“Take a deep breath, Yuri-ah. It’ll be okay… hwaiting!” Yuri thought to herself as she and her sisters walked across the garden towards the biggest pergola in the centre of the Zen Garden.
‘Oh gosh… Taeyeon is hyperventilating!!’ Sunny shouted out.
The other three girls turned to look at Taeyeon who was breathing very quickly and looked incredibly freaked out.
‘Unnie what’s wrong?’ Sooyoung asked.
‘Mmm!!! I can’t believe I’m going to my mother-in-law right now,’ Taeyeon said, her chest continued to heave up and down.
‘Taeyeon-ah! Just breathe… just breathe… in, out, in, out,’ Sica advised and helped Taeyeon sit down on one of the benches by the path.
‘I’m trying!! Oh gosh… this is so scary!! At least you guys met your mother-in-laws briefly the other day, but Onew’s parents didn’t get here until yesterday so I haven’t had the chance to say hi!!’ Taeyeon cried.
‘But if Onew’s mother is anything like him, you’ll have no problem!’ Yuri grinned.
‘Nnghh…’ was the only reply Taeyeon gave.

A few minutes later, Taeyeon’s breathing and heart rate had gone back to normal and the girls continued walking to the meeting place. They were all dressed beautifully in hanboks to impress their mother-in-laws and had spent hours getting ready, even Jessica woke up at the crack of dawn to prepare! Their hanboks were all specially tailored and they’d all played a part in designing their own pieces.

(What they were all wearing)

They arrived to see their mother and the other Queens already sitting and talking. The Queens noticed that they arrived and stopped their gossiping and looked at them. The girls smiled at their mother and when she motioned for them to greet the other Queens, they did. In perfect synchronisation, they bowed and said, ‘annyonghaseyo.’ The Queens slightly bowed in their seats and smiled at the girls.
‘Aigoo… Soomin-ah… you teach your girls so well!!’ Queen Juri told the girls’ mother.
‘Ahh… it’s nothing, they were taught by their etiquette teachers,’ Queen Soomin blushed humbly.
‘Haha, still the same old Soomin I see,’ the Queen that the girls did not know the name to.
‘Yes, still the same.’
‘Aigoo!!!! Yuri-ah!! Neomu Yeppeo! My grandchildren will look so cute~’ Queen Hana gushed.
‘Uhh… grand-grandchildren?!’ Yuri choked.
‘Why of course, they’ll be the cutest babies ever!’ Queen Hana exclaimed.
‘Why don’t you girls take a seat?’ Queen Woori tried to change the subject when she saw Yuri’s discomfort.
The girls obediently sat down.

‘So how are you and Jongie getting along?’ Queen Juyeon asked Sica.
‘Uhh…’ Sica bit her lip.
‘They fight like cats and dogs,’ Yuri smiled proudly as if she’d answered a difficult question at school.
‘Yuri!’ Sunny hissed and elbowed the younger girl.
‘Owww!!! Umma!! Sunny unnie hit me!!’ Yuri whined.
‘Girls! Stop it!’ their mother exclaimed before looking at Queen Juyeon, ‘Juyeon-ah, I’m sure they’ll get along, just give them some time.’
‘Pfft… maybe in a hundred years,’ Sica scoffed quietly, but the Queens all heard.
‘Why, do you not like Jonghyun?’ Queen Juyeon frowned.
‘Well he does have a girlfriend,’ Sica replied.
‘Girlfriend? He doesn’t have one! Unless it’s you!’
‘No, he does. Her name is Princess Shin Se Kyung.’
‘Se Kyung? They’re not dating. Why? Did he say they were?’ Queen Juyeon asked.
‘No he didn’t say anything, but I know. I have good memory, and the only time I’ve met him before was once for his birthday. And that’s when I found out about Princess Shin Se Kyung.’
‘They’re just friends. And I believe the birthday you were talking about was his seventh, how does a seven year old have a girlfriend?’
‘I don’t know. All I know is that he loved her and wanted to marry her, I’m just getting in the way,’ Sica shrugged.
‘OH!!! Is that why you’re so cold to him?!’ Yuri exclaimed wide-eyed.
Taeyeon shot her a look and made her stop talking.
‘Jessica-ah, just give Jonghyun a chance. He was only seven then, he didn’t know anything. You might come to like him,’ Queen Juyeon told Jessica and then changed the subject.

‘So, Jinyeon-ah, I believe you haven’t met your daughter-in-law yet,’ Queen Juyeon said once she removed her gaze from Jessica.  
‘No I have not, I believe it’s this younger lady sitting next to me though,’ Queen Jinyeon said.
‘Bwoh?! How did you know?’ Taeyeon exclaimed.
Queen Jinyeon laughed, ‘because Onew sent me lots of letters talking about and describing you.’
‘Ohh… I see…’ Taeyeon nodded.
‘He adores you, and he’s very lucky to have someone that doesn’t mind his clumsiness. Please do take care of my son,’ Queen Jinyeon said.
Taeyeon smiled, ‘I will.’

On the other side of the Palace grounds, Yoona was sitting at a bench waiting for Prince Nichkhun for their arranged date her father had organised.
‘Aishh!! He’s late!’ Yoona complained out loud, ‘that no good arrogant bastard!’
‘Princesses shouldn’t curse in public, and also, the arrogant bastard has arrived.’
Yoona spun around on the bench and came face to face with Prince Nichkhun.
‘Oh!’ she exclaimed and blushed, ‘I umm… didn’t mean to uhh… curse you…’
‘It’s fine. I am late and I do apologise, Princess.’
‘Hmph!’ was the only response Yoona gave.
‘I got quite lost on the way here. I’ve never seen a palace with so many gardens! I didn’t know which one we were meant to meet at,’ Prince Nichkhun continued.
‘Ok, let’s go.’
‘Where are we going?’ Prince Nichkhun asked curiously.
‘To my garden. Your quite lucky actually. Besides my family and very close childhood friends, no one has seen my garden.’
‘Ohh… it sounds exciting,’ Nichkhun grinned.
Yoona’s heart skipped a beat when she saw his excitement but she composed herself when she remembered Taecyeon.

(a/n): I have been sooo busy at school so therefore, late update :( so, i wanted to know, Taecyoon or Khuna? what do you guys think?