"Argh!!! That was so horrible!" Jaebeom half screamed into his pillow after collapsing on his bed. He was exhausted, though from what, he couldn't exactly pinpoint. Maybe it was with the way that he stressed over every little thing that happened. Seunghyun, the Annoying One, doting on his noona could be ignored, for the most part. But the questions! Endless questions from Jiyong and haughty silences from his princess, followed by the flush of her cheeks nearly drove Jaebeom mad. 
 

"So when did you guys meet?"
 

"You guys are so close, does my brother really call you Babeom?"

"How are your studies? Are you focusing on them? You should focus on them instead of Chae Rin."

"Have you ever had a girlfriend? I heard there are plenty around you."

And last of all: "Why are you so affectionate towards my Hunchae?"

How in this great wide world was he supposed to answer so many things without sounding like a complete fool? Or worse, tool? And Hunchae? What gave this man the right to rename his Princess? And call her his??!!? The nerve. 

She was beauty, she was brilliance, and in his eyes there were no other. And yet he couldn't answer the final question. What exactly did he like about her? There were things that stood out, but he didn't know whether to blurt them out as it came to mind. Her smile, the way she treated him like an equal, well, when he wasn't being an annoyance, when she calls him by his name, the way she hits Ri.. How was he supposed to say them out loud when all of his answers seemed so.... Normal? Mundane?

Nothing stood out exactly. All he knew was that he does like her. Hence the stuttering that Jiyong took for an answer made no sense, even to Jaebeom.

"Oh, relax! I think it went well for their first visit," Bom said, waving her hand as she fixed the clothes on his closet. 

"How could you even say that?" He grumbled, kicking his shoes off the bed and rolling himself into a burrito.

"Well, because for one, I don't think she hates you as much as she would like for it to appear."

As if thunder struck his body, Jaebeom's head came out of the burrito quicker than light and stared at his noona. What did she mean by it?

"Yeah. I can tell. Im psychic, remember?"

And with her words, Jaebeom felt his mouth fall, a hundred things running through his mind..

Morning came upon the house of Lees, another hearty breakfast on the table as the queen of the household hummed about the kitchen, working here and there and tending to things. A bright smile fell upon her lips when she felt arms surround her waist.
 

“Eommaaaaa~” The voice of our Ogre Princess greeted her beloved mother happily.

“Yes, dear?”

“Do you think, I have an actual chance...?”
 

Upon the drop of her princess’ voice, the queen put down her spatula and turned her eyes to her daughter, a look of concern upon her young face. “Chance with what, darling?”

“Being liked. Having a boyfriend. Being beautiful.”

“But you are beautiful! As for being liked, I heard there’s a handsome young man who adores you. How come you’ve never told me about him, huh?”

“Uh.. Because he’s so frustrating! He’s very annoying and mean. Well, to Seunghyun.”

“But he’s nice to you?”

“Yes.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“It shouldn’t just be me, you know? He’s.. nice and caring, but if he can’t get along with Ri, then what’s the point of being friends with him?”

Ah, so that was why the poor girl has never mentioned the boy. Poor kid, she thought. Perhaps the young man was merely jealous and the princess couldn’t see it? Boys have such a funny way of showing affection. Her daughter might not know it, but she honestly believed that Chae Rin was one of the most beautiful girls she had ever seen, and not just because she loves her. She had such bright eyes, a brilliant mind and sweet demeanor to those she loved. A boyfriend, surely, would come easy at the right time!

“I know,” The Queen said and gave her daughter a warm hug. “You and Ri, are a package. Sort of. Ever since you were children. As for a boyfriend, you don’t want one at your age. Trust me.”

“But I’m going to be in high school this April! I’m... I’m 13 and I have no idea how to act around people properly. And and... I’ll be in the s-same school... as...”

Her mother watched Chae Rin stumble with words as a hint of pink invaded her cheeks. Ahh... Jiyong-ah, she thought. She had always known that her daughter had been in love with the prince down yonder, well, actually, next-door.Well, not in love, but she thought that eventually, Chae Rin would grow out of it. It was a childish crush, but seeing time and time again of how her young daughter would steal glances at her prince during their meals, or when they all played games or watched movies, the queen surmised that maybe, just maybe, it was more than a crush – a budding love.

“Jiyong-ah.”  As if to test the waters, she said the boy’s name and saw a small smile fall upon her daughter’s lips. “You’re not actually worried about interacting with everyone, aren’t you? Just him?” She said, a knowing smile on her face. It warmed her heart to see her daughter bud into a young woman. And yet, a part of her was terrified. With love, even from the beginning of mankind, came the worst feeling of all, pain. The two always came side by side, particularly if only one heart beat to its tune.

