Ji Hyun’s POV

I was fiddling with the hem of my blouse as I entered the household of the Lees. I took in all that I could because I knew that after today I may not be able to set foot here for another lifetime.

The head maid was kind enough to guide me towards the main hall where I would wait for Onew Oppa. He was the only one that seemed to get whatever I was going through and also the only one that did not hound me with accusations about what was to come.

I looked around the hall and admired the architecture that designed it. It was so regal and gothic that I deemed myself stupid for not even noticing it the first time I came over.

The head maid came back into the hall and I smiled briefly at her when she delivered the message from Onew Oppa.

“Young miss. Onew-ssi has just called in and apologizes for running late. While you wait for his arrival might I interest you to take a stroll in the garden out back? The roses are beautiful this time of the year.” She said and I nodded at her. She motioned for me to follow after her and I did.

When we arrived at the garden, I smiled back at her and proceeded to enjoy some solitude. I remember the last time I was here and it was the same day that I met Onew Oppa for the first time.

It was also the first time that Lu Han decided to be nice to me. When the thought came to mind it only managed to create more parts of my heart to fall off. It was already broken, but every happy thought that I had of him only made my heart break all the more.

I strolled my way over to the bench that was next to the rose bush that I admired before. The head maid was right, they were absolutely stunning. They were all in bloom this time of the year and I smiled as I was reminded yet again of how similar this rose bush was with the bush back at home.

“Eomma would love to see these. They are even prettier than hers.” I muttered and touched some of the buds gently careful not to pierce my fingertips with any of the thorns.

“Eomma! You’re here!” I ran and greeted my mother the moment she set stepped out of the limousine that fetched her from the airport. She sent me a warm smile and lifted me up into the air the moment I approached her.

“Omo. Ji Hyunnie. You have certainly grown! Where’s your Oppa?” She asked me as she nuzzled her cheek against mine. I giggled and hugged her tightly before she set me down.

I immediately grabbed a hold onto her hand as We walked into the mansion side by side.

“Oppa left me alone today. Abeoji said that I am still to little to be able to go to the office with them.” I complained and my mother laughed melodiously before going down to my eye level so as to look me in the eye.

“Ji Hyun. Kwon Ji Hyun. Hmm. That sounds like the name of the next business tycoon that is going to take over the business world by storm. Don’t you think? But for now my dear. You are just 4 years old. And you should be doing what most 4 year olds do. That is to play princess and get spoiled by her mother, who she rarely ever sees ever since I shipped her off to Seoul to be with my father.” She said and scrunched her nose towards mine.

I smiled and nodded at my mother as she always knew what to say when I felt extremely down. Especially when Abeoji and Oppa would leave me alone in the mansion so that they could go off somewhere and do something important.

“Neh Eomma. Eomma! If I am going to be a princess. Don’t I need a prince?” I asked her and she looked shocked to hear such words come from a little girl like me.

She stared at me incredulously before shaking her head and scooping me up into her arms.

“Yes. Of course you are going to need one. But we have to find you one first.” She told me as she carried me towards the garden. Which was both her favorite spot and mine.

“How will we find him? Is he the boy that Abeoji brought over the other day? He was really nice to me Eomma. He took really good care of me.” I said and helped Eomma gather some gardening materials from the shed in the corner of the garden.

“Oh. Where is he right now dear?” She asked me and immediately proceeded to the rose bush that was in full bloom.

I pouted before answering my mother about where he was.

“They had to bring him overseas Eomma. But they said that you’d be able to meet him when you go back to Appa next week.” I told her and she chuckled before snipping some of the roses from the bush.

“Ji Hyunnie. I’ll make sure to tell him that you miss him when I meet him. But I don’t want you to rush into anything okay? You will meet your prince charming. Not because he was arranged for you. But because you have actual feelings for him. I don’t want you to end up like me.” She said as she continued to gather some of the roses that she cut off into the basket that was in the middle of us.

“Bwo? You don’t love Appa?” I questioned my mother since it was the first time that my mother delved into this sort of topic with me.

She let out a sigh and hugged me tenderly before looking at me in the eye again for the second time today.

“Your Appa is my best friend. And I love him dearly. I wouldn’t have anyone else by my side if not him. Arasso? Now do your Eomma a favour and snip of some of the thorns on those roses I picked.” She said and I smiled knowing that they both loved each other dearly.

As I snipped off the thorns from the flowers my Eomma spoke up again.

“What is the name of your new friend my dear?” She said and I looked up to flash a dazzling smile before speaking.

“His name is--- OWW!” I cried and just like that my mother stopped whatever she was doing and checked on my finger. Inspecting the thorn that managed to pierce its way into my skin.

I cringed as I relived not only the memory of being with my Eomma again but the piercing pain of a thorn going through my fingertips again. I brought my finger closer and inspected it. There were no remnants of the plant so I just nodded it off as a minor injury. As I did I noticed the thin band of gold that was wound around my finger.

It wasn’t as flashy as most engagement rings. It didn’t have a gigantic stone on it but instead little diamonds were encrusted around the band so that it would look less flamboyant as other rings.

I was still after all, in hiding. I twirled the ring around my finger and pouted as I recalled how it even managed to get on my finger.

Tao told us that he had somewhere to be. So here we were escorting him out of my dormitory building before heading back upstairs to watch a movie to ease some of my nerves.

Just as he was