CHAPTER FOUR

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       "chona, you must wake up. today is the wedding." se-hun's eunuch announced. se-hun rubbed his eyes and sat up. his eyes were still puffy from crying. he smiled, "well, i must look happy today right?" 

         "hee-song, at least put a smile on your face. the crown prince is actually getting married today." one of the other palace maids said. hee-song quickly smiled, "i was just in deep thought. i'm getting married soon as well." she said and set down a dish. "aigoo, even hee-song is getting married. aish, why can't i have your fate and get married now?" one of the younger palace maids whined.

hee-song smiled even wider, "you won't enjoy it. not being able to marry the one you love-" "omo, it's crown prince se-hun. wha- he looks so beautiful!" hee-song looked over her shoulder and saw se-hun in his groom attire. she turned and bowed trying to not look at him in the eye. she could feel his eyes on her, but she didn't dare to look at him. 

"keep up the good work. i hope to see you all at my wedding." he said and walked off. hee-song stood up and watched him walk away. she smiled, 'at least he's able to say that, i won't have to worry.' she thought.

         ji-young sighed and smiled, "apa, today is the day. from now on, when we leave the palace grounds from the wedding, our family will take over the throne." she said. her dad smiled and chuckled, "thank you crown princess." ji-young smirked, "make sure the process goes right tonight, or else our family will be exposed." her father bowed, "ne, crown princess." 

'while they do that, i'll get the crown prince. once i have him, i'll be able to rule joseon.' she thought and smiled. 

          the traditional wedding song came on, and the bride walked in. se-hun didn't turn. he didn't sigh. his mind was on hee-song and how she was putting up with the wedding. if she was staring at him. if she was actually paying attention. today was the last day he could ever freely express his feelings to her. no-not even today anymore. 

his bride, ji-young, bowed and stood beside him, smiling. se-hun smirked and looked up at the sky. the clouds covered the sun, blocking the beauty of the day. the gray skies began to pour heavily on him and he sighed. maybe it was a sign. his eunuch whispered, "you must run your fingers along if you want to wed." se-hun sighed and looked down smiling. 

ji-young glared at him waiting for his fingers to just even slightly touch the dangling decor. but he stayed still staring at the ground smiling like a fool. she bit her lower lip and her eyes began to water. 'ba-li, ba-li! you have to marry!" she shouted in her mind. 

"omo, the king!" some people screamed. se-hun quickly turned and his father was coughing and fell onto the floor. se-hun raced to his father's side and began to shook him, "ABA-MAMA! ABA-MAMA! ABA-MAMA!" he screamed with tears falling rapidly. his father put his hand on his son's cheek and smiled, "you must marry a wise woman to rule joseon. please carry out my duties with courage and leadership. don't trust anyone." he whispered. 

se-hun's lips quivered, "BRING THE KING TO HIS QUARTERS! GET THE ROYAL PHYSCICIAN!" he shouted. everyone hurridly ran around screaming and panicking. se-hun's eunuch tried pulling him away, but the crown prince stayed put in his position and cried over his father. the young princess sobbed beside her father and brother.

hee-song shed a tear, but kept a smile. the corners of twitched, but she kept on smiling. 'was this supposed to happen? why couldn't the wedding just keep on going? why must i endure this pain?' she asked herself. hee-song walked away hiding her true identity behind a fake smile. 

           "the king fell at the crown prince's wedding." hee-song reported to her family. her mother dropped her chopsticks, "omo, how is he doing? did the wedding still go on?" she asked. hee-song shook her head, "the crown prince was too fazed to even agree to the marriage. he stared at the ground until the king started coughing loudly." 

her father gasped, "wha-he's foolish. not marrying a perfect match, but caring for his father. how is he going to rule joseon?" he shouted. hee-song sighed, "apa, blood is thicker than water. in order for the king to live, the crown prince must wed, but he has been caring for the king so long, he must have forgotten about the marriage." 

"enough about the crown prince's marriage. hee-song, because the king has fallen, we're changing your wedding next  month." her mother announced. hee-song bit her lower lip. how much longer does she have to wait? she wasn't really in love with jong-in or wanted to wed, but the longer she waits the more she falls for the crown prince. the way he cared about her, and smiled around her just made her feel... free. hee-song nodded, "i hope it arrives quickly." 

                 hee-song walked through the markets looking for new fabric for a new hanbok. she touched the delicate and silky fabrics and jumped as a voice greeted her, "hee-song-ah!" tears sprang into her eyes remembering the day at the gym when se-hun had did the same. she turned with hopes high of seeing him, but instead was greeted by jong-in.

