“Ah noona, people are staring at us,” complained Ji-Woo who looked at his phone every ten seconds, “Where the hell is that Ki-Joo? If he’s a minute later, I swear I’ll strangle him.”

“Why are you complaining? Aren’t you at least grateful that Ki-Joo is offering us a ride?” she told the dongsaeng, “It’s better to wait for him than to commute wearing these, right?”

Ji-Woo pouted as he fixed his princely garb. Ha-Jin hid a smile as she watched the dongsaeng struggle with his costume, which looked pretty good despite being a last-minute ensemble.

When Ji-Hyun said she could invite one more person to the launch, she automatically thought about Chae-rin. Unfortunately, the latter was unavailable. Rather than waste the invite, she hoped her favorite barista would be available. Ji-Woo was ecstatic when she told him about the event and got even more excited when Ki-Joo informed them about his family’s invite.

Ha-Jin got Ji-Woo’s costume from the dress shop who, fortunately, had excess tunics, hanboks, and what not. She got him the last Prince costume, which suited him perfectly.

Now, he really was the Fourteenth Prince in all his glory.

Ji-Woo was less than comfortable with the excess clothing and the mere fact the people were staring at them. He fidgeted every now and then, adjusting the sleeves or pulling by the collar. He settled his eyes on Ha-Jin instead.

“Ah noona, you look so pretty tonight,” he said.

“Thank you!”

He looked at her from top to bottom. “What are you  supposed to be again?” he asked.

She patted the hairpiece stuck on her bun. “The head court lady of Damiwon,” she answered.

“Da-mi-won?”

“Yes, the department in the palace in charge of tea, makeup, among other things,”

Ji-Woo nodded in approval. “I don’t know what that means but man, you look so regal,” he remarked, “You look like one of those top madams I see in period dramas—but a less sinister one.”

She smiled gratefully at him, fixing her matching jeogori and chima—both in light shades of blue and adorned with floral designs and swirls. She touched her hairpiece, which sat gratefully on her smooth bun.

When the iSOi staff told her to come as a court lady, Ha-Jin didn’t know what to feel. She was a bit nostalgic when the dress shop owner handed her a court lady garb, which bore similarities to the one Hae Soo wore as a top court lady. Her eyes were a bit watery, remembering the good old days of serving the King and the royal family. When she put the entire ensemble on, she swore she shed a tear or two.

There was no space for the feisty Ha-Jin in her attire. Hands folded on her lap and a serene smile on her face, she felt like a proper lady. Even Ji-Woo’s childish complaints weren’t enough to break her court lady cool.

A black car pulled in front of the café, honking at them. The dark tinted windows made it difficult to see who was behind the wheel, but when the passenger window rolled down, a beaming Ki-Joo greeted Ha-Jin and Ji-Woo.

“Hey what took you so long?” complained Ji-Woo, approaching the car. Ki-Joo stared at him amusedly, surveying his outfit.

“Well what do you know? We’re wearing the same thing,” he said, “But in different shades!”

“You said you’d be here thirty minutes ago! You kept noona and me waiting with the people staring at us like we’re crazy or something!”

“I’m already here aren’t I?” shot Ki-Joo. “Just get in and stop complaining.”

A frustrated Ji-Woo took the front seat while Ha-Jin satisfied herself at the back, gathering the hems of her skirt before settling. She gently closed the door and smiled at Ki-Joo through the front mirror.

“Wow noona, you look so pretty,” he said, “You’re a court lady, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” she said, taking a peek at the front, “And I see you’re also a Prince.”

“Of course,” he replied, “Well, I wanted to be one of those advisors, but Mother wouldn’t lay off until I wore this thing she got from a shop. To be honest, it’s a little hard, driving with all of these layers.”

“No wonder you were so slow,” remarked Ji-Woo. Ki-Joo merely rolled his eyes and just smiled at Ha-Jin through his mirror.

