Chapter 4

Author

L.Joe smiled evilly at Myungsoo. "Who are you?" L.Joe blurted out. "What's your name?" 

"Myungsoo." Myungsoo said, sounding very miserable.

"You're a thief...Can you tell me why you were with her?" 

"You mean Misun?" Myungsoo rolled his eyes at him, "Why would I tell you?"

"Because I'm ordering you to. You tell me, if you don’t want me to bring you to prison and have your head cut off." L.Joe said flatly.

Myungsoo had no choice. "Fine. I brought her with me, as simple as that."

"How come she's with you?"

"She run away from her father whom she says abuses her. I am only helping her."

There was an awkward silence for a moment, as if L.Joe was analyzing what Myungsoo said. Suddenly, L.Joe laughed out loud.

"What? What did I say?!" Myungsoo asked, annoyed.

After talking with Myungsoo, L.Joe told the guards to march Myungsoo back to his home. L.Joe went to see you and found you near the horse barn, staring at the horses. He appeared in front of you, startling you.

"L.Joe," you said, eyes widening. "Where's Myungsoo?"

"I sent him back." L.Joe replied. 

You sighed in relief and then your eyes slid to his wounded arm. You grabbed his arm gently, wiping the blood with your hanbok.

"It's okay; don't get your dress dirty." L.Joe said and pulled his arm away. "You can stay in my room for the night. I can stay in Sungyeol's room." He turned his back and then you called him.

Misun

I felt sorry for L.Joe somehow. He should be angry at me, but he wasn't showing me that. I bet it's because my birthday is coming...Does he even remember? Aish. I shook my head and stared at his blood dripping from his arm. He started walking away from me.

"Stop." I said and he stopped. "I'm sorry." I apologized sincerely, for the trouble I created with Myungsoo. Someday Myungsoo's going to pay for making me come with him, and for trying to steal from the Lee palace. Aish! That thief!

"It's okay," L.Joe said and continued walking away.

"Wait! Are you going to tell my parents?"

"Tomorrow," he trailed off.

I pouted in disappointment. Now, I'm stuck again, in a palace, when all I wanted was to be outside. I left my flute, now it's going to be boring again. If only I can run away from here. No choice, these guards brought me into L.Joe's room and stood outside the room, to guard. This is what I hate about being a Princess. It . Like being in prison.

The moment I woke up the next morning, the first thought that came into my mind is how this day is going to be the worst day of my life. Yeah sure. I'm back home. And not just that, I have to listen to my father's complain. If he's not King Jeongmyong, I could have murdered him in his sleep. Okay, I'm kidding right there. He is still my father after all.

"Remember, you are getting married. With Lee Sungyeol. That is final." My father said and it felt like an arrow hit my heart. Especially when he mentioned my soon-to-be husband, Lee Sungyeol. Why can't it be Lee Byunghun?! Urgh. Not him too, he's too mysterious I don't even know anything about him except the fact that he doesn't like the crowd. Such a loner, isn't he?

After father's complaints, he left and I thought I was finally alone not until Sungyeol appeared in front of me with a slight bow of a gentleman.

"What do you want?" I asked while rolling my eyes at him, then looking away. Staring at his eyes would only make me want to punch his face and curse my lost older sister who's nowhere to be found because she's supposed to be in my place, to get married at a young age. Absolutely not me.

"The Queen asked me that I should bring you with me." He blurted out, obviously with hesitation that I might refuse to come with him.

"No- I don't want to go."

"Even if I tell you I am assigned to search for your lost sister Baek Miri?"

That sounds interesting. I met his gaze and then I pouted. "Father did that all the time. How on Earth do you think can you find her when even father couldn't find his own daughter?"

"What if I tell you someone declared she is Baek Miri? And I just need to make sure it's her since the King and Queen doesn't want to see her until I see what she has to prove that she is the lost princess. You need to come with me. You and I can confirm."

The very moment this ugly duckling said that, I immediately widened my eyes. This can't be happening, I know. But if it is, do I have to walk away or come with an ugly duckling to confirm if she's an impostor or if she's really my sister? If she's really Miri, then God's on my side. I wouldn't have to get married with an ugly duckling. I can be free.

