The prime minister led us to the highest floor where the presidential suites are located. The suite we entered was really nice; the receiving area has a window big enough to see the tall buildings outside. The appeal of the suite though, is the lights: it looked like a crystallized tree branches incorporated with small light bulbs.  The sight was beautiful, seeing sees of different lights and colours.

The minister motioned me to sit on the couch while Xiumin stood behind by the right. I looked at him, confused.

“He is your bodyguard starting today.” Bodyguard?

“I have…a bodyguard? Already? Why?!” I looked at the minister then back at Xiumin. He gave me a tight smile. Before they could explain further, we heard someone announced that the Queen has already come.

I shoot up from my seat after hearing the word ‘Queen’. I immediately walked away from the couch and stood at the front of the other chair. The Queen walked in gracefully and with all regal, just like how a queen should be; people call her the graceful doll queen and she really is. The cameras didn’t do justice to her beauty.

My mouth was hanging open, admiring the queen and from being star struck. I heard Xiumin whispered my name and snapped out of it. I immediately gave a 90 degree bow as she walked her way to the couch and stood in front of it.

“Enough bowing already. Show me your face.” The queen said. I kinda felt scared and surprised on her words but did as told. I was expecting her to look stern and serious, but she greeted me with a gentle smile instead. “Did I sound scary?” she asked. I nodded and she laughed.

“I wonder why but my children don’t find me scary though. Tss.” The queen cutely sat on the couch pouting like a kid. Where’s the graceful doll I saw earlier? She looked at me and motioned me to sit.

I saw the prime minister shook his head.

“You look really beautiful. Tell me, how’s life for you these days?” the queen asked in a friendly manner, like we’re two people just catching up on each other after a long time.

“I’m alright…” I trailed. “Um…why am I exactly here right now?” I asked without thinking. Everyone in the room looked surprised, while the queen looked serious, the smile gone from her face.

“Okay, I’m getting straight to the point. You, Seol Hae-na, is the real princess bride of this country, and the future wife of the crown prince, my son, Chanyeol.” The Queen answered without pauses or breaks. I sat there, trying to comprehend each word I heard.

Real princess bride.

Future wife

Of crown prince

Chanyeol

I nodded my head as I go through the words. “Oh. Okay, me, princess bride and Chanyeol’s future wife.” My eyes rounded as I shoot up losing my balance. I almost stumbled on the glass table in front of me. Luckily, Xiumin oppa caught my arm just in time.

“NAEGA*?!” I shouted, surprised. “Wa-wa-wait a minute. Me? princess bride? Future wife of the crown prince? WHUT?” I kept on shrieking as I paced back and forth in front of the queen. The prime minister cleared his throat and I stopped.

I looked at the queen; her eyes are closed, fingers massaging her right temple. I slowly sat down, trying to be silent, not wanting to attract her attention because she looks really tired and annoyed. Great. I don’t really care on how about most people think of me but this time, it’s different.

“Hae-na ssi, let me explain for you to understand things clearly.” The queen sighed as she sat up straight, her hands on her lap, her body facing me. I involuntarily mimicked her actions; my back straightened up, while my hands are clasped in my lap.

“You very well know that you came from a prestigious and rich family, right? But then 16 years ago, unfortunate things happened making your family lose your wealth, position and prestige. One way or another, the royal family has something to do with it, which we gravely regret.” The queen narrated in a slow manner.

I could barely remember the wealthy and prestigious life my family had. It was so long ago and I was really young back then to enjoy and savour the life of wealth. Before I could even think for my own, it was stripped away from us, leaving nothing.

“If you are making me the princess bride for the royal family to be able to get over your guilt, then you don’t have to. I don’t really care about the lost wealth and prestige. I don’t need that anymore. So you don’t have to do this.” I answered, firm on rejecting the position of the princess bride their trying to push onto me.

“We know. And if that’s the only reason of making you the princess bride, we are not going to push this, because honestly, there is already a girl who fits the role perfectly. But we can’t go against the remaining traditions; we have to make you the princess bride because you are the real princess bride.” The queen stressed.

The queen held out her hand, waiting for me to reach it. I did so reluctantly. She pulled me over to the couch and made me sat beside her. She then grabbed a pink silk pouch on the glass table and opened it. Inside was a long wooden box, carved with the lotus seal, the official flower seal of the country.

She opened it and inside was a long gold necklace with a gold ring like pendant. It resembled a full moon, but with an empty space in the middle like a ring; there’s a little slit by the top and bottom of the circle, enough for a thin piece of metal to fit. My heart skipped a beat, recognizing the necklace the queen’s holding.

No. it can’t be.

