A/N: This chapter is pretty short :< Enjoy, though!

Chapter 10: Letters & Emptiness

Throughout the whole day, many people in the Flower Palace worked nonstop. Maids and servants moved a lot from here to there, and talented performers, musicians, and dancers were being organized nicely. For the Crown Princess’s birthday party, everyone was really busy getting things done in perfection.

Yeonhwa spent her day at the gazebo near the pond in the palace and worked on her stories all day. She didn’t want to be cooped up in her room while everyone was preparing for her birthday feast. Because Dongil didn’t go home like how she told him to, he stayed with her the whole time. They had a little quarrel as to why should have went home and why he stayed behind. Since Jungseol went home, he claimed, he decided to keep her accompanied. Little did she know, he just wanted to stay and be with her. He wanted to be next to her every second and minute of the day. Even if she had nothing for him to do, he was okay. As long as he was by her side, he was alright with it.

Night time came, and the birthday celebration finally started.

After getting herself dolled up, Yeonhwa finally came to the Main Hall where all the guests, performers, and maids and servants were. The King and Queen sat up in their thrones with her brother Chanwol sitting beside their mother, too. They all greeted her happily as she showed a warm smile to them.

She wore a beautiful hanbok that also took everyone’s breath away. It had nice, pastel colors that were very vibrant. The designs on it also made it look even more rich. Along with her outfit, she had her hair done in a French braid to the side with small flowers in the tiny spaces.

(You can ignore the kitty. ^^)

Out of all the people standing before her, Dongil was the most moved. He stood not too far from the King and Queen, watching the Princess stroll down the aisle. He had always thought she was beautiful no matter what she wore or how she looked, but tonight, she was elegantly glamorous.

Yeonhwa finally stopped walking and bowed, greeting her parents and older brother.

“You look very beautiful tonight, Princess Yeonhwa,” the King complimented.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Yeonhwa replied.

“My little sister is growing up too fast,” Chanwol warmly said. “Don’t you think so, Mother?”

The Queen boringly sighed and looked elsewhere. “Growing up is a part of life,” she bluntly said. “One day, she’ll be old enough to get married, too.”

Yeonhwa lowered her head and looked at the ground, not wanting to meet her mother’s eyes.

King Han, Chanwol, and Dongil mentally huffed an angry breath, hearing her empty words. It was the Yeonhwa’s birthday, and she still couldn’t get over the fact that her daughter must act more royalty-like and do the things other princesses do.

“Yeonhwa, why don’t you come sit up here?” Chanwol gestured to the empty seat next to him. “Let’s start the birthday party, shall we?”

Yeonhwa smiled lightly and bowed to them again before carefully stepping up the stairs to join her family. When she finally sat down, the King spoke.

“Today, the Princess turns seventeen years old,” he loudly said. “Let us celebrate this once in a lifetime feast for her, and all wish for her very best future.”

“Happy birthday, Princess Yeonhwa!” the crowd cheered and bowed. “We wish for you to live long and happily! Happy birthday!”

Yeonhwa could only bow back and put on a warm smile to her people.

But behind that smile was emptiness.

As soon as Hwayang put Jooyang to sleep, he stepped outside to get some fresh air. He sat on the patio seats in the front yard and took a breather. He worked all day without any rest at the farm, and he was completely tired, but weirdly he didn’t feel like he could sleep. Correction - he didn’t feel sleepy. Tired, but not sleepy.

Then, he sighed before reaching into his shirt and pulling out the envelope with the letter he got today. He read his name on the cover and unknowin