Chapter 17

Hakyeon

Hyuk's room was empty. Everyone was out running around. I fished beneath the bed and pulled out my book bag with my school work and started working on it at the desk. After a while I stood to stretch. "I should probably go back. I am sure they are worried and looking for me." I announced to the air.

As I went to pull the door open, I found Ken on the other side. He grabbed my arm and pulled me out into the hall. "They are searching all over for you." Go straight down this hall and then turn left. There will be stairs that lead you out to the back garden. I will have Hyuk come get you and say he found you there." He turned me in the right direction and gave me a gentle shove before running the opposite direction.

I sighed and did as instructed. Once outside I found myself in a rose garden filled with large white roses in full bloom. In the center was a fountain with a large lion roaring. From his mouth poured water. It was very majestic. I plucked a rose and held it delicately as I sat on the edge of the fountain.

"What are you doing here?" I looked over to see Leo snapping at me.

I exhaled angrily, "Are you following me?"

"I could easily ask you the same." He snapped back coldly.

I mumbled under my breath, "Taekwoon isn't so mean."

"Excuse me?"

I stood and tossed the rose at him, "I like you better when you aren't talking."

"You certainly have an attitude. I should have sent you home with that Mauve girl." He picked up the flower off the ground and dusted it off before threading it back through the rose bush. It was very out of character to see Leo treating a flower so carefully.

He jerked his hand back suddenly. I quickly walked over to him and grabbed his wrist. I held it close to my face so I could better inspect it. "Tsk tsk, You pricked yourself on the throne" I shook my head.

He jerked his hand back, "Are you my mother?"

I sent him an unamused look, "No, but you are hurt, and it needs disinfected." I pulled his hand back and saw that there was a bead of  blood gathering at the tip of one of his fingers. "How do you even hit a thorn at that angle?" I wondered. I pulled his finger into my mouth and on it to remove the blood.

After remembering I had antiseptic wipes and a bandaid in my back, I pulled him over to the fountain, and told him to sit. "Wait right here. I will be back in just a moment."

I raced back to the room and grabbed my small first aid kit, and stuffed into the small, pink, silk purse Matilda had made. When I returned I was surprised to see that Leo was still waiting. "You are still here?"

He looked at me like I was an idiot. "You asked me to stay."

I sat and began to work on his finger. "I know I asked you today, but I am surprised that you listened. It seems like you march to your own drum most of the time."

He grunted in reply.

"It's a compliment where I come from. Who wants to be like everyone else. You definitely stand out from the crowd."

"I do not find that to be compliment. I would much rather blend in. It's not always nice to have everyone's eyes on you. I hate making decisions for everyone else."

"It seems like you are born to lead, you were born to lead, even if that is not what you want to do." I pulled out a Rikulama bandage and wrapped it around his finger.

"What is this?" He looked at it puzzled, but I saw a small patch of red spread on his cheeks.

"It's a bandaid. It's a smaller bandage that protects your wound while you heal." I leaned over to point to the bear on the tip of his finger. "That's Rikulama, isn't he cute?" He nodded. "You never did tell me what you do."

At that moment, Hyuk came running down the stairs. "N!" He came to an abrupt halt upon seeing me. He dropped into a low bow. "My Lord! N, what are you doing with the Prince alone? You know better than to be alone with any man unescorted."

I stood quickly and looked at him, "The Prince." I replaced our conversations in my head, "I-I'm sorry." I turned and raced back into the building with Hyuk following close on my heels.

Leo

I remained at the fountain for a while. When I closed my eyes I could not help but see the strange girl that went by N. She had her lips around my finger again, and was scolding me for blinding sticking my hand into the rose bush.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. She was one odd woman. I had never met a woman other than my mother's and sisters, who would have gall to scold a stranger.

I wanted to know why. This woman made me curious in a way that a woman had never done before. I still did not have this breathless, heart racing moment, that put butterflies in my stomach. Reluctantly I stood and returned to my father's old office.

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