Xiaoting Pov:

“And that’s it. End of class! Good job everyone” My dance teacher said while I lay down on the cold ground of the dance studio and smiled closing my eyes. Getting up from the floor and noticing that I was alone in the room, I ran to close the door and played ‘Black’ by one of my favorite singers BoA and started freestyling and just moving to the beat of the music.

Dance made me feel alive which I was much in need of right now. The possibility of moving as I wanted, the sweat rolling from my forehead, the feelings that I got from the music… made me smile and happy without even forcing.

Discovering what you love the most and wanted to do for the rest of your life is something that everybody craves. I discovered but sadly couldn’t follow my wishes of dancing and acting because of my position in society. I am a Princess.

If thinking about that made me chill and my mood drop, as I was still moving, one of the two guards that followed me to classes or public outings knocked on the door and made my mood drop even more. Turning the song down and I allowed him to come in

“Sorry to disturb, Your Highness, but Our majesty just called you home saying you have urgent business to talk about.”

I sighed and looked around the room. How I wished I could stay here. But blood calls

“Okay, Mr. Chong. I’m going” I grabbed my purse and started gathering my stuff inside of it. When I was fixing my black bucket hat and mask, I saw a familiar face entering the room with a huge smile on her face and almost invisible eyes, because of her big eye-smile. I noticed before seeing her that if someone was entering the room unannounced it must for sure be Yurina, otherwise, Mr. Chong wouldn’t let that easily.

I’ve met Yurina through my mom since her mom was my mom’s co-star on a movie and best friend back when my mom was still active as an actress when I was a kid. Since then, we grow closer and became best friends. Her family came to live in China because her mom decided to focus on the Chinese acting market and we started doing everything together. During our teenage years, we started feeling different about each other, growing more intimate, and then without us even thinking much about it, one day we kissed while watching a movie in my bedroom and started dating.

The thing is that as time passed people started accepting even more relationships of people from the same gender, and me and Yurina dated publicly since we were 19 years old.

“Hey, beautiful. How was your class?” She greeted me with a peck on the lips and Mr. Chong closed the door after mentioning to me that we would go back to the palace in 10 minutes top. We sat on the couch that it had in the room, and she laid her head on my shoulders

“It was great. And your filming?” Yurina was currently a popular actress here in China and was filming her next movie ‘Shine’.

“Also great but too tiring for my liking” She smiled at me and closed her eyes embracing me while I placed my hands at her waist. “I missed you, you know. I thought that after you came back from England, we would be together 24/7 but that’s not what is happening”

“I missed you too, Rina. Sorry for not giving you the attention that you need” I pouted and passed my hands through her hair.

“It’s okay, Ting. I’m busy myself either, so it’s also my fault. Adult life is tiring”

I could only nod.

“But you are leaving right now, right? You’ll be gone for how long?” She asked directing her round eyes to look at me.

I furrowed and distanced myself from her a little so that I could look at her properly.

“What are you talking about?” I asked her taking her by surprise.

“My mom said that Queen Angela said that you guys are going to travel tomorrow. The whole family. I even found it weird that you didn’t tell me anyt-”

“MY MOM SAID WHAT?” I shouted and got up from my seat. “Gosh, I hate so ing much when they do these things and don’t warn me or ask me if I want to go first. I am not a kid anymore; can’t they get that? I hate that and they don’t respect me” I shouted and looked at Yurina that was looking at me startled. Most of the time, I was more of a listener and a soft talker to her. I wouldn’t exclaim my words that harshly when I was with Rina. So I took a deep breath and started speaking again with a calmer tone “Sorry, Rina, but when did your mom talk to my-”

“Your Highness we have to go, Our Majesty the King is demanding your presence urgently” Mr. Chong cut my words.

“But-“ I tried to plead for him for me to stay for a couple of minutes more, but he denied it.

“Sorry, Princess, but we have to go” He looked at me, apologetically.

“Go, Tingy. Talk to your parents at home, they will explain.” Rina said with a mid-smile still visibly affected and anxious about the harsh way I talked to her earlier. I was a super calm person so very little to no people, other than my family of course since I argued with them a lot – mostly my dad -, have seen me angry or shouting.

“Okay. Sorry, Rina. Message me when you get home. Bye,” I gave her a soft kiss on the lips and went out with Mr. Chong who walked a little far from me since he knew that I didn’t like people to look at me differently, which was pretty easy when a 6’6 tall mean face man would follow you around everywhere. But the truth is, I love Mr. Chong. He is my personal bodyguard since I suffered a kidnapping attempt 5 years ago when I was studying in Russia, but before he was my dad’s bodyguard and is the best in the country. He treated me like I was his own daughter and helped me a lot when I had my anxiety attacks that happened frequently plus, he was the father of one of my best – and only – friends, Elkie.

