            This was the first time that she’d called me by my full name and it made me kind of scared.

            “Me?” I asked.

            “I don’t want to marry you. I don’t love you, this isn’t right, can’t you see?” she asked.

            “But I love you. Isn’t that enough?”

            “No, it’s not. I’m miserable here in the castle,” she said softly.

            “But you have me.”

            “But you’re not enough.”

            I sighed in frustration. “But I’m L, The Great. How can you not love me? Everyone else does.”

            “Well I guess I’m not like everyone else then,” Naeun said quietly.

            She turned around and headed back upstairs to her room. I stood there, feeling degraded for the first time in my life. Never have I felt so neglected and worthless.

            “No,” I said quietly. “You’re not like everyone else.”

            Iexpected Naeun to be at least a little enthusiastic on the wedding day, but she wasn’t. The same grim expression was on her face and she didn’t even smile as the kingdom threw flower petals after we exchanged rings.

            After the wedding we were spending our first night as a married couple in the castle’s newly furnished Prince and Princess Bedroom, specifically made for us. There was only one bed and I thought that since now we were practically forced to live life as a married couple, that she’d actually open up to me. But she didn’t change a single bit.

            Sleeping on opposite sides of the bed, I looked over at Naeun, who had her back faced to me. She was so near, yet so far away. Her body looked so fragile and weak. She was so pale and boney. The baby fat in her cheeks was gone, different from how she’d looked when I first saw her on that rainy day. It pained me to see her like this.

            “Naeun-ah…,” I said softly.

            She didn’t move a single inch but I knew that she was awake.

            “Are you mad at me?” I asked quietly.

            She still didn’t move.

            I sighed, completely devastated at realizing that the girl that I loved most would never love me back, no matter what I did.

            “I love you,” I said, hoping that she would say it back.

            But she didn’t and I wanted to cry but held it in. All my life I’d thought that getting someone to love me would be easy, considering that I was the prince of Inspirit. Who wouldn’t want to marry L, The Great?

            Apparently, the girl whom I loved most, Son Na Eun, didn’t.

            Iknew that I should’ve let her go after that night of realization. But I wanted her to stay with me for just a bit longer, so I kept her in the castle even though I knew that she was miserable. It was so selfish of me, but my selfish needs got the better of me.

            One morning I woke up to raindrops sliding down my window and I knew that I needed to let her go, today.

            I looked over to my side and found her still sleeping. I stared at her for a long time, as if taking a mental picture of her.

            During breakfast, I didn’t eat. Instead, I watched my wife eat. She noticed me staring at her and said, “What?”

            I kept staring at her and bit my lip, trying to hold back my tears. I didn’t want to let her go. But I had to.

            “Naeun,” I said. “Do you remember how we first met on a rainy day?”

            She thought about it, and then nodded.

            “Well I’m setting you free on a rainy day as well,” I said.

            Her eyes widened. “Really?”

            I nodded. “Mm. You came here with nothing and you shall leave with nothing. Your dog is an exception, because he was the reason we even met in the first place. You’ll be leaving after you finish breakfast.”

            At that instant, she smiled.

            She smiled, in what finally seemed like a million years.

            And the sad part was, she was smiling because I was letting her go. She was happy that I was ridding of her. I wanted to kill myself right then and there at this realization.

            I walked Naeun under my umbrella, taking a last look at her before opening the gate.

            “Thank you, your majesty,” she said. She took the ring off of her finger and enclosed it into my hand. Then she bowed and headed out of the castle premises. Her dog followed along behind her. This all seemed to play in slow motion to me.

            I watched her walk away, and felt a tear slide down my cheek. I wanted to run and pull her back so badly, but restrained myself. Goodbye, Princess.

Dear Diary,

I saw her today while visiting the village. She was wearing a white dress that made her look like an angel. She also looked much healthier and she was smiling at a couple of customers. I wonder if she saw me staring. Would she be freaked out if she did see me, gazing at her like I always did? I don’t think she knows how much she still stuns me, everyday.

     I’d never wanted her to leave me. I’d never wanted to let her go. But I know that she’s not happy with me. I know that she’d be better off with someone else, someone who can treat her a million times better than I ever did. I’d kept her with me against her will, all because I wanted to be happy. But she wasn’t happy with me.

     I miss her. A lot. I wonder who she’s with now and who’s making her happy. I still see her many times in my dreams. I think about her all the time when I’m in the castle. Seeing her again today, made me realize all of these feelings for her. I just hope she knows that I’ll always love her, no matter how much time has passed or no matter how much she hurts me. When we were married, I was the luckiest and happiest guy in the world. Now someone else has that pleasure.

     Don’t forget me, Naeun.