Apology

Luhan stared hard at the door. It was two o’clock and Yoona still hadn't left her bedroom. Luhan had dragged a chair and placed it right in front of Yoona's door. He slumped onto it and that's how he came to be waiting in a chair outside Yoona's bedroom for six hours straight. 

"Yah I'm pretty sure you're still not sleeping. You're not human if you are." He spoke to the door with furrowed brows. Luhan remembered Yoona's unusual sleeping habit. "Then again...you're not exactly normal so I guess it's possible for you..." He shook his head whilst pointing his index finger at the door. "But even if it is possible you're definitely doing this all on purpose! You've been acting strange since three days ago!" He sighed and slouched, running a hand through his hair. 

"You're really strange...you're not like any girl I've ever met before." He tilted his head to his left. "You care about your looks but you don't care about your personality." He started with a deep breath. "You can do all sorts of amazing things but you spend your day lazing about...and most of all you say things you don't mean."

He scratched his head and furrowed his brows. After getting to know Yoona a bit he couldn't believe she'd be involved with his father's murder. In a way she was like an innocent child who didn't really know the world. It seemed like she had closed herself away from everyone and tried to stay as distant as possible and in the process got stuck in the past. When Luhan had found out she was the princess and decided not to get involved with her, he was sure he saw disappointment in her eyes. What had she hoped that she was disappointed? Why had she allowed Luhan to interfere with her emotions in the first place when it seemed she shut everyone else out? Luhan wanted to find out all of these things. He didn't know why but he was curious about this girls complicated feelings. 

The door suddenly opened and Luhan was not surprised when he saw a fully awake and fully dressed Yoona. 

"Won't you go away?" She spat harshly. 

"I can't. This is my job." He reminded her for the nth time. Instead of her usual comebacks, Yoona just sighed desperately and gave Luhan a look that threw him aback. It wasn’t the usual feisty glares but instead a tired and distant gaze. Luhan bit his lip. What had he done wrong? Whatever it was, he could tell it had seriously affected Yoona. Yoona took a deep breath and gave him the iciest stare she could pull off. But within seconds the stare collapsed to one of defeat.

"Please..." She began to Luhan's utter surprise. "Will you just leave me alone?" Luhan gulped. He guessed Yoona needed some time alone. 

"Make sure you stay in your bedroom..." He replied hoarsely. Yoona nodded without a complaint and closed the door on Luhan after re-entering her room. 

"I think I've really upset the princess..." Luhan trailed to his new trio of friends. Kwangsoo, Jinwoo and Hwayoung looked up from their card game to the sighing Luhan.

"I think you're forgetting everything upsets the princess." Kwangsoo laughed. "She's not a very...happy person." Hwayoung and Jinwoo nodded in agreement. 

"She may not be a nice person but she's not exactly mean either. I feel like I've hurt her...she's never spoken to me like that before...” Luhan slumped onto the table in despair. 

"Luhan...you've known her for a week or so." Hwayoung said. "I'm pretty sure it's nothing." 

"She's right" Jinwoo piqued. "Though I must say the way the princess talks to you is different to how she talks to everyone else. It seems like she's comfortable around you." Jinwoo looked over at Hwayoung. He saw her thinking over what he had just said. "Maybe you have done something wrong." 

"But what should I do then?" Luhan moaned. Kwangsoo clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"Isn’t it obvious?" He tutted. "If you're that distressed then ask her why she's so upset with you! Simple." 

"But..." Hwayoung started cautiously. "Why are you so bothered over this?" She held her breath. Luhan couldn't possibly like Yoona. He barely knew her.

"I don't like hurting people." Luhan replied seriously. "It annoys me to know I've hurt someone even if they're generally not nice." Hwayoung breathed out with relief. So that's all it was. That was a pretty cute reason. Kwangsoo and Jinwoo chuckled causing Luhan to frown. "I'm being serious here!" He scowled. "It might seem funny to you guys but it's a serious matter to me!" He pouted. 

"Then do what Kwangsoo suggested!" Jinwoo laughed. 

"She won't even come out of her room though..." Luhan sighed. Kwangsoo rolled his eyes and stared hard at Luhan. 

"Then you go into her room!" He stated. Luhan blinked a couple of times. Why hadn't he thought of that? 

"I think I'll do that." He nodded distractedly. Standing up with a smile finally on his face, Luhan set off to fix things with the princess.

"Ahem..." Luhan coughed loudly before opening the door to Yoona's room. He had expected Yoona to be draped on her bed, fast asleep like usual, but instead was surprised to find her fully awake, gazing out of her window. She didn't seem to notice Luhan's presence as she continued to stare hazily. Luhan was about to call out to her but then stopped. How should he call out to her? Should he use her name or should he just merely call her princess? Luhan was utterly puzzled over this sudden dilemma. In the end he decided it would be appropriate to just call her princess. He wasn't necessarily on friendly terms with her and plus she was royalty so he had to pay some sort of respect. With all of that decided, Luhan called out to the distressed looking Yoona very awkwardly. 

"P..P..Princess..." he stuttered. It felt weird on his tongue. He had used it many times before to address Yoona but calling out to her using that seemed...weird. Maybe he should have just used her name. But alas it was too late as Yoona turned around and her eyes widened at the intrusion. Luhan was sure she was about to kick him out so he spoke fast.

"Before you kick me out let me just clarify something." he lifted his hands in front of him in defence. Yoona was about to protest but Luhan interrupted. "Have I done or said something wrong?" 