"Let's go," I walked passed Sungyeol hurriedly. I couldn't wait to finally meet the girl who said she's Baek Miri.

* * *

We went to the place where Lee Sungyeol always spends his free time at. His own horse barn. I used to sneak in his horse barn when I was thirteen, he didn't even know.

"Why are we here?" I asked calmly. Sungyeol tilted his head at me then at the figure on the ground. Oh, it's a girl of my age. Guards were behind her. I couldn't really see her face; she had a very long hair. I had to say it, I envy her hair. So long and straight. It was perfect. On the ground below the pretty lady were a necklace and a baby's blanket. 

"Is she the one who said she's Miri?" I asked Sungyeol without looking at him.

"Yes. Young lady, you may look up. We need to see your face."

The pretty lady looked up slowly. How exciting. Is she trying to surprise us when I see her face and I don't see my sister Baek Miri? I will never be surprised. I might have called her pretty but that's only because of her hair.

It's not unnie... I thought.

However, when I saw her face, I almost fell back. The girl gazed at me like seriously, I hate that look in her eyes. I couldn't exactly utter the name in front of all these guards and --- this ugly duckling fiancé but this girl kneeling in front of us seriously looks like the female version of Kim Myungsoo, that thief.

She's beautiful, but she has Myungsoo's scary dark eyes. I examined the girl's face carefully. That can't be his lips. Or nose, or eyebrows. To think of it, I never actually looked at Myungsoo's face carefully before except his eyes because I always stare at his eyes.

I knew the answer to this. That girl is not my older sister. She's Myungsoo's twin sister. For sure.

"That's not Baek Miri,” I told Sungyeol without hesitation. I was confident with my chin high as if I'm proud I could tell who my sister is and who's not.

"I am Baek Miri," the girl snap. "I am your sister. I am Baek Miri. I remember everything now. And I have a proof that I am Baek Miri." With that, she held the necklace and the baby's blanket and showed it to us as she stood up lowering her head. "This is my necklace, and I'm the baby in the picture."

I snatched the necklace from her hand before Sungyeol take it. So annoying. I could see how hypnotized and stunned Sungyeol was when he saw this girl's face. He can't be in love with Myungsoo's twin sister.

"I am Baek Miri." The girl repeated annoyingly. I looked carefully at the necklace and closer to the picture inside it. Four people, a family.

"The old man looked like my father; the old woman looked my mother. The baby on my father's arm is my sister and the baby on my mother's arm is me. But this is the past," I stared at the girl accusingly.

"Then she must be Princess Baek Miri!" Sungyeol exclaimed.

"She doesn't have my eyes. She has somebody else's eyes!" I protested. She can't be Miri, right? I should confirm this to Myungsoo, maybe she is Myungsoo's sister...But... I turned down to the necklace again, to our family picture.

"So what if she doesn't have your eyes? You and her are not twins! But I know she is the Princess! She has a proof and I think she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen!" Sungyeol said, almost choking his words I think. He looked at the girl who says she's Miri and smiled at her. That killer smile that never killed me once. Sungyeol is captivated by my sister. I should get rid of this girl! She's not my sister!

"You're not my sister!" I shouted and threw the necklace on the ground. 

"She is your sister," someone said behind us. Oh no, that can't be just someone. I turned around and saw father. Stalker! "I know she is, I can feel it." Father smiled gracefully. He hastily hugged the girl in front of me and continued calling her 'Miri-ah, Miri-ah you're back'. And of course, there's Sungyeol who can't stop staring at that girl. I should not address her as Miri or unnie. That would only .

"You've got to be kidding me."

Urgh. I'm going to have to hate this girl from now on.

Ouh, I finally updated. Sorry if late. Anyway, in the next chappy I'll let you know how come there's Baek Miri a girl whose eyes is the same with Kim Myungsoo. I'll explain things, don't worry ;) This is only getting started you know! Baek Miri the crown princess is back!