"what?" she asked and went back to looking at the fabrics. jong-in smiled, "ah, i see. you've missed me, but you don't want to show it. i get it, you don't have to hide your true feelings from me." "you just came back from the ginsaeng house and saw me. your breathe stinks of alcohol." hee-song said.

jong-in scowled and tried sniffing his breath, "yah, stop trying to change the subject. we're getting married in a month, and yet you still don't show me the kind and considerate girl you are around the crown prince." he whispered. hee-song glared at him, "wha? what did you say? what made you say that?" she shouted in his face.

jong-in sighed, "well, i've heard that you work as a palace maid, and that you and the prince have some secret relationship, but then again, that's just palace maid rumors. i can't believe everything they say." hee-song glared at him, "where did you get this information?" she asked. jong-in smiled, "secret sources." she stepped on his foot and he grimaced, "one of your palace maid friends told me for fifty nyang!" 

hee-song sighed, of course someone would tell. they all hated her anyways. "please step off of my foot." he said in pain, and hee-song did so. she pursed her lips, "was she tall with a big nose?" she asked. jong-in nodded, "anyways, i see that you were looking at these fabrics. would you like it if i bought some for you?" he asked and winked. hee-song stepped on his foot as she walked away making him grunt in pain. 

"aigoo, how can such a pretty girl be so mean?" he asked and stood up as other girls stared at him. he smiled trying to hide the pain, "annyeong." he greeted and bowed to everyone. they giggled and walked off, and he coughed and walked off.

                 se-hun sat at the tree trunk again and sighed. he looked back and sighed again. he's been sitting at the tree for an hour, and hee-song hadn't shown up. he got up and began to untie the reigns, "is the king doing well?" a voice asked. he looked over the horse and saw hee-song grooming it's hair. he smiled, "ne, he's doing better, but he can't walk for a while." 

"mi-yeon-eh." she apologized. se-hun made a confused face, "why are you apologizing. it's not your fault. it's all on his own health." he said. hee-song sighed, "not that. i'm saying sorry for being mean, and also just watching you get married. to a total stranger." se-hun's face turned red and he hid behind the horse, "hee-song, do you perhaps... like me?" he asked nervously. 

"wha? ande. i'm getting married to one of the most handsome namins, why would i ever fall in love with a clueless royal?" she lied. se-hun pursed his lips and looked back at hee-song, "joung-mal? dae-bak. who knew a palace maid would ever marry an attractive namin. what's his name? maybe i should pay him a visit." "andae! i mean- you can't." hee-song replied. 

se-hun laughed, "ah-des-oh. i'll leave your fiancee alone." hee-song pursed her lips, "but crown prince, why didn't you marry the girl? you had enough time to agree." she asked. sehun sighed, "why do you want to know?" he asked. hee-song gulped and walked around the tree, "well, a girl can be curious as well as a man right?" she replied. se-hun smiled, "so, hee-song, still won't admit her feelings for i, the crown prince of joseon?" he joked. 

she looked away, "who said i ever liked you?" she said pursing her lips. se-hun chuckled, "ah-duh-so. i was thinking of you, and couldn't get myself to agree. i really really like you hee-song. at least one of us can admit our true feelings." se-hun said and sat back down. 

hee-song looked at him, "jin-jja? ooh, i feel happier now that i know someone likes me." she said. se-hun's face flushed and he in his cheeks, "omo, did i say hee-song? i meant the princess..." he lied and laughed. hee-song scoffed, "yah, what do you mean princess? her name isn't even close to hee-song." she joked. se-hun stood up and slowly hugged her. he patted her back, and in shock, hee-song stood still. she began to loosen her muscles- "chona!" someone shouted.

the two parted from the hug and hee-song walked to the horse and pretended to be patting it. se-hun turned around and saw his eunuch, sweating like a pig. the eunuch hunched over and panted trying to rest, "chona," he began, "the king..." se-hun's eyes widened, "what is it? TELL ME NOW!" he shouted. 

"the king... is dead."