[ I'm sorry to have wasted your time, oppa]

Jiyong bolted out of bed when he heard his phone beep. Immediately checking the message, he argued with himself on whether or not he should delete it. Or maybe he should reply.

[ You looked really tired. Jeongmal mianhae. Have a good rest!^^ ]

How was he supposed to reply to that? Dialling  in anger, he called her number.

"O-oppa. Annyeong," she said, her voice shaky.

"Oh, so now you're talking to me?"

"M-mianhae."

"Sorry because you did it again? You keep ignoring me when I've never done anything wrong against you."

"Listen, oppa, plea-"

"No, you listen. If you don't want to talk to me, fine. Don't text me then. Just don't get me involved in stupid things."

A soft yelp came from the other end, yet the anger he felt still wouldn't die. Hanging up his phone, cutting her off another word he could care less to hear, Jiyong went downstairs towards the kitchen - hoping to calm the queasiness of his stomach.

At the foot of the stairs, he heard his mother whispering.  "Jiyong? But w-why?"

"I don't know either, okay? It's just. so sad, seeing her. You don't even know, unnie."

"But I thought she and Seung-"

"Nope. Was never him."

"But wasn't it just a crush?"

Jiyong paused in his tracks.

"It's not. Oh, God, I wish it was. She's always so sad. So so sad."

"And sighing?"

"Yes! How did you know?"

"Well, every time I teach her how to cook, she does it...I didn't think any of it, but-"

"And don't you notice? All the dishes, just the things he like."

"My poor girl," Jiyong heard his mother sigh. "So what about the other kid?"

"He's good for her, I think. Won't you let Seungie go?"

Jiyong wanted to stay longer, wanted to figure out exactly what was happening, when a soft touch on his shoulder made him turn around in surprise.

"What did you want?" his father asked the prince quietly, and he mouthed "water". The old man headed to the kitchen without another word, his expression sombre. The two women took notice of him as they rambled on, drunk.

Jiyong stood on the spot, his mind running. It was about him and Chae Rin, he was sure of that. But he already knew all those things, her efforts... her sadness. But he never thought much of it. And just a few minutes ago, he had practically...

His father came back with a bottle of water and ushered him upstairs. In silence, they climbed up, and at the top of the stairs, the old man, who, just for tonight, seemed so serious despite his usual joking self, turned to his son.

"You heard? Right?"

The prince nodded. "Good. Then know this, just because you're my kid, doesn't mean that I'll let it go if you hurt her. She's a good one."

"But why would I ever hurt her?"

"You got no say in why. Just the how. That child... loves you. You understand that, don't you?"

Jiyong woke up bright and early the next morning, mostly because it was better to have just stayed awake than to sleep. He kept waking throughout the night, his dreams disturbing though he couldn't remember any of them. All he did feel was dread and an uncomfortable pang in his heart. His father' words had been stuck in his head the whole night, and the answer was no. He didn't know what to do. Had it been someone else, he simply would say "no. get over me" but to hurt someone so close to you, so important...  it was difficult.

And so, he came downstairs, heading to the Lee's kitchen to see his aunt but finding his father cooking instead.

"Where's imo?" he wondered, sitting down on the table.

"Hungover. All of them are."

"I see. But appa, do you even know how to cook?"

"Everyone knows how to cook." His father muttered, frowning as he tried turning the egg over. Being both hopeless in the kitchen, they both turned to a female voice yawning.

"C-chae," Jiyong said, as the young woman went to the stove, sleepily taking over making the hot dogs. "It's okay, Samchoon. I got it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

His dad almost look relieved from her presence and simply nodded, "You're a good kid, Chae."

"I know I am, Samchoon~" she said, flashing the older man a smile. He then walked over to his son, whose arms he gave a pat before walking home.

There it was, the awkward silence. So stifling and uncomfortable. Jiyong  found himself fidgeting around, every time she moved in the kitchen. By now, one of them would have broken it, but neither moved forward. It wasn't until she started putting the plates on the table that he was forced to look at her.

"Chae?"

"Hmm?"

"Nothing."

And though the silence hurt her heart, what even bothered her more so was the memory of yesterday. If he didn't want her to talk to him, she could do it. Simply, because he asked her to. She's done it for years, at least for the most part.. Then why did now hurt so much?

After the princess finished arranging the breakfast, she walked out of the kitchen and breathed out deeply. It almost felt as if she had been holding her breath, and any noise she made could potentially make him snap.  

"Chae-Chae, come on.." she heard his voice behind her, pleading. Trying to control her emotions, she whispered back.

"What is it, Jiyong-oppa?"

"Don't  be mad at me anymore, please?"

"I was never mad at you."

"Don't lie."

"I'm not."

"But you are!" And there it was again, his tone cutting through her.

"I have never lied to you." she merely whispered before starting to walk away.

"Yes you have. You always had!"

"It's not my fault you never chose to believe me when I say things." she said.

There was a finality in her tone that shut him up, that brought fear to his heart, and left him speechless once and for all.