[A/N: This is quite long, but I hope you'll read it and enjoy it! :) Please don't forget to leave a comment after reading :D]

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“Chanyeol-ah!” Mi-Jin’s soft voice called. I turned and saw her smiling widely at me, her eyes shining. I slowly walked towards her and pulled her into a hug. I drew breath by her neck, engulfing myself with her faint, lavender scent. I heard her giggle when my breath touched her skin.

 

“Stop it, it tickles!” she complained but didn’t push me away; instead, she held me tighter. After satisfying myself from her nice scent, I gave her a kiss on the cheek and looked at her. We stood there, my arms wrapped on her slender waist, her hands on my chest.

 

We grinned and smiled at each other like fools for quite sometime.

 

“Is this real…we are getting married?” she asked flattening the invisible crease on my blazer.

 

“I think so.” I answered nonchalantly.

 

Mi-Jin is my betrothed, the soon-to-be Crown Princess and the future Queen of my country when I assume the post of the King in the far future. She was chosen as princess bride because of her prestigious family line: she came from the family of famous artists in the field of music, arts and literature.

 

Aside from that, she’s also personally chosen by my grandfather, based on the necklace that has been given to her when she was born.

 

To be able to have a harmonious relationship for our own benefit, we were introduced to each other since we were kids. Because of that, our relationship grew stronger and deeper; we were friends, then best friends, now, we are deeply in-love with each other.

 

In a few days time, she’s going to be presented formally in front of the country’s ministers and royal family members before the wedding preparations start.

 

“I am actually asking myself if I want to be tied down with you for the rest of my life. You are clumsy and too gentle for me.” I said teasingly as I held her gaze. Her eyes rounded, surprised, and she hit me in the chest.

 

It didn’t hurt but it startled me. “What?!”

 

“You’re not sure on marrying me? What is wrong in being clumsy and gentle?!”

 

“Well, I want my girl rough in bed so…” this time Mi-Jin pushed me and started hitting me.

 

I jumped away, laughing. Her cheeks are burning red.

 

“You ert!” she screamed as she ran after me.

 

She tripped on a perfectly flat surface; I caught her by the waist, stopping her from falling on the ground. She squirmed from my grip, pouting.

 

I back-hugged her, still laughing. “Well, thinking again, maybe I do like my girls gentle on bed. But are you ready on me being rough?”

“Seriously Chanyeol! You’re a ert!”

 

---

 

I anxiously waited inside my room of my own palace, waiting for the result of the evaluation.

 

Mi-Jin is being presented today in front of the elders and ministers, a formality every princess bride had to go through before the wedding. She’ll be scrutinized, asked questions and observed if she really has learned the ways of being a princess, and have the qualifications to be the crown princess.

 

I know that she’ll pass, and that she’ll make it. She has what it takes to be my bride, my crown princess. Even the ministers and elders adore her, so the result will be in favour of Mi-Jin.

 

“Aren’t they done yet?” I asked Eunuch Han as I rubbed my sweating palms together.

 

Chanyeol, what are you getting worried about? You know she’ll make it.

 

“Not yet Chanyeol Wangja¹. Still an hour to go.” Eunuch Han answered then bowed, his hands clasped together in front.

 

“Don’t I have any other engagements?” I need to do something; I’m getting really anxious now.

 

Mi-jin I hope you’re okay. Are you scared with the elders and ministers?

 

“You are already done for the day, sir.”

 

I sat down on the couch, putting my feet on the table, my head swung on the couch’s backrest. I blew out a sigh.

 

I could hear the ticking of the clock as I sat there motionless.

 

“I’m going out for a walk.” I declared. “Don’t follow me.” I glanced at Eunuch Han then strode out of the room.

 

I aimlessly walked around the palace grounds; the air outside my room helped in calming me down. Anxiousness slowly left me, and I started admiring the beauty of the cherry blossoms.

 

Spring has come. New beginnings are starting. I smiled.

 

I’ll be a married man, at the age of 19, before spring ends. Married to the girl I’m in love with.

 

I laughed and smiled, with no care in the world. The thought alone makes me all giddy and warm.

 

An hour had passed and I headed back to my room to hear the results from Eunuch Han.

 

I know what the results are already; I just needed to hear it.

 

Formalities.

 

When I opened the glass doors into my room, I saw Eunuch Han talking with my father’s eunuch, Mr. Jung.

 

Finally, the results are out.

 

“When’s the wedding day?” I asked. Eunuch Han and Eunuch Jung looked at me. Mr. Han’s lips are pressed in a thin line. Mr. Jung looked away, leaving Mr. Han the task of breaking the result.

