“Did you just – “ Jiyong eyed her with wonder, in awe of her knowledge.

“Quote Hamlet and recognized your reference to Tolkien? Of course.” He watch her eyes twinkle with excitement and recognition. How come he never knew? It seemed that she liked so many things that he did as well.

And so they talked and talked, the years apart seeming to melt away while they walked and swung, the warm spring air bringing life to their once silent friendship.

"Hey, Hunchae," he mused, a smile on his face. For the first time in years, he felt at ease and happy. Content, like a child, as he swung his feet about, the chains of the swing set creaking. "Tell me about girls."

"Psh, don't you already know everything about them?"

"A little," he said before winking at her.

And the simple action forced her train of thought onto a halt. Shyly, she looked away, her cheeks in a flush. "Well, things like that really get to us."

"Things like what?"

"You."

"Me?"

"I meant what you did! Aish.." Her almost cussing made the prince laugh with delight. He knew his effect on her yet he couldn't help himself but more and more. It wasn't evil, wasn't it? The innocence between their interactions. In fact, others might say that it was normal between friends.

"Winking?"

"Yes," she sighed before biting her lips. "But ONLY if we actually like you. Other girls can control themselves, unlike me, but at the very least, it'd make them crazy for a bit."

Chuckling, Jiyong held onto the cold chains and swung harder, the rush of air whipping through his hair. With each word she said, his confidence grew.

"Guys do the same, you know? We have, like, well, at least I do, this inner monologue at all times. And we replay things over and over. We're just too lazy to freak out as much."

A shared laugh.

"Well..." she mumbled as she continued to think, "I'm not going to generalize girls but I'll just, as embarrassing as this is, and know that you owe me for this. Unless you can pretend I didn't say the next few words, I'll just describe what I do."

He laughed before giving her a look. "Please, I'm not that conceited to think I was the only one you've ever liked."

"Yeah, well, shush!" She said, reaching out to pinch his lips together absentmindedly before laughing. Yet her actions made her prince ponder, how his heart skipped  a little, or maybe why he held his breath in that second.

Probably because I'm not used to it, he thought, dismissing the idea.

"Anyway, I like to steal glances. And then when they actually - "

"You mean me?" He smirked.

"Shut up! Okay?!" His princess blushed a furious red before covering her face and groaning with annoyance. Why, oh why did he enjoy doing this?

"Okay! I swear I'll shut up," he laughed then shook his head, focusing on the way the clouds went over their heads instead of the increased beating of his heart. "But what happens when they look back?" He mumbled, glancing at her, "Or when they're already looking at you?"

And she was, for his direction was the only  one she ever paid attention to.

"Well,  I look back at them..." she said, her voice trailing off, "And hold myself back from looking away. But not so long that it'll be awkward. I never want to stare."

"Why?"

"Because staring can be creepy."

"But what if you're both okay with being creepy?"

She laughed before looking away, shaking her head. Unbeknownst to him, it was he who stared at her, and it was her who looked away, flustered their hearts were. 

"Then you go get that girl or boy, because you should be creepy together," she nodded towards him, smiling brightly as she looked back and blinked, innocence in her face.

"I like that. Being creepy together. I'll keep that in mind the next time I ask someone out."

Another shared laugh, one of the many that happened in between them.

The little trysts became almost... habitual, as the two continued to meet at the park. On days when the beautiful woman was amiss, the  prince would go to his haunt with her, getting to know how her brain worked, and what she thought about topics he never knew were interesting. With her he learned how to be many things .

Yet to Chae Rin, the meetings were dear and the princess held them close, rewinding the words that flowed in between. At night, she would close her eyes and breathe deeply, calming the pitter patter of her poor heart. Before each sleep, she would whisper prayers to keep on the appearance of  acting normally around him. For though Chae Rin wanted it to be easier, it became harder as she fell more and more with the unattainable prince. How could she not? When it was his smile, and it was him she described with each question he asked. She knew none of his curiosity was for her, and hope was the last thing on her mind, but still it went on. The silent love survives.

Author's Notes: