Yoona's P.O.V.

Just beathe, Yoona. You got this. Just pretend this is like a job interview. Yep. Totally easy-

"Miss Im Yoona."

Holy fracking heck I'm going to die.

"Yes?" I tried to answer as best as I coul without showing the Queen any hint of my nervousness.

"I've heard of your progress from Madam Sun, and I must say, you have...surprised me." The Queen gestures towards the lady beside her, head bowed deeply. "Not only you have amazing culinary skills, but you know how to sew and perform the arts as well." Oh why thank- hold on a second, what?! My eyes grew wide as I listened on to her Majesty's words. "I look forward to taste your dishes in the upcoming banquet, and also hope to see you perform. If you impress the ministers and the Imperial Court, you will be officially accepted into the Royal Family as someone who deserves to be. Is that understood, Miss Im?"

My mind is in a whirl right now. Cook? Sew? Perform??? I struggled to form a smile on her lips, and avoided all eye contact with the Queen as I curtsied and replied. "Understood, Your Majesty."

The Queen smiled and allowed her to leave. Walking as graciously as I could, I tried to clear my mind while thinknig of all possible causes of this. But my brain could only think of blunt ends, and so I decided to just confront the woman who started it all, Madam Sun.

"I'm sorry, Miss Im. It was actually..." She refused to look at me as she replied. I know that guilty stance all too well. Putting in as much authority as I could into my voice, I asked her again. "This is the last time I'm asking you this, Madam Sun. Why did you provide false reports to the Queen?"

"I'm terribly sorry, Miss Im. But it was actually...the Crown Prince's doing."

I could only blink at her answer. Taecyeon? But I...I've been envading him all this time. Why would he...? Is it because of the fact that I have been ignoring him? Is this his revenge? I thanked Madam Sun and watched as she left in a hurry. Maybe I should go talk to Taecyeon about this. 

Ahhhh thinking so much makes my head hurt. I'll just walk around and hope that I'll muster up some courage to ask him.

Taecyeon P.O.V.

It's been days since I last saw her. I've heard from Madam Sun, who has been reporting to me daily now about Yoona's news, that she isn't doing fairly well in fulfilling her requirements to be a Crown Princess. But of course, she's trying hard, harder than anyone she's ever seen. I've always kept a look out for her, and seeing her struggle in the kitchens and pricking herself everything she sews sends pangs to my heart. I wanted to help her, no matter how small the favor was.

That was when I heard that my mother was going to check on her progress. I quickly spoke with Madam Sun and gave her a good deal before assigning her to put in good words for Yoona. To be honest, I was nervous as well for Yoona as I watched her step in the Imperial Court. But I had work to do, a country to run and affairs to settle, so I went back to my working place and settled my personal thoughts at the back of my mind.

It was almost sundown when I heard a knock on my door. 

"Come in."

The door opened and lo and behold, it was Yoona herself. To say i was surprised would be an understatement. After ignoring me for so long, in which I hope that was the first and last time, she came to me voluntarily?

"Prince Taecyeon...I was just wondering...why...why would you..." Her face looked so puzzled I felt like laughing at the sight of her. But hold on, these are the same clothes she has been wearing since she had gone to greet my mother. Has she been out since then? Was she thinking of me? Jeez Taec snap out of it the girl's asking you a question!

"Why would I do what I did? The answers simple, really, I just want you to look good in front of my mother, that's all."

Yoona looked at me questioningly. "That's...all?"

"Yes."

She looked down at my desk and muttered a small "Ah." before nodding. Shaking her head softly, she met my eyes and bowed. "Then, I guess I'll take my leave then..."

"No, wait." My body reacted and stood up before my brain could even register what I was saying. 

"Yes, Prince Taecyeon?"

"It's just...Taecyeon. It'd be weird for a fiancee to call her husband-to-be with honorifics." I hope she doesn't do that everytime she ignores me because I think I'll blow up by then. 

"Alright...Taecyeon. Anything else?" 

"Can I...walk you back to your room?" That was an extremely spontaneous idea. But heck, it's just a simple gesture, it doesn't have to mean anything...right?

"...Okay."

Yoona P.O.V.

The walk back to my room was awkward, to say the least. We didn't say anything, and everytime Taecyeon spoke I'll just answer with a simple reply. Ever since I've started to ignore him and realized that I needed him, at times of course, I have been in a daze. I shouldn't allow my heart to do whatever it pleases, or fall in love with idiotic princes. This isn't my world, and it never will be.

Yet the tension between us was so thick and I wanted so bad to break through that tension and go back to what we were before this. But I can't. I shouldn't. I couldn't. Event he mere fact that I'm his fiancee is a lie, how can I be so silly and try to expect some sort of love blooming out of it?

But I can sense that he's trying to get closer to me, despite not knowing my background. Something only this idiotic prince will do. The thought makes me smile a little.

"Something funny?"

I turned to look at him and shook my head. "N-no. Just felt like smiling, that's all."

"Huh, you're one weird girl, Im Yoona."

"I am not!" My defensive mode appears as I looked and spoke at him.

"Sure, anything you say." Taecyeon merely shrugged and decided to walk faster.

"Hey wait up! I'm not as fast as you are, you know."

"Admit it, you're just too short."

"I am not! I'm taller than Madam Sun."

"You'll always be short to me, little Imp."

"What did you just call me?"

"Little Imp. The Imp part comes from your surname, if you hadn't noticed."

"You...You...YOU JERK!" I schouted and walked past him, not bothering to be graceful at all. Who the heck needs a jerk to walk me back to my room? I really shouldn't have done that. He really is still an idiotic prince and I don't think he will ever change.

Third Person P.O.V.

Taecyeon stood at the hallway, dumbfounded by what just happened. 

"Ah man, guess I blew it again, huh?" He sighed and retreated back to his room, deciding that he can deal with this tomorrow.