Ki-Joo wore the same tunic as Ji-Woo’s, only it was in royal shade of blue. As the two dongsaengs argued in front, Ha-Jin watched them fondly, trying to keep her emotions at bay. Seeing them in such a familiar getup couldn’t help but stir a basket of emotions within.

The sight of happy and well-off Tenth Prince in the present life was such a relief.

She rested at the back, allowing the dongsaengs to busy themselves with their usual chit-chat. Ha-Jin was too preoccupied with the launch to mind their argument on which of them looked more regal. All of her tasks concerning the launch had been done two days ago; she was just attending as a representative.

But that wasn’t the thing crowding her mind.

The previous night, she had already prepared herself for the possible surge of memories. Due to the launch’s Goryeo theme, there was bound to be a trigger somewhere. She couldn’t afford to be all wobbly and dazed during the launch; she needed her mind in the game. Ha-Jin practiced breathing exercises and brought tons of aspirin to keep herself in check.

Despite her worries, Ha-Jin also looked forward to the iSOi launch. All her hard work would be finally released to the world; there was nothing better than seeing your efforts materialize and appreciated by most.

As the boys discussed the potential of a chocolate fountain, Ha-Jin closed her eyes—allowing the time to wash her worries away.

It was going to be some night.

--

Ha-Jin found safe haven in the luxurious restroom of the hotel. She found herself silently hyperventilating; probably, she was just a little overwhelmed with the number of people present, the luxury of everything, and the memories of her Goryeo.

Once they stepped in the hotel’s foyer, Ha-Jin felt a little weak. Everything was too fancy for her taste—and so were the people. The guests were clothes in various Goryeo attires; so far, she’s seen countless noblemen and noblewomen, accompanied by eunuchs, gisaengs, and other court ladies.

It was a colorful sight—too colorful it sort of made her stomach sick. She just needed a 5-minute break to get everything sorted.

Her face was pale against the orange-ish light of the bathroom. She got out some blush-on and dabbed a bit, hoping to add some color on her cheeks. She was tempted to splash on some water, but doing so would destroy her makeup.

“Come on, Ha-Jinah. You can do this,” she whispered to herself.

“Hi,”

A small voice in the background startled her, causing her to drop her blusher. Immediately, Ha-Jin knelt to the floor and so did the owner of the voice.

“I am so sorry!” it exclaimed in a soft and squeaky melodious tone.

“No, it’s okay,” assured Ha-Jin, “I’m being clumsy.”

A slender hand handed her compact. Ha-Jin looked up to see the fresh faced Park Hanna, smiling pleasantly at her. Together, they stood up, with Ha-Jin stuffing the compact back in her bag, her eyes nailed on the teenager.

Park Hanna looked simple yet elegant in her noblewoman outfit; her braided hair adorned with flowers. Ha-Jin couldn’t help but feel silently ecstatic at Soon-Deok’s appearance, albeit she didn’t have a spear in hand nor that look of distrust Hae Soo knew so well.

“You’re my father’s friend, right?” she asked, “Go Ha-Jin-unnie?”

“Ah, yes,” answered Ha-Jin, “And you’re Hanna?”

The younger girl nodded and shook her hand. Ha-Jin experienced that familiar surreal feeling that came with meeting someone from the past. Still, Park Hanna’s polite smile overrode that odd sensation.

“My father’s outside,” said the junior, “He’s probably socializing but I’m sure he’d love to see you.”

“That’s great!” exclaimed Ha-Jin, “You…look very pretty, if I might say.”

Hanna blushed. “Thank you,” she said, “Shall we go out?”

Both girls exited the bathroom, complimenting one another as they did. Ha-Jin felt a sense of new camaraderie as she talked to Hanna, who was just talking about her degree in the University. She seemed like an interesting girl; no wonder Ki Joo was—

“Noona!”

Speak of the devil.

