It’s been 3 weeks.

Today was the day the Queen would test her to see if she was deemed fit enough to marry Taecyeon.

Speaking of Taecyeon, something happened and they didn’t seem to be talking anymore.

Everyone in the palace was suspicious of their behavior. Mostly Yoona’s anyways, who insisted on not seeing him wherever she goes.

Yoona can’t blame him for feeling depressed a little at her ignoring him. She was the one who chose to do it anyways. She thought back to that fateful day…

FLASHBACK

2nd week

Yoona P.O.V.

The bird was beginning to chirp when I woke up. Guess Madam Sun had successfully made me not dislike mornings as much. I moved up from the bed and cleaned it up nicely.

One for you, Im Yoona! You go girl!

I quickly ran to the bathroom and prepared to take a bath. I took a look at the mirror and noticed that my body was filled with bruises. Blame it on Madam Sun trying to get me to sleep without tossing around. I touched one of them lightly and felt the sting of it. Well, thank goodness everyone has to wear long sleeves around here so I shrugged and dipped my body in the warm water.

15 minutes later, I was done. I opened up the door, only to get hit on the face.

Third Person P.O.V.

“Ow! That hurt!”

“Oh my, the princess has awoken even before I asked her too!”

It was Madam Sun.

Yoona immediately looked up and pretended that her jaw wasn’t aching.

“Don’t worry, it looks fine. Get a little ice to make sure it doesn’t swell, okay?”

“Got it!” Yoona replied and smiled. She was a in a good mood today.

“Now come along, we’re going to the Imperial Gardens today. You have to learn how to tend to the Queen’s plants.”

“I understand.” Yoona replied. The way she talks was more refined now, although there were still her slangs from the future somewhere here and there.

* * *

As she walked through the Imperial Garden, memories of when she first met Taecyeon appeared in her mind.

Oh how she hated him.

“Boo!”

The sound of someone from her back made Yoona jump. She then proceeded to trip on her dress, she was bound to trip anyways, with her head somewhere else. She closed her eyes, readying herself for the impact when she felt someone grab her waist. It hurt a little because of the bruises, causing Yoona to let out a small whimper.

“God, are you okay? I didn’t mean to!”

Yoona looked up, once again about to give that person a piece of her mind when she noticed that it was Taecyeon. She blushed when she noticed their position. She quickly stepped away from him, trying hard not to fall this time.

“Oh, uhm, yeah, I’m fine.”

“Thank goodness. I wouldn’t know what to do if you fell. What if your beautiful face got scarred? I don’t want to marry someone ugly.” Taecyeon said.

Yoona bit her lip. How dare he! She would blame him forever if she scarred her…wait a sec.

Beautiful face?

Did he just indirectly called her beautiful?

“Hello? Yoona!”

“Ah! Aish, Taecyeon you shouldn’t scare people like that!”

“That’s twice in a row now. You’re really easily scared, Yoona.”

“T-That’s not true!” Yoona argued.

“Whatever you say~” Taecyeon smirked and walked closer to her. “I’m teaching you today, by the way. I think I would be the one to know about mother’s Imperial Garden best.”

“You? Again?”

“Yes. Be thankful it’s not that old geezer who taught me. I fired him once I got the chance. He almost killed my mother’s favourite plant!” Taecyeon huffed.

Yoona could only smile. He looked kinda childish right now, not at all like a Crown Prince. Yoona remembers the day she saw him in front of his parents. He seems to be a different person completely.

“I’m telling you, if you space out one more time I’ll have to pinch you!”

She immediately snapped out of her thoughts.

“Sorry. I get distracted easily. So, shall we get started?”

“Yeah sure! You gotta roll your sleeves up first though.”

Yoona’s heart beat quickened when he said that. What if he saw the bruises? If she told him the reason, she would be the most embarrassing person in the world! Who the heck gets bruises from sleeping on a bed anyways?

“Oh yeah, sure.”

She rolled up her sleeves just by a little. It might go up if she raises her hands so she silently reminded herself not to do so.

