Chapter V

In the past week and a half since their encounter with the prince, the two of them have established a routine of some sort.

Everything was due to the brilliant idea of his father, of course. Sungjae washes his hands off knowing anything when his father calmly suggested over dinner that from now on, the two of them will be having their meal together because the older generation, somehow even including his grandparents, are going to be busy with business matters. Though it's not strange for family members to eat separately, the Yook had a long standing tradition of eating together during meal times. It's a sacred bonding time for the family and everybody eats together unless someone couldn't attend due to political or business affairs---which isn't often.

Sungjae, however, was convinced that such business matters did not really exist in the first place but he also knows that refusing was out of the option. He may be playful with his dad, but he couldn't be like that in front of the elders' presence, especially since his very own grandfather is known for being strict. That being said, he couldn't understand why the oldest Yook agreed to this when he was sure he did not approve of their guest, especially considering her flamboyance when it comes to dressing. Were they that desperate to marry him off?

He felt rather insulted but said nothing.

From then on, every morning, once the sun shines high enough in the sky, Sooyoung would wake up, get dressed and go to Sungjae's study where she would see him scour book after book, studying or doing some business required of him as the prime minister's son. She would wait for him to finish and together they would strike random conversations while waiting for breakfast to arrive. Once they've eaten their meals, Sooyoung would bid him goodbye and they would part ways, only to see each other again during lunch time.

Truthfully, that was unconventional, but that's what the patriarch said. Considering the culture they were in, the mere fact that they were left alone on their own devices, even ordered to do so, was scandalous in of itself. But knowing his dad, Prime Minister Yook is probably hoping that something indecent will happen between them just so they could force a marriage.

His father gave him too little credit. He isn't the type to jump on a woman just because they're beautiful. Aside from his sister and a few chosen women, including Sooyoung, he felt that most ladies are just sly foxes after his wealth. The gisaengs, he found out during his mid-teens, are the foxiest and haven't visited any entertainment houses since. 

A day after their encounter with the prince, which was also Sooyoung's first time visiting his study,  she just sat there and watched him; simply fascinated by the difference of their lifestyle. It was the contrast, she remembered thinking, that made it so. While his daily life was filled with duties and responsibilties, hers were undoubtedly frivolous and carefree and filled with merriment.

It was true when she said she could do anything that she pleased as long as it was done in the confines of their palace.

But she had grown spoiled, she could at least admit that much, and wanted more.

However, when day two came, she soon grew bored of staring at him and had taken to exploring the room because she literally had nothing to do while waiting for their breakfast to be served. Sungjae paid her no mind. Maybe except for the times when she would ask questions regarding the things and objects she saw there. That had been her hobby until day five when she had finally mapped out the room enough times that she could  probably walk in it with her eyes closed. Sitting on her designated area with both elbows propped on the table and her inflated cheeks highlighted by her own two hands as she cupped it, she blew a raspberry in the air as she stared at him.

Looking for things she could do to occupy herself, she suddenly proposed an idea half out of boredom and half out of curiosity, "do you think I can walk in your study without bumping into anything?"

Sungjae paused what he was doing and gave her an inquiring look. He couldn't tell if she was serious or not because she was wearing a deadpanned, albeit extremely bored, expression. He was bewildered but also amused. "I don't know." He shrugged. He placed his brush down before propping both elbows on the table and supporting his chin with the back of his clasped hands, unconsciously mirroring her actions in his own unique way. 

"Do you think I should try it?"

His lips twitched as he fought his urge to smile and simply waited.

When he didn't answer, she squared her shoulders in determination, still somehow able to rise from her sitting position elegantly, "I'm going to try it." She announced, taking a handkerchief from her pocket and tying it around her eyes.

"You shouldn't do that. You'll hurt yourself." Or so he says but made no move as she started moving about, stretching her hands out as she starting feeling for objects she might bump into. His eyes squinted when she calmly walked on top of the short table and hopped onto the floor with a proud smile on her face. He shook his head fondly and continued to watched. "How would I know if you're not cheating?"

"Well," she started, and he braced himself because he could somehow already predict what she was going to say, "you will just have to trust me when I say I couldn't see even a hint of light through this silk handkerchief." As if to prove herself, she accidentally knocked out his mom's precious antique vase with her hands from it's stand.

"Yah!" He unintentionally shouted as he shot up from his seat and scurried over hurriedly to catch the vase. He sighed with relief when it fell to his hands just as she took off her blindfold to check the situation. "Yah, Sooyoung-ssi, we should stop this and behave for now."

Sooyoung frowned, obviously displeased. "Did you just 'yah' me? Isn't that quite rude, Sungjae-ssi? Don't you know I'm older than you?"

He didn't pay mind to her words as he settled the vase back to its place. He glanced at her with a look that obviously says he doesn't believe her. 

She gasped, apalled, "I'll have you know. I could be older than your father."

He didn't stop his snort as he smiled at her like she had just something absolutely ridiculous and gently guided her back to her place. "Yes. I believe you." He says, but she knows that he doesn't.

She harrumped at this as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. But before she could say anything to refute him, he had given her a brush, ink and few pieces of paper and told her that she could do with it as she wished.

Like a child given a toy for the first time, she excitedly played with and scribbled a random doodle of a baby on it, with an arrow pointed at it and labeling it with his name. When she proudly showed him her masterpiece making him holler a "Yah!" at her again, but this time, she paid him no mind as she cackled loudly. She didn't even care how unladylike that was.

Without intending to, the image of her laughing so careless was branded into his mind. He dares not say it out loud, but he found her the prettiest in that moment.

.oOo.

Day seven after their encounter with the prince, Sooyoung had wasted quite the amount of paper. Sungjae wrily noted out loud that she had no talent when it comes to painting.

"Well," she drawled lazily, "I'm not my Seulgi-unnie who is v