Ji-Woo and Ki-Joo were waiting just outside of the restrooms; at the sight of Hanna, Ki-Joo’s eyes widened in surprise. Ha-Jin had to suppress a giggle.

“Ah…Hanna!” stammered Ki-Joo; obviously, his face turned a darker shade of red. Ji-Woo was also trying his best not to laugh; his hand was covering his mouth. Ha-Jin, on the other hand, watched from behind Hanna; it would be the first time she’d see these two interact.

“Ah hello there, Ki-Joo,” greeted Hanna, bowing politely.

“He…hello Hanna!” exclaimed the dongsaeng, completely flustered. Ji-Woo’s expression conveyed secondhand embarrassment as he watched his friend attempt to talk to his crush. Ha-Jin, on the other hand, sensed Ki-Joo was having a hard time and getting more awkward by the second.

“Do you go to the same school?” asked Ha-Jin, hoping to break the awkwardness.

“Yes, Ki-Joo and I share one elective,” said the younger girl, then she turned to him and Ji-Woo. A look of recognition registered on her face.

“Aren’t you the other barista at the café?” she asked him.

“Yeah, I am,” replied Ji-Woo, “And you are mocha latte, hold the full-cream milk, switch with soya, and decaf girl.”

Hanna laughed. “You know my order so well,” she said.

“It’s always the same, anyway. Sometimes, you’d pair it with cheesecake. On Mondays, you love blueberry muffins,”

“And on Tuesdays?”

“You get the oatmeal ones…and that always confuses me,” confessed Ji-Woo, “I mean…they’re all muffins.”

“But they’re different,”

“All the same muffin,”

“You’re observant,”

Hanna smiled at Ji-Woo, who was clearly enjoying the attention. Ki-Joo, on the other hand, was torn between shock at his friend’s ease and his lack of confidence to talk to his crush. Ha-Jin sensed trouble in the future.

She then turned her attention to Ki-Joo.

“Are your parents here?” she asked.

“Uh…ye…yes,” he replied, “They’re…around here, I guess.”

He was far off from the bubbly and confident Ki-Joo Ha-Jin knew. Apparently, Park Hanna had the power to reduce the boy into nothing but a stammering pile of nervousness. But Hanna wasn’t doing it intentionally; it must have been a side-effect.

Seeing that Ki-Joo would say nothing more, Hanna smiled at him then bowed at Ha-Jin. “I’m off to see my father,” she told them, “I might run into you during the launch.”

“That would be wonderful,” said Ha-Jin.

Park Hanna then smiled at Ji-Woo. “I guess I’ll have to switch my muffin orders soon,” she told him, “So you’ll have a challenge.”

He smirked. “We’ll see,” he said.

She said nothing more and excused herself from the trio. Both Ji-Woo and Ki-Joo looked at the girl’s retreating back.

“God…it’s weird to hear her voice not ordering that latte she likes,” commented Ji-Woo, shoving his hands inside his tunic’s pockets, “So that’s what she’s like, huh, Ki-Joo?”

Ki-Joo did not answer.

“Yah, Ki-Joo?”

The boy was still staring hopelessly at the girl he liked; his face, known for that bubbly expression, was devoid of any aegyo or even that confident gentleman she saw during the Christmas trip. He was just…blank.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?” asked Ji-Woo, shaking his friend by the shoulders.

Ki-Joo took his friend’s hand off him. “Stop that!” he exclaimed, “God, what was that about?”

There was a hint of frustration in his tone. Both Ha-Jin and Ji-Woo were surprised with his sudden outburst.

“What do you mean?”

Ki-Joo stared at Ji-Woo in disbelief. “What do you mean ‘What do you mean?’ I saw what just happened. You were flirting with her!” accused Ki-Joo.

“What the hell?” exclaimed Ji-Woo, “I was not! I was just being friendly!”

“Would you call that being friendly? That was downright flirting!”

“Oh my god, Ki-Joo! I was just being nice to that girl you like because you couldn’t say anything,” countered Ji-Woo, “You just stood there and let her get away.”