                                                                         **

“What do you mean we are going to South Korea? I don’t want to go.” I shouted stepping my foot on the ground. I had arrived home a couple of minutes ago and my dad called me into his office, where my mom and YanYang were also already there, to say that we are going to South Korea tomorrow and we were staying at the Choi family’s palace.

“I didn’t ask if you wanted to come. I said you are coming. End of discussion.” My father said shouting louder than me, making me shrug a little but still trying very hard to not show it to him.

“I got late, sorry. Are they already fighting?” Lucas entered smiling and provoking me and Dad which caused him to receive a fast 4 pair of strong glares to him.

“Shut the hell up, Xuxi,” I said, and just after, I received a reprimand from my mom.

“Language, XiaoXiao”

“Sorry, Mama”

“You are going too, Xiao. And the decision is already made. The war is arising a lot of different conflicts and King Hyunbin called us over a meeting about a diverse range of subjects…I can’t let this opportunity go. And we must be united as a family and to Unite with South Korea to become stronger than we already are.” He said and looked into my eyes. I knew that things were starting to get heated up with the war and that our relationship with Russia was decreasing a lot and I love my country very much to let anything bad happen to it.

“Urghhhh, fine,” I said with a sulky face and clicking my tongue “But we really have to stay at the Choi’s palace?” I asked them, almost begging for them to say we could stay at another place. I actually like the Choi’s. They are an amazing family and I’m really close to Doyoung and Yeseo and my mom and dad are super friends with King Hyunbin and Queen Yejin. My problem is called Choi Yujin. We have the worst past scenarios possible. And I can’t even bear the thought of living in the same place as her and having to fake a friendly relationship when in reality, that’s the last thing we have.

“We do, honey. It’s rude when a royal family goes to a country where they’re ‘friends’ with the rulers and don’t stay in their castle as guests. You know that. And they personally invited us anyways.” I sighed and looked with a whining face at them. My mom could only caress my arm and continue speaking. “Don’t worry, baobei¹. Do you remember the Choi’s palace? It’s really big. You won’t have to share a room with the princess or with your brothers and Princess Yujin will be there. She will keep you company.” She said trying to ease the situation but neither she knew that she was making everything so worse. Yujin is literally the main reason why I don’t want to go there. But I can’t show that to them.

“Okay. Can I go to my bedroom now?”

“You can. And please, I hope you’ll behave during this trip because you’ll accompany me and your brother to the meetings, we are going to have there. You need to be more inserted in the politics in the country, because as a Princess you need to know how to act and not only YanYang. Understood? We are staying there for at least 2 weeks”

“WAIT. TWO WEEKS? THAT’S TOO MUCH” I shouted and could already see Xuxi laughing by my side.

“Calm down” Yangyang warned me, afraid that our dad would become angry.

“Can I at least go over Rina’s since you plan to take me away from my life for 2 weeks without any previous announcement?” I said irritated and noticed Yangyang smiling at me without showing his teeth. He in fact liked the fact that I stoop up to my dad without being afraid of him. Deep down, that was what he wanted to do sometimes, but still couldn’t.

“Yes. But be back by 22:00. We are traveling tomorrow at 9 am. The maids are going to pack your bags for you.”

After hearing that I said my goodbyes and went out of the office and was directing to the stairs to go down and go to Rina’s house, but my mom came just behind me. She held my hand and walked me to a corner of the 2^nd floor, where my dad’s office was placed, and we sited in the armchairs that were there. She looked at me and gave me a mid-smile and even with a tiring face, I couldn’t not notice how pretty my mom is. She is my mom and I’m already used on seeing her every day, so I don’t get the hype that people get when they look at her. Or to me, my brothers, and my dad. But I have to say, my mom is the most beautiful person um the whole world.

She placed her hand on my hair and caressed it.

“You've grown up so fast XiaoXiao." I smiled at her and she kept talking "I know it’s upsetting but try being calmer, okay? Mama knows that you don’t exactly like these royalty duties you have to do or royalty in general and can be sometimes a little ashamed and I truly apologize for it because you didn’t choose to be born a Princess, but you are royalty above it all. Try to not be this angry over this fact! It’s only a bad thing if you make it a bad thing. At least try enjoying a little bit more.” She said caressing my hand

“Okay, Mama. I’ll try.” I smiled at her and she got up and walked back to my dad’s office while I directed myself to go to Rina’s house. When Mama was almost reaching Papa’s office, I called her. “And Mama, I’m not ashamed of being of royalty. You don’t have to apologize for anything. I love you.” He smiled while mouthing a Wǒ ài nǐ² for me.

