Speaking of Promises

Saturday morning was very different for Nayeon. She woke up to a text from Saerom telling her that she would handle the boutique, so she didn't have to worry. It was strange not having to rush breakfast so she could get to work, Nayeon was actually able to sit down and eat properly. Though that didn't stop the nerves from taking hold as the morning ticked by, nor was it smart of her to go onto the internet. The country was going crazy about the prince and his store clerk marked mate.

'Byun Nayeon? Why this middle class girl?'

'It's gotta be a stunt! No way an unmarked gets marked.'

'I bet you she's blackmailing the prince for attention.'

'She's pretty, but that doesn't mean she's good enough to mingle with royals.'

Nayeon's stomach flipped uneasily as she read through a forum on a news website. They were all mostly skeptically and negative with the occasional nice remark thrown in. After the third page of comments Nayeon forced herself to put down her phone and calm herself. She was on the verge of having another breakdown like yesterday, but she couldn't afford to cry now, it took an extra hour the previous night to bring the puffiness down so she wouldn't look terrible for the queen's birthday. She already knew that people wouldn't like her, but reading their opinions was like getting repeatedly slapped in the face, and if it wasn't for the fact that Handler Kim mildly terrified her Nayeon would have tried to get out of going to the high class function.

After an hour of preparation and touching up her makeup twelve times until it was as perfect as she could manage Nayeon finally declared herself ready and she still had seven minutes until ten. The dress fit just right, her hair decided to cooperate today and sit in large curls around her shoulders, and her makeup was light with a pink lip and winged eyeliner. She was wearing the pair of white Jimmy Choo's that she had saved up for to get for her birthday and the opal heart necklace that was given to her by her parental grandmother. Taking one last look at herself in the mirror Nayeon realized she probably never looked as nice as she did right then, and even though she thought that she was bound to get hate for still not looking like she belonged at the party.

She was anxiously pacing her living room with her phone in hand about to call Jongdae for a confidence boost when it buzzed startling her. The caller ID was new and only added to her jittering nerves.

“Hello?” she said answering the call.

“Good morning Miss Byun. I'm out front with the car,” the prince said politely. His lisp not making an appearance.

“O-Oh, alright. I'll be down in a minute,” she stuttered terribly.

“No rush. Take your time.” It sounded like he was smiling, but Nayeon didn't know him well enough to be sure.

“Yes sir.”

“See you soon.”

Then the call ended and Nayeon's heart rate thundered even louder in her chest, echoing in her ears. After slipping her cellphone into her gray clutch, strap wrapped around her wrist, she made her way out of her apartment and to the elevator at the end of the hall. She wrung her hands together as she waited for the elevator and once inside she began gnawing on her bottom lip with her stomach knotting uncomfortably.

When Nayeon was finally out front of the building she spotted the car, which was not difficult to do. It was all black, even the windows, with a darkly suited man waiting outside the back passenger side door, he was even wearing Aviator sunglasses and had his hands firmly folded in front of him. Taking a deep breath that only mildly helped calm her she made her way over to the car, her heart trying to break out of her ribs more and more with each step.

“Miss Byun,” the tall man greeted at her approach. His hair was slicked back and a black earpiece could be seen cradled in his left ear.

She bowed her head to him. “Good morning.”'

A smile pulled at his lips as he moved to open the door for her to get in the back. Tucking her skirt against the back of her legs Nayeon got into the vehicle, her breath held as she sensed the presence of the man next to her. The door was closed and she watched as the royal security rounded the car and took the place behind the steering wheel. The inside of the car was quiet as they pulled into traffic.

No one spoke for so long that Nayeon nearly yelped when the silence was eventually broken. Her pulse reaching mach speed as she turned to face the man who spoke.

“My apologies if you had plans for today. Junmyeon has a pretty one tracked mind when in a crisis and tends to forget not everyone bends to his whim,” the prince said.

“Ah, it's not a problem. I was able to get someone to cover the boutique for me,” Nayeon said quickly, relieving the prince of any worry he may have had.

“That's good,” he said with a small nod. “Is it true you run the store on your own?” he suddenly asked as a belated afterthought.

Nayeon's hands knotted in her lap as she gave a nod of her own. “Yes Your Highness. I have for the last year.”

“That's quite impressive. It's a rather popular place, my friend told me about it when I was looking for my mother's gift. She has every one of your bracelets,” he said casually.

Nayeon's hands tightened even more against one another while she swallowed the lump in that she was suspicious was actually her heart. Why was the prince acting so casual with her? She was nowhere on par with his status and she herself could barely find it within her to remember to breathe. How was she going to make it an entire afternoon with royals and elites?

“Miss Byun?” he questioned snapping her out of her anxious, erratic thoughts.

“Sire,” she nearly squawked out like a frantic chicken. Jongdae would have laughed at her, but Sehun's gaze just widened with what she recognized as concern, but she didn't understand why. “Can I be honest with you? I don't want to be rude.”

Shaking his head the prince said, “No, go right ahead. I would very much like to know what you're thinking.”

“I have no idea what I'm doing,” she immediately blurted out.

Sehun looked confused. His brows knitting together with his lack of understanding at her confession. “Can you expand? I don't exactly follow, Miss Byun.”

She clamped her eyes shut as she tilted her head back trying to gather the words to explain herself, but the fear and sheer feeling of being lost took over before she strung together a coherent explanation. “– asking too much. Everything, really. Why?” she muttered lowering her head, so it hung over her lap.

“I still don't follow,” the prince admitted, sounding helpless.

She turned to him taking a deep breath through her nose gathering her courage to say what she had been contemplating for days now. “I've had a plan for almost ten years of my life, and this year I had to make adjustments to that