“So you swooped in?”

“Wait—what? No!”

“Boys! Boys!”

Ha-Jin got in between the arguing friends, subduing their escalating argument.

“Boys, now is not the time to fight—especially for a girl,” she said, “Doesn’t that sound pathetic? Two friends fighting over a clueless girl?” she then turned to Ki-Joo, “Ki-Joo, I don’t think Ji-Woo was flirting with Hanna. He was just being friendly.”

“But noona, wasn’t it too friendly?” argued Ki-Joo, “He was batting his eyelashes!”

“Since when have I ever batted my eyelashes?!”

“Just a while ago!”

“Boys!” exclaimed Ha-Jin, “Stop this argument! We’re in the middle of a formal occasion. I don’t think it’s the right place to argue about a girl.”

Ki-Joo looked at Ji-Woo with such disbelief; the other remained defiant. Ha-Jin shook her head as she tried to pacify both boys. She hoped this petty argument wouldn’t escalate to something pettier.

“Aisht!” exclaimed Ki-Joo, “Noona, I’ll go look for my parents. Better than spend time with this…ugh…crush stealer!”

Without another word, he stomped out, leaving his best friend in disbelief.

“Hey, what are you walking out for?” exclaimed Ji-Woo. The dongsaeng, scowling, looked at his noona, “Noona, I’ll be back. I’m not gonna let that jerk get away with that,” he said, “HEY YOU JERK, COME BACK HERE!” he yelled after his friend, leaving Ha-Jin alone. She watched as Ji-Woo chased Ki-Joo through the crowd, slipping on his princely garb.

Part of her said she should chase him, but she figured she’d let the boys be.

After all, the night was still young.

--

Ha-Jin was grateful. The first two hours were nothing but short pleasantries with the new people she met. Park Ji-Hyun, once he chanced upon her, took her around the event, introducing her to some important names in the network. She appreciated their chatter, fresh vats of mini gossip, and praises for her concept.

When the presenter excused himself to accompany his daughter, Ha-Jin found herself at the bar, ordering her first drink.

The boys were still nowhere to be found. She hoped Ji-Woo talked some sense into Ki-Joo and settle the peace with his best friend; but if she was going to be honest, she couldn’t blame Ki-Joo for feeling that way. Ji-Woo, despite his best intentions, did seem like he was flirting with Park Hanna.

Or maybe he was just a natural talker.

As she sipped her drink, she spotted two familiar faces approaching her from the crowd.

“Well, there she is!”

Baek Min-Suk looked dashing in his purple hanbok. Ha-Jin felt a jolt of sudden familiarity at the sight of him; he even had his hair up in the same fashion that 13^th Prince wore his. Fortunately, she didn’t tremble or stumble.

His arm slung protectively around his wife, who looked lovely and glowing in her multi-colored hanbok. She even adorned her hair with little jewels and flowers. There was something immaculate in how she looked and held her bump.

“Hello Go Ha-Jin,” greeted Min-Suk. Baek Yoo-Hee kissed Ha-Jin on the cheek, smiling beautifully as she did.

“Congrats on the launch,” she said, “I saw some samples by the front; they all look amazing!”

“Thank you,” replied Ha-Jin, “You two look beautiful, as well. And wow, the baby is growing!”

The couple looked proudly over Yoo-Hee’s bump.

“I know,” remarked Min-Suk, “We can’t wait to see him. Two months to go, isn’t that right, honey?”

Ha-Jin couldn’t help but feel positively nostalgic at the sight of them. She loved seeing Woo-Hee and Baek-Ah finally get their happily ever after in this life. God knows they both deserve it. If only she could tell Baek-Ah…

“Ah, honey,” he told his wife, “I should go see Oh Gan Eun; he has something to give me, apparently. I’ll have to find him. Will you be okay if I leave you here for a whie?”