            “Hae-na my grandchild, take care of this, okay? Always wear this whenever you go and never lose it.” my grandmother reminded me for the umpteenth time as she clasped the necklace in my neck. I looked and rubbed it excitedly, my eyes shining because of its beauty. I could feel its weight on my neck.

            “I’m sorry Hae-na, grandmother wasn’t able to make you experience a convenient life.” My grandmother’s eyes were watering with tears. I never liked it whenever my grandmother cries. It feels really, really sad whenever she cries.

 I reached out for her and rubbed the tears in her face with my tiny, little hands. “I’m okay! Really!” I screamed and flashed her my toothless smile. My grandmother pulled me into her arms, rocking me like a baby.

“The time will come that the life you deserve will be yours. No matter what people say or do, it’s yours and you won’t be stealing anything. Remember that, Hae-na. It’s yours and no one else.” My grandmother whispered.

It was one of the two things she always told me, like a prayer when she was still alive. Take care of the family heirloom, and the place I deserve will present itself to me on the right time and that I should accept it.

“Hae-na, I’m here to confirm things. Will you lend me your necklace?” the queen asked gently as I came back from revisiting my grandmother’s memory. I felt scared and unsettled; was this the place my grandmother has been telling me? Is this it?

Being a princess bride, and the future Crown Princess?

“Hae-na…” the queen called again. I nodded as I slowly took and unclasped the necklace hidden under my borrowed dress which seems to be heavier than ever. My necklace was that of a lotus. The lotus is connected to the necklace with a removable thin piece of gold metal.

The queen took off the pendant from the chain and from the piece of metal it was connected to. She placed the lotus between the empty space of the pendant of the necklace she has and put it in place with the thin gold metal.

The lotus perfectly fit inside the circle pendant like it a perfect puzzle. The queen flicked the lotus flower and it flawlessly spun. The queen looked at me; I continued looking at the spinning lotus and when it stopped, I looked back at the queen.

“You really are this country’s princess bride.” The queen said with a smile and squeezed my hand.

The queen sent me home together with Xiumin oppa using one of the black sedans of the royal family. I was silent the whole ride back home while I could feel the heavy weight of the now joined and completed necklace. My necklace has always been light, but with the realization of truth, it felt heavier, making me feel exhausted.

Should I…claim what’s mine? Should I agree to be the princess bride?

The queen gave me three days to decide on whether I should go voluntarily and enter the palace on my own or they will force me to. The other option is that if I won’t agree on being one, then they will send me away to some country with a bodyguard and an attendant.

It’s like being an exile already without being a part of the royal family. Why are they doing this to me?

A single tear escaped from my eyes and I quickly wiped it away. The driver, Mr. Kim looked at me from the rear view mirror and asked if I was alright. I forced out a smile and nodded. I was far from alright though. I’m too tired already.

Mr. Kim opened the door of the backseat for me when we had reached the front of my shabby apartment building. I smiled and bowed thank you and started walking away. “Miss, what time is your class tomorrow?” I looked back at Mr. Kim, surprised by the question. “Why…?” I asked cautiously.

“I will be taking you to school and to everywhere else that you need to go to. It was an order not to let you travel alone.” He answered as he bowed. I rolled my eyes in defeat.

I still haven’t decided yet and I’m being watched already.

“I’ll be leaving at 7 in the morning.” I answered and headed back to my house, followed by Xiumin.

My room was a mess. The chairs prince Chanyeol and his bodyguards had sat where left just like that. I sank on the floor due to fatigued, physically, mentally and emotionally. “Aish!~” I breathed.

“Are you okay?” Xiumin oppa asked as he moved back the chairs on the place they’re supposed to be. I hugged my legs against my chest and leaned my chin on my right knee. “Oppa, what should I do?” I asked, scared. He sat in front of me, his legs on top of the other. “Honestly? I don’t know. Just do what you feel is right. I’ll be always here, since I’m your bodyguard now anyway.”

I rolled my eyes and looked at him smugly. “Oppa are you serious?” Xiumin oppa smiled and nodded. “Aren’t you grateful that at least, I’m with you? That you’re with someone you know?”

I smiled at him as he reached over and ruffled my hair. “Thank you, Min-seok oppa.”

That night, I fell asleep together with the thoughts of my deceased grandmother, her words echoing inside my head.

I'm sorry it took so long to update guys!

I hope you'll like this chapter. Nothing much happens yet as the story is on the stage of building up the plot.

But still, I hope you'll like this,

Pardon me for the errors and such. 

Leave your comments below! It's so nice reading comments, it gives me energy! :]

See you on the next update! ♥