“Here’s a plant. You gotta know how to judge it to know if it’s in perfect condition or not. Plants are living things, so they definitely need love and care from humans too. Look at this plant here,” he pointed at a tree filled with pink colored flowers. “That’s mine. See how the flowers look down instead of up? It’s because…” and he continued to ramble on.

Never in her life has she seen a man so familiar with plants. Guys in her time thought that it was kinda girly and leaved the planting to the women.

Before she knew it, Taecyeon had finished talking and she was to try to tend to a plant on her own. She took the small knife given by Taecyeon and started to cut off the small branches on the tree.

“No, that’s wrong! Here, let me help.”

Taecyeon placed her hands on top of hers, making her blush. Why was she reacting this way towards him? She mustn’t. She simply can’t!

“Ouch!”

Oh no. What did she do this time? She looked back at Taecyeon and his hands.

She cut him!

She didn’t mean to. She was just zoning out!

“Oh my goodness I’m so sorry! Mianhae! Are you alright? I’ll get a doctor-“

“Calm down, it’s just a cut. I’ll be fine…Yoona, what’s that on your arm?”

“Eh?” Yoona looked at her arm. Great. Her sleeves were rolled up high because of her panicking. She ought to give herself an award for stupidity!

Taecyeon P.O.V.

The cut stung like a bee.

It was my fault in the first place.

While I was holding her hand, I can’t help but feel blood rushing to my face. Her hair smelled nice, like the fragrant smell of roses and lilies. Maybe it was the flowers around the place. I closed my eyes to inhale the scent when I felt a sharp pain on my hand.

The knife fell from her delicate hands and it fell to the ground. It took her a few seconds to realize what was going on too.

““Oh my goodness I’m so sorry! Mianhae! Are you alright? I’ll get a doctor-“ She was hyperventilating. Her hands were going all over the place.

Hold on.

What was that on her arm?

It looked like…a bruise? What in the world would have caused that?

“Calm down, it’s just a cut. I’ll be fine…Yoona, what’s that on your arm?”

“Eh?” She looked down at her own arms. Her eyes widened and she quickly tried to pull her sleeves down. I stopped her hands before it was able to reach down fully.

It was obvious now.

Blue-black marks were etched on her skin. I pushed it up higher. There were more, just as I expected.

“Wha-I…” I looked up at Yoona’s face. Her eyes were glazed over, b with tears. I didn’t understand. Was she being bullied? Was she hit by someone? Did she fall anywhere?

“Yoona, Yoona, look at me.” She looked up hesitantly. A tear slipped down her face.

“I-I’m fine.” She snatched her hand away from me and wiped her tears.

“You’re clearly not fine.” My voice came out harsher than I expected.

“No. You don’t understand.”

“You think I don’t?”

“Yes! I-I can’t tell you. It’s too embarrassing.”

Tears were free falling from her face by now.

“Embarrassing? Yah, Im Yoona! Is there something wrong with your brain? Did you actually think that I don’t know?” I gave a little knock on her head. She whimpered and held the spot where I hit her.

“That hurt! You’re horrible! I knew you would never understand! I hate you!” She screamed at me and ran away soon after.

I stood there, speechless. The anger was still flowing through me. How could someone do this to her? She’s just so small and fragile. I shouldn’t have gotten her involved in this, in my life, in everything.

I shouldn’t have fallen for her.

Yoona P.O.V.

He found out.

It’s so embarrassing! Im Yoona, the soon-to-be Princess of Korea, having bruises by tossing and turning on the bed.

The reason why I did it was because of him too!

Now he knows and he will never stop teasing me. I deserved to be hit on the head by him, I was so stupid.

I ran back to my room, closed the door and sat down on the cold hard ground.

I’m gonna have to ignore him. I just have to.

But it’s so, so hard.

I shouldn’t have fallen for him.

FLASHBACK ENDS

Third Person P.O.V.

Yoona was snapped out of her thoughts when Madam Sun came into the room.

“The Queen has arrived and requests to see you at the Imperial Court.”

Whew, I finished! Was that good? :D

Anyways, I was thinking.

Maybe I should do the type of thing where authors go like '5 votes and 5 comments for a faster update!'

Should I?

Hope you liked this chapter!

As usual, please comment on it if it !

Love you all <3