“Fine, leave your pregnant wife once you attend a party,” whined Yoo-Hee with a teasing pout, “Ha-Jinah will be better company, anyway.”

Min-Suk kissed his wife on the cheek. “It’ll be a short one, I promise. Besides, it’s better than you staring as I do business,” he said, “Ha-Jin, please take care of my Yoo-Hee as I face a businessman, by myself.”

“Will do,” said Ha-Jin, offering the pregnant Yoo-Hee a seat.

“Don’t forget to come back for me, all right?” asked Yoo-Hee.

Her husband winked at her, “You’ll be in good company, anyway,” he told her, “Just don’t gossip too much about me with Ha-Jin. She might think I’m lame.”

With a wave, Baek Min-Suk dove back into the crowd, leaving his wife and Ha-Jin. She felt funny, watching the Thirteenth Prince socialize. It was something new yet something old, as well, and it made her feel…nostalgic.

Yoo-Hee stared wistfully at her husband’s book, a look of adoration in her eyes. She was caressing her bump lovingly.

There was something in the way she looked at Min-Suk that made Ha-Jin wistful as well. That love in her eyes—it was so obvious, anyone can spot it. Ha-Jin didn’t know if  it was pregnancy or Yoo-Hee shared the same love Woo-Hee had for Baek-Ah.

“Do you want a drink?” she asked Yoo-Hee, breaking the latter’s reverie.

“Oh, yes, that would be great,” said Yoo-Hee, “Non-alcoholic, please. I can’t risk it.”

Ten minutes later, both women were joyfully chatting over their glasses of fruit cocktails and pineapple juice. They were chatting about her husband’s double life as an aesthetic painter and a part-time businessman.

“…Min-Suk has always been obsessed with the arts ever since he was a child,” she was saying, “So when his father said he had to head one of the businesses and not pursue art, he racked his brains for a plan to help him balance the two parts. He couldn’t give up his art, but he couldn’t say no to his father either.”

“What did he do?”

“He took time to establish the business, make sure it had good foundation. Once it did, he finally had the time to also build the center,” said Yoo-Hee, “Eventually, things worked according to plan.”

“Min-Suk’s a big IT nerd so he figured out how he can operate the business with the help of the Internet and some computers. Fortunately, his father’s line was made for the online, making everything easier for him.”

Ha-Jin took the last sip from her glass. “Is that how he met Hwang Jae-Yeong?” she asked.

“Ahh, no. It was in a bar,” explained Yoo-Hee fondly, “They were both drunk strangers who ended up fighting for some reason I’ll never understand. Eventually, Min-Suk came home, sporting a black eye and dragging a less-than-sober Jae-Yeong, saying he finally met THAT friend he’s always wanted.”

Both women laughed at the ridiculous tale.

“They are both odd, aren’t they?” remarked Yoo-Hee, “Handsome, but very odd.”

“You still married him, though.”

Yoo-Hee smiled wistfully, looking at her drink. Anyone could see she was very much in love with her husband.

“Ha-Jinah,” she began, “Are you a big believer in soul mates?”

“Eh?”

Yoo-Hee settled her drink on the counter, that dreamy expression roaming in her eyes. “Do you believe in fate, soul mates—that kind of stuff?”

Ah, you don’t know the extent of what I believe in right now, Yoo Hee, said Ha-Jin in her mind, You might think I’m crazy if you did.

“Hmm…why don’t you try me?” she asked Yoo-Hee.

Yoo-Hee took a minute before answering. She was thoughtfully caressing her baby bump.

“I know it’s going to sound strange…”

Again, you don’t know the extent of strange I’m in right now.

“But when I first met Min-Suk, I’ve always felt like I’ve known him before,” explained Yoo-Hee, taking another sip, “I was taking Fine Arts at the University and he ended up in one of my classes. He was a business major who was taking art on the side.”

“What do you mean you felt like you’ve known him before?”