 

“Why are you looking worried? What happened?” my voice raising. Their silence and avoiding gazes alarmed me.

 

“Wangja…” Mr. Han spoke. He took his time to phrase whatever he was going to say; after long minutes, he sighed and continued. “There is no wedding date. There isn’t going to be a wedding between the two of you.”

 

I looked at Mr. Han, digesting what I heard. I couldn’t believe my ears.

 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?” Mr. Han and Mr. Jung flinched. My voice was high and loud that it echoed within the spacious room. Mr. Han side-eyed Mr. Jung.

 

“She’s not qualified to be the crown princess.” Mr. Jung started.

 

“What nonsense are you sprouting? Not qualified? She’s been training and studying to be a princess since young! The ministers and elders adore her, she’s clearly qualified!” my blood boils about the absurdness of his statement.

 

Not qualified? What part of her is not qualified?

 

“Wangja…it’s not about her skills and attitude. Actually, she’s one of the most perfect princess bride we had seen after your mother. But the thing is, she is not the one.”

 

She’s not the one? How could it be?

 

“We got the wrong princess bride.”

---

 

“Aish. Xiu-min oppa. Where are you?!” I screamed over the phone. “I’m nearing the entrance! I can’t possibly hog all the donuts so come here, ASAP!”

 

“I’ll be there soon. You got me my coupon?”

 

“Yes, yes. But it won’t have its use if you’re not here!”

 

“Alright. Running already.” The line went dead. I craned my neck to see if there are enough donuts left for me and Xiu-Min. We must at least take home three or more boxes of donuts; it could last at least for a week or so.

 

Guess I have to set my mind that I’ll be living on donuts for a week or two.

 

I’m two persons away from the door, and Xiu-min oppa showed up.

 

“Yo!” Xiu-min greeted as he pushed my forehead with his forefinger. My head bobbled. I glared at him, if normal people says hello or gives high-five when they meet, his way of greeting me is this.

 

I glared at him while he gave me one of his cute smiles.

 

“Here.” I held out his coupon and he reached for it. He gave me his shinai² to hold while he adjusted his huge backpack. The door opened and we started entering the shop when we heard complains.

 

“Hey! No cutting!” I looked at Xiu-min. I narrowed my eyes on the girl behind me. “He’s not cutting any line, okay? I lined for him.”

 

“That’s not fair!” the girl shouted as she took a step forward, glaring.

 

“Yah. What’s not fair! He’s got coupons! And its number is right after mine, see?!” I explained as I wave my coupons in front of the complaining girl’s face.

 

“Calm down, everyone.” Xiu-min stood between me and the girl, who was ready to hit me anytime. Violent woman.

 

“I’m sorry if you think I’m cutting the line, but I’m not. You see, I just came from Kendo practice, so I asked my friend over here to line up for me. I’m really hungry right now too, but…if you want, I can go at the end of the line.” Xiu-min gave out his most dazzling and attractive smile, making the girls swoon.

 

The girl was rendered speechless and stupidly nodded. Again, Xiu-min smiled. “Thank you.”

 

Aish.I dragged Xiu-min inside the shop.

 

“That was easy. Didn’t even take a minute.” I rolled my eyes and hand him the tray and the bread pincers. “You are sly, you know?”

 

“Being this cute and adorable has its advantage, you know.” Xiu-min said proudly.

 

I gave him a dead eye fish look. “Can you just get me the donuts?”

---

 

“Ah~ Donuts!” I exclaimed as I ran. I got three boxes. Three! “Thank you oppa!” I said to Xiu-min gratefully as I held the boxes of donuts.

 

“It’s nothing. But don’t tell me you’re going to eat donuts for the rest of the week?”

 

I stretched my lips, mimicking a smile. “Yeah…I guess…”

 

“Why won’t you just live with me. Mom’s worried about you.”

 

I want to.“Aiyo~ it’s alright! I’ve got a house, remember? And besides, I don’t want to burden you and auntie.”

 

“You know you are not a burden.”

 

“Oppa. You know that time will come and we need to live on our own, right? It just happened earlier than its supposed to.”

 

Xiumin oppa’s smiling face was replaced by a serious one; I could feel the atmosphere getting heavy which I hate.

 

I hate worrying him and auntie like this; I must show them that I can manage on my own.

 

“I’m going to be alright! And you know I call you whenever I’m in trouble. I am not hiding anything so trust me, alright? Alright!”

 

He sighed. He never wins this conversation with me.

