Days had passed and the princess watched her prince grow more fond of the strange woman. She was strange and beautiful. And petite, so much more princess-like. In Chae Rin's eyes, she was strange for she wondered how someone so perfect could exist. And how could that someone just drop in on her prince's life. The princess had glimpsed her once while taking a walk with her friend to the convenience store to buy some freezies. It was odd, she knew, her habit of  eating something cold while in the midst of winter, yet she didn't know why she couldn't help it. Out from the corner, she and Seunghyun spotted the two, talking with notebooks on hand. They were laughing and smiling. A sharp pain across her heart.

And like her surroundings, Chae Rin watched his walls slowly melt, his eyes brightening like the sun outside shining its warm rays, making winter go away. At first, she would do nothing, just helplessly gulp away tears as she and her friend walked back home. It was a pattern, and its only difference was Jaebeom eventually joining their walks during the break.

It was two weeks before classes resumed that Chae Rin find herself walking alone towards the park. With the bits and pieces of snow still left, the sand underneath her boots were wet, and the swing had faint traces of water. Wiping it off, she sat down, feet dangling from the seat. The last two weeks had been the hardest, watching him go so early in the morning so happily. She knew where he went, and despite her efforts of opening up to him, he was always distracted. Though it barely made up for it, the happiest moment of their winter break was their occasional visits to her beloved unnie who adored her and told her countless stories about her favorite dramas.

The Corn Goddess had so much passion, not only for her stories but also about life. Chae Rin couldn't help but feel hopeful when she sees her unnie. She was like the fairy god mother the princess had always wished for. And the more she got to know Jaebeom, the more she saw that he wasn't so horrible, like what she had originally thought.

Indeed, she was growing up. All of them were. She  realized that both her and him had been innocent, Loving those who never looked our way. Really, he wasn't bad and slowly, she began to consider him as one of the important people. Her people.

The girl breathed in the refreshing air, wishing that the coming spring rains could wash away her feelings, could wash away her soul. She was still young, and she knew, based on the stories, that a broken heart would heal. Of course it would.  

The princess sang softly to herself.

"We probably, with a complicated fate,
Have an entangled love with each other.
Everyday I, as much as I can't pay back,
Increase my debt to you."

It was a song her parents had loved singing when she was a child. It was a song about their love. A selfless one.

"Like lovers, otherwise like strangers
Is it okay if we keep living like this?"

Jiyong was walking back to his house, disappointed smeared over his face when he discovered his haunt with her empty. Instead of  a steaming bowl of ramen, two teenaged girls sat in their spot, talking about the newest idol groups. Disgruntled, Jiyong headed back when he saw a familiar figure make a turn towards the park.

Chae Rin! He thought. He was about to say hi when he noticed she was in deep thought. Her expression almost... Melancholic. I wonder what's wrong with her?

Silently he followed her, reasoning that he had nothing to do since it was the middle of break. He had finished his work long before and his hours were either spent with his noona or pining for her.

He followed each step she took, like a child following the footsteps of an adult, trying to fit his shoes with hers.. He paused when she sat down on the swings, fighting the urge to join her. How long has it been? Since he had sat down on that same swing. Four, five years? He can barely remember anymore.

That was when he heard it - her voice. And a song he knew by heart.

He listened to her in awed silence and he couldn't believe that he forgot how lovely her voice was. And how happy he was when they would sing along to the same song. She always sounded so good. Her voice had always calmed him. A small smile played on his lips as he approached her.

"Why stop, Hunchae?" he said before sitting on the swing beside her. He took glances at her as he started to swing forcefully, back and forth, he flew as he held onto metal chains.

"O-oppa..." he heard her mutter. Even if he didn't look at her, he could picture it. Her cheeks, he bet, were flushed in that pink of hers.

"Relax. I was totally not judging you," he joked.

"Yah! I sounded bad, didn't I? Didn't I?" her voice dropped to a mortified whisper, making Jiyong laugh.

"Babo. How could you ever sound bad? It sounded really good. Hey, can you finish the song?"

"No! That's too embarrassing! Aigooo..." she muttered to herself as he watched her cover her face.

"So why did you stop?"

"'Coz you surprised me."

"So I make you stop singing?"

"No, it's not that."

"Then why won't you sing for me?"

"Because you might think I'm awful."\

Did she really think that? "Why would you ever think that way, Hunchae?" he frowned, his legs working to oppose the force until his swings had slowed down. He focused on her, trying to catch a glimpse of her face, now half covered with hair.

"Because everyone else seem too, you know?"

Because everyone else seem too, you know? Her words echoed in his mind. What did she mean? When had he ever let her down?

"Why would I be like everyone else?"

"You're not. That's the point."

ps: For You - Im Jae Bum