Yoo-Hee thought about it. “I can’t exactly pinpoint what or how, but when he first entered the classroom, I felt like I’ve…” she faltered, then looked at Ha-Jin, “You might think it’s weird.”

“Oh, you don’t know the weird stuff I’ve been,” admitted Ha-Jin. Yoo-Hee giggled and nodded her head.

“All right. Well, I felt like…I’ve been waiting for him to enter that door,” she said, “It’s strange because I’ve never met him before. Some people might think it’s love at first sight and it might’ve been. But for me, it was more of I was expecting him. Before Min-Suk, I have never dated other boys—I always turned them down, thinking they weren’t the One. But with Min-Suk, all he had to do was come in.”

“That doesn’t sound too odd for me, though,” remarked Ha-Jin, “I think it’s romantic.”

“Isn’t it?” asked Yoo-Hee, “But at that time, it completely weirded me out. Did you know, after meeting him once, I had dreams about him the following nights?”

Dreams?

Ha-Jin found herself paying more attention to Yoo-Hee.

“What kind of dreams?”

Yoo-Hee smiled bashfully, “Well, since you insist and you promised you wouldn’t think I’m weird,” she said, “One dream had him playing a gayageum (traditional guitar) in the middle of the darkness. It was odd, especially the choice of instrument. But I found myself drawn to his music; I wanted to dance, but my feet wouldn’t let me. So, I just stayed there, drowning in his melody.”

“The dream recurred multiple times,” she continued, “But they all stopped eventually, especially when we got together.”

“Ah honey, are you still there?”

Baek Min-Suk made his way through the crowd, carrying his drink, as well as a plate of pastries. He handed his wife the plate and settled on a chair beside her. Slinging an arm around her shoulders, he smiled at Ha-Jin.

“What did I miss?” he asked.

“I was just telling Ha-Jin about the time we met,” said Yoo-Hee, gratefully accepting the cupcake, “And how we fell in love. That kind of stuff.”

“Ahh, Yoo-Hee! Ha-Jin will think we’re too sappy for our own good.”

“But we still fight a lot,” said Yoo-Hee, “Don’t worry Ha-Jin. We’re not some abnormally perfect couple. Just last night he left water running for the nth time and I had to give him a good smack.”

“But you still love me all the same,”

Ha-Jin watched the couple fondly as they fed each other and talked about Min-Suk’s mini business venture. She was truly glad Baek-Ah and Woo-Hee found each other in this life. They deserved it.

She wondered, however, about Yoo-Hee’s dreams.

Did they mean anything?

“Ah noona!”

Flustered Ji-Woo arrived, looking disappointed and annoyed at the same time. He was holding a bottle of beer from the bar, drinking it greedily as he approached her.

“Ji-Woo, are you all right?” she asked, “Where’s Ki-Joo?”

The dongsaeng rolled his eyes. “He’s still hung up over the fact that Hanna talked to me and not him. He’s with his parents though,” he said, “But I bet you he’ll get bored and start looking for me.” The young boy then noticed they had company. Immediately, he hid his bottle of beer (despite being of legal age). Ha-Jin laughed as he scurried behind her, while the couple looked at him with interest.

“Well, who do we have here?” asked Min-Suk.

Ha-Jin pulled Ji-Woo to her side, “This is Ji-Woo the Barista,” she introduced, “Ji-Woo, this is Baek Min-Suk and his wife, Yoo-Hee.”

The dongsaeng bowed bashfully, trying to hide his embarrassment from the couple. Yoo-Hee watched him with such awe, Ha-Jin thought she must be envisioning her future son in Ji-Woo. Min-Suk, on the other hand, extended his hand and shook the younger one’s hand.

A tiny flashback attempted to invade Ha-Jin’s memories. The sight of Baek-Ah and Jung interacting for the first time tried to spark something. For a moment, she thought it would feel unpleasant. But seeing Min-Suk ask Ji-Woo about his school did not provoke any painful memory at all.