Turning around, Lee Ahra reached to turn off the seafood stew she had prepared for breakfast for the two families. The woman then took her daughter’s hands and pulled her towards the kitchen table, making her sit and sitting opposite of her. “Talk to me. Why him?”

“I.. I don’t know. I just...” Queen Ahra watched with sated breath as her princess brought her hands over to her chest, her eyes filled with confusion as she looked desperately at her mom. “Everytime.. and – and.. I just want him to be happy. You know? To see oppa smile. Maybe, you’re right, eomma. Yeah, it’’s just a crush. Maybe.. even borderline obsession.” She watched Chae Rin sigh with sadness. For years, the two families had been harmlessly teasing her about how she cared for him, and how sometimes he would hug her just to make her happy. Little did she know that those teasings weren’t exactly harmless for they had hurt her daughter. “I should stop.. right?”

And for the first time in her life, she had no words to give her precious child.

Lee Ahra sat down to a full table: three teenagers, her bestfriends in the world and her king. She looked around them and smiled, appreciating the miracles that came to both families.  First, it was their marriages – the love she and Jihyo had in college transcended into adulthood was more than she could ever ask for. And then, Jiyong came. A perfect little boy that she had learned to love as if he was her real child. Years later her greatest joy came, her daughter, and she swears she could remember the exact details of that wonderful day.

Ahra had just finished her labor when the cry of a healthy baby welcomed her back into reality. Despite the pain and exhaustion she felt, she managed to push herself up with her husband’s help. “Chae Rin-ah,” she breathed, her arms reaching for the little bundle. Despite the blood and unnamed things, she held her child happily before the doctors took her away to bathe her. She was then wheeled off to a different room where her friends and family waited with her.

“Ahra –imo~” a three year old Jiyong struggled to climb her bed, only to be carried off by his father and sat on it. Upon reaching her, the child crawled towards her and gave her a tight hug. “Where is she? Where is the baby? Is she coming?” The little child piped up and down her lap, and although it hurt, Ahra couldnt help but smile at the excitement of the boy.

“Yah, yah, yah! Stop! You’re hurting your imo!” Jihyo warned the child, making him sit quietly. And although his own mother was pregnant at the time as well, the little boy had little patience. He had been curious how a kid like him could live in a stomach  of his mom and imo. How did they eat? Weren’t they lonely there, just being alone with no one to play with?

Swinging his tiny legs back and forth, Ahra watched  the little prince try his best to wait patiently, until, finally, the doors opened. A nurse walked inside carrying her little angle who then handed the baby to her.

“Is that her?! Is that her?!”

He remembered opening his eyes and jumping down the foot of the bed as he squealed with happiness. Jiyong desperately wanted to see her. They said the baby was a her. He finally got his wish and found himself a little sister.
 

“Appa, appa!” He called to his dad, yet the grown ups seemed to have their eyes only on the baby. Pouting, he dragged a chair beside the bed while those around him cooed upon the little baby.

“Oh, she is so beautiful~”

“Look! She looks annoyed. Definitely got that already from her mom,” His uncle joked, earning him a reprimanding look from his wife.

Frustrated, Jiyong stomped his little feet and started to cry, knowing fully well, they would have to pay attention to him now.

“Ah, Jiyong-ah Iriwabwa~ Come over here,” his lovely aunt cooed. And finally, oh finally, the giants moved away from the bed and a helping hand helped him sit up on it, his eyes finally laid onto her.

“Is she the princess? What’s her name? What’s her name?” he smiled as he reached out to caress the baby’s cheeks. He flinched in surprise when the child opened her eyes, big and beautiful chinky eyes that looked straight at him. At that moment, he swore that she was the most precious thing to him. The little boy couldnt help but smile at the baby, who then crinkled her eyes and yawned, her tiny little mouth forming an “O” before it lifted up into a smile. And from that moment, though he knew it not, the princess had his heart.

“Lee Chae Rin. She’s your baby sister.” He heard his mother say almost breathlessly. “And look, Jiyong-ah~ Her first smile! You’re the first person she’s ever smiled at.”

“Chae-Chae annyeong!” He said as he reached out to touch her tiny hands. He felt his heart skip when she held onto his fingers. Though his were already small, hers were smaller. So tiny and precious. “I hear you are a princess. That’s what Imo and samchoon calls you. So so, if you are a princess, then can I be your prince?”

A  soft sound came from her lips made everyone smile in agreement.

“Seems like she likes that idea!” Samchoon chuckled and tickled the little boy’s side making him giggle.

“Of  course she does! So promise you’ll always protect her, okay?”
 

“Okay!”