"What?" Yoona snorted. "Are you playing games with me?" Luhan was sure he had phrased his concern in a simple and straightforward manner. Surely Yoona could even see what he was trying to portray? But nonetheless he tried again.

"Look you've been acting pretty cold towards me all of a sudden so I was just wondering if I did or said anything wrong. I'm not playing games here, I'm being honest." 

"If I recall correctly, I don't remember being anything but cold towards you." Yoona rolled her eyes. 

"I don't class that as being cold. It was just harmless banter. But now you’re acting like I'm some sort of plague. I'm not sure what I've done but I think I may have hurt you. I don't like hurting people....so whatever I've done...I'm sorry." 

"You hurt me?" Yoona laughed. "Yah, do you really think you're someone so important in my life that you can hurt me? Also Luhan ssi, I'm not sure if you remember but you were the one who cut off friendly ties first." she turned her gaze back to the view. "Now please get out." Luhan clenched his fists. Yoona didn't think he was being serious. What could he do to show her he was seriously serious? 

"If you could just tell me what I've do-" Luhan started but was stopped by the click of Yoona’s tongue. 

"If you’re that displeased over it then why don't you think what you could have done? Looks like you can throw words around easily when someone isn’t around but can’t even figure out what you've done to upset them? You're really just the same as the rest of them all." Yoona spat the next sentence out with such distaste; it sent a shiver down Luhan. "I hate people like you the most." 

Luhan didn't know how to respond anymore. If he stayed any longer, Yoona would most likely have his head. He sighed with exasperation. He really didn't know what he had said. With a face palm, he left the room silently and slumped onto the chair outside. He raked every inch of his memory, trying to remember if he had said anything particularly mean. He recalled Yoona's words many many times over in his head.

You can throw words around easily when someone isn’t around.

Luhan thought back to the time when Yoona had started this cold shoulder. He had just fixed up her knee injury...and then went outside because she was mad because he called her manner less. Was that it? But then she said he 'threw' the words around when she wasn't there. So what came next? He went outside and met Hwayoung...they dropped honorifics... Was that why? Because he didn’t use any honorifics with her? No…Yoona wouldn’t be mad over something like that. Luhan scratched his head with frustration. 

"Aish this is so annoying!" he sighed. "And I have to be constantly around her as well...if I don’t get this sorted out my job will be a nightmare!" he pouted to himself. “Wait...constantly around her..." Luhan stood up abruptly. He remembered saying something along the lines of 'we're both cursed to be constantly around her' to Hwayoung. Was that it? But how could she have heard that when she had been sleeping? Luhan remembered that Yoona had been slumped against the door instead of sleeping on the bed. Had she been listening to their conversation? "It was a bit harsh saying that...but I didn't really mean it..." Luhan trailed. He didn't know Yoona was one to be affected by words so easily. It was kind of cute. Smiling to himself proudly because he had finally solved the mystery, Luhan decided to apologise properly. 

He took a couple of deep breaths before knocking cautiously on the door. An exasperated sigh came from inside. 

"Yoona ssi..." Luhan started loudly. He could hear Yoona stir inside so he knew she was listening. Luhan decided to address her by her name. He found it appropriate since he wasn't dealing with positions but her personally. Maybe the gardens with the koi fish would have been the perfect setting. "I was always one who was prideful over my nice guy reputation. Hurting other people was never my thing. I was always careful with my words so I made few enemies. When I saw you for the first time I thought it was going to be no different. I found myself wishing to see you again because I found you seriously interesting." Luhan paused. Was he saying this right? It sounded like a love confession which was quite farfetched from what he actually wanted to portray. "I started being cold in order to distance us for a specific reason. It's not a stupid one like you may have thought. I didn't judge you because you were the princess.

"When I started getting to know you more over these three days I already knew that reason was not a valid one because there's no way it could be with your personality." Luhan let out a chuckle. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I got so caught up with the reason that I forgot you're a normal girl. You have feelings though you try to hide them, you have scars in your past though you try to hide them as well and you of course would be affected if I just threw words like that around whilst barely knowing you. So that's why...I just wanted to say...I'm truly sorry." 

Luhan blinked hopefully at the door. He had said it. He had said everything. He felt vulnerable telling someone so much about his feelings but he knew that was the only way to get his sincerity across. But would she accept it? The door wasn't opening...and Yoona wasn't saying anything either. Had she even been listening? That would be incredibly annoying since Luhan had poured his heart and soul into that apology. Luhan was beginning to get restless and agitated but then he heard a muffling noise coming from inside. It sounded like...someone was crying. Luhan opened the door quickly and in process threw Yoona away who had been crouching near the door. Her eyes were bright red and tears were pouring. 

"Why are you crying?" Luhan asked. Had he done something wrong again? 

"I...I...no..." she coughed and tried to regain her composure but her tears wouldn't stop. Luhan crouched down to where she was thrown, concern evident in his face. Yoona tried to explain again. "T..That was...the...nicest thing...thing...anyone....has...ever said to me." she bawled. Luhan blinked a couple of times blankly. She was crying this much because she was touched? If anyone saw her they'd think someone murdered her family or something. Luhan couldn't keep in his laugh causing Yoona to immediately stop crying and throw him a glare. 

"Oh my God, you're too cute!" he clapped frantically. 

"What?!" Yoona stared at him in disbelief. "C..c..cute?" she stammered. 

"Do you accept my apology?" Luhan scratched his neck sheepishly. "I really meant it all." Yoona hiccupped and then nodded. Luhan had an idea forming in his head. He had been contemplating whether or not to say it but then decided he would. 

"Do you want to go shopping tomorrow?"