In fact, it was a pleasant one of the brothers having fun with the Tenth.

“…so you work to support yourself through school?” Min-Suk was asking.

“I have to. My mom’s a single parent,” answered Ji-Woo, “I don’t want her to be overburdened with my needs. Besides, the café comes with too many perks so working isn’t working at all, sometimes.”

Ha-Jin saw Min-Suk nodding at Ji-Woo, deeply interested in his job.

“Attention,” came a voice from the stage, “If I could have everyone’s attention please?”

The MC had already arrived. Dress in a traveler’s getup, he took the microphone and welcomed everyone to the event. The stage had been setup in such a way, it reminded Ha-Jin of the throne back in Goryeo. Apart from the golden throne, there were also candles, relics, among other things. Combine those with dressed up guests, Ha-Jin felt like she was back in Cheondekcheon—with air conditioning and modern food.

“…of course, the event would not be possible without iSOi cosmetics and their collaboration with the Hwang Cooperation,” said the MC, “In fact, iSOi cosmetics would like to thank the top people behind this partnership. Before we dive into the launch, let us all welcome one of South Korea’s royal families—a round of applause for the Hwangs!”

The red velvet curtain behind the stage opened, revealing Hwang Kwang-Soo and his family. The family and company Patriarch took the lead, smiling at his guests and looking regal in his Emperor’s clothes. His wife, Hwang Shin-Hye, graciously beamed at everyone, her hand tightly wrapped around her husband’s arm. With her hair done up, she strongly reminded Ha-Jin of the late Queen Yoo. Together, they proceeded to the stage, followed by the next couple in line.

It was odd to see the Third Prince again. Ha-Jin had to subdue her sense of fear at the sight of Il-Sung dressed in his princely robes and his hair up, signifying his married status. She reminded herself that Third Prince Yo was dead and this was Hwang Il-Sung.

Of course, Nari was dressed to the nines. Ha-Jin might’ve seen her outfit before but admittedly, she was still stunning. Her purple dress, trimmed with gold, suited her fair skin. Her hair, which was usually in gorgeous waves, was straightened and adorned with golden flowers. Her hand was also wrapped tightly around Il-Sung’s arm, showing off that gleaming engagement ring.

Tae-Won looked striking in his royal blue hwanbok as he smiled at the people, bashfully as he did. He followed Nari and Il-Sung who both came up to the stage to stand beside Hwang Shin-Hye. Tae-Won smiled warmly as cameras flashed. Ha-Jin wondered how he wasn’t blinded yet with all those flashes.

Then, he came.

Ha-Jin had prepared his eunuch clothes the day before. Since he always got his way, she figured no one would protest to his insistence. While preparing his clothes, she did make sure he’d look at least a bit regal. After all, with a face like his, he could make anything regal. But the sight of him as a eunuch would probably make a lot of people laugh or wonder.

So, Ha-Jin couldn’t contain her shock when he came out in that very familiar black garment, adorned with the royal symbols in gold. If anything, he wasn't wearing a eunuch's outfit--that was for sure. He was anything but a eunuch; he was a Prince.

As Jae-Yeong came up to the stage, he joined his family. The MC introduced them one by one, followed by a short paragraph of praise for the family’s accomplishments.

Ha-Jin wasn’t standing too far; she was near enough for him to spot her. She could see him looking at the crowd, probably surveying for a familiar face. She didn't want to assume, but she sensed that he was looking for her, judging from his facial expressions and body language. Eventually, being the sharp person he was, his eyes found her.

Those brown eyes of his still shone from a distance—despite the fact that half his face was covered  with a black mask.

---

A/N: I’m back but still busy as ever. I wish I had all the time in the world to write about this story, but if I did, the inspiration might come slower. Don’t worry, of course there’s a second part to this chapter. But you’ll have to wait and see.

I'm pretty excited cause we've already reached the middle after another middle. I can't wait to write more. As long as you're there, my dear readers, expect me to still be here.