“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you!”

Seunghyun had been pacing back and forth angrily for a good 20 minutes now. He had only come back because he’d forgotten a few very important items. It came to him as a huge shock (well, semi-huge shock) when he found his baby sister pinned underneath a shirtless Kwon Jiyong.

“I can’t believe you’d do that to me!” he was livid, “But I’m most disappointed in you, Seul.”

“Me?” her eyes widened as she pointed at herself.

“Who else? I always thought you were sensible enough not to do things like this.”

Jiyong was annoyed now, “How many different ways do I have to say nothing happened? Should I say it in Japanese, too?”

Seul grabbed his arm and shook her head vigorously. You shouldn’t make Seunghyun angry at all. He was scariest when he was in one of his moods and Jiyong’s sarcasm wasn’t helping.

“Do you think I was born yesterday? You’re both half-!”

“That doesn’t mean we did anything!” Seul protested, “Have a little faith in me, Seunghyun.”

He stared at her long and hard before releasing a long sigh. He didn’t have a reason not to.“Whatever. I’m leaving again in a few minutes but I don’t want him staying anymore. I feel too uneasy about it.”

Jiyong shrugged. “It’s your call.”

“Don’t try and trick me, either,” he glanced over at his sister, “Seul can never lie to me.”

With that Seunghyun collected what he needed and left the apartment. She had to admit that she was a bit sad that Jiyong had to go. It was kind of nice having him around. She hated the feeling of being alone in her home and just knowing someone else was with her eased her nerves.

“I guess I can’t stay here anymore,” he said pushing himself off the couch.

Seul quickly stood up after him. “Wait!” she rubbed her neck, feeling a bit awkward, “C-Can’t you at least stay for breakfast?”

His lips pull into a half smile as he fixes her with the same stare that he’d given her when she was cleaning him up in the nurses office. That stare that meant he wanted kiss her. A small part of her was hoping he would. She wouldn’t push him away this time. She wouldn’t fight it.

But instead he simply ruffled her hair, saying, “I really do need that shirt back.”

He disappeared down the hall to take a shower.

“More short stories, I see.”

Seul had just arrived at Miss Chung’s classroom to help out with grading papers again. She wasn’t surprised that the assignment was a short story again, as she seemed to enjoy these types of projects. Seul reached for a pile but Miss Chung quickly took it from within her reach.

“Nope!” she smiled and placed a different stack in front of her, “I’ll do that one. You can do this one.”

Seul didn’t even have to look at it to know why she’d decided to switch. “You really do love playing matchmaker, don’t you?”

She shrugged, flashing her bright smile. “It’s a hobby of mine.”

Picking up the paper, she noticed that he’d continued on from his previous story:

The beggar had soon realized that should he not climb the tower and meet the princess, at least once, he’d surely die. A love as strong as his could either bring a man back to life or end him swiftly. He spent a fortnight weaving a ladder out of grass. He wore his finest clothes and cleaned himself up so that he might properly meet her.

“Fair princess!” he called and as usual she appeared instantly.

“Oh, sweet prince, you’ve come to visit me again.”

“Do not call me such a thing, as I am unworthy of all your kind words.”

She smiled nonetheless. A beautiful, blinding smile that made his heart quiver. “What brings you here at such an hour?”

“I have weaved a ladder so that I may climb up to see you. As your brother, the true sweet prince, is away at a faraway kingdom, I wish to see your face up close.”

“Do as your heart so desires.”

And with her words of approval, he positioned the ladder and climbed to meet her. Climbing through her window and finally, after many months longing to be near her, he was with his princess. She was even more enchanting in person. A beauty so pure and magnificent.

“Forgive me for coming here,” he said as he gazed upon her, transfixed by her, “I am quite aware that I am unworthy of your audience but I knew deep in my heart that should I never meet you I’d die.”

She took his hand in hers. It was soft and inviting. She needed no words to make him feel like he was a prince.

She felt the smile on her lips before she registered it. Miss Chung took the story from her now that she’d finished it and gave Seul that smile she always did when it came to Jiyong.

“Don’t say it,” Seul warned.

“But how can you deny it!” she cried, “You seem to always be on his mind. No matter what I give the class, he can somehow find a way to twist it back to you. He doesn’t even think you’re in his league. He holds you to such high standards. Why can’t you see it?”

She could. She’d just been desperately trying to deny it. But she was just starting to realize maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing.