Chapter 9: Imaginations & Messages

The next, early morning, Jungseol came to Yeonhwa’s Quarter to accomplish her order. Yeonhwa was already up when her maiden walked in with a bag hanging over her shoulder. The Princess smiled, seeing her.

“Good morning, Your Majesty,” Jungseol greeted.

“Good morning to you, too,” Yeonhwa replied. “How are you feeling? Excited you’re going back home?”

The maiden warmly smiled. “Just a little, Your Majesty.”

The Princess smiled back.

“Your Majesty, you wanted to make a delivery?”

Yeonhwa nodded before taking a letter out of a small box beside her. “This is for Hwayang,” she confessed.

Jungseol looked up at her in surprise and blinked. “Princess Yeonhwa,” she said. “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive,” the Princess said with a nod. “I am sure you remember what he looks like, right?”

“I do, Your Majesty.”

“Good.” Yeonhwa reached the thin letter out to Jungseol, and she gladly took it. “If he gets suspicious or asks anything out of the ordinary, don’t tell him anything, okay? Not even about my royalty.”

“If that’s what you wish, Your Majesty.”

Yeonhwa sighed. “Thank you for doing this, Jungseol.”

“It’s nothing. I’m just following My Lady’s orders.”

The Princess smiled. “Well then, you should get going. You don’t want to keep your family waiting, do you?”

Jungseol bowed her head to her in response. She got up and turned around to leave, but then, she remembered something.

“Princess Yeonhwa,” she spun back with a lovely smile.

Yeonhwa blinked softly at her.

“Happy seventeenth birthday.”

The Princess smiled happily.

When Eunpil came over to the two siblings, Hwayang was just tying bundles of hays together and putting it in the wagon with the help of Jooyang.

“Hwayang Hyung,” Jooyang said, tugging on his brother’s shirt. “Eunpil Noona’s here.”

Hwayang turned over and saw his friend walking over with a smile.

“Hey, guys,” Eunpil greeted. “Working hard today?”

Jooyang nodded. “Yes, we are,” he proudly said. “But I am working much harder.”

Hwayang nudged his head, making him wince. “Who’s working hard, huh?” he teasingly muttered.

Eunpil chuckled at the two brothers.

Then, a guy came over with a stack of hays in his hands. It was no other than Myungseok. Today, he didn’t have a shift at his restaurant, so he came to the farm to work.

“Hey,” Myungseok said, handing the bundle to Hwayang. “Did you know today’s the Princess’s birthday?”

Hwayang instantly slowed down his movements with the pack of hays until it looked like he wasn’t moving at all. He lowered his head, avoiding eye-contact with his friends. His chest was starting to feel warm again, and his heart was beating rapidly fast. There was also a tiny hint of a smile on his face, but he hid it well.

Of course he knew today was the Princess’s birthday. Yeonhwa’s birthday. How could he forget? He found out about her real identity by piecing all of the evidence together. Plus, she kind of invited him to come celebrate. He couldn’t forget that at all.

“Princess?” Eunpil asked. “What Princess?”

Myungseok clicked his tongue. “The Crown Princess, of course. Which other princess do you know?”

“Crown Princess?” Jooyang asked cluelessly, getting on the wagon.

Myungseok nodded. “Today is her seventeenth birthday. I heard the royal family is throwing a big celebration for her, too.”

“Well, she’s the Crown Princess of Joseon,” Eunpil said. “Of course they will throw a for her. Plus, she’s royalty.” Then, she turned to Hwayang, who was playing with the string tied around the stack of hays. “Hwayang, are you alright?”

Hwayang jerked his head up and looked at the girl. He quickly nodded and put on an assuring smile.

“She must be a true beauty,” Myungseok sighed in daze. “Just imagine her flawless face, stunning body-frame, and kind heart. What an angel, right?”

Hwayang looked away again, hiding a small smile creeping on his face. Myungseok’s imaginative descriptions of Yeonhwa wasn’t helping him at all. Especially since he didn’t want to give away what he was feeling right now.

Eunpil scoffed at Myungseok. “You and your erted mind,” she nudged his arm.

“What erted mind?” Myungseok replied in disbelief. “I’m just simply imagining what the Princess l