With hanging open and eyebrows scrunched up, Sera stared uncomprehendingly at the TV screen was flashing her picture. 

"What how when where why???" she sputtered.

From the couch, Yura made a snide comment. "How did she even get in out of the thousands and thousands of applicants?" Still stunned from what she just saw on the screen, Sera was completely lost. She was dreaming right?

"But I didn't even apply..." she objected. 

Her mother smiled mischeviously at Sera and said, "Congratulations honey!" Frowning a bit, Sera glanced over at her mom, who had a strangely amused look on her face.

"Mooom ..." Sera called out, stretching out the syllables. 

"Yes, dear?" Her mother feigned innocence. 

"What. did. you do." 

"Nothing really," the older woman continued to deny her daughter's questions. "I only turned an application in for you, especially since you were so adamant that you wouldn't participate."

Sera balled up her fists in anger and heavily breathed out throug her nose. She took a deep breathe in attempt to calm her growing irritation. 

"Mom," she tried again. "Why do you do these things without my permission? I never wanted to be a part of the competition in the first place."

Getting up from her chair, Sera's mother rose up to talk to her daughter. "Why are you so stubborn, Sera? You're just like your father-- stubborn as a mule and stubborn in all the wrong ways." She reached out to cup Sera's face in her hands.

"I'm not like dad." Sera insisted and she backed away from her mother's touch. Her mom pulled her hands back and crossed them before sighing.

"Look, Sera, I'm doing this for your own good."

"How is this for my own good?" Sera spat out, raising her voice slightly.

"Child, think about it," the elder implored. "I'm not asking that you win the competition, but this event gives you exposure and opportunities that I will never be able to provide you with. Even if you don't win, you can at least put that you were a finalist for the award onto your specs. It will help you with your internship search, and help you acheive your dreams. As a mother, this is the least I can do. Do you understand why I submitted a form for you now?"

Sera slowly comprehended what her mother was trying to say. She was right, but Sera simply did not want to admit it. Every single time, when Sera thought she was finally going to be independent and make her judgement calls, her mother always had the better plan in mind. 

"Fine." She agreed grudgingly. "I'll just make sure I don't end up winning the competition, so I won't have to marry the prince." 

Her mother tilted her head slightly. "Good. Make the most out of it. I'm proud of you for making it this far already."

Sera trudged back to her room and flopped on her bed. Reaching over to her bedstand, she grabbed her phone and began to scroll through the countless notifications she had received in the last hour. All of them were congratulating her for becoming one of the two hundred finalists. Not bothering to respond to any of the messages, she placed her phone back onto the bedstand and turned to face the wall.

How on earth was she going to deal with all her friends questions and requests?

"I can't believe I'm at a viewing party with you idiots," Sehun sighed. This time, the boys were at Kai's house, and their other friends, Suho, Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo, had decided to show up. 

"Why do you always have to be such a party pooper?" Baekhyun whined, posturing himself on a black leather couch. "Stop acting like you don't care!" 

Kai broke into the conversation. "Well, we all know he does, but he doesn't want to show it. After all, who wouldn't be interested in their future spouse?"

"Ahhh... right," Baekhyun replied. "Maybe we'll be able to call Hana 'Crown Princess' in a month. You know she entered right?" He proceeds to do a silly little bow to Sehun.

"Give it a rest, you two!" Suho scolded. He grabbed two of the pillows sitting on a chair and chucked them at the troublemakers, Kai and Baekhyun. "Be a little more sensitive won't you?" Sehun sat there expressionless with his hands folded in his lap. 

Changing the conversation topic, the eldest asked, "How was your meeting with the French ambassador today?" Suho, as the son of Korea's prime minister, was much more in touch with the political affairs of the country. For Sehun, Suho was a friend that he could go to to vent about his work and his struggles as the Crown Prince. 

Sehun shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Not bad, not good. The French ambassador is not easy to talk to at all. Luckily, we were able to come to an agreement about our countries' trade relations. The deal is slightly more favorabl