Chapter Twenty Eight   “We should’ve tried grocery shopping together while we still can. Don’t blame me if even the simplest things become impossible somehow.” Said Yeona, as she sat on the countertop beside Youngho, swinging her legs as her arms supported her frame. In the end, Youngho did not concede to her pleas, not after the king’s conscious warning, and politely asked Secretary Kim and Kang ahjussi to fetch some fresh supplies for them.   “Well it may be impossible here in Korea, but who says we can’t do it in Chicago?” answered he, clad in a steel blue apron and the one in charge for tonight’s dinner. The princess gave him a funny look, “Or in Rome, London, even in Tokyo,” he added, “the world could be our playground, princess.” with a flirty wink.   She gave a little pout and a few seconds of thought before answering, “But grocery shopping in Korea is different.”   He chuckled as he chopped the ingredients with precision, “There’s plenty of Korean marts in Chicago.”   “But it’s not Korea.” she insisted in a sing song voice.   “But it’s for your safety and I won’t risk anything.” The couple fell silent as they locked gazes, the former of amiable stubbornness, the latter of utmost compassion. “If it’s you, I’m not risking anything anymore.”   “Even cooking?” Yeona exasperated, “this is too much oppa, I understand that it’s too dangerous for us to go out in public together, but cooking? Don’t you trust me with a knife?”   “I trust you, okay.” Answered he, as he began sautéing the initial ingredients for whatever recipe he had in mind. “What I don’t trust, are …” then he added a bit more vegetables into the pan, “this pan, the gas range—even though it’s electric—the knife and its pointy end and most of all, the cooking oil. They could potentially harm you, y’know.”   “That’s absurd!” said she and they both burst out laughing.   “See, I trust you, just not them.” He reiterated prompting her to almost roll her eyes.   “Whatever.” The princess just simply said.   “Anyway we’re a modern couple.” Said Youngho, “my wife goes out to work and then I stay at home taking care of the kids. That sounds wonderful, right? I can still practice medicine, who knows I may become a pediatrician.” Yeona’s heart and mind were filled with nothing but admiration, seeing the man she can call her own. She knows her emotions are all channeled in her eyes and she makes no effort on hiding them. If she can’t say it, then she will show. How can he be so full of optimism, she need not know, it’s one quality of his that she’s loved as a bystander. She admires it as well as the whole of him.   “That sounds so pleasant, doesn’t it.” unwittingly, her voice suddenly turned soft. “But you do know that that as well, is hardly possible for us.”   “Lighten up now, princess,” and his voice never fails to comfort her, “we may never know the future.” And she smiled, although not in full spirit. “If I ask you out on a date will you give me that precious smile once again?”   “I don’t know about that oppa, like you said …” but she trailed off in her own thoughts, and a moment later her eyes were shining brightly with enthusiasm, “are you serious?” asked she with much excitement.   He nodded his head, also beaming. “Yes!” and if she could jump from the moon and back she would, “Thanks oppa.”   He winked once again, as he flipped the vegetables in the pan, “Anything for you.”     Upon dinner, the two shared a sumptuous meal, complete with rice, vegetables, hanwoo and some kimchi. “Did you learn cooking from omoni?” asked Yeona, munching on some hanwoo.   “Hmm, umma is a good cook, but I learned from my father.” Answered Youngho, “He’s an excellent cook. In fact, I think a lot of men from my family are good at cooking and good looking.”   She gave him a face, “Omo, can you hear yourself?” they both laughed aloud.   “You must be mesmerized when you first saw my picture, right?” and he wiggled his eyebrows playfully.   The princess shook her head softly, “I did not look into your profile that much. As you may have already noticed, I was highly against the idea at first. But you did succeed at changing my mind so…”   Youngo offered her another piece of meat, in which he personally fed her, “I guess you finally fell for my charms.”   She tried her very best to hold her laughter, “You know sometimes I wonder where all your cheesiness comes from.”   “Is oppa too cheesy for your liking?” he lovingly asked, wiping a piece of rice that got stuck in the corner of her lips, it was so unladylike but he didn’t mind. He loves to see her so carefree and away from the constricting palace protocols she grew up with.   “Ani.” She cutely answered. “But actually, oppa,”   “Ne?” he replied.   “I have to confess something.” She timidly said.   “Let me guess, your undying love for me?” he teased, looking quite cocky.   “Pssh, you wish.” She retaliated with as much cheekiness.   “No? What is it then?”   It was such a light and playful atmosphere. “Remember the broken-pinky-situation? The one you suggested were probably caused by too much pulling from my horse reigns?”   And he had that look on him, the one that suggests mischievousness. “Hmm, is my theory correct after all?”   “Eh?” she looked dumbfounded, it couldn’t be. “So you knew all along?” “No, I don’t know but I’m trying to confirm something. Go on.” Answered he.   “No, I wanna hear you first.” She pouted as she chewed on some vegetables.   He simply chuckled, “Alright,” said he, “you see, that was my initial assessment. That maybe, her royal highness had been quite nervous, parading on top of that gorgeous stallion, and amidst all the things happening she unknowingly pulled the reigns too eagerly. But then …”   “But then?” indeed, she was eager to know.   He chuckled once again, “You know as a medical practitioner, I got to have my subsequent diagnosis. I decided against it since I reckon, it would not be possible. But there is actually a higher probability that the injury was purposely inflicted as opposed to have occurred due to an accident. I’m just saying, that scenario is highly unlikely, because who would dare harm the crown princess, right?”   “No wonder you study medicine.” Yeona softly mumbled.   “Excuse me?”   “You’re right, oppa.” She said with a shy smile. “And the only person who has the nerve to do as such is none other than my head of security, Kang ahjissi.”   “Mwo? Why did he do that? And what did he do exactly?” he was astounded.   “There is nothing to worry about, oppa, ahjussi is a very trustworthy person as you already know.”   “But how peculiar, are you telling me you just wanted to get my attention?” asked he, cheekily.   “No,” she narrowed her eyes while answering, “it was to shoo away some other birds and bees because apparently, the Crown was in trouble then. I had to do something.”   “Still the same thing, you had to get my attention to get away from something.” Youngho leaned his chin in his hand a