[Seol meets the princesses and become friends, no longer feel lonely. One day, when she was at the market while the other girls were busy shopping, she meets the boy who was wearing a royal robe who is actually the crown prince Wang Ju.]

Seol was searching for Lady Munhye who had finished the teachings to the princesses. She searched Damiwon but there was no trace of her step-mother. Sighed in defeat, she went back to her room opened the door, only to find several girls hiding. She yelped in surprise as they stood up, looking apologetic.

“I’m sorry, we didn’t mean to surprise you…” The oldest girl apologized.

Recognizing their faces, Seol bowed to them hastily.

“G-greetings to the princesses…”

The oldest smiled.

“No need. I’m Wang A-Ji.” The oldest said.

Seol’s eyes grew wide.

“No way…my youngest brother’s name is A-ji too!”

The oldest princess’ smile grew wide, amused. The second oldest came.

“I’m Bo-Hwa.”

Then the four years old princess approached.

“Oh, she’s Mun-Deok.” Princess Bo-Hwa pointed out.

“Hello, princess.” Seol smiled.

Shy and quiet, Mun-Deok only nodded her head. The two other girls came as Seol recognized them also.

“Wait, you were from Hwangju, right?”

Two girls nodded.

“Yes, I’m Hwangbo Su.” The oldest said.

Seol blinked her eyes as she found odd to meet the girl whose name was same as her mother’s. She smiled as she greeted her back with a bow.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Yoo Seol.”

The younger jumped joyfully.

“Wow, my names’s Seol too~!”

“No way!” Seol squealed.

“So we’re practically sworn sisters?” Hwangbo Seol asked with big eyes.

“We already are!” Princess Bo-Hwa said.

They all happily laughed. Seol was able to have girls around her age as her friends as she no longer felt any loneliness. Then, they heard Lady Munhye called out.

“I have to go, princesses…” Seol said.

Hwangbo Su came to her and whispered: “Meet us outside Damiwon later. I will send you letters.”

Seol grinned at her invitation.

“We’re going to the lake Dongji also! You can come with us if you like to.” Princesses called out as Seol takes her leave and walked beside her step-mother.

________________________________________________________
When the king’s meeting was over, Seol enters the throne room where Jung, Baek-Ah and the king remains. Seol skipped happily, catching their attention.

“Woah, slow down sweetie,” Jung said as he stopped her skipping, “what’s the rush?”

“Daddy? Can I go to Dongji lake?”

Jung tilted his head. He was about to say no, but the puppy eyes of hers couldn’t make him. He glanced back at his brothers as if asking them to help him. Baek-Ah looked away, pretending to not look at him and So was unsure until he too, saw Seol’s eyes.

“Please?” Seol asked as her lips pouted with her doe-like eyes sparkled.

Unfortunately, the king couldn’t win her adorable puppy eye attack.

“It’s alright with me.”

“YOUR MAJESTY!” Jung literally shrieked.

Seol skipped happily.

“As long as uncle Baek-Ah goes with you.” The king finished with smile.

Baek-Ah, then, stared at his brother incredulously.

“Me? Oh…” Baek-Ah swore he almost got himself faint.

________________________________________________________

Baek-Ah sighed as he saw the girls happily running around. But honestly, he was glad Seol was making friends with the girls around her age. Even though her friends were mostly the princesses, he assured himself they will get along. After all, just like her mother, Seol has an ability to bond with anyone who met her.

“So…what’s your hobbies, Seol?” Hwangbo Su asked.

“I like drawing, cooking, I would like to practice martial art…,” Seol replied, “I like to sing also when I want to.”

“Martial arts? Who will teach you, then?” Hwangbo Su asked, interested.

“My father agreed to teach me someday. He said I need to defend myself when I grow up. Though the king and Lady Munhye disagree.”

“Is there any weapon you want to handle, then?”

Seol remembers the time when she went to the king’s chamber. Jung, Baek-Ah, and the king was too focused on their discussion they didn’t noticed Seol was approaching to one of Gwangjong’s sword and grabbed the longest, catching their attention. They literally shrieked, even though Jung was a bit proud that Seol would grow up as a strong woman, while the king and uncle Baek-Ah was literally freaking out, telling her it’s dangerous. Even Baek-Ah chuckled at such memories.

“Someday I want to use a sword,” Seol answered, “which reminds me, do you have other siblings?”

“My older brother is a crown prince Ju. We used to have another oldest brother, but…” Princess Wang A-Ji’s expression becomes grim, “he died when he was only two.”

“Oh…” Seol muttered, guilt consumed her, “I’m sorry I asked you such question.”

“It’s quite alright.” The oldest princess smiled reassuringly.

“We have three older brothers,” Hwangbo Seol replied, “They are Hyo-Deok, Chi, and Gyeong-Jang. Both Hyo-Deok and Gyeong-Jang have to stay at home because they are very ill.”

The conversation goes for hours. Seeing them safe, Baek-Ah by the shades as the tree branches covered the sunlight.

“Sister Seol,” Princess Mun-Deok began, “can you sing for us?”

The other girls agreed as they requested for it. Seol blushed briefly then coughed, preparing herself to sing.

“Why is the sky so much more blue?

Why is the breeze so perfect today?

Pretending like I don’t know,

like I didn’t hear a thing,

like I erased it,”

Seol sang as she gestured with her palms on her cheeks. Baek-Ah smiled while listening.

“should we start talking something else?”

“should we kiss so we can’t say anything?”

The princesses were all mesmerized with her sweet, melodic voice as so did Baek-Ah. He reminded himself how much the girl resembled her own mother, especially when singing.

“I feel the tears, so I lift my head up.

I smile a bit so they won’t fall.

Why are you doing this, what are you saying?

All the things we said were flying up to the sky,

there are words I didn’t get to say,

the words I didn’t know I’d say when I cry.”

Baek-Ah blinked in surprise wondering how can a little girl sing such a lyrics with deep meaning.

“Because I fall in love with you~.”

She sang in a long melodic soprano, then smiled with a finishing touch.

“What do I do?”

The silence overfilled the lake. Baek-Ah felt sorry that the king didn’t get to listen to his daughter singing. But on the other side, he preferred it not to as he believes it will bring more heartbreak to the king who will remind himself of his true love if he listened here. The girls clapped, praising her singing talents. The thirteenth stood up and went back to the palace as Hwangbo Seol noticed.

“Uncle, wait for me~!” The girl shouted as her little feet ran towards him.

The rest of the princesses followed, concerned she might fall. Seol glanced at them with a smile as she was about to leave until she noticed someone hiding behind the tree. As they were gone, Seol walked towards it, curious.

“Who’s there?” Seol asked.

For the last twenty second, the boy around her age revealed himself. He was wearing a royal reddish orange hanbok. His hair was partially tied behind with ribbon. Anxiety and bashfulness worn over his face.

“I—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…it’s just that…” he mumbled, “you have a nice voice…”

Seol tilted her head in confusion, then smiled widely.

“It’s okay…”

Before she could introduce herself, she heard uncle Baek-Ah calling.

“I have to go. See you~” She ran, catching up behind the girls before the boy could reveal his name.