 

Xiumin is a childhood friend; we grew up in the same apartment complex until his parents managed to buy a house and they moved out. Xiumin, you can say, is wealthy so his family can easily offer to take care of me.

 

But I won’t be having any of that. This is my life and I can’t impose other people even though it’s getting harder; I can ask for help, but I won’t impose myself.

 

“Take this one.” I said as I held out one of the three donut boxes. He looked at me, surprised. “Come on! Give this to auntie! Three boxes are too much for me.”

 

“Are you sure?” Xiumin asked. “You’ll need this more than we do.”

 

“Aiyo. You make me sound like a hopeless beggar!” I said as I shove the box to him. “Good night oppa. See you at school.” I waved goodbye and took the stairs of the apartment complex. My room is on the second floor, two doors away from the stairs.

 

I looked at him from the balcony of the second floor and waved. Xiumin waved back and smiled. I opened the door to my room. There are three pairs of men’s shoes in my doorstep.

 

Who? And how did they get in? I locked the door before I went to school.

 

I put down my bag and the boxes of donuts and took the umbrella from the basket. I silently cracked open the wooden sliding doors leading to the main room of my apartment.  I could hear voices inside and I took a peek.

 

Three men are inside my room: two of them were sitting across from each other using the chairs from the kitchen while the other one, a tall, lean guy was looking out by the window, his back facing me. They were wearing suits and the looked like gangsters.

 

The guy by the window slowly turned around. I gasped by the recognition. Three heads snapped into my direction; the sitting guys stood up and one of them opened the sliding doors hastily. I took a step back and tried to run but the other one was too fast; before I could get out, he had already grabbed my waist.

 

I screamed.

 

The guy who grabbed me put a hand on my mouth, muffling my screams, dragged me and settled me on one of the chairs.

 

What are they doing in my apartment? Why is the crown prince of South Korea standing in my room?!

 

“I’m not going to hurt you. Promise me that you wouldn’t scream and I’ll put my hand away. Can you do it for me?”

 

I nodded and looked at him in the eyes. He actually had gentle features; his eyes were soft, but that didn’t stop me from being scared.

 

He pulled his hand away and stood beside me. “Who are you?” I asked my voice hoarse from my earlier screams.

 

The crown prince took the chair across from me and sat with his hands on his pocket, a leg draping on the other. He was wearing specs, his hair straight, different from his usual curled hairstyle in magazines and paparazzi pictures.

 

The crown prince scrutinize me, glared at me. I squirmed in my seat; I could feel a hostile aura from him. I looked back at him straight in the eye, trying my best to not look scared.

 

What have I done to be graced by his presence?

 

There was a hurried knock on the door and I heard Xiumin called my name. “Hae-na yah!”

 

Relief washed over me. Oppa, thank goodness you haven’t left yet.

 

“Oppa!” I reflexively called. The crown prince nodded in one of his, as I assumed his bodyguards.

 

He walked to the door and opened it a little. “Oppa!” I called again, making sure that he knows I’m inside.

 

I’m giving them the only option to let Xiumin in, or else it’ll appear that they are doing something bad to me.

 

“Let him in.” the crown prince’s deep, husky voice said. Few seconds later, Xiumin oppa’s standing by my side, eyeing the other three invaders suspiciously.

 

“Are you, Seol Hae-na?” the prince asked.

 

I nodded.

 

“Are you the granddaughter of the famous sagunja painter, Hae-sok?” again, I nodded without answering.

 

Why is he asking about my grandmother?

---

 

I hurried to the Sky Palace where Mi-Jin has been staying since she was declared as the princess bride. It is the palace where the she had spent most of her life, the palace that has been her home.

 

Eunuch Jung explained to me what happened at her presentation.

 

She passed all the requirements; she had the skill and the attitude to be the crown princess.

 

But eunuch Jung keeps telling me that they have nurtured the wrong princess bride.

 

There was a mistake, she’s not the promised princess bride. They got the wrong person and so marriage between us is not possible.

 

I reached her room and saw her attendants standing outside. I signalled them to go away. They bowed and walked backwards. I took a deep breath and slowly opened the sliding doors.

 

Mi-Jin is sitting on her bed, hugging her legs, silently crying. “Mi-Jin ah.” I called. She looked up and I could see the tears run down on her beautiful face. She looked away.

 

“Mi-Jin…” I called again as I took a seat on her bed next to her. I pulled her into a hug. She held on me tight, her tears dampening my clothes. I softly rubbed my hands on her back.

 

“Chanyeol ah…” she called; traces of pain and hurt in her voice. “Have you heard?”