I got down the stairs and went to the parking lot to drive to Rina’s house.

                                                                         **

“Hi, Ting, come in” Yurina welcomed with a smile and her usual low voice.

I entered her apartment, where she lived alone since a year ago, which I already know really well, and seated on her long couch that was placed in the middle of her living room.

“I’m sorry for how I treated you today. I know I made you uncomfortable while screaming.” I looked at her while she was closing the door.

“It’s okay, Ting.” She seated on my lap and placed her arms on both my shoulders. “You’re really traveling tomorrow?” She asked

“Sadly, yes. And I’m staying at the Choi’s which makes everything worse.”

“So, Princess Yujin will be there, right?” She asked more like stated and her grip on my shoulders tightened up a little. She and Elkie were the only ones that knew my whole story with Yujin.

“Yeah, it’s her house, she will definitely be there. And my freaking out because of that. She is so annoying, and I’ll have to be on familiar terms with her for 2 weeks or more if the war gets worse and my dad and Uncle Hyunbin have to still negotiate things for our countries.” I said laying on her chest.

“Ting, you are staying away for 2 weeks? Even worst, you are staying in the Choi’s palace for 2 weeks? You literally hate that girl” she said making me get up from my lying position.

“Yes. 2 of the worst weeks in my life are about to happen. I wish wouldn’t go” I said grumping.

She laughed and gave me a quick peck on the lips. I smiled back but something caught my attention: her eye smile. I stared right inside those beautiful pair of eyes and kissed her again, but this time a real kiss. My past lying position became me with a leg on each side of her body and my hands scattered on her cheeks. Her hands were strong on my waist and our tongues moved fast and precisely. When my hands moved a little bit down to the side of her waist and I was planning on taking off her shirt, her right placed on top of mine and she broke the kiss.

“It’s getting late, Ting. I think you should go to prepare for your trip tomorrow.” Yurina was clearly avoiding my eyes. I can’t believe this happened again. I pulled off her lap and got up.

“I don’t get you, man, I’m serious. We are dating for over 3 years, and you still don’t let me have with you. What’s the problem? You don’t think I’m enough for you?”

“That’s not it, babe. I’m just not ready for it.” She said and looked at me.

“How come you’re not ready? It’s not like you have never had in your life and it’s not like we have never gotten intimate. You just don’t let me go further with you.” I sighed, placed my hands on my head, and seated beside her. The truth is that my relationship with Rina was getting colder. To the point that we didn’t even miss kissing or anything. But I have needs and sometimes I want to get more intimate with my girlfriend. But she doesn’t let me, and I don’t know why. I got even to the point where I started thinking that I wasn’t likable nor y enough to make her want to have anything with me.

“I’m just not ready. Please respect that.” She said looking harshly at me and then looking back at the ground. I did the same.

“I respect, you know that. But it doesn’t mean that I enjoy that.” I sighed one more time and broke my staring contest with the floor and looked at her.

“Do you want some time? To think about the relationship?” She raised her head and looked at me with an inexpressive look. “Truthfully, I don’t think we are on the same track anymore and it’s not even only the thing. I think it’s in general.”

“Do you want me to accept this time so that you’ll be able to go around hooking up with a bunch of girls, right?” Another thing about Rina that could make me really angry. She was on another level of jealousy. I was a really jealous person myself; I admit. But she was too much.

“Stop that, man. I only want to be with you but I don’t think this relationship is healthy anymore for either of us. I think we should get some time to think.” I took her hand and caressed “I don’t our friendship to end.” But as fast as a took her hand she pulled it off.

“I don’t wanna take times. That’s ridiculous!” She screamed.

I got up from the couch, took my purse that was placed on the front table, and walked to the door.

“But I’m taking some time.” I turned to look at her one more time. “I hope when I get back from Korea we can talk better, and our feelings are more on track. Bye, Rina. I’ll miss you”

I opened the door, walked out, and closed it behind me, ready to go home and pack some stuff to bring to Korea with me. I don’t know why but I felt relieved somehow. I hope this time apart will make our relationship better and make us think about why we got together in the first place and if we miss each other.

In the meantime, I’ll have to deal with that arrogant brat that is Choi Yujin and I really hope that I can be as far as I can, and as it’s going to be possible, from her and interact the minimum that I can with her.

                                                    ××

Glossary:

¹ - Baobei (Chinese) : Baby (English)

² - Wǒ ài nǐ (Chinese) : I love you (English)

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Sorry for making you guys wait, I'm really busy with college and couldn't finish this chapter that easily. But here it is! Hope you guys enjoy it and keep leaving comments and feedbacks! That helps a lot! 

Hope you guys are liking the story and I'll try to come back with the 3rd chapter faster!

Se ya