 

I nodded. She held on to me tighter. “They say I’m not the real princess bride; that they have got and trained the wrong person. Chanyeol what will I do? Where will I go? I cannot imagine life outside here, away from you.” She asked desperately, her cries getting louder.

 

I untangled her arms away from my neck and cupped her face with my hands, I looked at her lovingly. “Even though they say they’ve got the wrong person, you are not.”

 

“Don’t worry Mi-Jin. We will be getting married and no one can stop that. I will do anything.” I said, trying to assure her. But really, I don’t know what to do.

 

Once they find the girl who they say the real princess bride, there’s a huge possibility that Mi-Jin will be kicked out. As the elders place it, there’s no need for two princess brides if one of them the real one. I can’t let that happen.

 

I won’t let that happen. I will marry Mi-Jin. It’s her or no one.

 

“Do you trust me?” I asked her as I wiped away the tears on her eyes, leaving traces of tears on her soft cheeks. She nodded and looked at me.

 

I pulled her again into a hug and whispered to her ear, “You are the right one for me.”

---

 

She’s the granddaughter of Hae-sok?

 

The famous Hae-sok’s granddaughter is living a life of a peasant, in a room no bigger than my bathroom?

 

What is this absurdity? She’s the real princess bride?

 

She is?

 

I scrutinized her; she had almond-shaped eyes, double eyelids, and full, small lips, proportional to the size of her small face. She has straight her, side-bangs hiding her left eyebrow; her hair changes into a faint brown colour whenever light hits on it.

 

Visual wise, she’s good looking. She had a nice body, not fat, but not too skinny either; she has smooth, fine, milky white skin. Physically, she’s fit to be a princess.

 

But I would not accept her. I have my princess, and she’s waiting in her palace, crying because of the existence of this girl.

 

“I won’t beat around the bush.” I nodded at Pil-joo, one of my bodyguards. He took a white envelope from the inside pockets of his suit. He gave it to Hae-na who suspiciously eyed the envelope.

 

“What’s that?” Hae-na asked as she looked from the envelope then me.

 

“I want you to get away from here as soon as you can. Get out of this country.” Her eyes widened, confused.

 

“What? Why would I---”

 

“You can’t stay here any longer. You have to leave soon. You are ruining my life.”

 

“Ruining your life? What are you saying?! I think you’ve got the wrong person.”

 

“You said you’re Hae-sok’s granddaughter, then you are the right person.”

 

“Wait dude. You are not making any sense.” The small guy who I can say her friend butted in. I gave him a sharp look, telling him that this is not his business.

 

“Don’t give that look to my friend. I don’t care if you are this country’s crown prince but you are hella rude. You’ll show up and enter my house without permission and now you are telling me to get out of the country and that I am ruining your life? You are incoherent, sir.” Hae-na said acidly. She stood up and glared at me.

 

What guts she has to talk back to me.

 

“Go willingly or I will force you.” I said warningly. “Just do it. I gave you money, a lot of money. Do you need more?”

 

She put her hands on her waist, blowing out an annoyed sigh. Her eyes blinked quickly.

 

“I demand you to get out of my house, now. Do it while I am being nice. I will pretend that none of this happened. Out.” She demanded as she pointed at the door. I glared down at her.

 

“I am not going away until I see you readying up and leaving for the airport.”

 

“No one’s going to leave, and Wangja, you are not supposed to be here.” A voice called.

 

.

 

Everyone in the room looked at the source of the voice. It was Prime Minister Shin.

 

Hae-na and her friend exchanged confused looks. I glared at the Prime Minister.

 

“Forgive the rudeness of our Crowned Prince, future Bingung³.” The prime minister apologized then gave a 90 degree bow to Hae-na.

 

“Future Bingung?” Hae-na asked, stunned.

 

“Yes. You are the real princess bride of Chanyeol wangja. The future crown princess and queen of South Korea.” the prime minister explained as he looked at me, drilling and emphasizing every word.

 

 “Hae-na agasshi⁴, if you wouldn’t mind, would you like to accompany me to the Blue Palace so we could properly talk? You can bring your friend with you if you are afraid.” The prime minister gently said, but traces of hurry are in his tone.

 

Hae-na, still confused, didn’t answer.

 

Instead of waiting, the prime minister motioned to his security to drag Hae-na out of the apartment. Her friend followed after her worriedly.

 

I should have just kidnapped her and dragged her to the airport, forcefully put her in a plane to Antarctica.

 

---

Wangja¹ - Crowned Prince

shinai² - Kendo Sword

Bingung³ - Crown Princess

 agasshi⁴ - Young Lady

 

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